JUNE 2025 FITNESS PILATES NEWSLETTER
Dear Fitness Pilates Member
Hello June. How are you? I hope you had a wonderful May.
NEW MONTH
To see the 1st of each new month as a first is a powerful thing. A prompt from life reminding you that you are the author and if this story arc is not bringing you fulfilment, you can shape it as you see fit A crisp, clean, and excitingly blank fresh page. The next chapter. Full of hope, full of promise, full of more living. To see each 1st as a first, is to invite in possibility, magic, and most of all, reaffirm permission, power, and possession. Take lead from the earth around you if you are unsure; are we rising, resting regenerating, releasing, harvesting? Breathe into the flow. And off we go
‘Donna Ashworth’
Class Timetable
Monday – Stisted Village Hall 0930-1015 & ZOOM – 1100-1145
Tuesday – Braintree Swim Centre 0930-1015
Wednesday – Wethersfield Village Hall 1100-1145
Thursday – Coggeshall Village Hall 1100-1145 & Chair Pilates 1500-1545 Stisted Village Hall (1st Thursday of the month)
Friday – 1st Friday of the month – Fitness Pilates/Mindfulness – St Peters Village Hall, Braintree 1115-1200
Don’t forget…..if you can’t make the ZOOM times then I can send you a recording for just £7. Let me know and I can forward you a link from my YouTube Studio.
Hand weights – please bring your hand weights for a weighted workout on the, 2nd Stisted and 4th Wethersfield. 5th Coggeshall
Would you do me favour please…….would you mind clicking on my website, because it is fairly new, the more clicks I get, the higher I will appear in the google search engine
I would greatly appreciate it. Many thanks
https://marisaswain-fitnesspilates.co.uk/
Welcome to our educational series on common health conditions you may encounter at some point in your life.
This month we are talking Rotator Cuff Injuries.
Understanding Rotator Cuff Injuries
A rotator cuff injury involves damage to the muscles and tendons that surround and stabilise the shoulder joint. These injuries can range from inflammation (tendinitis) and strains to partial or complete tears.
How Does a Rotator Cuff Injury Occur?
- Overuse:
Repetitive overhead movements—common in sports like tennis, swimming, or even certain work activities—can lead to gradual wear and tear on the shoulder. - Acute Trauma:
A fall, sudden impact, or lifting heavy objects improperly can cause an immediate injury. - Degenerative Changes:
As we age, the tendons may weaken over time, making them more susceptible to injury even with minor stress.
Treatment Options
- Conservative Management:
- Rest and Ice:
Help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. - Medications:
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be recommended. - Physiotherapy:
A targeted programme to restore strength and flexibility is often the first line of treatment.
- Rest and Ice:
- Advanced Interventions:
- Corticosteroid Injections:
These may be used for persistent pain and inflammation. - Surgery:
In cases of severe tears or when conservative treatments fail, surgical repair might be necessary.
- Corticosteroid Injections:
Fitness Pilates: Do’s and Don’ts for Participants with a Rotator Cuff Injury
Do’s:
- Focus on Controlled Movements:
Engage in slow, deliberate exercises that emphasise proper form and a gentle range of motion. - Modify Exercises:
Adapt movements to avoid excessive strain on the shoulder. For example, reduce the range of motion during arm movements or use supportive props. - Emphasise Scapular Stability:
Incorporate exercises that strengthen the muscles around the shoulder blade to enhance overall shoulder stability. - Engage Your Core and Maintain Proper Posture:
A strong core supports overall body alignment, which can indirectly ease stress on the shoulder. - Warm Up Thoroughly:
Begin with gentle warm-up exercises to prepare the shoulder and surrounding muscles.
Don’ts:
- Avoid Heavy Overhead Movements:
Exercises that force the arms above the head or involve heavy lifting can exacerbate the injury. - Don’t Push Through Pain:
Cease any exercise that causes sharp or increasing pain in the shoulder. - Steer Clear of Unstable Movements:
Avoid exercises requiring significant shoulder stabilisation if you’re not yet ready; these can overload the injured area. - Don’t Neglect Proper Alignment:
Ensure you perform movements with correct posture and alignment to avoid further strain.
Live to 100 – Secrets of the Blue Zones
I watched a programme on Netflix last year called Live to 100. I like to think I live an 80/20 life, like most of us do, but after watching this programme there are a lot more things I can improve upon to my health, such as eating purple sweet potatoes! You must give it a go. People are living to over 100, mobile, happy, drug free! It’s absolutely fascinating!
Spring-clean your life! 20 ways to discard the emotional baggage that’s holding you back
Learn something new
Life changes can make us feel unsettled, taking away our ability to focus. Starting a new hobby or class is a great way to develop a renewed sense of purpose, leaving more space for creativity in our lives. Whether it’s learning a new language or trying a different sport, it really helps to take you away from that “mind clutter” you don’t want.
Write a journal – but take your time
Most people won’t find the time to write in a journal for an hour every day, especially when it’s new to them. But you can still get a lot out of the process by doing it for just five minutes each day, until it becomes part of your normal routine. It’s also worth using a habit tracker app or speaking to a friend to hold you accountable.
Volunteer for a good cause
It’s easy to get lost in your own thoughts and daily stresses. Try making time to volunteer for a charity or cause you feel passionate about, and document your journey. By comparing your thoughts and feelings with your usual daily experiences, it will help you to gain perspective, declutter your mind and open you up to new opportunities.
Practise saying no
People-pleasing often comes from a place of wanting to be accepted by others. Learning to say no and put healthy boundaries in place is essential, whatever the person’s reaction. Remind yourself that you can cope with the disappointment of others, so that you only take on tasks you can comfortably accommodate in your life.
Do a digital cleanse
Just because you’ve been a long-time follower of a social media account, it doesn’t mean it’s serving your wellbeing. Spring-clean your feed by unfollowing accounts that make you feel jealous, resentful or unhappy, and try to focus on the accounts you do feel a connection with. “Hate scrolling” might provide a short-term distraction, but it can also be a barrier to engagement, meaning and building genuine connections on and offline.
Ditch self-love for self-compassion
Instagram might encourage self-love, but certain actions – such as ghosting someone or skipping an event you don’t fancy – can appear selfish or hurtful. Self-compassion is about accepting yourself as you are, including your flaws, rather than putting yourself first at all times. Practising self-compassion and kindness can lead to more resilience, better relationships and higher levels of compassion and emotional availability for others.
Adopt the four Ds of time management
When it feels like life is running away from you, regain control by “doing, deferring, delegating and deleting”. Get your small tasks done quickly, delay anything that doesn’t need to be done right away, hand over to others where possible and scratch any extra tasks that don’t really need to be done at all.
Meal-prep at weekends
During the week it can be hard to create healthy meals that sustain us, especially when things are busy at home or work. Try making big batches of soups and casseroles while you’re watching a film at the weekend. Having homemade ready meals in your freezer for those stressful moments will allow you to focus your time on other important tasks.
Detox your wardrobe, not your body
As life gets busier and we grow older, our bodies often change shape. Rather than hanging on to old clothes “just in case you lose weight”, choose to appreciate and accept the body you have right now. Forget the crash diet, just pack up the clothes that no longer fit and drop them at your favourite charity shop or give them away to someone you love. You’ll also be making space for new things that better reflect the person you are today.
Break your procrastination habits
Spring-clean that start/stop mentality by spotting your procrastination behaviours and challenging them every day. For example, when you find yourself saying “I’ll just watch this before I start,” make a conscious decision to stop in your tracks before you get distracted. Simply by saying “I choose to do this,” you’ll be helping your brain to overcome the procrastination trap.
Monitor your triggers
When we feel upset or hurt by something someone says, it’s a good opportunity to take a look at what we’re holding on to and let it go. If you notice yourself being triggered, write down the beliefs you have about yourself in that moment, as well as your thoughts about the situation and the other person. The more familiar you get with your own baggage and triggers, the less power they will have over you.
Write down and reflect on the habits and beliefs that don’t serve you well.
Keep a thought diary
Over time we develop habits and beliefs that don’t serve us well. If you’re not getting the results you want or you are repeating the same patterns, try keeping a thought diary. This will help you to reflect on some of the situations that are causing you anxiety or unhappiness, reflect on them and examine changes you might be able to make.
Make a decluttering plan
Mess can affect your mood, but it’s not always easy to get rid of things or know where to begin. Start by identifying your cluttered hotspots and visualising how you’d like them to look. Break it down into small areas, taking “before” photos so you can monitor your progress. Once you get going, put everything into designated bags for recycling, rubbish, selling and donating.
Make a record of your work achievements
Sometimes it can be hard to recognise our own successes, especially in a fast-paced workplace. Making a record of your achievements on a regular basis will boost your confidence in the short-term and give the starting blocks you need to negotiate a promotion or pay rise next time the opportunity comes up.
Build a list of your support network
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it can be hard to know where to turn. By creating a “go-to” list of people for every situation, you’ll always have the support you need on hand. For example, you can include people who are good at practical help or giving advice, as well as friends who are great listeners and will give you the space you need to talk about your feelings.
Focus on what you can control
If you’re feeling worried or anxious about something, it’s easy for your mind to become quickly overwhelmed with negative thoughts. Take a sheet of paper and draw three columns. In the first one write down all the things about your situation that you can control, in the second write down the things you can influence and in the third add the aspects that are out of your control. When you’re building a plan, look only at the first column, so that you’re focusing on what you have the power to change.
Buy an alarm clock
Prevent bedtime distractions and “doom scrolling” by investing in an old-fashioned alarm clock for your bedroom. If your phone is charging elsewhere in the house, you won’t be tempted to look at work emails or mindlessly watch TikTok at 1am, when you should be resting. It will also prevent you from feeling wired at night, leading to less overwhelm during the day.
Practise gratitude every day
As humans, we are programmed towards negative thinking and generally need five positive thoughts to counteract one negative one. Start each morning by thinking of five things you’re grateful for, such as a warm bed or a nice message from a friend. Do the same in the evenings just before you go to sleep.
Monitor your triggers
When we feel upset or hurt by something someone says, it’s a good opportunity to take a look at what we’re holding on to and let it go. If you notice yourself being triggered, write down the beliefs you have about yourself in that moment, as well as your thoughts about the situation and the other person. The more familiar you get with your own baggage and triggers, the less power they will have over you.
Keep a thought diary
Over time we develop habits and beliefs that don’t serve us well. If you’re not getting the results you want or you are repeating the same patterns, try keeping a thought diary. This will help you to reflect on some of the situations that are causing you anxiety or unhappiness, reflect on them and examine changes you might be able to make.
Make a decluttering plan
Mess can affect your mood, but it’s not always easy to get rid of things or know where to begin. Start by identifying your cluttered hotspots and visualising how you’d like them to look. Break it down into small areas, taking “before” photos so you can monitor your progress. Once you get going, put everything into designated bags for recycling, rubbish, selling and donating.
Rate your stress
It’s easy to sleepwalk into a state of overwhelm when you’re working on autopilot. Write down everything you’re dealing with and rate the anxiety it’s causing you from one to 10. Then work down the list from lowest to highest, putting in place a plan for each situation. Breaking things down into small steps always makes them easier to deal with.
Do an energy audit
What we think of as baggage can often be a habit, situation or environment that is draining us. An energy audit is a simple exercise that helps you to identify the things that are affecting your life. On a page, list your “drainers” and “energisers” for people, environments, mindsets, habits and things. Once you’re done, you can commit to making tiny adjustments in all the areas you identify.
Build a list of your support network
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it can be hard to know where to turn. By creating a “go-to” list of people for every situation, you’ll always have the support you need on hand. For example, you can include people who are good at practical help or giving advice, as well as friends who are great listeners and will give you the space you need to talk about your feelings.
HOW TO MASTER THE PERFECT BENT-OVER ROW
The bent over row is a back strengthening exercise that can help prevent injury, improve posture and tone muscles.
The set up
Pick up your two weights, or alternatively use a couple of heavy water bottles or cans from the kitchen cupboard. Place feet hip distance apart and, from standing, lean forward from the waist, your knees should be slightly bent and your back straight, and your neck in line with your spine. Extend the arms and grip your weights, with overhand grip/palms facing downwards. Bend your elbows to pull the weights in towards your sternum as you exhale, then extend arms to the return weight to starting point as you inhale. Beginners do this 8-10 times and then take 60 seconds rest Intermediates, do this 6-8 times with heavier weights and 90 seconds’ rest. Perform up to 3 sets.
What to watch
Shoulders, to avoid overusing the upper trapezius muscles, do not let the shoulders hike up towards your ears. Keep them back and down instead. Back – do not arch or overextend. Keep your trunk as still as possible. Knees – keep your knees slightly bent. Alternatives – Pause at the top of the movement and squeeze shoulder blades together to get the most out of the exercise.
Pre-recorded workout WEIGHTED WORKOUT ABS & ARMS
Head over to my YouTube channel (please follow me and subscribe) you will find a pre recorded video that I uploaded
JUNE Thoughts and Reflection 🙂
Be kind. Be thoughtful. Be loving. Remember: you don’t know everyone’s story.
We can’t make assumptions about other people.
We don’t know where they came from, what they are struggling with, who they are behind closed doors.
It’s for all these reasons — and many more — that we should treat everyone with absolute love and respect.
HAPPY JUNE
Stay strong, breathe and spread the love and positivity
Love Marisa xx
Fitness Pilates Health Coach
07811441810
https://marisaswain-fitnesspilates.co.uk
www.facebook/PTSfitnesspilatesclassesBraintree
Find me on Instagram/IGTV/YouTube