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Mags are full of the merits of both yoga and Pilates this week. Wildy has a daily input as does my own wife - and she made me join in ...

Basically - it is highly relaxing and I would say gives as good a "work out" as using the macho stuff down the gym. For Wildy - part of her rehab - and my wife took it up because it "kept her body in shape after children" - she's slim and curvy in the right places...

Anyway - what do these do ...


Both improve posture after a working day at the office desk for most of us - and we need the gentle exercise to ensure the body works properly.


1. Yoga teaches you how to breathe properly - and this helps us calm ourselves and regenerate our concentration.

There are a number of poses which stimulate our ability to concentrate too - and Yoga seems to take in the full body and incorporates part of the Pilates regimes as well

2. Pilates concentrates more on the pelvic floor, abdominals, postural sspinals muscles - which imporve our balance and overall posture - and for thoise who suffer saddles soreness or an aching back - a very useful avenue to explore.

Have phoned Wildy and she says she will share her 10 minute sessions with us all from time to time.

In hte meantime - how do we all keep fit - and given that both Yoga and Pilates help calm the mind and thus calm our attitudes - should we make this compulsory part of PE (what bit is left) in our secondary schools?

The Mad Cats came across a report of a orimary school teaching this in one of their local papers - so they tell me.

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did i come to the right site?...

this is safespeed -> cycling isn't it

havet done pilates for a while now but it made a great extended stretching & core stability session when i was doing tri training.

OK since IG has suggested because of articles in all they Cycling mags this week/month...




Yoga



Will simply explain what it ist und what it does

Will start with Yoga for now, Ist a state of being rather than exercise. T teaches us to calm the mind

Und all it need to calm down ist 10 minutes twice per day

To practice this ist like giving yourself a massage und most of the postures are designed to focus your concentration to other areas of yiur body.

As far as improving attitudes – ist very beneficial then.

Mind und breath are inter-related – so it focus on breathing – deep controlled slow inhalation by deep und slow exhalations – three times each – this develops an evenness your mind.



Try this now…breathe through your nose – not your mouth. Ist essential to master the art of breathing like this as this ist what give yiour the stamina to control your body during any of the postures which co-ordinate your mind und your body – und remember this ist designed art focusing on one area in body at time – und ist about finding your personal limit point without over-extending yourself. Thus it develop self awareness.

Ist why I think it has a part in the debate here und perhaps a resource for some – it maybe inspire?

Und the other thing it teach you – your limit cahnges each day – so what you do one day – may not be as deep as time before – so you do become more self aware of your limitations.

Again – perhaps a useful tool to dip into for many of our stressed out drivers und cyclists. Und it teaches you to relax into any discomfort. If it hurts – you have approached too fast or not aligned body properly. You listen to your body und attune to it in this form of exercise. Ist not about “going for the burn”! - und after each posture – your have a lie down to relax…. Ist part of your ten minutes!
Yoga

Will simply explain what it ist und what it does

Will start with Yoga for now, Ist a state of being rather than exercise. T teaches us to calm the mind

Und all it need to calm down ist 10 minutes twice per day

To practice this ist like giving yourself a massage und most opf the postures are diesigned to focus your concentration to other areas of yiur body.

As far as improving attitudes – ist very beneficial then.

Mind und breath are inter-related – so it our focus on breathing – deep controlled slow inhalation by deep und slow exhalations – three times each – this develops an evenness your mind.

Try this now…breathe through your nose – not your mouth. Ist essential to master the art of breathing like this as this ist what give yiour the stamina to control your body during any of the postures which co-ordinate your mind und your body – und remember this ist designed art focusing on one area in body at time – und ist about finding your personal limit point without over-extending yourself. Thus it develop self awareness.

Ist why I think it has a part in the debate here und perhaps a resource for some – it maybe inspire?

Und the other thing it teach you – your limit chnges each day – so what you do one day – may not be as deep as time before – so you do become more self aware of your limitations.

Again – perhaps a useful tool to dip into for many of our stressed out drivers und cyclists. Und it teaches you to relax into any discomfort. If it hurts – you have approached too fast or not aligned body properly. You listen to your body und attune to it in this form of exercise. Ist not about “going for the burn”! - und after each posture – your have a lie down to relax…. Ist part of your ten minutes!

So – some ten minutes –

I would start with breathing… three slow deep breath through nose (both nostrils) und then exhale slowly out

You can then start alternating each nostril’s breath und if your breathe in throught the left – breathe out through the right.

Ist amazing how this makes you think as well as calm you down.

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Another 10 minutes...

Lie on your left side – knees bent – stretch arms in front - palms together. Gaze at your right thumb und inhaling slowly – take right arm into the air und point fingers straight up to the sky,


. Exhale slowly as you bring this right arm down behind you und try to bring the hand to the floor if you can – but do not force shoulder down.

Inhale again und bring the arm to half way up – follow its path wwith your eyes exhale as you return it to your other palm

Do this for six rounds – concentrating on your breathing und focusing on your thumb all the time. As you open on the sixth round – let hand rest on floor – bring more of your right side onto contact with the floor und deepen the twist into your waist Simply breathe in und out gently - then repeat the whole thing by turning to your right side…palms outstretched – gazing at thumb und following your left thumb as you do these gentle twists.

That ist your ten minutes for one session.



Und of course -= I must include this one


The CAT pose

This ist the one which make spine flexible

Start on all fours - knees aligned with hips - hand under shoulders – postion hands so that middle fingers stretch forwards This ist your feline body “in neutral” und you gaze at spot between your hands.

Inhale und as you inhale – start to look up – curve back downwards – accentuate the curve in back und raise tail bone Do not slump into shoulders – move breast bone forward und up.

Aqs you slowly exhale – tuck pelvis under und round your back – but try to make lower back curve – press each vertebrae up to the sky – feel shoulder blades spread apart – press palms into floor

Repeat ten times – ist like a cat arching back …:hehe: und it really does keep your hack supple und help control back ache -= ist all done in the slow controlled breathing – und you never over extend yourself – you gradually find over a fortnight or so of this ten minutes twice daily – you find it easy und easing.


As part of each ten minutes – lie on back with head on pillow – make sure you are comfortable und just concentrate on breathing slowly und exhaling slowly. .This ist re-energising yourself.

Have lots of others … roll downs, yoga on a chair, standing tall, back bends und some very gentle stretchy exercises – but this ist introduction – und ist the best ones to get chilled out with

Got into this at Uni... und ist party of my physio programme und probably how I got back to normal afterwards... und also perhaps why I still got the young looking curvy body with no stretch marks after kittens...

_________________
Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

UND OUR SMILEYS? Smile ... und the the world smiles with you.
Smiley guy seen when you read
Fine me for Safe Speed
(& other good causes..)

Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
But if you lose the driving plan - don't lose the COAST lesson.
Me?
Je ne regrette rien!

Pilates

This ist gentle but more powerful than yoga in many ways – und perhaps you men may prefer this one. Ist the real power macho developer

This one works on muscle groups as opposed to whole body Ist from Joseph Pilates – German internee in war. But this system ensures body works gracefully und integrated way.

It work on nervous system – vital for control und co-ordination – und it tries to tune up your system so that your “wiring from central management box – power you up!

It work on muscular system – to achieve state of relaxation to achieve the power und control when you use the muscles – sit about loosening muscles after exercise – preventing the overstretch – ist controlling the speed ….

It work on fascia system – it improve und tone your soft tissues und you get a nice healthy complextion too - for a mere male

It work on skeletal system like the yoga by tightening your posture und aligning your joints. (Ist a bit like tracking und balancing your wheels)

So have you got good posture?

Level ear lobes , shoulders, equal distance between ears und shoulders, level hips, equal shap in calf muscles – equal arches of feet….

Then your are purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-fektion!

Collapsing posture – cervical lordosis – neck ist too far forward und vertebrae too far backwards chin point forwards

Kyphosis posture – you stoop in normal standing position – have weak abdomen compressed chest Pilates is about re-aligning all this ….ist about Breathing,
mental focus, relaxation, smooth co-ordinated movement und you take time to perfect … even in your 10 minutes.

Ist about tightening the saggy bits...

_________________
Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

UND OUR SMILEYS? Smile ... und the the world smiles with you.
Smiley guy seen when you read
Fine me for Safe Speed
(& other good causes..)

Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
But if you lose the driving plan - don't lose the COAST lesson.
Me?
Je ne regrette rien!

Pilates



So the initial 10 minutes…

Warm up your body…ist essential to any exercise.

Arm swings (und this also ist yoga based)

Stand straight – arms by side – feet apart - unlocked knees – inhale slowly und raise arms until stretched above head (yoga would hold this with controlled breathing for two second gentle stretch ) - pull in tummy muscles - exhale und curl yur body swinging your arms past your knees - inhale slowly und repeat - but where yoga pauses – Pilates does not… keep a good rhythm.

Small hoops – good for your heart rate …

As above – stand straight und inhale und just move arms out to 45 degrees und as you exhale – move arms out slowly forward und up in circle until above head at highest point – inhale as you move them downwards. Keep posture – head und spine aligned throughout – repeat ten times

You can do this by making large hoops – making fingers touch above your head -= und you can alternate the small und large hoops as variations.

_________________
Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

UND OUR SMILEYS? Smile ... und the the world smiles with you.
Smiley guy seen when you read
Fine me for Safe Speed
(& other good causes..)

Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
But if you lose the driving plan - don't lose the COAST lesson.
Me?
Je ne regrette rien!

Pivot

Stand up as above – arms by side let arms hang loosely by your side. Inhale und tighten your bum – it lengthen spine.

Exhale – twist body to one side – letting arms swing loosely - moving with you und legs twist with you.

Inhale und twist back to centre

Exhale und twist to the other side – inhale und return to centre.

Each time you twist - swing arms higher.

Ist all about learnign to breathe - control movements, steady und focus yor mind... ist also amazing how this help concentrate on road with calm attitude too Ist perhaps why IG think has place in forum - especially this one as ist bridging gap und perhaps a nice resource for our many lurkers to dip to.

Who knows - they may join in und add their ideas too.

_________________
Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

UND OUR SMILEYS? Smile ... und the the world smiles with you.
Smiley guy seen when you read
Fine me for Safe Speed
(& other good causes..)

Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
But if you lose the driving plan - don't lose the COAST lesson.
Me?
Je ne regrette rien!

Believe it or not - most of stand incorrectly The only time when we really stand correct posture ist that moment as babies when we start to stand from our crawls

This session ist aimed at correcting this - und again ist the sort of mind exercise which has knock effect in that it help us re-develop und refresh that elusive "automatic relaxed concentration skill which help us drive too "


STANDING


Stand – feet 10 cm apart – arms by side – relaxed shoulders und ist designed to tck tension in body.

Feet



– Be aware of how weight ist distributed around heel und ball of foot. Gently sway your body back und forwards – side to side und distribute your weight evenly -Do this for one minute – no more.


Ist all about finding where you feel the least tension – holding this point und breathing to relax it more…





Calf muscles


– again shift your weight notice how tension builds und relaxes – when you find the central point – relax into it by deep inhalations.

Knees –

concentrate on these - again shift your wieight gently until you find the knees release. Keep feet und calfs relaxed too und take five deep breaths in und out as you hold this point.

Thighs

– shift weight around until you feel your thigh muscle start to relax – again take 5 deep breaths and relax more

]Bum

– sway pelvis back und forwards until you feel the muscle relax – keep rest of lower body relaxed as well und take another 5 deep breaths to relax more.

Tum

Bring attention to your tum – tighten your tummy muscles und then release them Try to find the medium point between tense/relax und hold – with 5 deep breaths in und out.

Ist how to get to retain flat tum.... und no bulges .. or rolls or "flat tyres"

Beer belly ist something else

Now the main bit

Back


- - tuck in tail bone slowly und realise shoulders gently upswards You will feel the tension along length of spine. Once aware of the tension building up – relax to original position Then bring shoulder blades downwards und raise the tail bone – then as you feel the tension build – relax back to your original stance Do these again gently und when you establish just when you feel the least tension – hold it – take 5 deep breaths und then relax…

Chest

Take some shallow breaths – then some deep ones – breathing into your back und side of rib cage. Allow breath to find the middle least tension point for you und then breathe in und out 5 times to this sensation und make sure you keep the straight but relaxed posture.

Shoulders

Pull shoulders as far back as you cn without straining yourself Then relax them When you establish where you feel the leas tension – hold – take 5 deep breaths und relax.

Arms

Let arms hang down at side then gently turn them insude und outwards – find where you feel no tension – hold und breathe


Und the most difficult to establish least tension point..


Neck


– to find where you are least tense here – bend neck forwards und then backwards. Tip head for side to side. At points where you feel the least tense – breathe in 5 times to relax more into it,





This does take time und practice to master … but ist about starting the posture alignment correcting phases – but this exercise seem to make you feel light weighted afterwards.

Und these are the foundling exercises for yiour 10 minutes twice daily …und they are very beneficial for all – und they suit all ages und fitness levels too.

_________________
Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

UND OUR SMILEYS? Smile ... und the the world smiles with you.
Smiley guy seen when you read
Fine me for Safe Speed
(& other good causes..)

Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
But if you lose the driving plan - don't lose the COAST lesson.
Me?
Je ne regrette rien!