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 [...]

SHAPELY LEGS AND HEALTHY HIPS

One of the most difficult challenges I face with my advanced Pilates classes is getting them to understand that health and fitness is not all about increasing strength alone.  The whole point of Pilates is to create balance in the body by not only increasing strength, but also flexibility and mobility.  Imbalances lead to faulty [...]

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 [...]

WOMEN: EXERCISE THROUGH YOUR 20′S, 30′S & 40′S

For all round health and fitness your exercise programme needs to contain a mixture of cardiovascular exercise, strength/mobility/flexibility training and stress relief.  To avoid boredom, maintain motivation and guarantee continuity and best results, it needs to be varied.  It will also need to be adjusted at each stage of your life to take into consideration [...]

12 TOP BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

Encouraging people to exercise and keeping them motivated is an uphill battle, so this article in the Times recently didn’t do anyone any favours:   For a more balanced picture, read the comments at the end.
This is what you need to know:
A combination of a healthy diet and regular, varied exercise is the formula to achieving an ideal [...]

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 [...]

BACK PROBLEMS: THE STATISTICS

Did you know that 90% of us will suffer from back problems at some point in our lives?
60% will be sub-acute or chronic and at least half of these cases will be caused by poor posture. The effects of these alarming statistics are far-reaching as the following facts show:-

11 million working days are lost each [...]

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 [...]

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