Do I need to be bendy to do Pilates?

No, and this might be the single most common misconception that keeps people away from us. "I can't do Pilates, I'm not flexible" is a bit like "I can't go to the doctor, I'm ill." The stiffness is the reason to come.

Nothing in a Pilates class requires you to be bendy. There are no splits, no pretzel positions, no putting your foot behind anything. Movements happen within whatever range your body currently has, and if that range is small right now, that's fine, we work with it and gradually, gently, it grows.

You'll also never be asked to match anyone else. In every class the same exercise is happening at different depths all over the room, one person reaching their toes, the next reaching their knees, the next holding their thighs. All three are doing the exercise correctly.

What you'll notice over time is that the everyday stiffness starts to ease. Reaching down to put shoes on, turning to reverse the car, getting out of a low chair, these are the things our members mention, and they tend to improve within the first couple of months of regular classes.

Stiff isn't a disqualification. It's a starting point, and a very good reason to book that induction.