As well as opening a whole world of possibilities for transforming my lifestyle, health and career, Pilates has been my way into fun, vitality and restfulness.

I want to share this, so I'm creating a project to offer free Pilates sessions for people living in or recovering from homelessness or addiction. There has been considerable interest in the idea from people working in the sector, and I would love for other Pilates instructors to get involved.

As Pilates instructors, we are used to encountering clients in some form of recovery, usually from a physical injury or condition. The results that we make available to them - peace, alignment, strength, vitality and fun, would be highly beneficial to people in vulnerable situations.

Getting involved in this work, with the support of established organisations, would bring forth the possibility of expanding your knowledge and experience of working with diverse people and situations, and the possibility of making a contribution through doing what you love...teaching Pilates!

If you think this is something you would be interested in, please get in touch!

The results of my online survey are in and am very excited to announce I will be running weekly Pilates sessions at St Peter's Crypt in De Beauvoir on Thursdays 9-10am starting from Thursday 2nd June.

The session will be mixed levels, so beginners to intermediate all welcome. Bring your own mat, or I can provide one for you. The room has a limited capacity... please let me know if you're coming by booking your slot today:
http://www.doodle.com/ygv23u52hp6q859f

The cost for sessions is £9 per session if you book five sessions in advance (pay £45 on the first day - you save £5 and also... commit to your health!) or £10 to just drop in on the day. Payment by cash/cheque.

I know a few people were interested in the other slots (Fri/Sat) and I also had requests for evening classes. Sorry to disappoint you at this time - I will definitely consider creating more groups in the future, so please stay in touch.

Following a fantastic response to my online survey, I am happy to confirm I will go ahead with creating a weekly class at St Peter's De Beauvoir Crypt (map).

Before I book the space I would like to find out when would be the most convenient day/time slot for you, so I can schedule a first session and get going!

Please follow the link below to select your preferred date and time for a Pilates mat-work session. Poll respondents get their first session at just £5!*
http://www.doodle.com/r3mkxam7wkyvc3n2

* I will choose the final time slot depending on popularity and my own availability. If your preferred slot is not chosen, you're still welcome to use your discount at a later date whenever you can first attend a class. In order to protect your privacy, the poll is confidential and the results/names are only visible to me, but make sure to add your name so I can offer you the discount!

UPDATE: New group class! Pilates matwork at St Peter's Crypt on Thursdays 9am from June 2nd

Over 90 free events to choose from. Download the Adult Learners Week booklet (pdf), see what's on offer and take part!

I will be offering a Pilates Taster session 10-11am on 16th May at Stamford Hill Library.

I am currently considering starting Pilates Mat-work group sessions. The price would probably be around £10 per person per session (depending on how many are interested to start with), with discounts available for block bookings.

UPDATE: New group class! Pilates matwork at St Peter's Crypt on Thursdays 9am from June 2nd

As part of Adult Learners' Week (14-20 May) I will be offering a Pilates Taster session 10-11am on 16th May at Stamford Hill Library.

Come and learn about or review the principles of Pilates, and to practice 8-10 Pilates movements. The session will be a mixed level workout, so all levels are welcome to join.

For more information visit the Hackney Libraries What's On page.

I am currently completing a course called the Landmark Forum and I am filled with the excitement of new possibilities for my life and for the lives of others.

What this means to me as a Pilates instructor is that I commit myself fully to my practice and to my clients in the following ways:

• I commit to listening to you and working with you to achieve your objectives in our Pilates sessions
  
• I commit to helping you be fulfilled in whichever way I can contribute to this
  
• I commit to being the best Pilates teacher I can be, learning and developing as a professional
• I commit to enjoying the moment, enjoying my practice and making sure you enjoy it as well!
  

Happy Holidays 2010!

I am taking a break until late January, get in touch if you want to find out how to get in shape in the New Year!

1. Start from semi-supine position, with neutral spine:

• Check your position before you start and relax your body
• Keep your arms lengthened by your side

2. Breathe in to prepare, breathe out and engage your core muscles

• Lightly tighten the boxer's belt or corset around your waist and squeeze your pelvic floor (muscles that keep you from going to the loo!) to 30% of the maximum
  
• Try this a few times until you're able to keep a 30% contraction as you breathe in as well as when you breathe out
  
• Avoid over contracting
• If you find it hard to do both, focus only on one group of muscles at a time

3. The movement is a lengthening of one leg at a time away from the starting position, the starting position changes for beginners to intermediate/advanced

• Breathe in to prepare
  
• As you breathe out...
  
• draw a line with one foot along the mat, either keeping the heel on the ground or floating it just a couple of inches off the mat, as if rolling a tennis ball underneath
• check that your hips stay in the neutral position, and especially avoid arching your back as the leg extends
• add more challenge by floating the opposite arm to the foot over your head towards the floor
  
• Breathe in – bring everything back to the starting position
  
• Breathe out – repeat same leg a few times, or alternate one leg at a time

For intermediate/advanced, the starting position is double leg "table-top":

• Lift one leg at a time to "table-top" position on an out-breath. Make sure your core is engaged to prevent your back from arching when the second leg comes up
  
• Check the knees are right over the hips
• Check the legs are bent at a 90degree angle
• Ensure you keep your spine in neutral, or "imprint" your back into the mat to protect your lower back further
• Breathe out – extend one leg 45degree angle
• Breathe in – to come back to starting position
• Breathe out – repeat same leg a few times, or alternate one leg at a time

For the advanced movement,

• Breathe out – bring your upper body off the mat
  
• Add a more complex arm movement: bring the outside hand towards the shin and the inside hand towards the knee, fingers pointing down (e.g. with left leg extended and right knee bent, right hand goes to right shin and left hand goes to right knee).
  
• Breathe in – to come back to starting position, keep your upper body lifted
  
• Breathe out – repeat same leg a few times, or alternate one leg at a time
• You can also increase the challenge by doing the movement in double time: breathe out to swap both legs, breath in to swap again.

Visualisations:

• Push the foot through sand (lower level)
  
• Roll a tennis ball under your foot as it slides forward (lower level, foot raised)
  
• Imagine you’re sliding foot through toffee (quality of motion)
  
• ‘Track your legs’ your legs are on a rail track (on the floor or off the floor) so the have to move in alignment
  
• Imagine something balancing on top the stable knee and make sure it doesn’t fall off as the other leg moves
  
• Keep your hips still as in concrete
  
• Switch off the muscles not involved in the move

Watch points:

• Tense shoulder and necks (especially during head, neck and shoulder raise or lifting arms)
  
• Abs doming
  
• Overarching lumbar spine, losing neutral
  
• Pelvis moving, rocking or twisting
  
• Ribcage tight or flaring
  
• Buttocks tightening
  
• Keeping the legs in alignment
  
• Holding breath

Give the Pilates Single Leg Stretch a try and let me know how you go by leaving a comment on this page.

Remember everybody's bodies are different. Consult with your doctor before trying out a new exercise, in particular if you have any conditions or injuries which could be aggravated by certain types of movement.

I have recently started working with more male clients and I'm really excited about working with the different challenges that the male body brings to the Pilates session.

A common misconception is that Pilates is a 'gentle exercise just for women'. Mmmmmm. Quite apart from the fact that there are some women out there who can actually do some pretty hard stuff that many guys can only dream of doing (in Pilates and elsewhere!), Pilates is a form of exercise designed by a man, Joseph Pilates, in order to improve the efficient working of the human body, male or female.

With it's whole body approach and emphasis on core strengthening, alignment and balance, Pilates provides a good counterpoint to the traditional workouts for men, which tend to approach muscle groups individually rather than as a part of a whole (think weightlifting).

Pilates can also bring benefits to men and women practising traditional sports. Many sports coaches are turning to Pilates for improving co-ordination, flexibility, mobility and precision, as well as for prevention of injuries, in disciplines such as football, rugby, cricket, surfing and horse riding.

Top male athletes who practise Pilates include Andrew Flintoff of the England cricket team, footballer David Beckham, the All Blacks rugby team and rowers Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell. Even the US Military are doing it.

Finally, if you're still not convinced that Pilates can work for men too, just take a look at Mr Pilates over there in the picture - doesn't look that 'girly', does he?

If you're interested in taking a taster Pilates private class, please contact me to arrange.