Welcome to Exhale Pilates – The Story Behind Gaby & Exhale
Hello, and welcome!
Welcome to Exhale Pilates, and welcome to our blog – a place where we’ll be sharing the stories, knowledge and inspiration behind the method we love so much. This is where we’ll take you beyond the studio, we’ll explore the fascinating history of Classical Pilates, share practical advice from our brilliant teachers and educators, introduce you to world-renowned guest educators and hear directly from our Founder, Gaby Noble.
Whether you’re completely new to Pilates or you’ve been practising for years, our aim is simple: to help expand your knowledge of Pilates history, inspire your own practice and keep you up to date with all things Exhale.
We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know us a little better. And if there’s ever a topic you’d love us to explore, we’d love to hear from you.
A little about Exhale Pilates
Exhale Pilates was built on one simple belief: that Pilates doesn’t need reinventing. The original method created by Joseph Pilates is intelligent, challenging and remarkably effective. When it’s taught as it was intended, it has the power to transform the way people move, feel and live. That’s exactly why Exhale exists.
At the heart of Exhale is Gaby Noble – one of the UK’s leading voices in Classical Pilates. As a teacher, teacher trainer and educator, Gaby has dedicated her career to preserving the original Pilates method, known by Joseph Pilates as Contrology. For Gaby, Pilates isn’t simply a profession. It’s deeply personal.
After suffering a serious spinal injury in her thirties, Pilates became an essential part of her rehabilitation:“it was then that I used Pilates to help me heal and recover from my spinal injury, and the love of Pilates and how powerful the method is took on a whole new meaning to me”.
That experience shaped everything Exhale would become. From day one, the mission has remained the same: to teach Classical Pilates with honesty, integrity and respect for the original system. As Gaby often says:“we haven’t tampered with or diluted Pilates because we know – from both history and experience – that it works. It transforms people’s lives”.
Today, Exhale has three London studios – Marylebone, Primrose Hill and Finchley – alongside an internationally respected teacher training programme. People come to us from every walk of life – complete beginners, professional athletes, performers, CEOs, new mums, retirees…. even aspiring teachers who travel from around the world to study the Classical method with us. Different people, different goals, but one timeless method.
Empowering bodies
At Exhale, our studios have been designed with one purpose: to help people move better. Every class is rooted in the Classical Pilates system, whether you’re walking into your very first session or refining an advanced practice.
You’ll find fully equipped studios with the range of original apparatus – including the Reformer, Cadillac, Tower, Wunda Chair and Barrels. Each piece has a purpose, and together they create the complete Pilates system exactly as Joseph Pilates intended.
We offer small group classes (maximum 7 guests), private sessions and specialist workshops, allowing every client to progress at their own pace while feeling supported every step of the way.
And yes – you’ll notice something a little different. There’s no music. And that isn’t by accident. Without the distraction of a playlist, you’re able to hear your breath, connect with your body and truly listen to your teacher. It’s amazing how much more you notice when the room becomes quieter.
For us, Pilates isn’t about chasing a beat – it’s about concentration, precision and intelligent movement.
Realising the Classical Difference
Beth’s initial Pilates experience had unknowingly exposed her to classical methods, but subsequent contemporary courses had shifted her focus. The encounter with Gaby rekindled her connection to classical Pilates.
The stark contrast between contemporary and classical approaches became evident. Beth realised that the classical repertoire offered a depth and authenticity she had been seeking.
This realisation set Beth on a path to rediscover and fully embrace the classical Pilates methodology, recognising it as the foundation she had been missing in her practice.
Educating teachers
To us, teaching Pilates well takes far more than learning exercises, it requires a deep understanding of the method, years of study and an ongoing commitment to learning. That’s why education sits at the heart of everything we do.
Alongside our studio classes, Exhale delivers comprehensive Classical Pilates teacher training in London, and across the UK, helping develop the next generation of knowledgeable, confident and highly skilled teachers.
Our education programmes include:
- Comprehensive Teacher Training
- Intensive Programmes
- Classical Mat Teacher Training
But graduating is only the beginning – we believe the best teachers never stop being students. That’s why we regularly host mentoring programmes, workshops and advanced education with some of the world’s most respected Classical Pilates educators, including Mariano Dolagaray and Olga Tamara. These opportunities allow teachers to keep refining their understanding of the method while becoming part of a passionate international Classical Pilates community. Because great teaching starts with great learning.
In a world of trends, we remain classical
Exhale has never been interested in following fitness trends. We’ve always believed that the original Pilates method is more than enough… it’s intelligent, beautifully designed, and over one hundred years later… it still works.
Whether you’re joining your first class, returning after an injury, looking to deepen your practice or beginning your own teaching journey, you’ll find a home here. A place where movement is taught with care, where quality always comes before quantity and where authenticity matters. And where Classical Pilates continues to change lives – just as Joseph Pilates intended.
We’re so pleased you’re here, and we can’t wait to share more with you! We’ll see you in the next blog…
