Your Real Body with Catherine Sophia

One of the things I've become increasingly aware of is how often we speak in certainties.

I hear phrases like...

"I've got tight shoulders."

"I know I need to be careful with my back."

"My hips don't like squats."

"My body is just getting older."

"I've always had poor posture."

"Stress always makes my pain worse."

"I've got weak glutes."

"My core doesn't work properly."

"I know what I've done."

"I shouldn't do that movement."

Now, these statements might be true.

But what if, instead of treating them as conclusions, we treated them as hypotheses?

"I wonder what my shoulders are doing that makes them feel tight?"

"What makes my back feel like it needs protecting?"

"Are my hips always uncomfortable in squats, or only under certain conditions?"

"What changes on the days my posture feels easier?"

"What else was happening when my pain increased?"

That tiny shift changes everything.

Curiosity doesn't dismiss your experience.

It explores it.

I've found that certainty often gives us answers.

Curiosity gives us understanding.

And when we're trying to understand something as wonderfully complex as the human body, understanding is usually far more valuable.

Certainty feels satisfying. Curiosity is usually more useful.

What if pain science has been teaching us something about schools all along?

Pain science isn’t just about pain. It’s about people, nervous systems, and how we adapt to our environments.

A key shift for me was moving from "What's wrong with this person?" to "What is their nervous system trying to protect them from?"

That question has changed how I see pain, behaviour, and the environments we create.

In this blog, I explore why symptoms make sense in context and why regulation comes before cognition.

I’d love to know what you think.

https://www.catherinesophia.co.uk/post/what-pain-science-taught-me-about-schools

Ever noticed how some people can't stop fidgeting?

It's easy to assume they're distracted, impatient, or simply can't sit still.

But movement is one of the nervous system's favourite ways of regulating itself.

Have you ever paced while talking on the phone?
Tapped your foot without realising?
Played with a pen during a meeting?

Those small movements aren't necessarily bad habits.

Sometimes they're helping the brain stay alert.
Sometimes they're helping us process information.
Sometimes they're calming the nervous system.

Instead of asking, "How do I stop fidgeting?"

It might be more helpful to ask,

"What is my nervous system trying to achieve?"

Behaviour makes much more sense when we understand its purpose.

People often assume that 1:1 Pilates is only for people with injuries or those who are new to exercise.

It can be, but it's so much more than that.

A one-to-one session gives us the time to really understand your body. How you move. What feels easy. What feels challenging. What your goals are, and what might be getting in the way.

Whether you're living with persistent pain, hypermobility, recovering from an injury, wanting to build confidence before joining a class, or simply looking for a programme that's tailored to you, every session is designed around your needs.

There are no expectations to keep up, no comparisons, and no one-size-fits-all approach.

Just movement that's shaped around your body, your story, and where you are right now.

Because the best exercise programme isn't the one that works for everyone.

It's the one that works for you.

We're often told that posture is something to fix.

Stand up straighter.
Pull your shoulders back.
Sit properly.

But posture isn't simply a position. It's a reflection of everything that's happening in that moment.

How tired you are.
How confident you feel.
Whether you're in pain.
How safe your nervous system feels.
Even what you're concentrating on.

The body is constantly adapting.

Instead of asking, "How do I fix my posture?"

Perhaps the better question is:

"What is my posture trying to tell me?"

Our bodies are remarkably intelligent. Sometimes they're communicating, not failing.

Have you ever wondered whether 1:1 Pilates might be better for you?

Group classes are wonderful, but they’re not the right starting point for everyone.

Sometimes you want to understand your body a little better.

Maybe you're recovering from an injury, dealing with ongoing pain, feeling less confident in movement, or simply want reassurance that you're exercising in a way that suits you.

That’s where 1:1 Pilates can make a real difference.

Every session is tailored to you.

Your goals.
Your body.
Your pace.

There’s time to ask questions, explore movements, and understand not just what we’re doing, but why.

Many people leave feeling stronger, clearer, and more confident in their body.

And if you move into a class later, you’ll often feel more relaxed knowing what works for you.

Yes, we work on strength.

Yes, we improve balance, flexibility and coordination.

But if you came to one of my classes, you'd also hear plenty of laughter.

Someone forgetting which leg they're meant to be moving.

Someone wobbling and laughing before anyone else notices.

Me saying, "Let's try that again..." more often than I'd like to admit!

Because movement doesn't have to be serious to be effective.

In fact, when we relax, enjoy ourselves and stop worrying about getting everything perfect, our bodies often move better.

So if you've ever thought Pilates wasn't for you because you're "not flexible enough", "not fit enough" or you're worried about getting it wrong...

Come and give it a try.

You might be surprised by how much fun you have along the way.

https://www.catherinesophia.co.uk/your-real-body

What if tight muscles aren't actually the problem?

One of the most common things I hear is, "I'm so tight."

Sometimes that's true.

But sometimes what we're feeling isn't short muscles at all. It's a nervous system that's chosen to hold on.

Think about how your shoulders creep up towards your ears when you're stressed. Your muscles haven't suddenly shortened. They're responding to information.

The body is always asking one question:

"Do I need to protect myself?"

If the answer is yes, it may create tension.

So before reaching for another stretch, it might be worth asking a different question.

Why is my body holding on in the first place?

Understanding the reason often changes the solution.

Hello 👋

I realised recently that quite a few new people have joined this page, so perhaps it's time for a reintroduction.

I'm Catherine.

Most people know me as a Pilates teacher, but that's only part of what I do.

I teach Pilates and dance classes across Maidstone and the surrounding areas, work with people in my studio on a 1:1 basis, offer Rossiter Stretching sessions, and support people living with persistent pain through pain coaching.

What connects all of those things is curiosity.

I've always been fascinated by the human body.

Not just how it moves, but why people move differently, why pain behaves the way it does, why confidence changes movement, and why two people with the same diagnosis can have completely different experiences.

I'm a bit of a research nerd.

I spend a lot of my time reading studies, listening to experts, connecting dots, and turning complicated science into things that actually make sense in everyday life.

If you've been to one of my classes, you'll know that I can't resist sharing the occasional nugget of science along the way!

My approach is simple:

I don't believe people are broken.

I believe symptoms, behaviours, and movement patterns usually make more sense once we understand the context around them.

Whether someone comes to me wanting to dance, get stronger, manage pain, move with more confidence, or simply understand their body a little better, that's where I start.

So if you're new here, welcome.

And if you've been following for a while, thank you for being part of the journey.

Most things make more sense in context.