Gentle and Strong with Marketa • Pilates • Yoga • Coaching

17/06/2026

🌿 Pilates Outdoors This Morning… and It Was Worth It! 🌿

This week has been a little unlucky with technical issues at our Beaminster venue, but sometimes unexpected challenges create unexpected opportunities.

This morning, instead of being indoors, we took our Pilates practice outside. The grass was damp, the air was misty, and there was a gentle drizzle hanging in the air. At first, it was easy to feel the pull of a warm café, a hot chocolate, and a coffee instead!

But we wrapped up warmly and enjoyed a lovely session surrounded by greenery and fresh air.

It made me wonder how you feel after spending time outdoors? There is something about moving in the fresh air that can leave you feeling calmer, clearer, more energised and connected. Breathing feels different, your shoulders seem to soften, and for a little while you become more aware of the world around you—the birds, the breeze, the changing sky.

It reminded me of my recent holiday in Italy, where I taught yoga on the rooftop of the hotel. The view was stunning, with birdsong in the background and the sea stretching out before us. It felt so easy to breathe deeply and simply enjoy being present in that moment.

Our British winters can be long, cold and grey, so perhaps this is a gentle reminder to enjoy the outdoors as much as we can while summer is here. We don’t need perfect weather—just a willingness to step outside and embrace whatever the day brings.

And yes, after our session we absolutely enjoyed a coffee and hot chocolate together, which felt even more deserved after our misty morning adventure! ☕🍫💚

I’m wondering whether there might be some interest in a few spontaneous outdoor Pilates or Yolates sessions over the summer on a drop-in basis whenever the weather looks promising.

Would anyone be up for it? 🌿☀️😊

30/05/2026

☀️🇮🇹 Santa Cesarea Terme – Day One

A pistachio affogato, a perfect pasticciotto, the local orecchiette pasta (“little ears”🙂), a few too many coffees, and the Adriatic in shades of blue that seem almost impossible.

The famous sulphur-rich healing waters are undeniably a little stinky, yet people have come here for centuries seeking their restorative powers. There is something beautifully honest about this place — unpretentious, sun-soaked, and deeply connected to the sea.

Today felt like a needed invitation into dolce far niente — the sweetness of doing nothing. Not wasting time, but fully inhabiting it. Watching the light on the water, lingering over conversations, and remembering that not every moment needs to be productive to be meaningful. 💙🌊

03/05/2026

Classes begin again tomorrow ✨

I’ve had a really lovely birthday break — a mix of Pilates, learning, walking on the Devon moor and coast, and yes… a bit of indulging too. 🍰🥂

One of the highlights was being a student again and trying the Wunda Chair with a great teacher, Seb. Such an interesting piece of equipment — Joseph Pilates actually believed every home should have one in the living room. I can see why!💪 🔥

It felt really good to step back into learning mode, move in a different way, and get inspired again. 🧠🧚‍♀️

Also… I may have tried a few (ok, quite a few) wisteria-style hair moments along the way haha 🌿

I’m back now, feeling refreshed and ready, and really looking forward to seeing you all in class again.🩷🙏🏼

See you soon 🤍

25/04/2026

🍽️ Saturday Morning Tasting Menu – Chez Oakie 🐾

What day is it, you ask?
Oh… just Oakie’s Birthday 🎉

And in this establishment, we do not hold back.

👨‍🍳 Today’s Special Menu

Amuse-bouche
Lightly scrambled egg with tender broccoli,
delicately infused with essence of liver
(A fragrance that fills the entire home… lucky us 🙃)

😴 Interlude
Guest of honour now snoozing happily after the first course…

Main Event – The Birthday Cake 🎂
A bold, rustic creation featuring:
• Rich liver (and plenty more of it)
• Earthy mushrooms
• Sweet potato for a gentle sweetness
• Fresh green pepper for a little bite
• Finished with a swirl of peanut butter perfection

✨ Crafted with love, enthusiasm, and absolutely no concern for human noses

🐶 Head Chef & Guest of Honour: Oakie
Critic reviews pending… but expectations are extremely high

Happy Birthday to our favourite boy 💛

25/03/2026

🌞First day of our mini holiday 🌞✔️

It’s such a relief to be stepping out of winter and back into walking again… I hadn’t realised quite how much I’d missed it 🤍

So special to be back on the Isle of Purbeck — it always feels like coming home. The wild garlic woods, the shifting colours of the sea, the wind… all of it gently wakes the body back up.

Oakie is completely in his element — back on his little fitness regime and enjoying his homelands… friends, sticks, sniffs… it’s so good to see him like this 🐾

It made me think about something Joseph Pilates said — that change happens through movement, and movement heals. Not in a big dramatic way, but in these simple, steady moments… walking, breathing, being outside.

Walking today felt like exactly that — a gentle return.

Great coffee, lovely girlie company, and all the simple Dorset pleasures ✨

Feeling very grateful 🤍

16/03/2026

🌟”Your class feels different.”🌟

A new student said this to me recently after her first session. It made me pause and reflect on why I teach Pilates the way I do.

In my classes we often begin with a longer standing sequence – squats, lunges, balance work and sometimes light weights. This can surprise people, because the traditional Pilates repertoire is often taught mostly on the mat.

But there is a reason why I include so much standing work.

I recently read a fascinating BBC article called “The surprising benefits of standing on one leg.”It explains that our ability to balance actually peaks in our late 30s and then gradually declines. By the time we reach our 50s and 60s, something as simple as standing on one leg can reveal a lot about how well our bodies and brains are ageing.

Balance is not just about strength. It involves the coordination of the muscles, joints, nervous system, inner ear and brain. As we age, these systems can gradually decline, which is why balance becomes more challenging.

The article also discusses sarcopenia – the age-related loss of muscle mass, particularly in the hips and legs. Exercises like squats, lunges and single-leg balance help maintain strength, improve reaction time, stimulate the brain and reduce the risk of falls.

In other words, these movements are not just exercises – they are training for healthy ageing.

Joseph Pilates spoke about developing a body that allows us to perform our daily activities “with ease and pleasure.”

And most of life does not happen lying on a mat.

We stand
We walk
We climb stairs
We step over uneven ground

So in my classes we practise Pilates principles – alignment, breath, control and awareness – while the body is upright and weight-bearing, just as it is in everyday life.

Mat work is still incredibly valuable. But if we only train lying down, we may miss something essential: strength, balance and confidence in standing movement.

If you’re curious, the BBC article is well worth a read – I’ll share it below.

Spending a few minutes each day balancing on a single limb can make you stronger, boost your memory and keep your brain healthier.

13/03/2026

There will be no classes on Thursday March 26th.
Please Plan and catch up accordingly or talk to me about options. Thank you 🙏🏼 🌟💪🌸

07/03/2026

Daffodils everywhere — little yellow trumpets announcing that winter is finally packing its bags. 🌼

We attempted a spring selfie with Oakie in the middle of them. Three beings, one frame… a logistical challenge.

Oakie’s face says it all: “Lovely flowers… but where’s the treat?”

Somehow, between the wiggling dog, the laughter and funky positions we occasionally get the photo. Mostly we just get the joy of spring.

Have a lovely weekend everyone 🌟🌼🌞

14/02/2026

❤️Today’s Valentine’s felt simple in the best possible way.❤️

Oakie was allowed a few gentle bursts of running again. After months of careful rehab, physio and slow strengthening we finally clipped on a canicross harness and tried some tiny runs. He was so proud of himself. I was ridiculously proud of him. And yes — to my speedy runner students — I am very much in my beginner era.

That’s what today reminded me of. Love doesn’t have to be the big showy thing. Maybe just the long, steady showing up. Maybe a deep breath when things are uncertain. Choosing patience over panic. Pilates has taught me that strength grows quietly, layer by layer. Yoga has taught me to stay with the moment I’m in — even the inconvenient, uncomfortable ones — and trust that they shape us. Sometimes a tough journey.

And then this evening, as it got dark, there was Andy digging a very large hole in the garden because I’ve decided I’d like an arch of roses over the gate. No grand speech. Just a spade, fading light and a slightly ambitious plan involving climbing roses. Somehow that felt wildly romantic.

So this Valentine’s Day looked like a dog allowed to run again. A woman rediscovering her stride. A husband digging in cold soil. A lot of breath. A lot of gratitude.

Nothing glossy.
Just real and that feels profound enough.

So much love to all of you my dear students 💪🌸❤️🩵💜🤍

05/02/2026

You all often hear me say in class, “Can you feel the burn?” 🔥😁

Today I found myself smiling at those same words while packing my jar of freshly made curtido at a brilliant ferment workshop.

That gentle (?) burn in your muscles? It’s linked to lactate — a natural substance your body produces during challenging exercise to help fuel the muscles. It’s not something to fear or push through aggressively. Instead, let it guide you.

When you feel the burn:

• Stay calm and carry on 😁💪
• Breathe, Choose control over force
• Notice the strength building and celebrate
• Pause before your form is lost

Interestingly, lactic acid is also what gives fermented foods their tang and life. Beneficial bacteria transform simple vegetables into something deeply nourishing for our gut and immune system.

In both movement and fermentation, a little, well-supported stress creates resilience.

So next time you hear me say, “Can you feel the burn?” — know that it’s an invitation to meet yourself at the edge of change, where the body adapts, strength quietly grows, and transformation begins. 🌟🌟🌟