Pilates Instructor

Why work with a Pilates Instructor?

Pilates is a low-intensity muscle-strengthening workout that focuses heavily on building strong core muscles whilst improving flexibility and mobility. The core is the foundation of all human movement and is what keeps us upright and allows us to maintain optimal posture. Optimal alignment enables us to move in a way that minimises damage to our bones and joints and protects our spine; it can also reduce the chance of injury and long term joint issues at the knees, hips and shoulders.
Doctors commonly recommend Pilates for injury prevention and rehabilitation, there is also an increase in physiotherapists taking up further education in this field to better serve their patients, particularly those with issues relating to the spine. Pilates is also beneficial to professional athletes, complete beginners, and a more mature audience.

So what is Pilates?

Pilates is a form of strength training, but it doesn’t look like some of the other strength training exercises you might be familiar with as rather than increasing the resistance to build more intensity, it focuses on changing other variables such as increasing the range of movement, altering the time under tension or playing with the tempo to make an exercise more challenging. This allows the attention to be more on form than the weight you are lifting. These differences mean that Pilates is great for building endurance, which leads to leaner looking muscles, and is gentle on the joints. Pilates isn’t going to bulk you up but it can lay a strong physical foundation for muscle-building activities — and may even reduce your likelihood of injury.

Pilates is an holistic form of exercise and body conditioning which combines breath work and movement and encourages the presence and connection of the mind and body during movement. Keeping our focus on our breath and body keeps us present, aware and fully in the moment. It is the combination of mindful exercise, correct breathing patterns and connection with self, including awareness of sensations, body responses, emotions and awareness of others. Pilates targets the abdominals, glutes, hips, back, pelvic floor, and other body areas, predominantly working the deeper postural muscles that support and stabilise the spine.

Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, mostly as a method of injury recovery for dancers. While dancers are especially vulnerable to repetitive motion injuries, they happen to all of us occasionally. That’s why, over time, it became clear that Pilates could benefit a much wider range of people — including people who aren’t injured at all.

As human beings, we are creatures of habit. We walk a certain way, we take the stairs a certain way, we stand a certain way and we sit at our desk a certain way. So, our muscles get imbalanced because of overuse. What Pilates does is help to counteract that.

Some of the principles that guide the Pilates method include concentration on each movement, use of the abdomen and low back muscles, flowing, precise movement patterns and controlled breathing. Depending on the exercise, Pilates routines can be performed on specially designed apparatuses, including a bed-like structure called a reformer, or more simply on a mat.

As a fully accredited Pilates Instructor with a Level 3 Diploma endorsed by YMCA Awards and CIMSPA, and someone who has used Pilates style exercises to recover from a herniated disc and spinal stenosis, you can trust that regardless of whether you want to pursue actual pilates training, the knowledge and experience I have in Pilates will translate to safer training and stronger core foundations for you as a client. I do encourage client’s to incorporate core training into their workouts, regardless of their goals, for long term joint and spine health.

Frequently Asked Question

Find the answers to common questions about Pilates training.

If you are looking at implementing only pilates as a means to lose weight without changing your diet or adding other forms of exercise into your routine, then Pilates may not be the most effective method of weight loss. To lose weight, your body needs to be in a calorie deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume each day. Pilates is generally a lower-intensity workout, so you may not burn as many calories as you might by say, going for a run, making it more difficult to achieve a calorie deficit. However, because Pilates may help you build some lean muscle mass, you might be able to increase your basal metabolic rate or the number of calories you burn at rest. This is especially true if resistance training wasn’t part of your routine before starting Pilates.

So in short, you can lose weight with Pilates if you implement the necessary changes to your diet too and / or increase your daily energy expenditure by adding cardiovascular training into your routine, otherwise the low intensity nature of Pilates means it might not be the best option for weight loss. If you would like a rounded plan that covers Nutrition as well as exercise guidance for outside of your sessions that service is also available.

Exercising during pregnancy has many benefits and is definitely encouraged, however, there are special considerations that should be made for the type of exercise you do. Pilates strengthens your core (tummy, back and pelvic floor muscles), which are the areas that can cause problems during pregnancy and after the birth. Therefore, Pilates is actually one of the most important things you can do for your health during pregnancy as it can help relieve back and pelvic pain, help you have a more comfortable pregnancy, and even improve your chances of having a smooth postpartum recovery.

However, although Pilates is great to do whilst pregnant, not all of the exercises are going to be suitable so it is really important that you work under the guidance of a professional with expertise in pre and post natal training. As a Level 3 pre and post natal specialist, you can rest assured that any Pilates training that you do with me is suitable for you and baby and is trimester specific to ensure optimal safety for you and baby.

If you’re currently experiencing sciatica but do not know what may be causing the symptoms, there are a few common causes to be aware of. Generally speaking, anything that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve or its roots can create the irritation referred to as sciatica. This pressure can come from a myriad of sources. For instance, a disc that provides cushioning between the vertebrae can herniate (bulge) and pinch the nerve, or a problem can arise in the sciatic notch. An injury can traumatise the nerve as it passes through the notch, causing it to swell. Pressure on the sciatic nerve from an overactive piriformis muscle is also a common reason for sciatic irritation.

Eitherway, as long as you are not in intense pain and your doctor has given you the green light, Pilates is probably one of the greatest tools for building the foundations necessary to stabilise and strengthen the spine to reduce pain and prevent further injury. One of the fundamental principles of Pilates is to engage and strengthen the deep muscles of the core, including the abdominals, back extensors, and pelvic floor muscles. A strong core provides stability to the spine and helps to distribute the load more evenly, reducing the strain on the back muscles. By strengthening the core muscles through Pilates exercises, you can improve your spinal stability, posture and alignment, leading to reduced back problems.

While Pilates can help you find pain relief, always talk to your doctor or physiotherapist before trying any new routines as certain exercises may actually exacerbate or increase your pain. It’s important to work closely with your doctor and a trusted Pilates teacher so together we can suggest modifications during to your programme as needed.

As a fully accredited Pilates Instructor with a Level 3 Diploma endorsed by YMCA Awards and CIMSPA, you can trust that when you participate in Pilates training with me, you will be understood and cared for. If you do have specific health conditions, particularly relating to the spine, it would be safer and more beneficial for you to complete a Functional Movement Screening prior to participating in group training, and ideally at least one one-on-one training session. This is to ensure that your needs are fully understood and catered for, and that your form is looked at under a microscope to prevent exasperating your condition any further. In a group setting it is not possible to give each individual the undivided attention that someone with specific conditions would require.

Before carrying out a Functional Movement Screening, it is advisable that you book an initial consultation so I can understand your needs in more detail and personalise the movement screening accordingly. To schedule a free telephone consultation or to discuss Pilates in more detail, click below to Make An Appointment.

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