We don’t know about you but we lost interest in the idea of a ‘New Year’s Resolution’ – or two – a few years ago. It seems so at odds with the instinctive need for our bodies to rest and recharge at what can often feel like a harsh time of year. The long winter months are a way of telling us to be kind to ourselves but of course, after the excesses of the festive period, it’s also natural to feel a bit sluggish and reluctant to focus again.
Everyone’s back to work, children are back at school and hopefully life seems relatively in order -but not necessarily exciting.
A vital boost to your energy and self-esteem at this time of year doesn’t have to mean a juice detox, going cold-turkey on all the foodie treats you love or a new gym membership (unless you want it to). Actually, we can feel better trying to eat well, staying healthy and putting time and effort into our bodies all year around. After all, we all look after our major items, like our cars and houses all year around but often our bodies get put to the bottom of the ‘to-do’ list.
As part of a healthier way of life and to complement other sports activities, Pilates training can slowly but fundamentally challenge and strengthen your body as well as the way it moves to supports your everyday tasks like driving, picking up your child or eating your meals.
For example, our bodies get used to doing the same things the same way – we brush our teeth or wash the dishes with the same hand, we get out of the car on the same side and we put certain thing at home in the same place. All this means our large mover muscles and those frequently repeated patterns do all the heavy lifting, without the vital support from the numerous, small linking muscles and ligaments which, if mobilised and given room within the body, can help you to be more symmetrical and less prone to injury and fatigue.
A Pilates workout stretches, engages and works the big and smaller muscles, joints and so on, guiding you with your breath to keep your core engaged all the time that you’re challenging them.
So this year if you want to take care of your body for years to come, starting up or going back to Pilates can really help. One of the benefits is that it’s never too late to start: young or old, strong and fit or in need of rehabilitation, there’s a type of Pilates and piece of equipment that can be tailored to suit and strengthen you.
And in the meantime, why not try a cheeky squat when you brush your teeth, do the washing up with your non-dominant hand, sit on a swiss gym ball for half an hour while you watch TV in the evening or stretch your back with a Pilates roll down (there are some useful instructions and images for how to do this in section five on this site) before going to bed? All these are great examples of how doing the same thing slightly differently at home will contribute to a strong and stable you, all year, every year.
