Get straightened out with The Moving Body Group

PUBLISHED October 30th, 2013 12:49 am | UPDATED March 27th, 2016 02:02 pm

Stiff shoulders, sore back, bum, knee — we all suffer from aches and pains sometimes, whether they’re caused by working conditions, sport, or just sleeping weird. Yoga, Pilates and other stretch and movement practices often aim to align one’s body to get all the parts of the human machine working harmoniously, but (to my surprise) sometimes these practices aren’t enough. Enter GYROTONIC®, reformer Pilates, and CoreAlign®, brought to you by The Moving Body Group.

These programs bring new schools of thought to fitness regimes and are aimed at transforming bad movement habits within the body. Not only can these programs be attuned to any body type and fitness level, they can supplement other forms of exercise and movement like swimming, rowing, dancing, etc. But what exactly do these programmes do? Read on to find out.

Reformer Pilates

This form of Pilates takes the challenge of controlled movements to another level. Using the reformer machine adds weight and diversity to the type of movements Pilates employs. During my trial session, I worked up quite a sweat and noticed several sore areas the next day. Pilates movements can really isolate muscles and strengthen specific muscle groups one at a time. All of these movements come under the umbrella of alignment and my instructor was always correcting my form, adjusting this and that to produce the perfect movements for my body.

Of the programs we tried provided by The Moving Body Group, Reformer Pilates seemed to be the most challenging and strenuous, although it’s clear the level of challenge and intensity can be catered to you.

CoreAlign®

Pictured above, the CoreAlign® machine looks quite simple…two sliding platforms and a ladder to one side. It doesn’t appear you could do a full-body work-out on just this one machine, but the appearance is just the beginning of what the CoreAlign® can do. The two sliding platforms can be adjusted for resistance, pulled to a certain side, move freely from each other, or be locked in. The ladder allows for resistance and stability while doing certain movements. An array of positions on the machine itself (hands on the sliders, knees on the sliders, feet on the ladder, face towards the ladder, face away from the ladder, etc.) rounds out a CoreAlign® workout.

Originally, this system was used as a means for rehabilitation and many find it useful for that, but recently it has evolved into a stand-alone workout or a supplement to other sports or exercises. CoreAlign® reveals the bad habits your body has picked up and enables you to reteach yourself good habits, thus enhancing performance in other physical activities and comfort throughout a normal day. I was shocked by the amount of bad habits and strange misalignments in my body that the CoreAlign® brought to the surface! As someone who does yoga five times a week, I considered myself a pretty ‘aligned’ person. Apparently not—according to my trainer: there’s no lying to the CoreAlign®!

GYROTONIC® Method

GYROTONIC® exercises are performed on a machine using the GYROTONIC® method of constant resistance, provided by pulley systems. The GYROTONIC® machines (in contrast with the CoreAlign® machine) seem quite complicated, with pulleys, handles, stirrups here, there, and everywhere. The movement system itself was developed on the movements of dancing, swimming, tai-chi, yoga, and gymnastics. These different movements aid in rehabilitation and training for other types of exercise, as well as strengthening whole muscle systems.

This method is especially good for those whole might have some sort of physical ailment they’d like to mend. In my case, the instructor picked up on my slight scoliosis almost immediately and began working attaching every attention to what I needed to do to put my ribs and back in place, according to my spine, which is what GYROTONIC® centers around.

From my experience, The Moving Body group isn’t about sweaty, messy, high calorie burning workouts that leave you panting on the floor. The exercises here are intended to benefit the strength and composure of the body, taking special care to make sure muscle systems are being used properly. If you have any sort of chronic pain or injuries, I’d recommend stopping by for a trial. They also have physiotherapy if you’re looking for something even more specialized.

To book a trial, visit www.themovingbody.com.sg. The Moving Body Group’s various branches can be found at:

The Moving Body at Roberston Walk, 11 Unity Street, 01-23/24 Roberston Walk, Singapore 237995

The Moving Body at Guthrie House, 1 Fifth Avenue, 03-09 Guthrie House, Singapore 268802

Pilates Inc, 82 Amoy Street, Level 1, Singapore 069901

Pilates Inc, 46 East Coast Road, 06-05 East Gate, Singapore 428766