MOVE BETTER

FEEL BETTER

Back pain? Sitting for too long? Pilates and strength training can help retrain your body to deal with daily life. Whether you are an athlete or have never exercised before I can help you move better.

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I’ll admit the sports bra was to help with the synchronicity of the videos. My workouts are now in nursing bras and jumpers as it’s now freezing and not 30 degrees!
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Currently following my own rehab programme and already feeling stronger but have a long way to go! It is not a one size fits all step back to recovery and every person will have a different challenge.
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One thing I have learnt from being postnatal myself is to include more stretch in my programmes and classes as boy does it feel nice on a breastfeeding, baby holding body!

6 weeks.

Every postnatal class you must be 6 weeks.
You have a doctors check at 6 weeks.
You can be approved for exercise at 6 weeks.

But we are all different people, with different bodies, babies and births. Please don’t think you can now run a 5K or do kettlebell swings at 6 weeks postpartum. I see so many clients injure themselves by jumping head first into exercise because of the pressure.

On the flip side are we supposed to be sedentary for 6 weeks? Breastfeeding, sitting, pushing a buggy, and holding a baby…cue bad backs, sore necks and stiff shoulders.

I ALWAYS encourage mothers move, breathe and stretch when it feels good. A few stretches in bed, neck stretches when breastfeeding, anything.

Before you run, lift weights or hit the gym. Please please please rehab your body. If you are confused about what to do in the early weeks stay tuned for a 6 week class package.

#corerestore #postnatal #postnatalfitness

Why the waddle?
As baby grows your gravitational pull changes, the pelvis shifts and glute muscles aren’t as efficient as they used to be! So the turned out feet accommodates the hips that aren’t supporting the weight of the pelvis!

Why prevent the waddle?
This can lead to back and pelvic pain, including sciatica.
Overly tight pelvic tissues that are trying to support you whilst the glutes are not helping.

So what can you do?
👌Mobilise and strengthen the feet, face them forward or roll them out.

👌Strengthen the glutes and core!

👌Balance stability of hips!

👌Slow your walking down. Think posture of a snowman, get those hips back underneath your shoulders!

Not just to sit in the corner of the room or bounce on! 😂
Also not just for pre/postpartum, lots of great core and balance exercises to be done as well some spicy hamstring firing!

So important for pregnancy and life!

Lots of different ways to work your glutes, these are just a handful of the exercises I chose to help with all the postural and hormonal changes occurring in my body.

The main thing is to feel them! Both sides. Not all of these exercises will work for you, every BODY is different every pregnancy is different.

It’s always better to get assessed either by myself or a professional near you to work on the changes in your body and the niggles or pain you might be feeling THEN applying the right exercises for you.

If you are a postnatal or one of my beautiful senior clients you will recognise the last exercise 😉

❤️I’ve been using this core exercise with my clients for years, I have so many amazing videos of them doing it so I thought I’d join in.
Great exercise, can be done is lots of different positions, making it easier, harder and the best adding in arm and leg strength as well as pelvic support.

👌Remember…pregnancy isn’t about doing kegels every day! We need our core muscles to support us as our six pack muscles are no longer helping! I’m very lucky to say I’ve had zero back pain through out this pregnancy. So practising what I preach is working!

DM me if you want some help with pelvic support.😊

NB Also can be done not pregnant!!

😝You are going to get quite a lot of content with me being pregnant but I’m basically using myself as a free model to show content of all my pre/postnatal programs.

Sore feet and cramping calves! Being barefoot a lot of the day, the extra weight and slight change to how I strike the floor when walking meant I needed to add some exercises to my routine.

Here is what I added:
*Ankle strengthening exercises
*Calf presses on the push through bar
*Rolling of feet pre workout or walk (so important!)
*Calf stretches pre bedtime

Remember this isn’t for swollen feet; if you have swelling talk to your midwife and put your feet up!

Putting my money where my mouth is after specialising in pre/postnatal for the last 8 years!

Photography by my dad!

This coming Saturday! 15th June, Balham @reviveyogalondon Who’s in?

What’s the difference?

-Can you spot the small difference between the two videos. Control? Focus?

-This exercise can be brilliant when done properly, and with a few simple cues it can transform your practise. I will always say it…understand why you are doing the exercise and embody the feeling.

- Thank you to my wonderful client, I made her do it “badly” and that was very hard work for her fabulous technique!

❤️Heart Shaped Bottom Syndrome or 'flat bottom' can be due to a dysfunctional pelvic floor and a overall poor core unit.

❤️This forces your Glute Max to clench holding in your pelvic organs which is usually the job of the pelvic floor. Without good core engagement and breath awareness, this can lead to the weakening of that pelvic floor. As a result the glutes resemble a heart shape, overdeveloped top region of your Glute Med muscles and a clenched lower section. The glute muscles are now trying to stabilize the core unit.

❤️We need to lengthen the glutes and correct the function of the ore and pelvic floor!...Welcome to Pilates!

Looking for a last min gift? I have gift vouchers available for this festive season!
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Gift to partners, friends, parents or whoever, everyone is need of taking some time to sort out their bodies!
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Give the gift of a healthy spine!
#movebetterwithsam

Smiling through ab work on a Monday morning. #pilates #stretch

I’m not giving Kegels the thumbs down. I’m just saying there are way more beneficial exercises out there that strengthen and mobilise the pelvic floor and all the muscles that help them.
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Let’s work in a functional way and give out exercises that will benefit your whole body.

-Exercises like
❤️Diaphragmatic Breathing
❤️Hip rotation
❤️Hip mobility
❤️Glute strength
❤️Foot strength and mobility
❤️Rib and pelvic placement

-Pelvic and Postnatal programme landing soon….

Told you have a weak pelvic floor? Been given kegels to do? That might not be the answer.
A dysfunction pelvic floor can be tight and tense and so does not work optimally. We need a different protocol in order to restore function. Release work, proper breathing and looking at glute function and butt clenching!
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On the other hand a weak, low ton pelvic floor will need more adductor, glute stability and proper core optimisation. Maybe you’re hyper mobile? Maybe you’re an upper ab gripper?
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SO many things to consider, the pelvic floor doesn’t just work like an off on button.
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Book a session with me to find out what you need!

Watch with sound up
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Coaching performers 😂 Even in pain always ready to turn back into performance mode! Too good not to post 😍

Coaching the wonderful Gleanne ab prep with beautiful extension and and flexion work.

On a mission to get people who think Pilates is just for young bendy females to try a session with me.

-Has your physio recommended Pilates?

-Do you have back, neck or hip pain?

-Do you need effort getting out of a chair or feel “old” and “stiff”?

-Are you a sports professional who needs to improve rotation, flexion and core strength.

-if you answered yes to any of those, might be worth booking in a session to see what the fuss is about and try a Pilates.

- Head to the link on my bio!

Where’s the Wally

#royalparkshalfmarathon #2023

Coming to Pilates? Leave your ego at the door.
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Some things look easy but they are incredibly difficult, the exercises won’t be perfect the first time, and that’s ok. I’m taking away the need for every movement to be text book, as I just wanted them to FEEL and experience some of the work. Then we can go back, refine and improve. Otherwise Equipment Pilates can feel SO confusing and almost too detailed for a beginner to understand.
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So let’s SIMPLIFY as much as we can to get the client to FEEL. Then go back with the details to IMPROVE.
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FYI- I have never told my clients to breathe like that. I’m posting purely for the comedy of myself 🙈😂

Welcoming these two athletes to the studio. More clips to come. I’ll try and beep out the swearing 😂😂😂

3 easy moves you can do now to rotate and flex the spine, without getting out of your chair.

-We spend so long in a sagittal plane of movement; sitting, running, cycling, squats, deadlifts etc etc….add a twist to your daily movement!

How much exercise did you do on your holidays?

- Who actually cares…you probably moved more than you do at home sitting at your desk for 8 hours! Swimming in the sea, walking to restaurants, having more sleep and less stress is so much more important.

- The one thing I HAVE heard all week from my clients is the travelling and the back ache!!

- The stress, the bags, the prolonged sitting (car/plane) and the different bed!

- Here I am with family doing 20mins of Pilates and yoga in the morning. It kept our spines feeling good and it was amazing to stretch with the mountains and morning sun in view.

Most of my pre/post natal clients say “I wish I knew how to use my core before pregnancy, I was definitely doing it wrong”
My rehab clients say they wish they hadn’t spent years doing sit ups and not activating their abdominal’s correctly.
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It doesn’t take a long tome to learn how to active your core and pelvic floor. What you do need to know is how your body is affected by your pelvic floor. Is there too much tension? Which is then resonating down to your hips, because of your glutes etc etc.
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Book in to learn about what YOUR body needs more of. It may not always be what you think it needs.

It’s not all about stretching.
-Book a 1:1 60min session. Get tailor made exercises, stretches and advice for what your body needs as well as homework exercises to do at home! #movebetter #DMtobook

Benefits of visualisation in sport performance.

COMING SOON
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Something I wish was available to me before I knew how to relax my PMS, pelvic aches and pains. All tried and tested, looking at the pelvic floor and releasing muscles associated with the pelvis. Breath work, nerve gliding…all in under 10mins.
#comingsoon #pmsflow #pelvicrelease #periodpain #release #stretch #bloating #period #endometriosis

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@movebetter_with_sam

A BIT ABOUT ME

A whole body approach

With a background in dance, Pilates has been very important in my life. As a personal trainer I believe one size does not fit all and we need to look at the individual and their needs. I am fully certified and specialise in Pre/Postnatal fitness. I love to use Pilates, strength training and mobility as a form of rehabilitation.

In my sessions we could be using the foam roller, dumbells, reformer and more!

SERVICES

PERSONAL PILATES TRAINING

Home visit 60mins

Contact

PRE/POSTNATAL TRAINING

Home visit/Zoom 60mins

Contact

ONLINE PERSONAL PILATES

Zoom 60mins

Contact

Just click the 'contact' button to email me and can provide with more info!

CLIENT REVIEWS

Sam is awesome! She kept me active through pregnancy, helped me with my post natal muscle separation & fitness and got me back into post post natal cardio. She really gets to know you, what you’re capable of & tailors her sessions accordingly.

Emma

CONTACT ME

Face to face sessions - South West London

Online- Globally

movebetterwithsam@gmail.com

07821212026

MOVE BETTER

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FEEL BETTER

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Follow me on Instagram

A BIT ABOUT ME

SERVICES

PERSONAL PILATES TRAINING

PRE/POSTNATAL TRAINING

ONLINE PERSONAL PILATES

CLIENT REVIEWS

Emma

CONTACT ME