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The spike ball relieves muscle tension and tightness in the fascia tissue and ligaments and provides mobility, stimulating blood flow throughout the body.

It can be used on the feet, shoulders, trapezius, upper back, glutes and legs.  It is a great way for you to tune into your own body and feel where the tightness is and target and trigger point various areas.

1. Initially you may feel pain, go gentle, slowly and carefully.
2. Where you feel tight spots and sore spots roll the Spike Ball throughout this area and keep coming back to this spot until you feel the area release.
3. Try each area twice to help relieve the pain, you should feel it is less painful the 2^nd time around.

An example for the Feet

• Stand and place the ball under your foot.
• Roll throughout the arch of your foot, through the joints of the toes, big toe joint and little toe joints, roll around the heel and inside and outside of the foot.
• Roll small circles and up/down throughout the foot.
• Place the ball onto one area and press down gently and firmly, what you can take.
• Repeat this on the other foot.

Try to do this exercise first thing in the morning and when you get home from work whilst relaxing, or just before you go to bed at night.

You can purchase a spike ball at our website – please click here.

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Jill is 75 years old and performs this exercise with beautiful form showing great strength in her arms, core, back and legs. This photo shows us that it is never too late to exercise and anyone can start, at any age. Start slowly and at your pace, with good technique, control and precision.

Spread the word, to your colleagues, friends and family ”be active, be mobile and keep moving. The more you move, the more mobile, balanced and strong your body becomes. This is your body, nurture it, look after it and take the time to stretch, relax and breathe.

The focus and purpose of breathing well with Pilates is important, not only to isolate your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor, but also to create trunk and body awareness. The breathing helps to relax tight, tense muscles, relieve tension and help the mind to focus on the body.

Breathing also increases oxygen uptake, improving the immune system and facilitate learning fine motor control to improve co-ordination and help isolate specific muscles, particularly in the trunk throughout your abdominals.

Breathing also helps bring the body to a relaxed state and takes your mind off the day, helping you to take this time out and focus on your movement further bringing you to a relaxed state of body and mind.

Practice your breathing regularly:
Lying down, feet flat, hips level with your pubic bone, arms and hands by your side looking at the ceiling, shoulders relaxed, chest open. Allow your shoulders to relax away from your ears and try to have a sensation of elongating and lengthening your head away from your shoulders and pelvis. Keep your spine in neutral, your buttocks relaxed and abdominals relaxed and flat as you soften your ribs.

Breathe into the lowest part of your lungs and the back of your back, expanding your ribcage wide like an accordion and as you breathe out, feel the ribcage drawing in, as if pulling your belt in by a notch. Breathe out as much air from your lungs as possible, but don’t strain your breath, keep it relaxed and soft. As you breathe out here, draw the ribs softly down towards your hips, pull up with you pelvic floor and draw your navel gently to your spine. Concentrate on keeping the body relaxed.

Practice this with 10 breaths.
If you are struggling with your breath, and not sure what to feel, ask one of our team to assist you privately for a 10-20 minute private session.

Be sure to get 2015 off to a good start with a fresh new program tailored to you.  Our “6 Week Body Tune Up program” has been delivering some fantastic results.  Here are just a couple of clients and their success stories!!!

Verna’s Health and Fitness Journey

A back injury left me with chronic pain, so my doctor advised I take up Pilates. That was years ago and I’ve never looked back. Trish and her colleagues have guided my fitness and strength program, building on my strengths and improving where I’m weak. I now have good core strength to support my low back, better balance, more erect posture, and improved cardiovascular performance. Now we are focusing on getting my weight down, slowly and surely. Since starting on Trish’s nutrition and exercise program 6 weeks ago I’ve lost just over 4.5 kg and dropped a dress size, feel energised and I’m ready to face the challenge of the Silly Season knowing that my regime is now a habit that I can sustain. I am pretty self-directed, but I’ve found it’s great to have someone as a guide. I value every minute that I spend at InsideOut, whatever program I’m doing, and I recommend it without reservation.

Verna

Gills Health and Fitness Journey

Gill has been on the program since 27th of October and has so far lost 6kgs and 2 inches around her chest, 4 inches around her waist & hips, 2 inches around her legs and 2 inches around her arms.

Gill will be entering into the phase of the 7-12 week of the program – watch to see how much farther she goes.  Looking awesome Gill.

The Pilates Reformer Machine was invented by Pilates Founder – “Joseph Hubertus Pilates”.

When Joseph was interned during World War 1 with other German Nationals, he originally rigged springs to hospital beds so they could exercise against resistance.

During Joseph’s time here, he practiced his Pilates exercises and resistance work on other internees and further refined his ideas from his system of exercise.

The Pilates Reformer is a flat, bed type frame with a carriage that rolls back and forward on wheels built within its frame.  The movement can be controlled by a set of springs that provide different levels of resistance and can also operate on a cable pulley system.

You can work your arms, legs, abdominals, back, chest, shoulders etc., with or without the cable pulley system. It is a wonderful way to exercise from the extension of Pilates Mat exercises.

You can be lying down on your back or stomach or side, or standing, kneeling or sitting on the Reformer for various exercises.

Just like Pilates Mat exercises the Reformer challenges the body in all sorts of positions, further challenging the balance, co-ordination, alignment and stability of the body.

The Pilates Reformer can challenge your balance and core strength whilst strengthening the muscles or stretching or toning the body, depending on your goal.

To try our Pilates Reformer classes – click here

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