Michelle Pilates

21/09/2026

THE FINALE! 🔥

You made it! 🙌

Over the last 5 days, we’ve worked our way through the Classical Pilates Abdominal Series — breaking down one exercise each day and focusing on control, precision and quality of movement.

Now it’s time to bring everything together!

DAY 6 — THE FULL SERIES OF FIVE 🔥

Today’s challenge is to perform all 5 exercises together, flowing from one into the next:

1️⃣ Single Leg Stretch
2️⃣ Double Leg Stretch
3️⃣ Scissors
4️⃣ Double Leg Lower & Lift
5️⃣ Elbow To Knee

🔥 YOUR FINAL CHALLENGE:

Complete 5–8 repetitions of each exercise, moving smoothly from one exercise into the next.

If you can maintain your form, try to complete the whole series without stopping — but remember, this is NOT about speed or pushing through at any cost.

✨ Think about everything we’ve practised:

• Control
• Precision
• Breath
• Stability
• Length
• Flow

Use the modifications we’ve worked on whenever you need them. Take a break if you need one, then come back to the movement.

The real challenge is keeping the QUALITY of your Pilates from the first Single Leg Stretch right through to your final Criss Cross. 👌

And when you finish…

🎉 YOU’VE COMPLETED THE 5 IN 5 CHALLENGE! 🎉

I hope you’ve enjoyed taking the time to break down each exercise and then bringing the full series together.

Now I want to know — which of the five was YOUR favourite… and which one challenged you the most? 👀🔥

Drop it in the comments and tag me if you complete the full challenge — I’d love to see you doing your 5 in 5! 🤍

19/09/2026

🎉🤍 Happy 1st Birthday to Michelle Pilates! 🤍🎉

I honestly can’t believe it’s been a whole year since we opened our doors and welcomed our very first clients. What an incredible year it has been! ✨

I am truly grateful to every single person who has walked through the doors of Michelle Pilates and trusted me to guide them on their journey with Classical Pilates.

Watching my clients grow stronger, move with more confidence, understand their bodies and discover what Classical Pilates can do for them has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. Every session, every little breakthrough and every achievement means so much to me. 🤍

Creating Michelle Pilates was about so much more than opening a studio. I wanted to create a welcoming and supportive space where people could come as they are, feel comfortable, be challenged, and leave feeling stronger, taller and more connected to their bodies.

To all of my wonderful clients — thank you. Thank you for your trust, your loyalty, your hard work, your laughter and, most importantly, for choosing Michelle Pilates to be part of your journey. I genuinely wouldn’t be celebrating this milestone without you.

I’m so proud of how far we’ve come in our first year, and I’m incredibly excited for everything still to come.

Here’s to the next chapter, continuing to learn, grow, move and get stronger together — one Classical Pilates session at a time. 🥂✨

Happy 1st Birthday, Michelle Pilates! 🎂🎁🤍

One year down… and we’re only just getting started! ✨

19/09/2026

🔥 5 IN 5 CHALLENGE — DAY 5 🔥

We’ve made it to Day 5 of the 5 in 5 Pilates Challenge!

Over the last five days, we’ve been working our way through the Classical Pilates Abdominal Series — taking one exercise at a time and focusing on control, precision and quality of movement.

And today we’re adding our FINAL exercise before we put all five together tomorrow! 🔥

DAY 5 — ELBOW TO KNEE or cross cross .

Start on your back with your hands behind your head and both knees drawn in.

Curl your head and shoulders up, extend one leg away and rotate your upper body towards the opposite bent knee.

Then switch sides with control.

✨ Focus on:

• Drawing your abdominals in and up
• Keeping your pelvis steady
• Rotating from your upper body — not just moving your elbows
• Reaching the extended leg long
• Keeping your shoulders relaxed
• Using your breath as you rotate
• Moving with control rather than rushing from side to side

🔥 Today’s challenge: Complete 5–8 repetitions each side.

Need to modify? Keep your extended leg higher, make your rotation smaller or take a rest with your head down when needed.

Remember — bigger and faster doesn’t mean better.

Think about creating LENGTH through the leg and ROTATION through the upper body while keeping your centre strong and controlled. 👌

And that’s it…

YOU’VE LEARNT ALL FIVE! 🙌🔥

Tomorrow is DAY 6 — THE 5 IN 5 FINALE!

18/09/2026

DAY 4 — DOUBLE LEG LOWER 🔥

Today, we’re adding Double Straight Leg Stretch, also known as Lower & Lift.

Lie on your back with both legs together and reaching up towards the ceiling. Curl your head and shoulders up, then lower both legs away from you with control before lifting them back up.

The challenge here isn’t how LOW you can go — it’s how well you can maintain your connection and control.

✨ Focus on:

• Drawing your abdominals in and up
• Keeping your pelvis steady
• Keeping your legs connected and reaching long
• Maintaining your upper-body curl
• Lowering only as far as you can stay in control
• Moving smoothly with your breath

🔥 Today’s challenge: Complete 5–8 slow, controlled repetitions.

Need to modify? Keep your legs higher, slightly soften your knees, reduce your range or keep your head down.

Remember: your legs don’t need to reach the floor.

Work within YOUR range and make every repetition count. Quality over quantity. 👌

Four exercises down — just ONE more to learn before our Day 6 finale! 🔥

Tag me when you’ve completed Day 4 and save this post so you’re ready to put everything together.

See you tomorrow for Day 5 — Criss Cross! 👀

17/09/2026

DAY 3 —Scissors ✂️

Lie on your back with both legs reaching up towards the ceiling. Curl your head and shoulders up, bring one leg towards you and reach the opposite leg long away.

Switch the legs with control, creating a smooth sc******ng action.

✨ Focus on:

• Keeping your pelvis steady
• Drawing your abdominals in and up
• Reaching through BOTH legs
• Keeping your shoulders relaxed
• Avoiding pulling or yanking the leg towards you
• Creating a smooth, controlled rhythm as you switch

🔥 Today’s challenge: Complete 5–8 repetitions each side.

Need to modify? Soften your knees, make the split between your legs smaller or keep your head down. Choose the option that allows you to maintain control and good alignment.

Remember: it’s not about how far you can stretch your legs apart — it’s about maintaining control through your centre. 👌

Three exercises down, two to go! 🔥

Tag me when you’ve completed Day 3 and save this post for the Day 6 finale!

See you tomorrow for Day 4.

16/09/2026

5 IN 5 CHALLENGE — DAY 2 🔥

Welcome back to the 5 in 5 Pilates Challenge!

Over the next 5 days, we’re practising one exercise from the Classical Pilates Abdominal Series each day. On Day 6, we’ll put all five together into one flowing sequence! 🔥

The focus is control, precision and quality — not speed or lots of repetitions.

DAY 2 — DOUBLE LEG STRETCH

✨ Focus on:

• Keeping your pelvis steady
• Drawing your abdominals in and up
• Reaching your arms and legs away with control
• Keeping your upper-body curl consistent
• Moving smoothly with your breath
• Reaching long rather than simply reaching low

🔥 Today’s challenge: Complete 5–8 controlled repetitions.

Need to modify? Keep your legs higher, make the movement smaller or keep your head down. Choose the option that allows you to maintain control and good alignment.

Remember: your legs don’t need to go low to make the exercise effective. Quality always comes first. 👌

Tag me when you’ve completed Day 2 and save this post for the Day 6 finale!

See you tomorrow for Day 3.

15/09/2026

🔥 5 IN 5 CHALLENGE — DAY 1 🔥

Welcome to the 5 in 5 Pilates Challenge!

Over the next 5 days, we’ll practise one exercise from the Classical Pilates Abdominal Series each day. On Day 6, we’ll put all five together into one flowing sequence! 🔥

The focus is control, precision and quality — not speed or lots of repetitions.

DAY 1 — SINGLE LEG STRETCH

Lie on your back, curl your head and shoulders up, and bring one knee towards you while the opposite leg reaches away. Smoothly switch legs.

✨ Focus on:

• Keeping your pelvis steady
• Drawing your abdominals in and up
• Reaching the long leg away
• Relaxing your shoulders
• Moving with control

🔥 Today’s challenge: Complete 5–8 repetitions each side.

Need to modify? Keep your head down or take the extended leg higher.

Remember: it’s not about how many you do — it’s about how you do them. 👌

Tag me when you’ve completed Day 1 and save this post for Day 6!

See you tomorrow for Day 2.

14/09/2026

I’m incredibly proud to share that one of my amazing clients, Keith, is taking part in the Twilight Walk to raise vital funds for ellenor hospice. 💜

It’s wonderful to see Keith supporting such an important cause and helping to make a difference to the lives of patients and their families.

If you’re able to, please consider supporting Keith with a donation. No matter how big or small, every contribution will help towards the incredible work ellenor does and would mean so much.

Wishing Keith the very best for his Twilight Walk — what a fantastic achievement and a wonderful cause to support! 💜✨

Please donate and show Keith your support if you can. Every little bit really does make a difference. 🙏

Keith Fennings has launched a fundraising campaign, show your support with a donation!

06/09/2026

✨ THE WUNDA CHAIR — CLASSICAL PILATES ✨

Have you ever looked at the Wunda Chair and wondered… what’s it all about? 👀

Small but mighty, the Wunda Chair is one of the original pieces of Pilates apparatus created by Joseph Pilates — and it can deliver a seriously powerful full-body workout.

Don’t let its simple appearance fool you! Using a spring-loaded pedal for resistance and support, the Wunda Chair challenges your strength, control, balance, stability and coordination in a completely different way.

From seated and standing exercises to some wonderfully challenging full-body movements, the Chair encourages you to connect deeply to your centre while working with precision and control — exactly what Classical Pilates is all about.

What makes it so special? ✨

• Builds whole-body strength
• Challenges balance and stability
• Develops control and coordination
• Strengthens the core
• Works the arms, legs and glutes
• Encourages concentration and precision
• Offers endless progression as your Pilates practice develops

And although some of the more advanced Chair exercises can look intimidating, there are exercises and variations suitable for many different levels.

The beauty of the Wunda Chair is that there’s nowhere to hide! Every movement asks you to be present, connected and in control.

Small apparatus. Big challenge. Incredible Pilates. 🤍

Have you tried the Wunda Chair yet?

31/08/2026

☀️ Summer 2026 — what a summer! ☀️

Feeling incredibly grateful for a summer filled with friendship, adventure, movement, family and some much-needed time to recharge. ❤️

🏴 Wales — Such a great time spent with friends, enjoying lots of activities, plenty of laughs and, of course, a few BBQs! 🔥

🇫🇷 France — An amazing experience taking part in Pilates workshops, learning, moving and meeting some truly inspiring teachers along the way. Feeling refreshed and inspired by everything I’ve taken from the experience. ✨

🇲🇦 Morocco — The perfect way to finish the summer. A well-needed break, slowing down, enjoying precious family time and making some lovely new friends and memories along the way. 🌴☀️

Three very different places, each bringing something special.

Friends, family, movement, laughter, learning, new connections and unforgettable memories.

Summer 2026, you’ve been a good one. ❤️☀️