Tag: flexibility

Body Flow. Love Thy Flow.

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I try a LOT of workout classes. Like, a lot. Some I love, some I don’t. Some I stick with, some I don’t. Year after year, I just keep coming back to Body Flow. Body Flow is Les Mills’ low-impact, low-intensity, highly-relaxing combination of yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi that’s sure to warm-up the body, heart, and soul.

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Similar to yoga, Body Flow centers and calms the mind while working the body. The 55 minute class, like most Les Mills’ classes, is divided into eight tracks. Class commences with a rhythmic Tai Chi warm-up to loosen the muscles and focus the mind on less rigid movements and more flow.

photo 4Following tracks vary between yoga and Pilates, from sun salutations to balance, an intense core track, all while stretching and toning each major muscle group. Every move to every track is choreographed to the music and the method.

photo 5While Body Flow is based on yoga, it is unlike a typical vinyasa in that the music and movements are constantly changing, keeping you on your toes. What’s not low-intensity? The ab track, that’s for sure. Les Mills doesn’t joke around when it comes to abs. Luckily, there are modifications for everything. You’ll burn some cals and widdle that middle.

The last track of any Body Flow class, possibly the most beneficial, is meditation, which reduces stress, increases relaxation, absorbs the movement, and focuses the mind for the rest of the day. These 10 minutes are immensely valuable, especially for people like me who have every intention of setting aside time each day to relax and reflect, however, life often gets in the way. I have a feeling you can relate? When I plan to attend a Body Flow class, I feel like I’m setting aside “me time” and I show up, always happy I did.

Everyone, from athletes to first-timers, yogis to non-yogis, male, female, younger, older, and everyone in between, can benefit from Body Flow. Regardless of your current ability, Body Flow’s poses, stretches, and moves will create suppleness, flexibility, focus, and rejuvenation. It’s the perfect compliment to your existing fitness routine and will strengthen balance, flexibility, and most importantly, mental relaxation. And the best part is that this class is available throughout the week at BOTH Hamptons Gym Corp and Studio 89 Fitness, taught by fabulous instructors, like Zivile and Yvonne featured.  IMG_2718(1)

One Healthy Breakdown: Work the body, center the mind at Body Flow!

Hot Damn. Hot Yoga.

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photo 2Looks like your typical yoga studio? Well, it’s not. It’s HOT in there…at Hamptons Hot Yoga (Bridgehampton.) No, like really hot. I guess that’s the typical response of a hot yoga first-timer? Shock? Shock initially, gratitude to follow. It’s not instant gratification, but it is gratification. I’ve been wanting to try hot yoga for a long time now and I’m so glad I did. I find that there is nothing quite like the benefits of yoga, especially for a body tired from spin, TRX, running, body combat, etc. Hot yoga combines each of the benefits of these other exercises (cardio, endurance, strength, agility, warming the body) plus stretching, lengthening, and challenging on a whole new level. While I love a good group fitness class, I despise feeling tight and compact afterwards. I love the post-yoga high that brings that sensation of long, lean, stretched muscles as well as a good sweat. Hot yoga brings the term ‘good sweat’ to a whole new level.

As unsafe, unnatural, and unpleasant as exercise in extreme heat seems, the class is conducted in a very specific manner, making safety the top priority. The precise rules, sequence, structure, suggested routine before, during, and after class, (LOTS of water, no food, no caffeine) all make the practice safe and beneficial for all. So, what are the benefits?

photo 1Benefits are countless. While the high heat allows the body to move and open more fluidly, excess sweat quickly removes toxins from deep within. Hot yoga is the perfect cleansing activity, it will leave you feeling renewed, rejuvinated, and pure. The postures and the heat works every part of the body; muscles, bones, organs, and even skin (our largest elimination organ.) Hot yoga claims to actually work 100% of the body. That makes 90 minutes pretty worthwhile doesn’t it?

Other benefits include; enhanced body processes (like metabolism, detoxification, mobility, circulation, oxygenation, and endocrine function.) Hot yoga also decreases stress, regulates blood pressure, improves immune system, and provides an overall ‘feel good’ vitality.

de467a032bb8ed4734e57c550e4e11aa_bigIt was great to see that the class was mixed, age, gender, ability, etc. It really speaks to the fact that anyone can do hot yoga, although I don’t think it’s for everyone. Anyone can experience this class, anyone can rest whenever they want, and anyone will feel the benefits for hours and hours after class. I was truly amazed at how I felt after class, with a new appreciation for the crisp fall air, my body, and even my simple daily routine outside of that oven.

You’re going to sweat. A LOT. You’re going to feel dizzy (at first, I’m told this sensation goes away after a few classes.) You’re going to want to guzzle water. You’re going to want to run out of the room. You’re going to daydream about ice cubes and stillness. But, you’re going to feel immense gratitude as well.

Hamptons Hot Yoga offers two variations; Bikram Hot Yoga and Hot Vinyasa, both open-level and all-inclusive. I gave the 90 minute Bikram class a try and plan to go back for more soon. There is not one downward dog and the class is the same every single time, a calculated sequence with exact purpose. This gives participants a chance to constantly improve their practice. Each of the 26 postures are performed twice with a few seconds rest in between. The first round sets the correct form and alignment, so your body knows where to go. The repetition allows you to push, go further, improve flexibility, and get the full benefits of the pose. The key, as with yoga in general, is to get the foundation down before pushing the body. Some of the poses are to be held for 30-60 seconds. This was a challenge. In the heat, it was a HUGE challenge. With sweat dripping down on the mat, focusing on the breath (and the rewards) is really all that keeps you going.

Vinyasa, meaning flow, is more of a fast-paced practice packed into a shorter (still 75 minutes) class. Vinyasa focuses on strength, balance, flexibility, and most of all: breath. Lienette, the studio director at Hamptons Hot Yoga, is very welcoming and informative. She clearly knows her stuff, as she walks the class through each and every posture with her words, not just telling you what to do, but how and why as well. And, even better, Hamptons Hot Yoga offers local a free week of classes so you can try it out!

One Healthy Breakdown: Hot yoga is like nothing else. I imagine the only thing it has in common with other workouts is the love/hate relationship. The benefits outweigh the burdens, if you can take the heat.

Physique 57: Pain Is Gain

Physique 57 is KILL-ER. Founded by Jennifer Vaughan Maanavi and Tanya Becker, Physique is a barre-inspired fitness technique meant to create a physique that combines the picturesque ‘dancer’s body’ with today’s strong, empowered women. Located in Bridgehampton, NYC, LA, and spreading, Physique is popular among celebrities, moms-to-be using the prenatal DVD right in their own living room, and everyone in between for good reason.

Focused on the large muscle groups, (thighs, abs, glutes, and arms) which burn the most calories, with small-twitch movements creates precision…and pain! Ok, I made it almost four sentences without saying the word pain. Yes, this is a painful class, but pain is gain. These tiny painful movements are killing fat, blasting cals, and toning the muscles. Physique 57 makes the claim of producing visible results in weeks and I don’t doubt it. The method is meant to strengthen and then lengthen quickly, with intervals of intense work followed by stretches to elongate the muscles and increase flexibility.
photo 1First, we warmed-up and got right into arms. I stuck with five-pound weights, which was tough, but doable (shockingly.) This may be the only part of class I’d label “doable.” We then upped-it a notch with push-ups and planks before our first of many sets of thighs…ah thighs. Enter, pain.

Just a few minutes into class, I was feeling the burn pain when Meredith said, “when it starts to get hard, we start to get negative. Stay positive! Thighs burn the most calories of any muscle group!” Easier said than done, but it was enough to push me through the set. Physique’s method of “Interval Overload” simply means pushing the muscles to exhaustion with lots of reps, and then some more after that, to really tone.

photo 2This isn’t exactly a ‘sweaty’ class, but it definitely gets your heart pumping. It’s the best of both worlds because you get your cardio and simultaneously sculpt and lengthen. This was my second “mixed” Physique 57 class with Meredith in Bridgehampton. If this is a “mixed” class, I can’t imagine surviving an ‘advanced’ class. The philosophy is ideal, though: you can always modify or take a quick break, but the class will always challenge you. It’s better to set the ‘barre’ high and modify than having anyone walk out of class thinking it was too easy. Yeah, that won’t happen. Ever.

Meredith is super nice and bubbly, but when class starts, she gets down to business. Why? Because she knows firsthand how effective this workout can be and she wants each and every member of the class to gain the maximum benefits. She explains that she’s looking for that shake, that muscle twitch to show that change is happening (yes, my muscles were a’twitchin.) Meredith has the grace of a dancer and the strength of a fitness professional. She clearly takes it upon herself to bring energy into the room and to turn each person’s muscles to jello. Physique 57 is tough, but Meredith’s personalized coaching and energy really make you want to take it one step further.photo 5Physique is really a full-body workout focused on hitting all large muscle groups. Your glutes will love to hate ‘pretzel’ and don’t even get me started on ‘waterski.’ I always knew waterskiing was not my sport and this has been re-confirmed. The back, obliques, shoulders, bi’s, and tri’s won’t feel neglected either, there’s something to target them all.

57’s perks? Strength, flexibility, bone density, body alignment, balance, and more. But, does it ever get easier? No. Never. In fact, it may just get harder as you get better. Meredith even admitted after class that she struggles during thighs when she is able to take the class herself. She said people look at her like “you’re an instructor, you should be able to do this easily!” but the point is: it never gets easy! I asked Meredith what makes Physique different from other barre classes; we agreed it’s the perfect combination of pace and intensity.

Physique 57 also sells their DVD’s and workouts online so that you can feel the burn pain right at home. What will you miss? The pressure of getting it right every time, Meredith’s awesome personality, and the space (ie: super-duper clean carpets and huge mirrors to watch yourself make that scrunched-up ouch face up close and personal.)

One Healthy Breakdown: Don’t let the ballet barre or the cute blond fool you, Physique 57 will make you work for that stretch and yes, you’ll gain from the pain.