Leila Ellen

09/10/2021

Soooooo if you were me and you found yourself in Paolo’s cellar…

What kind of wellness video would you be inspired to make??!

I really wish my buddies were here to help me brainstorm over in the wine area :p

09/08/2021

When you become tired, be sure to rest (if even for just a moment).

🌱 Rest and rehydration are just as magnificent as movement and mobility. ⬅️ Now say that 10x fast!

🌤 Rest is any behaviour that increases your mental, emotional, or physical well-being. Are you drawn to a walk out in the fresh air? Does it feel good to close your eyes and breathe deeply?

Rest will help us recover and recharge:
👉🏻 Better immune health
👉🏼 Less stress
👉🏽 Better mood
👉🏾 Time to reflect and shift perspectives if necessary
👉🏿 Space to ground and reconnect with ourselves

☯️ Enjoy this body and this life with some balance.

Reflect: what are your go-to ways to rest?

09/06/2021

One of the coolest things you can do is give your body the tools it might need to react to new situations. Just because we can’t predict our next injury, doesn’t mean we can’t try to prevent it!

Many of us find ourselves doing the same movements on repeat. This doesn’t always help us react well when we find ourselves under new pressures or in a different environment. For example, I can’t really predict how my arms will need to stabilize me the next time I’m caught in the middle of a mosh-pit, but I can train my muscles and joints to move through different positions ;)

The next time you do a familiar exercise, play with it.

See how your body responds when you mix up your push-ups. Stagger your hands, change the range of motion you put your joints through, alter the gravitational force by elevating your hands or lower body, add in a hold or pulse, play with the speed. Do this with your other favourite exercises too.

This will give your brain and body more than when you do the same ol’ thang. Seriously, when was the last time you tried a side-to-side push-up*!?

*This exercise is recommended to be explored and practiced before -not during- the moshing :p

09/01/2021

Ever heard of the machine those people with superhuman posture call a ‘Pilates Reformer’? What about a ‘Megaformer’?!

⚙️ Most of you who have trained with me probably have hopped on (and rolled off) one or the other. But just in case you met me at a yoga studio or virtually, let me tell you about these epic machines…

They take bodies through super high-intensity, yet low-impact movements.

💭 Imagine: You’ve figured out how to hold your body in a plank, without collapsing between your shoulders or in your low back. *Feel the sizzle in your core*. Now imagine the surface under your upper body has the ability to move! You have the power to put on springs that support you and make the moves slower and lighter-feeling. You can choose 0 springs which give you freedom to move however you like. You can even put on tough springs that resist you and add extra load to challenge your already burning muscles. You start to shake. So you smile to yourself and take a break ;)

🦴 The funny thing about these machines is that before long you might just crave that special feeling again and go for round 2, 3, 4, and more. That’s because you’ve gotten an amazing workout that doesn’t irritate your joints.

✨ Studio Lagree is where I started my professional career, and I am the first-ever Canadian trainer of the Lagree method. Pretty cool, hey?! I’ve met some of my closest friends working there and can’t wait to be back in Toronto to see it in action and burning glutes yet again!

♥️ They had to close for a very long time, but now they’re welcoming everyone back. Congratulations on your re-re-opening, !

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08/31/2021

It is a gift to be able to share what we learn.

I have been in this field for 10years now, and I have just begun. I can only learn ‘so much’ from this one perspective on my own.

I hope everyone who comes to learn from me also feels safe and welcome to share their knowledge.

Please, inspire me with your personal experiences and feelings, maybe something you have studied, or even with silliness that lightens spirits.

I am pleasantly surprised by how the interactions on this platform have helped me to grow as a person and trainer. Sharing is caring…and invited!

PS: Do heel raises with your loved ones!

08/27/2021

Where would you choose?!

🌊 Lately I have been able to take the amazing people I train into the mountains and down to the sea.

☕️ I usually see them just after their morning coffees, which is just after lunchtime for me here in Italy. I do my best to help them get pumped for their day and start craving water! There’s always laughter and so much body-appreciation, which helps me feel wonderful even afterwards.

🏠 Usually these hunnies are alone at home or at a nearby gym, but this past summer I’ve been taken along to a bunch of cottages too.

💻 Thank you, to the incredible humans who trust me even through a digital screen. I don’t do this often, but thank you, Internet, good cameras, and earbuds, for protecting us all from morning-breath!

❤️ It has been an adventure and a half!

08/26/2021

⚓️ ‘Direction is more important than speed’.

Movement trainers all around the world + boats in these Venice canals definitely agree!

Move frequently, and move well :)

08/23/2021

Learning to cook the classics from top Italian chefs! The gardens are overflowing and tomatoes are finally ripe and ready for sauces. Thank gosh because my belly has been ready for ages!

08/09/2021

Which activities make you lose track of time?

Hmmm…
🏔 Driving through mountains
💿🌘 Listening to a full album (like Coldplay’s Parachutes at night)
☺️😌🤤 Moving when no one’s watching, eyes closed

What else is on the summer bucket list?

06/29/2021

Can you just imagine what the main course was like? :p

03/18/2021

Are you starting to explore online movement classes?

Here are some tips on what you can do to get ready. Really, all you NEED to do is take a deep breath and maybe get excited. If you are curious about what props might help you to cater the workout to you specifically, then check out these ideas.

If I've missed anything that you usually bring to an at-home workout, please let me know : )

Tips on Breathwork, Water, Weights, and more to help you cater to your own body.

02/06/2021

Quality level-up time with mums. Working our way up to ‘single-leg box squats’! 💥 Notice that we have more weight on one leg with our opposite heel lifted. Why?? Single-leg training is epic. When you walk or play sports, you’re usually pushing off of one leg, right? You’re less balanced and need a body that can keep a stable core as you produce uneven force. 💥 Want to try? Stand balanced with both legs a bit wider than your shoulders. Hinge at the hips as you sit back. Push down through your heels and squeeze your butt as you stand. You can reach arms forward to help with balance. Box squats train the body to sit back as you squat rather than pushing pressure forward to the knees. Master this, then try putting more weight in one leg and see how your body reacts and reconnects to its single-leg power! 💥 How does it feel?