Studio News | Pilates with Priya

Southampton’s Newest Pilates and Wellness Studio is LAUNCHED.

30 March, 2015 Priya Tew

It’s been a flipping exciting week. Opening our new BARN studio has been so much fun. Now the studio is actually our garage but for a few hours a week we have now tranformed it into a tranquil space that is already being loved by many. It was a fantastic excuse to have a party and throughout this week we will be having a giveaway each day!

It may surprise you to know that we didn’t actually set out to have a Pilates business. This business came and snuck up on us and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Priya started doing her Pilates training in 2009 and began 2 community classes. After having her daughter, James came up with the brilliant idea of using a room in the house for classes to help with looking after the baby. Word of mouth led to there soon being a waiting list and more and more classes were added to the timetable. So it came to the point where there are 2 children and an awful lot of classes. We knew we had outgrown the room in our house!

THANKYOU to everyone who has given us encouragement with this project, those who have given us feedback and all who came to the party. We feel truly blessed to have such wonderful clients, may of whom are friends too.

This studio will be used for many things including Pilates, ballet, step aerobics, pregnancy classes, nutrition and dietetics, massage therapy and possible counselling. But most of all it is a space for you all to enjoy.

New Pilates in Southampton! The BARN studio is OPEN.

24 March, 2015 Priya Tew

The studio is OPEN! WHOOOOOOOP!

Oh my goodness it’s been an exciting week – and it’s only Tuesday! Yesterday we opened the studio doors for the first time. Cue squeals, jumping for joy and a victory dance from Priya. James was a little more reserved, thank goodness as that evens us out 😉

The feedback so far has been excellent. Comments include finding the new studio very peaceful, relaxing, how nice the floor feels, liking the beams and loving the fairy lights! The new mirrors may seem a little daunting at first but you really will get used to them and they will help you. Already in one class Lucy commented on how she could whether she was sitting up straight enough or not.

Pilates with Priya: first class in the new studio — The first class in full swing.

Personally I felt that I was teaching in someone else’s studio, it is all so amazing that I can’t believe this space is ours.

Pilates with Priya: the BARN studio — Love, love, love the fairy lights.

We will now be holding the majority of classes in the Barn Studio. A few will continue to be in the home studio – these include Post-natal and the Wed 6.15pm. All classes in the Barn Studio will accommodate 8 people and we are putting on new classes:

Thurs 11am Pilates

Sun 9.15am Pilates

Wed 10am Toddler ballet (from 18 months to preschool)

Wed 3.45pm Pre- Primary Ballet (reception and year 1)

Please bear with us as we put on the finishing touches and do give us your feedback. This space is for YOU. So WELCOME!

Pilates with Priya - 1/2 roll back with rotation — WELCOME TO THE BARN STUDIO

MASSIVE THANKS to ANDY who did all the hard work on this project and was amazing throughout.

Turning those January blues to purples.

18 January, 2015 Priya Tew

Anyone else got that January feeling? The kind of post-Christmas hangover, feeling slightly jaded, cold, fed up and a bit blue? I certainly do. Probably not helped by my delightful children not letting me have much sleep since Christmas Day – seriously just 4 hours sleep in a row would be amazing right now.

I thought I would share my secret tips on how to get through these blue weeks and change them to a more positive purple as people often ask me how I manage all I do. Purple is apparently all about creativity, seeing things in a positive manner, slighly unconventional and inspiring. Sounds good to me!

1. Top of my list. Aim to see the positive in all that happens. Even when it’s a bit rubbish: your child poos in the bath (as happened tonight) there is a positive – it made me clean the bath toys thoroughly!

2. Eat well. I know, everyone says it is important. Have you tested it out? Eating fresh food, plenty of fruit and veg, wholegrains and cutting down the sugar and processed rubbish really does make you feel so much better.

3. Get outside. Even though it is cold. I work from home and I really suffer with the cold. My fingers and toes go white. However getting fresh air and exercise outside boost my mood, my brain power and my energy levels.

4. Be more active. Activity release endorphins that make you feel good. So come to an extra drop in Pilates class, get our DVD or just run around the house!

5. Write a list of the things that make you feel happy and are relaxing Simple things that you can build into your life. Like having a bath, singing to music, laughing on the phone with friends. Then do them. For me, dancing in the kitchen with the kids, doing my own Pilates class and being creative in my kitchen helps keep me sane. Well as sane as I can be!

What are your top tips for surviving those blue months?

My back hurts…. what shall I do?

16 November, 2014 Priya Tew

Many people come to us for help with their back pains and find that Pilates really helps. The act of strengthening their core, working on their posture, learning about neutral pelvis and stretching does wonders.

So here is the question. “My back hurts should I come to class this week?”

It’s a tough one. Sometimes the answer will be to rest it, sometime you will be better mobilising it in a safe environment. Here are my thoughts:

Why does it hurt? What led to it hurting in the first place? Knowing that can be very helpful to firstly preventing it happening again, helping us work out how to help you strengthen it and it will give us an idea what has happened. If you were bending down to pick up something and it twinged, then we need to work on your technique of picking things up, include some squats and core work in your repertoire.

Is this a new issue or a recurrent one. Your previous history is a great indicator of whether you should rest or keep mobile. For example if you have had disc issues in the past and the pain feels similar then you don’t want to be coming to class.

How much does it hurt? If it is a more of a dull back ache then you should probably come and let the teacher know so they can give you exercises to help. If it is a throbbing pain that you are needing painkillers for then you should be going to the GP and resting.

When you are in a class our advice is always – If it hurts then tell the teacher and stop. Pilates should not cause proper, full on pain. Yes your core will ache, your back may feel stretched, your shoulder blades may pinch…. but it is not a “No pain, no gain” type of exercise.

We are always here to give extra tips or to chat through things. For more specific exercises you can use at home remember you can always use our DVD or book a one to one.

My Pilates admission… springs, furry handles, straps and beds.

8 November, 2014 Priya Tew

Here comes a bit of an admission…. until recently I had never been on any type of Pilates equipment. Those scary looking frames, beds and chairs with straps, furry handles and springs looked rather intimidating to me… but also intriguing and I had been dying to give them a go. I completed my level 3 training when heavily pregnant and since then have been in a cycle of being pregnant, breastfeeding, pregnant again and breastfeeding again. So it has taken me some time to feel strong enough and ready enough to attempt a new challenge.

I am currently having some one to one sessions on the Pilates equipment with Marie-Claire Prettyman, who took me through my training and has taught me regularly since. Having someone who knows my body and capabilities well is helpful and reassuring.

So after my first session – I was already in love. Working on the equipment adds another dimension to Pilates. The added resistance makes you think harder and work harder. For me it has been good to have an extra challenge, a fresh approach and another pair of eyes correcting my technique. With a slightly wonky body from carrying and chasing small children we’ve been focusing on my shoulders and upper back. The most frequently uttered words being “right shoulder down”. I always leave feeling alot better than when I started.

I will be completing my reformer training in April, so if you fancy giving it a go let me know!

Pre/Posnatal Chat on Abdominal Separation: #PPNChat

1 September, 2014 Priya Tew

If you work with pre/postnatal women then this is for you…. come network, learn and hangout with us. The second Pre/Postnatal Twitter chat hosting by myself and @ClaireMockridge

Tuesday 9 September 2014
2:30pm GMT (click here to calculate your timezone if you’re not in the UK/Europe)

Our topic this time will be ABDOMINAL SEPARATION.

An important topic to be up to date on and a key issue for our pre/postnatal population.

Come along to share your expertise, learn from others and ask questions. It’s a great way to get some top tips, update your knowledge and meet other likeminded people.

This Twitter chat is for ANYONE who works with pregnant or postnatal women, eg Reflexologists, Fertility Experts, Massage Therapists, Baby Yoga Teachers, Physios, Chiropractors, Osteopaths – you name it! So please spread the word and invite people you know who may be interested.

We will be encouraging people to introduce themselves, answer a few community-themed questions to get the conversation flowing and hopefully enable you to connect with others around you in similar fields of study or locality.

If you have never taken part in a twitter chat before DO NOT PANIC. Make sure you are following us and search for the has tag #ppnchat. Signing into tweet chat or using a separation column in Hootsuite or Tweetdeck can make it easier to read all the tweets.

A FEW GUIDELINES…

Every tweet you send must contain the hashtag #ppnchat (otherwise you’ll be just talking to yourself)
There will be 5 questions on the #ppnchat which will be numbered Q1, Q2, Q3 and so on, as follows:
- Q1 – Do you test for abdominal separation and if so how often do you test?
- Q2 – What are your top tips for women suffering from this condition?
- Q3 – How long do you find it takes for the abdominals to come back together again?
- Q4 – When would you say a woman is recovered?
- Q5 – Do you have any good resources/websites you can recommend?
When answering a question, please include ‘A1′ at the beginning, followed by your answer eg A1 Yes, I test all of my postnatal clients for abdominal separation when they come along to my fitness and Pilates classes#ppnchat
Tweets must be fewer than 140 characters.
Twitter’s tagline is ‘Join the Conversation’, so please don’t be shy!

If you can’t make the #ppnchat on Tuesday 9 September 2014, don’t worry – just search the hashtag when you’re next online and connect with those who took part afterwards. I will also upload a blog with a link to the archived chat afterwards.

Please help spread the word about #ppnchat on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or via your mailing list.

Regards

Claire Mockridge and Priya Tew

The FIRST Pre/Postnatal Twitter Chat – Tues 12 Aug 2014 #ppnchat

8 August, 2014 Priya Tew

How exciting is this? I’m working with Claire Mockridge (another fab pre/postnatal instructor) to bring you the first pre/postnatal twitter chat. A great chance for instructors to network, information share and learn from each other.

Twitter is a great place to meet others and pick up top tips. I’m regularly found taking part in twitter chats.

So… if, like me, you work with pregnant or postnatal women, pop this date/time in your diary: Beautiful pregnant woman.

Tuesday 12 August 2014
2:30pm GMT (click here to calculate your timezone if you’re not in the UK/Europe)

Make sure you’re following me on Twitter here:

@pilateswpriya

Save this hashtag now: #ppnchat

The will be centred around the word ‘community’.

It can be pretty lonely out there if you’re one of the only Pre/Postnatal Experts in your area. This is where social media can be a Godsend. I often ask advice and seek out others who I can learn from in this way. Community is important so come and build it with us.

Don’t worry if you’re a complete novice when it comes to Twitter.

A FEW GUIDELINES…

Every tweet you send must contain the hashtag #ppnchat (otherwise you’ll be just talking to yourself)
There will be 5 questions on the #ppnchat which will be numbered Q1, Q2, Q3 and so on, as follows:
- Q1 – What products/services do you provide for pre/postnatal women and which city/area are you based? #ppnchat
- Q2 – How important is it for pre/postnatal women to be introduced to other mums-to-be and new mums nowadays? #ppnchat
- Q3 – How do you help your pre/postnatal clients find other women just like them? #ppnchat
- Q4 – Do you find it lonely sometimes working in this specialist field? How do you combat that? #ppnchat
- Q5 – What local businesses do you network with to help promote your products/services? #ppnchat
When answering a question, please include ‘Q1′ at the beginning, followed by your answer eg Q1 I’m Claire, an Ante/Postnatal Fitness Expert running fitness and Pilates classes for pre/postnatal women in Nottingham#ppnchat
Tweets must be fewer than 140 characters, so keep things short where
Twitter’s tagline is ‘Join the Conversation’, so please don’t be shy!

And, there you have it!

If you can’t make the FIRST #ppnchat on Tuesday 12 August 2014, don’t worry – just search the hashtag when you’re next online and connect with those who took part afterwards. It won’t be a waste, I’m sure.

Please help spread the word about #ppnchat on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or via your mailing list.

See you ‘virtually’ on Tuesday at 2:30pm!

Regards

Claire Mockridge and Priya Tew

How to deal with cramps

2 August, 2014 Priya Tew

Quite often in class people tell me that they have got cramp, usually in their feet or legs. It’s a common Pilates issue but one that can be avoided or worked on.

Cramps in your feet can be due to:

1. Dehydration. I find myself that if I have not drunk enough water before class I can get cramp. Make sure you stay well dehydrated and see if it makes a difference.

2. Your foot muscles are out of shape and are fatiguing. If you are not used to Pilates style exercises they can be hard work for your legs and feet. These exercises often work eccentrically, they focus on lengthening the muscles which cna lead to more cramping than concentric exercises that focus on shortening muscles.

3. Overly pointing and flexing the feet or pointing too much through your toes. When you point try not to fous on the toes but move through the ankle instead. Sound odd? Give it a go. Practise pointing and flexing in this way when sat at home.

4. Weak arches or fallen arches. Wearing high heels and standing for long periods of time can exacerbate this issue. Walking barefoot is great for strengthening your feet. Also you can do some simple foot strengthening exercises, these are described below.

Foot Strengthening Exercises:

Tennis Ball exercise: Stand with your foot over a tennis ball or spikey ball. Drape your toes over towards the floor and push your weight down through your foot. Repeat with the ball further back towards your heel.

Cherry Picking: Lie on your back in neutral with one leg up in the air, foot flexed towards the ceiling. Point the foot, now scrunch up the toes as if picking up a pen with them. Keep them scrunched for as long as possible whilst you draw the foot back to flexed. If you are pregnant try this one seated on the floor or on a chair/ball.

Fit Pro Awards 2014: A night of glamour.

20 July, 2014 Priya Tew

Excitingly I was recently named as a finalist for the National Fitness Professionals Awards. What a complete shock and honour to be recognised in this way by the fitness industry! So on 18th July I went up to London for Fit Pro Live 2014. This was my first time at Fit Pro Live and it was buzzing! Loads of great seminars to attend and masterclasses to watch. I enjoyed watching the Tabata team work themselves extremely hard as well as seeing the latest Insanity class being done by a lot of crazy Fit Pro’s 😉

Unfortunately there wasn’t a lot of Pilates related content but I did get to meet with Claire Mockridge another pre/postnatal Pilates instructor and we had a good catch up. Networking and meeting others in the same field is so important for me.

I had a 10 minute interview in front of a panel of 5 judges, rather nerve-wracking and I certainly didn’t say quite what I probably should have said, but they were lovely and I survived!

The evening event itself was full of glamour. The initial challenge for me was to get both children settled and the baby to sleep. Once that mountain was crossed it was time for dressing up and some Prosecco. I didn’t win the award but another pre/postnatal instructor won an award on the night so that was fabulous!

A great night of networking, top music and food. It’s inspired me to keep going and keep doing what I’m doing but also opened my mind to think about the next stages for Pilates with Priya. Watch out…

Fit Pro Award of Excellence

21 March, 2014 Priya Tew

Somehow, and I really am not sure how, but Somehow I’ve made it through to the semi-finals of the Fit Pro Awards. Now I’m just little me, running my little Pilates business around my family. We have over 100 people through our door every week and now have 3 other instructors teaching for us, taking us up to 19 classes, 3 antenatal, 2 postnatal, 1 step, 1 ballet and 12 normal Pilates classes with 1-2-1 session too. Life is busy!

I love my job, in fact I love it so much I taught throughout my pregnancy, literally up to the end and then was back teaching my postnatal class 3 weeks after having baby. Pilates helps my body and I love imparting the knowledge and showing others how it can help them. We have a lot of laughter in our studio and a lot of hard work too. Behind the scenes there are many late nights, a lot of admin, reading and practice!

I’m delighted to have made it through to the semi-finals, PLEASE help me get to the finals by voting for me and writing a review about us.

VOTE HERE

Category: Studio News