Talk to our Pilates Instructor about classes running in Hartlepool and Guisborough. Sammy@paulgoughphysio.com
The reality of being healthy like you hope, staying active for as long as you can and having your body in sufficient shape to let you do all that you want to do, is it does take some effort. There’s no getting away from it.
But I honestly believe that most people know that they need to do something, even genuinely want to do something, they’re just a bit confused about what. If that’s you, here’s something else for you to consider:
A close second (to Yoga) on my list of ways to reduce the aches and pains associated with being 50 and above is “Pilates”.
Just about every professional footballer I ever worked with enthused over Pilates and would in some way shape or form do it on a regular basis to improve the control and tone of their muscles. Pilates is one of the best methods available to reduce your risk of injury and limit any next day soreness you might be so used to feeling after you’ve exercised. And best, it’s really simple to do, once you know how.
The theory is that if the core muscle strength around your spine is better and more “in control” (of the joints), then your risk of injury reduces hugely and with it the amount of stiffness of tension you will feel. Your lower back is the power house of your body. If it is strong, chances are most other areas around your body will be too. If your lower back is weak, then it’s no wonder you’re suffering from stiffness, constant aches and pains and feeling tired all the time.
I view Pilates as quite possibly one of the best and most significant advances in Exercise Science in the last twenty years. But little do most people know, it’s been around for 100’s (of years). A guy called Josep Pilates invented it a long time back and it’s just taking a bit of time for people to really cotton on (to how important it can be to improving your health).
But, thanks to some new ways of thinking and a lot to do with Pippa Middleton admitting reason reason why she has such a sought after “bum” is because she does it regularly (the future Queen’s sister admitted at the time of the royal wedding that she has her Pilates tutor to thank for her shapely figure), Pilates is now much more popular and main stream.
Again, like Yoga, Pilates is one of those things that at first is adopted by the big, forward thinking and cosmopolitan cities like London. As if people from those type of cities can benefit from having better muscle tone, control and posture, but people in places like my town of Hartlepool, can’t.
It’s madness! But a lot of it is to do with old fashioned thinking and failure to adopt new ways of doing things (dogma). Something that I think the North East has suffered for for too long, when it comes to finding different ways to improve and better health. And that’s the goal, right?
But Pilates is something I’d urge you to seriously consider looking into. Again, you could find a class, go along for a few months and learn the routine, then begin to adopt a few of them your self at home. It’s a simple set of exercises done in sequence and most classes last about 40-45 minutes. Doing it regularly is going to ease muscle tension in your neck and shoulders, limit back pain, make you look much healthier when you begin to stand up tall with your shoulders back, and as an added bonus, it’s done to soothing music and is very relaxing too. So it’s great for the mind and body and that’s got to be a bonus, right?
And it’s something that I believe in so much, at my Physiotherapy Practice we employ a Specialist Physiotherapy Pilates instructor. That means when our clients come and visit us, as well as giving them the hands on care that they need that the NHS won’t give, like the massage and manual joint work, we also give each an appropriate and highly specific (to them) Pilates exercise work out plan to take home and start to work on.
The transformations in health that we hear from our clients doing these routines often happen in weeks and clients tell us of seeing (and feeling) stunning improvements in their posture not forgetting a significant reduction in things like back and shoulder muscle pain.
My tip: Find a reputable instructor and go along to a class just once per week. Then, simply add 5-10 minutes of Pilates style exercises to the beginning and end of your day. If your kids are are able to do it with you, why not make it a family routine? Beats sitting round and watching TV on a morning.
Talk to our Pilates Instructor about classes running in Hartlepool and Guisborough. Sammy@paulgoughphysio.com
more here: www.paulgoughphysio.com/pilates
You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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