TRIGGERS THAT LEAD TO WEIGHT GAIN

There are three triggers that lead us to overeating and the key to avoiding this is to identify what the trigger is and what the foods may be.  Trigger Foods  Trigger foods are those foods which cause you to overeat or binge on, for example, if you open a packet of biscuits, you have to [...]

PILATES & YOGA: ENHANCE SPORTS PERFORMANCE

People have discovered the core stability concept and are slowly realising that the core is linked to everything in the body.  Both disciplines will help any sportsman because you improve posture, you start to integrate your core stabilisers and the breathing aspect of Pilates and yoga causes the ribcage to expand, thereby increasing your VO2 [...]

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WALK

I’m out every day with my dogs and I prefer to run, but on days when I am walking for whatever reason, I’ve noticed a dull ache in my lower back from time to time.  I started to observe HOW I was walking and realised that I was leaning forward, almost pulling myself along and [...]

BACK PROBLEMS: REFERRED PAIN

Many people come to class complaining of discomfort or pain in their legs, thinking that they have pulled or strained a muscle and are surprised to learn that it may well be a back problem which is causing referred pain.  Most of us have either had sciatica or understand the idea that it is something to do [...]

CREATE A GIRDLE OF STRENGTH WITH PILATES

Ask the unenlightened what Pilates is all about and they will most probably say “stengthening the core” – and indeed it is … partly.  When I went on my first Pilates training course, the instructor asked us all for our definition of Pilates and although most of us were new to it, we came up [...]

FROZEN SHOULDER: TREATMENT & SYMPTOMS

I’ve had a couple of people come to my Pilates classes as a way of treating  and preventing this uncomfortable and frustrating condition.  In both cases they needed to improve their posture and shoulder stability and they both had previously belonged to a gym where they had used heavy weights during repetitive exercise.  I’m happy to [...]

SACROILIAC JOINT (SIJ) PROBLEMS & PREVENTION

Whenever  you lie flat on your back, you are resting on the sacrum and the two flat bones either side, the ilia.  The sacroiliac joint is where they meet and can be identified by the two dimples below the waist, either side of the spine.  The joint, supported by very strong ligaments, has a limited range [...]

MEDITATION: BODY SCANNING

At the end of a class, we often start the relaxation by observing how the body feels – sometimes starting a class like this can focus the mind for the class ahead.  This meditation requires the sharp focus of the mind and the total relaxation of the body whilst we move rapidly from one area [...]

RUNNING PLAN FOR BEGINNERS

Anyone can run.  I have often heard people say that they are not built for running and whilst athletes clearly have an advantage over the average person, it really is as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.  There are some guidelines though that should be followed:-  If you are carrying a [...]

HOW TO FIND YOUR SAFE TRAINING ZONE

How many times in our lives have we woken up and decided that today is the day to get fit?  We leap out of bed, pull on our trainers and head outside, full of hope and enthusiasm, only to drop out a few months later (if you haven’t already done so after the first 5 [...]

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