Mark Thistlewood Pilates

(Established 2006)

Intelligent Exercise for All-Round Health and Fitness

Offering matwork Pilates in North Dorset

• Group matwork classes
• One-to-one tuition (home visits)

Current matwork class venues

• Durweston (Blandford)
• Holtwood (Wimborne)
• Okeford Fitzpaine (Child Okeford, Shillingstone, Sturminster Newton)
• Tarrant Valley

I am excited to announce my re-commencement of hall classes from June 7. Quite a lot has changed during the pandemic period so please read the schedule carefully as there are changes from what you may be used to.

The venues I use are clean and warm with easy parking. Both Holtwood and Tarrant Hinton have under floor heating while Durweston and Okeford Fitzpaine have radiators. I have a long-established good working relationship with all my hall administrators so any issues are easily rectified.

As our life-expectancy increases, we need to look after our bodies and remain as mobile and capable of going about our day-to-day lives as possible: Pilates is the perfect exercise regime for this!

I offer Pilates Matwork exercise either in classes of 12 maximum, smaller private groups or individual attention.

Rather than 'gentle' as Pilates is often described, I prefer to say it offers a vast repertoire of controlled movements, some of which are very subtle – all of which challenge mind and body either in terms of physical demand or movement skill. Pilates is a movement exercise method that is learnt rather than 'done'. It is low-impact (kinder to our joints) and non-aerobic. Movements are performed slowly so that we can improve accuracy and control, leading to a 'quiet strength' rather than muscle-bound, and to great improvements in flexibility and spinal comfort. In a typical group class I aim to take the body's joints through a myriad of movement planes.

I pay particular attention to:

• helping the spine move better, helping reduce lower back pain;
• to regaining full mobility of the shoulder girdle (very relevant to 'frozen shoulder' clients) through an exercise repertoire and self-help techniques
• relaxation skills and self-help through breathing techniques and body awareness.
• Helping the body become more robust and less prone to injury (Core and upper body strength).
• Improving balance – not just when standing, but in many of the matwork exercise positions.
• Ensuring the class is fun, demanding and flies by!