YOUR FEET COULD BE CAUSING YOUR BACK PAIN

I never noticed people’s feet until I started teaching Pilates.  It’s not often we get the opportunity to go barefoot in this country so they are rarely on show, but in Pilates and yoga we don’t wear anything on our feet.  It wasn’t so much the state some were in, but more the effect they [...]

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 [...]

CORE MUSCLES & CORE STABILITY

Ask most people what Pilates is all about and the answer is invariably “your core” or “core stability”.   But where is the core, what muscles are involved in stabilising the spine and pelvis and what exactly happens?
Throughout history, the importance of contracting the lower abdomen has been noted: this is nothing new – older than [...]

IDEAL POSTURE & THE BENEFITS

Ideal alignment: what that means and why it is important, how to achieve it and reasons why you may not have it.  Many health problems are caused by poor posture, particularly back trouble, so it is worth taking a few simple steps to try to correct it if necessary.  Poor posture contributes to a stiff [...]

THE 8 PRINCIPLES OF PILATES

The following are the principles which govern my practice and make it safe and effective:-

WHAT IS PILATES?

“If at the age of 30 you are stiff and out of shape you are old. If at the age of 60 you are supple and strong then you are young”.
Joseph Pilates