Pilates is "Contrology"
If you're going to do it, do it right,
...and bring out your inner athlete!
Birmingham Pilates Studios
Classical Pilates challenges what is strong and strengthens what is weak
It's the best kept secret of people in elite sports, dancers and celebrities
Help a Refugee & Help Yourself: free 1:1 Pilates Lessons
We welcome Olga Savkina 
with broad smiles and open arms to our team! Her journey has been difficult – so difficult that we’ve not even asked. Let’s that one lie? Instead let’s help her and her son get on their feet in Brum.
Trained by “Pilates Elder” Lolita San Miguel, Pilates expert Olga is now here at Birmingham Pilates Studios. And she’s also a TRX Pro of more than 10 years!
Would you like to help a refugee from the Ukrainian war and learn Pilates at the same time? These places are very limited!
Hi,
I’m Miguel, teacher and owner of Birmingham Pilates. Welcome! It’s well known that Pilates is a remarkable fitness system that makes you look better, feel better and be better… but how?
First let me mention two of the most frequent things that people say: “I’ve never done Pilates before” and “I’m too stiff/weak/old for Pilates”. Rest assured, unless you have a serious injury, Pilates is for everyBODY – old and young, men and women, fit and the very unfit.
The second question people ask is what we do. We teach Mat and Reformer and much more. We use the Cadillac, Barrels, Wunda Chair, Tower as well as Baby Chair and the small apparatus: Foot Corrector, Sand Bag and more to help build up to exercises that are inaccessible and challenge you further! Just Mat or Reformer is like having just one piece of the pie. We want you to have the whole pie!
Thirdly, you might feel intimidated by images of fancy people doing fancy Pilates on Social Media. Don’t be. It’s the DEPTH and LAYERS you bring to an exercise that makes it advanced, not the exercise.
What is this depth and those layer? At the beginning, it’s about learning simple things: alignment, awareness and learning to move from your centre or core. After that, as we add more complex movements and work on Control & Precision and lastly, Breath & Fluidity at advanced levels.
The new patterns of movement that you learn in your body help to rewire and re-programme the central nervous system – literally improving the mind!
What will Pilates do for you?
Pilates, done properly, does much more than just fix poor posture. People walk out the door saying they feel more invigorated, lively and energetic.
Pilates stimulates the flow of the blood, lax joints are tightened and tight joints are loosened. Muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia are stretched and strengthened. Pilates isn’t about stretch: instead, it’s finding stretch over a basis of strength – we call that working in opposition.
Pilates strengthens you where you are weak and challenges you where you are strong. The central nervous system changes as it rewires itself to the new demands made on the body in a proper Pilates workout.
Have you ever suffered from backache? everything in Pilates is about the spine – it is our centre and everything else is attached to it.
Would you like to improve your posture? Pilates focuses on alignment and very quickly you’ll be able to distinguish between “good” and “bad” posture and, immediately know how to adjust it in daily life. People tell me this happens automatically and from the very first day. A regular Pilates practice makes these changes permanent.
Pilates aka “Contrology”, is designed to totally and completely rejuvenate.
Three Easy Steps to Pilates Success!
Think Personal Training but in Classical Pilates
Step 1: First Session (1:1)
Creating your programme: 90 minute session
- A Pilates Workout or Pilates Lesson
- ... tell us what you want
- Consultation chat before we start
- Get your Personal Pilates Programme
Step 2: Starter Sessions (1:1)
Up to 12x 60 minute discounted sessions
- Just 6x 1:1 sessions are often enough
- ... to get started with Personal Practice
- Reformer & apparatus in the studio
- Mat Work at home for extra value
Step 3: continued lessons (1:1)
Add complexity, layers and depth
- Deepen & layer your Reformer Practice
- Develop your Home Practice
Or, Step 3: Personal Practice Sessions
It IS the best option
- A true mind & body workout
- Unparalleled timetabling flexibility!
- Discounted 1:1 "Bolt On" lessons
- Unequalled price point
Not ready to book yet?
Your First Lesson: what can you expect?
When people first walk into a Pilates studio they tell me that they often feel intimidated by all the apparatus. We understand that.
But after the first few moments, even the most inactive of people immediately recognise that Pilates apparatus is totally unlike the machines you find in a gym. The apparatus teaches you how to connect to your Girdle of Strength.
Pilates isn’t just generic exercises plonked on a Reformer. On the Reformer, the headrest, shoulder rest, carriage and footbar is all there to provide you with feedback so that you can feel what you are doing. It’s all there to support you. At intermediate and advanced levels the apparatus will challenge you. At advanced, it will defy you! But that’s probably not today.
After you arrive and after quick consultation to find out how best we can help you achieve your aims and objectives, we get to work. Your time can be a workout or more about learning – that’s why we have a consultation first. We want to know how best to organise your workout and on what apparatus for each exercise.
After you leave you will feel relaxed but rejuvenated and full of energy for the rest of the day. People say that they sleep much better as well!
Why us? What makes us different?
If you’re going to do it, do it right.
We teach Authentic Classical Pilates
Pilates in Sports Centres is always a diluted version. Classical Pilates is surprisingly easy to learn. It’s a “System” of Exercise. There is a simple logic to how all the exercises work. The apparatus is a necessary part of the equation.
This logic is diluted or lost in fusion forms of Pilates and with it, the genius of Joseph Pilates is lost.
And for that you need all the apparatus: more than a mat & more than Reformer. We want you to have the whole of the pie, not just a slice.
Our "Three Easy Steps to Pilates Success" saves you money
We want you to Own your Own Practice. So we teach it to you with that in mind. After FIRST LESSON and STARTER LESSONS, most people can start to manage their own independent Personal Practice in the studio.
Of course. you don’t HAVE to follow this route, but Personal Practice offers many advantages:
- This way, you progress faster:
- You get deeper insights into The Work
- You can work at your own pace
- You can “experiment” to try and dig deeper
- It’s significantly cheaper than 1:1 lessons
- Timetabling is super flexible – unlike classes, there’s no fixed start or end time.
We encourage: "Personal Practice" Sessions
We want you to progress at the fastest possible rate. So, we give you the Pilates Mat work to practice at home. That way you double your gains from lessons because you can practice everyday.
If you’ve been practising at home already – why not do the same in the studio?
Would you hire your tennis coach to play your tennis games for you? Of course not.
Group Pilates Classes?
We don’t do them, because we want you to get the full benefits Pilates has to offer. The social side can be very appealing. But…
- classes are “one size fits all”;
- start times aren’t flexible;
- to learn Pilates you need all the apparatus, not just a Mat or a Reformer.
We want you to have the whole pie, not just a little slice!
