Photo by Dean Mitchell

Being faced with the prospect of requiring surgery can be a daunting experience for many people.  The more physically and mentally prepared you are in the lead up can really assist with the initial surgery and recovery period and Pilates ticks all the boxes for this.  Over the years, many of my clients have practiced Pilates to avoid surgery and for the vast majority, this has been enormously successful.  With appropriate strengthening based on individual needs, many people have been able to delay or completely eliminate the need for surgery such as spinal or joint replacement surgery for example.  However, for some people,  surgery really is the only option to allow them to live their best life possible or in some cases, save their life.  If this is the case, Pilates is the perfect preparation in the lead up to surgery and is then equally beneficial for effective recovery.

Pilates & Elective Surgery

The advantage of elective...

 Photo by Mihrzn

As we head deeper into the coldest part of winter in Australia, it's very tempting to stay curled up under the doona with some decadent, sweet treats to eat only venturing out to top up supplies and see if spring has sprung.  Being confined to our homes in April and May during uncertain times, for many, resulted in overindulgence of comfort food.  Follow this with winter which is traditionally a time of richer food and drink anyway and many are battling with declining health, unwanted kilos and are looking for a way out of this downward spiral.
If you are already practicing Pilates, maintaining your health and fitness is a priority for you, so here are some healthy comfort food solutions to help you stay on track and complement your training.  If you are committed to improving your own health and fitness and want to start your Pilates journey,  join JS Mind Body Pilates Online,  take the free 10 day trial now, self cancel at any time.

Raw...

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Maybe I'm naive, but of all the potential threats our planet could have faced, a pandemic wasn't something that I'd ever envisaged.  The 2016 feature film "Pandemic" is described as an American science fiction thriller, yet suddenly what should have remained science fiction has now become our reality.  Covid-19 has been devasting on both a humanitarian and economic level in varying degrees in almost every country around the world.  Our way of life has changed, requiring us to adapt to this new normal and the way we do Pilates is no exception to these changes.  As many Pilates studios are preparing to re-open now as restrictions ease, does that mean the end of Pilates online?

What Does Pilates Online Mean?
When Pilates studios were forced to close in March this year, Pilates instructors around the world scrambled to come up with online options for their clients as quickly as possible.  The first option is live classes on either Skype or...

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If you have arthritis and are looking for an effective way of exercising which allows you to build strength and improve flexibility while supporting your joints, then Pilates is the answer.  Over the years I've witnessed so many of my Pilates clients reduce their joint pain and stiffness and greatly improve their quality of life with this unique method of exercise.

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints that can also involve swelling and pain.  There are more than 100 different types of Arthritis,  with Osteoarthritis being the most common type.  This can be caused by wear and tear of the joint structure when joints are put under strain due to poor alignment, obesity or an injury for example.  The condition often worsens with age and results in pain,  stiffness and swelling in varying degrees.  The second most common form is Rheumatoid Arthritis which is an autoimmune disease.  In this...

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“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” ― Martin Luther King Jr 

Photo by DaniloAndjus

Life has certainly changed dramatically for everyone since my last blog post, as we live our lives in lockdown in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  On a personal level, my physical Pilates studio has now closed temporarily and I have offered my clients' Pilates sessions on Skype.  For those who aren't already members,  I have suggested they join JS Mind Body Pilates my Online Pilates studio.  The main priority is that my clients are able to continue their Pilates training, which is essential for those who rely on Pilates for managing their various health conditions,  until the studio can re-open.  With the situation changing daily,  most of us are dealing with a sense of helplessness as we no longer have control over our daily lives resulting in fear, sadness, anxiety and disturbed sleep.  Some are overwhelmed with working from home whilst supervising and schooling their children.  Others are separated from...

One of my lovely clients presented me with an amazing Christmas gift last year.  It was a custom made cut out wooden sign,  that said: "Breathe".  She said I was always talking about the importance of breathing,  so she thought this would be a perfect addition to my Pilates studio.  I was overwhelmingly touched by her thoughtfulness and her treasured gift is now on display in my Pilates studio as a constant reminder to everyone just how important breathing really is, not just at Pilates, but it's essential for life itself.  In these uncertain times, with a COVID-19 pandemic that attacks the respiratory system, sweeping the world, being in control of your breath has never been more important.  In this post, I will share with you, a very simple but effective breathing technique to help you maintain calm at this difficult time.

As Joseph  Pilates said 'Breathing is the first act of life and also the last.  Our very life depends on...

Recently I received a distress call from a client, "Help! I've rotated my cuff during my gym session.  When can I come to Pilates?  "  Unfortunately, my client had overloaded her shoulder joint when she lifted a weight that was too heavy for her. Fortunately, she put it back down when she realised,  minimising,  but still causing a minor injury to the rotator cuff muscles of her shoulder.
One of the most commonly occurring issues in my Pilates studio over the years has been injuries to the rotator cuff muscles.  It can affect everyone from young elite athletes to new mothers and the elderly.  Fortunately,  Pilates provides all the necessary tools for both rehabilitating these injuries and preventing further injuries in the future.

What Is The Rotator Cuff?

The Rotator Cuff is a group of 4 muscles, supraspinatus,  infraspinatus,  teres minor and subscapularis that surround and stabilise the shoulder joint.  Each muscle has...