There's an old joke that goes round my family:

Traveler asks, "Can you tell me how to get to Dublin"

The reply, "Well, if I were going to Dublin I wouldn't start from here"!!

Not a very useful response since this is where we are!

Do you ever feel you just don't know where to begin?  That maybe if you were already somewhere along the path that it would be easier?

Exercise can be a bit like that too... I wish I was faster/ fitter/ stronger etc.

Just like travelling, the beginning of your journey starts right where you are.  Not at the airport.  Not the moment the ship leaves the dock.  Not at the meeting with a personal trainer, or that the start of a fitness class.  No, it begins with a decision to embark on the journey.

Our Beginners Block Courses are designed to help you along the road to whatever your destination is.  Getting the fundamentals right right from the start is really important for these reasons:

* You learn how to make your body function at its optimal

* Discover where you hold tension and/or overwork

* Focus on pelvic floor muscles (just as important for men as for women!)

* Learn the fundamental techniques of Pilates

Think of this course as your visit to the travel agent - the place where you discover all the amazing things about your destination, and the things you need to do before you leave home.  You ask questions, plan movements, get excited.

Even if your final destination is not Pilates - maybe you want to find more flexibility, live with less back pain, reconnect with those pelvic floor muscles.  

Perhaps you have a sporting goal - reduce incidence or recover from injury, be a representative player, swim faster or further.

Perhaps your occupation is physically demanding - you need to develop core strength so your physical load is easier.  Flexibility is super important for those who have physical jobs - or the 'stress' stays in the muscles and pain and immobility soon sets in.

Maybe you have a much more sedentary job - sitting all day in an office, face towards a computer screen, or ear attached to a phone.  Lack of physical movement causes our bodies to become 'set' into poor postures, leads to a lack of muscle tone, and fatigue that is related to lack of/limited movement.

You might already be a 'gym bunny' and do cardio & weights two or more times a week.  Efficiency is the key to getting the most out of your gym work. Pilates will definitely help with every exercise you perform in the gym.  Core strength should be the 'core' of every exercise.  If its not, you're likely to cause injury or over-develop accessory (or helping) muscles.

So where ever you intend to end up the journey starts when you decide to put your shoes on and step out of your comfort zone.  You start with what you have, where you are at and pursue the dream/goal.

During the Beginners Course we all start at the beginning and will find ourselves at a destination a wee way down the track of self discovery.

I've not yet made it to Dublin, but I'll definitely start from here!

You're welcome to come and join me.

Stop procrastinating and wishing you had already arrived.  The first step is now.