The moment when you are not progressing anymore in your workouts is called a plateau. There are many reasons why this may happen, but luckily there are also plenty of solutions to get over it.
Continue readingWith seemingly half the celebrities around the world getting their pictures taken leaving Pilates classes, and perhaps your friends and neighbors reducing aches and pains and becoming fit with Pilates, you might be wondering about Pilates lessons for yourself.
What do you expect from a Pilates class?
Most people will answer with something vaguely along the lines of “a core workout”. The truth is that Pilates works more than just your core — your entire body workout and a mindful way of exercising your muscles.
Your core isn’t just your abs — it’s your entire body from your diaphragm all the way to your pelvic floor. Pilates can help make your abs stronger or give you better muscular endurance in your core. Although the focus of a Pilates class is primarily on your core, your inner unit “powerhouse“, the class at Abbysan centre will also work your back, chest, arms, legs, neck, and feet!
Celebrities consistently credit Pilates as the reason for their toned muscles. It makes your arms lean and toned. A great butt is a great asset for everyone its helps in maintaining pelvic stability, knee alignment, power in jumps, speed when running and make your buttocks look good in tights of course. Pilates builds longer, leaner muscles making you stand taller and look slimmer!
Pilates is the exercise of dancers. Think of the bodies you see in movies or on the stage — if you want long, lean muscles like the dancers, then this is the workout for you. Celebrities consistently credit Pilates as the reason for their toned muscles. It makes your arms lean and toned.
Not only important for mums and mums-to-be, Pilates will strengthen your pelvic floor, which is a vital muscle for everyone. Your pelvic floor gives you control over your bladder and bowel, but can be weakened by childbirth, obesity and also if you lift a lot of heavy weights.
Pilates was initially developed as a rehabilitative tool. Joseph Pilates was a German gymnast, born in 1883, who dedicated his life to teaching his exercising techniques, believing that poor posture goes hand-in-hand with poor health. He believed that by having awareness of breath and of alignment of the spine, we can strengthen the deep torso and abdominal muscles, and reduce stress.
In a few instances, recreational activities and work habits may stress the musculature in such a manner as to make the body stiff, limit the range of motion in joints, and may lead to back pain. Soccer players, for instance, develop an increased tone in their hip flexors from kicking the ball and running.
Cyclists often show an increase in the size and strength of their quadriceps and gastrocnemius (calf) muscles due to the repetitive bending and straightening of the knee. Their hip flexors are often weak in comparison to soccer players or runners. In this post, I want to share a few things you can do as a cyclist to go that extra mile.
Hydrating your body 24 hours before your cycling session will help you cope with that outdoor heat better and reduce chances of fatigue due to loss of water. If you are a professional you know you can’t really drink lots of water during your cycling so your best best bet is to prepare a day before. Also Adding beetroot in the form of salad or juice helps with better oxidation in your muscles and keeps them active for a longer period of time. Let’s try and let me know how if this works for you.
Contact Us, if you need help creating a personalized program for you via Zoom Call or In-person.
Flexibility relates to the ability of the muscles to allow the joints to move freely.
Flexibility is often used as synonyms to Joint motion. To achieve optimium flexibility required for the functional movement on everyday basis we require to aim the following.
Joint mobilisation techniques:
By improving your range of motion, your body requires less energy to make the same movements and you also will have more flexible joints thus lessening the likelihood of injuries sustained during workouts, or any other time.
Stretching techniques:
Recent research has shown that static stretching can reduce muscle soreness after exercise. These slow, gradual movements involve a controlled elongation of the muscle through it’s full range of motion, and is then held for 15-30 seconds in the farthest position that can be held without pain. By stretching in this way, you can improve muscular balance and your resting posture.
Fascial release techniques:
Applying compression to the affected site induces a bio-electric and bio-chemical response that changes the connective myo-fascia from a semi-solid state into a more viscous or fluid state, freeing it to glide smoothly against adjoining tissues. Often, once the fascia is released the underlying muscles will relax.
All types of flexibility training will be more effective after a thorough warm-up, when the body temperature is elevated. Choose activities that serve two functions: relaxation and flexibility. This does not mean that the entire time has to be spent stretching.
Methods of Improving Flexibility
One of the most notable benefits of theses methods is that it promotes muscular relaxation and because of this, can lessen lower back pain. Since those muscles are commonly contracted throughout the day, whether sitting or doing activities, they can become stressed and cause pain. Becoming more flexible in the hamstrings, hip flexors, quadriceps and other muscles can help reduce that stress on the lower back and reduce the tightening that causes pain.
Yoga and pilates also increases the blood supply to muscle tissues, and your entire body delivering essential nutrients through your blood stream. It also increases joint synovial fluid, the lubricating fluid that promotes the transportation of nutrients to your joints. This allows for a greater range of motion, less joint pain and a reduced risk of joint degeneration.
Better Overall Health and Vitality can be achieved through above methods. You will notice less pain, improved movement, reduced muscle soreness, and improved physical performance. The feeling of well-being, and vitality you will notice as a result of a regular flexibility routine can provide many important health benefits.
“Stretching is not just a part of a workout, it can be a workout by itself.”
It would be best to have a solid foundation in yoga for certain poses and prevent injuries from faulty yoga practices; this is also true of homes and education.
I will share some significant reasons you need to build a solid foundation in yoga and some tips on doing this.
Yoga is a barefoot practice; you use all your feet muscles almost in all yoga poses. That’s why the first thing you need to do is start with your feet. Your stance and foot placement are the most critical part of building your concrete foundation in yoga.
The foot and ankle have very complex and often opposing functional responsibilities. They must flexible to adapt to uneven surfaces. Transfer high forces, and allow movement of the body in multiple directions.
During weight-bearing activities, the foot must quickly transform into a rigid lever that allows muscular contractions to propel the body forward, upward, sideways or any combination of these motions.
Your feet will sense and report if you are about to fall, or if your body is having issues with the yoga pose, or if you need to modify the position.
The foot also has a vital role in balance, sensing body location, and maintaining an upright posture; they directly connect to your core.
Realigning your foot and ankle is the first step in avoiding injury and building a foundation for your core.
Recommended Abbysan Classes – Hatha Yoga 1 and 3
Establishing a solid leg foundation can help prevent you from passing out and to recognize your endurance level.
You need to develop strength in your legs without locking your knees because locking your knee can cause you to pass out in yoga classes. Preferably, find your stability in your legs and observe when your body may be feeling fatigued. Fatigue can lead to passing out and various issues.
Recommended Abbysan Classes – Hatha Yoga 1 and 3, Hip Flow.
Whole-body awareness is the ultimate goal of building a foundation for Yoga practice.
The feet explicate your balance, your legs reveal fatigue, and your core foundation can determine if your mind and body are connected. When you can sense the disconnect, you can re-connect. This is the most considerable benefit for many people in yoga and trying to build a foundation.
Recommended Abbysan Classes – All Yoga Classes, and especially Back Stretch Vinyasa, Yoga Core, and Core Flow.
As you move through your yoga journey and practice, you will discover other reasons to make the solid foundation you need for your Asanas (Yoga Poses in Sanskrit) and daily routine.
When you have issues formulating your concrete foundation, consider a consultation with one of our yoga & wellness coaches. They can help you recognize and develop the foundation and work to make it stronger.
Join the presale list and get up to 200$ OFF on the YOGIC SCIENCE EXPERT CERTIFICATION COURSE by Dr Abhishek Agrawal opening on 9th August, 2021.
I am Dr. Abhishek, a naturopath with over 15 years of practicing and teaching Yoga, Pilates and mindful exercises. I have this incredible talent to help you break free from pains and limitations, improve your posture and body awareness so you can live mindful life.
I believe that our body is a complex machine and we need to deal with it in the Holistic Way.
In this article, I will try to highlight a few practical ways to manage chronic pains. And If you are suffering from chronic pains and physical limitations, you are definitely going to read this.
The Pain affects everyone in one way or another. The acute pain tends to resolve in a short time but has a sharp, aching sensation associated with it. On the other hand, the chronic pain is usually a dull and throbbing ache that could last for more than six months.
All pain starts as acute pain, in the form of injury, bad posture, or repeated movements and if not treated during the early onset, it can become chronic. Chronic pain affects a person’s everyday life without them realising it.
And most people, who suffer from chronic pain, have a reduced ability to function normally and the optimal efficiency of their work and duties are significantly reduced.
Chronic pain is also linked to depression, anxiety, and sleeping disorders, and may even reduce that person’s ability to stay normal. And, some chronic pains like arthritis, could inhibit mobility and flexibility. This results in a loss of contact with friends or families because you only wants to stay home and be left alone.
You may also have difficulty walking or carrying things which make you feel like a burden because you need to rely on other people. Plus you are unable to perform activities that you took for granted, such as running, dancing, or maintaining personal hygiene. And, in long term some conditions could even cause constipation or incontinence.
Therefore, it is crucial to properly manage your pain to be able to restore the quality of your life and your loved ones who are suffering from chronic pain, and not be restrained by the pain that can cause disability.
Often the feeling and sensation of pain is the sign that there is an ongoing inflammation and may be due to arthritis, sprains, headaches, lower back issues, and so on.
Proper treatment and plans are necessary to combat the chronic pains. I mean, How long can someone rely on Painkillers? Plus, the painkillers are not the only way to tackle pain, and the good ones are costly.
I am sure you have herd this before, but its so true that, by making changes in your lifestyle, you can be free from the pain in the long term. The three major changes required to be successful in dealing with these inflammatory pains are;
Changing diet, sounds simple but it’s more complicated than that. It requires a proper evaluation of your current intake of nutrient rich food.
Most researches have proved that antioxidants are known to reduce inflammation. Antioxidants can be found in deep-coloured fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, prunes, pomegranates, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, red beans, and kidney beans.
Besides that, other good sources of antioxidants are spices and herbs such as cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, parsley, basil, and curry powder. By incorporating foods rich in antioxidants into your diet, you can reduce pain without relying on painkillers.
A diet compromising of salmon, olive oil, and flaxseed oil is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for cholesterol levels and reducing inflammation.
Drinking hot liquids such as hot herbal teas with peppermint or wintergreen, and hot ginger tea with honey can help expel excess wind from the stomach and restore heat to the body.
Exercising is also good for the body and improves limb function. Muscles work as shock absorbers. By doing yoga, pilates on mat or reformer and strengthening exercises, they help the body to combat pain. However, a customised exercises regimen must be done regularly to get positive results.
It is essential to be able to accept pain as a part of your life that needs to be addressed before combating it. It is not impossible to get rid of the pain. With determination, making slight changes in your lifestyle, incorporating the right mindset, and genuine support from us, you will be able to overcome anything, including pain.
Until we meet, try to take charge of your pain today with these 10 simple steps:
The pain could occur with no apparent reason which puzzles prescribers and patients. It is important to bear in mind that chronic pain cannot be treated in one quick solution but needs an extensive personalised plan to manage.
So be patient!
Thank you for reading.
If you are suffering from pain please click here to book a free consultation and assessment session.
A walk might seem like child’s play compared to running a marathon or competing in CrossFit, but a walk can be a very healthy alternative if you lack the time or interest in exercising intensely.
Consider the many health benefits that walking provides. Going for a walk can do a lot more for your health and outlook on life than a gym membership that is rarely used. It’s much less expensive, too.
Humans were built for walking, and some health experts believe that the chair was the worst invention ever created. You can do a lot to enhance your health by standing up and taking a walk.
Are you feeling down, constipated, or overweight? Is your blood pressure or blood sugar a little high? Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? The solution might be as simple as walking for 30 minutes each day.
Enjoy the many benefits of a daily walk:
Walking is free, low-impact, and simple to do.
There’s no new skill to learn and no equipment to purchase. Unlike many other forms of exercise, walking can be done by those with weight issues and those with no athletic ability whatsoever. Just put on your shoes and get out the door.
Are you tired of your shoulder and neck pain? Or the symptoms of office syndrome?
If you are reading this, I assume you have tried every possible treatment like massage, physio, painkillers and acupuncture and all forms of physical exercises that claim to give you the relief from your pains and haven’t got any results or still hoping that continuing to a so-called general method will help you fix it and get rid of that pain?
Do you have an office job? Do you spend at least 8 hours each day sitting on a chair in front of a computer? Then chances are you suffer from the office syndrome.
People suffering of the office syndrome have back, neck or shoulder pain, headaches, aching arms, numbness of the hands or feet, eye strain, dry eyes or glare and other complications.
With the evolution of technology, most jobs nowadays involve 8 hours of sitting on a chair, in front of a computer. Sure, this is much easier and comfortable than doing physical labor, but it also causes a series of problems.
Sitting on a chair and staring at a monitor for so many hours every day can cause chronic pain, intervertebral disc disease and abnormalities in the spine.
This problem should be taken very seriously, If you do not plan to change career, you will probably do the same office job for the next 30 years or so. And even if you are feeling ok right now, you will definitely feel worse over the next years.
There are plenty of treatments out there that claim to be helpful, and I am sure you have tried some or all of them, by now you already know that, they will only give you temporary relief.
There are many methods out there that only provide temporary pain relief or that do not work at all, and it seems that experts are hiding the most effective solution for the office syndrome. Some of the ineffective solutions include acupuncture, electrical treatment and general Yoga classes.
What if I told you that you are not given the complete treatments. To every professional you go, they are experts of one method, and you might be an absolutely new case, but they still impose same treatments on every patient that has worked for others without a thorough examination, assessments, posture analysis or habits checked and why in the first place you got that pain? They might notice that you have some posture issues but they still are only limited to reducing your pain, which eventually will come back or move to other weak parts of the body.
Pricking a needle on so-called “acupoints”, may relieve pain by releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals, and by affecting the part of the brain that governs serotonin, a brain chemical involved with mood. If the acupuncture works on your body, you will start noticing that you are less stressed, you are sleeping better, having more energy, and your digestion is better. But all that can also be the result of simply doing proper exercises in their correct form.
Some people claim that acupuncture might be a solution, but that’s not really the best option. Acupuncture should be done by a specialist with lots of experience, otherwise just putting needles in random places of the body is useless.
Some people felt better with acupuncture, others haven’t felt anything, while others felt even worse. And even if the pain goes away for a short period of time during the session, it quickly returns. Not to mention that acupuncture requires a lot of time to get results, and not all people have the time, the money and the willpower to get stung with needles 2 to 3 times each week, over the course of a few months.
The various electric treatments offered by Physiotherapists are not effective in getting rid of the chronic pains. The TENS therapy (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) provides short-term pain relief and involves placing electrodes on the skin and delivering low-voltage electrical current. This alters the normal perception of pain, and it can work for some types of pain. Similarly, the ultrasound and short wave diathermy provide deep healing which promotes healing of the soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the body.
But when it comes to chronic low back pain, arthritis, or symptoms related to office syn-drome, it is not effective and is not recommended by the American Academy of Neurology.
You believe it or not but the fact is 90% of Office syndrome is related to habitual postural misalignment. There are various solutions out there, and yoga seems to be one of them. Sure, it has multiple benefits for the mind, body, and soul, but regular yoga classes may not be the best choice. People with no experience and with back stiffness, pain and lack of mobility, go to these classes and try to replicate the complicated poses they see others do. Not only they risk injury, but they will definitely not improve their back condition and office syndrome.
Most classes will not give you options that are related to your posture, in reality, none of the Yoga teacher trainings educate the teachers to analyze the posture. If you are flexible one way and stiff the other way, you always have a tendency to do the yoga positions that are easier, for example, if your beck bend is very good you will usually like to do the backbends, And that’s what makes your body more imbalanced. Please don’t get me wrong, Yoga is my life and profession, its also my most preferable form of training to keeping my body in good condition and for that reason, general yoga classes are absolutely beneficial but they won’t help you improve your posture in particular.
Postural imbalances are best corrected in a gradual, systematic manner. Since we are not only biological but also psychological and spiritual in nature, a change in our biology will affect our minds and enhance our spiritual awareness as well. In a nutshell – Maintaining a good posture is an inside job.
That’s why small group classes or even private one on one sessions are so much better because its customized solution for your problem and the instructor will focus on your specific needs and will have you perform movements that are beneficial for YOU. You get all that at Abbysan that is affordable.
“Treat the disease not the symptoms.”
Hello, I am Dr. Abhishek, a registered Naturopath & Yoga therapist. My holistic approach, can provide you the ultimate solution and help you break free from your pain and poor posture once and for all.
A behavioral change is a long-term solution to office syndrome and is easier than treatment required when the illness becomes chronic.
My 3 Step Holistic Approach will help you FREE from YOUR PAIN and LIMITATIONS.
Plus you will get a customized FIVE step program to self-management of chronic pain:
If you are serious and committed to fixing your pain, Look know more book your free 30 minutes consultation today and find out more.
The human body is amazing and it never ceases to amaze – with the ability to learn new techniques and adapt over time in order to survive – however, there is one thing that it gradually ceases to do: be flexible.
A human fetus (unborn baby developing in the mother’s womb) spends whole of its time floating and somersaulting in amniotic fluid (water that breaks before a woman goes into labor). This could explain the smooth flexibility of babies. One can often see an infant suckling their big toe or tumbling left and right in their cots and cradles. This flexibility only increases during childhood when they get the hang of their bodily functions. The newly acquired skills of walking, running and jumping add to the mayhem as kids are seen playing everywhere. However, this privilege starts to decline as they get older.
The first slump in a kid’s flexibility is during their teenage years or adolescence. In this age, kids are having a rage in hormones and a lot of bones and joints are reaching ossification (bones become rigid and strong). The second slump occurs in their twenties – when they have reached their prime and are now regressing slowly to a degenerative phase of their life.
The question is : why does this happen? Why don’t we remain as flexible as when we are born? What factors affect this change?
Growth is a natural process. It happens to everyone. It is inevitable. No elixir in the world can prevent it from happening. We grow taller and more mature. We grow smarter and acquire new skills. Different organs and systems in our body contribute in growth. To the naked eye, it would appear that only our bones and muscles are getting bigger and longer. In reality, our entire body is made up of congregations of cells. Connective tissue is one of the most abundant kind of tissue present in the body. It holds various structures and fluids in place.
As we grow, our connective tissues also adapt to the surrounding conditions, environmental stress and genetic predisposition. The cells grow bigger and multiply into various progenies (families) until they can do no more. Their lifespan is spent and waste products accumulate as a result of it. Common among these inclusions (substances that are found suspended in cells) are lipids and pigments, eg lipofuschin, which is a fatty brown pigment. [1]
The impact of these wastes makes cells acquire a stiffer arrangement. Not only the vasculature (blood vessels like arteries, veins and capillaries that carry blood) or airways, tissues also have great trouble getting sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Thus, they end up getting stiff. This change, however, is not sudden.
When we are born, we are very small and flexible This is because majority of the structures in our body have not undergone complete development. The bones have not been completely fused and hasn’t acquired complete length either.
Aging leads to ossification (becoming rigid) of bones and development of joints. As these elements fix, our body loses flexibility. It has also been observed in cases of immense stress that our muscles tend to become taut. Acute or chronic stress can directly injure muscle tissue by increasing damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a greater rate of accumulations in the cells This cell damage leads to apoptosis (cell death) of muscle cells, and thus, contributing to increased rigidity and decreased mobility. [2]
It is apparent that the body undergoes various changes with time. Our bones are initially soft and our movements more swift. However, it is our habits that shape how our body transforms. For example, how pelvic joint fuses and bones of the body become harder as we get involved in various day to day activities. Whether we are active or sedentary also determines the fate of our flexibility. The more active someone is, the more likely he or she is to be swift in their movements. It has also been noted that activities like stretching directly contributes to ease in mobility, whereas weight training and heavy duty activities decrease it.
But it is essential to note that activities are performed during a certain time frame. It is the long-term position of our body that ultimately determines our state. Just like prolonged collision with a water stream can form rivers or even crack open rocks, repetitive movements – or lack thereof – can leave lasting effects. Good posture is key.
Everyone must have heard phrases like “don’t make that face or it will stick that way” in their childhood. Well, there is some truth in it. How you stand or sit affects the alignment of your body. If you continuously cock your head forward near a screen or perhaps bend your neck to get a closer view of your phone every other minute, you might see a hump forming in some time. This is the effect of posture.
Other than the position we maintain while we’re wide awake, our sleeping positions also matter. On average, we sleep 6 to 8 hours a day, and some even 9 or 10 hours. The posture we maintain during this time can affect the mobility of our joints and the tautness of our muscles and fasciae (the connective tissue sleeves that cover muscles and associated structures in place, fitting like a glove).
It is undeniable that our genetic makeup plays a major role in determining our adaptation in every aspect of life. Whether it is contributing to our intelligence or our physical characteristics. It has been observed that most Asians with have soft connective tissues as compared to the people of the West. [3]
There is a simple theory called “use it or lose it”. According to this, if you keep on using your joints and performing everyday activities, you will remain able to move swiftly. It is seen that kids move around a lot and thus are immensely flexible but as they start to age, pain and inflammation, and a sedentary lifestyle prevents them from practicing and exercising their joints at the rate they used to. This leads to a disuse atrophy and joints become hypoflexible (less flexible). [4]
Thus, it can be summed up that healthy lifestyle modifications early on in life can contribute to a healthier and easier adulthood, with lesser obstacles in movement. Eating healthy foods, regularly exercising, and good posture can set you up for a flexible life.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2147307/
[2] https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body
[3] https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article-abstract/26/1/9/1781943?redirectedFrom=fulltext
