Happy Body Pilates

Often the body finds control without more effort - because it’s got better information…

So if you find ‘core stability’ exercises challenging because ‘your abs aren’t strong enough’ or perhaps you try too hard and brace…consider the missing piece that’s not in your control….reflexive stability. And this can be improved through improving vision input.

Try this quick exercise and see if you feel more stable when you repeat the all fours exercise.

That’s the lens I teach through: Pilates + strength, neuro-informed, so the work feels clearer and more doable.

My 8-week Strength Foundations starts Sept 25th on Zoom - sign up now via my bio. And if you want to start now, join my online Pilates classes.

Your brain thrives on variety and novelty. When we always move the same way, use the same hand, use the same movement patterns, the nervous system can sometimes become a little ‘stuck’.

We want to have many movement options available to us especially if we’re a little de-conditioned or lacking in movement exposure. So get moving and have fun exploring new ways of moving like this fun, seemingly simple exercise involving getting up and down from the floor which shouldn’t feel like a negotiation.

This variation challenges coordination, strength and control by removing one arm from the equation.

It’s not about making it harder for the sake of it.

It’s about knowing you can organise your body in different ways.

Floor transfers are one of the clearest indicators of long-term independence.

So how did you do? If it was easy try adding speed.

I love including these sorts of movements in my online classes and use them as warm ups within my Strength Training Programme.

If you’re looking for a fresh, novel approach to your Pilates routine and/or you’re keen to start lifting weights in a safe structured way, then check out links in bio to sign up.

My teaching is especially focused on people 50+ who know how important healthy ageing is.

Many of my clients complain about neck tension and I’ve certainly noticed neck mobility reducing in my older clients. Neck tension is rarely just a “tight muscle” problem.

Often it’s your nervous system holding things steady e.g. jaw, eyes, breath, shoulders - all working a little too hard.

Try this drill helps involving head and eyes to help reduce that background guarding and give the neck permission to move with less effort.

This is the lens I bring into my online Pilates class and my Strength Foundation Programme – to help your body organise and move better, not just ‘do more’.

Sign up to my online classes or Strength Programme (Starts Sept 25th on Zoom). Link in bio.

♾️Infinity Walk to improve upright organisation and extension tolerance.

Posture isn’t something you “hold”. It’s something your system organises. And your vestibular system (inner ear) is largely responsible for your postural pattern and the way you hold yourself (hopefully upright)!

Infinity walking is a simple way to give your posture a boost as well as your posterior chain (back line of the body). Test your backbend, do the infinity walk and then retest your backbend.

I include the infinity walk as part of a warm for strength training that specifically requires the back line of the body to work and you’ll see this featuring in my online Pilates classes and 8-week online Strength Foundations Programme.

It’s specifically for women 50 plus you want a safe, structured and sustainable way to start their strength training journey.  

Strength Foundations starts Sept 25th (Zoom) - sign up now via my bio.

Balance is a system! Eyes, inner ear, feet, and strength - and how well your brain organises those inputs.

This is a simple way to give the system clearer input, then see what changes, using a reverse lunge as the test.

And if balance feels less automatic, especially after 50 then you’ve got to start training your balance and that’s more than just standing on one leg while brushing your teeth.

To really train your balance, you need to specifically involve the head and eyes.

If you want balance trained alongside strength (progressively, with coaching), Strength Foundations starts Sept 25th (Zoom). Sign up now (link in bio).

3 Essential foot mobility exercises to strengthen your feet (part 3)
If you’re looking to improve your foot health, these exercises are your golden ticket. This is part 3 of 3 videos of my feet and ankle series.

Ball of foot circles 👣

I love this for overall mobility.

When the foot is organised, everything above it has a better chance of organising well too.

This drill works the arch and the entire foot, but it also asks the ankle, knee and hip to coordinate - which is where real stability lives. It’s not just “foot strengthening”. It’s better input, better control.

Done well - slowly, with attention - these small exercises can make a noticeable difference to foot discomfort, balance, motor control and how steady you feel walking.

Foot health isn’t built in one session. It’s built through repetition and consistency.

Make your feet part of your training, not an afterthought.

If you want strength and mobility built from the ground up then, join my online classes or sign up to my 8-week Strength Foundations programme waitlist which starts Sept 25th. Sign up now via my bio.

3 Essential foot mobility exercises to strengthen your feet (part 2)
If you’re looking to improve your foot health, these exercises are your golden ticket. This is part 2 of 3 videos of my feet and ankle series.

Toe spreads

This exercise might seem simple, but it’s incredibly effective for building the motor control and strength necessary for total body stabilisation.

This exercise highlights the disconnect many of us have between our brains and our feet, making it a crucial practice for anyone looking to improve foot functionality.

If you want strength and mobility built from the ground up then, join my online classes or sign up to my 8-week Strength Foundations programme waitlist which starts Sept 25th. Sign up now via my bio.

3 Essential foot mobility exercises to strengthen your feet (part 1)

If you’re looking to improve your foot health, these exercises are your golden ticket. This is part 1 of 3 videos of my feet and ankle series.

Flexion-Extension Foot Wave
This exercise is a fantastic way to work every muscle in your foot and can be reversed for added complexity. Expect to feel a burn even after just a few repetitions.

Fair warning, your feet may cramp during this exercise and that is ok! This can be an indication that you need smarter feet. The best way to get smarter feet is to work on foot and ankle mobility. 

Feet are one of the most joint-rich areas of the body and a proprioceptive powerhouse. The brain dedicates a significant amount of neural real estate (mapped in the sensory cortex) to processing inputs from the feet.

By actively working on foot and ankle mobility and strength, you increase neural traffic to the brain, which improves cognitive processing, memory, and focus.

If you want strength and mobility built from the ground up then, join my online classes or sign up to my 8-week Strength Foundations programme waitlist which starts Sept 25th. Sign up now via my bio.

We often forget how to breathe well.
When the ribs and diaphragm stop moving properly, the nervous system tends to stay a bit more guarded and that can influence stiffness, pain, and how free movement feels.
Try this:
1. test your rotation
2. side opener and diaphragm stretch - 3 reps
3. re-test rotation

Notice if you feel a shift in how you move afterwards.

If you enjoy these small shifts and testing new inputs for better movement output, you’ll enjoy my neuro-informed online and in-person Pilates + strength classes.

Better input to the brain = better movement output.

Link in bio to join. 

And if you want structured progression, the September Strength Foundations waitlist is open. Link in bio