Complete Pilates

⁉️HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD YOU HAVE A WEAK PELVIC FLOOR?!

🗣️Let’s talk about the pelvic floor! Did you know that having a weak or tight pelvic floor can cause some of the same symptoms? Yep, whether it’s too relaxed or too tense, you might notice things like:

🌟Bladder and bowel incontinence
🌟Pelvic pain
🌟Lower back pain
🌟Pain during s*x
🌟Feeling like you need to p*e all the time

🙋‍♀️Even though the symptoms can be similar, the treatments are totally different! That’s why it’s so important to see a healthcare pro who can figure out what’s really going on and help you get the right kind of care.

💪At Complete, we’ve got Pelvic Health Physios who can assess your symptoms and Physio-Pilates instructors who can guide you through a personalised rehab program.

❤️Knowledge is power! Understanding your body is key to getting the best treatment and feeling your best. Let’s bust those myths together!

🙈LETS GET CONTROVERSIAL!!

🏆With the new fitness reformer craze becoming evermore popular, we get a lot of questions about whether weights should be part of Pilates classes.

🙋‍♀️Our certified Pilate instructor Magda, together with Physiotherapist and certified pilates instructor Susie have deep dived into this topic and written an informative blog post which you can read here: https://complete-pilates.co.uk/can-you-do-pilates-with-weights/

Take a look at this post for a summary!!

This week we will be going through some of our favourite weighted pilates moves using:
🌟Dumbbells
🌟Resistance bands
🌟Ankle weights
🌟Weighted balls

🤗Follow and interact with this post if you’re interested to see our take on Pilates and Weights!!

🥅LETS MAKE SMART GOALS IN 2024🥅

🤓SMART goals are a framework used to define objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

💪When applied to Pilates, they become a powerful tool for progress and success.

⭐️Specific: Instead of vague goals like "getting better at Pilates," you specify precisely what you want to achieve, such as improving core strength or mastering a particular exercise.
⭐️Measurable: You establish criteria to measure progress, whether it's counting repetitions, tracking flexibility improvements, or timing how long you can hold specific poses.
⭐️Achievable: Goals should be realistic and within reach. Setting targets that align with your current abilities and gradual improvement ensures they're attainable.
⭐️Relevant: Ensure your Pilates goals align with your overall fitness aspirations. Whether it's improving posture, increasing flexibility, or building strength, they should be relevant to your broader fitness journey.
⭐️Time-bound: Set a timeframe for achieving your goals. This creates urgency and helps maintain focus and motivation. For instance, aiming to increase flexibility to touch your toes within a specific timeframe sets a clear deadline.

🤩SMART goals provide clarity, structure, and direction to your practice. They help you stay motivated, track progress, tailor your exercises, and set realistic targets, fostering a more purposeful and effective Pilates journey.🥂

✨ Mastering the Pilates Hundred: Say goodbye to neck pain and hello to flawless form! 💪 Our latest blog dives deep into perfecting this classic move, ensuring top-notch movement quality and banishing those pesky neck aches. Check it out for game-changing tips!

https://complete-pilates.co.uk/pilates-hundred-avoiding-neck-tension/ #

🌟 *xercise

🤨KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE PELVIC FLOOR?⁠
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🕺🏻How about in men?⁠
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🙌🏼Pelvic floor conditions are really common in both gender...you don't just have to have had a baby! A 2023 study showed up to 32% of women have a problem and 16% of men, but significantly less advice and options are available for guys.⁠
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😅All this week we are talking pelvic floor for guys. Checkout the blog to see why it's so important and how to activate it. ⁠
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💪Stay tuned in for tips and tricks as well as exercises on how to do it, and cue it!⁠

Take a look at our blog post which highlights signs and symptoms of pelvic floor issues in men and some great exercises to start working your pelvic floor!!

https://complete-pilates.co.uk/mens-heath/

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⁉️How much do you know about men's pelvic floor health?

🥰SELF CARE POST DIAGNOSIS 🥰

Sending lots of love to anyone who has been given a breast cancer diagnosis❤️
🙌🏼Here are our top self care tips, because living the best quality of life possible is so important and your body deserves some love❤️

⭐️Give yourself time to rest
⭐️Move your body in as way that feels good
⭐️Foster positive relationships
⭐️Eat nutritional food
⭐️Drink enough water
⭐️Do something creative

What are your favourite self care tips?!

🎗️ October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month 🌸💕

We want to emphasize the importance of regular breast check-ups and staying on top of your health. 🩺💪

Early detection really does save lives. 🙏

So, make time for those routine check-ups. Don't delay. Your health is your most precious asset, and by taking care of it, you're taking control of your future. 💖

Let's stand together, raise awareness, and support one another in this fight. 🤝💗

🙌🏼DID YOU KNOW? ⁠❤️
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🥰World heart day is around the corner. Check out some of our favourite facts!⁠
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⭐️What is your favourite heart fact?
facts

🩰💓 Pilates for a Healthy Heart! 💓🩰

This week we’re discussing all things heart health!!
As the end of the month is world heart awareness day, we thought we’d give you a head start into all things heart related.. starting off with a study regarding Pilates and heart health.❤️

Here is what we learned from the study

1. Improved Exercise Capacity: Pilates isn't just about flexibility and core strength; it can also boost your exercise endurance! The above study has highlighted that incorporating Pilates into your fitness routine can increase exercise tolerance, making daily activities easier and more enjoyable. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

2. Cardiovascular Benefits: its well documented that Aerobic exercise is great for heart health, this study has also shown Pilates can enhance your heart's performance. It increases peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2) and improves oxygen pulse, vital for cardiovascular health. Your heart will thank you for the extra love! ❤️

3. Lower Blood Pressure: Pilates can help bring down resting blood pressure levels. Imagine reducing the strain on your heart, even at rest! 📉

A few of our non-study related thoughts:

4. Safe and Fun: Pilates is a low-impact exercise that's gentle on your joints. It's perfect for individuals with heart conditions and those in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Plus, it's fun and can keep you motivated to stay active! 🤸‍♀️🤸‍♂️

5. Mind-Body Connection: Pilates encourages mindful movement, which can reduce stress and anxiety—both of which can contribute to heart issues. It's all about nurturing your mind and body! 🧘‍♀️🧘‍♂️

We would love love to hear your thoughts, would you advise Pilates for individuals with Heart implications? What scenarios would you avoid Pilates in?💖

📣 WE ARE HIRING 📣

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Calling all skilled Physiotherapists! 🌟 We are thrilled to extend an invitation to join our esteemed team at Complete Pilates in Chelsea. We currently have openings for both full-time and part-time roles, and we would be delighted to have you onboard.

📚 At Complete Pilates, we foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. As part of our commitment to the development of our staff, we offer ample learning opportunities, CPD’s, and resources to enhance your skills and expertise in the field of Pilates and physiotherapy.

🤝 We believe in building a supportive and empowering work environment where each team member's contributions are valued and celebrated. Together, we create a positive impact on our clients' lives.

If you are passionate about Pilates, and dedicated to making a meaningful difference in people's lives, we would love to hear from you!

📩 Send us your application to [email protected] or dm us for more details.

😱CAN YOU JUMP LIKE A GRASSHOPPER
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This is a great exercise to get your heart rate up, work the back of your body, give you some weight bearing on your arms, improve your mobility, give you confidence, challenge your coordination, work your core...the list is endless!⁠
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✅jump over the barrel to start - remember you are being springy so start that way!⁠
✅hold wide onto the bottom rung and keep your gaze on it. This will mean that the movement cannot go too far. ⁠
✅you can start this one slowly if you want but remember the aim is to add fluidity and some sp*ed!⁠
✅turn your legs into a 'V' shape with heels together and feet apart. This helps give some stability in your lower back as you go into extension.⁠
✅reach your legs away and allow them to come up. Your grip will lighten on the bar and your elbows will bend. This allows you to tip forwards. The more you reach your legs away (think single leg kick), the more open the front of your hips will be. ⁠
✅as you come into extension in the hip and leg you then flex through the knee but maintain the height of your thighs. This means you have to pay out through your quads and allow them to lengthen!⁠
✅to return, press into the bar to straighten the arms and reach the legs backwards...this will send you back down over the barrel again! ⁠
✅often your exhale will help you on the way over as it will give you the stiffness and support you need in your trunk to stop you dropping into your lower back!⁠
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You can add in the heel taps as a progression here but remember, these should be coming from your hips, not your knees!⁠
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How do you feel about grasshopper? Challenge or love it?

FLOAT ABOVE THE BED⁠
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Breathing is an amazing movement to decompress your spine, activate the whole of your body and integrate your movement. It is really supported and can give you a real sense of achievement!⁠
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✅try using short yellow springs if you struggle with this movement. This gives you more resistance and although you won't get your hands to your hips, you will work the back of your body more which will help you stabilise and float!⁠
✅rather than pressing down into the trapeze, reach through it with the whole of your foot and legs. This will let your tailbone start to move and the press of your body will follow⁠
✅holding wide on the dowel, press the arms down, almost feeling like you are snapping the bar, pulling it apart or pressing with the little finger side of your arms. This will help work some of the big muscles in your back which also offer you stability. ⁠
✅by using your arms and legs like this your body will simply float up. You do not need to try and roll up in a bridge, it will just happen!⁠
✅at the top can you maintain the activity in your legs as you allow your arms to pump. This means you are letting your arms move around your relatively static body. You can try doing this on your breath with an inhale to lift and and exhale to lower. Ideally you want to be able to do this regardless of the breathing. ⁠
✅to lower, simply maintain your reach in your legs but open your sit bones and allow the arms to flow up. You will land gently on the ground in a distributed way rather than forcing your spine to feel the bed as you come back down. ⁠
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Have you ever tried breathing? Tag a friend who would love this exercise!

LADDER BARREL SWAN.. the details ✏️
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This week is all about getting picky with an exercise. This doesn't mean does it look perfect, but can you achieve a good strategy and integration whilst doing it?⁠
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Swan on the ladder barrel is great for⁠
⭐️back strength⁠
⭐️leg strength⁠
⭐️foot strength⁠
⭐️spine mobility⁠
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You can add the variations and give yourself even more benefits but here are some top tips.⁠
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✅if you need more back support have your feet wider on the rungs and turned out. This will give you some natural closure around your lower back.⁠
✅start with the knees bent and begin the movement by pressing into the balls of the feet, this should mean that you come in plantarflexion (pointed feet) which will help you work the whole back of your body⁠
✅see if you can find a diagonal standing man position from your feet to your hands. This is upright and great for posture!⁠
✅reaching your arms away and allowing them to frame your face will help create activity around your upper body as well. This will all help to stabilise you rather than letting you pinch into your lower back⁠
✅to extend further, pull your knees apart, maintaining the tension in your lower leg. If you slide on the barrel you know you have lost this. ⁠
✅to return over the barrel, simply press into your feet and allow yourself to dive over. ⁠
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Can you keep the tension in swan? Or do you feel this move in your lower back? Let us know below

REFORMER ROLL BACK⁠
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This move is amazing for core strength in flexion, arm strength and co-ordination! ⁠
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Try these to help you out:⁠
✅be a hands length away from the edge of the carriage so that your tailbone has something to roll onto for support⁠
✅keep your hands the width of your shoulders, this will help your chest stay open and maintain the organisation around your head, neck and shoulders. ⁠
✅press away into your feet to trigger rolling off your sit bones. You don't have to go really far back but instead you are aiming for a 'C' curve. ⁠
✅as you roll back see if you can delay your upper back slouching and over rounding. This often happens and means you aren't supporting your trunk as well as you could. ⁠
✅when doing the bicep curls, try to keep your upper arms high and move from the elbow rather than letting them go up and down. This will make your arms work more!⁠
✅the heavier the springs, the easier it is on your core and harder it is on your arms. If you are loosing your C, try to go heavier!⁠
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Can you maintain your 'C' curve in this shape?

KNEELING CAT DETAILS 🐱

Kneeling cat on the chair may seem scary but it is brilliant for full body integration, 'finding your feet' (even if they are in the air) and spine mobility. It will also help you with your shoulder mobility in some light weight bearing!⁠
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✅make sure your knees are at least halfway back from the front of the chair as this will give you more stability. ⁠
✅your pelvis needs to turn around your thighs which means you will sit back a little to maintain your centre of gravity⁠
✅keep pressing into your feet, almost like you have really heavy boots on, this is what will anchor you to the ground.⁠
✅to go down, sigh out and let your ribs roll forwards - try not to tuck your chin to your chest as this means you are over flexing in your neck rather than giving general distribution. ⁠
✅when your hands meet the width of the peddle, press it away from you with your arms, allowing your shoulder blades to move. This means that you are in control of the peddle. ⁠
✅try not to just let your weight lean forwards. Instead, keep pressing it away from you until you run out of room⁠
✅to return to 'standing', delay the peddle and press your feet down. This will trigger your sit bones to roll backwards and your pelvis to turn. Allow your spine to follow. Remember, you will sit back a bit as your centre of gravity changes!⁠
✅if you keep the pedal moving slowly, you will be able to lift off the peddle in a fluid motion rather than feeling stuck!⁠
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Can you smoothly get on and off the peddle or do you struggle? Let us know how you find this movement!⁠

MONKEY⁠
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Everything has a beginning and end and making sure you are properly set up means the exercise is likely to be more successful! ⁠
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Monkey is amazing for improving neural dynamics and flexibility. The bonus of this one is you done need to be flexible to start and it is actually better if you aren't really bendy!⁠
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Start with your hands outside your feet, your head on pillows and knees bent and pointing slightly outwards. Likelihood is your bottom is off the floor and if this is going to benefit you the most that will definitely be the case!⁠
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Look at your p***c bone and press the legs away to bring your whole body up!⁠
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MODIFICATIONS:⁠
hold onto your thighs⁠
hold onto your shins⁠
hold onto your ankles⁠
start with more pillows under your head⁠
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Tag a friend who needs to see this and get a better stretch!

🕺🏻ROLL BACK & REACH⁠
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Using a box for your feet lifts you up the barrel and helps create some space for your back. This is great, especially if you are a bit stiffer! ⁠
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Start with your pelvis on the ladder and knees at roughly a 90 degree bend. The lower down the barrel you are the more gentle the curve is to go over.⁠
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Once you are over, reach towards the ladder and see if you can hold on a gently pull yourself from your shoulder blades to give you more of a stretch and some connection through your front and back. ⁠
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To come back up reach the arms in a big arc up and forwards, letting your torso follow.⁠
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👯‍♀️Tag a friend who would love this stretch!

🕺🏻PARAKEET⁠
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😱This is more about feet than you think and often results in foot cramp when it is done well!⁠
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🙌🏼You can have your hands overhead or if you are shorter just have them by your side. ⁠
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Start with the ball of your feet over the top of the bar. Try to keep it on top of the bar throughout the whole movement!⁠
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🙆🏼‍♀️Press up to bridge before reaching over the bar to come and and through. Reach back over the bar to pull it towards you and lift the hips to send the bar back up. This is a big timing element!⁠
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🎉Leave a comment below and let us know what you think of parakeet!

🐈‍⬛KNEELING CAT⁠
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❌Try to avoid the bar going through the uprights on this one as this means that you are using your strength rather than just falling into your mobility!⁠
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Start a bit further back on the table and press down into the bar to take the spring tension. Keep the front of your feet pressing into the floor to generate a good base of support. The aim is to get your pelvis turning over your hips rather than sitting back or leaning forwards. ⁠
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🙏🏼Press the bar down and follow it to roll down. Press down into the bar and pull towards you to open up and extend the body without going through the uprights.⁠
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Press into your feet to turn the pelvis and pull the bar towards you to come back up through your roll.⁠
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⁉️Comment below if you always go through those uprights?

⭕️SEMI CIRCLE⁠
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🥰Is amazing for spine mobility and co-ordination!⁠
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To find your press it is easier to wear clothes for this one so your skin doesn't get stuck to the carriage!⁠
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Have your hands on the shoulder pads and heels or toes on the football. Lift yourself off slightly and press the carriage away so you slide down until your arms are out straight. Ideally this is in one fluid movement!⁠
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Press yourself out to straight and sigh so your body drops down into and past the carriage. Let your bum settle on (ish) the springs and draw the carriage back in, keeping your arm press.⁠
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At some point your tail will lift and you will roll yourself up into a bridge to start again!⁠
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❤️Double tap if you love this exercise!

🤩HANG OUT⁠
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🥰An amazing way of feeling effortless in the legs but still require some control to get in and out! ⁠
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💪HALF HANGING: you have options here. Either have longer loops so that your pelvis is almost, or is, touching the bed, or go shorter so you are hovering above it. By hovering you give your self more traction which feels amazing! Let the legs and feet turn outwards so you feel secure in the fluffies!⁠
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💪HANGING OFF: this requires control to be able to walk yourself down and hang upside down. You also need the strength to roll up and walk back up to be able to come back out of it! When you are in position, you can let your arms hang or stay active in them and push into the floor a bit to change how much weight you are fractioning!⁠
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Have you tried hanging?⁠
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🤰C-SECTION AWARENESS MONTH ❤️

Around 30% of females deliver their baby via caesarean section, which involves a major abdominal operation.

Recovery from a c-section can be a challenging journey, but exercise can play a crucial role in the healing process.

It is advised to start exercising 6-8 weeks after the operation. Exercises should consist of:

🌟Pelvic floor exercises
🌟Gentle pelvic mobility,
🌟Abdominal activation spinal mobility
🌟Postural advice and general movement

Our amazing woman’s health physiotherapist has recently written a blog post going into great detail on c-section recovery.. check it out!!

https://complete-pilates.co.uk/when-to-start-exercise-after-c-section/

Thankyou for the shoutout!!!

When it comes to wellness I am of the opinion that an integrated, holistic approach is by far and away the best way to achieve effective outcomes for clients. I know that many therapists may worry that referring clients to other therapists and specialists could mean that they lose that client. This has not been my experience. Instead, it has achieved the opposite that by building a team around a client, they achieve better results than they could have ever hoped with me, therefore they stick around much longer because the treatment is working!

I have a circle of therapists and professional healthcare workers who I rely on to support my clients’ journeys. Just a few of my go-to people and organisations are:

Complete Pilates is owned by Helen O’Leary, she has created a dynamic team that understands the concept of whole-body health.

The Osteopath I use is Esther Tang, who works at New Body Osteopathy. She also shares my interest in how the different body areas relate to each other, and how pain in one area may be caused by dysfunction in another area.

Whenever I need to refer my clients to functional medicine and nutritional therapy, I refer my clients to Debbie Lewis Functional Medicine & Nutrition. Debbie says ‘I look for the underlying cause of the problem as opposed to just suppressing systems. This is what’s called “root-cause resolution”. It’s the difference between turning off the stove and putting a lid on a boiling pot.’ I love this saying - if we want to turn off the stove, we need to work together, it's always a team effort!

These are but a few, there are many areas that can be addressed but my main focus is to find the relevant connections to whole-body health that resonate with my client's needs and desires.

To read more of my thoughts on how we can support our client's return to health holistically, check out my blog: https://www.susanfindlay.co.uk/how-can-we-support-our-clients-return-to-health-holistically/

We couldn’t be more grateful to our amazing clients and the glowing reviews you’ve left for us🙏🏼. Its amazing to work with such dedicated and motivated people everyday, and we’re thrilled to see the progress you make to achieve your goals 🌟

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY🙌🏼❤️

Today, we want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible women who make up our Complete Pilates community. To all of our female clients, we are so grateful for your dedication and hard work in our sessions, and we are constantly inspired by your strength and resilience.

We also want to give a special shoutout to our amazing female Pilates instructors. Thank you for being such fantastic role models and for sharing your passion for Pilates with us every day. Your expertise, encouragement, and unwavering support have helped us all to become stronger, more confident versions of ourselves.
💪🏼✨

Take a look at this recent blog, written by our Women's Health Physiotherapist, Courtney. A guide detailing some of the common causes of pelvic floor pain and why this can be prevalent in runners.

It highlights the importance of an accurate diagnosis, with advice on treating both weak and tight pelvic floor muscles! 💪

Pelvic floor pain, Why is this happening? The Female Pelvic floor is an internal group of muscles which lie at the base of the pelvis, attaching from the p***c bone to the sacrum. These sit like a hammock, supporting key structures such as the pelvic organs, including the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder and re**um. Pelvic Floor Ex...