It's a Stretch

Calm…. centred… balanced…. Lateral breathing, outwards from the chest…. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Slowly roll down, shoulders loose, hands on the floor, head tucked under…. Feel the stretch…. Hold for a second, then slowly roll back up again. Let your breathing guide the length of the movement. Wind chimes in the distance, ambient vibes on the iPod – those neat white speakers were a good investment.

At just 8.30 am, it’s my first class of the day, and the weather is being kind, so we’re outside on the deck, me and my five ‘sunrise’ students. There’s a soft breeze and the sun is warming the wood under our feet. It’s going to be a hot day, but right now, it’s just about perfect for some gentle stretching and strengthening.

It’s all about the core, Pilates. (You thought it was yoga, right?) Building your core strength through slow, controlled, carefully executed movements. It does wonders for your posture, and if you’re one of the millions who claim to have a ‘bad back’, it’d do wonders for you too. And I should know, since I was there, five years ago, creaking in the mornings, slumped in my chair bent over a PC for hours, aching by the evenings – still in my thirties and feeling… old. Pilates changed all that – and since I really got the bug and went from trainee to trainer, it’s changed my life.

Even now, after five years, I can hardly believe I’m earning my living doing something I love so much. It wasn’t easy, and it did take a bit of commitment, but the time, money and sheer hard work I threw at the training and those qualifications is really paying off now. My schedule is packed with classes and one-on-one’s – I could maybe squeeze in another couple of sessions but that would be it. And much though I love my job I need my ‘me’ time just like anybody, so those spare evenings are going to stay spare.

So it’s crunch-time. Do I stick-or-twist? Stick with the hourly sessions format with all its limitations, or take a risk and move up a gear? Good question – but I made my decision a few weeks ago, as it happens. I’m going for it, care of a business loan the size of a house and no small amount of support and encouragement from friends and family. I’ve signed a lease on a small studio down the road and soon, instead of hiring rooms by-the-hour, I’ll be working in my own place. Actually, it’s mine already, as of last Friday. Now all it needs is a quick coat of paint on the walls, a couple of big mirrors and a new wood floor, and that’s all being taken care of over the weekend. We open on Monday – I can hardly wait.

All this means I can get some proper kit now too. Having my own studio means I can move on from a few roll-up mats and rubber bands in the back of the car and get some of the fun stuff, so I’ve been shopping too. I’ve a dozen stability balls, same number of Gym-sticks and a big box of small hand weights arriving tomorrow.

Then I went a bit nuts.

There are some amazing pieces of equipment – serious engineering – you can get for a Pilates studio. Reformers, wunda chairs, cadillacs – daft names for brilliant kit. And I’ve gone for it – my first cadillac and three reformers are on a boat from the States as we speak. You can get basic stuff here in the UK of course, but the Real McCoy? What you might call ‘industrial strength’ equipment – kit you can use for 15 hours a day, every day – comes from the USA. And we’re talking a few thousand pounds apiece, so thank-you Mr Bank Manager, Sir, and away we go…! I’m feeling a bit light-headed, as it’s quite an investment, but I’m also really juiced. I’m confident (yeah?!) (it’s a brave smile and brown paper bag to stop me hyperventilating) … confident…. it’ll pay for itself in a few months.

The crack-of-dawn class is over and the day begins in earnest. Just time to grab a quick cappuccino-to-go and check my voicemail before jumping in the car and heading across to the other health club for my next class. Yes, I’ll be glad when I can stay in one place for the day.

Coffee served, check the phone, and there’s a message – they start early at Tilbury but - yesss!! - my shipment has arrived, safe and sound and I need to call and make arrangements to pay the import taxes and clear customs.

Whaaaat??!….. He said the word ‘pay’. Then he said the word ‘taxes’…. The world just stopped turning. Never mind the kit, I paid enough for the shipping, thanks very much. Now what’s all this about import taxes? I’m feeling a bit weak.

It turns out, there’s no escape from taxes (is there ever?) and ‘I didn’t realise’ is no excuse. I’ve got to pay, and it’s not pennies either. Just when I’ve maxed-out my cards on all the fittings for the studio. If I can’t pay, they hold my goods until I can, but guess what… yes… then there are nightmare warehousing fees as well. It’s clear I need to move fast, but I have a full schedule ahead of me today and it would create way too much of a problem to cancel everything at such short notice.

The guy I spoke to at Tilbury was helpful, as far as he could be under the circumstances. He emailed me a list of customs brokers (quick salute to Blackberry, email on the move) who he said could probably help me and I gave Customs Clearance Ltd a call. They answered my call fast, and answered my questions even faster. I could download the forms from their web site and set up an account for my business that same day. They could sort everything out for me with customs and arrange to deliver my new equipment to the studio at a time to suit me. Is there a charge for their clearance and delivery service? Yes, of course there is! But it’s fair and reasonable, and it gets my goods out of customs in record time, avoiding those warehousing fees. It saves me the embarrassment of begging a big loan off a friend and roaring off to Tilbury in a rental van - and it means I can get on with my day, and my week, without having to cancel any classes or sacrifice any fees.

And it means I can breathe-easy again…

5th Aug 2008

+44 (0)20 8231 0900

It's a Stretch

Services

Consultancy

Newsletter

Company Brochure