I’d never go as far as saying that Pilates is the Queen of all exercise- as a Pilates teacher and owner of a business centred around Pilates based movement that would be a little biassed. BUT I will say, that Pilates is incredibly unique in that it’s a form of movement that can adapt to all levels of fitness and mobility, shapes, sizes, joint restrictions and health conditions. I can’t think of another movement modality that can be modified for the broad range of people that we get to work with.
To help you understand better what we do at Room For Movement I thought it might be useful to hear my own personal Pilates origin story…
Pilates for me: then and now
My Pilates origin story is not too out of the ordinary in that I started out in the dance world- but it takes on a different shape, and might change your perceptions of Pilates teachers generally. (and the assumption that our bodies are free from pain, injury and problems. )
I danced as a tiny tot all the way through to my late teens: competitive highland dancing, ballet, tap, and the whole shebang really. I had a very bendy body, and was always complaining of niggles, aches, and ‘growing pains’, and I experienced on and off back pain that had no determinable root cause. In my late teens I started professional dance training, and in the first three years I had my fair share of strains, sprains and dance related injuries, but my lower back was a persistent problem. When I moved into my final year of training in 2007, my lower back ‘niggles’ materialised into something more debilitating. I was living with unbearable pain that saw me sitting out of class for months and unable to put together a performance piece for my final dissertation. I became a regular at the physio with no improvement in pain, and I sought specialist medical advice with no one able to tell me what was ‘wrong’ with my back.
How could a person be so fit, healthy and strong, but also be in so much pain they couldn’t lean over the sink to brush their teeth?
In 2008 towards the end of the academic year I was introduced to Rob, who introduced me to Pilates on the equipment. By this time I was an anxious mover, untrusting of my body, scared to move in all the ways I knew I could, and my world had shrunk. i was convinced before I started that nothing could ‘fix’ my back. However Rob coached me through Pilates exercises on the reformer and trapeze table in a way that I’d never moved before- at the time it seemed like magic (no joke)- now I know it was his knowledge of biomechanics, pain and how to cue movement that allowed me to experience pain free movement for the first time in months. It took time, a financial commitment (thanks Mum) and an open mind but I completed my degree with the assistance of Rob and this crazy new way of moving- albeit with a written dissertation.
Fast forward to 2024……
No longer a 19 year old ‘super fit’ full time dance student, I use Pilates now to support my body in many different ways. I live with a trifecta of health conditions that cause fatigue, joint and nerve pain, anxiety, palpitations, dizzy spells, headaches, and pelvic pain. Some days I have joint and nerve pain that limits my daily activities, and on my dizzy days I need to be on my back with minimal positional changes, there are other days I’m exhausted far beyond tiredness, and have nothing to give.
The average Pilates or group fitness class can’t always accommodate my needs- there’s a lack of understanding on how to modify for my limitations- even with my own knowledge of the human body instructors are uncomfortable with my additional needs in their class. It can feel dispiriting to just ‘skip’ an exercise, and frustrating if I ‘push through’ at the time and feel worse later.
BUT when the focus of exercise is on the individual and the multifaceted quality of movement rather than quantity there’s room to work some magic (just like Rob). And this is how Personalised Pilates (Clinical Pilates) works for me…I can move in a way and pace that suits my energy on the day, I can build strength and resilience gradually and without having to ‘keep up' with a crowd, it also allows me to experience the benefits of exercise on days when any other form of exercise is off the cards.
Instead of disheartened I feel empowered, embodied, and capable.
So you see- a frozen shoulder, neurological condition, endometriosis, heart condition, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, dysautonomia or whatever it is that stops you from accessing the average Pilates class- we’re here for it. You’re exactly who we want to work.
Rachael
(Book an Initial Consultation to experience personalised Pilates and movement training with one of our excellent teachers.
I’m not currently taking on new clients but if you’re having an experience like what I’ve described above get in touch and I’ll help guide you towards the right teacher and service for your body.)
