Pilates pike"I joined a Pilates class conducted by Anna in July. For some time I had been looking for a form of exercise which could be done without aggravating the arthritis which is affecting one of my hips. I have found the answer in Pilates. Pilates is a form of exercise which suits all ages and fitness levels. Anna encourages us to find our own levels, while giving us the confidence to go up a notch or two. I am grateful to her for helping me with exercises which do not strain my damaged hip joint."

“I joined the Pilates class to build strength without engaging in heavy physical exercise. It is an ideal form of exercise for me because of my joint pain and previous injury. It is convenient as I do not need any expensive equipment and I can practice it anywhere. Having joined the class, I feel that my back pain has been relieved and it has prevented re-injury of the legs and joints. Pilates has improved and maintained my body balance and coordination skills as age is catching up. It also reduces stiffness and stress level. I will definitely recommend this as it provides different dimension of exercise that can benefit the body without having physical impact to the body. I enjoyed the classes and benefited from them. ”

"I think like many guys that go to the gym or run, some of us don't understand the 'others' who do low power high repetition work outs or non-cardio work outs. It was in this situation that I thought to myself, after a run and weights in the gym, that there must be something to this. If it makes sense to them, it might to me. At the age of 34, I also thought to myself that there must be something that I can keep doing past 50, when this running and heavy weights may not be 'viable'. But it had to be something that will continue to help me keep in shape and keep fit. Then I read a lot about 'core' muscles and how these will keep a person healthy in the long run. The weights work on isolating certain muscle groups and without a proper program of sorts, I was inclined to do those that either gave instant or actual visual positive results or were easier to prepare or set up. Pilates was based on routine, which was very helpful. Pilates gave me a greater awareness of my body and all muscles as a whole, not just the muscles that I can see and feel. I have a greater confidence with the body as I now understand the limits and potentials of each exercise routine and each muscle. This confidence is extended to other forms of exercise and sports that I undertake. It is an exercise which I feel I can do for a long time. It may even help me to overcome certain injuries that I might obtain from other sports. Pilates has given me actually more reason to do exercise. It gives more meaning to each exercise I do. Once I have done Pilates, I would select the exercises or sports that I do based on what I enjoy as well as what is good for me. After I complete a session, I feel I have done something 'good' for the body, as opposed to when I do weights, which really just damages the muscle tissues and create a lot of acids in the body. I highly recommend this exercise and not just to men of course. If they know what it can teach us about our body, perhaps they won't be doing so much harm to it! It will make them all better off health wise, especially in the long run. And it just helps for men especially to have a new 'angle' on what exercise can be, without the cardio. A changed perception (which is a great thing on its own)! "

"Gym had not worked well for me as I got bored easily. With Pilates under Anna, I found it interesting and challenging. I feel fitter, and my back strength has improved. Anna's techniques of building up both strength and technique progressively has also kept Pilates as a form of exercise that I have been able to keep interested and continuous for more than a year. I would suggest my friends and particularly other men to take it up. Pilates' emphasis on technique and core strength can certainly improve on many other exercises where the back plays a prominent role. I have found that I am able to do other non-Pilates exercises with greater ease than before. "

"I am so glad that I signed up for a Pilates course instead of following a VCD as I would have definitely labelled it as a passing fad like the many exercise programs. I would have followed the movements blindly, and I won't have the results I got. We worked muscles that we were not even aware of! The movements look very easy, but not when you have to work the specific ones! After 10 sessions with Anna, my body, especially my stomach, has become leaner. The abs machine couldn't do it either. My back feels well massaged and releaxed after the classes. I have fewer backaches now. I still continue the classes as I tend to relax when I do it on my own and not push my muscles too hard, but with Anna there ... you just have to use the precise ones and the results are fantastic!!!"