Fitness Blog

Sustainable Pilates - Taking Responsibility for the Planet as well as your Wellbeing

Sustainable Pilates - Taking Responsibility for the Planet as well as your Wellbeing

As I’ve got older certain things have become more important in my life, responsibility for the planet is one of them. Ok that sounds very grandiose I know but I’m trying to do my bit. I’m Flexitarian but eat more Vegan food now, I avoid as many single use plastics as I can and I do seek out eco-friendly and sustainable brands for everything from make-up to homeware, not to mention the most frequently used items in my wardrobe- namely my Pilates clothes. I live and breathe (literally!) Pilates and I have been actively looking for Pilates clothing that I can wear knowing that it has come from a sustainable and ethical source and looks good too. Most recently I was approached by a lovely Swedish brand called Pebbles Pilates who asked me if I’d like to try their product. I have to be honest it was great to be approached as most often, and I think if you’re older like me you will know this, sportswear brands only feature very young, very agile movers which can put you off if you’re older. We all need peers to connect with after all.

Learn to Love Your Body for What it Does not How it Looks

Learn to Love Your Body for What it Does not How it Looks

How do you feel about your body? Do you look at it with admiration at what it can do? Or do you pick out parts you don’t like, critique and compare to others. I’m fessing up to being guilty of the second statement on occasion. Odd you may think when I’ve danced all my life but growing up in a competitive environment and a society where it’s socially acceptable to criticise and comment on a woman’s body can do that to you. And I don’t want that for the next generation, nor do I want anyone who feels that way to continue feeling negative about body image. This is why all my classes and YouTube sessions are body positive and age positive.

Why an Injury Can affect Your mental health and How to Overcome it

Why an Injury Can affect Your mental health and How to Overcome it

There is a great article on why a sports injury can harm your mental health in this months Psychologies magazine with some excellent advice. One piece in particular was ‘ if you can’t play your usual sport due to injury what can you do instead? And this is where Pilates comes in. Working as a pilates instructor for 10+ years now I’ve seen many injuries and pathologies that have affected peoples mental health and the first priority is always to get people moving in whatever way they can because movement in itself is healing. A comprehensively certified teacher can call on 600 + pilates exercises from both the mat and apparatus repertoire and adapt them to work with the injury and rehabilitate both body and mind. I’ve had many clients arrive as injured who’ve stayed with me post recovery and continue to use pilates to cross train and stay injury free. And it isn’t just injuries, age can play a big part in how we feel about ourselves and the same philopsophy applies, movement is healing so my advice to you is no matter your age, no matter your injury find a way to move to stay healthy in mind and body.

‘Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all’

‘Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all’

That’s the phrase I live by now but it wasn’t always so. Performing was all I had wanted to do but post a knee injury and a destructive relationship that dissolved any confidence I had in myself I retreated into a job where I was very much behind the scenes. It was only when a close friend gave me a key ring with this quote on a few years ago that I realised how far I’d come. 10 years ago I was on the brink of another career change, this time a chosen one as I was giving up a career as a stressed out, overworked Producer/ Director in Television to retrain as a Pilates teacher in California.

The New Normal

The New Normal

Exercise like wellbeing isn't something to be rushed or that can be switched on or off, it takes time to build a healthy lifestyle so if you're feeling the pressure to lose weight and get fit after a long and lengthy lockdown let's try something. Let’s shed the guilt and find a new goal. Your mission if you choose to take it it is to live a happier, healthier life. That’s it. No guilt, no self criticism, just a mission every day to be happier and healthier.

Back to Basics

Back to Basics

Never underestimated the benefits of going back to basics. The most inspiring pilates teachers I’ve met since I started pilates twenty years ago as an ex-dancer were those that not only inspired and motivated me, but also had a great empathy and humility for their work. It’s easy to forget nowadays when everything is instantly available at the press of a button that exercise and experience only improve over time, you can’t rush either.

Get 15% off Bam Clothing with our discount code

Get 15% off Bam Clothing with our discount code

Celebrating my 9th year of teaching Pilates and my 19th year of doing Pilates. Nothing beats the feeling it gives me and as I get older it just gets better. Age will never stop me, oh no I’m planning to wear hot pink leggings and teach daily classes into my 80’s! 💕 What about you? Will you be joining me in class?! 💕

The Ten Principles of Pilates

I've been practicing Pilates now for over 18 years and I cannot tell you how much my wellbeing, fitness and flexibility has improved from daily practice. I am fitter, stronger and less prone to injury than I was when I was a professional dancer and not only that I have more core strength now than I ever did when I was dancing professionally. Much has changed in the world of dance and sport in that time, so much so that it is now recognised that Pilates is an essential part of any dancer or athlete's cross training routine. But even if you practice Pilates regularly, are you aware of the original principles of this form of movement?

When Joseph Pilates developed his exercise regime in the early part of the twentieth century, it evolved over time as many forms of movement do, but he had a set of principles that he applied to all his work which are still taught today and I think it’s very useful to know what these are, and try and apply them to your own individual practice.

Awareness

Be aware of your body - joints and muscles.

Balance

Work all your muscles in balance.

Breath

Breathe well to aid your exercise as well as relieve stress.

Concentration

Concentrate on what you’re doing, be in the moment.

Control

Control your movements in in a relaxed way to reduce tension.

Centre

Focus on your centre (core) at all times, thereby stabilising your body.

Efficiency

Be efficient in the ease & economy of your movement.

Flow

Flow by activating the muscles at just the right time.

Harmony

Be in harmony with yourself, others and the environment.

Precision

Be precise & pay attention to the details of the exercise, enjoy the detail.

Written material and photograph copyright of Rachel Lawrence.

All Rights reserved

To Read more about the surprising benefits of Pilates, click the link below:

http://bit.ly/2QmHq57

The one thing that will lengthen your life

The one thing that will lengthen your life

Amazing fact of the week- A recent study shows that men and women who ramped up their activity gradually to about seven hours a week by the age of 40-61 reduced their risk of death from any cause in the years that followed by about 35%.

All the more reason to not miss your regular pilates, dance and stretch classes, and if anything try and do more. It’s great if you manage one class a week, but by increasing what you do to say two or three classes a week, along with increasing the activity in your day to day life you will be protecting yourself against many of the illnesses related to inactivity and ageing.

Be a superhero and boost your health today!

Be a superhero and boost your health today!

We would all like to feel like a superhero, you know all powerful and able to conquer the world and by increasing your intake of purple foods you can actually give your wellbeing a serious boost.


3 Easy Ways to Lose Weight this January

3 Easy Ways to Lose Weight this January

We’re two weeks into the New year so life should be settling back down into routine, and ( I hope) you now have time to think about your health and wellbeing. Making changes to one’s health and wellbeing can seem daunting if it has been a while, or indeed if you feel you’ve tried everything and it’s just not working and that’s where I come in. I want to help you be THE BEST YOU CAN BE so join me and let’s take this journey together.