Forum Topic

Pilates Classes

W4 Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic offer small pilates classes -maximum of five participants, allowing you the individual attention you deserve at reasonable prices.We also offer ante-natal classes.All classes run for one hour and suit all fitness levels.Contact the clinic for class times and more informationpilates@w4physio.co.uk   or   0208 994 8328PRICE LIST:*Introductory Deal £37.50 for five sessions (£7.50 a class)Regular Price: £45.00 for five sessions (£9.00 a class) If you are interested in pilates but not sure if it is for you, contact us and we will you a one-off taster class for £7.50.

Kerry Rixon ● 6816d8 Comments

Linda - you're welcome. I notice the last line of their post says they are offering a taster session.  Go for it!

Philippa Bond ● 6224d

Hi Phillipa - Linda here.Thanks so much for your informative reply. It sounds just what I need. Last year when I had a prolapsed disc the physiotherapist was working on the core muscles and although I am very good and still do the exercises every day my back is playing up again and I don't want to go through what I went through last year! GP useless - bed rest and painkillers and I spent a fortune at chiropractors and osteopaths! I will try and get Peter there too as he has had back problems since he was a teenager!Thanks again.

Peter Wright ● 6224d

It worked for me and I've had quite a lot of back problems.As a non-expert I would describe it as a very gentle and controlled stretching and strengthening of the core muscles around and supporting the spine.  It is a little similar to but different from yoga - the breathing is different - and it is very different from the sudden movements of aerobics. With a good teacher who will help you to 'find' the muscles that particular exercises are aimed at you will feel the benefit and may then find the confidence to be a bit more athletic!  (I love playing badminton which can be worrying with a bad back because you just chase the shuttlecock and forget to be careful.  I thought that by playing badminton three times a week I must be fit. I was very wrong.)I should/would still be doing Pilates but gave up when the class I started with had become too good, the teacher changed and the exercises had become prefixed with:  "Those with bad backs shouldn't do this one".  (It was a backward somersault.) This was long after I had felt improvement. I wish I had known about it years before. It is named after the person who created the method - Joseph Pilates. I didn't 'find' and feel confidence to do it until it was recommended by a young doctor at hospital.(Years before I had asked what exercise class I could do to strengthen my back only to receive a blank stare from the consultant. Bed rest and pills were then the order of the day, then the physio's exercises which I found hard to make time and motivate myself to do.)Once when doing about the first Pilates exercise - lying on back knees up and feet flat on the floor slightly apart - shoulders dropped. I took a deep breath and while working at imagining I was pushing my vertebrae one by one from top to bottom into the floor - there was a loud crunch.  I stopped still with breath still held - not daring to move.  Eventually I let go of my breath and I gingerly stood up.  To my surprise I could suddenly reach my toes again. (I had been sweeping things into the middle of the floor with a long handled broom to limit bending down.  I hadn't been in pain but I really hadn't realised quite how limiting it had become apart from picking things up from the floor.)It is often taught by ex-ballet dancers.Making time to go at a set time to a regular class kept me doing it and proved more successful for me than going to the gym (despite the gym's fee)!  It was a mixed class - although men were in the minority.You should still check that there isn't an underlying medical problem first and try and see a doctor who understands about backs!  I have never done it when my back was very sore.

Philippa Bond ● 6224d

What is Pilates and did it, does it work for you? Linda is having severe discomfort with her back at the moment and wonders if this may help relieve the pain (I may come as well).

Peter Wright ● 6224d

We have several guys who do the classes each week, so I would not be too worried about feeling the odd one out.Would you like to email me directly and I can let you know about the space we have.Just to let you know I was talking about a special Pilates class full of pregnant women - so that would be the only one where you would feel like the odd one out!

Kerry Rixon ● 6815d

I`m talking about the pilates classes.I really want to start pilates, but it is seen as a femaile thing, so dont want to be the odd one out. Also my girl friend wnats to do it.I have a bad back, due to work injuries & I`ve been told this is very good for the back.

Mark Yates ● 6815d

Yes, one exception to that is our Ante-Natal group - for obvious reasons!!Are you looking for a single sex class?

Kerry Rixon ● 6815d

are these mixed sexed classes?

Mark Yates ● 6815d