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Total Body Beautiful, Secrets to Looking and Feeling Your Best After Age 35, by Andrea Orbeck, Desi Bartlett and Nicole Stuart, is a motivating book comprised of three parts. Part One explains the physical, emotional and more specifically hormonal changes some women over 35 may experience. Part Two discusses and illustrates the benefits yoga, Pilates and fitness to balance these changes; and finally, Part Three offers various plans to create consistency and achieve lasting health results. Total Body Beautiful provides beneficial insight into hormonal definitions and changes that can significantly influence our bodies as females. Movement patterns, with clear illustrations…

  Feedback has been coming in for the three days of the live PAA 2023 Conference in Melbourne, and we’re extremely happy that you think it was a resounding success! Three great days of Pilates learning, experiencing, sharing and catching up with friends. For us, bring the conference to Melbourne for the first time in many years was a great experience – we got to meet so many of the local instructors and studio owners. Thanks also to everyone who made the journey to join us – we met new friends from as far away as Perth, Tasmania, South Australia,…

The President’s Report at the 2023 AGM began with a review of the PAA Organisational Strategy and the projects that have taken place under each pillar. Work on Natural Therapies Review has continued throughout the year. Thanks to Dr Penny Latey for all the work she has done on the Expert Advisory Panel. Pilates Science website: I was advised by Enja Schenck that she was shutting down her website on Pilates research. Several people/groups lobbied to take it over, however, she agreed to pass it to us. She had been manually entering information. It has now been set up with…

Many Pilates teachers incorporate a sensory approach into their teaching method; they consider how the senses of their students can be stimulated, calmed or brought to the fore whilst engaging in Pilates practice. They may choose to include tactile cues and other manual techniques, decorate their studios using colours and images, burn essential oils or play music or sounds – all of which can have a considerable impact on the physical, mental and emotional state of the student. When I teach Pilates at my studio, I generally do not play music or incorporate a soundscape. I prefer my clients to…

The 2023 Annual General Meeting of the Pilates Alliance Australasia will take place at the PAA Conference, Melbourne and also online via Zoom. As a valued member of the PAA, we invite you to join the meeting to be held on: Saturday 26 August 2023, 3.45pm (AEST) PAA Conference L1, Crown Conference Centre Southbank Melbourne VIC Deadline for registration:  5.00pm Wednesday 23 August 2023 (You will need your membership number in order to register.) Register Now Agenda Welcome & apologies Confirm minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting President’s Report Receive the reviewed financial statements for the 2022/2023 financial year…

Helen Fletcher Equipoise Pilates & Movement Education. Empathy Pilates Studio, Armadale VIC Instructor Name: Helen Fletcher Studio(s) you work at: Equipoise Pilates & Movement Education. Empathy Pilates Studio. Location: 743 High Street Armadale, Victoria Instructor training: APMA PAA Level: Professional Principal Instructor What originally motivated you to try Pilates and then go on to train as an instructor? I first learned about Pilates from my mother whilst living in the UK in 1989. I was instantly curious and as I follow my curiosities, I made it a mission to find Pilates when I moved to Melbourne in 1990. It took…

Kia Williams’ book ‘Functional Core for Women – Targeted training for glutes and abs’ is a great resource for any woman wanting to workout from home. Whilst also equipping them with knowledge to understand the core’s function a little better, it clarifies which muscle groups are involved. This is especially helpful for anyone without a background in anatomy and physiology. The primary focus of the book (as set out in the title) are abdominals and glutes. A newly qualified fitness instructor looking for repertoire ideas and some guidance on how to teach the exercises, what to be cautious of and…

One of the great pleasures of teaching Pilates is that we, as teachers, are learning as much as our clients/students.  Every class or session is an opportunity for new observations, anecdotes, ideas to inform our analysis and choices for the next class, the next client. The question is, are our minds processing this in the best possible way?  Are we really learning as best we can, or are we limited by our own blind spots, biases and desire for familiarity? In some ways, the longer you teach, the easier it is to be wedded to what you know (or think…

Retiring Committee members, Eve Fairbairn & Andree Lupton It is with a mix of gratitude and sadness that we announce the resignation of Eve Fairbairn and Andree Lupton from their voluntary positions on the PAA committee. Eve and Andree have been invaluable members of our team since their appointment at the Annual General Meeting in 2020. During their time with us, Eve and Andree have been involved in various impactful projects, showcasing their passion and dedication to the Pilates community. Together, they spearheaded the Pilates Elders project, an initiative that aimed to honour and preserve the wisdom and experiences of…

Mariana Borovina Mend Pilates Perth, North Lake, WA Instructor Name: Mariana Borovina Studio(s) you work at: Mend Pilates Perth Location: Lakeside Recreation Centre, North Lake, WA Instructor training: Diploma of Polestar Pilates Comprehensive Instruction Method PAA Level: Professional Level 1 What originally motivated you to try Pilates and then go on to train as an instructor? I originally started going to Pilates classes as a mental timeout for myself away from my corporate job as well as a chance to move my body in a way that wasn’t just going for a walk! After each class, I felt like I…