Case Studies

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s nearly ten years ago, at the age of 38.  One of the symptoms of the condition is loss of control of movement, and this is commonly more pronounced on one side of the body.  As the condition progresses. it is easy to lose confidence in one’s self.  When I first met Mauro Ossola at Alan Herdman Pilates, my body was frequently leaning to one side but now I can stand straight.  It is good for the morale to feel so much stronger and thanks to Mauro’s excellent teaching I can now swim a whole length of the  pool in a straight line (before I would go round and round in circles). Recently I even skied downhill – a truly liberating experience.   It is impossible to over-estimate the positive effect of re-gaining some control over my movement and being able to see such positive results.

Thank you, Mauro!

Thank you for all your help over the last number of months. Baby girl was born this afternoon, after a lovely Pilates session this morning ;-). Water birth, at home, all healthy and happy.

Excellent session this morning with my Pilates hero Alan Herdman.  From slipped disc to this in 18 months (and back on the squash court). Who would have thought?

After injuring my back in the gym in 2009 and being diagnosed with a herniated disc at L5/S1 I started Pilates as a way of remediating my injury to avoid the complication of potential back surgery. Over the last 3 years I have attended studio Pilates 1-2 times per week and I have noticed a marked difference in the strength of my core and a significant improvement to my day to day condition. I am a regular skier and cyclist and last year I was able to complete two long-distance European sportives, none of which I believe would have been possible without the help of regular core strengthening and flexibility that Pilates has been able to provide.

I’d been doing mat-based Pilates for a number of years – I tried out classes at the Alan Herdman studio and was hooked at once and have never looked back. It takes Pilates to the next level. The instructors personalise your workout to address your own individual body’s needs and always keep things interesting. I have suffered core muscular issues due to IBS for many years and their expertise and encouragement has helped me regain strength and flexibility I thought I’d never have again.

As a competitive cyclist, the key for my sport is swift recovery from long and hard training sessions and races. Initially I just wanted to give Pilates a try but I soon realised that it perfectly complements the training I already do. My instructor’s background as an ex-professional cyclist and Tour de France rider makes him very aware of the needs of competitive athletes. I certainly feel that I recover more quickly and train more effectively thanks to the Pilates lessons I have had and would highly recommend his lessons to ambitious amateurs and professionals.

I’ve had an ongoing back problem as long as I can remember and my osteopath suggested I went to Alan’s studio. Part of the problem is that I play the viola and have to hold this huge instrument under my chin, which is idiotic for someone with back problems. Pilates helped me to build up my muscles – otherwise, I simply couldn’t have continued with the viola.

I found Alan Herdman’s studio when I was recovering from a stroke, which had left a partial paralysis, and I found it an ideal continuation of the intensive physiotherapy I had been receiving. Instead of passively relying on the physiotherapist to move my limbs, I was encouraged to concentrate on waking up different muscle groups. After every session I feel uplifted and am actually walking taller. I ditched my walking stick after six months of Pilates.

When I needed a hip resurfacing operation, Alan and his team taught me some movements to help relieve the pain beforehand, then afterwards they speeded my recovery and helped me to walk without limping again.

Last year I fell and broke my leg in four places and the surgeon doubted that I would walk again. I came to Alan with my crutches and he said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll walk.’ The surgeon couldn’t believe the progress I made and now I don’t even limp. To be honest, I couldn’t have coped with life in a wheelchair, so Alan and his assistants literally gave my life back to me.