Physio Pilates Luzern

11/10/2026

1. Shoulder Opening with Resistance Band : strengthen while maintaining controlled shoulder blade movement.

Avoid squeezing your shoulder blades together. Imagine keeping your shoulder blades more connected to your ribcage throughout the movement.

Exhale & open your arms.
Inhale & return to the starting position.

2. Leg Pull in Prone : Preparation & Progression ->challenge shoulder stability in a closed chain.

A) Preparation : Start with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders, not directly underneath. Push the floor away and keep your shoulder blades stable.
Lift your knees 1-2 cm off the mat while maintaining a stable spine.

B) Progression: Lift your knees and extend your legs backwards into a plank position, bringing your shoulders approximately above your wrists.

Move slowly, focus on technique rather than the number of repetitions and keep your breath flowing.

10/10/2026

3 simple Pilates movements to build body awareness and control:

Clam - hip stability & glute activation
Scissors - core control & pelvic stability
Prone Arm Circles - scapular stability & shoulder control

Take it slow, focus on the quality of each movement and keep your breath flowing.

Welcome to Pilates! ❤️

09/10/2026

Easy 3 standing movements combining mobility, control and balance for your spine.

Half Roll Down - spinal articulation and movement control.
Chest Stretch + Toe Raise - challenge your balance while keeping your pelvis steady and your ribs stacked over your pelvis.
Spine Twist - mobilise your thoracic spine while keeping your pelvis facing forward.

And remember to breathe!

04/10/2026

Progress at your own pace.

When working with any movement, allow yourself time to move through the progressions gradually. Make sure the exercise feels appropriate for your body and that you can maintain good technique, control and awareness throughout.

It is always more valuable to return to a simpler variation, recruit the right muscle groups and minimise compensatory patterns than to rush into a progression your body is not yet prepared for.

Progress at your own pace and try not to compare your journey to anyone else’s.

03/10/2026

OFFICE RESET • 1

Your chair had you long enough. Give your body a few minutes to move.

These 3 exercises bring movement back into areas that often stay in the same position for long periods during the working day:

Spine Twist - add rotation through your upper spine
Long Sitting + Arm Raise - work on an upright position while moving your shoulders
Articulated Bridge + Arm Raise - combine spinal articulation with controlled arm movement

Move slowly, breathe and focus on the quality of each movement.

03/10/2026

Before You Progress Your Bridge, Master This.

A shoulder bridge starts with control, not height.

Move slowly, keep your centre gently connected, and let your spine articulate one segment at a time - like a string of pearls.

And don’t forget to breathe. Your breath should support the movement, not disappear when the exercise gets harder.

Once the basic bridge feels easy and comfortable for you, then you’re ready to progress.

02/10/2026

Pilates posture gives us a balanced starting position for many exercises. Today, we explore a standing Pilates posture.

It helps us organize the body before we move - from the feet, through the pelvis and ribcage, all the way to the head. It brings awareness to key alignment points and helps us perform exercises with more control and precision.

With repetition, this awareness doesn’t stay only in Pilates. It can gradually build better postural habits in everyday life too.

For me, it’s not about achieving a perfect posture - it’s about finding a more balanced starting point for movement and helping your body feel supported and ready for the demands of the day.

Let me know in the comments - how did this Pilates posture feel for you? Which part felt easiest, and which felt more challenging?

30/09/2026

Can you find your centre?

In Pilates, learning to engage the muscles around the trunk and pelvis is described as centering.

Your centre provides support for your spine and pelvis while you move. But activating it doesn’t mean bracing as hard as possible or constantly pulling your stomach in.

The goal is to find adaptable support while still being able to breathe and move freely.

Today, we’re exploring one way to connect to your centre through abdominal activation.

1. Find your position

Stand with your feet approximately hip-width apart, knees relaxed and pelvis in a neutral position.

Grow tall through your spine and relax your shoulders.

2. Visualise your supportive belt

Imagine your deep abdominal muscles creating a supportive belt around your waist.

Take a natural breath in.

As you exhale, imagine gently tightening that belt - as if you were fastening it one notch tighter.

The activation should be subtle.

! Not an abdominal vacuum.
! Not pushing or bulging the abdominal wall outward.
✓ Think gentle support, not maximum effort.

Try maintaining this connection for up to 10 seconds.

3. Keep the connection & breathe

Once you’ve found the activation, keep that gentle support and continue breathing.

As you inhale, allow your lower ribs to expand into the sides and back - as we did in Pilates Breathing - Video 1

Can you maintain your centre connection without holding your breath or becoming rigid?

Your abdominal muscles don’t work alone. Together with your diaphragm, pelvic floor and spinal muscles, they contribute to the control and support of your trunk.

Find it → Breathe with it → Move with it

Practice your centre connection:
1 minute • 3× a day

07/09/2026

•What does your breathing pattern say about your body?•

We breathe around 20,000 times every day, yet most of us never stop to think about how we breathe.

As physiotherapists, breathing is one of the first movement patterns we observe. It can tell us a surprising amount about how your body moves, responds to stress and supports your spine.

One of the most common resting breathing patterns is predominantly upper-chest breathing.

Instead of allowing the lower rib cage to expand, the upper chest moves more noticeably, often together with increased activity around the neck and shoulders.

Over time, this may be associated with:

• tension in the neck and shoulders

• reduced mobility of the rib cage and thoracic spine

• less efficient breathing

• reduced coordination between breathing and trunk stability

This pattern may develop because of stress, prolonged sitting, pain, previous surgery or simply long-established habits.

In Pilates, we use lateral thoracic breathing encouraging the lower ribs to expand in all directions while keeping the breath relaxed and natural.

Take one minute today.

-Place your hands around your lower ribs.

-As you breathe in, can you feel them gently expanding sideways and backwards? Or do your shoulders lift first?

-As you breathe out, allow your ribs to return naturally. Try not to actively pull or suck them in.

Where do you feel your breath today?

15/07/2021