Marguerite Galizia - Pilates

It's been great to re-emerge into the teaching world after a wonderful 6 months of maternity leave. One of my aims over the next 6 months is to run classes in my local area of South Tottenham / Haringey. Come and join me on Mondays 1-2pm at the Goan Community Centre, with views overlooking Downhills Park, I can't think of a better way to start the week :)
https://www.margueritepilates.com/offerings/pilates-the-goan-community-centre-tottenham

I’m urgently looking for a cover teacher for my maternity leave starting in May. Just posting here in case any Pilates teachers in this group are able to help out. The class is in the Moorgate area, London (UK), on Friday lunchtime. DM me if you’re interested.

I'm not much of a fan of the cue to 'micro-bend' the elbows (or knees for that matter). Finding length without hyper-extending is one of the hardest things to teach. I appreciate the specificity of Andrew McConigle's cuing here.

How to prevent your elbows from hyperextending This short tutorial shows you how to work towards preventing your elbows from hyperextending by co-contracting the arm muscles.For more details on my on Yoga...

Yep I did it! My first half marathon in just under 2hrs :) Here I am looking slightly shocked and on the brink of tears. Learnt a lot along the way, and now I'm sharing my tips for other Runners next Sunday 12th March with my Pilates for Runners workshop - Hip Focus. - https://mailchi.mp/60f715a315d0/i-did-it-and-you-can-too

Comfort Zones and Over-Stretching -

Comfort Zones and Over-Stretching

Sending Pilates Love - https://mailchi.mp/73e8d521c89d/happy-new-year-8852791 thoughts on Clara Pilates and mid-term Pilates courses and workshops.

My final Pilates Fact Check: This one is a little tricky. Yes we care more about the how than the what. But that doesn't mean that 'the how' is written in some Pilates bible out there. What this whole series of 'facts' is missing is a focus on awareness, on listening to the feedback that your body is giving you and making adjustments accordingly.

Yes and No.
Matwork classes often involve small pieces of equipment like rollers, bands and over-balls.
The Pilates Equipment (Reformer, Wunda Chair, Cadillac) are large pieces that use spring-based resistance. A spring (unlike a regular weight) has elasticity, mimicking the body's own elastic tissues. The resistance is not just about loading, it acts by working with the body's own elastic recoil potential, activating the centre and engaging muscles through eccentric contraction which leads to leaner muscle tissue.

Yes to to quality and precision. But let's just tackle the question about 'number of repetitions'. Firstly, the idea of 'reps' comes from fitness training, which tends to have a greater focus on quantitative methods. Pilates takes a more qualitative approach, which is why it's not uncommon for Pilates teachers not to count at all! If you're aiming for flow, you might ask a class to do as few as 3 repetitions of each movement. If you're aiming for strength, then you might increase to around 10. Generally the number of repetitions is highly variable and depends on whether a client or group of clients can maintain their form, or if they begin to lose form as they tire. There's no precise number of repetitions for anything. And more is not always more.
PS: I'm not sure how you can tell what 'the correct amount of energy spent' is, but I'm guessing (hoping) they mean that there shouldn't be any straining.

Yes true... but to be honest I can't do the full sequence as my scoliosis just makes my whole abdomen brace and my neck feel uncomfortable.... I don't think many people can do the full classical sequence and I don't think it's necessarily something to aspire to either.

Phew this one I mostly agree with. However, if you are new to Pilates, focusing too much on the breathing will likely be confusing. I tend to cue breathing a lot, but I always say that if you're not sure what breathing you should be doing, then just keep on breathing. The worst option is holding your breath! ... I'd also just take out the 'proper' thing. What's 'proper' today is likely to be completely different in ten years time as attitudes and understanding change. Being open to different breathing techniques, and adjusting according to your own feedback is perhaps a more functional approach?

oh boy, so many problems with this statement... erm no: what's most important is that you listen to your body and stop if something doesn't feel right. But the worst part of this 'Pilates Fact' is its authoritative tone which is sadly a common occurrence in Pilates teaching...