testimonials and articles

Corporate work places are using increasingly innovative ways to boost employee productivity and build team morale.

One such work place is communications agency, Acumen Republic, who transform their largest meeting room into a fitness studio once a week for a tailor made Pilates class. reab, a boutique fitness centre based in Ponsonby, have designed a corporate programme specifically for the agency's employees.

"Some of our clients are in the nutrition and wellbeing sectors," said Acumen Republic's Andrea Hammond. "We like to practise what we preach, so having these classes at work is a natural fit".

Kirsty Gregg, one of reab's specialist instructors, said that the corporate training programme she designed was particularly effective over the cold winter months. "Exercising regularly is really beneficial for our immune systems. Inspiring employees to keep fit and healthy is a great way to help keep staff sick leave levels to a minimum."

As well as being good for core strength, toning and stretching, Pilates also helps to reduce stress. "As in many work environments, there are pressures which, if left unaddressed, can take their toll," continued Andrea. "Pilates is great for tuning your mind as well as strengthening your body"

reab's corporate training programme can be customised for each business. They offer pilates, cardio:pilates and boot camp classes for between 6 and 15 people. Classes can be held either first thing, during lunchtime or after work. "Because we come to you," adds Kirsty, "it also saves our clients the time and the hassle of getting to the gym".

"Until recently, my back was dysfunctional - due to years of gymnastics, the odd car crash and the occasional incident involving alcohol and tabletop dancing...

My pain was manageable, but only just. I could barely walk for 20 minutes before my lower back crumpled, sending pain shooting down my legs like lightning bolts. I'd spent a small fortune on physios, chiros and osteos, and frankly, I was over "The Os". I felt 70. I was 28.

Then I fell pregnant.
It's fair to say that I had less fear about labour than I did about enduring nine months of crippling back pain! While bemoaning this to my obstetrician, he came up with a solution. He described a wonderful physiotherapy studio where friendly staff take a multi-disciplinary approach to healing, fixing backs... for life. I was dubious, but desperate, so I went to reab.

This proved to be a decision that has truly changed me. re:ab uses physiotherapy together with pilates and massage to fully rehabilitate clients. Unlike other studios, where you're assessed and then sent home with a photocopied set of exercises to practice, at re:ab you're simply guided from your assessment onto the studio floor to start fixing your problem - right then and there.

Thanks to re:ab I experienced a wonderful, pain-free pregnancy, I now enjoy better mobility than ever before, and I'm fast developing a cute sixpack to boot!"

"I'd always assumed I'd hate Pilates. I have a bad back and, over the past 20 years, spent thousands on chiropractors and osteopaths. All persistently advised me to take up yoga or pilates, but I ignored them. I loathe gyms and generally despise exercise, so assumed pilates would be the same.

Then I moved to Auckland and some friends convinced me to come along to reab's Boot Camp programme. It wasn't for me - too much puffing and sweating - but the staff were wonderful, which convinced me to try their physiotherapy next time I hurt my back.

As soon as I walked in the door, I instantly liked the place. re:ab is light and airy with good art on the wall - a nice change from the aesthetic wastelands of some other medical practices. The people are friendly and the atmosphere social.

My physio treatment consisted not of the usual "once over lightly" back-rub and exercises to try at home, but 20 minutes of physio, a further 20 minutes of one-on-one pilates and, finally, 20 minutes of deep tissue therapeutic massage. It felt amazing to stretch those muscles and vertebrae, and I instantly wished I'd discovered re:ab ten years ago.

I'm completely hooked on re:ab - I love their multi-faceted approach and now that my back is healed, I'm keeping my body strong with pilates and reab's re:form programme. Now that I have tummy muscles to keep my posture correct, I haven't even had a twinge of pain from my back all year.

I have even almost lost my "mummy muffin"! I'll never do ordinary physio again."

"I would recommend re:ab to any elite athlete wanting a competitive edge. To peak on race day I need every advantage I can get. Remaining injury free through my entire build up to Athens certainly helped my cause."

"re:ab saved my bacon last year completely!

I was working huge hours with two very small kids and the post baby body to prove it.

The Pilates offered by re:ab gave me a sense of strength in myself physically and mentally so that I really felt I could cope with whatever the week presented.
This core work seems to be utterly fundamental to physical and mental well-being.

I also saw the baby wobbly bits slowly being tamed back into shape, which was marvellous!

They are wonderful instructors, I felt/feel in very safe hands."

"I've been a re:ab client for years and I reckon I've had the full gamut of treatments on offer - I've had massages during my pregnancies, done pilates and boot camp, and I've also had the odd requirement for physio.

Recently, I needed physiotherapy for my calf muscle, which I strained while running. The outcome was fantastic - after just two re:ab sessions and some exercises to do at home, my leg was as good as gold. The re:ab physiotherapists are truly experts in their field, and as a client I have complete confidence that every staff member I encounter is going to be friendly, professional and get me where I need to be, as quickly as possible. Yet I never feel rushed at re:ab - in fact, going there is less like frequenting a clinic and more like visiting a friend at their home. Even when you're in pain, or carrying a nasty injury, it's a pleasure to be there! I've even made friends through re:ab - the organised classes are so much fun that we often get told off for making too much noise!

I'm constantly recommending re:ab to my friends - I tell them, 'if you want to be looked after by amazing staff and get better fast, re:ab is the place to go.'"

"I remember coming home from my first session of re:ab boot camp and thinking my legs were never going to recover. It was completely different from exercising on my own - the evil instructors (and I mean that in the best possible way) and training within a group meant that I pushed myself harder than I would at the gym or jogging.

Up until I started boot camp, I'd gone to the gym for eight years, working out one-on-one with a trainer. I'd tried swimming, running, tennis, triathlon - but I still found myself getting bored and I'd plateau if I wasn't sufficiently motivated.

Boot camp had me hooked from the first session - something to do with the mixed classes (I don't know what the women prefer but I'd rather exercise in a group that's not blokes-only), the variety (lots of running, lunges, cardiovascular…), the camaraderie, and being out in the open, not cooped up in some stinky gym.

I definitely work harder at boot camp than I would working out in isolation. Just when you think you're done, those damned instructors make you finish another set of reps or sprints. It's hell at the time, but you'd never push yourself like that if you had the option of quitting! I also appreciate that boot camp has been created by physios and pilates experts - so it's safe and you get to work on your core strength too.

One year on, I'm fitter now than I've ever been - and I'm a big guy so I'm stoked that my BMI is under control."

Kiwi women battling back to full strength after breast cancer could soon benefit from an exercise programme founded in Ponsonby.

Pilates studio owner Lou James has won funding to take Pink Pilates nationwide.

The Max Foundation granted $8500 to develop a training programme for the scheme dedicated to helping women diagnosed with breast cancer.

The money will go towards developing a training programme for other health professionals.

Lou, owner of re:ab in Ponsonby, developed the programme in January 2006 when she discovered a need for post treatment recovery.

"I worked with a lot of women who were affected by breast cancer," she says.

"Be it their sisters, mothers, aunts, daughters, nearly all the women in my classes knew someone who had it."

After a year of research in 2005 Lou launched Pink Pilates when she failed to find many other programmes aimed at helping women recover from cancer treatment.

"There wasn't much out there at all, worldwide," she says. "Pink Pilates is about getting back to being physically strong. When you are physically strong, you can be mentally strong."

Connie Zein was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and regularly attends Lou's programme.

"I was very fit before I got cancer," she says.

"Then all this happened and I spiralled down mentally and physically, which was hard to come out of.

"This programme has helped me start getting my fitness back and organise my life.

"I have good things to focus on instead of my sickness," she says.

Connie says it would be great to see the programme made available to more women.

"There are ladies who would really benefit from this programme," she says.

The money was raised for the foundation by profits from tote bags sold at Max clothing stores throughout the country.