Pilates: The Secret to Healthy Living

Over the last few years, Pilates has taken over social media. Studios are fully booked, equipment appears in living rooms, and it is fair to ask whether all the attention is deserved. After many years in the wellness industry, my answer is a definite yes. Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise built on slow, controlled and precise movement, with attention on the deep muscles of the core, on alignment and on breathing. With regular practice, many people notice better posture, more mobility in the spine, hips and shoulders, and a stronger sense of balance. Because the movements are controlled, the work is gentle on the joints and can be adapted to almost any age or level of fitness. A trained instructor makes a big difference, since a small adjustment of the pelvis, a change in how the shoulders sit or a longer exhale can transform how an exercise feels. A well-led session of forty-five minutes to an hour can feel very effective, which suits guests with full schedules.

Is Pilates Only for Women?

Absolutely not. I have many male guests who book Pilates during their stay, and they are often surprised by how demanding and how rewarding it is. The method asks for strength, control and concentration, and men tend to appreciate it for exactly that. Executives who spend long days at a desk, golfers, sailors and anyone who trains in other disciplines can all benefit from a stronger, better-aligned core. Golf, tennis, padel, sailing, swimming, running and strength training place heavy demands on the spine, hips and shoulders, and a body that moves well tends to carry that work more comfortably. For this reason I often recommend Pilates alongside whatever else a guest enjoys doing.

Mat or Equipment: What Is Right for Me?

This is the question guests ask me most often, and the answer depends on what you would like from your sessions.

Mat Pilates is done on the floor, using your own body weight for resistance. It needs very little: a mat, a bit of space and your attention. It looks simple, and it is surprisingly demanding, because every movement relies on your own control and strength. Mat work builds a very good understanding of your body and your core, and since it requires no equipment, it can take place anywhere, on a villa terrace, by the pool, in a garden or on the deck of your yacht. If you travel often or like the idea of practising wherever you are, mat Pilates is a lovely place to begin.

Equipment Pilates uses specialist apparatus that adds resistance and support to the exercises. This allows the work to be adjusted very precisely to your body, whether you need extra support to move well or more resistance to build strength. It offers a wider variety of exercises, and it is often a good choice if you have particular goals, such as improving posture, building strength in specific areas or working around areas of tightness.

Neither one is better than the other. Many guests start with mat work to learn the fundamentals, others prefer the support of the equipment from the first session, and many enjoy combining the two over the course of a stay. We offer both mat and equipment Pilates, and our professional instructors will recommend the right choice for you after hearing about your goals, your experience and your lifestyle. The instructor comes to you, so there is no travelling and no schedule to build around.

Pilates also fits very well into travel. Long flights, hours at sea and days of meetings often leave the back and hips feeling tight, and a session in the morning, or soon after you arrive, helps you stretch out, breathe deeply and feel comfortable in your body again. For yacht guests and crew, a short session on deck fits easily into the rhythm of life on board.

Pilates Within the FIT Programme

For guests who would like Pilates as part of a complete experience, it is one of the morning disciplines in our three-day FIT private wellness programme. Each morning begins with a discipline chosen together with our professionals, such as Pilates, spinning, full-body HIIT, aquagym, stretching or strength and sculpt. Each afternoon brings a targeted treatment to support the effort, such as lymphatic drainage, a slimming treatment, or a deep tissue or relaxing massage. The programme also includes personalised nutrition guidance, fresh healthy drinks and wellness recipes, so the work you do in the morning is supported for the rest of the day.

You do not need any previous experience to begin. When we arrange your session, we ask about your goals, your lifestyle and any injuries or limitations, so that the instructor can adapt the session to you. If you have an injury or are pregnant, I recommend speaking with your doctor first. Even two or three short sessions a week can make a visible difference to how you stand, move and feel.

If you would like to bring Pilates into your stay, at your villa, on your yacht or as part of a complete programme, I would be delighted to arrange it. Please contact me and we will build a plan around you.