
Hello,
My name is Alison, and I am a qualified Pilates instructor, working in and around Lewes, East Sussex.
If you are looking to improve your strength, flexibility and posture in a calm and friendly environment you may have found the right place.
Why Pilates?
Pilates is an accessible form of exercise (you only need a mat!) in which you learn to use muscles correctly, leading to improved posture. You are taught how to align your body so that it works efficiently and safely, to use your breath to activate the core muscles, and to identify and work on certain muscle groups without straining others. In doing so, you gain control over your body and can apply the principles in your daily life.
It is also an approach which seeks to unify body, mind and spirit. The unique blend of the physical and the body-mind connection is what makes Pilates such an effective system.
In my classes the atmosphere is calm to allow participants to focus on the movement. There is a lot to think about, which keeps it interesting, and I lead you along slowly so that you are not overwhelmed.
Mat work Pilates provides a low impact system where you use your own body weight to improve muscle function and strength, so it is a very safe form of exercise for older participants.
As my teacher Alan Herdman writes:
Pilates requires total concentration, as you breathe to enhance the effectiveness of the movements and focus on the feelings in your muscles. Joseph Pilates liked to quote Schiller: “It is the mind itself which builds the body.”
Can anyone do Pilates?
Pilates is a safe and effective exercise system for most people. I will ask you to fill in a health form. Those with medical conditions are encouraged to consult their doctor or physiotherapist so that I can work in tandem with them. If the condition is outside of my scope of practice, I will advise you of someone more qualified.
If you can easily move between standing and laying on your back, your front, your side and kneeling on all fours to return to standing, and you have alerted me to any condition you may have, you should be fine in my group classes. If not, one to one sessions may be advisable, including or avoiding specific exercises that my groups engage in.