Regular Pilates can increase your strength and flexibility, and improve your posture and balance too as Michelle Higgs explains
“It consists of a series of slow controlled movements which strengthen, elongate and stretch the muscles while improving overall balance, posture, coordination and flexibility”
“It’s also a very mindful exercise and a form of self-care that really puts you in touch with your body, helping you to understand where your aches and pains are, where posture and balance needs to be improved etc”
“Look for a Pilates studio near you offering classes with qualified teachers especially for beginners; your local gym or community centre may also host classes”
“If possible, visit the studio beforehand to get a feel for what the classes are like”
The very first Pilates studio in the UK was opened in 1970 by Alan Herdman
(The Society for the Pilates Method)
Joseph Pilates created his system of physical exercises while interned on the Isle of Man during the First World War
(BBC)
There are 5,227 Pilates and yoga studios in the UK
(IBISWorld, 2025)
Are you suffering with backache or other persistent pain? Do you have bad posture from sitting at a desk all day at work? Want to increase your flexibility and balance to avoid falls in later life? Pilates can help with all these issues, and more.
What is Pilates?
Pilates is a form of exercise that was developed and promoted by Joseph Pilates, a German physical trainer, inventor and writer, during the First World War. He called it ‘Contrology’, which focused on strengthening the core torso and abdominal muscles to support the spine and keep the body balanced. ‘Contrology’ also taught how to align the spine and to become aware of breath. These principles are still fundamental to the exercise we know as Pilates today.
How Pilates helps
The NHS recommends that everyone does some form of strengthening and flexibility exercise two days a week. When we strengthen our muscles, it helps us to continue being able to carry out everyday tasks and reduces the chance of falls. It also slows the rate of muscle and bone loss that occurs as we get older; this is particularly important for perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal women who may be at risk of developing osteoporosis. Doing exercises to increase flexibility eases any aches and pains, helps to prevent injury and improves your posture and balance.
Pilates is the ideal exercise to meet the NHS recommendations. It consists of a series of slow controlled movements which strengthen, elongate and stretch the muscles while improving overall balance, posture, coordination and flexibility. Each movement incorporates the six key principles: centring, control, concentration, precision, breath and flow. Best of all, because Pilates is a low-impact, safe form of exercise, it’s suitable for everyone, regardless of their age or fitness level.
It’s also a very mindful exercise and a form of self-care that really puts you in touch with your body, helping you to understand where your aches and pains are, where posture and balance needs to be improved etc. Pilates is often recommended by physiotherapists and other health professionals for people who are recovering after an injury. Many Pilates teachers are specially trained to support particular injuries or conditions, for example, lower back pain, bone health (osteoporosis) and pre- and postnatal women.
Starting Pilates
If you’ve never tried Pilates and you’d like to give it a go, do your research before rushing off to the first class or online session you find. As a beginner, you need to find a class that caters for your fitness level and ability. If you mistakenly go to a class that’s full of people who are experienced in Pilates, you’ll find it very intimidating and may never go back!
Personal recommendation is one of the best ways to find a good class, so if you have friends or family who practise Pilates, ask about their experiences and whether they can recommend a particular teacher or studio. If no one you know can help, do some online research. Look for a Pilates studio near you offering classes with qualified teachers especially for beginners; your local gym or community centre may also host classes.
Ideally, if you’re new to Pilates, it’s best to master the basics at an in-person instructor-led class. But if there aren’t any classes in your area, consider online sessions via Zoom that you can do in the comfort of your own home.
Pilates classes usually last for about an hour. Mat Pilates classes involve a mix of floor-based and standing exercises on mats, which are thicker than yoga mats, and may include props such as resistance bands, foam rollers and stability balls. More specialist studio Pilates classes use large apparatus, many of which Joseph Pilates invented. These can include the Reformer, the Cadillac (or trapeze table), the Pilates chair (or Wunda chair) or the Ladder Barrel. Using these kinds of apparatus can provide support for more challenging exercises, but are usually only available in one-to-one sessions or small group classes because of space limitations. Studio Pilates is more expensive than mat Pilates and cannot be done at home.
If you’ve never been to a Pilates class before, it can be difficult to know what to expect. Most classes are welcoming, supportive spaces, but this depends on the overall vibe and the skills of the teacher. If possible, visit the studio beforehand to get a feel for what the classes are like. One key thing to ask about is the number of people in the class you’re interested in. It’s usually up to 12, but if there are more than this, you may struggle to get the one-to-one attention you need as a beginner.
Many Pilates teachers offer one-to-one introductory sessions before joining a class; this is highly recommended because it will help you to become familiar with some of the movements and techniques before taking part in a group situation. It will also enable the teacher to assess your range of movement and to understand how best to help you if you have issues with pain in a particular part of your body. To get the maximum benefit from Pilates, ideally you should be doing between 15 and 20 minutes of stretches at home on the days when you don’t have a class.
What to look for in a good Pilates teacher
The best Pilates teacher for you will be highly trained and experienced in the Pilates method and knowledgeable about anatomy and physiology. They will be certified to teach Pilates and will offer classes in a calm, welcoming environment. You can usually find out lots of information about a teacher’s credentials from their website.
Certified Pilates teachers will have been trained by a recognised professional training provider. The Society for the Pilates Method is an alliance of the leading providers in the UK, and you can search its website for accredited members near you (https://thesocietyforthepilatesmethod.com/finder/). If you’re looking for help with a particular injury or condition, make contact with your chosen teacher to ask if they are experienced in dealing with it.
Tips for your first Pilates class
- Check whether a mat will be available or if you have to pay to hire one; if the class is in a Pilates studio, mats are usually provided.
- Pay attention and listen carefully to instructions – there’s no chatting during a group Pilates class, but there’s plenty before and after!
- Be prepared for the teacher to be ‘hands on’ in correcting your body position, and say in advance if you don’t feel comfortable about this.
- Make sure you’re able to get up and down from the floor easily, and ask for a chair if you need one for support.
- Wear comfortable stretchy clothing, along with your best socks because you won’t be wearing shoes!
