Pilates 4

Always fun to do things that take us out of our comfort zone.

🌴Somewhere between 4 and 3 million years ago humans no longer hung out in trees. I’ve always felt it’s something we still need to do though from time to time. 💪🏻It maintains grip strength, scapular control and shoulder girdle strength. It challenges balance, core control and gets the blood pumping.

Above all it just feels good 😀.

Back in my second home 🇫🇷 for a holiday hosting family and friends in Antibes. Delicious fresh food, sunshine, swimming, cycling and exploring what this beautiful coastline has to offer.

If you know me you’ll know it doesn’t take long before I go in search of a Pilates studio 😏.

Just like the UK, Reformer studios are popping up everywhere in France. Some are teaching the genuine Pilates method but many (like the UK) are teaching gym exercises on the Reformer with little or no Pilates training or understanding of the method and principles we follow.
Eclore Pilates in Port Gallice, Antibes, is the real deal with well qualified staff and founders 🙌🏻whose purpose and work ethic is aligned with all the other fantastic Pilates Studio owners and teachers I know back home.

It was a real treat to hop on my bike early every morning and join one of their various styles of class from technique, to strength to a 7am mat class on the quai side. It’s not often I can indulge in that many classes in one week. As a teacher our bodies take a beating whilst working. I spend a lot of my time leaning over clients, helping them find their alignment, pushing and pulling equipment around or demonstrating on one side only. It’s rare I move with my clients in a balanced way with correct breathing so I have to have a regular practise myself both whilst working and while I’m away.

So happy to have discovered Éclore Pilates studio, I will be back! If you’re up for a cheeky retreat on the Cote d’Azur get in touch I could be persuaded to organise one 😉. Or if you’re in the Antibes area check out the beautiful Eclore studio, teachers speak French and English! Thank you to Gemma, Cindy, Philippa, Daisy and eric.la.mouss

An incredible night in aid of SE London MIND. Huge thanks to Vicky Longley event organiser, choreographer, dancer and all round superwoman. She heads up this wonderful company of dancers EmpowerHER at Studio 74, Bromley. There are immense amounts of warmth, talent, kindness and energy amongst these women, it’s so much more than just a dance company.
The fact that I even had the courage to take part in this performance is testament to Vicky’s encouragement, boundless energy and most of all humour. I don’t think I have ever laughed as much as I do on a Wednesday night with these girls. All super special, each and every one of them 💖

So excited to be able to offer this Emmett Technique one-day workshop with Catriona, Chislehurst, Kent - 2 dates available to choose from : 👉Friday 22 May 👉Sunday 7th June, 👉9.30am-5.30pm. Checkout the website for booking www.pilates4.com/event-list 👉The Emmett Technique is a muscle release treatment, aimed at reducing pain and discomfort through the application of targeted trigger points. The results can be instantaneous. Can be self-administered or used to help others. Come along to find out more!

😴 I love my sleep once I finally reach my bed but for some reason struggle every night with shutting down my computer, my mind and as a result my eyes. Always ‘tired but wired’. Kidding myself there are not enough hours in the day and squeezing in one last item on my to-do list while the house is quiet late at night.

😴 I focus most days on healthy eating and regular exercise but am still battling with going to bed early enough to get a good 7-9 hours.

😴 Dr Matthew Walker is the author of the revolutionary book ‘Why We Sleep’ and talks to Steven Bartlet explaining everything we know to date about why lack of sleep can be detrimental to our health and wellbeing but more importantly what we can do to to improve our health through good sleep and the 4 pillars of Quality, Quantity, Regularity and Timing. He explains the ‘why’ with up to date research which is so helpful to understand when trying to implement new habits which we find difficult.

😴This is the link to a super-interesting and helpful podcast on sleep from new medications to even more beneficial therapies to get the most from our sleep and optimise it for it’s metabolic cleansing and neuro-protective benefits.

😴Listen and share with someone who needs help with their sleep

https://doac-perks.com/listen/c6xLxcplTM

😴 I love my sleep once I finally reach my bed but for some reason struggle every night with shutting down my computer, my mind and as a result my eyes. Always ‘tired but wired’. Kidding myself there are not enough hours in the day and squeezing in one last item on my to-do list while the house is quiet late at night.

😴 I focus most days on healthy eating and regular exercise but am still battling with going to bed early enough to get a good 7-9 hours.

😴 Dr Matthew Walker is the author of the revolutionary book ‘Why We Sleep’ and talks to Steven Bartlet explaining everything we know to date about why lack of sleep can be detrimental to our health and wellbeing but more importantly what we can do to to improve our health through good sleep and the 4 pillars of Quality, Quantity, Regularity and Timing. He explains the ‘why’ with up to date research which is so helpful to understand when trying to implement new habits which we find difficult.
This is the link to a super-interesting and helpful podcast on sleep from new exciting medications to even more beneficial therapies to get the most from our sleep and optimise it for it’s metabolic cleansing and neuro-protective benefits. Listen and share with someone who needs help with their sleep
https://doac-perks.com/listen/c6xLxcplTM

Super quick healthy breakfast - berries, rolled oats, kefir, mixed nuts and seeds. Leave out the oats if you’re really in a hurry, as quick as cereal and so much more nutritious 😋
Top tip: keep jar of mixed nuts/seeds in cupboard for a quick shot of plants, healthy fats and protein. Handy for snacking on too.

Beautiful .larochelle reformer studio. They have the best Allegro 2s, always a good sign.
Lovely class with Sandra qui est super sympa ☺️ and an excellent teacher. My first ever Pilates class en francais! Loved picking up some new cues although I believe the teachers here are used to teaching in franglais aussi 🙌🏻.
This is truly a beautiful studio/coffee shop, very chilled for hanging out in and as with all Pilates peeps, my classmates were super friendly too. Would recommend if you’re in the area. I will be back!

How are your bones doing? Do you know? The truth is none of us know where we are at without a DEXA scan or until we fracture a bone. Osteoporosis is a silent often completely painless loss of bone which is not discovered until it is quite advanced. I was lucky enough to discover my bone density was not looking good a few years ago and took steps to address it. 5 years on I have not only halted the rapid bone loss which typically happens around menopause in women (and is more gradual in men), but I have actually reversed it. My bones are now healthier than your average 30 year old (the age at which bone mass peaks). I put this down to three important interventions
💪🏻 The introduction of HRT
💪🏻 Increasing weight bearing exercise including use of weights and resistance training
💪🏻 Improving diet - less refined carbs, more protein and fibre, low/no alcohol.
Even without medication the right exercise can, at the very least, stop the decline and improve bone health considerably. My amazing mother-in-law is testament to this! With the help of a couple of great Pilates teachers of course 😉 🙌🏻. Pilates teachers or fitness professionals with specialist bone health training are the place to start. Alignment and good form are key followed by gradual progressive loading which can only be done under careful supervision. For more info and advice you can check out The Royal Osteoporosis Society www.theros.org.uk