Joyce Gavin -

“As difficult as your toughest workout may be, you will not perish from the discomfort you experience. In fact, pushing yourself to new limits is what makes you stronger and better able to handle more stress in the future. Most people never come close to their actual limits and often quit when challenges are very difficult. Moving forward, challenge yourself to give 100% effort at every difficult workout that you are faced with. If you consistently do this, you will learn how to never accept failure as an option.” Nav Vii

To Carb or not to Carb? Now that is the question When I was training and competing carbohydrate intake played a major part in how I trained and then subsequently in how successful my competition taper / diet was or not! There was always a balancing act for me, mainly because I never felt quite right after eating complex carbohydrates, my energies always seemed scattered and still to this day my preference is to only have one small portion of complex carbs per day. Maybe there are some  answers for us all this very interesting article on Carbohydrate Tolerance by Helen Kollias [carried by Precision Nutrition]. Check out the full article here 

AIS – the key to unlocking your clients full physical potential. AIS [Active Isolated Stretching], is an interactive, gentle and effective form of Fascial Release and Stretching. Developed over the last 40 plus years by Aaron Mattes, AIS is used all over the world by trainers who wish to unblock the full potential of their clients as well as professional and elite amateur athletes. AIS works on a ‘2 second stretch’ paradigm with active movement and reciprocal inhibition, by avoiding the ‘stretch reflex’ a full range of motion, extensibility and flexibility can be restored. AIS provides functional and physiological restoration of both superficial and deep fascial lines/tissue I believe that AIS is a great synergistic partner to the Pilates System For further course information and details please  click here 

Today my neighbour found me half way through my front door [fire doors are so heavy] I was trying a mix of poking with the crutch and shouldering it open. He kindly assisted me in and enquired how I was, said he hadn’t seen me since Sunday -  mistake! I was emotional at the very mention of Sunday (meltdown day)  What happened next blew me away; he put the kettle on, sat on the sofa beside me and enveloped me in the biggest and gentlest of hugs.  His energy was amazing a mix of comfort and safety. He spoke of this all being a ‘big shift’ and while things have happened since the crash – they too are all part of the shift. Maybe not today or tomorrow but in the future all will be revealed and it may in some ways be better than before. I am not sure if it was his tone, his energy or the empathy he displayed but at the moment I was the most calm I have been in days, there was something about the essence of this man  I am blessed by the kindness of people – those i

 My lesson this week - ' everyone is doing the best they can with the tools they have' Namaste And here I am just into my 3 rd week at home and thankfully not addicted to day time TV – actually the TV is very seldom on. My life has become so simple its uncanny, a short prayer to Amida Buddha and Mother Universe kick starts my day, simply ‘thank you for the gift of waking up to another fantastic day’ Friends are very kind taking me out for a airing every now and then, thankfully there is a coffee shop not too far that has access wide enough for the chair or frame and is wonderfully gluten free and all lo-cal. Have to admit I was trundling along ok – yes there were times in the day when I was a bit down or just days when things felt more difficult. But nothing had prepared me for the ‘melt down’ that was about to happen. Friday I had a meeting with the Police to give my side of events, unfortunately I am a visual learner and communicator