Purely Pilates Studio

23/10/2026

22/10/2026

The way we view pelvic health is changing… 🌿

There is a move away from the idea that pelvic floor health is all about bracing, holding and squeezing, which can sometimes lead to over-engaging and restriction.

Instead, we’re recognising the power of the breath and its relationship with the pelvic floor, helping to create a dynamic, coordinated response that supports us through our daily lives.

We want to work with subtlety, developing a pelvic floor that can engage when needed and release when appropriate, adapting as we move through our day.

We also know how important it is to look at the body as a whole. Foot and ankle movement, in particular, can influence how we move, balance and manage load — all important pieces of the wider pelvic health picture.

So here’s a little Zenga ball sequence. It’s definitely more challenging than it might look… for the brain as well as the body! 😉

I didn’t cue the breath here but just do ensure you breath fully and deeply as you move 🧡

21/10/2026

A morning to move, restore and unwind

We’re excited to announce Purely’s very first mini retreat, in collaboration with Ditchling Wild Sauna!

Join Gemma on Saturday 21st November for a restorative and invigorating morning, combining Pilates, deep relaxation and the warmth of a wood-fired sauna. A chance to step away from the everyday, reconnect with your body and leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and re-energised.

📅 Saturday 21st November 2026
⏰ 9.30am–1pm
💷 £70 per person £50 for Pilates only
£65 early bird offer ends Friday 23rd October

Your morning

9.30–11.15am | Pilates Workshop: From Strength to Stillness

Gemma will guide you through a carefully designed Pilates session, exploring the relationship between strength, balance and control before gradually moving into mobility and release work. We’ll finish with a deep relaxation, allowing you to slow down, let go and simply be.

11.15–11.45am | Coffee, Tea & Pastries

A chance to pause, enjoy a coffee or herbal tea, tuck into some pastries and chat before the next part of your morning.

11.45am–12.45pm | Wild Sauna

Time to unwind in the beautiful wood-fired sauna at Ditchling Wild Sauna. Enjoy the warmth, relax your body and give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing!

There will also be the option to purchase a face oil, body scrub or clay mask to enhance your sauna experience for an additional £6.

What to bring

🧘 For Pilates: Your mat, a cushion, a blanket and a bottle of water.

🩱 For the sauna: Your swimming costume and a towel.

Coffee, herbal teas and water will be provided.

Give yourself a morning to recharge.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your Pilates practice, release tension, or simply enjoy some time for yourself, this is an opportunity to combine mindful movement with the restorative benefits of heat and relaxation.

Spaces are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!

We can’t wait to share this special morning with you 🧡

16/10/2026

We’re so excited to announce Purely’s very first mini retreat, in collaboration with Ditchling Wild Sauna!

Join Gemma on Saturday 21st November for a restorative and invigorating morning, combining Pilates, deep relaxation and the warmth of a wood-fired sauna. A chance to step away from the everyday, reconnect with your body and leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and re-energised.

📅 Saturday 21st November 2026
⏰ 9.30am–1pm
💷 £70 per person (£65 early bird if booked by 23rd October)

Your morning

9.30–11.15am | Pilates Workshop: From Strength to Stillness

Gemma will guide you through a carefully designed Pilates session, exploring the relationship between strength, balance and control before gradually moving into mobility and release work. We’ll finish with a deep relaxation, allowing you to slow down, let go and simply be.

11.15–11.45am | Coffee, Tea & Pastries

A chance to pause, enjoy a coffee or herbal tea, tuck into some pastries and chat before the next part of your morning.

11.45am–12.45pm | Wild Sauna

Time to unwind in the beautiful wood-fired sauna at Ditchling Wild Sauna. Enjoy the warmth, relax your body and give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing!

There will also be the option to purchase a face oil, body scrub or clay mask to enhance your sauna experience for an additional £6.

What to bring

🧘 For Pilates: Your mat, a cushion, a blanket and a bottle of water.

🩱 For the sauna: Your swimming costume and a towel.

Coffee, herbal teas and water will be provided.

Give yourself a morning to recharge.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your Pilates practice, release tension, or simply enjoy some time for yourself, this is an opportunity to combine mindful movement with the restorative benefits of heat and relaxation.

Spaces are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!

We can’t wait to share this special morning with you 🧡

14/10/2026

This beauty is the Ladder Barrel, Queen of Purely studio. She even has her own room 👑

Designed to help you extend your spine, flex your spine, to perch on from the sacrum, the hip, the p***c bone, creating lots of opportunities to move. Working with the Ladder Barrel is a dream.

Lengthen, mobilise, strengthen or use her as a supportive base. She’s versatile, she’s challenging, and she can make you feel amazing.

And not many studios have one 💪🏽

So come and see what the fuss is all about 🧡

13/10/2026

Join us this November 🧡

Three great ways to get started with us at Purely.

Mat to Machine 4 week course
Join Amy for this course for Complete Beginners to Pilates, designed to teach you everything you need to know to get the full benefit from a group Reformer class. You will be taught, by our experienced instructors, the basic principles of Pilates and some key mat exercises for the first two sessions, then you will be introduced to the Reformer and all its benefits for the latter two. Start slowly and you’ll reap the benefits we promise 🧡

Reformer Foundations
For those with experience on the mat this one off introduction to the Reformer will teach you everything you need to know to join one of our Reformer courses. You’ll be taken through the machine set up and safety, as well as going over some of the key exercises on the Reformer to ensure a safe transition into a group class 🧡

Introduction to Pilates
If you are completely new to Pilates or have had a break and need a refresher, this is your first step. Candy will take you through the basic Pilates principles which will be the key to getting the best out of your weekly group class. We limit numbers of these classes to allow time for any questions you may have and to ensure each client has individual attention to fully understand the foundations of Pilates.

Whatever your experience, we have a session for you 🧡

We’d love to hear from you. Comment START and we’ll send you the booking info.

09/10/2026

A little bit about me… 👋🏼

PIC 2— How I found Pilates 🧡
I came to Pilates through a love of movement. I danced from a very young age, but gave it up when I went to Sussex University to study Sociology.

I became one of the first Merrithew trainers in the UK, training on their first course in Twickenham in 2001 — back when Pilates was more of a whisper than the boom it is today!

PIC 3— I LOVE a mat class 🧡
As a teacher, mat gives you so much freedom to be creative. Lying, sitting, kneeling, standing… balance work, strength, mobility, release — there’s so much you can bring to a mat session.

I know mat isn’t quite as popular at the moment, but I really hope it has its moment again. There’s something about working with just your own body that gives you such a good understanding of how you move.

PIC 4— My football days ⚽️
I trained the Albion for two seasons, back before Pilates was really a thing in Premier League football.

The coach was pretty forward-thinking, but my biggest challenge wasn’t the Pilates… it was getting a group of 20-year-old boys to take it seriously! 😂

PIC 5 — Outside of Pilates🏊‍♂️
My non-negotiable each week is a swim. I LOVE being in the water and I really don’t like missing it.

And I love reading. It doesn’t have to be particularly highbrow — I just love getting completely lost in a good story.

PIC 6— Part of my story 🧡
I’m a widow. I lost my husband to cancer when my son was just four.

So, alongside work, I’ve been a full-time solo parent too. It’s been incredibly hard at times, particularly while running my own business and trying to keep all the plates spinning.

But my son is now a happy, thriving 14-year-old, and I know his Dad would be incredibly proud of both of us. 🧡

So that’s a little bit of me — beyond the Pilates teacher you see in the studio.

07/10/2026

Balance isn’t about standing still…

I had a message after class last week from a lovely client in her early 70s to say thank you for the balance work we did in class that day:

“My kids are constantly moaning at me, worried that I’m going to fall over holding my grandson.”

Balance is something we use all day long, often without even thinking about it.

Getting dressed while standing on one leg, stepping off a kerb, reaching for something on a high shelf. We need balance when walking over uneven ground, getting up from the floor and even changing direction.

Balance is a conversation between strength, coordination, proprioception and vision — constantly making tiny adjustments to keep you upright and moving.

In Pilates, we challenge your balance in ways that are subtle rather than spectacular. Changing your base of support, shifting your weight, moving one part of the body while another is your anchor, or simply slowing things down and tuning into where you are in space.

Those little wobbles? They’re not failure. They’re information. Your body is learning, adapting and finding its way back to centre.

The real goal of balance isn’t never wobbling, but being able to recover when you do.

It’s a skill we want for life, not just for Pilates.

06/10/2026

We’re expanding our team!

This Fabulous Five are joining the Purely Team.

Abigail (top right) will be teaching Beginner and Beginner plus mat classes on Wednesdays at 7pm and 8pm. From a science background, Abigail loves the accepting community of pilates, that all are welcome! 🧡

Candy (middle left) came to pilates as a way to improve her running, deciding then to take her love of the method further and train with Body Control Pilates. Candy will be joining us on Saturdays 9am Intermediate mat and 10am Beginners mat 🧡

Darcey (middle right) trained initially in Australia then with Stott and Lisa B. Darcey is passionate about helping others reap the benefits of Pilates and is teaching on Fridays at 10am Reformer 🧡

Amy (bottom middle) loves helping clients build confidence and a deeper connection to their bodies. After growing up in Malta she is loving teaching in Hove near the sea. Join Amy on Wednesdays at 5.30pm Reformer 🧡

Claire (bottom right) has worked as a nurse for over 20 years. She brings her bubbly,caring personality to her classes and you can find her on Mondays 9.15 Beginner plus mat 🧡

We’re very excited to have them all on the team and can’t wait for you to try their inspiring, challenging and fun classes. See you at the studio! 🧡🧡

01/10/2026

Directors meeting today 🧡💪🏽

Promise we did some work amongst the laughs and pastry 🫣

Exciting plans are afoot to relaunch our website! Starting stages with old school pen and paper, then over to our web designer, Andy to pull it all together.

So important to have fun whilst your working! And a proper break. In Sweden they call this Fika. So we adopted that today with these delicious financiers from Real Eating Company Yum! 😋