Wala wala booommmmm
I’m delighted to welcome to the Fitness Freak blog
Orla Crosse of
^^Performance Yoga Ireland^^!!
Orla recently put on two “taster” classes @FF HQ and the feedback was MASSIVELY positive!
Fingers crossed(excuse the pun) Orla will be putting on regular sessions in January.
(Booking details are on the end of the blog.)
Anyway less of the CF chitter chatter
Welcome (drum roll) Orla CrCrCrCroosSSE!!
Orla let’s get straight to it…
Q1)Give the Freaks out there a little info on your own professional background.
A)
I moved home from Dublin last year where I was working as a Physiotherapist with Ireland’s well known Sports Surgery Clinic. Here I got the opportunity to work alongside some of Ireland’s leading Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Consultants and Strength and Conditioning Coaches (apart from Richie of course). While working in this team environment we were always pushing ourselves to improve patient recovery time and safely return them to sport. I returned home to bring the expertise to Munster and work with Ronan Crosse and Sean Deegan in their new clinic, Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy Clonmel. That and set up the Sports Yoga studio – Performance Yoga Ireland.
Q2)As you’ve just mentioned you’ve recently been involved in the opening of a chartered Physio & performance yoga practice with your Big little bruva Ronan in Guertnefleure business park in Clonmel,what’s the main demographic of clients you get in through doors?
A)Ronan and Sean opened the clinic and did all the hard work. I can’t take the credit for that – but I work with them and treat patient’s there 2-3 days a week. The rest of the time the Sports Yoga keeps me fully busy. We see a wide range of people spanning all age groups every day in clinic. I see a lot of post-surgical patients due to my background working in Dublin, ACL repairs, back surgery, knee arthroscopes. Some of the most common symptoms I treat are knee pain, hamstring issues, back pain and Achilles tendonopathy. In Yoga the classes are split into different levels depending on what your fitness levels and goals are.
Q3)Orla now this sh1t really impressed me when you told me you are
~~>registered with the Irish Sports Council to treat Ireland’s Elite and High Performance Athletes<~~
Tell me a bit more about this?
A)A few years ago I was fortunate enough to head to Germany with Ireland’s High Performance Boxing team competing in a European Cup. Interesting times!Through my work and experience with dealing with elite athletes on a day to day basis in the SSC Santry I got the opportunity to become registered with The Irish Sports Council. But no matter whether you’re an elite professional athlete or an amateur, your treatment quality will still be the same in my book!
3Q)So what differentiates Performance Yoga from regular Yoga and while your at it ,Pilates?
A)Good question! In one line: Performance Yoga is a unique Sports Yoga class led by a Physio to improve your mobility and stability.
Regular Yoga helps you move your body through normal movement patterns and helps balance the mind/body/breath.
The aim of Pilates is to develop core strength, especially around the back. It is more mat based (i.e. lying down that Yoga which is mainly done on your feet).
Performance Yoga takes Yoga to the next level. It takes the best of the physical side of Yoga and merges my physiotherapy knowledge and the latest sports medicine research. I’ve been to Yoga classes and felt sleepy half way through – the class was too slow, exercises not hard or specific enough for sport. With my physio and sports knowledge I knew I could develop a Yoga class that would benefit Athletes and keep them entertained, interested and always learning about their own body.
Both as a Physio and Yoga instructor, I consider myself a body mechanic. As a Physiotherapist I know the different physical requirements of all sports and the demands these requirements place on the body. I know what areas need mobility and what areas need strength and stability to ensure you reduce injury risk and become more energy efficient in whatever sport you do.
4Q)Ok just going a bit deeper on your previous answer you know that FF HQ gets it’s fair share of GAA laaaaadz ,runners & cyclists through its doors focusing on Strength mainly and some Conditioning.
From a sports person/athlete background what are typical restrictions/compensations you see with athletes you’ve instructed and treated?
For example I know cyclists need more back extension and hip flexor flexibility than they have in order to increase their power output. GAA players need more shoulder mobility and hip stability to jump/land/pivot and catch. Runners need glut strength hip stability to prevent knee problems etc.
The aim of Performance Yoga is to correct underlying faulty mobility patterns in your body no matter what sport you do. Like anything if you want something bad enough you have to practice, repeat it and repeat it to get it right and get the results. It’s just like any other form of exercise that way. Alongside all of those benefits, Performance Yoga is the ultimate time out, you’ll forget about the outside world once you’re in the middle of the class focusing and progressing your movement. Perfect for cross-training or light training days.
5Q)Although Rathgormack home of **Fitness Freak HQ** has been compared to Tir Na Óg with such fine specimen of inhabitants:) but with age comes the gradual,natural,deterioration of our bodies.
What are the benefits for the non-“spring chickens” that Performance Yoga Ireland can offer ?
A)
Benefits for both young and not so young are the same – increase your mobility, preventing stiff areas which lead to pain and poor movement patterns.. all round better health. The longer you keep active the less chance you have of developing a wide range of illness’ which generally tend to reduce peoples activity by default. Learning to breathe correctly can also have a significant impact on your back mobility, core strength, and headspace! Time out away from computer screens, driving, desks and stress does everyone the world of good.
Ok just a few short sharp Q&A’s to wrap this baby up..
Q6)If you could only do one yoga pose ,what would it be & why?
A)Downward Facing Dog for shoulder strength, core strength and posterior chain (hips/hams/calves/Achilles) flexibility.
Q7)Who’s the biggest celeb/sports star you’ve treated or instructed?
A)Patient Confidentiality limits me here! – but I’m sure Johnny Logan won’t mind a mention, couldn’t get ‘hold me now’ out of my head while working with him. The Irish Rugby Team used to be in and out of the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry where I worked so got the opportunity to go through physio protocols with them!
Q8)Hows your nutrition on a scale of 1-10?
8, always room for improvement. Can’t help but enjoy good chocolate, coffee and wine. I’m pretty aware of what’s good and bad for me and try to eat more of the stuff that makes me feel good.
Q9)Honestly…..have you cooked any of The CF’s dynamite dishes yet??(loads of offence taken if you haven’t :)
Honestly – not officially! My mam lives close by and is a bit of a feeder, sure you couldn’t say no. New Year’s resolution maybe…ah definitely to whip up one of The CF’s culinary master dishes:)
What’s in store for Orla Crosse and Performance Yoga Ireland in 2015?
2015
Performance Yoga will expand, more classes, more locations, kicking off with the Fitness Freaks of East Waterford,South Tipperary @ The Holy Land of getting Honed and Toned…FF HQ!!!
2015 will be the year I will prioritise my research to help my clients. How much hip mobility does a runner actually need to be an endurance runner, a sprinter, or are there any differences!? Based on clinical practice and the latest science upcoming weekly blogs will include top 5 yoga and S&C moves for… Cyclists, gaa, rugby,. Etc.
Orla Crosse is going to work hard and play hard in 2015 and spread the word that improving your movement will improve your performance and reduce injury!
Finally, where can readers find out more about you?
Read more about Orla at
And check out her articles on popular websites with more to come in new year.
http://www.her.ie/health/
Follow @PerformanceOrla on Twitter for tips/special offers!
Orla hey that’s great, thanks for giving all the Freaks the low down on
Performance Yoga Ireland & Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy.
Orla will be putting on a 6 week block of classes in Fitness Freak Spinning HQ starting on Thursday the 8th of January.Times to confirmed.
Bookings will be taken from the 2nd of January.
Places will be limited to max 14 per class.