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Abdominal Separation #ppnchat from 9/9/14

Priya Tew

Myself and the fabulous Claire Mockridge hosted the second twitter #ppnchat on 9/9/14, the topic was abdominal separation. Personally I’ve found these chats not only a chance to meet new people who work in the same field as me….but a chance to share knowledge, ask questions, be stimulated, be made to think about my practise and to learn. All of that in an hour, whilst sat at home. Pretty amazing networking and learning huh.

So if you work in the pre/postnatal field make sure you come along to our next #ppnchat on 7th October at 2.30pm.

If you missed the chat or want to catch up on some of the tweets and links (I know I do) then you can find a transcript of our chat here.

The Best Pilates Smoothie Recipe

Priya Tew

Sometimes it can be tricky to know what to eat before or after a Pilates class. If you class is close to a meal then you don’t want to have a full stomach in class. If you haven’t eaten for a while and know you need a snack then what do you have? No-one wants to hear tummy rumbles in your roll-ups and doing a teaser with a tummy full really isn’t pleasant!

So here is a great smoothie recipe for yoou that can be whizzed up in seconds and will sustain you through a class or help you replenish afterwards. The oats are slow release carbohydrates to give you energy that lasts and keep you fuller for longer. The milk provides protein and lactose sugars which is proven to be a great rehydration and refuelling substance. The fruit is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Then the linseeds are optional, I like them as they provide omega 3’s which I am always looking for ways to include in my diet.

Pilates with Priya: banana and blueberry smoothie

Banana and Blueberry Oaty Smoothie:

1 tbsp oats
1 medium banana
1 handful of blueberries
150 ml milk
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp linseeds
Place all the ingredients in a food processor or glass jug that you can use with a hand blender. 
 
Pilates with Priya: banana and blueberry smoothie 2
 
Blend and pour into a glass.
Enjoy!
 
Pilates with Priya: banana and blueberry smoothie 3
 

 

Pre/Posnatal Chat on Abdominal Separation: #PPNChat

Priya Tew

If you work with pre/postnatal women then this is for you…. come network, learn and hangout with us. The second Pre/Postnatal Twitter chat hosting by myself and @ClaireMockridge

  • Tuesday 9 September 2014
  • 2:30pm GMT (click here to calculate your timezone if you’re not in the UK/Europe)

 

Postnatal DVD film shoot

 Our topic this time will be ABDOMINAL SEPARATION.

An important topic to be up to date on and a key issue for our pre/postnatal population.  

Come along to share your expertise, learn from others and ask questions. It’s a great way to get some top tips, update your knowledge and meet other likeminded people.

This Twitter chat is for ANYONE who works with pregnant or postnatal women, eg Reflexologists, Fertility Experts, Massage Therapists, Baby Yoga Teachers, Physios, Chiropractors, Osteopaths – you name it! So please spread the word and invite people you know who may be interested.

We will be encouraging people to introduce themselves, answer a few community-themed questions to get the conversation flowing and hopefully enable you to connect with others around you in similar fields of study or locality.

If you have never taken part in a twitter chat before DO NOT PANIC. Make sure you are following us and search for the has tag #ppnchat. Signing into tweet chat or using a separation column in Hootsuite or Tweetdeck can make it easier to read all the tweets.

A FEW GUIDELINES…twitter

  1. Every tweet you send must contain the hashtag #ppnchat (otherwise you’ll be just talking to yourself)
  2. There will be 5 questions on the #ppnchat which will be numbered Q1, Q2, Q3 and so on, as follows:
    • Q1 – Do you test for abdominal separation and if so how often do you test?
    • Q2 – What are your top tips for women suffering from this condition?
    • Q3 – How long do you find it takes for the abdominals to come back together again?
    • Q4 – When would you say a woman is recovered?
    • Q5 – Do you have any good resources/websites you can recommend?
  3. When answering a question, please include ‘A1′ at the beginning, followed by your answer eg A1 Yes, I test all of my postnatal clients for abdominal separation when they come along to my fitness and Pilates classes#ppnchat
  4. Tweets must be fewer than 140 characters.
  5. Twitter’s tagline is ‘Join the Conversation’, so please don’t be shy!

If you can’t make the #ppnchat on Tuesday 9 September 2014, don’t worry – just search the hashtag when you’re next online and connect with those who took part afterwards. I will also upload a blog with a link to the archived chat afterwards.

Please help spread the word about #ppnchat on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or via your mailing list.

 Regards

Claire Mockridge and Priya Tew

Lift without lower back pain

Priya Tew

Lower back pain, it’s the most common issue I see on our Pilates medical forms. Heavy lifting without engaging your core is often a cause of it. It’s common sense that if you lift badly or lift too heavy a weight it will hurt your back… but it is all too easy to do, especially when it is a child! For more on lifting babies see my video.

Think of the core as being the central point from which the power comes from or like a fulcrum that you pivot from. Every seen someone lift something far too heavy? You can see the force going into their back, not a good thing as it can damage the discs in the back. When I was pregnant and post birth I could instantly feel the effects when lifting my toddler, my core was far weaker and I couldn’t support my lower back.

Lifting safely involves engaging the core, bending the knees and thinking about your alignment. Here are my top tips:

 

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  1. Keep the load close to your waist – easy to do when it’s cuddling a child, less so if it is a tantruming one 😉
  2. Get a good grip.
  3. Engage your core.
  4. Maintain a stable base with your feet hip width apart.
  5. Bend the knees and hips NOT the back. Keep a neutral spine.
  6. Know your lifting limits, we aren’t all training for Ironman.
  7. Think about using your legs rather than your back to lift.
  8. Lower down safely, bending your knees.

It’s all about building community: the first pre/postnatal #ppnchat.

Priya Tew

Yesterday myself and Claire Mockridge hosted the first Pre/Postnatal Chat on twitter. There is a real need for education in this area and those who work in the field can find themselves a little isolated. So this chat was all about connecting people, sharing tips and information, learning from each other and thinking about how we can build community for our pre/postnatal clients and how we can work in our local community.

Here is a transcript of our first chat

 

Pilates with Priya: Almost 37 Weeks Pregnant.
My second baby bump at 37 weeks after a Step Aerobics class 😉

We had a great response, THANKYOU to all who tweeted along with us, the hour went fast! I loved meeting some new faces and am already looking forward to the next one.

Save the date:

Tuesday 9th September at 2.30pm

Use the hash tag #ppnchat

More details on the topic and questions to come!

 

 

The FIRST Pre/Postnatal Twitter Chat – Tues 12 Aug 2014 #ppnchat

Priya Tew
How exciting is this? I’m working with Claire Mockridge (another fab pre/postnatal instructor) to bring you the first pre/postnatal twitter chat. A great chance for instructors to network, information share and learn from each other.
Twitter is a great place to meet others and pick up top tips. I’m regularly found taking part in twitter chats.
So… if, like me, you work with pregnant or postnatal women, pop this date/time in your diary:Beautiful pregnant woman.

 

  • Tuesday 12 August 2014
  • 2:30pm GMT (click here to calculate your timezone if you’re not in the UK/Europe)

 

 

Make sure you’re following me on Twitter here:

@pilateswpriya

Save this hashtag now: #ppnchat

The  will be centred around the word ‘community’.

It can be pretty lonely out there if you’re one of the only Pre/Postnatal Experts in your area. This is where social media can be a Godsend. I often ask advice and seek out others who I can learn from in this way. Community is important so come and build it with us.

 Don’t worry if you’re a complete novice when it comes to Twitter.

Follow us, send a Tweet beforehand and we will hold your hand through the process.

This Twitter chat is for ANYONE who works with pregnant or postnatal women, eg Reflexologists, Fertility Experts, Massage Therapists, Baby Yoga Teachers, Physios, Chiropractors, Osteopaths – you name it!

We will be encouraging people to introduce themselves, answer a few community-themed questions to get the conversation flowing and hopefully enable you to connect with others around you in similar fields of study or locality.

 

A FEW GUIDELINES…twitter

  1. Every tweet you send must contain the hashtag #ppnchat (otherwise you’ll be just talking to yourself)
  2. There will be 5 questions on the #ppnchat which will be numbered Q1, Q2, Q3 and so on, as follows:
    • Q1 – What products/services do you provide for pre/postnatal women and which city/area are you based? #ppnchat
    • Q2 – How important is it for pre/postnatal women to be introduced to other mums-to-be and new mums nowadays? #ppnchat
    • Q3 – How do you help your pre/postnatal clients find other women just like them? #ppnchat
    • Q4 – Do you find it lonely sometimes working in this specialist field? How do you combat that? #ppnchat
    • Q5 – What local businesses do you network with to help promote your products/services? #ppnchat
  3. When answering a question, please include ‘Q1′ at the beginning, followed by your answer eg Q1 I’m Claire, an Ante/Postnatal Fitness Expert running fitness and Pilates classes for pre/postnatal women in Nottingham#ppnchat
  4. Tweets must be fewer than 140 characters, so keep things short where
  5. Twitter’s tagline is ‘Join the Conversation’, so please don’t be shy!

 

And, there you have it!Claire-6

If you can’t make the FIRST #ppnchat on Tuesday 12 August 2014, don’t worry – just search the hashtag when you’re next online and connect with those who took part afterwards.  It won’t be a waste, I’m sure.

Please help spread the word about #ppnchat on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or via your mailing list.

 

See you ‘virtually’ on Tuesday at 2:30pm!priya

 

Regards

 

Claire Mockridge and Priya Tew

Say NO to Sit Ups

Priya Tew

 Sit-ups are one of those exercises that I’m really not keen on. Many people perform them incorrectly, they are not safe in pregnancy or post-birth… and yet they are often one of the main exercises people will be doing.

A sit up or any variation of this movement where you go into forward flexion , bringing your upper body towards your knees, is not a good thing for postnatal women.  In fact it can cause more harm than good as it works the tummy muscles in the wrong way.  So, if you’ve recently had a baby and you’re doing sit ups, STOP them immediately.

Pilates with Priya: Why not to Curl up after having baby

Sit ups work the tummy muscles that run vetically down the tummy, called the Rectus Abdominis but commonly known as the six-pack muscle. These lengthen in pregnancy and as your baby grows and your bump gets bigger, this muscle my start to separate around your belly button.  The abdominals can take time to come back to normal after your baby has been born, so for several weeks and indeed months after birth, these muscle remains in a lengthened, separated state.

The danger of doing sit ups in this state is that you can widen any separation you may have of the abdominals and you can actually strengthen the muscles to stay in this separated state. The long term problems with separation include the risk of a hernia (the intestines poke out as there are no tummy muscles covering them), pelvic floor weakness and it also means you won’t get a flat tummy back again.

Instead of doing sit ups, you need to focus on strengthening the pelvic floor and the Transversus Abdominis, which runs like a corset around your lower tummy. By strenghtening these muscle that are deep inside you will strengthen the body from the outside in. These muscles are your foundation, once they are working then they will help realign any abdominal separation you may have and will knit you together again.

Our specialist Postnatal Pilates class and our DVD focuses on strengthening these muscles in the correct order. So we find the lower tummy (transversus abdominus) muscle first, along with the pelvic floor. We then shorten the rectus abdominus  muscles running down the tummy. When this is strong enough and any abdominal separation has been realigned, then the other tummy muscles can be worked.

 

 

 

 

How to deal with cramps

Priya Tew

Quite often in class people tell me that they have got cramp, usually in their feet or legs. It’s a common Pilates issue but one that can be avoided or worked on.

Cramps in your feet can be due to:

1. Dehydration. I find myself that if I have not drunk enough water before class I can get cramp. Make sure you stay well dehydrated and see if it makes a difference.

2. Your foot muscles are out of shape and are fatiguing. If you are not used to Pilates style exercises they can be hard work for your legs and feet. These exercises often work eccentrically, they focus on lengthening the muscles which cna lead to more cramping than concentric exercises that focus on shortening muscles.

3. Overly pointing and flexing the feet or pointing too much through your toes. When you point try not to fous on the toes but move through the ankle instead. Sound odd? Give it a go. Practise pointing and flexing in this way when sat at home.

4. Weak arches or fallen arches. Wearing high heels and standing for long periods of time can exacerbate this issue. Walking barefoot is great for strengthening your feet. Also you can do some simple foot strengthening exercises, these are described below.

Foot Strengthening Exercises:

Tennis Ball exercise: Stand with your foot over a tennis ball or spikey ball. Drape your toes over towards the floor and push your weight down through your foot. Repeat with the ball further back towards your heel.

Pilates with Priya: Foot on Spikey ball-1

Cherry Picking: Lie on your back in neutral with one leg up in the air, foot flexed towards the ceiling. Point the foot, now scrunch up the toes as if picking up a pen with them. Keep them scrunched for as long as possible whilst you draw the foot back to flexed. If you are pregnant try this one seated on the floor or on a chair/ball.

Pilates with Priya: Cherry Picking

Fit Pro Awards 2014: A night of glamour.

Priya Tew

Excitingly I was recently named as a finalist for the National Fitness Professionals Awards. What a complete shock and honour to be recognised in this way by the fitness industry! So on 18th July I went up to London for Fit Pro Live 2014. This was my first time at Fit Pro Live and it was buzzing! Loads of great seminars to attend and masterclasses to watch. I enjoyed watching the Tabata team work themselves extremely hard as well as seeing the latest Insanity class being done by a lot of crazy Fit Pro’s 😉

Unfortunately there wasn’t a lot of Pilates related content but I did get to meet with Claire Mockridge another pre/postnatal Pilates instructor and we had a good catch up. Networking and meeting others in the same field is so important for me.

I had a 10 minute interview in front of a panel of 5 judges, rather nerve-wracking and I certainly didn’t say quite what I probably should have said, but they were lovely and I survived!

The evening event itself was full of glamour. The initial challenge for me was to get both children settled and the baby to sleep. Once that mountain was crossed it was time for dressing up and some Prosecco. I didn’t win the award but another pre/postnatal instructor won an award on the night so that was fabulous!

Pilates with Priya: Fit Pro Awards

A great night of networking, top music and food.  It’s inspired me to keep going and keep doing what I’m doing but also opened my mind to think about the next stages for Pilates with Priya. Watch out…

How to Exercise with Your Baby!

Priya Tew

Life changes dramatically after your have a baby. Everyone told me this before I had baby 1 but I didn’t really believe it until it happened. Suddenly I went from someone who could spend long periods of time in the gym and go for a run whenever I wanted… to someone who had a baby who fed for 14 hours a day, someone who was living off a few hours sleep, someone who had a small person dependant on them.

Yet I can tell you I still managed to fit in exercise. Even after baby 2 when I had even less sleep and even less time. I wouldn’t say I’m a fitness addict or a superstar mum. I’m just someone who knows that exercise: 1) Boosts my endorphin levels so makes me feel good, 2) Gives me more energy, 3) Helps me tone up and get back in shape.

This is how I fit exercise in…

  • Walks with the pram. With my first baby I regularly went out for an afternoon walk to help her sleep and to get myself some exercise and fresh air. With my second baby I combine with with a trip to the park to wear out the toddler!
  • Running with the pram. I did this alot with my first baby, she loved it and still does at 3 1/2 years “Mummy go faster”.

Week 9 Post-baby: Picking up my trainers

  • I went back to teaching my Step Aerobics and Pilates classes as soon as I could. Personally I needed this baby free time. If you can find a postnatal exercise class then go and do it.
  • Put the baby in a door bouncer or a bouncy chair, put on a postnatal fitness DVD and let them watch. I now do this with the baby watching and the toddler copying me.
  • Wear the baby in a sling and go walking, up hill or up and down the stairs is especially good.
  • Once the small ones are asleep have a set night you go out to exercise or do some exercise at home.
  • Exercise with other mummies – either in a class or go walking together.

I’ve even been know  to teach and do Pilates classes with baby asleep in the sling…. but I wouldn’t recommend you try this out.

Pilates with Priya: Pilates with a Sling

Try it out, I promise it will make you feel good 🙂