Latest news with #ReformerPilates
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Some A-listers have revealed their plastic surgery secrets but there's a dirty habit wellness-mad celebs won't admit to
IT'S quite a smoke screen even by modern celebrity standards. I'm talking about the buff and beautiful quick to extol their clean-living credentials and - often commoditise them - while indulging in one very dirty habit. 10 Dua Lipa brazenly shows her smoking habit on her social media posts Credit: INSTAGRAM 10 Rochelle Humes back in 2021 enjoying a cigarette Credit: BackGrid 10 Bella Hadid pictured smoking cigarettes and has been known to also use vapes Credit: AFP 10 Bella Hadid's 10-step morning went viral on TikTok Credit: Tiktok/@babybella777 Yes, I'm talking about smoking. Take singer Dua Lipa – pictured lighting up in Paris earlier in the year and Not to be outdone, on-and-off again smoker And, what about ostensibly health-conscious Yes, even in these oversharing times when big names blab about their cosmetic procedures and namecheck their surgeons, the No one, it seems wants to be accused of thinking more about their waistline than their lung health or spark speculation that their lithe physiques are down to anything but iron will and Reformer Pilates. And inevitably things can be even more cloak and dagger when it comes to those raking in the big bucks from their uber lucrative side hustle. Step forward, Jennifer Aniston, whose health-oriented endorsements are rumoured to make up half of her current $20 million annual income. Remember when the actress's then-husband, Justin Theroux, posted a video of her smoking on her 53rd birthday in 2022? The incriminating footage – played out to the beat of Taylor Swift's 'Look What You Made Me Do' was hastily deleted, no doubt to protect a $300 million dollar brand that shows little sign of waning. Now at the age of 57, the former Friends star is back as the face of premium bottled water brand, Smartwater, and airing her ripped size two body in a new shoot for exercise brand, Pvolve, which she credits with getting her in the best shape of her life. 10 Jennifer Aniston returns as the face of smartwater in a new campaign Credit: The Mega Agency/Smartwater 10 Jennifer enjoying a smoke on the set of The Good Girl, in 2001 Credit: Getty Cigarettes may once have been welded to many a supermodel pout in the '90s without any judgement, but these days they are more likely to come with a trigger warning. New documentary, Oasis Definitely, to mark the band's 25th anniversary tour, felt it necessary to warn viewers of scenes showing 'people smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol throughout' – presumably for those sensitive souls who have only known a life since the indoor smoking ban. And I wouldn't put too much steer on singer Charlie XCX urging fans to embrace their inner brat with a 'packet of cigs and a Bic lighter'. It's a rare ripple of rebellion which will make little dent on those both riding the wellness bandwagon and buying into it as health titan Gwyneth Paltrow knows only too well. The 52-year-old former actress who founded her $250 million Goop brand in 2008 has, of course, been keen to distance herself from her heavy smoking youth. Well, that vice was never going to sit well amongst the endorphin oil, sauna blankets and mouth tape (used to promote nasal breathing during sleep) sold on the website. 10 Now she's a health, wellness and beauty guru Credit: Goop 10 Gwyneth Paltrow smoked a lot when she was younger Credit: PA:Entertainment In 2022, when interviewed by Holly Willoughby on her podcast, By The Light Of The Moon, Paltrow blamed her nicotine addiction on that age-old stress of being a multi-millionaire, Brad Pitt dating- Hollywood actress. She further revealed that she went on to allow herself a light American Spirit cigarette on Saturday nights in 2013 – before giving up completely – the kind of reformation lapped up by Goop fans awaiting every new hack and product drop. Meanwhile, it's worth noting that not-so-secret smoker and perennial party girl Kate Moss's beauty and wellness brand, Cosmoss folded last month. Launched in 2022 with products including 'aura mist' sprays and signature tea blends – it's a rare flop for the Croydon-born supermodel who usually has the commercial Midas touch. An authenticity fail? Perhaps her hedonistic reputation was simply too entrenched while being regularly snapped smoking and vaping away around the capital – and even just As many celebrity puffers have discovered if you really can't quit then you need to be discreet because you are only ever a puff away from being papped. 10 Kate Moss tried to move into the wellness industry with her brand Cosmoss, but it folded last month Credit: Getty 10 She has been a regular smoker for decades Credit:
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Some A-listers have revealed their plastic surgery secrets but there's a dirty habit wellness-mad celebs won't admit to
Rochelle Humes, Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid are among the health-conscious stars who have been snapped indulging in this naughty habit UNDER WRAPS Some A-listers have revealed their plastic surgery secrets but there's a dirty habit wellness-mad celebs won't admit to Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT'S quite a smoke screen even by modern celebrity standards. I'm talking about the buff and beautiful quick to extol their clean-living credentials and - often commoditise them - while indulging in one very dirty habit. 10 Dua Lipa brazenly shows her smoking habit on her social media posts Credit: INSTAGRAM 10 Rochelle Humes back in 2021 enjoying a cigarette Credit: BackGrid 10 Bella Hadid pictured smoking cigarettes and has been known to also use vapes Credit: AFP 10 Bella Hadid's 10-step morning went viral on TikTok Credit: Tiktok/@babybella777 Yes, I'm talking about smoking. Take singer Dua Lipa – pictured lighting up in Paris earlier in the year and last week in Mallorca, all at odds with the virtuous daily routine of ice baths and slurping uber trendy colostrum milk, revealed to Vogue magazine recently. Not to be outdone, on-and-off again smoker model Bella Hadid's 10-step morning ritual, full of woo woo details from fulvic detox drinks to sage smudging (don't ask), but predictably no mention of her daily vape. And, what about ostensibly health-conscious Rochelle Humes? The co-founder of matcha tea and lifestyle brand, Cloudcha, has been tight-lipped on the subject ever since being caught puffing away outside a London restaurant back in 2021. Yes, even in these oversharing times when big names blab about their cosmetic procedures and namecheck their surgeons, the stigma around cigarettes - the original appetite suppressants long before Ozempic came to town - is rife. No one, it seems wants to be accused of thinking more about their waistline than their lung health or spark speculation that their lithe physiques are down to anything but iron will and Reformer Pilates. And inevitably things can be even more cloak and dagger when it comes to those raking in the big bucks from their uber lucrative side hustle. Step forward, Jennifer Aniston, whose health-oriented endorsements are rumoured to make up half of her current $20 million annual income. Remember when the actress's then-husband, Justin Theroux, posted a video of her smoking on her 53rd birthday in 2022? The incriminating footage – played out to the beat of Taylor Swift's 'Look What You Made Me Do' was hastily deleted, no doubt to protect a $300 million dollar brand that shows little sign of waning. Now at the age of 57, the former Friends star is back as the face of premium bottled water brand, Smartwater, and airing her ripped size two body in a new shoot for exercise brand, Pvolve, which she credits with getting her in the best shape of her life. 10 Jennifer Aniston returns as the face of smartwater in a new campaign Credit: The Mega Agency/Smartwater 10 Jennifer enjoying a smoke on the set of The Good Girl, in 2001 Credit: Getty Cigarettes may once have been welded to many a supermodel pout in the '90s without any judgement, but these days they are more likely to come with a trigger warning. New documentary, Oasis Definitely, to mark the band's 25th anniversary tour, felt it necessary to warn viewers of scenes showing 'people smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol throughout' – presumably for those sensitive souls who have only known a life since the indoor smoking ban. And I wouldn't put too much steer on singer Charlie XCX urging fans to embrace their inner brat with a 'packet of cigs and a Bic lighter'. It's a rare ripple of rebellion which will make little dent on those both riding the wellness bandwagon and buying into it as health titan Gwyneth Paltrow knows only too well. The 52-year-old former actress who founded her $250 million Goop brand in 2008 has, of course, been keen to distance herself from her heavy smoking youth. Well, that vice was never going to sit well amongst the endorphin oil, sauna blankets and mouth tape (used to promote nasal breathing during sleep) sold on the website. 10 Now she's a health, wellness and beauty guru Credit: Goop 10 Gwyneth Paltrow smoked a lot when she was younger Credit: PA:Entertainment In 2022, when interviewed by Holly Willoughby on her podcast, By The Light Of The Moon, Paltrow blamed her nicotine addiction on that age-old stress of being a multi-millionaire, Brad Pitt dating- Hollywood actress. She further revealed that she went on to allow herself a light American Spirit cigarette on Saturday nights in 2013 – before giving up completely – the kind of reformation lapped up by Goop fans awaiting every new hack and product drop. Meanwhile, it's worth noting that not-so-secret smoker and perennial party girl Kate Moss's beauty and wellness brand, Cosmoss folded last month. Launched in 2022 with products including 'aura mist' sprays and signature tea blends – it's a rare flop for the Croydon-born supermodel who usually has the commercial Midas touch. An authenticity fail? Perhaps her hedonistic reputation was simply too entrenched while being regularly snapped smoking and vaping away around the capital – and even just this week in Ibiza doesn't help. As many celebrity puffers have discovered if you really can't quit then you need to be discreet because you are only ever a puff away from being papped. 10 Kate Moss tried to move into the wellness industry with her brand Cosmoss, but it folded last month Credit: Getty
What's On
12-07-2025
- Health
- What's On
8 of the best Pilates studios in Dubai to check out this summer
When the heat hits and walking outside feels like cardio, summer in Dubai becomes the perfect time to lean into the indoors – and maybe lean into yourself a little, too. If there's one movement that's made its way from niche to non-negotiable in the city's fitness circuit, it's Pilates. From improved posture to core strength and low-impact conditioning, this workout is all about building control and balance – in and out of the studio. Luckily, Dubai's got no shortage of studios focused on quality movement and good vibes, whether you're a Reformer regular or just figuring out what a footbar is. So, we've rounded up some of the best Pilates studios in Dubai to check out this summer – because staying in never felt (or looked) so good. Balans Studio Balans is a boutique, women-only Pilates and wellness space tucked into Dubai Marina. With just seven people per class, expert instructors guide each session – whether Reformer Pilates, yoga, aerial workouts, or TRX – with careful attention to posture, strength and breath. The chic studio also features recovery tools like ice baths and a Finnish sauna, making it a full mind‑and‑body reset in a calm, stylish setting. Location: Emaar 52|42, Dubai Marina Times: Sunday–Saturday, 7 am–9 pm Cost: 3-class trial Dhs275; single-class packages from Dhs140; monthly passes and recovery packs available Contact: (0)50 612 077 | @balansstudios Blended Blended Wellness operates across several dedicated spaces at W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, offering a comprehensive approach to women's wellness. Founded by Dominique Laird, the brand focuses on community and inclusivity. The spa on the hotel's 18th floor offers massages, facials, and tailored rituals. Beauty treatments take place in a separate salon on the ground floor, while yoga and Reformer Pilates classes happen in a studio within the hotel grounds. It's a space designed to help you look and feel your best, with expert guidance every step of the way. Location: W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, Al Sufouh Times: 7am to 9pm, Monday through Sunday Cost: Classes start at Dhs150 Contact: (0)4 423 8325 | @blendedwellnessdxb The Lob Image: Supplied Escape the heat and head indoors to The Lob, a revamped Al Quoz warehouse offering a mix of padel, Pilates, and yoga. The club features six indoor padel courts in racing green, two studios hosting movement and mindfulness classes – including regular Reformer Pilates sessions in the Align studio – plus a sauna to unwind and a health-focused restaurant by biohacking chef Silvena Rowe. Location: Street 15, Al Quoz 3 Times: Monday to Saturday 7am–11:30pm, Sunday 7am–10:30pm Cost: Classes from Dhs145 Contact: (0)52 936 5460 | @thisisthelob Revive A bright, airy space with clean lines and natural light, REVIVE at Jumeirah Golf Estates brings calm and focused energy to every session. This boutique homegrown studio emphasises personalised attention, making it perfect for all levels, from beginners to seasoned reformer pros. To help you stay consistent through the quieter months, REVIVE has launched a limited-time Summer Unlimited Reformer Pilates Pass – offering unlimited group classes throughout July and August. The pass is valid at both their flagship Fairways studio and the newer REVIVE+ space inside the Golf & Country Club. Whether you're just starting out or deep into your Pilates practice, you'll find beginner, mixed, and advanced Reformer classes taught by certified instructors. Location: REVIVE: First Floor, Jumeirah Golf Estates, REVIVE+: Inside Jumeirah Golf Clubhouse (via gym) Times: Mon–Fri: 6am–8pm, Sat–Sun: 8am–11am Cost: Dhs999 per month (July & August only) Contact: (0)52 674 1822 | @ revive_reformer_pilates Plume Studio Plume Studio turns a Jumeirah villa into a tranquil retreat designed exclusively for women. The space is carefully crafted to promote calm, featuring two studios for yoga and Pilates classes including barre, aerial yoga, and Reformer sessions. Beyond movement, you'll find a plunge pool with Bali-inspired vibes, an ice bath, sauna, and a massage room for personalised treatments. Location: 440a Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 2 Times: Monday to Friday 7am–8:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am–4pm Cost: Classes from Dhs190 Contact: (0)4 256 6349 | @ Reform Athletica A firm favourite in Dubai's boutique fitness scene, Reform Athletica launched in Jumeirah in 2018 and expanded to DIFC in 2023. Known for its expert-led Pilates sessions, the studio also offers HIIT, deep stretch, RA strength, and more. Sustainability is key here – the studio keeps plastic use to a minimum, making mindful fitness part of the ethos. Locations: Jumeirah & DIFC Times: 6:30am to 9pm on weekdays (Monday to Friday) and from 8:30am to 2:30pm on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) Cost: From Dhs150 per class Contact: (0)4 386 7067 | @reformathletica KōR KōR brings both mat and Reformer Pilates to Dubai Marina with a new, boutique vibe. Founded by instructors Alice and Karolina, the studio offers a welcoming space powered by their signature KōR Method – a unique blend of rhythm, resistance, and technique focused on strength and control. While summer sessions take place in their bright, airy studio, cooler months bring classes poolside, with views over Dubai Marina. Location: InterContinental Dubai Marina Times: Monday to Friday 7am–8pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am–6pm Cost: Classes from Dhs150 Contact: (0)58 903 5912 | @korpilatesdubai Studio 14 Studio 14 combines cutting-edge Pilates workouts with a strong eco-conscious ethos in a stylish boutique setting. Catering to all levels, their expert instructors focus on personalised attention through small class sizes, ensuring you get the most out of every session. Plus, their own chic fitness wear line lets you shop the look before you work it. Location: Studio 14, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz Times: Tuesday to Friday 7 am–10 pm, Saturday 7 am–7 pm, Sunday 7 am–6 pm (closed Mondays) Cost: From Dhs150 per class Contact: (0)4 554 5514 | @
Tom's Guide
06-07-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Over 60? This 30-minute standing wall Pilates workout will boost your full-body strength, balance, and coordination
There's no denying the many (many) benefits that come with practicing mat Pilates. First off, this low-impact form of fitness can enhance your core strength, give your flexibility a boost, and improve posture. This mind-body practice can also reduce stress, help with injury prevention, and improve your overall well-being. But these benefits aren't only gained from doing your glute bridges and pushups on your Pilates mat. Oh no! This multitude of pros can also be felt by taking your practice to the wall. In fact, making use of a wall during your session will help to provide stability, making this form of fitness even more accessible to the masses, including those aged over 60 and over. Just take this 30-minute wall Pilates workout for seniors, designed by certified instructor and YouTuber Rachel Lawrence, who is the founder of The Girl with the Pilates Mat, for example. The standing session uses a wall to help stabilize and challenge your body, while adding some extra resistance. If this sounds like your kind of workout, all you need to do is roll out an exercise mat, find a spare wall, and you're good to go. In a nutshell, wall Pilates involves performing Pilates exercises with the use of a wall. In some cases, wall Pilates is likened to Reformer Pilates as, depending on the exercise you are completing, it can mimic the use of a football. This adaptation also uses the wall as a supportive tool to increase stability and balance, specifically if you're doing unilateral exercises, like standing single-leg toe taps and standing single-leg extensions. Instructor Lawrence leads this standing session, which involves completing traditional Pilates exercises with the use of a wall. 'This session is my adaptation of Pilates Matwork exercises to a wall,' the expert says. 'What this will do is to switch up the challenge, change the muscle focus, and improve proprioception and balance.' For example, Lawrence suggests completing classic moves like toe taps, ankle circle,s and lunges along with leg circles and a wall sit while standing and making use of your wall. In an ideal world, Lawrence recommends completing this standing session three times a week for six weeks to see and feel the difference. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. According to the expert, doing so will help strengthen, tone, and build strength in your muscles. 'You will work both upper and lower body, all using a wall to help stabilise and challenge your body to become stronger,' she adds. And researchers agree. A review published in the Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy suggests that low-impact Pilates workouts can increase flexibility, strength, and mobility and give your balance a boost. Plus, much like a Reformer machine, the standing exercises included in this session will help increase the burn by spending time under tension to challenge your muscles in new ways.
Tom's Guide
06-07-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
'You can't tone muscle you haven't built' — I'm a personal trainer, and here's why I choose weightlifting before Pilates
Before I receive a barrage of abuse, can I just say, I don't hate on Reformer Pilates. In fact, I'm about to embark on a 30-day fitness challenge, swapping CrossFit for Reformer to see what will happen — physically and mentally — to my body. Which brings me straight to the point — you can't tone muscle you haven't built. Firstly, I'd like to caveat by saying I can't stand the term 'toning muscle.' Essentially, though, it just means creating leanness, muscle definition, firmness, or shape, rather than significant muscular size. But you can't do that to muscles that don't exist, and building muscle isn't easy to do. Before the Pilates purists come for me, at the end of the day, exercise in a way that makes you happy and fulfilled. But if you're interested, read on to find out why I prioritize weightlifting over Pilates for building muscle, and the benefits of both for your training routine. There are many reasons you should consider taking up Pilates. Firstly, an hour of Pilates can do for your body what many other training methods can't and won't: build mobility, flexibility, pliability, muscular control and endurance, strengthen your joints, muscles and bones against injury, develop core muscles of steel and create posture even ballet dancers would envy. I'm not exaggerating, either. The Pilates lovers I know swear by it, particularly the Reformer, for changing their bodies for the better. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. But that lean and sculpted physique you're eyeing up? You need to build that muscle using muscle-growing principles, and Pilates, though brilliant at strengthening and "toning" using high reps, light weights and bodyweight resistance, isn't the gold standard of building that muscle. In short, they're not interchangeable methods of exercise. Hence, different training principles yield different results (with some crossover, obviously). If you really want to grow noticeable muscle size, it comes down to a combination of resistance training, recovery, protein intake and progressive overload principles. So let's talk about that very process — hypertrophy. In the hypertrophy vs strength training debate, it's crucial to understand that these training methods aren't the same thing, and you won't train the same way for both. Strength training builds strength, and hypertrophy training builds lean muscle mass. Building strength doesn't mean your muscles automatically grow in size; strength training alters the muscular power output, whereas hypertrophy increases the size of muscle fibers. So, the best way to build muscle is to resistance train with progressively heavier weights, adapting load, reps and sets over time to adequately challenge muscles and stimulate growth. Oh, and we love using compound exercises (moves that hit multiple muscles, like squats) for best results. Once you've grown the muscle, muscle definition comes down to body fat percentage. Losing fat and gaining muscle creates the overall appearance of a lean and sculpted physique — a process called body recomposition. If the muscle isn't grown, there's nothing to tone, so while Pilates instructors will tell you the method creates a sculpted, lean physique, muscle-building should be the priority. It's also important to look at the muscle fiber types when considering exercise. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are recruited during sustained efforts of exercise at a lower intensity, like Pilates or jogging, when you'll use your aerobic energy system and your muscles require oxygen. On the flipside, lifting heavy weights and adopting sports like powerlifting trains your fast-twitch muscle fibers and supports short, sharp efforts using your anaerobic system. In this case, muscles don't require oxygen, but efforts are shorter and faster. Pilates won't train the same muscle fiber types as strength training, and you'll find that Pilates adopters and long-distance runners will have a different muscle make-up than your weightlifters and sprinters. The same goes for light lifting and higher reps — this taps into muscular endurance and is typically found more within a Pilates setting than with 'true' weightlifting. We know that studies show lifting for fewer sets and reps at a heavier load and higher intensity is more effective and efficient (read: Work out less and get better results — a new study says this is exactly how) for gains than the former. It's not to say that training principles like Pilates, calisthenics, gymnastics and other forms of bodyweight training aren't incredibly beneficial for your muscles. But if your ultimate goal is to grow muscle, this isn't Pilates' arena — weightlifting and strength training are where you want to be. So, when a Pilates instructor says he or she will sculpt and tone your muscles, you better make sure you're building them first.
