Excuse the terrible pun, but the very notion of coming back to work had me terrified a few short weeks ago. Not because of work itself (I love my job), but because of the physical reality that I was in a pretty bad way.
A sore back, dodgy joints and a severe shortage of sleep meant I had never felt less like someone ready for anything.
The very kind people at Elite Pilates and Procuro Therapy, however, spotted a (self-pitying, I admit) instagram post that I’d put up, and swept in on a mission of mercy to help me out.
I’ve now done three treatments with the really excellent Lorraine at Procuro Therapy, and five classes at Elite Pilates, and the improvement has been dramatic.
I had done Pilates before, including reformer pilates (with my physio) but as a yoga fan, and not the kind of person who generally enjoys exercise classes, I was a bit sceptical about going to a regular exercise class that didn’t include a nap (savasana is my favourite part of yoga).
I have – to my own enormous surprise – really taken to the reformer pilates. I’ve sprung out of bed on Saturday mornings to hit a 9am class in Carrigtwohill, partly because it was immediately, obviously, improving the strength in my back, and partly because the bunch attending the class are really nice. It’s a sociable thing to do on a Saturday morning, and I wasn’t expecting that to be the case. I had been hoping to get to a midweek class each week, but with a busy work schedule (I’ve been presenting the show for the past while plus writing for the Echo, the Herald and WomenMeanBusiness.com – the summer tends to be my busiest time!) a busy baby, and renovations going on at home, it’s hard to find the time and energy.
(Did I mention plastic-free July? Because that too has been a bit time consuming… but that requires a separate blog post).
Nonetheless, one class a week is proving very beneficial, and I’ll be keeping it up, with a second whenever I can fit it in.
As for Lorraine in Procuro and her magic hands… what can I say? She’s a miracle worker. Massage, dry needling and acupuncture are all part of her toolkit as well as a really thorough chat at the beginning of each appointment, where she tries to find out what else might be going on besides the purely physical. I’ve left Procuro each week feeling nurtured, which is quite a feat when you see the bruises afterwards!
The third part of my plan was to swim regularly at Leeside Leisure, but unfortunately this is where the wheels have fallen off the bus. I’ve packed my swimming gear on at least four occasions to go after work but each time I’ve been called into a meeting, been needed at home a bit earlier, or been tempted into town for coffee with a friend. On this one the report card reads must try harder, if only because I really enjoy swimming and I’d love a bit of time to myself with no phone a couple of times a week! Next week is the week that this will happen and it’ll happen more than once. You read it here first.
