Meet the Expert: Benjamin Rashleigh
A mission to share expertise and experiences of self-health and wellbeing.
We couldn’t agree more! Benjamin is also the creator and host of “Let Me Take A Selfie” podcast, focusing on self investment, self care and balance in the movement industries (or any industry for that matter). With a focus on movement as a self-health and wellbeing tool, this couldn’t be more aligned with the Reach approach.
Here’s a little more about Benjamin, past, present and future….
Reach: What got you into Pilates and movement and on this journey?
For the better part of a decade I dedicated myself to a career as a fine dining chef, both here in Australia and in Europe. Years of 60-plus hour weeks being hunched over a bench, caused chronic lower back pain and forced me to wear a brace on a daily basis just to accomplish simple tasks. My physiotherapist recommended I take up Pilates to combat the issue as I couldn’t even touch my knees, and the rest is history.
Reach: Tell us a bit about your daily movement and activities:
Hmmm this really depends on how I’m feeling, the first thing I do is look at my recovery data on my Oura ring as well as assess how I’m personally feeling that day and decide what modality of exercise and intensity I will do and I will ail to do this 5-6 days a week. But my main choices once I have tuned into my body are Pilates, Crossfit and Skateboarding (Always need to have a sport that give me an adrenalin fix)
Reach: Do you have a fave movement health passion? If so, tell us more!
Oooo this is a tough one I am a bit of an Anatomy nerd so I would say Joint Kinematics and pairing that with mobility and increasing/ optimising it’s load capacity (strength). This became a passion to me because I have always been a person that you would say is inflexible an no matter what I tried I would only receive marginal improvements. This then took me down the path of looking at joint shape, function and motor control and how working with this paired with strength techniques helped improve my range of motion.
Reach: Have you had a pivotal moment in your movement health life .. if so, care to share?
Probably realising that in my 20’s I couldn’t bend over and touch my knees was a real wake-up call to do something about it.
Reach: The all important stuff – what’s your music playlist go to’s!
80s anthem metal, sums it up… BIG HAIR, DON’T CARE
Reach: Who would you want to play you in the movie of your life?
Jason Mamoa, good march with long har and beard. Although he may been tout on more size for the roll 😉
Reach: When the current state of the world opens up more, where to for your next holiday?
Hopefully get back up to Port Douglas (has been a holiday that has been rescheduled a few times in the last few years) otherwise it will be hiking the Annapurna circuit in Nepal.
Reach: And any other goals for the future?
To be able to get out of bed and tackle each day with the confidence of a 4 year old in a superhero outfit.
Reach: Describe what ‘moving for health’ means to you?
Striving for wellness you want everyday
Find Ben at @alignedforlife.com.au
Ben is delivering face-to-face workshops this year for Reach including:
