Is This Menopause… or Am I Just Falling Apart? | Menopause and Reformer Pilates
Menopause, Movement & Clinical Reformer Pilates in W10
Part 1 of the JP Studios Menopause & Movement Series
One minute you're getting on with life. The next, you're standing in the kitchen wondering why you walked in there.
You haven't slept properly. Your back feels stiff. Your knees have suddenly developed opinions of their own. You're exhausted despite doing absolutely nothing worthy of this level of exhaustion.
And then there's the brain fog.
Where are my keys? Why am I holding my phone while looking for my phone? And what exactly did I come upstairs for?
If any of this sounds familiar, welcome.
You may not be “falling apart” at all.,
You could be experiencing some of the many changes associated with perimenopause and menopause.
And while hot flushes tend to get most of the publicity, menopause can affect far more than your temperature.
It can affect how you sleep, think, feel, recover and move.
At JP Studios in W10, West London, we are particularly interested in that last one.
Because movement can become an incredibly important part of looking after your body during this stage of life.
“But why does my BODY feel different?”
This is something I hear from women all the time.
You might notice:
aching or stiff joints
muscle aches
changes in strength
disturbed sleep
fatigue
changes in weight or body composition
poor concentration or “brain fog”
anxiety or changes in mood
reduced confidence in your body
And sometimes it creeps up so gradually that you don't immediately connect it with menopause.
You simply think:
“I'm getting old.”
Or:
“I really need to get fitter.”
Or the classic:
“What on earth has happened to me?”
Menopause and perimenopause can affect women very differently, and symptoms can have a significant impact on everyday life. Muscle aches and joint pains are among the recognised symptoms.
Personally, I now have to negotiate with my knees before getting up from a low sofa — something I definitely don't remember having to do before!
But here's the important part:
Your body hasn't suddenly become incapable of movement.
It may simply need a different approach to movement.
Enter movement — but perhaps not the punishment variety
When your body already feels tired, stiff or uncomfortable, being told to “exercise more” isn't always particularly helpful.
Especially if your mental image of exercise involves jumping around a gym while someone half your age shouts:
“COME ON! TEN MORE!”
No thank you.
Movement during midlife doesn't have to be about punishing your body.
It can be about working with it.
And here's where movement really matters. As we move through menopause, maintaining our strength becomes increasingly important — not just for our muscles, but for our bones too. Resistance and weight-bearing exercise can play an important role in keeping us strong as we get older.
And no, that doesn't mean you suddenly need to start lifting enormous weights at the gym!
This is where approaches such as Clinical Reformer Pilates can become particularly interesting.
So where do Menopause and Reformer Pilates fit together?
A Reformer might look slightly terrifying the first time you see one.
Springs. Straps. A moving carriage.
Is this Pilates or have I accidentally walked into a medieval torture chamber?
Thankfully, it's Pilates.
And when used appropriately, the springs and carriage allow exercises to be adjusted to the person using them.
At JP Studios Pilates & Physio in W10, West London, our Clinical Reformer Pilates approach is led by physiotherapy and rehabilitation principles.
That means we're not interested in everyone performing exactly the same movement simply because that's what today's class says.
We're interested in:
How does YOUR body move?
Where are you stiff?
Where are you strong?
Where have you lost confidence?
Is something painful?
And what does your body actually need right now?
Clinical Reformer Pilates can incorporate controlled resistance, mobility, balance, coordination and strengthening exercises — all things that become increasingly important as we move through midlife.
“I'm too unfit to start Pilates.”
I hear this one too.
You do not need to get fit before you start Pilates.
That's rather like cleaning your house before the cleaner arrives.
If you've been inactive for a while, feel stiff, have put on weight, have aches and pains or simply don't recognise the body you're currently living in — you are still allowed to start.
The important thing is starting at the right level.
That's one of the reasons our Reformer Pilates classes at JP Studios are beginner-friendly and deliberately small.
It gives us the opportunity to actually see how you're moving rather than disappearing into a room full of people.
And if your first thought is, “Everyone else in the class will be fitter than me,” don't worry — that's another one we hear a lot. t JP Studios, you start from where you are, not where you think you should be.
Menopause isn't the end of your strong-body era
In fact, I'd argue that it's an excellent time to start thinking differently about what being “fit” actually means.
Not:
How thin can I become?
But:
Can I get off the floor easily?
Can I carry my shopping?
Can I climb stairs without struggling?
Can I protect my bones?
Can I maintain my strength?
Can I move without constantly worrying about hurting myself?
Can I feel confident in my body again?
Those are pretty good fitness goals.
And you don't have to achieve them overnight.
Sometimes the first step is simply moving again.
Ready to start moving again?
If menopause has left you feeling stiffer, weaker or simply less confident in your body, you don't have to throw yourself into an intense exercise programme.
You can start where you are.
At JP Studios, our small, beginner-friendly Reformer Pilates classes are designed to help you build strength, improve mobility and feel more confident in your body — with a physiotherapy-led approach.
And if you're nervous about starting, that's absolutely fine. Many people are.
Sometimes the hardest part is simply walking through the door.
A note from JP Studios
At JP Studios Pilates & Physio in W10, West London, we specialise in Clinical Reformer Pilates, physiotherapy-led rehabilitation and beginner-friendly Reformer Pilates.
Our approach is particularly suitable for people who may feel nervous about returning to exercise, are managing aches or injuries, or simply want a more supportive and individual approach to Pilates.
If menopause has left you wondering where your old body disappeared to, perhaps it's time to stop fighting your body and start learning how to work with it.
Your body isn't finished. It may just be asking you to change the conversation.
Ready to start moving?
New to Reformer Pilates?
Try our introductory Reformer Pilates offer — 3 sessions for £50.
Experiencing back or joint pain?
Find out about Physiotherapy & Clinical Pilates at JP Studios
Already know you want to start?
View our W10 Reformer Pilates timetable and book a class
Coming next: Part 2
Why Does Everything Ache Now?
Menopause, Joint Pain & Why Movement Matters
In Part 2, we'll look at one of the complaints I hear increasingly from women in midlife:
“Why do I wake up feeling about 90?”
We'll explore menopause, aching joints and stiffness — and why stopping movement altogether may not be the answer.
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