Kneeling long box hip extension showing control, balance, neutral spine, and strong glute work. Today looks at a controlled strength movement on the Reformer. You kneel on the long box, place one foot into a strap, take a four point position, and set a light spring. A blue spring keeps the load sensible. Your goal is to avoid fighting the machine. The movement is simple on paper. You extend the working leg straight back and lift it to hip height. You hold a neutral spine. You

Protein sources sit on a wooden board with eggs, salmon and lean meat. Protein helps your body repair tissue after training. Your needs change with age and how hard you work. Strength sessions drive the highest demand. Cardio still needs support because it breaks tissue down, only less aggressively. Spread protein across your meals, aim for steady portions and pick sources that fit your diet. Plant options work well when you mix them. Older adults often need a little more to

Malcolm shows a strong lumbar flexion curve, holding steady control through the centre. Pilates Movement Monday looks at the Short Box Series, a clear way to strengthen your abdominals and sharpen your control through the centre. The work looks simple, but the challenge sits underneath. You train the deep muscles that support your spine while the larger global muscles learn to move in harmony without gripping or taking over. Breath links the whole thing together. Set the Refo

Hand squeezing a soft ball to build grip strength during controlled Pilates work. Grip strength gives clear information about overall strength and long term health. Several large studies show this. A 2015 Lancet study tracked more than 140000 adults and found lower grip strength linked with higher risk of death from any cause. A 2018 BMJ review showed the same pattern in middle aged and older adults. The UK Biobank followed more than 500000 adults and reported that lower grip

Pilates Movement Monday: Bicycle on the Shoulders The traditional Bicycle on the shoulders looks elegant until you try to keep everything lifted, steady, and calm. It challenges your strength through the centre and your control through the hips, and it becomes a lot more manageable when the breath leads the movement. You begin on your back and lift into a supported shoulder stand. Your hands support the pelvis so you stay high through the centre without dumping weight into th

Long walking stride by the lake showing greater hip extension that lengthens the psoas. How extending your walk and running will change your psoas use When you walk a bit longer or start adding short runs into your week, your psoas wakes up fast. It is one of those muscles that pretends to be quiet in class, then makes a scene the moment you take it outside. The change in demand is simple. Longer strides ask it to lengthen. Running asks it to lift. If your posture drifts, you

Man performing Pilates rowing on a Reformer, focusing on controlled flexion and arm reach. Rowing on the Reformer builds strength, control, and organised movement. It teaches you to lift through the spine, use the shoulders with precision, and match the arms, trunk, and breath in a steady rhythm. The sequence challenges timing, control, and awareness. Why it matters • It improves shoulder function. • It strengthens the upper back and arms. • It trains controlled spinal flexio

Older adult walking up concrete steps holding the rail to build steady leg strength. There is something simple about looking back at how people moved before gyms, trackers, and equipment. Strength came from daily life. People carried, climbed, squatted, reached, and walked because they had to. For older adults who want to feel stronger without complicated programmes, using ideas from ancestral living offers a clear and practical way to build strength that feels natural for th

Building everyday strength starts with simple actions like lifting shopping safely and efficiently. Functional strength is not about lifting the heaviest weight in the gym. It is about moving with control and confidence in daily life. The goal is to train your body for the tasks you do every day, such as bending, reaching, carrying, pushing and pulling. Most people think of strength as muscle size or gym performance, but functional strength goes deeper. It combines mobility,

focused woman training with weights, showing vitality, balance, and graceful confidence in movement. Over the years teaching, many clients have said to me, “I don’t want to get bulky.”  I’ve heard it so often that I can almost predict when it’s coming. It usually appears the moment I hand someone heavier springs or suggest adding small weights. Somewhere along the line, people were told that strength training automatically equals size. It doesn’t. Building bulk takes a lot o

Group performing standing side lunges on Reformers using long boxes to build leg strength and control This version takes the classic Skater and gives it a twist. The box adds height, support, and a serious challenge to balance and control. One foot stands on the box, the other on the moving carriage. As you press the carriage out, you are not just working the legs, you are asking your hips, core, and stabilisers to hold everything together. The setup makes it safer for some c

Forearm muscles engaged during a Reformer pull, highlighting the connection between grip and core strength. Grip strength is often overlooked, but it tells us a lot about how the body is functioning as a whole. It reflects not only the strength of the forearms and hands but also the efficiency of the nervous system, muscle coordination, and even cardiovascular health. Research consistently links grip strength with longevity. Lower grip strength has been associated with reduce

Older adults practising single-leg balance in a calm home setting, improving coordination and fall prevention. Falls are not a normal...

Controlled shoulder strength and balance in the traditional Semaphore Reformer exercise with smooth precision. The Semaphore is one of...

Athletic alignment on rowing machine highlights Pilates principles of core strength and control. Walk into any gym and you’ll see the...

Brisk walking is a simple warm-up to prepare for VO₂ max interval training. We’ve talked about cardio on Fitness Fridays before. It...

Three shoes symbolise exercise extremes, with the middle pair representing the balanced Goldilocks zone. In fitness, more is not always...

A Pilates teacher guides precise Reformer leg work, focusing on control, strength, and alignment. One of the most overlooked ways to...

Older woman practicing functional strength with rotation using a soft ball in a studio. When we talk about strength in Pilates, we are...

Building bone strength with focused shoulder presses—strength training supports healthy ageing and posture. Bone health is one of those...