As a pilates instructor, I often find it difficult to strike a balance in my classes. Some of my clients are very experienced and want to be challenged, while others might be dipping their toes into pilates for the first time.

One of the best things about pilates is that each exercise can be adapted or progressed, depending on someone’s individual needs. Adaptations make exercises slightly less intense (for example, you could adapt The 100s exercise – where you lie on the mat and beat your arms 100 times while keeping your head, shoulders and legs off the floor – by keeping your feet on the mat) and progressions take exercises up a notch (eg extending your legs out long during The 100s).

Adaptations and progressions are a real gift; they allow pilates to be a lifelong practice, whether you’ve taken a fitness break or got stronger. But the issue is that people often feel pressure to take on progressions when they’re not necessarily ready.

Want to get better at pilates? “I’m an instructor and I wish women wouldn’t put so much pressure on themselves to try the hardest variations”