SQ Active - Movement and Wellbeing

18/02/2026

Your core supports you in all everyday movements from sitting to standing, reaching overhead and bending to tie your laces. If you find reaching into overhead compartments or even reaching high kitchen cabinets a challenge, it's time to address your core.

Three Simple Ways to Improve Core Awareness
You don’t need intense workouts to get started. Try this:

Use your breath
Breathe in through your nose, letting your ribs expand. As you breathe out, gently engage your lower tummy, don’t grip.

Move with control
Pay attention to how you stand up, sit down, and turn. Aim for smooth, controlled movement rather than rushing

Engage before you move
Before lifting, reaching, or changing position, lightly engage your core to support the movement.

Small changes in awareness can make a big difference.

16/02/2026

Have to started exercising only to feel more sore and now you're worried you're going to injure yourself?

If you have previously been sedentary, a sudden burst of exercise will be a shock to your system. Your body adapts best when change happens gradually.

Sudden spikes in exercise, more intensity, more sessions, longer durations are one of the biggest reasons people end up with:
• Injuries
• Aches and flare-ups
• Extreme fatigue

I’ve had clients tell me:
“I went to the gym for 3 hours… now I can’t move.”

When I ask what they’d been doing before that session, the answer is usually nothing. It's a bit like gardening. You think it's just a gentle bit of movement so you spend all afternoon out there - the next day you can't stand up!

That’s a classic case of too much, too soon.

Small steps allow:
• Muscles, joints, and tendons to adapt
• The nervous system to feel safe with movement
• Confidence to build without fear of pain

If you’re returning to exercise after a long break or managing ongoing aches and pains, this is even more important.

Long-term success isn’t about getting it all done in January. It’s about choosing actions you can still do in February, March, and beyond.

Be realistic, ask yourself:
• What feels achievable right now?
• What could I do consistently on a busy week?
• What would feel like progress without overwhelming me?

That’s where real change starts.

Many past clients worked with me because they were new to exercise or living with pain that held them back. Together, we built routines they could maintain.

If you’d like support creating a realistic plan that works with your body, not against it, book your Discovery Session now. https://SQActive.as.me/discovery

Sessions take place in my home training room in Worcester Park. I have limited availability for home visits if that is something you wish to discuss.

13/02/2026

Planks are a commonly seen core exercise, but the lesser seen plank is the side plank.

The side plank, though, does something different. It challenges lateral stability, hips, glutes, obliques, shoulder, the muscles that keep you upright when you walk, run, carry things, or move on one leg.

If front planks feel “strong” but your hips wobble or your back still aches, this is often the missing piece.

If a full side plank feels like too much, start with a wall side plank. Same benefits, just less load, particularly if you need to build up your shoulder strength. Aim to hold it for 10 seconds initially, building to 30 seconds.

11/02/2026

How aware are you of your core?

Test your standing core awareness:

Stand tall and slowly shift your weight from one foot to the other.
As you move, can you feel your core slightly brace to keep you balanced and upright? If you wobbled and felt like you were going to fall, try again but actively lightly engage your core (slightly pull in your abdomen as you move) and feel the difference.

Doing this simple exercise can help your core learn how to support you during everyday movements like walking and standing.

09/02/2026

Always great to hear how clients have got on. I was working with this client over the last two weeks. She’d already had quite a positive outcome after the first treatment but requested a second one to see if the last ni**le could be resolved. Thankfully, she’s reporting normality! 🙌

09/02/2026

Is pain or stiffness stopping you from getting fit?

You want to move more, feel stronger, get your energy back...

But every time you try, something hurts.
Knees, back, shoulder—it’s like your body’s fighting you and given up.
The good news is you’re not broken, you just haven’t had the right support.

I help those in midlife who feel stuck in a cycle of pain and frustration start moving again, with confidence.

Based in Worcester Park, I address my clients issues by looking at them as a whole through:
💆‍♀️ Soft tissue therapy to ease tension
🏃 Movement coaching to improve how your body moves
🏋️ Smart exercise to build strength without the setbacks

This is a whole-body approach that actually works because we focus on getting to the root of the problem, not just slapping on a quick fix.

If you’re ready to feel stronger, move freely, and stop pain calling the shots…
Book a free 30-min discovery call and let’s chat about what’s possible for you.
https://SQActive.as.me/discovery

You don’t have to push through pain. You just need a better plan.

06/02/2026

When people hear “core strength”, they often think of sit-ups or planks. In reality, your core isn’t about the exercises you do but more about how you move on a day to day basis.

Your core supports almost every movement you make, standing up, walking, lifting, reaching, hanging out washing, even sitting. When it’s working well, movement feels easier and more controlled. You’ll use less energy, everything feels more efficient. When it’s not, other areas tend to compensate, which is often where aches and pains start.

Want to better understand the importance of maintaining a strong core? Check out my latest blog: Why do you need a strong core?

When people hear “core strength”, they often think of sit-ups or planks. In reality, your core isn’t about the exercises you do but more about how you move on a day to day basis . Your core supports almost every movement you make, standing up, walking, lifting, reaching, hanging out washing, e...

04/02/2026

Breathing isn’t just about oxygen, it plays a key role in movement and support.

The diaphragm works closely with the core muscles to help stabilise the spine. When breathing is well coordinated, the body can generate support without excessive effort or stiffness.

If movement feels stiff or uncomfortable, start with your breath.

Try this:
Breathe in through your nose and let your ribs gently expand.
Breathe out slowly and feel your body soften, do not force your breath nor hold it.

This type of breathing helps reduce unnecessary tension and gives your body a sense of support before you move.

Less tension = less strain = movement that feels easier and safer.

02/02/2026

Does getting out of bed feel stiffer than it used to? Your back, hips or shoulders constantly ni**le at you?

Have you accepted this as just part of getting older?

Most pain I see in midlife clients isn’t caused by age. It’s caused by how the body has adapted over time:
– old injuries never fully resolved
– stress and tension over the years
– loss off good movement patterns

Your body is compensating and these compensations are contributing to pain.

The good news is compensation can be undone.

Imagine being able to move without fear.
Walking, exercising, travelling, or simply living your day without constantly fearing pain.

That’s what happens when we stop blaming age and start restoring good movement back into your body. That’s what I help you do.

We identify your compensation patterns and you develop better awareness on how you move. I take you through exercises safely and progress you appropriately.

You don’t have to accept decline for ‘that’s just part of ageing’ what you need is the right support and a smarter approach.

If you’re ready to move better, book a free discovery call and let’s talk about what’s really going on in your body and what would help.
Book your discovery call now. https://SQActive.as.me/discovery

If you'd like to book a soft tissue session to free your body's restrictions and start feeling better immediately, book your treatment now. Treatments are £65 and are up to an hour in duration and take place in my home treatment room in Worcester Park. https://SQActive.as.me/treatment

30/01/2026

Back to sitting at your desk all day?

Sitting all day can shorten your hip flexors, resulting in an achy lower back and glutes (buttocks) that feel tight. That tight feeling doesn't necessarily mean that your glutes need stretching, in fact, it could mean that they are overworked and locked into a lengthened position.

When you're sitting your, your glutes are lengthened, in order to stand up straight, they need to shorten, but your glutes may have forgotten how to shorten and contract, so you have to relearn it.

A great to learn this is via the glute bridge. Learning this in a lying position provides more feedback to you, the goal is to do it slowly and not rush the contraction.

28/01/2026

Recovering from injury? Read this

If you’re dealing with an injury or ongoing ni**le, rest isn’t optional.

Yes, the right exercises matter. But too much too soon can slow healing and keep you stuck in a cycle of flare-ups.

Without enough recovery time:
-- Tissues don’t repair properly
-- Small issues turn into long-term problems
-- Pain appears elsewhere as your body compensates

A good rehab plan balances movement and rest, so your body can actually heal, not just cope.

If you require advice on your injury, let's talk.