A closer look at our studio

If you choose to attend D4 Pilates, you can expect:

• Personalised service based on your fitness goals, lifestyle and schedule

• Instructors with a combined 35 years experience who liaise with physiotherapists, read MRI reports from consultants and incorporate recommendations from nutritionists

• Bespoke weekly sessions that change according to your goals

You will feel:

• Pride in taking time to look after yourself and your health

• Greater confidence in daily life, whether tying your shoelaces or playing a better round of golf

• Improved concentration, coordination, confidence and balance

September is one of our busiest months. Our regular clients return from holidays, often increasing their number of sessions per week. Because we ONLY offer private sessions and no group classes, when the slots in the schedule fill, that time on the schedule is gone. The studio is used for ONE PERSON at a time, unless that person chooses to bring a friend or family member to share their session.

So if you are considering tailored, private Pilates sessions with experienced instructors who are committed to your personal well-being, book your trial offer now. You’ll benefit from Pilates not just when practicing in our studio, but in life.

Pilates then and now

When I first studied Pilates 25 years ago in Houston, Texas, a handful of studios existed. Each one had two or three Reformers - maybe more if several instructors worked at the same time. Pilates Concepts of Houston also had Cadillacs, Pilates chairs and mats with spine correctors.

This was a wonderful place to learn after just getting certified.

I trained during a time when Pilates had first entered the mainstream. Decades after Joseph Pilates died, a landmark New York court case in 2000 ruled that Pilates could enter the public domain. It said Pilates was not a method owned only by one person. That ruling was crucial for the future of Pilates, and the reason it can be taught so widely today.

But before then, Pilates was taught apprentice-style, passed from one instructor to another. I had the great fortune of studying with the late John Gossett, who was trained by Romana Kryzanowska, who was Joseph Pilates’ protege.

(The two people pictured in the iconic photo above are Joe Pilates and Romana!)

My training influenced how I have chosen to teach in a personalised, one-to-one style. I remember how important it was for me to ask John questions that pertained to my body. When we worked, I applied my ballet knowledge to all the moves we did.

Fast forward 25 years and I’m still using that approach with clients, incorporating all I learned during years of ballet training. Fifteen years ago I created my own trademarked movement method Ballet-lates, to more formally merge the two.

If you are curious how I’m passing down the legacy that was passed on to me, I’d love to show you.

Back-to-School Pilates

I hope the end of the summer finds you well. It has been a hectic one for me, and with the chaos, one thing has helped me stay strong: Pilates.

When things got challenging I made excuses: “I’ll do my workout later.” “It won’t matter if I miss one day on the Reformer.” They added up until I felt tired, stiff and generally not myself.

A firm nudging from a friend prompted me to apply the approach I take with my own clients. Each week I set aside one hour on the Reformer for a personal workout, incorporating jumpboard for cardio and weights for resistance. After 8 weeks I felt strong enough to run my first ever 5k.

Once again I see how intentional, deliberately planned Pilates workouts are non-negotiable for me.

I give the same attention to clients. Exhausted? We adjust to a moderate pace. Full of tension? We work out the stress.

Sessions at D4 Pilates motivate you to keep going, while working from the inside out. We pay attention to alignment and form.

You’ll feel how Pilates leads to more strength, confidence and motivation in everyday life. You’ll have greater awareness of how your body moves. You’ll know when to push yourself and when to step back and listen. You’ll feel happier looking after yourself, and others around you will notice.

I’ve been in the position of feeling like the first step towards the Reformer is just too hard. And now I’m here to help.