Jyoti Pilates

11/07/2025

✨Pilates and Mindfulness Day Retreat

The Studio, Restoration Yard,
Dalkeith Country Park,
26th - 27th July 10am - 5pm

I’m delighted to be teaching on this retreat in July, hosted by the Mindful Enterprise, in the beautiful and tranquil studio at Restoration Yard in Dalkeith Country Park. I will be teaching on the Saturday - a morning class introducing the basics of Pilates, and an afternoon one with a focus on feet, both suitable for all levels of experience.

✨The rest of the day will include guided mindfulness practices, qi gong, breath work, sound meditation and nature walks.

More info on all of the wonderful healing practices on offer, and booking through

✨Beginners ABC of Pilates
In this workshop we will look at some of the fundamental principles of the method - Alignment, Breathing, Concentration, Centring, Co-ordination and Relaxation and explain why these are all important and are the building blocks underlying every exercise.  You’ll discover what and where your ‘Core’ is and how it provides you with stability and strength, as well as learn about the many benefits Pilates can bring. 

  
✨It All Begins With The Feet
Our feet work so hard for us on a daily basis, but they can be one of the most neglected areas of our bodies, barely even given a second thought; that is until pain occurs. What is your relationship with your feet? Do you even like them, look at them, let alone give them the attention and credit that they deserve? Or do you just quickly stuff them into socks and shoes and go on your way? 

Your feet are an incredible feat (no pun intended!) of engineering; complex, delicate and strong. Not only do they have the ability for great flexibility, but they can give your body so much sensory feedback about your environment and relationship to the earth, which impacts on how you move. Pain and dysfunction in the knees, hips, pelvis, spine, shoulders or neck may well originate in dysfunction or lack of mobility at foot level. 

In this workshop we will discover exercises to release, stretch, mobilise and strengthen the feet and ankles. Then we will explore how our foot mechanics relate to balance and walking.

15/03/2025

🌼My Easter block is now open for booking!🌼

Classes at Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced levels, in-person and online.

15/02/2025

Are you doing Pilates in your “pilates” class?

There are so many classes out there now calling themselves Pilates, jumping on the bandwagon as pilates “trends” and using the name as a marketing tool. So how do you know?

A straightforward way to check if the class you are attending is actually Pilates, is to go back to the source and the 6 principles that Joseph Pilates set out for his method:

1. Concentration
2. Control
3. Centring
4. Flowing Movement
5. Breathing
6. Precision

These principles apply to every exercise, from the introductory beginners’ movements through to the more complex choreography of the advanced classical sequence. For a deeper dive into the principles and why they matter, read my latest blog on my website, link in bio.

And watch above as I tackle my all time favourite exercises from the advanced classical mat, where all of the principles need to be in full flow, working together to enable fluid, controlled and stable movement from a strong centre - as much as my ability allows, it’s always a work in progress 😘

✨Open Leg Rocker
✨Bridge - Scissor Legs
✨Bridge - Bicycle
✨Battement
✨Boomerang
✨Control and Balance

09/02/2025

Pilates does it all 💖

02/02/2025

Try this sequence when you want to connect to your deep abdominals and build core strength. The aim is to maintain stability in your pelvis and ribcage as you extend your limbs. Remember to move on the exhale. Share and save for when you need a quick 5-10 minute core workout! ⬇️

1. Knee drop, Leg slide and Arm circle combo - also great for co-ordination and joint mobility!

2. Toe Taps

3. Toe Taps with Backstroke Arms

06/01/2025

Here’s my favourite sequence for gently mobilising and releasing tightness in my spine and hips. Save to use when needed - ideal after a break from movement or before a workout, and remember to move slowly and mindfully, listening to how your body feels ⬇️

1. Knee Rolls
2. Spine Curls - Arms Up - With Curl Up
3. Threading the Needle
4. Cat - Hinge Back
5. Cobra
6. Rest Position into Side Stretch

Take 5-10 minutes, and repeat for as long as is needed!

✨January classes start back on the 13th and there are still some places left in-person and online if you want to join, booking through website link 💖

31/12/2024

Happy New Year! May 2025 shine brightly for you
🌟✨💫

21/11/2024

Freezing winter has now hit, but autumn you were beautiful 🍁

17/11/2024

pilates

17/11/2024

✨Hi, I’m Jyoti, and here’s a little bit about me: 
 
✨I’m a Body Control Certified Pilates instructor with 16 years teaching experience.  
 
✨My personal journey with Pilates began 25 years ago when I was working in London as a textile designer. Sitting at a desk all day or bending down to screenprint was leaving me feeling stiff and achey, and I realised I needed to exercise in some way. Pilates was still quite niche back then with only a handful of studios in the whole of London, but it sounded intriguing.

✨Fortuitously I ended up at the Body Control Pilates Studio, where I felt the physical benefits quickly, but also the mental ones. I became intrigued as to why Pilates was so effective and decided to train to teach, a rigorous year long course.

✨I qualified with BCP in 2008, and since then I’ve completed further training in reformer, small equipment, advanced classical work, pregnancy and rehab for various conditions such as hip replacement.  

✨I teach all abilities and age groups, and I get so much satisfaction from adapting exercises to meet you wherever you are, whether you have no previous exercise experience or are an athlete. 
 
✨I focus on precise technique and alignment, and combine relaxing and calming movements with strengthening work in my classes. I really enjoy creating flowing sequences but most importantly I provide a fun and welcoming space for you to learn and feel the benefits of Pilates. 

✨I still design, which like teaching Pilates requires a keen eye for detail, whether that is choosing a particular shade of colour or adjusting a client’s alignment and analysing their joint movement!  
 
✨I love that I am able to share my passion for Pilates with my clients, learning with them and seeing their enthusiasm as their bodies and mind reap the benefits of a regular practice. 
 
✨You can work with me at my in-person group and 1:1 private classes in Edinburgh or join an online class from wherever you are based. 

✨Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions! 

17/11/2024

03/01/2023

Happy New Year! I hope that 2023 has got off to a good start for you 💃💖
I’m looking forward to my 8-week block of Pilates classes which begin on the 9th Jan, with all class info and booking through the website.
Scroll to see the benefits of joining one of my classes, and hope to see you on the mat.