Top 5 reasons to do Pilates & Yoga during pregnancy

Why are Pilates & Yoga recommended during Pregnancy?

Exercising is very important for you to keep up during pregnancy and Pilates & Yoga are some of the safest and most effective forms of exercise during this time as it helps you to:

• Maintain your general fitness and strength – you will need it for the labour and also looking after your baby - carrying your baby and lifting prams takes a lot of strength!

• Prevent stiffness, aches and pains, such as back and pelvic pain, keeping you more mobile

• Strengthen your pelvic floor and deep core abdominal muscles which help in your recovery post pregnancy.

• Improve your posture, which naturally changes a lot throughout the pregnancy.

• Develop awareness of your breath and learn breathing techniques to improve circulation, boost the flow of oxygen to you and your baby, and to help relax you and reduce stress

How long can you continue to attend Pilates & Yoga classes?

Pilates and Yoga are very safe forms of exercise during pregnancy, both for you and your baby as long as certain guidelines are followed and the exercises performed are prescribed specifically for pregnancy by women's health professionals. Every woman and every pregnancy is different though, the most important thing to remember is make sure you listen to your body. Many women feel comfortable to attend classes right up until they give birth.

If you are a pregnant mum to be on the Sunshine Coast then contact us to arrange a prenatal consult. During your Prenatal Initial Consult we will review your history, discuss your goals, assess your movement and posture, discuss pelvic floor and core activation, and introduce you to the fundamentals of Pilates and Yoga.

Once you have completed your Prenatal Initial Consult we will recommend which classes will be suitable for you moving forward and provide you with information to support you though all stages of your pregnancy.

What is the difference between Pilates and Yoga?

Pilates and Yoga are often paired together under the one umbrella, and that’s not without good reason. They share many similarities but they also have their key points of difference.

What is important to note is that both Pilates and Yoga are mind-body conditioning methods with a holistic approach to achieving health and wellness.

Yoga

While there are many physical benefits to practicing yoga, and it is excellent for your overall health and wellbeing, yoga is merely a tool to help you influence and access your mind. Yoga harmonises or joins the mind, body, and spirit with the goal being to lead a person to a state of peace and stillness.

The physical component of yoga including the poses and movements you practice in a yoga class is called asana. Asana is one of the eight limbs of yoga. The physical benefits of asana can include improved strength, flexibility and mobility, just to name a few. The main reason we practice asana is to calm the mind so that we can sit still in meditation.

Sri T Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga

The meaning of yoga as given in Sutra 1.2 of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is to calm the fluctuations of the mind.

Chitta vritti nirodhah

~ Patanjali

Pilates

Pilates is often thought to be similar to yoga, which is not surprising since Joseph Pilates the founder of Pilates practiced yoga. It was during World War I that Jospeh Pilates created, practiced, and taught his physical fitness program, previously termed ‘contrology’, to aid in the rehabilitation of the disabled and sick. His guiding principle is that the ‘whole’ body must be exercised to achieve good health.

Joseph Pilates developed a series of exercise that can be performed either on the floor (mat Pilates) or on the various pieces of apparatus he invented. The Pilates equipment is designed to condition the entire body, and through core strengthening exercises improve strength, flexibility and ultimately correct posture, body alignment and balance.

Joseph Pilates on the Pilates Reformer

Similarly to yoga, Joseph Pilates regarded his method as a holistic approach and a path to total health, rather than just a physical fitness program.

Pilates is the complete coordination of mind, body, spirit

~ Joseph Pilates

So while you can improve your strength, flexibility and mobility from both methods, the main goals of the two practices differ. The full practice of yoga aims to calm the mind, and the Pilates method aims to improve physical strength. Both Pilates and yoga aim to improve the mind-body connection.

At our beautiful Sunshine Coast studios, CGM Pilates & Yoga, we offer both Pilates and yoga, and enjoy the benefits of practicing both methods. For enquiries visit us online here or pop into our Maroochydore studios and try a class.

Pilates Breathing

Breath is one of the key principles of Pilates and is fundamental to improving body awareness. Pilates breathing is developed over time and cultivates synergy between movement and breath. Correct technique can improve your Pilates and ultimately your quality of life. As Joseph Pilates said, “Breathing is the first act of life and the last, our very life depends on it”

So, what is Pilates Breathing? Each exercise has a specific breathing pattern which helps to improve the safety and effectiveness for that exercise. The breathing patterns assist with correct muscle activation, helps supply oxygen to the muscles, remove waste products, and prevents holding breath.

When performing Pilates Breathing we inhale through the nose directing the breath into the sides of the ribs expanding the ribs laterally. This helps to maintain abdominal activation and prevents shallow breathing which can cause the shoulders and neck to tense. 

The exhalation is through the mouth and we close the ribcage down and in. The inhale is normal and the exhale is slow and forceful. Exhaling through the mouth allows for a more forceful exhalation and aids in deep abdominal muscle activation. It is important to avoid taking a deep breath when we inhale as this can encourage the spine to arch, losing the abdominal muscle activation.

When we breath the position of our spine changes slightly. Correct breathing patterns support the structures of the spine and reduces the likelihood of injury.

When you are new to Pilates the breath can seem a little overwhelming at first. We suggest focussing on your set-up, posture and movement, and then add the breathing in as you feel comfortable and more confident.

If you’d like to talk about technique with a CGM Pilates Instructor, remember that we’re always available before and after class in our Maroochydore studio, located in the heart of the Sunshine Coast.

See you on the Mat or Reformer soon!

Why I love Magnesium

It's no secret I love nothing more than staying home on a Saturday night and having a long relaxing bath (I know, exciting right?!) So, if I could replicate the effects of a bath and put it into a bottle for those times when a bath is not an option it would be in the form of MgLIFE Magnesium Oil Spray. 

I love this product so much I thought I'd share it with you in the studio so that you can enjoy the benefits too. The reason I love MgLIFE is because it is the most pure, concentrated magnesium oil on the market and made from 100% Australian organically certified ingredients (trust me, I've tried them all!). 

Don't just take my word for it though, have a read below as to why Magnesium is so good for our active Pilates bodies. 

MAGNESIUM BENEFITS

Magnesium — a mineral our body needs to be healthy

Magnesium is essential for over 300 of our body’s metabolic reactions! Every cell of our body needs it, it’s vital for our brain-health, heart-health, muscle contraction, bone strength and energy production. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency range from fatigue to insomnia, to muscle aches and pains and it can also affect our moods and anxiety levels.

Three quarters of all Australians are magnesium deficient

Studies have shown that the average diet is not providing enough magnesium for the body to function at its best. So, what about magnesium tablets? Many people have problems absorbing oral supplements, with up to 90% not being absorbed at all.

The solution is applying magnesium oil on the skin

In 30 minutes, your skin will absorb the magnesium in the oil. It’s such an easy way to get the magnesium that is so vital for our general well-being. People who are lacking in magnesium report many benefits once they introduce the Magnesium Oil into their daily routine. Here are just a few…

Muscle relaxant for soreness prevention and workout recovery

Because the oil can be used as a natural muscle relaxant, applying it before and after exercise can help relieve the aches and pains that occur during and after exercise. Helps prevent DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and cramping.

Restless legs and muscle pain

Alleviate restless legs and muscle pain by applying directly to the problem areas.

Skincare

A number of studies have found magnesium is very good at breaking down the different fats and oils that form in our skin every day. An ideal treatment for skin irritations such as acne, blackheads and other stress-related skin conditions.

Sleep improvement

Magnesium helps our bodies by relaxing certain receptors in our brain and nervous system. It also aids neurological and physiological processes when the body is under pressure. Applying Magnesium Oil to the soles of your feet and/or your calves just before bed allows your body to absorb this vital mineral so you can relax and get a great night’s sleep.

Headaches and migraines

Applying to the base of your neck and/or hairline can alleviate headaches. Magnesium helps with headaches as it helps lower the brain’s temperature and also regulates key hormones that help us to relax.

Recommendation

Using MgLIFE Magnesium Oil helps you maintain a healthy magnesium intake for your everyday well-being. You can make it part of your daily routine in the morning, apply directly to a certain part of your body before or after exercise, rub it on your feet just before you go to bed or add it to your next warm bath.

4 pumps provide on average 117mg of elemental magnesium / 460mg of magnesium chloride (approximately 1ml)

ADELAIDE, SA © COPYRIGHT 2018 MgLIFE

MgLIFE is now available for purchase at CGM Pilates.

How often should I do Pilates?

How often should I do Pilates?

So you love Pilates, it makes you feel amazing…but can you do too much? Most of us know that getting enough rest after exercise is essential for muscle recovery but many of us still overtrain or feel guilty to take a day off! Our body repairs and strengthens itself in the time between workouts, and continuous training can actually weaken the strongest of us!

What happens during recovery?
Recovery time is the period that the body uses to adapt to the stress of exercise and this is when the real training takes place. Exercise causes changes in the body such as muscle tissue breakdown so rest and recovery allows our body to replenish energy stores and repair
damaged tissues. Without sufficient time to repair, muscle tissue breakdown can continue, leading to new injury, reoccurrence of old injuries and reduced performance/ ability during future sessions.

How to recover?
Recovery doesn’t always mean being inactive, you can include active recoveries into your exercise regime. It is also important that you include a variety of training into your schedule. On a rest day, incorporating walks, hikes, swimming and stretching can help you recover so that your body can work efficiently during your next class.

Bottom line.. How much is too much?
When we undergo the stress of physical exercise, our body adapts and becomes more efficient. However, there are limits to how much stress the body will tolerate before it risks injury. Doing too much too quickly can cause damage and doing too little can result in little to no improvement. This is why it is important to find a maintain a balance between exercise and recovery. Each individual has their own personal goals and this should dictate how often you participate in a Pilates class. If your goal is to increase mobility, you can notice changes by attending one class a week, if you are looking for improvements in strength, mobility, balance, coordination then twice a week can elicit change. Finally, if your goal is to achieve a full body transformation including changes in muscle tone, strength, posture and mobility then we recommend 3-4 times per week. It is important that you find balance in your active lifestyle, remain in tune with your body and look after yourself. After all, our body is the only place we have to live! If you are a Pilateholic like us and attending a Pilates class every day or on consecutive days, it is recommended that you have at least 12 hours rest in between classes, with 24 hours ideally.. Remember it's all about quality, not quantity!

Written by Marissa Cumming, CGM Pilates Instructor and Accredited Exercise Physiologist

Creamy Anti-inflammatory Pumpkin Soup

Creamy Anti-inflammatory Pumpkin Soup

This dreamy, creamy, pumpkin soup is not not only warming and nourishing, it also contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and gut-healing properties… perfect for those cold winter nights!

Ingredients:

• 500g pumpkin, chopped into chunks
• 2 brown onions, sliced into quarters
• 1/2 a cauliflower, broken into florets
• 4 cloves of garlic, skins removed
• 2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 small green apple, skin removed and chopped
• 2 cups of bone broth/stock (beef, chicken or vegetable) or water
• 1 can of coconut cream (you could use milk for a lighter option)
• 1 lrg knob of ginger, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• Olive/coconut oil for roasting
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180. In a large baking dish, organise your pumpkin, onion, cauliflower and garlic before drizzling with oil and salt. Bake until vegetables are soft and caramelised, about 40 minutes.
2. In a large pot, add 1 tbsp of oil (or butter, if you prefer). Saute your ginger, apple and celery for approx 1 min. Add in your caramelised vegetables, turmeric and broth before bringing to a boil.
3. Pour in the coconut cream/milk and then blitz with a stick blender (adding more water to thin, if necessary).
4. Finish off with salt and pepper to taste. Top with pumpkin seeds and natural yogurt and serve with warm, crusty sourdough!

*Tip- You can also add a heaping tbsp of your favourite curry powder for a kick!

Recipe by Abbey Chapman, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and Self-proclaimed Chef extraordinaire. Find more from Abbey @abbey.a.chapman, Mindful Movement Noosa.

"Tis the Season to be Jolly"

It's the festive season which means eating, eating, drinking, and more eating. So if you'r'e looking for a quick no fuss work out you can do in between courses then we've got you covered.

Try our 10 minute Mat class below, feel free to shorten or extend the number of repetitions to suit your body.

As always move safely and only work within your own limits. Happy Holidays! 

You heard it right, we're doing Rooftop Pilates!

Looking for the perfect outdoor workout? Join us on the rooftop of the Kon-Tiki building in Maroochydore every Tuesday at 6am for a 45-minute mat Pilates class. There's nothing quite like this intense core workout held six stories above the CBD with stunning views across the entire Sunshine Coast. 

Don't just take our word for it though, Urban List were stoked to find out about our weekly rooftop sessions, check out what they wrote about this Pilates experience here. 

The details you need to know

WHEN: weekly on Tuesdays

TIMES: 6-6:45am

COST: $22 casual class or try our 5 for $55 intro offer

LOCATION: meet just before 6am at CGM Pilates

WHAT TO BRING:  A yoga mat, water and sunglasses.

What is core strength, and why do you need it?

“You are only as young as your spine is flexible” Joseph Pilates

Every apple has a core right? So imagine yourself as an apple, and simply put your core is your centre that holds you together and supports your spine. And since your spine is what holds you up, it is incredibly important that you take good care of it.

Your core is the powerhouse of the moving body. Although your abdominal muscles make up a significant portion of your core, there are other muscles included.  Essentially your entire torso, including your chest, abdominal muscles, pelvis, and your back make up your core.

Having a strong and stable core will improve your balance and posture and the overall quality of your movement will improve.

So what does it mean to have a strong core? Is it having a six pack? We hate to break it to you, but, no.

Our six pack muscles (rectus abdominis), are the most superficial of the four abdominal muscles and as a result they can pop up to make us look toned and fit. Having a toned physical appearance does not always equate to good core strength. At CGM Pilates you won’t hear us talking much about about six packs (that's not to say you won't get one though!), instead we focus on teaching you how to activate the deeper, core stabilising abdominal muscles.

The transverse abdominis (TA) is the deepest of four abdominal muscles and acts to support the lower back and pelvis. At CGM Pilates we regularly see clients that suffer from lower back pain and they have been referred by their doctors or physiotherapists to do Pilates. Strengthening your core stabilising muscles can help alleviate back pain, prevent injury, and improve back strength and mobility.

Here's a simple exercise you can try at home*.

SINGLE LEG LIFTS

Setup

Lie on your back on the floor or on a yoga mat,  knees bent, feet resting flat on the floor and your arms by your side.

Movement

1. Exhale: lift one leg up moving only at the hip joint, maintaining the angle of the knee

2. Inhale: lower leg down

3. Repeat 8-10 per leg

4. If you'd like to increase the changellenge, alternate from one leg to the other for 8-10 times.

*Always consult your physician before adding any new exercises to your program.

If you'd like to read more about core strength check out the Ask our HEALTH experts sections of Profile Magazine. 

Sunshine Coast locals, we encourage you to come in and learn for yourself about core strength from our team of experienced CGM Pilates Instructors.

If you have a question about core strength or are curious as to how Pilates can help you we’d love to help.

With health & happiness,

Colina, CGM Pilates co-founder.

Contact cgm Pilates

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