A key interest of mine is working with sports people to build specific skills and improve performance in their primary practice.

Pilates, as a practice, is all about mind-body connection, precision and control. It teaches you to engage muscles with micro-level focus, while maintaining awareness of your entire body from head to toe. This makes it the perfect complementary practice for other forms of movement. No matter your aims, every session is a full body session: the idea is that nothing works in isolation, so even if you want to focus on a very specific area we will still look at the body as a whole.

I chose to specialise in this area during my comprehensive certification, whereby I put together a case study with a footballer client – Laura, pictured above – who was hoping to improve her balance and lower body stability on the pitch. Here’s what she had to say upon completion of the programme:

“Over our ten Pilates sessions, my foot stability noticeably improved, which has brought better balance, stronger knees, and more control in my movements. This has made me feel more grounded and responsive while playing. It’s made me more confident when going into tackles (or being tackled). I’m able to plant my feet and pivot with confidence, and I’ve noticed I’m recovering better after games too. Most importantly, my right knee has felt more stable and reliable. I’ve noticed when I’m compensating (and avoiding use of specific muscles prone to prior injury). I’ve also noticed when muscles on that side feel tight or tired.

Because I’ve built strength in my feet, I’m now hesitating less when I push off my right leg in high-impact moments. One of the biggest things I’ve gained is an increase in spatial and body awareness. I’m more conscious now of how I carry myself on the pitch, how my weight shifts, where I’m generating power from. I think that awareness has made me more agile and efficient in my movement. I'm tracking back faster, pushing off with more force, and controlling the ball whilst dribbling with greater finesse.”

An example of clients I work with:

• Footballer wanting to improve balance and lower body stability on the pitch.

• Runner looking to get safely moving again after a knee injury.

• Horse rider looking to improve core strength and hip adductor control.

• Cyclist with a history of ankle sprains wanting to strengthen this area.

• Powerlifter who injured their lower back and wants to improve core strength and spinal mobility to prevent repeats.

• Dancer with hypermobility looking to stabilise their joints.

• Tennis player wanting to improve their torso rotation for better range.

Many people come to the studio with a specific aim, but end up staying on as a regular client when they recognise how brilliantly Pilates supports their primary movement practice on a longterm basis. It’s truly the perfect counterpart to other methodologies.

An overview of Joseph Pilates’ approach

Joseph Pilates, who created what was originally known as Contrology, had been a prizefighting boxer back in his native Germany in the early 20th century. When World War One broke out he was living in Blackpool, Lancashire, where he was working as a circus performer, which led to his being incarcerated as a foreign enemy; first at Lancaster Castle, then on the Isle of Man. It was during this period that he devised the method we now know as Pilates as a way for he and his fellow inmates to keep fit under the conditions.

After the war he relocated to New York, where he and his wife Clara set up his studio and worked primarily with boxers and acrobats before gaining the attention of the ballet world. Choreographers such as Martha Graham and George Balanchine would send injured dancers to Pilates, who became known as something of a miracle worker. Several of these dancers clients were so impressed by the method that they decided to dedicate their own lives to teaching Pilates. These first generation teachers are now often referred to as the Pilates Elders, each of who had their own lineage.

Joseph Pilates knew, when working with athletes, that his method could be used to fill in the gaps: he could see where a client was compensating, where they needed more strength or mobility, or when they needed to use their muscles with more precision. He taught his clients to tune deeply into their body, which granted them much greater control over their movement.

Today, the Pilates method is widely used by athletes as a way to improve and fine-tune their performance.

If you’re interested in working with me, get in touch.