Weekly Wrap up. Week 13. 2025

It's a busy one... but then, when isn't it?

Forgive the late delivery but it's been quite a week!

What a busy time we have had and it has been amazing to have your support along the way. I could not let half a decade slip by without acknowledging it in some way and this week, we have had 6 extra classes which were open to any and everyone.

5 years online! While we still have a bit of bumbling around, on the whole we have all become so much more tech savvy and suggesting a FaceTime or zoom meet is now perfectly normal and sharing screens, downloading apps and practising classes online is all now part of our lives.

OF COURSE we love to see each other in person and I totally respect those still reluctant as they worry that they won't get the same attention in class or feel PTSD from lockdown and want to stay off screen, I completely get that and believe me, I STILL feel a shiver when I talk about lockdown and it is not a subject I like to dwell on. However...

No-one has everything. A mantra I live by. No matter what, no-one has everything. From a more light hearted perspective, with regards our classes, what we have gained online for the largest part, is far more regular attendance. From the face to face days of once a week and forgetting about it, I now see most people at least 4 times a week and the stats from my video library (yes - I do know!!) tell me what gets accessed and how much and I take huge pride in how much the library is used - 42 hours last week alone. Your progress is outstanding and those who attend classes multiple times a week are so, so far advanced in your both your skill, understanding and overall ability. I know you know this as so many of you have told me how much stronger and able you feel - isn't it great! While I enjoy my face to face classes, the convenience of being online has changed my world and for me, and for many of you, there is no turning back!

Face to face - I know you think I am a real bore for asking you to turn your phone off and for pushing you hard in the class (n.b. - it is the chatty classes with those who like to distract everyone where I push you the hardest... !) but why come to class if you don't want to learn, progress and improve? I love a good natter and a catch up but before/after not during! My point being that for those of us (and we continue to grow) who are online addicts, we appreciate that we can have regular, easy and convenient access to classes to WORK and then we can do other things for our social catch ups - so we don't miss out! We just go for coffee feeling strong and smug!

To that end.... we had 6 extra classes this week where I was multi screening on Zoom and Instagram live and it worked really well, didn't it! It was fantastic to see so many of you joining on the 'gram (and yes, I know several of you were lying in bed with a cup of tea watching - it's ok, I couldn't see you!!!!! ) but it was a different way for me to reach you - still very nerve wracking and scary as a new way to deliver - live on the 'gram was quite scary but nowhere NEAR as scary as that first, Facebook live from Beaulieu village hall on Friday 17th March 2020 - that experience will be forever be etched on my face in worry lines.

We wrapped it up right back where it started at the village hall yesterday and it was wonderful to see you all - what a fantastic turn out and extra points to Stella who came from London! Of course it is lovely to see eachother in person and a suggestion was made that we do an extra class every couple of months or so in the hall followed by coffee and once I have recovered from this week, I will definitely give that some thought.

It isn't just factoring in the extra classes. It is the energy to deliver them as well as I can, to be the best I can, to have the energy and enthusiasm to motivate and inspire you. Add to that some nerves as I deliver in a new way .... adding to the fact that I actually went out not once but TWICE. I never go out - I am a total hermit so twice in a week is a big deal, added to a big week of adrenaline fuelled extra live delivery but it was WHERE I went,.. a local village hall charity medium evening on Thursday which was as community based as it comes and equally like a scene from The Archers (I should know, I never miss an episode) followed by the maddest evening I can ever remember- having taught 6 classes on Friday, 2 of which were weight training, I had to get home, walk the dogs, shower and be out of the house by 4.45pm. WHO goes out that early? I was by now on automatic pilot and had left my brain somewhere else which on reflection was just as well, as I then went to Bongo Bingo in Bournemouth. THE MADDEST, most hilarious evening I have had in a very long. It was brilliant, made more so by being in a big and very fun group, It is so mad, I cant really explain it other than to say it sure as heck blew away the cobwebs, I danced my legs off, won nothing, found I am hopeless at bingo and yes, we absolutely are going to have a JP's social night out there.

What's new for members,

There are masses of new classes in the library this week.

The 5 recorded birthday classes are scattered between the Snack Bar (the 30 mins), Mixed abilty and All levels. All as usual, listed in date order for easy location.

The Box breath class from Friday is in All levels and I direct you all to try that one.

Tuesday's All Levels strength class is recorded and this is a "resistance band v free weights" ideas class - great if you are going away and want to keep your strength work up, and Friday's circuits style lower body strength class is also there - a huge variety this week.

I am also growing my You Tube channel - you can visit Julietspilates.com where you will find all the Birthday classes from this week as well as a variety of other classes to try so if you are not yet a member and want to see how we work, head over here.

What else?

As we head towards Easter, please (members) keep check your calendar as there will be a reduced schedule over the Bank Holiday week.

I am really looking forward to our next Teatime talk coming up on April 15th with Yvonne Bishop Weston who is a hugely well respected nutritionist. Details going up on my website in the next few days but please do put the date in your diary. As with all the talks, this is open to everyone and will be a really superb chat. To have access to specialists of this calibre from the comfort of your sofa is just an amazing opportunity that I am really delighted to share with you.

If you are in my classes and want to know more about our socials and get together's, please drop me a line.

This Wednesday a group of us are taking the ferry to the Isle of Wight for a walk and lunch and we have a really superb group going to Battersea power station in June for a private, guided tour and lunch.... then of course, there will be Bongo Bingo....

Happy Mothering Sunday to you whether you are a mother, have a mother, no longer have a mother or wherever you fit in.

Thank you for your support this week. You just get better and better xx

< Older Post

Newer Post >

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.