The Roll Up is one of Pilates’ most iconic mat exercises — and one of the trickiest to master. It’s not about yanking yourself forward, but about control, connection, and staying long and round from your centre. In this post, we share our top tips (and favourite modifications) to help you build strength, avoid common mistakes, and roll with precision and power.

What if you could feel a real difference in just three weeks? Joseph Pilates famously promised results in 10, 20, and 30 sessions — but he was talking about practising several times a week, not once in a while. Our 21-Day Challenge, starting 8th September, is your chance to experience Pilates the authentic way: 12 classes in 21 days (4 mat + 8 equipment) for £150. Commit, stay consistent, and see what Pilates can really do.

September is the time to get serious again. Routines return, and with them comes the chance to build something lasting. But here’s the truth: not all Pilates studios are the same. Some offer quick fixes and choreography — we offer the real method. At EQ Pilates, we’ve been teaching since 2001, with rigorously trained teachers, the full Pilates system, and a community that knows your name. If you’re ready to commit to more than a fad, this September is the time.

We’ve evolved a lot over the years — new teachers, new space, new ways to access the method — but our heart hasn’t changed. Our teachers are handpicked, rigorously trained, and more vital to EQ than even me or my mum. If you love how we teach, how we care, and how we keep moving forward, then you’re our kind of person.

In a world of gym chains and profit-first reformer studios, EQ Pilates is proudly different. We don’t just know your name — we remember your dog’s name, your injuries, and when you last had a good week.

Our classes are small on purpose. Because real Pilates isn’t about cramming bodies onto machines — it’s about teaching the person in front of us. That’s the power of knowing everyone in the room.

It’s one of the most common questions we hear at EQ—and the truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. How often you should do Pilates depends on your goals, your schedule, and your body. What we can tell you is this: whether you come once a week or three times, Pilates will meet you where you are—and change how you feel in your body.

Whether you’re new to Pilates or have years of experience, deciding between private sessions and group classes can be an important choice — and it might shift over time depending on your goals, lifestyle, or needs. Both options offer powerful benefits, but they serve slightly different purposes. This guide will help you decide which setting is right for you right now.

I’m trained in both classical and contemporary Pilates. This isn’t about saying one is better than the other—it’s about clarity. I keep seeing classes described as classical when what’s being taught isn’t classical at all.

On paper, a £15–£20 Reformer class might seem like a great deal. But when you break it down, it’s often a lot of money for very little teaching.

Many of these low-cost studios offer large group classes, packed with 15 to 20 reformers. The sessions are fast-paced, heavily choreographed, and designed to keep everyone moving in sync. It looks slick. It feels busy. But the real question is—are you actually being taught?

If you’re hooked on Reformer Pilates, we get it. The springs, the resistance, the satisfying click of the carriage—Reformer classes are dynamic, powerful, and incredibly rewarding. But if the Mat studio isn’t yet part of your routine, you might be missing out on one of the most valuable parts of the Pilates method.

Here’s why adding a weekly Mat class can take your Reformer practice—and your overall strength—to the next level:

When people first find us at EQ Pilates, one of the most common questions they ask is: “Which class should I start with?” And with so many options — Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, and Studio Sessions — we get it. It can feel overwhelming at first glance.

But here’s the good news: there’s no wrong place to start. Each type of session we offer is grounded in Joseph Pilates’ original method and designed to meet your body where it is — whether you’re brand new to movement, coming back after injury, or an athlete looking to gain an edge.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the difference between each class and help you decide what might be the best fit for you.

EQ is a true family affair. I run the studio alongside my mum Linda, my dad and my husband Anthony. Between us, we’ve poured our hearts (and a fair bit of sweat) into building this space from the ground up — painting walls, building equipment, cleaning mats, managing bookings, and teaching sessions. It’s personal, and it always has been.

People think running a Pilates studio must be so relaxing.
“Oh, you must just float around in leggings all day, lighting candles and stretching!”

Yeah. Sure.
Except instead of candles, it’s a spray bottle and a cloth.
Actually no — we even have a cleaner for that, because we like to leave things to the professionals while we deal with broken headrests and four studio schedules.

Let’s talk about the real life of studio ownership, shall we?

In a world of 24/7 gyms, app-led classes, and big-name fitness chains promising “everything under one roof,” it’s easy to lump all movement experiences together. But here’s the truth: a dedicated Pilates studio is not just another line item on your fitness checklist. It’s a completely different world—one that simply can’t be compared to the gym down the road.

Let’s talk about The Hundred—the infamous exercise that kicks off so many Pilates sessions. Love it or loathe it, this punchy little number has earned its place as a classical Pilates essential.

When people think of Pilates, they often picture a mat class or a group on the Reformer all doing the same sequence together. But that’s not how Joseph Pilates taught.

As March Matness draws to a close, we’ve loved seeing social media light up with snippets of the original 34 Mat exercises—each one a little window into the brilliance of Joseph Pilates’ method. But beyond the Instagram moments, March Matness is a reminder of something deeper: Mat isn’t a ‘lite’ version of Pilates. It’s the heart of the method.

There’s a point in every teacher’s journey where you feel like something’s missing. You’ve got the certification, the clients, and the schedule, but there’s this quiet itch—like you're going through the motions, following the manual, but not really seeing the bigger picture.

That’s exactly where I was when I started looking for a Pilates mentorship.

One of the biggest problems in movement, pain, and Pilates is not actually movement, pain, or Pilates. It’s language

The worst thing we ever did was call the neck a neck. And worse still, give a name to the “lower back.”

Because the moment we name something, we separate it. We give it an identity of its own. We turn it into something that exists apart from the rest of the body. And in doing so, we make it vulnerable.