The topic of this article seems more like a new years resolution article, though if you ask me new years resolutions are usually doomed to fail.  If you need to wait for January 2013 to make some positive steps for your health then you are going to be seven months behind in your progress!

As with any journey if you start out without a clear idea of where you are going then you are going to end up making a lot more wrong turns and get distracted along the way.  That’s why many people find it so useful to sign up for events like fun runs and marathons as it gives them a target and a timeline to work towards.

This is a good opportunity to remind you to have a think about your current health and fitness situation and hopefully decide to make a few positive steps in the right direction of improving the quality of your life.

Your goals don’t just have to be related to Pilates, they should be anything that will improve your overall health and wellbeing such as:

• 30 min brisk walk with the dog 3 days per week
• be in bed before 10.30 on weekdays
• join the 7.15am Beginners class on Tuesday at Raffles Place!
• start eating healthier
• eliminate my back pain through looking after my posture and regular Pilates within 3 months

Coming up with a goal is obviously not the hard part however, there are two other very important things you need to consider.

Firstly, you need to think hard about the real reason for the goal.  Having toned abs, better posture or losing weight is not a reason to exercise, think about why you want to achieve this particular goal, what are your true feelings about it?  Be as honest as you can, as it’s these feelings that will keep you motivated to achieve your goal.

Secondly, you need a plan!

To ensure you can actually achieve your goals and that your goals keep you motivate you should make sure your goals are SMART.

S – Specific – try and be a specific as you can, join the Great Eastern 10km, reach Intermediate Pilates class level. Go to 2 Pilates classes per week.

M – Measurable  – having some way of measuring your progress is a great way to get positive reinforcement and give you a boost to keep on going!

A – Achievable – make sure you can achieve the goals you set, there is no way you can progress from a complete beginner to intermediate level in just two weeks.

R – Realistic – is it really feasible for you to train for a marathon this December when you have never put on a pair of running shoes in your life?

T – Time Based – give yourself a realistic time frame to measure your success!

If you need help to set or measure any of your Pilates goals, whether it be strength, flexibility, movement techniques or eliminating aches and pains then you can sign up for a fitness screening at Focus.

Ergonomics is adapting the work environment to suit the individual for optimal health and productivity. If you have a job which requires you to be seated at a desk and working on a computer all day then you can use the following as a guide when setting up your work station.

It is important to have proper posture when sitting at your desk as this ensures that our body weight is evenly distributed throughout the body, especially along the spine. This prevents excessive loads on certain parts of the body more so than others, which is the cause for most back and neck pains. (more…)

So you hear your instructors going on, and on, and on about ‘your core’, it’s mentioned in all the fitness magazines and online….  So what is it anyway, and more importantly why do we need it?

Your core as what your instructor describes it is a group of muscles which encircle your waist.  You can think of it like a cylinder (or a coke can as one of our physios describe it!), with your pelvic floor at the base, your diaphragm at the top, your deep abdominal muscles wrap around the sides and a small group of small muscles very close to your spine.  You core doesn’t include the six pack muscle (rectus abdominis) , while it looks good this abdominal muscle bends our body forward but doesn’t support your spine.  If we use the six pack muscle incorrectly it tends to bulge outwards and can be a sign that our core muscles are not working.

(more…)

Most of us spend more than eight hours a day sitting at hour desks. Our back is not designed to be in a sitting position for a prolonged period of time. We have designed some exercises below that you can do while sitting at your desk to relieve your back.

Set up

Sit up tall with your back against the back rest of your chair, both feet flat on the floor and equal weight on both sit bones. Gently contract your abdominals keeping a long torso.

Note: These exercises are designed to move and loosen your upper back. You should not have any pain with these exercises. If you do, modify your hand and shoulder position or discontinue the exercises and seek professional advice.

For some of us having a friend or partner who shares the same motivation and goals to have a stronger, healthier and fitter body can help us stay motivated with an exercise program. Pilates is no different, having a friend by your side during a workout or group class can be the one thing that makes you get out of bed in the morning or motivates you to go after work even when you’ve had an exhausting day. As most of us will know as painful as it is to start your exercises session you’ll always feel better after.

What is sports massage?

Sports massage is the specific application of systematic manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for therapeutic purposes.

How does sports massage differ from other types of massage?

It is anatomy-based and employs various massage techniques to release trigger points (knots), relieve delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), reduce muscle tightness, enhance recovery, and prevent injuries. It is often an integral part of injury management

What are the benefits of sports massage?

To release stubborn knots, relieve delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), reduce muscle tightness, enhance recovery and prevent future injuries.

Can sports massage support Pilates exercises?

Most definitely, sports massage helps by warming up the various muscles and joints. Muscles that are properly massaged and stretched possess the ability to generate more power because of greater elasticity, which translates to its ability to absorb more force when perform Pilate exercises, resulting in lower risk of injury. (more…)

Good Posture: everyone knows we need it, but do you know why we need it?   What causes us to have bad posture anyway?  The second question is easier to answer, it’s gravity.

From the moment we are born we have this force pressing down on us, compressing our joints and increasing the curves of your spine making you slouch and predisposing you to all sorts of pain and problems.  All you need to do is look at many older people who have been suffering under gravity for much longer to see the negative effects!

So why is it we need good posture?  Well our entire body is a complex system of muscles, bones, joints, fascia and organs, each element has its place and each element effects the functioning of the entire system.  Everything in the body is co-dependent and works synergistically, certainly not like I learnt anatomy at school or even university.  When the body has poor alignment and posture it compresses and impairs the function of the entire body. 

(more…)

As we count down to the end of September I find myself daydreaming more and more about the hillsides of Tuscany (and its fine vineyards…) and the legendary cuisine of Italy which I shall be enjoying in a few days time… In the last few weeks I have been putting extra effort into my fitness training to prepare my body for the likely calorific onslaught, that plus I need to fit into my suit for my brother-in-laws wedding. Last time I put the trousers on it was a wee bit tight…

(more…)