“When I first discovered OPS in May 2018, I had been struggling for some time with retirement and feeling ‘lost’. But how the OPS community and Pilates have helped me, both physically and mentally, is beyond measure.

During this time I have got to know some lovely people, made friends and feel part of every class. Before I knew it I was enjoying three classes a week with some wonderful teachers. In 2019 I had a private OsteoScan which showed I had osteoporosis. Another OsteoScan in late 2022 showed that the osteoporosis had improved significantly. I was told that my commitment to Pilates would have greatly contributed to this improvement. Needless to say that I think OPS is a very special place and it has become a very important part of my life”

“Earlier this year I had heart bypass surgery. Although I recovered, the operation left me with restricted movement in my upper body and arms. The coaches at OPS understood my limitations and adjusted exercises to suit my level, gradually increasing the levels as they saw me improve. Now 8 months later, I can do butterfly in the pool again (well sort of!) and I’m signed up to run a 10k in 2 months’ time. I can’t thank the team at OPS enough for all their help in getting me to this point, but I can recommend them to you, whether it’s help with an existing condition, injury rehabilitation or just wanting to improve your general health.”

“ I used to think that to keep fit I had to run and jump around a lot and sweat! However, since joining classes at OPS I have found that Pilates has lifted my mood, strengthened my core and has helped me manage my weight. In addition, I find it a great way to cross train and prevent injury whilst promoting mindfulness and body awareness”

“I have been involved with Olney Pilates Studio for more years than I care to remember and cannot speak too highly of it particularly my teacher Jane Robins. I have now reached my 8th decade and Jane and the studio have seen me successfully through two broken legs and I can still manage two classes a week at intermediate standard and do everything else I want to do. Without Pilates I think I would be hobbling around!!! I would also like to congratulate the studio on how they have managed the Covid crisis. Everything possible has been done to make the studio safe and classes on Zoom are very well organised. Communication and information are excellent WELL DONE!”

“If you want to improve your posture, become more supple or just loosen up – join OPS. The teachers are all lovely, there is a friendly and fun atmosphere, no “competing”, from gentle beginners to what a first “looks impossible”. Don’t slide into ‘decrepit’ middle or old age – do something about it now!”

“I had taken the occasional yoga class but never Pilates, so used Olney Pilates Studio’s (OPS) 4-week Beginners course as a way to try it. The course was a great way to see how different instructors run their classes. That was almost 2 years ago now and I’m hooked! Jane (Dann) is great at adapting exercises round any concerns people might have about back pain, knees, or shoulders. OPS classes keep us flexible in places we didn’t know we had places. Since Covid hit, the Studio has found ways to keep classes safe. There is also the option now to join classes via Zoom. I was sceptical at first but classes work really well & you still get instructor feedback”

“Being both new to Pilates and of an age, way past retirement, I didn’t know if the combination would work – but here I am three years later surprised by what I have achieved (or more accurately what Donna has achieved with me). My back doesn’t complain as it used to and I seem to be straighter and more supple than pre-Pilates. So thank you OPS”

“I have been a client of Olney Pilates Studio for several years and can honestly say that I haven’t look back since taking up Pilates. Following some fairly serious back issues a few years ago I have been attending a normal matwork class each week and also topping up with one to one sessions with Heather. I have always found the matwork classes beneficial but I have benefitted enormously from having sessions tailored to my specific needs. Over the last couple of years I have
gained much needed strength and am virtually pain free most of the time. If you’ve never had a one to one lesson with your teacher, I would urge you to give it a try. The extra cost is worth it! You will learn so much about how to gain the most benefit from what you do in class. There is also the possibility, by having a session in the studio room, of discovering what the various pieces of equipment are and the benefit from exercising on them. A Pilates session using the Reformer, Cadillac and Wunda Chair is quite a different experience from matwork and enables you to carry out extremely beneficial exercises with relative ease. It is also a lot of fun. For more information on one to one instruction or Studio room sessions, please speak to your class teacher or contact Heather”

“It’s almost a year now since my knee replacement surgery from which I recovered mobility very quickly. I am convinced my recovery was greatly assisted by having attended your Pilates classes regularly. Most of the exercises in my recovery program I was already familiar with from Pilates classes and therefore had no difficulty with. This was confirmed by a positive report a month after surgery by my surgeon when he said “I am delighted to say she has progressed extraordinarily well …has dispensed with her crutches and is walking with a nice fluent gait.” In February the last report by the Senior Physiotherapist says: “Doreen is generally active and regularly attends Pilates classes which have undoubtedly helped her recovery from her knee replacement”. So a big thank you to you personally and also my Pilates teacher for your assistance with my recovery. I will always be grateful…”

“Pilates has made me taller!! Well that’s how it feels, its great for creating a lean, long and trimmer body. I love the classic mat routines, and the reformer machines available at Olney Pilates Studio. The work has really strengthened not only my core but my whole body, improved my horse riding, and increased my flexibility and given me a better posture. To tone your body fast, there is nothing quicker than Pilates, you will notice the difference within weeks if you stick to mat based routines and if combined with a cardiovascular activity – then the weight lose ( if needed) will follow.”

“I have been going to Pilates for 18 months following 2 hip replacements, and ongoing back problems. Requiring Epidural Cortisone injections, since joining Heather I have needed any injections for my back at all, and it has strengthened my legs after the operations.”

“I can’t believe we enter our 11th year together! Finding Pilates has rescued my life at the time and now keeps my back ticking over so there is little I can’t do these days. Your enthusiasm, passion, thirst for knowledge, curiosity, sense of fun and laughter combined with a desire to get the best out of your classes make you a joy to study under”

“After many years of back pain and visits to an Osteopath, I started Pilates. Within a short time I found my back was so much stronger and the osteopath hasn’t been needed since! My improvement is a response to Heather’s excellent teaching methods. She is thoughtful and caring to all her clients whatever their age or physical problems. Her enthusiasm for Pilates is infectious and she encourages us by her excellent example. She is a first rate teacher!”

“I owe my current mobility and fitness to Heather and one-to one Body Control Pilates sessions. Having slipped a disc, been offered surgery and lost a lot of muscle tone through pain, leg numbness and immobility I got myself to a
point where I could walk again (but badly). That was about April 2011. I had been offered surgery in July but Heather said if I could lie down and get up again we could start working on a more natural, holistic solution. That sounded just about manageable at the time, although slightly scary. I was allowed to delay my operation until October and have another review. By the time October came round I had gone past the point at which a back operation would do anything to improve matters. It has been a year now and I’m in pretty good shape. My foot is still a bit numb from nerve damage and not up to full strength yet, but I am making constant improvement. I love the sessions. The exercises have been targeted at my weak areas and I’m delighted to say that there aren’t that many of them now. Heather has an instinct for how much she can expect of you and her cheerful encouragement is a real tonic. I’m strong enough to work full-time as a teacher, go dog walking, do light gardening and have a full social life. I think if I’d started Pilates sooner I might not have done the damage in the first place. Thanks Heather!”