Happy Body Pilates

Happy Body Pilates Pilates classes for a stronger, healthier and happier body. Learn how to move more effortlessly and without strain through everyday life. It's as simple as that.

Happy Body = Happy Mind. Practicing Pilates is a gift to your body to improve strength, flexibility, posture and overall health and well-being. My classes are fun, challenging and have a particular intention so that you can focus, deepen and enhance your practice. No matter what your goals are I believe you will leave a class with a happy body. Weekly Friday classes, 9.15am - 10.15am
The New North London Synagogue, 80 East End Road, N3 2SY. It's a drop-in class and please bring your own mat.
£12 a class
£55 for 5 classes

Private and semi-private sessions available in the comfort and convenience of your own home, online or at my home studio. Contact me for pricing. Discounts are available for block bookings.

18/09/2026

Ever noticed one side feels stronger than the other?

In this video, my left side is the weaker side during a single-arm wall push-up.

Instead of simply trying harder or doing more repetitions, I changed the information my brain was receiving.

How?
By gently biting down on a pen on the left side of my mouth.
Why?

The muscles we use for biting and chewing are controlled by the trigeminal nerve - one of the largest cranial nerves. It provides a huge amount of sensory information to the brain and has important connections with areas involved in posture, stability and movement.

Sometimes, giving the brain a little more sensory input from one side can help it organise movement more efficiently on that same side.

The result?

For me, the push-up felt stronger and more controlled because my brain had better information to work with.

That’s one of the reasons I love weaving applied neurology into strength training.
We’re not just training muscles.
We’re training the nervous system that controls those muscles.

And this is one of the things that makes my 8-week Strength Foundations Programme different.
Alongside progressive strength training, I sprinkle in simple neuro-informed techniques involving:
👀 Vision
👂 The vestibular (inner ear) system
👣 Proprioception (the information coming from your joints and muscles)

Strength Foundations begins on 25 September.
An 8-week online programme combining progressive strength training with Pilates principles and neuro-informed movement to help you build better strength, balance and confidence in everyday life.

If you’re a woman in your 50s, 60s or 70s, I’d love you to discover what your body is really capable of by joining the programme. Only space for 10 committed people who want to get stronger (5 spaces left).

Find out more via the link in my bio.

08/09/2026

You’re over 50, you know you need to start strength training but you’re worried about your back…

The problem is, avoiding movement rarely builds confidence in your body.

One of the reasons I love combining strength training with applied neurology is that it gives us another place to start.

👀 Smooth pursuit eye movements and 🎵 humming aren’t strengthening your back muscles.

What they can do is help your brain gather better information about your environment and encourage a calmer, more regulated state. When your nervous system feels less threatened, it may reduce unnecessary muscle guarding, allowing movement to feel easier and more comfortable.

Sometimes that means an exercise that felt uncomfortable a few moments ago suddenly feels more manageable.

That’s why I don’t separate movement from the nervous system.
I teach both together.
It’s not about pushing through pain.
It’s about helping your body feel safe enough to move well.

This is exactly the approach I’ll be sharing in my FREE Online Neuro-Informed Strength Workshop.
📅 Thursday 10 September | 6pm
You’ll discover why building strength after 50 is about far more than muscles and how simple neuro-informed techniques can help you move with greater confidence.

Reserve your free place via the link in my bio.

04/09/2026

Are you the one who can’t balance well in an exercise class? Do lunges feel wobbly? Do you struggle to stand on one leg?

And do you think it’s a strength thing?

One of the biggest misconceptions about strength training is that muscles are the whole story.

They’re not.

Your brain is constantly deciding how much force to produce, how stable you are, and whether a movement feels safe enough to do confidently.

One of the systems influencing those decisions is your vestibular system, the part of your inner ear that helps your brain understand where your head and neck is in space. Think of it as your on-board compass.

This simple drill challenges that system. Sometimes, when your brain receives clearer information, movements like lunges feel steadier and more controlled.

That’s what I mean by strength beyond muscles.

It’s one of the concepts I’ll be exploring in my FREE online Neuro-Informed Strength Workshop.

📅 Thursday 10 September
🕕 6pm

If you’re over 50 and you’d like to understand how to build strength that improves balance, confidence and everyday movement, not just the numbers on a dumbbell, I’d love you to join me.

Reserve your free place via the link in my bio.

Most people think strength training is about the exercises…I don’t.I think it’s about the life those exercises allow you...
28/08/2026

Most people think strength training is about the exercises…
I don’t.

I think it’s about the life those exercises allow you to keep living.
That’s why I don’t teach strength in isolation.

I teach women how to build a body that’s capable, adaptable and confident enough to deal with real life - whether that’s climbing stairs, lifting shopping, catching yourself if you trip, or getting down to the floor to play with grandchildren.

The muscles matter.

But so does the nervous system.

Because the brain influences how much strength you can access, how well you balance and how confidently you move.

If you’d like to understand why this matters and experience it for yoursel, I’d love you to join my FREE online workshop.

📅 Thursday 10 September | 6pm

We’ll explore why traditional strength training isn’t always enough, and how combining it with simple neuro-informed techniques can help you build a body you can trust for the next 20 years and beyond.

Reserve your free place via the link in my bio.

https://www.happybodypilates.co.uk/neuro-strength-workshop-september

25/08/2026

👣 Your big toes might be doing less work than you think

When thinking about balance, one small part of the body has a surprisingly big job...

Your big toe.

As we walk, climb stairs or catch ourselves when we lose balance, the big toe helps transfer force through the foot and provides valuable sensory information to the brain about where we are in space.

As we get older, it’s common for the big toe to become weaker or less coordinated. When that happens, the rest of the body often starts compensating and balance is compromised.

That’s why I like including simple foot exercises in my classes.
👣 Try this:
• Press your big toe into the floor and lift the other four toes.
• Then swap - lift the big toe while keeping the other toes gently pressed into the floor.

The challenge isn’t just moving the toes.

It’s keeping the arch of your foot steady while you do it.

Start seated if that’s easier, then try it standing.
Once you’ve practised for a minute or two...

👉 Re-test your reverse lunge or a simple balance exercise.

You may notice it feels steadier….

Because you’ve given your brain clearer sensory information from one of the most neurologically rich parts of your body.

Sometimes better movement starts with better information.

I love weaving neuro-informed techniques into my Pilates and strength sessions. Link in bio to try a class.

I’m teaching a FREE Workshop on 10 September | 6pm
If your goal is to stay strong, capable and independent as you get older, I’d love you to join me.

I’ll show you how strength training, combined with simple neuro-informed techniques, can help you build confidence and balance in your body, so that everyday life continues to feel easy, not effortful.

https://www.happybodypilates.co.uk/neuro-strength-workshop-september

Link in bio

Why strength training after 50 isn’t just about muscles…Most people think strength training is about building bigger mus...
21/08/2026

Why strength training after 50 isn’t just about muscles…

Most people think strength training is about building bigger muscles.
It’s only part of the story.

Your brain decides how much force you can produce, how efficiently you move, and how safe a position feels.

That’s why two people with similar strength can move very differently.
It’s also why simply lifting heavier weights isn’t always the answer.

In my free online workshop, I’ll show you how I combine strength training with simple neuro-informed techniques to help you build adaptable strength, the kind that shows up when you climb stairs, carry shopping, recover your balance or get up from the floor.

If you’re over 50 and you’d like to move with more confidence, not just become stronger, I think you’ll find it fascinating.

📍 FREE Online Workshop
Thursday 10 September | 6pm

The most important thing you can do to protect your independence as you age.

Reserve your free place via the link in my bio.
https://www.happybodypilates.co.uk/neuro-strength-workshop-september

18/08/2026

😣 Is your neck really stiff... or is it being protective?

When your neck feels tight or you struggle to turn your head, it’s easy to assume the muscles are the problem.

Sometimes they are.

But sometimes the nervous system is simply trying to keep you safe.
Your brain is constantly taking in information from your eyes, your inner ear (vestibular system) and your body to work out where you are in space. If that information feels uncertain, one strategy is to create more muscle tension and reduce movement.

It’s a clever protective response... but not always a helpful one.
🌬️ That’s why I’m trying something a little different here: a forced inhalation.

A bigger, fuller breath changes the movement of your ribs, diaphragm and upper chest. It also gives your brain fresh sensory information about your body’s position and can help reduce unnecessary guarding around the neck.

Sometimes, that’s enough for the brain to decide it’s safe to allow a little more movement.

It’s not about forcing your neck further.

It’s about giving your brain better information, then seeing whether it chooses to let go of some of that protective tension.

Try it, then gently re-check your neck rotation.
I’d love to know if you notice a difference.

I love weaving neuro-informed techniques into my Pilates and strength sessions. Link in bio to try a class.

I’m teaching a FREE Workshop on 10 September | 6pm
If your goal is to stay strong, capable and independent as you get older, I’d love you to join me.

I’ll show you how strength training, combined with simple neuro-informed techniques, can help you build confidence and balance in your body, so that everyday life continues to feel easy, not effortful.

https://www.happybodypilates.co.uk/neuro-strength-workshop-september

Link in bio

14/08/2026

⚖️ Balance is one of those things we rarely think about... until we have to.

In our 30s and 40s, we tend to assume balance will always be there.
Then one day you notice you’re reaching for the banister, avoiding uneven ground, or feeling less confident standing on one leg to put your trousers on.

Balance doesn’t usually disappear overnight. It gradually becomes less automatic if we don’t continue to challenge it.

The good news? It’s a skill that can be trained.

One of the systems that plays a huge role in balance is your vestibular system (your inner ear), which works closely with your eyes to help your brain understand where your head is in space.

👀 This horizontal VOR (Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex) exercise helps those two systems communicate more efficiently.

By keeping your eyes fixed on a target while your head moves, you’re training the reflex that helps keep your vision stable when you’re walking, turning or changing direction.

Sometimes, after just 20–30 seconds, people notice they feel a little steadier. Not because they’ve suddenly become stronger, but because their brain has been given clearer information to organise balance more effectively.

Like strength, balance responds well to regular practice. The earlier you start working on it, the more likely you are to still be relying on it years from now.

I love weaving neuro-informed techniques into my Pilates and strength sessions. Link in bio to try a class.

I’m teaching a FREE Workshop on 10 September | 6pm
If your goal is to stay strong, capable and independent as you get older, I’d love you to join me.

I’ll show you how strength training, combined with simple neuro-informed techniques, can help you build confidence and balance in your body, so that everyday life continues to feel easy, not effortful.

https://www.happybodypilates.co.uk/neuro-strength-workshop-september

Link in bio

11/08/2026

👀 Could your eyes be influencing your back?

It might sound surprising, but your vision is one of your brain’s most important sources of information for movement.

If the brain isn’t getting clear visual information, it may respond by increasing muscle tension or limiting movement as a protective strategy. Sometimes what feels like a stiff or painful back isn’t just about the muscles or joints, it’s also about how the nervous system is organising movement.

One interesting example...
🔹 Eyes moving inwards (convergence) are often linked with movements that involve flexion, like bending forwards.

🔹 Eyes moving outwards (divergence) are associated with extension, like standing taller or bending backwards.

So if forward or backward bending feels uncomfortable or restricted, it can be worth exploring your visual system before assuming it’s purely a mobility problem.

This simple pencil push-up drill is one way to give your brain clearer visual information.

✨ It isn’t about “fixing” your back with an eye exercise.

It’s about recognising that movement is influenced by many systems working together and sometimes changing the input changes the output.

That’s one of the reasons I love weaving neuro-informed techniques into my Pilates and strength sessions. Link in bio to try a class.

I’m teaching a FREE Workshop on 10 September | 6pm
If your goal is to stay strong, capable and independent as you get older, I’d love you to join me.

I’ll show you how strength training, combined with simple neuro-informed techniques, can help you build confidence in your body, so that everyday life continues to feel easy, not effortful.

https://www.happybodypilates.co.uk/neuro-strength-workshop-september

Link in bio

Thank you Naze UK for sending these fab naze strips for my Pilates retreat merch bags. Can’t wait to get everyone using ...
07/08/2026

Thank you Naze UK for sending these fab naze strips for my Pilates retreat merch bags. Can’t wait to get everyone using them for the breathing session at the end of the day. Only 4 spaces left. Come and enjoy a restorative day full of joyous movement, good breathing and amazing food prepared by a Natural Chef.

Address

Finchley
London
N32SY

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 3:30pm
Saturday 9:30am - 10:30am

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