Tai Chi and Qigong are two wonderful Chinese exercise systems. Powerful yet gentle, they have been practised for centuries by millions of people in order to improve overall physical health and mental wellbeing.
You can find a selection of Paul’s videos on our Facebook page or his YouTube channel. But for a quick go-to selection we’ve collected 8 of them below – enjoy!
Daoyin Digestive System Meditation Basic Instruction
Tai Chi warm up to release relax and energise the body
Daoyin Shuxin Pinhxue Gong Heart Meditation Basic Instruction
Qigong Meditation: The Thousand Palms Of Guan Yin
Song Shen Wu Fa The 5 Loosening
DaoYin Muscle Bone and Sinue Meditation
Tai Chi Qigong Meditation: Hold and Inflate The Ball
18 Exercises Tai Chi Chi Kung Meditation
Daoyin Bao Jian Gong General Health Meditation
Qigong Meditation Full Circle and Facial Exercise
Qigong Meditation: Standing in the Stream for Lungs
In our last post we discussed some of the reasons why practising Pilates is good for you. This week, sticking with the same theme, we thought we’d offer some resources for anyone looking to develop their understanding of the practise and go a little deeper.
So we’ve compiled 6 books on Pilates that we think could really help to expand your knowledge of this wonderful form of exercise. We hope you enjoy!
From the blurb: “Pilates is the new fitness phenomenon with hundreds of studios now opening up across Britain. The devotees include Madonna, Uma Thurman, Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Jennifer Anniston. This book offers an at-home guide to the pilates method, giving a whole new body within 30 sessions.”
Who it’s for: home practitioners and those looking for a book with good visual instructions.
In short: an excellent book filled with clear photographs and easy-to-follow exercises from a renowned Pilates instructor.
From the blurb: “Using the body as the ultimate fitness vehicle and taking inspiration from yoga, dance, and strength training, Pilates transforms bodies in record time. This title guides readers in every step (and leg lift…) of the way. From basic mat moves to the right foods that fuel a lean, toned figure, it is suitable for beginners and experts alike.”
Who it’s for: those looking for a large and diverse workbook with lots of variation.
In short: a thorough and fun guide to Pilates, crammed with hundreds of exercises.
From the blurb: “Part biography, part history, and part memoir, “Caged Lion” untangles for the first time Joseph Pilates’s opaque life story and the perilous journey of his exercise program known the world over as Pilates.”
Who it’s for: those interested in the history of Pilates and the life of its founder.
In short: a fascinating look at the man who created one of the most famous exercise regimens in modern history.
From the blurb: “Stretch yourself at your own pace with tailored programmes for beginner, intermediate and advanced level. More than 50 exercises are demonstrated with clear photographs and annotated with expert advice showing you exactly what to do and what not to do. Written by a pioneer of the Pilates method, Alycea Ungaro brought the first mat Pilates classes to New York nearly 20 years ago.”
Who it’s for: those interested in developing and deepening a home Pilates practise.
In short: a practical, functional, and helpful guide to the Pilates method, written by one of its early pioneers.
Pilates for Beginners – Katherine Corp & Kimberly Corp
From the blurb: “No matter your fitness level–whether you’re in great shape or have never set foot in a gym–learning to do Pilates means going back to the basics. Teaching you core Pilates exercises and easy sequences, Pilates for Beginners is the ultimate starter guide to confidently practice Pilates at home.”
Who it’s for: those just starting out with PIlates.
In short: a simple and accessible introductory guide to practising Pilates.
From the blurb: “With detailed descriptions, step-by-step instruction and stunning full-colour anatomical illustrations, this title takes you inside the exercises and programmes that tone the body, stabilise the core, improve balance and increase flexibility.”
Who it’s for: those looking to learn more about the anatomical side of the Pilates method.
In short: an interesting dive into the physiological aspects of Pilates, revealing how and why the movements affect our bodies.
Pilates is an incredibly popular form of exercise. It offers an all-round, integrated workout that focuses on core strength, muscle development, balance, and concentration.
It was developed in the early 20th Century by its namesake, Joseph Pilates, and has steadily grown in popularity ever since. Nowadays you can find Pilates classes almost anywhere you go, and with good reason. As the founder himself said, “[Pilates] develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and evaluates the spirit.”
So let’s take a look at why Pilates is such a great workout.
What is Pilates?
First things first: what exactly is Pilates? In a nutshell, it’s a slow, low-impact exercise method inspired by calisthenics, yoga, and ballet. It has a particular emphasis on strengthening the core, but is aimed at developing all-round fitness and wellbeing.
There are various types of Pilates that require special equipment such as the Reformer and Wunda Chair, but at its most basic level it can be performed with little more than a mat.
According to the Pilates Foundation, Joseph Pilates based his work on three principles: breath, whole-body health, and whole-body commitment. The whole-body, in this instance, referring to mind, body, and spirit.
It’s believed that more than 12 million people practise the method worldwide.
So, now that we’ve covered the what, let’s move on to the why and look at some of the things that make Pilates such a beneficial and popular practise. . .10
It builds strength, not bulk
Pilates is more about developing long lean muscles as opposed to straight bulk. So it’s an excellent choice for those who are looking for tone and not size.
The movements involved in Pilates also place a lot of emphasis on the core, engaging the abdominal muscles and muscles closest to the spine, which helps to build and strengthen the body’s frame.
Essentially, what you’ll develop from Pilates is the sort of functional strength that’s useful for the physical challenges of everyday life.
A strong core supports proper alignment, and proper alignment promotes good posture. By training and strengthening the abdominal and lower back muscles, your posture should naturally come into alignment. This is part of the reason why Pilates is often said to help those suffering from back pain.
It can be modified
One of the best reasons to practise Pilates is its accessibility. Many of the moves can be modified to accommodate a broad range of abilities and fitness levels, which means that beginners can jump straight in without feeling overwhelmed.
Setting your own difficulty level means that you can push yourself as and when you feel like it, and if any of the movements become too intense, you can take them down a notch.
Pilates is also a relatively gentle form of exercise. That’s not to suggest that it’s easy. But the fact that many of the movements are performed from a seated or reclining position means that there’s virtually no impact, and very little external strain on the body.
Pilates is good for the mind
Pilates challenges you to focus all of your attention on the movements you’re performing. The slow, flowing nature of the exercises requires unwavering concentration, and the emphasis on proper breathing introduces an element of mindfulness.
So although it can be very physically demanding and challenging, you may just find yourself feeling a little calmer and more focussed after a good Pilates class.
Dancing is one of life’s great pleasures. Swinging and grooving to music just makes us feel good. And whether it’s at a party or at home, there’s something undeniably irresistible about moving to a good rhythm.
But aside from it being plain fun, there are a whole host of health-improving reasons to take up dancing as a regular form of exercise. Here are our top 5. . .
1 – Dancing improves cardiovascular health
Dance, like other forms of vigorous physical exercise, makes your heart beat faster. And when the heart is pushed through healthy activity, just like any other muscle, it gets stronger.
Of course, there are many health benefits associated with regular exercise: reduced risk of disease, increased energy levels, better sleep. And whilst dancing may be just one of many ways to reap these rewards, it’s certainly one of the most enjoyable!
2 – It’s a fun way to stay active
According to the NHS, adults between the ages of 19 and 65 should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate (or 75 minutes of vigorous) aerobic exercise per week. Attending dance groups or classes is a great way to contribute towards this goal.
Dance is a naturally engaging form of exercise due to the high levels of concentration it requires. Unlike jogging on a treadmill or lifting weights, dancing doesn’t consist of a single repetitive action or set of actions. Instead, it’s dynamic, ever-changing, and requires a level of focus and mind-body synchronicity that helps keep it appealing and enjoyable.
When we dance, our minds are dealing with many different stimuli at once. We have to know which parts of the body to move and when, remain aware of the music in order to keep time, and maintain constant spatial awareness so that we don’t bump into other dancers. These factors, combined, make dancing deeply engaging which, in turn, makes it a very fun and rewarding activity.
3 – Increases balance and reduces dizziness
Dancing incorporates a huge variety of movements across all parts of the body, and teaches us to move various body parts simultaneously.
As well as this, studies suggest that regular dance training can help to reduce feelings of dizziness. According to the research, experienced dancers are able to suppress signals from the balance organs in the inner ear linked to the cerebellum. In other words, if you spin a ballet dancer round in a chair they’ll recover from their disorientation faster than a non-ballet dancer.
4 – Dancing can help reduce stress
All forms of physical exercise can be linked to stress reduction, but dancing may be particularly effective in delivering that feel-good factor.
This is because dancing is such an inherently enjoyable activity that most of the time it doesn’t even feel like exercise. When we dance we’re more likely to lose ourself in the activity and simply enjoy it for what it is, rather than spending all our time watching the clock and wishing for it to be over.
Just think about it, when was the last time you stepped off a dance floor and didn’t feel good?
5 – It’s gentle on the body
One of the great things about dancing is the variety it offers. There’s a huge range of styles to choose from, so there really is something out there for everybody (literally, every body). This means that you can adjust the intensity based on your own physical abilities and preferences. A style like ballroom, for example, can make an excellent choice for individuals with limited mobility.
Dancing is heavy on the brain. It involves memorising sequences, steps, and specific movements, and requires mental and physical alertness. Many people believe that these, as well as other potential factors, make dancing a great way to improve cognitive performance.
In one study, it was reported that individuals who attended a weekly one-hour dance class over the course of six months experienced improvements in postural, sensorimotor, and cognitive performance scores.
“A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine discovered that dance can decidedly improve brain health. The study investigated the effect leisure activities had on the risk of dementia in the elderly. The researchers looked at the effects of 11 different types of physical activity, including cycling, golf, swimming, and tennis, but found that only one of the activities studied—dance—lowered participants’ risk of dementia. According to the researchers, dancing involves both a mental effort and social interaction and that this type of stimulation helped reduce the risk of dementia.”
Dance workouts you can do at home
Now for the fun part…
If you’re already feeling those feet-tapping, hip-swaying vibes take hold, then why not have a go at one of the dance workouts below. There’s something to suit everyone, from Latin and Salsa to Zumba and Hip-Hop!
15 MIN DANCE PARTY WORKOUT – Full Body/No Equipment
30-Minute Cardio Latin Dance Workout
Easy to Follow 20 Minute Salsa Dance Workout
HOME WORKOUT //20 MIN ZUMBA CLASS // TANJU
30-Minute All-Levels Cardio Dance Workout
MAMMA MIA HIIT DANCE WORKOUT
30-Minute Hip-Hop Fit Workout
30-Minute Low-Impact Dance Grooves Workout
Just dance
We hope you’ve enjoyed some of the videos above. But if you’d prefer dancing with other people in a more social environment, then why not come along to one of our Zumba classes! You can take a look at our timetables here to see which class suits you best.
Last week we shared 11 of the most popular yoga routines on YouTube. And with the same theme in mind, we thought we’d expand the offering by bringing you the top 10 most popular Pilates workouts.
Yoga, after all, isn’t for everyone. And if you find instead that you resonate more with the particular style and sequencing of Pilates, then this is the post for you.
Below are the top ten results for the YouTube search term “Pilates workout” (as of November 2021). You’ll find a great selection of classes offered by a range of different channels. Interestingly, the most common channel to feature in the list is POPSUGAR Fitness, which takes up 3 of the 10 spots.
POP Pilates for Beginners – Total Body Workout
13 million views
Leg Slimming Pilates Butt and Thigh Workout to Lift Glutes & Tone Thighs
13 million views
Total Body Pilates! 20 Minute Tone & Shape, Legs, Butt, Abs, Beginners Home Workout, Flexib
8.3 million views
The Ultimate Pilates 21 Day Challenge ♥ Define Your Abs & Booty
6.4 million views
30-Minute Butt and Abs Pilates Bikini Workout With Jake DuPree | Class FitSugar
5.4 million views
Pilates 21 Day Challenge ♥ Full Body Workout For Results
25-Minute Pilates Workout to Tone Your Abs, Butt, and Arms x WundaBar Pilates | Class FitSugar
4.6 million views
45-Minute Cardio Pilates Total Body Workout
4.3 million views
30 MIN FULL BODY WORKOUT | At-Home Pilates
3.9 million views
Stay strong!
That’s it for this week’s list. But don’t worry, it doesn’t have to end there. Once you’ve made it through these workouts, why not build on your personal practise with these 5 Pilates moves for a killer core workout.
Last week we shared some reasons why cycling is a fantastic form of exercise. This week, to continue with the same theme, we thought we’d share some useful resources for anyone who’s interested in digging deeper into cycling around the city of Newcastle.
Below you’ll find links to local cycling groups, hubs, shops, routes, and guides all based in or around Newcastle upon Tyne. We hope you’ll find them useful.
What makes cycling such a wonderful hobby is that not only is it great for mental and physical health, but it’s accessible. In other words: you don’t need heaps of money, equipment, or existing fitness to get going. Another form of exercise that strikes a similar chord is, of course, walking (although walking is, on the whole, more affordable and accessible).
But why choose between the two when you can just do both? So when you’ve finally exhausted all the resources on the above list, and you just fancy a good old-fashioned walk to mix up your cycling routine, then take a look at these 6 wonderful walking routes in Newcastle.
