Powerful Pilates

Exercise classes aren't really on my radar; I've dabbled with yoga and Rockcercise but I'm notoriously faddy and find it difficult to stick to stuff when there's so much good TV to catch up on. I *could* go for a run or do a fitness DVD, but with new seasons of House of Cards, Bloodline and Orange is the New Black going online in a single month AND Corrie's 'Who Shot JR'/who pushed Ken Barlow down the stairs storyline, I'm a little busy.

But pilates got me interested because it would be for my back, which is a medical thing, so I thought I'd give it a go. I went to my first class at White Stag Wellness with trepidation. Was I wearing the right clothes? Would the other people in the class be able to smell my fear? Could I keep my glasses on in the class or would I be doing it blind?

I walked into the room which smelled of incense, and a stereo was playing Zero 7 and three women were chatting away, and welcomed me in. It was a small class, not in a capacious room. 4 of us! I could take my glasses off and still see everything! The other women were in normal clothes, not ultra-expensive hip 'fitwear' that would make me feel like the poor relation in my leggings and baggy tshirt. The teacher, the amazing Nikki, immediately put me at ease and said that her classes cater for all abilities, and that I should just take it slowly.

I got onto a mat, and we began by lying down with our eyes closed. I'm down with this, I thought, as chillout music played and sun danced through the window. What followed was an hour of stretches that seemed gentle, but that I could tell were doing me good. I could feel how it was benefitting my back because White Stag Wellness' Nikki is a lower back specialist. Nothing could cause unnecessary wear on my back because the stretches were made to strengthen those important muscles.

Nikki Nicholas moved to Southend in 2004, a personal trainer and pilates instructor from London. It was due to her own lower back injury that she discovered pilates, and couldn't believe the results, so she always wanted to be able to share these benefits, and White Stag Wellness was born.

I have to say at this point, I'm on my third course of pilates and I went along in the first place because when I get into bed at night, my lower back seizes up and it's agony. Now, after my first eight classes, not only has my back improved, but if it twinges, I'll be able to do these gorgeous, satisfying stretches and it really does help.

Nikki has also got me doing pelvic floor exercises for the first time in my life and now, when I'm brushing my teeth or waiting for the kettle to boil... well... I won't go into the details but Nikki, you'd be proud of me. That's all I'm saying.

White Stag Wellness now has a new home on Southend seafront at Ultimate Results gym, with the pilates room boasting uninterrupted sea views. Nikki also teaches yoga, is a personal trainer, and can be found at www.whitestagwellness.co.uk

This article is by Ray Morgan. 
To read all of Ray's previous articles, please click the link here