southampton | Pilates with Priya

Pilates on Holidays

27 September, 2012 Priya Tew

We’ve just been on holidays – 2 weeks in sunnier climates, time to eat well, relax well and almost sleep (I have a toddler – enough said). For some people holidays are all about switching off and lazing around. My body can only take so much of that so I travelled half way round the world with: my trainers, running kit, some Pilates DVD’s and a resistance band. My husband rolled his eyes. I ignored him.

I spent a lovely afternoon playing around in a gym, with my laptop and reistance band. Watching other instructors teach always gives me fresh ideas and makes me question why I teach things in certain ways. I love to learn, develop and keep things alive. Not only did I get more inspiration but I got a workout and relaxed all at the same time. WIN WIN.

Now I’ll admit I didn’t go for a run – I usually do on holidays, but I don’t usually have a toddler with me. This particular toddler gave me workout enough, my arms should be super strong from much carrying, dancing and rocking. We also had an active holiday with crazy train journeys, much, much swimming, jumping, chasing and playing.

What I did enjoy was a few snatched moments of making up new Step Aerobics routines in the bar, trying out Pilates exercises with variations on very hard floors and using my core whilst stood rocking a small, yet heavy one to sleep.

Do you exercise whilst on holiday? Or am I just mad?

Pilates Classes Over Holidays

23 August, 2012 Priya Tew

Most of you who attend classes should be aware that I’m off on holidays very soon (4th Sept). I can’t wait!!!

There will be classes continuing to run on a Monday, Wednesday and Sunday whilst I am away. Also don’t forget our DVD which can be used if your usual class is not running or for some extra practice between sessions.

September 4th-22nd Classes:

Monday Post Natal Classes will be cancelled

Monday 5.30 Beginners, 6.30 Intermediates and 7.45 Ante-Natal will be
running, covered by Maxine

Wednesday 6pm and 7pm Beginners will run, covered by Faye

Thursday 10am and 8pm Mixed Ability Classes will be cancelled (please
book onto Wed 8pm or another class)

Friday 8.15pm Mixed Ability class will be cancelled (please book onto
Wed 8pm or another class)

Saturday 9.15 Mixed Ability class will be moved to Sunday 9.15, covered
by Faye

Sunday 9.30 Ante-Natal will move to a 10.15 start, covered by Faye.

Any questions please contact us and we’d be happy to help!

Priya

Toddler Ballerina’s

20 July, 2012 Priya Tew

I can’t quite believe it but I now have a toddler girl and when I say girl I mean one who likes pretty things, jewellery, calls things Preeeeety and has the most adorable smile in the world – she likes to think she is in charge too…..she’s not but I let her think so some of the time. Here she is:

So when Chrissy, our resident ballet teacher suggested we ran a toddler ballet class I scratched my head, slept on it, then thought, what the heck, it could work. We’ve been running classes for a few weeks and it’s been a whole heap of toddler tantrums, cuddles, smiles, loud music and cups of tea! I’ll be honest my small one often does her own thing, she appears to have my independant streak 😉 but you know what, thats all allowed in my studio. What I find is that small girl may not participate in 100% of the class but she certainly takes it in and practises later on. Suddenly she’ll start doing her plies and stretching up to the sky and before I know it she has done half her ballet class whilst I’m cooking dinner.

During classes we point our toes, practise plies, go to the jungle, pretend to be starfish on the floor, act like puppets, use hoops, wands and musical instruments, march like soldiers and my toddlers favourite: gallop like horses. It’s a mix of ballet exercises, animal noises, musical fun and a lot of chatter. At present it’s all girls in the class but we’d love some boys!

This class is not just for the toddlers, parental involvement is needed, so yes you get a bit of a workout yourself. Chrissy is great at encouraging us all to move and feel the ballet love.

Afterwards we all migrate to the lounge for a cuppa, some chat and let the toddlers loose on the toys. This is often the best bit, a chance to unwind, chat about how awful or wonderful your week has been and get some support, that’s what we are all about.

New Ante-Natal Class Starts

8 June, 2012 Priya Tew

May saw the launch of a New Ante-Natal Pilates class for our little studio. Taught by Priya this is now our second Ante-Natal Class and is already full of lovelies mums to be. It’s lovely to be getting such an influx of pregnant ladies that a second class has had been put on to cater for demand. We only take a maximum of 7 people so there is plenty of time for individual help. In fact that’s one thing Priya loves to do, go round the class and advise.

All the ladies tonight turned up with their own birthing balls, ready for action. These classes are designed to help strengthen your core, stretch out your upper back, correct postural imbalances and prepare you for not only labour but life afterwards too.

So now we have 2 Ante-Natal classes plus we have a fabulous Post Natal Class for after baby comes so you can come along with baby, do some Pilates and have a cuppa and chat afterwards 😉

Pilates DVD will be ready next week!

17 May, 2012 Priya Tew

DRUMROLL please………

Our first EVER Pilates with Priya DVD master has just been driven off to the man who will make it into many DVD’s and add all the artwork. It’s all quite exciting, in fact I’m having to make myself breathe and sit down with a cup of tea whilst I write this.

We’ve kept the DVD quite simple, like my classes, easy to follow, easy to listen to and perhaps even easy on the eye (that may be taking it a bit too far – it’s me on the DVD).

The DVD is designed for use at home in between Pilates classes, suitable for those with a little Pilates experience at a beginner or intermediate level.

It will retail at £12.50 for current studio clients (BARGAIN) or £17.50 for everyone else plus £2.50 P&P if you aren’t local.

I shall be adding a way to pay through the website and am taking pre-orders now.

Whoop Whoop!

Priya

Toddler Ballet to start Wed mornings

16 November, 2014 Priya Tew

I’m excited to announce that after the success of our Adult Ballet classes we’ve asked the lovely Chrissy to extend the ballet love to the little ones. So we shall be offering a Toddler Ballet class on Wednesdays at 9.30am. Cost £4 per class.

These will be small classes, a maximum of 5 per class and spaces need to be booked.

Come and laugh lots and we’ll help wear your toddler out!

Here’s mine practicing 😉

Pilates DVD is almost complete.

28 April, 2012 Priya Tew

Some of you know that I’ve been working on my first Pilates DVD, pretty exciting. It’s all come about because some of YOU asked for it, I love that, so you asked for it….and now I’ve done it!

I’ve so far only got the pre-approval version in my happy hands and now I have to work out how to duplicate and make DVD sleeves etc… however I’m hoping that we shall be offering a weblink to those of you who are 1) Eager Beavers and want it NOW or 2) techno savvy and want to watch it on your tablet/phone rather than use a DVD player.

So here’s a sneak preview of the menu (excuse the bad photo, taking a photo of your computer screen leads to this):

The video was shot in my studio, see some photos here. Then we did a voice-over afterwards so you get a cool, calm, collected version of Priya with no muddled lefts/rights/arms/legs and other words that my regulars will know all about….I’m far from perfect, yet I know it.

Here’s a pic of us doing the voice-over:

So copies will be on sale soon…. get ready people.

Pilates to RELAX.

23 April, 2012 Priya Tew

One of the reasons I love Pilates (and there are so many reasons I love it) is that it CAN be relaxing. Note the CAN. Generally my classes include a lot of hard work, concentration and often a bit of laughter thrown in as well. Or today’s classes….oven cleaning tips! Most random but actually I learnt quite a lot 😉

Evening classes in particular can be well loved for the ability Pilates has to destress, relax, work the body and sort out those aches and pains as well. I must admit tonight I did almost sink into a little nap during our relaxation and stretch section.

So if you need help relaxing, but still want to work out….please come along. However be warned, if I catch you dozing there may be a penalty of press ups 😉

Enter the New Website of Glory!

12 April, 2012 Priya Tew

I’ve been a little quiet for a few weeks, a few of you have probably been relished the peace and quiet! I thought I’d just let you know what I’ve been up to….

First exciting project has been THIS WEBSITE, you’re on it now, take a look round and see what you think. It’s been given a make over by Michael of Rocket Man Media. I’d love your feedback, there’s now a class timetable, an instructors page and some lovely photos!

Secondly again with the help of Michael I’ve been working on the first Pilates with Priya DVD. Some of you have been waiting a long time for this (sorry!) and I appreciate your patience. It should be ready very soon and I’ll let you know when the official DVD signing is (joke!).

Thirdly some of you know I’m not just a Pilates instructor but I’m also a dietitian and run DietitianUK, a nutrition business. I recently won an award from Theo Paphitis (from Dragons Den) and it’s certainly been keeping me busy. If you want any nutrition tips, recipes and advice you know where to come! There are often ideas on my blog 🙂

So hopefully now it’s time to get into the swing of classes, relax, put my feet up afterwards and have a cuppa (whilst chasing a one year around of course!). See you at class soon!

Happy Birthday Post Natal Pilates!

31 March, 2012 Priya TewLeave a Comment

I’ve just realised that February saw the Birthday of my post-natal Pilates class. I know it’s now March but it felt like this needed marking.

This class came about because I had a baby…. which highlighted to me how difficult (but not impossible) it can be to exercise with your little one in tow. I knew I needed to get back into Pilates for my health, fitness and peace of mind, so why not do it with other mummies. Also having received an extremely poor information sheet in hospital about how to do pelvic floor exercises, I felt I could do better myself!

Our first few classes were held in a community centre with the babies at one end of the room with Daddy day-care rocking them in their car seats. All except my little one who tended to fall asleep in the sling before class started and I taught with her attached. (Health and Safety Note – do not do this yourself unless you know what you are doing, it’s a lot harder!!). I’ll admit it, these first few classes were hard, I was tired, my baby was 3 months old and a breast feeding milk monster so sleep was not forthcoming, but I was also determined and teaching classes kinda keeps me going 😉

Moving venue in April to our new home based studio was such a relief. Even though my studio is tiny, we suddenly we had more space as the babies hang out in the lounge with Daddy day-care. We have access to lots of toys, all manner of baby bits so if anyone forgets anything we can help out and there’s no pressure to rush away so the kettle goes on at the end of class. This has led to lovely moments of mummies supporting each other, sharing tips, books, sling demonstrations, many baby cuddles and even weaning talks from the dietitian who happens to be there every week (thats me – Dietitian UK). It literally becomes a community of it’s own and many mummies transition into evening classes when they go back to work.

I have absolutely LOVED this class over the past year and look forward to many more classes, baby cuddles and cups of tea.

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