Priya Tew | Pilates with Priya

Royal Bumps and normal bumps, tips on getting your body back post birth.

24 August, 2013 Priya Tew

So on Monday …… the newest addition to the Royal Family made an appearance. With Kate in labour there were people camping outside the hospital, live feeds recording the hospital and all sorts of chatter going on. Now I understand the excitement but thinking back to the birth of my first child, personally I was pleased to see they were given some privacy. The whole labour experience can be so challenging, unexpected and yet at the end there’s the amazement of meeting that gorgeous baby that you have been carrying around for 9 months. Those first few days are overwhelming, emotional, tiring and a big change to life.

The thing that I’ve found sad is the media chatter around Kate’s baby bump still being present a few days post-birth. Now in my mind that’s completely natural and normal. After 9 months of growing a baby your body is going to just spring back to it’s previous shape after a couple of days. It’s made me, as a pregnant lady and a antenatal Pilates instructor, think about the pressure on new mums. Yes, we wants new mums to look after their bodies, to eat healthily, to restart exercise when it’s safe to and to get that body confidence back…… but there can be far too much pressure. Having said that everyone’s bodies are different and if you have exercised through your pregnancy you are more likely to lose the weight quicker. Here I am 8 days post-baby number 1 back in my “comfy jeans” but certainly not back to my normal size and shape, who knows how I’ll be after baby number 2.

: Bump to Birth Pilates: 8 days post baby.

My advice:

It’s taken 9 months to grow a baby, it will take time for the baby weight to come off, be patient.
A few days after birth light exercise such as gentle walking and pelvic floor exercises should be safe.
Don’t engage in any high impact exercise until you have had your 6 week check from your GP and have built up to it. Jumping straight into high impact work can cause more damage than good. Strengthen your core and pelvic floor first.
Build your exercise back up slowly and steadily. Start with gentle walking, some light resistance work perhaps and think about a post natal Pilates class to strengthen your core and pelvic floor safely.
You may have diastasis recti (a gap in your tummy muscles) so certain abdominal exercises will not be suitable, post natal Pilates will help with this.
Try not to succomb to the cakes, biscuits and chocolates that are often around 😉 yes you need extra calories when breastfeeding but it’s better to get these from nutritious sources such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrains, lean protein, nuts and seeds. Keep the “treat foods” as treats.
Relaxin is a hormone that makes you more flexible and supple than usual, this hormone is still around post-birth so take care when stretching or in yoga moves.
If you are still bleeding post-birth be cautious not to overdo it, if the bleeding gets worse then rest.
Remember you have a new baby to look after and will be up in the night, so rest is also important.
Specialist post natal classes are fantastic – look for a cardio class such as a boot camp or aerobics class to complement a Pilates class. You can often take your baby to class with you.
Be active, take time for you and be kind to yourself!

Breastfeeding and Exercise

10 August, 2013 Priya TewLeave a Comment

I’m posting this after a couple of posts and questions on the topic… I myself remember being a bit worried about breastfeeding and exercise but my experience was that as long as I fed before and after exercise I had no problems (the hubby on the other hand sometimes had a fractious baby!). I’ve based some of this on my initial questions and those I’ve been asked.

Feed before exercise

I’d always suggest that you feed your baby before your exercise. If your breasts are full, chances are they will feel uncomfortable, and any amount of activity may stimulate milk flow, so it’s advisable to wear breast pads. If it’s a class like the ones I teach you can probably arrange to get there early and feed the baby before class. If not feed at home or even in the car! Remember you could also express if feeding is not an option.

Is a sports bra necessary?

Getting a properly fitted sports bra is essential if you’re embarking on any type of fitness class or activity to reduce the amount of “bounce” and provide adequate shock absorption to the breasts. Although wearing a nursing bra is very convenient for feeding before or after class it will not provide enough support. Consider wearing two bras, with a nursing bra on first, then a sports bra over the top. I know it sounds like a bit of a nuisance, but this “double-bra” effect will you with the support you need. I remember doing this and then whipping my top and sports bra off to feed in between classes on occasion – rather crazy but necessary 😉 I’m going to be looking out for a breastfeeding sports bra with baby 2 on the way, these are now more readily available thankfully.

Body positioning

I’m always quite aware of this in my post-natal classes. Lying directly on your front can feel uncomfortable when breastfeeding. For others, it feels fine. When performing any exercise in this position, if it feels uncomfy, either mention it to your instructor who should be able to offer you an alternative exercise or you could try placing a rolled up towel above and/or below your breasts to reduce the amount of discomfort/pressure. Personally I only put ladies on their tummies for a short period of time then we change position.

Range of movement

Again, for comfort, it’s advisable to keep the range of movement of some arm exercises smaller and controlled. Anything vigorous that involves you reaching your arms over your head repetitively will cause tenderness, so it’s important you keep the range of movement of your arms smaller. You know your body best, at the end of the day, so choose what feels comfortable for you.

Milk production

There is no significant research to suggest that moderate-intensity exercise inhibits milk production. Examples of moderate-intensity exercise include: weight training, low-impact aerobics, walking, swimming. A study by Carey & Quinn (2001) suggested that lactate levels of milk production changed only after a mother performed maximal intensity exercise, and this may affect baby’s acceptance of post-exercise breast milk. But, the authors agreed that it’s highly unlikely that a postnatal women would feel comfortable pushing themselves to this level, so its findings have been discounted. Moderate-intensity exercise however, with good hydration will not affect the quantity or the quality of breast milk. Note the key here is good hydration. A great tip is to have a glass of water every time you breastfeed.

I hope this helps, any questions let me know and I’d love to hear your feedback too.

Pilates helps in Sport.

10 August, 2013 Priya Tew

Currently we are getting a few more sporting types coming through the studio who are looking to use Pilates to improve their performance. Pilates is especially effective in building core stability, improving focus and injury prevention. All sports have their own key patterns of movement and repeated use of these movement patterns can result in muscular imbalance. Less relevant muscle groups can become weak and inefficient, with the more predominant muscles becoming bulky and tight. Pilates focuses on the body as a whole, aiming to rebalance muscles and improve postural alignment. Here are some of the ways Pilates can help in specific sports.

Cricket:

Both Mike Atherton and Graham Thorpe use Pilates as a way to overcome previous injuries and to prevent future ones. Pilates provides key benefits for both batsmen and bowlers, which is why many top cricketers use it in their training. Mike Atherton, the former England captain, swore by Pilates as a way both to recover from injuries and to prevent future ones. Graham Thorpe, another England batsman, abandoned his cricket equipment and used Pilates to overcome serious back problems he’d acquired from playing the sport.

Pilates improves flexibility and strength, enhances posture, balance and co-ordination and develops core strength. Incorporating Pilates into your training programme is the perfect way for cricket players to improve their posture which in turn will improve the way they handle their cricket equipment.

Snowboarding and Skiing plus Watersports:

Pilates challenges the deep abdominal ‘core’ muscles that help to maintain the dynamic, balanced posture that is essential for safe and efficient skiing or snowboarding. A strong core helps to counteract the twists and turns of the slope, and gives you the ability to negotiate the slopes or the water with great balance and poise.

Golf:

Tiger Woods, Annika Sorrenstam and Rocco Mediate have all incorporated Pilates into their training regimen and the results are clear!

The golf swing is a little one-sided, which can create imbalance in the body. Pilates helps you to swing from your core, not from your limbs, and to balance out the body against the forces of the swing. If you strengthen the core, increase your flexibility, build stability in the pelvis and shoulder girdles and balance both sides of the body, it will allow you to hit it farther, straighter and more accurately.

Running:

Runners advocate Pilates because it builds long, strong muscles, improves flexibility and lessens the risk of injury. Runners often suffer from back, knee and hip problems from the constant impact involved in running. Pilates concentrates on posture and alignment – it opens up the hips, the vertebrae in the lower back and focuses on joint mobility.

Horse-Riding:

This requires balance, good posture and strong gluts, thighs and core. Pilates will help to correct postural imbalances, create body awareness and stretch out tight glut and hamstrings.

Football and Rugby:

A growing number of top footballers and rugby players do Pilates as a way of improving co-ordination, mobility, flexibility and technique, as well as for prevention and recovery from injuries. The All Blacks and the Welsh Rugby Union is among the high-profile advocates of Pilates

Football and rugby both demand rapid directional changes, often at near-maximum pace, which demans flexibility in the body. The players also need to deliver controlled power from unbalanced body positions for tackles and scrums – all Pilates movements are initiated from a strong core to provide stability, and targeting these requirements can aid injury prevention and enhance performance by developing stamina, co-ordination and strength. Hamstring tears are common in both sports – focusing on the stabiliser muscles of the pelvis (the buttocks and groin muscles), will help prevent them.

Priya Talks Pilates on the Katie Martin Show, BBC Radio Solent.

2 August, 2013 Priya Tew

On Wednesday I had the pleasure of talking on BBC Radio Solent about Pilates, myself and Katie Martin had a lovely chat about the pressure on mums to spring back into shape after having a baby, Kate Middleton’s post birth figure and I gave some top tips on eating and exercising after having a baby.

Listen here for a few more days, it starts at 36 minutes:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01ck39c

Milk, the best rehydration aid after exercise.

13 July, 2014 Priya Tew

There has been a growing interest in milk and it’s uses in exercise. Most of the studies are small ones but the evidence is mounting and consistently shows that milk is a great way to rehydrate after exercise.

Skimmed milk has been found to be an effective post-exercise rehydration aid and is more effective at the fluid balance restoration than sports drinks.

Low fat chocolate milk has also been used to provide fluid after exercise. Its ratio of 4:1 Carbohydrate to protein plus the sodium in it have been found to be very effective, leading to it being used by athletes, such as Michael Phelps.

Why?

Milk contains:

Protein – 80% casein, 20% whey which may reduce muscle damage and aid muscle repair. Who needs a protein shake when you can have the natural form of protein?

Branched chain amino acids – leucine, isoleucines and valine, making supplements unnecessary.

Carbohydrate – in the form of lactose to replenish the muscle and liver glycogen stores that will have been used up.

Fat – to fill you up post-exercise 🙂

Calcium – for bone health.

Water – 87%

Electrolytes – sodium and potassium which improve rehydration, helping you rehydrate quicker than with water alone.

I’m not suggesting you need to have a glass of milk after a walk or a gentle exercise session but when you know you need to rehydrate and replenish milk is a great choice.

Bump to Birth DVD Review from EDM fitness.

10 August, 2013 Priya TewLeave a Comment

Here is a lovely review of our Bump to Birth Antenatal Pilates DVD that I recieved from Victoria at EDM Fitness:

“‘From Bump to Birth’ was very easy to follow (even if you are a complete beginner at Pilates) and could be done at home when you have a quiet moment. You do not necessarily need any special equipment, but if you would like a mat, and a swiss ball, but you can still do these exercises on a chair!

The exercises are clearly explained, and you can work to your own ability and trimester as adaptations for easier/harder exercises are offered. The beauty of this DVD is that all exercises are suitable for the complete duration of your pregnancy, so you don’t have to worry whatsoever about if what you’re doing is ‘okay!’

I would thoroughly recommend this workout, it targets the main niggles that women get during pregnancy.. (e.g. lower back pain, stress incontinence, stress) as well as prepare you for birth and after delivery. The whole workout is just generally is very relaxing and gets you to take some time out in your busy day.

Highly recommended, quick, easy and cost effective way of regularly doing some core strengthening exercises during your pregnancy. ”

The full review is here.

Or go like them on Facebook.

Turn off those Hip Flexors

11 July, 2013 Priya Tew

Over the past few weeks you may have heard me talk about not using your hip flexors, switching off your thighs and hips or releasing tension through the hips…. why? It’s all about using the core more and the hip flexors less.

The hip flexors are a group of muscles that bring the thigh and trunk of the body closer together. You use your hip flexors in many daily activities like walking, stepping up, and bending over. Technical bit here: the hip flexors are the illiacus, psoas major, pectineus, rectus femoris, and sartorius muscles.

Now these are a very important group of muscles but they can tend to take over when we do core work. In some exercises duch as curl ips, roll ups and leg lifts the hip flexors can want to do the work, which means the abdominal muscles do less! Hence some people can do sit ups all day – it doesn’t mean their core is strong 😉

So how do I stop using my hip flexors?

A lot of us have to work on the hip flexor habit constantly and to be honest you can’t leave the hip flexors entirely out of most abdominal exercises. The idea is to get the core involved as much as you can and to keep the hip flexors from taking over too much. Think core more, hip flexors less.

Body awareness is the key here, think about what muscles you can feel active/tight when doing exercises. Try to switch off the hip flexors, relax through the bum, thighs and legs. It may mean taking an exercise down a level in order to perfect your technique. Try not to grip through the floor and draw the core in a little more. Soreness in the groin area (especially after classes) can be a sign that you are weak in the abs and over-using your hip flexors. Another clue is not being able to keep your feet and legs down when you do a sit up or roll up.

These Pilates exercises can help increase awareness and set the foundation for the balance between the core and hip flexor use:

In knee folds, using the core muscles to stabilize the pelvis and lifting from your centre not your hips, also. In knee folds try to keep your big muscles, like the quadriceps of the thigh, out of the exercise as much as possible. Keep space in the hip area.

Half Roll Back: As you begin to roll back, You might sense a point where the hip flexors want to take over. You can feel that at crease of your thigh. As you roll down, the hip flexors will have to do some stabilizing, but try to maintain a focus on rolling down and controlling with the core. Again keep that space in the hip area, think length.

The full hundred calls for the legs to be extended. The hip flexors often see that as a call to over-work, so try taking it down a level and keep the legs bent with a focus on just using the core.

Pilates and Diabetes.

1 July, 2013 Priya Tew

Recently we spent the day at the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation’s Wellness Day in Southampton, where we basically hung out and chatted about Pilates 🙂

The team that run these days are a joy to work with, they are always laid back but well run affairs, the delegates are particularly well looked after and the educational session run are filled with great speakers and information. So we were delighted and honoured to be asked to be there. I was there to give a talk, demonstration and we had a table with a selection of our DVD’s and Pilates info.

Pilates in my mind is suitable for almost all population groups as it is such an adaptable form of exercise, you can tailor the exercises. Diabetes can be a debilitating and difficult to manage condition unless you have the right support. Diet and exercise really are key to good management. Here is a summary of my top 5 reasons Pilates can help in Diabetes:

1. Pilates provides a gentle yet effective way to exercise, it’s great if you are concerned about exercising but know you need to start .

2. Some exercises can help stimulate the nerves in the feet, for example spiky ball under the feet, this could help with neuropathy prevention.

3. Exercises can be performed seated rather than lying down, no equipment or gym membership is needed.

4. Pilates improves mobility, flexibility and muscular strength.

5. Combining Pilates with a healthy diet and some walking will help with weight loss.

I spoke to about 100 people, had them all on their feet mobilising and finding their core! We had some fantastic feedback and lots of questions.

My Antenatal Pilates DVD went down very well as it is based on seated, stood and side lying exercises, so although I’ve marketed this as great for use in pregnancy it is also fabulous for older populations and those who want to do Pilates but don’t want to lie flat on their backs or tummies.

Roller Addiction. Why Rollers are the Bees Knees.

21 June, 2013 Priya Tew

It’s official. I have a roller addiction. There I’ve said it! Fortunately some of those in my classes seem to have a similar roller love. So why do I love them so? Here’s a little run down on how a roller can make Pilates even better:

1. They make you work harder, place your body on an unstable surface and suddenly that core has to work extra hard.

2. Tension release – just lying on one of these babies can release in the shoulder blades and upper body.

3. Massage – it’s not my favourite thing to use a roller for but boy does it do you good.

4. They are so versatile, I use them for lying exerises, prone exercises, seated, stood and under the sacrum too.

5. Coming off the roller is amazing, that moment when you lie down on the floor and stretch out – its sheer bliss.

Here are my top 5 roller exercises:

1. Single Leg Stretch: lie on the roller in neutral, keep the shoulder blades open and touching it, come to a double knee fold then on an out breath stretch the leg away and on an in breath return it to the starting position. Repeat on the other side staying heavy through the pelvis and lumbar spine and pinned to the roller the whole time.

2. Shoulder Drops: great for tension release in the shoulders. Lying on the roller, breath and and lift both arms to the ceiling, hands over shoulders and hands shoulder distance apart. Breath out and reach towards the ceiling, breath in and drop the shoulder blades back down to touch the roller. Use the core to stabilise the pelvis and keep you as still as possible on the roller.

3. Shoulder Bridge: Lying down on the mat with the roller under your feet, knees bent, in neutral with the core engaged. Breath out and roller up to a shoulder bridge, breath in to hold and breath out to slowly roll down through the spine keeping the roller still and the legs in line. Really uses the hamstrings in the legs and the gluts in the bum!

4. CAT: Come to hands and knees, place the roller under your shins. As you breath out roll up to CAT (arched back) position, breath in to hold and then breath out as you gently release back to neutral.

5. Swimming: Lie on your tummy with the roller in front of you, holding around each end, arms outstretched. Engage the core and relax in the legs and bum. As you breathe out keep the shoulder blades pulled down in the back but lift your hand, elbow and 1 side of the roller off the floor. Breath in and let it come down to the floor. The whole time keep the pelvis still and try to think about lifting from your core and not your shoulder.

I hope that inspires you to get on a roller! If you need to buy one and are local I can order them in for you.

Priya x

Antenatal DVD Release: From Bump to Birth.

30 July, 2025 Priya Tew

From Bump to Birth: Pilates can Help – Southampton Based Pilates Instructor Releases Antenatal Pilates DVD

We’ve only gone and done it, this week sees the release of our Antenatal Pilates DVD and it is looking pretty fabulous! The DVD was filmed when Priya was 18 weeks pregnant and the wonderful Alun Leppitt has done a fantastic job with directing and producing it.

F”rom Bump to Birth” is designed to help keep pregnant ladies strong, fit, mobile and toned throughout pregnancy. Suitable for all stages of pregnancy and also after giving birth this DVD includes seated, stood, side lying and hands and knees sections so you can dip into whichever part you fancy.

Priya now teaches 3 antenatal classes a week and sees a large number of pregnant ladies each week so really does know the exercises that help and are most useful.

Priya says “Pilates can strengthen your core, so supporting your lower back, aiding with pregnancy back aches as well as help stabilise the pelvis as the exercises I use also focus on the muscles in the thighs and bum, so we support below the pelvis.”

“Personally Pilates is essential for me in pregnancy, it prevent too much pelvic pain and back ache and ensures I stay fit and mobile”

The DVD is available from her website: www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk/site/DVD or directly from the studio ([email protected]), costing £15 if collected directly from the studio. Please do spread the word!

Author: Priya Tew