Exercise - Less is often more.

Back in 2007 when I worked as Fitness Manager at St Andrews University Sports Centre I was told by my boss to get qualified in teaching Pilates. Great business idea as it meant paying less to bring external staff in. The problem for me was that I was a cardio bunny, and I had never even been into the Pilates classes that I ran on my programme. Why would I want to teach a class that didn’t leave me looking like a burst balloon with an awesome calorie burn? Oh how things have changed in the past 14 years......thankfully!

While getting ready to teach my last Pilates class before my holiday it struck me how much I love it. 14 years down the line I love it more than ever and appreciate the benefits so so much. I could go on forever listing them but I’ll stick with the main ones for me personally.

1. Improved core strength and flexibility.

2. Develop transferable skills and techniques to use in other areas of my training.

3. A pace that allows my body and mind to recharge and reset.

4. Injury prevention.

5. Work with participants who appreciate and respect their bodies enough to slow down and give something back.

6. It‘s a training discipline that I firmly believe everyone should incorporate into their schedule for enhanced performance.

When I look around I see too many people obsessed with numbers. People competing to burn more calories than the person next to them. People measuring the success of a workout by the number of calories burnt.......totally absurd! People take take taking from their body with an expectation that it will keep performing like the calorie burning machine that it is.🤦🏼‍♀️

Stop!!! 🛑 Exercise shouldn’t be one dimensional. You should try and find a few disciplines that compliment each other. Something that is good for your heart and lungs. Something that makes your muscles and bones stronger. Something that develops flexibility and provides a little bit of nurturing physically and mentally. If you don’t believe me then try it. I speak from experience when I say that I’m in the best shape both body and mind that I’ve every been in. I don’t exercise to burn calories. I exercise because it makes me feel strong. I exercise because I respect my body. I take appropriate rest and active recovery for the same reasons. Train smart and reap the rewards. I wish I’d learnt this lesson a long time before I did but better late than never.💕