Aching abs

Yesterday I did my first pilates class since arriving in Australia, and I realised a couple of things.

1) Doing pilates after a 3 month break can almost kill you
2) Not exercising for 3 months can undo 3 years’ worth of regular exercise

Argh! My stomach feels like I’ve been punched by a heavyweight boxer. Basically, in October I went from cycling for 90 minutes a day, swimming for 30 minutes a day, and going to 1-2 pilates classes a week, to working my ass off 20 hours a day on the London Film Festival, living off canapés and Konditor and Cook, and then, after being offered the Sydney job, racing around trying to get rid of all my belongings, and having lots of booze at various leaving dos. So I arrived in my new home country, a stone heavier, with a load of summer clothes that don’t fit me any more, no bicycle, and it’s too hot to do anything but flollop on the sofa moaning about how hot it is.

Disaster.

So I thought, right, back into it girl, pilates for you. But the Aussies don’t do pilates like the Brits. Oh no. Here it’s like a military training camp. Pilates for soldiers. It was hard. And everyone else in the class pre-empted the next move! Is the routine the same every week? At Yogahome in Stoke Newington the movements were small and precise, the teacher constantly checking we were doing it properly. At Cook & Philip Park the movements are fast and repetitive, and if you're not careful the teacher will leave you behind!

So now I’m still wearing tight fitting clothes (and not out of choice) and am searching for a new pilates class.

cx