By Helen

Happy new year Karen! Hope you had a lovely time with your family. My mum and I have just arrived back from our three weeks holiday in Florida, it was fantastic! we had an amazing time! One thing I’ve noticed since I’ve been home is just how much my body has tightened up, I don’t have the same flexibility and I’m feeling really stiff I think it’s because of this that my posture feels uncomfortable too. I was trying to follow some of the suggestions you gave me for mobility and stretching but there was no time, we had such a busy schedule I couldn’t fit them in! Continue reading →

Yes,less can mean more, especially for your core! It’s interesting to watch the number of clients who to begin with seem to launch themselves into a movement or exercise. Every muscle is on stand by and determined to play a key part in the exercise.

This usually follows with a complete build up of muscle tension, with shoulders that are ready to rise above ear level…not good!Continue reading →

Yes it’s true, more and more men are taking up pilates! How do we know this? because wives, sisters, aunties, girl friends, grans & daughters are all catching a glimpse of the men in their lives trying out their pilates stability ball or standing on the side lines curiously watching us release tired muscles as we lengthen our spines.

Some of these guys are quite taken with the whole idea of improving their posture and want to avoid having a body that looks 10 years older than they actually are!Continue reading →

One of the most common errors noticed during a warm-up is in the mobilisation of the joints. People tend to fly through the movements because they have done them so many times before without focusing properly on what it is they should be getting out of the movement.

Slowing it down and taking time to recognise just what it is you are trying to achieve from the movement will benefit.Continue reading →

I discovered pilates years after the birth of my third baby. I only wish I had been made aware of it during my first pregnancy, then at least I would have had a heightened awareness of my postural alignment for one thing. My health was good and I had loads of energy but I had no idea of just how careful you need to be with all this energy. I was obviously aware of hormone levels changing rapidly, but I don’t remember anyone giving me any advice on how to protect and take care of my spine as well as all the other important weight bearing joints in my body.Continue reading →