News

We are another step closer to getting health fund rebates back Yesterday, a press release from Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care, stated “The Albanese Government has accepted the recommendations of the Natural Therapies Review….. The following 7 natural therapies will be returned [for inclusion in eligible health fund rebates]: Yoga Pilates Tai chi Shiatsu Naturopathy Western herbal medicine Alexander Technique” Mark Butler Press Release, 14.04.2025 (link) The steps involved in getting our health fund rebates back are: Completion of the Natural Therapies Review – done Natural Therapies Review recommendation that Pilates be re-included for health fund rebates…

Decoding Your Heart’s Rhythm: What Heart Rate Variability Tells You We all know about the importance of a healthy heart rate, but the fairly recent emergence of interest in Heart Rate Variability (HRV), intrigues me. If you are unaware of this, let me give a quick summary: HRV is the slight variations in timing between heartbeats and can offer valuable insights into your overall health and well-being. Think of it this way: a truly healthy heart isn’t a rigid metronome, but rather a responsive instrument that subtly adjusts its tempo. YitzhakNat via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA The Symphony of Your…

Natural Therapies Review – Review Results and Summary The release on Friday 4 April of the Natural Therapies Review Report and Professor Michael Kidd’s recommendation (as Chair of the Review) to have Pilates re-included for health fund rebates is a significant milestone. (If the recommendation had been to continue with the exclusion for Pilates, we would have had an exceedingly hard time in being able to do anything about this.) Again, enormous thanks to Dr Penny Latey for her incredible contribution to this outcome. Given this hurdle has now been cleared, the government needs to remove the limitations imposed by…

Prof. Michael Kidd recommends the re-inclusion of Pilates for health fund rebates “I recommend re-inclusion as eligible for private health insurance benefits the following natural therapies: Alexander Technique naturopathy Pilates shiatsu tai chi western herbal medicine yoga” Message from Robyn Rix, PAA President: I am super excited that Prof Michael Kidd has recommended the re-inclusion of Pilates for health fund rebates. We owe a truckload of gratitude to Dr Penny Latey, co-founding member of the APMA and now PAA life-member, who has fought tirelessly on the Natural Therapies Review Expert Advisory Panel to secure this result. I have “fond” memories…

Introduction Late last year the first version of the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) was released. Included in this were two occupation codes for Pilates. (The previous system, ANZSCO, did not recognise Pilates as a stand-alone profession.) The Australian Bureau of Statistics is now asking for consultation on the maintenance strategy for OSCA. Dr Penny Latey, a PAA member, has written the below article in connection with the new codes. Robyn Rix, PAA President ANZSCO transition to OSCA and what that means for the Pilates Profession The Business Industry Codes (BIC) designate specific professions or industries for the ATO….

The media seems quite interested in the fact that there are more men attending Pilates.  Quite a few articles have appeared in the press about men “infiltrating”  Pilates and yoga classes. I was interviewed by the Sun Herald as the President of the Pilates Association Australia, asking whether Pilates businesses had seen an increase in men attending. I personally have not seen a major uptick in men attending, with historically around 25% of clients attending my studio being male. This contrasts to around 10% of Pilates clients being male around Australia. For businesses that have strategically targeted men, this figure…

International Presenters Announced We are thrilled to welcome two amazing international presenters to the PAA Conference 2025, 12-14 September at the ICC, Sydney. Both bring a wealth of experience, insight, and passion for Pilates education, ensuring an enriching experience for everyone.   Classical Pilates Educator, Mentor, and Presenter Karen Frischmann is a leading voice in classical Pilates education, known for her ability to help teachers deepen their understanding of the original Pilates method. With decades of experience, she has mentored hundreds of instructors worldwide, guiding them to refine their teaching, master the classical repertoire, and develop a keen eye for…

“Kim is a PAA Principal Trainer Practitioner member, Pilates studio owner, The Pilates Studio teacher trainer, podcast host of ‘Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates’ and business coach. Kim’s mission is to empower ambitious Pilates business owners to build thriving businesses that bring joy, balance, and aligned revenue—freeing you to focus on what you do best: helping people move and feel better with Pilates. In an ever-evolving industry, Kim believes standing out means more than offering classes — it’s about building a brand that people feel confident in. Launched in August 2024, on her podcast Raising the Bar…

Dr. Brent Anderson PT, PHD, OCS, NCPT is a physical therapist, Pilates educator and author of “Principles of Movement” He is also the founder of Polestar Pilates and an Assistant Professor at the University of St. Augustine for Health and Sciences. To quote from his book, Dr. Brent Anderson sees Pilates “as a complementary holistic therapy, ideally positioned to assist physical therapists and other rehabilitation professionals in movement education.”  His research over the past thirty years into Pilates and movement sciences has contributed to its effectiveness and growing excitement in the field. He suggests that “the better we understand the…

We are urged to adopt a healthy lifestyle for extending our lives and ensuring a better quality of life, especially in our older years. The current list for a healthy lifestyle includes: Avoiding ultra-processed food and smoking Not abusing alcohol or opioids Limiting sugar intake Eating plenty of legumes, vegetables and grains Prioritising sleep and mental health Incorporating physical activity What does this give you? Recent research shows that this can add 10 plus years to your life expectancy. A study in 2018 showed that making it to 80 or even 90 is largely in our control. Life expectancy rates…