Christina Pilates Girl

Super grateful to celebrate the opening of my studio with family and the most fabulous clients last week ✨

What an amazing community of people, connecting and sharing their love for Pilates.
As one of my clients said,

‘I’ve never met these people, but I feel like I know everyone, there is so much warmth in the room’ 🥰

Thankful for all the support from friends and family, near and far, and those that helped make it a special evening.

for the gorgeous canapés
from for making me feel fabulous on the eve with an impromptu hair make over!
Minnie, Hannah, Martha and Freddie for keeping the drinks topped up and food served.
The lovely for offering to take some photos at the end of her work day!
And my lovely friend for always helping me out (in lots of ways!).

To everyone that bought flowers (the studio smells fabulous!), plants, cards, baked goods and even a personal embroidery - thank you!

❤️ ❤️

Happy feet 👣
A workshop all about your feet!

Do you give your feet much love?
They really do need it!

Often our feet are the most neglected part of our body, but can affect so much of how our body functions.

In this workshop we will start by talking about the structure of the feet, with a brief overview of the anatomy, before moving on to some release work using small balls.

Following the release work will be exercises dedicated to working on strengthening and mobilising the feet to improve the connection in to the floor and therefore the support for your body.

Venue: The Studio, Earlham House Clinic, NR2 3PD

Date/time: Saturday 8th Oct 10am-12pm

Cost: £30 (including a small ball to use and take home with you)

Email [email protected] to book your place.

Spaces are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment!

‘No one else struggles with this exercise like I do’

‘The lady beside me can do it so well’

Comparison is the thief of joy

How true that can be.

Comparing how your body works to someone else’s (as above) is suggesting your body isn’t good enough.

Assumptions that other people don’t have exercises they struggle with, or their bodies move better than yours, takes away from celebrating what you’ve worked hard to achieve and the improvements you’ve made.

Having goals you want to achieve, to be the best version of yourself, is positive, putting yourself down because you ‘won’t ever look like that’ (comparing yourself to the person next to you) doesn’t achieve anything.

Aim to do the best you can with the resources you have i.e. what your body can achieve in that moment in time. Can you get better than you were before, very probably. You can aim big, achieve big, but do it for you and your body and don’t limit yourself to do it like someone else.

Recovery from injury/surgery/illness, or anything that takes you out of your usual routine due to physical or emotional challenges, can be tough, frustrating and a rollercoaster of an emotional journey.

I have a client that has been working with me for several years, that has just returned to classes after some time out for surgery and I would say she was definitely feeling all of the above.
She was frustrated and being harsh on herself with what she wasn’t able to do in comparison to where she had been before.

She was worried she’d fall at the first hurdle and not be able to do anything.

As she started in to the class and got moving, I think she surprised herself by what she COULD do, but it was a compliment from a fellow class attendee beside her that made a real difference. In her words…

“It's so good to be doing Pilates again though, and I definitely think you picked the right class for me. I'm glad you pointed out when the lady to my left said I was amazing, as I genuinely hadn't heard and it would have sounded so arrogant if I'd not responded! Although it's certainly not true, it did boost my confidence massively, which is just what I need right now.“

That compliment you might be thinking but haven’t said out loud, might just be what someone else needs to hear so that they can feel more capable and maybe be just a bit kinder to themselves 🖤

Have you ever looked at the way someone else is doing something and thought why?
Not in a, ‘it’s ridiculous and there’s a better way to do it and I can show them a better way’ kind of way.

Judgment on other peoples behaviours, way of learning, physical looks, choice of clothes, what they eat, what they do for fitness or even their children’s behaviour.
Judgement generally comes from assumptions and a sense of self belief that you know better. But let’s face it, you’ve never walked in their shoes, dealt with the things that have challenged them in their life, but more fundamentally, have their brain.
Everybody learns differently. And that’s right from the get go, as a baby and through childhood, which obviously affects development. So therefore how we all deal with things will be different.

I have clients who all work in different ways. Some will need to hear an instruction, some will need to see it and some will need to ask questions to join the dots. Some will switch off a little when I’m explaining an exercise, because they have information overload and some will shut their eyes to be able to feel and focus more. None of those things are wrong, they are just what that individual needs. And I’m here for it all. Every question, every option to help someone feel and understand pilates in their body better.

So as an outsider looking in, not knowing all the facts and being irritated by the questions of others in class, or even outside the studio, someone else’s child having a meltdown or waiting a minute or two longer than expected to be served in a shop/cafe, maybe we could approach that moment with a little more empathy and kindness that may just benefit our own way of learning or dealing with those situations.

Upside down or downside up, cardio or strength training, pilates or yoga - what ever floats your boat when you move 😁

Moving with intention, focus, control and…joy! Celebrating what our bodies are capable of, rather than what they are not.
Looking beyond what we perceive are our flaws and focusing on our strengths (something I think we all need to do a little more!).

So whatever movement you choose to do, meet your body where it is today and allow yourself to move with no judgement or guilt but a sense of ‘my body is capable AND bloody brilliant’ 🤩

📷 taken a couple of weeks ago in Spain

Looking forward to jumping in to a four day week tomorrow!
A three day weekend really feels more balanced doesn’t it! 😁

I’ve been doing lots of planning for the months ahead and I’m looking forward to putting those plans in to action to ensure you always have the most flexibility to keep up with your pilates practice.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or working at an advanced level, pregnant or postnatal OR maybe you’ve heard about hypopressives and are looking to do an introductory course - I’ve got you covered!

Thinking about it now….maybe I need more days in the week to put all these plans in to action, not less!