Click the image to watch a video of me doing some advanced Pilates using the large studio equipment. This exercise is the airplane. Video taken at The Pilates Studio, Norwich

The author of a blog called “sportyoverforty” recently met Lynne Robinson, one of the founders of Body Control Pilates, which is the organisation that I trained with. After her Pilates session she wrote a post about what everyone over forty should do Pilates. Read it here.  

The NHS has recently updated its guide to Pilates, which gives good overview about what it is, who it’s for, the benefits, how it can help those with back pain, the difference between matwork and equipment and more. Read the full guide.

There is no meditation or spiritual element to Pilates, but founder, Joseph Pilates believed in a strong mind-body-spirit connection: “The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning is complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.”

Many tennis stars who we have recently been watching at Wimbledon do Pilates to rehab and prevent injury and go on for years playing long, strong and injury free. Female players who incorporate Pilates into their training programmes include: Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Margaret Court and Serena Williams. See this article for … More Pilates celebs: Tennis

Should you move away or wish to recommend Pilates to a friend outside the area, you may need to find another Pilates instructor. If you have recently had surgery or are recovering from an injury, you are unlike to benefit by joining a group mat class with a newly qualified teacher. Private sessions are the best … More Find a Pilates teacher in your area

Click the image to watch a video of me doing some advanced Pilates using the large studio equipment. This exercise is the walkover. Video taken at The Pilates Studio, Norwich

This project was started in 2009 by the Royal Danish Ballet Foundation. Two Ballet Dancers/Pilates instructors used their skills as movement specialists to contribute to the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. Read more about the project. Read the personal testimonial of how Pilates helped with the rehabilitation of a special forces soldier.

Joseph Pilates believed that there was no reason that we could not use his exercise method to become stronger and healthier as we age: “If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old. If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.”