Andy Devaney
There are gyms, and then there’s Third Space—London’s fitness elite, where Reformer Pilates isn’t just for flexi-yogis and wellness warriors but now, apparently, for Ironmen too.
That’s right. The latest chapter in the ongoing partnership between Third Space and Balanced Body isn’t just about equipping high-end clubs with state-of-the-art Allegro® 2 Reformers; it’s about turning endurance athletes into stronger, bendier, pain-free machines of human propulsion.
And the proof? Meet Matthew Brittain, General Manager of Third Space Mayfair and living testament to how Reformer Pilates can help you swim, bike, and run your way across Mallorca in one piece.
We sat down with Matthew to hear how Reformer Pilates became a staple in his preparation, and how it supported his performance across all three Ironman disciplines…
Walk us through race day – what were the highs and lows?
Having completed Mallorca 70.3 with Third Space last year, I knew how amazing this day was going to be. While triathlon is inherently an individual sport, training and racing alongside 54 other Third Space athletes, as a collective of varying experience and abilities, created incredible camaraderie.
Once we’d arrived on Friday, the day was filled with nervous energy and the more experienced in the group offered last-minute words of wisdom. Heads hit the pillow and no more could be done. In the morning, it was go time!
The starting line. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the team, exchanging silent acknowledgements of the effort we’d all put in, is a memory I’ll never forget. This is the moment for me that forms an unbreakable bond through the acknowledgement of the shared hardship to come.
The swim was a tale of two halves for me, it began with adrenaline and a fast start. The turning buoy seemed to come quickly but on the return to shore, the pack behind caught up and it became crowded and challenging.
Climbing out of the water into transition, my heart rate spiked but catching sight of two other Third Space athletes put me at ease transitioning to the bike.
A stunning flat out to the foot of the Mallorca 70.3 climb, a notorious 1100m elevation across 15k. It was like settling into battle!
As a 100kg, 6ft5” athlete, hills are my Achilles’ heel! It became a mental and physical battle. What pulled me through was thinking of my teammates, some of whom had learned to swim from scratch or never ridden a road bike. One good part of the cycle though – the descent, it was exhilarating!
On the run, cramps tested me early on but I settled into a rhythm thanks to high cadence tips from our coaches and the incredible support lining the Alcudia seafront. And the finish line… well it was electric – totally unforgettable.
How did you structure your training?
I was fortunate to work with best-in-class instructors and coaches. I started 16 weeks out and blended working with Harrison Stevens, an Elite PT at Third Space Mayfair with the Third Space Tri coaches who hosted weekly drop-in sessions in the pool and on the Wattbike with some planned brick sessions (bike to run).
Swimming was my strongest discipline and I aimed for just one weekly swim session for the first eight weeks, then built up to two, split between speed work and long-distance pace.
The cycle was the biggest mountain to climb (excuse the pun!) So, I split this into three training sessions across the week: a long ride, sometimes with a run transition, alongside two indoor rides on the Wattbike, one coached, one solo. These varied from ‘climb’ focuses to VO2 max efforts.
With Hyde Park on the doorstep of our Mayfair club, I was blessed with a perfect location for run training. I would incorporate a long run, an easy recovery run and a ‘45 Speed Fiends’ class at the club which is a speed-focused, intervals class.
Were there any setbacks?
Luckily, I stayed injury-free with support from our medical offering at our Soho and Wimbledon Third Space clubs or the occasional sports massage or red-light therapy in our Recovery Spa at our Canary Wharf Club.
The main setback I had was the British weather, which led to many of my long rides being on the Wattbike and therefore struggling to get hills in.
Why did you introduce Reformer Pilates into your program?
It was a natural progression across our clubs as we have grown our Reformer Pilates offering hugely, now offering it at nine of our 13 sites. As our Mayfair Club expanded, we introduced an 18-bed Reformer Pilates studio with Balanced Body equipment.
I was getting to know our instructor team by attending each of their classes and really improving my knowledge and practice of Reformer Pilates. I started to feel much stronger, in a different way to how my S&C and rugby background had previously made me feel.
My mobility, core strength and posture improved and I noticed the difference across all three of the racing disciplines. I’d tried Reformer Pilates before, but this was the first time I incorporated it weekly as a core part of my program. It quickly became non-negotiable.
What kind of sessions did you focus on?
I aimed for one session a week but often did two. I rotated between our Fundamental, Traditional and Dynamic Reformer classes as well as our Tower Pilates classes, depending on how my body was feeling and what phase of training I was in.
What impact did Reformer Pilates have?
To break it down in regards to the race, for the swim, I found Reformer Pilates went hand in hand with what I needed to work on to maintain efficiency in the water – a strong core and good body alignment.
I found the strengthening of deep stabiliser muscles partnered with breath control through Reformer really benefited my swim technique.
Regarding the cycle, when I first did Mallorca last year, I really struggled with discomfort on the bike and lower back pain. My coach and I put this down somewhat to pelvic instability.
This year, I was noticeably more comfortable on the bike and my lower back, core and muscles that support the pelvis had been strengthened no doubt through Reformer and Tower classes.
Would you recommend it to other endurance athletes?
Absolutely. Reformer Pilates is low-impact but offers high return. In endurance sports, managing stress and training load is key and Pilates gives you strength, mobility and recovery without overloading your body.
Reformer was the first thing I reintroduced during my recovery as it allowed me to stretch and mobilise what was a fatigued body. I have since continued to attend weekly classes in my preparation for my next event…
What’s the next challenge?
The post-event blues are always a challenge, even more so after one with such an incredible team spirit.
As for what’s next… three of us from the Third Space team have already signed up for Ironman Wales this September, a full-distance race with all-new challenges.
I’m back to full training now, focused on strength gains while maintaining aerobic capacity. And yes, Reformer Pilates is still a staple in my weekly routine!
Balanced Body is proud to support athletes like Matthew and teams like Third Space who bring holistic, intelligent training to life, on and off the mat.
Whether you’re racing an Ironman or recovering from a tough week, Reformer Pilates is a powerful tool to move better, feel stronger and go the distance.
