Everyone has heard the negative publicity surrounding long periods of sitting which has been declared to be more detrimental to our health than smoking. Research has linked it to everything from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and everything in between.

With so many of us in sedentary desk jobs, how do we counteract this by-product of the Information age?

 

Human beings are designed to move and if I ever needed evidence of this, I don't need to look any further than the many clients I have assessed over the years and seen firsthand the effects of prolonged sitting on their bodies.

In general and to varying degrees, posture is compromised with a forward head position and rounded shoulders leading to poor alignment of the shoulder joints leaving them susceptible to injury. The chest is compressed which restricts the diaphragm and inhibits breathing. Hip flexors become tight and shortened and the glutes switch off leaving the lower back vulnerable often resulting...

 

 

At 61 years of age, Anita is in remarkable physical shape, and her

fitness, core stability, coordination and balance would rival the majority of people less than half her age.

This wasn't always the case however and we'll rewind back about 11 years ago. As Anita was approaching 50 she was carrying excess weight, she weighed 79 kilos and was 165 cm tall. She made a decision then, that she didn't want to be "Fifty and Fat" and took action. Enrolling in a supervised weight loss program with the goal of losing 10 kilos, she was able to achieve this and was then supposed to plateau. A change in leadership in the program at this time resulted in some confusion surrounding her goals resulting in a further 5 kilo weight loss! During this weight loss period, a friend suggested they introduce some exercise by swimming laps at the local pool. Anita reluctantly agreed as the idea wasn't appealing initially, but almost instantly she was hooked and swimming is now an important part of...

 

 

Despite all our modern conveniences, everyone seems to be busier and more time poor than ever.

Movement, exercise and Pilates in particular is such a vital part of life for so many reasons and having the right set-up can make slotting it into your schedule more manageable on a daily basis. The correct set-up can mean the difference between being able follow through on your Pilates goals or having to abandon them.

Small chunks of time seem to be more acheivable for most of us which is why the majority of the video workouts on my Online Pilates Studio are around 10 minutes in duration.

Today I’m going to share with you some tips that are working successfully for both myself and my clients.

Firstly, I'll look at creating a dedicated space in your home, garage, office or back shed. If you are fortunate enough to have some space that you can set aside permanently for Pilates practice, that's the ideal situation. Make sure there is enough light and you have the...

Allana started Pilates with me in April 2010 knowing that she needed to improve her core stability and improve her overall general health and well-being.

Having been diagnosed with cancer almost 5 years earlier and gone through treatment, she had successfully beaten it and was now ready to take charge of her body and move forward. She had several goals she wanted to pursue including preparing for an upcoming trek she had planned in Central Australia and she wanted to be in peak physical condition for maximum enjoyment.

She worked hard and applied herself to Pilates and soon she was beginning to see some great results. One of the most challenging aspects for her was improving her body awareness and her ability to sense, feel and connect with different parts of her body.  Having dealt with the trauma of cancer it can be understandably quite challenging sometimes to be able to re-acquaint yourself with your body and view it in a positive light.

However, Allana’s...

Belle started Pilates with me in June 2009 when our then mutual Osteopath, who thought we would work well together, referred her to me for Pilates rehabilitation. 

Suffering from debilitating lower back pain caused by a Lumbar Disc Bulge (an injury from gardening), she had been reliant on a walking stick at times, was often bed-ridden and unable to work. 

At 33 years old she should have been enjoying life. Osteopathy was providing relief but she needed to strengthen her core and stabiliser muscles. Having previously tried Pilates at another studio with disappointing results, Belle was open to something new but also a little hesitant due to her negative experience. 

She was extremely motivated to take control of her pain and learn how to manage her condition. She readily absorbed all the information I gave her including a home program which she diligently stuck too on a daily basis. Pretty soon she was making amazing progress, and while there were...