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April 2021

Flow is another principle of Pilates. Flowing movement feels natural, enjoyable, and pleasant. During a state of flow, the whole body is sensitive, present, and actively engaged.
The body is a holistic dynamic system, where the mobile parts that form it, as well as the parts which assist with its movement, act together in a constant coordinated manner. Flowing movement sets free the constrictions of the body. Restrictions of movement produce rigidity in the body in general, chronic contractions, contractures, shortening and stiffening of the muscles, resulting in pain, and impeding movement.
The rigid body needs to let go to unblock and undo all that muscle stiffness and start moving in a free natural way, using its full range of movement as much as possible. The different parts of the body need to be free and independent as well to act together coordinated as part of the same system to achieve flow.

However, achieving flow in the whole body can be sometimes a long working process. That is because our rigidity starts to be present during our childhood and develops progressively, making our muscles lose their natural tone and flexibility, performing incomplete, inefficient, or even harmful movements. The physical problems that appear as a result, such as poor circulation, loss of sensitivity and control of movement etc are mostly a consequence of the initial rigidity.We also need to consider that when purposely applying flow to our movement, some parts of the body can be consciously maintained still or stable while others are mobilized to achieve specific objectives. These may be:Firstly, achieving the dissociation of each body part and joint in relation to the rest of the body, therefore adjusting the ideal tone of each part independently and at the same time the coordination between all the parts.Secondly, through the first objective, lengthening and liberating the rigid area releasing unnecessary tension progressively to improve the circulation, the sensitivity, and the control on that area, providing it with more oxygen. This facilitates the control of its movement to then achieve the state of flow efficiently.Thirdly, with the intention of preventing, treating, and correcting postural problems, poor joint alignment, or shortening of the muscles that suffer stiffness, tension, and deviations, which can develop injuries.

Flow in Pilates also refers to the need to perform the exercises with a smooth and conscious continuity, with uninterrupted movements, and without sudden changes that could result in injuries.
Each body has its own rhythm which needs to be respected. But also, some exercises might need a faster pace whereas others are better performed at a slower pace. In both cases, achieving flow of movement will maximize the effectiveness of the Pilates method.Once the exercises are mastered the attention can be brought to the transition between one exercise and the next to create a general flow of the whole Pilates session. Transitions should be soft and natural, so that the end of an exercise blends nicely with the beginning of the following, aiming to ‘join’ them through a single movement. Eventually, the objective of a Pilates class is to create a connected sequence of movements, with no pause of movement between the exercises, that allows you to experience flow from the beginning until the end of class.

February 2021

In our last post we talked about our centre and how our movement originates from it. But, to generate and distribute the muscle power and the energy from the centre to the rest of the body we need to apply correctly the principles of breathing and alignment.We explained the importance of breathing in our very first post and its close link to the centre or powerhouse through the function of the diaphragm. We are now going to focus on the principle of alignment and the word that you probably hear more often in a Pilates class (along pelvis and spine), ‘neutral’.The principle of alignment will help us to become conscious of how to position our body and avoid potential injuries. The key reference points of our body to maintained correctly aligned during all our postures and movements in our daily lives are:

We often adopt postures in which our joints suffer too much pressure. The principle of alignment allows us to correct and lengthen out body, decompressing the joints of our legs, arms and spine. Additionally, good alignment promotes the correct activation of the muscles that hold our posture and ensures the best performance of the the muscles crossing our joints.Neutral posture involves the correct positioning of our back (spine), our pelvis, and our shoulder blades; besides placing our arms by the sides of the body, maintaining shoulder width, and our legs parallel and hip width distance. In this post we will focus primarily on the alignment of the spine.The alignment of our spine is essential for our body to work properly. It is designed to resist high levels of pressure and effort, but this can also be the trigger of early degeneration of the joints, bones and muscles. One of the main aims of Pilates is to restore and maintain the natural movement of the spine. To achieve this, we focus on placing the spine and the pelvis in what is known as ‘neutral’.

What is neutral?The spine is formed by five natural curves which need to be respected in neutral alignment: cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, sacrum and coccyx. These curves act as a cushion, absorbing the stress and the efforts caused on the spine and supporting its movement as well as our balance.When we place our pelvis in neutral the three lowest parts of the spine (lumbar spine, sacrum and coccyx) are also placed in neutral, maintaining their natural curves. When we lay down on the floor, placing the spine in neutral, our lower back is neither resting on the floor flattening its curve or overarched increasing its natural curve. The muscles of the back are relaxed and we can feel our sacrum grounded on the floor.The lateral breathing promoted in Pilates helps to maintain the neutral posture of the pelvis and the lumbar spine, activating our deep abdominals and pelvic floor which sustain the correct posture of this area.

The mid spine or thoracic spine forms our ribcage along with the ribs and the sternum. Through breathing we mobilise the lateral and posterior parts of the ribcage (which is an area that most of the people do not move and therefore tends to become rigid). This helps to soften and improve the flexibility of the kyphotic curve or mid spine.Also, as mentioned earlier, the lateral breathing activates our deep stabiliser muscles, which helps to maintain the neutral posture of the thoracic spine during the continuous movements that this area experiences during inhaling and exhaling.

Our neck and our cervical spine also need to maintain their natural lordotic curve, free of pressure. When we lay down on a supine position with our neck in neutral, our eyes and chin are pointing upwards and, in the same way as it happens with the lumbar spine, the cervical spine does not rest on the floor.
Our head and neck will react to most of the movements of our back. When other parts of the spine are not in neutral this will have a direct effect on the neck, affecting its neutral position.The shoulder blades or scapulas are the two flat bones positioned at the back of our ribcage.Their movement is related to the movement of the arms. In Pilates is very important to be conscious of the posture or the movement that the shoulder blade needs to perform as we move the arms or the rest of the body. The work of the shoulder blades is so important that is known as ‘second powerhouse’ and we will dedicate another post to look at this area more in detail.

February 2021

Every exercise in Pilates starts from breathing. During our inhalation and exhalation, we involve very important muscles of the central part of the body. These are involved in maintaining our posture and providing stability to our movement. These muscles are part of what we call in Pilates our center, core or powerhouse.The concept of working out the core or the center is also very extended in physiotherapy and in the wider context of the world of fitness, health, and prevention and rehabilitation of sport injuries. It is used for the preparation as well as for the optimization of the sports performance.
The correct use of our center in Pilates allow us to expand and make more flexible our torso besides providing the necessary stability and balance to the center of our body so that we can perform any movement efficiently.
Through breathing, we activate the muscles of our center and transmit the strength to our legs and arms by stabilising our torso and improving the movement of the joints. Our powerhouse optimizes our muscle energy, movements are more efficient with less effort and the risk of injury decreases.

So what’s exactly the core?The core is located in the center of gravity of our body, our center of balance and energy from which movements arise. His correct functioning is based on the right balance between length and strength of the muscles which control the speed and stabilization of the movements.
The core muscles help to generate the sufficient strength in the center of the body to then transmit it to the limbs during the movement. They are also necessary to hold bones, joints and the discs of the spine, allowing us to bear loads higher than our body weight and perform resistance exercises.The main core muscles are transversus, diaphragm, multifidus and pelvic floor along others such as the intercostals and the obliques.

Why and for what do we use our core?Joseph Pilates called our center the 'powerhouse', where all movement should begin. Applying the concept of ‘centring’ is necessary for the prevention of injures. Considering that most of our daily activities, exercises and sports are movements that required strength as well as balance in our torso, any alteration of the core muscles will lead to a poor technique likely resulting in injuries. One of the best examples is the lower back pain which results from sports that require a repetitive change in direction.Sometimes failures in our neuromuscular subsystem, which is on charge of adjusting our body to sudden changes, or even our emotions, such as stress and anxiety, can alter the functioning of the core muscles preventing it from working properly.
It is widely recognized that implementing an efficient functionality of the core muscles, with an earlier activation, will improve the sport performance. Several studies have stated that a lack of strengthening and resistance on the stabiliser muscles of the torso and the pelvis are associated with muscle and joints injuries of the spine and lower limbs.Therefore, if we are able to stabilise, re-educate and strengthen our core we will prevent injuries or improve the rehabilitation process from those already caused, in the context of both, on our daily lives and at sport level.
So next time you hear during a Pilates class the famous sentences of 'increase your centring' or 'activate your core' you will understand the importance behind it and you will be surprised of the improvement in the quality of your movement after learning to use your center effectively.

January 2021

Proprioception is the perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body. Body consciousness is the capacity of listening and understanding our bodies.When practising a sport, you might have been asked sometimes to focus on the feeling on a specific part of your body. This might sound strange, but actually, mind and body are connected. Mind governs and leads the body and the state of our body also affects the mind.
Being ‘conscious’ of your body means being aware of your physical possibilities, respecting your body and moving it correctly using its full potential. For that it is necessary to know your body, its limitations, your sensations and mindfully perceive how it feels on each posture, even when performing an activity.
Each body reacts in a unique way to different conditions and situations. To improve our movements and prevent posture problems it is important that we can understand how it behaves and how we can control its performance.

Each of us have a mental idea, sometimes mistaken, about how our body physically is. We have mapped that our in our memory and through our movement experiences and feelings. The more realistic this ‘model’ is the more we will understand its structure, its nature, and the mechanics behind it and the easiest it will be for us to achieve a controlled movement, efficient and natural.We have often wrong ideas about our bones or muscles when moving. If for example, you believe that one part of your body is not mobile we will not identify its rigidity as dysfunctional. Therefore, we will not try to move it to recuperate its mobility. To compensate the lack of movement on this area, we will use, instead, other unnecessary movements in excess.
If we correct our movements, experimenting with postural changes and new ways of moving ‘correctly’ focusing on our body, time and practice will turn these into habits which will become spontaneously part of our posture and usual way of moving.The relaxation or contraction of our muscles, our movements, sensations, and our posture are controlled voluntarily and consciously by our nervous system. The possibility of performing an specific movement or differentiate individual feelings is subject to how tuned is the connection between our brain and the muscles involved.
This connection can be reinforced through the practice of exercises to increase the sensitiveness and efficiency of the movements. By consciously training our muscles we will improve their capacity to activate and work efficiently and therefore the consciousness to perceive the state of our body.

Our body consciousness and our healthBeing conscious of your body allows you to feel what happens in it and perceive the signs it transmits. Trough small gests or light changes on your habits you will be able to give it what it needs and omit what damages it to satisfy its needs in a healthy, natural, and balanced way.Our difficulty to relax causes poor postures and common pains that we have got used to: neck tension (and associated headaches), upper or lower back pain, tendinitis, bruxism… among others.
Bad postures such as sitting slouched or curved forward, being in front of the computer with the shoulders hunched forward or driving with excessive tension are some of the everyday examples that can damage our health. We can perform the same activities in a more released way without the wearing that occurs when we maintain tension for a prolonged time. Once we get used to perceive our bad habits, we are then able to change them little by little.Being conscious of your movement, of your sensations, will make you feel better in a short time, but you will also be improving your quality of life in a medium to long term. You will feel better.
If you are conscious of how you breath, if you adopt natural postures and if you listen to your body and avoid doing what ‘doesn’t feel right to it’, you will be able to prevent movements that could potentially hurt you.Unbalances and diseases usually start quietly, and it is important to put attention to the small changes in our body. The sooner you detect what makes you feel unwell the easier will be to correct it. Observe if you have any pain or discomfort that starts to be repetitive and when it happens.

The function of the pain is to protect us and warn us of a ‘danger’ and making us conscious of our limits. There are very different pains. Being conscious about the pain can help us to understand it and, in some cases, to control it and reduce it.
The improvement of our body consciousness is therefore a step-by-step journey, with practice, without stress, but with constancy. You can start by being aware of your daily activities. Bringing your attention to how you move, or to any area where you might be holding tension. Observe the needs, the limits, the discomfort, the tension, or the relief on our body and always consider it to act consequently.
If you practice any sport get to know better your limits and you will discover that sometimes overstretching them will worsen your objectives rather than facilitate them. On the contrary, in other occasions, the same conscious perception will favour a higher performance increasing your possibilities and reaching higher benefits, without damaging your body and even reduced tiredness.Body consciousness helps us to be a better version of ourselves.

During a session of Pilates, you will use and develop proprioception to improve your movement. You will get to know your body, which areas lack movement and need to be more mobile or which areas should not be involved or in tension during a particular movement, which in the long term would cause imbalances and tissues to overwear.The constant practice of Pilates will awake your body conciousness and you will be able to carry that awareness onto your daily lives and apply it to identify bad postures and poor movement habits. It might take some time to correct your habits, but the good news, is that body consciousness is like learning to ride a bike. Once that you learn it you do not lose it. You might have days in which you are more in tune with your body than others, but you will be immediately able to recognise the signs that your body sends you.Once you start to exercise your body consciousness it will never cease to grow.

January 2021

Breathing is the first physiological act that we perform independently after being born, once separated from our mother.
It is indispensable to survive. We can go without eating or drinking but no without oxygen.Through breathing we absorb the oxygen in the air and expel the residues. As we breath automatically, most of the time we are not conscious about its importance. However, in many cultures, the breath is one of the fundamental curative methods in their traditional medicine.Breathing ensures that we have the required continuous supply of oxygen to obtain the energy for our physiological processes: the functioning of our nervous system, the organs, the muscles, and the glands. Learning to improve our breathing will considerably help us to improve our health.

Not only people with respiratory conditions like asthma, allergies, sinusitis, nasal congestion etc breath inadequately. There are certain factors, which are quite common, that worsen our breathing quality:

Our quality of life can be highly affected by the negative effects caused by poor breathing.

Learning to improve our breathing means to develop a soft, deep, rhythmic, and fluid breathing pattern; comfortable, not forced.If we practice to breath in this way as our natural way of breathing habitually, we will obtain multiple benefits.

Pilates helps developing a higher consciousness of our breathing patterns and encourages ‘lateral’ or three-dimensional breathing to make use of the whole capacity of our lungs. Breath is then used to support our movement, not only ensuring an efficient distribution of oxygen to all our muscles so that they can perform efficiently, but also aiding the diaphragm to move effectively, using its full range of movement.The correct functioning of the diaphragm contributes to the desired activation of the deep abdominals and pelvic floor. The result is a higher control of our core stability which improves posture, protects our spine and allows the free movement of our limbs without resulting on undesired movement or pressure on the spine.Additionally, a wonderful ‘side effect’ of breathing is relaxation. Our vagus nerve, the key component of our parasympathetic nervous system, is stimulated through breathing, which contributes to the nice calming feeling that you get at the end of a good Pilates session.

January 2021

La consciencia corporal es la capacidad de saber escuchar y comprender nuestro cuerpo. Si practicas deporte, quizás alguna vez te hayan pedido que te concentres en sentir una parte de tu cuerpo. Puede resultar extraño, pero en realidad, la mente y el cuerpo están conectados. La mente gobierna y dirige el cuerpo y el estado del cuerpo también afecta a la mente.Tener consciencia corporal significa ser consciente de tus posibilidades, respetar tu cuerpo y moverlo correcta y plenamente. Para ello es necesario conocer tu cuerpo, sus límites, sus sensaciones y percibir mentalmente como se encuentra en cada postura, incluso mientras realizamos una actividad.Cada cuerpo reacciona de forma única en diferentes estados y situaciones. Para mejorar los movimientos corporales y prevenir problemas posturales es importante que sepamos entender cómo se comporta y actuar de forma controlada.

Cada uno de nosotros tenemos un modelo mental, a veces erróneo, de cómo es nuestro cuerpo físicamente. Hemos construido este mapa en nuestra memoria a través de experiencias de movimiento y de sensaciones. Cuanto más realista sea este modelo, cuánto mejor conozcamos la estructura, la naturaleza y la mecánica de nuestro cuerpo, más fácilmente lograremos un movimiento controlado, eficiente y natural.A menudo las personas tienen ideas equivocadas acerca de sus huesos o sus músculos a la hora de moverse. Si por ejemplo creemos que una parte del cuerpo no es móvil no identificaremos su rigidez como algo disfuncional. Por lo tanto, no intentaremos mover esa parte para recuperarla. Para compensar la falta de movimiento de esta zona usaremos en su lugar otros movimientos innecesarios en exceso.Si corregimos nuestros movimientos aprendiendo y experimentando cambios posturales y nuevas formas de movernos correctamente prestando la atención hacia el cuerpo, con la práctica, la constancia hará que estos se acaben reproduciendo de manera espontánea y formen parte de nuestra postura natural y forma cotidiana de movernos.El estado de relajación o contracción de nuestros músculos, los movimientos, las sensaciones y la postura están controlados de forma voluntaria y consciente por nuestro sistema nervioso.
La posibilidad de realizar un movimiento específico o distinguir una sensación concreta depende de lo estrechas que sean las conexiones que conectan los músculos implicados con el cerebro.
Estas conexiones se pueden afinar y reforzar a través de la práctica de ejercicios para mejorar la sensibilidad y eficiencia de los movimientos.
Ejercitando conscientemente los músculos mejoraremos la capacidad de activación o trabajo eficiente muscular y la propiocepción o sensibilidad para percibir el estado del cuerpo.

La consciencia corporal y la salud
Tener consciencia corporal te permite sentir lo que sucede en tu cuerpo y reconocer las señales que te envía. A través de pequeños gestos o con ligeros cambios de tus hábitos podrás darle lo que necesita y evitar lo que le perjudica para satisfacer tus necesidades de una forma saludable, natural y equilibrada.La dificultad para relajarse es causa de malas posturas y dolencias muy comunes a las que nos hemos acostumbrado: tensión cervical (y los dolores de cabeza que acarrea), dolor dorsal o lumbar, tendinitis o bruxismo, entre muchos otros.
Las malas posturas como sentarnos con la espalda arqueada o hundida, estar delante del ordenador con los hombros encogidos o conducir con tensión en exceso son algunos ejemplos cotidianos que puede perjudicar nuestra salud. Estas mismas actividades las podemos realizar con más soltura y sin el desgaste que supone mantener tensión prolongada. Cuando nos acostumbramos a percibirlas, poco a poco podremos cambiar los hábitos.Ser consciente del movimiento, de las sensaciones y te hará sentirte mejor a corto plazo, pero también estarás aumentando tu calidad de vida a medio y largo plazo. Te sentirás mejor.
Si eres consciente de cómo respiras, si adoptas posturas naturales y si escuchas a tu cuerpo evitando hacer lo que no te sientan bien y no fuerzas los movimientos, entonces podrás prevenir un gesto antes de hacerte daño.Los desequilibrios y las enfermedades suelen comenzar poco a poco y es importante prestar atención a los cambios en tu cuerpo. Cuanto antes detectes lo que te hace sentir mal, más fácilmente podrás corregirlo. Observa si tienes alguna molestia que empieza a ser repetitiva y cuándo ocurre.

La función del dolor es protegernos y avisarnos del peligro y nos hace consciente de nuestros límites. Hay dolores muy diferentes. Ser conscientes del dolor puede ayudarnos a entenderlo, en algunos casos controlarlo y reducirlo.La mejora de la consciencia corporal es un camino a realizar paso a paso con la práctica, sin estrés, pero con constancia. Puedes empezar a fijarte en como haces las actividades del día a día. Presta tu atención a cómo te mueves, si mantienes tensión en alguna zona.Observa las necesidades, los límites, las molestias, la tensión o el alivio del cuerpo y tenlo siempre en cuenta para actuar en consecuencia.Si practicas algún deporte conoce mejor tus límites y descubrirás que en ocasiones la exigencia entorpece tus objetivos más que facilitarlos mientras que, otras veces, esa percepción consciente de tu cuerpo favorece el rendimiento del mismo, por lo que aumentaras tus posibilidades alcanzando mayores beneficios, sin perjudicarte tanto y cansándote menos.La consciencia corporal nos ayuda a ser una mejor versión de nosotros mismos.

Durante una sesión de Pilates usarás y desarrollarás tu propiocepción para mejorar tu movimiento. Aprenderás a conocer tu cuerpo, a detectar a que áreas les falta movimiento y necesitan ser más móviles o que áreas no deberían están involucradas o en tensión durante un movimiento en particular, lo que a la larga acarrearía desequilibrios y posibles lesiones.La practica constante de Pilates despertará tu consciencia corporal y serás capaz de aplicarla en tu vida diaria para identificar malas posturas y malos hábitos a la hora de moverte. Te puede llevar un tiempo corregir esos hábitos, pero la buena noticia, es que desarrollar consciencia corporal es como aprender andar en bicicleta. Una vez adquirida, no la pierdes. Puede que tengas días en los que te sientas mas en sintonía con tu cuerpo que otros, pero serás capaz de reconocer inmediatamente las señales que tu cuerpo te mande.Una vez que comiences a ejercitar tu consciencia corporal, nunca dejara de crecer.

January 2021

Respirar es el primer acto fisiológico que realizamos de forma independiente al nacer, una vez separados de nuestra madre. Es imprescindible para sobrevivir. Podemos estar sin comer o sin beber agua, pero no sin falta de oxígeno.A través de la respiración absorbemos el oxígeno del aire y expulsamos los residuos. Debido a que podemos respirar de manera automática, la mayor parte del tiempo no somos conscientes de su importancia. Sin embargo, para muchas culturas la respiración es uno de los métodos curativos fundamentales de su medicina tradicional.La respiración nos asegura un suministro continuo de oxígeno necesario para obtener la energía empleamos para realizar todos los procesos fisiológicos: funcionamiento del sistema nervioso, los órganos, los músculos y las glándulas. Aprender a mejorar nuestra respiración nos ayudará a mejorar considerablemente nuestra salud.

No sólo las personas con afecciones respiratorias como asma, alergia, sinusitis, congestión nasal, etc. respiran inadecuadamente. Existen ciertos factores, bastante habituales, que empeoran nuestra forma de respirar.

Nuestra calidad de vida puede verse afectada debido a los efectos
negativos que provoca una mala respiración.

Aprender a respirar mejor implica una respiración suave, profunda, rítmica y fluida; cómoda y no forzada.Si practicamos, tratando de aprender esta forma como nuestra manera natural de respirar habitualmente obtendremos los siguientes beneficios para nuestra salud:

y continúan...!

La práctica de Pilates ayuda a hacernos conscientes de nuestra respiración, de la manera en que respiramos. En Pilates intentamos buscamos una respiración lateral o tridimensional para hacer uso de toda nuestra capacidad pulmonar.La respiración asiste a nuestro movimiento, no solo asegurando una eficiente distribución del oxigeno a todos nuestros músculos para que trabajen de manera efectiva, si no también permitiendo que nuestro diagrama se mueva libremente.Un correcto funcionamiento del diafragma contribuye a ayudarnos a activar nuestros músculos abdominales profundos y nuestro suelo pélvico. El resultado es un mayor control de la estabilidad de nuestro torso, mejorando nuestra postura y protegiendo nuestra columna vertebral, permitiendo el libre movimiento de nuestras extremidades y evitando movimientos indeseados o presión en nuestra columna.Adicionalmente, un maravilloso ‘efecto secundario’ de la respiración es la relajación. Nuestro nervio vago, el componente central de nuestro sistema nervioso parasimpático, es estimulado a través de la respiración, desencadenando esa sensación de calma que uno siente al final de una buena sesión de Pilates.

There are thousands of articles our there trying to define what Pilates is but yet you would not be able to clearly understand it until you experience it on your own body. We will try to give you an introduction but we encourage you to come and try it out by yourself.

Joseph Pilates suffered poor health during his childhood but his determination to overcome it took him to challenge the fitness regimes advised by his doctors. He developed his own fitness training methodology inspired by different disciplines and that's why you can find a variety of influences in Pilates such as yoga, dance, weight lifting...or even circus training..!He not only managed to successfully overcome his initial health fragility but to endure and enjoy a good physical health during his whole life until his dead at the age of 83..During that time he transmitted his method, which he named Contrology, to a different range of clients such as dancers, boxers, soldiers...and soon all sorts of public, proving that it could benefit everyone.

Our habits in our daily lives, work or hobbies, take us to overuse some muscles, therefore underusing others and as a result developing bad postures and movement routines. With Pilates we aim to mobilise all joints in all possible directions, making it the best antidote for a sedentary life and the perfect complement to any other exercise you practice.Pilates has proven to increase strength, flexibility, stamina and concentration, so whatever your motivation is to start to practice it, you will gain all that as a bonus.

To obtain all the benefits of Pilates we need to focus our full attention on our own bodies. The success of the exercises relies on their mindful performance, Concentration will give you Control and Precision of movement. These are three of the main principles of Pilates along with Breathing, Centring and Flow. The successful combination of these ingredients will help you to obtain the desired movement and omit any undesired movement.

Through the Pilates sessions you will train your mind to recruit the right muscles and develop strength in your core. The mastering of core stability we will allow you to improve your posture and to move arms and legs freely without risk of injury as well as maintaining a healthy spine. And as Joseph Pilates state, no matter your age, as long as your spine is flexible you are young!

We offer GROUP CLASSES, SEMI-PRIVATE CLASSES, PRIVATE SESSIONS and CORPORATE SESSIONS.You can find class descriptions below.If you are unsure which class is most suitable for you or have any questions feel free to contact us at pilates@artqinature.com.

Group & Semi-private
Matwork Classes

GROUP CLASSES last 55 min and are limited to a maximum of 12 clients. The size of the group is kept small to give you the opportunity to interact with the teacher and get your movement supervised and corrected if needed. The teacher will use a combination of verbal and tactile cues.

SEMI-PRIVATE CLASSES last 55 min and are limited to a maximum of 6 clients. These classes are tailored to the clients and allow the teacher to provide hands-on adjustments to the movement of each client whenever required.

Class Descriptions

ALL LEVELS
This is a mix-ability class, everyone is welcome to attend. Exercises will be layered to suit the different levels and the teacher will provide alternative options when necessary.BEGINNERS - IMPROVERS
If you are new or relatively new to Pilates this is the best class to start to make yourself familiar with the basics. This is a gentle class but you will still get to move all your body.IMPROVERS - INTERMEDIATE
This is a class suitable for clients who are already familiar with the principles of Pilates and are ready to put them into practice with some added challenges.INTERMEDIATE - ADVANCE
This is the most dynamic class suitable for clients who have practiced Pilates for some time and want to continue to develop their stamina and technique, and practice exercises from the classical Pilates repertoire.PILATES FOR PREGNANCY - coming soon..!
Specifically designed to keep you moving through pregnancy as well as postnatal. Pilates offers multiples benefit during pregnancy, helping you balance your posture and stability and develop strength and body awareness.

Private Matwork & Reformer Sessions

Whether you are new to Pilates, want to develop your technique or just want the full attention of the teacher, 1:1 and 1:2 private sessions are the best way to experience a bespoke class based entirely on your needs and goals which will allow you to achieve quicker results.

MATWORK PRIVATE SESSIONS last 60 min and can be held in the comfort of your own home, online or in a studio.
The teacher will provide all the equipment.

REFORMER PRIVATE SESSIONS last 50 min and are held in Body Control Pilates Studio (Holborn).
The Reformer offers you the opportunity to experience working out in a ‘closed kinetic chain’. This is achieved through the use of springs which provide different degrees of resistance or assistance to your movements.
The exercises target muscles of arms and legs, while still focusing on your core, and therefore are ideal for strengthening muscles in addition to increasing stability through the joints.
The reformer is also very effective on rehabilitation, since much work can be done horizontally, removing any weight-bearing on the lower body.

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Corporate Pilates Sessions

Pilates at the workplace has multiple benefits for both employees and employers.Whether online or in-person our classes can be adapted for the time and schedule that best suits your business.If you’re thinking about starting Pilates classes at your workplace, contact us today and we can advise and consult on everything you need to know to get started.

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Group & Semi-private
Matwork Classes

Prices

(Terms and conditions apply)

SINGLE CLASS

£9 - GROUP ONLINE
£13.50 - GROUP STUDIO
£18 - SEMI-PRIVATES

6 CLASS PASS

(valid for 2 months)

£50 - GROUP ONLINE
£69 - GROUP STUDIO
£96 - SEMI-PRIVATES

10 CLASS PASS

(valid for 3 months)

£109 - GROUP STUDIO

UNLIMITED CLASSES MEMBERSHIP

(valid for 1 month)

£75 - GROUP ONLINE & STUDIO

Offers

(Terms and conditions apply)

20% OFF YOUR FIRST GROUP CLASS
Use code: NEWCLIENT20

BRING A FRIEND FOR FREE
Email us to redeem the offer!

Private Matwork & Reformer Sessions

Pricing

(Terms and conditions apply)

SINGLE SESSION

£40 - ONLINE
£55 - AT HOME
£65 - 1:1 STUDIO
£75 - 1:2 STUDIO

6 SESSIONS BLOCK

(valid for 3 months)

£225 - ONLINE
£300 - AT HOME
£375 - 1:1 STUDIO
£435 - 1:2 STUDIO

10 SESSIONS BLOCK

(valid for 6 months)

£210 - ONLINE
£450 - AT HOME
£600 - 1:1 STUDIO
£700 - 1:2 STUDIO

• EMAIL US TO BOOK

Corporate Pilates Sessions

Pricing

(Terms and conditions apply)

SINGLE SESSION

£85 - 45 MIN SESSION
£95 - 60 MIN SESSION

6 SESSIONS BLOCK

(valid for 3 months)

£480 - 45 MIN SESSIONS
£540 - 60 MIN SESSIONS

• EMAIL US TO BOOK

Select the 'CLASSES' tab on the calendar to see the classes available or go to our Classfit profile to book directly from there.To book a BLOCK or a MEMBERSHIP select the 'PACKAGES' tab on the calendar or click to book a class and you will be asked to choose your preferred booking option when checking out.To book 1:1 or 1:2 PRIVATE SESSIONS please email me.

By booking a class with ArtQinature Pilates you are agreeing to the terms and conditions as set out below. These are set out to help you to enjoy and benefit from your Pilates sessions and to safeguard ArQinature Pilates classes.By booking ArtQinature Pilates classes you will receive:
• Experienced teaching from fully qualified Pilates teachers.
• Limited class sizes of no more than 12 clients or less when specified.
• The benefit and flexibility of different class package options to suit your needs.
• A teacher operating with a duty of care towards your medical conditions and providing support and guidance throughout the class appropriate to your needs.
• Individual attention and guidance to assist your progression in class.

Bookings, Payments, Cancellations & Refunds• Individual classes or class bundles can be purchased through ArtQinature Pilates website, Classfit booking system or contacting us directly at pilates@artqinature.com.
• Clients must take responsibility for which class package is most suitable for them at the time of purchase. It is advised to contact us if you have any questions before the purchase.
• Please note that class packages have a strict usage window starting from the purchase day. All unused class credits will become void after the package expiry date and cannot be extended to account for client holidays or missed classes. Please choose ‘Single Class’ payment options in these cases.
• Monthly memberships run for 30 consecutive days and are not extendable independently of the number of classes offered during that period.
• All classes must be booked in advance. Your class is not confirmed until payment is received from you unless it has been previously agreed with the teacher that cash will be accepted for that class. Cash payments do not apply to online classes. ArtQinature Pilates has the right to turn away clients who have not booked in via the online booking system or through email.
• We operate a 24h cancellation policy. By giving at least a 24h notice before the class starts, you can request a refund or be booked on an alternative class within the same week subject to availability. A late cancellation (any cancellation made within 24h of the class starting) will result in a class charged at the rate you paid for the class. Please cancel your spot if you know you can’t make the class to free up a space for another client.
• ArtQinature Pilates endeavours to offer consistent weekly classes as per the timetable. However, to account for bank holidays, quiet periods, teacher holidays and illness, some classes are subject to cancelation. In these cases all clients will be given appropriate advanced warning.
Any active class packages can be extended to account for a break period if this period exceeds 1 week (7 days). Class packages cannot be extended if a break in class timetabling is less than 1 week. Please email us at pilates@artqinature.com to have your class package extended unless you have been notified that this will happen automatically.
• These terms are applicable to everyone in all circumstances. Thank you for your understanding.

EquipmentIn line with Covid 19 guidance we are unable to provide you with equipment at the moment. You will need to bring your own mat and head cushion. If any other equipment is required on the class the teacher will notify you in advance.

Lost PropertyWe make all our venues as safe as we can, but your belongings are left in the studios at your own risk. We cannot be held responsible for anything lost or stolen.
If you think you have left something in any of the studios, do let us know and we will endeavour to find it for you.Thank you for agreeing to our terms and conditions.

Liability Waiver

• I understand that my teacher is a qualified and insured Pilates instructor.
• I understand personal information I give will be used for teaching purposes and will be used in confidence and stored securely in accordance with GDPR.
• I understand that ArtQinature Pilates is in no way responsible for the safekeeping of my personal belongings while I attend class.
• I understand exercise should be performed at a pace which feels comfortable and any pain in the body should not be ignored. I understand I need to stop if I feel physical discomfort not relating to the exercises and I will tell the teacher of anything painful or unusual I experience in the class and between classes.
• I will stop doing the exercise if I or my teacher thinks I need to, or follow the alternatives my teacher gives me.
• I will inform the teacher of any changes in my medical condition. I understand the teacher must be aware of my medical background to provide a good duty of care.
• I understand my teacher may offer me professional advice relating to my ability to exercise and she/he may consider it unprofessional to continue to teach me if I do not wish to follow that advice.
• I understand that all exercise carries a risk and I voluntarily participate in ArtQinature Pilates classes with full knowledge that there is risk of personal injury, property damage/loss or death. I understand the teacher can accept no liability for personal injury related to participation in a session if: My doctor has advised me against exercise; I fail to observe instructions on safety and technique; Such injury is caused by the negligence of another participant in the class.
• I understand my teacher will use hands-on (tactile adjustments) during class and I hereby consent this, otherwise I will notify the teacher before the class starts.
• I understand ArtQinature Pilates Pilates reserves the right to change the advertised teacher if the teacher is unavailable due to illness or unforeseen circumstances.
• I take responsibility to respect other ArtQinature Pilates clients and the teacher by behaving appropriately before, during and after class. I understand the teacher has a right to turn me away if the teacher feels these actions are not being taken.
• During class, I will ensure my mobile phone is switched to silent with vibrate switched off so as not to disturb the class.

Privacy Policy

We place the utmost importance on your privacy, so please rest assured that any personal information that you give us will remain securely stored and will never be shared with any third-party organisations. We will only ask you for information that we feel we must have in order to ensure that we can meet your needs and expectations as efficiently and effectively as possible.We do use some Cookies on this website – Cookies are stored on your internet browser and are designed to make any future visits to our website as efficient and pain-free as possible by remembering pages or preferences, for example.Cookies are used track what pages are visited on our website and to facilitate your purchases (i.e. by remembering what’s in your basket) if you are buying anything on our website or booking online with us. Your internet browser enables you to delete or block Cookies if you so wish.Under new Data Protection (GDPR) regulations, we must ask for your consent to the use of Cookies as described. By clicking through to this page, we will assume you are happy to continue using our website based on the information given in this Privacy Policy. Alternatively, please go to the option provided on your internet browser to delete or block Cookies if you so wish.