One Body Structural Integration & Pilates Studio

This pic came up today. It’s a good example of how Structural Integration can ease asymmetry.

The change I like most is the way load is more evenly distributed from trunk to 2 legs.

When Structural Integration clients notice they’re feeling more comfortable in their bodies it’s from changes like this

~ from a client over the weekend.

Structural Integration is largely hands- on manual therapy but at some point (or points) in a session I’ll ask my
client to get up, maybe walk around, to check in on how our session is progressing

People won’t always notice big changes but it’s common to hear them say they feel light, taller , smoother movement - or if there’s been an asymmetry often feel more balance

Sometimes they have a lot to say and it’s specific.

Sometimes it’s clear that they feel differences but it’s hard to describe with words - which is totally ok.

This time round this client said she felt lighter. And relaxed but not sleepy. She said she felt her legs moved more smoothly.

If you’re interested to know more about Structural Integration and how it could help you, I offer an Introduction to Structural Integration in my studio where we cover all this. It’s a one hour session at a special price of $90.

Feeling truly inspired after the 11th Interdisciplinary Lower back and Pelvic Pain Conference last week in Melbourne.

It was amazing to be able to hear from these leaders in fascial research from Italy, Germany, Canada and Australia - with Carla Stecco, Robert Schleip, Diane Lee , Paul Hodges, (among others) - & so close to home

Many new insights gained and also affirming the work I’m so fortunate to already be part of with my Structural Integration and my Pilates work.

And - last but not least - it was lovely to catch up with dear colleagues Julie Hammond & Chris & Maree Clayton.
hammond4
com.au

Thanks for the 📸.com.au

I caught up with a participant from last week’s Foot Workshop & it was great to hear her experience!
I’m running it again (see what I did there 😉) this Saturday in Newcastle. Tix via linktree

Coming up in October

One workshop, 2 locations, to Build Your Resilient Feet.

We cover simple + effective techniques that I regularly use in the studio.

Some exercises are expressly foot focussed & others cover the all-important foot>centre connection.

Equipment is provided (balls, bands & the Pilates 2x4) … and as a bonus they’re yours to keep.

👉If you’ve had foot niggles or discomfort

👉If you spend a lot of time in shoes and it’s a problem

👉If you’ve had lower back pain in your past

👉If you know you feel better when your feet are in great shape, this is for you.

A few days ago I spoke with a client, Doreen, about her experience with Structural Integration.
You can read more about Doreen’s experience in the link in bio

While we usually think and talk about the big changes when it comes to Structural Integration, finer, unexpected changes can also transform the quality of life.

These quotes are from a client,
Ruth, and you can read more about her client experience on my website

While we mostly talk about the big changes when it comes to Structural Integration, finer changes can transform days/ weeks/ years.

This is from a client, Ruth, and you can read more about her experience on my website

Big thanks to the awesome 8 participants from my recent workshop Footfit @ Fit&Well (Tanilba Bay).
We covered
🟢ways to work with a massage ball
♾️ toning work using bands
🦶feet on wall exercises
🦵& brought it all together with some standing foot-to-centre sequences using the Pilates 2x4 - one of my favourites.
It was great working with you!

Naturally we look forward to living a long life but what about the quality of that life? And what can we do about it anyway?

It’s the topic of my latest blog
👉 www.myonebody.com.au

When we’re working with the Superficial Front Line in a session what we’re really doing is working with it in relation to the whole body structure.

It’s the front of everything behind rather than separate thing.

So when I’m working with someone, I’ll look at how this front line firs with the patterns of the whole body, and how cooperative is that relationship?

I’ll also look at how the body in front of me manages the constant pull of gravity from underneath.

Then we’ll get down to finding ways we can assist the muscles-and-fascia of the Superficial Front Line to contribute most optimally to the efficient function of the whole body in posture & in simple movement.

Often that’ll be a mix of manual therapy and movement to redefine the fascial envelope that these muscles are ‘in’ , to help restore glide and elastic tone so they can be good cooperative neighbours again.

—-

3 things people commonly notice after a session that works with the superficial Front Line

👉An overall lift in theirposture
👉Breathing is easier, fuller and feels good
👉Walking looks & feels more elegant & fluid

When someone starts working with me often they’ll say they have bad posture. Or they might say that they have terrible posture!

And I’ll want them to understand the difference as I see it between posture & structure pretty quickly.

Structure is to do with the overall arrangement of the body’s soft tissues and how they relate as a unit.

It’s about the form of the body overall, the way a body has adapted and how it moves.

Posture is more of an expression of structure and it’s something that we move in and out of.

Posture speaks to how you hold yourself, how you express yourself. Or an attitude maybe.

And it’s going to be determined by structure.

A quick example -
(that I’m keeping super-simple)
- if a person has tight, shortened pectoral (front chest) muscles and shortened SCM (that V-shape front-neck muscle, that is) it’s going to tend to keep their head forward in a position that’s hard for them to lift out of.

They might be able to stand tall and lift up, but it’s going to be more effortful than we would like it, and they won’t hang out there long because that would be a tiring posture to maintain.

A Structural Integration approach includes work so these soft-tissue units at front of chest and neck can be less tethered to their neighbours, they can reposition and feel lengthened - so this person can efficiently float their head up - and express themselves more fully, posturally

📸

If your exercise routine is going south round this time of year, I hear you!

In my studio here I run 1:1 Pilates sessions and I have some spots available.
We start with your personal goals & build a routine that grows as you go along.
We work across the whole studio apparatus that I have here.

This pic was taken after our sessions yesterday.

If you’d like to learn more I’d love to hear from you :-
website 🔗 in bio
📩[email protected]
📲0448 000 683

Remedial Massage or Structural Integration?

When it comes to Remedial Massage the hands-on techniques I use are not that different from those I use with Structural Integration (or I might also use others).

I don’t work with cupping anymore or dry needling or other instrument-assisted work. Not that I have anything against them at all. I’ve just had better results with hands-on manual therapy and client movement.
*
I realised recently that back when I trained a chef, it was kind of the same!

As an apprentice & young chef I worked in places where hands-on skills were valued and the produce we worked with was fresh and high quality. Attention to detail and technical skill were essential.

At 1 place I worked, we would spend a day every few weeks making chocolates. To temper the couverture several molten kilos were tipped onto this massive stainless steel bench, where it was worked by hand to a glossy tempered lava.

Not that I make chocolates these days, but one thing I value from my cooking era was being in an environment with a high regard for hands-on technique, and the skill of tracking changes by feel & look.
(Even today my kitchen is pretty low tech - just how I like it)

*
If I was going to say the main reasons my clients seek Remedial Massage, they would be :
- help with pain : from an injury or overuse / or associated with a chronic health condition
- Stress and the flow on from that
- Something has just popped up like a headache or lower back pain

With Structural Integration, it’s common for clients to have similar problems that they are dealing with, but this is a bigger- picture project.

We focus on body-wide structural patterns and movement patterns. Over a series of sessions we refine these and track our progress along the way.

SI is more of an encompassing project than remedial massage and because of this the results are deeper.

Sometimes clients will ‘change lanes’ from one to another as things change over time, it depends which result they are after and where they want to go. Either way, I love working with the people I get to meet through this great work and playing my part in their journey to a higher level of health

Remedial Massage or Structural Integration?

When it comes to Remedial Massage the hands-on techniques I use are not that different from those I use with Structural Integration (I might also use others in some situations).

I don’t work with cupping, dry needling or other instrument-assisted work anymore. Not that I have anything against them at all. Just that I’ve found I have better results with hands-on manual therapy and client movement.
*
I realised recently that back when I trained a chef, it was kind of the same!

As an apprentice & young chef I worked in places where hands-on skills were valued and the produce we worked with was fresh and high quality. Attention to detail and technical skill were essential.

At one place I worked we would spend a day every few weeks making chocolates. The couverture was tempered by tipping several molten kilos onto this massive stainless steel bench where it was worked by hand to a glossy tempered thickness.

Not that I make chocolates these days, but one thing I value from my cooking era was the high regard for hands-on technique, and the skill of tracking changes via feel & look.
(my kitchen is still pretty low tech btw - just how I like it)

*
If I was going to say the main reasons my clients seek Remedial Massage, they would be :
- help with pain : from an injury or overuse / or associated with a chronic health condition
- Stress and the flow on from that
- Something has just popped up like a headache or lower back pain

With Structural Integration, it’s common for clients to have similar problems that they are dealing with, but this is a bigger- picture project.

We focus on body-wide structural patterns and movement patterns. Over a series of sessions we refine these and track our progress along the way.

SI is more of an encompassing project than remedial massage and because of this the results are deeper.

Sometimes clients will ‘change lanes’ from one to another as things change over time, it depends which result they are after and where they want to go. Either way, I love working with the amazing people I meet through this great work & playing my part along their journey to a higher level of health

🤝 S.I. Intro Session

We all start from a different place when it comes to Structural Integration projects.

Some of us have chronic pain of some form

Others are looking to maximise their human potential - veritable bio hack experts!

Maybe there’s a season of travel coming up and S.I. Is part of a ‘preventative-hab’ - to enjoy it to the max.

Some are committed to their self-development & working with the body-mind.

Or starting to know the creep of aging up close & want to slow that line.

And most common is probably some sort of mix of the above.

Anyway, because S.I. Is a ‘done with you’ process and not ‘done to you’, & to help to get the most out of it all, I have 2 options of ways to get started.

* a 1hr Introduction Session is a great start, taking time to get clear on the process first ie. what it might look like, how S.I. can assist, covering your background, health history & goals. There’s time for some hands on work too.

* or for those who want to start by really experiencing this work, the 90 min Initial Session would be a great entry point

This is a 90minute session with time for the same necessary information gathering process and also the full hands-on work.
Either session is designed to pave the way for your next steps that work for you the best.

You can find out more ▶️ my website 🔗in bio

Could there be a better vantage point to plan the next season of studio business?

I’m so fortunate to have spent a day of the weekend with some local business creators (and excellent people), rubbing shoulders, chatting about what’s working & planning next moves.

Let’s just say I’m still on a high

Big thanks .link for all of it!

It’s hectic down here!

Supercars ramps up tomorrow and the studio will be closed Friday, reopening Tuesday.

Big thanks to all my clients who have rolled on in while there’s been a squeeze on parking & access generally over the past weeks. Appreciate you! 🫶🏼💗

Do you wonder whether Structural Imtegration is right for you & not sure where to start?

You can have your questions answered and get clear with a discovery call.

It’s no cost and totally obligation free.

In 30 minutes we can cover your questions and find out how Structural Integration might work for your particular situation.

Whether or not you go ahead with your Structural Integration project, you’ll come away with some options for next steps.

Bookings 👉 website in bio ✏️✅

https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR3ILaz5aD9Jm5q1OxdT4WH1Z6_hhG41XXDmjnblibI4rrbayc1i4U4gqME&v=OhvSTirmpDM&feature=youtu.be
Curious to know more about Structural Integration - what it is and how it can help you?
This video is a great introduction!

And feel welcome to contact me for more information
📧 [email protected]
📞 0448 000 683
👇

Introduction to Structural Integration The video was produced by the Structural Integration Video Working group, Melanie Burns, David Lesondak, and Eric Jacobson

Memories from Japan. Not my trip though.
When I first met this client she had committed to a holiday in Japan with a friend, but was in terrible pain.

Facing hip surgeries that she had reservations about, and several months out from their trip, she worried whether she would be fit enough for her holiday. She made her best efforts to keep active but was struggling with constant pain.

We tried some Structural Integration sessions. Turns out it was like the light at the end of the tunnel - proof that positive improvements could be made - when so much seemed beyond her control.

We continued with the Structural Integration series. She committed to the surgeries and set the dates.
I didn’t have my Pilates setup then but we found a trusted practitioner.

And when it all went full circle and my client and her friend made it to Japan, she sent me some beautiful photos along the way❤️⛩️

So good to see Structural Integration & other bodywork highlighted in this article in the latest Ed. of Prevention (US) for keeping fascia healthy - and why you want to.

“The fascial system has 10 times as many sensory receptors as muscles have”…”many of the properties we ascribe to muscles actually come from the fascia woven in and around the muscle”

This is a paid mag so the article is behind a paywall but I’ve linked below, it’s in the Feb edition

As the work and study year gets going, if you’re seeing your good intentions slip away - to use the stand up desk more or stick to a better sitting posture - consider this:

Changing position aa a means of interacting with gravity regularly builds better health outcomes than holding a single *best* posture.

As a baseline, in a typical workday, the aim is to change up from a sitting position to standing every 20minutes through the day. But I like to think we can be more creative than that.

Bottom line, it’s the regularity of movement spaced through the day rather than the total amount of movement … so “constant, low intensity, natural movement that uses the gravity vector” (straight from the mouth of NASA scientist Dr Joan Vernikos) more than a single example of posture perfection!

Back when I trained in Structural Integration I also worked in a little osteopathic clinic in Newcastle.

It was a great era in my life. I was worked with some people who were fantastic at what they did and were generous with their knowledge. And I was a massage therapist while I studied my foundation in Structural Integration.

Every 3 months or so our SI trainer flew in to Sydney from London and we students converged from Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand and all around Australia. The training was challenging for sure, and it was also fascinating, enlightening and at times hit deep.

Back in the clinic in Newy we had chats about the things I was learning and I was also hearing from the osteopathic perspective.

The lead osteo was self-confessed as not that fussed on massage for himself - though he knew it’s value very well. He recommended it for clients (sent wonderful people my way) and had even been a Massage Therapist at the start of his own career.

Anyway, one day after my training I gave him a session.

We were working kind of quietly, and then of the blue I hear

“You could really make a difference for people”

I knew what he meant. If you’ve experienced massage, there is something different about the experience of Structural Integration.

It’s not easy to describe, but I think it’s fair to say that when you know, you know.

—-
How to get started with Structural Integration?

It can be as easy as booking a session. Or if you want more info, to ask some questions or to see if it sounds like a fit, feel welcome to call/text me 0448 000 683 or email [email protected]

Happy New Year – it's good to be back!

The springs’ve been cleaned & oiled and a New Year supply of bodywork balm arrived fresh from NZ last week 🌿

Toe Spacers are back in the nick of time for Christmas!🫶🎄

Gift Vouchers!

I do love to receive a gift voucher (that’s not a hint😉) and the good news is that these don’t expire.

We’re counting down the days, and for extra convenience I have online gift vouchers that can be downloaded direct from the website or these available in the studio, they come in an origami envelope 🎄💚

Gift Vouchers!

I love receiving a gift voucher (that’s not a hint😉) and the good news is that these gift vouchers don’t expire.

We’re counting down the days and for extra convenience, I have e-gift vouchers online via the website or these are available in the studio, they come in their own origami envelope 🎄💚

How’s hump day going?
If a pre-Christmas straighten-up sounds like a good idea I’ve opened some early morning spots 🎄