pilates for women

Mama Strength Pilates

Strength and Support: Exploring Mama Strength Pilates’ New Vision

AlisonLoveofDance

At Mama Strength Pilates, I believe in the power of transformation.  Physical, mental, and emotional growth. The mission is to empower women, especially mums, to rediscover and strengthen their bodies, build confidence, and feel supported every step of the way.

Why I want to share Pilates with EVERYONE who needs it

I discovered Pilates at a time when I’d just had my daughter at 37 and I needed to get back to the stuff that made me happy: Dance.  But I’d got lazy in my pregnancy and just felt so down about the fact I couldn’t do the moves I knew I could do pre child. Like, it really got me down.  Dance was my outlet, my release and brought me JOY.  What happens when I feel trapped – without sounding corny – and I can’t dance? I knew I needed to do something so I started Pilates at my local gym, remembering how it supported my growing strength at dance college. I loved the way it felt gentle and like it was nurturing my body recovering from childbirth.  Needing to get back to earning, but not feeling like I’d be able to teach dance in the way I used to immediately, it made complete sense for me to train as an instructor – but it was more than an income.  At a time a bit later down the line, when I’d really got my head around the Pilates breathing and the mindful movement, it held me up when my relationship with my daughter’s dad broke down.

I believe Pilates was my therapy. 

So many studies link the benefits of movement and breathing with not only supporting physical health, but also mental health. Keeping my emotional health on an even keel was super important for my growing girl who I’m never sure was that aware of her dad’s lack of presence – but I needed to be there for her.  To give her my energy and positive energy at that.  Don’t get me wrong – there were tough times, and I leant into that too, as grieving is important – but I was able to give her my creativity, imagination, playtime – and as my strength came back – fun playtime when she’d want to roll around and jump all over me whilst I was trying to teach online in lock down(!).

Alison, founder of Mama Strength Pilates

And THIS is why I want to share this glorious movement with many more mums!

Today, I’m excited to share a new look that truly represents the journey and purpose: a fresh, vibrant brand identity that speaks to the strength, resilience, and community at the heart of Mama Strength. 

So, what inspired this new branding, and what does it mean for this amazing community? Here’s a look into the story behind the new Mama Strength Pilates branding, logo, and colours, which represents all that I found from the regular Pilates movement.

A Look Into The New Brand Identity: Why I Rebranded

For 4 years, Mama Strength has been a sanctuary for mums looking to rebuild their strength, reconnect with their bodies, and find joy in movement. My mission and vision has grown and developed. I knew that my branding needed to better reflect what Mama Strength truly represents: not just a Pilates class but a complete experience, a place for women to feel empowered, cared for, and part of a supportive community.

With the rebrand, I wanted the look to reflect the heart of Mama Strength: a place where strength, resilience, and support come together to help women thrive.

The Vision for Mama Strength Pilates

At Mama Strength, the vision is bright: I aim to be the UK’s go-to for empowering women through their feminine strength. I support mums in their journey to a stronger, more confident self through a holistic approach that reaches beyond physical fitness. This rebranding celebrates the commitment to providing a supportive, all-encompassing experience where women can feel cared for, valued, and uplifted by a community of like-minded women.

The refreshed brand identity reflects this vision with a bold yet nurturing design that invites all women to step into a world of self-discovery, strength, and adventure.

The New Logo: A Symbol of Strength and Connection

The new logo is more than just an icon; it’s a symbol of the strength and connection that Mama Strength Pilates offers to women at every stage of their journey. Each element of the logo is carefully chosen to represent what makes Mama Strength unique.

  • Strength and Empowerment: The stars in the logo are inspired by the idea of the magic that is felt from inner and outer strength, in every fibre and cell of the body.  Stars symbolise the resilience and confidence that the clients build through Pilates and community support.
  • Connection and Community: The design represents feminine interconnectedness – a reminder that while every woman’s journey is unique, we are bonded by shared biological journeys and cycles of the body.  This symbolises the understanding and care that Mama Strength brings to every member of the community.

The New Colours: Bold, Feminine, and Empowering

The new Mama Strength Pilates colours are designed to reflect the vibrant, dynamic energy of the community and the transformative journey the clients experience. Each colour was thoughtfully chosen to embody the core values: empowerment, care, flexibility, integrity, and future-proofing.

  • Warm Pastels and Feminine Tones: These colours represent the nurturing, supportive aspect of Mama Strength, reminding the community that strength can be powerful and gentle.
  • Bold Accents: Vibrant tones reflect the commitment to bold transformations and empowering each woman who joins us to step into her full potential.

Together, the colours evoke a sense of confidence, warmth, and resilience, creating an inviting and uplifting atmosphere for every woman who chooses to embark on this journey with us.

The Core Values: The Heart of Mama Strength

The new brand identity is grounded in the values that have always guided me. These are the values I’m committed to bringing into every class, every conversation, and every aspect of the Mama Strength experience:

  • Empowerment: I believe in equipping women with the strength, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive.
  • Caring: Mama Strength is a space of compassion and support where every woman feels valued, seen, and cared for.
  • Flexibility: I understand that life is busy, especially for mums. I aim to provide flexible, accessible support that fits each woman’s lifestyle.
  • Strength and Integrity: I hold myself to the highest standards, committed to guiding the clients safely and effectively toward their goals.
  • Future-Proofing: The programmes are designed not just for short-term gains but for sustainable health, building a foundation of strength that supports long-term well-being.  Studies into the benefits of movement and deep breathing such as that practised by default through Pilates have demonstrated the potential to prevent future musculoskeletal injury, illness and chronic issues.

What This Means for The Mama Strength Pilates Tribe

With the rebrand, I’m recommitting to the clients and the incredible journeys they embark on. Mama Strength Pilates is now more focused than ever on providing a transformative, holistic experience. I offer not only Pilates & nutrition sessions but also personalised support, accountability, and a caring community where each woman feels empowered, understood, and supported.

This new look symbolises the beginning of a more connected and enriching experience at Mama Strength Pilates—one that prioritises your well-being and provides tools for lifelong strength and confidence.

Join in This Exciting New Chapter!

I couldn’t be more thrilled to share this new chapter with you. As you browse through the new branding, logo, and colours, I invite you to celebrate what they represent: a fresh, inspiring journey of growth and empowerment that’s only just beginning.

If you’re already a part of the Mama Strength family, thank you for inspiring me every day to evolve and improve. And if you’re new here, welcome! I’m so excited to support you on your path to strength, confidence, and a healthier, happier life.

Stay tuned for more updates, exciting new classes, and resources! I can’t wait to share all that’s in store as I move forward with this renewed purpose, mission, and look. Here’s to embracing strength, support, and community – together. Welcome to the new Mama Strength Pilates!

Why Pilates is often prescribed to mums in pain by health professionals

AlisonLoveofDance

The Pilates focus on core strength, flexibility, breath and mindful movement is commonly prescribed by health professionals concerned with musculoskeletal problems as one of THE most effective forms of pregnancy rehabilitation and holistic health promotion for mums. It’s the go-to solution to sort out the physical aches, pains and issues relating to issues experienced by mums following childbirth and in the years beyond, as kids get bigger and more physical too. Pilates is the perfect tool recommended by physios, chiropractors and osteopaths in various clinical settings. Here’s why!

I’m talking about remedial movement and rehabilitation following issues caused by for example:

  • repetitive strain injury from functional movement: repetitively picking kids up, slinging them on the hip, putting them down into the cot, sitting for long hours feeding – which can result in hip, shoulder, back joint and muscular pain;
  • distasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles some women experience as a result of pregnancy),
  • SPD (symphis pubic dysfunction or pelvic girdle pain);
  • Leaky bladder
Hands on back pain
Pilates is recommended by health professionals

The list goes on, right?

So how can Pilates help?

  1. Improved Posture: Pilates focuses on strengthening the core muscles, helping to support proper alignment of the spine and improve posture. Better posture = reduced strain on the muscles and joints, reducing issues associated with poor posture.
  2. Enhanced Body Awareness: Pilates emphasises mindful movement – everything is done with a smooth, slow and considered quality. By developing a greater sense of body awareness, individuals can clock and address movement patterns both during and outside of the Pilates class, that may be causing or exacerbating pain. This can lead to more efficient movement, better posture as a habit, and decreased strain on the body.
  3. Increased Flexibility: Pilates incorporates stretching exercises that target muscles throughout the body. Increased flexibility can reduce muscle tension and tightness, which are often contributors to pain and discomfort. Always try to warm up in some way before stretching – e.g. after a walk round the block or a (careful!) dance.
  4. Strengthening Weak Muscles: Pilates targets both large and small muscle groups, including stabilising muscles that are often neglected in traditional forms of exercise – especially focusing on strengthening the core with every movement. Back pain can be caused by weak abdominals for example, and in the UK, mums are unfortunately unlikely to get the support and education they need to rehabilitate the pelvic floor which can lead to issues not just in the immediate future, but into the long term future too.
  5. Injury Prevention: By strengthening weak muscles in the core and the whole body, Pilates can help to improve joint stability and reduce the likelihood of compensatory movements that can lead to future pain and injury.

Pilates is often prescribed as a form of rehabilitation by health experts for individuals recovering from injuries or managing chronic pain conditions. Its low-impact nature and focus on controlled movements make it suitable for people with various physical limitations. Pilates exercises can be adapted and modified to accommodate specific needs and abilities, allowing individuals to safely progress in their recovery journey.

Overall, Pilates offers a holistic approach to pain management by addressing underlying physical imbalances, promoting proper body mechanics, and fostering a mind-body connection that supports overall well-being.

If you have existing musculoskeletal pain it’s best to get checked out by a professional before taking part in group classes – or before switching on Youtube and picking up a recorded class where the instructor won’t see you. A Pilates instructor will assess if clients are fit to participate in physical activity before they work with them. It’s a good idea to see a Pilates instructor on a 121 basis to start with if you do have underlying health conditions, so the instructor can chat to you about your specific pain, and may direct you to a health professional for an assessment before working with you if they consider your symptoms to be severe. Once you’ve got the green light, 121s are a good way to get the foundations under your belt before taking part in a group, online or Youtube class.

”…but I don’t have time for fitness’: short & sweet, little & often, and how fitness could help you through stages of the menopause.

AlisonLoveofDance

20 Plus a Day. Short and Sweet, Little and often. 

I was so chuffed to be invited to introduce my latest ‘challenge’ to the wonderful Kaleidoscopes, a peri – and menopause support group, recently at their monthly support meeting. It led me to share the benefits of an exercise ‘challenge’, which may be suitable and well designed to support women through this stage of life.  I developed my 20 Plus A Day challenge (#20PlusADay) to highlight that even 20 minutes of physical exercise, which can gently increase the heart rate,* could be more beneficial to the changing body, than a programme of one hour+ high intensity sessions on a frequent – or not so frequent (for the time poor amongst us!) – basis.   I’m particularly talking to those who don’t already have a fitness plan in place, or could be something to consider if you’re already doing one or two hours each week and would like to increase this.

Fitness and the menopause

Here are a few key points to highlight of how the body is transitioning through the menopause, and how fitness can support the symptoms and changes, and therefore why it’s a good idea to get ahead and start preparing the body through fitness during the peri-menopause phase:

  • The symptoms of menopause are quite often a result of estrogen imbalance. Exercise is proven to be a powerful practice to combat these symptoms – getting your heart rate up for at least a half hour every day helps boost estrogen levels, which can help take the edge off.
  • Muscle tissue depletes faster as we transition through menopause and beyond – strength based training is highly recommended to keep replenishing and maintaining muscle mass.
  • Increased risk of osteoporosis in the years following menopause – exercise boosts the circulation of blood through the body, nourishing and strengthening the bones, and strengthening the muscles, will also support the bones.
  • Body shape or type is likely to change. Women feel and look physical different as belly fat can increase and be harder to shift – Light aerobic, cardio activity and strength based training is proven to be more beneficial at burning belly fat than long, endurance fitness types such as running.  

Pilates is a key go to fitness type for women transitioning through peri-menopause into the menopause as Pilates focuses on strengthening the muscles and joints, burning body fat, helping to develop muscle mass with the right diet, and some Pilates exercises provide a gentle cardio benefit.  The continuous movement and breath work involved in Pilates will increase circulation and kickstart the metabolism in the body, helping with fat and calorie burning goals. 

I designed the #20PlusADay challenge with two targets in mind:  

Short and sweet – As the research shows that shorter bursts of activity are more beneficial than long, endurance fitness types for women experiencing the menopause; and/or

I don’t have time for fitness – people who struggle to find time for a dedicated fitness plan, or who already have maybe a favourite fitness class once a week, and would like to increase activity, showing how we can make fitness more manageable, to prove we don’t have to specifically get our lycra on or even get in the car to go to a gym.  We can build fitness in small, manageable chunks of time as frequently as possible. Sometimes we don’t have to make it a big heave-ho to fit in the fitness, which can, to some, seem impractical – to some – impossible!

20 Plus a day could be interpreted as eg 20+mins walking, light jog, 20+ reps of press ups, squats, or 20 secs of plank after a warm up and if 20 is feeling too tame, you’re not noticing a difference in your fitness level, or you have more time, why not increase this to 30! This challenge is the springboard to build upon and make fitness a regular habit. Start building up intensity in those 20 mins and work towards the recommendation of a minimum of 30 mins 5 times a week. Contact me if you’re not sure what would work best for your body*

Make fitness manageable for you. Try my 20 plus a day challenge #20plusaday and see what health and fitness goals you can achieve in 2023 through ‘little and often’.

Ways to make a start this February:

⚡️ Mama Strength Spark – see what a month of unlimited online Pilates can do for you;

💪🏻 121 options to fit around your schedule in person in my studio Buckingham, or online options available;

*check with a medical pro if you’re suffering from any pre-existing health condition, have just recently had a baby, or are recovering from an injury. Contact me here if you’re not sure and would like to chat more.

More suggestions about how to make the 20 Plus a Day work for you, inspiration for how to mix and match different movement types, and how to interpret the 20 Plus a Day can be found on my social media platforms – search @dancingmamafitness on Facebook and Instagram.