Pilates - Preparing You For Life!

Did you know that there is a method of exercise that can actually assist you to move freely and with ease throughout your life?  Ageing doesn't have to mean an end to all.your favourite sports and pastimes. It also doesn't have to mean dependence on others for your daily needs.  I love assisting people to exceed their expectations of what they are capable of as they age and my online Pilates studio is ideal for this.. So let's look at just how Pilates can prepare you for life!

Pilates Prepares You for Your Sports & Hobbies

When Gayle started Pilates with me she had one goal. She just wanted to be strong and fit enough to be able to enjoy ruining again.  It was her passion and essential for her mental health as she had an extremely stressful job and distance running was her way of winding down.  At 52 she had recovered from spinal surgery 6 months earlier and tried to resume running but it left her in pain, exhausted and in a state of despair.  She was determined to find a way to get back into running safely and we worked together to prepare and strengthen her body for the demands ahead.. She had never had good core strength which meant she had suffered injuries in the past which was no doubt a contributing factor to her lumbar disc injury that required surgery.  She worked hard to strengthen her abdominal muscles, glutes, back and foot muscles and after a couple of months she began easing back into running by beginning with some walking. Then she introduced very short sprints and finally longer sprints and then short runs.  After 4 months of Pilates Gayle was overjoyed to be able to run for longer ditances again not only without pain but she felt stronger than before her surgery!  Gayle says that Pilates will always be a part of her life because it allowed her to resume running and will.keep her running well into her retirement years.  Whatever your passion is in life - tennis, martial arts, bushwalking or ballroom dancing Pilates will help you fine tune your performance, prevent injury and keep you enjoying it for many years to come.

Pilates Helps Counteract a Sedentary Lifestyle

In an automated world where it's possible to do the minimal amount of movement, Pilates ensures you "move it so you don't lose it."   A client who works from home in a high pressure corporate role has actually described her life as that of a battery hen in a cage.  With a 30 minute lunch break and 10 hour work days a regular occurence, sometimes she barely even moves from her desk.  Her weekly Skype Pilates session is a welcome relief that gets her moving, clears her mind and helps her shake off the day. At other times she logs on to my site and slots in some additional sessions from my on demand video library.  With most videos around 10 minutes in length she can fit them in to her busy schedule. This keeps her moving minimising her risk of developing several diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.  It also keeps her in excellent condition for martial arts and maintaining the gardens on her large property which she enjoys at weekends . Without Pilates she wouldn't be able to pursue these activities after sitting all week. If you are sedentary and time poor too my online Pilates studio is the ideal tool for building strength and flexibility at a time that suits you.

Recovering from Pain or Injury with Pilates

Unfortunately you never know when you may suddenly develop pain such as back pain or knee pain for example and what are your options?  After you have an accurate diagnosis you can then weigh up appropriate treatment solutions. Severe injuries may require surgery while those that don't can be treated by modalities such as osteopathy and strengthened with Pilates. Ness came to me after injuring her shoulder while carrying some luggage which was too heavy for an extended period of time while on an overseas trip.  Diagnosed with shoulder bursitis, the pain was debilitating and was eased by anti-inflammatory medication but she didn't want this to be a long-term solution.  Surgey wasn't a good option for her so she decided to strengthen her shoulder and core instead. She had 4 young grandchildren that she cared for 3 days per week and this was.proving to be very difficult for her with a shoulder injury. She really applied herself to her Pilates practice and little by little she began to see results. There were setbacks along the way as she had to lift her grandchildren at times which was unavoidable but 6 months later she was completely pain free.  She had some postural issues as well that had contributed to her shoulder bursitis which we addressed in her sessions. The combination of Skype sessions and the on demand videos allowed Ness to not only become pain free but to be stronger and fitter than ever before. This made caring for her grandchildren an enjoyable time knowing she was well prepared physically to cope with the demands of young children.  With improved strength and better posture she was less likely to re-injure herself in the future.  My online Pilates studio was designed to help you become pain-free from injury allowing you to get back to doing what you love which in Ness's case was caring for her grandchildren.

Remaining Independent as You Age with PIlates

Most people are protective of their independence especially as they age.  Losing the ability to drive for example can be devastating for an older person.  It means loss of independence and freedom and complete reliance on others to take you where you want to go.  Being a competent, alert, safety conscious driver requires a variety of skills.  On the most basic level, if you lose mobility in your neck you can't turn your head in each direction when you are checking for other vehicles at a stop sign, you can't drive safely.  If you can't rotate your upper spine to check for pedestrians through your rear windscreen you can't drive safely.  If you can't get in and out of the vehicle unaided - you get my drift.  All these movements that we take for granted deteriorate as we age and need to be maintained.  The great news is Pilates helps you to maintain these vital movements throughout life so you can remain independent for as long as possible. The best time to start preparing for a happy, healthy, independent life is NOW..

If you want to be prepared for all life has to offer then Pilates is for you.  Click here to learn more about my online studio and how you can start working with me.  Alternatively contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions.  It would be my pleasure to assist you on your Pilates journey to a happy, healthy life!