"The motivating force behind my work are those people I have had the pleasure to work with and care for over the years"
- Bridgette

Joseph Pilates had a sickly childhood and recognised from an early age that he needed an exercise programme to help him regain his strength. He took an eclectic approach, drawing on many different exercise modalities. Over the years he developed his own unique approach to regaining strength and flexibility, and used many of his exercises to help rehabilitate veterans of the First World War.

After the war he developed his own training studio in America where he coached dancers, gymnasts and athletes. All of his exercises were tailored to the individual and their specific postural needs.

 

Over the years his methods and philosophy of a mind/body approach to exercise has developed in many ways. Through sports science, neuropsychology, and through learning more about the processes underlying the control of movements, Clinical Pilates is helping to re-train and rehabilitate people with a wide range of postural problems.

 

The Pilates method is not merely an exercise regime for conditioning the body. It intrinsically connects body and mind via a psychosomatic network. Concentration and thoughtful awareness is central to the Pilates method. Joseph Pilates guiding principles of Contrology instructs us to “concentrate on the correct movements EACH TIME YOU EXERCISE, lest you do them improperly and thus lose all the vital benefits of their value.” (Pilates. J.H. & Miller W.J 1945:9).

(To learn more about a mind/body approach to health take a look at Bridgettes essay on the Well Being page).

 

Research indicates that Pilates can aid injury prevention and assist recovery from sports injuries, surgery and Illness. In addition Pilates can help improve problems such as:

Ÿ        Back, neck and shoulder pain

Ÿ        Knee, Hip and joint problems            

Ÿ        Sciatica

Ÿ        Scoliosis

Ÿ        Arthritis

Ÿ        Sacroiliac joint discomfort

Ÿ        Postural issues

Ÿ        Womens health issues

Ÿ        Pelvic and Spinal instability

Ÿ        Pelvic floor weakness and poor abdominal support

Ÿ        Poor breathing patterns and conditions such as Asthma

 

Bridgette has great interest in researching and understanding lower back disorders, Arthritis care, Pelvic Girdle pain, Pelvic Floor issues, poor breathing, therapeautic exercise for post operative breast cancer care and poor health related to stress and anxiety. One area of particular interest to Bridgette is the Myofascial Web. This is a web of connective tissue that integrates the whole of the body. It can become a source of tension in the muscles, ligaments, tendons and internal organs, and impact on other body systems, influencing movement, flexibility and affecting general health and well being. Bridgette practices myofascial release using the clients own movement, as opposed to manual therapy, assisting clients to help re-establish the health and fluidity of the myofascial slings in their body, through gentle guided movements. This is a learning process that affects the brain, which controls the muscular system referred to as Somatic Education. Somatic Education uses exercise techniques to improve awareness and control the tension of the muscular system. It is a way of ‘reawakening the mind’s control of movement, flexibility and health’ (Hanna T. 1980).

 

Bridgette is a keen scuba diver and also provides guidance on how fitness affects both recreational and proffessional scuba diving, including protecting your back from injury, correct hydration and nutrition and developing an exercise program for strength, stamina and easy breathing techniques.