Clothing

Please wear clothing you are comfortable in that allows you to move freely - tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt are fine.  You may also find some exercises easier if wearing socks.  That said, please note that the closer fitting your clothing is the easier it is for me to see what your body is doing and correct it if necessary. This will allow you to get more out of the exercises and progress more quickly than if you wear baggy jumpers etc..


Equipment

Note that mats, head cushions, bands and other equipment are all provided for use in the class.  Whilst I do appreciate that time is not a commodity easily come by, I hope that you might be able to practice in between classes – even five to ten minutes a day can make a huge difference to the way you feel.  


Progress

As you may expect, we start first with the basics and build up gradually (depending on which class you are joining, we may already have started this progression).  Whilst the basics may not have the wow factor of a high impact aerobics set initially, advanced Pilates is very tough and you will need time to become aware of your body, learn to relax, start toning and improving flexibility before progressing towards this level of exercise – if that is what you want.  It is however possible to stay with beginners exercises, still work hard and reap the benefits of Pilates.

It usually takes the first term to overcome the initial learning of the exercise movements, muscle recruitment and breathing patterns and start to identify the objectives of the exercises.  In this respect it is a bit like learning to drive a car – you do not start on the motorway in rush hour but take it at your own pace.  However, you should find with Pilates that your abdominal strength, general muscle tone and body awareness begin to increase almost immediately and this will have a positive effect on the way you feel at the end of a session, your overall posture and energy levels. 

These are your classes: to get the most out of them please ask if you have any questions, need clarification, find some exercises painful etc. 


Enrolment forms

It is important that we get the classes right so that you get the most benefit.  I will ask you to complete an enrolment form before you attend a class so that I know something about your background and what you want to achieve. This way we can also cover any of the issues relevant to Pilates that you may have ahead of the classes AND start the class on time.  Note that these forms are strictly confidential and will not be made available to any third parties whatsoever.

If your situation changes at any time after you have completed your enrolment form, please be sure to let me know.  We are aiming to improve your health through Pilates, not harm you so I need to know your situation in order to make appropriate changes to the exercises you do in a class. For example, becoming pregnant, tennis elbow, that incidental hip replacement you had in the holidays and thought wasn’t really significant – they really are important!


Class and course schedule

Classes will start promptly at the specified time. They will last for 1 hour 15 minutes.  The class size will be limited to 12.

Booking on to the next course will be on a first come first served basis although those on the current course will take precedence.  Please confirm by the end of each course if you intend to continue with the next to avoid disappointment and allow me to fill any spaces.


Costs

Class and private tuition costs are shown on the Course & costs page.  My refund and transfer policies are detailed at the bottom of the Courses & costs page.

As I will be unable to fill spaces for occasional absences during a course, I cannot usually accept part payment for a course.  However, if you have to miss a class due to half term or longer holidays and think you will be unable to make the class up at another time, please advise me and we will try to make an exception.

If you are unable to make a class, it would really help if you could let me know at least one day in advance so that I can make that space available to someone who is catching up on missed classes.