1 way to be mindful in lockdown

Gosh, lockdown is looming… (again), no I’m not about to start talking (for long) about the world situation in this weeks blog, I must admit after the weekends announcement in the UK about the next lockdown starting this week, I shed a few tears, I don’t even know why exactly. It lasted about 15 minutes, an immense sadness, not sure if I was just picking up on the world generally, the news.

But I must say I won’t be making a habit of watching the news regularly, yes being updated, but that’s enough. What I’ve done since is immersed myself in my life and work as it is right here and right now and I’ll tell you what. I am so very grateful for technology, it’s a wonderful way we can stay connected during these times both socially and with things like Pilates. I have a huge gratitude that technology such as zoom has allowed me to shift my business model to online, so this lockdown I’m not feeling stressed and anxious about all the work I lost, as I lost a lot of in person work last time, and the majority didn’t feel the fear and try out my work online, yet more and more are which is truly incredible.

I now teach mindfulness Pilates worldwide, in one class in my mindfulness Pilates membership, I have clients all over the UK, including my sister Julie in Bedfordshire UK, my Mum over 120 miles away in Hertfordshire, and other clients all over

Pic of me mum and sister Julie before lockdown (not at class!!)

Sara is in France

Debi is in Dorset UK

Ann is in Ireland

including France and Ireland. How amazing is that? the list goes on.

 What I find so special each time I see everyone is that we know we are in for an inspiring hour in time which goes very fast! Of course focusing on looking after your backs and always a big focus on reducing back pain and managing the back, hips and all sorts, but theres always a lovely atmosphere, 

I think bringing positive affirmations into every lesson really brings a sparkly difference as well as breathing.  

Breathe 

I can’t recommend breathing enough. We all breathe every second of every day and the thing is this, I think is one of the most relaxing things in the world to do, to take time out everyday to consciously breathe, relax and meditate, it’s pretty simple, just do it and take time to do it is the key really! Join in the 5 minute relaxation here

you deserve it:  I never get bored of that 5 minute relaxation, it’s one of my favourites. Hope it becomes one of your favourites too.  

So get off your work chair, take time for you in lockdown and beyond to keep fit in both body and mind, the thing I love about working on line is I get to gift my clients a recording of every class so they can easily practice inbetween their lessons, maintaining progress and also getting to enjoy mini 6 minute mindfulness Pilates on a daily basis makes such a huge difference, is achievable.

My sister calls me ‘motivator’. Why? Because I really do motivate you when you hang out with me as your teacher, I’m so glad I do. Yet you motivate me too, as showing up to teach you, helps my mental and emotional health in top shape, but of course I practice what I teach and practice myself everyday.

Thanks for listening this week!!   Do you read the blog?!! 

 A happy a week as possible to you 

 Love Bev

Beverley Densham BSc (Hons) Pilates teacher of 22 years www.mindfulnesspilates.com

Ps Want to learn? You’re invited to the Mindfulness Pilates membership

‪https://www.pilatestofeelgood.com/mindfulness-pilates-membership or go to the page

Also includes a 45 minute one to one before you start class 

My Mum age 80 can jog again

Want to know her secret? So my Mum Chris started jogging, at first she started jogging to the front door at home, she says:

‘I found that I could jog again, I could lift 2 feet off the floor! I’d not jogged in years. Then I jogged round the house. My husband Terry couldn’t believe it either. ‘

What enabled you to do that? ‘Well the mindfulness Pilates classes, I started with an hour a week and I now do 3 hours of classes a week with you as well as daily practice.’

You were struggling with your balance, walking up stairs and your hips sometimes painful before doing regular classes. How is your balance now?

‘I am practicing my balance in the kitchen, in the bathroom, anywhere and I don’t need to hold on anymore. I make sure I press my toes into the ground is a big help.’

As my Mum lives over 120 miles away she comes to my classes on zoom which is so lovely and I regularly ask what each client wants to work on and my Mums goal was to improve her balance and mobility, and within two weeks she is now out jogging every day!

She sends me and my sister Julie a little message with her latest achievement:

‘Good morning, great Pilates class followed by porridge, jog round the block and back, Alternating lampposts, jog and then walk. Coffee now, xxx’

How amazing is this? So proud. Not just because this is my Mum, but it shows you how you can improve where you’re at and sometimes achieve things you never dreamed were possible again.

AMAZING and well done

Love Bev
Beverley Densham Pilates teacher of 22 years To help you with your back

Me and mum! We even enjoyed pilates on her 80th birthday at the beach with my sister Julie, that was lovely.

The power of practice in solving back pain

Okay lets be honest here, back pain isn’t always solved, sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t but what I do know for sure is that mindfulness Pilates ALWAYS helps people feel better. But it isn’t just about going to a one to one or properly taught lesson, it’s about the power of practice.

When someone has a weak back, a weak core stability, which they invariably do after suffering back pain, a back problem and something like a prolapsed disc. Having lessons alone will not fix it. You have to practice, not just practice, but practice the right exercises for you as well as with the right technique and the right level for you.

Some people find, like me that you keep progressing at Pilates, keep gradually improving muscle imbalances, and you gain more and more confidence, but it’s about maintenance for your back. The end of the day, there is damage to my back, and some of it isn’t going to disappear, as much as I believe in the power of positive thinking and doing everything exercise wise to help my back. What I’m personally glad about is that I have quality of life, I manage my back well, but I do really have to look after it. I can’t just be sat here typing and writing to you and having my legs crossed over, NO. That aggrevates my nerves. But what I love about it is it makes you feel better and makes life so much more comfortable and enjoyable.

Other days I teach people and quickly or with a lot of practice and dedication, they actually really do re-gain their quality of life one hundred percent, like my client David. I loved receiving this testimonial today:

‘Complications following a Hernia operation in 2017 meant a sustained period of inactivity from the gym and sport in general. Regaining this strength proved more difficult than initially anticipated resulting in subsequent back-issues being highlighted, namely a prolapsed disc & arthritis in my facet joints. Various stretching and strengthening exercises were recommended by physio’s without any sustained improvement throughout 2018 & 2019 meaning sport was limited specifically golf. Pilates with Bev was recommended to me late in 2019 as a possible route for permanent improvement. My first 1:1 with Bev in the Pure Chill Studio near Whitecliff was arranged in early 2020 with subsequent fortnightly sessions with daily practice in-between. Early March brought the first significant signs of improvement in strength and mobility but unfortunately Covid then brought us to a standstill. Bev encouraged daily practice during lockdown to enforce what we’d already built and by the time golf courses were open again I was able to play a few holes pain free. I am now able to participate in all sports of my choosing without pain, even completing a 36 hole event in early September. I continue to practice Pilates every day. Thank you, Bev” David Talbot

Want to do something about your back pain? You can. But be in no doubt it takes practice, every single day.

Love Bev

Beverley Densham Bsc (Hons) Pilates teacher of 22 years

Life is like the waves of the sea, how to de-stress and relax in 5 minutes

I think the year of 2020 has had everything hasn’t it? Stress and fear galore, in either every capacity or at least in some way for each and every person on this planet. I’m not here to talk about the world situation, but just how hopefully this weeks blog can help you with your mental and emotional fitness as well as your body. 

Life is like the waves of the sea is one of my favourite expressions, there are both good, challenging and sad times of life, am glad to say that mindfulness Pilates can help so much in our daily lives and yes it really is worth doing your Pilates practice daily. But why? Everyone comes to Pilates because of their backs, hips or something physical, it’s much more rare I find in my experience of teaching for 22 years that people come to Pilates to simply de-stress, relax, feel better. Occasionally they do. But something I know does happen is that clients feel better in body and mind, not just the body, and this is truly an exciting thing

This year has brought with it all sorts of challenges, for me extra challenges have been things like my brother Rich dying in the summer, having my work life turned completely upside down, but luckily my determination and ability to switch my business to mostly online has helped me breathe a sigh of relief, but it’s not been easy for anyone at times, for differing reasons. Whatever they are, Pilates and relaxation, meditation always helps.

Pic of my and my brother Rich when we were little.  

So here’s a little helping hand for you to enjoy this week, a 5 minute beach relaxation for you to enjoy at home. & 5 minute relaxation 

Hope this helps. Love Bev

Beverley Densham

pilates teacher of 22 years

Strengthen your core with pilates

The thing is Pilates is so well known for strengthening your core and having good core stability, but what does that mean? And how can you achieve this? Having core stability is all about having good abdominal strength, particularly in the deep abdominals, there is this deep muscle called your transversus abdominus which you use constantly in pilates and the wonderful thing is it also helps support your back too, giving you more back support, strength, the bonus is it makes you feel better and better too having more toned abdominal muscles. How to achieve good core stability?

Well it’s a long and short answer, the simplicity of it is to do the exercises regularly, as in do something every single day of your life is ideal, this doesn’t mean a whole hour. Yes it’s ideal to practice a properly taught one to one or class every week so that you are doing the exercises in a good alignment, posture, but not just that that you are working at a level that you can keep progressing with too.

The nice thing about Pilates is that at a basic and re-habilitation level the exercises are sometimes the same as Physio exercises, or exercises given by a Chiropractor or osteopath.

The thing that’s vital though is doing them with good technique, working the correct muscles, releasing the correct muscles and doing good lateral thoracic Pilates breathing at the same time will also increase your core. Plus you’ll achieve many other benefits too. If you don’t do any exercise or Pilates type exercise, your muscles will just become more and more weak and tight and very likely your posture will be all over the place and that can cause all sorts of aches, pains and problems down the line.

So this weeks exercise of the week is absolutely brilliant, however a LOT of people cheat on this exercise and do it wrong and twist their lower back and don’t recruit their buttock muscles and abdominals enough or properly. So really it is best learnt with a qualified teacher or practitioner.

But here it is the amazing core stability opposite arm and leg exercise for you.

However it’s best to have done a 6 minute pilates warm up first before doing this.  Core stability all fours opposite arm and leg exercise: ‘to strengthen your back muscles, upper body, improve balance, core stability’ Starting position: 

From all fours Hands beneath your shoulders and knees beneath your hips Check your back is in it’s natural alignment, with it’s natural curve of the spine, (most people poke their head to the floor! Don’t do this!).   Breathe in to prepare through the nose, as you exhale through you mouth, scoop your tummy muscles in and slide one leg away on the mat and opposite arm, if you are new to the exercise, just lift your opposite arm and leg an inch off the floor. If you’re a regular, had lessons before and know what you are doing, lift up to maximum hip and shoulder height. Listen to your body. Do what is comfortable for you.  - Hold it breathe in, as you exhale, slowly lower your arm and leg back to starting position - Repeat x 10 repetitions in total  

Afterwards enjoy a gentle back stretch for a few breaths in and out to relax your back and wrists - Lying on your back hug your knees into your chest one at a time,  - Take a few breaths in and out to recover and relax 

Keep moving, keep shining and ENJOY  

Love Bev

Beverley Densham

Pilates teacher of 22 years  To help you with your back and lifestyle