Consider this session as a chance for us to get to know each other. We'll have a friendly chat about your health background, fitness journey, and your individual aspirations. Following that, I'll assess your body's movements to understand how you're currently moving. Together, we'll engage in a session using the equipment, allowing you to experience my teaching approach first hand. Should you decide to move forward, you're welcome to schedule your subsequent sessions. With insights gathered from our initial meeting, I'll craft a tailored program designed just for you. Remember, if you choose not to continue after the first session, there's absolutely no obligation. Your comfort and choice are paramount.

Wear clothing that will allow you to move comfortably. The only important thing is to have non-slip socks. Or if you don’t want non-slip socks, you can be bare foot.

One-to-one and duet sessions are 50 mins long and focused Reformer session is 30 mins long.

You can book and pay online. Or you can contact me and I can book for your first session, and you can pay for it via credit/debit card when you come for that session.

I have a 24 hours cancellation policy. You can make changes or cancel your session 24 hours before your session. Otherwise, you will be charged for the session.

Pilates is strength-based training. It is made up of exercises that makes you work on the full body, and it helps you increase your muscle mass. When you increase your muscle mass, you start burning more calories. So yes, weight loss is a positive by-product of doing Pilates. There are many other health benefits of doing Pilates, like increasing flexibility, balance and coordination, improving posture and your mood. A well-rounded exercise program should include both cardio and strength-based training.

It depends on your history with exercise, and this is something I assess with every new client.

If you’ve been active in the past — through regular sport, gym, or movement of any kind — your body tends to remember. Muscle memory is real, and progress can be surprisingly fast. In that case, once a week is often enough to see meaningful results.

If you’re coming to Pilates in your 40s or 50s without much of an exercise background, or after a long period of inactivity, building that foundation takes a little longer. In that case, I’d typically recommend twice a week, or even three times in the early stages, to build momentum. Once we see clear progress, we can then reduce to once a week.

Life gets in the way too — I know my clients are busy. If you can only commit to one hour a week, I’ll support that with tailored home exercises so you’re still progressing between sessions. The goal is always to find a rhythm that’s realistic for your life, not one that looks good on paper but doesn’t last.

In general: twice a week for the first couple of months, then once a week once the foundation is there. But we’ll work it out together from day one.

Absolutely — and it’s worth remembering that Joseph Pilates, who created this method in the early 20th century, was himself a man. He developed it originally as a conditioning and rehabilitation system, not a women’s wellness class. Somewhere along the way, that got lost.

I do have male clients, though I’ll be honest — most of them arrive having been referred or quietly convinced by their wives or partners. They often come in with a degree of scepticism. But with an open mind, a couple of sessions is usually all it takes.

Men tend to underestimate how much tightness they’re carrying, particularly in the hips. That restriction affects everything — range of motion in sport, posture at a desk, and lower back health. Pilates addresses all of it directly.

As for the idea that Pilates isn’t challenging enough for men — I’d invite anyone who thinks that to try a session on the Reformer. I’ve had strong, fit men shaking on exercises that look deceptively simple. Challenge in Pilates is personal: you can be challenged by load, balance, strength, or control — depending on exactly where your body is right now. I’m confident I can work any client as hard as their body needs, regardless of gender.

The ones who come in sceptical and stay open-minded are often my most enthusiastic converts.

Yes — and it’s one of the most common reasons people come to me.

Many cases of back pain are linked to weakness or imbalance in the deep muscles that support the spine. Pilates is particularly effective because it targets these muscles with precision, improving alignment, control and overall strength in a way that many general gym exercises don’t.

In private 1-to-1 sessions at my Clapham studio, I assess how you move, identify any restrictions or areas for improvement and build a programme around your specific needs — rather than asking you to follow a generic class. Many of my clients come to me after physiotherapy, looking for the next step to build lasting strength and avoid the problem coming back.

Particularly suitable, I’d say. The majority of my clients are over 40, and many come to me precisely because other forms of exercise have started to feel harder on their body.

Pilates builds strength without strain, improves posture, and addresses the kind of muscular imbalances that tend to develop over decades of sitting at a desk or favouring one side of the body.

It also becomes more interesting as you progress — the work becomes more nuanced, not just harder.

It’s a form of exercise that meets you where you are — and evolves with you over time.

They share some overlap — both involve controlled movement, breathing, and body awareness — but they are different disciplines with different goals.

Yoga is rooted in a spiritual tradition and typically emphasises flexibility, balance, and mindfulness. Pilates, on the other hand, was developed as a rehabilitation and conditioning system, with a strong focus on core strength, spinal alignment, and precise muscle activation.

In practice, Pilates tends to be more structured and more targeted — particularly useful if you have a specific physical issue you’re trying to address, rather than following a more general wellbeing practice.

Both have their place — it simply depends on what your body needs at this stage.

None at all. Most of my clients have never done Pilates before — some haven’t exercised in years. Because I only offer private 1-to-1 sessions, there’s no class to keep up with and no risk of doing something incorrectly without anyone noticing. Your first session is essentially a conversation in movement: I find out about your body, your history and your goals, and we start from exactly where you are.

Completely different, in my experience. In a group class, the instructor is managing a room — they can cue generally but can’t watch you specifically. In a private session, every exercise is chosen for your body on that day. I can see when something isn’t working, adjust it immediately, and progress you at exactly the right pace. For people with injuries, post-operative recovery or specific physical goals, private sessions aren’t just preferable — they’re often the only format that’s actually safe and effective.

It can be one of the best things you do post-surgery, at the right stage of recovery. Once your consultant or physio has cleared you for exercise, Pilates is ideal for rebuilding the stability, range of motion and muscle strength around the joint — gently and progressively, without the impact of other forms of exercise. I work regularly with clients recovering from hip replacements and knee operations in Clapham, and always work alongside any medical guidance you’ve been given. If you’re unsure whether you’re ready, a short conversation is all it takes — I’m happy to advise.