Massage has a long history and was recorded in China from 3,000BC. It has been practiced in various parts of the world from India, Japan. As time evolved, different massage techniques were developed.

Massage is not just an indulgence it has healing properties. The different massage techniques can help with different conditions or just simply for relaxation. A massage can also help complement your exercise or rehabilitation regime.

1. Swedish Massage – Long sweeping strokes with pressures applied at certain points.
2. Aromatherapy Massage – Combines the therapeutic benefits of using essential oils with some Swedish massage techniques.
3. Sports Massage – Medium to hard pressure focusing on muscular releases and stretches. Pre-sports massage helps athletes to prepare their bodies for optimal performance, while post-sports massage helps to normalize the body’s muscular tissues.

Other Forms of Bodywork

1. Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) – Gentle basic strokes known as the “stationary circle”, “pump”, rotary” and “scoop” techniques are designed to manipulate lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels with the goal of increasing their activity and promote the flow of lymph. It is recommended for stress, water retention, post-surgeries, swelling, tiredness, obesity, migraines/headaches.
2. Remedial Therapy – Combination of Swedish massage with neuromuscular technique, muscle energy techniques, soft tissue release and connective tissue massage. It encompasses various advanced massage techniques such as myofascial releases, trigger points releases that are used to treat musculo-skeletal injuries and improve the body’s repair mechanisms. Clients who are experiencing muscle stiffness or previous muscular injuries can choose remedial massage to improve their condition. This form of treatment is tailored to individual needs and varies from customer to customer, especially the common ones such as stiff neck, lower back pain, piriformis syndrome, frozen shoulders, knee pain and plantar fasciitis.

Contra-indications to massage:

1. Skin diseases that are contagious
2. Cancer (require doctor’s clearance)
3. Fever/ Flu
4. Diabetes (partial)
5. Pregnancy (only 2nd trimester and after)

*It is recommended that massages be done by qualified therapists.

 

Image credit: Canva Pro 

We caught up with our Senior Instructor Audrey, founder of The Moving Body Group and also a Master Trainer to share her experience with Pilates and the history of The Moving Body Group.

 

1. Can you share with us what got you started with Pilates?
I began my journey in Pilates when I began to suffer from back pain in 2002 when I was working as a fitness coordinator in one of the major gyms in Singapore. I was teaching between 6 – 7 high impact gym classes a week. That was when I discovered that I had a scoliosis and that the excessive high impact exercise was causing compression in my lower back.

2. What made you want to start The Moving Body?
I wanted to offer a solution to people who were suffering from physical injuries and conditions that were looking for an alternative answer besides surgery or medication. The Moving Body is all about the fact that when one has an injury or condition, resting and not moving is not always the answer but moving the right way can actually improve one’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

3. I understand that you are already a Master Trainer, could you share what this means and what it takes to be a Master Trainer?
I often feel awkward to use the word Master trainer in relation to myself as it makes me sound like I know it all but in fact I find that I still have a lot to learn and always will be learning from others around me, even my students.
I have a passion for teaching and mentoring young instructors. I went through the journey myself of being a fitness instructor, from teaching general fitness classes to the role of a Pilates instructor where I was teaching people exercises that would be more corrective to their posture and this had large effects on their daily lives.
Being a Pilates instructor is not about teaching exercises alone to your clients, in many ways you need to address the mental and emotional state of your clients too. My mission is to educate young Pilates instructors that they are not exercise instructors alone, they play a more holistic role in their clients’ lives.

4. Since you started doing Pilates to now being a Master Trainer, what have you learnt throughout the years? What advice would you give to people that are hesitant about Pilates?
You would never know unless you try!

5. Tell us more about yourself when you are not teaching
I am a busy mum to my young active children, I like to bake because it calms me. I like that baking requires patience, precision and practice which are qualities that are important in life.

6. Aims and goals for the future both on a personal level and also for the company.
I want to achieve better work life balance both for myself and for our clients. We will look into offering new Pilates programs at our studios so that the whole family can enjoy together.

Pilates has come a long way in the last several years. It stated as a means of body conditioning for a small group of people and now, Pilate is more than just a group class at a local gym. Today, Pilates is considered as an elite form of body conditioning that helps develop a healthy body and effective movement patterns. This form of exercise has captured the interest of many people, including pregnant women.

If you have had a hard day at work and going to the gym seems to be a chore, joining a Pilates class is one activity that can make you feel elated, relaxed and in fit shape. Pilates is not just a celebrity fad and an activity for those who want to contour their body. It has plenty of notable benefits to the body which can make your life better.

So why should you have a Pilates in Singapore? Here are some benefits you will enjoy.

Reduce stress

Pilates provides a great escape from all the stresses in a fun and small group environment. Concentrating on your body during the entire Pilates session means not stressing about the rest of your life. In Pilates complex exercises, you are required to think about how you are moving and to breathe with intention. You can get rid of all the nervous tension and over-fatigue that you are feeling, as well as all the negative thoughts bothering you. After an hour of deep breathing and focused movement, both your mind and body will be at peace. So who wouldn’t feel peaceful afterwards?

Stay in shape

A good intense dynamic workout will make you burn many calories than the beginner’s class. However, it is advisable to start with the mat class session if it’s your first time to attend Pilates and then gradually move up to the advanced class. Yes, Pilates can help you stay in shape and achieve sexy abs. Pilates hits every core muscle and activates your transverse abdominus. This deep core muscle is similar to a corset – the stronger it is, the smaller the corset and the flatter the abs. The muscular corset is found under the six pack and side oblique muscles. Targeting the abs muscles can give you sexy abs that you can hardly get with crunches. With Pilates, you can have a fit and healthy body.

Help with your mental focus

In order for you to coordinate your body, breath and properly activate your muscles, you need to give full concentration when doing Pilates. For maximum results, many of the exercises are repeated very precisely. This mental demand throughout the Pilates session will greatly benefit you even if you are not in the studio. It can increase your concentration in other aspects of life too. For instance, you can use some help focusing in your day to day tasks, especially with today’s non-stop social media scrolling.

Improve posture

If you have a bad posture, Pilates would be a perfect exercise to help you correct it. As you do Pilates regularly, you will notice that you will get a healthier back and stronger abs, thus improving your posture. And obviously, it can help you boost your confidence as you mingle with people. You will begin to experience a healthier spiritual prowess, peaceful demeanour and a sharp mind. All these will radiate from within you after joining a Pilates in Singapore.

 

Image credit: Canva Pro 

Have you seen many moms-to-be at Pilates class? Don’t be surprised when you do since it’s beneficial to them. There’s a long list of reasons why pregnant women should engage in Pilates in Singapore during and after pregnancy. The exercises can help stabilise, stretch, and strengthen a number of important muscles in the body, and can aid with an individual’s mental health.

Pregnancy has a big impact on a woman’s body. As the baby dwells inside the womb for nine months, the woman’s body likewise undergo several changes. Pilates can help a pregnant woman prepare for the baby’s delivery and make recovery faster.

Below are the most notable benefits of Pilates training to moms-to-be.

During Pregnancy

Improves breath control

As the baby grows, the diaphragm of the mom is compressed up into the chest area, and while a woman’s lung capacity stays the same, it can affect the breathing making it harder to breathe. Since Pilates breathing taps into the muscles lining the rib cage, it allows moms to still take a deep breath and helps keep the thoracic spine, or the middle back, flexible. This part of the body often gets very tight during pregnancy that can bring discomfort. And most importantly, moms can use the breathing control they learned in the Pilate class during the labour.

Less discomfort due to muscle & skeletal imbalances

A mother’s body has no choice but to adapt the changes to make room as the baby grows. The posture of the body is then affected as the months passed by, which can cause much discomfort. While Pilates training cannot prevent this from occurring, the exercises can help strengthen the stabilising muscles, specifically those around the hips and pelvis area. As a result, mom will feel less discomfort in these areas as the baby grows. Strengthening the muscles helps balance the issues and ensure there will be no permanent imbalances on the mom’s body.

Quicker recovery

Put it this way, the stronger the woman’s body throughout the pregnancy, the stronger it will be after the baby is born. If women lose the connection to their abdominals as they expand while the baby grows, it will be that difficult to reconnect after the baby is out. Being a mom is not a simple job, since it involves a lot of works, such as lifting, bending over, carrying, feeding, changing, pushing a stroller, bathing, etc. All these require strong arms and back! Thus, it is of substantial importance to be physically strong not just to perform all the tasks but to prevent imbalances, tensions, and bad habits.

After Pregnancy

Return to pre-pregnancy body

After giving birth, mom should not start attending Pilates classes without the approval from the doctor. Oftentimes, it would take around 6 weeks before you can go back to Pilates training given that you had a natural birth. For those who had a caesarian section, you might need to wait around 8 to 10 weeks or until the doctor approves it. These classes after giving birth are meant to help return the body back to its shape before getting pregnant. During pregnancy, you will have stretched the rectus abdominals to adjust to the growth of the baby inside you. The classes offered by Pilates company in Singapore will initially focus on restoring this particular part of the body as well as the pelvic floor muscles. To those who had a caesarian section, the Pilates class can help restore the abdominal muscles. Be sure to choose a reliable Singapore pilates centre to make the most of the training.

 

Image credit: Canva Pro

 

Pilates is a combination of callisthenics, ballet and yoga designed initially to help those who have injuries. While it is widely used following an injury, many people are now joining Pilates class to improve their muscle elasticity and joint mobility, and thus minimises the likelihood to be injured. A body with balanced strengths and good flexibility has a lower risk of getting an injury.

By doing Pilates regularly, it can provide some dramatic effects on the body both physically and mentally. This is why women either those who are Pilates enthusiasts or who have never stepped foot on a pilate studio have practised this form of exercise.

Check out the great benefits of joining Pilates training:

It makes you more flexible

Many people think they cannot join Pilates just because they are not flexible. But that’s the ultimate reason why they should be doing Pilates – to improve flexibility. Pilates will help you become flexible. When you are tight, you are shortening your muscles and limiting the range of motion that your body can perform. This will make your body prone to getting injuries when doing activities, even simple physical movements can pose a risk. On the other hand, flexibility can help minimise the possibility of getting injured.

It improves posture

Did you know that most types of body aches can result in bad posture? Whether you have a back ache, neck ache, or even headache, all these have bad effects on your body posture. In Pilates, this is known as alignment, in which the muscles are not straining to hold the body upright as well as the head, hips, and feet. By doing Pilates, you can correct your posture or alignment, letting you put less pressure on sensitive joints of the body including hips and knees. When your posture is improved, you will less likely to suffer from injury or strain, and best of all; you will look better – more confident and taller.

It’s easy on joints

Pilates involves slow and controlled movements, putting a minimal impact on the joints. It means you don’t have to worry about hurting yourself or getting injured after performing the Pilates in Singapore. In fact, using Pilates reformer is a great bonus for you since its padding is as thick as yoga mats. The reformer can take away the pressure from your knees and back.

It eases back pain

Through Pilates, you will be able to develop a stronger core that is equivalent to a better back. It is highly advisable for people with chronic lower back pain to join Pilates to get relief. Many people with this problem who practised Pilates experienced improvement within just a few weeks. The longer you do Pilates, the more benefits it provides and can completely eliminate the pain.

It helps flatten abdomen

Those who have desired to get sexy and flat abdominal area, Pilates can help you achieve that goal. Pilates aims the core, unlike any other workout. After 36 weeks of Pilates training, women strengthened the muscles in the abdomen, or the rectus abdominis (responsible for six packs) by around 21 percent. During this time, they have also eliminated the muscle imbalances between the right and left sides of the cores. So, if you have dreamed of getting a flat abdomen, you should take part in a Pilates training in the best Pilates centres in Singapore.

How can Pilates improve balance and control?

Balance is important.

Everything we do in our daily lives relies heavily on our balance. From early childhood to our later years of life, balance control is necessary for our everyday activities, from sedentary tasks such as sitting in a chair to walking, and more dynamic tasks such as riding a bike.

What is balance?

Balance is a complicated process involving the integration of the sensory system, the musculoskeletal system, and the nervous system in order to produce adequate muscle activity to maintain a controlled, upright posture. Activities that train balance and enhance proprioception can stimulate the vestibular system that is involved in our sense of balance. The vestibular system gathers information from the inner ear, eyes and brain to tell us the position of our head, how fast we are going and in what direction are we moving.

Balance process relies on the interaction of 3 major components:

• Trauma
• Repetitive overhead movements

Within the shoulder girdle, the muscles of the rotator cuff should glide smoothly beneath acromion. With overhead arm movement, this subacromial space narrows and when this happens repetitively, the friction between the structures can become inflamed causing pain.

Types of shoulder impingement:

1. Combinations of orientation information from vision, vestibular and theproprioceptive (somatosensory) systems.
2. Motor reactions coordinated among muscles of the feet, legs and trunk.
3. The brain’s ability to integrate the above sensory and processes and to adaptivelymodify these processes in response to changes in the environment.

In order to function effectively we require both static (the ability to maintain positionagainst gravity) and dynamic balance (the ability to prepare or adjust during movement).

It has been well documented that postural dysfunctions, loss of stability and balance control are some of the consequences of age-related musculoskeletal changes that occur over our lifespan. As we age, these functions will start to degenerate.

Our balance will start to deteriorate unless it is actively trained through balance challenging exercises.

Balance impairments and muscular weakness are the highest risk factors for falls. Falls are a huge problem in the over 65 age group. Falls and fractures in people aged 65 and above account for millions of hospital bed days each year in the world. After a fall, an older person has a 50% probability of having their mobility seriously impaired.

Countries across the world have recognized this as a serious public health problem and are proceeding with various prevention programs.

How can Pilates minimise these changes?

Pilates exercise enhances static balance ability through organic activation of the deep muscles of the trunk.

Core strengthening is, a description of the muscular control required around the lumbar spine to maintain functional stability. To develop core strength, individuals need to involve all those forces. Core competency exercises often involve balance as well and, therefore,demand the efforts of many muscles to work synergistically. Many Pilates exercises aim to integrate all these qualities and therefore the focus is as a neurological exercise rather than developing absolute strength.

It has been shown that both Pilates and traditional balance programs are effective at improving balance measures in older adults with fall risk, with the Pilates group showing improved balance confidence.In addition, it had been found that balance improved after a 5-weeks Pilates intervention program and it was maintained for a year with ongoing participation.

As a conclusion: a tailored exercise program help improve balance and hence reduce falls,specifically exercises that challenge balance and improve strength through resistance training and exercise in a standing position and on unstable surfaces. Research has shown that individuals may benefit from Pilates-based exercises that are integrated into traditional resistance and balance training programs. Pilates exercise specifically increase trunk muscular strength and it is the strengthening of the core and control which allow for enhanced static and dynamic balance control.

Written By: Shlomit Sorek, Rehab Therapist

 

Image credit: Pixabay, UptownFitness