May 13th-15th May 2022
Join us at the London Irish Centre
Other online workshops available

Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in Monchengladbach Germany in 1883. As a child, Joe had asthma and other ailments so he turned to exercise and athletics to battle them. He became enamored by the classical Greek ideal of a man balanced in body, mind, and spirit, and he began to develop his own exercise system based on this concept.

Asymmetry is something that comes up a lot in my work. My own scoliosis gives me an inherent asymmetry that makes it impossible for me to skip straight to the hundred in my own practice. But my observations of other bodies is that, whilst there may not be a scoliosis, asymmetry is very common.

A common misconception/tale is that Pilates is only for woman. I’m constantly hearing from my male friends in or around the studio, “Isn’t Pilates mostly women?” or “Pilates is just like Yoga right?” I’m here to break that rumor and tell you why Pilates is great for everyone, especially our MEN.

Are you dealing with annoying chronic aches and pains, or have you experienced an injury that seems impossible to fully recover from? Body posture and proper pelvic placement play a HUGE role in how easy (or challenging) it might be to maintain your whole-body health. Doing Pilates can be an excellent way to explore exercises to help you improve pelvic placement, enhance posture and body awareness, and put your pelvis where it belongs to help develop healthy movement habits for better functional movement.

Ever wondered why the 100 crunches you do in the gym every day aren't giving you the six pack you want?

Well, a pilates instructor has revealed a much easier and more efficient way to get a toned tummy.

If you think Pilates is only for beautiful women with ballerinas' bodies, you're probably not alone.

But you — and everyone else who buys into that narrow line of thinking — are wrong. Despite this common misconception, Pilates can be a great workout for everyone. The practice incorporates all the elements of healthy physical movement: breath, posture, strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility. Guys need to be able to move, too, so beards and chest hair are just as welcome and encouraged in the studio as yoga pants.

Exercise for osteoporosis is a confusing subject. There are exercises for prevention, exercises for rehab, and safety concerns for exercise if you have osteoporosis. Pilates is a form of exercise that is often mentioned with regard to osteoporosis. But in Pilates, there are definite parameters as far as what exercises are appropriate for osteoporosis.

Children are the most important resource on our planet and educating the next generation both physically and mentally is up to us. As Pilates instructors/parents we have a responsibility to help impact the next generation by ensuring their physical development.

Teaching children Pilates will not only ensure that they live healthy lives, but will also teach them to respect their bodies and that of their peers, the ability to focus and concentrate, to breathe correctly and thus enable them to relax. They will also learn to control their bodies and start to move with determination in both work and play.

It is possible to take time off when you want to and it is possible to teach the hours of the day you love and the dates you want to teach. But, you have to set your business up that way!