Oldham's 'first' dedicated Pilates studio open in Chadderton

Opening at the beginning of June, Grounded teaches Pilates, which is an exercise technique developed to help improve strength, flexibility and balance. 

Jordan Wilkey, owner and founder of Grounded Oldham, started the business after taking over a chiropractor business from his dad. 

His father, Adam, had run his chiropractic business for 35 years but semi-retired last year.

When Jordan took over he began to receive requests for Pilates lessons and so began very small sessions with a maximum capacity of six students.

He said: "I just realised people were asking all the time and noticed there was nothing really in Oldham that I was aware of that offered Pilates, yoga and especially reformer Pilates that people could access."

Reformer pilates in action (Image: Grounded Oldham)

Reformer Pilates, one of the two branches of the exercise method, involves using a reformer machine which adds resistance and variety to the traditional Pilates workouts. 

Pilates in general involves exercises such as leg lifts, bicycle crunches and hip dips. 

Jordan said: "It's all well and good coming to get chiropractic treatment, and we want them to do that- but then we want them to be able to work on their own health and posture in their time as well."

Jordan did a masters degree in health and neuropsychology and says that his research in the field found community as a strong aspect of health.

The set up for the mat pilates at Grounded (Image: Grounded Oldham)

He said: "People trying to live healthier may focus on diet and exercise but one of the things that was really clear to me was community is critical in it all.

"I think after Covid one of the things we lost was community and community spaces, especially in Oldham.

"So what's been really nice for me is having this idea of we need to create spaces where people can make healthy choices, learn about exercise and nutrition and all those things- but ultimately they become part of a wider community where they go, meet friends and get on well with the instructors.

"That's been the best thing, coming and seeing people get on well and just hearing people laugh."

Some of the students preparing for a pilates lesson at the studio (Image: Grounded Oldham)

Unlike the classes in the chiropractic clinic, the new studio allows for a maximum of 16 people at any one point, with four reformers and 12 mat spaces.

Jordan clarified that there is space for more people, but that there is a cap at 12 mat students as he wants to ensure that instructors have enough time.

Jordan expressed his hopes to help tackle the stigma with men learning Pilates, and open the exercise up to more people.

He said: "I'm really keen to get more men doing Pilates, 90 per cent of pilates and yoga participants are women, but the person who invented Pilates was a man.

"It's so good for back pain, stress and I'm so keen to break the stigma and get men in doing it a lot more and so we're going to be running a lot more male classes in the future."