Pilates Inspired Living
I’ve just spent a great long weekend indulging in the festive markets (and the food that goes with them!) in the relaxing city of Copenhagen! But where there comes all the great indulgence with a holiday, there needs to be the balance with getting a workout in! Especially as the festive holidays approach! I’ve made a very quick upper body with core strength workout for you to squeeze in!
It’s the last weekend of November so we can officially get excited about Christmas! I’ve pulled together a few Pilates and Fitness inspired gifts for those who are exercise minded (or for yourself if you can’t resist!). The first one is a personal favourite of mine after purchasing it myself earlier this year (and it’s hugely reduced in the sale right now if you hurry!).
Stuck for time? Here is a very quick, but intense workout to work your core to the limits in less than 10 minutes! It keeps you focused and works on core strength, control AND endurance all within the timeframe! The exercises run quickly from one to the next to keep you going, and to keep the intensity high! All you need is your mat and 10 minutes peace and quiet. Take your mind off things, work hard, sweat a little, and finish with a strong, satisfied, toned core! No excuses! This is an advanced workout so be careful and work within your limits.
This weekend I hosted my very first Pilates Retreat Day. A day to getaway, relax, focus, and practise Pilates. Something I have always wanted to attend myself but have never found, so I created my own! I feel so lucky to call this my “work”; the whole process from the planning & organisation, writing routines, creating playlists, and finally the hosting & teaching on the day was so much fun. We used the perfect location of the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, which meant we could spend the whole day there using the facilities in between classes. Each class had a special theme to follow a journey for the day.
Leg pull in prone prep- For controlled strength!
This is a great whole body exercise that develops upper body strength and endurance, neck strength, lower back and pelvis stability, and targets the core abdominal muscles. 
Wearing capri pants by Onzie and tank top by Hip Width at Urban Yoga.
This series of questions are very varied, but ones that I have been asked repeatedly over the past few weeks! I hope they help! Here we are talking breathing, pregnancy, and toning!
Question 1: I always seem to breathe the wrong way with the Pilates exercises! Why is this and is it important to correct it?
Pilates can make a huge contribution to running. A lot of runners do what they do best- they run and run and run! But running needs more than this. Running needs a stable foundation to support you and to propel the legs step after step.
Pilates gives you the strong core for this foundation and can enhance pelvic stability, so that your hips don’t rock about unbalanced. Steady hips and a strong core will allow you to stride further with more power and efficiency. This is also important when you start to tire- the legs will fatigue and your hips will sway in a more disjointed way, slowing you down and placing more strain on your body. Pilates will also aid injury prevention by keeping all your muscles strong and supportive to your joints.
Try these 3 exercises to enhance your running:
Day-to-day everyone (or most of us!) comment at some point about a sore lower back, a back stiffness or a hip stiffness, or just being generally stiff! We need to regularly stretch our body and constantly change these positions. If you spend all day sitting, or even just in one similar position for too long your muscles will tighten and adopt to this position. Prolonged use of this will eventually give pain and stiffness. Plus- stretching generally makes us feel good!
Here are 6 stretches to try to relieve lower back and hip tightness and help promote a healthy back!
Your questions answered!
I receive many questions about general Pilates, the exercises, and general fitness queries when I am teaching and just as many via email! So I’ve decided to create a theme to answer your questions on a regular basis! Not found your answer here? Ask away and I will give you the answer in the next post!
There are some days where we just don’t feel like going for that run or going to your fitness session, or maybe you don’t go at all? But when you complete your workout when have you ever said “well that was a bad idea”- Never! This lack of motivation is all in the mindset. Having the right mindset can be a HUGE influence on your training. A positive mindset gives a positive result! If we can change our attitude and outlook to exercising then you are much more likely to get on with it, complete it, and feel great! Have a think of these factors below to influence your mindset, and try THE PILATES 100 below for a daily Pilates workout.
Continue reading “Motivating Mindset and The Pilates 100 (free workout!)”