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.

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 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!

Be Pain Free – One Alternative

Be Pain Free - One Alternative

With 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’s Pilates?

“A core workout” is the vaguest answer you will get in just one sentence. Still, surely there is more to it, and only a professional Pilates instructor will be able to give you a better answer.

“Excuse my technical terms in this article, but I can’t help it. I found most individuals rarely make an effort or want to learn more about themselves than they do about others.”

Restructure Your Core

Your Core is your entire body from your diaphragm to your pelvic floor. Pilates can help make your abs stronger or give you better muscular endurance in your Core. Honestly, the focus of a Pilates class is primarily on your inner unit “powerhouse.” That being the central focus of the Pilates programs at Abbysan Centre, it will also serve your back, arms, legs, neck, and feet!

Postural Balance

Technology has created a generation of back and neck pain. Pilates programs are used by everyone from athletes to office workers for their ability to develop strength and correct posture in the critical areas of the body such as hips, lower back, upper back, and neck.

Our Pilates programs will help counteract the effects of slouching and office syndrome. You will learn to release typically overactive regions of your body like the chest, front shoulders, upper back, and hip flexor muscles.

All of this significantly improves dynamic stability – the ability of the body to hold itself in better alignment for longer, maintaining an upright posture, balance, and responsiveness.

Rebuild muscle tone

You might know at least one Celebrities who credit Pilates as the reason for their toned muscles. It makes your arms lean and toned.

Maintaining the underlying tissue quality of Gluteal muscles is your best asset. It helps in maintaining pelvic stability, knee alignment, power in jumps, speed when running, and make your buttock look shapely in tights, of course. Do Pilates for a more extended, leaner muscle system making you stand taller and look slimmer!

Regain Control

Pilates includes balance and standing work. Most of us don’t move our spines in all different directions. A Pilates class will take your spine and neck through a various gentle range of motions (flexion, rotation, extension, and lateral flexion). If you feel tight from sitting or standing all day, these movements will get you loose and limber again.

All movements of Pilates easily be related to compound and dynamic functional movements. This is so beneficial in learning to regain control and re-educate your actions.

Functional movements refer to the actions that we are likely to perform during our daily life.

Equipment or No equipment – It works

All kinds of exercises use Pilates reformer to promote length, strength, flexibility, and balance. The reformer is the key to achieving the long, strong muscles without bulk. The exercises on reformers provide enough resistance and movement variety to help build strong bones.

You don’t need equipment — you can do a Pilates workout on Mat anywhere. Although Pilates can use a full studio, it can also be done just with your bodyweight. If you are committed, we can put together a custom Pilates routine for your holiday hotel rooms. Let us know!

Dancers love it

Pilates is the exercise of dancers. Think of the bodies you see in movies or on the stage — if you want long, lean muscles and ensure the safety of your joints, unlike the dancers; then this is the workout for you.

Best fit for Prenatal or Postnatal

Not only crucial for mums and mums-to-be, but Pilates will also 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 heavyweights.

Athlete and Sport’s Conditioning

Late, Mr. Joseph Pilates initially developed the method as a rehabilitative tool. Joseph Pilates, a German gymnast, born in 1883, who believed that poor posture goes hand-in-hand with poor health and dedicated his life to teaching his exercise techniques. He had a strong belief that having an awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, we could develop the deep spinal and abdominal muscles, and reduce stress.

Elderly are not exceptions

Older people have many risk factors due to aging and lack of exercise. A decrease in balance, gait disabilities, and falls are most common and significantly affects their mobility in day-to-day life.

“Balance” is a very complicated function that maintains positions through diverse functional elements, and intervention of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. It takes almost 15-18 months for a newborn baby to be able to walk correctly.

Various sensory-motor neuron interacts in response to changes in gravity, the base of support, vision, physical stability, and the external environment, resulting instability of the body. Mat-based Pilates helps elderly male and females improve trunk stability, dynamic balance, and significantly decrease the sway length and sway speed.

Clinical Pilates

* Chronic Low back pain (LBP)

* Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD)

* Post Menstrual Syndrome (PMS)

* Multiple sclerosis

* Lymphedema after Breast Cancer Treatment

* Spinal Deformities

Supervised under dedicated instructor

Attending a scheduled class or a private session is the ideal way to start Pilates. Your instructor will be able to design a bespoke pilates program that you can also practice yourself between your sessions in the studio. You are getting the most out of your training, and in time you’ll be amazed by the results.

Our instructors are certified Pilates instructors as well as hold bachelor’s degrees in physiotherapy. We can create bespoke rehab and exercise programs for our clients with injuries or postural issues.

Warning!

  1. If you have an injury, consider doing a few one-on-one sessions with one of our Pilates specialists first to learn the basics. On a personal level, always remember the rule that if something hurts, don’t do it.
  2. Attending classes throughout pregnancy also significantly help and speeds up the process of getting your body back in shape after childbirth. Remember, as with any exercise, always check with your doctor first, and remember to tell your trainer that you are pregnant before commencing class.

Abbysan Studio is located at the entrance of boat lagoon in Phuket, offering highly effective body sculpting Pilates workouts.

Based on various studies indicate people who practice Pilates with proper technique over time see the following benefits:

  • Improved flexibility and mobility
  • Trunk stability
  • Core and pelvic floor strength
  • Injury prevention
  • Improved posture
  • Improved coordination and athletic performance in some sports.

Dr. Abhishek Agrawal

As a pilates instructor, I feel rewarded when my clients achieve their goals, be it getting pain-free or having more ease-of-movement.

Visit the following research links for your reference

Pilates: how does it work, and who needs it?

The Effects of Pilates Mat Exercise on the Balance Ability of Elderly Females

Effects of modified Pilates on the variability of inter-joint coordination during walking in the elderly.

Impact of Clinical Pilates Exercises on Patients Developing Lymphedema after Breast Cancer Treatment

Yoga Gets My Body And Mind Ready For My Day

Yoga Gets me ready

I love it when exercise wakes up my senses. My choice of activity is based on its ability to enliven me and heighten my energy. Yoga gets me ready for challenging days.

Going through slow yoga stretches each morning allows my muscles and joints to loosen up. It is an excellent way to get over the state of stillness from hours of sleep.

Any aches that I wake up with are gently soothed with poses that lengthen my limbs. I feel like a new person after ten minutes of yoga. It is a wonderful activity for getting my body ready for more strenuous activity.

When I am at work, I pay attention to my posture. Sitting at my desk for long hours takes a toll on my body. Whenever my back feels tight, I take a break to adjust my posture. As a result, my muscles loosen up in my lower back.

Relaxed muscles take away the tension that prevents me from concentrating. I credit my stretching habits with my mental sharpness on the job.

Lifting weights at the gym is physically strenuous, so I am careful to protect my spine. I do that by adding yoga moves before and after each workout. This returns my body to a neutral state that supports my daily routines.

Today, my body gives its best to me because I take good care of it through yoga. When my muscles and joints are stretched and soothed, I feel capable of taking on the world.

Self-Reflection Questions:

  1. What other benefits does yoga offer?
  2. How do I adjust my workout routine to ensure a balanced activity?
  3. How effective is yoga at relaxing me at the end of each day?

Pelvic Floor – The Base Of Your Core

Pelvic Floor - The Base Of Your Core

Your body is a majestic work of art. Different concepts and ideas have been morphed together to create symmetry and functional physics so you can do all sorts of things. You have a number of nerves, vessels, muscles and bones carefully put together to perform certain functions.

Most parts of the human body show symmetry and this is mirrored in different parts like eyes, ears, arms etc. The hip bone also shows symmetry. What most people do not know is that we have two hip bones that are fused together. Now, imagine this, your conjoined hip bone is like a bowl or a vase with its bottom cut. So naturally, a vase needs some sort of base to hold all of the beautiful flowers it contains. That’s where the pelvic floor comes in.

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is literally a floor for the pelvis (the lower part of the torso between the abdomen and the legs). It is made up of a group of muscles, arranged in layers, that stretches out like a hammock attached to the symphysis pubis (the place where two hip bones join in the front) and the coccyx (the tail bone that is considered the very end of the spine, and is present at the back).

What is the pelvic floor?

Where is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is present at the bottom of the pelvis (the area between the abdomen and the legs). To get a general idea, your pelvic floor has holes for your anus and urethra to pass through. So now, you can imagine where your pelvic floor is.

What is the importance of pelvic floor?

This hammock of muscles acts to support all the pelvic organs like the bladder, womb (uterus) and bowel (colon). These organs have openings to the outside of the body through tubes, namely, urethra, vagina and anus. The urethra (present in the front most from where you pee), the vagina (present in the middle of urethra and anus) and the anus (present at the back from where you poop) all pass through the pelvic floor muscles. So every time these pelvic floor muscles contract, it would tighten the tubes and every time the pelvic floor muscles relax, it would loosen the tubes. In this way, the pelvic floor muscles can be held responsible for regulating micturation (the process of passing urine), sexual activity, and defecation (the process of eliminating feces/ poop from the body). Therefore, the dual role of the pelvic floor is to provide support for the pelvic viscera (bladder, bowel and uterus) and maintain the functional integrity of these organs.  Hence, it is necessary to keep your pelvic floor muscles strong.

The pelvic floor can be activated along with the surrounding muscles in association with the body and lumbopelvic posture as well as sitting posture. In patients with incontinence, urine usually leaks out in the standing position as a result of gravity and pressure from the pelvic organs on the musculofascial supportive structures. Learning to activate the pelvic floor can be helpful in patients of incontinence.

In addition, it was detected that the pelvic floor muscles showed a feed-forward response during arm and leg lifts in women, according to research in Sweden. This was especially evident in women who had previously given birth and were without lumbopelvic pain. These normal speed movements set off an electromyographic response for pelvic floor muscles.

Due to the constant burden on pelvic floor muscles, with the added effect of pregnancy and labor in women, the pelvic floor can become weakened or lax with age. Since the pelvic floor supports various organs, continuous pressure or an increase thereof can lead to prolapse.

What are some methods or techniques to activate the pelvic floor?

The muscles of the pelvic floor are so out of tune with our body that we may not know how to control them. To relearn how we can control the different types of muscles in that area is called activation of the pelvic floor.

The first thing on the checklist is knowing which muscle is which. This can be done by squatting and trying to tighten all those different tubes. This would help in recognizing the muscles. Try to stop midstream when urinating. Remember, do not tighten your buttocks. Squeeze and draw in the muscles around your anus and your vagina at the same time while lifting them up inside as if you are trying to suck in water inside them. Make sure you are breathing correctly. You should have a sense of lift each time you squeeze your pelvic floor muscles, trying to hold them strong and tight all the while counting to 8. Now, let the muscles go and relax, just like your thighs. You should have a distinct feeling of letting go of ad relaxation.

It is best to rest for about 8 seconds in between each lift up of the muscles. Of course, it is possible that you cannot hold for 8. In this case, just hold for as long as you can. 

Repeat this “squeeze and lift” as many times as you can, up to a limit of 8 to 12 squeezes.

Try to do three repetitions of 8 to 12 squeezes each, with a rest in between.

Do this whole training plan (three sets of 8 to 12 squeezes) each day while lying down, sitting or standing.

What is the cause of pelvic floor weakness?

Muscles of the pelvic floor are most often not used voluntarily but they play quite a role involuntarily when we shift all of our stress to this area. You see, every time we are faced with a stressful situation, the muscles of the pelvic floor clench themselves. This constant state of clenching hinders the power of the muscles to perform well as they might not contract and be stuck in their contracted state.

This lack of control of pelvic floor muscles leads to a lack of control of other important bodily functions like micturation, defecation, sexual activity, et cetera.

What is the relationship of the pelvic floor with latent energy and Kundalini?

All the negative energy from stress situations is gathered in the pelvic floor. This collection of energy must be released in order to maintain a balance. Different postural variations in exercise and yoga play an important role in stress release. Kundalini energy is a term used to refer to this energy that is locked in the Mula banda (pelvic region). This area is best stimulated while strategically contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor in coordination with your breathing and contraction and relaxation of other muscles of the body. Repeatedly exercising for a good five minutes will result in shifting of this energy upward and outside the body.

What is the relationship of the pelvic floor and breathing?

The pelvic floor is depressed downwards when we breathe in. This is because the air that enters the lungs puts pressure on the diaphragm. The diaphragm pushes on the organs below and the pressure is transmitted via the pelvic organs to the pelvic floor. It is said that while breathing in, the pelvic floor must not be contracted, so as not to squash the pelvic organs. To the pelvic floor should be relaxed. Whereas when breathing out, there is no positive pressure on either the pelvic floor or the organs, so, the floor can be contracted now.

How to Prevent Injury During Distance Running Training

How to Prevent Injury

How to prevent Injury during Distance Running Training

The risk of injury in distance running increases as severe and sudden changes made in the training schedule, it could be a sudden increase in the number of days in a week you are to train. Almost all runners battle with one or more injuries each year. Every runner has a different mental and physical condition. A good coach that will help evaluates factors in detail that influences a training program should be hired, contribute to set up a training program depending on the runner’s mix.

Aiming to get an effective and safe system? Then Jack Daniels principles of training listed below can serve.

  • Knowledge of your training necessities

Since what works perfectly for one might not work for another, you always have to keep in mind the purpose of the training session and specific needs to achieve the goal.

  • Setting your own pace

Copying the current, and previous champion’s approach to training doesn’t always work, but can be used to support your training program. Challenge yourself with training on the foundation of scientific principles. “When you hear about a new approach to training, don’t just try to copy it rather try to analyze it,” says Jack Daniels. Know the benefits to your body’s system.

Do not follow all publicly released athlete’s training, because to gain recognition, some runners lie about their training schedule and even in the training log to give people the impression that their training is demanding.

Another risk of following previous champions, training is the difference in body type. According to Jack Daniels, know your type of body, your strengths, and weaknesses, be true to yourself regarding your abilities, try to learn what works for you, why it works for you, and why you are considering trying something new in your approach. Before you follow a suggested workout, know your present fitness level, experience level, and goals.

The following sets of questions are adapted from “Jack Daniels,” and will help in evaluating an athlete’s training needs. In the process of your distance running training, you must ask yourself this list of questions:

What is your present fitness level? Are you ready to train and compete?

How much time in a week(s) are you available for a season’s best performance?

How many hours in a day, days in a week will you be available for training?

What are your pros and cons, as regards speed, endurance, aerobic capacity, economy, and reaction to different amounts of running?

What training type do you prefer? To what training-type do you respond well too psychologically? What specific event are you preparing for?

How should periodic races fit into the training program?

What are the environmental conditions of the distance running competition?

Injury is less about damaged tissues and more about your sensitivity and irritation. Addition of weight lifting and jump to your training could help reduce injuries. Try not to go overboard during workouts as this may increase the risk of injury. After the marathon, allow your body to rest for a week or two before setting another goal.