What is Pilates?
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Unique in its approach to work the body ‘smart’, not ‘hard’, Pilates is renowned for achieving long-term physical benefits. When exercising using Pilates’ principles, the outcome is better posture, stronger and more flexible muscles, greater energy and an increased ability to cope with day-to-day stresses.
Pilates' exercises combine postures and movement from Yoga, dance and gymnastics but also include original movements that differ from other techniques. Pilates works to strengthen the body's core, lengthen the spine, build muscle tone and increase body awareness and flexibility.
Do you have to be fit?
The beauty of Pilates is that it lends itself to all levels of physical fitness and to all ages. Classes can be tough enough for the strong and gentle for the weak and Pilates is often prescribed by physiotherapists doctors for their patients to rehabilitate their injuries.
Can it help particular health problems?
Pilates can help the nervous system easing migraine, tension headache, depression, seasonal affective disorders, and the metabolism. Pilates promotes healthy cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems. The muscular skeletal system can be helped by relieving problems such as lumbar/sacral disc problems, knee pain, and pressure on cartilage on joints. Through exercise, the urogenical system can be helped, aiding problems like stress, incontinence. High blood pressure can also be reduced by regular controlled exercise.
Be a Powerhouse!
Plates exercises develop strong abdominal, back, bottom and deep-postural muscles. The exercises focus on the muscles that support the skeleton and act as the 'powerhouse of the body'. The abdominals, bottom, back and the inner thigh muscles, when working together constitute the powerhouse. These muscles are the major stabilising muscles of the torso and are very important for preventing injury to the back.
Why should you care about your powerhouse? The muscles protect your back from potential injury and if you have a weak or problematic back then strengthening the powerhouse will probably alleviate you problems. Working from the centre of your body when doing any movement takes the load off the joints and the spine and helps your body work more efficiently.
Group classes are mixed ability catering for beginners through to intermediate levels. Although run in terms, you can join a class at any point, providing there is a space available, and you are required to bring your own Pilates/Yoga, anti-slip mat to each class.
We use portable pieces of equipment within the classes which include therabands and soft balls, as well as having cushion pads available for additional support and comfort if/when required.
Group Classes
Payment is made on a termly basis (6-8 weeks) equating to £10 per class. This guarantees your space in the class for that term. There are no refunds once the payment has been made.
Alternatively, a charge of £13 per class can be made on a 'Pay As You Go' basis but this will not guarantee your space and you will need to check on availability each week. These spaces can be booked no more than 7 days in advance.
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There is also the option to receive a video of the class to do at home. This can be instead of attending an in person class. The price for this remains as above.
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When attending a class in person and a week is missed due to holiday or illness, a video of the class will be sent instead.
All classes are 75 minutes in length.
Class Schedule
Monday
Vestry Hall, Cranbrook 7:00pm
Wednesday
East Farleigh WI Hall 9:30am
Coxheath Village Hall 4:45pm & 6:10pm
Thursday
Coxheath Village Hall 9:30am
Pilates and Me
I discovered Pilates in my twenties, attending a fun class at a dance school and immediately recognised the benefits to me and fell in love with it. Having danced from the age of 3, connecting with my body came easily to me and Pilates embraced that wholeheartedly, so after completing my dance teacher qualifications, I pursued an additional career in Pilates.
Little did I know, through my own choice, how consuming Pilates would become in my life. As a dance teacher, observing people's bodies is a fundamental part of the job and developing an eye for precision changes in movement as people dance around the floor becomes second nature. Pilates develops that even more.
I fell in love with Pilates once when I discovered it for myself, but I fall in love with it time and time again, as I discover more and more through training, teaching and observing with others the incredible human body; the physical, the physiological and the psychological.
"I can highly recommend Pilates with Catherine. I have attended the Coxheath group for approximately 10 years. Catherine is supportive, dedicated and also takes an interest in individual health concerns. The exercises have improved my posture, stamina and core strength. We work hard as a group but also there is a friendly camaraderie, which encourages us to return every week, thereby improving our fitness and overall health and wellbeing."
Jackie
Fiona
"I have been attending Pilates with Catherine since she began teaching in 2006. Having suffered from a bad back in the past I find that Pilates keeps me mobile and I haven’t had a recurrence of back pain since. Catherine makes her classes fun, she does different exercises each week and it is never boring. She regularly attends courses to update her skills and pass on more torturous exercises to us sometimes with the addition of various equipment. Catherine’s classes are fun and enjoyable each week. In the past I have started various classes but never stayed for as long as I have been attending Pilates. I can honestly say the ‘pain’ Catherine puts us through is really beneficial."
