KEEPING YOUR PILATES PRACTICE SAFE

Pilates is the safest, most effective form of exercise you could choose to keep fit (advanced flows have cardiovascular benefits), healthy (many health benefits, including prevention of back problems) and in great shape (toned body and you can burn 7 to 8 calories a minute with advanced Pilates), but are there any safety issues we [...]

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 [...]

PILATES: SUPPORT FOR THE UNSTABLE SPINE

For years I thought I had a stiff back.  I lived with low level back ache and referred aches and pains through my legs, occasionally seeing the physio if the symptoms became acute, usually after exertion of some kind: continuous bending and twisting to pick up leaves, lifting boxes and twisting when we moved house.  Generally, I’m [...]

DEALING WITH AN UNSTABLE/HYPERMOBILE SPINE

Hypermobility and an unstable spine need to be stabilised by strengthening the supporting muscles to prevent injuries and pain such as sciatica.  In the previous article I explained the role of the spinal stabilisers: discs, ligaments and muscles.  This article aims to discover the reasons for the instability, the symptoms and the treatment. 
Causes 

A trauma of [...]

HYPERMOBILITY & THE UNSTABLE SPINE

It wasn’t until I started teaching Pilates and yoga that I came across hypermobility.  In the days of high impact aerobics, step, legs/bums/tums, gym and sports, the opposite was far more likely.  People would leave my classes before the final stretch because they found it boring!  But being too mobile is just as much of [...]

PILATES: NEUTRAL POSITION & THORACIC BREATHING

The first things you learn when you enrol on a Pilates course are:-

how to find your neutral position,
where your core muscles are and how to engage them,
thoracic/lateral breathing and
pelvic/shoulder stability. 

You need this knowledge to make your practise safe and effective.
Now with so many Pilates video clips popping up all over the internet, anyone can have a [...]

IMPROVE YOUR GOLF WITH PILATES:10 BENEFITS

A great golfer requires consistency and accuracy.  My husband has managed to reduce his golf handicap by 4 strokes over the past year.  His secret?  Better preparation.  I had been nagging him for ages to at least do some Pilates stretches before leaving the house, not least because he was complaining of lower back pain and [...]

TOP 10 BENEFITS OF PILATES

Pilates is now the exercise of choice with many people on account of the impressive benefits to be gained.  Below are the top 10 benefits you can expect from your regular practise, in no particular order!
(1)  Re-educate and realign your body to prevent imbalances.  This is particularly useful for sportsmen, for example.  If you think of [...]

ANATOMY OF THE SPINE & ITS FUNCTION

The human spine is an upright bendy column made up of 7 cervical vertebrae forming the neck, 12 thoracic vertebrae forming the middle back and 5 lumbar vertebrae forming the lower back. These 24 vertebrae sit on a triangular bone called the sacrum to which your pelvis is attached at the sacro-iliac joint. The coccyx [...]