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GUEST: iHanuman Yoga Teachers
Guest blog from iHanuman - free yoga videos from yoga teachers of all traditions! Enjoy.
Last summer, a friend of one our iHanuman Yoga Teachers' inquired about doing some video work for us. She had just finished her first year of film school and she was anxious to put her training to work. She only had two months of free time to offer us, so we began an idea for a project we had been thinking about for several months. We contacted all of our local studios and offered their teachers the opportunity to film a yoga video clip for our "In the Studio" series. Our goal was simply to highlight the variety of incredible local teachers and studios while creating valuable yoga teachings.
Most of the videos come from Charlottesville, Virginia, but Saraswati also took the concept on the road to the Outer Banks and even Portland, Oregon. The videos range from the breathing techniques, known as Pranayama, from the Ashtanga Yoga Tradition and the Kundalini Tradition to Yin and Vinyasa yoga sequences that are accessible to most yoga practitioners. We have created a playlist on our Youtube Channel for you to view the current videos. And Saraswati has contacted us again about returning to the project this summer! So we are currently putting together a schedule for recording more including a Yoga sequence in Spanish, some Yoga Philosophy and more asana sequences from new teachers.
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| Hanuman yoga videos |
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| Hanuman pose (the white monkey) |
Most of the videos come from Charlottesville, Virginia, but Saraswati also took the concept on the road to the Outer Banks and even Portland, Oregon. The videos range from the breathing techniques, known as Pranayama, from the Ashtanga Yoga Tradition and the Kundalini Tradition to Yin and Vinyasa yoga sequences that are accessible to most yoga practitioners. We have created a playlist on our Youtube Channel for you to view the current videos. And Saraswati has contacted us again about returning to the project this summer! So we are currently putting together a schedule for recording more including a Yoga sequence in Spanish, some Yoga Philosophy and more asana sequences from new teachers.
Where to start with fitness tools for home and travel
So, it’s icy cold outside. You know you’ll have to stop for
petrol too. For four days this week you’re at a conference in Timbuktu in a
budget motel with no gym for miles. What to do? Eat fast food and give up on
the whole fitness schmitness bizzo? You could. Or you could invest in some smart
home/travel fitness tools and make some plans!
Exercise DVDs – ask friends, trainers, research online and watch
YouTube videos to decide on the sort of workout you want to do, the personality
of the instructor that appeals to you (if you don’t like super-perky, avoid
zumba at ALL costs), the length of the workouts and how many options it gives
(ie. does it cater to beginners, regular and advanced participants?)
Alternatively, subscribe to an online video service! Some
are free, some are minimal cost. Check out iTunes.
Hit up your local Target, Kmart, Big W, insert generic brand
here...you get the idea.
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| Wrist support handles |
A recent trek down the sports aisle at my local Kmart unearthed fit balls ($12), ab rollers ($10), wrist support handles ($12), yoga mats ($19)...
Talk to a trusted personal trainer and schedule some appointments to go through a program of body-weight exercises you can do when travelling that will maintain lean muscle mass while ensuring your technique is spot-on! Do NOT think that powering out 200 push-ups that are actually belly-flops counts as a workout. Don't think I haven't seen it. Also? 100 sit-ups that are actually more puffing and grunting than real abdominal contractions? Not. On.
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| Lunge anywhere |
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| Fit ball |
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| Push ups done right |
Licorice tea - sweet as.
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| Licorice Root |
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| Health Food Store |
Find licorice tea at your local health shop or try Natural Health Direct.
Sweaty salutations
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| Bikram Yoga |
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| Back to Breathe...more my pace! |
Have you done Bikram? Does it work for you? Leave a comment!
Overtraining = more is not more
Admission: I was guilty of this for many years and I know that it is NOT easy to change your approach and your beliefs around fitness and what it takes to get the results you want, but if you think you might be overdoing your training, little changes are going to have big benefits on your physical and overall health.
I just read an article in Oxygen magazine with pro body sculpting models and personal trainers - question of the month was How much time do you spend training? and all of them said one hour, maximum except for one who spent an hour and 45 minutes only during competition period.
If you have a "more is more" approach to fitness, how about being smarter and taking a "quality over quantity" approach? I commonly see people grinding out long sessions of cardio machines in the belief this is the ideal weight-loss recipe. What is more effective and smarter and more fun is variety, planning your workout in advance, alternating high, moderate and low intensity intervals and plenty of resistance training (ideally with heavy weights). Muscle burns calories and it keeps churning up fuel long after your workout is over.
If you are regularly working out for over and hour, see a personal trainer for a few sessions and ask them how you can get the results you want using your gym time efficiently. If you want a trainer recommendation, contact me. I would love to train you or recommend someone who can.
I just read an article in Oxygen magazine with pro body sculpting models and personal trainers - question of the month was How much time do you spend training? and all of them said one hour, maximum except for one who spent an hour and 45 minutes only during competition period.
If you have a "more is more" approach to fitness, how about being smarter and taking a "quality over quantity" approach? I commonly see people grinding out long sessions of cardio machines in the belief this is the ideal weight-loss recipe. What is more effective and smarter and more fun is variety, planning your workout in advance, alternating high, moderate and low intensity intervals and plenty of resistance training (ideally with heavy weights). Muscle burns calories and it keeps churning up fuel long after your workout is over.
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| Trainer can give you tailored advice |
If you are regularly working out for over and hour, see a personal trainer for a few sessions and ask them how you can get the results you want using your gym time efficiently. If you want a trainer recommendation, contact me. I would love to train you or recommend someone who can.
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| Overtraining sucks |
- Training = Workout + Recovery
- Overtraining = increased back, knee, ankle and hip vulnerability to injuries
- Overtraining = imbalance in hormonal levels with increased cortisol (stress hormone) and adrenal gland fatigue (tiredness, poor sleep, moodiness)
- Overtraining = emotional vulnerability and heightened anxiety
Pelvic Floor Health with Michelle Wright of Mishfit
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| Michelle Wright of Mishfit |
Today I had the pleasure to meet Michelle Wright, the
founder of mishfit. Michelle and I discussed the issue of pelvic floor health and the
concerning fact that it is so common, and yet it receives very
little attention either publicly or in the fitness industry. I learnt quite a lot from our meeting and I hope you do too.
Mish has generously donated a double CD with meditation and pelvic floor exercise routine for alucky Core Integrity with Cat reader! Just leave a comment below stating in 20 words or less why you'd like to win.
Hi Mish. Thanks for chatting with me today. Let’s start with
what your professional background is.
M: I began my working life as a primary school teacher in
New Zealand, later moving to Japan and London to teach and work as a language
consultant. Ten years’ ago I moved to Australia and after 4 years, I gained my
qualifications in the fitness industry and embraced a new career as a trainer.
What was your purpose in establishing mishfit?
M: I started mishfit to achieve 3 things: to give mums an
option to undertake affordable training that they could attend with their kids,
to create awareness of the pelvic floor in the fitness industry and to ensure
women were educated also, to have a business that was flexible enough that I
could give my family time and energy (not easy to do as a single mother with 2 kids
and no family in Australia!)
What is next for you?
M: I want to continue to enable and empower women to have
their own mishfit business and I recently sold my first franchise, now
operating in Ringwood. A mishfit franchise allows women to stay fit and healthy,
create a meaningful difference for other women and being able to balance their
work and family obligations.
Why is it a concern that there is a lack of education around
pelvic floor health in the fitness industry?
M: It is like the last taboo... we don't like to discuss
things "down there!" Historically, pelvic floor as a muscle that is
taught at training facilities has been completely missing. The new Pelvic Floor
First initiative from the Continence Foundation of Australia is helping to
change that. Post-natal women are one of the largest groups in our society
attending registered fitness centres or services, and we know that one third of them are
leaking... It is definitely time for the fitness industry to wake up and get
involved.
What are you doing to make this happen?
Last month I presented this subject at FILEX (the largest
fitness convention in the Southern Hemisphere) and I was thrilled that over 100
people attended and that 6 of them were men! Yah!
Who can do pelvic floor exercises and benefit from it?
M: All women, regardless of whether they have had children
or not, should be practicing pelvic floor exercises. Men can also benefit, and it’s a must if they have had any prostrate
issues. A strong pelvic floor does not only stop you from leaking (80% of
pelvic floor dysfunction can be sorted out by regular exercises in this area),
but improves your orgasms (makes them stronger) and gives you a flatter lower
abdominal (by activating the transverse abdominus muscle)... how cool is that? The big 3 I call
them!
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| Mishfit client |
Who are the typical class patrons of mishfit?
M: My personal
training clients are women of all backgrounds. mishfit mothers is a group
program that I have designed for pregnant & post- natal women, and is currently in Ringwood & Northcote.
What signs can people be alert to that indicate a weak
pelvic floor?
M: Leaking a little wee when you sneeze, jump or cough. The
inability to hold on. Excessive toilet going (more than 5-7 times per day) and
inability to empty bladder properly. Any pelvic or lower back discomfort. Any
bulging or heaviness in the vaginal area (this could signify prolapse)
Is it ever too late to begin pelvic floor strengthening
exercises?
M: Never! The World Health Organisation has stated that this
is one of the largest preventable issues of our times.
Where can people find out more about mishfit and enrol in
classes?
www.mishfit.com.au or 1300mishfit (1300647 4348)
Pick me up with yoga and what's coming!
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| Yoga instant energy |
What's coming up ...
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| Pelvic floor exercises |
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| Coming up: weights workout guide |
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| Random fitness tips and articles |
Skin Love
I have to come clean - I am a skincare and makeup fanatic. Having had bad acne when I was a teenager, I am adamant about looking after my skin. I went through two courses of Accutane, and let me tell you, that makes a person never want to experience nasty skin-peeling, vicious lip chapping, redness and sensitivity again. SO!
I change products regularly, not so much because I give up on the ones I use, but because there are so many awesome new products and research coming out. What I have discovered and am LOVING at the moment includes...
What are you using and loving at the moment - leave a comment!
I change products regularly, not so much because I give up on the ones I use, but because there are so many awesome new products and research coming out. What I have discovered and am LOVING at the moment includes...
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| NVEY Organic erase concealer |
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| ECO Minerals blush |
- NVEY Organic concealer brush (perfect size and softness for around the eyes and nose) & erase concealer in neutral.
- ECO Minerals mineral blush in Uluru - not JUST for the name! Beautiful shade that mimics a healthy glow (cheaper than a holiday in Thailand!)
- Estee Lauder lip tint in Amber Bronze (611) - apply one coat for the slightest berry sheen and three for a stronger colour
Estee Lauder lip tint - Garnier BB Cream in light shade. This is amazing and so cheap - moisturises, heals blemishes, prevents new spots and covers redness...plus you can throw it in the basket while you're doing the groceries. Bonus.
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| Garnier BB Cream |
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Sunday Inspiration
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| Get dancing! |
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| Yoga for lower body strength |
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| Green juice: apple cucumber celery spinach kale ginger |
Keeping fit when you travel
This is for a friend who is off to Turkey for at least 4 weeks (no, not jealous...much!) and worried that without a gym, she'll lose her fitness. Not a chance!
Apart from using your feet to get you from location to location - or a bike, or a surfboard - you can also:
- take fitness DVDs
- print workout plans (Women's Health is a great resource)
- take fitness magazines with workout plans that don't require equipment
- take a walking/cycling/hiking tour
- be conscious of selecting healthy food options
- avoid drinking alcohol - empty calories and after enough, you're likely to make poor food choices too!
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| PS90X DVD |
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| Subscribe to a fitness mag |
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| No. Just no. |
Nervousville
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| Edge of a cliff feeling |
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| What we all aspire to feel! |
I can't guarantee that I'll succeed, but I'm going to try to feel less anxious about tomorrow. If you have any tried and true formulas for calming the nerves, please share with me in the comments!
Breathe at Lunchtime
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| Breathe Yoga |
If you're not vinyasa-ing this lunchtime, at least get up out of your seat and take a brisk walk (NOT to KFC) or check out what classes are on at local gyms. If not for your physical wellbeing, it will make you feel super self-righteous to arrive back in the office with a post-exercise glow!
UPDATE! Ambika's lunchtime vinyasa yoga class is FABULOUS! It passes in no time - I could go another hour and still feel invigorated. I leave feeling lighter, longer and more at peace with the world (even in Collins Street at lunch hour!)
Sportswear
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| Polyvore Sports |
I wish this was more technical, less gloss, but it’s Friday so allow me some freedom to be vacuous okay? I love sweating, circuits, yoga, dancing…all that good stuff, but I’m also ridiculously in love with fashion and colour. So I was THRILLED to find Polyvore. You can make your own “fashion magazine editorial” style boards based on whatever theme you feel like. It’s like those paper cut-out fashion dolls I played with when I was younger. No, not 20, smart ass. Enjoy!
Suspension Training & Fly Yoga
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| Fly Yoga |
Most of us would be familiar with videos or pictures of Pink doing these circus style performances on stage - dangling from material or ropes? Silks! It takes strength, balance, flexibility.
I'm looking into whether I can try this at NICA. Reebok has a workout called Jukari Fit to Fly. It's a collaboration between Reebok and Cirque du Soleil. As far as I know, not available in Australia yet. Here's hoping the circus/suspension training philosophy starts to filter into gym classes though. Some aspects can be recreated using the TRX suspension bands in the gym. Be on the lookout for the following if you're keen:
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| Suspension Training |
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| Jukari Fit To Fly |
- Fly Yoga
- Aerial Yoga
- Circus Training
- TRX or Rip:60
- Jukari Fit To Fly
Australia: a Fat Tax? Forum of interest
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| Tax on junk food? |
* Less diabetes and related problems = less demand on public/private hospitals for one
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| body + soul |
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| Reward healthy food options |
Titanium Butt
No promises, okay? But we may as well aim for the best! Here's some workout ideas - sure, you could throw them in AFTER your usual workout, but why not try breaking up your usual routine by including these moves between your usual weights/cardio routine? (Do you like how I assume you have a usual routine?)
If you don't have a usual routine, here's an idea:
10 minute warmup on treadmill (walk/light jog) |
| Jackknife swissball |
- Straight leg deadlifts with barbell 3 sets of 12 repetitions (30 second rest between sets)
- Aerobic step ups on a bench - 1 minute
- Wide grip push ups (knees/toes) - 1 minute
- Lat pulldowns (under/overhand grip) 3 sets of 12 reps (30 second rest)
- Swiss ball jackknife (see image) - 1 minute
- Leg press (incline if you prefer) 3 x 12
- Treadmill sprint intervals (2 mins light jog/1 minute heart starter run) - 20 mins
- Mountain climbers - 1 minute
- Plie squats - 1 minute
- Reverse dynamic lunges off low bench - 1 minute
- Stretch
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| Dynamic Reverse Lunges |
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| Leg Press |
| Plie Squats |
How much protein?
Teaching AND working in media!
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| Office Yoga |
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| Foldover Yoga Shorts |
Sorry mum - these will be worn OUTSIDE the house :D