Optimal Health Pilates

⭐️ New Block of Classes ⭐️

Starting Tuesday 22nd February - Mixed Ability Pilates - Queen's Hill Community Centre.

✔️ Suitable for all levels (including beginners)

✔️ Can be adapted for injuries or musculoskeletal conditions

👉 Book your place today: https://www.optimalhealthuk.co.uk/pilates-classes-norwich-costessey/

Feeling apprehensive about getting back into exercise? You're not alone!

Pilates is a wonderful place to start. 🙌

This lovely review by Georgina is the perfect summary of what to expect when you step into a class with Optimal Health.

New block of classes starts Tuesday 4th January in Queen's Hill.

Commit an hour to yourself each week in the new year and feel amazing for it 🥰

https://www.optimalhealthuk.co.uk/pilates-classes-norwich-costessey/

How I’ll be spending my Christmas break 🤓📚

Finally getting round to doing my bridging course with

I’ve wanted to do this course since I qualified as a Pilates instructor and was about to sign up when the first lockdown hit and I had to postpone.

For those who haven’t heard of APPI, their method connects Pilates with a Physiotherapy and evidence based approach to musculoskeletal conditions, injuries and their rehabilitation.

Here’s to more studying in 2022 😅

Starting 4th January!

✔ Suitable for all levels (including complete beginners)
✔ Can be adapted for injuries/pain
✔ Small group for a personal experience
✔ Build full body strength, stability and mobility
✔ Leave feeling de-stressed and energised

Book your place today and get 10% off: https://www.optimalhealthuk.co.uk/pilates-classes-cringleford-norwich/

Do I need to be advanced to use the reformer?

A common misconception about the Pilates Reformer is that it is a progression from mat pilates.

You can progress a mat exercise on the reformer by adding load/increasing range of motion, however the beauty of the reformer is it’s versatility.

Whether you want to use it purely for mobility/flexibility, strength/stability, pre/postnatal exercise or even a sweaty workout; the possibilities are endless!

I appreciate the machine can appear intimidating though if you haven’t used it before.

That’s why I offer a 6 week 1:1 foundation course to help you gain confidence and experience using the reformer.

For more information, visit: www.optimalhealthuk.co.uk/reformer-foundations-course or get in touch for a chat!

A lot of clients come to me after already seeing another healthcare practitioner.

The story usually goes…

“My GP just gave me pain killers and i’m not getting any better” 😔

“My Physio just gave me a few exercises and they’re not really helping.” 🤷‍♀️

“A certain practitioner told me I need to see them weekly for the next 3-6 months and I can’t afford that.” 😥

“I’ve been told to rest and avoid # # #”. 😐

1️⃣ Painkillers reduce pain, they don’t heal.

2️⃣ Exercise is king but it has to be selected based on the individual circumstances, introduce load and be progressive.

3️⃣ There is no possible way of knowing how many appointments someone will need - so don’t be misled into booking a fixed amount. Most conditions will self resolve with no intervention anyway. 😅

4️⃣ Oh and you don’t actually need any hands on treatment to improve your condition. 😯

➡️ The best (and fastest) results I've ever had are from the clients I ONLY do exercise therapy with.

5️⃣ Telling someone in pain they need to rest or avoid ‘dangerous’ movements only re-enforces a sense of fragility and fear within the client.

➡️ The more fearful an individual is of further injury, the less inclined they are to go about daily activities or do the things they love.

‼️ This can lead to stress or even depression about their circumstances which has a huge impact and influence over pain levels. 😩

➡️ Even after hip replacement surgery the goal is get the patient up and moving (in hospital) as soon as possible! 🙌

👉 The word rest needs to be replaced with ADAPT. 👈

There are definitely circumstances where certain activities may not be ideal or can aggravate symptoms but that doesn’t mean you have to be bed bound!

No running for a few weeks? Cycle, swim, walk! 👍

Free weights not feeling great? Give machines a go. 👍

‼️ Being sedentary is so much more harmful than being active - just check out my last post about the guidelines for physical activity.

1 in 4 adults don’t meet recommended levels of physical activity - do you? 🧐

Minimum weekly requirements for adults (including those living with chronic conditions):

150 - 300 minutes (2.5-5 hrs) of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity 🚶‍♀️🏊🏌️

OR

75 – 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity 🏃‍♂️🚴‍♀️

AND

2 x Resistance training sessions for all major muscle groups 🏋️‍♀️💪

How do your activity levels compare? 😏

Ref: who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity

🎉 BLACK FRIDAY WEEK OFFER 🎉

🎁 10% off Gift Vouchers 🎁

Between 21st - 26th November only!

Valid for:

🔹 60 Minute Sports Massage

🔹 1:1 Reformer Introductory Session

🔹 6 Week Pilates Block (Zoom or In Person)

Use Code: 10OFFGIFTING

(Excludes vouchers for monetary value).

www.optimalhealthuk.co.uk/gift-vouchers

Sadly the Pilates industry has a reputation for pushing lighter weights to ‘promote long lean muscles & avoid bulk’. 🙄🤦‍♀️

It’s well documented (and proven) the amount of weight lifted will not determine the bulkiness of your muscles. 🙌

When someone wants to ‘tone’ what they actually want to do is build muscle (and maybe reduce body fat). 💪

So should we even be using light weights in Pilates? 🧐

It depends ...

➡️ Firstly, dumbbells are not cheap or easy to transport to/from venues, so this can affect weights used in classes.

‼️ However... adding 1-2kg is still a progression on just using bodyweight.

➡️ Secondly, ‘light’ &‘heavy’ are relative to the individual.

Many people actually start Pilates having never exercised before or never having done resistance training (which is what Pilates is).
So 1-2kg can actually feel ‘heavy’ to these individuals. 🏋️‍♀️

➡️ Many exercises in Pilates focus on smaller muscle groups and building strength in end range - often ‘light’ weight is enough for this. 😅

‼️ The truth is, unless you are adding lots of ‘functional’ exercises e.g. squats, lunges etc (which you absolutely should be), Mat Pilates doesn’t really lend itself to handling ‘heavy’ weights.

⭐️ Enter the Reformer ⭐️

The beauty of the Pilates Reformer is the ability to add much more load to the exercises you do on the mat (and many more). 🎉

‼️ Remember - exercises need to be progressed for the tissues to adapt (strengthen).
➡️ Increasing load used is a simple way to do this!