Showing posts with label Pilates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pilates. Show all posts

Ways To Overcome Your Fear Of Doing Pilates

how to overcome fear of doing pilates

You are likely already aware of the health benefits of doing Pilates; your friends have probably been inviting you along to their classes for months. However, upon seeing the equipment, you changed your mind – suddenly, it seems too difficult, and you feel it might be better to give it a miss after all. 

Before abandoning the idea, you need to understand that there’s nothing to fear when doing Pilates. Here are some of the best ways of overcoming your fear of giving it a go. 

Understand That Skill Level Isn’t Important 

Doing Pilates isn’t a competition, and you shouldn’t ever fall into the trap of comparing yourself with other people. Remember that everyone was a beginner once, and all that matters is what you are taking out of it as an individual. 

Besides, there are different class levels available. You should start with the one that matches your skill. In doing so, you won’t feel intimidated at all. 

Get To Know The Others In Your Class 

If no one invited you to try Pilates, and you’re doing it alone, it doesn’t matter. You can be friendly with the other people in the room, and they won’t judge you. Others might even be beginners like you, which will enable you to break the ice and share this learning experience together. 

Your instructor will also be there to assist and encourage you. If you still dislike being alone, then never fear; Pilates offers a fun, convivial atmosphere for beginners and professionals alike. 

Remember That You Are In Good Hands 

You will be joining the classes where instructors have plenty of experiences in doing the job. They can help you and make you feel more relaxed. When you see how they try to make things easier for you, your fear will start to go away. 

Prepare Yourself Ahead Of The Class 

If you’re a nervous first-timer, then it can help to go into this experience armed with a little knowledge. When you have an idea of what’s about to happen, you will feel more confident. You might try reaching out to friends who already know the ropes, and who will be able to put your mind at ease, and advise you on what to expect. Take notes and use them when you start to do Pilates in the future. 

The Equipment Isn’t Scary 

You might feel scared when you see the Pilates equipment at first. It’s natural to feel that way since it’s new to you, but remember that your instructor is there for a reason: to teach you. If they expected you to know exactly what you are supposed to do with the equipment, then there wouldn’t be any point to the class. 

You will feel awkward at first, but things will get better. You might even find that, by subsequent classes, you only require minimal assistance from the instructor. 

Never allow fear to get in the way of your Pilates journey. You will eventually overcome your fear, and feel the benefits of trying Pilates. 

Pilates Power

If you are in the area, check out classes for Pilates in Oxford; pinning down a class that suits you will make it much harder for you to putt off going. Again, there are different levels available, and you don’t have to be an expert right away. You will go through a process until you’re familiar with how Pilates works.

How To Get Better Balance In 10 Simple Steps

how to get better balance body stability advice

Good health is more important than ever before. It can also be extremely challenging to stay healthy. That's why it's crucial to pay attention when something doesn't seem quite right. 

Balance is something that many people take for granted. Because while some might have a great sense of balance, others often have trouble walking, resulting in frequent falls that cause physical injuries and other types of accidents. 

This article takes a look at how to get better balance. Keep reading to discover insight into ways to increase stability and mobile with exercises to improve balance. 

1. Talk To Your Doctor 

When balance becomes an issue in your life, the first thing you should do is make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the problem. This is especially important if you've fallen and hurt yourself. Your doctor will likely check to make sure you don't have certain basic health problems including low blood pressure, inner-ear disorders, and anemia. 

Proper medical care will help eliminate any obvious health problems so that you can focus on other possibilities. 

2. Have Your Eyes Checked 

Vision problems can also cause difficulty with balance. After all, your vision typically changes from year to year. When the quality of your vision declines, you might discover that this has a direct impact on your ability to stand or walk without problems. 

Believe it or not, healthy eyes contribute significantly to balance, thus the need to schedule an appointment with your optometrist in order to rule out vision has the reason for your balance issues. 

3. Buy Better Shoes 

You might not give much thought to your shoes. After all, when it comes to footwear, style is typically the top priority to most people. And yet it's important to wear shoes that provide an adequate amount of support. 

When shopping for new footwear, look for shoes with a firm sole and a heel collar. This will increase comfort while also providing greater stability. You might be surprised by just how much high-quality shoes can impact balance simply by giving you a firm foundation to stand on. 

4. Build Leg Strength 

The next step for improving balance is to focus on strengthening your legs. This is especially important if the muscles of your legs have become atrophied due to nonuse as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. Keeping your legs strong and healthy is always important, but should definitely be a priority for anyone experiencing issues with balance. 

Keep in mind that improving balance can require addressing multiple aspects of your health and lifestyle, none of which are more important than strong legs to support the weight of your body. 

5. Take A Look At Your Meds 

Medications can also play a significant roll in the quality of your balance. This should really come as no surprise when you consider the way that meds alter the chemistry of your body. Every type of medication has a different purpose, and yet each one is designed to alter your body or brain in various ways in order to improve your life. 

As a result, meds often produce side effects that can throw the mind and body functions out of whack. Many medications list side effects impacting balance such as drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, or even dehydration. This is another reason it's so crucial to consult with your doctor as soon as you start experiencing problems with balance. It might be necessary to adjust your meds in order to bring things back into alignment. In some cases, two or more medications might interact in a negative way, thus producing difficulties standing or walking. 

Just be aware that you shouldn't ignore any problem with balance, especially if you are currently taking one of more meds for any kind of mental or physical disorder. This could be a sign of a larger problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. 

6. Drink Plenty Of Water 

It's no secret that hydration is an important part of good health. This is true for every aspect of brain function, including those areas of the brain responsible for balance. 

Most people understand the value of hydration, and yet you'd be surprised at the number of people who fail to drink enough water to keep there mind and body operating properly. 

At a minimum, the average person needs at least 8 ounces of water each day, but more if possible. This is doubly important when taking medication. 

7. Organize Your Environment At Home & Work 

Another thing to consider when having problems with balance is to make sure that you can safely move about your home and workspace. Taking the time to organize the places where you spend the most time can help prevent injury. 

This doesn't necessarily mean performing a complete overhaul of your home, but moving things around a bit in order to minimize the odds of stumbling could make life less painful. 

8. Take A Walk Every Day 

More and more people are living an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. This is due to a number of factors, but it's ultimately not healthy. Thus the need to get outside and walk for at least half an hour each day. 

9. Learn A New Skill To Develop Your Mind 

Never underestimate the value of a strong mind. That's why it's important to never stop learning. Developing a new skill, such as riding a wobble board can help keep your mind active and agile. 

10. Learn Exercises To Improve Balance 

There are a variety of exercises to improve balance. You could even practice wobble board exercises in order to develop your balance skills as quickly as possible. 

A Guide To How To Get Better Balance 

Most people give very little thought to the ability to walk or stand until there's a problem with body balance. Fortunately, these 10 tips for to how to get better balance can help provide greater stability in no time. 

Keep scrolling to discover more great lifestyle tips and advice for improving your world. Visit the Frugal Fitness, Healthcare, and Lifestyle sections to learn more about living healthier and happier on a budget.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Pilates?

health benefits of pilates classes

People have to move their different parts of the body for doing the work. For e.g. they have to move their hands and arms for writing, holding something, turning the pages of the newspapers or books, arranging their bookshelves, etc. In the same way, they have to move their leg while walking or playing some sports, running, jumping, etc. While some people find it very easy and straightforward to do this, many others face a lot of difficulties in moving their different body parts, especially the old aged people or those who are injured. 

Though there are medicines which can help people to get relief from the mental and health- related problems which they keep facing daily in their life but one cannot ignore the side effects of having too many medicines. People take medicine to get relief from pain, i.e. medicines act as a pain killer. But the relief is just for some time or till the medicine effects. If you are facing any problem and looking for some effective way to get better relief, then Pilates courses are one of the best alternatives for you to get a fit body and have a healthy life. 

The Health Benefits Of Pilates Programs 

There are many health benefits of Pilates courses, and some of them are as follows: 

• Pilates courses help in improving the flexibility of the body. • It also helps in increasing the tone and strength of the different part of your body muscle such as hip, lower back, abdominal muscles, buttock, etc. 

• Pilates program is very much beneficial for improving body posture, stabilisation of body spine, enhancing the muscular control of the limbs, etc. 

• Those who are suffering from any injuries for them Pilates courses are very much helpful. It assists in improving the physical condition, maintaining balance and making the body much more relaxed 

• If you are suffering from any problems such as stress, depression or anxiety and looking for the most effective technique to get relief from such kind of issues, then you should enroll in Pilates courses. 

• The other advantage of such kind of programs is that it is very much suitable for everyone. Those who are facing problem to concentrate on their work, suffering from musculoskeletal injuries, shoulder pain, neck pain or lower and upper back pain for them this course is very much suitable to get relief from such kind of problem. 

You can enrol in a learning studio or centre which offer courses on Tensegrity Pilates Melbourne. 

Wrapping Things Up 

The professional and expert will teach you different and easy ways to perform the exercise. As you will keep progressing, they will also teach you how you can carry out the exercise by using the different tools and pieces of equipment. They will show you how you should perform the exercise. Performing exercise in the right way is very much important to get better relief and for long lasting effect too. Stay tuned to our blog for latest updates.

5 Exercises to Improve Your Balance

exercises to improve balance

Balance refers to the ability of your body to remain steady in a position that is in line with your center of gravity. It is the combined effort of your ears, eyes, muscles, and joints that keep you in a state of balance. However, if you have balance problems, you tend to sway or wobble, resulting in an uneven weight distribution that increases your risk of injuries. 

Balance is to every activity that involves the use of the lower extremities such as standing, walking, running, and climbing the stairs. Even sitting upright requires balance. You may not be aware of it but your body always tries to keep yourself upright. Balance and coordination work together to facilitate mobility and reduce your risk of fall-related injuries. However, your sense of balance can also diminish with age, just like any other physiologic processes. In fact, balance problems are a major cause of falls in the elderly population. 

A proactive way of countering this phenomenon is with balance-strengthening exercises. Check out these top 5: 

Stand Or Sit On A Balance Disk 

A balance disk not only alleviates back pain; it can also be used to improve your balance and coordination as you try to distribute your weight equally when sitting and standing on this wobble cushion. 

You can start by standing or sitting on a firm balance disk. As you go, you can deflate it gradually and strive to keep your balance while the device wobbles. Balance disks are designed for both workouts and physical therapy so you can also develop your posture and core muscles when using one. 

Stand On One Leg 

You can transform this balance activity into a balance exercise, which you can do anytime and anywhere. While doing daily chores such as washing the dishes, you can try to stand on your right leg and hold this position for about 10-20 seconds. Then do the same using your left leg. You may increase the number of seconds to challenge yourself. You can also do this balance exercise while watching TV, preparing your meals, or waiting for the bus to arrive. 

To take this a little further, there are countless effective single leg exercises you can insert into your workouts. You won't be able to use as much weight, but it will work more of the smaller stabilization and core muscles that are crucial for balance and athletic performance.

Enroll In A Yoga Class 

Yoga has a lot of health benefits. Aside from boosting your physical fitness, facilitating meditation, and enhancing your mood, it can also help improve your balance. Research has shown that participating in a 10-week yoga class improved the flexibility and balance of college athletes, thereby improving their athletic performance. 

In addition to improving joint flexibility in seniors, another study has shown that yoga interventions resulted in better balance and mobility in people aged 60 years and older. If you have a balance problem, it would be wise to inform your yoga instructor beforehand so that he or she can devise a personalized yoga program for your health needs. 

Walk Sideways 

Walking sideways is an easy yet effective balance exercise. It helps improve the balance and coordination of your hips, knees, and ankles. To do this exercise, stand straight with your feet together. Step sideways by moving your right foot to the right. Then place your left foot next to your right foot. Repeat this 10 times before going to your left side. When walking sideways, try your best to walk in a straight line. 

Do Step-Ups 

Step-ups is a well-known cardiovascular exercise but you can also use it to improve your balance. To do step-ups, grab a sturdy step stool. If you don’t have one, you can do step-ups on the lowest level of your stairs. Step up your right foot, followed by your left foot. Then step down your right foot, followed by your left foot once again. Repeat this 10 times. 

Make sure that you do step-ups in a controlled and slow manner. You don’t have to do the exercise fast as you are doing a balance exercise this time and not a cardiovascular exercise. 

You can increase your balance training intensity as you get used to the routines. Start improving your balance now to avoid living your life with a mobility aid later.


I hope you enjoyed this article about simple exercises to improve your balance without costing you too much money

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- How To Avoid Common Weightlifting Injuries

- Stay Happy & Healthy While Detoxing

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Gaiam TV: Conscious Media & Active Wellness! @GaiamTV #ActiveandWell

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Hey Frugal Fitness TV fans! It's the tractor-beam of toning television here to tell you about another great channel that is friends with myself and Frugalicious Television. You've probably heard of Gaiam which is a world-renown health, fitness, yoga, and healthy living company. Well Gaiam TV is one of their more recent additions and they have thousands of amazing exclusive videos on all topics ranging from yoga, pilates, cardio, toning, wellness, nutrition, meditation, stress relieft, spirituality, healthy living, motivational movies, documentaries, and so much more. It is truly a bursting bonanza of body-bettering streaming media!

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The fitness videos are great, and they are very high quality and include a ton of exclusive content. You would end up paying a ton more cash to buy just 1 of these DVD's instead of a month of unlimited streaming to your computer, mobile devices, and TV. From the workout video section, I like to watch a lot of Jillian Michaels videos, The Firm, plenty of the Yoga Videos (because I need it and I'm out of practice/never was that great in the first place), and some of the cardio ones as well. Some great videos from the legendary Deepak Chopra and Michael Beckwith as well. 



In addition to the great fitness content, the healthy living / yoga / meditation / spirituality / and motivational videos to really help to enrich my mental and psychological health as well as physical well-being. If you have been following my blog, videos, and status updates over the years you may have seen that I've had and currently have some stressful situations going on and obstacles in my life. I've discovered that I really do need the meditation, breathing, and spirituality in my life to compliment my healthy living choices and fitness / nutrition regimen. But that's not to say I don't also learn new things daily from the Gaiam TV videos in those departments either. There is always something new to learn, and Gaiam TV has been a great resource for me. I hope you try it out and take advantage of the Frugal Free 10-Day Trial!
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Frugal Sports Medicine: Wrist Pain Prevention

Frugal Sports Medicine: Some Tips To Reduce Wrist Joint Pain &; Injury During Workouts
Especially mat-based workouts like yoga, pilates, pushups, & core work


Keep your wrist in a neutral position and try to avoid putting your full bodyweight on it. Stretch, rest, and ice afterwards.

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Women's Fitness: Zumba & Pilates Wear & Equipment: Work It Girl!


By Marissa Bognanno, The Frugal Diet contributing Chef, Zumba Instructor, & Author of "The Boot" Blog

Pilates and Zumba are my go-to workouts (cardio and strength; ideal no?) and I do them both twice a week. My closet is starting to fill up with more gym gear than actual clothes, but I can’t help it, I love stretch pants. (“Stretch pants. Everywhere, stretch pants.” -Daria. Best angsty teen cartoon ever.)

Here are some of my favorites:

[Juicy jersey skinny pants, Freddy cross front top, Stella McCartney for Adidas yoga mat, Bobble water bottle, Zumba racerback, Zumba pants, Zumba Z1 sneakers, Zumba toning sticks, beats headphones]

This is the time of year where I usually have no gym motivation whatsoever, but it always happens that I go anyway and end up feeling great afterwards. Plus, then I can justify having eaten the whole jar of Nutella over the weekend. Win, win.



Frugal Fit Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today


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I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

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Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness
Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget
"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"



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