What is Pilates?
Pilates is a beautiful movement technique developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s. The philosophy of our Pilates classes is simple: to create a fit healthy body that is flexible and strong, ready to enjoy life to the full. It concentrates on improving core stability and body awareness, increasing flexibility and strength.
Our Pilates classes include specific stretches and exercises to promote a sense of body control that carries through to everyday life. This results in a fitter, leaner body with participants gaining control over how they move and exercise both in and out of the studio. This results in a reduced risk of injury.
See the full story on Pilates here and more about its founder Joseph Pilates here
Why should you do Pilates classes?
- Pilates exercises core muscles and works all parts of the body so you’re able to strengthen your lower back, abdomen, hip and pelvic muscles. In our Pilates studio our qualified instructors will help you improve posture so you can undertake everyday tasks more easily and help resolve back pain and other muscular ailments.
- Learn how to elongate and stretch muscles while building strength which helps you develop a long, lean and toned body without bulky muscles so you can look and feel great
- Gentle but challenging exercises that provide a safe form of exercise regardless of your current fitness level, weight or ability. Our Pilates classes are run as termly courses so you are always improving and developing along with the other members of your group
- Helps you focus on your body, breathing and mind and how they all work together to improve your overall body confidence and mental health
- When combined with an improved diet and aerobic exercise, Pilates classes can assist with weight loss. It brings a more healthy and rounded lifestyle, raising metabolism and helping to get you moving and active
- From the age of 50 we lose about 2% of muscle power per year, unless we actively work to combat this deterioration. Pilates helps you learn how to move efficiently, improve balance, strengthen your muscles and this reduces the chances of injuries or falls so you can maintain a fit and healthy body and mind as you grow older
Why choose Physio on the River Pilates classes?
We run about 32 Pilates classes a week spread throughout the day and evening, 7 days a week
- Small classes – never more than 7 in the class so lots of individual attention
- Classes are divided into levels of difficulty – so you are always with people of the same standard and always progressing
- We also offer Rehab classes taken by a Physiotherapist who is also trained as a Pilates instructor. These are perfect for those returning from injury or surgery or who simply want to exercise at a gentler pace
- Where capacity allows we offer catch up classes for any classes missed within a term
- Classes are run in terms like school terms
- Our instructors also offer individual lessons, duets and trios which can be arranged at a time suited to you
Need help choosing the right class?
If you are unsure which class to opt for, Angela Ranger, our class coordinator and a Pilates and Yoga attendee herself, can help you make the right choice.
Click here to view our Pilates and Yoga Timetable
If you are coming straight from work or going somewhere afterwards, we have a changing room and lockers to keep your things safe.
See what people say about our Pilates classes
Pilates Rehab classes
Fiona Buchanan is one of our Physiotherapists who is also trained as a Pilates teacher. She runs three Pilates Rehab classes suitable for those who are:
- recovering from injury such as low back pain, neck pain, a broken bone or strains and sprains
- recovering from surgery such as joint replacement surgery or spinal surgery
- looking for a slower paced class
- returning to Pilates after childbirth
Fiona’s extra knowledge and training mean that she can make absolutely sure all exercises are safe and effective.
Pilates for Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a condition in which a gradual demineralisation of the bones leads them to become brittle and fracture more easily.
Bone mineral density decreases after the age of 35 and becomes more rapid in women following the menopause. The incidence of osteoporotic fracture is 1 in 3 women over 50 and 1 in 5 men. The areas most likely to be affected are the wrist, spine and hip.
In order to reduce the likelihood of having an osteoporotic fracture, as well as eating a healthy diet and getting enough vitamin D, starting an exercise programme which includes weight bearing through the bones to strengthen them, challenging our balance reactions to prevent trips and falls, and focusing on strengthening the anti gravity muscles that help us maintain an upright posture can help significantly.
If you think you may be affected why not click here and sign up for our Pilates for Osteoporosis class, or give us a call on 0203 916 0286? This is a class taken by our Physiotherapist and Pilates teacher, Fiona, and it’s specially designed to address all the issues that could lead to an osteoporotic fracture.