Exercise Class Review: TenPilates @ Matt Roberts

I'm a big sucker for exercise that doesn't feel like work, and I'll take a Body Pump class over a run outside any day. I was invited down to the
Ten Pilates studio in Mayfair to try their Beginners class, and was looking forward to getting in shape the same way as Madonna and the Notting Hill set. Dynamic Pilates has long since been a hit with the A-list crowd, but with more studios opening up, it's becoming an activity that's open to anyone.

Clad in leggings and clutching my water I headed to the studio, located in the Matt Roberts Gym. The room was bright and airy and contained the Reformer beds, which looked impressively complicated, with all sorts of wires and loops dangling from them. There were only six beds in the room, which meant you got a lot of personal attention from the trainer.

I was introduced to the trainer, a fresh faced Andrew Daubney who greeted me enthusiastically and clearly had passion for his work. He gave me a quick rundown of how to use the bed, demonstrating that at the end was a lid that concealed a selection of brightly coloured hooks attached to springs. 'At different points I'm going to ask you to open this and change the colours', he told me, as each colour signified a different resistance. He also showed me that there were four cloth loops attached to elastic near the head of the bed, and these needed to be loosely placed over two metal poles, for future use. Below the bed lay four sets of dumbbells, a weighted stick and an interesting looking wheel.

I was wondering what I'd let myself in for when the class started properly.
Chart tunes played lightly in the background whilst Andrew had the members of the class lie on our backs on the machine for a warm up. It may have been a warm up for some, but for me it was a wake up to just how much I'd let my flexibility go, as my legs were buckling as we raised and straightened them.

Andrew took us through a variety of exercises, some consisting of placing the steering wheel between our knees and using it to sculpt and tone our buttocks. 'Make sure your spine is on the mat', he said, 'We want to activate the glutes, not put strain on the lower back. If you're back is lifting, reduce your pressure'.

Some of the exercises were enjoyable, as with my feet in the loops and the bed sliding up and down, I felt like I was on some strange adult jumble gym, scissoring my legs enthusiastically. Other activates such as lunges with weights in hand weren't as pleasant and I found some postures hard to maintain due to poor co-ordination. Andrew was very patient, coming up to me and adjusting my position and there were mirrors on the walls to help check your posture.

The TenPilates session on the Reformer beds was a caffeinated version of Pilates, direct and to the point, it focused on key muscle areas without wasting time with unnecessary movements. Though I was jerky at first, I could see how I'd get more fluid with more sessions, and the range of movements involved would provide a seriously lean physique, as the muscles are constantly worked and elongated simultaneously.

Although the workout didn't cause me to sweat much, the following day I experienced that nice ache of knowing you've worked out your body. An hour passed exceptionally quickly, and though I think I'd need a couple more beginners lessons before I could use the machines confidently, I'm definitely up for that challenge.

Your first class will cost the taster price of £12.50, with subsequent classes at a higher rate. You can enjoy one class for £24 or book a series of 10 for £200 (£20 each), and there are other payment options.

To find out more check out the website Ten Pilates or visit I attended the Mayfair branch, 16 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DZ. Call 0207 491 9989 or check out the Matt Roberts website for more details.

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