Its basic principles are:

• Breathing:  Breath facilitates spine stabilisation, spine articulation and correct movement.
• Core control and centring: The muscles in the body’s trunk are coordinated and strengthened to help stabilise and mobilise the spine.
• Efficiency of movement:  Learning to work what bodies need while relaxing the rest is the key. As much as necessary, as little as possible.
• Spine articulation: Promotes correct movement and standing posture to ensure forces of gravity are evenly distributed through the body, all joints are in their neutral zone.
• Coordination and concentration: Think then move with precision, control and flowing movements. 

Benefits of Pilates

• Improves flexibility and posture; breathing; coordination and balance; memory function; and body awareness.
• Develops core body strength and strengthens abdominal muscles (flattening and tightening tummies) while providing an overall body workout.
• Reduces lower back strain, stress and fatigue.

Please listen to your bodies

Instructors work hard to understand each person’s physical idiosyncrasies, remind them which exercises may not suit them and offer modified or alternative exercises that do.

They advise clients to listen to their own bodies. Some muscle fatigue, tiredness and tenderness from unaccustomed use of muscles may be experienced. But clients should not experience any sharp pain at any stage. Clients should not continue with anything that causes pain.

Please tell your instructor if something causes discomfort.