No the two forms of exercise were not combined, yet. This morning my Pilates instructor Louise Benoist, louise.b.dance@homail.com previously was a dancer however now she instructs on the correct forms to take in Pilates which is an excellent ‘core’ technique to follow, came over and helped me to perform a set of excercises including walking correctly.
Later in the day I went to the Fluid Motion class at Barton swimming pool again. A lot of walking in the pool and balancing on top of floats was undertaken and I found the Pilates to really help. Although I was my balance in still pretty awful I thought about the Pilates all the time and tried to implement it.
Then the fun bit where I get to ‘warm down’ or swim properly with no extra floatation aid. Initially I completed 10 lengths, 250 metres, then I thought why not carry on as I was more determined than exhausted! Admittedly even when I was less tired my technique was pretty awful with my right arm and hand being spastic still but I carried on and completed 20 lengths or 500 metres, ½ a kilometre! I was very pleased with myself.
It goes to show that swimming three times a week wearing a buoyancy aid, float similar to a lifejacket, does help you to make progress back toward swimming.
Also I stretch my shoulders before swimming, focussing on my right one. I do this by laying down on the floor on my back, holding a barbell, only having weights thus allowing it to roll on floor, above my head then pushing it away from my body holding onto the bar with both hands.
Pilates excercises focus particularly on the body’s core so does swimming so I feel they complement each other.
Shead Injury 