Pilates is a mat-based exercise class, performed with only background gentle music, using precise movements and breathing techniques to build a strong flexible body. It is a mind body conditioning programme that targets the deep postural muscles of the abdomen, spine and pelvic floor to improve overall central core stability and posture.
Pilates is named after its creator, Joseph Pilates, born in Germany in 1880. He spent his childhood fighting rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever. As a child he lived in pursuit of optimum health and fitness. In England he trained as a boxer, circus performer and self-defence trainer before developing his own exercise programme. During World War I he was interned and while working as a nurse taught fellow prisoners his series of exercises. In 1926 he moved to New York and opened his first studio which attracted many famous dancers and athletes.
For many years Pilates has been taught and used by dancers and professional athletes as a form of rehabilitative exercise to aid recovery from injuries. More recently mainstream fitness industry and health professionals have become interested in the benefits of well structured and carefully performed exercises rather than frantic jumping and running around activities.
Each Pilates session involves 10-15 minutes of standing ‘warm-up' exercises which concentrate on posture, breathing awareness and balance. Most of the exercises are then performed on a mat, using side-lying, supine or hands and knees positions. If you feel uncomfortable in a position we can change the exercises to suit your needs.
There are 8 principles to Pilates: Concentration, Breathing, Centering, Control, Precision, Isolation, Flowing, Movements and Routine.
Each class ends with 5 minutes of relaxation technique to become aware of how to release body tension and to enjoy some time to reflect and be calm.
Pilates is an ideal way to exercise in pregnancy and postnatally as you do not exercise to exhaustion or outside your comfort zone. Pilates, when performed regularly, positively changes the body. It combines awareness of the deep postural and stability muscles, breathing sequences, and alignment with suppleness and flexibility. The exercises can be modified to allow you to continue to exercise safely and effectively through all trimesters.
If you have not done Pilates before, you are invited to attend an introductory session before your first class. We believe that you will benefit most from classes if you have the opportunity to learn the basic techniques and principles of Pilates within a smaller group first. You will then be able to participate fully from the first class and enjoy your Pilates lessons more.
Unfortunately there is usually a waiting list to join the classes as we keep our classes small to ensure a high standard of individual care. However, once you have a place in a class you may keep it for as long as it suits you.
All our teachers are senior Chartered Physiotherapists who have undertaken further training to qualify as Pilates Instructors through the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute ( www.ausphysio.com ). As Chartered Physiotherapists we can offer our clients the highest standard of care and make individual modifications to take into account medical and physical conditions.
Amanda Savage works as a Physiotherapy Specialist in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction at Addenbrookes as well as in private practice in Hauxton ( www.southcambridgephysio.co.uk ). She established PhysioPilates in 2002 to offer Cambridge high quality Pilates classes taught by Chartered Physiotherapists. Nicola Hopkins is also a senior Women's Health physiotherapist at Addenbrookes working on the maternity, gynaecology and oncology wards. Jo Bennett, a senior musculo-skeletal physiotherapist with a special interest in back and shoulder problems teaches our general classes.