August 2008

Since my little girl Evie has started walking I have been looking around for some shoes that will protect her feet and allow the to move.  All that I have learnt as a Pilates instructor has led me to the conclusion that putting children’s feet straight into hard soled shoes isn’t a good idea.  Hard, stiff soled shoes don’t allow the muscles of children’s feet to develop well and I feel it is most likely contributing to bad postural and movement development.  The feet are made up of many bones and muscles and are designed to move so as to be able to negotiate uneven ground. 

All that said, I am very excited to have found some great little shoes made by a company called Beautiful Soles.  They are basically leather shoes with a soft suede bottom.  I think they are fantastic and a great way to protect children’s feet without hindering their development.  These pink sneakers were my most recent purchase.  All my dealing with them have also been great.  They are very freindly and proffessional which is awesome.

If anyone has any information about shoes for adults along a similar line I would be really interested to hear about it.  Shoes that protect your feet but have really flexible soles.

This tip is something I have been doing regularly since I read Joseph Pilates book ‘Your Health’.  He mentions briefly in this book that when you are having a bath or shower, it is a good idea to massage your skin.  He recommends working up to being able to use a hard bristled brush as this really stimulates the skin, but start with something softer as you get used to the pressure.  Massaging the skin this way helps to keep the pores open and clear from sweat, dirt and soap residue.  It increases the blood circulation to the surface of the skin which helps to flush away toxins and cleans away dead skin cells.  If you use a brush with no handle or a very short handle it also helps you to maintain a certain level of general flexibility as you try to reach all parts of your body (particularly your back).  As an added bonus it really helps to minimize ingrown hairs!  So find yourself a brush and next time you have a bath or shower get scrubbing!

I like reading the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ sections on websites and in brochures.  When it comes to your health and fitness though, I think that section should be worded differently.  I think it should read ‘Questions You Should Frequently Ask’.  I say this because it’s your health, your wellbeing and your life.  We are confronted with an overwhelming mass of information today telling us how to think, how to feel, how we should look and what we should do.  It is much easier to know what information is relevant to you if you regularly make the time to think about your health what you want.  So here are some questions that I think we should all frequently ask ourselves.  This not only applies to Pilates, but to all aspects of our health and fitness.   
  
What is the current state of my health?
Is your body fit enough to do the tasks you ask of it?  The best way to answer this is to pay attention to how you feel at the end of each day and first thing in the morning.  Constant aches, pains and exhaustion are a sign that something is out of balance, you are not fit enough for your current level of activity.  If you sleep well and wake up enthusiastic then you are probably on the right track.  Being aware of your current level of fitness means you are much better equipped to make decisions about what you might want to do next.  Don’t let other people make decisions for you about your health.  As I said before, it’s your health, so take the time to frequently ask yourself questions and give yourself honest answers.  
 
Has my level of health & fitness changed?
This is especially important if you are exercising regularly and/or attend classes.  If you are aware of what your level of health and fitness actually is, and you have made a decision that you want to improve it, then pay attention to whether or not it is actually improving.  This sounds obvious enough, but I have met many people who have been taking classes for years and don’t seem to be getting anywhere.  Years is too long to not see any results.  Remember what it is you want to achieve and seek out the people that can help you achieve it.  Even if you are training with a highly qualified instructor, if you aren’t getting results, find someone else.
 
If you aren’t exercising at all then it is still important to be aware if the level of your health and fitness has changed.  Especially as there is a good chance it is getting worse!     
 
 
What do I really want my body to be able to do?
I always ask my clients what they want to do with their bodies.  Some people just want to be able to touch their toes, others want to be able to do the splits and a gazzillion situps, and some people have no idea what they want.  It’s important to realise that if you don’t know what you want, then you have no idea if you are heading in the right direction!  It doesn’t matter how simple or how complex your health and fitness desires are, having a clarity on WHAT they are will help you enormously when it comes to figuring out how to get there!