Why aren’t you as flexible as you were born?

Why aren't you flexible as born?

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?

1. Connective Tissues

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.

2. Joint Structure Formation

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]

3. Bone and Muscle Hardening

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).

4. Race

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]

5. Use It or Lose It

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.

References

[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

[4] https://arapc.com/maintaining-flexibility-with-aging/

Why Yoga & Pilates Are Better Than Intense Workouts

Why Yoga & Pilates Are Better Than Intense Workouts

You see this every day on social media channels: people posting “motivational” fitness quotes such as “No Pain, No Gain” or “If it’s not hurting, it’s not working” or “Blood, sweat and tears”. People have the wrong impression that working out so intensely that they puke will eventually make them thinner and healthier.

But this is far from the truth, and exercising too intensely can do more harm than good. In this article, we’ll have a look at the negative side effects of over-training and then we’ll see a solution to this problem.

Overtraining is the condition where someone performs excessive training from which the body is not able to recover from. Studies have shown that overtraining is actually worse than under training, having negative side effects on the body, mind and health. Plus, it can also affect your skin and overall beauty.

The Side Effects Of Overtraining

Training super intensely requires multiple days of recovery (sometimes up to 2 weeks), but people keep on pushing themselves and train super hard almost every day. The side effects are felt both physically and mentally, and they are:

  1. Muscle Loss – when training hard (especially when using weights), micro-tears take place in the muscles. Then, in the next days, the body rebuilds those tears, but creates a bit more muscle as well, just to be prepared for the next intense workout. The rebuilding and recovery process requires plenty of time, plenty of protein and plenty of sleep. Considering that most people don’t consume enough protein and don’t sleep enough hours, they would need at least a week to recover, even if they wouldn’t work out at all in that time. But some continue to do intense workouts even with a bad diet and with not enough rest. So not only that the muscles don’t get a chance to rebuild themselves, but they end up being torn down over and over again. So that person loses muscle, which eventually slows down their metabolism.
  2. Joint Pain – if someone performs high-intensity workouts with a bad form on the exercises, they will end up with achy joints.
  3. Difficulty in Sleeping – overtraining can interfere with your sleeping pattern and you will have a hard time falling asleep.
  4. Getting Ill Frequently – working out too much and too hard will weaken the immune system. The combination of muscle loss, exhaustion and lack of sleep will make you get sick more often.
  5. Sore Muscles – when you start any form of exercise it’s normal to have a slight pain in the muscles. Normally this will go away in a few days. But with overtrained people, the pain does not go away and it can last for weeks.
  6. Fatigue – workouts are meant to make you feel good and energized. But if you overdo it, you will feel sluggish and exhausted, and will not look forward to the next workout or to any physical activity whatsoever.
  7. Mental Side Effects – overtraining for a long time can also give feelings of depression, anger, apathy and irritability. They go hand in hand with the lack of sleep.
  8. Skin Problems – some forms of exercises can create wrinkles and stretch marks, while hot yoga can make people dehydrated. Overheating and sweating can leave those with sensitive skin with added irritation. Also, people with rosacea or eczema will have worse skin after intense exercise. Sweating with makeup on and then sitting for minutes in the car without showering can cause acne breakouts. Frequent sweating can also cause dandruff to appear or to get worse. And last but not least, there is the issue of thigh chafing (thighs rubbing together and causing irritation and rashes).

The Solution

Being fit and healthy does not require strenuous and stressful exercises. You can look and feel great even with no gym sessions or cardio workouts. And when it comes to losing weight, 90% of the process takes place in the kitchen, not in the gym.

Yoga and Pilates can offer you a fit, flexible and balanced body, without requiring you to train so hard that you get “blood, sweat and tears”. The health benefits of these 2 activities include:

  • Improved flexibility
  • Increased muscle tone
  • Balanced muscular strength
  • Improved posture
  • Improved balance
  • Relaxation
  • Prevention of injuries
  • Increased lung capacity
  • Improved concentration
  • Improved body awareness
  • Less stress
  • And much more

In case you need a healthy diet approach, mindfulness coaching or Yoga & Pilates classes, the Abbysan Center is here to help. You can start with our 30-days Jump Start Program, which includes UNLIMITED group Yoga and Pilates classes, as well as posture screen, body metrics, a goal setting and strategy session and more.

If you also want to lose weight, sleep better and have more energy, we also invite you to check out our 10-Day Detox Program. Feel free to contact us for any questions you might have. The experienced trainers at the Abbysan Center are here to help!

7 Simple Ways To Treat Stiff Muscles

7 Simples Ways To Treat Stiff Muscles

Obviously, there are many factors and reasons for muscle tightness that ultimately leads to reduced joint range of motion.

Muscle “tightness” results from an increase in tension from active or passive mechanisms. Passively, muscles can become shortened through postural adaptation or scarring; actively, muscles can become shorter due to spasm or contraction. Regardless of the cause, tightness limits range of motion and may create a muscle imbalance, ultimately leading to more stiffness in our muscles and overall body.

There are top 3 reasons why in the first place our muscles get stiff.

1. Muscles Spasms
Muscles require Magnesium & Potassium for them to relax, and calcium for them to contract. When the two are imbalanced, it can lead to muscle spasms and contractions.

Muscle spasms are also caused due to muscle weakness and imbalance in muscle length and tension ratio. When the muscles cramp they create knots in the muscle fibers which in time makes the muscles stiff as the muscles lose their ability to fully relax or stretch.

2. Dehydration
Dehydration is also a contributing factor to stiff muscles. This is because muscles are active tissues and require lots of water. The water contains electrolytes that help transfer orders from your nervous system to your muscles and back. Without enough water, muscles lose their ability to communicate with the brain.

3. Inactivity
Inactivity is another culprit. Leaving your muscles in one state for a prolonged period (sleep or sitting in a chair for an extended period, for instance) can cause them to stiffen.

Another indirect cause of muscle stiffness is stress. When we’re stressed, our bodies tighten up in preparation for a “fight or flight” situation. Prolonged stress can lead to tightness in the muscles, resulting in strain.

7 Simple Ways To Treat Stiff Muscles

1. Proper Posture & Exercises
Exercising for 30 minutes each day or every other day can prevent most cases of muscle stiffness. Exercise keeps your muscles relaxed, and can even improve your mental state. Just don’t overdo it, because that’s when your muscles get stiff.

2. Salt Bath
Add 2-4 heaped tablespoons of baking soda to a hot bath and climb in for rapid muscular pain relief. You can even try replacing the baking soda with ¾ cup of Epsom salt if you wish to.

3. Supplements
Balance your magnesium and calcium levels by taking supplements, and consider making dietary changes like eating foods higher in magnesium such as spinach, artichokes, and dates. Taking additional magnesium (particularly at night) can help to reduce muscle cramps and spasms. It is also very helpful in reducing overall muscle soreness and aiding in a better night’s rest.

4. Apply Heat
Simply applying heat to muscles causes the tissue to expand and increase blood flow to the heated area. You can do this by taking a hot shower or massaging the stiff area with a heating pad.

5. Relax & Meditate
Calm yourself down. By reducing the level of stress in your life, your body will relax as well, reducing the likelihood of tight and stiff muscles. Getting a good massage can work wonders for stiff muscles. A licensed masseuse will be able to relieve stiff muscles in a single session, sending you home pain-free and much more relaxed.

6. Hydrate
Drink water or Isotonic drinks to keep your hydration and electrolytes at an adequate level. Men require 13 cups (3 liters) of water per day, while women need nine (2.2 liters).

7. Stretch & Tone
Stretching your muscles when you wake up can prevent muscles from stiffening. It increases blood flow throughout your body and prepares the muscles for the daily movements ahead.

The physical practices of yoga kеерs the muѕсlеѕ rеlаxеd іn movements so that muѕсlе fіbеr elongate. Thіѕ results іn іnсrеаѕеd flexibility and a ѕеnѕе of well-being.

Our yoga classes and teachers systematically encourage уоgа practitioner’s to engages the body in a stretch, extending and elongating into a pose as much as comfortable, not as much as possible. Thе breath is crucial in this work because it both focuses and calms the mind, while the spine is integral for physical balance, self-awareness is developed through the practices of yoga, is integral for emotional balance.

A unique benefit of pilates reformer is eccentric muscle control. The reformer is a set-up for eccentric contraction, this is when a muscle lengthens as it resists a force. That is one of the keys to achieving the long, strong muscles and ultimately the Toned Body without bulk that Pilates is known for.

9 Principles of Health and Longevity

Tips on How to Stay Healthy in Phuket

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in its 1948 constitution as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

You want to live a long and healthy life, full of beauty, love, and contentment, long enough to achieve your purpose in the world, to see your kids grow up and be happy, and to enjoy all the great experiences that life has to offer.

Get a Lot of Fresh Air

1. Get a lot of fresh AIR

The air we breathe plays an essential part in our health and functioning.

People often tend to forget about the importance of spending time outside and underestimate the health benefits of spending time outdoors.

Here is a list of important health benefits of fresh air:

  • Fresh air is good for digestion.
  • It improves your blood pressure and heart rate.
  • It makes you happier.
  • Strengthens your immune system.
  • Fresh air cleans your lungs.
  • You will have more energy and a sharper mind.

Enjoy time outdoors and get the maximum out of the health benefits of fresh air.
If you are spending most of your time inside the air-conditioned office or home, you are forcing your body to use stale air. By doing so you are making it harder for your body to stay healthy and fresh.

Long-term exposure to toxic or polluted air can compromise the health and functioning of the cells and organs of our body leading to increased susceptibility to infections and various forms of the disease.

Some long-term effects of polluted air include Lung cancer, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease, and even damage to parts of the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys, etc.”

Drink Ample Amounts of Water

2. Drink ample amounts of WATER

Our body is made up of about 75% water. Every single cell is made up of water including the cells in our own body. Water is critical for the life and functioning of cells, tissues, and organs in our body. Water carries elements of life and has the ability to transmit and maintain them.

Consequently, thought processes, movements, nerve function, blood circulation, digestion, elimination of waste, etc., depend on water for their normal and effective functioning.

Did you know drinking water at different times of the day and before and after certain activities have a tremendous benefit to our Health.
Drinking plenty of water helps to:

  1.  Maximize Physical Performance
  2.  Positively affects Energy Levels and Brain Function
  3.  Prevent and Treat Headaches
  4.  Relieve Constipation
  5.  Treat Kidney Stones
  6.  Prevent Hangovers
  7.  Reduce Body Fat

Get Adequate Amounts of Sunlight

3. Get adequate amounts of SUNLIGHT

The Sun provides the basis for all life on earth. The body manufactures vitamin D after being exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is critical for the body because it helps the body absorb calcium and also helps it keep the right amount of calcium and phosphorus in the blood.

Without a sufficient amount of vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or even misshapen.

Eat Whole Food that Have Strong Nutrious Values

4. Eat WHOLE FOOD that has strong NUTRITIOUS values

Real food consists of fresh vegetables and fruits, unprocessed meats and seafood, and naturally-occurring starches and fats. What we eat plays a significant role in the functioning of our body, health, and well-being. Emphasize vegetables, and eat local or organic whenever possible. Eating food with little or no nutritious value can, over time, lower the effectiveness of the body’s defense system and compromise your physical and mental health.

Besides choosing healthier, whole foods it’s essential to learn how to consume less at each meal. Keep this in mind:

  1. Don’t serve meals family-style, with heaping plates and bowls of food on the dining table for everyone to help themselves. You’ll all consume about 14 percent less if you dish out everything at the counter and put the rest away.
  2. You can trick your mind and stomach by making food look bigger than it is; for example, cut back on the cheese and meat in a sandwich and load it up with lettuce, onions, tomatoes and other veggies.
  3. Find smaller plates and bowls to serve food in; the bigger the dish, the more we fill it (and then think we have to eat it all).
  4. Focus on your food, not the TV. Eat more slowly to give your body time to recognize the signs that you’re no longer feeling hungry.
  5. Avoid sugar, processed and packaged foods, which tend to lead to weight gain, cardio-metabolic issues, disposition toward diabetes, and declines in brain health and function.
  6. Eat vegetables daily, aiming for four to six servings (2 to 6 cups).
  7. Limit meat portions to no larger than the size of a deck of cards.
  8. Eat nuts, but watch the portion size; a 1-ounce serving can be 150–200 calories.

Get Adequate Amount of Sleep

5. Get an adequate amount of SLEEP

Sleep plays a critical role in people’s physical as well as their mental health and functioning. Lack of sleep can compromise immune system effectiveness, which can lead to various forms of health problems. Some experts believe that lack of sleep can make the body become resistant to insulin, a hormone that helps carry glucose from the bloodstream to cells. Other problems resulting from lack of sleep include lack of mental clarity, memory problems, moody disposition, and higher stress level.

Be Active and Regularly Perform Physical Movements

6. Be active and regularly perform physical MOVEMENTS

Staying active doesn’t necessarily mean just going to the gym a few times per week. It means making low-intensity physical activity a daily part of life, and little changes make a big difference.

Physical movement is fundamental to the human experience. Throughout history, humans have walked, run, lifted things, carried them over distances, and crafted natural resources to their own use (building shelters, making tools).

Some benefits of moving multiple times a day include reduced risk of developing diabetes, control of type II diabetes, reduce risk for high blood pressure, reduce level of current high blood pressure, control weight gain, build healthy and strong bones, muscles and joints, improve blood flow throughout the body, improves the body’s capacity to use calories, and reduces both mental and physical stress.

Be active without having to think about it.

Here is what you can do to be active:

  1. Get rid of handy helpers like the TV remote, the snowblower, the power lawnmower.
  2. Hand washes your car without a pressure washer.
  3. Plant a garden, it reduces stress and produces fresh, healthy vegetables.
  4. Walk to a colleague’s office rather than emailing or calling them.
  5. Conduct the meetings during walks.

Here is what you can do for better movements:

  1. Walk, maybe jog or sprint a little every day.
  2. Pick up the kids or groceries and lift them over your head.
  3. Dance, do whatever movement feels natural for you.
  4. The Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi are the most effective mindful movements to keep all organ systems especially endocrine, nervous and lymphatic system responsive.
  5. Regular AEROBIC EXERCISE is beneficial in making your heart stronger and works more efficiently by reducing the amount of fat that can build up which can interfere with electrical impulses necessary for the proper functioning of the heart.

Stay Connected with a Community Around You

7. Stay connected with a COMMUNITY around you

Get together with friends, family, and people with shared interests face-to-face; stop hiding behind the internet. Humans need connection and social support and you are no different. Tribes and close-knit communities are what helped us survive. Make spending quality time with family and friends a priority. Those with regular positive social interaction, tend to live longer and happier across all cultures.

Remember to Play & Laugh

8. PLAY & LAUGH

Play not only helps us stay connected and relieves stress, but it also sparks learning, imagination, creativity, and problem-solving (source), so perhaps more play just might be the creative in-sight need to discover the fountain of youth.

Perhaps if you let yourself laugh, joke, roll, jump, hide and seek, you’d all be a little happier, a little less worried, and have more energy to live a little longer. Plus, the fun of play can oftentimes lead to laughter and laughter is the best medicine.

Try to see the humor in life, be able to roll with the punches, and flow with life ups and downs and you’re sure to live a long life. Too much or too frequent stress causes the body to age more quickly; it negatively impacts the endocrine system, the adrenals, and even the heart.

Experience Gratitude Peace & Contentment

9. Experience GRATITUDE, PEACE, & CONTENTMENT

Whenever possible, feel gratitude in your body, let that be the foundation of contentment and you will be at peace. This is the counterpoint to striving too hard, being continually dissatisfied with your life, and looking outward for happiness because all of this creates added stress and lowers mood, which impacts the quality of life, the willingness to live, and since the mind influences the body, physical health is also compromised.

One quote that comes to mind is, “So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health” by A. J. Reb Materi.
Fortunately, to experience gratitude, peace, contentment, and the health and longevity it brings, you don’t have to spend money or time searching for it. These positive sentiments will see you through a happy life and their effects will ensure your body wants to live a long time in radiant health.

Observing these principles will have you eat right, maintain the community that nourishes your spirit, lift your mood, keep your brain sharp, and ensure your body is healthy to sustain yours for a long and vital life.

Leave a comment below and let us know what do you see as fundamental to a long and healthy life.
“Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.” – Osho

6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Do Large Group Pilates Classes

6 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Do Large Pilates Classes

Let’s say that you get a common cold. So you then call your doctor and you make an appointment in order to get a custom treatment. You meet with the doctor, he looks at you and asks you questions, and then prescribes a treatment. It’s the same for when you break your arm…you go to an orthopedic doctor and you get it fixed. When your child is sick you go to a pediatrician, and so on.

What do all of these situations have in common? Well, they are all specialists in their field and they are all offering individual consultations. In none of these cases, you don’t go to a group class.

So if you have back issues or a poor posture and you decide to try Pilates, why would you go to a class with 20 other people? Each one of them has their own health issues and limitations, so doing a generic Pilates program will definitely not help.

What should you do instead? 

Now let’s look in more detail at some of the reasons why group classes are not so effective when it comes to Pilates:

1. Safety – Pilates is not a dangerous activity, but there is a slight risk involved. Most people that begin doing it are out of shape and have a bad posture or various back issues, so even when doing very simple poses they can get injured.

This especially applies to Reformer Pilates classes, where those big devices can be overwhelming for some people. Those machines have lots of benefits, but only if they are used correctly.

When teaching to a large group of 20 or more people, the Pilates instructor will simply not have the time to show the movements to each and every person and to assist and correct everyone. Each person has its own issues and limitations, and there are certain exercises that work great and others that should be avoided. So the training program should be customized based on each person’s individual needs.

2. Getting Results – people don’t go to Pilates just for the fun of it, and they usually want to achieve a certain goal. And this can only be achieved by performing the movements with the correct form. Not knowing how to do each exercise correctly will not activate the right muscles and will not give the needed results.

3. Personalized Instructions – even if someone knows how to correctly perform all the movements, this still does not guarantee results. And this is because each person is unique, and each person has certain muscle imbalances or tightness. So the movements should be adjusted according to each participant’s needs.

4. Quantity Over Quality – personal trainers and group trainers need to make a living too, and sometimes they take shortcuts. They focus on training as many people as possible in order to earn as much money as possible and neglect the quality of each class.

This explains why individual classes are more expensive than group classes. But instead of wasting your money on group classes that don’t produce any results, it’s better to invest a bit more on individual classes that actually work.

5. Lack of Commitment – there are some exceptions here, but most classes do not follow a path toward an end-goal. You simply go there and perform just about the same movements every week. It’s better to show up and do something than to do nothing, but with the time you will get bored. This is why all the classes are full in January, and slowly decrease with each passing week.

Sure, some of the group classes have a certain path and they evolve over time. But this has a drawback as well: if some people miss a class or two, then they are left behind and it’s very hard to pick up when they come back.

So individual classes are much better, as you can do things at your own pace, and be able to keep up even when you missed a class or two.

6. Lack of Flexibility – group classes always takes place at the same hour and at the same day of the week. So if anything comes up and you can’t make it at that exact hour, then you missed your workout. This then leads to what we talked about at the previous point, and you end up quitting the class altogether. However, the private classes can be scheduled whenever you are available and can be postponed or moved according to your needs.

There were 6 important reasons why Pilates group classes are not effective. So what’s the solution? 1 on 1 class or at least classes with up to 3 people max. The Abbysan center offers both private classes and 3rio classes that have a maximum of 3 attendees. Our classes are highly personalized and adapted to your own needs and limitations. Find out more by visiting this link.

Why Fancy Yoga Postures Are Not Important

Why Fancy Yoga Postures Are Not Important

So it’s Monday evening and you are tired after a long day at work, but you just signed up for that cool Yoga class, so you drag yourself there. But after the warm-up and a few simple poses, the teacher asks everyone to do a handstand, a headstand or who knows what kind of crazy arm balance pose.

Everyone seems to go for it, so you try it as well. But you end up falling, diving into your nose or even injuring yourself. You were never good at arm balances, but you see everyone doing them on social media, claiming that they feel so amazing afterwards. But those complicated poses you see on Instagram are the results of years of practice and a life long journey of yoga. There are many factors involved in what poses someone can or cannot do, and they include age, occupation, body type, joints, range of motions, genetic tissue composition and the acquired postural habits.

And the truth is that head standing or arm balances don’t matter. None of the fancy looking postures are that important, and not a single posture will make a huge difference in your life or bring you closer to enlightenment. What’s more important is to do the poses suited for your level and experience, to stick to yoga on the long term and to gradually get better at it.

The History of Yoga

While yoga has been around for thousands of years, the truth is that these fancy poses are relatively new. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a popular text from the second century does not mention any postures at all, except for seated meditation. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a book from the 14th century only includes 15 poses, which are quite basic.

The first texts with more complex yoga poses only appeared in the 1800s and become more popular in the mid-1900s. So they are new practices that were definitely not performed by our ancestors and the inventers of yoga. There are now hundreds of postures and new ones are invented regularly. Does this mean that you need to learn and master ALL the postures in order to reap the benefits of yoga? Definitely not!

What Should You Do Instead?

If you really want to do those fancy yoga poses, you simply need to be patient and to practice them a lot. Anyone can develop certain skills with the right training and persistence. But if you are a regular person that does yoga once or twice a week, then it’s more important to develop skills and mobility that can help you in the day to day life.

A responsive body with good reflexes and a good balance will help you to walk and to run better, to have a quicker response when slipping on ice or to avoid certain dangers and injuries. Having mobility will allow you to easily perform cleaning or gardening tasks and keep up with your children when playing with them. And the great part is that you only need a few yoga and Pilates postures in order to break free from pain and mobility limitations, and to live a better life.

Because of certain health issues and severe limitations, some people may not do any yoga poses at all. But they still can benefit from the meditation and the yoga philosophies & practices that make you calmer and more emotionally balanced. They can also make you love yourself more and love others as well, and least but not last they can help you discover your true self and accept who you are.

Many people have reached a state of wellbeing without ever being able to stand on their head or on their hands. Some have even become successful yoga teachers without being able to perform ALL of the crazy acrobatic yoga techniques.

Not being able to perform certain poses discourages a lot of people and they quit yoga altogether. But this should not happen. You should go there because it makes you feel better and you like it. You should not feel forced to do yoga just because it’s cool and looks good on social media. The yoga mat should become your best friend and you should really look forward to using it. Even if you don’t always get to the classes, you can take a few minutes at home (or even at the office), and just seat in silence, reflect and meditate. This can be more beneficial than going to a yoga class on a Monday evening and performing a head stand.

If it seems like fun and you feel like doing those poses, sure, go for it! But if it doesn’t feel right and only makes you feel uncomfortable and inadequate, just forget about it and focus on the poses that you CAN do. Sticking to yoga and Pilates on the long term is much more important than one single fancy pose.

In case you need a healthy diet approach, mindfulness coaching or Yoga & Pilates classes, the Abbysan Center is here to help. Contact us today!

Why Dieting Doesn’t Work

Why Dieting Doesn’t Work

Low carb, keto, low fat, vegetarian, vegan, carnivore, South Beach, Atkins, intermittent fasting, Mediterranean…these are all popular diets that many people stick to religiously, claiming that they are feeling and looking better than ever. But think about the last time you tried any of these fad diets. Did they actually work? Sure, maybe you lost a few pounds at that time, but then you quickly gained them back when you introduced that food or macronutrient that was forbidden during the diet.

Most of these diets are not sustainable in the long term, and they only create a yo-yo effect. So people end up with the same weight as when they started, or even worse.

Why Diets Don’t Work

Most health professionals agree that diets don’t work, and here are a few reasons why:

  1. Weight Loss Is Just Temporary – studies have shown that as many as 60% of those who start a diet then gain back more than their initial weight
  2. Dieting Makes Your Brain Crave More – we need food to survive and that’s that. When you are restricting a certain food or macronutrient, the body will produce hormones that will make you hungry and will make that missing food taste even better in the future. So it will then be even harder to resist that sugar, or that fat or whatever you are restricting
  3. Dieting Damages The Relationship You Have With Food – instead of learning how to eat in a healthy manner, people are unsatisfied with their bodies and are turning to extreme diets. This makes them hate certain foods and then always feel guilty when eating them
  4. Dieting Causes Stress and Emotional Overeating – when faced with an extreme diet, the body releases cortisol which is the stress hormone. Then, people tend to feel more hungry and to eat more than they should be in order to relieve that stress
  5. Dieting Slows Down The Metabolism – this study has shown that weight cycling is associated with extra weight and abdominal fat accumulation. So the more yo-yo dieting you do, the harder it will be to lose weight and the easier it will be to gain it back
  6. Diets Lack Important Nutrients – whether you are restricting carbs, or fats, or meat, or vegetables, or any other group of foods, you are limiting certain nutrients that are important to the body. Studies have shown that each of the popular diets is deficient in certain micronutrients, which can be harmful on the long term
  7. People Diet for The Wrong Reasons – if you are obese with multiple health issues caused by the extra weight, then it is essential to get rid of it. But most people these days (especially women) are trying to lose weight for the wrong reasons. They have insecurities related to their bodies caused by the beauty and fashion industries that are putting skinny women on a pedestal. Women no longer feel beautiful even though they have a normal weight, and pursuit extreme diets

What Should You Do?

So if diets don’t work, what should you do in case you need to lose weight and to look better?

  1. Focus on Feeling Good, rather than Looking Good – it’s important to change your perspective and to focus on feeling good both on the short and the long term. And it’s clear that diets don’t make us feel good. They actually make us feel worse. One of the ways to notice what truly makes you feel good is mindfulness
  2. Accept Yourself – some men will simply never have six-pack abs, while some women will simply never have flat abs or a “thigh gap”. It’s important to try to become the best version of yourself, but without comparing to others that have different genetics, different health issues, different lifestyles and so on
  3. Focus on Being Healthy, Not on Losing Weight – adjust portion sizes, re-educate your eating habits, learn about what to eat and how to choose your food, eat mindfully and the weight will slowly take care of itself. And the difference is that this approach can be maintained in the long term, and it’s not just another yo-yo diet
  4. Change The Way You Think About Exercise – do what feels right and appropriate for your current fitness level instead of trying to force your body into extreme weightlifting techniques or other crazy sports. Low impact exercises performed regularly can be more beneficial than extreme sports have done sporadically. Movement can simply be a way to enjoy life, instead of a method to lose weight. Do it because you like to, not because you absolutely have to
  5. Enjoy life – being stressed leads to unhealthy binging and then to weight gain. But if you are happy and relaxed, you will make smarter choices. You don’t need to wait to have that “perfect body” in order to enjoy life. Start to live the rich and meaningful life you deserve right now!

In case you need a healthy diet approach, mindfulness coaching or Yoga & Pilates classes, the Abbysan Center is here to help!

HOW Poor Posture Affects Your Health & Athletic Performance

HOW Poor Posture Affects Your Health & Athletic Performance

The posture you have in the day to day life has a big impact on athletic performance, as well as on your mental and physical health. We are all told from a young age to not slouch and to stand up straight when walking, but so many people still do it throughout their adult life.

So why do people have a poor posture? Well, there are multiple reasons for this. Sometimes it’s because of accidents or injuries, other times it’s because of genetic factors, while other times it’s because of bad sitting habits. Just hunching over at a 60-degree angle to check your phone can put more than 60 lbs. of pressure on your cervical spine!

Other reasons include:

  • Poor sleep support (a bad pillow or mattress)
  • Being overweight
  • Stress
  • Muscular imbalances
  • Improper shoes
  • Standing with a bad form
  • Walking incorrectly

When people walk or stand incorrectly, bones and muscles line up incorrectly and eventually block the flow of the sciatic nerve. This can lead to sciatica, a painful and unpleasant condition.

The Main Cause of Poor Posture

But the main cause for poor posture is definitely prolonged sitting. A study held in 2012 found out that each week people spend around 28 hours standing, 11 hours lounging around and an astonishing 64 hours of sitting. The average of working out was just around 2 and a half hours per week.

So that means that people are sitting for about 9 hours each day, some even for more. And sitting for so long inevitably leads to slouching and poor posture. Even if you know how to sit perfectly, you won’t be able to hold that pose for 9 hours, and you will change positions, putting your back into awkward positions.

Slouching puts a lot of pressure on lower back muscles and the spine. Besides this, the hip flexors get tight, while the glutes become weak. Tight hip flexors limit the range of motion, while weak glutes can cause stability problems in the gym. So lots of hours of sitting on a chair can definitely affect performance when working out.

Not only the lower part of the body is affected, but so is the upper side. Most people keep their monitor or laptop way below their eye level, which makes them to constantly look down. As mentioned before, this puts a lot of pressure on the cervical spine, neck and shoulders. Then by going to the gym with these tight muscles and imbalances, people easily get injured.

Poor Posture Also Affects Your Heart

Dr. Joel Goldthwait noticed that the abdominal nerves and blood vessels are under tension in individuals with bad posture. Not only this, but he also found out that those people display various cardiac issues and impaired blood circulation.

So your poor posture directly affects how your body carries blood to all the major organs and muscles. A slow blood flow allows for fatty acids to clog the heart, which can then lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol. But it may also lead to varicose veins and even the formation of dangerous blood clots.

But This Is Not All

Poor posture has also been found to negatively affect digestion and breathing and puts a lot of strain on your heart. A study published in 2007 also found out that strain in the neck muscles may lead to higher blood pressure.

A poor blood circulation means that fewer nutrients flow to the brain, which impairs memory and concentration. And last but not least, all of these factors could lead to a stroke.

Not just physical health is affected by a poor posture, so is the mood. This study showed that people who had a good sitting posture had a better mood and a lower fear compared to slumped participants who had more negative emotions and a worse mood. So even when you are stressed, make sure to keep a good posture as this can improve your mood and self-esteem.

So a bad posture can damage joints, create muscular imbalances, stress organs, affect blood circulation and also create a bad mood. It’s clear that you need to take action right away, and we are here to help! We offer a wide variety of Yoga and Pilates programs, and we work with both professional athletes and regular people. After attending our classes, you will relieve stress, treat certain medical conditions, rehabilitate after injuries, have more mobility and a better posture. Check our website for more info and contact us today! The staff at the Abbysan Center will gladly assist you!

Real Cause Of Sports Injuries

Real Cause of Sports Injuries

The answer to a fit and balanced body is definitely not found in sports. Sure, sports are fun, have some health benefits, and get us outdoors. Some are good for us. But to consider starting a sport to have a fit and well-balanced body is not the best option. Sports do not get us in shape; they actually get us out of shape.

The problem with most sports is that they develop tight muscles and create imbalances, either because of uneven use of muscle groups or because of uneven use of one side of the body.

Imbalances in Running and Tennis

Let’s take running for example. Sure, it is great for the cardiovascular system. But it dramatically tightens the muscles at the back of the legs. And besides this, it has no effect on most other muscles of the body. This intense shortening or disproportionate strengthening results in major muscular and structural imbalances.

Tennis is a game of repetition, and it creates a lot of strength and flexibility imbalances throughout the entire body, imbalances that could lead to injuries if not corrected. First of all, the player gets stronger in his dominant side and by always hitting the ball with the same hand. All parts of the body are linked together in a kinetic chain, and when one single part of this entire system does not work properly, it can create imbalances throughout the entire body and injuries on muscles that need to take abnormal loads.

Long Term Side Effects

The harder you train, the tighter your muscles will become, and this applies to most sports. Sure, there are some benefits to this as well. You will initially lose a few pounds, burn some fat, add some muscle mass and feel great about yourself. The problems appear over the long term when imbalances are created (unless you do something about this).

Muscle tightness or imbalances are bad, but they are not that bad. Some people can live with them for their whole life, not even realizing what the problem is. The real problem is when these imbalances lead to major injuries. Then you will have to quit working out completely or to switch to a different activity and start it all over from scratch, losing all of the progress you made to this point.

But switching to a different sport or activity will not solve the problem, and will eventually lead to the same injury again. We already discussed more about this in a previous article, and the solution lies in Yoga and Pilates.

Imbalances Lead to Injuries

Invariably, a lack of awareness about existing imbalances and the need for total fitness training is what leads to injuries. All injuries in sports are caused by structural and muscular imbalances, and we are not talking here about the obvious cases where you fall of the bike, you trip over a rock or the hockey puck hits you in the head.

If you start a training program with an existing imbalance that may have developed over the years from poor posture, an old injury or genetic bad luck, it will make its presence known at one point during training. The same thing is true when developing muscular and structural imbalance as a result of training.

Unfortunately, old-fashioned stretching is not something that most people like to do or have time for. And then, they slowly have to witness their bodies getting tighter and tighter. They eventually recall their pre-training days when they were free of muscle tightness and they were still able to touch their toes.

In the morning they barely crawl from bed to a hot shower, to their training clothes, and maybe also take an aspirin or two on the way. Then they wander through the city in search of chiropractors, physical therapists and orthopedists.

The Solution

Once injured, you will have to go through a lot of re-patterning, body tissue adaptations and changes in muscle length and strength ratios. If you got injured 1 year ago and didn’t do any rehabilitation, then the recovery will also take 1 year or more. It’s the same with weight loss. If you gained a lot of weight over the course of 2 years, it will also take around 2 years of eating healthy and working out in order to get back in great shape.

No matter the type of muscle imbalance or tightness you have, we can help you get back to normal through our Yoga and Pilates programs. We have many years of experience, helping both professional athletes and regular people. We offer a wide variety of methods and classes that can help relieve stress, treat certain medical conditions, rehabilitate after injuries, have more mobility and a better posture. Check our website for more info and contact us today! The staff at the Abbysan Center will gladly assist you!