Collage of photos showing Pilates practice at Lauren Hilton Pilates studio, with the title 'Studio Notes on Mindful Movement'.

Studio Notes

on mindful movement

In this blog and accompanying newsletter, I share reflections on movement and mindset, gentle prompts to help you feel more connected—to your body and to yourself—along with studio news, community stories and special events. Studio Notes are calm, kind, and only ever shared when there’s something worth saying.

Lauren x

Start Pilates, Pre and Postnatal Sarah G Start Pilates, Pre and Postnatal Sarah G

All you need to know about Pregnancy Pilates

When we become pregnant we might continue with our regular exercise routine, perhaps we may choose to adapt it or we may decide to slow down and try a new movement practice altogether. A pregnancy-specific exercise programme, such as Pregnancy Pilates, is designed with the different trimesters in mind and to support the changes that occur in your body rather than fight against them.

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Behind the Pilates Moves: Swan

Swan is a Pilates exercise that you may know from your mat class and it also features in all of the apparatus too. Swan is a back-bend, known in movement language and anatomy as an extension. Extension exercises can often be our least favourite.

Let’s take a deep dive into Pilates Swan…

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Reformer, Start Pilates Sarah G Reformer, Start Pilates Sarah G

The Pilates Wunda Chair

At Lauren Hilton Pilates we use the full studio equipment in 1-2-1s and studio circuits class, this includes the reformer, tower bar, barrel and Pilates chair or ‘Wunda’ chair. Most people have heard of the reformer but the chair was, until more recently, considered a niche piece of equipment that only Pilates devotees had heard of.

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How to maintain your regular Pilates practice

If you’re reading this blog then I don’t need to convince you of the benefits of Pilates as you’ll already be enjoying them! As the summer months approach often our routines and habits change, kids off school and the return of holidays abroad (yay!), can mean our daily flow changes. When it comes to maintaining strength, flexibility and keeping pain or niggles at bay consistency is the key and when routines change this consistency can be harder to achieve. Here’s how to maintain good movement habits

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Reformer, Start Pilates Sarah G Reformer, Start Pilates Sarah G

The Pilates Ladder Barrel

What is the Pilates Ladder Barrel?

What is that?! What do you do on it? Clients that come into the studio are always curious as to what the ladder barrel is and what you can do it on it!

If you have seen one you may have felt a bit scared (a common response to the dungeon-like apparatus on the walls), or you’ll likely want to drape yourself over the ladder barrel as soon as you see it.

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Women's Wellness Sarah G Women's Wellness Sarah G

Pilates for Period Pain

Can Pilates help period pain?

The time of the month can leave us feeling rubbish, from cramps to bloating to increased anxiety so getting to your regular Pilates class or exercise session can feel like a struggle. Thankfully research shows that a regular Pilates practice can improve symptoms of PMS as well as decrease bloating and abdominal cramps.

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What is Pilates?

What is Pilates?

Is Pilates the same as Yoga? This is the number one question I get asked when I tell people that I am a Pilates teacher! Whilst there is crossover between the two movement methods, they are very different; yoga originates from India, whereas Pilates’ origins are a little more recent.

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