Category Archives: Yoga and Stretching

Yoga can be one of the best ways to keep fit; both mentally and physically. Learn how to deal with everyday life, improve your mindful abilities and increase your strength, flexibility and cardio health, all with yoga and stretching.

You are already a yogi.

We all know Yoga is good to lengthen the muscles and increase flexibility, but what we often forget is that yoga offers a much wider range of benefits to keep our mind, body and spirit in check and functioning properly. The best thing is that a part of you already practices yoga, you just don’t know it.

Have you ever stopped and stood quietly to appreciate nature? Or laid back on the couch and just breathed slowly? Or have you ever stood on your tiptoes and stuck a leg out whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, just for the fun of balancing? Well, these are all forms of yoga in their own way.

The beauty of yoga is that it lives in our every movement. From the beginning of our existence, we naturally know how to breathe and eventually everyone develops movements which can be interpreted as yoga poses. Regrettably, throughout the years we have forgotten how these movements are so natural to us. Along the way as well, often due commercialism and social media influence, people have come to believe yoga is only to be practiced by super attractive, super flexible people.

What is yoga if it’s not about stretching?!

It’s true, when you say you do yoga people think straight away that it is all handstands and palms together. But in reality, it is a process of small changes over a long time. ‘Yoga’ comes from the Indian Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ which means ‘to join’. It’s a unity or a oneness. In spiritual terms, it can be described as the union of the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness.

This can understandably make it sound a bit daunting but please don’t be intimidated. yoga is for everyone, it is accessible to all levels of society, gender, age, ethnicity and physical abilities. It promotes inclusion, self-awareness and diversity, which is what this world needs.

It does not matter if you stopped practicing or have never tried it, you can start at any time and your body will remember everything you learn. Yoga is flexible after all.

The many different types of yoga

One problem many newcomers to yoga face is which type of yoga they should start with. There are many styles of yoga to try and you should explore as many as you can, but here is a little break down of the main styles;

Vinyasa: This is a flowy style of yoga which allows you to move from one pose to another fluidly in a sequence. It is good for those who like faster paced movements, it’s also great to bring out your creativity when you want to work on a new sequence. It is a good starting place for beginners with lots of energy because it can be fun and invigorating.

Ashtanga: This style is very active, it helps you synchronise your breath with the movement. Ashtanga is about finding strength in stillness by holding poses for longer than you would with vinyasa. Sometimes these poses are unbalanced therefore it can require a lot of strength and focus to hold them for longer periods of time. There is also a lot of focus on correct breathing techniques.

This is also a good place for beginners as there are many levels of ashtanga, with difficulty increasing with each level.

Yin: This style allows you to go deeper into pose, and also yourself, as it’s a very slow-paced style. The aim for Yin is to increase circulation throughout the joints and to target the connective tissues of the body.

Yin can be tough for newcomers to yoga who may become distracted or lose patience whilst in a pose. Taking the time to practice Yin however can be incredibly rewarding, allowing the mind to relax and ignore life’s pressures whilst lengthening the muscles and opening up the body.

So why try yoga?

Yoga has a wide variety of benefits which supports our pursuit to live a better life. These benefits are not just physical, they can be mental and spiritual too.

Helps with a number of ailments

Yoga is proven to improve your balance and coordination through exercising the nervous system. This heightened activity can build the grey matter in our brain leading to improved focus and concentration. This can help reduce the effects of certain ailments such as vertigo, ataxia and even Alzheimer’s disease, by exercising the nervous system in a safe and controlled way.

It’s good for your body

The movements through yoga practice exercise the whole body through a number of different poses. These low impact but weight bearing exercises activate and strengthen your muscles, bones and joints. This is great for stabilising your weight and avoiding aches and pains.

Supports your inner body

Within our bodies is the endocrine system, responsible for keeping our hormones in check and balanced. When life becomes stressful this system can become unbalanced and leave us feeling tired, irritable or anxious. Practising yoga relaxes the mind and allows this system to regain control and balance our hormones. The exercise can also stimulate happy hormones such as dopamine, melatonin and serotonin, making us feel confident and content, as well as helping us get a nicer sleep.

Finds a steady rhythm in our mind

Though it doesn’t have to be, Yoga can be a very spiritual practice. Good yoga teachers will teach breathing as a part of their class. These yogic breathing techniques can steady the breath, find rhythm and ultimately steady the mind. When we are feeling uneasy our body is using our sympathetic nervous system. Slow and controlled breathing is proven to move the body over to our parasympathetic nervous system. This puts us in a state of relaxation and tranquillity. The more we practise yoga the better our body can achieve this state, massively benefitting our mental health.

Start your yoga journey

A great place to get started if you are unsure is at home following a yoga teacher online. Here is a recommendation for you to try.

Yoga with Michaelle 🙂

Exercises, Exercising with chronic conditions, Recovery and Prevention, Workouts, Yoga and Stretching

3 low impact, at home exercise ball movements for people with mobility issues

8th March 2021 Georgina NaylorLeave a comment

We know that getting older can take its toll on your muscles and joints, in a time such as 2021 when getting out might be harder than expected, having a quick, low impact exercise session is perfect for getting yourself moving. Using equipment available on our website, here are 3 low impact movements you can do at home with an exercise ball.

1. Sit ups

As someone that has never been great at sit ups, using an exercise ball to provide that extra bounce and support underneath your back can really help you to do a few more sit ups than just one on the ground. Here is an image showing how to position yourself properly and maintain a good sit up with balancing on the exercise ball.

You can also try this type of movement when you are laid in bed, and instead of trying to do a full sit up just trying lifting slightly and pushing your hands forward. From there only lift your body a little until you feel your core tighten and hold for 5 seconds, longer if you can, but any hold is good. Doing this each day will drastically improve your overall core and back strength and support you even if you’re just sitting around.

2. Hip thrust

This movement is great for increasing motion in your hips and ultimately strengthening the bottom of your back. Along with the sit ups, the hip thrust movement in great for engaging your core, strengthening your back and increasing mobility.

To do this movement correctly, position your shoulder blades on the middle of the ball and ensure you have your balance. If you can’t balance properly right away, use a sofa or a chair to support you while getting into position. From the position, with or without an added weight, if you slowly lift your hips from the lower position and push your hips up until your legs are straight across. Hold the position for at least 5 seconds and slowly lower. It might not seem like it’s doing much but every little move you make and hold is gradually adding to your internal strength, and by doing so it is increasing your overall fitness.

You can also try this similar movement, in which you stay in the raised hip position and roll the ball underneath your body and roll back again to work your hamstrings.

3. Upper body raises

Okay, while I don’t know the actual term for this exercise movement it is most simply like a reverse sit up. For example, while the first sit up movement is raising your body chest first to your knees, this second movement is raising your back. Lay your stomach on the ball with your legs straight behind you, hands on your head and raise your body up until you’re facing forward.

If you are struggling, here is a video of Davina McCall demonstrating this movement with this exercise ball.

These exercises may seem difficult at first, but a little effort into each movement helps you!

Yoga and Stretching

How to do the splits: A beginners guide

8th March 2021 megan burnettLeave a comment

I am sure we can all say we have tried to do the splits before, right? It looks pretty easy, when a 15-year-old professional gymnast takes to the stage and suddenly flies into the air and drops into a perfect split position. However, for most of us it is just not that easy. Even getting that stretch after a workout can make me feel like my legs are being torn apart.

After a long few months in lockdown, which were mostly spent watching TV, studying at my desk and sleeping, my legs were well and truly un-stretchable… I mean I hadn’t done a good workout in almost 4 months! So, I decided I would finally do some exercise, but I wanted to learn something new and do something that would actually keep me interested rather than getting bored after the first try.

Accurate representation of me at the start of lockdown 😊

After some searching I came across an article informing me of the many benefits that being able to do the splits has on your joints and even on your age… yep that’s right, apparently doing the splits can keep you young. I want to share my tips of learning how to do the splits and hopefully it will help you too!

So, the first point to note, is that there are two types of splits. The front split and the side split. Before starting any workout we recommend doing a fun warm up. We also recommend using a good yoga mat to ensure you do not slip and injure yourself while practising.

Front split

The front split is achieved through stretching muscles we use every day such as our hamstrings. For myself, and many others, this was harder to achieve than the side split.

Side split

The side split is achieved through stretching muscles that you would not normally stretch such as the groin and inner thigh muscle.

The following stretches are key to helping your body stretch enough to enter a split pose. We recommend doing these stretches for at least 15-30 minutes per day, taking a rest day every 3-4 days. We have included tutorials for each stretch to help understand them better.

Sitting hamstring stretch: This is one of my favourite stretches, to begin this stretch you will need to be seated on your yoga mat with your legs crossed. You will need to extend one leg out so that it is completely straight, keep your other leg bent inwards pulling your feet in closer to the thigh of the extended leg. Slowly lean forward until you can hold your foot in your hands, you should feel this stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold this stretch for 50-60 seconds and then switch legs.

Supine hamstring stretch: To begin this stretch you need to lay down on your mat with both legs straight. You will need to lift one leg in the air, keeping the other leg on the floor completely straight. Try to straighten the extended leg as much as possible. Hold your thighs from the back, this will help keep your position. Don’t worry if this is difficult for you, it was for me the first time too. Keep this position for 60 seconds and switch legs.

Seated butterfly stretch: This stretch requires you to sit on your mat and push your feet together and your knees out to the side. You need to touch your toes and push your knees down as far as possible. I personally found that I felt this stretch the most! Keep this pose for 60 seconds.

Knee to chest stretch: To do this stretch you need to lay on your mat and bring one knee up and as close to your chest as possible. Keep your leg on the ground as straight as possible. Use your hands to keep your knee steady. Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds and switch legs.

Kneeling lunge stretch: For this final stretch you should start in a push up position on your mat. You will need to pull one leg forward and bring your body to an upright position while dropping the knee of your other leg to the mat. Put your hands on your hips and push your hips forward, you should feel the stretch in your hamstrings and quadriceps. Keep this movement going for 40 seconds and then switch to the other leg.

After completing these stretches each day you will surely want to try and get into the splits position. For the front split you will need to stand upright and slowly slide downwards pushing your feet more and more to the side. For the side split you will need to kneel on the ground and extend one of your legs out in-front of you while keeping your back leg bent with your knee on the ground to support you.

Each time you complete these stretches you will be able to get lower and lower, until eventually you are in the splits position! It took me just over 40 days to reach that perfect side split and a little longer to achieve the front split! Don’t be hard on yourself if it takes longer. If doing the splits was easy then I probably wouldn’t be writing about it.

Achieving the split position really is an accomplishment

Other than hugely impressing yourself, friends and family, there are numerous benefits to being able to do the splits such as;

Having better balance

Your yoga game will be fire

Helps to develop your patience

If you feel that you would lack motivation by doing the splits alone, I recommend downloading the Splits Training App. It’s a free 30-day Splits Challenge which has step-by-step instructions on how to get that perfect split. You can also choose between different levels; Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

Please do comment below and let me know if you managed to get that perfect split pose using these steps, or if you have any further advice for those wanting to achieve it. Oh, and if you see me showing off my new split moves in the supermarket queue… come and join me 😊

Exercising with chronic conditions, Mental Wellbeing and Motivation, Yoga and Stretching

3 steps to manage exercise as a young person with a chronic illness

8th March 2021 Georgina NaylorLeave a comment

As broad a range that chronic illnesses can be, and with long term conditions such asthma and diabetes as the highest rates amongst young people it can be difficult to find any motivation to exercise.

Despite young people dealing with these long term conditions and navigating poor mental health because of them, and while we know a chronic illness might never go away, we can definitely try to offset some of the symptoms.

Here’s 3 things you can try:

1. Any movement is better than nothing

We all know it can be difficult to wanna stop watching Netflix and actually go and exercise but navigating this fitness lifestyle with a chronic illness is hard. But even just getting up after one episode, putting on a good song and dancing wildly for those 3 minutes is better than a binge on Netflix. Trust me.

Check our post on making an exercise playlist to dance to!

Even if your chronic illness keeps you from dancing energetically for those minutes, you can try walking up and down stairs a few times at a quicker pace than you usually do. It might seem simple, but getting your heart pumping, blood circulating and your body moving really does make a simple difference.

2. Stretching is surprisingly helpful

Stretching, yoga, pilates… call it what you want but stretching and flexing your body is crucial. Maybe you can’t touch your toes and that’s okay!

But if you make it your goal for the next 30 days, start by placing your hands on top of your knees. Then, try a little further and place your hands just under your knees, then halfway down your shins… see where I’m going? Even if it is the slightest movement each day and just a tiny bit further than the last it’s going to help blood flow around your body, loosen up your muscles and joints and allow your body to adjust.

If stretching is good enough for cats, you can do it too!

3. Fresh air is your friend

While it might seem trivial that breathing can help anything, it really can wake you up to your surroundings, internally and externally. It could be standing on your garden, closing your eyes and breathing in until your chest puffs up or even just opening a window. The action of letting your space be freed up from the stuffy feeling of being unwell or trapped in a room can momentarily stop you in your tracks.

A few breathing exercises you can try with this fresh air is holding for 4 seconds, inhale for 8, hold for 4 and exhaling for 8. It can take a minute to get used to but doing this for five minutes regulates your breathing intake and the deeper your breaths, the better your blood flow. So, next time you take your dog for a walk, or open the window to let the sun in, or even when you’re struggling with pain from your illness just try focussing on your breathing for five minutes and see how you feel.

Exercises, Fitness, Recovery and Prevention, Workouts, Yoga and Stretching

7 Exercise Routines to Relieve Lower Back Pain

8th March 2021 ooyegunwaLeave a comment

Lower back pain is a painful and incapacitating health condition, which is common mostly because it may be caused by numerous reasons.

It may arise as a symptom of an underlying condition like fibromyalgia or kidney stones in some cases. Other times, lower back pain could be a result of an inactive lifestyle, bad form while working out, or monotonous motions.

More recently, more than a third of Britons have reported an increase in back pain due to sedentary lifestyle habits caused by the government-induced lockdowns.

This article will look at 7 exercise routines that can help in reducing or relieving the pain and strengthening your lower back muscles. First, a few tips:

Stretch your lower back with care; be gentle and cautious especially if you’ve had or have any type of injury or health concern.
If you feel the pain is getting worse or you’re feeling very sore, take a day off to recuperate.
Ensure you’re breathing smoothly throughout each routine. Use your breath as a guide to ensure you don’t strain or overdo it.

Piriformis Stretch :

This routine works your piriformis muscle found deep in your buttocks. Stretching this muscle helps in relieving pain and tightness in your buttocks and lower back.

The piriformis stretch can be done following these steps:

Lie flat on your back with your two knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Place your right ankle at the bottom of your left thigh.
Then fasten your hands behind your left thigh and then pull up towards your chest until you feel a stretch.
Stay in this position for 1 to 3 minutes.
Repeat on the other side.
To make the stretch more comfortable; you can keep the bottom of your foot planted on the floor. Rest your head on a cushion for support.

Childs Pose:

This exercise routine works your hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and spinal extensors. It helps in relieving pain and tension across your spine, neck, and shoulders. It has a soothing effect on your body, loosening uptight lower back muscles, promoting flexibility and blood circulation along the spine.

With your hands and knees on the ground, sink back through your hips to rest them on your heels.
Pivot at your hips just as you fold forward, walking your hands out in front of you.
Rest your belly on your thighs.
Stretch your arms in front of or alongside your body with your palms facing up.
Breathe deeply and relax any areas of tension or tightness.
Maintain this pose for 1 minute.
If you feel you’ll need more support, place a rolled-up towel underneath or on top of your thighs.
It could also be more comfortable when you widen your knees and rest your forehead on a cushion.

Pelvic Tilt:

This exercise builds strength in your abdominal muscles, relieving pain and tightness in your lower back. It also helps in strengthening your glutes and hamstrings.

The pelvic Tilt can be done following these steps:

Lie on your back, bending your knees and placing your feet flat on the floor.
Contract your abdominal muscles as you flatten your back against the floor.
Maintain normal breathing, holding this position for up to 10 seconds.
Release and relax taking a few deep breaths.
Do 1 to 3 sets, repeat 3 to 5 times daily.

Cat-cow Stretch:

This exercise is a perfect way to awaken your spine while also stretching your neck, shoulders, and chest.

The Cat-cow stretch can be done following these steps:

Go on all fours in a tabletop position with your hands and knees on the ground.
Press into your feet and hands as you inhale to look up, filling your belly with air.
Exhale as you tuck your chin into your chest, arching your spine toward the ceiling.
Continue this movement pattern with each breath.
Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes.
For more intense holds, simply remain in each position for 5 to 20 seconds at a time as opposed to moving with each breath.

NOTE: If you have wrist concerns, place your hands slightly forward instead of directly under your shoulders. For knee concerns, place a cushion under them for padded support.

Seated Lower Back Rotational Stretches:

This exercise routine helps to relieve pain, strengthening the lower back and working the core muscles.

Here’s how to perform the seated lower back rotational stretch:

Sit on a chair without arms, keeping the feet flat on the floor.
Turn at your core to the right, keeping your hips square and spine tall.
Place your hands at the back of your head, or position your left hand on your right knee to support the stretch.
Maintain the position for 10 seconds.
Repeat the exercise on the left-hand side.
Repeat on each side 3 to 5 times twice daily.

Knee to chest:

This is a good stretch to relax your thighs, hips, and glutes while promoting overall relaxation.

The knee-to-chest stretch can be done following these steps:

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Keep your left knee bent or spread it straight out along the floor.
Draw your right knee towards your chest, fastening your hands behind your thigh or at the top of your shinbone.
Lengthen your spine all through down to your tailbone and avoid lifting your hips.
Take deep breaths, releasing any tension.
Maintain this pose for 1 to 3 minutes.
Repeat with your other leg.
For a deeper stretch, tuck your chin into your chest and lift your head toward your knee.

Belly Flops:

This routine decompresses your lower back through supported elevation.

To perform the belly flop routine:

Roll up a blanket or towel lengthwise and place it horizontally in front of you.
Lie front-side down over the towel or blanket so that your hipbones are pressed into it.
Relax your body completely. You can turn your head to either side.
Keep this position for 1–2 minutes and repeat 1–3 times, resting 30–60 seconds between sets.

The Bottom Line

Lower back pain can take a huge toll on you and your life. These easy exercises will have an immense impact on your recovery. They’ll help work your core muscles to improve flexibility, stability, and provide you with relief. We also have a superb guide that covers ways to prevent lower back pain and injuries, and how to strengthen your lower back altogether.

Exercises, Exercising with chronic conditions, Fitness, Mental Wellbeing and Motivation, Performance, Weight loss, Workouts, Yoga and Stretching

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SEX DRIVE AND PERFORMANCE THROUGH EXERCISE

7th March 2021 yinkaLeave a comment

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SEX DRIVE AND PERFORMANCE THROUGH EXERCISE

If you want to improve your sexual drive/libido, physical and sexual performance, the cheapest and healthiest way is through physical exercise. The result is usually fast with a noticeable improvement within the first two to three 30 minutes of physical exercise sessions. Whether you are a gym or yoga person any exercise is good for your health, sex drive and performance included. Researchers and medical experts have found a strong correlation between physical exercise and improved sexual performance and an increase in libido.

A strong pelvic floor enhances rigidity during erections and helps keep blood from leaving the penis by pressing on a key vein. In a British trial, three months of twice-daily sets of Kegel exercises (which strengthen these muscles), combined with biofeedback and advice on lifestyle changes — quitting smoking, losing weight, limiting alcohol — worked far better than just advice on lifestyle changes.
Source: Harvard Medical School-5 ways to overcome Erectile Dysfunction

Top 7 Exercises to Improve Sexual Performance and Boost Libido

Weight Lifting

Testosterone is related to sexual longing and energy. Science proposes lifting weights improves sex drive by urging your body to deliver more testosterone. Since sound testosterone levels are related to sexual craving, doing practices that can expand testosterone may likewise amp up your drive.

On the off chance that you as of now do some kind of solidarity preparing as a component of your wellness normal, some minor changes might be all you require to guarantee you’re boosting your testosterone-creating potential. Specialists recommend the accompanying three hints to benefit from your weight lifting meeting:

Working all the significant muscle gatherings, particularly your legs (the biggest in the body)
Doing fewer reps with heavier weights
Shortening your rest time between sets

Running

In all honesty, running could give you a lift in the room. In addition to the fact that running improves your self-perception and consequently certainty, you’ll additionally have improved energy levels. Moreover, research by the Endocrine Society found that running can prompt an expansion in testosterone in men, just as diminishing occurrences of hypogonadism, a condition which can prompt erectile brokenness and a brought down drive. Loss of stomach fat through running can likewise imply that the bloodstream to the penis is expanded.

Extreme cardio exercise

Extreme cardio exercise (HIIT) includes switching back and forth between going as hard as possible, at that point resting for a brief period. HIIT is perhaps the best fat-consuming exercise you can do, and it can likewise knock up your moxie.

Extraordinary cardiovascular exercise like HIIT is an incredible method to let out some pent-up frustration since it brings down levels of the pressure chemical cortisol in your body. Raised cortisol has been appeared to fundamentally decrease testosterone, so holding your pressure under control is vital for keeping a sound sex drive.

Yoga

The number of American men doing yoga developed from 4 million out of 2012 to 10 million out of 2016. Why are folks out of nowhere so keen on yoga? Perhaps in light of the fact that they’re getting on to the numerous medical advantages this training gives—including improved sexual wellbeing.

Tantra yoga is the thoughtful most normally connected with sex (and Sting). With its attention on connecting with your body as well as associating with an accomplice, tantra yoga has a long history of utilization among couples hoping to zest things up in the room. But since all yoga includes extending and getting your energy streaming, any sort of yoga practice can possibly improve your charisma. It additionally assists with adaptability, which your partner(s) will probably appreciate.

Dancing

Obviously, the associations between dance and sex don’t end there. The two exercises are useful for your wellbeing in an assortment of ways, regardless of whether it be getting your pulse up, offering an awesome detox subsequent to burning some calories, or delivering a surge of upbeat chemicals.

You can enlighten a great deal concerning an expected sweetheart from the manner in which they dance. As per an overview of 2,000 ladies by The Daily Mail, 80% said they encountered an immediate relationship between’s a fella’s presentation in the club and in the room. Furthermore, on the off chance that we are to accept all that we’ve found out about Prince, that is one situation where the relationship was surely well-suited.

Swimming

Need to improve your perseverance, construct muscle, and get an incredible cardio exercise? Take a dip. Swimming is perhaps the most productive approach to improve general wellness, all without the mileage on your joints that comes from running and other high-sway exercises.

Maybe obviously, the sort of wellness that comes from swimming routinely can truly surrender you a leg in the room. In a Harvard investigation of 160 swimmers, members in their 60s announced sexual experiences similar to average, non-swimming individuals, in their 40s.

Kegels

You may consider Kegels as an activity for ladies (in the event that you consider them by any means), however this pressing of your pubococcygeus (PC) muscles—the ones you use to stop the progression of pee mid-stream—can prompt better sexual perseverance and control.

How would you do a kegel workout? The initial step is to figure out your PC muscles by halting and beginning while you pee. Whenever you’ve recognized the impression of a kegel workout, you can do them any time. Firmly crush your PC muscles and hold for 10 seconds, at that point discharge for however many reps as you can oversee.

Fitness, Weight loss, Yoga and Stretching

Yoga and Meditation

Aside7th March 2021 swangLeave a comment

As people pay more and more attention to their health, yoga movement began to appear on our side, yoga with its movement soothing, remarkable effect by people’s welcome. So what are the benefits of long-term yoga practice?

DO YOU REALLY NEED A YOGA MAT?

Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

When the weather turns cool our appetite is big, inadvertently will consume large amounts of fat, in fact, in the winter the energy needed to power a body and summer is not much different, but the weather’s cool movement is relatively small, yoga through the various curved back, turn around before extrusion, stimulate our glands, adjusting endocrine, make the person produces heat capacity increased, to help us better control appetite, prevent the body fat. During the practice of yoga, people often sweat, and at this time the sweat will expel toxins from the body. Also can through the body twisting pull god, massage and other methods to stimulate the body has the effect of detoxification organs, so regular practice yoga, help to discharge toxins in the body. The quality of our breath often directly affects our mind and body. When we learn how to control and moderate our breath, we can find that we can control our body and mind more effectively. Yoga can help us learn to master our states of mind and eliminate the stresses that we face in our daily lives.

Can yoga help you lose weight?

Some people can have such perplexity, be oneself after practicing yoga, feel oneself slim many, but seem weight did not go down, however, is this why? In fact, speaking of weight loss, mainly to consume calories, and want to consume calories, mainly by reasonable exercise and reasonable diet, but yoga is just a kind of exercise muscle, so it is not so much to achieve the purpose of weight loss, accurate speaking, should be thin.
Another kind of circumstance, is when people in a state such as state of mind is not very good, she’ll want to find a vent, want to go to eat to solve, but if this time to practice yoga, you can transform the outlet, so as to change your state, let you get a better state of mind.
Is yoga have more feelings than any other sport, is running or fitness Kubla khah dripping wet, yoga is one of the most natural fitness ways, through yoga training system can not only change the human body, still can massage visceral organs, improve a person’s status, and so on, the whole people will look brand-new, insist on yoga after a period of time, the figure will be more beautiful, size is also beautiful. So yoga is through which several aspects to change a person, shape your beautiful figure?
1. Burn calories
In doing yoga, although do not need strenuous exercise, but each time the consumption is very big, if a week to adhere to 2-3 times of yoga training, each time in more than 40 minutes, so the effect of weight loss and weight loss is very obvious, calories are consumed, so the fat can not accumulate naturally.

2. Eat a balanced diet

After practicing yoga, yoga can also lead people to the dietary balance, in after a period of time, you will find that the diet habit can be, you will no longer like high-fat high-calorie foods, thus to fruits and vegetables and protein, so your intake of rich nutrition, weight loss is also more obvious, and most importantly, don’t worry about to rebound.

Yoga meditation methods

Learning yoga, from the pranayama of the body to the cleansing of the mind, is a chain reaction. Your thoughts and emotions exist in your body. By exercising and relaxing your body, your body continues to practice yoga, focusing your mind on stretching and strengthening parts. When you relax and focus on stretching, your body produces a feel-good “endorphin” that stabilizes your mood. This releases negative emotions and leads to positive thoughts, leading to a state of “peace of mind” and “unity of body and mind”. Through yoga meditation can also eliminate our eye fatigue, and can promote the blood circulation of the eye, because yoga meditation, often need to close your eyes for a long time, can let our eyes get rest for a long period of time, which makes power be enhanced, and it also can improve our ability to focus of the eyes, at the same time can eliminate we fear in the heart of the world. It is also possible to enter visualization at home at any time. Just find a visual object, such as a crystal, a fishbowl, a potted plant, a picture, etc. These objects help us to focus our attention, gradually eliminate external distractions, and slowly turn inward to experience peace and serenity! Imagine yourself lying on a piece of green grass, soft, continuous, bursts of fragrance blowing. There is not a cloud in the blue sky. The babbling brook, flowing slowly from the side, called not famous wildflowers, competing to open. In the distance, a cow was walking with her calf, and children were frolicking beside her. A cricket was bouncing around in the ground, and the birds in the tree were singing.
Things to note before yoga meditation:
1. Choose a place where you feel like you can get your mind off the fray, which will help you get into a meditative state.
2. Choose a regular time of day — early morning and late afternoon are ideal.
3. Use the same time and place to relax and calm your mind more quickly.
4. Sit with your back, neck and head on the same level, facing east or north.
5. During meditation, keep your body warm (wrap a blanket around your body when it’s cool) and guide your mind to remain calm.
6. Get your breathing on a regular basis — breathe deeply for five minutes, then calm down.
7. Create a rhythmic breathing pattern — inhale for three seconds, then exhale for three seconds.
8.When you haven’t completely calmed down, don’t force yourself too much. It doesn’t matter.
9.After quiet down, let the consciousness stay on a fixed target, which can be in the middle of the brow or heart position.
10. Get into a meditative state with your chosen meditation technique.
11.Before the arrival of a very pure state of meditation, don’t force, let the free state continue to exist naturally.
12.After a period of practice, the free state of mind will slowly disappear and eventually, enter the pure.

Exercises, Fitness, Mental Wellbeing and Motivation, Recovery and Prevention, Yoga and Stretching

PREGNANCY EXERCISES. Where To Start?

6th March 2021 Laila Lapse BergaLeave a comment

If you are an expectant mum, whether this is your first pregnancy or not, this is an important time in your life. You want to stay healthy and well for yourself and your baby. And staying active can help you to do exactly this!

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Want to move fast? Jump to the right section below.

Daily physical activity recommendations for pregnant women
Enjoyable activities
Connecting with other expectant mums
Professional advice and support
Pelvic Floor Health

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At first, we would suggest you to consider very basics in a relation of exercise and pregnancy. You can visit NHS website to familiarise yourself with some simple exercise tips for expectant mums.

BENEFITS OF STAYING ACTIVE IN PREGNANCY

Physical activity will help you to sleep better, control pregnancy weight gain, improve your mood, just to name few benefits.

Expect to be less tempted to take part in physical activity in your first trimester due to morning sickness and your body getting used to a new way of existing. However if you manage to do some type of activity you will feel miles better for it! Don’t worry if you cannot, most pregnant women are ready to do more in second and third trimester.

START WHERE YOU ARE

Don’t overdo it! Think about your current activity levels. Whether try to maintain these or build up gradually if you are not achieving daily recommended dose of exercise. Always remember to be gentle with yourself, one step at a time.

ENJOYMENT

Make sure you enjoy what you do! You want to increase positive energy in your life. You can try Pregnancy Yoga, swimming or just stick with daily walking. You can get yourself some nice equipment to boost your motivation too.

SOCIALISE

Now, during the Covid-19 pandemic, there are many online classes for pregnant women, a good example being Us Mums programme (East Yorkshire, Hull). Check you local exercise providers and connect with other expectant mums to avoid social isolation. Mental well-being is at least as important as staying physically active! Please read more about this HERE.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

Exercise adaptations for each trimester differ. Seek an advice from a fully qualified and experienced pre/post natal instructor to be entirely sure that you are performing exercises in a safe and effective manner, especially if you do home workouts. We would recommend to use REPs registered exercise professionals.

PELVIC FLOOR HEALTH

We cannot stress enough how important it is to take this seriously! Your pelvic floor can be weakened by pregnancy and you don’t want this to happen. In a long run it can cause urinary incontinence and even more serious problems. This is why you MUST include pelvic floor exercises in your daily self-care routine. You will find more information at NHS website and you can find many health professionals, including women’s health physiotherapists, advocating pelvic floor exercises.

*Diane Mawer, Clinical Lead for physiotherapy in obstetrics talks to mums in the pelvic health workshop in Hull (Image: Joanna Lovell)*

Have you ever before been told to do Pelvic Floor exercises? Please let us know in the comments section below!

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY….

It is baby steps. Don’t rush. Take your time & enjoy this beautiful journey to the motherhood!

Keep an eye on our learn section, more advice about health and exercise in pregnancy coming soon!

Exercises, Fitness, Mental Wellbeing and Motivation, Recovery and Prevention, Yoga and Stretching

BE PREGNANT. BE HAPPY. STAY CONNECTED.

6th March 2021 Laila Lapse BergaLeave a comment

“Carrying a baby is the most rewarding experience a woman can enjoy.” – Jayne Mansfield

WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN WAYS

Being happy during pregnancy is not only very possible but also important for mother’s and baby’s health. Each women will have her own ways of keeping herself in emotionally and mentally good shape. There are many tools for you to use, such as:

Mindfulness
Mediation and guided visualisations
Pregnancy exercises
Yoga to relieve stress
Walking outdoors
Making a good exercise playlist to keep yourself physically active
Self-care routines
Reading a good book, doing crafts, etc.

However, we wanted to highlight such underestimated thing as connecting with other expectant mums. Before revealing more of this, we have to understand WHY it is important.

YOUR EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS MATTER

Have your heard about anxiety, depression and similar non-positive experiences pregnant women can face during and after their pregnancy? We don’t want to scare you, however we want to make sure that you know importance of respecting your emotions and feelings early in the pregnancy (and even before!) to avoid experiencing such things.

This is called Perinatal Mental Health. And it matters.

Just be aware. Read up on this and listen to other expectant mums to gain an insight into this topic just simply to avoid it from happening with you. And if it does, don’t worry! There is a great support and help available for expectant and new mums.

The last thing you want to be feeling is loneliness. Sometimes just by having a chat with other pregnant women can help massively. This has a power to reduce likelihood of ending up with some type of mental health problems.

CONNECTING WITH OTHER EXPECTANT MUMS

Keep it simple. You don’t need to find a girlfriend which will become your best friend forever. You just need to surround yourself with women who are pregnant, the same as you.

You can either find some local mums-to-be groups or connect online! Nowadays distance is non-existent. Especially now, during the Covid-19 pandemic, this might be the best and safest option for yourself. Online meet-up groups via Zoom is a great way to connect and build a support network around yourself.

Connecting with other mums over a cuppa and having a friendly chat sometimes is everything you need! Whatever it takes for you to avoid social isolation and feeling lonely. It’s great to share worries and stories, ideas and expectations. And sometimes just to discuss what’s new on Netflix.

SOME IDEAS

In UK many expectant mums are looking to connect with others and there are different groups and websites for women like yourself. As example, net-mums website is a great source to find ante-natal courses and local groups and there are many charities offering support to pregnant women across the country.

And, if you live in Yorkshire, there are many activities in Hull and East Yorkshire for young parents, including the Us Mums programme which offers free online exercise sessions, mediation and meet-up groups for pregnant women and new mums.

Has this blog post encouraged you to look out for other mums to be? Let us know in comments section below!

We are very confident that you can find suitable and positive way how to connect with other expectant mums. Now it’s over to you… Go, find it & just give it a go!

Exercises, Exercising with chronic conditions, Fitness, Uncategorized, Yoga and Stretching

Yoga is not just a sport

6th March 2021 yzhangLeave a comment

Yoga is one of the oldest physical exercises in the “Oriental”. It originally originated in India 5000 years ago and is now popular all over the world. Yoga is not only the exclusive choice for middle-aged people, but also more and more young and old people join the ranks of yoga practice.
A disease-free body, a violence-free society, a confusion-free mind, a inhibition-free intellect, a trauma-free memory, a sorrow-free soul and a quiver-free breath is the impact that Yoga can make on your life.

Yoga is not only exclusive to middle-aged people

A young girl said: “I tried Pilates, NTC, HIIT, madness and other methods. This is the most effective exercise training on the market for weight loss and shaping. After being exposed to yoga, I felt unprecedented strength. I completely changed Now, this change is not only physically, but also mentally.”
However, some elderly people think that yoga is only suitable for young people or people with better flexibility. In fact, yoga is suitable for people of all ages and physical levels. The latest research shows that yoga is especially helpful for people over 60 years old and can improve their flexibility and balance.

If you are a beginner, a yoga mat is essential.

Story

Thousands of years ago, in India a long time ago, in order to enter the highest state of the unity of nature and man, eminent monks often lived in secluded forests and meditated. After living in a simple life for a long time, the eminent monks realized many natural yoga aesthetic principles from observing living things, and then verified the living principles of living things to humans, and gradually sensed the subtle changes inside the body, so humans understood Dialogue with your own body, so as to know how to explore your own body, begin to maintain and regulate health, as well as the healing instinct for disease and pain. Thousands of years of research have been summed up, and a set of theoretically complete and practical body-building and fitness system has been gradually developed. This is yoga.

Systemic physical improvement

There are various benefits of practicing yoga, including accelerating the body’s metabolism, removing waste from the body, and helping the body to repair. Yoga can enhance body strength and body elasticity, so that the body’s limbs develop in a balanced manner. Yoga can also prevent and treat various physical and mental diseases: back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, headache, joint pain, insomnia, digestive disorders, dysmenorrhea, hair loss, etc. Yoga can regulate the whole body system, improve blood circulation, promote endocrine balance, reduce stress and nourish the heart, release the body and mind, and achieve the purpose of self-cultivation. Other benefits of yoga include improving immunity, concentration, increasing vitality, and improving vision and hearing, and so on.

Relieve muscle stress

With the increase of age, the quality of muscles is deteriorating day by day. The charm of yoga is that even an ordinary Hatha yoga practice can relieve the practitioner’s muscle pressure and increase muscle resilience. Downward dog pose, plank pose, warrior 1 pose, and warrior 2 pose are particularly suitable for yoga beginners, and they have a good effect on improving strength. While practicing yoga, we need to replenish moisture appropriately, so a beautiful water bottle may bring you a good mood all day long.

Increase flexibility

With the passage of time and the reduction of activity, the muscles of the elderly lose some elasticity, and it is even difficult for some elderly people to bend over and bend their knees to tie a shoelace in daily life.
For these elderly people with poor flexibility and flexibility, it is recommended to try sitting forward flexion. People who have difficulty can use yoga bands to stretch their shoulders and hamstrings; cat pose or wheel pose can also be flexible for the spine; sprint pose can open hip flexion Muscles; Side Bend Mountain Pose can stretch muscles along the trunk.

Increase positive emotions

Some elderly people feel lonely and lonely. Joining a yoga class can broaden the social circle of the elderly and get to know more friends. In addition, yoga is recognized as an “emotional booster.” Heart-opening yoga poses and back bending poses like cobra pose, boat pose, and bridge pose have been proven to increase the positive emotions of patients with depression. Practicing yoga asanas, pranayama, and meditation can help improve mood, bring more positive energy, and reduce anxiety.

Relax and reduce stress

We can use the exercise and relaxation of yoga to allow us to focus on stretching and strengthening the muscles of the body. When our body and mind are in a state of complete relaxation and focus on stretching the limbs, we can release negative emotions and begin to have Positive emotions enable us to achieve a state of mind of “combining with nature”.

Anti-Aging

Anti-aging is no longer a topic for middle-aged and elderly people. More and more young people are joining this topic. Yoga is the exercise that can achieve this effect. Why can yoga be anti-aging? Because long-term yoga practice can improve body functions in the following aspects to achieve anti-aging results. 1) Enhance bone density 2) Relieve arthritis 3) Strengthen core, stay away from back pain 4) Improve circulation 5) Protect ligaments 6) Relieve tendinitis 7) Say goodbye to stiffness 8) Refuse menopause 9) Avoid high Blood pressure 10) Avoid asthma 11) Improve respiratory function 12) Relieve insomnia 13) Regulate chronic diseases.

Positive Impact of Yoga on Brain and Mental Health

There are many studies that show that yoga and meditation can improve our memory and concentration. Both yoga and meditation help us play a higher level role in work, home or school. Yoga helps people deal with adverse situations in a more realistic way. It teaches people to accept and release negative energy, and know how to be grateful, which is necessary to deal with this negative and stressful situation. We can think of yoga as an art, which helps us connect with ourselves on a deeper level. Yoga is a low-impact exercise that involves each of our organs and body parts and our breathing patterns to create balance in our body and mind.
Every action we practice yoga activates the nervous system-brain, muscles, bones and emotions at the same time. Yoga poses bring a holistic change, helping us lead a balanced and fulfilling life.

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Consult your physician, doctor or other professional before starting any exercise or nutrition program. This is especially important for people over the age of 35 or those with pre-existing health problems. In accordance with our advice, Exercise.co.uk is not responsible for any personal injury or property damage caused.

If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain or any other unusual symptoms, stop exercising immediately and consult your doctor immediately.