Knebworth Pilates Studio

Knebworth Pilates Studio www.knebworthpilates.co.uk Pilates matwork one to ones and group classes for all levels, needs and ages. Now on Zoom too!

07/02/2026

🪑 Sitting positions and the process of standing up from your chair increase the load on your spine by up to 180% compared to standing

💻 Sitting in non ergonomic positions eg leaning forwards to your screen by even 20% can also increase the compression in your lower spine and discs by up to 50%

🙆 Combine these with the extended duration of sitting and you have an increased force on your lower back and an extensive period of constant muscle activation on your core. This can cause fatigue in the core muscles and adds strain to other muscles required to support you. Over time this can result aches and pains, predominately to the lower back, upper back, neck and shoulders

🤸🏼‍♀️ Movement really is medicine.

🧍‍♂️Be sure you are getting up regularly and moving your body gently

05/02/2026

Did you know when you stand with good posture others perceive you to have more confidence, authority and poise?

One study showed when you sit it stand with good posture you believe in yourself more

04/02/2026

💡 A good posture isn’t necessarily what Mum taught us ‘sit up straight and pull those shoulders back’ A relaxed and efficient posture:

Keep your shoulders back and relaxed
Pull in your abdomen
Keep your feet roughly hip width apart
Balance your weight evenly on both feet
Try not to tilt your head forwards, backwards or sideways
Keep your legs straight but knees relaxed

⚖️ This enables us to keep muscles working in a balanced way to align our spine.

😖 If we maintain a prolonged posture of any type this can lead to pain

02/02/2026

😖 If you have back pain contrary to public opinion it won’t be solely your posture that is the cause, however, improved alignment enables the body to work in the way it is designed and helps alleviate muscle tension.

👌 What is a good posture? Why is it worth knowing?

📿 A healthy spine looks from the side like an a shape rather than a curved c. To achieve this desirable S shape our spine is made up of vertebrae - think of them like beads on a necklace and between them are discs - like shock absorbers.

💪🏻 These work together to enable a flexible scaffolding to support our body. This structure is supported with the addition of ligaments and then muscles enable control and strength to flex and move.

⚡️ Finally nerves run through the vertebrae and your spinal cord right through the centre to enable messages to pass round the body

29/01/2026

🧍 Sitting or standing today and feeling a little out of sorts?🪑

🧘🏻 Try some of the below they might be the fix you need

🟰 Be aware of symmetry and balance. Keep your shoulders and hips even and ensure the same amount of weight through your left and right side.

🫁 Breathe - deep breathing activates the supportive core muscles of your trunk

🧠 Move mindfully - go slow, be gentle, don’t do anything that hurts but move

🙎🏻 Tuck your chin in a tiny bit, keep your neck long and your shoulders down and away from your ears

28/01/2026

✋ I’m waiting for the right time to start

😫 There really is no such thing

🔮 You can’t predict everything that is going to happen which means that you can’t guarantee that the time you are planning to do something will be the right time to do it.

😮 So why not just make the best of now - you might surprise yourself! 👏🏻

27/01/2026

When should I start Pilates?

When you choose to! You don’t need to be a certain level of fitness or flexibility to join, especially if you are looking for a 1:1 session, we can meet you where you are at.

Granted a quick scroll through insta demonstrates some truly magnificent and beautiful Pilates moves…. In some equally fabulous settings

It’s not all like that though

Those on Instagram had to start with the basics and have through consistency achieved where they are now

Pilates improves balance, strength and flexibility by treating each vertebra as a single bone and emphasising alignment.

There is a focus on mobility and stability with the aim to improve the strength of abdominal and back muscles to prevent low back pain, joint stiffness and muscle tightness.

As a beginner expect to start with learning to engage your core muscles through moves which are likely familiar such as squats, lunges, bridges and abdominal work

As we gain confidence and strength add in breathing and small pieces of equipment to increase the challenge

Try some stretching between the strengthening and stability work
And add a smile as those endorphins are released!!

So next time you think ‘no’ challenge that thought…. Pilates is accessible and beneficial to such a wide audience.

26/01/2026

💕 I was so nervous when I made contact with the studio I believed I wouldn’t be able to take part. I had no confidence, I wanted to improve my everyday life, reduce my pain, enable myself to get on and off the floor more easily. I wanted to make the change but the first step felt huge. Once I took that first step and contacted the studio I made that first move and didn’t look back. I was good enough! I could do it! We moved at my pace in a 1:1 and now I’m in a class. For me it’s everything, physical, mental and social. I can feel the improvement and I’m going to keep it up! 🙌

22/01/2026

The ‘why’ to give us motivation

📅 Did you start January with a whole list of resolutions and goals you felt you were striving to achieve but now you are starting to slow down?

❓ Maybe that’s because you didn’t consider your why.

♥️ The why gives you that motivation and without that getting to the goal is harder as you can’t identify how it is going to change day to day life and you can’t be certain that when you get there it is actually that which will give you satisfaction and fulfilment.

🏝 As an analogy start the year with the goal of getting fit at the gym so you are beach body ready for summer. Work super hard look amazing but actually come the holiday you still aren’t happy. It wasn’t the beach body that was going to make you happy on holiday at all so what was it perhaps it was inner confidence you needed to consider?. There was a mismatch between the goal and the why.

📚 Want to find out more try reading Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

21/01/2026

Dr Gillian Mandich says only 10% of our happiness is determined by our circumstances, while 40% of our happiness is determined by our everyday thoughts and behaviour and 50% of our happiness is genetically determined. So, if being happy by achieving a big milestone accounts for 10% of happiness perhaps it’s time to rethink the big goal and aim for smaller ones?

20/01/2026

I want to get rid of my back pain!

😭 The cry of many people who spend time with that chronic ache and end of the day tired back feeling.

❓ But the question is less how? and more why?

🥅 When considering any goals it’s vital to get to your why. This is no easy task but if you can identify the why the getting there is much more achievable.

💯 Often the how is easier to identify but hard to do, you might not always want to engage in the how it might take energy and effort that some days you just don’t have. On these days the why will resonate with you and you are more likely to stay the test of time and achieve the goal.

🎯 Goal - go to Pilates to get a stronger core and more flexibility. Attending class with consistency will give you both of these things. The key word is consistency turning up even when you don’t feel like it. Adding those extra self led practice sessions when you would rather watch TV.

❓ The why - Getting stronger and gaining flexibility means I can comfortably take the children to the park and help them learn to ride their bike or roller skate without having to stop because I ache.

🤸‍♀️ Suddenly the why gives meaning and power drawing you to achieve the goal which is actually not attending Pilates but the outcome it gives

19/01/2026

After 9 months of Pilates I feel so much better! I am sure I am taller and the aches and pains in my back and shoulders have lessened. I know I must take my time and perform the exercises correctly and my instructor adjusts and corrects until I am performing them in the right way. This really makes the difference to how the exercise feels at the time and the results later. My ankle injury is nearly forgotten and I am cautiously running again!

Monday is a time when we reflect on what our clients tell us because that’s why we deliver our classes.

This week we are reflecting on our goals which we can achieve if we are consistent. However we need to be really clear on ‘WHY’ we want to get there so we keep moving in the right direction.

This transformation from injury to running took time not only that it took persistence, but the client stuck with it as the ultimate goal was to run and the why was because running was part of what made them feel like them.

This week we are going to talk more about why and the goals!

Address

9 Stevenage Road
Knebworth
SG36AN

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