ABSolute Pilates

🍂 WOW… how is it September already?! 🍂

There’s something about September that feels like a fresh start. The kids are back to school, routines are starting to settle, and it’s the perfect time to make a little space for YOU again. 🤎

If Pilates has been on your “I really should get back to that” list… this is your sign! ✨

Pilates is a great way to build strength, improve mobility and posture, support your core and simply make your body feel good — all while giving yourself a little time out from the chaos of everyday life.

So why not make Pilates part of your new healthy routine this September? 🧘‍♀️🍂

✨ MONDAY | 7:30pm
📍 Portadown Dance College

✨ THURSDAY | 8:15pm
📍 Killicomaine Community Centre

I still have spaces available for the 4 week block with flexible options to swap nights when needed so you don’t have to miss out on a session 💕

Whether you’re completely new to Pilates or looking to get back into it, you’d be very welcome.

Strong body. Calm mind. You time. 🤎

Drop me a message to book your space or if you’d like to know a little more about the classes.

I had the most amazing first experience at The Reset Factory at the weekend🤍✨

I went along to try out the facilities ahead of something very exciting we have coming up — and I can honestly say I left feeling completely reset!

The environment is SO relaxing. I took some time to slow down, unwind and properly switch off, and my muscles and joints felt incredible afterwards. 🧖‍♀️✨

And yes… I even tried the cold plunge! 🥶😂

I totally wussed out the first time 🙈 but I went back for round two and managed to stick it out a little longer! Definitely not sure I’m a natural cold-plunger just yet, but I can see why people are obsessed with it!

With the sauna, hot tub, cold plunge and juice bar, it’s such a lovely space to take some time for yourself and just… reset. 💆‍♀️

And I’m SO excited to tell you that we’ll be bringing you a very special Pilates & Wellness Evening at The Reset Factory very soon! 🧘‍♀️🔥🧊🥤

Pilates + relaxation + hot tub + sauna + cold plunge + a little time to properly switch off…

What more could you want?! 😍

Keep your eyes peeled for the date and booking details coming very soon! 👀✨

Reset ColdPlunge Sauna PilatesNI NorthernIreland

🌞🌑 What does yesterday’s solar eclipse have to do with Pilates?

More than you might think…

Yesterday, the Moon moved into alignment with the Sun and Earth, creating a moment where one thing temporarily blocked another from view.

And it got me thinking about balance.

In Pilates, it’s not always about working harder. It’s about knowing when to work and when to release.

💪 Effort → recovery
🔥 Strength → mobility
🌬️ Movement → breath
⬆️ Contraction → release
⚖️ Stability → freedom of movement

Sometimes your bigger, stronger muscles need to take a step back so the smaller stabilising muscles can do their job.

Your glutes don’t always need to dominate.
Your hip flexors don’t always need to take over.
Your shoulders don’t need to do everything.

Good Pilates is about finding the right balance — and becoming more aware of what your body is actually doing.

Maybe yesterday’s eclipse was just a little reminder:

Balance isn’t about everything doing the same thing.
It’s about everything doing its job. 🌑✨

MovementMatters PilatesTeacher

🧠 Your nervous system & Pilates: why slowing down can be so powerful

Did you know your body has two sides to its “automatic” nervous system?

⚡ The sympathetic nervous system is your “fight or flight” system.

It kicks in when your brain senses stress, pressure or danger. Your heart rate increases, breathing can become quicker and your muscles tense. Your body is essentially saying:

“We need to deal with this NOW.”

That response is incredibly useful when you actually need it — but modern life can leave us spending far too much time in that switched-on state.

😌 Then there’s the parasympathetic nervous system — your “rest and digest” system.

This is where your body gets the opportunity to slow down, breathe, digest, recover and restore.

And this is where Pilates can help.

🧘‍♀️ When we combine controlled movement, steady breathing, concentration and mindful awareness, Pilates can encourage your body to move away from that constant “fight or flight” feeling and towards a calmer state.

Think of it as giving your nervous system a chance to take its foot off the accelerator and gently apply the brakes.

You might notice:
✨ Your breathing becomes slower
✨ Your shoulders and jaw relax
✨ Your heart rate settles
✨ Your muscles release tension
✨ Your mind feels quieter
✨ You finish class feeling calmer than when you arrived

And that’s one of the reasons I love Pilates so much.

It isn’t just about stronger abs, better posture or more flexible muscles.

It’s about reconnecting your mind and body and giving yourself time to breathe. ❤️

So next time you’re on your mat, don’t just think about what your muscles are doing.

Notice your breathing.
Notice your tension.
Notice how you feel.

Your body might just be saying,
“Thank you. I needed that.” 🧘‍♀️

WHO REMEMBERS THIS? 🙈 A little lockdown throwback…

Looking at this photo now makes me smile… and wince at the same time! Because honestly, at that point I was barely surviving day to day.

Newborn strapped to my chest, breastfeeding around the clock, homeschooling, a toddler who had decided lockdown was the perfect time for potty training, and a house that looked exactly how it felt… complete chaos.

Looking back, I’m not surprised my shoulders and neck were constantly aching. It wasn’t just the breastfeeding. It was carrying a baby for hours, feeding, lifting, rocking, cooking, cleaning, comforting and trying to be everything to everyone.

We often think aches and pains are just part of motherhood, but they don’t have to be.

One of the reasons I’m so passionate about Pilates now is because I know what that season felt like. Stronger doesn’t just mean fitter—it means having a body that can cope a little better with everything motherhood throws at it.

And if your house looks like mine did in this photo… I promise you’re doing just fine. ❤️

✨ World Breastfeeding Week ✨

Things no one tells you about breastfeeding…

As your baby grows and gets heavier, feeding can become surprisingly hard on your body.

Your shoulders start taking more of the load, your neck ends up bent forward, and your upper back can ache from spending so much time in the same position. Then there’s the exhaustion… I definitely nodded off more than once during a middle-of-the-night feed, only to wake up with a very stiff neck!

Of course, this can all happen with bottle feeding too. It just can be more common if you’re breastfeeding because every single feed is you. There’s no swapping over halfway through to give your body a break, and many breastfeeds can last quite a while in comparison to bottle feeds, meaning you’re holding that position—and your growing baby’s weight—for longer.

It’s one of the reasons so many new mums end up with tight shoulders, aching necks and sore upper backs. Believe it or not this gets easier once baby is able to support their head better and sit more upright, but that period from around 2-5 months is particularly tough as they become significantly heavier but aren’t quite fully supporting themselves yet.

This is where Pilates can make such a difference.

Pilates helps to:
🤍 Strengthen the muscles that support your neck, shoulders and upper back.
🤍 Improve posture so your body isn’t working harder than it needs to.
🤍 Build core strength to support you through the countless hours of feeding, carrying and cuddling.
🤍 Release tension that builds up from spending so much time in the same positions.

This post may be centered around breastfeeding because it’s world breastfeeding week, but this bit is for all you new mamas out there:

You don’t have to wait until the aches become unbearable. Looking after your body is just as important as looking after your baby.

To every mum feeding, rocking, carrying and cuddling today—you deserve some care too. 💛

✨ World Breastfeeding Week ✨

What many of my clients don’t know about me…

Long before I became a Pilates instructor, I became a breastfeeding mum. (It’s actually one of the reasons I got into Pilates and became an instructor)

I breastfed all four of my babies, with my longest journey lasting 3 years. Combined, I spent around 10 years breastfeeding.

I’ve experienced the beautiful moments… but also the really hard ones.

🤍 The exhaustion.
🤍 Wondering if they were getting enough milk.
🤍 Painful latches.
🤍 Mastitis.
🤍 Breastfeeding a baby with a cow’s milk allergy, which meant making significant changes and sacrifices to my own diet.
🤍 The tears, the persistence, and the pride.

During that time, I also completed NHS training and volunteered as a Breastfeeding Peer Support Volunteer for a couple of years before returning to full-time work.

I’m no longer an active NHS volunteer, as I haven’t kept up with the ongoing training, so I don’t offer professional breastfeeding support. But I am a well-informed breastfeeding mum with plenty of lived experience.

If you’re one of my pre or postnatal clients and need someone who’s been there to listen, encourage you, or signpost you to the right support, I’m always happy to chat over a cuppa before or after class. ❤️

Whether you breastfeed for one day, one month, one year, or not at all, every feeding journey is unique, and every parent deserves support without judgement.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week. 🤱💜

✨ August Pilates Block ✨

This August we’re adding resistance loops into our classes to bring a fresh challenge and introduce some reformer-inspired strength work on the mat.

Using resistance in different ways helps build strength, improve stability and increase body awareness – all while staying true to the Pilates principles we know and love.

Don’t worry if you’re new to Pilates or haven’t used resistance loops before. We’ll still take the pace nice and slow, covering all the fundamentals with clear instruction throughout. Every exercise is taught with options, so you can work at the level of movement that feels right for your body.

🗓 Thursdays: 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th August
🕗 8:15–9:00pm
📍 Killicomaine Community Centre

Come along, build strength, improve control and enjoy a welcoming class where everyone is encouraged to move in a way that suits them.

Message me to book your place! 💚

☀️ PILATES IS BETTER WITH FRIENDS! ☀️

August is here, and I’ve got a little summer treat for you! 💛

For this month only, when you book an August Pilates block, you can bring a friend along for FREE! 🧘‍♀️👯‍♀️

Whether you treat your bestie to a free month or split the cost between you, the choice is yours!

It’s the perfect chance to try something new together, get moving, have a laugh and keep each other motivated.

👇 Here’s how it works:

💛 Follow my page
💛 Like this post
💛 Tag the friend you’d love to bring (tag as many friends as you like!)

🎁 BONUS! If one of your tagged friends books an August Buddy Pass with you, you’ll BOTH receive a FREE Pilates resistance band to take home!

If you know someone who’s always saying “I’d love to try Pilates…” now’s the perfect excuse! 🌸

📩 Send me a message to book your August Buddy Pass before spaces fill.

✨ Feel free to share this post with anyone who’d love to move more, feel stronger and have some fun this summer!

MoveTogether NorthernIreland