Posted on March 10, 2014 by Jenny Cromack

We run a weekly Pilates Class in Leeds City Centre at the motive8 Fitness Studio at Saxton. Pilates is a great class, and although it is hugely popular I still don’t think that some people know how much of a great class it is and the benefits it brings! As it’s an holistic class I often think that those of us who like to get sweaty can think it’s not a hard class, but….believe me, it is hard but in a completely different way! As a personal trainer, I always recommend that my clients who exercise 4 or more times a week incorporate Pilates into their weekly regime to give them a well balanced routine.

What Is Pilates?

Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900’s, and gained popularity as Physiotherapists and other rehab-practioners began to use Pilates in their rehabilitation work.

When you say the word ‘Pilates’ people seem to always think of strong abs and a strong core but there is much more to it than that! Pilates holistic approach aims to rebalance the body through improving posture, core stability, balance, strength and flexibility. Many of our members find they receive great mental benefits as well as physical benefits. Many people will use Pilates as a way to help them recover from injury, but even if you are injury free you will still benefit from attending a pilates class on a weekly basis to keep you strong, supple and keep those injuries at bay, leading to enhanced performance.

Our Pilates class in Leeds City Centre is hosted by Alison on a Monday evening, Alison’s classes are suitable for everyone.

If you haven’t tried Pilates before, I would certainly recommend giving it a try and seeing the difference it can bring.

Come along a Monday evening at 7:15pm and give Alison’s class a whirl.

 

Alison says:

“As a Pilates instructor I would say that you should do Pilates in order to learn how to move better – more naturally and more efficiently.   We associate Pilates with core stability and that is part of good movement – the ability to stabilise your body against load.   But a Pilates class will deliver more: it involves strength training, some of which is quite challenging, for the arms, shoulders, bottom, legs and trunk.    It is a welcome slot in what for most of us are hective lives – to learn to relax, focus on the breathing and the body, not the mind”

Our Members Say:

“I have been having a lot of unbearable back problems. I have my visits to the physio from time to time but in addition to that I decided to go to pilates hoping it would help better. Its been a month since I started going and the sessions have been really helpful. Alison is wonderful and her pilates sessions have definitely helped me with my problems and also to have a better posture. I enjoy the classes a lot and look forward to it every monday!”  Teresa

“I consider the Pilates class in Leeds City Centre at Saxton ‘me time’ as it’s a chance to relax and unwind after a hard day at work.  I always feel refreshed and somehow more balanced after a session.  Alison is very attentive and helps correct my posture, sometimes suggesting alternative positions if I struggle with something.  It’s really pleasing to see I am now able to carry out moves I found difficult or couldn’t do when I first started.  I’ve seen a real improvement in my core body strength, and would recommend this class to those looking to improve posture, balance and strength.”  Sophie