Author Archives: Karen Coupland

I have recently just started pilates with Karen, and as a complete beginner I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I’m almost finished my first block with her and am really enjoying it!

What I like most about her sessions is the way she breaks every thing down, so you learn how to do the exercise and what the aim of the exercise is. She likes to make sure she’s getting a quality movement from you rather than how many you can manage, which is what I had thought it was all about.

If something has gone a bit wrong with the way I’m doing an exercise, she is quick to help out and won’t let me continue until I know what I need to watch out for and focus on. I’m nearly at the stage where I can spot some of my own mistakes and its a good feeling when it’s worked and I can notice the difference! There’s plenty of laughs in the sessions too.. does giggling use core muscles? hope so! she really seems to know how to get the best out of every one, it’s worked with me and I’ve seen it work on other new people.

Looking forward to another block and have also got my auntie interested in joining next session.

I first started group classes with Karen when I was pregnant with my third child, and then continued with one to one classes in the post natal period. Before my baby was born she was easily able to incorporate me into a group class, with the appropriate tweaks and equipment necessary for advancing pregnancy. The one to one classes after the birth have been excellent in regaining core strength, improving posture and generally stretching out muscles tightened by carrying children and car seats. I would highly recommend her to anyone,male or female, pregnant or not. Her beautiful studio is easily accessible and traveling from Morningside by car was no problem. As a mum of 3 herself she very much understands that sometimes things do not run to plan and that classes are missed. The fact that she allows you to make these classes up at a later date is tremendously useful, and exemplifies her unique and understanding nature.Thank you, Karen!

I started Pilates classes with Karen a couple of months ago after years of neck stiffness and lower back pain due to a busy job which involves a lot of travelling and many hours spent in front of a lap top each day. I have just finished my first block of one-to-one Pilates classes with Karen and am already noticing that I have less stiffness and more flexibility in my neck despite having to miss the odd week due to work commitments. Karen is a very patient and encouraging teacher who has really helped to motivate me and encourage me to believe that I can regain mobility.

I have tried group Pilates classes in the past but was never convinced that I was doing the exercises properly-Karen gives clear instructions and tailors lessons to suit my needs which is great. I will definitely continue with one to one classes with Karen and look forward to seeing further improvements over the coming months!

I have suffered from chronic back, hip and knee pain for over 3 years and to be honest I felt ancient! at 50 years old I thought my physical life as I knew it was over!

I’m a keen walker and spend a lot of time up north walking in the hills with my dogs for hours at a time. It seemed I could only manage half an hour before the pain kicked in and I would have to turn back and go home.

My physio Melanie suggested I try ‘Pilates’ and gave me Karen’s details, so with some reservations I got in touch. The setting is perfect for me, I’m no ‘high impact girl’ and lots of women in tight lycra displaying tanned bodies to pumping music scared me to death! No worries on that score, Karen’s classes are small, 3-4 max and personal, Karen is dedicated to your time with her and gives each of us the attention we require to perform the exercises properly for the best results.

I’ve also been taking circuit training sessions with Karen and feel sessions like these have been good for me, something I never thought I’d manage to do, getting the benefits of a cardio work out without agonising joint pain is what I’d been looking for, I discovered you don’t need to train to the point of exhaustion to feel the benefits! plus my physio feels it’s doing me good too!

The encouragement has seen me through some ‘Low points’, my confidence in my ability to attempt some of the more challenging exercises is growing, I’m stronger and I even remember to use my ‘Core’ during daily life. I think my turning point was when I decided to really invest in my health, buying clothes, bags, shoes and other luxuries have never been an issue but investing in my health always seemed to be last on my list.

It’s a big turn around for me and I am now reaping the benefits, after all, no point in buying beautiful shoes, if you’re not strong enough to wear them!! and show off a great posture! So if you are reading this, take my advice and give it a go, be patient and watch what happens, as the advert says, ‘your worth it’! Huge thanks to you Karen, couldn’t have done it without you.

I am a 67 year old woman who has been doing one to one Pilates Instruction with Karen for about 3 years now. I have a long history of lower back problems and have gone down many avenues to try to alleviate the pain, including acupuncture, reflexology etc, but nothing helped for any length of time.

I decided, on the advice of one of my daughters, to try Pilates, and it was she who “found” Karen for me. I had never done Pilates before so I felt more comfortable in a one to one situation. Having specific problems I felt they could never be dealt with in a class of 10 or more.

Karen took a full medical history before I started to pinpoint any specific areas that needed looking at and this is updated annually which is very professional.

Each lesson is specific to the way I am feeling on any particular day. My mobility has increased and my posture is so much better and I have learned what my core is all about. Pilates also helped me correct a bout of Plantar Fasciitis and Karen suggested it might be worth while having an MRI Scan for my lower back pain, since I had never had one taken. The scan revealed disc compression in my lumber spine, however, I was told that only surgery would “cure it”.
I wasn’t happy about going down that road, so I have continued with my one to one Pilates with Karen. I have learned so much from her, that I also do lots of the exercises at home. I have improved to the extent that Karen now has me circuit training, specific to my needs of course. Never thought that I would ever be able to say that!

I should also say, that we have fun and I would recommend Karen to anyone who is not feeling as young and as fit as they used to be!