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What is Barre

What is Barre

 

 

Looking for a class that pulls your body in tight, lifts your bum firm, slims your waistline, makes you feel taller, slimmer like a ballerina’s body? Try Barre class with former Ballet dancer Louie!
Louie’s barre class will bring out the dancer in you by sharing his knowledge of Classical ballet teaching essential foundations to look like a dancer for the best barre workout and how you can start feeling like a dancer. It is the learning of the foundations, and the correct technique is the golden key to look, flow, move with grace effortlessly with motion.

“This is where you work it “

WHAT IS BARRE WORKOUTS?

What you will read online is. “You will use muscles you never thought you had.”

Well, that can’t be true its how you use them.

Stabilising your muscle.

Barre workouts will stretch as well as strengthen muscles by stabilising muscle to perform full range of movement “R.O.M” or isolation in the particular exercise given.

Looking for quick results? Ballet Barre is the answer. As it uses your muscles in a different way and you will feel as if every muscle in your body is working. we will split this into groups. Starting top to bottom.

The head

Moves freely on the shoulders and also has positons, using your facial expression.

The Arms

This is the weakest link for most people hold them up for a few minutes is a challenge making you look like a sad swan. Your elbows point to the back and away from each other, the elbow and wrist descend from the shoulder when in 2nd position.

The torso

The torso uses the four major abdominal muscles providing strength and mobility in the joints, There is so much happening here as its the powerhouse to keep everything in good order.

Legs and Bum

Yes a firm tight bum as needed no soggy bottoms allowed, this is where the overload of muscles is generally worked to the Maximus

Firstly

Q. Do I need dance experience?

      A. No dance experience is needed!

Q.What should I be doing?

    A. Weight training and or resistant bands

           along with stretching lots of it.

Styles of Barre workouts

Every Instructor has a different background of training some come from dancers background and some form fitness backgrounds. Dancer background Instructors use their dance experience to the routine making it more ballet and fitness background trained are more on the exercise to a music background
A barre workout is principally a combination of Pilates, dance, yoga and functional muscle training. You can perfect a barre workout without any previous dance experience, and tailored to be “as ballet” or as little ballet as you like. A barre workout can be fun, active and intense, providing full mind and body exercises.
Barre Ballet burns calories, feeling taller stronger and gain the power to your muscles.
Think brain training combined with body training. Barre workouts are sure to centre your mind on what your body is doing or maybe not doing

BARRE WORKOUT DO’S AND DON’TS:

Trying out your first ballet barre workout can be daunting. Don’t be disheartened. You’ll get there. The barre combinations don’t sink in, these things take time. Practice, practice and practice again, and you’ll start finding it gets easier and more effective, meaning you can reap the rewards.

  • Do focus understand good technique. Just like ballet, execute petite to grande movements. Or cm or two might be all it takes. Isometric movements allow you to target the specific muscle that you are toning, did somebody say sculpted legs and bum?! You’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how much benefit you’ll get only from adjusting a small amount. Think small for a big ballet barre workout.
  • Do practice and learn your ‘tuck’. The tuck is one of the core aspects of barre workouts. In the simplest of forms, it’s mostly a pelvic tilt. Shifting your pelvis forward and pulling your abs in, you’re shortening the space between the hip bones and the rib cage.

  • DO MARK IT OUT WILL SHOW IMPROVEMENT

“Mark it out,” you say
You will physically move in a half-hearted way of learning by doing the sequence with the teacher as he or she demonstrated. you must mark it out with your body, We have a higher chance of remembering the sequence than just visually observing If you watch you will forget altogether. Therefore its always best to mark it out once maybe twice then go for it with everything you got. I want to see power, strength, confidence, emotion and express the movement give it all you have, become part of the music; Feel it. Breathe it. You are it,

Give me ATTITUDE

  • Pre and post stretch and warm-up. A warm-up prepares your body for exercise, which can effectively prevent an injury.
  • Do dress appropriately. Barre workout clothes are essential. It can be the difference.
  • Men, shorts or with tights underneath,
  • fitted tracksuit bottoms, not too baggy
  • Women tights Invest in a good pair of leggings and a well-fitting top!
Shacking

As you progress through the class muscles will start shacking when you overuse them and of fatigue fast, have a water break and d take deep slow breaths

Pace your self

If at any point, you feel pain as opposed to working muscles, stop exercising immediately.

Hi, I’m Louie former Classical Ballet dancer.

To have Barre Ballet hit the gyms and classes, fitness just got even better for me to share my knowledge and let them feel how to train as a dancer. Learning new skills is a great challenge and understand your body understand spacial awareness and connecting your mind and body.

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Pilates on the Ball

Swiss ball

Starts 6th September

Pilates on the ball Greenwich

DONATE YOUR UNUSED EXERCISE BALL AND GET A FREE CLASS

 

Please complete consent form is needed when attending group activities for the nhs.  CLICK HERE

Pilates on the ball Greenwich

Day: Saturday

Time: 1:00 pm

Where: St Marks United church 22 Greenwich S St, Greenwich, London SE10 8TY

 

Map:  St. Marks Church

 

 

The Ball

Is successful in the areas of abdominal development and balance training. Increase stability strength and accelerated result. The primary benefit of an exercise ball as opposed to exercising directly on a hard flat surface is that the body responds to the instability of the Ball to remain balanced, engaging many more muscles. Muscles become stronger overtime to keep your balance. The results have an excellent side effect on a healthy posture to maintain the natural curve of your spine.

The results

Provide strengthening of your core and ensuring muscle balance to a healthy posture.

 

Regularly exercising with the Ball

Helps you maintain the natural curve of your spine, which allows you to keep from arching your back and protect the spine.

 

Weblinks

    YOUTUBE 

    Book Online

 

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Wrist Action

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Pregnacy and exercise holding a orange juice

The Effect of Body Changes and Exercise

GENERAL GUIDELINES TO FITNESS DURING AND AFTER PREGNANCY

In the first three months, there are not many noticeable
physical changes. However, there are changes occurring
in your body that may affect your ability and desire to
exercise.

Some of these include:

  • increased urination
  • nausea
  • tender breasts
  • minor weight gain (0.5 kg to 2 kg)
    increase in blood volume
  •  increased fatigue (although some women actually feel
    more energetic!).

Because of the increased demand on your cardiovascular
system to provide oxygen to your baby.

You may notice:

  • |An increase in resting heart rate of 7–15 beats/min
  • Some breathlessness with exertion like climbing stairs.

The Effect of Exercise and Your Pregnancy

There are many benefits associated with physical activity
now and throughout your entire pregnancy. Regular
exercise:

  • helps with circulatory improvements for providing
    oxygen to your baby
  • helps to decrease discomforts such as nausea and
    muscle cramps
  • helps to keep your weight gain at a healthy rate and
  • helps avoid gestational diabetes
  • provides stress release
  • helps prepare you for the physical demands of labour
  • decreases the risk of spontaneous abortion.

First Trimester

You will feel tired and nauseated at this time,
it is a great idea to try and fit activity into your
schedule.

Safety & Comfort

For comfort during activities such as walking and
running, be sure to wear:

Supportive bra
Loose and cool clothing that allows for heat loss
Running shoes with a thick sole and good support
under the forefoot and around the heel.

Nutrition & Hydration Reminders

  • Carry a water bottle, and take small, frequent drinks
    throughout the day.
  • Many pregnant women feel sick from time to time,
    especially during the first few months of pregnancy.
  • Seek medical attention if you are vomiting frequently
    and can’t manage to eat anything.
  • And remember to abstain from alcohol.

 

Exercise Guidelines

Continuous aerobic sessions on three days and strength
(circuit) training on two others. Day 3 is for active
rest—easy walking, gardening, biking with the family
and other similar activities. Day 7 is a total rest day.

 

Below pdf, files to give choice to decide what’s the best for you and your baby

During Pregnancy

Fitness During Pregnancy

Pregnancy and Exercise

Exercise and Pregnancy

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Breathe

Breath

I know what you’re thinking. This guy’s nuts! Joe Pilates emphasised breathing above all else as found in his books and films, and as told by Pilates Elders. But stay with me a moment, because as surprising as it sounds, I think you’ll agree!

The Cardinal Principle

Breathing was so important to Joseph Pilates that a strong argument can be made that breathing was his MOST important principle. After all, there’s the famous line from his book, Return to Life Through Contrology, “…above all, learn how to breathe correctly.”(p.13) And in a recent interview with the Pilates Elder Mary Bowen, she remembers hearing Joe’s words resounding throughout his studio like a broken record “In d’air! Out d’air!” in his German accent.
But nowhere in surviving films do we see Joe or Clara teaching a breathing technique. Patterns yes – wonderful breathing patterns for each exercise – but no techniques. Mary Bowen confirms that he never mentioned once in all the years she practised weekly in his studio. Yes, he preferred inhaling through the nose but never made it a rule, and he often encouraged a complete exhale to foster a fuller inhale, but never insisted upon it.

So where have all our Pilates breathing methods come from? Lateral breathing, percussive breathing, ocean breathing and so many more described in books and on Youtube? More importantly, are they necessary?

A Brief History of Pilates Breathing

We know that some of Joe’s students introduced special breathing techniques after he died. Most notably, Ron Fletcher introduced ‘percussive breathing’ also known as ‘active breathing’ – characterised by short and repeated hissing sounds on the exhale. Now where the heck did this come from? Well, Ron was among the most advanced of Joe’s students, and I believe Joe shared a breathing technique he learned in his body-building days. It’s common not only to body-building but also to high-altitude climbing and deep-sea diving. It’s breathing forcefully and with some resistance on the exhale. Sounds complex, but it’s not, and anyone can see it in action today in any weight room in any gym. Research confirms that it increases the body’s absorption of oxygen. I believe Joe shared this with Ron, not as an essential or even important tool but rather as simply a way to get more out of a workout.

OK but what about the most common of all our Pilates breathing methods, ‘lateral breathing?’ Here’s another interesting story. It seems to first appear on the scene when physical therapists realised the tremendous power of Pilates for rehabilitation and started integrating Pilates into their work. Lateral breathing is simply the physiological description of what happens when we breathe deeply with a strong and engaged core – belly breathing is eliminated, forcing us to breathe in a new way. Somewhere along the line, we turned the description into a prescription, showing students how to do it rather than letting it occur naturally as the core gets stronger. Lateral breathing and so may other well-meaning techniques have become part of our teaching curriculum. Consequently, we’ve made learning Pilates harder than it needs to be and thus more time-consuming and expensive. As our colleague, Joan Breibart has said, “Pilates is not rocket science!”

A New Pilates

Let’s return a measure of simplicity to this marvellous method without squashing innovation. Let’s make Pilates quick and easy for beginners to learn. After all, this is how Joe originally taught – he asked people to learn the form and breathe! I believe he knew that there’s no breathing method more important than just breathing and that learning the form is quite enough for most beginners. We all know as teachers that as the form becomes familiar, breathing becomes relaxed and fuller. Here’s where the body and mind are ready for the next step. Here’s where breathing patterns and alignment muscle articulation become enjoyable and even natural rather than overwhelming. For the vast majority of beginners, anything but the form muddies the waters.

I think I know where all our complex instruction started?. This marvellous method packed with exciting discoveries from the incredible power of our growing awareness of this amazing mind/body integration! Phew, that was a mouthful! But that’s been my experience – a thrilling journey that I want to share! We all want to share the joy! Ah, but here’s where we can take a page from the world of psychotherapy. We deny our students something very important when we tell them what to experience rather than help them discover it on their own. A firm core occurs naturally by doing the exercises faithfully – no need for ‘navel to spine’ or the ‘c-curve’ or identifying the psoas or inner abs! And lateral breathing occurs naturally when the core develops and engaged – no need to teach it! This simplicity is part the brilliance of Pilates, or to paraphrase Joe, “Just do the exercises and breathe!”

May I recommend that if a breathing technique or cue helps someone who is having trouble, by all means, use it! Otherwise, let’s keep them to ourselves. They are not necessary and so apt to be unhelpful. Let’s get back to basics and make Pilates simpler, easier, less time-consuming and less expensive.

Oh, and to all the Pilates teachers reading this, my bottom line is that no matter how you teach, you’re wonderful! So please forgive me if this article has in any way discouraged or insulted you. Keep up the fine work!

About the Author

Bob Hannum is the author of instructional books and videos specialising in mat Pilates. His latest book is High-Intensity Pilates. Find him at PilatesLessons.org and on Facebook.

The Six Key Principles Of The Pilates Method

1. Centring
Pilates focus point. All the work started from and sustained through the Center. Joseph Pilates called this centre the “Powerhouse“.

2. Concentration
To fully benefit from the workout with the exercises are executed with focused concentration. It is the mind that guides the body. Five aspects of the mind brought into the workout. Those aspects are intelligence, intuition, imagination, will and memory.

3. Control
When the work is done from the centre and with full concentration, your control of the movements performed, habit (especially bad habit) and gravity do not take over. Joseph Pilates called his method “Contrology“, the art of control.

4. Precision
The exercises designed with a precise goal in mind, and one must pay the utmost attention to details. All exercises have a clear structure, a precise form, and an optimal dynamic. Work with quality instead of quantity.

5. Breath
All exercises executed with the rhythm of the breath and heart-beat. Inhale on the point of the effort to send fresh oxygen to the muscles when they most need it. Exhale, wringing all the stale air out of the lungs.

6. Flow
The full workout is a flowing succession of exercises performed with vigorous dynamics. There is a minimum of movement, especially in the transitions, for maximum flow.

While doing Pilates try to keep these principals in mind. Incorporating all six principals into your workout is your ultimate goal to achieve maximum benefit and efficiency from your workout.

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Hip stabilising exercises

Hip stabilising exercises

Hip strengthen stabilising exercises

Your Takeaway Exercise to go

Simple stretching, strengthening and stabilising exercises

The following exercises are designed to stretch, strengthen and stabilise the structures that support your hip.

Available to download and keep (PDF, 98KB).

It’s important not to overstretch yourself if you’re in pain. It’s normal to feel some aching in the muscles after exercising, but you should stop and seek advice if you have joint pain that lasts more than a few days.

If you’ve had a hip replacement, you will probably be advised to take it easy for the first six weeks. Ask your physiotherapist what exercises they recommend you should start with and how to do them.

You may feel slightly uncomfortable during or after exercise, but this should settle within 24 hours. It shouldn’t be painful. If you feel any sudden pain stop exercising and seek medical advice.

Hip flexion (strengthening)

Hold onto a work surface and march on the spot to bring your knees up towards your chest alternately. Don’t bring your thigh above 90 degrees.

Hip extension (strengthening)

Move your leg backwards, keeping your knee straight. Clench your buttock tightly and hold for five seconds. Don’t lean forwards. Hold onto a chair or work surface for support.

Hip abduction (strengthening)

Lift your leg sideways, being careful not to rotate the leg outwards. Hold for five seconds and bring it back slowly, keeping your body straight throughout. Hold onto a chair or work surface for support.

Heel to buttock exercise (strengthening)

Bend your knee to pull your heel up towards your bottom. Keep your knees in line and your kneecap pointing towards the floor.

Mini squat (strengthening)

Squat down until your knees are above your toes. Hold for a count of five if possible. Hold on to a work surface for support if you need to.

 Short arc quadriceps exercise (strengthening)

Roll up a towel and place it under your knee. Keep the leg on the towel, straighten your knee to raise your foot off the floor. Hold for five seconds and then lower slowly.

Quadriceps exercise (strengthening)

Pull your toes and ankles towards you, while keeping your leg straight and pushing your knee firmly against the floor. You should feel the tightness in the front of your leg. Hold for five seconds and relax. This exercise can be done from a sitting position as well if you find this more comfortable.

Stomach exercise(strengthening/ stabilising)

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Put your hands under the small of your back and pull your belly button down towards the floor. Hold for 20.

Shoulder Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your pelvis and lower back off the floor. Hold the position for five seconds and then lower down slowly.

Knee lift (stretch)

Lie on your back. Pull each knee to your chest in turn, keeping the other leg straight. Take the movement up to the point you feel a stretch, hold for around 10 seconds and relax. Repeat 5-10 times. If this is difficult, slide your heel along the floor towards your bottom.

External hip rotation stretch

Sit knees bent and feet together. Press your knees down towards the floor, using your hands as needed. Alternatively, lie on your back and part your knees, keeping your feet together. Take the movement up to the point you feel a stretch, hold for around 10 seconds and relax. Repeat 5-10 times

More about hips     CLICK HERE 

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abdominal exercise

Exercises affecting the muscles in the front of the abdomen (belly). also called abdominal or stomach muscles, ab and abs. Abdominal muscles, together with muscles in the back, makeup ‘core’ muscles, supporting the trunk, keeping body stable and balanced, protecting the spine, assisting in the regular breathing movement and keeping abdominal organs such as the intestines in place. These muscles tend to weaken with age unless specifically exercised. Strongback and abdominal muscles can help heal most types of back pain, enhance balance, improve posture, reduce scoliosis symptoms, help prevent falls and injuries during sports or other activities. Causes of abdominal muscle strains include overstretching, overuse or a violent, poorly performed movement of the trunk.

Abdominal Workout. No1

  • Do not hurry the exercise follow your breath working on your technique and alignment, this will allow you to correct yourself.
  • Perfect each level first before you move to the next progression

Whenever I do an exercise be it an abdominal workout to bicep curls I use the same process before executing the exercise.

Here are three key processes I use:

  1. Think. You start to think of the exercise as if you were doing it
  2. Focus.  You are set up ready to do the exercise, for example, abdominal work out below.
  • You are on your back in neutral spine knees bent This is called relaxation position in neutral. It is a good idea to practice this by finding neutral by tilting your pelvis towards your rib cage using the right amount of muscle activation to perform this simple task this diagram shows two positions neutral and imprint. The best way to find your neutral is to relax all your muscles around the hips which allows the spine to rest in its natural curve.
  • The active muscles are the abdominals (transversus abdominis & rectus abdominal) & the gluteus maximus, which tilt the pelvis posteriorly. Good posture and proper form during exercise are vital factors for an effective workout.

neautral spine

Click HERE to see a short video

 

  • Also, use your breath
  • Heres how to move from neutral to imprint Breath in to prepare and as you breathe out gently tilt the pelvis to send lower back into the floor. The movement should be gentle and smooth. If the movement is jerky and not moving in a continuous flow you have some tightness in muscles around the pelvis repeat this until you have imprinting and returning to neutral smooth and perfect
  • Hands behind head – relax arms so elbows are at there widest distance apart
  •  There are two activations here  1. abdominal activation where you gently tense the abdominal muscle T.A (transverse Abdominal) visualise you are getting into a tight pair of jeans and you gently squeeze your abs to fit in them musclesbreathing pattern which will be deeper than a normal breath to perform the exercise 2. Shoulder activation

.Shoulder activation. The process is the same as the abdominal activation where you engage your muscles to stabilise the pelvis, so here you will activate the upper back muscles to stabilise the shoulders

Heres how 

 

1. Weight of head stays into hands on the first level when using two hands

2. Elbows stay wide

3. Deep natural breathe with movement Alignment focus is

1. Feet knees stay in line with the hip 2. Keep upper torso height when you rotate right & left

Abdominal workout No1

Remember –  Pilates moves with the consistent flow by connecting   movement with the breath
Do not hurry the exercise, follow your breath working on your technique and alignment, this will allow you to correct yourself.

 

Level 1  Beginners 6 reps

Repetitions  (Reps)  X6

  • Curl up look between legs and lower  straight up
  • Learn the double breath method and single breath method
  • Bring your head and upper back up  as far as you can then use your determination focus breath to edge up that little bit more

 

Intermediate Level1 & 2  (6 to 12 reps)

  • Same as Beginners addon rotation with arms crossed over the opposite leg
  • Curl up look between legs and lower  straight up
  • Learn the double breath method and single breath method
  • Bring your head and upper back up  as far as you can then use your determination focus breath to edge up that little bit more

 

Advanced 
SETS 2 to 3
Reps 12

Perfect each level first before you move to the next progression technique

FOCUS ON
1. Weight of head stays into hands on the first level when using two hands

2. Elbows stay wide

3. Deep breathe with movement focus is to connect breathing with movement

1. Feet knees stay in line with the hip

2. Keep upper torso height when you rotate right & left

Repetitions   (Reps)  6 to 12

 

Intermediate   (6 to 12 reps)

 

Refs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smrU7fFs8TM&t=540s

http://www.physiotherapyclinic.com.au/attachments/core_stability.pdf

https://www.ptonthenet.com/articles/Muscle-Classification-System-81

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Plantar Fasciitis Exercises

Plantar Fasciitis

Illustration showing plantar fascia and location of heel pain

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis (PLAN-tur fas-e-I-tis) is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia).

Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your first steps in the morning. As you get up and move more, the pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing or after rising from sitting.

Common in runners. In addition, people who are overweight and those who wear shoes with inadequate support have an increased risk of plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms

Plantar fasciitis typically causes a stabbing pain in the bottom of your foot near the heel. The pain is usually the worst with the first few steps after awakening, although it can also be triggered by long periods of standing or rising from sitting. The pain is usually worse after exercise, not during it.

Causes

Under normal circumstances, your plantar fascia acts like a shock-absorbing bowstring, supporting the arch in your foot. If tension and stress on that bowstring become too great, small tears can arise in the fascia. Repetitive stretching and tearing can cause the fascia to become irritated or inflamed, though in many cases of plantar fasciitis, the cause isn’t clear.

Risk factors

Though plantar fasciitis can arise without an obvious cause, factors that can increase your risk of developing plantar fasciitis include:

  • Age. Most common between the ages of 40 and 60.
  • Certain types of exercise. Activities that place a lot of stress on your heel and attached tissue — such as long-distance running, ballistic jumping activities, ballet dancing and aerobic dance — can contribute to an earlier onset of plantar fasciitis.
  • Foot mechanics. Being flat-footed, having a high arch or even having an abnormal pattern of walking can affect the way weight is distributed when you’re standing and put added stress on the plantar fascia.
  • Obesity. Excess pounds put extra stress on your plantar fascia.
  • Occupations that keep you on your feet. Factory workers, teachers and others who spend most of their work hours walking or standing on hard surfaces can damage their plantar fascia.

Complications

Ignoring plantar fasciitis may result in chronic heel pain that hinders your regular activities. Changing the way you walk to minimize plantar fasciitis pain might lead to foot, knee, hip or back problems

 

 

Toe Curls With Towel

  1. Place a small hanky or tea towel on the floor.
  2. Curl towel toward you, using only your toes. until the opposite end has reached your toes
  3. Reverse to unfold sending your toes to push the cloth back away from your toes
  4. Repeat 10 times, 1-2 times per day.

Toe Extension

  1. Sit with affected leg crossed over the uninvolved leg. Grasp toes with one hand and bend the toes and ankle upwards as far as possible to stretch the arch and calf muscle. With the other hand, perform deep massage along the arch of your foot.
  2. Hold 10 seconds. Repeat for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Repeat 2-4 sessions per day.

 

Standing Calf Stretch

  1. Stand placing hands on the wall for support. Place your feet pointing straight ahead, with the involved foot in back of the other. The back leg should have a straight knee and front leg a bent knee. Shift forward, keeping back leg heel on the ground, so that you feel a stretch in the calf muscle of the back leg.
  2. Hold 45 seconds, 2-3 times. Repeat 4-6 times per day.

 

Towel Stretch

The towel stretch is effective at reducing morning pain if done before getting out of bed.

1. Sit with the affected leg straight out in front of you. Place a towel around your foot and gently pull toward you, feeling a stretch in your calf muscle.

  1. Hold 45 seconds, 2-3 times. Repeat 4-6 times per day.

Calf Stretch on a Step

  1. Stand with uninvolved foot flat on a step. Place involved ball of the foot on the edge of the step. Gently let heel lower on affected leg to feel a stretch in your calf.
  2. Hold 45 seconds, 2-3 times. Repeat 4-6 times per day.

 

Ice Massage Arch Roll

  1. With involved foot resting on a frozen can or water bottle, golf ball, or tennis ball, roll your foot back and forth over the object.
  2. Repeat for 3-5 minutes, two times per day.

 

ref

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-fasciitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354846

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/plantar-fasciitis/

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Pilates Principles

 

1. Concentration

The concentration needed is to focus clearly on each movement and not feel distracted by outside thoughts. It is vital to prevent poor technique and injury. Pilates referred to as mind and body connection. Understanding in-depth techniques, As so much thought, goes into the method.

2. Breathing.

Without oxygen, our muscles would very quickly cease to work as it is our primary fuel or source of energy. Pilates breathing, used with thought as for how it will execute a movement. Lateral thoracic breathing, taking the breath into the sides. Allowing the rib cage to expands laterally and not in front of the chest.

3. Centring

Centring is the centre of the torso and referred to your torso, and This is where we begin the movement. We use our abdominals or naval to the spine to initiate every action. An even distribution of weight. An unbalance in the body can lead to back neck and knee problems

4. Control

Controlling each movement is essential as it leads to greater strength and stamina throughout the body and not just in certain areas. Pilates work in aerobically or as comfortable held positions. Either way, control is vital as it teaches us to respect our body and work safely without compromise of form

5. Alignment

Primarily refers to our skeletal structure. It is straightforward to think of exercise in terms of muscle strength and aerobic fitness. Needing more thought to think about how you place yourself structurally at each stage of a movement, having an awareness of skeletal placement helps us to understand and find balance easier, allowing the correct use of muscles with a mind-body technique

6. Flow

Flowing Movement allows one movement to connect to the other without stopping, And learning the basic matwork, we start to work in a more continues ways, and we do not need to pause between each exercise.  It is part of the thought process that we think about how one action flows into the next smoothly and with control.

7. Relaxation

We learn to relax and release unnecessary tension throughout the body as we become more aware of the muscle activation for each exercise. We Are teaching the body to isolate and differentiate between which muscles need to be active and strong and which can relax.

8. Coordination

A skill often neglected. Lifestyles that revolve around routine mean we very rarely test our bodies’ coordination skills. Our mind and body become programmed to do specific tasks that are essential requirements for daily living. Breaking away from routine and doing any exercise that involves a wide range of different movement, tests our ability to coordinate mind and body. Moving through space.

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Three Canned bean soup

Autumn, Winter warmer,  it smells good it tastes good, it will last in the fridge for 2 to 5 days so easy to cook, and you can always tweak it to make it your own Three Canned bean soup. I got this recipe from one of my mothers and I have added my little twist to it.

Hope you like it.

 

 

 

Ingredient  

 

x1 can  Kidney Beans

x1 Can Butter Beans

x1 Can Canionalie I Bean or any other

x2 Can Tomatoes

x2 red onions

1 or 2 Large bulbs of Ginger peeled, sliced thinly 3/4 into ginger

x3 t0 5 cloves of garlic

Teaspoon pepper

Veggie  stock

 

Extras

  • Fresh Turmeric finely chopped don’t peel
  • Chillies fresh or dried
  • Can Bamboo shouts full of minerals
  • Use any beans of choice

 

 

Method

  1. Peel onion, cut onion in half and a half into quarters chunky slices
  2. Chop garlic into small pieces  (do not peel)
  3. Medium Heat oil and a blob of butter optional in large pot chuck in onions saute until soft
  4. Add garlic and ginger, and fresh using fresh turmeric Allow approx 5 min to infuse stirring  occasionally
  5. Add X2 cans of Tomatoes then fill each with water and place in the soup add more water if needed
  6. While that is cooking open cans of beans, and bamboo shoots rinse canned Pulses or beans as high in starch not suitable for consumption.
  7. Add beans, and veggie stock  add all your extras of your choice

Do not boil soup keep it on the stove as low as possible the flavour is amazing if you just let it cook slow as possible the more the taste will be

 

Adding pepper will allow the body to absorb the turmeric  100%,

Bamboo shoots Minerals found include calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium and iron. High in Dietary Fibre

Ginger Carbohydrate – 17.77 g. Dietary Fibre – 2 g. Protein – 1.82 g Dietary Fibre – 2 g. Sugars – 1.7 g.Sodium – 13 mg.   Vitamin B6 – 0.16 mg.  Calcium – 16 mg.

Three bean soup

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Course Main Dish, Starter
Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword beans, recipes, soup

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JUICE MY SKIN

Who wouldn’t love to get a gleaming and glowing skin? We all look for ways to get a beautiful and flawless skin by applying commercial chemical-laden beauty products; however, what we tend to ignore are the natural ways of getting glowing skin.

A nutritious diet not just helps keep your body healthy from inside but from outside too. Especially, the consumption of vegetable and fruit juices is one of the most effective and fastest ways to get healthy skin.

Juices for glowing skin: How do juices help in making your skin glow?

Most vegetables and fruits contain fiber and other essential nutrients that help flush out the toxins that affect your overall skin and hair health. They also consist of antioxidants that inhibit the growth and effect of free radicals in the body, which are responsible for damaging body cells.

We suggest some juices for glowing skin:

Carrot and beetroot juice

Beetroot is power-packed with essential nutrients including potassium, zinc, iron, folic acid, manganese, and vitamin C, all of which are known to purify blood that further leads to a glowing skin

Lemon Juice

Packed with Vitamin C, it aids in the building up of collagen in our skin which is responsible for maintaining the skin’s young and bright. Regular consumption of lemon juice can help in dealing with acne, dull skin, wrinkles, dark spots and is the best juice for fair and glowing skin

Apple juice

No wonder, an apple a day, keeps the doctor away! These wonder fruits are super healthy for skin and overall health. Apples contain a significant amount of collagen that makes your skin elastic and glowing. They also contain antioxidants that prevent signs of premature aging that include skin tissue damage and wrinkles

Cucumber juice

While cucumber face packs may do wonders for your skin, cucumber juice may also help moisturize your skin, making it more elastic and glowingSo load up on more cucumber juice to get the best results

Pomegranate juice

Pomegranate has the ability to purify blood that further helps in nourishing your skin and making it glow. It also has anti-aging properties that help in cell renewal that leads to young and beautiful skin. Fruits and Vegetables are nature’s best gift to mankind. Consuming them regularly in recommended quantities can reduce or eliminate the needs for depending on cosmetics. If you think you can cover your face with makeup, remember one thing! Every artist needs a clean canvas to work on and it applies to your face as well. With these juices, we are sure you will say goodbye to your concealers and highlighters, because who needs them when your skin is already glowing! So folks! Do let us know which one of these juices for glowing skin is your favorite.

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The Benefits of Pilates

[vc_row][vc_column][swmsc_text_block id=”” class=”” style=””]Postural alignment and muscular balance: Pilates heightens body awareness, improves balance and symmetry and develops strong and functional posture. It strengthens correct muscle activation, and trains for accurate distribution of weight placement, both necessary for gaining a high degree of physical coordination.

Muscle conditioning, control and strength: Pilates helps to identify areas of weakness that may inhibit optimum form, unlike strength training with weights, Pilates produces long, lean muscles allowing a greater range of motion, increasing functional strength. Pilates strengthens muscles that play a vital role in performing particular movements. Back muscles are developed evenly and the spine is elongated and aligned for better stability.

Flexibility and control: Pilates improves balance, agility and stability throughout the body to create a proper foundation. Increasing mobility and Suppleness, therefore a strength regime that doesn’t come at the cost of flexibility is a must.

Precision every movement in the Pilates has a purpose. Every instruction is vitally important to the success. To leave out any detail is to forsake the intrinsic value of the exercise. The focus is on doing one precise and perfect movement, rather than many half-hearted ones. Eventually, this precision becomes second nature and carries over into everyday life as grace and economy of movement.

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Advantages of Pilates

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[icon_list id=”” class=”” style=””][swmsc_list_icon icon_name=”check” icon_color=”#ad974f”]Flatter stomach.[/swmsc_list_icon]
[swmsc_list_icon icon_name=”check” icon_color=”#ad974f”]Efficient movement and better coordination.[/swmsc_list_icon]
[swmsc_list_icon icon_name=”check” icon_color=”#ad974f”]Emphasising a full range of motion.[/swmsc_list_icon]
[swmsc_list_icon icon_name=”check” icon_color=”#ad974f”]Decreased fatigue in the body.[/swmsc_list_icon]
[swmsc_list_icon icon_name=”check” icon_color=”#ad974f”]Strengthens the quads, glutes and hamstrings supporting knees and hips.[/swmsc_list_icon]
[swmsc_list_icon icon_name=”check” icon_color=”#ad974f”]Provides greater power to you entire body.[/swmsc_list_icon]
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Coconut Protein Balls

Protein balls are delicious & healthy, making them the perfect snack. So if you need something sweet to stop those pesky afternoon sugar cravings, why not give them a go? 

Coconut Protein Balls

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Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 3 People

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup sultanas
  • 1 cup dates
  • 3 drops vanilla essence or a teaspoon of vanilla paste
  • 2 tbsp cacao powder or a heaped teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut for coating

Instructions
 

  • Place all of the ingredients (except the coconut) into a blender and mix until smooth.
  • Using wet hands, roll the mixture into small balls.
  • Pour the coconut onto a chopping board and roll each of the balls until coated.
  • Place on a baking tray and pop in the fridge until hard!

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Thai Chicken Salad-Larb Gia

Larb (pronounced lob) refers to a salad-kind of preparation in which chicken (gai) duck, beef, pork or even offal is minced, stir-fried plain and simple, then pumped up with flavour using fresh herbs, salty fish sauce and the sour pucker of lime juice. It’s a really easy dish to make and tastes best served at room temperature.

Toasted rice powder

How to make

One option is to toast it yourself: toss a tablespoon of raw Thai jasmine rice into a dry frying pan and stir-fry on medium-high until it turns golden brown. Let it cool then buzz it into a powder in your coffee grinder.

Or you can set off on an adventure and try to buy the stuff at Fu Yao Supermarket on Gerrard Street. Admittedly, foraging through a Chinese supermarket’s shelves looking for an obscure “toasted rice powder” package will tax your patience

But no rice powder, no deal. The success of larb gai hinges on the nuttiness of this ingredient that also serves as a thickening agent.

Secondly, if you care about good texture, ground the chicken yourself. Get a pound of boneless chicken (hint: chicken thighs equal flavour) and process briefly with a steel blade in your food processor. Better still, mince it with a cleaver and unload a day’s worth of angst.

And thirdly, don’t even consider substituting the fresh coriander or mint with dried. (Yes I’m bossy, but it’s my blog.)

To serve this authentically, place it on a bed of lettuce with cabbage wedges and yard-long beans on the side.

But if you want to go girlie-girl for the book club chicks, get some iceberg lettuce, cut the head in half and pull apart the leaves to create crunchy lettuce bowls. Spoon your larb gai into these crunchy, edible vessels.

This dish hails from northeastern of Thailand where it sidles up against the Laos border, so both countries lay claim to its heritage and both eat it with sticky rice.

Larb Gai (Minced Chicken Salad) Sticky Rice

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Cuisine Poultry Meat fish
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp raw Thai jasmine rice dry in oven to crush
  • 1 lb Chicken minced or sliced thinly
  • 1/3 cup Fresh lime juice messurement a guide line
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp diced shallo
  • 3 green onions chopped
  • 1 tsp Fresh birds eye chili make to your required heat
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander (optional)
  • 2-4 tbsp Fresh mint chopped
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce messurement a guide line

Instructions
 

  • In a small dry frying pan on high heat, saute rice grains 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to small bowl and cool. Grind finely in a coffee grinder or spice mill.
  • In a medium bowl, combine ground chicken with 2 tbsp of the lime juice.
  • Heat wok on high heat. Add oil, swirl around sides of wok. Add chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink about 4 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Add ground roasted rice, shallots, green onion, chili flakes, coriander, mint , remaining lime juice and fish sauce. Mix well.
  • Arrange lettuce leaves on serving platter and place chicken mixture on top. Arrange cabbage wedges and green beans around the chicken.
  • Sticky RiceWhile sticky rice is eaten throughout Thailand, it is most adored in the north — without utensils. Northern Thais scoop up sticky rice into small pieces, roll it slightly between the thumb and forefingers then dip it into a curry, yam or sauce.
  • Sticky rice is not made sticky via cooking. Rather, it is a special variety of rice known as glutinous. Since many Asians use it for dessert preparations, you may see it labeled as “sweet rice” in the stores. It’s also labeled as “glutinous rice” or pin kao in Thai. Just to confuse things, it is rarely labeled “sticky rice”.
  • Sticky rice grains are short, with a deep, ivory white colour (the left bag in the photo) compared to the more opaque colouring of regular rice.

Notes

It’s a cinch to prepare- yet it does need a little planning.
1 cup of sticky rice serves 2-3 people.
Long Method: Soak rice in cold water (to cover 2-3 inches) 8-24 hours at room temperature
Quick Method: Soak rice in warm water (to cover 2-3 inches) for 2-4 hours at room temperature
(Unfortunately the quick method never tastes quite as good.)
Line a steamer basket with cheesecloth and fill with drained sticky rice. Fill steamer with several inches of boiling water. Cover and steam for 25 minutes, or until the rice is shiny with an oily-like sheen and tender, but chewy.
Always keep cooked sticky rice well covered or it will dry out.
Leftover sticky rice is best reheated in a steamer.
Keyword recipes