Tag Archives: Fitness

Yoga Panther Tries: Flying trapeze

26 Thursday Oct 2017

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Face your fears with flying trapeze

I have never been so frightened of doing something in my whole life. Entire body shaking, I slowly make my way up the cold metal ladder.

“I’m really scared! I’m not ready!” I protest, as I shuffle along the tiny platform. I realise just how high up I am when I have to put my feet partially over the ledge.

Up until now, I’ve been fairly confident in this Level 1 class with Gorilla Circus Flying Trapeze School, volunteering myself first to try the trick on a low bar. But that assurance has long gone now that heights are involved.

“Grab the bar with your right hand…and now the left,” says the trainer next to me. I reluctantly obey, still trembling. “Now push your hips forwards,” she says – and I have to trust that she’ll hold on to me.

When the other trainer shouts up to me “READY” – it’s not a question – it’s a command. I bend my knees and prepare to jump off the edge.

The next order is “HUP!” which means jump NOW. I hesitate for a second, and step off the platform, clinging on to the trapeze for dear life as it swings down and up, and then backwards. Meanwhile, I let out a piercing wail of pure terror, which lasts a few oscillations.

I don’t hear the orders the trainers shout at me, even after I stop screaming. All I focus on is my heart racing, my fast breathing, and the daunting sensation of being pulled back and forth, while seeing the cavernous warehouse whiz past. It feels so high.

Eventually I remember I need to do something, so I let go and collapse into the net. The impact is minimal though, because I’m wearing a harness and the trainer is supporting my weight; falling isn’t that scary after all.

“The first is for fear, the second is for fun”

That’s what one of the trainers told me when I got back on the ground. This filled me with determination to try the trick again (and maybe even enjoy it?), now that I’d got that out of my system.

It’s psychological, after all. Once you’ve conquered the fear, you can do anything. When I got back up on the platform, I said “Let’s try again. I’m going to do this!”

And I did…

Trick 1: Leg hold 


This goes to show you can get a lot done when you focus on the task at hand. It felt so surreal, but I just followed the instructions, and somehow my legs made it up and over the trapeze. I just had to trust that the trainer (and gravity) would help me out.

You can see that I get a bit disorientated and almost bring my legs down the wrong way – I blame being upside down. It felt so unnatural.

But I got such a rush when it was over. There was also a second part to this trick involving a tuck and backflip dismount. I never managed to get my head around that one…

Trick 2: Leg hold, legs off


This was the next step to learning the final catch trick. It was quite disconcerting to be told to just “unhook your legs from the bar”, but in fact it was quite easy, especially now I’d got into it and wasn’t afraid of falling.

Trick 3: Leg hold and catch!


And there you have it – I successfully completed the catch on my first try! What a feeling. I couldn’t quite believe it when I was suddenly dangling from the trainer’s wrists.

I definitely recommend giving this a go if you want to face your own fears, or if you’re simply after your next ‘high’.

3 great things about this class

  1. Excellent trainers: They gave really clear instructions and had a healthy throw-you-in-at-the-deep-end approach. After each jump, they gave constructive feedback and were very encouraging.
  2. Lovely students: I’ve never felt so positive after a class. The more experienced students were really supportive and everyone would clap if you successfully completed a trick.
  3. An amazing, unique experience: There really is nothing like flying through the air on a trapeze. And if you get lots of videos, they serve as great mementos (and proof) of the crazy thing you’ve just done.

3 things to be prepared for

  1. Body aches: The next day I ached in places I’ve never ached before (chest, arm pits and knee pits?). As I’m writing this it’s 4 days later and I STILL ache. Make sure you warm up and warm down with some full body stretches to minimise this.
  2. Blisters: My hands were very sore afterwards and probably would have blistered if I hadn’t used chalk. I also broke the skin a bit on the back of my right knee. Bruising can also occur. But don’t let that put you off. It’s totally worth it!
  3. Getting the bug for flying: Now that I’ve progressed to Level 2, I’m already planning my next class. Highly addictive.

Namaste!

Yoga Panther x

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Yoga Panther Tries: Aerial Yoga

26 Saturday Nov 2016

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Imagine being enveloped in a silky hammock, completely weightless, as you float off to your happy place.

This is how I eased into the aerial yoga class at Coco Club in Hammersmith. I’d completely forgotten that I’d turned up late and flustered.

We started off with womb pose (great name). While sat in the hammock like a swing, you have to cock your leg over one strand so that you’re straddling it. You then stretch the silk out over your legs and bring your feet up in front so that your soles are touching. Like being sat on the floor, but in mid air.

By now you’re completely covered and supported by the fabric. Ridiculously cosy. Hence, womb.

I didn’t want to leave the womb.

Aerial yoga

Setting up for womb pose

As we went through a series of poses, I soon realised that aerial yoga requires core strength, coordination…and courage. More intense than classic yoga, the hammock helps you stretch further, and there’s simply more room to manoeuvre when you’re in the air.

Take bow pose. In yoga you lie on your front, reach back to grasp your ankles, and lift off. But with a hammock in the mix, you can hang upside down in the same position and let gravity pull you deeper into the stretch.

There was a lot of dangling upside down. Terrifying to begin with, but once I learnt to trust the hammock, it was so much fun.

We did reclining bound angle (see below), one-legged king pigeon (another brilliant name), queen bee and chandelier (my favourites). Definitely had Sia’s famous track in my head as we did that last one.

The only problem I had was making sure I had the hammock in the right place and spread out enough so that it didn’t dig into my waist (and boy does that hurt). After all you’re entire body weight is literally hanging by a thread.

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Reclining bound angle pose

I also had a bit of trouble getting my head around some of the poses – which limb to put where and so on. And being inverted adds an extra challenge to that.

The teacher was great though and explained exactly how to achieve each pose, or came over to help. Quite a few others were trying it for the first time too.

We ended in the best pose. Savasana. You literally COCOON yourself in the hammock whilst lying flat on your back. You can even have a gentle swing if you want. Total relaxtion.

It was such a good lesson, that I’ve been back several times since. It’s a very decent price at £15, so I treat myself every month. Proof that if you step out of your comfort zone (or ‘the womb’), you might find something you love.

“I’m gunna swing from the chandelier…I’m gunna fly like a bird through the night.” That’s going to be in my head all day.

Advice I wish I’d been given

  • Don’t turn up late: It’s not like yoga where you can turn up, grab a mat and go. The teacher has to get the step ladder out and adjust your hammock to your height. So best to be there 15 minutes before the class starts.
  • Prepare to spend a lot of time upside down: Which means all the blood will rush to your head and you’ll feel a bit funny after a while. But if you can manage to stay inverted, it’s so good for you. Do make sure you recover afterwards.
  • Pay attention to instructions: It’s so important to know exactly what you’re doing. So don’t rush ahead with a pose. Watch the teacher demonstrate first and take it slowly. You wouldn’t want to land on your head.

In next week’s ‘Yoga Panther Tries’ I try my hand at bouldering…

Namaste!

Yoga Panther x

Yoga Panther Tries: Aerial Silks

19 Saturday Nov 2016

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Aerial Silks

My hands were clinging on for dear life. Legs flailing as I tried to push myself up. My arms buckled…and I fell to the crash mat.

This is what I put myself through when I tried aerial silks at Flying Fantastic for the first time. I mean, I knew it would be hard, but for a moment I thought I’d be stuck on the floor the whole time.

Climbing up the silks probably wasn’t the best place to start the lesson. First off you need plenty of upper body strength to pull yourself up. And second, you need to know exactly how to flip the silk around your feet (without looking!) in order to execute a ‘French climb’.

I was no good at either of these.

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But once the teacher introduced us to the foot lock, and all the poses you can do, it was actually pretty fun.

Yoga definitely came in handy for the more flexible positions. We did figurehead (top of this post), which was my favourite, and some others that I can’t remember the names of…

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I soon found out that being in a foot lock really starts to pinch! I had to keep alternating my feet so that the other foot could recover. By this time my hands were also suffering from all the clenching.

Aerial Silks

The teacher said I’d get used to the pain if I kept coming to classes. As I looked around the room and saw all the pros flying about the silks, I did wish I could be as graceful as them.

But obviously not that much, as I haven’t been back.

I’m glad I tried it though!

Advice I wish I’d been given

  • Wear a t-shirt: In some of the poses, the upper body is entwined in the silks, which can burn your underarms a bit if you’re wearing a vest top.
  • Be prepared for pain: Like I said, foot locks hurt. There’s also a chance of blistering on your hands from over gripping.
  • Accept that you can’t do something: Aerial silks is a very challenging form of exercise requiring strength and coordination. If you can’t do something straight away, don’t fret or push yourself too hard. Simply move on to something else.

In next week’s ‘Yoga Panther Tries’ I give aerial yoga a go…

Namaste!

Yoga Panther x

What happened when I tried to have a totally healthy week

24 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in Food, Health, Wellbeing, Yoga

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Dumb bells

Act like a lady, lift like a boss

Anyone who knows me will know I’ve become a bit of a health nerd of late.

Someone who opts for the superfood salad at a restaurant specialising in grilled meat. Someone who makes yoga videos, only drinks herbal tea and spends her spare time perfecting her power balls.

But it’s not all fun and games.

Being healthy can be a mighty blow to the bank balance. I shiver at the thought of how much I spend on yoga classes and avocados.

Also, cutting down on sugar means I’m craving the stuff even more. I won’t tell you about the time I binged on 3 Simpson-style doughnuts, an Oreo ice cream sandwich and a slab of homemade banana bread. In one evening.

And I often struggle to even find time to be healthy. You need to be super organised to plan and prepare meals and schedule in those work outs. A bit tricky when I spend all my time going to gigs, events or exhibitions. Because, London.

So, inspired by meeting health guru Madeleine Shaw the other week, and the fact that it was health and wellbeing week at work, I decided to have a totally wholesome, mindful and active week. While making time for my social commitments. Without spending an arm and a leg.

Here goes…

Monday

I definitely started with a bang. Monday involved healthy eats and hardcore work outs.

I picked up one of the free breakfast pots being given out at work – yoghurt topped with granola, blueberries and raspberries. Yum. I added some seeds and goji berries to mine for added goodness.

Added some seeds and goji berries to the breakfast pot

At lunch I went to Gymbox for the first time for my free trial day. I tried their ashtanga yoga session in this crazy-ass room overlooking the rest of the gym. Pretty fast-paced and I definitely worked up a sweat.

Gymbox trial

At lunch I got creative with some Ryvita, avocados, feta, tomatoes and cucumber.

Avocado, feta, tomato and cucumber Ryvitas for lunchAfter work I returned to Gymbox for their ‘Frame Fitness’ class. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so unfit. Like circuits on steroids, it was a blur of pull-ups, squats, press-ups, burpees, running planks, sit-ups and Russian twists. Whew!

I couldn’t believe it when I made it to the end of the 45-minute session. I got a bit of a runner’s high and somehow stayed at the gym for another hour of cross training, cycling and yoga. I just didn’t get tired.

after-frame-fitness-class

The great thing about working out until 8.30pm is the half price sale at Itsu is on! So naturally I got my favourite – chicken teriyaki salad – at the reduced price of £2.50.

Healthy post workout meal from Itsu

Tuesday

After my insane workout yesterday, I thought it best to take it easy today. I made another tasty lunch with the same ingredients as yesterday, but this time I picked up a multigrain triangle roll from Tesco for 25p.

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Next I had a ‘health MOT’ – another work perk. I was tested by a health specialist from Nuffield Health and found out that my blood pressure and glucose levels are normal, but my cholesterol was only JUST within the normal range. Need to keep off the cakes and biscuits…

Wednesday

I started the day with some Planet Organic grain-free granola featuring nuts, seeds, coconut, dried banana, raisins and spirulina (fancy word for algae). I added some goji berries and blueberries to make it colourful. You don’t want to know how much this costs. I got a cheeky one for free at the Madeleine Shaw event.

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At lunch I decided to chill out and go to a FREE creative meditation session at Inner Space. A little too relaxing maybe, as I kept nodding off. But I managed to unwind as I visualised being on a tropical beach with white sand and turquoise sea.

I was going to do some yoga when I got home, but since it was two days after my hard core work out, I ached like crazy. So instead I made a batch of power bars. You literally chuck goji berries, sultanas, dates, chia seeds, almonds, cacao powder and coconut oil into food processor, mould it…and boom! Great alternative to a chocolate bar.

IMG_6188Thursday

Everyone’s going on about matcha green tea at the moment. Apparently it’s the equivalent of drinking 10 cups of normal green tea. So I thought I’d see what all the fuss was about by trying a matcha latte at Salad Pride (sweet little cafe in Neal’s Yard). Let’s just say it won’t be my last…

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Friday

For lunch I made a yummy wrap filled with cous cous, spinach, avocado, tomato and cucumber.

IMG_6115Later on I had a free chair massage at work, which eased me up after a stressful morning.

Saturday

The key to a healthy mind is to keep exercising it by learning new things. So I forced myself out of bed to get to an all-day copywriting event at The Rag Factory. It was great to hear from my fellow copywriters and get some tips about freelancing.

On our break for lunch, I strolled down Brick Lane in search of healthy food. I was drawn to Suito, a swanky new place serving up delicious Japanese food. I went for the chicken teriyaki donburi with veg. Seriously good.

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Sunday

My body had finally recovered in time for Be:Fit London – an awesome little fitness festival for women. We started with a ‘Strala Yoga’ class from Tara Stiles. Pretty tough session, but it was so motivating being one of around 100 yogis doing their thang.

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After swiping as many freebies from the stalls as we could, we went to a talk from Dame Kelly Holmes. So inspirational. It made me realise that settling goals to be fit isn’t a means to an end. It’s a journey. And the same goes for anything you want to achieve in life. Just enjoy the ride.

We finished with a mini trampoline class. SUCH FUN.

Just look at my haul (below)! The only things I actually bought were:

  • Vita Coco coconut water and oil: On offer for £5 together.
  • Teapigs matcha kit: A burn at £25, but it will be worth it!
  • Trek bars and Perkier bars: These were both on offer for 3 for like £2. Because you can never have too many bars.

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I ended the week in style by dining at Jamie’s Italian with my other half. I had the best superfood salad of my entire life. Just look at that avocado and broccoli perched on top of that bed of kale, chicken, pulses and grains. Even my boyfriend (who went for the steak) had food envy.

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So it is possible to stay fit and eat healthily with a busy lifestyle.

I ate healthily every day and didn’t eat a single sugary food. I did yoga (twice), hardcore circuits and even trampolining. I probably shouldn’t have exercised so much on the Monday though as I was out of action until Sunday. I didn’t stress about it though. I was mindful and I let my body unwind in the meantime with meditation and massage.

I managed to do everything I wanted to do, and still had time to chill out in the evenings. I didn’t spend too much either.

Admittedly I had a bit of help, what with all the freebies. But it’s allowed me to explore what I do and don’t like (matcha YES, hardcore circuits NOPE), so I can spend my money wisely. And I’m more motivated about being healthy than ever.

It’s all about planning, listening to your body and exercising your will power. Not forgetting to mix things up occasionally to keep things interesting!

Now where can I buy a trampoline…

Namaste!

Yoga Panther x

Just Keep Swimming: Your Guide to Correct Swimming Technique

21 Saturday Jul 2012

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Swimming: the second most popular physical activity in the UK, with 14% hitting the pool on a regular basis, according to Sam Murphy of The Guardian. There is no doubt a frequent swim has obvious health advantages; you exercise your whole body, it increases energy levels and it improves your strength, flexibility and balance.

Swimming at a moderate pace burns around 800 calories an hour, it’s beneficial for those with joint and muscular problems, and the simple act of gliding gracefully in the water relieves your mind of stress, as Swimming Information tell us. It’s also a lot of fun; who hasn’t imagined they were a mermaid whilst swimming underwater or splashed around in the pool with your friends on holiday? And accomplishing your goals can be very rewarding.

I recently returned to swimming after a long break when I decided to swim a mile for charity. I would train 3 times a week, and after each session I would feel invigorated, refreshed, and a lot fitter. Even after completing the mile, I try to swim at least once a week for my fitness fix – I gained a lot more than a medal! Whether you want to start out this great activity, swim for your health or to just improve your technique, read on for some great advice from some professional swimmers and coaches.

When and how should I train?
Dan Bullock, director of SwimforTri, an organization that offers swim coaching, suggests swimming as often as you can if you want to make real improvements. He says “It’s better to hit the pool three or four times a week for 20-30 minutes than to go for one or two longer sessions”. In terms of nutrition, make sure you have something to eat an hour or so before you swim, keeping the amount fairly light. You probably don’t realize it but as with any other exercise you are bound to sweat, so have a drink at the pool side to keep you hydrated. Afterwards, have a healthy snack like some fruit or a cereal bar to stop you snacking on sugary foods. When you’re at the pool, mix up your strokes so you don’t get bored – when I go swimming I start off with breast stroke and challenge myself with a length or two of freestyle and go back to breaststroke. Combining this with drilling is an excellent way to build on your technique. This is when you concentrate on a certain technique e.g. legs only with a float – see Ruben Guzman’s The Swimming Drill Book for more information on this.

The art of breaststroke
A study by the U.S government, found that shockingly, 98% of recreational swimmers don’t make gains in aerobic fitness due to poor technique. Having an efficient swimming technique is therefore of utmost importance if you wish to reap the benefits, and it will make it far more enjoyable and worthwhile. Breaststroke is the main culprit of sloppy swimming. Steven Shaw, creator of the Shaw method of swimming and author of Master the Art of Swimming uses the mantra “easy, work, enjoy” to break the stroke into its different components. ‘Easy’ is coming out of the glide, pulling with the arms and inhaling, ‘work’ is thrusting your legs back as you exhale and ‘enjoy’ is the glide. Shaw says that the more powerful your leg kick, the further you’ll glide. Don’t rush into the next stroke – only when you begin to feel yourself slow down should you take the next arm pull. Try not to work the arms too hard, Shaw says it’s actually the legs that drive the stroke, with 70-80% of the power coming from the rear; this is why it is so important to nail the leg technique. Karen Pickering, a former world champion swimmer suggests that a frequent mistake with the leg kick is not finishing off properly – a lot of swimmers don’t bring their legs together in a streamlined position at the end of the kick. She says “Think of driving the legs out and back together as one fluid motion”.

Have you ever swum behind someone whose legs were doing completely different things? This is another common error, known as the ‘screwkick’. Steven Shaw says you should try and keep the legs and feet symmetrical – if one foot is turned out and the other isn’t, it can cause the back to twist. You can remedy this with a drill by swimming on your back and practicing your breaststroke kick as this will enable you to observe your leg action and tweak any asymmetry.

Freestyle: Breathe into the water pocket!
Swimming is an excellent cardiovascular sport, it works our heart and lungs better than any other exercise. As we can’t breathe under water, it is essential to learn to control our breathing. This is especially true for freestyle, as bad breathing technique can easily affect the stroke technique. Exhaling is just as important is inhaling. According to Swimsmooth fully exhaling under the water between breaths means you only have to inhale when your head is out of the water, saving time and effort. It also relaxes you and helps with bilateral breathing; try and aim for two strokes underwater and turn your head on the third, enabling you to breathe on both sides. When you’re not breathing, keep your head still by concentrating on one point at the bottom of the pool. You want to be as close to the surface and as streamlined as possible, but lifting or over-rotating your head to breathe can affect your body position and balance. When you swim you create a bow wave which drops at the side of your face, creating a dip in the water. You only need to rotate your head a little in order to breathe into this ‘water pocket’. This will avoid straining your neck and help maintain your position. Good body rotation is also very helpful for your breathing, because once you have rolled your body to the side, you don’t have to turn your head much further to breathe.

Mindful swimming
Terry Laughlin author of Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster and Easier talks about swimming mindfully. Learning to control your body in the water is one thing, but controlling or mind is another story. When Laughlin decided he needed to give his technique a makeover, he found that he needed to learn a new way of thinking before he could learn a new way to swim. He says it is important to ‘hold one thought’ by focusing on and visualizing the technique you are trying to master as you swim, and dismissing all other thoughts. Concentrate on the challenge of developing your technique and think about the potential for vast improvement in your swimming, and this will motivate you to succeed.

With London 2012 just around the corner, why not get into the Olympic spirit by getting back into swimming. Bring a friend along and you can encourage and push each to reach your goals – and have a chin wag along the way!