Weekly Wrap up. Week 1. 2025. Happy New Year!

We are baaaaaaack....2025, we are coming for YOU!

Happy New Year everyone!

I cannot wait to see you all again and take this opportunity to offer an arms wide open WELCOME to a couple of new members who have just joined.

I do hope you have all had a really lovely festive break. Amongst us, I know we have had some holidays to far flung destinations, a beautiful NYE wedding in Ireland and for my part, a really super week skiing.

We lucked out with a ski guide who knew the area inside out and was able to take us to best snow, the smallest queues and to a multitude of areas. I did go off her a tiny bit a couple of days in.... "How long have you been skiing?" she asked..."I first put skiis on when I was 3 or 4" I replied... "Oh" says she, " you'll remember lace up boots then" .....

Ok... I mean yes, as it happens, I do indeed remember lace up boots... and those hideous wooden T bars that went on for miles and one man chair lifts that would swing manically in the wind.... Yes I do,.. it was just the total conviction with which she said it!!....

However, as you know, I only ever speak from the heart and from personal experience and I was really proud of my results this week.

Only a few years ago, I was faced with constant pain, limited mobility and was discussing a new knee ( and hip, which will indeed have to happen one day|).

Last year was the start of the turn around on my own personal journey.

I lost weight, worked exceptionally hard on my own strength and mobility and was really proud to feel stronger and fitter than I can remember and totally pain free with a well behaved knee.

SO - give or take the odd situation beyond our control, I can once again, hand on heart state that we should never be put off by ageing and limitations as, with dedication, commitment and hard work, we can make it happen!

I saw a post (Mel Robbins) that I felt was really suitable that I wanted to share -

You'll watch an entire Netlfix series even when the first episodes are slow because someone told you "it gets better" - but what if you looked at your goals like that and watched your life get better instead.

The wealth of health. What else can compare?

And so to the live calendar.....

I totally respect that you may not want to read my emails every Friday (where, without fail, I put latest class updates and any changes to the schedule). Can't say I blame you at all but it is all there for your reference should you wish!

May I ask in that case that you get into the habit of looking at the calendar that is in real time. Here you will see what is coming up, what equipment you may need and have time to prepare and get in touch with any queries.

If you rely on a link from your history to access the class then it is just that - historic and while it will nearly always work, it is not real time. Attached is a screen shot of what you will see if, over the festive break, you went to access a class on New Year's eve for example.....

We are going into a lovely long run of classes for the next several weeks and there is no reason to think any class will deviate from the schedule but if you do find yourself trying to access a class (meeting) that noone else is in, please be considerate enough to check the live calendar first as you will find notes clearly explaining if a class is not running.

If you have any questions about using the live calendar, please get in touch.

We have lots coming up and Clare and I are meeting this week for more plotting and planning!

In order for your planning the timetable will run along the lines of...

Mondays 08.45 - the technique class - idenitifying how to avoid a knee replacement or getting those grumpy hips working or getting more movement in your spine to stop your neck aching in abs work.

Tuesdays 8am - PURE mat. Traditional mat work that will lenghten, strengthen and challenge

Tuesdays 9am - Strength, Always have all your weights, bands etc

Wed 8am - Full Body Power with Clare. Building strength and improving flexibility. Please always have light weights, bands and soft ball handy.

Thurs 8am - Pilates funk. Maybe sequences or the wall or light weights. Be prepared for any of the above

Thurs 9am - Pure mat - all levels. Covering all the tradional moves with adaptations and ways to adjust

Fri 8am - could be HIIT, could be weights, could be Circuits.. always have all equipment handy

Fri 9am - Full body mobility and stretch

I hope this appeals and will help you plan your schedule.

We are heading into our FIFTH year online can you believe! Let's make this THE healthiest, strongest, most empowering year yet.

Let's all think of our own goals and objectives, whatever they may be. Have a little check in on your mood, energy levels, strength, mobility, diet, sleep pattern, stress levels, any aches, pains or issues... maybe write some observations and check in once a month, keeping some notes.

It is easy to overlook what we have gained, improved on and grown in because it isn't happening quickly enough or as much as we want, so let's check in, observe our own progress and celebrate our fabulousness!!!

See you online xx

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So, you ran the London Marathon.... what next?

By juliet • May 7, 2026

In the words of Holly Willoughby, "first of all, "how are YOU?".

The Zanzibar Yoga Festival

By juliet • April 28, 2026

Members news. Week upcoming : Bank Holiday Monday - class running as usual and this coming Wednesday, 2 x 30 min classes. Details in library. As I am away a few days here and there in May/June, I will continue to put in extra classes now and then to keep everyone topped up. It's all about give and take! Following on from requests this week, upcoming we have a Roll over/Control Balance workshop (Thursday 8am), Back care (Thursday 9am) and Body Conditioning, sculpt and tone style (Wed 8am). All updates will always be in your live calendar. We welcome 4 new members this week and can't wait to see you on the screen! We can now add Portugal to our community! That means that currently, we are beaming into the UK from Cornwall to Yorkshire, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Germany and now Portugal! We are so much more than Pilates and our community continues to support in so many ways. While a couple of our treasured members are going through some hefty challenges, I am so pleased that you use our online connection as a form of support and to use the friendship of your fellow members. Don't forget you can log in 15 mins early for a natter before class and on Thursdays, I will leave the meeting open after we finish the 9.45am class for anyone to stay on and have a chat. Grab a coffee and log back in even if you weren't in the class. If you would like to join our "Friends of JP's" what's app group , let me know - we are slowly growing and it is a friendly place for a chat and check in, (and a grumble about how tough the class was!). Have a lovely weekend, Jx

Sitting in Southampton airport and other stuff

By juliet • April 9, 2026

I want to keep it as on point and brief as I can and here are some cold, hard facts. Doing SOMETHING is a lot better than doing NOTHING! Whatever equipment you use and program you follow is far less important than the fact that you show up. Regularly and consistently. Only 30% of adults meet the resistance training guidelines and this drops to as low 10% for older adults. What is required? Training all major muscle groups at least once a week Aiming for 2 - 3 sets per exercises Using a weight that is getting challenging by the end of the set Moving through full range of movement. Now, why this is good news is that this can be acheived in whatever form of exercise takes your fancy and over here on our Pilates mat, we tick a lot of those boxes. Going into the 100 and wishing for the end, sitting tall in your Spine Twist and pushing for JUST ONE MORE rep is meeting this! We go through full range of movement, we use bodyweight as well as small equipment, so even if you are not lifting weights, you are doing your bit. (N.b. provided this is min. 3 times a week and you are pushing yourself to max ability in each of those sessions in one way or another and bringing in bands, small weights etc for additional resistance) WHAT COUNTS BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES AT HOME BANDS, BALLS, BODY WEIGHT, LOOPS A QUICK EXPRESS SET WHEN YOU GET BACK FROM YOUR RUN/WALKING THE DOG 15 MINS IN THE KITCHEN - YOU DON'T NEED TO COMPLICATE IT IT DOESNT NEED TO BE FANCY, STRUCTURED OR ELABORATE. IT JUST NEEDS TO HAPPEN Generally ALL types of resistance training work, as long as they are performed with high efforts which means that you get to a point where you are almost at failure. In other words, choose what you enjoy as you are more likely to stick to it and work harder at ut. CONSISTENCY IS KEY and the BEST exercise programme to do is the one you enjoy and will be more likely to stick at! MEMBERS. We have multiple classes involving strength and resistance every week. NON MEMBERS - I am just putting dates together for another 4 week strength program. Please email me if you are interested. More details to follow (I am delighted to be starting a 4 week strength training session with my local running club so I really am doing my best to share the love! )

Why runners need to lift weights

By juliet • April 8, 2026

Let's start with Improves balance and coordination Improves bone density Boosts metabolism and weight management Enhances mental health Helps with daily activity A few more?! Improves posture by strengthening your core and back muscles Reduces risk of injury by strengthening joints, ligaments, and tendons Helps regulate blood sugar levels and lowers risk of type 2 diabetes Improves sleep quality and helps you fall asleep faster Enhances athletic performance (speed, power, endurance) Slows down age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) The ACSM (American college of Sports Science) is the bible of the fitness world with regards to fitness and exercise prescription and has recently done a huge survey, publishing it’s findings in a new report which has got the fitness world very excited as it is the first survey of it’s kind since 2009.