FF 10: ‘Tone up for health’ with Katrina Morton

Our own Super Chiropractic Angel Katrina is her usual inspiring self as she shares how Pilates can help us get the most out of chiropractic care. She describes the what, where and how of Pilates and the connection between movement, exercises and the breath.
Intro: Flourishing Families with Dr. Dorte Bladt, the Switched On Kids chiropractor and her passionate friends sharing the secret of inspiring wellness to help your families thrive.
Dorte Bladt: So you’ve got Family Chiropractic’s dynamo at the podcast today. Super duper matriarch, Katrina Morton. Welcome, Katrina.
Katrina Morton: Thanks, Dorte.
Dorte Bladt: Basically, just to start with, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Katrina Morton: I have been at Family Chiro now for 15 years.
Dorte Bladt: 15! I haven’t managed to get rid of you yet.
Katrina Morton: No, no. And I have got four grown-up children. I’ve got three grandchildren with one on the way in February, so we’re all very excited about number four. I have worked here and seen so much go on through chiro so, over the years, I’ve done Pilates and so I thought I’d like to be a bit more involved with Family Chiro instead of just being on the front desk. So a few years ago I became a Pilates instructor and between chiro and now Pilates, it’s giving our patients a great opportunity to really have a good future with their supported spines.
Dorte Bladt: Very good. So just tell us, what is Pilates?
Katrina Morton: Pilates is a series of exercises that are performed on a mat. You can do it on a reformer that I do mat Pilates and it strengthens the whole entire body with supporting the muscles around the back, the core, your bottom and your hip. So with chiropractic aligning the spine and now with Pilates strengthening these muscles around the spine, you end up having very good posture and a lot stronger body.
Dorte Bladt: That’s good. So how does Pilates differ from – I don’t know – maybe doing weights at the gym, which would also, I suppose, strengthen the body and the spine?
Katrina Morton: Yeah, it does, but with Pilates, you actually are not relying on weights to strengthen you. You actually are relying on your own body weight to do it. So as we strengthen each muscle, instead of workout at the gym you might be doing weights and you strengthen the bicep, with Pilates it’s all slow and controlled. Say you were working on your arms, you’re actually strengthening the entire arm muscles, so it’s not just focusing on one muscle. You’re actually learning to focus on all your muscles and so you will strengthen all the muscles.
Dorte Bladt: Also while you’re strengthening your biceps, you’re working through the core, working through other muscles there.
Katrina Morton: Yeah, because of the breathing. You see, the more you breathe – the deep breaths, it gives you better lung capacity which then, in turn, helps strengthen your core muscles which then help all the stabilising muscles. So you’ll end up not just having a strength workout, you are actually doing a bit more of a mind-body workout as well. That’s a big difference from other exercises. They just do a physical side whereas with Pilates you actually do pretty well mind, body and soul.
Dorte Bladt: I have many years of doing Pilates but I always remember that rib and hip connection. Can you explain what it is that a Pilates instructor would mean by saying that?
Katrina Morton: When people lie down… so do this at home, everyone. Lie down on a mat and just lay there and you’ll notice your ribs are popped up. So as you breathe, you just breathe through your tummy and it pops your ribs up but in Pilates,