The Pilates Space

Hasn’t it been a crazy Summer 😳

Summer time always seems a bit of a switcheroo time.
Kids changing schools or classes.
They get their Summer upgrade and bust out of all the clothes and shoes they own.
Or they move out entirely 🥹 once they have eaten all the food.

Summer is also an opportunity to spend a whole lot of TIME with our families (and then some time hiding in the understairs cupboard for 5 minutes peace).

We remember why we love them and then wonder how they can also be the most annoying and unhinged bunch of people we have ever met 🤣

For some Summer is long lazy days of relaxing and slowing down.
For many it’s a massive juggle with a side of inferno.

Whatever your summer’s personality Autumn rolls on in like a breath of fresh air.

It asks you to look ahead at the approaching New Year and to start putting some things in place that serve you well.
It’s not a whole big NEW YOU thing it’s a quiet “I am going to try and do that a bit more”.
Set your intentions wisely and quietly.

And if they include Pilates…. Get in touch 🥰

Knee Deep Reading about the psychology of injury and pain 🤭
I took a course on it many moons ago and it is so interesting.

Studies consistently show that 20-30% of adults under 60 will show signs of disc bulges or herniations on an MRI scan despite being asymptomatic and pain free.

You can bet your life that if you told them this news they would a)be deeply concerned b)restrict their movement framework c)hyper focus on every ni**le d)consider further invention as necessary. None of which may be productive or helpful.

On the Monday before I discovered my knee meniscus looked like it had been put through an industrial cheese grater I was thinking it felt a bit better and spent some of the day seeing if I could get down to sitting on my heels again 😳. Fast forward 48 hours and I am visualising all kinds of scenarios going on in my knee just getting my socks on.

But essentially it feels the same 🤔

So after a few tantrums and considerations of different career paths I have chosen the Monday mindset.

I spend my life telling people that their bodies have huge capacity for recovery that injuries are “just a thing that happened” and that they don’t have to live rent free in our heads FOREVER.

Due to a life of dance and heavy physical activity I have had so many injuries and I got over them all 🤷🏻I saw the right people, did the rehab. Completed that 💪🏻

So I intend to practice what I preach and just get on with stuff. Eventually I will get my meniscus removed, trimmed, untangled, whatever, and I will be a nightmare (for my inner circle) for a short time whilst I can’t move much. Then a bigger nightmare as I have to do more boring rehab. But it will be over and I will go bouldering to celebrate and fall off a climbing wall somewhere without any drama.

So if you are going through it. Go through it. It’s a moment in time, it doesn’t write your future. Get the right help.

I have witnessed amazing recovery from hideous body chaos so many times and now it’s time to BACK MYSELF 🤣🤣

We are all good here.

What can I say about today 🤯
I am having a lot of big days recently. Looking back and seeing how far I have come.

This lovely lady on the left is Anneke she is a pilates, yoga and movement teacher. She is an educator for Anatomy Trains and the Art Of Motion Academy . She has spent the last ten years climbing to the heights of the Fascia world training with Tom Myers. What this lady doesn’t know about fascia isn’t worth knowing. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Now based in South Africa she travels the world teaching and today landed in my neck of the woods for a workshop that blew my mind. Bringing us useful tools that I can integrate into your classes.

The madness is that Anneke started Pilates with me in Petts Wood in classes just like the ones you attend and which I continue to deliver. She sorted out her own body and has gone on to help people all over the world find ways to improve their movement.

The lovely lady on the right is Genine of in Bexley. Genine gave me one of my first jobs in a studio environment, she entrusted her clients to me and her first studio at Jackson’s House gave me a window into a world that I could see myself living in. She has since grown this business into a 3 room studio with multiple practitioners serving the people of Bexley. She is alive with ideas and survived Covid by taking big risks and following her gut. I cannot wait to hang in her new hammocks she has just had installed for suspended sound baths. Bliss.

You never know who you will meet on this road we call life but I am super grateful to have met these two ladies and to be able to support other woman doing such great work in my field.

Anneke will be coming to The Pilates Space when she is across the water again.

What a day 🥰

A few very important people needed to see this before the world was told about the secret in the leaves.

We lost the lovely Jim and Richard last year and just a few weeks ago the ray of sunshine that was Madeleine.

We miss each of you and we will always talk about you here and remember you.

I have taken a little bit of time over the weekend to think about this place 🥹 and I am beyond proud of everything it is.
When we opened the studio I used to cycle my two year old on my bike to pre school, teach two classes, cycle back to get him, spend the day with him and come back some evenings too. This whilst continuing to run my community classes in Petts Wood.
I was advised that the studio wasn’t worth the cost… but I knew what it could become and held on tight for the ride.
Then we were flooded out by the premises upstairs and having just got going spent 9 months trying to sustain the business in a local church hall.
Nine months after that came Covid, the business was almost full I was teaching nearly all day and then NOTHING. We paid our rent and teachers for the whole of Covid with everything we had. I taught classes on the local cricket pitch and sent a free class out every week to keep in touch with clients. I was homeschooling 3 kids with a husband as a key worker, there was no opportunity to take my businesses online.
As soon as we could, we opened our doors, cleaning floors and equipment between every class. People were worried and anxious but we helped them return to class. Some trying multiple times before coming through the doors.
And they came, you came back in your droves, the business grew and grew and hasn’t looked back.
The plans to get all the equipment and be open all day providing small, friendly, supportive classes with expert tuition happened.
And I can’t thank you enough.
It’s my privilege to teach you to spend time with you each week. You bring so much joy into this space and we willingly support you through all the stuff that life throws at you.
My teachers…you are the glue, you work quietly and tirelessly and I will help you achieve all you want to in this industry. It’s wonderful but exhausting and I will always support you.

Welcome to the next 10 years I can’t promise the admin will get any better…but I will be here juggling life with you and doing my very best to help you move well…we don’t teach you Pilates so you get good at Pilates we teach you Pilates so that you can DO LIFE.
Big love
Annaliese x

Enough of all that lying around 🤣
My body is not happy about all that “resting” 🤣
So off I went to the work playground with the big chick and here she is trying swan on the barrel for the first time 👌🏼 smashing it….
We had a little groove and move together and she did remarkably well considering I was shouting instructions whilst doing my own thing across the room 🤣
Obvs real clients get the full teaching experience 🤣
Go Jos 💪🏻

Before the feeds are taken over by all things Christmas I wanted to post a little appreciation for my teachers.

Without my committed, well-trained, enthusiastic and capable team I would not be able to run The Pilates Space.

My life is very busy and they enable me to leave the studio reassured that it is in good safe hands. They support this inclusive and community driven space as if it is their own and for that I will be forever grateful.

When we opened The Pilates Space I told my community classes in Petts Wood that they wouldn’t be left behind but in truth I was unsure how I could make this commitment to two venues work with a growing family and huge business costs. My teachers have enabled me to do this and to still teach all the clients in Petts Wood that have made growing my business possible.

After the events of the last few years I am now in a position to support my teachers further and I can’t wait. They will always get their Christmas bonus but I am committed to providing them with free Sunday class every month to bring them together when their schedule allows. I am also formulating other plans to help them develop as teachers.

I remember what it was like as a young teacher trying to fund training and LIFE and afford regular class and carve out time to do it whilst also earning and building my reputation as a teacher.

Good teachers are hard to find in an industry that is flooded with short courses and surface level understanding.

I appreciate you all ladies and I hope you get an opportunity to rest over the next couple of weeks.
Thank you 🙏🏻 Mina, Leanne, Katie, Patty and Victoria.

Today we said goodbye to Richard. His family and friends gave him a beautiful send off full of love and laughter.

I have taught Richard for over 2 years as a private client. Richard had a complex neurological condition that stole his body from him. He was never going to get better. He was always fighting to just stay the same.

Teaching Richard has been one of the greatest privileges of my teaching career and I will be forever grateful that he was sent my way despite the way it felt to say goodbye.

Richard taught me way more than I can ever have hoped to have taught him. He taught me about facing adversity with balls and humour. He taught me about the depths of human resilience and about courage.
Teaching Richard was not straight forwards. Simply getting on and off the equipment took strength (his), nerves of steel (mine) and giggles. In fact we laughed ALOT. Things regularly didn’t work, or went awry and as a result I have become a more creative and open minded teacher.

After two years of procrastinating, becoming Richard’s teacher pushed me to finally commit to my comprehensive. It was clear I needed a holistic and evidence based approach to best serve him. From day one I knew it was the best decision I had made in a long time.

So many of my clients are already benefiting from what I learnt teaching Richard.

His Monday slot will remain empty and is now earmarked for my personal practice for my exam. When I pass that exam it will be in honour of this remarkable client.

Lovely Richard I will miss our chats after your sessions
(whilst I tidied up ALL the equipment I had got out) and hearing about your beautiful family Wendy, Bertie, Jess and Terry your dog.

I would say Rest in Peace but knowing you, no one will be resting with you around 🥰

It’s coming.
It’s on the horizon.
The big red guy is getting ready.
Every year after the big day we get flooded with enquires and new clients.
But what we really like is the clients that start in November and March because these clients have likely made a choice that “Now is the time” 💪🏻

We currently have spaces in beginner/improver classes.
If you would like to join us and beat the hideous new year madness get in touch.

Spaces are limited.
No experience is necessary.
We provide all the equipment.
Your only commitment is 6 weeks.
No tie ins.
No rolling contracts.
Small classes.
Talented and passionate teachers.
Lots of individual attention.
Generous make up system where if you miss class you can come to a different day (availability permitting).
REAL Pilates technique education.
We teach you Pilates so that you can do it anywhere 💪🏻

What’s not to like?
Get in touch.
We would love to help you start your Pilates journey🥰

Sometimes in the quietness of after class I take a moment to think about the day.
So much happened within the walls of class this week.
There was laughter, chronic illness, stress and anxiety that brought a client to tears, very new grief 🥹and so much good work.
Living in these shells we call home can be at times incredibly difficult but positive movement experiences make these homes more comfortable.
Moving well lightens your nervous system,it opens your heart lines, it rewires the communication in bodies that are disconnected.
My job is joyful 🥹