E.M Holistic Fitness

Replacing tomorrow, back at 💚 I love teaching here. Come along and join in

En remplacement de demain, de retour au 💚 J'adore enseigner ici. Venez et participez!

12h30 - Pilates Mat Niveau 1

I'm never going to say no to back extensions - open your heart, keep smiling and let the sun shine 💛

Love working on back extensions. Strong back muscles (especially upperback) can completely open up your posture.
Aiming for a continuous curve through the length of the back, head to toe !

Come to my matwork classes at !

Captured shots during Swan

Don't forget about your feet! They take you everywhere and need TLC too!
Footwork on all apparatus helps with awareness of foot and ankle alignment as well as the warm up you likely associate with it.
At the end of the day you can always find a small ball and massage the fascia on the under side of your feet too. You will be surprised about the tension they hold .

Hanging Back
~ I'm in my last week teaching in Paris for a while as I will be Hanging Around in Germany again this winter season with . Can't wait to get back on stage each night but I will see you guys back in the Paris studios in Jan 😊
Check my story for the classes with me this week at
pilates

Proud and grateful to have been a part of this promotion at . 🐒 What a fabulous bunch of women; learning and training together; supportive in the studio and out, throughout a period that wasn't always that easy.
Another Congratulations to every one of you and thank you. The journey has only just begun 😉
Big love to my Basi family
🐒

Recipe time again !

APRICOT AND CHOCOLATE ENERGY BARS .

These go down a treat ! A great balance of fibre , fruit and chocolate that gives you the boost you need. It is also a vegan recipe and super simple.

Visit my website (link in bio) and the recipe is in the blog section .

Enjoy !

@ Batignolles, Paris, France

What is a reformer?!

Its the machine I'm using in the 2 previous posts. It looks a little scary at first but it really isn't. It''s brilliant to help you and also challenge you throughout the class. @ Batignolles, Paris, France

~ Above all, learn how to Breathe correctly ~ Joseph Pilates

~ The mind is the king of the senses but the Breath is the king of the mind ~ B.K.S Iyengar

Oh I could have chosen so many breathing quotes from both Joseph pilates and yoga gurus such as Iyengar.
Breath is a fundamental part of life.

This exercise is called Breathing. It comprises of a series of movements utilising the whole body which link and flow with the Breath. I really enjoy this one!

Happy clients make my heart smile 😊
❤️

☆ Start each day right with a smile... and pilates! ☆

A smile is good for your health as it prompts the brain to release endorphines and serotonin which cause positive emotions.
Smiling has so many more benefits including improving mood, lower blood pressure, pain relief and younger appearance!

I was actually saying "I told you so" here as I knew she could better execute a movement. Smiles go a long way.

So when you are next struggling with an exercise or feeling bogged down, remember to smile anyway 😊

~ Change happens through movement and movement heals ~ Joseph H Pilates

This can be taken for all parts of life not just physical movement and exercise.

▪ Start you MONDAY with MOVEMENT ▪

DM for information to join me on the mat this week

Excited to say I have joined the team and I am teaching yoga !

Dancers pose ~ Natarajasana

This pose improves balance and core strength, stretches across the front of the shoulders and strengthens the legs. It also stretches the hip flexors (psoas) which is important as a counter position to sitting (which we may be doing more of at the moment) where the hips become tight.

Start with self-belief and you will move in leaps and bounds.

I was offered a Meditation pillow (which smells devine as well as being comfy!) for my birthday by two of my girlfriends. I have tried to have a few minutes to myself in the mornings to either meditate or just begin the day with a positive affirmation. Give it a shot! Perch yourself on a cushion or pillow so you can have your spine stacked comfortably and well.

Have a wonderful weekend and see you next week !

Warm-up !! You will have a better session.

I was going to delve into twists but thought that warming up is much more important especially on these cold and wet days!

Whatever your practice is, start slowly and utilise all body parts and joints. By doing this you will make the synovial fluid move about in your joints and lubricate so you articulate better in class.

Slowly doesnt always mean easy though ! We can get the blood pumping and work deep muscles with controlled movement for example Chest Lift in Pilates

A good instructor will always ensure you are warmed up and not jumping straight to complex sequences and exercises

A Sweet Start!

Here i made a smoothie bowl with spirulina, oat milk, a few oats and banana as a base. I added fresh kiwi, the rest of the banana, chia seed, homemade granola and a spoon of coconut Alpro on the end.

Doesn't it look pretty and full of the good stuff ! Again didnt take long - it took as long as it takes to blend and chop! (Granola I make a batch and store in a jar)

I'm not claiming to be a nutritionist (yet) but I believe it's all about balance.

What kind of breakfast person are you ?

Some feel sweet is a perfect way to start the day with multiple options of fruit, grains, superfoods and powders, smoothie bowls, porridge etc etc

Some feel savoury is a more hearty start and you can cover your basic macro-needs in one go.

I'm not claiming to be a nutritionist (yet) but I believe it's all about balance. I go with what I fancy and what I have in the cupboard. I enjoy making it look nice too as it makes eating it so much more enjoyable. One thing I have always believed is that breakfast is important whatever it is as you need to start your metabolism for the day.
Simply enjoy whatever you decide to have !

Savoury start - smashed avo, scrambled eggs and tomatoes on toast.
And coffee of course! Espresso from my machine in a cute little cup

What would you add to your savoury breakfast plate ?

Breakfast shouldn't have to be complicated but it feels good to have a balanced and well presented plate in front of you that you made yourself! This took 5/10 mins - smash the avo, cook eggs while toast is in, DONE! I always have a some greenery on the side and a sqirt of.balsamic reduction gives that sweet and tangy addition. Try a small splash of sesame oil on your eggs for a nutty addition.

I'm not claiming to be a nutritionist (yet) but i believe it's all about balance.

Even I am starting to find that some days the motivation for home workouts is harder than before. It is no longer a new concept but it's still vital for your mental health to keep moving.
Trust me , there is something out there for everyone and there is a welcoming online group who are there for the same reason as you!

* Of course, you can join me online for pilates matwork, prenatal pilates and yoga. DM FOR DETAILS ! *

I am also so glad to be part of Team K at who not only offer all sort of prerecorded workouts on their new platform (50% off link in my bio) but also LIVE Cardio Barres on Instagram and Zoom classes directly through Kalon or through the lovely .

Thats already 3 different ways of doing a class and multiple workouts options !

If your January hasn't been as motivated as you'd hoped, let's make February count !

~ Everyone is an architect of their own happiness ~ Joseph Pilates

I recently answered the phone and the caller immediately said "You always sound like you are smiling, even answering the phone". As a matter of fact I was and it's not the first time someone has commented on me smiling but it was the first time over the phone!
A smile can bring light to not only yourself but those around you. It can change your mindset completely. It can make the difference to someone's day especially at the moment when life isn't exactly easy.....who wants to use more effort holding a frown anyway?! You could use that energy for an extra chest lift 😋

Spread the smiles and join me for a pilates. And if a smile doesn't do the magic to lift the spirit, then grab a Magic Circle too!

Fun fact : I was nicknamed Smiler at dance college by a contemporary teacher and it stuck the whole 3 years.