Welcome to the Pilates Central April newsletter. Pilates Central sends out a  regular newsletter packed with news about the studio and the world of Pilates.

April Highlights:

• Google Business Page reviews
• Reformer performer
• Core values
• Pilates on cue
• Pain in the neck

Google Business Page reviews

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Reformer performer

Keeley Hawes, the star of numerous hit series such as The Durrells, Life on Mars, Bodyguard, Line of Duty, It’s a Sin, The Midwich Cuckoos and Stonehouse, has taken up Reformer Pilates, she reveals in the Times. Journalist Hattie Crisell comments: “She has just done her first reformer Pilates class, which involves exercising on a machine loaded with springs, a sliding carriage, ropes and pulleys, that can look quite intimidating to the uninitiated.”

“Well, that’s what I thought,” agrees Hawes. “I thought, ‘I’m going to get caught up in a tangled mess here and turn into a meme’ — but actually, it was great… So yeah, I’m making an effort to look after myself.”

Keeley lives in south London with husband Matthew Macfadyen, the star of Succession, and their three children. She tells the paper it was hard keeping the recent Succession bombshell a secret.

Hawes is not completely new to Pilates, having tried the mat version before. She told Red in 2014 that her favourite stress-relievers were, “Walking the dog, Pilates and hot yoga. I’m a recent convert. It’s also a great way of clearing your mind and living in the moment.”

Hawes is at the top of the acting game at 47, and fittingly is the face of Boots No 7 anti-ageing serum Protect & Perfect and new skincare range Future Renew. We’re not sure if she’ll be able to persuade DCI Gene Hunt, Larry Durrell or indeed Logan Roy to take up Pilates or skincare regimes, but hope Keeley enjoys her Reformer sessions.

Core values

Women’s Health is the latest magazine to run a glowing endorsement for Pilates. “I Did Pilates Every Day For 3 Months And Rediscovered My Core After Having a Baby,” is the headline for an article by health editor Jennifer Nied. At eight months postpartum, Jennifer had originally planned to try Pilates at home for 30 days, but she ended up liking it so much she exercised for 90 days in a row. She did mat work using a Mirror plus sessions on a Reformer, looking forward to her daily movement.

She soon felt the results: “During core exercises or any activity throughout my day, I felt my deep abs engage. Did my abs also look a bit more toned? Sure, but I didn’t start the month with aesthetic goals, so I don’t even have a photo from the beginning to compare.”

Nied writes of the joy of her “me” time exercising and her sleep patterns improved too. “When you think of Pilates, you probably think abs,” writes Nied. “The core is key to the movements, but I was also working my arms, legs, butt, back, and everything. Every muscle group was getting stronger.”

Eventually, Pilates had become, “as automatic an activity as brushing my teeth every night.” She says she will now always incorporate it into her fitness and parenting routine.

Pilates on cue

“Ronnie O’Sullivan has hailed the power of Pilates as he begins his quest for a record eighth world title on an unprecedented 31st consecutive Crucible appearance,” reports the Daily Telegraph. The snooker legend is now 47 and his controversial career has included struggles with alcohol and drugs issues, depression and numerous tangles with authority.

But he is now in a much better place mentally as he competes in the World Snooker Championship, thanks partly to Pilates. He told the Guardian: “I do a lot more Pilates and stuff like that nowadays, just staying in a good place and focusing on being calm about everything. There is no point getting wound up about anything at this stage in my life, you know. I take things in my stride.”

Ronnie now believes he could carry on playing snooker until he is 90, even if he sees punditry as his main job these days. Last year the Chigwell-based star told the Times about his morning routine: “I force myself out of bed to put the kettle on and by half six, I’m in the car to Epping Forest for a ten-mile run. Then it’s gym, shower, Pilates and I’m home by ten thirty.” We’re very happy that Pilates has given him a break.

Pain in the neck

“Have you got tech neck? (Back pain is so passé)” asks a feature in the Times.
It reports an increase in demand for gadgets to correct “tech neck”, basically back correction devices to counter back pain caused by hunching over a computer.

The paper reports that a number of devices are on sale to cure back pain for an increasingly young set of tech users: “A quick search for “neck corrector” will yield dozens of results — foam devices (£19 on Amazon), and rods that fit down your spine (£28), to necklaces that vibrate if you hunch reminding you to sit up straight (£90) and neck braces that look like instruments of medieval torture (£50).”

The feature explains that hunching over gadgets in a C-position causes pressure points in your lower back and neck, adding that musculoskeletal issues were the third most common cause of workplace absence in 2021.

Despite the plethora of quick fixes, the best bit of advice comes from Kate Hunt, an osteopath specialising in spinal problems. She tells the Times: “You need to work on correcting these problems yourself rather than expecting a device to do it. Save your money and go to a Pilates class instead.” Enough said.

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The Pilates Central Team