I’ve always been absolutely mad about sport and have been active for as long as I can remember – from aikido and karate to dance training. Moving my body has always been my way to feel stronger – not just physically, but mentally too.
In 1994, I completed a Master’s degree at the University of Szczecin, in Poland, and began a career in banking. I enjoyed the structure and challenge of the job, but sitting behind a desk all day had me itching to dash off to the gym the moment I clocked out. I threw myself into every class going – dance, aerobics, Body Pump – you name it, I was in.
Back then, Pilates hadn’t really made its mark in Poland. I still remember my first class and thinking “What even is this? Is this supposed to be a workout?” My friend and I rolled our eyes the whole way through. The truth was, I just wasn’t ready for it. Jay Grimes once said: “Pilates is good for everyone, but not everyone is good for Pilates" and at the time, I definitely wasn’t!
In 2004 I moved to London, and not long after, I came across a quote by Joseph Pilates that really struck a chord: “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” It gave me the nudge I needed to start a new chapter and train as an aerobics instructor.
A little bit about me
I loved it - everything about the energy, the music, the movement. But over time, the high - impact workouts
workouts began to take a toll. My knees were constantly sore, and eventually, the pain got so bad I could barely walk.
That’s when I decided to give Pilates another try, just casually at my local gym. From the very first session, something clicked. I felt lighter, stronger, more connected to my body. That shift was so powerful, it inspired me to train as a Pilates mat teacher - and I’ve been teaching ever since.
After five years, though, I started to feel like something was missing. I couldn’t quite name it at first, but I knew I was craving something deeper: a real sense of community, and a space where people shared the same love for mindful movement as I did. So I went exploring. I tried studios all over London, joined workshops, classes, and training days – always searching for that spark. Then one day, I walked into Kinetic Pilates in Finsbury Park… and that was it. The moment I stepped inside, I felt it. The warmth, the energy, the welcome. I knew I’d found the right place.
When the chance came to join their teacher training, the only certified Romana’s Pilates programme in the UK – I didn’t hesitate. It was a true journey: challenging at times, but honestly, one of the most joyful and fulfilling experiences of my life.
Now, as a fully qualified and experienced instructor, I can genuinely say there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing my clients leave a session feeling stronger, more confident, and already looking forward to the next one.
A little bit about Joseph Pilates
Joseph Hubertus Pilates, born in 1883 in Mönchengladbach, Germany, was a truly remarkable figure. His life is a powerful testament to resilience, creativity, and the belief that movement has the power to heal and transform. Best known as the creator of the Pilates method - originally called Contrology - he developed his system not just to overcome his own physical challenges, but to completely reshape how we think about health, fitness, and wellbeing.
As a child, Joseph was far from strong. He suffered from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever - conditions that could easily have held him back. But instead of giving in, he threw himself into movement as a form of self-rehabilitation, exploring everything from gymnastics and yoga to martial arts and bodybuilding. His dedication paid off: by the age of 14, he’d built such a well-balanced physique that he was modelling for anatomy charts. It wasn’t just a transformation - it was a full reinvention. ts. It wasn’t just a transformation - it was a full reinvention. His approach to movement was deeply influenced by lived experience. During the First World War, Joseph was interned in England as a German national. It was there, working with injured soldiers,
that he began developing resistance-based exercises using springs from hospital beds - early versions of what we now know as the Pilates Reformer. His focus was always on helping people restore strength, mobility, and control.
In the 1920s, Joseph emigrated to New York, where he opened a studio that quickly drew attention from the city’s dancers, actors, and athletes. Legends like Martha Graham and George Balanchine became loyal followers, helping to cement Pilates’ reputation as a method that built strength, precision, and grace from the inside out.
Joseph wasn’t just interested in physical strength - he believed deeply in the power of the mind to guide the body. His work emphasised control, concentration, and intentional movement. He was quite a character too - known for his love of cigars, whisky, and doing the splits or lifting heavy weights well into his 80s!
But behind the flair was a thoughtful philosophy. Contrology, as he called it, wasn’t just a workout - it was a way of life. It was about breathing fully, moving mindfully, and caring for the body as a reflection of the mind.
Joseph never sought fame, and during his lifetime, Pilates remained something of a hidden gem. But after his death in 1967, his students continued to share his work, and slowly but surely, the method began to spread. Today, Pilates is a global movement, loved for its unique blend of strength, flexibility, and awareness.
It’s quite something when you think about it - a once-sickly boy from a small German town created a method that’s still changing lives, more than a hundred years later!