A pilates instructor who turned to the exercise to help with back pain after childbirth before launching her own business is now expanding into a ‘dream come true’ studio.
Kay Wilson-Fawcett launched RR Reformer Pilates from her home off Surfleet Road, Pinchbeck, two years ago, and has recently built a new, bigger studio on her land called The Retreat.
Kay Wilson-Fawcett is expanding RR Reformer Pilates with a new and bigger studio on her land off Surfleet Road, Pinchbeck. Picture: Submitted
She is now in the final stages of preparing the new space, which will have six beds and two treatment rooms that have currently been hired out to businesses specialising in aesthetics, hair and makeup for events, and red light therapy.
Previously, she had two beds, meaning she was only able to offer one-to-one or two-to-one sessions. While she will continue to offer these, the new studio will allow her to run group classes for the first time for both beginners and intermediate clients.
The 33-year-old said this would allow her to create a more intimate setting.
Sneak peek of the new studio during construction
She said: “My values and approach are all about reconnecting with your body and making people feel empowered. I want people to feel like a completely different person when they walk out of my studio.
“The space is huge. You can definitely fit more than six beds, but I want to make sure each client is looked after. If there are too many beds, I can’t keep an eye on everyone.
“This has been a dream come true for me. I look outside and see what I’m building out there; it feels surreal.
An AI-generated impression of what the new studio is expected to look like
“I started off small, on a one-to-one basis, and the demand has been amazing. It has gone from being something small to a point where it’s now my full-time job.”
Kay credits her children, aged five and two, with introducing her to pilates.
Following the birth of her first child, she developed severe lower back pain after having a C-section, which started to impact her everday life – including her passion for horse riding.
An AI-generated impression of what the new studio is expected to look like
She found she was unable to sit straight in the saddle and no longer had the same core strength, prompting her horse trainer to recommend she try pilates.
“I was not strong enough to hold my body,” said Kay. “I didn’t understand why because I had been horse riding and competing since I was a very young girl, but I also exercised regularly. I go to the gym on a weekly basis.
“Pilates is a low-impact, full-body exercise that helps improve core strength, flexibility, posture and overall strength, and it was life-changing for me.
Kay said pilates has completely changed her lifeThe new space will enable Kay to also hold group classes
“I could shout about the benefits of pilates until the cows come home. It changed my whole outlook on life — how I walk, how I move — and by the time I had my second child, it was such a breeze because I exercised regularly during my pregnancy and postpartum. I built my strength up.”
The benefits pilates brought to Kay’s life were what led her to launch her business, but she never expected it to grow so quickly. Until this year, she worked at Bakkavor as a marketing manager.
Kay’s current studio which she has set up at the home
She now hopes to pass on those benefits to others who may also be experiencing post-partum back pain, as well as those who may be dealing with knee pain or simply want to look more toned and feel stronger. Her classes are open to people of all ages.
Kay will be holding an opening weekend on August 29 and 30, ahead of the official launch on September 1.
She will be expanding to five sessions a week, with classes running throughout the day, including early morning, mid-morning, lunchtime and evening sessions. To book, click here.
There are currently no weekend sessions, as she wants to keep that time free to spend with her young children.