Movement Therapy is about re-educating your body to move as it was designed to move. Its about releasing your body from restrictions that result from past injuries, emotional issues, tension and stress. Imagine how a dancer moves; with elegance, grace and control. Using physical exercises, visualisation and breathing techniques, Movement Therapy teaches you to move naturally, with more agility, balance and coordination.
We use variations of this technique with all of our clients - everyone benefits, whether they are sports people, people in pain or those who just generally would like to feel better. Rather than traditional gym training where movements are very one dimensional, we teach you more natural, spiralling movements, often put together into sequences to encourage whole body, multi-directional movement patterns, similar to how you move through your daily life.
As you work with this system, learning more about your body and deepening your awareness, you will begin to feel more relaxed and in control. This can help reduce stress levels and the resulting tension, aches and pains; the balance between mind and body that you achieve during sessions spreads into your daily life so that you dont just want to take better care of your body but make a positive effort to do so.
Please explore the website to find out more about how Movement Therapy can help you and feel free to call or email us with any questions.
Company History
TR balance Limited was launched in 2003 by David Robinson and Anna Toombs.
The aim of the company is to improve the overall health and movement of its clients. With over thirty years of combined experience, Anna and David have worked together to produce a system that comprises of exercises that promote more fluidity, flexibility, strength and control within a natural, dynamic framework.
Since its launch, TR balance Limited has helped many clients throughout London and various other areas of the UK. Clients range from those with sports injuries, back pain and neurological disorders such as Alzheimers and Multiple Sclerosis, right through to competitive athletes. David and Anna work one to one with clients as well as teaching groups both in a personal and company setting. They have also worked as consultants on a number of fitness books and DVDs.
Anna and David continue to develop and enhance their system through their continued studies and experimentation using movements that are close to how living beings move naturally, rather than working with the somewhat artificial exercises that have developed in the modern "fitness" world.
They are progressing the theory that movement should be more natural by investigating the merits and ideas surrounding barefoot running, currently something of a revolution the United States. Please visit www.barefootrunninguk.comfor more information and insights.
Anna Toombs
Anna's background is in traditional fitness training. She began her career thirteen years ago teaching aerobics and traditional gym workouts but she was always keen to consider different types of body conditioning. Through her studies of human movement, she came across Pilates as a therapeutic method of exercise and soon became a specialist in working with people in pain. Anna studied psychology at university, with a focus on social psychology and self-concept, and has a keen interest in understanding how ones state of mind can have a remarkable physical effect on the body. This awareness of the mental affecting the physical, and vice versa, is an integral component of movement therapy.
Qualifications
Southampton University: BSc (Hons) Psychology
YMCA: Exercise to Music
Fit to Perform Ltd: Gym Instructor, Step Aerobics Instructor, Personal Trainer
Pilates Institute: Anatomy & Physiology, Matwork, One to One, Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair
Kinesis UK: Anatomy Trains
David Robinson
David’s background is in martial arts and dance and he has competed successfully in both at international level. He has also competed at national level in swimming and cycling. In 1987 he began teaching martial arts and has since helped to set up a number of martial arts schools across South East London. David’s interest in sport led him to study with the highly regarded National Academy of Sports Medicine in the United States, which offers a precise and scientific methodology. David’s academic background is in physics and engineering and he loves to blend the science of movement with the more mental and spiritual ideology of the martial arts, which really is one of the key factors forming the basis of movement therapy.
United Kingdom Kyokushin Kai Karate Association: 2nd Dan
Gaijin Ryu Association: 3rd Dan
NASM: Anatomy, Physiology & Sports Biomechanics, Certified Personal Trainer, Sports Fitness Specialist, Flexibility Specialist
Pregnancy
It can be difficult to know how to exercise during pregnancy as there are lots of changes happening in your body. Exercise is so effective though in helping you to cope with the physical demands of pregnancy and of course being fitter and stronger makes things much easier once youve given birth and are caring for your baby.
We have worked with a number of clients right the way through their pregnancies. Some of these were exercising already and we find that in a lot of cases, we dont need to make too many changes to the client's regime. It all depends on your body's reaction to being pregnant; energy levels change, morning (or afternoon or evening!) sickness can be a factor and changes in flexibility can occur which affect the joints.
Some pregnant clients are new to exercise which isn't a problem at all. The key is to start at the appropriate level and progress from there. We also encourage plenty of feedback; we tend to change the course of a session according to how a client is feeling so that they get the most out of it without becoming exhausted or uncomfortable.
For more information on how we can help you through your pregnancy, please contact us.
Rehabilitation
Injury and pain are upsetting, worrying and frustrating. When your body is in pain it affects your whole life - your concentration, your work, your movement, activities that you do.
For some people, the process of dealing with an injury or pain is fairly straightforward: they hurt themselves, they rest and their injury heals. This scenario is sadly quite uncommon and for most people pain tends to linger, sometimes apparently moving from one area of the body to another so that what started as an ankle sprain becomes a sharp knee pain and then a constant dull ache in the hip or buttock.
The important thing to remember is that, in the majority of cases, movement is good. It’s knowing how to move and how much to move which is tricky and that’s where we come in.
Please contact us to find out how we can help you on the road to recovery.
Running
Many people contact us with concerns about their running practice.
Some are serious runners who perhaps are having trouble with a recurring injury, whilst others are beginners who are finding running uncomfortable and are not sure how to proceed. We often hear from former runners who are frustrated at having been told that due to injury, they should never run again.
If you’re experiencing trouble with your running in any way, please contact us. It may be that your running technique needs tweaking, or that you need to make some changes to your flexibility and strength. Remember that running is a total body movement that requires easy flow of energy through all your muscles and joints, so chances are you need to be doing some extra, targeted movements to improve your running mechanics.
If you fancy learning more about improving your running in a group situation, check out www.barefootrunninguk.com for information on group training and workshops.
Sports Performance
Think about the differences between a golfer, a rugby player, and their respective games. A golfer’s game is slow and controlled, requiring a moment of pure concentration prior to each shot. The golf swing is all about rotation - a full-body spiralling movement that is flowing and yet very precise.
A rugby game looks very different. It’s swift and powerful, the players need speed and strength to survive the pounding they are subjected to in every match, yet they are quick on their feet, able to execute sudden and repeated changes of direction throughout the game.
When we work with you, the athlete, it is important for us to understand these varied demands on your body. We will analyze you during movement both in and out of your game to highlight areas that need attention. The human body is wonderfully adaptive and we maximise on this by creating exercises and movement patterns that will enhance your performance.
As with all Movement Therapy clients, we teach you how to become involved mentally as well as physically - too often people’s minds hold them back rather than their physical capabilities.
For more information about sports performance training, please contact us.
Well Being
Who decided that being healthy should be so complicated? Exercise used to be something that was incorporated into everyday life; people washed their floors on their hands and knees, did all their laundry by hand and went for bracing walks to the shops.
Nowadays, all the hard physical work is done for you with washing machines, dishwashers, online shopping and the like. So what should you do instead to keep fit? Join a gym? Buy a treadmill? Everyone says you must do resistance training - but how much should you lift and how should you lift it?
These dilemmas are all things that we can help you with. We can also help you make sense of the crazy world of healthy eating. Carbs or no carbs? Which fats are bad fats? Should you mix carbs with protein? And is it really out of the question to stop eating after 7pm (when you dont get home until 8pm?).
When the media makes it all so complicated, we will make it simple for you - and you can breathe a sigh of relief and get on with it. No gimics, definitely no quick fixes - but success if you work hard and listen well.
For more information about well-being, please contact us.
Clair - Bromley
“As a person who has a life long hatred of gyms but a need to improve my physical well being due to long hours spent hunched over a desk and a history of hypertension I was looking for an alternative and more complete approach to fitness. David began working with me in May 2006 and after spending an hour doing a fitness and posture analysis he designed a programme specifically tailored to strengthen my body’s weaknesses and meet my personal objectives.
In July 2006 I fell pregnant and David’s expertise meant that he was able to continue to train me throughout my pregnancy which was a huge benefit in helping my body cope with the strain.
Less than six months after the birth of my daughter I was back to my pre-pregnancy size and shape. Now I am probably in the best physical shape for at least 10 years and many friends have commented as much. Thanks to David’s ever evolving training programme and despite the physical demands of motherhood my body, in particular my back, neck and shoulders, which were my weak areas, has coped well.
David is professional, informative, patient and approachable. This has meant that for the first time in my life I have enjoyed improving my fitness and seen a real change in my physique. As a result I would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone regardless of their age, sex or current fitness level.”
Clair, Bromley
Clare - Docklands
“I have degenerative disc disease and limited mobility. Anna has worked closely with me for 10 months to develop exercise routines to increase my core stability and to mobilise and strengthen muscles which have been dormant for some time. As a result I feel much stronger and have become very aware of posture for the first time. Anna treats me holistically by ensuring she knows about my day to day life and monitors my levels of pain closely, changing exercises accordingly; she also offers help with pain management by giving me relaxation exercises.
Anna is very sympathetic to clients in pain and gentle in her approach, important for chronic pain sufferers who often feel vulnerable. Regular contact with Anna is very important to me, her input helps me to remain positive and focused, I feel she genuinely invests in my progress. Most importantly exercising gives me the sense that I am helping myself, that my recovery is in my own hands”.
Clare, Docklands
Hilary - Beckenham
“Before working with David I was finding it increasingly difficult to walk downstairs without holding on for fear of falling due to knee surgery I had over twenty years ago. My GP had told me that he couldn’t do much more for me and that I definitely shouldn’t run again. I contacted David to help me feel fitter and more able to move around and it didn’t cross my mind that we’d do any running.
I worked with him on a rehab-type programme and found myself getting stronger and more supple. I was slightly anxious when, after a few sessions, he suggested that we try running. However, we just took it very slowly and he was encouraging and informative, teaching me new things about my technique that were really helpful. I am now running regularly, without pain, and have lost almost two stones! David has helped me regain my confidence and I am so pleased to feel so much fitter and have no pain!”
Hilary, Beckenham
Jonathan - Docklands
“In order to maintain/improve one’s competitive performance as one gets older, it is essential to have a balanced, carefully targeted training program. David has a very extensive knowledge base and many years of experience to understand the requirements of a varying number of sports and has been very successful in providing me with the physical and mental development ideally suited to my enthusiasm. I am impressed and very grateful.”
Jonathan, Docklands
Bernadette - Docklands
“When I began training sessions with Anna two years ago the possibility of getting into shape and losing weight seemed like a mountain too high to climb. However, Anna’s varied and focused exercise routines, coupled with her very professional approach and encouragement have yielded results well beyond my original expectations. I am now 10kg lighter and enjoying climbing actual mountains!”
Bernadette, Docklands
Gia - Croydon
“I really looked forward to my Friday morning sessions with Anna and if I hadn’t moved house I would have definitely kept them up. I am middle-aged and needed to tackle my lack of exercise and excess weight. I believe Anna’s style to be holistic; she puts together interesting and varied programmes. She encouraged me to jog, something I was sure I would never do, but who would have thought it: after a few weeks I was really enjoying it! As the months passed I felt stronger and generally much more healthy, which is just what I had hoped for. Anna is a very professional and gifted trainer, I would highly recommend her".
Gia, Croydon.
Workshops
Everyone is aware - employers and employees - of how your work can affect your health. Whether it's a result of endless inactivity sat at a desk all day, or repetitive strain from lifting and carrying, problems often arise in the form of back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, tension headaches and other similar discomfort. It is useful to address these problems in a preventative manner which is the aim of our workshops.
The workshops themselves vary greatly depending on the needs and wishes of the client. Broadly speaking, they tackle movement: lack of movement can lead to joint and muscle problems brought about by general stiffness and poor movement will put stress onto particular parts of the body and eventually cause pain.
The way in which you move also creates an impression of who you are and can influence the way that people perceive you. This came up in our workshops with the staff at Nobu Restaurant. Initially, we were asked to teach them posture awareness and provide exercises to help improve their strength and flexibility and reduce any alignment-related pain. The nature of the workshops was informal to encourage discussion and we talked for some time about body language. This led to some very insightful work, investigating how our inbuilt but often unconscious reactions to particular movements and gestures can greatly affect our opinions of people and the places in which they work. The staff members at Nobu were all naturally very adept at creating a welcoming, inviting atmosphere but they found it helpful to recognise that body language was very much a part of this and made them more aware of how they presented themselves.
As we've mentioned, our workshops have been quite diverse in the past and tackle any issues that the client feels need addressing. Please contact us to discuss how we might help your business by improving the health of your workforce.
"“I want to thank you both for all the help and guidance you have shown to our staff. The responses to the training were very positive, and we look forward to working with you both again in the future.".
Meeok Hill, Manager, Nobu Restaurant
Articles coming soon.
Location
Based in South-East London, we travel to you, making your sessions more convenient and time-efficient.
The map shows our catchment area; if you are based outside this area, please contact us as we may still be able to accommodate you.
Please click on the map to learn more about our fees.
Standard one-to-one sessions within these areas cost £50.00p per hour.
Standard one-to-one sessions within these areas cost £60.00p per hour.
For standard one-to-one session prices please contact us for more information.
Prices
We offer a free initial consultation of up to 30 minutes to discuss and determine your specific needs. Prices for individual tuition start at £50 per hour but vary slightly depending on location (see location page for more details).
Please get in touch with us for more detailed prices for the other services we offer.
Movement Therapy From £50
For general well-being/pregnancy/rehabilitation.
Sport Related Movement Therapy From £50
For recreational and seasoned athletes, this is movement therapy geared towards your particular sport. This is charged at an hourly rate as we may spend several hours with you in a session, depending on your particular sport.
Team-based Tuition Please call for details
This involves working with your entire team for improved performance.
Running Tuition (one-2-one) From £50
Movement therapy geared towards improving running technique.
Group Running Sessions (through Barefoot Running UK)
2 people £ 80.00p
3 people £ 95.00p
4 people £ 105.00p
5 people £ 110.00p
Workshops Please call for details
We build each workshop to cater for the individual client; costing depends on the hours taken to design and teach the workshop(s).
Annual Sports Performance Periodization Programming (ASPP) Please call for more details
This is a must-have service for any competitive sportsperson, whether recreational or seasoned athlete. We use a unique programming system, manipulated according to individual requirements, to enhance athletic performance and make the most out of each competitive season.
Movement Assessments
The first session with any new client involves an assessment of their movement and posture. This gives us a picture of that client and some idea of where we’re starting from and where we need to focus. We also offer “stand-alone” assessments for individuals wishing to investigate their current physical state.
Standard: £55 (1 1/4 hour) - general health
Intermediate: £125 (2 hours) - general health and flexibility
Comprehensive: £250 (3 hours) - general health, flexibility, walking/running mechanics
Note: “general health” includes posture, movement, blood pressure, peak flow and size measurements (hips, waist, etc.). Costs include subsequent preparation of final report to be sent to the client.
Payments
Payments may be made by cash, cheque or bank transfer.
Cancellation Policy
At least 24 hours notice is required for all cancellations, which must be confirmed by telephone or via email using the 'read receipt' facility.
Unfortunately a cancellation fee of the full amount for the session will apply for all cancellations within a 24-hour period.
Contact form:
info_trbalance.com
21 Lyric Mews, Silverdale , London SE26 4TD, U.K.
t: 0845 226 7303
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