These are some of the questions we are commonly asked, together with our answers. Please explore these and, if you have any questions not covered here, please do get in touch.
I am on a very restricted budget. Do you offer anything at a reduced cost?
I teach community Pilates classes on behalf of Oakwood Lane Medical Practice in Fearnville, LS8
There is a chair based Pilates and a floor based/matwork Pilates class. Both are £3 and you pay the cash on the door. There is no online booking required.
You can get a bit more info about the chair based class here: https://www.pilates-leeds.com/chair-based-pilates/
For the matwork class there is a bit more info here: https://www.pilates-leeds.com/beginners/
Do you have any special offers?
If you are new to 1:1 Pilates, we have a special offer of your first 3 sessions for £99. (One 1:1 session is £49.)
If you are new to the community classes, we have a special offer of your first pre pay card for £30. Pre pay cards are £40 after that.
How much to the Studio Sessions cost?
Back care courses are £78 for 6 weeks if you are part of a group of 3. This works out at £13 / class and you have to commit to the full course of 6
Zoe and I sometimes run Back Care courses with just 2 people. We do this on an ad hoc basis and the cost is £16 / class.
1:1 sessions are £49 if you have one session. A pack of 5 sessions is £220 which is £44 / session. A pack of 10 sessions is £390 which is £39/session
The duo Pilates sessions (2:1) are £40 if you buy one session. A pack of 5 sessions is £180 which is £36 / session.
What is the difference between 1:1 Pilates and the classes?
Both are most definitely Pilates but beyond that they are rather different. I think the biggest difference is that during the 1:1 sessions I use the Reformer and other equipment.
If you simply compare 1;1 matwork with the group class then the difference is that the 1:1 sessions are aimed at your goals but also your requirements for intensity, variety etc. This can be particularly effective if you have a particular injury or a muscular/joint problem that you’re dealing with.
We can tailor each session according to how you feel so, for example, if you’re very tired we can go more gently. The 1:1 is more personal, is in a dedicated space and has you in mind.
With classes, do I have to book a course?
No, you can pay&go each class. Alternatively you can save money with a pre pay card and you DO NOT have to take the classes consecutively. You buy the card then book 5 classes separately.
How much do matwork classes cost?
Community classes are £9 if you pay&go
If you buy an advance pre paid card , it is £40 for (£8 / class)
Your first ever pre paid card is on offer at £30! That is £6 / class
You do not have to take each class over 5 consecutive weeks.
What do I wear?
Something lose and comfy and not restrictive. I’d advise against lose shorts though, especially for men.
We work barefoot or with socks although some people, including me, wear barefoot shoes. I struggle with keeping my feet warm even in summer.
Don’t feel obliged to wear expensive fitness gear. It isn’t necessary, unless you want a cheeky excuse for clothes shopping of course.
No venue has changing rooms but all have toilets. My home studio has its own toilet facilities too.
Do I need to bring anything to class?
For community classes, please bring a mat. If you don’t source one in time for your first ever class, we can lend them out on a short term basis. In the studio we have pretty much everything.
I want to do Pilates but struggle getting down to the floor. Is that a problem?
For the community classes you will need to be able to get down to the floor but you can always use a chair to help you.
If you cannot manage, then I do teach Chair Based Pilates.
In my home studio, you can work on a raised up surface, roughly the height of a bed. I also have a Pilates wedge in the studio, which supports you in a slightly raised up position if you struggle to lie flat on your back. This is very useful if you have breathing difficulties or back issues that are triggered by lying flat. It is also very helpful if you are in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
I am really nervous about starting Pilates
This isn’t really a question but people mention this to me a lot so I’m going to talk about it here in the FAQ.
In my experience, people worry that everyone else will be better than they are. Or they worry that everyone will look a particular way. To take the first thing, about people’s experience and capabilities. In the community everyone is different and may even have different capabilities within the same body. Strong legs and weak shoulders or wrists for example. Also everyone started at the beginning with their difficult first class!
The community classes are easy going. No one is trying to show off and nor will they judge you. That is all very well for me to say though, right? If you still feel nervous, you could book a one off 1:1 session with me just to be introduced to the basics in advance.
Regarding what people look like. Well, if you’ve every looked up #pilates or googled it, you’d be forgiven for feeling rather intimidated. Everyone, it seems, is young, thin, capable, with an effortlessly coordinated outfit. The reality of community matwork classes is rather different. Everyone is reassuringly normal.
All the pictures on my website are of real people in real classes. The same goes for my social media posts. I never use stock images so please look at the top and bottom of each webpage to see the kind of real people you’ll meet in the classes I offer.
I have a lot of medical issues. Can I do Pilates?
For the most part yes. It would be helpful to flag this up to us in advance. If you need quite a lot of rehab or to go very gently then 1:1 would be advised, if your finances allow that.
I have done Pilates before and not been confident with it, I simply haven’t quite “got it”?
Again this isn’t a question but something I hear a lot. This can be due to large class sizes. We have no more than 13 per class and the tutors will observe and correct you. We do offer some dedicated beginners classes too, rather than open mixed ability ones. The differentiation between beginners and intermediate makes it easier to grasp the basics.
In addition, you could consider a couple of 1:1 sessions before making the transition to an open matwork class.
I am very unused to exercise and want a gentle class? Do you do any ?
The daytime class is gentler than the more mainstream evening classes. Class is aimed at the Over 60s Pilates although we don’t mind how old you are!
Loads of people have issues and injuries so you’ll be amongst friends. Quite a few people can’t work on all fours or need more time to get down to the floor.
In addition I teach Chair Based Pilates too. That is every Wednesday afternoon and is a very affordable cost.
I have been diagnosed with sciatica (or disc injury). I am recovering from back surgery. What should I do?
Equally, you may have undiagnosed back pain that affects what you do and how you feel. We run specialised Back Care Courses with just three participants with a careful, rehab-based approach that might suit you.
If your Chiropractor, Physiotherapist, GP or Osteopath suggested that you should do regular Pilates, do consider the back care courses.