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Heather trained as a PE teacher in the early
70’s and has taught for 26 years. Seven years ago Heather became interested in
Body Control Pilates, attended workshops in Covent Garden, London and classes in
Northamptonshire, before deciding to train as a Body Control Pilates teacher,
qualifying in January 2001.
WHAT IS BODY CONTROL PILATES?
BCP is based very closely on the Pilates
technique developed by the late Joseph Pilates. It is an excellent non-aerobic
form of body conditioning and training that anyone can do regardless of age or
ability. It targets the deep postural muscles working from the inside out. In
today’s society with all it’s labour saving devices we have ‘got soft’ -
slumping in armchairs, spending hours in the car or on the computer, tucking the
phone between our ear and our shoulder, taking the lift instead of the stairs,
this has left our deep structural muscles weak. Unless these are addressed first
and we learn to wake them up and use them properly, we are at risk of injury or
back problems. Indeed a lot of back pain is muscle related and those in the
medical profession now see Pilates as a complement to their work. Every exercise
is built around eight basic principles, Relaxation, Concentration,
Co-ordination, Alignment, Breathing, Flowing Movements, Centering and Stamina.
You will be taught to be more aware of your own body, helping you to handle
stress and achieve relaxation more easily. Specific areas can be targeted but
always in relation to the whole. The aim is a long, lean, strong body avoiding
the bulk of some exercise regimes, bringing it into perfect balance and
alignment You will build what Joseph Pilates called a ‘girdle of strength’
from which you can safely move whilst at the same time gaining an understanding
of correct alignment and posture. The exercises are performed slowly without
endless repetition, learning to work some areas whilst relaxing others - a great
benefit for anyone under stress. Although hard work, Pilates does not leave you
feeling exhausted, drained or bored, you should leave the class feeling
refreshed and invigorated. Many of us suffer with bad muscle recruitment
patterns and Pilates works to address these problems. You will be encouraged to
focus during the session on what your body is doing and to correct these
patterns, you have probably lived with these for some years and may not even be
aware of them, but may be aware of pain or problems in some areas - correcting
bad movement patterns takes time, Pilates is not a quick fix!
BODY CONTROL PILATES FOR SPORT
At whatever level you play, Pilates is
especially effective in building core stability, focus and injury prevention.
Because of the way you work, even when injured you can keep working out to
prevent healthy areas from atrophy and when ready Pilates is excellent for
rehabilitation. The attention to detail on muscle recruitment changes bodies -
for the better. For the sportsperson such as golfers or tennis players Pilates
can be of enormous help when improving your technique at whatever level you
play.
WHO IS IT FOR?
BCP is suitable for all levels of fitness;
it is non-competitive, the emphasis being on individual progress. Each body is
different and the session is tailored to take each person into consideration,
this is a very important aspect of the class. The exercises are safe enough to
benefit those with back problems and challenging enough for athletes, sports
people and dancers at any level.
GROUP CLASSES
All group classes have a maximum of 12
students. Classes last up to 75 minutes and include both freestanding and mat
exercises. Where appropriate lightweights are used to help strengthen muscles
but not add bulk. Before joining a class clients have to either do a beginner
block, a workshop or by doing 3 one-to-one sessions. Pilates is not something you can ‘drop
into’, and understanding of the principles is essential to join a class
currently running.
PRIVATE TUITION
One-to-one sessions are available at a
cost of £40 per hour at my studio or home address.
Two-to-one sessions or small group
sessions can also be arranged - prices on request.
PAYMENT
Classes cost £9 per person. Classes run in
8/ 9/ 10 week blocks and payment is required in full for each term.
We run a "swop system" so if you can't make your usual session you can fill in someone else's place in another class, so you don't lose out financially. Obviously this makes the classes more expensive than other
exercise classes but the small numbers ensure that you will be getting
individual attention for your personal needs. This is what makes these classes
effective, the emphasis is on you working correctly not watching your instructor
working out up at the front while you try to keep up!
INJURIES ETC
If you are currently seeing a medical
practitioner/specialist for a particular problem, please ensure that you advise
them that you are considering starting classes. If necessary I would prefer
their advice or consent before you begin classes.
BODY CONTROL PILATES ASSOCIATION
The Body Control Pilates Association is the
professional body for Pilates teachers, all members work to a code of practice,
which govern teaching standards, professional ethics and continuing education of
its members. Under the code of practice no teacher can teach more than 12
participants in any one session, ensuring individual attention in a class
situation. To qualify as a BCPA teacher each student attends 80 hours of tuition
in Pilates theory, exercises and anatomy, followed by a three hour written exam,
at the end of the formal tuition period each teacher then embarks on supervised
teaching, typically this will be approximately 50 hours. You can be sure that
any teacher qualified with BCP Teacher Training has an excellent understanding
of the method. If you are considering Pilates, especially if you suffer with
back problems as many of my clients do, PLEASE check your teacher’s
qualifications. As with all fitness regimes there are ‘learn in a weekend’
courses and sadly Pilates is no exception.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Should you require any more information or
to place your name on the list for classes or workshops or private tuition,
please contact me. Thank you for your interest in Pilates. | 
