Goodwood Health & Wellbeing are thrilled to announce that, from December 2024, expert practitioners in Pilates Contrology, Dee Bodle and Rafael Gomes, will join the line-up of expertise at Goodwood designed to improve all round wellbeing. Small group classes and individual sessions will be available to Goodwood Health & Wellbeing members and non-members alike.
Pilates Contrology is the traditional teaching method which has been handed down directly from founder, Joseph Pilates himself. Dee explains, “A lot of people have heard of Reformer Pilates and we do use similar pieces of equipment but, our classes are taught using the authentic traditional system of teaching which we call Contrology. Rafael adds, “Joseph Pilates was afflicted with rickets as a child and took up exercise to help with this. He soon realised that using weights alone wasn’t going to be enough so he designed a method to improve his own flexibility and strength borrowing training approaches from swimming, boxing, and circus acrobatics to formulate the programme. He observed how animals move too and so, even today, our movements reflect the crab, the monkey, the squirrel, and the elephant.”
Dee and Rafael are what’s described as ‘third generation teachers’ meaning that they have been taught by teachers who were, in turn, taught by Romana Kryzanowska who was taught by Joseph Pilates himself after she sustained an ankle injury as a ballet dancer. “We’re very proud of the lineage that we’ve benefitted from and we think this brings a lot of high-quality status to our teaching in turn,” says Rafael.
Dee and Rafael work with similar equipment as that designed and created by the founder, some of which bear strong resemblance to the circus equipment and hospital bed that Pilates originally devised. Dee goes on, “At the Goodwood studio, as well as the Pilates Reformers for small group use, we also have other pieces of equipment to help develop the body on an individual basis such as the Cadillac, Barrel, the Wunda Chair, Electric Chair, the Pedi-o-Pole and Small Barrel, the Magic Circle as well as the Mat so, there’s something for everyone in our classes at the Goodwood Health & Membership. Our knowledge, experience and flexibility in teaching allows us to adapt to all levels of fitness and suitability, even in a small group setting.”
Pilates Contrology, guided by these highly trained specialist teachers, activates deep abdominal muscles to provide strength, flexibility and improve the body’s balance. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages and stages of fitness, even those who have had surgery or have a chronic condition.
Head of Health & Wellbeing at Goodwood, Jen Evans-Brewer said, “Anyone can benefit from Pilates sessions, from beginners to professional athletes, as it provides a gentle impact, whole-body workout. Each session is individually programmed to make sure that participants gain the maximum benefit without risk of injury or strain. We are delighted to be able to offer these greatly beneficial classes to the local community.”
Rafael said, “We will be offering group sessions as well as private classes in the new studio at Goodwood from December 1st. We find that some people choose a private session if they want to recover from an injury or surgery and may have movement restrictions, and we advise an individual session to first timers so that we can assess their needs. Group Pilates sessions are fun and, with varied exercises obtaining a full body workout, participants are left with a guaranteed sweat, but also, always with a smile!”
Booking is open now. Group or individual sessions can be booked either at the Goodwood Health & Wellbeing Reception at The Goodwood Hotel, by calling 01243 520114 or emailing wellbeing@goodwood.com Places in a group class cost £30 and one to one sessions cost £75.00
About Goodwood Health & Wellbeing
With a heritage in health that spans hundreds of years, Goodwood Health & Wellbeing empowers members and guests to make thoughtful, progressive wellness decisions that align with their individual journeys and health goals.
Goodwood Health & Wellbeing is committed to transformative wellbeing experiences, rooted in science. It is the home of pioneering Gut Health programmes led by a hub of industry-leading experts, all dedicated to supporting curated holistic health. Its approach to health and wellbeing encompasses its farm-to-fork philosophy, highlighting the organic and sustainable practices of Goodwood Farm—one of the oldest and largest lowland organic farms in Europe.
