Hey you. Do you like fitness that’s fun? Course you do. Silly question. That’s why you’re a Framer, right? Because Frame is where a workout makes your abs ache *at the same time* as putting a smile on your face.
It’s fun to try something new. Pilates is my long term fitness love, and it’s always good to spice up your long term relationships. Put it like this: as someone who goes to reformer classes regularly, the Pilates Playground at Kings Cross felt like going out on a date night rather than cuddling up on the sofa. Sometimes it’s nice to make that extra effort.
The Pilates Playground at Kings Cross looks like a cross between Winter Wonderland and a chic Scandi furniture store. The equipment looks terrifying and you sort of know you’re going to end up upside down whether you like it or not, but the vibe is all blonde wood and clean lines. There’s the Trapeze, which looks a bit like a single four poster bed; the Barrel, which makes you feel like Louis Smith at the Olympics, and the Wunder Chair, of which more later but believe me it’s not as relaxing as it sounds lol.
My hour was 1-on-1 with ex-dancer turned pilates and yoga instructor Brie – side note, why are more people not named after cheese, I feel they should be? – who quickly charmed me out of my reformer-based comfort zone. The Trapeze exercises felt familiar but way more challenging, and I was having to really concentrate on squeezing my abs to keep from wobbling around, which is a good thing. The Wunder Chair was like balancing on the arms of an armchair with your arms straight and then trying to lift your legs up in front of you. Anyone who has seen Cheer on Netflix will love getting to live out their Gabi Butler fantasy moves. On the Barrel, Brie had me doing ballet stretches until I felt about two inches taller.
Doing such precise exercises under an expert eye is a great way to find out about your strengths and weaknesses and how to work with them. An hour with Brie taught me way more about how to manage my creaky hips and stiff back than I ever got from going to physiotherapy. It was a properly tough workout – I had a right old shake on, walking back to the tube – but it was so much fun. Can’t wait for my next Playdate….will report back how I get on.
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