The Soothing Way To Slim (Bodybalance)

Member Name: snow_white_forev

Product:	Bodybalance
Date:	04/09/09 (72 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great physical benifits and boosts confidence

Disadvantages: Can't go every day??

I have been a member of a gym for 3 months now and I've certainly got the gym bug. Even as I signed on the dotted line and handed away my card details full of good intentions there was a voice in the back of my mind telling me I'd soon give in and forget about my latest way to get in shape, but 3 months down the line and I'm still going in nearly every day! I'm not your typical over confident gym bunny but a shy, normal, and body conscious 20 year old girl.

When I joined I was handed a leaflet on the fitness classes they offer and decided to go try a few out - lucky I did as I completely lack the self motivation needed to do a successful gym workout. Body Balance was described as a mix of Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates and seemed the least intimidating and therefore the most appealing, so I thought I'd give it a go.

******************** What to Wear ***********************

The class is taken bare foot so there is no need to worry about shoes and as for clothing the idea is to wear something comfortable and easy to move in. To many this information would be enough but I personally panicked for days about what to wear as I had this idea in my head that the class would be full of Geri Halliwell look-alikes wearing Lycra, leggings and close fitting designer cropped tops showing of their washboard stomachs and perfect tans. I didn't have the available funds to go buy a fashionable gym outfit, so eventually had to settle on a pair of old black joggers and a plain red top, teamed with my black push-up wonder bra to make the most of the dull outfit. Now, however, I realise how utterly stupid my nerves were as there is always such a diverse people in each class. The class is predominantly female with the odd man or two, and everyone comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, all dressed equally differently. I quickly felt at home in my joggers and would urge anyone thinking about taking the class or one similar not to panic about not fitting in.

I would however insist in a good supportive bra as during my first class my wonder bra, after about 5mins, during an intense upper body stretch, broke in spectacular fashion. The gold clasp at the front snapped and the padded cups began to hang freely under my top; I couldn't take it off and didn't want to leave or draw attention to myself so I had to spend the rest of the class looking like I had 4 breasts! This may seem like a joke but it is the honest truth and as such I cannot stress more the importance of a good bra; not only because it offers more protection and comfort but also as it can save a lot of embarrassment.


******************** The Worrkout **********************

This class is one of the fitness-to-music workouts developed by the international fitness group Les Mills. The classes are pre-choreographed and each routine, called a 'release,' will be the same each time for a period of about 12 weeks. The benefit of this is that improvement is easily noticeable, giving a huge confidence boost, and is also beneficial in that classes are less intimidating to attend, with no hidden surprises. The class is set entirely to a mix of uplifting and popular music and each track is intended to focus a different area of the body, accumulating in a full body and mind workout. Each release will incorporate a slightly different arrangement of moves, with a few new postures to challenge but all will follow the same basic layout.


Track 1 - Each class begins with a warm up based on some simple moves inspired by the ancient martial art, Tai Chi. I had no previous experience of Tai Chi before the class (unless you count watching Calendar Girls?) and knew very little about the discipline. I have since learnt that Tai Chi's low impact moves are most often practiced, in the Western world, for health benefits as they can both work towards improving physical conditions and mental health conditions such as stress, and they are also surprisingly great calorie burners too. For this section we begin by standing on our thin provided yoga mats in a very wide and strong stance, with a bend in the knee and slowly move through a series of strong moves. During this track a great deal of emphasis is placed upon moving in time with the breath and insuring that the sequence of moves has no beginning or end. The warm-up is gentle and designed to suit all fitness abilities but afterwards there is a definite glow developing! I have discovered that in this warm up what you get out of it is entirely up to the individual - the lower into the legs you can get and the stronger each pose the more intensive the workout

Track 2 -Sun Salutation. The sun salutation is a series of postures, taken from yoga, where the transition from each is linked through concentration on the inhalation and exhalation. In Body Balance (and often in Yoga) the Sun Salutation serves as an additional warm-up as these dynamic postures really do make you break a sweat! The postures, which commonly including forward bends, cobras, downwards and upwards facing dogs, lunges and planks, are great for improving spinal health and flexibility as each move challenges the spine to stretch backwards and forwards alternatively.

The aim is for this sequence to appear graceful and elegant but don't worry if at first you seem clunky and silly and many beginners (and those with less flexibility) find it necessary to grab a leg and help it along with their hands. This section moves quite swiftly and at first I found it quite intimidating as everyone else seemed to know exactly what they were doing and moved almost before the instructor said a word but by my second class it was already beginning to feel familiar.

Track 3 - is the standing strength track, it is also the section of the class that I dread the most! This section, also taken from yoga, incorporates postures such as warrior (one and two) and triangle pose. For those of you that don't know what warrior pose is it can most accurately be described as a form of torture; the idea is that you stand in a wide pose and point one foot out and bend that leg to 90 degrees and hold it for what seems like hours. The aim of the posture is to develop strength in one leg whilst stretching the other and it is a fantastic thigh toner. I still can't bend exactly to 90 but my legs have finally stopped uncontrollably shaking in the posture now. This section is then repeated on the other leg.

Track 4 - Balance. This section is aimed at improving posture, strength and concentration. My tips for balance is to focus on an immovable object in the distance as that way you are less likely to topple over when the person in front of you does so. It is also important to remain strong in the core; not sucking in the belly so you can't breathe but pulling it in by about 30%.

Track 5 - Hip Openers. The great thing about Body Balance is that there is a section to suit everyone, a move where you naturally excel and for me, due to my natural flexibility in my hips and upper body, this is the part of the class where I get to show off. This section is great for improving flexibility and freedom of movement in the hip and lower back. For those not naturally flexible try not to look too much at everyone else but to concentrate on yourself and slowly improving each time, the instructor will usually offer an alternative option for those who need it.

Track 6 - Abb workout. This section is commonly taken for Pilates and is usually done lying on your back, but don't let the laying down fool you it's still a tough section.

Track 7 - Backs. We then flip over onto our tummies and focus on working the back muscles. When working the abdominals it is important to also focus on the back to gain an all over core strength, and it also helps to prevent any lower back injury. I suffer with slight lower back pain occasionally and find this tough but it has been beneficial for releasing any tension - I find 'Child's pose' a great release of any pain.

Track 8/9 - Twists. This is the part of the workout where the tempo noticeably slows; the music becomes more gentle and relaxing and the postures are held for longer. Standing twists are enjoyable but are also great for challenging yourselves and are great for flexibility, spinal health and inner strength. They are also thought to be detoxifying for the digestive organs but the reason I love them, however, is based purely on vanity by this I mean they are great for knocking inches of your waist!

Track 10 - the focus switches to a series of gentle stretches that primarily focus on the hamstrings but also on the arms and on realising the lower back.

The final tracks - Relaxation; a whole 10 minutes of pure relaxation. In my opinion every workout should end with what is effectively nap time for adults. During this section some instructors explicitly say to lie flat on the back with legs outstretched and hands by your side, but others say any position where the breath can flow and the body can easily stay still. I usually lie on my back with my knees bent, as lying outstretched is sometimes painful in my lower back. During the relaxation the instructor usually turns the lights down and talks in a soothing voice encouraging meditation, which is acknowledged to enhance the benefits of exercise. Many leave just before relaxation but in my opinion if you do this you are missing the best part of the class. Oh and it's always funny if someone starts snoring!


***************** The Results and benefits ****************

It is claimed that Body Balance is great for:

* Improving joint flexibility
* Increasing core strength
* Improving cardio-vascular function
* Reducing stress levels
* Providing a lasting sense of well-being and calm
* Focusing your mind and raising your level of consciousness through controlled breathing
* Burning calories (my personal favourite!)

It is possible for just one class to have a small benefit to the mind but to see a more drastic improvement in the body it is important to attend to at least one class per week - I usually do about 3 if I can make it. From my own personal experience I began to notice an improvement in flexibility after about 3 weeks. I usually leave each class feeling both relaxed, zingy and alive inside, eager for more. Though at first my muscles used to ache and feel stiff I now notice when I walk out that I'm standing taller and feeling proud of what I have achieved.

Previously I have struggled with diets, becoming obsessive, unable to sleep, and often found myself crying for days after I finally cracked and gave into temptation. As a result, this time I decided not to weigh myself or consciously diet, but instead to up the exercise. I do not know how much weight I have lost but I have noticeably toned and slimmed down, and I am easily fitting into size 10 jeans rather than my previous 12/14 clothes. I have been doing other exercise classes such as Body Pump and Legs Bums and Tums but it is this class that I hold directly responsible for the 2 inches I have lost from my waist, due to the intensive twists and focus on the core.

I cannot recommend this class more highly and would urge everyone to try it. It is a class where the more experienced members can challenge and push the body, whilst also providing a safe environment for the novice to begin their fitness journey. This class has changed my outlook on fitness, making anything seem possible and I look forward to continually improving!

Body Balance is available at Fitness Firsts gyms across the country and a variety of other fitness and health centres. To see if it is offered near you check lesmills.com. For a more accurate description of each posture my best advice would be to check YouTube, as they are quite hard to describe without drawing picture.

Thank you for taking the time to read this......ENJOY!

Summary: Changed my outlook to health and fitness