Improve Your Fitness, HEALTH AND WELLBEING with Our Pilates, AERIAL, Yoga  AND BARRE Classes in Brentwood, Essex

CircusFit™ Aerial Pilates

CircusFit™ aerial Pilates is still relatively new to the fitness arena. Using a hammock suspended from the ceiling, aerial Pilates allows you to train on a new, unstable type of equipment. Equipment that challenges stability can effectively develop core strength, dynamic alignment, proprioception, and core control. The hammocks originate from the circus aerialist world where they are used as performative aerial acrobatic equipment. The hammocks deliver many benefits by supporting the full or partial bodyweight of the participant, making it possible to fully invert (hang upside down) with the effect of decompressing the body (spine in particular), intensifying bodyweight exercises, enabling passive stretching, and facilitating full relaxation and muscle release. This is a fantastic Pilates workout with a great emphasis on core, grip, arm and upper body strength, legs, and glutes.

CircusFit™ Dynamic Aerial Yoga

CircusFit™ dynamic aerial yoga uses many of the traditional yoga poses, however, as in aerial Pilates, they are performed from a suspended hammock. As this partially or fully supports bodyweight, it allows the participant to get into the postures with better ease or can challenge them more. It is great fun, and the hammocks allow for some excellent stretches.

Yoga uses inversions and the hammocks allow the participant to be able to fully invert (hang upside down). Inversions have the effect of decompressing the body (the spine in particular) and, in yoga, inversions are a reenergising and invigorating posture series which should always be exercised with care. Yoga asanas (postures) deliver health benefits such as purification, detoxification, and opening places in the body that are locked to free emotions and balance energetic vortexes known as chakras. Concentration on the physical movements and breathing can help to still the mind and allow freedom and space away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

CircusFit™ Ante-natal Aerial Yoga

CircusFit™ antenatal aerial yoga is very different to dynamic aerial yoga. Pregnancy is a time to try to maintain your existing fitness, not increase it. As the pregnancy progresses, you will actually find yourself reducing the exercise intensity. Antenatal aerial yoga is a great class for women in all trimesters of their pregnancy. It aims to strengthen the pelvic floor and abdominals to help women regain their pre-pregnancy shape following birth. However, it also allows participants to release the pelvic floor to aid in delivering the baby.

The class will focus on stretching and releasing the parts of the body that become tight, like the chest area and lower back, but is done in a gentle way so as not to overstretch ligaments due to joint laxity through increase in the hormone relaxin. There is a suspension part in the class, however you will not be upside down! You will lay in the hammock towards the end of the class which feels so nice as it takes all the pressure off the joints due to weight gain and joint laxity changes. There is a relaxation part of the class and a focus on breathing which helps prepare you for childbirth itself knowing how to breathe properly to release tension and cope with pain.

Total Barre (Ballet Barre)

Total barre integrates elements of Pilates, yoga, dance, cardio, and strength training. Using a traditional ballet barre, and other props such as bands, weights, and balls, the class is performed to music and split into segments. A lot of the moves are based on traditional ballet moves, like plies and up on pointe. This is a full body workout using your own bodyweight as resistance as well as the props. It is great for sculpting the arms, legs, and abdominals, while it also allows for joint mobility and flexibility.

Pulseroll and Pulseball Myofascial Release Classes

Myofascial release of muscles has fast become a key phrase in Pilates and many other movement modalities. A tight muscle may sometimes be resistant to stretching until its surrounding fascia has been released. You may have seen people in gyms and health clubs rolling a foam tube-like piece of equipment along muscle parts. We are so focused on trying to burn off fat or increase our fitness levels, especially with HIIT training, that our muscles are becoming tight and short. Stretching alone does not produce the best results for lengthening muscles, but if we include myofascial release work, the benefits are greatly increased.

Every single muscle and cell in our body is coated with a sheath-like membrane named fascia. It is similar to the white sheaths and membranes you find when cutting meat. If the fascia is tight and dehydrated, the muscles become tight and short. The majority of myofascial release work you see people doing is carried out incorrectly. The pulseroll is a vibrating foam roller and the pulseball is a vibrating peanut. By placing these items into appropriate muscle parts, the vibrations work to release the fascia. The benefits of using these items are reduced next-day soreness following a workout and increased blood flow and circulation. This makes them great for: 

• Deep-Tissue Massage
• Faster Recovery from Injury
• Flushing away Lactic Acid
• Helping with Cellulite and Some Skin Conditions
• Improved Flexibility
• Muscular Pain Relief
• Promoting Healing
• Rapid Training Recovery
• Releasing Knots and Tension

It has been predicted that, within a few years, health clubs and gyms alike will be promoting myofascial release classes on their studio timetables.

Introduction to Pilates (Max 6 People)

A class for participants who are new to Pilates. You will be taught the 5 basic principles of Pilates, which are vital to ensure a safe and effective workout.

Essential Matwork (Max 6 People)

A matwork class for beginners to intermediate participants. The class may include the use of props such as the fitness circles.

Intermediate Matwork (Max 6 People)

A matwork class for students that have mastered the essential matwork exercises and are ready to progress. The class may include the use of props such as the fitness circles.

Advanced Matwork (Max 6 People)

A matwork class for students that have mastered the intermediate matwork exercises and are ready to progress. The class may include the use of props such as the fitness circles.

Mixed Ability Matwork (Max 6 People)

A matwork class for students of mixed levels. The class will be formatted in a way that modifications can be made while keeping the class flowing. This is not suitable for people with pathologies such as osteoporosis. The class may include the use of props such as the fitness circles.

Essential Reformer (Max 4 People)

A reformer class for beginners to intermediate participants.

Intermediate Reformer (Max 4 People)

A reformer class for intermediate to advanced participants.

Equipment Mixed Class (Max 6 People)

A class using all of the equipment, including the reformer, cadillac, stability chair, and ladder barrel. The class will be in a circuit format with a certain time limit on each station before moving onto the next piece. Not for people with pathologies, such as osteoporosis, or participants who are new to Pilates. Please note that you will need to do some essential reformer classes first.

Reformer and Spring Wall Class (Max 6 People)

A class using the reformers and spring walls. Three people will be on a spring wall while 3 will be on a reformer. You will perform a specific exercise for a short time on that piece of equipment then change over to the other piece for a different exercise and keep changing thereafter, making it similar to a circuit-style format. Please note that you will need to do some essential reformer classes first.

Antenatal Chair and Spring Wall Class (Max 6 People)

A class for pregnant ladies of all trimesters using the stability chair and spring walls. The class may incorporate the use of the Swiss balls and other small props as well as some matwork.