If you’re one of Maya Jama’s three million Instagram followers, you’ll know she’s into her fitness. The 30-year-old Love Island All Stars host often shares glimpses inside her workout routine; reformer Pilates is a big part of that – but it’s not all she does. Maya trains with Marsha Lindsay, founder of Nobu Pilates in London, and when Women’s Health’s fitness writer Kate went to train with Marsha, Marsha revealed that it’s thanks to a combination of both strength training and Pilates that Maya is able to achieve her goals.

Maya strength trains regularly

Speaking of her regular reformer Pilates sessions with Maya, Marsha reminded us that these are supplementary to the strength training workouts Maya does with a PT. These sessions help strengthen her muscles, ‘propel’ her weight-based exercises and ‘prevent injury’. The two – strength and Pilates – work in tandem to create a ‘stronger build for Maya to reach her goals’, Marsha affirmed.

And does reformer Pilates at least twice per week

As for how often Maya does reformer Pilates, Marsha shared that Maya has a ‘busy schedule’, inferring that not every week is the same, but Marsha added that twice weekly sessions are recommended for muscle memory and in order to see results. That said, she shared that consistency is the key – if you can only make one class per week, do that. On the contrary, if five days a week is possible, that’s cool, too – ‘there are no limits to Pilates’, Marsha advises.

Maya combines Pilates with weight training sessions with PT Warren Whitely

The type of reformer class Maya does varies, too. Each session at Nobu falls under one of three categories: Power, Precision or Pure. Power uses a jump board at the end of the reformer machine, which Marsha explains offers ‘a more energetic, cardio-based workout’, whereas Pure breaks down each move ‘including breathing and flexibility’, and Precision focuses on specific muscle groups. ‘Maya is an all-round good mover and enjoys all of the workouts,’ Marsha reveals, but if she had to pick, ‘some of the upper-body exercises are what she wants to work on.’

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Bridie is Fitness Director at Women’s Health UK. She spends her days sweating over new workouts, fitness launches and the best home gym kit so you have all that you need to get fit done. Her work has been published in Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan and more. She’s also a part-time yoga teacher with a habit of nodding off mid savasana (not when she’s teaching, promise).