Move Well, Feel Better: How Pilates and Massage Work Hand in Hand

I’ve been fascinated by the human body for as long as I can remember. As a child, I fell in love with ballet and went on to study dance at the University of Bath. To keep our bodies injury-free, students followed a mandatory Pilates regime that helped keep us strong. That’s where my passion for Pilates began. I found myself far more captivated by this practice than my original dream of becoming a choreographer. 

As soon as I finished my dance degree, I trained with The Pilates Foundation. Today, I combine Pilates and massage therapy at Massage Matters, and I’m excited to share why this combination is so transformative. 

Beyond the misconceptions: What Pilates really is

Most people think of Pilates as another form of yoga, but it’s so much more. Pilates is an educational tool that helps us understand our bodies on a deeper level. While it shares some similarities with yoga, the specific teaching cues in Pilates are what make it special. They help us understand exactly how our muscles and skeletal system move, giving us the tools to recognise our functional limitations and celebrate our abilities.

When practiced consistently, Pilates transforms how we use our bodies in daily life. It helps us feel stronger and taller, while giving us insight into our postural habits and injury-related challenges. Most importantly, it empowers us through exercise patterns that build confidence and provide the knowledge we need to take control of our own pain and restriction.

The perfect partnership

Massage and Pilates are the perfect complement to each other, and here’s why: Massage gives you time to physically relax and restore muscle function passively – and sometimes that’s exactly what we need. It offers hands-on relief and creates space for healing.

Pilates provides the opportunity to work actively on problem areas, which is incredibly empowering. It engages both mind and body, giving you tools to take home and continue your healing journey.

When I work with clients, Pilates gives me invaluable insight into how their body moves. A client’s posture always tells me a story about where their original injury or challenge is rooted. Massage allows me to offer immediate, hands-on relief, and then I can provide specific Pilates exercises that empower them to leave knowing they can gain mastery over their physical challenges.

Being able to send someone home with the Pilates tools they need to continue releasing physical difficulties is the beginning of a profound conversation between client and body – and that’s hard to beat.

The car analogy that changed my perspective

Think about how we treat our cars. If you’re like me, you get in and drive without really understanding how the engine works. You probably know to check the oil and monitor tyre pressure, but the intricate details of how everything moves together? Not so much.

Our bodies are the same. We get up, get dressed, go to work, and exercise when we feel like it, often without understanding our posture or how our daily lives impact our bodies – until something goes wrong. But why wait until then?

 Through active client involvement combined with my knowledge and expertise, Pilates and massage together maximise the opportunity for real, lasting change.

How my sessions work

I offer Pilates Mixed Massage sessions designed for clients who want to reclaim control over their physical wellbeing and develop a deeper relationship with their bodies.

The process:

• Initial 90-minute consultation: I assess your postural habits and address any injury-related concerns
• Personalised Pilates instruction: I teach exercises specific to your needs
• Targeted massage therapy: Deep tissue work that complements your Pilates learning
• Ongoing support: Follow-up sessions that combine both modalities as you continue learning

 For example, if you work at a desk, I might prescribe extension exercises combined with core work to unwind and strengthen your spine. The massage that follows helps you understand how your spine feels and can relax after exertion. You’ll leave with exercises to practice at home and the confidence to join Pilates classes with a solid foundation.

 Your personal journey

It’s still okay to “get in the car and drive” – I do it every day without complete knowledge of how my engine works, and our bodies will always be somewhat the same. After all, our bodies are far more complex than any automated system.

 Our healing journeys are deeply personal, and it can take years to find what works for us. Pilates Mixed Massage offers one key that gives you the best of both worlds – the ability to relax and work hard for results in equal measure.

The depth of understanding you can gain by working with your body this way opens up a conversation between your physical self and your mind. These sessions are designed to do exactly that. I want my clients to feel confident that they can feel better and freer in their bodies by knowing themselves more deeply.

With that knowledge in place, anything is possible – the sky truly is the limit. And when you’ve done the work? Well, then you can sit back and relax…with a massage!