Welcome To My Blog!
Well hello there and welcome to my blog! Never thought I would start one, but here I am, and I am excited about it.
Bit of background here for those that haven't met me yet - but to summarise - I was teaching yoga & pilates in London but have just moved back to my homeland, NZ! i absolutely love what I do. Whether its teaching a group class or private, there are so many rewarding aspects of this job (if you can call it that - I freaking love it!). Seeing someone become more in tune with their body, find some peace of mind, or become more comfortable in their own skin brings me joy.
I thought a lot about what to focus this blog on (ok people, I need some synonyms for blog!), and decided I don’t just want to transcribe the random ramblings of my mind (there’s some weird stuff in there). Instead I want to write about something that I am passionate about and that I hope you guys will find useful. After some inspiration from my bestie, I thought about the relationship between yoga & pilates, and how well they compliment each other. I love teaching and practising both, and believe that striving for that balance between strength and flexibility is a major factor in having a healthy, happy body.
And no, I don’t mean that you have to be able to squat 100kgs then jump into the splits! By strength I mean muscles that are able to effectively stabilise the joints and support the spine as you move. By flexible I mean joints that are mobile (but not too mobile!), and muscles/connective tissue/fascia free from tension.
Over the years I have had a tendency to overdo the flexibility work because it comes easy to me. Unfortunately, if that's all I do, it stresses my joints and leaves me moving very gingerly. On the other hand, too much strength work causes my muscles to seize up, spasm and cramp. Fun times.
Finding a good balance between the stretchy stuff and the strength-based work really has been key for me, and I figured it might be a useful thing to share. So over the next few weeks I want to write about how you can strike that balance. i’ll suggest stretches you can do to lengthen, open and create space in the body, and also a handful of stabilising exercises and movements you can do to activate & strengthen the muscles. These will be exercises and stretches that I incorporate in my own practise as well as in my group/private classes, and that you can do at home with minimal (if any) equipment.
Disclaimer!
I do not claim to know everything, and these exercises are not a cure-all! If you have an injury or experience any pain in your body, its best to get checked out by a medical pro (and actually follow their advice) before you throw yourself into a pilates/yoga routine. And better still, if you are new to both and feel a tad unsure, its always better to go to a class with a teacher (wonder where you could find one of those!), who can teach you correct alignment and modify for your needs first. After that, a mix of group/private classes and home practise is ideal. There are OF COURSE other exercises and stretches you can do...the ones I am sharing are my favs and are the ones that have helped me.
Basically, I want you to have a body that is both strong and supple to minimise any chance of injury down the line, and even improve any aches and pains that you may already have. Great posture, great alignment, and a healthy spine for life. Boom.
There we go, you have made it to the end of b-l-o-g post number one. Thanks for reading! If you have any requests or things you would like me to focus on over the next few weeks, please get in touch/comment (its my first attempt at a blog, so be kind!). Coming up first….Happy Hamstrings!
Big love,
Emma xxx
(first published in August 2017 & migrated over from emmalouiseyoga.com)