Tag Archives: yoga

New posters for Les Mills Body Combat and Body Balance – but I have an issue.

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Wow!

Hot on the heels of the sizzler video previews, Les Mills have released new posters to promote their latest classes.

I think they look amazing. But I have an issue with the way Clubs use these posters. Have a look at the posters, then see whether you agree with my last thoughts below.

Les Mills Body Combat and Body Balance
Body Combat Poster
Les Mills Body Combat and Body Balance
Body Balance Poster

Here’s my issue. And this is the marketer in me speaking. Whilst the posters look fabulous – do they actually say anything about the classes? If you hadn’t done either class before would you be enticed along? And the call to action, “Try the new release, see club timetable for details” is really tiny. Is that really effective?

What I find fascinating about this sort of marketing is that it is preaching to the converted. The clubs put these posters up on the walls in the studios where the classes take place. It makes the walls look pretty but everyone attending the class already knows about them. They are converts. They don’t need convincing. It’s like putting an advert for a BMW inside a BMW car after someone has bought one.

They should put these posters and the other marketing material out where those who are not attending the classes can see them.

See the posters for all the other Les Mills programmes – check out Simon Philp’s Blog.

Now it’s your turn: What do you think of these new posters for Les Mills Body Combat and Body Balance? They look good but would they entice you into a class? I would love to hear your views. Please leave a comment below and let me know.

Have a look at the sizzler video preview for Les Mills Body Balance release 62

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During our long hot summer my Body Balance classes have challenged and chilled my participants. As we feel the first chill of autumn it’s time to look forward to the new Body Balance class from Les Mills. I will be going to the Quarterly Workshop in a few weeks and will then begin the cycle of learning and launching again.

So have a look at the video sizzler preview for Les Mills Body Balance release 62.

It’s good to see Doctor Dave back on the masterclass video. And one of the lady presenters is our own UK Head Trainer for Body Balance, Sarah Durnford.

The sizzler doesn’t give much away, but I think I hear the theme tune from the James Bond film “Skyfall” in there.

It’s always exciting to see what’s in a new release. This little taster has me looking forward to trying out the full class in a few weeks time.

Your turn: What do you think of the sizzler video preview for Les Mills Body Balance release 62? Why not post a comment or share your thoughts? Let me know what you think.

Let’s challenge the top four reasons stopping people going to a yoga class

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I was on holiday recently and as usual I browsed the books in WH Smith’s before the flight out. A book caught my eye, called “The Art of Thinking Clearly” by Rolf Dobelli. I read a couple of chapters and was immediately hooked enough to buy it.

So what has this got to do with the top four reasons stopping people going to a yoga class? Well let’s look at those reasons before I explain.

stopping people going to a yoga class

  • Yoga is a religion, is very spiritual and involves a load of chanting
  • You have to be very flexible to do yoga and I am not
  • Yoga isn’t as good for you as other forms of exercise like swimming, running or the gym
  • Yoga is dangerous and I could hurt myself

There are thousands of articles, blogs, videos and podcasts that very effectively point out why these reasons are wrong.But I still hear them from potential participants. I have always been curious about why certain myths prevail when there is so much evidence available to debunk them.

Well “The Art of Thinking Clearly” gave me an insight into what is going on here. These four yoga myths prevail because of the way humans think and the way we filter information. The chapter in the book about “Confirmation Bias” was a revelation to me.

What is confirmation bias? It’s a tendency of people to seek information that confirms their beliefs. People gather or remember information selectively and then interpret it in a biased way. The effect is stronger for emotionally charged issues and for deeply entrenched beliefs. They also tend to view ambiguous evidence as supporting their existing position.

stopping people going to a yoga class
photo credit: asterix611 via photopin cc

So if someone has heard that yoga is a religion, despite the fact that they can find many arguments to the contrary on the Internet, they will select the articles that confirm their view-point and deliberately or subconsciously ignore those that conflict with their view. I read about churches stopping yoga classes in their halls because they hold this view. I can now see why it is so hard to convince them of the truth. Their belief is so deeply entrenched that they will only acknowledge the information that confirms their view.

As yoga teachers part of our job is to overcome these reasons that stop people from going to yoga classes.

  • Yoga is not a religion though for some it is a way of life. The elements that seem spiritual are more to do with realising your own nature, or becoming more self-aware.
  • You don’t have to be flexible to practice yoga. I guess this myth comes from pictures of very flexible girls with their legs wrapped behind their heads in very advanced poses. The fact is however flexible you are, you will become a little more flexible with every class you attend.
  • As a form of exercise yoga is just as good as swimming, running or the gym. Granted some forms of yoga are not aerobically challenging but Ashtanga or Power yoga will certainly raise the heart rate as much as an aerobics class. Yoga means stress reduction, better sleeping, better posture, greater flexibility and muscle tone, improved energy levels and more strength.
  • As far as yoga being dangerous and liable to cause injury. Well you can hurt yourself in any sport. As long as you follow the teacher’s instructions yoga is not a problem. Again this is a great example of confirmation bias at work. People will read an article or hear a news report about one or two injuries and take that as confirmation of their viewpoint. They ignore, of course, the many millions who do not get injured, mainly because the media do not report about that.
stopping people going to a yoga class
photo credit: asterix611 via photopin cc

I will continue to encourage people to practice yoga and overcome these objections. I did realise however that us teachers are also subject to confirmation bias. We will naturally seek out the information that supports our view. To become better at helping our clients we should have a closer look at the articles and reports that support the myths so that we can even better understand them and refute them.

Your turn: You might think that talking about “confirmation bias” was a strange concept to introduce into a blog about yoga. But I found the concept fascinating. What do you think? I would be very interested to hear your views. Please leave a comment below or post a link to your own blog.

Want to achieve fitness success? Look no further than Group Fitness Classes.

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Do you want to get fit?

Perhaps you have been down to the gym but found all those exercise machines a little daunting? It doesn’t help your confidence when there is some super-toned muscle-bound hunk running on the treadmill at break neck speed.

And let’s face it, running on a treadmill is quite dull isnt it? Lonely too, even with a personal trainer encouraging you on.

This is why I love group fitness classes. They aren’t dull at all. You feel motivated not only by the instructor but also by the other participants. There’s a social element as well as healthy competition.

group fitness classes

The first class I ever went too was Body Pump over ten years ago. I remember being a reluctant attendee. My legs were on fire the following day with the sheer agony of delayed onset muscle soreness. But after a few classes I began to notice results – a difference to my physique and my stamina.

Soon after I discovered Body Combat, the martial arts based fitness class from Les Mills. I was hooked and eventually went on to train as an instructor. And yoga followed on soon after.

I now teach Body Combat, Body Balance, Hatha Yoga and Power Yoga in clubs around Edinburgh.

I love it more now that I did when I started and do you know why?

group fitness classes
photo credit: Gamma Man via photopin cc

It’s not just the social aspect of the classes although I have made some really good friends because of it. It’s not just the adrenaline rush of 30 or 40 people shouting “Kiai” whilst performing a roundhouse kick, or the beautiful sight 30 or 40 people looking strong and proud in Sun Warrior pose.

No it’s the sense of achievement you can see on the participants faces when they master a move, meet a goal, or make a lasting change that benefits them physically. It’s an achievement getting slightly more flexible after each yoga class. It’s an achievement pushing their aerobic capacity in Body Combat.

For me as a group fitness class instructor, there simply isn’t anything better than seeing that look of achievement on their faces.

Whatever your fitness goals there is a group fitness class out there that will be perfect for you.

Your turn: What is your favourite group fitness class? I would love to hear about your achievements, or your stories about your favourite classes. Please leave a comment below and share your experiences.