‘I
thought I was fit and strong.......then I tried
Pilates’
I have always exercised in
one form or another. Through my early childhood
it was gymnastics and trampolining then at
school it was whatever the sports were of that
season. You name it, I played it! Whilst at
college I played league level badminton and
stoolball which I tried to continue after
graduating from university. However, once I
started work I found that my shifts were not
conducive to the regularity required with club
nights and matches. I then started to use gyms
and have continued to do so since, mainly due to
convenience as it can fit in around my schedule.
When I started working at
re:ab as a Sports Massage Practitioner I thought
I’d try one of the Pilates classes so I had a
better understanding of what happens and how it
works, and what part it can play in
rehabilitation. After my one-to-one induction
with Christine I was surprised at the number of
simple movements that I found almost impossible
to do and the immediate improvement in my
posture afterwards. It came as a bit of a shock
as I would have considered myself a fit, strong,
healthy individual.
I started to attend a class
once a week which consisted of mixed ages and
abilities. In my first class, I was embarrassed
to discover the lady next to me (who was twice
my age) was doing some of the movements with
such grace and control whilst I really struggled
and battled with my body trying to get from one
position to the next. I didn’t feel particularly
satisfied after a class either (not like I did
after a good workout in the gym). I felt like a
robot and wondered if I was ever going to ‘get
it’.
But I continued and started
noticing a difference. Several months on I am
so pleased that I persevered. I now get what
it’s all about. The penny finally dropped and I
am starting to feel like I am using the right
muscles to create the right movements. I am far
from being able to do it all with ease and the
classes are always challenging. I have also
noticed that my gym workouts are much improved.
I feel lighter when I run and stronger when I
lift. I am much more aware of my posture now and
when I drive home after a class my feet feel so
light on the peddles. I think the biggest hurdle
is adjusting your mind set. Pilates is about
challenging your body in a different way. You’re
not going to have that sweaty, exhausted feeling
afterwards but I always leave the class feeling
refreshed and rejuvenated and know that I have
still worked hard; just in a different way.
From a professional point of
view I have seen vast improvements in people
that have attended Pilates classes at re:ab.
Clients who have come to me with muscles like
concrete complaining of stiffness and tightness,
return with a body that moves and muscles that I
can now work with.
I wouldn’t hesitate to
recommend the Pilates at re:ab to anybody who
wants to feel better and gain a more holistic
approach to fitness.
Anne Leighton
Sports Massage Practitioner |
