The Power of Mindful Movement

Hello,

By now you will already know how much I believe in enjoying movement for the sake of movement itself not for the before-and-after-photos.

For as long as I can remember, however, the fitness industry has remained obsessed with results and attaining a ‘perfect’ zero-body-fat look.

The problem with this is that it reduces good health to a matter of aesthetics and weight loss when in reality it is so much more. Health is way more than a number on a scale. The key to healthy bio-mechanics, and an injury-free and energetic life, is to learn to move in the right way and to build strength from the inside.

For me, the intention behind Beyond Move was to create a genuinely inclusive space, offering nourishing low-impact full-body workouts, where the emphasis is placed on the mental benefits of regular movement.

Moreover, I had discovered in my work with people living with neurological conditions like Parkinson's’ Disease or Multiple Sclerosis that combining the disciplines of Peto’s method with Pilates had brought about really positive change in the lives of my clients.

And so, Peto Pilates was born!

What is Peto Pilates?

In the 1940’s Professor Andras Peto, the Hungarian physician founded what is known as ‘conductive education’, which recognises motor disorders as learning disabilities rather than a condition that needs to be treated solely medically. The remedy, he concluded, is task oriented and ought to take into account the learning needs those with movement conditions have. Peto Pilates combines the wisdom of Peto’s conductive education with the skill and precision of Pilates, and I provide group and individual sessions throughout the week at the studio.

Of course, it should be obvious that people with movement conditions ought to ...well, move! But what is happening is that mainstream gyms and facilities are essentially failing to cater at all to this group of people.

That’s why we are so proud to genuinely be able to say at Beyond Move that we have beginner all the way to experienced movers, in our small and intimate sessions. Participants come from all walks and stages of life, and we all come to move in the same space. Where people need special attention, maybe for those who are pre- or postnatal, teens, post-operative or suffering from neurological conditions we have the ability to support your needs.

What sets our classes apart from the rest?

While my area of expertise is in Pilates and Peto Pilates, the studio also offers Yoga and Barre. I make sure that the teachers I work with understand the importance of not just cardiovascular health but also spinal health. We are interested in functional movement, which uses body-weight resistance and provides workouts that give clients the feeling of being stretched as well as worked.

The emphasis is on balanced low-impact, full-body workouts. When done right, this style of exercise is very effective at protecting students from injury, and in the meantime, strengthens the core, mobilises the spine and builds the foundations.

There’s a particular focus on being present. We care not a jot, as the Brits would say, about your leotards and crop tops; we just want you to get into your own world and enjoy the movements. When movement is carried out in this way, with joy and mindfulness, the evidence suggests it has the power to heal.

WHY about neurological conditions/ movement disorders?

WHY about neurological conditions/ movement disorders?

Alert! This might be long!

I was about 9 or 10 in this picture, and you perhaps can see that my grandad’s facial expression is a little motionless. That is because he had Parkinson’s disease (secondary Parkinsonism) at that time. He deteriorated quickly, but I didn’t see him that way.

As a child I was a daydreamer... and I pretended to be his teacher 💙 because everyone felt clueless. No one knew what to do and how to help him. He was trapped in his body.

And oh god, he did everything for me! I mean whatever I asked him; he gave it a go. Climbing up on a bicycle - and I timed him and recorded his progress too 😆 We went swimming, exercised by walking up & down on stairs 💕 at a later stage I gave him his medication and also helped feeding him.

I was a kind ‘teacher’, I massaged his back after exercise and we also over listened to some kind of Russian healer/meditation tape - parallel translated to Hungarian and 99% we ended up with a nap 💤

You must feel from this that I felt so special, so so special & empowered!

And of course this memory stayed with me. I felt like a Whisperer - you know who understands wild horses and guides them 💕

Life guided me to study at the international Peto Institute (instead of studying psychology). This training and practice helped me to gain knowledge and understanding of movement disorders and how to help people living with these conditions to keep moving, stay motivated, active and independent!

So this was the first why and the initiation to start Beyond Move. We want to make accessible and great classes for all, including people with physical disabilities.

We want people to feel confident, move well and stay independent!

With Love,

Noemi x

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