Pilates classes are run following the Hampshire school terms so may be booked in 6,7 or 8 week blocks. We run a scaled down service in all half terms, Easter & summer holidays which. Please see the Timetable section for our term dates.
No you don’t – all mats and small equipment that we use are provided for you but you are welcome to bring along your own mat, head block or towel to rest on if you prefer.
Please stay hydrated. We have a kitchen where you can refill your water bottle.
Anything soft that doesn’t restrict your movement and that you feel comfortable in (e.g. tracksuit trousers or leggings and a t-shirt). Tight layers are preferable so that the teacher can see your body more easily! You need to have bare feet or wear socks for matwork classes – shoes are not allowed in the studio. If you forget to bring socks then these can be purchased from us. Please do not wear jeans, belts, buckles, toggles, or bulky jewellery such as watches, bracelets and rings etc. They can hinder your movement, cause injury, or damage the mats and other equipment.
Yes! Pilates is becoming increasingly more popular among men as a way of alleviating back pain, preventing injuries, and increasing core strength or flexibility. At Andover Pilates men account for around 15 % of our clientele, and we hope this figure will continue to increase!
All participants will be asked to complete a Health Questionnaire prior to commencing classes. This allows us to get a good idea of the class participants and to tailor the programmes to your particular needs.
All of our classes are mat based but we do use small equipment to help with some movements and to vary your repetoire. Examples of these include
- resistance bands for strength and controlled stretching
- soft pilates balls for strength, balance and control
- foam rollers for balance, control, strength, flexibility and myofascial release
- spikey balls for a deep massaging effect
- magic Circles for strength, balance and control
- oval balance pads to challenge your balance and stability
Pilates is excellent for pre- and post-natal women, but you must be in a specialist class. It is not advisable to start Pilates during the first 3 months of pregnancy, so wait until your 12-week scan before signing up for the ante-natal class. Please let your teacher know as soon as possible if you are already attending a regular class when you become pregnant (you should usually be able to continue with your normal class until you reach 12 weeks).
Based on the medical guidelines from ACOG, ROG and Canadian Guidelines for Exercise in Pregnancy, the APPI recommends that Modified Pilates can be commenced 6 weeks post stable vaginal delivery providing the woman has had her check up from the doctor/GP and is not acutely suffering from the effects of pelvic girdle pain. If a lady had an assisted vaginal delivery e.g. forceps or ventouse or required a significant number of stitches then this may delay her ability to join a class at 6weeks. For someone who is familiar with Pilates they may be able to commence earlier than this, especially with the more gentle exercises. We always ask to see you for a 1:1 session before you start a class to discuss your delivery and recovery and help make sure you get the most out of your classes.
The general advice is that you wait at least 8 weeks before starting Pilates. If you have had no further complications then you may be able to start at this point with GP/midwifes consent. If you are keen to start at this point a 1:1 session maybe more appropriate as the muscles used in Pilates would have been cut by your incision and we will be able to assess their strength. Most ladies are able to commence classes after 12 weeks as long as there have not been any other complications.
We would need to assess you prior to making a decision about you attending a class. Whether you are able to attend or not will depend on the width and the stability of your separation with abdominal loading. Please contact the clinic for your 1:1 appointment where we can look at you in more detail. The exercises in Pilates can certainly help recovery though.