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Netflix Fix - black mirror....

4/22/2018

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I signed up again….. I cancelled my subscription a while ago - I’d watched everything I wanted to which was mainly documentaries on food and the series Black Mirror....

I was chatting to a client who said there was a new season of it, what else could I do I LOVED the series.  With a different email address I got a free subscription (sneaky yeah, who else?? come on.......) and have spent the weekend drawing with Black Mirror on in the background….

Why do I like it… It’s a hideous look at what the future could become, well hideous in my mind.  Someone out there gets the ideas for the series from somewhere - things that are possibly developed or being developed already but not in use yet. Or are they?

It doesn’t freak me out, rather I find it fascinating - a deep look into the darker side of human beings and human nature.  There is much that makes us human, that makes us different from other mammals.

I found this article which is pretty good at looking at the similarities and differences:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150706-the-small-list-of-things-that-make-humans-unique

Quote:
“  Ever since we learned to write, we have documented how special we are. The philosopher Aristotle marked out our differences over 2,000 years ago. We are "rational animals" pursuing knowledge for its own sake. We live by art and reasoning, he wrote.    Much of what he said stills stands. Yes, we see the roots of many behaviours once considered uniquely human in our closest relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos. But we are the only ones who peer into their world and write books about it.

We see the roots of many behaviours once considered uniquely human in our closest relatives.

Obviously we have similarities. We have similarities with everything else in nature; it would be astonishing if we didn't. But we've got to look at the differences," says Ian Tattersall, a paleoanthropologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, US.

That our rapidly expanding technology has allowed us all to become instant publishers means we can share such information at the touch of a button. And this transmission of ideas and technology helps us in our quest to uncover even more about ourselves. That is, we use language to continue ideas that others put forward.

Of course, we pass on the good and the bad. The technology that defines us can also destroy worlds.

Still, as far as we know, we are the only creatures trying to understand where we came from. We also peer further back in time, and further into the future, than any other animal. What other species would think to ponder the age of the universe, or how it will end?"

We have an immense capacity for good. At the same time we risk driving our closest relatives to extinction and destroying the only planet we have ever called home.”

So back to Black Mirror, the technology that can destroy us and our 'steal' consciousness.

It makes me think of a few episodes, likes that we collect on a daily basis from every interaction we do - the more we score the better apartment for example we can buy.  A new Tinder - now the app will tell you how long you get with the person IT has matched you with - until it says you have found the perfect person.  Transferring consciousness of dead people into our own minds (or into a toy) - that person always with us.  Contacts/eye transplants that mean we can rewind life and see what happened - block someone in our lives so they can no longer see us…

Is this really where we are going??

Take Facebook already, how often we only post good things, happy holidays, when someone rants (which is rare) it is often not well received - are we really approaching a world where we have to be happy all the time and can not show other emotions?

Personally I really hope not, I love having emotions - well now I’ve figured them out more and accepted them, both the good and the bad.  But what is a good emotion and what is bad?  We view the bad ones as sadness, anger, frustration etc but these all serve a purpose - without them we don’t know happiness, joy and peace.

It is the light of day, if it didn’t exist how would you know what night was?
If you didn’t know black, you couldn’t define white….

If you don’t know sadness you won’t know happiness…

I wonder if we are entering a world where we can’t express ourselves fully and freely, be grumpy some days, feel the need to be quiet, occasionally say the wrong thing because of the mood we are in, and then on the flip - express total full out wooohoooooo joy and excitement and show how happy we are and be accepted whichever it is we are feeling...

If we dull sadness, we dull happiness….

Black Mirror is it a premonition based series or a warning that this might happen if we don’t change….


We live on the most beautiful planet, with amazing creatures and nature around us, air that allows us to breathe deeply and as a species we can do so much good for each other and for the Earth and all that is living on it.

I wonder if there’ll be a White Mirror ?  How the world will be if we come together in all our goodness and work as one, instead of fighting each other….?

I hope that is our reality...

Thank you

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CRUNCHES, SIT UPS, CURL UPS, FLEXION - WHAT'S IT CALLED??

4/21/2018

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The sit up - or whatever we are going to call it - an oft talked about exercise and an exercise many love or hate....

The thing is with it - it's not a bad move, if you lie on the floor and get up; one possibility is that you do a sort of sit up.  When you go forward in standing, 'leaning' towards the floor (a roll down in Pilates) - it's a standing sit up.  You maybe sit all day in a flexed position, hunched over your desk..

Basically it's flexion of the cervical and thoracic spine- the problem is it is often done in a way that creates issues, makes the belly bulge and can put too much strain on the back....

So how do we do it optimally.??

Mr Stick Man and video show us the (a???) way but here's a bit of history behind it this way...

I learnt this deep neck muscle aka 'head lift' while doing the Kathy Grant Heritage training with Cara Reeser – and it was a bit of a OMG moment for me.  Kathy Grant was a genius in movement and trained with / under Joseph Pilates himself. She had an ability to understand how to move well and I am so glad to have completed the training with Cara. Kathy realised that many of the Pilates moves were too hard when you first started, so she came up with her 'Before the 100s' - the head lift is part of that.

So how do you lift your head?  You will have been told many things in the past, from tucking your chin in, doing a chin nod, lengthen the back of your neck and even keep the chin up and look at the ceiling all the time (ouch….).

Many people complain if neck strain when doing a 'sit up', my hope is that this way will stop that. 

There might be some tissues that need releasing first to help you regain full range in the neck and upper back, a trainer can help with that - and please do expect there to be some feeling of effort in the neck area - after all it's picking your head up!  I liken this to hold a bottle of wine in front of you with your arm straight, you'd expect your arm to ache right?  Well that's like lifting your head up, something has to work to hold it there..

Here goes:

Lie on your back with legs bent – see stick man – be comfy you’re not doing a “sit up” yet; you’re only working your neck.

With one hand feel the shape of the bones under your neck (that is near to the floor) – they should go upwards to form an archway (like the lower back does as well when lying on the floor…).  If they are flat see if you can change how your head is on the ground to create some neck space.  This is the same shape you are meant to have when in standing – which unfortunately due to lifestyles is not often the case and you might need a pillow under your head (sorry but again a trainer will help with this).

You might be surprised how high you need to lift your chin to get this archway – your eyes will be looking directly up to the ceiling above your face – if you were standing you’d be looking long to the horizon line.

Now put one hand on your neck where your Adam’s Apple is (men obvious – women please imagine…) – and you’ll be feeling the cervical (neck) part of the spine – put your fingers either side of the bones you feel here.  Put the other hand on your abdominal area just higher than your belly button.

Movement

LIFT your head off the floor by about 1mm – yup that little, that’s all – or take 2g of weight off the floor – it’s small….  If there was a mirror on the ceiling you would still have the same view of your face, it would just be 1mm closer and a piece of paper would just slip under your head. Under your fingers at your neck you will feel some little muscles activate – welcome to your deep neck flexors!!!

Once you’ve done the LIFT then do chin tucking to the chest - imagine a skewer being just behind the ears, that's the pole around which you turn your head.  This should then take your head so you can see the horizon line and if a cup of tea (I'm British remember) was on your head it would be horizontal - i.e never spill the tea...  Kathy Grant used various sized balls for people to squeeze as they 'tucked' the chin – it makes you go up and over and creates space as opposed to give yourself a double chin (not a good look).

That’s how to get the head off the floor ready for a ‘sit up’.

But wait....

Did you feel your abdominal muscles go really tight as you picked your head up or maybe just flicker a little bit?

If you felt your core muscles pop up, you are trying to lift your head with your core – and that’s not it’s job is it?. This is a common pattern – when you lift your head, the rest of your body stays still – remember we’re not coming into a sit up we’re just lifting our head.   In other words "Pick your head up with your head not your stomach..." which does make sense when you think about it. Try it again and see if you can use your neck muscles more than the core – be patient it might take time to get it.

If you can get this, your neck will get stronger in the right way – your head will feel lighter in your ‘sit ups’ and you’ll be able to access the core to do your "6-pack" work – without neck strain.

Try it this way and then try tucking the chin first and see what feels different, what way makes your head feel lighter and easier to hold up.  Often doing it inefficiently helps us sense when we do it efficiently.

Then the curl up happens:

After the head lift then we can use the abdominals to flex the upper body into the curl we know and love (or not).

Now here's my thing - only come as high as you keep your pelvis still (neutral), at least for the purpose of this blog and ensure the deep abdominals are drawn in to the effort you need to do this.  That requires another blog really, for now make sure you don't tuck your tail, jam the lower back into the floor or see your belly bulge - else you are working to create that shape, which is again not what we want....

There's a few more tips on the video, but I hope this helps those who struggle with neck issues when doing sit ups and the deep part applies whether you curl on the floor, on a BOSU, on a fitball - it's all the same movement pattern...

​Please please please seek assistance if you have any back or neck issues.....

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SIDE PLANKITY PLANKS.....

4/21/2018

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​Pictures say a thousand words - well maybe not this one but the stick man gives some ideas about how to do a side plank - please watch the video for more in depth tips...  thanks!
 
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Hey there,

We looked at the plank a couple of weeks ago and I received loads of great comments and ideas and extra cues - thanks for all the awesome trainers for their support and I hope it helped clients out there do a more optimal move.
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Today is the side plank, a move that is challenging as we ask ourselves to balance on one arm; even if on two legs it is still a challenge and it is a way we often don't train - sidewards to gravity!  Fantastic move to build strength which translates into your plank strength - if you can balance on one arm think how easy it will 2 be again!!!

There are different ways to get into the move - I find starting in all fours is one of the easiest and then build up, or start from you'll plank and turn.

As you'll see in the video I'm turning on to my left side so:
     I turned my left foot backwards and then rotate around the hip joint
     lift up the right arm
     decide which way to look - forward or upward
     create 'space' under the support arm and reach
                       and tada I'm in a 'star' or all fours side position - a really good way to get the feeling of being on one arm.

Next, progress to a diagonal line
     move your knees further away from your hands
     same thing;  move by rotating to one side and lifting the hips 
     long arm line - core drawn in (however you cue it) and straight spine (ie no side bend).

Next you start in a plank, with feet body width apart. This makes it easier to turn the feet and they will drop onto their edges, easier than one foot on top of the other. (video shows this in side profile and the 'foot' dance)

Then you do stacked feet, all the rest remains the same.

And lastly add the top leg lifting for ultimate balance wobble....

There are more ways to play with it, adding twists, turns, weights, but for here and now we are simply aiming to find our best side plank. And remember one side will feel cleverer than the other, it's ok!  Focus on how the clever one works so the not so clever one can learn from it!!

Please be aware if you have wrist, neck, shoulder issues, and any back problems - seek assistance first!

Thanks as always.
​

​
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THORACIC EXTENSION - BABY SWAN - COBRA..... UPDATE!!!

4/21/2018

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ADDITION : There has been great discussions over this blog, I've loved it... To add on what I missed out.  When we come higher in the move, and the hips start to extend - then the glutes will be used as they are hip extensors and it assists opening the front body.

My aim was to talk through baby swan, low extension.  I've found squeezing the glutes when the person is staying low in the extension unnecessary for many, although for some it can help.  If someone tends to always squeeze their butt, I'd ask them not to as it is their default way to stabilise and I'd prefer them to be in their deep body not the superficial.

It's hard to get everything across and the comments have helped me see I need to be a bit more thorough with some of the moves I talk about.

Every body is different and what works for one doesn't for another and as trainers and movers it's great to explore and see what helps the individual move with ease.
thanks!
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Thoracic extension, much needed by many  - done by a few....

In (most) movement disciplines thoracic extension exists, we just all call it different things but basically it is the movement of the upper spine (including the head) in a backward way rather than going forward (flexion).

If we look at our lives today, we sit - A LOT...  Often hunched forward over a computer, driving, texting, playing computer games, drawing, sewing to name a few.  If we let ourselves go under gravity we get pulled forward into a hunched position, our heads drop forward, shoulders rounded, chest tight,  our organs get squished and our breathing becomes shallow.

Sitting this way for hours on end is not good for us and one hour at the gym a day doesn't reverse the effect. Plus gym exercises often add to our body's woes - push ups, chest press, sit ups....... (depending on how you train).

To undo the forward body posture we need to do the reverse- i.e extension.  

You'll see in the video and from my stick man, how to do extension.  Often what happens is people feel their lower back work first, what we are aiming for is a smooth work from the neck muscles, into the mid back and then if you come higher the lower back muscles will also feel it too and that's ok.  It's when the lower back is the first thing to feel it that we need to address your movement patterns.

It can also be tricky to understand how to 'draw the core' in when lying on your front.  This is where the deep muscles need some engagement, if you tighten too hard and your '6-pack' muscles gets tensed then you are fighting your body.  

See this video - I use Human Anatomy Atlas - excuse the quality...  You'll see the rectus at the front will move us into that forward flexed position - so if we tighten that, how are the back muscles meant to work?  We need to let go of the front to use the back.  This is what happens all over the body - (triceps/biceps - quads/hamstrings) so if you brace your core you can't effectively come into extension, and your lower back might take the brunt.  You can however engage the deep core (inner unit, pelvic floor, transversus etc) as the muscles wrap around and can be lengthened as you extend; they don't hold you back.

Another way to think about, it's like tug of war - one side has to slacken off to move...

Hope all that makes sense - there are of course other muscles involved in the movement - but these are the things I've seen over the years that help.  

Extension is vital for us - a strong back keeps us upright, strong bones help prevent osteoporosis, upright postures reduces the strain on our discs.  Please try and if you need some help - be in touch!!  

thanks



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Work the Butt on the Side.....

4/15/2018

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All 3 glutes... the closest to the bones is the minimus then the medius and then maximus. 
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From this view you can see how the glute maximum turns the leg out and extends it backwards, hence why we are doing this action in our move....

Hi there....

Sooooo side lying legs, a move often given for butt "rehab" by physios and a favourite to get the butt working...

If you're doing it though there's a few things to pay attention to so you do really isolate the right muscles...  I say it in the video but here's a quick rundown:

1. Be in line.  Body in one line as opposed to the butt back or forward of the shoulders.  The head often drops forward too, so check yourself for that.
2. I like to bend the bottom leg as it means I can focus on the move and not wobble.  Try this and then for sure straighten the bottom leg for more challenge.
3. Aim to feel it from the hip bit that sticks out on the side (greater trochanter - the bit you might be lying on ) in to the centre of your butt - that's where a lot of these muscles attach.
4. Touch your butt!!  Think where hot-pants sit under your butt cheek - when your leg goes back you will feel that area working.
5.  To isolate really keep the rest of your body still, especially your pelvis and lower back.
6.  There's lots of patterns and moves you can do here, so play about with it...

No reps or sets given here - feel it, and when you think you might be losing good form or it is really burning - stop!!

Then do something - stand / walk / balance - put them into action now they are raring to go.....

Please ask away if you're not sure....
Enjoy!
​

    How's your Butt.....

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India Adventures and lessons Learnt

4/15/2018

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I was ready to get away, looking forward to seeing a good friend and exploring a place I’d never been to - India.

It was a country I was going to go to when I first left the UK, but met the guy and changed the plans and 17 years later I went.

It started in Bangalore, arriving on my 46th birthday at pretty much the stroke of midnight.  Early arrival, hugs, cab, ‘home’, and 6 hours of sitting on the veranda drinking local red wine saw my birthday start off amazingly well.

Some sleep and up and out to explore Bangalore.

What can I tell you - it’s crowded, dusty, street shops, bad pavements, auto-rickshaws everywhere, uber drivers who can’t get to you, no street names are obvious, and it’s crowded (did I already say that?).

I had a whirlwind tour of the place, the veggie market, flowers for prayers, meat market (pretty gross), said hi to a lot of cows wandering about, and was stuck in the traffic for I have no idea how long!

Out of the old part and into the “expat” part for a beer - a quieter street with the modern day malls sprawling on either side, the same traffic but less frenetic, and streets that you can walk on.

One of the many contrasts I saw.

Crossing the same cross-roads 4 times to find where our user had stopped we drove to another area for dinner sat over looking yet another mall lined street.  Wonderful fusion cuisine, and a special mango birthday desert for me!! yay….

Sunday, a day to travel up to Varanasi (Banares) - after Sunday brunch, too much food !!! My stomach was already starting to rebel.

A 4 hour flight took us up into North India and to a place whose energy blew me away.  If you don’t know, this is the place where people go to dip in the Ganges &/or to die

As the Lonely Planet says:

“This is one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities, and one of the holiest in Hinduism. Pilgrims come to the ghats lining the Ganges to wash away sins in the sacred waters or to cremate their loved ones. It's a particularly auspicious place to die, since expiring here offers moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth).

Most visitors agree Varanasi is magical – but not for the faint-hearted. Intimate rituals of life and death take place in public, and the sights, sounds and smells on the ghats – not to mention almost constant attention from touts – can be intense. Still, the so-called City of Light may turn out to be your favourite stop of all. Walking the ghats and alleyways or watching sunrise from a boat can be unforgettable.”

I would disagree with the touts, the rickshaws ask you as you are walking about but it is no worse than I’ve experienced in Singapore in Lucky Plaza with the “you want a suit Sir”….

It is an amazing city, walking tours took us to the places we might never have found, and also stopped us getting lost.  It is a labyrinth of narrow streets, designed to stop invaders (for the ’n’ th time) - high buildings on each side make it dark quickly and the width of the streets mean you are close to each other and the cows.  Simply watch out for the brown pats on the ground!!

Locals sitting around outside their shops, men sitting together in tea shops discussing politics, street food vendors creating culinary delights, that tantalise your taste buds and upset your stomach!!….

The buildings are mainly sandstone and I was convinced they were run down and abandoned, which some are for sure, but many of them - the outside means nothing.  One was the local music school!

And that’s the thing, the outside doesn’t mean anything - and I related this to people in general and “questioned" many of the people I saw there and people in general.  One place we had breakfast at, a corner stall which was one of the best there (it was good!!) - he opens early, is non stop, lives nearby and you might (which I did) come to the conclusion he doesn’t make huge amounts of money doing what he does.  Later we found out he is a millionaire - he lives a simple life, doesn’t want to open another place even though he has been asked to, could afford but doesn’t want a car - and his money is for his children.

What a difference to the modern world in which I live where a big house and a car are often the goals. What do we really need to live?

Watching an old man push his heavily loaded bike up the hill, I wonder how content he is with his life - if he even contemplates it or simply accepts it.

The milk market - maybe 20 farmers with their old steel milk churns full of buffalo or cow’s milk for sale.  One guy cycled up, took his place and unloaded his churns. His bike looked like it belonged on the scrap heap.  He’d cycled 20km with 70ltrs of milk and it had taken him 2 hours.

My 10km commute to work pales into insignificance.

We stopped to watch the looms thread the silks to create sarees, such an old fashioned way to weave but necessary to create these artistic fine fabrics. These guys sitting there hour on hour, pushing the loom back and forth as the loom follows the intricate ‘hole’ pattern to create the design.  The silk so fine, the colours so bright, the room so dark and airless…

A wonderful meal to finish our tour, a meal that repeated on me for the rest of the evening, before bidding farewell to a most wonderful place.

Oh and yes I did dip in the Ganges.  I sat for a moment giving gratitude to the waters and the area before I submerged to cleanse, and I do believe the waters answered my ‘prayers’ through a stomach bug that has meant no toxins (wine, chocolate, coffee) in me for the last 14 days now!!

The other amazing thing was to see cremations as weird as that might sound. We wandered along the bank and saw a pyre being built up, the body wrapped in its ceremonial ‘robes’ and being wetted from the river before placed on the pyre and lit from a torch a holy man had run down from the crematorium with.  I’ll be honest and say he looked a bit worried that the flame would stay alight…..  The pyre lit, the men stepped back and stayed for maybe 20 minutes as the person ascended into the sky and their afterlife.  No wailing, no tears (no women), a simple send off in many a way, but full of deep beliefs and devotion to their gods.

How could I not stop and question life and death, one cannot exist without the other.

People go to Varanasi from all around the area, save up so they can have a fire ceremony as opposed to the electric furnace, and leave this Earth with the hope of salvation.  It was actually beautiful to watch, no tears so no negativity accompanied the soul as it went on to its next journey.  The next day outside the larger crematorium we saw 13 fires, the beliefs held by the people inspired me.  The diligence to their prayers and faith in their gods made me question how far many of us have stepped from that path.

I am not religious, I have beliefs but not based on any ‘god’.  What I admired was the rituals, the rituals that brought so many of them (I think) peace and purpose. But I also wondered if it meant less responsibility for ones own life “it’s in the hands of the gods”…???  As ever many a question in my mind, but my take home has been that rituals that bring us stillness are a good thing!  Since I have sat each evening in peace with my thoughts sometimes whirring, sometimes not and it reminded me how much I enjoyed this years ago when I meditated regularly.  The plan is to continue……

From Varanasi to Bangalore to an early start to catch the train to Mysore.  A train that we couldn’t find, was told 4 different platforms, to then discover it was delayed 3 hours (which a station man had said “3 hours later” - misinterpreted by me as meaning it takes 3 hours).  We sat on a platform for 2 hours to get the next one and by now the ‘iffy’ food had kicked into my system and I slept for most of the journey.

Mysore (home of ashtanga yoga) is like the Singapore of India, clean and tidy and roads that have a bit more order than the other 2 cities!!…  What it lacked was the energy of Varanasi which really surprised me, it is a lovely city, the palace is stunning and there is still a calm to it, but not quite what I was expecting ( I had some hippy image in mind).  An auto rickshaw took us round, up to the hills for a stunning view, and to an incense maker - where I received the strongest head massage I have ever had and an egg white face mask - looking 10 years younger after (apparently).  The incense was rich in aroma, and with a bag of them in hand and some lotus oil, we headed to the best samosa stall in Mysore.

I cannot deny the samosa was amazing, the sauce was divine…  but something wasn’t right and on return to the hotel our stomachs revolted.  I’ll spare you the details as I am sure you all know the effects of Delhi Belly!!

We carried on regardless, both on a forced fast - trying to keep whatever we could in us and we were driven up to the BR Hills and into the natural side of the area.  Stunning is all I can say.  A few cottages nestled in between natural surroundings, the sounds of nature and birds and peace and calm.  A new energy.  The food they made us was the best I’d had yet, which was so sad as we couldn’t eat much of it… I felt guilty sending it away, apologising for my stomach.

An early sleep and a 2 hour nature walk - I miss the natural rawness of the Earth, the way plants grow in a disordered but orderly way, intwined with each other.  As birds flit from tree to tree, gossiping about the people walking along!  The area is stunning and the drive back to Bangalore showed me the immensity of India.   4 hours later and 1 hour then sat in the traffic we arrive home again.  Our stomachs still unable to handle much and much in need of more sleep.

My last day involved some physical movement - finally I moved more than the last few days, my body craved it and a visit to an Ayurvedic doctor.  She read our pulses, told us our dosha (I’m vata) and after a 90min Ayurvedic massage including the oil drip on the head (so meditative) we left armed with our medicine to balance us out….

“The term “Ayurveda” combines the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). Ayurvedic medicine, as practiced in India, is one of the oldest systems of medicine in the world. Many Ayurvedic practices predate written records and were handed down by word of mouth.
Key concepts of Ayurvedic medicine include universal interconnectedness (among people, their health, and the universe), the body’s constitution (prakriti), and life forces (dosha), which are often compared to the biologic humors of the ancient Greek system. Using these concepts, Ayurvedic physicians prescribe individualized treatments, including compounds of herbs or proprietary ingredients, and diet, exercise, and lifestyle recommendations.”

Lifestyle recommendations…..  hers was - meditate…… okay okay I’m getting the message!!

Home and case packed, out to dinner where a glass of wine took me 2 hours to drink - my body really wanted to detox…

It was a fascinating trip - the highlight to spend time with a great friend, get to know each other more and more.  Spending 6 days solidly with someone is never easy - especially for me when I am used to a lot of alone time! We did great though and it was amazing to hear all she had to tell me about this country she for now considers home…..

It is a place I may venture back to, and Varanasi is definitely a place I’d say to go visit.

My final thoughts of the bits of India I saw are that it is a country of far too many people, in total chaos but somehow or other it seems to work. It has helped me get back on a healthier track (so far) and inspired me to start meditating again.  It's opened my eyes wider to how I live life, what I need, what is important and that you can never tell from external appearances what is inside......




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Plankity Plank......

4/12/2018

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I'm cheating a wee bit and copying/editing a post I did on planks 3 years ago!!! Which surprised me as then I realised I've been blogging on and off for quite some time now - and more regularly now too...  Impressed myself lol...
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So the plank… That most glorious of all core exercises that so many in the “fitness” industry want you to hold for erm minutes and minutes……

The plank challenge appeared not too long ago on FaceBook and my comment “why why why” was met with some question marks?  Fair point, why not hold a plank for an exceedingly long period of time?!?…

Before I started to write this I did a bit of googling (something I love doing !) just to check if there was any research behind holding a plank.  Stuart McGill (back specialist) was quoted on one website as saying 2 minutes is the gold standard, yet on another saying he believes that it is better to hold for 7-10secs, rest for 2-3 then repeat!….  On his website I could’t find much about it.  Therefore it seems there is confusion as to whether to hold a plank at all and if so for how long.

My question is WHY?  Why do we need to be able to hold a plank for let’s say 2 minutes – or even 1 minute?
Possible answer : it’s functional… (buzz word)

For what and for whom?

I was thinking what in daily life do we do that requires us to hold our core on deeper than it is in generally on in normal life, i.e. in a static position for 2 minutes.  I drew a blank.  I went swimming – maybe if I could hold a plank for a really long time my body position in the water might improve?  Well only if I can hold it well and move my arms and legs.!  I was in the kitchen cooking – a chef maybe?, is a long plank hold functional for them – if you can hold the core horizontal it must translate to vertical right?  Not really and also chefs are always moving their limbs and are not static, same with many other standing professions.  What do we do in life in the plank position apart from erm, a plank.

I did wonder about a beefeater or a soldier standing to attention – they might benefit from being able to keep their core on ‘harder’ for extended periods of time ? It might take the pressure off their body when simply standing still….  But then so might wiggling their toes or just shifting their weight left to right!!…

My point – I struggle to understand the need to be able to perform a plank for a length of time, least of all put it out there to the general population as a 30 day challenge.

Do we want to be able to support ourselves in a plank? – yes – with good form and with the rest of the body assisting – strong legs, shoulders in place, elbows not hyperextended etc etc, it is not just the ‘cores’ job (please use your own definition of core – it would be another blog post to go into mine…..).

I watched a random dude hold his plank for 5 minutes – I actually didn’t watch; I forwarded the video, but during that time he fidgeted, he moved his head up and down, rocked forward and back, then his knees started to buckle and his back sagged a little – but great he did 5 minutes!!…..  Does that count – the fact he fidgeted so much and lost form?  Not in my eyes.

Hoping you get my drift here.

When these type of ‘fitness’ challenges are put out there – please ask WHY?  What is the point and what does it provide for in daily life.

A plank is an awesome position to be able to get into – it allows us to then say do push ups efficiently, it teaches our body to work in a different relationship to gravity than normal, it takes the load of gravity off our discs, it helps with shoulder strength and placement – which can help yogis /gymnasts for example with arm balancing poses, it can teach the body to work as a unit and not just the ‘core’ (insert own definition) – if it is taught well !!! and other reasons I’ll leave you to think of.

Do we need to hold it for ages? My opinion – no; unless you want to break the world record which stands at over an hour or something equally stupid..

What are we better of doing?

Move in and out of the plank – when you can get into a plank successfully each time, then hold it and move – lift a leg, move an arm forward, touch you head with your right hand, heckle; get someone to push you about a bit (thanks Frank Forencich for that – http://www.exuberantanimal.com) – lift you head up and down, look right and left.  Add props – elbows on a ball, feet on a Bosu, use other equipment e.g. pilates reformer, drag a Vipr along the floor, do a Kettlebell row in a plank.  Go to a side plank – then centre, then the other side – which way is easier?  Learn something about your body’s ability side to side!. Go from plank to down dog to plank to swan/up dog to plank to side plank – play – move – explore the space around your plank!!!!

There are so many options available to challenge the plank once you have a good base position – just holding it, well  it’s kinda boring!!!……

My artistic talents are infinite as you'll have realised from my drawing above,.. My stick man plank with a few notes on focuses!  Biggest issue is often the head placement – many people go into ‘chicken head’ pose and their face/head drops forward to the floor. A good visual here is to imagine (or put!!) a mirror on the floor under your face – you need to be able to see ALL of your features as if you were looking into a mirror standing up – and at the same time keep your face away from the mirror – but not so far you get double chins!!….

Please no comments about dimensions of my man/woman – it’s not about my ability to draw.!!

Hope this helps those not sure – please ask your gym instructor/PT/Pilates trainer to check your form and give you the focuses you need to keep it an optimal plank.  Even if you don’t train with them on a 1:1 basis, a good trainer will be happy to spend 5 minutes helping you get it right!!……

Happy planking...

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The Art Of Blogging and Time Off

4/10/2018

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A REMINDER TO MYSELF......

Picture
Picture

My own photo from the Ganges - very easy to be still....


I take my hat off to the online bloggers who put content out there day in day out, finding inspiration for their words, and creating something of interest for their readers.

I decided to take a break - 2 reasons, firstly I was on holiday, yes I could have still blogged but I wanted time out too to feel where I was (which was India and a blog to follow!!)…  The other reason was I felt my content and what I was wanting to write about was erring towards negativity and anger and that’s not what I wanted my blogs to be, nor do I want to be like that!  I wrote some and then, well they are sitting in a file to be reread and rewritten!

Why was I feeling that way? - a break was needed that was for sure, as much as I enjoy my work and life overall - I love adventure and exploring and seeing new things and it was time to!!

And I did - YAY!!

Being away gave me space to self reflect on the year so far.  What I’d done, to take on some feedback I’d be given, think about my daily life, how I was living and treating myself and others.

I realised I had got quicker and quicker through the year and by the time I boarded the plane out of Singapore I was running on fumes.  Too much alcohol, too little sleep, some bad food choices and I am a different person - my fuse is shorter, my patience tested quickly and I’m not as calm as I like to be.

What I find though is when I’m in that space it is hard to realise it and it took a good friend to go “Hey what’s up with you - you’re acting like a white witch trying to save the world” or words to that effect….  I hadn’t noticed I was getting more and more judgemental - why didn’t people care, why do they behave xyz blah blah blah.  Big sigh…  

As much as we can be aware of ourselves, at times we all lose it and even the best coaches have coaches - we all need those outside eyes to say “erm what’s going on??”…. It’s being receptive to it and taking a moment to go - ah yes I fell off my happy wagon!!!

And reflect I did - I went through the ‘I’m a bad person” phase to the “no I’m not” to the “aha that’s what happened - I got too fast for myself and too critical of others”….

So here I am post a fabulous holiday with the intention of slowing down again, putting a few rituals in place, taking care of me a bit better again, not taking on more than I can do and still be still - and be aware of how I am being.

I’ll be honest and say, I like loosing my way at times - it helps me keep on track, it shows me where I’d rather be and that’s powerful.  I might piss a few people off when I’m not on track - but that is also part of life and being a human being (if I did I do apologise - not intentional!!!)…..


Let’s see what the second quarter of 2018 brings - I am very much looking forward to it!!

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    lisa....

    I have opinions on most things - and I am happy to listen with an open mind, seeing a different view. Please feel free to comment and tell me how it occurs for you..

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