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About

What is Compassionate Body Pilates?

We are a small, innovative studio offering pilates classes and private sessions in a positive, inclusive, friendly and welcoming environment.

We are focused on educating and empowering our clients, therefore:

Ask away!

Questions are encouraged during regular classes. We also offer specialized education-focused classes on topics such as pelvic health, hips and knees, and standing stability.

Practice at home

Homework can be provided to private clients in written and/or video format, to allow you to continue to practice and develop strength and body awareness at home.

Benefit from small classes

We have small class sizes to offer the maximum benefit to each individual. Our equipment classes are limited to 5, and our mat classes are limited to 8. Teachers provide hands on and verbal corrections to everyone equally during classes.
girl in teal t-shirt lying on white and black stripe bed

Working to develop a truly inclusive studio

At Compassionate Body Pilates we have a vision of expanding our studio clientele to reflect the diversity in our community. To work towards this goal, we are doing the following:

  • reaching out to local organizations to see if private classes for diverse groups would be welcomed
  • making sure we have a robust studio policy to encourage a safe space for all, and continuing to evolve and grow this policy with feedback received from diverse groups in our community
  • offering an equity discount to people of colour and marginalized groups

Please contact Diane for more details.

About Pilates

Joseph Pilates saw the power of a calm mind, and found that conditioning his body with physical activity allowed him to remain in better overall health and mental wellness. Wanting to share what he learned with others, in the early 1930’s he began developing his unique brand of physical activity, a form he would later name ‘Contrology’.

This exercise method has now developed and been adapted to reflect modern scientific understanding of movement as well as the continual changing needs of the human body as we adapt to modern habits. Many of his original observations and exercises are still very relevant today and are incorporated in contemporary practice. He introduced the following principles to his exercise system.

woman in black and white floral brassiere and black pants kneeling on pink yoga mat

Each exercise is performed with the aim of including all of the following principles

Breathing

Pilates uses 360 degree breathing to enhance stamina and engage muscles. Breathing deeply expands the lungs in the front, back and sides of the torso. This deep breathing assists in muscle engagement, improves circulation, and clears toxins from the body.

Concentration

Using concentration enhances the exercises, allowing for a more focused experience. In pilates you use visualization to help concentrate on specific muscle groups. You should feel the movement, not simply perform the movement.

Control

In pilates you use control to engage the correct muscles in sequence. Moving slowly and carefully in the beginning works the target muscle throughout the entire range of movement, and as you progress you develop both speed and control during each exercise.

Centering

All movement begins in the centre and moves outward. Without a stable and strong base, your arms and legs do not work as efficiently. Stabilizing your shoulder, for example, means your arm movements are stronger and helps prevent injury.

Precision

In pilates you need to work towards a great attention to detail, ensuring that the targeted muscles work in a quality movement rather than focusing on quantity. Typical repetitions of any pilates exercise is between 6-8.

Flow

All pilates exercises should be performed with a controlled but flowing movement. There should be no stiffness, tension, or jerking.

Meet Our Team

What Our Clients Are Saying

My client Caroline speaking about her experience of private sessions with her family at home:

Hear from my English clients Natalie, Penny, Claire and Annabel about their experience of classes with Compassionate Body Pilates:

Hear more about my client from England, Natalie, and how Pilates has changed her life for the better: