L Armstrong
“I love walking, but I’ve always needed wide-fitting boots and shoes and had a problem foot. I was told that one leg was longer than the other, and prescribed a foot insert to correct the problem. The inserts worked well for about six months, but my feet continued to spread and then began to hurt again. And then my neck and shoulder began to hurt as well. The inserts were twisting the rest of my body out of balance.
Bowen and Pilates saved me! I’ve been going to the studio for 18 months now. It has been a slow process, but then, there were 50 years worth of bad habits to correct. Now I am stronger, straighter, and so much more aware of how my body works. My legs are the same length, and my feet have snapped back into shape so that I can wear ordinary shoes – bliss!
An unexpected benefit has been the huge improvement in my posture. Writers spend all day hunched over a computer, and I was getting an old-age stoop. Pilates is reversing that process. Anyone who works in an office would benefit from mat classes. It has also improved my ballroom dancing: Pilates gives you the core strength to hold yourself properly, as well as strengthening your legs and feet. And finally, spending a couple of hours a week concentrating on the breath and body has a calming and centering effect on my mind.
Not all exercise is equal. I have tried other classes, with only moderate effect. Pilates with a trained and qualified teacher has changed my life. I would recommend it to anyone.”