Centaur Therapy - Norwich

TIME LAPSE CORE/YOGA WORKOUT
Putting together snippets from my rider fitness classes and managed a 30min routine yesterday whilst Jordan looked after polly.
Still cant believe how weak I am in my whole body, but just goes to show you really do need to treat pregnancy and birth as an injury like any other, despite it being a natural process! 👐

DAY 3 - FITNESS JOURNEY - Core / arms
A simple routine that targets the core as well as working the arms and shoulders!
Stand tall and maintain connection with tummy whilst performing exercises. Ensure posture is maintained and you don't sway your back or lean forward. 👐
... note: for educational purposes only. Seek advice from your GP / therapist if unsure whether exercises are suitable for you.
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DAY 2 - FITNESS JOURNEY - Breathing for a strong, active core
For...
Everyone! Especially good for post natal 👐
... 💥 Start on back, neutral spine, relaxed jaw, feet/knees/hips aligned. Breathe in through the nose, out through relaxed lips - breathe deep in to the belly so your hand rises. Focus on expanding rib cage in all directions - front/back/sides. On exhale, draw rib cage in and contract pelvic floor. To do this, imagine you are very lightly stopping the flow of urine. Do not clench bum or hollow stomach. Pelvis should remain neutral and not move.
Increase difficulty by bringing yourself in to table top (squash lower back in to floor) and repeat (drop one foot down if your back hurts or you cannot keep pelvis still).
NOTE: for educational purposes only. Please seek advice from your GP or therapist to ensure exercises are suitable, including post natal.
Also note.... before pregnancy I found this exercise very easy... now not so much!! Dont worry if you cant maintain a pelvic floor contraction for the whole out breath or need to drop one leg down from table top, keep practicing 😊
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WONKY RIDER - Part 3
Yesterday I posted a screenshot of my weight distribution analysis courtesy of out Fit3D scanner at Phoenix Gym Norwich and asked what you thought was happening with my pelvis.
Well here is a visual! Now, I have totally exaggerated the posture so you can see a little clearer, but what is happening here is a shortening between my left hip and ribs of the QL muscle and a forward rotation of the right side of my pelvis.
... Try standing like this yourself and see how a lot of your weight travels down your left heel!
Now to get on the case with some exercises to correct it... 👐
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WONKY RIDER - Part 2
Following up on my post yesterday about wonky riders, this is my current weight distribution!
What do you think is going on here with my pelvis? 🤔
... Luckily for any horses out there I'm not riding at the moment,but ita safe to say I have a few imbalances to address!
This posture analysis is just one aspect of an amazing in depth posture report created by Fit3D - an awesome top to toe body scanner we have at Phoenix Gym Norwich!
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CANCELLATIONS
Please note that any no shows or bookings cancelled within 24 hours of the arranged appointment time will now incur a 100% charge. This also applies for rearranging.
Up until now I have always been very lenient on any last minute cancellations, but as I only have a very small number of appointments available each week at the moment, I cannot afford to lose cancelled sessions which could have been filled by other clients.
... Thank you for your understanding ❤
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3 spaces left!!!

WONKY HORSE? WONKY RIDER!
This is perfect! I see a lot of riders who comment that their horse is wonky. Usually it can be seen in the shoulder area where the horse may have more muscle mass on one side. Usually they have problems with a good saddle fit due to the imbalance. Some riders may not have noticed the imbalance until their saddle fitter pointed it out! Perhaps the horse also struggles with lateral work, correct canter lead, flexion to one or both sides etc etc.. the... list really does go on!
Sometimes wonky riding can simply be due to inexperience, being unawares, a lack of fitness and/or lack or correct instruction. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you're still wonky, and that's when it's worth seeing a therapist that can assess and correct imbalances in your posture through manual therapy and corrective exercise.
Often the rider client will say me "well I don't know whether my horse is just wonky and thats made me wonky?". Whilst it may be true that horses prefer one side to another just as we are right or left handed, and most horses dont have perfect symmetry in their conformation, I can pretty much guarantee every client I have seen so far is wonky in one way or another, even if it's just a little bit!
What do I mean by wonky? Well this may present in numerous and often multiple ways. Muscle imbalances in the form of weakness or shortness or joint immobility causes the skeletal system to shift out of ideal, anatomical position. Now, in a lot of circumstances this doesnt cause any pain day to day, or even have cause to be corrected. We are ALL walking around a little bit wonky here and there and that doesnt necessarily mean it's a problem. However, when on board a horse, these small imbalances can show up in a big way in the form of leg length differences, weight distribution issues, restriction of movement through the back and pelvis... and more!
But how do you know if you are wonky? Well, theres plenty of ways I can assess you to work out where things are not quite right, but there's a few simple things you can look for yourself. If you know you feel stiff in your back or hips (can you cross your legs comfortably?? That's a good test!) then chances are you will be wonky. Do your legs feel the same length when standing? No? Chances are you're wonky. Do you ride with your stirrups at different lengths? Yes? Chances are you're wonky. Does one shoulder sit higher than the other? Yes? You're wonky! Again, the list can go on!
Drop me a message if you need your wonkiness addressing!
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DAY 1 - FITNESS JOURNEY - Glute strengthening
For..
👌general fitness and strength... 👌post pregnancy 👌most lower limb injuries 👌those with sitting down jobs inc. driving 👌back pain
Note: always check with your GP or therapist if you are unsure of suitability of exercises
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FEELING DOWN ABOUT YOUR CORE STRENGTH, GENERAL FITNESS OR BODY POST-INJURY OR PREGANACY? ME TOO!!

Wise words from my friend Rich! If you're looking for a PT, he's your man. Based at the same venue as me - Phoenix Gym Norwich, voted the best gym in Norwich for the 3rd year in a row! 😁

HOME VISITS
From August I will be able to take a small number of home visit bookings each week, on a Wednesday/Thursday evening and Saturday morning.
For any horse rider clients, as we are in the (hopefully!) warm summer months now, I am also happy to treat at yards.
... A travel charge will apply, which can be shared between friends if there's more than one of you!
Book in now for..
👐 Personal or sporting injury rehab 👐 A general MOT sports/remedial massage 👐 Any issues with pain 👐 Problems with current posture 👐 Any issues specific to horse riders- pain, posture, feeling wonky or weak
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!! LOOKING FOR POSSIBLE LOCATIONS !!
Unmounted Rider Fitness & Biomechanics Workshops
Now I'm back from maternity leave, I'm on the look out for more possible locations for rider fitness & biomechanics workshops, starting from August! I will most likely run another workshop in Wymondham, after the popularity of that location last time.
... These workshops are suitable for anyone interested in...
- The way your posture affects the biomechanics of riding
- finding out about common muscular imbalances affecting horse riders and how your own current posture is affecting your riding and your horse's performance
- why you might experience pain whilst riding
And those wishing to learn...
- how to improve your core strength, become more mobile and supple in your back and pelvis and improve your balance and endurance for a better, stronger riding position
As a Clinical Sports Therapist, and fellow rider, I use a variety of ‘hands-on’ and exercise based techniques to treat horse riders (and non-equestrians!) in Norfolk and Suffolk for a range of postural imbalances, injuries and chronic pain, as well as running regular fitness classes for horse riders.
Ideal for those who can't attend one of our regular classes, come along to a fun, relaxed workshop of theory and practical where you will...
Theory:
✅Learn what we mean by rider biomechanics ✅Learn about common rider imbalances and restrictions and how they affect your position in the saddle and your horse ✅Assess your own posture, breathing, mobility, current imbalances, balance and core strength
Practical:
✅Learn how to breathe correctly for an active core ✅Learn a range of mat based core exercises ✅ Learn a range of exercises using Swiss balls and resistance bands ✅ Learn a range of mobility exercises and stretches that work on improving hip and shoulder range of motion
Suitable for all ages, abilities and fitness levels.
Most likely to be around 3 hours, on a weekend, around £30/35 pp depending on venue costs, to include refreshments, handouts and discounted therapy session.
Also available for yard visits, clinics and camps.
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Something I'm always banging on about to any horse riders that'll listen 😁

BACK IN CLINIC! - Feeling strange leaving my little 7 weeker at home, but equally nice to be back in clinic @phoenixgymnorwich1 catching up with clients and helping them with their aches and pains. - I'm currently only working a Tuesday so very limited availability (soon to add an evening a week though I envisage as cant fit everyone in!)... - Get in touch if you need a helping hand to be pain free or would just like a litte MOT. Still fixing up broken horse riders too! - ✌
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