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4 Jun 2021
Why Can't I Twist? It Could Be Your Hips!

Yes, that’s correct! When the human body moves, it does so as a complete unit and not just in isolation. Even when you’re trying to “isolate” a muscle, which we very often do in the pilates method of exercise, other muscles work to stabilise or counterbalance. The mechanism of human movement is muscles contracting or shortening to pull bones, this is called your “musculoskeletal system”. But over the last 10-15 years, a new way of looking at the anatomy of the body has emerged. It has not only changed approach exercising, but also why we get injured, how to fix injuries and how we age. It all comes down to something called FASCIA, ....
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28 May 2021
Twist to Fix Upper Back Pain

Did you know that your spine has sections, and each section has a different job to do? The area between your neck and lower back is called the THORACIC spine or the THORACIC vertebra. This area of the spine is responsible for most of the rotation of the trunk and torso. It also has a naturally occurring rounded curve and all the ribs attach to these vertebra…12 in total! Our modern “sitting” lifestyle doesn’t support great function of this area of the spine and can contribute to upper back pain, tightness and stiffness and even injury. Here are four main reasons people experience upper back pain: POSTURE When posture is functional and ....
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20 May 2021
Improve Mobility with Pilates Breathing

Yes, that’s correct! You cannot have true mobility in your spine, and in fact in any of your joints without effective breathing! Really? Yes, really!!! How does Pilates breathing improve mobility? The first clue in answering that question comes from looking at some of the common reasons that joints (including the joints in your spine) lose mobility. LACK OF MOVEMENT Each joint in your body has a certain range of movement. That range of movement is different for each joint, for instance the shoulder joint has a big circular range, but the elbow joint only moves in one direction. Unless you move each joint through it’s full range, it can get stiff and start to ....
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12 May 2021
Why Pilates Prevents Back Injuries

It’s almost become “normal” to have some type of physical injury or issue these days. You only have to look at how many allied health professionals there are to know that many people struggle with some kind of ache or pain and going to the physio/osteo/chiro is routine. Why? Well Joseph Pilates talks about “normal health” in his books and that it’s a natural condition that we all have the birth right to attain. But as the world has developed over the past few hundred years, it’s been at the cost of “normal health”. As a consequence, our modern lifestyle actually causes poor health. This includes the health of our joints, ....
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4 May 2021
10 Tips for a Healthy Spine!

Your spine is just like any other part of your body and needs daily attention to keep it in tip top condition. Most people don’t think about their spine until something goes wrong with it! A little pro active prevention goes a VERY long way in keeping your spine healthy for daily life and also for the duration of your life! 1. GET GREAT POSTURE What is great posture? Well posture relates to the smaller muscles in your body that keep you upright and help to stabilise your joints. They work all day without you having to think about it. These muscles are either working in a functional and productive way…or not. Great posture is having just the right amount of ....
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29 Apr 2021
Why is My Back so Stiff & Tight?

What is back stiffness? If you don’t suffer from a tight spine, then I’m sure you’ve heard someone complaining about how “stiff and tight” their back feels. Most people don’t really think about their spines, until there is a problem with it. Keeping your back fit, flexible and healthy requires a regular fitness routine that can incorporate very specific movements and exercises that focus on just that! Traditional strength training programs tend to focus on other parts of the body…legs, hips, arms, chest etc., and don’t address the four reasons below that can cause the spine to get stiff and tight. Spine strength is at the ....
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22 Apr 2021
Can't Do A Rollup? This is Why!

Perfecting the rollup requires learning the technique of the movement as well as committing to working on your flexibility, mobility and abdominal strength with other exercises. Ah yes, the rollup. Such a simple exercise but can be such a challenge for so many people in the beginning of their pilates journey. It’s a very important exercise to master for the function of your body and the health of your spine. Every day, we bend forward, whether it’s to pick something up from the ground, roll out of bed in the morning or even something as simple as leaning over the basin to brush your teeth. Developing flexibility, mobility and strength to do this movement effectively without ....
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20 Apr 2021
Are You a Pilates Beginner?

Have you always wanted to try Pilates? You’ve heard about the results it gives people…core strength, flexibility, mobility, good posture and a toned “pilates body”. But you’ve never taken any action on starting a pilates program. Why? Many people can feel afraid that being a pilates beginner, they won’t be able to “do” pilates. Well, this is true! You actually WON’T be able to do pilates if you have never done it before! Every single person who has accomplished and learnt the PILATES method of exercise started from the same place that you are right now…AS A BEGINNER!! That’s right, even Pilates Teachers ....
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16 Apr 2021
Pilates...Much More Than a Six Pack of Abs

So what do you know about Pilates? Maybe you’ve been “doing” it for a while, or have heard of it and know that it’s good for core strength and helps back pain and think of it as an exercise method, which it is. But it is in fact much more than just exercises…more about that in a little while. First let’s look at Pilates as it is today. It has literally exploded in the past 10 years and has become an accepted, mainstream form of exercise, which is awesome to see. You can “do” pilates in a wide variety of ways. Group reformer classes, mat classes, studio pilates, clinical pilates, gym pilates, pre and post-natal ....
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8 Apr 2021
Mat Pilates Classes v Mat Pilates Programs

What do you do? A mat pilates class or a mat pilates program? There are so many ways to participate in a pilates class these days, with a big variation in the type of classes and the style of classes, including online. And as mat pilates requires no, or very little equipment, if you are new to mat pilates you might assume that it’s OK to just jump in to a class here and there and get results. But mat pilates is a core strength exercise method and not just a bunch of exercises. It develops movement skills that you then take in to your daily activities and life. And just like any other skill, there is a learning process that requires dedication and practice, both in ....
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Jasmine

I have been doing the morning online classes ever since the beginning of lockdown in Melbourne.

I love the morning stretch and i feel it really wakes me & sets me up for the day. I suffer from shoulder and back pain from office work and it really helps. The online classes are so easy and flexible i can easily fit it around my busy schedule. No need to travel, get stuck in traffic. I can just jump out of bed 10mins before if i like.

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