Georgina Lock tries out the Swiss Ball, helped by Georgina Harris. DA4231P1WALKING into the Roundhill Pilates and Physiotherapy Centre, Fordingbridge, is like stepping into a relaxing retreat.

The spacious air about the Old Auction Rooms, filled with natural daylight streaming through its huge windows, is a perfect place to chill while exercising at the same time.

Georgina Harris, a trained Pilates tutor, and physiotherapist Lisa Fitz-Gerald, joined forces to create this tranquil setting for treatment, rehabilitation and exercise.

Pilates seems to be taking the world by storm, and Georgina raves about this form of exercise, which offers both mental and physical training.

She and Lisa's work complement each other's beautifully - be it an injury or a medical condition they are on hand to listen and help.

I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of Georgina's tutoring to learn a bit about Pilates.

She asked me to stand - I duly did as I was told and stood, back straight, head held high - but it was all wrong and it took some gentle manhandling from Georgina before I was standing in the correct position.

It was so bizarre, there I was, standing, feeling totally unnatural and forcing my head up as though it was being pulled by a piece of string, feet straight, knees and hips all fully aligned, but I felt all wonky.

Apparently that is natural.

Georgina said: "From a young age people start to create their bad posture."

I listened intently to her explanations, hardly daring to move as I was now in the correct position of "neutral" - a bit of a buzz word in pilates. "Neutral", is the position when your body is correctly aligned with your hips and neck in the right place, and once I'd been put in line while on my back with my knees bent we went seriously back to basics.

Having already discovered that I can't stand properly, I soon realised that my breathing was far from perfect in order to ensure maximum benefit from each breath.

Humped over an inflatable exercise ball, Georgina put her hands over my ribs to check that I could inhale and exhale properly.

To be honest it was slightly soul destroying realising that even the most simple things like standing and breathing I can't even get right, but that's just the start of it and Georgina says that these are fundamental to Pilates.

She said: "We are making people aware of this and teaching people how to use their bodies again so that when they start to work on the mat in classes they will be in good alignment, which is the main achievement."

Georgina offers one-to-one sessions to teach the basics of Pilates as well as small group classes.

Lisa will often recommend her patients for Pilates, but if someone has an injury Georgina will work slowly with them and make sure that if they are in a class the patient will not do anything to exacerbate the problem.

They may also recommend that patients could have a relaxing aromatherapy session with Helena Webber or a sports massage with Caroline Grant, who are also available at the centre.

For further information contact the Roundhill Pilates and Physio Centre on 01425 652777.