A Vital learning curve....

So March has been full of madness, not quite of the sunny bunny type but there is still time. We survived four days at the London Vitality Show and I developed a new found respect for people who stand all day, after 11 hours on the first day my body and back ached, this was a test of physical and mental stamina I had not anticipated, I move and fidget a lot day to day and here I was standing in the same place for four days! But as the snow came down outside I watched as individuals, companies and small businesses pulled the show together. I got to meet some fab people including +RonnieGreen from http://www.bodymap.co/ the first London Fletcher Pilates studio, it was awesome to have a studio set up that I could send people to have a look at. I spoke to so many people who did Pilates but had no idea of the studio works existence or who were indeed intimidated by it.

I met the wonderful team at Global Fusion (vegan cakes to die for) they are far too busy to do the whole social media stuff so you wil just have to find them at the Brixton farmers market! The lovely +ColleenHarte who introduced me to https://www.lucyannabella.com/ as well as the fab niki from http://www.nikisbalms.co.uk/ , the ever gorgeous +RachealOgario from http://www.ogariolondon.com/ their products are now seeing me through a rather unpleasant chest infection. (well thats what I get for planning a holiday weekend!) More importantly however, the smiles and generous advice these people gave me made the whole event a survivable experience. The opportunity to talk to so many people was fascinating, I just wish I had been on commission for the amount of times I heard the words 'My Pilates teacher is fantastic, wonderful, inspiring' etc. It can be isolating if you are not based in a studio and to hear so many wonderful things from people doing Pilates is truly motivating....sadly I also met people who had had less than professional experiences and I just hope I helped people feel inspired to try Pilates again, the description 'boring' should never be in the same sentence as a Pilates class.

I talked to the fab +GillOwen of http://www.lovestretch.co.uk/ who duly helped me fulfill my shopping fix with her amazing clothes, I fear I now have another online shop to add to my addiction, Just because I'm a Pilates teacher  does not mean I want to parade around looking like a walking Nike advert! this site is the perfect answer! Apparently I'm quite strict when I teach (i never want to go back to teaching open classes again after Vitality!!!) as I said to Gill its all about positive crowd control, I also now appreciate how well behaved my own classes are (well almost)

So there is one more thank you to make  +DeborahLessen http://www.deborahlessenpilates.com/ who's workshop and class in the style of Carola Trier was fabulous as was the generosity of +AlanHerdman, a huge thank you to www.pilatesumbrella.co.uk/ for organizing this workshop, I look forward to many more!

So thank you all for the March Madness...I'm off to collect some antibiotics in readiness for Morocco, well if your going to be ill it might as be in 27degree heat!

Happy Easter All!

Suzy

www.seraphinapilates.com

Join us for Pilates Retreats in Italy and Cyprus......http://www.seraphinapilates.com/pilatesbreaks.html

Red noses and a Golden moment for Pilates....

Every now and then you get to be part of something magical. Life will give us an opportunity to be part of something extraordinary. as Pilates teachers we are often privy to these small moments of magic, seemingly insignificant to the world but to the individual they mean the world. One of the pivotal moments for me was when a client exclaimed 'I can brush my teeth, without pain!' now I know she wasn't talking about canines and molars but that single daily action had become easier for her and I might of well have given her the winning lottery ticket (well not quite, but you know what I mean), I think it was that moment that i knew Pilates had me hooked. little did I know that I would also see this client through heartbreak, grief, a suicide attempt and Chemo. Cancer would claim her in the end at 57 but my moments with her and her trust in me until the end are the reason I'm still teaching and writing this today. She showed faith in me when I had none in myself.

Teaching Pilates can be isolating , If your not studio based you can find yourself running from one venue/client to the next, barely crossing paths with other Pilates professionals other than in workshops and conferences. Sometimes its hard to know where you fit particularly if not great at following rules (which I'm not). I have long since watched Pilates professionals/ organisations head up against each other, arguing, 'authentic', 'real' and 'true' definitions of 'Pilates' as if Pilates could be defined in one word or in one way? No one ever taught me on any course that the exercises I taught a client would mean teeth brushing would be worthy of an Olympic medal.

So when the opportunity came up to be part of the Record attempt for the Largest Pilates Class ever, how could I not get involved? Full credit goes to Donna Pourteymour and her team at  http://www.cobhampilates.com for organizing such an amazing event. And quite honestly it would have been easy to say 'I've got too much on '(which I am), Its too far (3 hours in the car) or its Mothers day (it was, and mine came too) excuses are easy but the effort was beyond  worth it, young, older, famous, infamous! all formed part of an 800 strong Mat work class taught by the very lovely lisa Bradshaw (and yes, Donna, she is a Goddess, and has been for as long as i've known her) The energy and passion for life in the room was inspiring and I believe even Joseph Pilates himself would have smiled. And so for the few that failed to show, their actions did cost the group a World record but we got to be part of an energizing, inspiring and healing energy that they will never know. Whilst the event had already raised £27,000 for comic relief   http://www.comicrelief.com/ at the last count more than that the no shows  missed out on the chance to dance whilst brushing their teeth!

Pilates World record attempt Cobham, March 10th 2013

So thank you Judy for the day you remembered to brush your teeth, and all at Cobham Pilates for giving me, my mum and several of my Pilates students the chance to be part of the magic and for those who continue to start sentences with 'But...', 'Maybe....', 'Perhaps....' remember, brushing your teeth is a gift that one day may not be yours.....

Have a Fab week all!

Suzy x

http://www.seraphinapilates.com/

I will be at The Vitality Show March 21st-24th, come and do class (bring a mat), say hello, we would love to see you there!

http://vitalityshow.co.uk/seraphina-pilates-retreats