Purely Pilates Studio

30/10/2026

28/10/2026

Springs versus weights🏋️‍♀️

Like many of us, I’ve dusted off my old hand weights and have started doing some additional strength training at home recently.

There’s a real push at the moment to focus on strength training, and rightly so. But I was reminded of something in a recent session in the studio.

I was working through some strength exercises on the Cadillac using the springs, and I instantly noticed how different it felt to working with weights.

Working with spring tension feels like a whole-body movement.

My feet are having to connect to the ground, my abdominals naturally join in to hold me in position, me legs are working, and then I add the load through my chest, triceps and biceps.

It feels incredible!

I’m not just focusing on the muscles I’m working; I’m feeling how my whole body connects to support the movement.

And it got me thinking about the different ways we can challenge our bodies. Both weights and springs offer resistance, but the experience of working with them can feel quite different.

It’s one of the things I love about Pilates equipment. It’s not about isolating a muscle and making it work harder, but exploring how the whole body works together to create and control movement.

And actually, it’s much more how I want to train my body 🧡

What’s your favourite? Spring or free weight?

27/10/2026

Join Suzy next Tuesday 3rd November 7.30-8.30pm and learn all there is to know about the brilliant Reformer. Suzy will show you the fundamentals of the machine and then will take you through some exercises to show off how fabulous the reformer really is!

Email us [email protected] today to book your place!

We’d love to see you 🧡

̇lates

22/10/2026

The way we view pelvic health is changing… 🌿

There is a move away from the idea that pelvic floor health is all about bracing, holding and squeezing, which can sometimes lead to over-engaging and restriction.

Instead, we’re recognising the power of the breath and its relationship with the pelvic floor, helping to create a dynamic, coordinated response that supports us through our daily lives.

We want to work with subtlety, developing a pelvic floor that can engage when needed and release when appropriate, adapting as we move through our day.

We also know how important it is to look at the body as a whole. Foot and ankle movement, in particular, can influence how we move, balance and manage load — all important pieces of the wider pelvic health picture.

So here’s a little Zenga ball sequence. It’s definitely more challenging than it might look… for the brain as well as the body! 😉

I didn’t cue the breath here but just do ensure you breath fully and deeply as you move 🧡

21/10/2026

A morning to move, restore and unwind

We’re excited to announce Purely’s very first mini retreat, in collaboration with Ditchling Wild Sauna!

Join Gemma on Saturday 21st November for a restorative and invigorating morning, combining Pilates, deep relaxation and the warmth of a wood-fired sauna. A chance to step away from the everyday, reconnect with your body and leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and re-energised.

📅 Saturday 21st November 2026
⏰ 9.30am–1pm
💷 £70 per person £50 for Pilates only
£65 early bird offer ends Friday 23rd October

Your morning

9.30–11.15am | Pilates Workshop: From Strength to Stillness

Gemma will guide you through a carefully designed Pilates session, exploring the relationship between strength, balance and control before gradually moving into mobility and release work. We’ll finish with a deep relaxation, allowing you to slow down, let go and simply be.

11.15–11.45am | Coffee, Tea & Pastries

A chance to pause, enjoy a coffee or herbal tea, tuck into some pastries and chat before the next part of your morning.

11.45am–12.45pm | Wild Sauna

Time to unwind in the beautiful wood-fired sauna at Ditchling Wild Sauna. Enjoy the warmth, relax your body and give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing!

There will also be the option to purchase a face oil, body scrub or clay mask to enhance your sauna experience for an additional £6.

What to bring

🧘 For Pilates: Your mat, a cushion, a blanket and a bottle of water.

🩱 For the sauna: Your swimming costume and a towel.

Coffee, herbal teas and water will be provided.

Give yourself a morning to recharge.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your Pilates practice, release tension, or simply enjoy some time for yourself, this is an opportunity to combine mindful movement with the restorative benefits of heat and relaxation.

Spaces are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!

We can’t wait to share this special morning with you 🧡

16/10/2026

We’re so excited to announce Purely’s very first mini retreat, in collaboration with Ditchling Wild Sauna!

Join Gemma on Saturday 21st November for a restorative and invigorating morning, combining Pilates, deep relaxation and the warmth of a wood-fired sauna. A chance to step away from the everyday, reconnect with your body and leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and re-energised.

📅 Saturday 21st November 2026
⏰ 9.30am–1pm
💷 £70 per person (£65 early bird if booked by 23rd October)

Your morning

9.30–11.15am | Pilates Workshop: From Strength to Stillness

Gemma will guide you through a carefully designed Pilates session, exploring the relationship between strength, balance and control before gradually moving into mobility and release work. We’ll finish with a deep relaxation, allowing you to slow down, let go and simply be.

11.15–11.45am | Coffee, Tea & Pastries

A chance to pause, enjoy a coffee or herbal tea, tuck into some pastries and chat before the next part of your morning.

11.45am–12.45pm | Wild Sauna

Time to unwind in the beautiful wood-fired sauna at Ditchling Wild Sauna. Enjoy the warmth, relax your body and give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing!

There will also be the option to purchase a face oil, body scrub or clay mask to enhance your sauna experience for an additional £6.

What to bring

🧘 For Pilates: Your mat, a cushion, a blanket and a bottle of water.

🩱 For the sauna: Your swimming costume and a towel.

Coffee, herbal teas and water will be provided.

Give yourself a morning to recharge.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your Pilates practice, release tension, or simply enjoy some time for yourself, this is an opportunity to combine mindful movement with the restorative benefits of heat and relaxation.

Spaces are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!

We can’t wait to share this special morning with you 🧡

14/10/2026

This beauty is the Ladder Barrel, Queen of Purely studio. She even has her own room 👑

Designed to help you extend your spine, flex your spine, to perch on from the sacrum, the hip, the p***c bone, creating lots of opportunities to move. Working with the Ladder Barrel is a dream.

Lengthen, mobilise, strengthen or use her as a supportive base. She’s versatile, she’s challenging, and she can make you feel amazing.

And not many studios have one 💪🏽

So come and see what the fuss is all about 🧡

13/10/2026

Join us this November 🧡

Three great ways to get started with us at Purely.

Mat to Machine 4 week course
Join Amy for this course for Complete Beginners to Pilates, designed to teach you everything you need to know to get the full benefit from a group Reformer class. You will be taught, by our experienced instructors, the basic principles of Pilates and some key mat exercises for the first two sessions, then you will be introduced to the Reformer and all its benefits for the latter two. Start slowly and you’ll reap the benefits we promise 🧡

Reformer Foundations
For those with experience on the mat this one off introduction to the Reformer will teach you everything you need to know to join one of our Reformer courses. You’ll be taken through the machine set up and safety, as well as going over some of the key exercises on the Reformer to ensure a safe transition into a group class 🧡

Introduction to Pilates
If you are completely new to Pilates or have had a break and need a refresher, this is your first step. Candy will take you through the basic Pilates principles which will be the key to getting the best out of your weekly group class. We limit numbers of these classes to allow time for any questions you may have and to ensure each client has individual attention to fully understand the foundations of Pilates.

Whatever your experience, we have a session for you 🧡

We’d love to hear from you. Comment START and we’ll send you the booking info.

09/10/2026

A little bit about me… 👋🏼

PIC 2— How I found Pilates 🧡
I came to Pilates through a love of movement. I danced from a very young age, but gave it up when I went to Sussex University to study Sociology.

I became one of the first Merrithew trainers in the UK, training on their first course in Twickenham in 2001 — back when Pilates was more of a whisper than the boom it is today!

PIC 3— I LOVE a mat class 🧡
As a teacher, mat gives you so much freedom to be creative. Lying, sitting, kneeling, standing… balance work, strength, mobility, release — there’s so much you can bring to a mat session.

I know mat isn’t quite as popular at the moment, but I really hope it has its moment again. There’s something about working with just your own body that gives you such a good understanding of how you move.

PIC 4— My football days ⚽️
I trained the Albion for two seasons, back before Pilates was really a thing in Premier League football.

The coach was pretty forward-thinking, but my biggest challenge wasn’t the Pilates… it was getting a group of 20-year-old boys to take it seriously! 😂

PIC 5 — Outside of Pilates🏊‍♂️
My non-negotiable each week is a swim. I LOVE being in the water and I really don’t like missing it.

And I love reading. It doesn’t have to be particularly highbrow — I just love getting completely lost in a good story.

PIC 6— Part of my story 🧡
I’m a widow. I lost my husband to cancer when my son was just four.

So, alongside work, I’ve been a full-time solo parent too. It’s been incredibly hard at times, particularly while running my own business and trying to keep all the plates spinning.

But my son is now a happy, thriving 14-year-old, and I know his Dad would be incredibly proud of both of us. 🧡

So that’s a little bit of me — beyond the Pilates teacher you see in the studio.