Tag Archives: fitness classes

With or Without You – Review of Body Balance Release 59

Fitness and Yoga, , , , , , ,

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.

review of 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.

review of body balance release 59
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.

review of body bbalance release 59
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!

If you want to know more about Body Balance – read my article: What is a Body Balance Class?

 

8 reasons why yoga should be your New Year’s Resolution

Fitness and Yoga, , , , , , , , ,

Happy New Year to everyone. Have you made a resolution? Will you stick to it?

People are talking about giving up alcohol, chocolate, sweets, canned drinks, coffee, red meat, biscuits and cream cakes. They are going to join a gym, take up running, enter a marathon, go to boot camp, hire a personal trainer and start using stairs instead of the lift.

The problem is that this takes will-power and committment. A high percentage of new gym members stop going regularly after just six weeks. But they keep paying their fees much to the delight of the gym’s accountants. And many will be back on the alcohol, chocolate, sweets, canned drinks, coffee, red meat, biscuits, cream cakes or whatever takes their fancy by the beginning of February.

8 reasons why yoga
photo credit: lululemon athletica via photopin cc

Why not just take up yoga instead? It might sound like it’s just as tall an order as giving up pizza, but you don’t even need to join a gym to do it. You could go to a drop in studio or even get hold of a decent DVD and practice in your living room.

Do yoga once or twice a week and you will see benefits almost immediately. Here are 8 reasons why yoga should be your New Year’s resolution.

Better flexibility: You don’t have to be flexible to start doing yoga, but every class you attend will make you more flexible. Yoga moves gently stretch your body and over time will increase your range of motion.

Better muscle tone: Yoga tones muscles because most of the poses involve either strengthening or stretching particular muscles groups. You can develop long lean muscles by doing yoga. In fact you could work pretty much every muscle in the body. And the flow of exercises mean that you will also get a cardiovascular work out as well.

Increased strength: Each yoga pose either strengthens or stretches a group of muscles. By holding poses you will gain muscle strength.

Better posture: Improved flexibility and increased strength means that your posture will also improve. You will also find that your balance will get better.

Re-energised: Apart from the more cardio-based forms of yoga, such as power yoga, you won’t find that your energy fade during a yoga class. Indeed you will find yourself re-energised and feeling quite vigorous after class.

8 reasons yoga
photo credit: lululemon athletica via photopin cc

Less stressed: The physical exercises you do in yoga can also be combined with relaxation and breathing techniques which induce calmness and lower your heart rate. Enhanced mindfulness and mental calm can leave you feeling less stressed.

Less pain: By increasing your range of motion and strengthening your muscles you can prevent pain because you will become less susceptible to injury.

Everyone benefits: Don’t listen to the clichés. You don’t have to be a bendy girl to do yoga. No matter what your age, size, shape or level of fitness you can benefit.

And what’s more it compliments other forms of sport and might even make you more successful at them.

Your turn: Has yoga made a difference to your life? Have you noticed all these changes. I’m on a mission to get more people doing yoga in 2013. Please share your stories. Click below where it says “Leave a reply”.

 

2 iPad Yoga Apps you must check out immediately whether you are a teacher or participant

Fitness and Yoga, , , , , , , , , , ,

Ever since the 1980s when Jane Fonda’s aerobics video, complete with lurid lycra and leg warmers, hit the shelves, we’ve seen fitness resources develop along with technology.

From celebrity programmes for people wanting to burn a few calories in their living rooms, to fitness experts offering ideas, routines and choreography for instructors.

VHS gave way to DVD and we are now firmly in Blu Ray and digital territory. The amount of material available across the internet is staggering. It’s difficult to know where to start. Yoga teachers and participants are particularly spoiled with excellent resources available from world-class teachers including Baron Baptiste, David Farmar, Shiva Rea, Tara Styles and Ashtanga yoga guru David Swenson.

Now for tablet computers like the iPad there is a whole new generation of yoga resources available for download. Two of these apps really stand out because of the sheer amount of detail and richness of their content.

First up is All-in Yoga HD from Arawella Corporation.

iPad Yoga Apps
All-in Yoga splash screen.

The app is video, photo, audio and text-based. You can choose a series of predefined yoga sequences based upon your age, time available and aims, such as strength. Or you can create your own sequences. Then you press play and the app will talk you through each pose in your chosen sequence.

iPad Yoga Apps
Example pose page – with video, text and muscle diagram.

For every yoga pose (and there are hundreds), you get a video of a girl performing the pose, a text description, and a diagram showing the muscles you use. This is a very versatile app with clear instructions and excellent videos.

The second app is iYoga Premium by 3D4Medical.com.

iPad Yoga Apps
iYoga splash page.

Just like All-in Yoga this equally detailed collection allows you to create your own sequences or use some preset programmes. But what sets this app apart from any others that I have seen is the videos showing the muscles in the body.

iPad Yoga Apps
Example pose page with working and stretching muscles shown in blue and red.

For each pose you can see two angles. A quick finger swipe will enlarge one or the other so that it fills the full screen. This feature is an invaluable resource for yoga teachers as it shows you which muscles are working (blue) and which are stretching (red). I’ve found that using this app has helped with my coaching in classes. People really like to know what they are doing. This app is a great prompt for your physical cues.

The videos are beautiful to watch as well as their obvious education value.

Both apps are about £1.99 to buy and the iYoga premium has an in-app upgrade of more advanced poses for another £1.99. I highly recommend both apps to yoga teachers and participants alike.

Over to you: What do you think of these 2 iPad Yoga apps? Have you used them either as a teacher or as a participant? Are there any other apps that you would recommend? Please share your thoughts. Click below where is says – “Leave a Comment” and let me know.

Don’t forget how to breathe – exploring the full body yoga breath

Fitness and Yoga, , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

full body yoga breath
photo credit: Flavio~ via photopin cc

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.

full body yoga breath
photo credit: Flavio~ via photopin cc

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.