Reflecting on my trip to New York, I can officially say it was the Pilates experience of a lifetime! Even 4 weeks later, I am still processing the influences and inspiration I gained from the amazing people I met.  The tour began in the most auspicious way when my copy of  “Get to Know Joe Pilates” by Cathy Strack arrived the day before I left. This biography is a must read for every Pilates teacher and Pilates enthusiast. I could not put it down and read it all during the flight to NY. It recounts in fascinating detail the life of Joseph Pilates and his work, completely changing man ..read more

I absolutely love reading the stories, anecdotes and memories of Joseph Pilates, it adds colour, depth and a stronger understanding of what and why we teach his Method. I was so excited to read Cathy Strack’s highly anticipated book, “Get to Know Joe Pilates” and it did not disappoint. I was delighted when Tracey Waples, a wonderful Pilates teacher and author, offered to review the book. Get to Know Joe Pilates- A Review by Tracey Waples I’d heard good things about this book . Like many other Pilates devotees, I’m interested to learn about the life of Joseph Pilates. When I first trained as a ..read more

“In childhood, habits are easily formed-good and bad. Why not concentrate on the formation of only good habits and thus avoid the necessity later on in life of attempting to correct bad habits…the proper development of body and mind, through the new science of “Contrology” is what must [be taught to]* the child”  Joseph Pilates  In his book “Your Health” Joseph Pilates shares his vision of teaching Pilates to children from a very young age, in all schools and colleges. He strongly outlines his dream of educating children in correct breathing, posture, unlimited natural exercise, corr ..read more

Pilates is often considered for women, older people or for injury recovery but there are so many reasons why more men should be doing Pilates. 1.Pilates (originally known as Contrology) was created by a man Joseph Pilates was a boxer, gymnast, circus performer, physical culturist and avid proponent of the classical Greek ideal of man, balanced in mind, body and spirit. He invented apparatus and series of exercises to address physical dysfunction and imbalances, allowing you to discover your potential and then challenge, enhance and develop that potential. “Contrology is the science and art of ..read more

Joseph Pilates recipe for happiness was a “…body developed with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily & satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure” His Method continues to bring so many positive influences and benefits to our world in the form of injury rehabilitation, pain management, charitable support, community spirit, disease treatment as well as creating resilient, healthy bodies & minds. Pilates is so much more than a series of exercises for a six pack! It is not about chasing an elusive dream of perceived physical per ..read more

Introducing Kate Abbott, owner of Kate Abbott Pilates, a fully-equipped studio based on the Essex/Suffolk border. Fully comprehensive teacher, completely trained by JPilates How would you describe your style of teaching? My clients would say I work them hard and take no prisoners but they are always surprised when it is the end of the class as they are completely absorbed in their movement. My focus when planning mat classes is my clients’ needs; generally they want to stay mobile, build their strength and to have fun in class. What is your client base like? I have clients who are at ..read more

When you qualify as a Pilates teacher with JPilates, there is a whole Pilates community waiting for you! The extensive support does not stop when you qualify but is available whenever you need questions answered, some advice or a sounding board for ideas. I recently caught up with some of the Mat 20/21 graduates and I wanted to share their journey and successes. Louise Jenkins, owner of LJ Pilates Having qualified as a mat instructor in June 2021 with JPilates, I took the summer to decide where I wanted to begin my teaching career. I decided to start small to build my confidence and practice m ..read more

Authentic Pilates? Classical Pilates ? Clinical Pilates??? With so many styles of Pilates it can be hard to know what the different descriptions mean. These are my personal distinctions of the definitions: Archival /ɑːˈkʌɪv(ə)l/ adjective relating to or constituting archives.”the club maintains an archival research library” (of a material such as paper) of suitable quality to be used in archives.”the illustrations are printed with archival inks that will last about 70 years” Archival Pilates is where there is actual documentation of Joseph Pilates teaching his Method either as film, pho ..read more

#nevertrustapilatesteacherwhodoesnotdopilates has always been a favourite hashtag of mine, but how difficult is it to carve time out for your own personal Pilates practice? We all absolutely love our work. We dedicate our energy, time and knowledge to each day, planning our sessions, marketing and running our businesses, teaching classes and clients, as well as running our personal lives! Often, even though we promise ourselves time for our own practice, this can be the first thing that is cancelled to fit in one more client or to send that last email.   Why is it so important to keep up ..read more

As Pilates teachers we know that the stronger the foundation, the greater the movement potential. We teach to ground through the feet, legs, arms and shoulders in order to lift, lengthen and elongate. The essence of many of the exercises requires stability of one body part against the mobility of another and success is found in the ability to stay strong, grounded and connected. This fundamental technique should not just apply to physical movement but also to our teaching ethos. Where is the point of stability, the grounding, the roots of your Pilates? The Pilates Method is like a tree.  ..read more