Me, Sophie! Owner of Pilatestar Whenever I end up talking to business people, the first thing they'll ask of me is 'so what's your unique selling point?'; 'why should people come to you for pilates?'; 'what's your 2 minute elevator pitch?' (I really dislike that last question!) The problem with these questions is that I didn't get into the pilates business to create a big business, or to make lots of money doing pilates, or to get loads of followers! I got into pilates for m

Me (on the left) teaching by the pool I get it. Booking four days away with someone you've only seen in blog posts and a few Google reviews is a genuine leap. You don't know how I teach, whether my style suits you, whether we'll get on for a whole weekend. That's a lot to commit to on trust alone. So here's a much smaller way to find out: book a single 1:1 session with me online. It's an hour. You'll get a proper sense of how I cue movement, how closely I actually watch what

Planks in group class can feel intimidating A good chunk of the beginners I've taught over the years started exactly the same way: nervous about moving in front of other people, worried about getting it wrong, not sure their body does what a "Pilates body" is supposed to do. Online 1:1 sessions solve a specific version of that problem. There's no one else in the room. No comparing yourself to the person on the next mat who clearly knows what they're doing. No worrying that ev

I'm just watching you on a pilates mat! One of my regular 1:1 clients says this to me most weeks, usually with a slightly exasperated laugh. He's on a screen, in his own living room, several hundred miles away from me and he still can't rotate his feet out of parallel, or let his hip rock back in side lying, or drift out of alignment in four point kneeling, without me catching it. He he! I think a lot of people assume online Pilates is the watered-down version. Fair assumptio

Simple, healthy food - what's not to like?! A client said this to me a few weeks ago, and I've been thinking about that comment. I think a lot of people who'd love this retreat are talking themselves out of it for exactly the same reason! Here's what I said back to her: the retreat is not four days of solid Pilates. It's a morning session and an early evening session, with the rest of the day being entirely yours i.e. the pool, the market, a walk, a book on the terrace, good

Me doing some lesson planning I’ve been teaching Pilates full time since October 2021. Dulwich Golf Club, Camber Lawn Tennis Club, St Stephen’s Church - the same church I was christened in, over fifty years ago, which still makes me laugh.....talk about the circle of life!! Then Spain, running the whole thing remotely with five brilliant teachers covering the pilates community that I'd built up. Despite getting into Pilates due to my own hip / back issue. I had started to fo

People ask what the days actually look like, so here’s a fairly honest version of one (it's going to be weather permitting, and each time I do this retreat I want to improve on what I delivered last time, so at the moment, I'm basing it on what we did in April) You’ll wake up earlyish, not because anyone’s making you, but because the light through the shutters in La Pedrera does something that makes lying in feel like a waste. Down before breakfast for a short, quiet Pilates

Gentle Shoulder Rehab movements A few of you have asked what I actually did about my shoulder, beyond “went to lots of appointments and complained.” Fair question. Here’s the honest version. Didn’t help much: complete rest. I tried the classic thing of just not using it. Wearing it in a sling around the house for a bit, avoiding anything that aggravated it. It felt like the sensible, cautious thing to do. It also made it worse by the time I went back to any kind of movement,

Impossible Pilates! (photo - not surprisingly - generated by AI!!) I’ll be honest about something, because I think it’s more useful than pretending everything about the first retreat was flawless. The April group were lovely....genuinely, I still hear from a couple of them. But between the five, there was a real spread of ability and a fair few old surgeries,injuries and restrictions in the mix, which meant a lot of my planning time went into finding the lowest common denomi

After a bit of 'cupping' Of course it has. Just as the left one was starting to behave - enough mobility back to get dressed without wincing, enough strength to hold a plank without shaking - the right shoulder has started doing exactly the same thing. Same 'pang' when reaching for something. Same impossibility to get my hand behind my back. Same numb feeling when I need the strength to do something as simple as pull my top over my head. I won’t lie, my first reaction wasn’

Hopefully Pilates by the Pool! Back in May I mentioned I’d had a few lovely messages asking if I’d run another retreat after April’s. At the time I’d only just rebooked the villa and didn’t want to say too much before it was properly locked in. It’s locked in now! Friday 2 - Monday 5 October, same villa up in the hill of La Pedrera, same views over Dénia towards the sea, same idea: proper Pilates, good food, a small group, and enough space to actually switch off for a few d

Sophie demonstrating a 'half arm' circle This article is written with Pilates instructors in mind, but if you have shoulder issues, see if you can make adjustments to the movements that you're repeatedly making, whether they're in your hobby, or a job. One of the most difficult challenges for Pilates instructors is managing shoulder discomfort while continuing to teach. The instinct is often to either push through or stop completely. But there is usually a third option: adapt

Gentle Side Reach If your work involves teaching movement, demonstrating exercises, or repetitive arm use, shoulder strength alone is not enough You also need control, endurance, and recovery capacity. This is particularly important for Pilates professionals, who often rely heavily on their upper body throughout the day. Early Stage: Reconnection In the early stages of shoulder irritation, the focus is not on heavy strengthening. Instead, the aim is to: gently activate the ro

Sophie doing an isometric resistance exercise When shoulder pain develops, the natural reaction is often to rest it completely. While short-term rest can reduce irritation, it does not usually resolve the underlying issue. That’s because rotator cuff-related discomfort is often linked to load tolerance, not damage alone. The Problem with Full Rest The shoulder is designed for movement. When it is underloaded for too long: strength decreases coordination reduces tolerance to d

Shoulder pain, especially around the rotator cuff, is often not caused by a single moment of injury. More commonly, it develops gradually when the load placed on the shoulder exceeds its current capacity. This is particularly relevant for people who use their arms frequently during work or teaching, including Pilates instructors, therapists, and anyone demonstrating repetitive movement patterns. The shoulder is highly mobile, but that mobility relies on a delicate balance of

After the success of my recent Pilates retreat in Dénia this April, I’ve had several lovely messages asking whether I’ll be running another one. So, whilst plans are not completely finalised yet, I have provisionally pencilled in: Friday 2 October – Monday 5 October 2026 I’ve already re-booked the villa for those dates whilst availability is still good, and I’ll confirm full details properly by August. The intention will remain very much the same: relaxed, thoughtful Pilates

Dead bugs by the pool! One of the most noticeable things about hosting my Pilates retreat in Spain wasn’t how people moved by the end of the weekend. It was how different they felt. Calmer and more present. And I don’t think that came from Pilates alone. Most People Rarely Fully Switch Off For many adults, especially those balancing demanding jobs and responsibilities, true rest has become surprisingly rare. Even during time off: phones stay nearby minds stay active to-do lis

When I started planning my Pilates retreat in Spain, I knew quite quickly what I didn’t want it to be. I didn’t want: an intense detox weekend challenging and exhausting workouts a perfectly curated social media experience or a retreat that left people feeling they had to “perform wellness” What I wanted instead was something far simpler. A retreat that felt calm, relaxed and real. The Problem With Constant Intensity Many of the people I work with are already living highly de

Hosting my first Pilates retreat in Spain this April was one of the most rewarding and revealing experiences I’ve had since becoming a Pilates teacher. Like many things that matter, there was a lot happening behind the scenes in the lead-up. Planning sessions, organising food, coordinating transport, preparing classes, hoping the weather would behave, and quietly wondering whether the experience would come together in the way I’d imagined it. Thankfully, it did! The thing tha

One of the most common things I hear from clients is: “I just need to be more motivated.” But when we talk a little more, the reality is usually more complex. Busy schedules. Long hours at a desk. Mental load that doesn’t switch off. Aches and pains that make movement feel less appealing. And sometimes, a sense of guilt about taking time for themselves. For many capable, hard-working adults, motivation isn’t the real issue. The real challenge is finding a way to make movemen