Trueform Physio Pilates

09/01/2026

A funny thing about this New Year: in conversations at the clinic and in the village, people have said they couldn’t wait to get those decorations down and out of the way. Not in a grinchy sort of way, just… done with it.

It feels like the festivities have expanded over the years, more planning, more hosting, more keeping-everyone-happy, so by the time we reach January we’re wrung out. And then, as if on cue, we get hit with “New Year, New You” messaging.

The trouble is, those slogans used to pop up on the odd billboard or magazine cover. You’d roll your eyes and move on. Now, with social media, it’s everywhere, constantly. No wonder people have had enough. We’re saturated. It’s not that making changes is bad; it’s the noise around it that makes folk switch off.

That’s probably why there’s a quiet shift happening this year: people starting their “new year” in February or March instead. It makes sense. The weather eases off, the mornings get lighter, the body isn’t in full survival mode. Motivation isn’t dragging itself through treacle.

Some of you spotted that we suggested the opposite recently, starting before the New Year, right in the middle of the chaos. Not big goals, not reinvention, just tiny, steady behaviours so that when January hits (cold, dark, tired), you’re not trying to start from nothing.

That’s really the heart of what we do here at Trueform. No rebrands of the self. No “new you”. Just small, consistent work with the body you’ve already got, so it supports you through the year, not just at the tidy moments.

We believe most change doesn’t come from willpower or slogans. It comes from paying attention to your body, understanding what it’s telling you, and finding simple movements you can stick to, even when life’s busy, noisy or a bit much.
If you’re already off to the races this January, great. If you’re waiting until the thaw, also great. And if you quietly started in December when everything was loud, well done, that’s not easy.

Whatever your timing, it’s not about a “new you”. It’s about looking after the one you’ve got, properly, and over time.

01/01/2026

2025 has been a year of small steps and some big strides, steady progress and committed effort. Every member here at Trueform shows what patience and consistency can bring, moment by moment, choice by choice. Here’s a look back at some of our stories, while we focus on what we continue to build and learn. Let’s celebrate what we achieved together this year, and draw inspiration to fuel our momentum for 2026.

25/12/2025

Sometimes Christmas feels like it’s moving faster than we are full of noise, lights, people, expectations. And yet, the body is already here. Already noticing, shifting, adjusting, balancing. The mind is there, but catching up with lists, plans, thoughts, and the small dramas of the season.

If we can pause for a moment, and pay attention to what’s actually happening to the sensations, the movement, the quiet or the chaos we don’t need to change anything. Nothing new is required. No better body. No perfect mindset. Just noticing.

It’s not always easy, of course. The mind can be insistent, pulling us forward, telling stories. And yet the body can keep its own rhythm if we let it, being present isn’t about being in control of everything.

And right now… this reel reminds me, I need to take my dog for a proper long walk. She’s been waiting patiently, eyes on me the whole time, being very present indeed.

From all of us at Trueform, here’s to a Christmas where you can notice, breathe, and maybe even take a good long walk (or two).

19/12/2025

December can be loud.

Not just with carols and chatter, but with lists, expectations, and the quiet pressure to make everything feel “right.” For many people, the idea of a Christmas break doesn’t feel restful at all, it feels like something to get through.

Over the last month or so I’ve written about Activity Snacks and small movements, not so much as exercise targets, but as simple ways of looking after yourself when life is busy and your head feels full. A way of keeping in touch with your body, not isolated from it.

This article acknowledges that slowing down feels so difficult at this time of year, while looking at how small, consistent movement can create a bit of space.

If you’re feeling stretched, tired, or quietly holding everything together, you might find this helpful.

Is the Christmas Cacophony drowning out your thoughts. Lists, expectations and the urge to make it all special are crowding you out of the picture.

18/12/2025

Is the Christmas cacophony drowning out your thoughts? Lists, expectations, and the pressure to make it special can quietly push you out of the picture.
Sometimes the idea of a “Christmas break” can feel a bit hollow. Especially when everything hinges on you. And in the middle of all that, being told to “slow down” feels impossible.
But as we’ve talked about before, with Activity Snacks and small Pilates movements, small things add up. Slowing down doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It can simply be a way of listening to yourself.

I know the feeling of there being so much noise in your head that there’s no space left. Many of us are caring for others, travelling, holding things together, trying very hard, and feeling very tired. Stress keeps us going, but it also leaves a kind of permanent tightness: pushing, holding on, telling ourselves, “I’ll think about myself after Christmas.”
Making space for yourself sounds easy. It rarely is.

The way through is unglamorous but effective: put your wellbeing on the list properly. Before the chaos peaks, plan small, regular movement, a short walk, Pilates, gentle yoga, maybe Qi Gong or dancing like no one’s watching (they’ll be glued to their phones). Set a time. Decide how long it lasts. Stick to it. And record that you did it.

It won’t always feel easy or enjoyable, but consistency changes things. Others begin to respect that this is your time, and you start to feel the difference.

Not in January. Now. Small steps… and that’s not a cliché.
Commitment is at the heart of how Trueform works. Our members show up even when it’s busy, cold or inconvenient. That consistency is what keeps them moving well, now and into the future.

11/12/2025

The 12 Days of Effort 🎄 (feat. one happy ending)
If there were a Christmas carol about effort, this would be the album cover.
The truth is, showing up doesn’t look glamorous (well, not always).
Most of the time, it looks like one of these faces, concentration, confusion, courage, and the ‘just keep going’ expression we all recognise.
So here’s to effort in December.
Here’s to the messy middle.
And here’s to that one moment, the final face, where it all clicks and you remember why you bothered.

04/12/2025

Winter has a way of narrowing things.
The mornings are dark, our afternoons are cut short. Shoulders creep up, joints stiffen, and even those of us who usually keep moving can feel ourselves tightening, breath, mood, all of it. Were we as bad this time last year?

It’s completely normal.
Cold changes how our muscles behave. Less daylight shifts our energy. And when you’re already managing pain or stiffness, winter can make everything feel just that bit louder.

At Trueform, we talk a lot about meeting your body where it is.
Some days that’s strength work. Some days it’s a few steady lunges (yes, the “Gently Lunge It” ones).
Some days it’s simply noticing:
How am I actually feeling? What would feel supportive right now, rather than demanding?

This comes from the way Ali works too, her background in trauma-informed approaches to the body means she’s trained to look for the small signs your system is giving you. Not labels or diagnoses.
Just the quiet cues that help you move with more ease, not more force.

So if winter has you feeling tighter, slower, or less like “your usual self”, try this today:

Pause. Breathe low. Think about slowly unclenching your jaw.
See if one gentle movement, a shoulder roll, a heel raise, a slow step-back lunge, feels possible.

And if you’d like more support this winter, we’re here.
Sometimes one thoughtful session is enough to get you moving with confidence again.

Want to discuss a 1:1 or join our small group sessions for the New Year?
Call us on 01943 864944. or more details can be found on our Profile.

21/11/2025

Are you embracing or resisting a distinct push to hibernate.

The recent dip in the weather has taken us aback a bit, and made me think about the times where we start pushing against ourselves.
We try to keep the same pace, the same output, the same expectations… even when our bodies are signalling … Noooooo!

And strangely, the harder we push, the more tense and hemmed-in we can start to feel, as if we’re ‘crouching’ in on ourselves to get through it.

A friend of mine has been travelling between countries this week, trying to make a journey that the weather simply wouldn’t allow. Torrential rain, landslides, diversions… no matter how he re-planned it, the route was unsafe.
Eventually he stopped and said, “I’m staying put.”

A hint of disappointment. But mainly relief.
Something relaxed the moment he gave himself permission not to force it.

At Trueform, we’re all for stretching comfort zones, that part matters.
But there’s a recognisable point where pushing becomes over-pushing, and the body knows long before the mind catches up.

Sometimes the most grounded thing we can do is recognise the conditions we’re in, internally and externally, and say:
“Not today. Not safely. Not like this.”

That’s not avoidance. It’s moving with the season, not against it.

If you’re noticing that push–pull in yourself, you’re not alone.
This is something we explore a lot with our Trueform members at this time of year.

21/11/2025

You don’t need an hour-long workout to make progress, sometimes, a few good squats will do.
Current studies show that short bouts of focused movement, done regularly, can improve strength, circulation, and balance.
We’ve been looking at why the humble squat deserves a place in your day, and how much difference it can make.

In our last article, we explored the idea of Activity Snacks, small, repeatable movements that add up to genuine health benefits. Here, we’re focusing on one of the most effective and accessible forms of them all: the squat.

20/11/2025

There’s a kind of loss that men rarely talk about. Because it's not due to a particular moment, but more gradual, a slowing of pace, of power, a certainty in movement.

The body that once did what you asked now answers more slowly.

Dr. Susan Block, professor of psychiatry at Harvard, calls this a grief response to physical decline.

Strength, endurance, and movement are woven into how many men define themselves. When that changes, it isn’t vanity, it’s identity.

We see it often at Trueform.

Men come to us because they want to keep doing the things that make them who they are, running a business, keeping the team going, supporting a partner, fixing what’s broken, setting their own pace.

They’ve built a life around capability.

So when the body starts to argue back, the shoulder that won’t settle, the knee they can no longer trust on the stairs, it’s more than pain. It’s a quiet question that keeps returning: what happens when I can’t keep up?

The answer isn’t denial or bravado. It's connection. Or... re-connection. With nature, with people, with your own body.

And it’s in movement. Measured, safe, guided, and personal.

Because motion itself can become a form of therapy, a way to reconnect mind and body when both feel a little lost.

This Movember, we want you to know that we recognise that feeling for what it is. We offer space, small, quiet, assessment-led, where men can work through it physically, without needing to say much at all.

06/11/2025

You’ll recognise the lunge, but this one’s a little different. We’re stepping back and staying there, finding our balance and control in a static reverse lunge rather than striding forward and moving quickly up and down.

Start by checking your placement: ribs soft with the pelvis tucked gently so its open across the hips (your “gates and bridges”). This is where those pelvic tilts earn their keep, they help you understand your pelvis in neutral, so you know where you’re working from.

Move slowly. Any pain? then discomfort is a signal to stop, not to push harder. The goal here isn’t strain, it’s control.

You’ll feel how keeping your balance naturally brings your core online, even though that’s not the main focus. Over time, these small, steady movements build strength and stability through the hips, thighs and bottom, the muscles that keep us steady on our feet.

And while lunges sometimes get a bad reputation for being “hard on the knees,” a slow, supported, static version like this can actually help you build stability around the joint. The Reverse Lunge: A Descriptive Electromyographic Study was set up to record exactly what’s going on during the exercise. The findings indicate that it can be effective for addressing knee pain, improving stability, and building strength, potentially offering advantages over traditional squats. The exercise is noted for reduced knee strain and enhanced single-leg stability, engaging muscles like the gluteus medius for balance and strength. If you’re interested then bob STUDY below and I’ll send a link through, or Google the title, it should come up top.

If needed, hold onto a wall or chair for support, and remember let the movement be small. Each repetition adds up, helping you move with more ease and awareness in everyday life.

06/11/2025

That's a nice surprise from Ilkley Chat we just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉