It’s September, where did the summer go? September is a time when we start to think about making changes. Perhaps we’ve been away and come back refreshed, maybe the kids have gone back to school, or it’s you are going back to school or starting a course. There is something about this time of year that seems to instigate change, a fresh start, renewed energy.

This is the time when people start calling into the Pilates studio and signing up for new classes, or come to learn to be a teacher. For me, it’s always a wonderful thing when someone makes the step to trying something new. After all, that can be daunting. At York Pilates Space I never run beginners classes, new people come along all the time and very soon, beginners are no longer beginners any more. Instead, a complete newby will take some Pilates personal training first to gain some knowledge about the very specific movement techniques you need to start learning. 

The Pilates Method is organised around a set of principles which we apply to each movement and to the class as a whole. Precision, breathing, centre, control, concentration, flowing movement, isolation and routine. I ask them to go home with some movement homework to practice and then come and learn the basics in a mixed group class. 

I always stress, more than anything, Pilates is not about following anyone else, it’s about making discovery in your own body, about your own movement. Mistakes are allowed but I will soon be there to correct them! You could compare learning Pilates (or anything else for that matter) to learning a new language, or a musical instrument. You attend the class, you learn from the teacher, you do your homework and you get better at it. To start with, it’s messy! Then one day you are able to hold a whole conversation in your new language or play wonderful pieces of music, because you put the effort in. 
This is a new exercise concept for many. When I was an ‘exercise to music’ teacher my class turned up, I made them charge about in a structured way shouting out guidelines so they didn’t hurt themselves.

Simply by being there and doing it you fulfilled your objective of burning calories and getting your heart and some of your muscles to work harder. And having fun too, very important, I love a great aerobics class. But an exercise system, like Pilates, Tai Chi, Yoga and martial arts is to do with gaining an understanding of how you use your body. It’s no use just turning up and ticking it off your list for that week. Hauling your bod into class and hoping the teacher will do it all for you ain’t gonna work! You’ve made a commitment to your body to listen and learn with movement, the rewards are deep both physically and mentally and will ripple out into all aspects of your life. You have to think in a mind/body class, you don’t just work the body!

- Patricia Issitt is a movement therapist and Pilates instructor based in York. Find out more at yorkpilates.com