Movement Classes
Humans need movement to thrive yet we are hardwired to conserve energy. We really need to move more, but exercise can feel punishing and is often focused on how you look rather than how you feel. It’s a bit challenging, isn’t it?! Don’t worry if you feel like exercise is not for you, you’re not lazy, you’re just human! I believe that moving our bodies should be fun, meaningful, practical and challenging. My classes combine Pilates (an amazing way of training your body & mind), Natural Movements (movements that are natural and essential for humans to live optimally) to give you a movement experience that is different to anything else you’ve tried. The classes are challenging on many levels, lots of fun, varied and super practical. They will set you up for your everyday life and tasks and is a perfect compliment to any other sports. You’ll come away feeling strong, mobile and energised. All bodies and abilities are welcome!
Why move?
The fitness industry is a huge money making industry. It’s often based on looking a certain way and/or weight loss, more often than not playing on people’s insecurities. We are encouraged to look for goals that will make us better, which in itself is not a bad thing, but it is often based on the notion that we’re not good enough as we are (i.e. it becomes a punishment rather than a reward). I believe we’ve lost the essence of why we need exercise and that’s because as human beings we need movement to thrive. We have a motor centric brain which needs movement to function optimally. Our brains are super sophisticated to accommodate super sophisticated movement, we’re not the fastest or the strongest out there in the animal world but we are the most versatile and adaptable.
Moving our bodies is key to being healthy and all too often people lead very sedentary lives. The misconception is unfortunately that, as long as you exercise a couple of times a week, you are active. We spend on average 9-12 hours sitting per day so to really make an impact you need to do things differently and find a way of moving your body more (and more of your body) during the day.
Changing patterns of behaviour and/or movement can be difficult and the stories you tell yourself (i.e. the thoughts, values and beliefs behind the choices you make) are critical to your success. Taking up a Pilates & Natural Movement class is a great way to use your body mindfully and it helps to create the awareness that is essential to moving better. You will become stronger, more mobile, have better balance and coordination and it will help you to do your daily tasks with more ease. You will start to appreciate that to get the best out of your body and it’s performance you need to engage your mind and let the two work together. One of the benefits of my classes is that you will also come away from each session with tips and ideas of how to create more movement at home in between classes, and I send out regular videos that you can practice at home.
Natural Movement – What is it and what can it do for me?
Natural movement is based on reclaiming movements that are natural to us as human beings but we have lost due to modern living. To me it’s the “missing link” between exercise/sports and having a body that can move with ease, grace and strength. It includes ground movements such as crawling, squatting, getting on and off the floor safely as well as walking (gait), balancing, lifting, carrying, jumping, hanging/swinging and running.
Some of these movements aren’t possible to do in a class but the aim is to create a really solid movement foundation of which you can build all other movements (and sports). Best of all, the natural movements relate to your everyday life. Lots of people are active in their 20s and 30s and then when they get to their 40s and 50s, they get injured, or stop doing some of the things they’ve always loved because it hurts. Sadly you can’t “bank” fitness and Natural Movements make sure that you can keep mobile, strong and confident throughout your life in a way that is meaningful to you.
Pilates – What is it and what can it do for me?
Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in Germany in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. It is a method of exercise that focuses on using both the mind and body to achieve optimum performance. Romana Kryzanowska, one of the most respected teachers in the industry, said “You can say what Pilates is in three words. Stretch with Strength and Control. And the control part is the most important because that makes you use your mind.”
The connection between the mind and body is crucial to Pilates. It has been referred to as ‘the thinking man’s exercise’ which relates to the mind/body connection. You have to be present and focused and, Pilates trains the mind to maintain a constant level of awareness of the way the body moves. The moves are performed with control, concentration and precision. This focus, in addition to principals regarding breath, flow and centering means that Pilates is not only a unique form of exercise but also a way of relaxing and freeing your mind from the everyday stresses and worries.
“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness” Joseph Pilates.
Cecilie’s classes are wonderfully crafted and varied. Thanks to her it is not just physical agility and core strength that improves markedly and quickly. Alongside goes a mental and emotional wellness. Cecilie’s hour is the quickest of the week. One is instantly in the zone and unable to think or worry about anything else. I find her a warm, approachable, enthusiastic friend for whom nothing is too much trouble. She always encourages, never pushes and suddenly I am some place I didn’t think I could reach.
Cecilie’s Pilates classes are so much more than an exercise session – they have become an invaluable part of my physical and mental wellbeing. You really do get multiple benefits; I have noticed significant improvemen
Cecilie is a wonderful teacher and unerringly positive. She carefully plans blocks of lessons the contents of which are aimed at but not exclusively to a particular part of the body. We usually get a wonderful combination of pilates, natural movement and general strengthening, stretching and balance. She manages to find various options to suit anyone in the class and is always open to receiving requests for particular areas for attention. She has provided us all, during the last few months, with regular wonderful virtual classes which have contributed significantly to our general well-being. What more is there to say? I always feel a whole lot better AFTER her classes!
Cecilie’s classes are so much more than just pilates. Her passion for all aspects of personal wellbeing, both physical and mental is inspirational, and she often imparts vitally important ‘life’ tips within her pilates classes that benefit her clients in all sorts of different ways. Cecilie’s enthusiasm is as contagious on-line as it is in person, and she has maintained fun and variety in her zoom classes with great improvisation when it comes to props! Congratulations Cecilie for keeping us all motivated.
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