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  An illuminating anatomical journey A review by Helen Fletcher Hammond Julie, 2026 The Pelvic Diaphragm: Treating Pain and Dysfunction from a Global Anatomical Perspective. Lotus Books 244 pages $56.69 AUD  Author Julie Hammond’s aim for The Pelvic Diaphragm was to “inspire and excite the reader about anatomy that is often misunderstood, making complex anatomy relatable”. In this well designed and illuminating book, the reader is taken on an anatomical journey. Beginning with the author’s ‘why’, we then take a brief look at body reading and its terms, directions on how to use the book, and equipment needed for what…

28 Classic Pilates teachers write about their lives and their work Edited by Peter Fiasca Ph.D., Amy B Bergesen PhD, Suzanne M Diffine M.A. www.ClassicalPilates.net As the title states, this is a collection of essays by teachers who may or may not be writers. The Essays have been collated into chapters that take you on a walk through the history and methodology that is (was) Pilates. It reads a little like a cult worshipping of Romana to start. Which nearly put me off, but then came some essays on Kathy Grant which felt more relatable to my experience of teaching…

I’d like to begin by introducing myself. I’m a third-generation Classical Pilates instructor and the founder of MPG Pilates in Mandurah, Western Australia. It was through this work that I first met Julie Hammond, and later had the privilege of contributing to her book The Pelvic Diaphragm. My earlier studies in Anatomy Trains had a big influence on how I see the body. As Pilates instructors, we’re trained to look beyond isolated parts and instead see patterns—how one restriction rarely exists on its own, but instead shows up through the whole system. From that point of view, Pilates stops being…

For thousands of years, Eastern medical traditions have described the body as an interconnected system of flowing pathways rather than a collection of separate parts. Systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic medicine proposed that health depends on the balanced movement of energy, fluid and communication throughout the body. Western medicine eventually identified many of these physical transport systems — including the cardiovascular system, lymphatic system and nervous system. More recently, scientific interest has expanded toward fascia and connective tissue as body-wide communication and force-transmission networks. Now, researchers are turning their attention to another widespread internal system known as…

5 QUICK STUDIO TIPS Handling Tricky Client Situations with Confidence & Consistency Running a calm, professional Pilates studio is about more than great programming — it’s about creating clear expectations and a consistent client experience. Here are 5 simple reminders that help maintain the environment you want to teach in. 1. Phones & Smart Watches in the Studio — Less Distraction, More Connection Encourage clients to place phones on silent and smart watches on Do Not Disturb during sessions (unless they’re on call for urgent matters). Framing this as a benefit to their experience helps clients understand the “why”. Consistency is…

Leadership Transition at the Pilates Association Australia The Pilates Association Australia (PAA) is pleased to announce a planned leadership transition, marking the next phase in the continued growth and development of the Association and the profession. Following a recent Board meeting, the following appointments will take effect from early May: Kimberley Garlick has been appointed President Jen Guest has been appointed Vice-President Robyn Rix has been appointed Treasurer Susie Bond is stepping down as Vice President and will remain on the Committee as an Ordinary Member. She will continue to chair the Therapeutic Pilates Special Interest Group Cheryl Burgess is…

What Pilates Instructors Need to Know About Australia’s New Payment Rules If you’ve been adding a 1.5% surcharge to your Pilates packs or casual classes to cover your bank fees, it’s time to prepare for a major change. On 31 March 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced a total overhaul of how we pay for things. By 1 October 2026, the way you handle payments in your studio will look very different. What is changing? Currently, many studios add a small surcharge at the checkout to cover the cost of processing credit and debit cards. From 1 October 2026, this will…

No matter where your music comes from, if you play music protected by copyright in your Pilates business, you will likely need permission or a ‘public performance’ music licence. Public performance? But I’m not the one performing! ‘Public performance’ of music describes the act of a business (such as a Pilates practice, a shop, a fitness studio or a bar etc) playing music protected by copyright for a commercial purpose, whether that is background recorded music, live music or a DJ etc. Many Australian businesses are unaware that almost all commercially-available music is protected by copyright. Under the Copyright Act…

Introduction The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is currently undertaking a consultation on updates to the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) — the framework used to define and categorise occupations across the Australian workforce. Pilates is currently classified within the Sport and Recreation Instructor category. However, this classification may not fully reflect the range of services Pilates professionals provide, particularly in areas such as individualised programs, work with health conditions, and supervised exercise programs. PAA Survey and Submission The PAA will be preparing a submission to the ABS as part of this consultation process. To ensure the submission accurately…

At a recent industry conference, a panel discussion referenced a figure suggesting there had been 45,000 Pilates-related injuries in Australia, reportedly based on AusPlay data. The statement understandably raised concern among attendees and prompted an important question: How safe is Pilates — and what does the evidence actually show? A review of AusPlay and national injury datasets revealed that Australia does not currently collect injury statistics specific to Pilates. It is therefore likely that this figure reflected a misunderstanding of participation or survey data rather than documented injury incidence. This highlights an important reality: despite Pilates being practised by hundreds…