Back Care Pilates in Leeds
Our supportive, gentle Back Care courses, based here in Leeds, will give you guided movement and exercises to relieve back pain, restore mobility, regain confidence and strengthen your back, now and for the long term.
You will benefit from being part of a small group of just 2 or 3 people. Each course has 6 sessions so that you can build on what you learn each week and see real changes.
We run sessions on Monday and Tuesday evenings, and Friday mornings.
This is what Colette said.
I have attended the Back Care course and online classes. I have complex health and mobility needs due to back fractures and abdominal surgeries. The back care sessions are accessible and pitched exactly right. Zoe is patient and encouraging throughout the face to face small group classes. The improvement in my flexibility and reduction in pain was noticeable from the first class. I would thoroughly recommend these classes, even if you think you won’t be able to access exercise for whatever reason.
Back Care Pilates for Men
The Monday evening course is for Men only. Back issues can show up in different ways in men and the emphasis of the sessions is somewhat different. Predictable though it sounds, tightness in the legs, bottom, and thighs is a significant driver of back issues in the men I see in Back Care Pilates, and we work on that a lot. The strength work tends to be at a greater level of intensity too. This is what Joe said:
Alison is the real deal. Having had spinal fusion and nerve decompression surgery I’d been to many Pilates classes over the years. I came to the Back Care course having narrowly avoided more surgery for a bulging disc above my existing metalwork. I was in much pain, with limited mobility. Alison taught me more in her Back care Courses (I took 3!) than I’d ever learned from Pilates before. She gave careful tailored exercises with much caring knowledge and humour. I left the Back Care course for one of the community classes with much improved mobility, confidence, knowledge and reduced pain.
What will each Back Care Pilates session involve?
The consistent elements are Pilates strength exercises, work to increase the flexibility of the muscles and movement in the joints. We spend time on breathing, improving patterns of breathing and from there optimising breath/core system. We gently massage tight muscles using a technique called fascial release.
You will be observed, and assisted and have the chance to clarify things, and ask questions. You can have homework exercises if you want. It is an excellent idea and I have a library of YouTube clips to help with that.
Back Care Pilates in Leeds will be beneficial if you:
- have some back pain.
- are stiff and achy in your back.
- have a situation where your back “goes” periodically.
- have postural issues that are causing back pain.
- are recovering from an injury.
- are in a rehab phase, following back surgery.
- have done mainstream Pilates classes and found them to be too intense for your back.
Back Care Pilates Leeds, for persistent chronic pain
Starting at the end of the last century and for the whole of the 21st, there has been enormous breakthroughs in our understanding of how chronic pain develops and how to treat it. This has been a hugely positive step and it is giving people real hope.
This could be you too. Hope that your pain might lessen, be less frequent or go altogether and you can start to do more of the activities that you enjoy.
If you would like some info about chronic pain, please start by looking on this website. There is a short explanatory video, some real life stories and other resources to check out. Lorimer Moseley who is speaking on the video, is one of the world’s foremost pain scientists and his work with David Butler broke new ground in new way of understanding pain.
Where does Pilates fit into healing from Chronic pain?
The main way that Pilates can help is by giving your body a positive movement experience.
We want to teach your body and your nervous system that movement is safe. We can start small, with gentle, slow, small movements, and build from there. Pilates is perfect for this because we can work in less stressful lying down positions and start gently, focussing on good alignment too.
More often than not, strength is seen by the brain and nervous system and a good thing. You can use Pilates for plain old strength training, but in a structured way that feels safe and is still effective.
I have written a number of blog posts about Pilates and back pain and you can read my latest one here.
Would you like to have a chat?
I hope that you are thinking about booking one of our Back Care Pilates courses.
However, you may have some questions or concerns. This is often the case and I have time each week set aside when I chat to prospective clients. We can talk through the best course of action for you to take and you can ask as many questions as you like.
Please phone, WhatsApp or email to arrange a suitable time. I am available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons.
We aim to make the Back Care Pilates sessions both manageable and effective.
You will have time to get the hang of what you’re doing, have the opportunity to ask questions and be observed carefully. The exercises will be both safe and effective. It is a question of finding what works for you..
The sessions are structured, steadily paced and carefully planned giving you the reassurance that you are working safely and effectively.
We have the time to explore different ways for you to get stronger and feel better so you feel confident with your movements day by day.
This is what Beth said
Alison’s expertise and attentiveness made the sessions supportive and informative. With only three of us in the class, Alison was able to offer personalised guidance and encouragement, cue and correct our technique and tailor the exercises to our individual needs and abilities. There was an easy atmosphere in class, which allowed us to support and encourage each other. My understanding of my body has improved and I have a selection of exercises now which both ease stiffness but also help with strength. I am very glad that I found and joined Alison’s classes.
Course start dates and times
Monday evening at 7.30pm; Next start date is November 9th, with Alison.
MONDAY SESSIONS ARE FOR MEN ONLY
Tuesday evening at 6.00pm; Next start date is January 2027, with Alison
Tuesday evening at 7.05pm; Next start date is October 20th, with Alison
Friday morning at 10:00am; Next start date is October 23rd, with Zoe
The Course are held at the LS8 Studio.
Back Care Pilates Course costs
The Back Care course with 3 people costs £78. This is £13 per one hour session.
The Back Care course with 2 people costs £96. This is just £16 per session. Both are incredibly good value if you compare it to the cost of 1 to 1 Pilates.
If you cannot attend, the class will still go ahead. However, if you miss a session you can have a catch up class for free in any of the community classes, once you feel ready.
You can pay securely with your credit or debit card using the box immediately below. If you prefer to pay with PayPal, then you can do so by using the box further down the page.
IMPORTANT: If this is the first time you have done Pilates with us, please can you fill out a very short Health Questionnaire before you attend class. (It only takes 2 mins). It is necessary for your safety, our planning and for our Insurance purposes.