Gentle and Strong with Marketa • Pilates • Yoga • Coaching

Gentle and Strong with Marketa • Pilates • Yoga • Coaching I teach Pilates and yoga in West Dorset, blending mindful, intelligent movement to support strength, balance, coordination, and ease.

My work is grounded in kindness and in helping you feel at home in your body.

🍂 Autumn, overenthusiastic lunges & a little lesson in listening🍂 I may have been a touch overenthusiastic with my lunge...
03/09/2026

🍂 Autumn, overenthusiastic lunges & a little lesson in listening🍂

I may have been a touch overenthusiastic with my lunges and weights lately… and my quads decided to object rather dramatically by going into spasm. Apparently there is such a thing as too much of a good thing! 😆

Luckily, wonderful Nikki and her healing hands Healing Hands by Nicola Treviss dismantled my legs yesterday in the most mercilessly effective way, while lovely Karen, my chiropractor, turned my knee into a small work of art with her clever taping. Between them, I’m feeling beautifully patched back together. 🙏

So today, instead of powering through my lunges, I’m lunging gently and rather ladylike around the garden as I w**d, clear and potter through my autumnal duties. 🍁

And I’m throwing a few favourite quad stretches into my day:

🍂 Standing quad stretch — heel towards bottom, knees soft and together or take a bit more into a little dancer pose.
🍂 Half-kneeling quad stretch — gently tuck the pelvis and ease forward.
🍂 Side-lying quad stretch — lovely when you want to take balance out of the equation.
🍂 Gentle low lunge — breathe, soften and allow the front of the hip and thigh to lengthen.

We started bringing these into Yolates this morning, and I think we’ll be enjoying rather more of them over the coming weeks!

Autumn reminds us that there’s strength in softening and wisdom in letting go.

So I’m still moving, still strengthening, still lunging — just with a little less gusto and a little more grace. 🍂

The strongest body isn’t the one we push the hardest. It’s the one we learn to listen to. 🧘‍♀️

18/08/2026

No Thursday evening Pilates in Cattistock this Thursday 20th and no Yolates class in MN on Thursday morning 27th. Please plan accordingly and come and catch up in other classes. 💪🌺💪

The classes are back on this week! I’ve just come back from such a wonderful holiday, and my heart feels so full.We spen...
03/08/2026

The classes are back on this week!

I’ve just come back from such a wonderful holiday, and my heart feels so full.

We spent time living simply in a beautifully handcrafted wagon, lighting fires in the evenings, sitting outside wrapped in the coolness of the breeze, exploring expansive beaches, swimming in rivers and the sea, building sand structures, laughing with friends, spending precious time with the children, having deep conversations, and even finding a huge puffball mushroom that ended up on toast! It was one of those holidays where life slows down enough for us to remember what really matters.

Coming home, I’ve realised just how much I needed that time to rest, breathe and replenish.

It’s also made me realise how much my garden and Oakie have been calling me. This summer’s heat has meant that the parts of the day – the times I’d usually spend gardening, walking with Oakie or simply being outdoors – have so often been taken up by the heat. I’ve been feeling increasingly out of sync with the natural rhythm that keeps me feeling grounded and well.

Perimenopause has also been reminding me, sometimes quite loudly, that my body needs me to listen to it. The hormonal ups and downs have been much more noticeable recently, and instead of pushing through, I’m choosing to honour what I need. Rest, nature, movement and slower days aren’t luxuries for me right now – they’re essential.

So, during August, all of my group classes will continue exactly as they are, but I won’t be offering individual sessions, apart from the occasional 1:1 at my home. I won’t be travelling for private sessions.

In September I’ll be sharing a slightly adjusted schedule, with most of my regular classes continuing and some reduced availability for individual sessions.

One of the loveliest things about having time away is that it reminded me why I love what I do. Having the chance to fill my own cup means I can come back to classes with more presence, more energy and more to give. Thank you for always supporting me in finding that balance. I can’t wait to see you all back on the mat and share another season of movement, connection and community together. 🌿

No leggings for the next two weeks! ☀️After two very hot weeks of teaching in my usual leggings and vest, it’s been such...
19/07/2026

No leggings for the next two weeks! ☀️

After two very hot weeks of teaching in my usual leggings and vest, it’s been such a joy to wear a summer dress again.

It reminded me how easily we can become attached to one version of ourselves. The one who works. The one who teaches. The one who keeps everything moving.

Sometimes, something as simple as changing what we wear invites us to reconnect with quieter, lighter parts of who we are. Not different people—just different expressions of ourselves.

With no classes for the next two weeks, I hope you enjoy whatever this season brings. Wear the summer clothes, savour the longer days, spend time with people you love, and perhaps reconnect with the parts of yourself that don’t always get centre stage.

I’ll be heading to Scotland, where my dresses may not get quite as much wear as I’d hoped!

Have a wonderful break, and I’ll look forward to seeing you back on the mat very soon. 🤍

🌿☀️ Summer is in full swing… and we start back again next week! ☀️🌿My summer has been a lovely mixture of watering incre...
03/07/2026

🌿☀️ Summer is in full swing… and we start back again next week! ☀️🌿

My summer has been a lovely mixture of watering increasingly thirsty flower friends, breathing in the scent of lavender, admiring the roses and the flower beds planted with my own little wild whimsy, early walks and cooling swims with Oaks, also some reformer fun… and, rather less romantically, trips to my favourite recycling centre with all sorts of stuff! 💪😅 Let’s just say I’m very grateful for Pilates strength, good lifting technique and a strong core!

I love this time of year, but it’s also when our routines can quietly disappear amongst holidays, visitors, gardens and long evenings. That’s why I think it’s so important to keep some regular movement in the week—to stay strong, mobile and flexible while also taking time to slow down and recharge.

I’ve had lots of requests for another yoga class (watch this space!), and it’s been wonderful to see my Tuesday 5pm Gentle Pilates and Wednesday morning Beaminster classes filling up. If those are full, there are still spaces in some of my other classes, and I’d love to welcome you.

As we begin a new term next week, I’d love to hear from you… What would you like to see more of in our classes this term? More strength? More stretching? Better balance? Something new?

I can’t wait to see you all back on the mat. 🌿💚

🌿☀️ Thank you, Beaminster! ☀️🌿What a lovely term it’s been. Thank you to everyone who has shown up each week, worked har...
03/07/2026

🌿☀️ Thank you, Beaminster! ☀️🌿

What a lovely term it’s been. Thank you to everyone who has shown up each week, worked hard and made the classes such a friendly, welcoming community. 💚

Summer has a habit of sweeping us away with holidays, gardening, visitors and long evenings. That’s exactly why keeping one hour a week for yourself can make such a difference—staying strong, mobile and flexible while taking a moment to slow down and recharge.

If you’ve been thinking about joining us, now’s a great time. There are just a couple of spaces left in the Monday evening class.

Take a look at the posters below—I’d love to welcome you! 🌿

🌿☀️ Thank you, Maiden Newton! ☀️🌿Another fantastic term complete… and next week we’re ready to do it all again! 💚A huge ...
03/07/2026

🌿☀️ Thank you, Maiden Newton! ☀️🌿

Another fantastic term complete… and next week we’re ready to do it all again! 💚

A huge thank you to everyone who has rolled out a mat, had a laugh, challenged themselves and kept showing up. It’s such a wonderful community to teach.

Summer has a way of sweeping us off our feet—holidays, gardens, BBQs, visitors and long sunny evenings. Before we know it, our usual routines have disappeared! That’s why keeping just one hour a week for yourself can make such a difference.

Come and build strength for all those summer adventures, stretch out after busy days, improve your balance, breathe deeply and leave feeling refreshed, energised and just a little bit taller.

Whether you’re completely new or returning after a break, you’d be so welcome. Have a look at the posters below for all the details, and come and join us!

Here’s to another joyful term of movement, strength, stretch and plenty of smiles. 🌿💚

☀️ It’s hot! ☀️Andy and I took cooling down rather seriously this weekend, as you can see from the photo! 🌊😄With the tem...
22/06/2026

☀️ It’s hot! ☀️

Andy and I took cooling down rather seriously this weekend, as you can see from the photo! 🌊😄

With the temperatures set to stay high, we’ll be making a few adjustments in class this week. There won’t be any long standing sequences, and we’ll spend more time working on the mat where it’s a little kinder on the body in the heat.

Don’t worry though—we’ll still be working those legs!

A few suggestions before class:

💧 Bring water and stay hydrated throughout the day.

🏋️ Consider using lighter dumbbells than usual.

👕 Wear light, comfortable clothing.

❤️ Take breaks whenever you need them and listen to your body.

Pilates isn’t about pushing through at all costs. It’s about awareness, adaptability and working with the body you have on that particular day. This week, that means respecting the extra demands the heat places on us and adjusting accordingly.

See you on the mat (not in the sea!) this week.

Marketa x

🌿 Pilates Outdoors This Morning… and It Was Worth It! 🌿This week has been a little unlucky with technical issues at our ...
17/06/2026

🌿 Pilates Outdoors This Morning… and It Was Worth It! 🌿

This week has been a little unlucky with technical issues at our Beaminster venue, but sometimes unexpected challenges create unexpected opportunities.

This morning, instead of being indoors, we took our Pilates practice outside. The grass was damp, the air was misty, and there was a gentle drizzle hanging in the air. At first, it was easy to feel the pull of a warm café, a hot chocolate, and a coffee instead!

But we wrapped up warmly and enjoyed a lovely session surrounded by greenery and fresh air.

It made me wonder how you feel after spending time outdoors? There is something about moving in the fresh air that can leave you feeling calmer, clearer, more energised and connected. Breathing feels different, your shoulders seem to soften, and for a little while you become more aware of the world around you—the birds, the breeze, the changing sky.

It reminded me of my recent holiday in Italy, where I taught yoga on the rooftop of the hotel. The view was stunning, with birdsong in the background and the sea stretching out before us. It felt so easy to breathe deeply and simply enjoy being present in that moment.

Our British winters can be long, cold and grey, so perhaps this is a gentle reminder to enjoy the outdoors as much as we can while summer is here. We don’t need perfect weather—just a willingness to step outside and embrace whatever the day brings.

And yes, after our session we absolutely enjoyed a coffee and hot chocolate together, which felt even more deserved after our misty morning adventure! ☕🍫💚

I’m wondering whether there might be some interest in a few spontaneous outdoor Pilates or Yolates sessions over the summer on a drop-in basis whenever the weather looks promising.

Would anyone be up for it? 🌿☀️😊

☀️🇮🇹 Santa Cesarea Terme – Day OneA pistachio affogato, a perfect pasticciotto, the local orecchiette pasta (“little ear...
30/05/2026

☀️🇮🇹 Santa Cesarea Terme – Day One

A pistachio affogato, a perfect pasticciotto, the local orecchiette pasta (“little ears”🙂), a few too many coffees, and the Adriatic in shades of blue that seem almost impossible.

The famous sulphur-rich healing waters are undeniably a little stinky, yet people have come here for centuries seeking their restorative powers. There is something beautifully honest about this place — unpretentious, sun-soaked, and deeply connected to the sea.

Today felt like a needed invitation into dolce far niente — the sweetness of doing nothing. Not wasting time, but fully inhabiting it. Watching the light on the water, lingering over conversations, and remembering that not every moment needs to be productive to be meaningful. 💙🌊

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Cattistock
Cattistock
DT20JH

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+447833498407

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