When you are stretching and flexing away in a Body Balance class, combining Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates, you rarely think about the company behind the class – Les Mills.
For each of their many fitness classes, they release a new set of routines and music every 3 months. And in order for everyone in clubs all over the world to enjoy a fresh new and challenging experience they work to a time-table 2 quarters ahead.
So if you are working out to Body Balance release 59 – Les Mills will have already filmed Body Balance release 60 – and will be prepping and rehearsing for Body Balance release 61.
Recently they have started releasing teaser videos of the imminent next release. Now here is another treat. A video showing the preparation and rehearsals for the release after that. We won’t see Body Balance release 61 in the UK until June/July 2013 – so enjoy this little insight.
Your turn: What do you think of this sneak look behind the scenes Body Balance release 61 TWO releases ahead? Is it too much too soon? Or do you like the treat of a teaser? Click below where it says “Leave a reply” and share your thoughts.
When I first watched the DVD master-class for Body Balance release 59 I thought, “Oh no! I might have to write my first negative review since number 39 – five years ago.”
The music didn’t excite me, the moves seemed bitty and lacked flow, and I felt completely underwhelmed.
A few days later I went to the Quarterly Workshop where trainer, Sarah Durnford, presented the new class. Well I loved the music and I thought the moves were tough and flowed perfectly. It was a great learning experience and I came away from the workshop fired up and ready to learn and teach Body Balance release 59.
Body Balance release 59 poster
On reviewing the DVD I am sorry to say that what killed it for me was the mother daughter double act of Jackie and Diana Mills teaching. Whilst there were touching moments of motherly love, the constant talking, switching from one to the other (which sounded like they were constantly interrupting themselves), made the DVD painful to watch.
When I learned this release I did so with the presenter voices turned off. I know they were trying something different but for me this didn’t work.
Fortunately our clients don’t get to see the DVD and the good news is that this release has gone down a storm. Far from it being the worst since number 39 – it probably ranks as one of the best.
So let’s look at the tracks.
Tai chi warm up (Princess of China): A pretty good cover of a Coldplay/Rhianna song with two very simple Tai chi moves. The first sequence works your legs more than is normal in a warm up – you’ll feel this straight away of you go deep. The second is a lovely arm circle – but do you know what? It looks stunning in a full class of people. In my first class of 2013 the sight of 35 people circling arms upwards and sinking down was almost moving. I wished I had a video camera with me. In fact I might film it next week. Breathtaking.
Sun salutations (With or Without You): Another passable cover song but I would have preferred the U2 original. The music is very upbeat and I think that makes you work harder. The first two salutations are pretty standard apart from the twisting lunge, but the second two get more interesting as we add in standing lunge pose and warrior 2.
Standing Strength (Some Night): A cover of a track by Fun – and this track lives up to that group’s name. There are many poses in here: warrior 2, standing lunge, warrior 1, triangle, extended warrior, floating half-moon and finally sun warrior. Initially I felt there was too much going on, but actually you need the variety to take your mind off how hard you are working. I like the “tribal arms” sequence. One of the cues I use in Body Combat is “this would be a good place for a scary face” – I never thought the would be an opportunity to use this cheesy line in Body Balance.
Balance (A Drop in The Ocean): After a long and tough standing strength, this balance track is quite short with only eagle, star and dancer’s pose choreographed to a beautiful song.
Hips track
Hips (Born to Die): We start in Hindi squat and stay there for ages. Then a wide legged seated forward bend which you can really take your time getting deeper with each exhalation. One lady in my class can get her whole chest and torso on the floor with her legs at right angles. Perhaps if we all did this track for the next 30 years we would get there too. I love the extended quad stretch where your reach out with the front arm and lower your head and body towards the floor. Keep holding that foot if your can. The stretch is exquisite.
Core abs (Home): A cover of a very quirky, if not odd, track by Edwards Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. It sounds like it’s out of a western. But we don’t notice the music for long. The crunches, the hovers variations along the way make your abs burn hotter than the sun in a western desert. Ouch but good.
Core back (The Other Side): This looks deceptively simple. But try those scorpion push ups on your toes and you will fatigue quickly. A good combo of diagonal pointers, bow poses and a catchy pop song.
Twists track
Twists (If my Heart were a House): A lovely mellow track with gentle reclined and seated twists. And then just when you think you are chilling out along come the last twisted lunges with the option to bind the arms under the front leg. This is a very tough yoga bind which I cannot do – and so far no one in my classes can do. It gives us something to aim for but there is so little time before the track ends to really give it a go properly.
Forward bends/hamstrings (In my Arms): What a beautiful song. Simple seated forward bends then an optional standing split. After revisiting the Tai Chi moves from the first track, we finish in a standing wide leg forward bend which is another exquisite stretch.
Relaxation (If I Rise): This isn’t really a relaxation – more of a forward bends/hamstrings part two. But wide legged standing forward bend, down to happy baby and then finishing in butterfly pose certainly sets us up for the “real” relaxation track which is next.
Meditation (Contentment): More astonishing and relaxing piano playing from Stanton Lanier. This is the third or fourth time his music has guided our meditation and I find it most welcome. Though perhaps this one, at just under 9 minutes, is just a little too long?
So after my first reaction to the DVD it turns out that this is another very strong Body Balance release. A great variety of music, challenging standing poses, another couple of very tough core tracks, and lots of smiling faces and exhausted groans. Love it.
Your turn: Are you a Body Balance instructor? What do you think of my review of Body Balance release 59? Do you agree? Please share your thoughts. If you are a participant let me know what you think as well. Is it too tough? Click below where it says “Leave a reply” and share!
I think most of us forget how to breathe. To breathe properly I mean.
In our busy lives, as we rush from one place to another, from home to work, from shops to pub, the act of breathing never crosses our minds. We take it for granted. But sometimes it is worth stopping and simply “noticing” and “feeling” your breath.
Most of the time we take very shallow and very short breaths and only use the top part of our lungs. This keeps us alive obviously, but it is not the healthiest way to breathe. Taking time to slow your breath down and experience a deeper breath that fills your lungs completely from bottom to top brings more oxygen into your body. It slows your heart rate, makes you feel calmer and more energised. And it is really good for you.
Yoga offers you the opportunity to explore your breath and synchronise it with exercise. For example in the sun salutation sequence you inhale into one pose before exhaling as you move into the next one.
Breath in when you are working against gravity and breath out when you are working with it. For example inhale when pushing yourself into upward facing dog. If you’re holding a yoga pose, gently stretch a little further on the out breath.
The best part of a yoga class for noticing and feeling your breath is in the relaxation sequence at the end – known as savasana. This is where you can explore the full body yoga breath.
Lie down on your yoga mat and relax. Exhale completely and start your next in breath deep down in the bottom of your tummy near your belly button.
Feel your tummy expand and begin to fill your lungs from bottom to top.
Then allow your breath to move to the centre of your abdomen and notice how you expand out sideways.
Finally allow your chest to expand and feel your rib age open as you finish breathing in. This could take a few seconds. On my yoga training we did breathing exercises like this and on one occasion I managed to allow the in breath to take 45 seconds.
Hold your breath for a couple of seconds and then breathe out and feel the opposite sensations. Feel your chest contract. Notice how you sink slightly and allow your exhalation to flow down through the centre of the abdomen and finish deep down near your tummy button.
This is the full body yoga breath. It’s so relaxing and so restorative. Give it a try in your next class or even if you are looking to chill out a bit at home.
Some people are often tempted to cut out the relaxation phase at the end of a yoga class. Why? Because they are busy and have places to rush to and shallow breaths to take as a result. It really is worth spending those last ten minutes exploring the benefits of the full body yoga breath. The health benefits are much more important than the ten minutes you think you save.
Over to you: Do you practice the full body yoga breath? How does it make you feel? Leave a comment by clicking below where is says “leave a reply”. I would love to read your thoughts on this.
What a lovely day to go on the training for Body Balance release 59. It was bitterly cold but bright sunlight washed over the Pentland hills as I drove towards Craiglockhart Leisure Centre.
Once there things heated up quickly – I think the air conditioning was stuck on warm because I was sweating like a tap after only five minutes. First up was some education and presenter, Sarah Durnford, took us through some breathing exercises to add depth to Warrior 2, Lunge, and Dancer’s poses. It’s amazing what a difference to the exercise intensity you can bring with a little more breath focus.
Sarah doing a standing split at the Quarterly Workshop for BB59
Soon it was time to experience the masterclass. I’ve not seen Sarah before but she has a very precise style and eased us all into greater challenges. These are my first impressions of Body Balance release 59.
Like last time the music choice is quite upbeat and once again this makes the exercises seem harder
I like the cover version of U2’s With or Without You for the sun salutations but I think the original would have been even better
In the standing strength the music is very tribal sounding hence some of the tribal inspired changes to the warrior poses
Dancer’s pose is back in the Balance track – always a welcome addition
For the third release in a row the core abs track is a real tough one. I hope you like hovers. Not sure about the “western – Annie Get Your Gun Music” though
There is a standing split on the last track. As you can see from the photo, Sarah is very good at this. I’m not
We relax to the beautiful piano sounds of Stanton Lanier – and once again I make a note to myself to buy one of his albums
I had already watched the DVD before the quarterly workshop and I must admit I found the Diana and Jackie Mills double act a little grating. It spoiled my first impression of the class. Therefore I was hoping Sarah would sell the class better.She explained that they filmed it deliberately like that so that Diana used the set up cues and Jackie did follow-up and feel. I get it now.
And Sarah did sell it! Body Balance release 59 continues a long run of very good classes. It’s quirky and some might find the music a little less “balancey” than usual, but the extra tempo motivates you to work harder.
Over to you: Have you tried Body Balance release 59? What do you think of the level of intensity? Go on! Leave a comment. Just click below where it says “Leave a Reply” and share your thoughts.
