FITNESS PILATES – APRIL 2024 NEWSLETTER
Dear Fitness Pilates Member
Hope you had a great March. As I am putting the final touches to April’s Newsletter and I can begin with ‘spring is finally here’.
I have been teaching online now for over 4 years. I never would have thought this would have happened, but the lockdown changed our working plans for myself and I imagine for many of you too, for the better. I had to learn hard and fast, and now I successfully deliver a Zoom class a week (Mondays), Carers twice a month and Personal Training. Teaching Group Exercise online has enabled me to become more creative with class content and output. Building an online timetable with a wide variety of innovative classes has been one of the biggest points for you and myself, as being creative and experimental every day is so important.
Class Timetable
Monday – Stisted Village Hall 0930-1015 & ZOOM – 1100-1145
Tuesday – 3rd Tuesday of the month – Fitness Pilates/Mindfulness – Bradwell Village Hall 1115-1200
Wednesday – Wethersfield Village Hall 1100-1145
Thursday – Coggeshall Village Hall 1100-1145
Friday – St Peters Village Hall – 1st Friday of the month – Fitness Pilates/Mindfulness/Relaxation 1115-1200
Don’t forget…..if you can’t make the ZOOM times then I can send you a recording for just £6. Let me know and I can forward you a link from my YouTube Studio.
NOTE FOR YOUR DIARIES –hand weighted lessons the first week of the month
there won’t be a class at Stisted on the 22nd April or Zoom.
Fitness Pilates printed T-shirts – I have ordered some more M and S t-shirts so I have some more available to purchase in stock. Let me know if you would like one and I will put one to one side for you.
Spine Health
As you have been aware I have been having issues with my lower back health and was advised that hanging from a bar is a great way to decompress the spine. I started hanging around 3 weeks ago, 2-3 times a week and I have to say it has really had huge benefits to the nerve pain I had been experiencing. I can almost say I am pain free now. Here are some of the benefits to hanging:-
- Improved grip strength is not the only benefit to hanging Its fantastic for shoulder mobility and range of motion
- Hanging is also great for spinal decompression
- Stretches the upper body
- Reduces shoulder pain
- Improves shoulder mobility
- Corrects posture
https://advancedspinesports.com/blog/does-hanging-decompress-your-spine/
Osteoporosis
During the month of March I have been referring to the condition Osteoporosis throughout our classes. Did you know that over 3 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with this condition, but the worrying part is there is far more than that, as people have ignored their condition. It’s not too late to find out if you have osteoporosis by doing this risk assessment.
I have completed the test and the result is that I am at risk. Here is the link, it only takes 5 mins. https://theros.org.uk/
‘Exercise that’s good for your bones
Bones stay strong if you give them work to do.
For exercise to be most effective at keeping bones strong, you need to combine:
- weight-bearing exercise with impact
- muscle strengthening exercise
Variety is good for bones, which you can achieve with different movements, directions and speeds – in an activity like dancing for example. Short bursts of activity may be best, such as running followed by a jog, or jogging followed by a walk.
Weight-bearing exercise with ‘impact’
You are weight bearing when you are standing, with the weight of your whole body pulling down on your skeleton.
Weight bearing exercise with impact involves being on your feet and adding an additional force or jolt through your skeleton. This could be anything from walking to star jumps.
You can get weight bearing exercise with impact by taking part in some physical activity, sports or by doing specific exercises. The level of impact varies depending on the activity’
https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/bone-health/exercise-for-bones/
I have learnt something new from this conclusion that the organisation encourages impact exercises ie from walking to starjumps. Hey, perhaps I need to introduce some jumping jacks and burpees into our sessions
I LOVE MY NEUROPLASTICITY
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to reorganise itself by creating new neural pathways and strengthening/weakening existing ones.
Neuroplasticity gives us hope – it means we can change! We can change any habit or pattern of belief.
We unconsciously create neural pathways when we indulge in certain behaviours or emotions regularly. These “habits” become neuro-associations in the brain. We end up doing them without thinking.
But that doesn’t mean we’re programmed to continue to repeat those behaviours or emotions. When you stop a consistent behaviour, those neuro-associations shrink immediately.
When we start changing our thoughts and behaviours, our brain rewires itself to reflect that. It actually grows new connections and new neural tissue to adapt to the changes we make.
You can use neuroplasticity to undo negative thoughts and behaviours or to support positive thoughts and behaviours. It’s versatile!
We can change anything we want – even how happy or sad we are – by focusing on and choosing which neural pathways we want to strengthen.
66 days to change a habit
Did you know that it takes an average of 66 days to form a change of habit? I didn’t know either, I thought it was 21. But that’s the conclusion of a ground breaking investigation carried out by Cancer Research UK. No wonder it’s sometimes so hard to stick to our new intentions
MUSCLE MATTERS
As we age, it’s important to build strength and maintain muscle mass to help prevent future injury and illness
Did you know that from the age of 30 our muscle mass starts to decline? This is a natural process known as Sarcopenia and accelerates over time, putting older people at risk of instability, illness, and injury. Research shows that regular muscle stretching exercise in later life can prevent falls and fracture, build bone density, regulate blood pressure, prevent type 2 diabetes, and even enhance mood.
There are more than 600 human muscles, soft tissue essential for movement and physical function. Repetitive strength-based training that stresses muscle to build density benefits the whole body.
Thankfully there are easy steps everyone can take to rebuild and maintain their muscle mass and its never too late to start. It is recommended that older people incorporate strength training in their regular exercise programme 2-3 times a week, gradually increasing weights and session duration to stimulate muscle resistance.
5 ways to build strength
Rest and Repeat
Try lifting a weight such as dumbbells, or even a tin of beans. Start with 8-12 reps of a bicep curl, increasing reps, weights and frequency as strength grows.
Use your body weight body weight
Body weight exercises are great for building muscle mass. Depending on your fitness and comfort level, try sets of push ups, planks and squats, or a lower intensity exercise such as repeatedly standing from a sitting position i.e. sit to stand
Stretch and Tone
Doing Pilates helps to improve core strength, flexibility, and balance. The Pilates movements target multiple muscle groups to promote stretching and toning.
Eat more Protein
Strength training breaks down and rebuild protein in muscles, so it’s advised to eat more protein found in nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs, meat, fish, and green vegetables
Ive attached a lovely little workout that covers the subjects in this month’s newsletter ‘Strength V Fitness Pilates’. Hope you enjoy it.
Have a fabulous April and Happy Easter.
Quote of the month
Change your thoughts and you change your world. Norman Vincent Peale
Love and Best Wishes
Marisa x
Fitness Pilates Health Coach
https://marisaswain-fitnesspilates.co.uk
www.facebook/PTSfitnesspilatesclassesBraintree
VIP Marisa Swain Health & Fitness Online (Facebook private group)
You can also find me on YouTube & Instagram
Mobile 07811441810