We've just started two new Absolute Beginners Courses on Wednesdays, and numbers joining have been very good. So good in fact that the Wednesday evening class is over-subscribed. As a result, we are hoping to start another Absolute Beginners Course on Thursday evenings (7pm, in Rosebery Street Medical Centre, Loughborough).

If you, or someone else you know, would like the very best introduction to matwork Pilates they can possibly get, then please get in touch with us ASAP for further details.

Just reply to this email, or forward this email to someone you know who would benefit from Pilates with us.

The Catchups system is our gift to you all as Jane Thomas Pilates matwork class clients.

Catchups mean that when you know you will not be able to get to your usual class, you can let us know and book a Catchup class on an alternative day/time/venue. So you need never miss your Pilates class. Details of how to book your Catchup are at the bottom of this Newsletter.

Since we started the Catchups system it has grown and grown and grown — to the point that we are going to have to be a little more strict in how we operate it, so that Catchups can be fairly allocated to everyone who asks for them.

Firstly we do need to know, in advance, the class you will miss. Your space can then be allocated to someone else requesting a Catchup in your class. It’s only fair when you think about it — if you don't tell us in advance, then we can't allocate your space, which in turn means someone else may lose their Catchup. We ask for at least 24 hours notice, but if you can give us longer that would be even fairer for everyone. There are always emergencies we know, and we will try to accommodate those where possible.

Also, Catchups must be taken during the current course. They cannot be "carried over".

The Catchups system is a great facility that we hope you all use to your advantage.

I am looking at the Pilates exercise of Swimming this week, as this exercise works on strengthening our posterior chain of muscles.

We work our core of course, which stabilises and supports the spine. Then with the movement we work into our hamstrings (back of thigh) our gluteals (bottom), our quadriceps (front of thigh) also lengthen as we lift our legs.

Then when we start to add our arms we start to work into our trapezius (upper back), our rhomboids (back of shoulder), and the erector spinae (muscles on each side of the spine). It is a strong exercise and one which really helps our posture and how we move on a daily basis.

Remember to work at the appropriate level for your body, and progress it gradually as you practise.

This week I have been mostly making bad, very corny jokes — to which my family have laughed occasionally (in pity probably), groaned or looked at me and rolled their eyes.

The point of me sharing this with you, is that for a while I have found life a bit tough, but gradually over the last couple of weeks, I feel life is getting back to a more even keel.

So when I was chatting to my son, George, I said to him that I was feeling better. He said that he could tell and he loved me when I am acting silly, making daft jokes, and laughing my socks off at my own jokes.

I also think that I am back into that cycle of enjoying things, feeling happy, joyous, fun, and this is feeding those feelings, so I am working on maintaining all those things to keep me in this space. So if any of you are in a cycle where everything is feeling hard work, difficult, and tough — make one decision, take one opportunity, make a choice, to change that cycle into a fun, silly, daft place instead.

When I suggested to George that it must be awful to live with me when I am not in that happy place, he intelligently declined to offer an opinion! Clever boy!