Many men have tight hamstrings. It’s common with athletes, particularly runners and footballers. But anyone who exercises regularly and works their legs with weights and machines can find that their hamstrings become shorter and tighter.
I was the same. Well into my 30s I couldn’t bend down and touch my toes. Then I took up yoga, initially as a participant, and then went to train as a teacher and I am now more flexible than I have ever been.
I have written on this blog before that more men should try yoga. Hitting tight hamstrings is one of the top reasons for giving yoga a go. It can stretch the hamstring muscles, release tightness and improve flexibility.
If you were like me then your hamstrings might feel like just one great big knot of tightness. There are in fact three distinct muscle groups. The technical names are the semitendinosus, biceps femoris, and semimembranosus, but to keep it simple just think of them as the central, inner, and outer hamstrings. There are standing and seated yoga poses that let you stretch and release each of these.
Go to a yoga website like Yoga Journal or download a yoga app; look up these exercises and given them a try.
To stretch and release the central hamstrings look for forward folds. You do each of these with your feet hip width apart – I’ve included the old style Sanskrit name of the pose just to make it easier to find the poses on the web. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana), and Plow Pose (Halasana).
Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana): photo credit: myyogaonline via photopincc
To relieve the inner hamstring take your legs wider to bring the stretch into the inner edges of your legs. Poses that stretch the inner hamstrings include Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavista Konasana) and Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana – whilst I do not focus on the Sanskrit names unless my classes specifically ask me to I am very fond of this one. It just sounds great to say) .
Finally to work on the outer hamstrings take your legs closer to the mid-line in standing forward folds. Look for Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana) and Intense Side Stretch (Parsvottanasana) – I particularly love this one. It takes you to the fine line between pleasure and pain – in a good way.
If you introduce a little yoga alongside running, pumping weights and martial arts you can get a perfect balance of cardio, strength, flexibility and stretch.
Over to you: Are you a guy who has used yoga to improve your flexibility and in particular your hamstrings? Many men still see yoga as something that only ladies do. Help me to get more men to try it out. Yoga can stretch muscles and improve flexibility. Share your experiences and stories. Please leave a comment or post a link.
Is Body Balance getting too hard. Does Body Balance release 58 step too far over the line?
Before I try to answer that from an instructor’s point of view, let’s be honest. Some clubs incorrectly promote Body Balance as “the easy Les Mills programme”. And this means some newcomers are quite surprised how hard it seems even if you teach them low options. That’s because their expectations are to expect “easy”.
With release 58 I’ve had feedback from seasoned regulars that this one is “too hard”. On the other hand other have said that they are really enjoying the challenge and say, “It’s different,” and, “I like it.”
Body Balance 58 Poster
My first impression of this class was I didn’t find it as lethal as the last one. In fact I felt the conditioning tracks last time were among the toughest exercises I had ever done. Not in a Body Balance class, but ever. But no one told me they thought that one had crossed the line.
So why has Body Balance release 58 polarised participant opinion? I have a theory but first let’s have a look at the tracks.
Tai chi warm up (Feeling Good): A very short introduction with simple moves because there’s no time for complexity. A few forward arm swings followed by huge circular movements bring a focus breathe. It’s great that we go back to the tai chi moves later in track 8 however as this opener really is blink and its over.
Sun Salutations (Little Star): Musically this is the low point of the class and pose sequence that goes with it is very complex. Extra push ups. Added standing lunges. Three legged dogs. The first time I taught this I overran. So the music was over before I finished the moves. I had to practice even more than usual to nail it. Perhaps the issue is that the sequence doesn’t match the verse chorus structure of the song. So you start and finish the four salutations at a random point in the song and not at the beginning of each verse. It is also very hard to hear and feel the beat. Maybe a less complex sun salutation repeated 6 times might have fit the song structure better. It just feels awkward.
Standing Strength (Next To Me): I’ve listened to this song on the radio all year and have expected it to turn up in Balance. At six and a half minutes this is a challenge but the music breezes along so that you think it is over much quicker. Only at the end when your quad muscles are screaming do you realise the music carried you through a tough set of warrior, lunge and triangle poses.
Corey Baird and the team from BB58 video
Balance (Somebody I used to know): Another chart hit that’s amassed hours of radio play. It has a completely different feel to the music we usually get in balance tracks. But despite the unusually uptempo number the movements are quite slow and flow together well. Tree pose is always welcome and it’s good to see eagle and warrior 3 back after a break.
Hip openers (Every Little Thing she does is Magic): A lovely optimistic upbeat cover by Les Mills of a very old Police hit from the 1980s. Again a relatively simple sequence; half lotus, swan, and a quad stretch. I love the smiles on people’s faces when they try to lift their front arm during the quad stretch. Wobbles are good guys! We finish with frog pose which I always think takes us to the fine line between pleasure and pain. And there’s no dignified way to get out of it is there?
Core abs (Shake it Out): Well this is definitely hard. Cycle crunches, leg raises, and those seated abdominal leg pulls are obviously making a guest appearance from CXWORX. Is this track the reason some people say that this release is too hard?
Core back (Power): This is tough as well (but not as lethal as it’s equivalent of 3 months ago). There is so much bum squeezing in this section. Bridge pose with leg lifts, striking cobras, elbow walking planks around the world locust poses bring fire to the gluteals. A very busy track with no breaks and quick transitions I think it is very effective. But do we need bird pose at the end? Even for people who can do it there is so little time to set it up and perform it effectively.
Twists (Paradise):Coldplay’s anthem allows us to revisit the tai chi moves from the first track. Eagle pose twist feels awkward at first but if you keep both feet on the ground and not trying to balance on one you’ll get it quicker. The twisting lunges choreographed to the anthem chorus are powerful and strong. Again actually a simple set of moves driven on by a powerful song.
Twisting Pyramid Pose
Forward bends and hamstrings (Your Song): I think this is a cover of the Nicole Kidman version of Elton John’s classic from the film Moulin Rouge. A simple sequence again but “How wonderful life is” when you reach high for those baby back bends. I like the intensity the twist in the pyramid pose brings to the legs. An emotional conclusion.
Relaxation and Meditation (Contemplation and Softly Falling): A mystical and haunting piece of music with a subtle beat almost lulls the heart back to resting as you breath deeply. As the music changes to the last piano outro we can change our focus from breath to body and bring ourselves back into the real world.
I like Body Balance release 58. It is a good choice of well-known tunes and challenging exercise. But is it harder that what has gone before? I’m not sure it is. The core abs track is genuinely tough. So perhaps it is the more uptempo songs that makes the release feel harder than the simplicity of some of the moves suggest. Maybe it is the music that is harder?
I would love to know what you think about this.
Over to you: Do you agree with this review of Body Balance release 58. Are you a Body Balance instructor? Please let me know what you think of this class. Is it too hard or just right? Participants what do you think? Go on share your thoughts. Leave a comment below.
I am writing this post with aching legs and burning shoulders. And it is all Body Combat Release 53’s fault. This is a relentless work out. It hardly lets up for a moment. Several times when first teaching this, I forgot to breathe. So the next time I warned the class to take care. Afterwards someone tweeted me to say that they too had failed to follow my breathing advice.
So let’s talk about the tracks.
Poster for BC53
Upper Body Warm Up (Written in the Stars): As usual an uplifting opener with a strong beat and catchy tune. As well as the usual jabs, upper cuts and hooks we also get to preview descending and ascending elbows from later in the class.
Lower Body Warm Up (Are You Ready For This?): Spot the instructors and participants who have done Body Combat for years. This song first appeared in release 10 way back in 2001. I find this a very busy lower body warm up with very quick transitions and a lot going on. The timing in the capoeira ginga shuffle is hard to nail. Overall though very effective as we get warm very quickly.
Combat 1 (Rock N Roll All Night): This is a disappointing track. It’s very short and is a rather insipid live version of the song. However we see the jump front kick in Combat 1 for the first time (it’s usually in track 4) and that raises the heart rate slightly before you blink and find that the track is over.
Power 1 (Shine On): Now the work out cranks up to lethal levels and pretty much stays there from now on. I found my shoulders were particularly sore after release 53 and it’s because all the three power tracks have a hook in the combinations thus working the same muscle groups over and over. The moves in Shine On are simple and the high amount of reps lead to fatigue and a fast heart rate. Use the short skipping break in the middle to get back control of your breathing.
Dan and Rach doing side kicks in Track 4
Combat 2 (Sweet Dreams): When I first heard this music I thought it was very dark and gothic. I’ve since found out that it is a cover of the Marilyn Manson and not the Eurythmics version so that explains it. Karate takes centre stage here with very powerful blocks and palm strikes. We build up the side kick sequence slowly and then ramp up the power. And I love the Kata which reminds me of the one from my all time favourite combat track, Scooter’s Jigga Jigga way back in release 25.
Power 2 (True Believer): Wow. Another relentless power track with a catchy sing along tune, pounding beat and great words let me create motivating cues. “You’re my inspiration” indeed. Another combo with a hook continues to burn the shoulders. I love the 7 upper cut combo with the huge seventh punch. And finishing with thirty odd upper cuts off the same arm elevates the heart rate to the top of the scale. We learn how endless punches like this can actually work the core as well as the arms. They are like sit ups stood up.
Combat 3 (Swagger Jagger):Cher Lloyd in Body Combat? You’re kidding right? I’ve seen much written on this song on Facebook and on discussion boards. It is an abomination. But the capoeira moves, very low lunges, esquivas, and the knee strikes and kicks torture your legs to the point where the music is irrelevant. If the pain doesn’t take your mind off the music just sing along to the melody in the chorus but substitute the words from the song it has ripped off, “Oh my darlin’. Oh my darlin’. Oh my darlin’ Clementine”.
Muay Thai (Blade): For a few releases now the Muay Thai tracks have featured rock songs. Personal I prefer my MTs to be thumping dance, techno trance tracks and this one is as thumpy dancey techno and trancey as it can get. Blade’s been in Combat several times over the years and it fits the programme so well. This is one of the moments I forgot to breathe. It’s a cardio blaster which will take you to the limit. On reflection the moves are very simple but the sheer intensity will leave you breathless. When I saw that the running order for this release was only 53 minutes I wondered why they didn’t double up this short MT track. I now know why. There is no way we could do it twice.
Power 3 (Summer Rain):Dan Cohen says that if you look up the word “epic” in a dictionary you will find the definition is “Body Combat 53 track 8”. At almost 8 minutes of flat-out punching it certainly feels epic. One of my issues with track 8s recently is that most of them finish with a long section of endless jabs. Finally we have variety mixing jabs and upper cuts into a frenzied melee. Even with my bandana on I found sweat pouring down into my eyes. It finished a little blurry.
Conditioning (Bangarang): Another dubstep song by Skrillex. More exercises based on hovers to blitz the core. In the notes booklet they describe the moves as “oblique shredders”. Start in plank (on knees or toes) and draw a knee to the side and in then kick out on an angle. Repeat for an eternity. This track worx!
Cool down (Is there anybody out there?): A pleasant cool down song. It is always good to see swan poses and down facing dogs in the last section – great leg and hip stretches. And a lovely finish with a return to the Kata from track 4.
Body Combat Release 53 is the best all round release for a while. It is such a good work out that I can forgive Swagger Jagger’s intrusion. If it wasn’t for the under-whelming track 2 this would have scored a well deserved 10 out of 10.
Over to you: I hope you enjoyed this review of Body Combat release 53. Are you a Body Combat instructor? Please let me know what you think of this class. Participants what do you think? Share your thoughts. Go on! Leave a comment.
Some people think yoga is a religion (or has religious overtones) and won’t give it a go as a result. I’ve seen churches kick classes out of their halls and community centres when they realise there are yoga classes happening under their roof.
This is a real shame because people could miss out on yoga’s physical benefits if they listen to these ill-informed views.
That said, although yoga is definitely not a religion, it is a way of life for many people. For them it includes elements beyond the exercises and breathing techniques we focus on in yoga classes. These other elements are probably the ones that wrongly create the religious perceptions and concerns.
There are eight elements to yoga. In most western classes, or modern interpretations of yoga, we take part mainly in the third, fourth and fifth elements.
These are the eight elements of yoga:
Yama
This means restraint. Yoga is about restraint from unhealthy actions such as cheating, stealing, and violence.
Niyama
Niyama means observance, or being content, pure, tolerant, remembering and studious.
Asana
Asanas are the exercises that most people recognise yoga for. The poses have names such as warrior 2, downward facing dog, frog, tree and teachers will often use their Sanskrit names like Utanasana.
Pranayama
Pranayama are breathing techniques such the complete yoga breath.
Pratyahara
This is the moment before meditation begins, effectively preparation for meditation. It means the withdrawal of the mind from the senses.
Dharana
Dharana is concentrating on one object for a length of time.
Dhyana
This is meditation, the other yoga element that most people recognise. It involves the ability to create an image of an object, place or person and becoming immersed in that image. Or it could simply be clearing the mind of all thoughts.
Samadhi
Finally samadhi is realising your own nature, or becoming more self-aware.
I do not believe that any of these elements would be at odds with any religion a person may have. They are life choices in the same way as following a certain type of diet, or committing to an exercise routine agreed with a personal trainer.
It’s a different way of looking at yourself and the world. These elements can improve quality of life, regardless of your race, religion or profession. And of course you can find classes involving only the exercise element and nothing else – or classes that embrace all 8 elements. It’s up to you.
For me personally, yoga means stress reduction, better sleeping, better posture, greater flexibility and muscle tone, improved energy levels and other things I have written about in earlier yoga posts. Wouldn’t it be a shame to miss out on this simply for fear that yoga is a religion?
Perhaps those who peddle the myth, or those who close down community classes don’t really understand what yoga is about. If they put their prejudices aside and tried to understand it for what it really is then they might find that their main excuse for avoiding it is not an excuse at all.
Over to you: This is a tricky subject. I know some will disagree with my view. Some might take a deeper spiritual view of some of the elements but I still don’t think that makes those that claim yoga is a religion right. What do you think? Leave a comment. Share your thoughts. Let me know.
Update: Since I wrote this blog the UK press published an example of Catholic church banning a yoga class based upon it’s incorrect view that yoga is a religion. Madness.
