The Quest for Miley-Abs: Welcome to Somersault Pilates

Look. Just like you, I have spent an inordinate amount of good, hard-earned cash over the years on completely wasted gym membership. Then thankfully one day I got a slap upside the head. I got really sick and suffered with terrible rheumatoid arthritis as part of my condition. And so I eventually took the plunge and cancelled my membership. After a year and a half of not going once. Yup. I was one of those people. Idiot. And I swore I would never join a gym again.
But when I went into remission a few years later, I needed to get my body moving again and was a bit stuck on how to go about it. I thought ballet was the answer. And, in part, it is. I love ballet. It is without doubt the most dignified way to work up a sweat. I attend adult ballet classes at the Cape Ballet Centre next door to the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel. But about six weeks ago I managed to tear a calf muscle whilst showing off doing jetés. Again, idiot. But it was all fine. I had a back up plan.

You see, my friend and fitness and Pilates instructor extraordinaire, Justine Seymour was on hand to guide me. And she deserves a MEDAL OF HONOUR for putting up with me over the past six months. I went to her, totally unfit and still recovering from arthritis and demanded that she give me Miley Cyrus abs. I mean if Miley can do a bit of Pilates and then scamper around in next to nothing day after day, well, that seemed a pretty good way to go. Also, with my various aches and pains and, eventually, ballet injury, I needed a lot of hand holding with my fitness regime.
It needs to be said that I am also a pretty demanding exercise client. I like a lot of attention. I like to be excellent, and told as much. I also like to get things right and get very frustrated when I don't. But Justine and her team take all this in their stride. They have been around for a while, you see. Old hands. And I like old hands. Old hands make me feel safe. Old hands make me feel like Miley abs are doable.

She works us hard in Pilates class but you can feel the difference almost immediately. You improve quickly and regularly, which is SO SATISFYING. And everything else in your life becomes easier. Like walking up hills and getting out of bed in the morning. The basics. And whilst I have no clue as to whether I have Miley abs yet (can't tell under my well-nourished layer of plumpness) but I do know that I have started to get a set of oblique muscles that I never had before.
I will also tell you that, Justine, at her Claremont-based Somersault Studio, and her new Kloof Street studio, will also give you guidance on eating well, especially for fitness. For as long as I have been doing Pilates, I have also largely adopted her eating strategy as well. I try to eat a degree of Banting (low carb, high fat) for most of the time as it really serves the exercise. It all works well together. Fitness nirvana.

Anyway, many of you who have met me before will have noticed that of late I am looking a bit different. And it is down to this quest for Miley abs, and all the assistance I have had on the journey. I still have some way to go, but only six months in, things are looking significantly better than they ever did when I was armed with a gym membership. So, if you fancy joining me on my quest for Miley abs, and are based in (or visiting) Cape Town, just give Justine a shout.

Somersault Studio operates from two beautiful Victorian buildings in Cape Town — The White Lotus at 79 Kloof Street and Somersault House at 59 Grove Ave, Claremont. I go to the White Lotus Wellness Centre, where Justine is offering Pilates classes daily and will add fitness and running groups soon.

Class times are:

Monday & Wednesday: 5.30pm & 6.30pm

Tuesday & Thursday: 6.30am, 7.30am & 9.00am

The rates are:

1 class per week: R440 per month

2 classes per week: R800 per month

Traveller package: R1200 for 10 classes valid for 6 months

Pay as you go: R140

Individual sessions: R350 per hour

For further info, please contact justine@somersaultstudio.co.za