fbpx

Chilli Pilates was established in 2009 and we taught our first Pilates class at our Welwyn Garden City studio in September 2009. However the concept had been discussed and deliberated between a client and therapist over the treatment table for several years prior to this.

The relationship between the co-founders Karen Crowe and Paul Spence began in treatment. Karen had continuously battled with back issues, and had managed to cope with it until a long flight left her back locked rigid and in excruciating pain, an MRI scan later revealing 2 prolapsed discs.

After some initial treatment her consultants recommended gentle exercise, lots of fluids, rehabilitation therapy, and Pilates. A friend soon advised her “Try Paul Spence, he helped me”

Paul Spence had a successful rehabilitation and therapy clinic and developed a unique therapy system which combined rehabilitation therapies and Pilates. After a few sessions Karen had fallen in love with Pilates. She loved the flowing movements, the opportunity to exercise in a controlled environment, and the challenge to work hard but safely. And other than improving her back pain, she was pleasantly surprised at the unexpected changes to her body shape – where she had previously struggled to get into her jeans, now she had dropped a size. She felt good and was becoming more toned all over.

Paul had seen many cases like Karen over the years; clients who came to him for a particular injury or postural problem, but stayed after they were fully recovered because of the long term benefits and body transformations that they were achieving.

Karen and Paul believed passionately about this unique approach to Pilates, and knew that more people would benefit from the combination of the corrective movement and body sculpting exercises. So, they decided to combine Paul’s extensive therapy and exercise skills with Karen’s management expertise and went on to create Chilli Pilates.

Karen later trained as a Pilates Instructor, and together they have developed our unique signature style of Pilates which is now used in all of our classes and is the foundation of the system taught through the Chilli Pilates Instructor Academy.

Frequently asked questions

It does vary dependent on which studio you are attending, but the maximum class capacity will range from 10-13 attendees.

For the safety of all attendees we limit the number of first time attendees in each class to a maximum of 3. Any first time attendees in excess of 3 will be contacted prior to the class and rescheduled into an alternative class.

Just your normal exercise clothing, anything you feel comfortable in and have a full range of movement. Socks are mandatory and we recommend ‘grippy’ socks to really aid your performance. Chilli Pilates ‘grippy’ socks can be purchase in studio.

Yes, our classes are suitable for all fitness and experience levels. Throughout every class the instructor will adjust exercises and offer regressions or progressions to make the workout easier or harder to suit your specific ability.

You have to be 18 years old to attend classes with us (if you are 16-17 years old you can attend but must be accompanied by an adult). We have no maximum age limit, if you are able to get up and down from the ground unassisted and have a good range of mobility the classes can be adjusted to accommodate you.

This depends on the severity of the injury, but prior to arriving for your first class you will complete a Online Health Questionnaire to highlight any existing injuries or medical conditions. This will be reviewed by your instructor and if necessary they may recommend a 1 on 1 workout instead, if the instructor is happy for you to attend they will adjust the workout to accommodate you.

Yes, but instead of attending our group classes you will need to attend 1 on 1 Pilates session with one of our instructors. If you have experience in Reformer Pilates your instructor may then advise that you can transition into group classes. NOTE: we don’t recommend attending while you’re in your first trimester

Stay in the loop
Sign up and get £10 OFF your first booking

Promo code

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.