Jyoti Pilates Blog

I am very happy to introduce our new instructor, Kayleigh Watts.  She will be teaching a Beginners class from Tuesday 13th of November at 7pm at the Stockbridge studio.  She is an incredibly kind and patient teacher, and explains everything very clearly so you will understand all the movements easily, and is an ideal instructor to start your Pilates learning with.  Read on to find out more about her in her own words.

'I first found Pilates in my late teens when searching for an exercise to help with lower back pain and knee pain, something I suffered with after dancing for 13 years. I began to read about all the positive effects regular Pilates practice can have. One week later I attended my first Pilates class and after one hour I was hooked. I knew then that my body craved movement. One year later and after a spontaneous move to Edinburgh I decided to retrain as a Pilates Teacher. I am now a qualified Body Control Pilates Matwork Teacher, Level 3, and am passionate about showing clients that Pilates really can help everyone and how regular practice can have a very positive impact on both the mind and body.'

Saturday 3rd November

 11am - 12.30pm 

  37 St Stephen Street £15

This workshop is a great introduction to Pilates, ideal if you want the opportunity to try it out before booking onto a block or if you are still quite new to Pilates and want the time to go over the basics thoroughly.  We will look at the fundamental principles underlying the method - Alignment, Breathing, Concentration, Centring, Co-ordination, Stamina, Flowing Movements and Relaxation and explain why these are all important and are the building blocks underlying every exercise.  You'll discover what and where your 'Core' is and why it needs to provide you with stability and strength, as well as learn about the many benefits Pilates can bring.

Workshop Saturday 25th November 11am - 1pm

St. Margarets House, £20

Fresh. Whole. Varied.  All words you might associate with a healthy food diet, but they also apply to healthy movement.  So if your daily movement diet involved walking, running, squatting, climbing, swimming, carrying loads, swinging, fighting, always facing the unpredictable and centred around finding your next meal, Pilates was probably not so essential! Although I’m sure Fred would have loved a Spine Curl…

To achieve and maintain your full movement potential, what you do outside your weekly Pilates class  - your daily habits - are fundamental.  For example, sitting on the ground in different positions, a natural human thing to do, may have become uncomfortable and difficult if it is no longer one of your habits.  This is where Pilates can help.

This 2 hour workshop will explore exercises that enable you to gain the stability, control, strength, awareness and flexibility to move more fully, in lots of different, and new ways.  We will release and stretch areas of tension that might be inhibiting full range of movement.  Alongside some Pilates favourites, expect the unexpected as we put our Pilates to functional practice with movements that are fun, sometimes challenging and very different to your usual class. (Making flints not compulsory!)  This workshop is suitable for all levels.

The Autumn Term is on the horizon already, and although I will miss the (occasional) warmer days, I always love the turn of the season, and actually like that "back to school" feeling!  It feels like a time of year to focus on projects and explore new ideas.

So there are some exciting developments here, the biggest of which is that Susie Alexander is coming on board, and will be teaching 2 Beginners classes on Tuesday nights at 37 St Stephen Street, with new venues and classes on the cards for the future.  She is a fantastic teacher with a lovely friendly and sympathetic manner.  Read more about her below.

I will also be adding to my teaching schedule, with a 1pm Beginners class on Mondays at 37 St. Stephen Street, and will be available there on Monday afternoons for 1:1 sessions.  These are ideal if you want an hour tailored just to you, either to progress your Pilates to the next level or focus on any particular issues you have, and can be taken as a regular appointment or as a one-off to complement your matclass.

Susie Alexander

Susie Alexander is a Body Control Pilates matwork teacher with a passion for wellbeing, sport and healthy living. Firsthand experience of the positive effects that a pilates practice has on physical wellbeing, levels of energy and state of mind continues to inspire Susie to teach her clients how to move well. Susie believes that everyone can benefit from pilates; from long distance runners, to golfers and office workers. Susie has completed her Intermediate Matwork qualification and is certified in Pilates for Golfers and Pilates for Performance. She is delighted to be teaching at the St Stephen Street studio.

Ever wondered what exactly Pilates is and whether or not it is for you? This workshop is a great introduction, ideal if you want the opportunity to try it out before booking onto a block; if you are still quite new to Pilates and want the time to go over the basics thoroughly or have been attending classses for awhile and want a refresher session. We will look at the fundamental principles underlying the method - Alignment, Breathing, Concentration, Centring, Co-ordination, Stamina, Flowing Movements and Relaxation and explain why these are all important and are the building blocks underlying every exercise.  You'll discover what and where your 'Core' is and why it needs to provide you with stability and strength, as well as learn about the many benefits Pilates can bring. The 2 hours will gently ease you back into movement after the Christmas break and maybe even kickstart some New Years resolutions!

FREE introductory class held in conjunction with Stylist magazine and Body Control Pilates, at St Margarets House.

Come and make the most of your lunchbreak and find out about Pilates. The basics will be explored and explained, we’ll have a look at your posture  and introduce you to the foundations underlying Pilates -  Alignment, Breathing and Core Stability.  You’ll learn to connect with your body, and improve your balance and posture. Joints are gently mobilised, knots released, and you’ll gain the awareness to work your muscles in a deep and precise way.

Places must be reserved in advance through booking on my website.

I am running a 2 hour “Release and Restore” workshop to help you unwind your body and your mind and give you tips and tools to add a bit more active relaxation into your everyday life.

As my regular class goers will confirm, I love spiky balls, Hedgehogs and Foam Rollers, and could happily spend the whole class using them, as they are so beneficial in helping to release tight areas, so we will do lots of work with them, as well as gentle mobilisation moves, a detailed focus on posture and alignment and breathing and relaxation techniques.

Suitable for all levels.

Joseph Pilates based his method on key principles, from which Body Control Pilates include Alignment, Breathing, Relaxation, Centring, Concentration, Co-ordination, Flowing Movement and Stamina, and I will be exploring some of these in more detail over the next few blogs.

This month, I’m starting with one of my favourites, Relaxation.  Pretty obvious why I might favour this, as who doesn’t like to relax, but when you look at it more closely it may not be relaxation as you know it, and you will see how it can help you to build strength and allow your muscles to function optimally.

Welcome to my first blog – I am hoping (and have good intentions!) to write monthly, on various aspects of Pilates as well as other health and wellbeing topics, so do let me know if there is something you are interested in and would like me to look into.

So you know what Pilates is, and all of the great benefits that it offers, but where did it start and how?

It has actually been around for over 80 years, and is named after its founder, Joseph Pilates.  He was born in 1883, in Monchengladbach near Dusseldorf in Germany.  Unfortunately he wasn't a healthy child and suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever.  But rather than allowing this to limit him, he set out to learn about health and exercise, and to improve his strength and fitness.