Time to Unwind Remedial Massage

What is Pilates?

Pilates is a wonderful blend of strength and mobility training that improves posture and creates long, lean muscles. Pilates Mat classes are designed to ensure no muscle group is overworked and to help your body work as an efficient, holistic system in sport and daily activity. Pilates was first developed in 1881 by Joseph Pilates. He devised a unique sequence of movement that worked the mind and muscle in harmony.

Pilates Mat classes can be a good introduction to Pilates as they allow you to focus on learning the specific techniques.

As a Remedial massage therapist, for many years, 22 to be exact, I have been helping people to overcome and work through tension, tightness, trigger points, imbalances and weaknesses in their bodies. Being a remedial/sports massage therapist is hard work, so I have decided to incorporate other modalities into my clinic that are very beneficial, and not physically strenuous on me as a therapist and mother of 3.

Dry Needling was one of the modalities I incorporated into my business, which I love and get amazing results, a topic I can discuss later, However for today I would like to talk about Pilates.

I decided to study the art of Pilates, because I realised that as a remedial massage therapist, I was very limited in helping my clients take control of their own health and wellbeing beyond just what a regular massage could offer. Remedial massage therapist, are just not trained in recommending rehabilitation through strength and exercise.

Therefore I decided to learn Pilates so I could offer it to my clients and give them a more balanced overview of what is going on for them individually, helping them to take control of their health and wellbeing. My clients will have the choice to learn through one on one instruction, small or larger group classes and they can take home these simple but highly beneficial strengthening, toning and sculpting exercise to practice and perfect in the comfort of their own homes.

Pilates main focus is to increase core stability. Your core muscles include not only your abdominals, but also your stabiliser muscles of the spine, pelvis and scapula, e.g. deep abdominals (transversus abdominis) pelvic floor, spinal muscles (multifidus) gluteal muscles, lower trapezius, serratus anterior (scapula stabilisers) and deep neck flexors.
In Pilates, you will learn exercises to correctly activate and isolate these core muscles, together with proper breathing techniques, to further maximise your workout.

As I am a trained remedial massage therapist, I have the added advantage of picking up on muscles imbalances from a whole body perspective. To put it simply, my aim is to strengthen any muscles that are weak and stretch any muscles that are tight.

Please bring your towel, water bottle and your mat to every session.