My name is Jarrad, and I’ve been doing Pilates since 2023. I started on my wife’s recommendation, hoping to ease my sciatica. As an autistic person, most exercise came with uncomfortable sensory triggers — but Reformer Pilates offered a low-impact way to support my body without any of that.
What began as pain management became a journey of discovery. As the sciatica faded, I started seeking out the comfort of targeted muscle fatigue, which calmed my mind and lifted my mental health. The focus on form gave my thoughts something to settle on, and I learned to let them pass instead of taking root. Private lessons meant I could get exactly what my body and mind needed on any given day — that flexibility became essential.
The changes added up: better appetite, more strength, greater flexibility. I can now walk through roof cavities, sit in confined spaces, and stand for long stretches without the rapid discomfort I used to feel. Colleagues I hadn’t seen in a while noticed how much healthier and more positive I seemed. And when I had to carry my overwhelmed three-year-old in the crook of one arm leaving Cirque du Soleil, the strength was simply there. That’s just a fraction of what Pilates has given me.
I’ve been lucky to train with knowledgeable, well-trained instructors across a full range of equipment — Mat, Tower, Reformer, Cadillac — moving from stretch and flexibility work into so much more. Every session brings something new: a fresh technique, more resistance, or sometimes less (which can be harder!). I love that The Pilates Klinik celebrates milestones. Hitting 100 sessions gave me such a sense of achievement that I bumped up from two sessions a week to three to reach the next one faster. I’ve just passed 300, and I’m on track for 500 sometime in 2027 — a goal that genuinely excites me.
Sometimes I wish I’d started sooner. Then I remember it’s better to be on the journey now — and I’m not quitting anytime soon. As a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD person, Pilates has helped me understand the relationship between my body and my mind. On a bad mental health day, I know my scheduled session will do me good, because vestibular movement is a powerful regulator for me. That positive reinforcement is one of many reasons I keep coming back.
If you’ve never tried Reformer Pilates, I’d encourage anyone and everyone to give it a go.