Sharing My Knowledge to Help You

Some days I feel like I miss the boat when it comes to communicating what I do. Most people know I’m a Pilates instructor, but my knowledge doesn’t stop there. Something happened recently that made me realize by not sharing my knowledge with those around me, I’m missing an opportunity to help. 

What I Do. 

If you’re reading this, you probably know me as a Pilates person and studio owner. My studio is called b.Pilates and Fitness, though, because I’m both a Pilates teacher and personal trainer. I’m also trained in group fitness and spin, though I rarely do those anymore. It’s mostly Pilates, with a few personal training clients, and the Sweat with Melissa subscription that combines the two. 

As there are very few classical Pilates options for those seeking an instructor in my area, Pilates has become my main focus. I have very little time to do any fitness teaching other than Pilates these days, which makes me so happy because I can help more people – especially with the second studio opening earlier this year. 

My “Sharing” Revelation

I realized that I need to share my fitness knowledge with people more during running club the other day. A chiropractor in the group took it upon himself to chat with others about their aches and pains, and assessed their running movements. He then suggested changes in their technique and exercises they could do to get stronger in certain areas or fix imbalances. He reminded them that he was available professionally for treatment and gait analysis. 

There is nothing wrong at all with him sharing his knowledge and inviting people to get further assistance from him if they needed it. He has a lot to offer. What hit me during all of this is that with Pilates, I teach all of the things he was telling them. I regularly have health professionals refer clients to Pilates to help with aches, pains, and imbalances. Why wasn’t I sharing my knowledge with others, too? 

I know exactly what will help these runners that I lead week after week, year after year, so that they can keep on running. 

What I Know About Running & Injuries

As an avid runner and run leader, I know that runners often get injured. Sometimes it may be from a fall, but the cause is usually from a lot of repetitive movement combined with tightness, weakness, running too hard or running too little. Common areas that runners feel pain in are: 

• Feet
• Knees
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• Achilles
• Back

Within those areas, there are various spots that might hurt or be vulnerable to injury. For example, the foot could have plantar fasciitis, heel spurs (or both!), or stress fractures. Lots of things could be going on to cause any given injury, but there are still common ways to help build strength, mobility, and flexibility to relieve and prevent pain. 

My Personal Running Injury

During the pandemic, I was doing a lot of running, a little Pilates, and almost no strength training. My strength wasn’t what it usually was in the previous years, and I’d also put on weight. Over time, a discrepancy in the strength of my glutes meant that my hips wouldn’t be aligned when I ran, and I was putting a lot more force into one foot. 

The foot became tight and my balance was affected, which meant I’d turn one ankle or trip on that one foot, often when trail running. My calf seized up on more than one occasion, but with some stretching and Pilates, it would feel okay and I would go back to running. Soon, it got to a point where the tightness crept further into my foot and leg, and if I pointed or flexed my foot, it would feel like the tendons were going to rip off my toes! 

Like a typical runner, I kept on running. 

I did more Pilates and started to incorporate more strength, but it was too little too late. It hurt to just walk, and I had to do something. 

This is where hindsight is 20/20, and I need to tell you to do as I say, not as I did! Get treatment before the pain goes too far and you have to stop doing what you love. See a physiotherapist, massage therapist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, or whatever you need to do the aches, pains, and tightness don’t turn into an injury. Yes, these professionals will also help you recover from injury, but why get to that point? You also need to do exercises that will help you stay strong for your love of running. 

My Exercise Advice for Runners

To become a stronger runner and avoid injuries, strength training is key. Runners often need to work on their glutes, core and back muscles to support their posture. The gym is a great place to work out, but if you are, ask yourself the following questions to ensure you’re getting the most out of your time there.  

• Do you do a good warm-up to mobilize all of your joints?  
• Are you doing exercises that work on strength, mobility, and core all at one time?
• Are you doing a strength program that progressively adds load over a 3 to 6-week period, then changes to a new routine?   
• Have you had someone’s eyes on you checking to see if your knees collapse inward (knee valgus) when you squat or lunge?  
• Do you do single-leg work? 
• Are you hinging without rounding your spine?  

All of these things can help you to become a stronger runner and avoid injuries. 

Mobility is another area that can be lacking in runners, which is something Pilates is excellent at. Coincidentally, it also supports your strength training! Pilate brings better awareness to how you move your body and gives you a full-body strength, stretch, and mobility workout. The more you do Pilates, the better you become at all three. Sweat with Melissa is an excellent place to get both your strength and Pilates in, with new workouts every month. 

I’m Going to Keep Sharing My Knowledge With You

I feel like I’ve been doing you a disservice by not sharing my knowledge with you more, so I’m going to try and do better! Here on the blog, in person, and whenever I can, I want to help you feel amazing.