….”Sorry… you’re going on holiday….to a Pilates retreat.. ?”…. was the first what’s app I opened when I landed in Heraklion, Crete and it made me laugh. It was not the only message of this theme and I can fully understand the thinking behind it. 

(Apparantly a Busman's holiday is so called because when the driver took time off, he was obliged to drive his family etc. to their destination hence he was holidaying doing what he did for a living)

To be fair, I wouldn’t have called it a holiday. It was sunny, in a glorious hotel with good food and lots of lying by the pool but (those who chose to) met to walk every morning at 7am and I very quickly settled into the routine of returning for breakfast, a little faffing about before 2 hours of Pilates, then a 4 hour break and another 2 hours of Pilates before drinks, dinner and shenanigans. Did I mention the daily 100 squats and 50 push up’s challenge (which I have continued.. of course I have!!). 

We of course could have missed classes here or there but for me, I didn't want to miss a single second of the knowledge and experience available to me. 

I arrived to be met from my taxi by a handsome valet. As he took my suitcase he said “and now time to relax”…and I followed him to reception where I attempted to take back my bag - “no, you now RELAX” he said… “yes but I just need,,,”…”no you RELAX”…. Ok then. I proceeded to enjoy my complimentary refreshments of fruit juice and fresh fruit in as relaxed a manner as I could, not daring to touch my suitcase, conscious he was watching and I wanted to demonstrate that I had taken his care on board. 

The hotel is only 3 years old (more of that later) and everything is new and fabulous. In the room, we had an electronic pad on the wall that controls everything from the many lighting options as well as the the fan, AC, room service and a do not disturb option. It was like a scene from Ab Fab- the panel was about chest height so there was I on many occasion, in a sort of squat, squinting blindly as I pressed all these buttons, then admitting defeat before going off in search of my reading glasses and having another go - suffice to say that I was so confused with the lighting that anyone walking on the beach that first night would have thought I was hosting a disco and with my utter brilliance I managed to enable the do not disturb and came back to find my room exactly as I had left it. 

Midweek, the hotel invited us to join their 3rd birthday party celebrations with balloons, nibbles and a really super band. We had all been out and let’s just say that on our return, the party livened up a bit… we danced our little legs off and the band loved it! I am sure the other guests were terribly impressed as they stayed in their seats sipping their gin and tonics.

So to the Pilates… well I guess I stand by what I say when I always reiterate that it is a vocation. 

You know I always preach “never trust a teacher who doesn’t do their own practise”… and I stand by that. I hope I keep an open mind in most areas but this is something that I feel strongly about. 

I enjoy joining friend’s classes and we have have been lucky enough to have some guest teachers online and I will visit the occasional studio when I am away to see what it what but this is something different! Who wouldn’t want a week with the absolute Masters! 

Michael has an incredible pedigree, from having worked with Romana Kryzanowska (Joseph Pilates’protege) as well as Alan Herdman (responsible for bringing Pilates to the UK in the 70’s) and it goes from there, all over the world with so many collaborations, associations, name drops and stories that I nicknamed him Ness from Gavin and Stacey (she of the “oh! When I was on tour with the Rolling Stones/spent the weekend at Chequers/was living with Richard and Judy)…. I would honestly say that with regard to Pilates, if Michael doesnt know it, it probably isn’t there to be known. Add to that his husband Malcolm who is so methodical, technical and with an impeccable attention to detail who brought his former corporate skills to the party to enable them to write the original training manuals that I would be so bold as to say, probably any Pilates teacher reading this has trained with, regardless of what the name on the front says!! Their work has been rolled out worldwide and they have set up countless  training schools.

What I particularly love about M&M is their humility. I have been on A LOT of conventions and so forth and have encountered many very superior presenters who consider themselves a little too important to perhaps mix with their followers. Michael and Malcolm on the other hand have recently returned to live in Malcolm’s native Scotland and have set up some classes in their local village hall. From teaching and setting up training for multiple organisations all over the world, being at the top of their industry for donkey’s years, they are nonetheless happy to teach their local community in a dusty hall and it really amuses me to wonder if the local village have any idea just how unbelievably lucky they are! Apparently one attendee did (quite rightly) ask Michael if he was qualified or "had a certificate to teach".. I believe she then googled him and was mortified! 

I just loved taking off my teacher’s hat and being taught - having my posture analysed, looking at different ways to cue or approach and just to fully immerse. Michael and Malcolm teach very differently and it was a joy to experience a whole week of pure Pilates (oh! And some dance thanks to Michael’s background).

We discussed the £150 Aldi reformer (general decision was it is probably well made and ok for home use but unlikely to stand up to commercial use), the snobbery around “Classical” and does that actually really exist?, what is clinical Pilates, and seriously? a  2 day course does not a Pilates teacher make. Is only being reformer trained and having no mat experience or mat qualification acceptable?  and lots more that should probably stay on tour.

We were there for “The Method”. 

 There is a saying that 50% of people doing Pilates are not doing Pilates and we enjoyed 20 classes  embracing the fundamentals and principles.

Of course, I wouldn't be me if I wasn’t looking at new ideas, opportunities and how to move forwards and will be starting with refreshing my studio equipment training. Quite where I can fit a reformer at present is not clear but I am nothing if not resourceful.

Also it is so inspiring to be among other teachers and I have made new friendships with amazing fellow teachers  this week that I know will endure. (Can't wait for that road trip up north!).

One fellow teacher is a man called Jonathan who lives on the Isle of Man and his great grandfather was held in the same camp where Joseph Pilates was famously held as a German national during WW1. Now that is pedigree… and if you are on Facebook look up Jonathan’s page “Joseph’s Legacy - Pilates 100 +” - an incredible resource of research, probably the most extensive in the world hence the 21k followers.