Category: exercise for health

Unlocking the Health Rewards of Pilates

Over the last few years, Pilates has emerged as a powerful ally for those seeking a holistic approach to physical and mental well-being. This low-impact exercise system, developed in the 20th century, has gained immense popularity worldwide, attracting individuals from all walks of life. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or a newcomer to the world of fitness, Pilates offers a unique blend of strength, flexibility, and mindfulness that can transform your body and mind.

  1. Core Strength and Stability

One of the primary focuses of Pilates is on building a strong and stable core. By engaging the deep abdominal muscles, along with the muscles of the back and pelvic floor, Pilates helps create a solid foundation for all movements. This core stability not only improves posture and reduces the risk of injury but also enhances overall athletic performance and everyday functional movements.

  1. Flexibility and Mobility

Pilates emphasises controlled movements and stretching, which can improve flexibility and joint mobility. The exercises target specific muscle groups, lengthening and strengthening them simultaneously. This balanced approach can alleviate muscle tightness and tension, reducing the risk of injuries and promoting a greater range of motion in daily activities.

  1. Mind-Body Connection

Unlike many traditional exercise routines, Pilates places a strong emphasis on mindfulness and breath control. By synchronising movement with breath, practitioners develop a heightened awareness of their bodies, fostering a deeper connection between the physical and mental aspects of their being. This mind-body integration can reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being.

  1. Rebuild Core-Strength After Pregnancy

For new mothers, the postpartum period can be both joyous and challenging. Pilates offers a gentle and effective way to rebuild core strength, alleviate back pain, and regain physical confidence after childbirth. Postnatal Pilates in Bristol and the surrounding areas provides a supportive environment where new mums can safely and gradually rebuild their strength while connecting with other like-minded individuals.

Pilates classes in Bristol cater to postnatal women, offering specialised routines designed to address the unique needs of this population. Whether you opt for group classes or private Pilates in Bristol, new mothers can benefit from the guidance of experienced instructors who understand the importance of a gradual recovery process. Learn more about the various options available, including group classes, private sessions, and online resources, to find the perfect fit for your needs and preferences.

  1. Versatility and Adaptability

One of the greatest strengths of Pilates lies in its versatility and adaptability. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced practitioner, young or old, an athlete or seeking rehabilitation, Pilates can be tailored to suit your individual needs and goals. Modifications and variations allow individuals of all fitness levels to participate and progress at their own pace, ensuring a safe and effective workout.

Unlocking the health rewards of Pilates is a journey that promises to transform not only your physical well-being but also your mental and emotional state. By combining strength, flexibility, and mindfulness, Pilates offers a holistic approach to fitness that can benefit individuals of all ages and abilities.

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Daily Exercise For Cass

Another activity added into Cass’ daily timetable is exercise.  I make her do simple exercises like rope-skipping and floor exercises everyday.  Sometimes she does skipping rope challenge with her Alycia che che, who is a pro rope skipper.  Alycia can do over a thousand times of rope-skipping in 10-15 minutes.

After skipping rope, Cass has to do at least 15-20 minutes of floor exercise, targetting her pelvic/abdomen area to strengthen this area. She does straight leg raise, scissors, slider pike, mountain climber, heel tap, sit ups, planks, etc.

When I have the time, we do the floor exercises together.  Our trainers will be from You Tube. We watch it from our internet TV 🤩💪

Cass needs daily exercise to beat constipation, to stabilise her cholesterol reading (she’s got borderline familial hypercholesterolemia or genetic high cholesterol. No thanks to my bad DNA 🙁 ) and to strengthen her pelvic floor.

It’s tough to get my ‘tidak-apa’ kid to do these exercises as she finds them boring. She wants to go to the gym with her Alycia che che but she’s still underaged and needs adult supervision. I don’t always have the time to accompany her to the gym. Now Cass can’t wait to turn 12 as she will get the golden ticket to go to the gym on her own unsupervised once she reaches this age.

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What Can I Do To Enhance My Energy Levels?

If you’re trying to enhance your energy levels, it’s important to know that doing so is entirely possible. To start feeling more physical and mental vitality now, consider utilizing some or all of the following strategies:

1. Meditate
One of the reasons that people experience low energy results from ongoing, unaddressed stress. Luckily, there are many health strategies that can be implemented to reduce and even eliminate anxiety. One of the most powerful strategies under the sun is meditation. Meditation is powerful because it helps individuals slow down, listen to their bodies, and continually clear their minds so they’re not thinking in frenetic or negative ways. Note that there are several different types of meditation available, one of which is breath-based. If you’re not into taking deep inhalations and exhalations, you may want to consider the mantra. Many people enjoy this style of meditation because it trains the brain to think and remember something positive. Anything from “I am” to “Love and light” can be the mantra that you recite inwardly in the morning and before going to bed for the purpose of maintaining a tranquil, positive mindset.

Women's White Top and Orange Floral Skirt

 

2. Become Physically Active
In addition to tapping into the power of implementing a mantra or breath-based form of meditation, make sure that you become more physically active. This technique is imperative because exercise is known to optimize energy levels in many ways. One is by helping the body eliminate toxins that can be slowing down key regulatory processes that contribute to energy production. In addition to enhancing your level of vitality, exercise is known to boost immunity, enhance inner confidence, and induce better sleep. There are many ways that an individual can get on track to becoming more physically active. One is by finding a local park where you can walk or jog with a dog. Another is by taking fitness classes in a local gym. Individuals who find that high levels of stress have compromised their energy levels may want to consider joining a local yoga studio. In addition to energizing the body, yoga is known to fight stress by putting the mind and body in a meditative state for extended periods of time. In addition to considering yoga, use an online tool such as the Smart Squat website to learn more about key physical activities such as the squat exercise.

Exercising with a trainer using SmartSquat.

Conclusion
People who are serious about enhancing their energy levels should note that there are many ways that they can realize the objective. Two of them are outlined above. Start utilizing these energy optimization techniques soon so you can begin to optimize your level of productivity in all areas of life!

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Top 4 Bodyweight Exercises For Building Muscle

Most people think that bodyweight exercises are pointless, and you should only lift weights. Well, I’m here to tell you that they’re completely wrong. There are some great exercises out there that will help you build muscle and increase strength. To help prove my point, here are four of the best:

Push Ups
If you want a basic bodyweight exercise, then the push up is for you. It’s not hard to do one, and there are variations to make them easier or harder to do. This exercise will target your chest and triceps, depending on how you do it. The closer you have your hands together on the floor, the more triceps activation you get. A typical push up will be done with hands at shoulder width, so you get a great bit of chest activation going on. You can also do clapping push-ups to make the exercise even harder, and grow bigger muscles. Plus, you need no equipment for this movement, all you require is enough space to lie down!
File:U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brandon Stout performs pull-ups.jpg

Pull Ups
The pull up is the greatest test of upper body strength there is. By doing this exercise, you’ll be working a whole host of muscles against the weight of your body. Primarily, pull ups will target the lat muscles in your back. Also, you get considerable activation in your trapezius muscles, most notably the lower traps. As a bonus, pull-ups will also work your forearms and biceps; it’s an all round muscle building masterpiece. Most people think you can only do pull-ups in the gym, but this isn’t the case. You can do them on a door frame or the back of some stairs in your home. There are also companies like PullUpMate that do portable pull up stations for indoor use. I strongly recommend you find a way to do this exercise at home, as it should be done every day to maximize muscle growth.

Dips
As far as triceps bodyweight exercises go, dips are the best for building muscle mass. The reason for this is that you’re in a suspended position when doing them. So, your triceps are working hard to keep your body stable, while also moving it up and down. And, you can also alter the angle of your body to target your chest more. This means you’re essentially doing a suspended pushup, and can get serious chest growth. You can create your own dipping station at home by using two chairs or the corner of a kitchen counter. So, they’re great to add to any home workout.

Handstand, Evening Sky, Beach, Sun, Summer, Sunset

Handstand Push Ups
The final exercise will target your shoulders and make them burn like crazy. Simply do a handstand against a wall, and lower your head to the ground then push up using your shoulders. If you can’t do this, then pike push ups are a good alternative. Get into the downward dog yoga pose and lower your head to the floor then push back up.

All of these exercises can be done without any weights at all. And, each can be modified depending on your experience and strength levels. Add them to your workout routine today!

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No Excuse Not To Exercise

Finally, my 2 dot com blogs have been revived!   But I am not sure how long they can survive before they pass on again. Their lives are hanging on tenterhooks.

To ensure longevity of my blogs, I need to upgrade the Inode / space for my website by paying a hefty sum to the host. Still deciding if I should do it.  Should I?

Anyway…

It was a very wet morning today. After sending the girls off to the transporter at 6:30am, it started to pour heavily. I could not go to the gym yet as it is only accessible at 7am.   Thus, I went home and worked out on the trampoline instead. It’s been ages since i last worked out on my trampoline. I used to jump on it everyday years ago.

I used to run on the road 365 days in a year, come rain or shine, I kid you not. Those were my pre-ASC (Alycia, Sherilyn, Cassandra) days  when I had a little free time on hand. I would start off my day at 5:30am by running outside the house for half an hour before heading to work! On some days when I could leave the office early, I would run for an hour at the park in the evening, making it a twice-daily exercise regimen. Yup, I was that fit and had an overflowing of stamina.   When it rained, I ran with an umbrella and on other regular days, i ran holding  a baton as protection against muggers.  Later, hubs got me a pepper spray.  I still keep one in my pocket every morning when I exercise, just as a safety precaution.

I took this photo this morning using the timer on my mobile phone.   I took this picture just so to motivate YOU to start exercising today!  And I learned something new today – setting the timer on my phone!

To keep myself entertained while I ran and jumped on the trampoline this morning, I watched BBC and CNN on TV.

To those of you who keep giving yourself excuses not to exercise, stop procrastinating. Start moving your butt today!!  Don’t be discouraged if you feel like you’ve been battered all over on your first few days of exercise. Keep going. You’ll be surprised that your stamina keeps getting better  and in no time, you’ll be as fit as a fiddle!

Remember, persistence pays off. In addition to getting toned arms, legs and abs, you’ll be able to eliminate that muffin top that you’ve been desperately trying to get rid of for years and get a hot bod when you exercise.

* Note reducing carbs and calories work hand in hand in a successful and safe weight loss journey. Remember to eat clean and eat well too.

Exercise needs not be the mundane running or swimming. You can do something fun like trampoline jumping (I love jumping in front of the TV and watch the news, thus killing 2 birds with one stone!), skipping rope, dancing, yoga and much more.  On a tight budget and cannot afford the gym or yoga lessons?  DIY by referring to YouTube! A trampoline does not cost a lot.  The one you see here cost less than RM200. The benefits of exercise are aplenty.  Try getting hooked on exercise and you will see and experience the benefits of exercise first hand yourself.   So wait no further, give yourself a nudge on your butt and start moving!

 

 

 

 

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To Exercise Or Not To Exercise?

To go or not to go? My heart would be screaming and crying out to me to just GO but my body would feel languid, a result of an unpaid sleep debt and rest debt.  This is what I have been going through lately, every morning. Waking up at 4:45am every day can send you into a serious sleep debt.  I admit I have been too pampered with a live-in helper for 10 years and then a very good permanent part-time maid (when the live-in maid left).  Now that both have been taken away from me, I just need some time or perhaps lots of time to program my body to thrive under tougher conditions.

Sometimes, I would succumb to my body’s call and sometimes, my head wins.  Today, my head won over the languishing body and I went out to exercise for almost an hour, including my jog to the mobile market and walked back to my residence carrying 7-8kg of weighty fresh produce. I must say that I have pretty toned arms albeit I have no time to lift dumb bells anymore, *coughs* 😀  My regular carrying of 7-10kg of fresh produce for 15 minutes twice to thrice weekly is enough to ton up and firm up my upper and lower arms.  I am glad I went out for the run this morning.   Exercise has been a part of my health regimen since 13 years ago, when I found out that I had PCOS.   I need my exercise to stay sane, healthy and most of all, to keep those muffin tops out of sight when I don on my jeans or skirt.  But instead of exercising 7 days  a week like I used to during those heydays when I was blessed with maids, I now try to fulfill a 5-day exercise week to keep myself in top form, mentally and physically.

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HEALTH FREAK MOMMY