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Newsletter May/June 2013

2/5/2013

 
There are many benefits from Pilates. These are improved strength & coordination especially in the abdominal and back muscles, improved spinal and hamstring flexibility, reduction of low back pain and reduction of stress. Pilates also improves stamina and endurance. There is a calorie burning effect in all class levels, more in advanced than beginner. However, cardio vascular benefits seem to only occur at the advanced level.

Are there any negative effects? No, if all the exercises are done correctly with control & concentration in otherwise healthy individuals. If you always engage your power house, stay fully focussed and work at your level, you will not hurt yourself and will improve all the time.

Joseph Pilates was amazingly forward thinking and embraced many movement principles that are only recently practised in modern rehabilitation. His main aim was to get people moving. Eighty years ago, he said, “change happens through movement and movement heals.” He was so right.

Years ago, when I first practised as a physio, people with back pain were treated with bed rest which we now realise made them lose strength and become less flexible and more uncomfortable. What were we thinking ??

Nowadays, the very opposite thinking prevails. Getting moving is proven to aid healing. The cause of most back pain is unknown and mostly doesn't last long. In this case, movement is the solution to faster recovery. Strained muscles need to stretch and be put through their full range of movement to heal. Moving stops the pain becoming chronic. Core strength and the correct movement patterns are essential as are increasing strength and cardio vascular fitness. Overrestriction of activity makes muscles spasm and increases pain so keep moving. Thank goodness for Pilates! It addresses all your movement needs. Of course, if you have no back pain, all that core strength and flexibility is the way to prevent it.

A recent study of Pilates periodically monitired class participants' abdominal strength with muscle electrodes. During the study, the subjects did Pilates twice a week over a period of nine months. The findings showed that, not only did overall abdominal strength improve dramatically but inequalities in abdominal strength were greatly improved too which is very good to know if you find you are weaker on one side than the other. However, it takes that long and needs that much consistency to achieve the results, just like anything you really want to achieve Twice a week would be ideal, more often if you're keen.

On Monday mornings and on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, classes are happening in the house and the studio at the same time so the car park may be full. There is plenty of parking on Hatea Drive right outside the house or in the side streets.

If your class is in the house, you can go right in through the front door, no need to come around the back. If we have forgotten to unlock the front door, ring the bell loudly and we will open it for you.

There are no changes to the timetable at the moment which is a bit of a record. All our information is on the web site including class times and prices.

Val is a massage therapist and a naturopath and is available at Hatea Drive on Monday and Wednesday. Her cards are in the studios if you wish to contact her.

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    Author

    Niki Barker is a lifelong fitness devotee.  Previously a physiotherapist with a long career history in paediatric and adult rehabilitation and extensive experience with war injuries.  

    And a lover of Pilates .

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