Restorative Movement
Revitalize & Restore
Restorative movement, a gentle exercise approach, focuses on enhancing body function, alignment, and overall well-being. It includes self-massage techniques using self-massage roller, balls, stretchy bands, pilates balls. Myofascial release and trigger point therapy to ease muscle tension and boost mobility, while also stabilizing and strengthening joints to prevent injury and improve daily functional movement.
Mindful exercises, deep breathing and myofascial stimulation to further promote stress relief and relaxation.
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Small classes that feel like your personalised restorative movement session, instructed by an experienced Sports Massage Therapist.
Classes
I supply all props for classes and private sessions, or you can purchase your equipment and learn the routine to complete at home. To manage your self care book a book Restorative Movement class or book a private session.
Restorative Movement
Key Components of Restorative Movement
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Self-Massage Techniques:
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Self-massage is a fundamental aspect of restorative movement. Techniques like foam rolling, trigger point therapy, and myofascial release are commonly used to relieve muscle tension, improve blood circulation, and break down adhesions in soft tissues. These practices help in releasing muscle tightness and increasing range of motion, thereby enhancing movement efficiency and reducing pain.
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Tools like foam rollers, massage balls, or even your hands can be used to apply pressure to specific areas, encouraging muscle relaxation and tissue recovery.
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Stabilize and Strengthen Joints:
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Restorative movement emphasizes joint stabilization and strengthening to prevent injuries and enhance functional movement. This involves exercises that target the muscles surrounding joints, such as the hips, knees, and shoulders, to improve joint alignment and stability.
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For example, exercises like bridges, superman, and shoulder stabilization exercises are common. These movements often incorporate isometric holds and controlled, small movements that focus on engaging stabilizing muscles.
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Improve Functional Movement:
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Functional movement refers to exercises that mimic real-life movements, enhancing the body's ability to perform everyday tasks efficiently and safely. Restorative movement focuses on improving functional movement patterns by increasing flexibility, balance, coordination, and strength in a way that is applicable to daily life.
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Practices like Yoga, Melt Method, Pilates and certain physical therapy exercises are often used to retrain the body in proper movement patterns, addressing imbalances and promoting better posture and movement efficiency.
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Stress Relief:
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Restorative movement also plays a significant role in stress relief. The slow, mindful nature of the exercises promotes relaxation and helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s "rest and digest" state. This contrasts with the sympathetic nervous system, which is associated with the "fight or flight" response and can be overstimulated by stress.
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Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and gentle stretching are often incorporated into restorative movement practices to help calm the mind, reduce cortisol levels, and alleviate stress.
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Benefits of Restorative Movement
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Injury Prevention and Recovery: By focusing on joint stabilization, flexibility, and muscle balance, restorative movement helps prevent injuries and aids in recovery from existing ones.
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Improved Mobility and Flexibility: Gentle movements and stretching exercises increase joint range of motion and muscle flexibility.
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Enhanced Mental Well-being: The meditative aspects of restorative movement help reduce anxiety, improve mood, and enhance overall mental health.
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Better Posture and Alignment: Regular practice can correct postural imbalances, leading to better alignment and reduced pain.
Practical Applications
Incorporating restorative movement into a daily routine can be as simple as dedicating time for a gentle yoga session, using a foam roller for self-massage, or practicing mindfulness during movement. Whether integrated into a broader fitness regime or used independently, restorative movement supports long-term health by promoting balance, recovery, and a holistic approach to physical and mental well-being.
Taking time to rest and restore is crucial for balancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, which helps reduce pain, stress, and chronic inflammation while enhancing mood, immune function, and overall well-being.
At Complete Balance, I offer personalized small group classes and one-on-one sessions in Yoga, Restorative Yoga, the MELT Method, and functional movement, including rehabilitation exercises. These sessions, held in my private studio in Worthing, West Sussex, are tailored to meet individual needs, whether you're young or old, experienced or new to these practices.
My focus is on enhancing your well-being by improving range of motion, reducing pain, and breaking the stress cycle. By equipping you with effective tools, we work together to restore healthy movement, improve joint health, and reduce pain and inflammation. You'll feel stronger, more confident, and better equipped to boost your immune system and overall quality of life.
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Why is stress such an issue?
Today’s lifestyle patterns often leave us feeling stressed, anxious, physically tense or in pain and suffering from a number of different autoimmune issues.
Our bodies have become used to excessive sitting, running, texting, and carrying children, for example, and this can create poor repetitive movement patterns.
In turn, these patterns can give rise to injury or discomfort felt in the body. This may be either through lack of movement or repetitive movement. The fascia (connective tissue) becomes sticky, causing healthy movement to become compromised. Our natural efficiency of movement becomes challenged, and our body adapts to an altered state, causing pain and discomfort.
Alongside these physical compromises, our brains frequently process information at high speed, leaving us unable to relax at night. Insomnia or a restless night’s sleep leaves us ill-equipped for the challenges of the following day, as well as inadequate healing from the physical stresses of the previous day.
Stress is increasingly viewed by researchers as a potential factor in the development of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and psoriasis. Its effects are stealthy and subtle but can be far-reaching.