What makes Kilkenny Pilates that bit special? 

I'm probably not who you'd picture as someone who would open a Pilates studio.  At school I wasn't the sporty type and apart from a short stint at Irish dancing in primary school, I've no background in dance.  At five I was diagnosed with scoliosis. I've had two bunion surgeries and lots of foot issues over the years.  

Then one day I saw a flyer for reformer Pilates at my local gym in Dublin.

I’d no idea what a reformer was. But I was curious to find out!

This was 2003, long before Instagram, TikTok and influencer culture became such a big part of our lives.

My second baby was just a few months old and my lower back was giving out from carrying a toddler and a baby around and hauling a double buggy in and out of the car . On an impulse, I signed up for Wednesday evening reformer classes, not knowing that a career change lay ahead! 

For the first time in my life I really enjoyed exercising, because when I was moving on the reformer it didn’t feel like I was doing exercise, it felt like I was free, free as a bird gliding through the air and unbelievably light. 

At last I’d found my “thing”, a form of exercise that I could look forward to that would give me a post-exercise high!  But life was busy with juggling two little ones, creche runs and working full-time in Dublin, so I could only fit in one evening class a week.

Five years later, my life took an unexpected turn.  I was widowed and decided to quit a busy career and stay at home full-time. At this stage my kids were in primary school so I had the mornings to myself.  Platinum Pilates had just opened their first reformer studio and it was 10 minutes drive from their school. Going there three mornings a week became my lifeline…out of grief, helping me adjust to the routine of being a stay at home Mom after years of working in a fast-paced corporate finance environment and a way out of eating copious amounts of Ben and Jerry’s icecream just to numb out.

Pilates quickly became for me so much more than a workout: it was time just for me, a form of therapy (which I found better than talk therapy) and a social outlet as I got to meet new people through our shared love of Pilates (expanding my circle beyond the school gate). 

I enrolled in Pilates matwork training  in The National Training Centre in Dublin.  It was in-person training and I loved every minute of it.

Fast forward some years and the opportunity to train with the very knowledgeable physiotherapists at MaxPhysio & Pilates in West Cork came up and I didn’t have to think twice. I was in.  By far the oldest in the small group, it didn’t matter, because when you’re flowing and stretching on the reformer you're ageless. 

I continued my training with the Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Institute, doing all levels of their reformer in-person training. My yoga training was also done in person: starting in Dublin, then Boston and finally a month-long intensive in Nepal. (As you've probably guessed I've a strong preference for in-person training for Pilates & Yoga; learning anatomy is fine online but for the practical element, nothing beats being in a studio with an experienced teacher trainer and getting those all-important hands-on adjustments.)

Over the years, I'd taken classes in all kinds of studios: large ones, small ones, hardcore classical Pilates studio, contemporary fitness-style Pilates studios, both at home and in the US and Dubai where I'd lived for a time. This helped shape my vision for Kilkenny Pilates.

I dreamed of creating a Pilates studio that would have the warm and cosy vibe of your favourite coffee shop, the one where you easily lose track of time in, just be-ing, sipping a vanilla latte or (in my case) a big mug of hot chocolate on coconut milk.

I wanted to create a space where people would feel seen and supported, where movement would feel liberating and where the vibe would be inclusive of all ages, fitness levels  and body shapes. The fact that The Chocolate Garden Café, with the most decadent hot chocolate ever, is only a minute’s stroll away on High Street helped seal the deal on renting this space when it became vacant!

To create the vibe I wanted, I knew I would have to do one thing:

Keep class sizes small.

Very small. 

I’d to silence the accountant in me that loudly (and correctly) insisted that large classes with a minimum of eight reformers was the way to go to maximise studio profits. I'd to let my heart win out on this one, not my head.

So that’s the long backstory to my very small Pilates studio in Kilkenny City! I hope that when you step on a reformer here you’ll find that same sense of freedom in mind and body that I found all those years ago. 

I can’t wait to welcome you and support you on your wellness journey! 

xo Miriam