April 10, 2025 • 42 mins
In this episode, Belinda and her pilates instructor Emer discuss the transformative power of Pilates, exploring its accessibility, the importance of breath, and how it can support recovery and overall well-being.
Emer shares her journey from teaching to creating an inclusive environment for all body types and ages, emphasising the significance of body awareness and the mind-body connection. They also touch on the benefits of Pilates for women in midlife, the misconceptions surrounding the practice, and the importance of adapting exercises for individual needs.
Find Emer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitnesswithemer/
Combined Paddy & Belindas weight loss totals over 170lbs supported by GLP1 Medications Ozempic & Mounjaro along with a focus on nutrition, movement and associated lifestyle changes.
None of the content in this episode is to be treated as medical advice or promotion towards any specific treatment or medication - this is a sharing of a personal journey. Always seek out personal support from your GP / Medical Care team before beginning or changing any aspect of your healthcare.
We are not medically qualified - simply sharing our insights based on our journeys so far. Paddy is a Qualified Personal Trainer / Nutritional Coach and is also an Assoc. member of the National Union of Journalists.
Find Paddy Here:
•Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adoseofpaddy
•TikTok: @adoseofpaddy
Find Belinda Here:
•Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GLP1.Insights /
•TikTok: @bells.mj.insights
Pilates, fitness, breathwork, rehabilitation, inclusivity, midlife health, weight loss, body awareness, fibromyalgia, exercise, mounjaro, ozempic, wegovy, glp1, female fitness,
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
None of this conversation shouldbe taken as medical advice for
you. Before starting or changing any
medical or Wellness treatment, always consult your GP and
medical care team. Hello and welcome to the Dose.
(00:30):
This time round it's just me anda really special guest, so just
going to introduce her. So Pilates has been a huge part
of my movement journey and one of the biggest reasons I stuck
with it was because of my instructor, Emer.
She made me feel so welcome fromday one, even when I was still
living in a larger body and feltunsure about stepping into any
(00:51):
class. She has an incredible way of
making Pilates accessible for everyone and I know so many
others feel the same way. Today, I'm thrilled to have her
here with me to share her insights, experience and passion
for Pilates. Welcome Emer.
Thanks. Belinda, how are you?
Oh. My.
God good to be here. Thanks for having me on.
(01:12):
We. We we're trying to not sound so
deflated because this has taken us ages to get this far.
And this will be the one that will be going out on air.
Yeah. How many times have we recorded
it? Now I I I don't want to say.
I don't want to say. I'm not going to say this is the
important one. It's embarrassing.
Yeah. Yeah.
(01:33):
So thanks. Thanks for sticking with it
though, Emer. I really appreciate it.
So I'm going to let you tell me your story and a bit about your
background in Pilates. I started, umm, I suppose it's
coming up to about probably 8 years now.
I'm teaching Pilates. I am originally a secondary
teacher and umm, yeah. So I suppose I've always been
(01:55):
teaching us how I like to look at it and instructing.
But I took career break when I had my kids and then I never
went back. And then I, I know, yeah, we
moved and we moved from Cork and, uh, back down home here to
Peltown, Kilkenny. And so I was kind of got
involved then with a running group, a local running group of
(02:16):
women, uh, with a friend of mine, she asked me to help out
and it just started from there. I then decided to train as a
fitness instructor. I then decided to train as a
running coach. And then while I was trained as
a fitness instructor, one of themodules was Pilates and I was so
drawn to it. It was just I was going, Oh my
(02:36):
God, I just not really sure whatyou in here, but I absolutely
love it. Have you practiced Pilates
before or was that kind of the first time that it came into
your kind? Of I had done, that was the
first time, so about over 10 years ago, I suppose, at this
stage, yeah, I like, now they think about it.
I would have come across it, I suppose in other classes, you
know, but I hadn't actually goneto a Pilates class.
(02:59):
I had meant to, but I hadn't started.
I got into yoga classes. Yeah.
Running was my thing, really. And then as I was getting older,
I kind of realized I needed something to strengthen, support
my running. Yeah, to reduce the risk of
injury. And so, yeah, I trained as a
running technique coach. And then, like, it was just like
(03:20):
this revelation when I jumped down here, they were just going,
oh, my God, I absolutely love this.
You know what? Yeah.
I thought the exact same thing when I started.
Yeah, yeah. I couldn't believe it.
I couldn't believe that I hadn'tfound it or I was couldn't
believe that I hadn't found it years ago.
And I hadn't been doing this my whole life, you know?
(03:42):
Yeah. And in a way I'm glad I just
started, I suppose started Plateus as a Plateus instructor
really, because it's all I know now is how I practice Pilates.
You know, it is kind of more, I think the classical Pilates
exercises because I know every plate is such isn't this is
different in somewhere much moremaybe more aerobic and fast
(04:03):
moving than my classes are. But coming from where how I want
my Pilates to be or how my plateis practice, I wanted to be.
It is the more the original principles of plate, as you
know, the the concentration, thecontrol, the flow, the breadth,
the precision. Yeah.
She's a broken phone movement. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
(04:25):
And then I went down and trainedas a breadth wear coach after
that because the breadth is. So it's just a game changer.
It's so important. Like it's it's.
Who did you train with for the breadth?
So I'm an Oxen Advantage advanced instructor.
I trained to Patrick Mccune. He's actually an Irish man, but
it's a worldwide practice. Yeah, there's instructors all
(04:47):
over the world. So it's on.
It's huge. And it just like he wrote a book
connecting breathwork, absolute advantage to yoga.
And I said to him, it's actuallyso connected to Pilates as well
as Pilates. It's all about, you know, the
the lateral breathing and the diaphragmatic breath, you know,
(05:08):
whereas yoga is more focusing onthe belly breath, whereas we
focus on the whole 360. Yeah, you know, so, yeah, it's,
it's just meant to be put together, you know?
Yeah, it really is though, isn'tit?
Yeah. And we and you notice that when
you're doing it and when you start out as well, the more you
concentrate on your breath, the easier things kind of become for
(05:31):
you. Yeah, it has changed.
Like it changes how people breathe who regularly come to
the class. So like I incorporate my breath
work into Pilates more so with the men or more, more so the
sporty people who do the really heavy breathing, you know, and
that really kind of erratic and catching their breath.
(05:53):
And I would see people who started my classes with this
real, uh, you know, you can justsense their breath is so
stressful, like just so stressed.
And after a couple of months, it's just the difference.
They are just breathing so calm and relaxed and a lot of it is
nasal breathing and it's just really, yeah, going with the
flow of the movement and. It's so relaxing as well when
(06:15):
you're finished it, you get sucha like a high but a calmness as
well in your body. You always, always feel good at
it. I mean, one of the reasons that
I kept coming back to your classis because you made it feel so
comfortable for me. So how do you go about creating
that sense of inclu like including everybody, especially
(06:37):
for people of different body types and then people of
different age, pardon me, age groups, because that's hard as
well, isn't it? Your class is very diverse.
Honestly, honestly, it's becauseI feel I can I empathize with
people. I understand.
Like I'd as I said, I was a secondary teacher.
I came into this world and I felt like an impastor for a long
(07:00):
time. What I mean like I came in
training and like into this whole world and it's not who I,
you know, some people they always want to be in the fitness
business. It, it was I, I was a sporty
person, but I put on weight whenI was in college and I, I act, I
struggle. I don't, I don't struggle with
my weight, but I put, I would beprone to putting on weight.
(07:23):
I you know, so you look after it.
I just, I GE, I suppose I just, I feel like I get it and I feel
I understand why someone would be really intimidated coming
into a class, why you'd be really nervous.
Of course, of course, what it's really hard.
It's really hard starting something new.
Even if you come with friends, like it's easier with friends,
but people come on their own. It's time and you know, so I, I
(07:47):
really understand. So it's really, really important
for me that people are comfortable.
And I say to them, I know you'refirst class now, you're nervous,
but I really hope that, you know, after this hour, you will
just walk out and you'll go, oh,OK.
I really enjoyed that hour. And that's the most important
thing for your first class, thatyou come in doesn't matter what
you do. Yeah, but the way I wouldn't,
you went, oh, that made me feel better about myself and that
(08:09):
made me feel good. Do you know?
And I, yeah, and I think with people coming into a Pilates
class, especially your Pilates class, I just want I, my
experience of that was coming into the class.
I think I came on my own Emer, actually the first time I came,
first few times I came and I wasin a much larger body then.
(08:34):
And I just thought to myself, well, I can't do aerobics.
I had a bad back at the time. I can't do aerobics, can't be
jumping up and down and all the rest of it.
And then I went into the class and as I was trying to do the
moves, I literally only did whatI could do.
But I would look around while I was doing things and not one
(08:55):
person is raising their heads. Some people have their eyes
closed for most of it. And literally nobody cares what
anyone else is doing because you're paying your money to go
in there and do your exercises. And your my exercise is
completely different to every other person in that room
because every other person is atdifferent levels of fitness,
(09:18):
different levels of Pilates, andnobody cares.
No one's looking at you. That's how I.
Felt, yeah. And that's the world I want to
create in my classes, you know, I just want to come in and I
know we have the banter and the chat and the, the crack as well,
you know, and you know. In the mornings, we do.
(09:39):
Yeah, you know, so like, umm, you don't want to walk into an
environment where people are going, Oh my God, look at you
want in the bra top or in the, you know, yeah, that's not
there, that's not there, whatever gear.
And, you know, and you can do that too.
And it's, it's great, you know what I mean?
I love buying. I have a ridiculous number of
leggings. So I mean, you know, a bit
(09:59):
obsessed. But yeah, it's really important
because I suppose as well, again, one of the main
principles of Pilates is concentration and focus and
precision. So you, you have to kind of be
mindful, you have to, you have to pay attention because that's
literally what each ex each exercise, you know, you have to
(10:21):
concentrate in every single thing you're doing.
And that's not in a stressful way.
It's in a, it's in a really goodmind.
Do this. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So you are, you know, I mean, ofcourse you could be, the mind
will not wander, of course, especially if you're used to
doing the exercises. But the goal is that you come in
and you are aware and, and it's mind and the body as well.
Because I don't want to, I don't, I mean, I know I go on
(10:42):
and on about that. You shouldn't be doing core work
and you're getting a pain in your neck.
Like literally what's the point of that?
If you put too much of A load and you know, your head starts
falling back, like you need to pause out or you shouldn't be
doing core work and your lower back feels sore, then you need
to pull it back and you need to adapt.
You need to change. So you have to be in tune.
It makes you so much more badly aware, which is so important for
(11:05):
us, you know, to be aware of ourbodies moving through space, on
how we are. Well, I would have come to you
as I think a point after I had amy operation, I think I came to
you, yeah. Yeah.
I mean, I didn't know that the time.
Yeah, but it's going back. I told you then I think about a
month later, but I had had a microdiscectomy on my lower back
(11:26):
and it was only after that I realised how how low functioning
my core was, how I, it should have stood to me better in my
period of recuperation. And I knew after it I would have
to have another operation on my back.
So I thought to myself, get in, get your Pilates in and tighten
(11:51):
up your core. And inevitably that will make my
recovery half the time, possiblyumm, and it will make my time so
much easier as well, you know, going forward.
But that's the. Thing when ability as well, like
you're that's it final, you know, the stiffness in the
spine, you know, so to mobilize as well.
(12:14):
It's not even just about building up core strength.
It's about stabilizing the pelvis in the spine and being
aware, you know, of how everything is shifting and
moving and how to stabilize yourself is actually really
important. And to mobilize, you know, as
you say, how you move, how you move.
Through your day, Yeah, Yeah. 100.
Percent, yeah. And the thing with Pilates is as
(12:37):
well, I think is in your class is that if there is somebody
that has some kind of injury or they're working on something,
then you mod modify every singlemovement for that individual
person. And I think that's really
important as well and every Pilates.
Class we've done in everything. Yeah, that's to be done in all
(12:59):
fitness classes. You shouldn't go into the gym
and go lifting. Weights are too heavy or do you
know, like, let's say pull downswhen you know, you have issues
with your neck or, you know, or,you know.
So Pilates is no different, I suppose.
Just the focus is on rehabilitation.
People come to Pilates for, you know, issues.
Um, I mentioned as well just about, um, how it was so
(13:23):
important to me, my, my practicein Pilates over the past three
years was so important to me. Um, in December of last year,
because I went to a gym for the first time, tailor made coaching
and in the gym it's just six people.
There's only ever 6 people there.
Yeah, my three years in Plaza isstood to me so much when I went
(13:45):
in there because I was able to focus and engage my core and be
so aware of my breathing as wellin there, which I never, I never
had any that when I had been at a gym before.
And I think that's probably why I never kept going back to a
gym. But this time around it was very
different. So it was very aware of my body,
very aware of what I needed to do and very aware of my
(14:07):
breathing. So.
I can see it now in your Plato class.
I can see you now in Plato. That notice you've been to the
gym. And you're stronger.
So that's the positive overlap with the two together.
Yeah. And when you go to the gym to
have that foundation, and I suppose Pilates is such a good
(14:27):
foundation for anything else youwant to do, you know, even for
running, you know, like Pilates is a fantastic, you know,
compliment for runners, you know, or for gym gores or for
swimmers or swimmers in particular as well.
Yeah. Lifting weights.
Yeah. So it's like it's found.
It's like a foundation course. Yeah.
(14:49):
You know, would you say that there's any particular benefit
then for women who are in like midlife, especially those
navigating like hormonal changesand things like that?
Yeah, like me, you mean. And me and everyone else that
listens to me on Instagram and podcasts, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(15:10):
Massive. It's, it's huge because
sometimes women have just allowed, I suppose life passed
them by and you know, their kidsand life is so busy and they
actually haven't, you know, and then all of a sudden there's all
this stuff going on and you're going, why have I got all these
aches and pains? So why do I feel my energy is so
low? And why do I feel, you know, so
down on myself? And lethargic.
(15:32):
And it's hard to say, oh, I'm going to go down to that local
Pilates class like it's, it's really hard to do it.
Hence I try to be really welcoming when people either
contact message me, I'll always reply and always, you know, give
people as much time they need because I get it.
Like I, I guess that's deal. I'd be really intimidate, you
know, I, I, if I went to a classmyself.
So it is so important for women to, you know, start focusing on
(15:57):
their bodies and to, you know, future proof themselves and.
It's a bit longevity as well, Lemur, isn't it?
Yeah. And it's about strengthen,
strengthening ourselves, umm, for like 30 years time that
we're able or T whatever it is that we're able to go up the
stairs and we're able to come down the stairs and we're able
to get up out of a chair. And that's why I incorporate
(16:19):
things that I suppose aren't really plat.
That's why I incorporate all those extra little bits in my
classes. Like, you know, we sit down on
the ground and we try, you know,reducing the use of our arms or
just more awareness of our joints and our our feet.
Our feet are obviously the foundations of our bodies.
They're our support system. Waking up our feet is so
important because they're all, you know, stuck inside and
(16:40):
shoes. And so I work and just Mobi
mobilizing your feet and your ankles and your knees and your
hips so that, yeah, you can prevent yourself.
You know, things will can obviously still happen, you
know, but it's just been again, it comes back to body awareness
really, isn't it? Yeah, but you're more absolutely
and balancing that's why we practice our single leg closing
(17:03):
the eyes and yeah, yeah. And do you know?
Do you know as well, though, I, I don't think I've ever been
anywhere, umm, and I've been in and out of a lot of exercise
classes in my life, but nobody'sno exercise classes or anything
like that has ever focused on the feet or the joints in the
ankles or the joints in the wrists or anything like that.
(17:24):
And it's needed. Yeah, and I suppose that comes
from my running technique training as well, because, you
know, I, you know, I've done courses on bio mechanics and
mobility and movement and you know, that would be one of the
main things we would have learned.
You know, the whole body moves you.
It's not just the, you don't just run with your legs, you run
(17:44):
with your arms and you run with your core and you run, you know,
so it's whole body movement. So that's the whole body.
Yeah. And you could go to, you would
go to a different Pilate class and the focus would be real.
You know, we, we tend to, you know, we, we gear towards
whatever we are trained in or whatever our suppose personal
interests are. So that really, you know, I
(18:05):
looked after my dad when he was unwell and his MO, when his
mobility went and he'll say to me, he was such an active man.
He's to ride horses up till, youknow, well into the 70s.
And he goes like of all things happened to me.
I never saw this coming, you know, and it really.
And like, I used to work with him moving, walking and standing
up and using the feet. And that really struck A chord
(18:26):
with me. So now.
Yeah. And you're just a.
Future proof in your own body. Yeah, essentially, that's what
we're all there for, isn't it? You know, And I think especially
for women and our age, I think it's really, really important.
Yeah, definitely. 100% and Emir,we just might like touch on say
(18:46):
people after a weight loss, say I've lost 6, just over 6 stone
now, how important do you think that Pilates would be or that
form of exercise would be to help somebody that's been
through that? You know, how does IT support
progress is what I'm asking, I suppose.
(19:07):
What like as we touched on earlier, I think it's a really
good foundation. It's a really good get yourself
out the door and to introduce yourself into the world of
fitness. You know, because as you have
spoken about so much, you have to put the two together.
And you know, you have to when you're on this journey, you have
to balance, you have to introduce fitness and exercise
(19:29):
because that's the how you are living your life going forward.
Yeah. It's not just about the
medication you're on, it's aboutyour whole holistic view, isn't
it? So, uh, I think, like I suggest
it works on the inside out. So like Pilates works on, you
know, your, your core, like you mightn't see it on the outside
(19:50):
because you know, like, will youlose weight in platters?
Not particularly you won't lose weight.
It's not cardio. So you need that element as well
in your life, like walking, whatever else you want to do,
swimming, you know, or Aqua aerobics or you know, all these
other things. I know you do, but it just,
it's, it's just massive to the effect it has and the power you
(20:13):
can feel in your body and it's gradual progress and you have to
just. Except that you know, as you say
you you will see the progress inthe most subtle things, like
even being on all fours. You know simple things.
Do the side. Plank.
Do the side plank for your ways,hip lifting off the ground.
But like, you know, it's the strength in your, you know, and
(20:33):
the wrists and the shoulders andit just it'll just creep up on
you and you just go, Oh my God, I the mountains.
People say to me or turn back after class and go.
I was not able to do that two months ago.
I can't say. That all the time about things.
Yeah, so and and look of what wedo in Pilates, it's slow
control, minute movements and they're, you know, but it builds
(20:55):
inside out. Yeah.
So I would say that sorry, I keep losing, right, Yeah, yeah,
there's loads going on. There's loads going on.
You might necessarily see it thesame way you would with, say,
the cardio asset of your fitness, but and it'll it kind
of tightens you from the inside out of that makes sense, you
know? Yeah, and it does.
Yeah. And it narrows you or it, you
(21:17):
know, it draws your body in, youknow, it it definitely does.
And it's hard to explain that, you know, because I noticed that
about myself when I first started plastics.
I was gone. Like I'm not doing anything
different yet. I felt like I was kind of got
and I'd be quite broad person naturally, you know, but I just
find I'm I was gone so much morekind of narrower, you know, and
it's hard to explain, but it wasbut the thing.
(21:38):
Is as well when when you start working on breath, you
automatically start working on posture as well, and that just
kind of happens automatically. You've actually hit the nail
there. That's what I was struggling to
say there. It's your posture.
Yeah, very important for classes.
Yeah, it really is. Lengthened your your, lengthened
your more your movement. You're more graceful in your
(22:01):
movement. You carry.
You carry yourself so much better.
Yeah, because you. Start to feel better about
yourself. Yeah.
Yeah. And see, the other thing that I
wanted to say as well is that when I started out on this
weight loss journey with my GLP one medication, I think looking
(22:22):
back now, I think Pilates was probably the best course that I
took for myself when I started out in trying to get fitter and
incorporate exercise with the weight loss journey as well.
And as I was going along, then Ikind of realized that the 2,
(22:43):
they won't work on their own. Do you know what I mean?
Like the you can go on the journey of weight loss, but if
you incorporate, like you were just saying, Pilates or Aqua
aerobics in it, that's when the magic happens because you're,
you're strengthening your body from the inside as well as the
outside. And you're not going to.
And I think also a massive element must be adapting to your
(23:08):
new tape because you know, you must, you know, look in the
mirror. Go on.
If it if it happens quite quickly and even if it doesn't,
it's just, you know, you're looking at a different person.
You know, I'm sure you know, andyou have to so I think that's
why the mind body connection is,is really important and for it
to happen slowly and you know, so again, that's why Platies, it
(23:30):
does give much better body awareness and to kind of build
up your confidence in and be 100% in helping yourself.
Yeah, because like, you can, youcan lose weight, but if you're
not going to add any other element to it, you're probably
still not going to feel great. Yeah, and you look.
Different, but you mightn't feel, you mightn't feel
(23:51):
different and your brain can't catch up with what's after
happening. So whereas at least if you're
doing some form of exercise, it'll it it, you know it and
it'll just all come together hopefully.
Yeah. And that's body image, and I
think Paddy spoke about this recently as well, is that I
think when I was just losing theweight and I and I wasn't doing
(24:14):
anything, I never really noticedmuch of a difference in my body
image. Looking in the mirror, I
couldn't stand there and say, ohlook, you look great or
whatever. But then when I started really
getting into plates and feeling stronger, then I felt stronger.
And then my mindset, my mindset shifted as well.
(24:35):
Yeah, a bit more confidence in yourself because you know you
are being proactive. Yes.
Yeah, and probably easier to stay the course as well and to
keep your motivation. And it's just good for your
mental health. It's good for your head.
Like, exercise is good for us, you know, It releases, you know,
and it's good for us. Yeah, and we always feel great
(24:56):
coming out of a class. It doesn't matter how shit of a
morning you had or a week or whatever.
Yeah, it. Always really helps.
Now, I think you, I think you would rarely regret given an
hour to doing exercise, whether it is Pilates, whatever, as
opposed to continuing feeling the way you're feeling.
If you are waking up and you're having a bad day and, and
sometimes you can't motivate, just have to do it.
(25:17):
And that's OK too. You know, you don't want to be
hard on yourself and saying, oh,it's so easy to go to class
because it's not, it's not. And you know, but you won't
regret it if you do get there. Yeah, but The thing is as well,
like I don't miss it even if I'mhaving a shit day or I'm I'd
really don't want to go, I don'tmiss it because even if I go
(25:37):
down sometimes I go in there andjust say go through the motions.
She's. So funny.
Yeah. Don't just go through the
motions, isn't she? Yeah.
She fell alone, you know, like, but.
Yeah, even if you go down there,you can take it, take it as easy
as you like. No, like if I'm down at the back
(25:59):
of the glass and I'm not doing much, you're not going to come
over to me and say, well, come on now, why aren't you doing
this? You just.
Yeah, yeah. Well, funnily enough, I suppose
Pilates can look quite effortless, you see.
So it's actually quite, I often say that I'd be saying to you,
you know, like don't be fooled. Even if I'm making this look
easy, like I'm the inside, you know, and this I'm crying a
(26:20):
little bit on the inside, or it's like the it's like the duck
in the pond. You know, you're, you know, like
one woman said to me, you know, when you were young and I was
going, no, I always wanted to doballet, actually.
So maybe that's where that all came from, you know, But I was
gone. Don't be fooled because, you
know, I'd be like, Oh my God, the surface.
Yeah, all the work has gone on like, so it's, it's reapers.
(26:41):
No, I agree with you. But then you're, you know,
again, first of all, you're not going to do that every week.
You're not going to go every week and just line them out and
dass off. Why are you paying for the
class? And then secondly, there's still
loads of benefits because you are still mobilizing, improving
the flexibility, focusing on your breath, being mindful, you
know, so and yes, So what would you say to?
(27:01):
What would you say to people then that think to themselves,
oh God, I'm not strong enough togo in there now.
I'm not I'm not like strong enough to do Pilates.
What? What advice would you give to
them? Well, you're only going to get,
you know, you're going to improve by coming to class and
it'll happen gradually. You don't need to be like, well,
if what's strong, it's all relative, you know, umm, you
(27:25):
don't need to be strong startingoff because as I say to anyone,
before you come to my class, youcome and you know, less is
actually more. I'm quite, I, I much prefer to
see people, uh, concentrate on what they're doing and doing a
few reps as opposed to do movements.
And, you know, they're losing control of their pasture,
(27:45):
they're losing control of the past.
We're getting a pain in their neck.
But we have that, don't we? It's kind of, you have to keep
going, you know, like 10 more push ups, you know, and it's
very hard to shake that mentality off or have that
perception of that's what sport exercise is, you know, so less
can be more. So if you don't feel you're
strong enough, well, then come. And I, I would, I would say
nearly Evan would surprise themselves when they come.
(28:09):
I think so too, because people would come to me with a lot of
issues, you know, with whether it's an injury or it's some
health condition, so. Yeah, so.
And how many classes a week do you do?
So I do 9 at the moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(28:31):
So showcase. So is that 9 down in for down
where we are? No one is in Kildot and college.
I do a lunchtime one and all. Right.
Is that for the people that is that for people that work down
there and cause? Staff, yeah, I did it with the
students as well. Oh.
Wow, I didn't realize that. That's a lot. 9 isn't it?
(28:52):
Yeah. And the irony is, Belinda, that
I was told like I've actually been like I've been told that I
5 miles. Two different consultants have
told me I 5 miles. Yeah.
And I was only told last year bya pain management consultant and
a neurosurgeon that I should give up my job and stop running.
And I should, what are you doing?
(29:13):
And you know, you need to be resting.
And oh God, this sounds really bad now, because I really don't
like criticizing people. I, it's not that I want to make
a big thing about that, but like, I did state my case.
And I did say honestly, like if I was to stop doing what I was
doing, I would absolutely seize up.
I would like 100% no, I have to listen to my body and I have to,
(29:37):
you know, like I, I that's why Ido a lot of, you know, I
demonstrate, I walk around, I, I, I'm not doing the whole class
like, well, you're not, I shouldn't be anyway, you know,
But yeah, so I'm a very good example.
I'm a very good example of well.That's about not sitting.
Under. Yeah, Yeah.
Goodness, Yeah. So there you go.
(29:58):
Do you? Feel that you're managing your
fibromyalgia much better becauseyou're keeping more active.
Well, I will. I like, I know other people with
us and that's why. I know loads.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So.
And it's also unfortunately a very vague, it's, you know, it's
(30:18):
a very vague diagnosis when you can't really get to the crux of
what it actually is, you know, what's actually going on.
So like and. Even I can guarantee they'll be
hundreds of people listening to this that will be able to say
that, oh, I have, I have the same thing, you know?
Yeah, and I people who come to my classes of 5 malgia and I
(30:39):
people who, and I was always say, well, little known fact, I
have 5 Malgia myself or I've been and I, I, I feel I make
lighter when I say I have been told I have 5 malgia because I
literally in the medical world, I would be fit.
I'd have a consultant who would kind of laugh at nothing that's
unfair. And I wouldn't laugh at the idea
of you five mile. Did they go?
(31:00):
Well, you know, that's kind of adiagnosis they give you when we
don't really know what else is going on.
So like I went to neurosurgeon and I got on Mris and I do have
issues in my neck from a car crash.
I think I was in my 20s. And but like he literally I did
all these nerve tests and he just came back and said I think
maybe we need to look back on the five malded diagnosis.
And I'm going really. Yeah.
(31:21):
So is it something you want to take from?
And I would like, and he would have said like, you know,
running and, you know, and I mean, I, I do pull back.
I do listen to my body more now.And I do, you know, like there
are certain things I would say Iwould struggle to demonstrate.
Do you know what I mean? And that's just because of that
kind of muscle weakness and thatI would have a muscle Highness.
(31:42):
Yeah. But if if I didn't do it, what,
where would I be? I would be, I would imagine.
Chair season up in the corner. Yeah, You know, so, oh, I would
say to anyone with five mile andagain, this is like you just
often we can do more than we think you.
It's not that you should push beyond what is manageable, but I
think it's taken the the fear away.
(32:04):
You know, don't be don't be afraid to move, you know, or
don't say, well, I've this, this, this.
And we kind of tend to live by adiagnosis and saying, well, I
have this, this, this. I can't do this possibly.
Yeah, but you can do it adapted though.
You can do a modified version, you can do a simpler version.
Yeah. And you're so good at that
class. Yeah, you're so.
(32:25):
Good at modifying everything, yeah.
Yeah. And that's what people need as
well, isn't it, You know? Yeah, and it's not to be afraid
to exercise because the other alternative is so much worse,
like to stay, you know, to stay lying in bed.
And like even just like I said, even those foot warm up things I
would do, you know, the scrunch and release or the mobilize your
(32:46):
shoulders, like do them on the edge of the bed or, you know,
before you actually get up, do something rather than standing
up and trying to walk. And you're like a poker, you
know so originally. Pilates.
That's Pilates was. That's what it was made for,
wasn't it? Yeah, I mean, I suppose I get
(33:06):
it. I get asked the question a lot.
What's the difference between yoga and Pilates?
Umm, first of all, I wouldn't bean expert in yoga anyway.
But I do know, like, that's an anci.
Like yoga's an ancient practice,you know, it's a spiritual
practice where you hold posts for long times and it's
meditation and that aspect of it, whereas Pilates is only
around just over like 100 years.You know, it's like in the early
(33:29):
20th century, it was created by Joseph Platates for UMM,
rehabbing soldiers, you know, who were in hospital like during
the First World War. So, and he had a lot of health
issues himself. And he decided, you know, I'm
going to do this to make myself stronger.
So that's why he created all these specific exercises.
(33:51):
And then he moved to New York and he worked with, I suppose,
the other end spectrum. He worked with, umm, athletes
and dancers and, you know, ballet dancers and, you know,
and he worked with them to improve their, you know, range.
How long? How long is Pilates around?
That's like, yeah, in the early 19.
So like, it's like First World War 19, you know, I think he
(34:13):
moved to New York in 1925 or something.
I could be slightly off from that.
But like, it's, it's that long. Yeah.
Like it's 100 years, you know? Yeah.
And there are quite a lot of misconceptions, isn't there?
I mean, we've probably debunked most of them in this chat here,
but I think one of the main onesis that Pilates is only for
(34:34):
women. Which is ironic because it was
created for men. Yeah, on the back.
Of that, yeah, it was created for men by a man yeah.
Umm, I, I think it's got a bit more like sports Pilates, like I
did a sports Pilates course Pilates for runners as well.
And I, I think specifically I have a specifically men's only
(34:55):
class yeah because, umm, and those guys, when we usually stop
over the summer, you know, because, umm, a lot of them will
be farmers or they'd be, you know, working outdoors and, you
know, they'd be cycling and theygo cycling for the summer then,
you know as well and umm, so umm, they wouldn't come to my
mixed class, you know, and, but they will come to my men's only
(35:16):
class, which I also thought the women were like that, but no.
And yeah, it's umm, we are. Women tend to be way more
flexible than men, you know, andnot that anyway, amazing like
because I mean, a lot of men areextremely flexible and mobile,
but in general men get much, youknow, they would have much
tighter muscles and be more injury prone, yeah, than women.
(35:39):
So. Yeah.
And but yeah, yeah. But again, just going back to
the start of my journey as well,say from when I did join you
three years ago, like there are things that I can do now that I
would never have thought in my wildest dreams, like never ever,
(35:59):
you know, And like, I know it's,it's hard to kind of think about
that when you are just starting out, but you do get
progressively stronger. You do get progressively more
flexible and you do, umm, becomebetter at your breathing, which
then helps you move better, doesn't it Emer, when you're
(36:22):
breathing properly? Well, function, yeah.
If you breathe functionally, it helps you to move functionally,
you know, if you are, if your breath is really upper chest and
short and fast and, you know, irregular.
And I mean, that's a stressful breath.
That's a stressed out person. So you can control, like believe
(36:43):
it or not, you can control your breathing by slowing down the
exhale and getting it in a rhythm.
You know, and I'm always talkingabout that, you know, that
rhythmical breath that we can just breathe calmly, rhythmic,
rhythmically. You would breathe more
efficiently and even more relaxed and, you know, breathing
really gently, not hyperventilating, you know?
(37:04):
So that really easy, relaxed, gentle breath, you know, And
that's what makes big. Yeah.
And that's what makes Pilates sostressless.
And it's, it's just such a good,good exercise to do.
And it really is one of the bestones that you can start out on
as well because it doesn't have any restrictions on what size
(37:28):
body you're living in or what age you are.
Emer, isn't that right? Yeah.
And it's just to. Yeah, yeah, just do.
But the key is to do what you can do, you know, and we just
live in that world, don't worry,where we're strive on perfection
and everybody else is doing. We're supposed to be.
(37:49):
Yeah, we all do, myself included, you know, we all do
that. Like, you know, But at least
when you're going in there, it'snot, I suppose, going to be into
platypus. It's not going to be cardio,
massive high intensity, which could scare the bejesus out of,
you know, so many people at least.
And it should be about control. And if you're being pushed
beyond, you know, what you feel you can do for the first couple
(38:11):
of classes. You you just shouldn't do it.
I think you need to own it yourself.
Yeah. Because it'll happen gradually
and naturally. Exactly.
And I just, I tell you, it's thebest thing that I've done for my
journey in these three years. It really is.
So thanks for. That I knew you.
It's just been such a because tosee you now, like it's such a
stepping stone. It was such a stepping stone for
(38:34):
you. I think just to when I think to
you coming and you're to my classes and you're, you were so
worried about your back and you were so worried about what you
could do. And I never needed to be because
you were there all the time watching every single.
Well, and you just, you progressed yourself.
You just when you were ready to add things in, you know, you
give it a go. It doesn't mean, yeah, I, I hope
(38:55):
I'm not giving the impression like if you come and do, you
know, it doesn't mean you don't push yourself.
It doesn't mean because otherwise why would you go to a
class? But you, you listen to your body
and of course, you can push yourself.
But. And it is about being a little
bit uncomfortable, comfortable being uncomfortable, you know,
you know, no one wants to hold. You know what I mean?
(39:16):
You know, So. But, you know, sometimes you can
do it more than you think. And you can modify it.
You can put your knees on the ground.
You can pause out. You can rest out.
You can. Yeah.
I think one of the biggest things for me is being able to
get up off of the ground withoutusing my hands.
And also, I started out doing like, am I in a 5 or 6 second
plank? And I can go well over a minute
(39:36):
now, you know, and that's, it's fantastic.
I never thought I'd be able to do it.
So yeah, I'm just delighted. With it and you look like it's
your it's your posture and your alignment and everything is so
perfectly aligned that's everything isn't it that's yeah
and again I know I am slow to massively correct that and start
and I could be criticized for that as a plot is instructed
(39:59):
because I know some people probably come to my plot and go
oh God, she didn't pull and dragat me enough like you know and
and again I think that comes to my personality I.
I, I just, I can't do that when someone comes to my class 1st
and I'll just go over and invadetheir personal space and start
pulling at a foot or lifting a hip or, and I know huge, most
(40:20):
classes probably do that. I, I just think, you know, I'd
watch what you're doing And, andonce you are, once you're not
injuring yourself and once you are in like a reasonably good
position, I might suggest a couple of changes, but you know,
it, it will happen. You will naturally align
yourself. Yeah.
But it's it's not to feel that pressure.
(40:40):
Yeah. Exactly, exactly.
And there is none. There's no pressure.
You know, there really isn't. Emer, tell everybody where they
can find you on Facebook. So, yeah, so it's fitness with
Emer. Emer, unfortunately, one of
those names that can be spelled and.
What about your Instagram? Handle Yeah Fitness with Emer.
(41:01):
I'm on Instagram. I'm on Facebook is the same as
well. I'm on yeah.
And fitness with emer@gmail.com.com is my e-mail.
I did have a website, but I actually closed it down.
I had a beautiful website that Icreated during lockdown.
Fabulous. And then I I actually closed it
down because I found it just really I'm on because I'm a
(41:22):
breathing culture absolute advantage.
I'm on their website and I'm involved in the Wellness tribe.
So you didn't? Feel you needed?
It, yeah, I just felt it was just kind of sitting there and I
wasn't doing my online classic classes anymore.
So yeah, just keeping it local, you know?
Yeah, and it is. It's really local for me.
I'm so delighted. Yeah, Emer, thanks ever so much
(41:43):
for coming on and telling everybody about Plattes.
I think everybody needs to know about it.
And I think the biggest thing isjust to go and try it.
You won't regret it. Thanks, Emer.
So much for having me on and well done you.
(42:12):
None of this conversation shouldbe taken as medical advice for
you. Before starting or changing any
medical or Wellness treatment, always consult your GP and
medical care team.
None of this conversation shouldbe taken as medical advice for
you. Before starting or changing any
medical or Wellness treatment, always consult your GP and
medical care team. Hello and welcome to the Dose.
(00:30):
This time round it's just me anda really special guest, so just
going to introduce her. So Pilates has been a huge part
of my movement journey and one of the biggest reasons I stuck
with it was because of my instructor, Emer.
She made me feel so welcome fromday one, even when I was still
living in a larger body and feltunsure about stepping into any
(00:51):
class. She has an incredible way of
making Pilates accessible for everyone and I know so many
others feel the same way. Today, I'm thrilled to have her
here with me to share her insights, experience and passion
for Pilates. Welcome Emer.
Thanks. Belinda, how are you?
Oh. My.
God good to be here. Thanks for having me on.
(01:12):
We. We we're trying to not sound so
deflated because this has taken us ages to get this far.
And this will be the one that will be going out on air.
Yeah. How many times have we recorded
it? Now I I I don't want to say.
I don't want to say. I'm not going to say this is the
important one. It's embarrassing.
Yeah. Yeah.
(01:33):
So thanks. Thanks for sticking with it
though, Emer. I really appreciate it.
So I'm going to let you tell me your story and a bit about your
background in Pilates. I started, umm, I suppose it's
coming up to about probably 8 years now.
I'm teaching Pilates. I am originally a secondary
teacher and umm, yeah. So I suppose I've always been
(01:55):
teaching us how I like to look at it and instructing.
But I took career break when I had my kids and then I never
went back. And then I, I know, yeah, we
moved and we moved from Cork and, uh, back down home here to
Peltown, Kilkenny. And so I was kind of got
involved then with a running group, a local running group of
(02:16):
women, uh, with a friend of mine, she asked me to help out
and it just started from there. I then decided to train as a
fitness instructor. I then decided to train as a
running coach. And then while I was trained as
a fitness instructor, one of themodules was Pilates and I was so
drawn to it. It was just I was going, Oh my
(02:36):
God, I just not really sure whatyou in here, but I absolutely
love it. Have you practiced Pilates
before or was that kind of the first time that it came into
your kind? Of I had done, that was the
first time, so about over 10 years ago, I suppose, at this
stage, yeah, I like, now they think about it.
I would have come across it, I suppose in other classes, you
know, but I hadn't actually goneto a Pilates class.
(02:59):
I had meant to, but I hadn't started.
I got into yoga classes. Yeah.
Running was my thing, really. And then as I was getting older,
I kind of realized I needed something to strengthen, support
my running. Yeah, to reduce the risk of
injury. And so, yeah, I trained as a
running technique coach. And then, like, it was just like
(03:20):
this revelation when I jumped down here, they were just going,
oh, my God, I absolutely love this.
You know what? Yeah.
I thought the exact same thing when I started.
Yeah, yeah. I couldn't believe it.
I couldn't believe that I hadn'tfound it or I was couldn't
believe that I hadn't found it years ago.
And I hadn't been doing this my whole life, you know?
(03:42):
Yeah. And in a way I'm glad I just
started, I suppose started Plateus as a Plateus instructor
really, because it's all I know now is how I practice Pilates.
You know, it is kind of more, I think the classical Pilates
exercises because I know every plate is such isn't this is
different in somewhere much moremaybe more aerobic and fast
(04:03):
moving than my classes are. But coming from where how I want
my Pilates to be or how my plateis practice, I wanted to be.
It is the more the original principles of plate, as you
know, the the concentration, thecontrol, the flow, the breadth,
the precision. Yeah.
She's a broken phone movement. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
(04:25):
And then I went down and trainedas a breadth wear coach after
that because the breadth is. So it's just a game changer.
It's so important. Like it's it's.
Who did you train with for the breadth?
So I'm an Oxen Advantage advanced instructor.
I trained to Patrick Mccune. He's actually an Irish man, but
it's a worldwide practice. Yeah, there's instructors all
(04:47):
over the world. So it's on.
It's huge. And it just like he wrote a book
connecting breathwork, absolute advantage to yoga.
And I said to him, it's actuallyso connected to Pilates as well
as Pilates. It's all about, you know, the
the lateral breathing and the diaphragmatic breath, you know,
(05:08):
whereas yoga is more focusing onthe belly breath, whereas we
focus on the whole 360. Yeah, you know, so, yeah, it's,
it's just meant to be put together, you know?
Yeah, it really is though, isn'tit?
Yeah. And we and you notice that when
you're doing it and when you start out as well, the more you
concentrate on your breath, the easier things kind of become for
(05:31):
you. Yeah, it has changed.
Like it changes how people breathe who regularly come to
the class. So like I incorporate my breath
work into Pilates more so with the men or more, more so the
sporty people who do the really heavy breathing, you know, and
that really kind of erratic and catching their breath.
(05:53):
And I would see people who started my classes with this
real, uh, you know, you can justsense their breath is so
stressful, like just so stressed.
And after a couple of months, it's just the difference.
They are just breathing so calm and relaxed and a lot of it is
nasal breathing and it's just really, yeah, going with the
flow of the movement and. It's so relaxing as well when
(06:15):
you're finished it, you get sucha like a high but a calmness as
well in your body. You always, always feel good at
it. I mean, one of the reasons that
I kept coming back to your classis because you made it feel so
comfortable for me. So how do you go about creating
that sense of inclu like including everybody, especially
(06:37):
for people of different body types and then people of
different age, pardon me, age groups, because that's hard as
well, isn't it? Your class is very diverse.
Honestly, honestly, it's becauseI feel I can I empathize with
people. I understand.
Like I'd as I said, I was a secondary teacher.
I came into this world and I felt like an impastor for a long
(07:00):
time. What I mean like I came in
training and like into this whole world and it's not who I,
you know, some people they always want to be in the fitness
business. It, it was I, I was a sporty
person, but I put on weight whenI was in college and I, I act, I
struggle. I don't, I don't struggle with
my weight, but I put, I would beprone to putting on weight.
(07:23):
I you know, so you look after it.
I just, I GE, I suppose I just, I feel like I get it and I feel
I understand why someone would be really intimidated coming
into a class, why you'd be really nervous.
Of course, of course, what it's really hard.
It's really hard starting something new.
Even if you come with friends, like it's easier with friends,
but people come on their own. It's time and you know, so I, I
(07:47):
really understand. So it's really, really important
for me that people are comfortable.
And I say to them, I know you'refirst class now, you're nervous,
but I really hope that, you know, after this hour, you will
just walk out and you'll go, oh,OK.
I really enjoyed that hour. And that's the most important
thing for your first class, thatyou come in doesn't matter what
you do. Yeah, but the way I wouldn't,
you went, oh, that made me feel better about myself and that
(08:09):
made me feel good. Do you know?
And I, yeah, and I think with people coming into a Pilates
class, especially your Pilates class, I just want I, my
experience of that was coming into the class.
I think I came on my own Emer, actually the first time I came,
first few times I came and I wasin a much larger body then.
(08:34):
And I just thought to myself, well, I can't do aerobics.
I had a bad back at the time. I can't do aerobics, can't be
jumping up and down and all the rest of it.
And then I went into the class and as I was trying to do the
moves, I literally only did whatI could do.
But I would look around while I was doing things and not one
(08:55):
person is raising their heads. Some people have their eyes
closed for most of it. And literally nobody cares what
anyone else is doing because you're paying your money to go
in there and do your exercises. And your my exercise is
completely different to every other person in that room
because every other person is atdifferent levels of fitness,
(09:18):
different levels of Pilates, andnobody cares.
No one's looking at you. That's how I.
Felt, yeah. And that's the world I want to
create in my classes, you know, I just want to come in and I
know we have the banter and the chat and the, the crack as well,
you know, and you know. In the mornings, we do.
(09:39):
Yeah, you know, so like, umm, you don't want to walk into an
environment where people are going, Oh my God, look at you
want in the bra top or in the, you know, yeah, that's not
there, that's not there, whatever gear.
And, you know, and you can do that too.
And it's, it's great, you know what I mean?
I love buying. I have a ridiculous number of
leggings. So I mean, you know, a bit
(09:59):
obsessed. But yeah, it's really important
because I suppose as well, again, one of the main
principles of Pilates is concentration and focus and
precision. So you, you have to kind of be
mindful, you have to, you have to pay attention because that's
literally what each ex each exercise, you know, you have to
(10:21):
concentrate in every single thing you're doing.
And that's not in a stressful way.
It's in a, it's in a really goodmind.
Do this. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So you are, you know, I mean, ofcourse you could be, the mind
will not wander, of course, especially if you're used to
doing the exercises. But the goal is that you come in
and you are aware and, and it's mind and the body as well.
Because I don't want to, I don't, I mean, I know I go on
(10:42):
and on about that. You shouldn't be doing core work
and you're getting a pain in your neck.
Like literally what's the point of that?
If you put too much of A load and you know, your head starts
falling back, like you need to pause out or you shouldn't be
doing core work and your lower back feels sore, then you need
to pull it back and you need to adapt.
You need to change. So you have to be in tune.
It makes you so much more badly aware, which is so important for
(11:05):
us, you know, to be aware of ourbodies moving through space, on
how we are. Well, I would have come to you
as I think a point after I had amy operation, I think I came to
you, yeah. Yeah.
I mean, I didn't know that the time.
Yeah, but it's going back. I told you then I think about a
month later, but I had had a microdiscectomy on my lower back
(11:26):
and it was only after that I realised how how low functioning
my core was, how I, it should have stood to me better in my
period of recuperation. And I knew after it I would have
to have another operation on my back.
So I thought to myself, get in, get your Pilates in and tighten
(11:51):
up your core. And inevitably that will make my
recovery half the time, possiblyumm, and it will make my time so
much easier as well, you know, going forward.
But that's the. Thing when ability as well, like
you're that's it final, you know, the stiffness in the
spine, you know, so to mobilize as well.
(12:14):
It's not even just about building up core strength.
It's about stabilizing the pelvis in the spine and being
aware, you know, of how everything is shifting and
moving and how to stabilize yourself is actually really
important. And to mobilize, you know, as
you say, how you move, how you move.
Through your day, Yeah, Yeah. 100.
Percent, yeah. And the thing with Pilates is as
(12:37):
well, I think is in your class is that if there is somebody
that has some kind of injury or they're working on something,
then you mod modify every singlemovement for that individual
person. And I think that's really
important as well and every Pilates.
Class we've done in everything. Yeah, that's to be done in all
(12:59):
fitness classes. You shouldn't go into the gym
and go lifting. Weights are too heavy or do you
know, like, let's say pull downswhen you know, you have issues
with your neck or, you know, or,you know.
So Pilates is no different, I suppose.
Just the focus is on rehabilitation.
People come to Pilates for, you know, issues.
Um, I mentioned as well just about, um, how it was so
(13:23):
important to me, my, my practicein Pilates over the past three
years was so important to me. Um, in December of last year,
because I went to a gym for the first time, tailor made coaching
and in the gym it's just six people.
There's only ever 6 people there.
Yeah, my three years in Plaza isstood to me so much when I went
(13:45):
in there because I was able to focus and engage my core and be
so aware of my breathing as wellin there, which I never, I never
had any that when I had been at a gym before.
And I think that's probably why I never kept going back to a
gym. But this time around it was very
different. So it was very aware of my body,
very aware of what I needed to do and very aware of my
(14:07):
breathing. So.
I can see it now in your Plato class.
I can see you now in Plato. That notice you've been to the
gym. And you're stronger.
So that's the positive overlap with the two together.
Yeah. And when you go to the gym to
have that foundation, and I suppose Pilates is such a good
(14:27):
foundation for anything else youwant to do, you know, even for
running, you know, like Pilates is a fantastic, you know,
compliment for runners, you know, or for gym gores or for
swimmers or swimmers in particular as well.
Yeah. Lifting weights.
Yeah. So it's like it's found.
It's like a foundation course. Yeah.
(14:49):
You know, would you say that there's any particular benefit
then for women who are in like midlife, especially those
navigating like hormonal changesand things like that?
Yeah, like me, you mean. And me and everyone else that
listens to me on Instagram and podcasts, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(15:10):
Massive. It's, it's huge because
sometimes women have just allowed, I suppose life passed
them by and you know, their kidsand life is so busy and they
actually haven't, you know, and then all of a sudden there's all
this stuff going on and you're going, why have I got all these
aches and pains? So why do I feel my energy is so
low? And why do I feel, you know, so
down on myself? And lethargic.
(15:32):
And it's hard to say, oh, I'm going to go down to that local
Pilates class like it's, it's really hard to do it.
Hence I try to be really welcoming when people either
contact message me, I'll always reply and always, you know, give
people as much time they need because I get it.
Like I, I guess that's deal. I'd be really intimidate, you
know, I, I, if I went to a classmyself.
So it is so important for women to, you know, start focusing on
(15:57):
their bodies and to, you know, future proof themselves and.
It's a bit longevity as well, Lemur, isn't it?
Yeah. And it's about strengthen,
strengthening ourselves, umm, for like 30 years time that
we're able or T whatever it is that we're able to go up the
stairs and we're able to come down the stairs and we're able
to get up out of a chair. And that's why I incorporate
(16:19):
things that I suppose aren't really plat.
That's why I incorporate all those extra little bits in my
classes. Like, you know, we sit down on
the ground and we try, you know,reducing the use of our arms or
just more awareness of our joints and our our feet.
Our feet are obviously the foundations of our bodies.
They're our support system. Waking up our feet is so
important because they're all, you know, stuck inside and
(16:40):
shoes. And so I work and just Mobi
mobilizing your feet and your ankles and your knees and your
hips so that, yeah, you can prevent yourself.
You know, things will can obviously still happen, you
know, but it's just been again, it comes back to body awareness
really, isn't it? Yeah, but you're more absolutely
and balancing that's why we practice our single leg closing
(17:03):
the eyes and yeah, yeah. And do you know?
Do you know as well, though, I, I don't think I've ever been
anywhere, umm, and I've been in and out of a lot of exercise
classes in my life, but nobody'sno exercise classes or anything
like that has ever focused on the feet or the joints in the
ankles or the joints in the wrists or anything like that.
(17:24):
And it's needed. Yeah, and I suppose that comes
from my running technique training as well, because, you
know, I, you know, I've done courses on bio mechanics and
mobility and movement and you know, that would be one of the
main things we would have learned.
You know, the whole body moves you.
It's not just the, you don't just run with your legs, you run
(17:44):
with your arms and you run with your core and you run, you know,
so it's whole body movement. So that's the whole body.
Yeah. And you could go to, you would
go to a different Pilate class and the focus would be real.
You know, we, we tend to, you know, we, we gear towards
whatever we are trained in or whatever our suppose personal
interests are. So that really, you know, I
(18:05):
looked after my dad when he was unwell and his MO, when his
mobility went and he'll say to me, he was such an active man.
He's to ride horses up till, youknow, well into the 70s.
And he goes like of all things happened to me.
I never saw this coming, you know, and it really.
And like, I used to work with him moving, walking and standing
up and using the feet. And that really struck A chord
(18:26):
with me. So now.
Yeah. And you're just a.
Future proof in your own body. Yeah, essentially, that's what
we're all there for, isn't it? You know, And I think especially
for women and our age, I think it's really, really important.
Yeah, definitely. 100% and Emir,we just might like touch on say
(18:46):
people after a weight loss, say I've lost 6, just over 6 stone
now, how important do you think that Pilates would be or that
form of exercise would be to help somebody that's been
through that? You know, how does IT support
progress is what I'm asking, I suppose.
(19:07):
What like as we touched on earlier, I think it's a really
good foundation. It's a really good get yourself
out the door and to introduce yourself into the world of
fitness. You know, because as you have
spoken about so much, you have to put the two together.
And you know, you have to when you're on this journey, you have
to balance, you have to introduce fitness and exercise
(19:29):
because that's the how you are living your life going forward.
Yeah. It's not just about the
medication you're on, it's aboutyour whole holistic view, isn't
it? So, uh, I think, like I suggest
it works on the inside out. So like Pilates works on, you
know, your, your core, like you mightn't see it on the outside
(19:50):
because you know, like, will youlose weight in platters?
Not particularly you won't lose weight.
It's not cardio. So you need that element as well
in your life, like walking, whatever else you want to do,
swimming, you know, or Aqua aerobics or you know, all these
other things. I know you do, but it just,
it's, it's just massive to the effect it has and the power you
(20:13):
can feel in your body and it's gradual progress and you have to
just. Except that you know, as you say
you you will see the progress inthe most subtle things, like
even being on all fours. You know simple things.
Do the side. Plank.
Do the side plank for your ways,hip lifting off the ground.
But like, you know, it's the strength in your, you know, and
(20:33):
the wrists and the shoulders andit just it'll just creep up on
you and you just go, Oh my God, I the mountains.
People say to me or turn back after class and go.
I was not able to do that two months ago.
I can't say. That all the time about things.
Yeah, so and and look of what wedo in Pilates, it's slow
control, minute movements and they're, you know, but it builds
(20:55):
inside out. Yeah.
So I would say that sorry, I keep losing, right, Yeah, yeah,
there's loads going on. There's loads going on.
You might necessarily see it thesame way you would with, say,
the cardio asset of your fitness, but and it'll it kind
of tightens you from the inside out of that makes sense, you
know? Yeah, and it does.
Yeah. And it narrows you or it, you
(21:17):
know, it draws your body in, youknow, it it definitely does.
And it's hard to explain that, you know, because I noticed that
about myself when I first started plastics.
I was gone. Like I'm not doing anything
different yet. I felt like I was kind of got
and I'd be quite broad person naturally, you know, but I just
find I'm I was gone so much morekind of narrower, you know, and
it's hard to explain, but it wasbut the thing.
(21:38):
Is as well when when you start working on breath, you
automatically start working on posture as well, and that just
kind of happens automatically. You've actually hit the nail
there. That's what I was struggling to
say there. It's your posture.
Yeah, very important for classes.
Yeah, it really is. Lengthened your your, lengthened
your more your movement. You're more graceful in your
(22:01):
movement. You carry.
You carry yourself so much better.
Yeah, because you. Start to feel better about
yourself. Yeah.
Yeah. And see, the other thing that I
wanted to say as well is that when I started out on this
weight loss journey with my GLP one medication, I think looking
(22:22):
back now, I think Pilates was probably the best course that I
took for myself when I started out in trying to get fitter and
incorporate exercise with the weight loss journey as well.
And as I was going along, then Ikind of realized that the 2,
(22:43):
they won't work on their own. Do you know what I mean?
Like the you can go on the journey of weight loss, but if
you incorporate, like you were just saying, Pilates or Aqua
aerobics in it, that's when the magic happens because you're,
you're strengthening your body from the inside as well as the
outside. And you're not going to.
And I think also a massive element must be adapting to your
(23:08):
new tape because you know, you must, you know, look in the
mirror. Go on.
If it if it happens quite quickly and even if it doesn't,
it's just, you know, you're looking at a different person.
You know, I'm sure you know, andyou have to so I think that's
why the mind body connection is,is really important and for it
to happen slowly and you know, so again, that's why Platies, it
(23:30):
does give much better body awareness and to kind of build
up your confidence in and be 100% in helping yourself.
Yeah, because like, you can, youcan lose weight, but if you're
not going to add any other element to it, you're probably
still not going to feel great. Yeah, and you look.
Different, but you mightn't feel, you mightn't feel
(23:51):
different and your brain can't catch up with what's after
happening. So whereas at least if you're
doing some form of exercise, it'll it it, you know it and
it'll just all come together hopefully.
Yeah. And that's body image, and I
think Paddy spoke about this recently as well, is that I
think when I was just losing theweight and I and I wasn't doing
(24:14):
anything, I never really noticedmuch of a difference in my body
image. Looking in the mirror, I
couldn't stand there and say, ohlook, you look great or
whatever. But then when I started really
getting into plates and feeling stronger, then I felt stronger.
And then my mindset, my mindset shifted as well.
(24:35):
Yeah, a bit more confidence in yourself because you know you
are being proactive. Yes.
Yeah, and probably easier to stay the course as well and to
keep your motivation. And it's just good for your
mental health. It's good for your head.
Like, exercise is good for us, you know, It releases, you know,
and it's good for us. Yeah, and we always feel great
(24:56):
coming out of a class. It doesn't matter how shit of a
morning you had or a week or whatever.
Yeah, it. Always really helps.
Now, I think you, I think you would rarely regret given an
hour to doing exercise, whether it is Pilates, whatever, as
opposed to continuing feeling the way you're feeling.
If you are waking up and you're having a bad day and, and
sometimes you can't motivate, just have to do it.
(25:17):
And that's OK too. You know, you don't want to be
hard on yourself and saying, oh,it's so easy to go to class
because it's not, it's not. And you know, but you won't
regret it if you do get there. Yeah, but The thing is as well,
like I don't miss it even if I'mhaving a shit day or I'm I'd
really don't want to go, I don'tmiss it because even if I go
(25:37):
down sometimes I go in there andjust say go through the motions.
She's. So funny.
Yeah. Don't just go through the
motions, isn't she? Yeah.
She fell alone, you know, like, but.
Yeah, even if you go down there,you can take it, take it as easy
as you like. No, like if I'm down at the back
(25:59):
of the glass and I'm not doing much, you're not going to come
over to me and say, well, come on now, why aren't you doing
this? You just.
Yeah, yeah. Well, funnily enough, I suppose
Pilates can look quite effortless, you see.
So it's actually quite, I often say that I'd be saying to you,
you know, like don't be fooled. Even if I'm making this look
easy, like I'm the inside, you know, and this I'm crying a
(26:20):
little bit on the inside, or it's like the it's like the duck
in the pond. You know, you're, you know, like
one woman said to me, you know, when you were young and I was
going, no, I always wanted to doballet, actually.
So maybe that's where that all came from, you know, But I was
gone. Don't be fooled because, you
know, I'd be like, Oh my God, the surface.
Yeah, all the work has gone on like, so it's, it's reapers.
(26:41):
No, I agree with you. But then you're, you know,
again, first of all, you're not going to do that every week.
You're not going to go every week and just line them out and
dass off. Why are you paying for the
class? And then secondly, there's still
loads of benefits because you are still mobilizing, improving
the flexibility, focusing on your breath, being mindful, you
know, so and yes, So what would you say to?
(27:01):
What would you say to people then that think to themselves,
oh God, I'm not strong enough togo in there now.
I'm not I'm not like strong enough to do Pilates.
What? What advice would you give to
them? Well, you're only going to get,
you know, you're going to improve by coming to class and
it'll happen gradually. You don't need to be like, well,
if what's strong, it's all relative, you know, umm, you
(27:25):
don't need to be strong startingoff because as I say to anyone,
before you come to my class, youcome and you know, less is
actually more. I'm quite, I, I much prefer to
see people, uh, concentrate on what they're doing and doing a
few reps as opposed to do movements.
And, you know, they're losing control of their pasture,
(27:45):
they're losing control of the past.
We're getting a pain in their neck.
But we have that, don't we? It's kind of, you have to keep
going, you know, like 10 more push ups, you know, and it's
very hard to shake that mentality off or have that
perception of that's what sport exercise is, you know, so less
can be more. So if you don't feel you're
strong enough, well, then come. And I, I would, I would say
nearly Evan would surprise themselves when they come.
(28:09):
I think so too, because people would come to me with a lot of
issues, you know, with whether it's an injury or it's some
health condition, so. Yeah, so.
And how many classes a week do you do?
So I do 9 at the moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(28:31):
So showcase. So is that 9 down in for down
where we are? No one is in Kildot and college.
I do a lunchtime one and all. Right.
Is that for the people that is that for people that work down
there and cause? Staff, yeah, I did it with the
students as well. Oh.
Wow, I didn't realize that. That's a lot. 9 isn't it?
(28:52):
Yeah. And the irony is, Belinda, that
I was told like I've actually been like I've been told that I
5 miles. Two different consultants have
told me I 5 miles. Yeah.
And I was only told last year bya pain management consultant and
a neurosurgeon that I should give up my job and stop running.
And I should, what are you doing?
(29:13):
And you know, you need to be resting.
And oh God, this sounds really bad now, because I really don't
like criticizing people. I, it's not that I want to make
a big thing about that, but like, I did state my case.
And I did say honestly, like if I was to stop doing what I was
doing, I would absolutely seize up.
I would like 100% no, I have to listen to my body and I have to,
(29:37):
you know, like I, I that's why Ido a lot of, you know, I
demonstrate, I walk around, I, I, I'm not doing the whole class
like, well, you're not, I shouldn't be anyway, you know,
But yeah, so I'm a very good example.
I'm a very good example of well.That's about not sitting.
Under. Yeah, Yeah.
Goodness, Yeah. So there you go.
(29:58):
Do you? Feel that you're managing your
fibromyalgia much better becauseyou're keeping more active.
Well, I will. I like, I know other people with
us and that's why. I know loads.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So.
And it's also unfortunately a very vague, it's, you know, it's
(30:18):
a very vague diagnosis when you can't really get to the crux of
what it actually is, you know, what's actually going on.
So like and. Even I can guarantee they'll be
hundreds of people listening to this that will be able to say
that, oh, I have, I have the same thing, you know?
Yeah, and I people who come to my classes of 5 malgia and I
(30:39):
people who, and I was always say, well, little known fact, I
have 5 Malgia myself or I've been and I, I, I feel I make
lighter when I say I have been told I have 5 malgia because I
literally in the medical world, I would be fit.
I'd have a consultant who would kind of laugh at nothing that's
unfair. And I wouldn't laugh at the idea
of you five mile. Did they go?
(31:00):
Well, you know, that's kind of adiagnosis they give you when we
don't really know what else is going on.
So like I went to neurosurgeon and I got on Mris and I do have
issues in my neck from a car crash.
I think I was in my 20s. And but like he literally I did
all these nerve tests and he just came back and said I think
maybe we need to look back on the five malded diagnosis.
And I'm going really. Yeah.
(31:21):
So is it something you want to take from?
And I would like, and he would have said like, you know,
running and, you know, and I mean, I, I do pull back.
I do listen to my body more now.And I do, you know, like there
are certain things I would say Iwould struggle to demonstrate.
Do you know what I mean? And that's just because of that
kind of muscle weakness and thatI would have a muscle Highness.
(31:42):
Yeah. But if if I didn't do it, what,
where would I be? I would be, I would imagine.
Chair season up in the corner. Yeah, You know, so, oh, I would
say to anyone with five mile andagain, this is like you just
often we can do more than we think you.
It's not that you should push beyond what is manageable, but I
think it's taken the the fear away.
(32:04):
You know, don't be don't be afraid to move, you know, or
don't say, well, I've this, this, this.
And we kind of tend to live by adiagnosis and saying, well, I
have this, this, this. I can't do this possibly.
Yeah, but you can do it adapted though.
You can do a modified version, you can do a simpler version.
Yeah. And you're so good at that
class. Yeah, you're so.
(32:25):
Good at modifying everything, yeah.
Yeah. And that's what people need as
well, isn't it, You know? Yeah, and it's not to be afraid
to exercise because the other alternative is so much worse,
like to stay, you know, to stay lying in bed.
And like even just like I said, even those foot warm up things I
would do, you know, the scrunch and release or the mobilize your
(32:46):
shoulders, like do them on the edge of the bed or, you know,
before you actually get up, do something rather than standing
up and trying to walk. And you're like a poker, you
know so originally. Pilates.
That's Pilates was. That's what it was made for,
wasn't it? Yeah, I mean, I suppose I get
(33:06):
it. I get asked the question a lot.
What's the difference between yoga and Pilates?
Umm, first of all, I wouldn't bean expert in yoga anyway.
But I do know, like, that's an anci.
Like yoga's an ancient practice,you know, it's a spiritual
practice where you hold posts for long times and it's
meditation and that aspect of it, whereas Pilates is only
around just over like 100 years.You know, it's like in the early
(33:29):
20th century, it was created by Joseph Platates for UMM,
rehabbing soldiers, you know, who were in hospital like during
the First World War. So, and he had a lot of health
issues himself. And he decided, you know, I'm
going to do this to make myself stronger.
So that's why he created all these specific exercises.
(33:51):
And then he moved to New York and he worked with, I suppose,
the other end spectrum. He worked with, umm, athletes
and dancers and, you know, ballet dancers and, you know,
and he worked with them to improve their, you know, range.
How long? How long is Pilates around?
That's like, yeah, in the early 19.
So like, it's like First World War 19, you know, I think he
(34:13):
moved to New York in 1925 or something.
I could be slightly off from that.
But like, it's, it's that long. Yeah.
Like it's 100 years, you know? Yeah.
And there are quite a lot of misconceptions, isn't there?
I mean, we've probably debunked most of them in this chat here,
but I think one of the main onesis that Pilates is only for
(34:34):
women. Which is ironic because it was
created for men. Yeah, on the back.
Of that, yeah, it was created for men by a man yeah.
Umm, I, I think it's got a bit more like sports Pilates, like I
did a sports Pilates course Pilates for runners as well.
And I, I think specifically I have a specifically men's only
(34:55):
class yeah because, umm, and those guys, when we usually stop
over the summer, you know, because, umm, a lot of them will
be farmers or they'd be, you know, working outdoors and, you
know, they'd be cycling and theygo cycling for the summer then,
you know as well and umm, so umm, they wouldn't come to my
mixed class, you know, and, but they will come to my men's only
(35:16):
class, which I also thought the women were like that, but no.
And yeah, it's umm, we are. Women tend to be way more
flexible than men, you know, andnot that anyway, amazing like
because I mean, a lot of men areextremely flexible and mobile,
but in general men get much, youknow, they would have much
tighter muscles and be more injury prone, yeah, than women.
(35:39):
So. Yeah.
And but yeah, yeah. But again, just going back to
the start of my journey as well,say from when I did join you
three years ago, like there are things that I can do now that I
would never have thought in my wildest dreams, like never ever,
(35:59):
you know, And like, I know it's,it's hard to kind of think about
that when you are just starting out, but you do get
progressively stronger. You do get progressively more
flexible and you do, umm, becomebetter at your breathing, which
then helps you move better, doesn't it Emer, when you're
(36:22):
breathing properly? Well, function, yeah.
If you breathe functionally, it helps you to move functionally,
you know, if you are, if your breath is really upper chest and
short and fast and, you know, irregular.
And I mean, that's a stressful breath.
That's a stressed out person. So you can control, like believe
(36:43):
it or not, you can control your breathing by slowing down the
exhale and getting it in a rhythm.
You know, and I'm always talkingabout that, you know, that
rhythmical breath that we can just breathe calmly, rhythmic,
rhythmically. You would breathe more
efficiently and even more relaxed and, you know, breathing
really gently, not hyperventilating, you know?
(37:04):
So that really easy, relaxed, gentle breath, you know, And
that's what makes big. Yeah.
And that's what makes Pilates sostressless.
And it's, it's just such a good,good exercise to do.
And it really is one of the bestones that you can start out on
as well because it doesn't have any restrictions on what size
(37:28):
body you're living in or what age you are.
Emer, isn't that right? Yeah.
And it's just to. Yeah, yeah, just do.
But the key is to do what you can do, you know, and we just
live in that world, don't worry,where we're strive on perfection
and everybody else is doing. We're supposed to be.
(37:49):
Yeah, we all do, myself included, you know, we all do
that. Like, you know, But at least
when you're going in there, it'snot, I suppose, going to be into
platypus. It's not going to be cardio,
massive high intensity, which could scare the bejesus out of,
you know, so many people at least.
And it should be about control. And if you're being pushed
beyond, you know, what you feel you can do for the first couple
(38:11):
of classes. You you just shouldn't do it.
I think you need to own it yourself.
Yeah. Because it'll happen gradually
and naturally. Exactly.
And I just, I tell you, it's thebest thing that I've done for my
journey in these three years. It really is.
So thanks for. That I knew you.
It's just been such a because tosee you now, like it's such a
stepping stone. It was such a stepping stone for
(38:34):
you. I think just to when I think to
you coming and you're to my classes and you're, you were so
worried about your back and you were so worried about what you
could do. And I never needed to be because
you were there all the time watching every single.
Well, and you just, you progressed yourself.
You just when you were ready to add things in, you know, you
give it a go. It doesn't mean, yeah, I, I hope
(38:55):
I'm not giving the impression like if you come and do, you
know, it doesn't mean you don't push yourself.
It doesn't mean because otherwise why would you go to a
class? But you, you listen to your body
and of course, you can push yourself.
But. And it is about being a little
bit uncomfortable, comfortable being uncomfortable, you know,
you know, no one wants to hold. You know what I mean?
(39:16):
You know, So. But, you know, sometimes you can
do it more than you think. And you can modify it.
You can put your knees on the ground.
You can pause out. You can rest out.
You can. Yeah.
I think one of the biggest things for me is being able to
get up off of the ground withoutusing my hands.
And also, I started out doing like, am I in a 5 or 6 second
plank? And I can go well over a minute
(39:36):
now, you know, and that's, it's fantastic.
I never thought I'd be able to do it.
So yeah, I'm just delighted. With it and you look like it's
your it's your posture and your alignment and everything is so
perfectly aligned that's everything isn't it that's yeah
and again I know I am slow to massively correct that and start
and I could be criticized for that as a plot is instructed
(39:59):
because I know some people probably come to my plot and go
oh God, she didn't pull and dragat me enough like you know and
and again I think that comes to my personality I.
I, I just, I can't do that when someone comes to my class 1st
and I'll just go over and invadetheir personal space and start
pulling at a foot or lifting a hip or, and I know huge, most
(40:20):
classes probably do that. I, I just think, you know, I'd
watch what you're doing And, andonce you are, once you're not
injuring yourself and once you are in like a reasonably good
position, I might suggest a couple of changes, but you know,
it, it will happen. You will naturally align
yourself. Yeah.
But it's it's not to feel that pressure.
(40:40):
Yeah. Exactly, exactly.
And there is none. There's no pressure.
You know, there really isn't. Emer, tell everybody where they
can find you on Facebook. So, yeah, so it's fitness with
Emer. Emer, unfortunately, one of
those names that can be spelled and.
What about your Instagram? Handle Yeah Fitness with Emer.
(41:01):
I'm on Instagram. I'm on Facebook is the same as
well. I'm on yeah.
And fitness with emer@gmail.com.com is my e-mail.
I did have a website, but I actually closed it down.
I had a beautiful website that Icreated during lockdown.
Fabulous. And then I I actually closed it
down because I found it just really I'm on because I'm a
(41:22):
breathing culture absolute advantage.
I'm on their website and I'm involved in the Wellness tribe.
So you didn't? Feel you needed?
It, yeah, I just felt it was just kind of sitting there and I
wasn't doing my online classic classes anymore.
So yeah, just keeping it local, you know?
Yeah, and it is. It's really local for me.
I'm so delighted. Yeah, Emer, thanks ever so much
(41:43):
for coming on and telling everybody about Plattes.
I think everybody needs to know about it.
And I think the biggest thing isjust to go and try it.
You won't regret it. Thanks, Emer.
So much for having me on and well done you.
(42:12):
None of this conversation shouldbe taken as medical advice for
you. Before starting or changing any
medical or Wellness treatment, always consult your GP and
medical care team.
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