10 reasons for you to re-start Pilates in January.

If you are just starting out in Pilates/Yoga or thinking of having a go, here are top 10 tips for Pilates/Yoga beginners - everything the Pilates novice needs to know.

Find a Pilates teacher and really get the basic principles
First things first: try to find a good teacher in your local area. Google your teachers reviews Then join a beginner's class. An experienced teacher is essential to help you get a proper introduction to the subtleties of Pilates/Yoga. They can show you effectively what each exercise looks and feels like, and can respond to your individual needs.

Be real and think positive
At the beginning, you may dream of achieving a body like Pilates/Yoga practitioner Madonna, but you've got to start from where you are. Positive thinking is important, and it's helpful to have a vision to aim for. Really be honest with yourself about your body's strengths, weaknesses and needs, and ask your teacher for help with realistic aims.

Have patience
Results in Pilates/Yoga come from working consistently. You need to be patient and regular in your practice of Pilates/Yoga to achieve your goals, and sometimes the exercises you find most difficult may be the best medicine for you, so persevere!

Don't push your body too hard
'No pain no gain' is certainly not the Pilates/Yoga way, and if you are finding an exercise painful you should stop. Some discomfort is likely to be a part of working your body in new ways, but listen to your body carefully, and with discipline and attention to detail you will gain!

Personalise
Check out exercises and Pilates/Yoga advice relevant to your everyday life - and follow them. Pilates/Yoga teaches ways of doing things that can prevent injury or back pain and counter problems caused by common modern troubles of the body, such as sitting in front of a computer for hours on end. Ask your teacher for tips related to your specific lifestyle or health issues.



Make time
Take some time out for your Pilates/Yoga practice on a regular basis. Turn off your mobile, take the phone off the hook, and try to take some quiet time for yourself regularly. It could help you to feel more relaxed and spacious in the rest of your day.

Make some physical space to practice at home
If you have to shift stuff in a cluttered environment every time you want to practice Pilates/Yoga, this will take precious minutes out from your practice time, may make you feel anxious about your clutter, and will probably sometimes put you off practicing at all! Pilates includes developing a more spacious state of mind. Try to create a place in your home where there is a clear, open space readily available for you to stretch and move.

Create a programme that suits you
It's helpful to have a routine, a) because it's easier to remember, b) because you can feel and measure your progress in it, and c) because as you progress you can add to it and adapt it as you learn more. Michael King suggests choosing three exercises for mobility, three for strength, and taking an hour to do them really properly.

Don't rush: take time out and feel what it's like to slow down
Pilates/Yoga is a slow, flowing exercise: speeding it up will not make it better, in fact, taking more time over an exercise will probably make it feel a bit more challenging and increase its level of difficulty and effectiveness.

Don't distract yourself or speed or funk it up too much with music
If you play music while you practice, don't choose something with a fast or heavy beat. In Pilates/Yoga you need to be able to listen to your body's own rhythm and work with your breathing.

Men: 10 reasons for you to re-start Pilates in January.

Men who think that pilates or yoga are just for girls should think again, according to Dr Tom Crisp of BUPA Wellness.

He says that the best way for men to improve posture and develop muscle strength is to attack the body's core muscles - those around the trunk area.

Exercises that will have the most positive effect without strain are pilates, yoga and Swiss ball exercises.

"Men who want to get fit would do well to get in touch with their feminine side at the gym. Exercises which may appear to be just for the girls are best, particularly if you want to avoid painful back problems and injury," said Dr Crisp, a sports and orthopaedic specialist with BUPA.

Dr Crisp's top tips for men's fitness are:

1. Get in touch with your core muscles - they are key to playing sports like football and rugby. A good way to identify them is to have a big belly laugh - the muscles that tighten up when you bellow are your core muscles. The best exercises to develop core strength may appear a bit "girly" to the average Sunday league player, but remember, it's these very same drills that our sporting heroes dedicate time to every week

2. Take up pilates which helps balance the body. It makes small but significant differences over time to the way you stand, sit and walk by focusing on exercises that work the abdominal, back and pelvic floor muscles

3. Try standing balanced on one leg and slowly swing the other leg back and forth (as you would in full running action). Avoid rotating, twisting or dipping your pelvis. Once you have mastered this exercise, practice doing it with your eyes closed

4. Practise forming a "back brace" by tightening up your abdominal muscles. You can do this by pulling your belly button inwards without flattening your back, then tightening your pelvic floor muscles as if you were stopping the flow of urine when you go to the toilet, making sure that your breathing is relaxed while you are holding the brace

5. Lie on your stomach, then brace your back and lift opposite arms and legs on one side or both arms and legs at once. You only need to lift them a few inches, but make sure that your back does not arch at all during this movement



6. Use a Swiss ball or gym ball - a large inflatable ball that comes in various different sizes - when performing exercises such as abdominal crunches. It will help you learn to balance and develop strength and can provide extra support and cushioning

7. Use a balance or core board - a rigid top plate with an inflatable cushion underneath - which helps with press-ups, sit-ups and some stretching exercises. Begin by planting your feet squarely on the top surface board and then slowly wobble it from side to side in controlled movements. Don't let the edges touch the floor and keep your body erect and your head up. Now do the same thing but move the board backwards and forwards and finally rotate the board in controlled circular motions

8. Try taking a yoga class to help you improve your posture and body alignment - almost all forms of yoga include relaxation techniques and breathing exercises so it's very beneficial for stress levels too

9. Astanga yoga is the one to go for if you want a physically demanding workout. It offers a fast-paced series of sequential poses and a continual flow of movements. It builds strength, flexibility, and stamina but you need to be reasonably fit before you start a class

10. If you are unfortunate enough to injure yourself, the most important thing is to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment for your injury quickly. Your body is like a car - if it breaks down because of a mechanical fault, putting air in the tyres will not solve the problem
BUPA Wellness offers a range of specialist musculo-skeletal services which are available by calling 0800 00 10 10 (quote "back care") or for more information online visit www.bupa.co.uk/health information.

Ladies: 10 reasons for you to re-start Pilates in January.

Ladies: 10 reasons for you to re-start Pilates in January.

10. Pecs
The result is breasts that look smoother, higher and more elegant, plus it gives good posture: a sexy quality.

9.Outer Quad
The result is a chiselled, distinctive, dancer-like curve down your outside leg effectively pulling the side of your leg in, making it narrower.

8.Triceps
The result is slender, defined upper arms with the overall effect being both strong and feminine.

7. Hamstrings
The result is graceful leg definition and a lifted butt as the muscles curve outwards on the back of the leg mid-point up your upper leg, and then hey curve inwards right under your butt.

6. Lower Quads
The result is "skier's bump", those little bulges right over the knees that create definition and a slim look around the knees.



5. Lower Traps
The result is an elongated neck, an elegant posture, and a sculpted upper back.

4. Abs
The result is the chiseled six-pack.

3. T.A. (Traversus Abdominis)
The result is a flattened stomach and a strong core that stabilizes your lower spine.

2. Gluteus Medius
The result is the dancer's proverbial heart-shaped butt: cute and tight! Your legs seem to start higher on your frame; saddle bags shrink or disappear altogether as your seat tightens, and hollows form in the sides of your seat, making your hips look slimmer.

1. Gluteus Maximus
The result is the embellishment of our elegant, upright posture, and in women forms the bottom part of our alluringly-female hour-glass shape.

Yoga Workshops With Jackie Quayle - Wednesday 19th & 26th January

"Jackie Quayle will lead you through Core Strength Vinyasa (TM), created by New York teacher Sadie Nardini, Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga is one of the most effective yoga practices for sparking major changes both inside and out. The "Core" is too often seen as only the superficial abdominal muscles. They are important, but there is a whole world of muscles, actions, energy and philosophy contained within the core of the body and spirit complex. I teach it all to you so you can demystify what's at your core and how you can make it work for you instead of against you both on and off the mat".To read more about cores strength vinyasa click here http://www.sadienardini.com/core-strength-vinyasa-yoga.html