Plank exercises are a great way to work on your core and glutes and many people love doing them because you can feel these muscles working very hard, very quickly. However, it’s easy to do a plank incorrectly which can cause an injury and at the very least means you won’t get the maximum benefit. […]

With the number of jobs now requiring a substantial amount of computer work, it’s no wonder that so many of us end up feeling ‘chair shaped’ at the end of a working day. Pilates is a great way to improve the flexibility of your muscles and the mobility of your joints. Regular practice not only […]

Your hip flexors are a group of muscles found deep at the front of your hips, attaching your spine to your thigh bones. They work to bend your hips and help lift up your legs when you move around. If you spend a lot of time sitting during your day – commuting to and from […]

Many dance schools and professional dancers recognise the value of Pilates as a training method for developing core strength, technique and connection with their bodies. Practising Pilates builds strong, flexible muscles with the strength to move fast and the endurance to sustain slow moves. It’s also complimentary in style to dance, with a precise and […]

If you listen closely during a Pilates class you might hear a faint ‘pop’ or ‘click’ every now and again. This noise is most likely coming from someone’s hip. It’s very common to find that one of your hips clicks or pops with certain movements, particularly when you are lowering your leg from a raised […]

  Having a ‘scoliosis’ means that part of your spine curves sideways. For most people this is picked up when they are a child and although you might be concerned that you could have prevented it from happening, this isn’t the case. Scoliosis isn’t caused carrying a heavy school bag, slouching or sleeping on your […]

There’s no such thing as the ‘perfect posture’ …  no one set way that we as individuals should all be aiming to stand or sit that’s been scientifically proven to prevent pain. Indeed, we are all different and just like having blue eyes or brown hair, some people are born with tight hamstrings or a […]

It can be a love-hate thing but if you’ve tried self-massage using a foam roller before, you’re probably already convinced of the benefits. Reduced muscle pain, increased flexibility and improved joint mobility can all be achieved using a foam roller and it’s not just for rehab after an injury either. You can foam roll before […]

Following on from our last blog post about the most effective stretches for your hips … this week we’re focusing on the best exercises to strengthen the muscles the support and control your hip movement. Weak, buttock muscles can contribute to lots of different painful hip and leg conditions, so here are our favourite exercises […]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis affecting our joints. It’s sometimes called ‘wear and tear’ arthritis but I think this is a misnomer as joint wear is a normal consequence of daily activity. Osteoarthritis actually develops when our joint repair processes are insufficient to cope with the stresses and strains passing through […]