How to find Pilates teachers
Finding a good Pilates teacher is not easy, as there currently is no state regulation for the profession in the UK, similar to Sports Massage Therapists.
The Pilates Foundation is a good starting point when you are looking for well-trained teachers.
Charlotte Seirberg, who offers one-to-one Pilates sessions at Topnotch Blackfriars (see column on the right), is a full member of the Pilates Foundation.
Why not simply do yoga?
Yoga is a great activity with many benefits and I recommend it specifically to clients who have to deal with high levels of stress.
Pilates has a different approach than Yoga, though, and it seems to be of more immediate benefit for back problems.
Learn Pilates with a book or DVD?
It is tempting to just go and buy a book or DVD about Pilates. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to achieve good results if you limit yourself to that.
Pilates exercises retrain muscles that most of us have long forgotten how to use as a result of bad postural habits. Without the guidance of a teacher, you are unlikely to get the exercises right and will find Pilates neither satisfying nor beneficial.
One-to-one Pilates classes at Blackfriars
Pilates teacher Charlotte Seirberg
Charlotte Seirberg teaches one-to-one Pilates at the mittelmaier clinic on Fridays 7am-2pm. She also teaches at Bodywise, Shoreditch House, and Chisenhale Dance Space, among others.
Since her training as a Pilates Foundation teacher (matwork level 3), Charlotte has completed a range of continous professional development courses, covering topics like neck and back pain, scoliosis, osteoporosis, and postural alignment.
Charlotte offers one-to-one Pilates mat lessons for all levels at £60 per hour at Topnotch Blackfriars. A pack of 5 sessions is £270.
Click here for a map of the location. You do not have to be a member of the club to book Charlotte's one-to-one sessions.
Check for available treatment slots online: Click here to open the availability overview in a new window.
Once you have found a suitable slot, you can book it by telephone at 020 7867 1222.
Pilates exercises can help with back problems
In the recent past, the term "core stability" has become a buzzword in English gyms. It refers to the stability of your lower back through a set of well balanced and well developed muscles.
Unfortunately, not everyone in the fitness industry fully understands the concept. You may come across a trainer in your local gym who thinks core stability can be achieved simply by doing lots of sit-ups. But in fact, it is essentially about developing deeper muscles that control the positioning of the pelvis. The exercises that help you achieve this may seem very simple, but are actually quite difficult to do properly. You should carefully select the trainer who teaches them to you.
Pilates is the name for a broad range of exercises, some of which are ideal for developing core stability. The exercises were originally developed by Joseph Pilates who grew up in Germany and later emigrated to the US in the early 20th century.
Pilates has become very popular in Britain over the last few years. This is for a good reason, as Pilates strengthens muscles of the body that are often neglected in many other exercise regimes. It also is an excellent means to relieve and prevent back problems, which are the plague of many of today's office workers. While it has benefits that go far beyond that, I make most of my Pilates referrals in the context of a bad back that results from bad posture.
It is, of course, essential to find a Pilates teacher who is well trained, fully insured and properly qualified. See the box on the left for further details.