As November arrives and the days become a little quieter, it feels like the perfect time to think about flow.
In Pilates, flow isn’t about rushing from one exercise to the next. It’s about finding a rhythm within your movement — allowing your breath, your body and your concentration to work together so that each movement naturally leads into the next.
There’s something lovely about moving this way. Rather than stopping to think about every individual part of the exercise, you begin to feel the connections between them. One movement prepares the body for another, creating a continuous sequence that feels both purposeful and fluid.
For me, this is one of the things I love most about Pilates. It can be precise and controlled while still feeling beautifully free.
This November, our classes will have a particular focus on movement flow — linking exercises together, finding those transitions and discovering how much more enjoyable movement can feel when we allow it to become a little less about getting the exercise right and more about feeling the movement.
The APP is updated with these FLOW sequences for both Subscribers and Studio clients/ Circuit Training Classes. The Neck sequence below has also been added with the block!
Is Your Desk Job Giving You a Pain in the Neck?
If you spend hours working at a desk, you may recognise that familiar ache creeping into your neck and shoulders by the end of the day. It’s not necessarily the amount of work you’re doing, but the position you’re holding your body in for long periods. When we concentrate on a screen, we can unconsciously push our head forwards, round our shoulders and hold tension in our upper body. Over time, this can leave the muscles working harder than they need to, leading to stiffness, discomfort and reduced movement.
Three common types of desk-related neck discomfort include:
Neck muscle tension and stiffness – often caused by holding your head in one position for too long, especially when looking down at a laptop or phone.
Tightness across the shoulders and upper trapezius muscles – frequently linked to raised shoulders, stress, and reaching towards a keyboard or mouse.
Discomfort at the base of the neck and across the upper back – which can develop when the head sits forwards of the shoulders and the upper back becomes rounded for prolonged periods.
The good news is that small movement breaks throughout your day can make a difference. Pilates encourages us to become more aware of our posture, release unnecessary tension and restore comfortable movement. Here are two gentle exercises you can try at your desk or at home.
Two Pilates-inspired exercises for your neck
1. Gentle chin nods
Sit tall with your feet grounded and your shoulders relaxed. Imagine gently lengthening the back of your neck, then make a small “yes” movement with your head, nodding your chin slightly down without collapsing your chest. Return to neutral slowly and repeat 5–8 times, keeping the movement comfortable and controlled.
Why it helps: This encourages awareness of head and neck alignment without forcing a stretch or overworking the neck muscles.
2. Shoulder rolls with relaxed breathing
Sit or stand comfortably with your arms relaxed by your sides. Breathe in as you gently lift your shoulders towards your ears; breathe out as you roll them back and allow them to settle down. Repeat 5–8 times, then reverse the direction if comfortable. Keep your neck relaxed and avoid forcing the movement.
Why it helps: This encourages movement through the shoulder girdle and can help ease the feeling of tension that builds around the neck and upper shoulders.
A little movement goes a long way. Try changing position regularly, taking short screen breaks and allowing your shoulders to soften as you breathe. In Classic Mat Pilates, we develop body awareness, alignment and controlled movement that can support more comfortable everyday habits — including how we sit, work and move.
Please keep all movements gentle and pain-free. Stop if an exercise increases your symptoms. Persistent, worsening or recurring neck pain deserves advice from a qualified healthcare professional; seek urgent assessment if neck pain follows a significant injury or occurs with new weakness, numbness or other concerning symptoms.
Your desk-time reset: Keep your screen at a comfortable height, relax your shoulders and change position regularly rather than trying to hold a perfect posture all day. Frequent movement breaks can help reduce the strain associated with sitting in one position for too long.
Try these 4 exercises as suggested by Remytortosa. He suggests that restoring movement through the thoracic spine can help with neck issues. The more your upper back can move freely, the less the neck needs to compensate! I loved these - with the obstacle of the block really aided in getting the full range- giving me a visual!
One of my favourite podcasts is produced by Balanced Body- ‘Pilates Perspectives’. This episode was a great listen so thought I’d share as not just for teachers of Pilates…
Why are so many men hesitant to try Pilates, and what happens when they finally do? Join Joy and Reed Flanagan (https://www.atlantisfitnessandpilates...) , ISSA Master Trainer and Founder of Atlantis Fitness & Pilates, for a candid conversation about Pilates for men, masculinity, and movement culture.
This episode ultimately looks beyond exercise to a broader question: What does healthy masculinity look like? Reed offers his perspective on embracing strength, confidence, self-awareness, and openness.
Christmas Social
Thank you to those signed up for our meal at ‘The Swan’ in the first week of December. Here is the Menu for your pre selection. The restaurant require us to pay in advance. They have told me that no shows won’t receive a refund but they are happy to offer their take away option in the event of illness. As a small family run business they have this in place at this time.
I will bring envelopes to class for cash collection (including 10% deposit based on either your 2/3 course options). Drinks can be paid for on the night. If you could drop me a line with your requests before the 15th November restaurant deadline - Many thanks!
Class Update
I am delighted that class numbers remain high in public classes. Tuesday evening and Thursday evening classes are fully booked for this month. I currently have 1 space available in my Wednesday evening session and 2 spaces for my Wednesday morning class at Didcot Civic Hall.
Sharing of Class Work
A big thank you to the ladies in the following slide show from my Wednesday morning class for allowing me to share their mini ball class work!
Sharing glimpses of the work we do in a MyPilatesFlow class is a great way to give prospective clients an insight into what they can expect from a lesson. On this occasion, we’re exploring how the mini ball can add a new dimension to our Classic Mat Pilates repertoire, bringing familiar exercises to life in a slightly different way. In the photos, you’ll see the Bridge with the ball positioned between the legs and the Single Leg Stretch, using the ball to introduce an additional balance challenge. Although the exercises are rooted in Classic Mat, the prop encourages greater body awareness, precision and control. Maintaining stability requires the deeper abdominal muscles to work alongside the pelvic floor and other muscles that support the trunk, helping us control movement without losing our alignment. It’s a wonderful example of how we can build on the foundations of traditional Pilates, using simple equipment to create variety, challenge and progression while keeping the principles of breath, control, concentration and quality of movement at the heart of every MyPilatesFlow lesson.
Wishing you all a calm and comforting November!