An outdoor pilates session was organised for beginners as part of the Year of Our Island’s Quality of Life Month.

More than 20 people enjoyed the session directed by Pilates Isle of Man instructors Mo Sherring and Annalee Gibson in Onchan Park.

Proceeds made through the event have gone towards the upkeep of the Knockaloe site - the place where Joseph Pilates created the method while interned there during the first world war.

’We’ve decided to call the Isle of Man the "spiritual home" of pilates as Joseph worked on his special method here,’ Mo said.

’He was a German and he was arrested while working in England training Scotland Yard detectives and taken to the Isle of Man.

Training

’I was invited to a workshop in Spain where Lolita San Miguel was giving lessons - she is the one of the only people in the world to have trained with Joseph Pilates before he died.

’Lolita was asked if he ever spoke about the Isle of Man and she said he did.

’People used to say it must have been awful to have been locked up there, but apparently he said it gave him time to work on his method and work with people.’

In recent years pilates has become a popular form of exercise across the globe.

Similar to yoga, it concentrates on building strength and developing balance through a system of movements and with special apparatuses.

Born in the island, Mo has been teaching pilates for around 25 years with Annalee being a former student of hers.

’Annalee started training with me since she was 13,’ Mo said.

’She’s now 18 and is the youngest qualified The Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute (APPI) instructor in the world.

’She qualified when she was 17.

’This was actually the first time I had seen her teach a class. I’m so proud of her.’

Find out more by searching www.isleofmanpilates.com or ’Pilates Isle of Man’ on Facebook.