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. ”
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.
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.
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.
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!
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been shifting the focus in my classes. We’ve focused more on the sides of the body, thinking about these being “long and strong”, about them being “heavy and holding you down on the mat” and about “lifting from the sides of the body”.
It’s been an interesting experiment and has led to some great feedback of people feeling they have worked harder or reporting their obliques have been aching a couple of days after class.
Sometimes we can over-focus on the core muscles and forget about the rest of the body. Bringing that body awareness to the obliques just makes the exercises slightly different and can make you more effective.
So if you want to try a slightly different emphasis give it a go…. even in your day to day activities focus on keeping the sides of the body and the waist muscles lengthened, tall and strong. Think about not “squidging” in the sides but standing tall. Draw in the core muscles as well and see how you feel.
I recently found Mums 2 be Fitwear on Twitter, perfect timing seeing as I’m now 20 weeks pregnant. Having chatted to them they seemed like a lovely company so I agreed to review their clothing. With the amount of classes I teach it’s important to have clothes that support me, show my body shape and make me feel good too.
Very quickly Mums to Be Fitwear sent me a top and some below the knee leggings in black. These clothes are lovely in terms of their look, feel and quality. I couldn’t want to try them out.
As a fitness instructor I currently teach Step Aerobics and Pilates (3 being antenatal) classes plus I attend ballet. So from cardio work to strength, core, dancing and flexibility, I’ve tested these clothes out.
My verdict?
I absolutely love the leggings. They stretch very comfortably over my bump and I can tell these will be a staple in my wardrobe throughout my pregnancy. They feel soft to the touch and fit my calves nicely. They could also be comfortably worn just around the house or for a sport look out and about.
The top I really like the look of and the feel but I found it is slightly too high cut under the arms. I found this slightly uncomfortable for Step Aerobics but fine for Pilates. The rest of the top is very flattering and fits very well. I wonder if I just need a slightly larger size as although I am usually a size 8 my boobs have certainly grown a lot more than they did in my first pregnancy!
Overall I would highly recommend these clothes, especially the over the bump style trousers.
Wow what a day. I’ve been filming the new Pilates with Priya DVD, as I’m currently pregnant it made sense to make an antenatal DVD. Personally I found Pilates kept me well in pregnancy. I have a tendency to suffer from lower back pain when pregnant and Pilates is such a help for that. I was only teaching 1 class a week during my last pregnancy so was doing my own pregnancy pilates each night.
We now have 3 Antenatal classes running a week and it’s a joy to see so many pregnant ladies stay fit and strong throughout their journey. I’m currently 18 weeks pregnant with number 2 and am teaching 11 Pilates classes a week at present, it’s certainly keeping me toned and those aches and pains are staying away.
So as so many in my classes have said how helping Antenatal Pilates has been to them….. we took the hint and the new DVD will be coming out soon! Today we had 3 cameras, 2 sets of lights, 2 camera men and me, all in my little studio. It seemed to go well, but I haven’t seen any of it yet – looking forward to that bit 😉 The DVD includes a standing warm-up, some exercises seated either on gym ball or a chair, exercises in hands and knees and lying on the side. It’s designed to strengthen the core and the pelvis, support the lower back and help prepare ladies for labour whilst keeping them well in pregnancy.
So if you are pregnant or know any one who is – then watch out for our DVD, coming very soon.
I used to be a heels addict. I seriously lived in them.Being married to a man who is over 6 foot meant I pretty much had to in order to get to a sensible height beside him. I found heels themselves quite comfortable but when in flats for too long I always got back ache…. now I know why and what I was doing to my pelvis and hamstrings – they were TIGHT!
So after giving birth to a small one and then launching into a Pilates business I have had no time to wear my heels and little need for them. I know now why… it’s not just the fact that I am either chasing a toddler around the place, crawling on my hands and knees or barefoot in the studio…… Pilates itself has stretched me. I’ve literally grown 4cm! Yes really. I was dubious and made the nurse check 4 times, however I’ve been trained in taking heights and she was doing it perfectly. I’ve gone from 164cm to 168cm in 2 years.
Height Measure
Suddenly I can see why I feel comfortable without my heels. It’s certainly not the main reason most people would take up Pilates but it is a good by-product if you want a little extra height 🙂
Working with pregnant ladies I often end up advising and chatting about pelvic pain. I also have a few other non-pregnant ladies with this type of pain, who had this type of pain in pregnancy and it’s continued after birth.
Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) has been renamed Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. Big terms for pain in the joint that make up the pelvis, the syphysis pubis joint and the front and the sacroiliac joint at the back. Pain can be felt in the lower back, groin, thighs, hips and pelvic floor. This can lead to pain walking, climbing the stairs, getting in/out of the car and bath, straddling, turning in bed and standing on one leg.
There are many reasons suggested as to why this pain can occur, in some cases the pelvic joints can be damaged or weak, there could be a biomechanical problem or it could be due to hormones. Between 14-22% of pregnant ladies get PGP and in many it is a random thing that cannot be predicted!
Pilates can really help prevent and minimise PGP. In my ante-natal classes we focus on strengthening the muscles above and below the pelvis, so helping the pelvis remain strong. We strengthen the core muscles and also muscles in the thighs, legs and bottom. For example a pelvic tilt or small roll up can strengthen the core and modified squats and oysters can strengthen the gluts and thighs muscles.
If you get pelvic pain then here are my top tips:
See a physiotherapist. In Southampton you can self-refer to the obstetric physio, which is an amazing thing. the midwifes will pass on the number to you. A physio will assess your pain, range of function and possibly realign your pelvis.
Once you have seen the physio, then Pilates exercises can help strengthen you to minimise any further pain. Try a one to one session for some specially tailored exercises to do at home or attend a class.
Remain active within the limits of your pain, keeping active is important and will help, but obviously you don’t want to be in constant pain, so you will need to judge how much you can do.
Avoid activities that make it worse, standing on one leg often does this or having the legs too wide apart. Try keeping some activites seated.
Using a pillow between your legs when sleeping can provide relief for some ladies.
Ask for help when you need it!
Priya will be releasing her own worksheets to help with this area and her own Pilates in Pregnancy DVD very soon, contact us to pre-order.
To book a one to one session click here.
Contact Us
To book onto a class or for massage please contact Priya (best by text/email).
