If there's one exercise style that has taken the fitness world by storm in the last few years it's Pilates. 

Everyone is doing it — from dancers to footballers — and the benefits are said to be as much mental as they are physical. So what is Pilates really all about?


Pilates is a low-impact body and mind workout designed to stretch, strengthen and balance your whole body. It is basically exercise for good posture. One of the big problems we face regarding our posture is the fact that our physical everyday movements are not balanced. We are right or left handed, right or left footed – we are even dominant in which way we are likely to turn around! The fact that so many of us spend hours sitting in front of a computer all day also greatly affects our posture.

Before we can address our postural problems, we need to understand what bad posture actually is. Our body is basically a bunch of small to large bones, held in place with tendons, ligaments and muscles. When most of us are born, our bones are in the correct position as our muscles haven’t had much of a chance to stretch or strengthen. (Look at a baby when they are strong enough to sit upright – perfect posture!) As we get older, our imbalanced actions tend to tighten some muscles, leaving the opposing muscles stretched and weak. The longer we leave these muscles imbalanced, the harder it is to correct them.

Bad posture will not only eventually tighten and weaken specific muscles, but can actually create the inability to switch on muscles in the right sequence, or even switch them on at all! When this happens, our body compensates by using other muscles, which become overworked as they now have two jobs to perform. A classic example of this is sitting in front of a computer all day with our heads and shoulders slumped forward. This position will lead to the tightening of the chest muscles, leaving the opposing muscles between our shoulder blades – the rhomboids – overstretched and weakened. If the rhomboids become too weak, they can no longer perform their function properly, and the upper trapezius muscles can be called upon to help out. This can overwork the trapezius muscles, making them tight and inflamed. Suffering from a sore, stiff neck and shoulders is quite common; however we try fixing the problem with pain killers and massage. While these methods are great for easing the pain, we are actually only treating the symptom, not the cause, and the pain will eventually return.

                  How can Pilates help?

Pilates encourages you to think about how you perform everyday movements. It heightens your body awareness which in turn improves your  overall agility, flexibility and strength. It helps you ensure your body is working at its optimal level all the time.

Regular Pilates work will correct muscular imbalance and strengthen your core muscles, including the deep abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, gluteals and deep spinal muscles. There is also a strong focus on correct breathing technique, which really helps to de-stress and unwind.

The most common piece of equipment in any Pilates environment is the reformer. This piece of equipment is coming to Oxygen soon.  A reformer is a moveable carriage for pushing and pulling. Invented in the 1940’s by Joseph Pilates, the older style reformers traditionally utilised springs as resistance. However, manufacturers over recent years have introduced many innovations such as lightweight and modern materials, adjustability, and gravity resistance. This has lead to the reformers being the most popular piece of Pilates equipment throughout the world today. In fact, Pilates in general has been modified to suit the needs and differences of modern bodies.          

Testimonials

“I started Pilates with Chris Ritchie over six months ago, suffering terrible stiffness and shoulder and upper back pain.   I was having trouble getting in and out of our double kayak and seriously thinking I would have to give it away.   After detailing all my “problems” I thought Chris would quietly book me in to the old people’s home but no.  We quietly worked on all my areas correcting my terrible posture and getting my breathing right.  I started to notice an improvement in general movement within four weeks and now I am more supple than my husband!  Pilates has given me an awareness of posture and using “core” muscles in all parts of my life - Even walking the dog is easier!

I would recommend Pilates to anyone who is experiencing stiffness, in particular I would recommend doing it with Chris as her eye for detail means you are forced to do it correctly (even if that is harder).   I try to keep my core switched on at all times and use many of the Pilates techniques in everyday life.  Thanks Chris for delaying the Zimmer frame for a few more years!!!”
 

- Marianne Rajkovic


"Doing Pilates with Chris really helps me focus on the muscles that need to do the work – not all the others I generally recruit!  I have done Pilates at other studios over the years; however, I have to say no-one has given the one-to-one attention that Chris gives.  Her knowledge of the skeletal and muscular system of the body is outstanding; her keen observation of what I am doing (or not doing) is unsurpassable.  I am really benefiting from the sessions – with old sacro iliac injuries, shoulder and neck problems I am really feeling the benefits of this approach.  The right muscles are getting a real workout!  With the programme Chris has me on, I’m really looking forward to hitting the slopes next winter!"

 - Rhae Hooper, Director