Pilates Face & Body Workout

Using Pilates techniques you will improve your posture and alignment, work on problem areas (but always in relation to the whole body), learn good movement practice that can help get you through the day, at work or at play, and build a sound foundation for a healthy future.

The Pilates Face and Body Workout is a 3 hour workshop. We will take you through the principles of Pilates and teach you exercises to work your face and body. 

You will also learn correct technique that is vital for any other workout or sport you may participate in.  Best of all, these exercises can be built into your everyday life – so by working out little and often you can really change your face and body, and slow down the aging process.

But do remember, it is your body not anyone else’s! Even celebrities cannot pay someone else to do their workout for them.

Pelvic Floor Workshop

A chance for informal advice and an opportunity to prevent problems in the future.This session will also help you to know if you are pulling in the correct set of muscles during your Pilates classes or other exercise classes! The workshop will cover basic anatomy and physiology of the pelvic floor, give information about the different types of bladder incontinence and genital prolapse and the treatment options available. You’ll get tips for improving/maintaining your own bladder control, with a small practice session on functional pelvic floor exercises, and also ways to access further professional help if required.

Sally Sheppard is an experienced Women’s Health Physiotherapist. She worked at the Royal Free Hospital in London for 7 years and is now based at the Saxon Clinic, Milton Keynes. Sally treats conditions including urinary incontinence, symptoms associated with vaginal prolapse and weak pelvic floor muscles. Sally also treats ante and post natal back and pelvic disorders.

To self refer to Sally for a private consultation please call the Physiotherapy Department at the Saxon Clinic on 01908 306753, or ask your GP for a referral if you have private medical insurance.

Pilates for Gardeners

After a winter looking at seed catalogues, you might be wise to learn a few simple exercises that can prepare you for the spring and summer borders, rather than the GP’s surgery. Our 3 hour Gardeners Workshop is tailored to help you to get fit and healthy, not just for gardening, but to be able to enjoy many more activities too. Good sound movement patterns and building body awareness will help you to improve your health and fitness levels.

Reap what you sow. Digging and weeding means bending and lifting. We will teach you not only how to protect your lower back, but to make it much stronger. We will also focus on the neck and shoulders, another area that can be aggravated by poor muscle tone. During the workshop we will show you how to strengthen all areas that will support you through the gardening seasons.  The fee includes an exercise poster and CD to help you continue at home. How to do simple stretching and warm up the body before you start will prevent many injuries and niggles after a day on the beds – not a day in bed. Who needs a  treadmill when you have a lawn mower! Use your garden as a gym!

Pilates and Golf

Golf is a mind and body sport - analyse the shot and the lie of the land and visualise how to get the ball in the hole. The image is played in the mind many times before the actual movement. The better players are those that use this method when training their body to get fit to play.This well developed technique also supports their game.

So if you choose an exercise regime that combines mind and body conditioning,  you can improve the quality of your game, reduce the risk of injury and increase the longevity of your game well into your later years. Playing golf does not develop your body - but mind and conditioning can greatly enhance your ability to play consistently. Pilates is not about working muscles in isolation but about creating sound movement patterns and functional movement. By working the core muscles you can spread the load for your spine. Working on scapular stabilisation can really improve the quality of your swing and improving your coordination skills will benefit your game. Pilates also increases the range of movement in joints, whilst developing strength and flexibility. Finally by increasing muscular stamina, you will have something to tap into towards the end of a round.