by admin | Nov 22, 2021 | Fitness
Difference between tai chi and qi gong
OFTEN THOUGHT OF AS THE SAME BUT ACTUALLY QUITE DIFFERENT, YET HAVING AS MANY BENEFITS AS ONE ANOTHER. THEY CAN BE COMBINED FOR GREAT EFFECT.
QIGONG can be thought of as a movement you do for a certain situation, where
TAI CHI is a series of movements that work on the entire body in a flowing sequence.
Qi Gong is mind body spirit practice, translated as breath work or energy work. It improves mental health and physical health by the integration of posture, movement, self-massage, breathing techniques, sound and focused intent.
Tai Chi is often described as meditation in motion as it is a slow motion low impact exercise which goes through a series of motions without pauses. As you move you breathe deeply and naturally focusing your intention on your bodily sensations. It improves balance, flexibility, calm, relaxation, upper and lower body strength, as well as the core muscles of back and abdomen.
Balance and benefits
Balance development is one of the first benefits that trainees notice while practicing Qigong or Tai Chi. Through the practice of these ancient skills, both the young and elderly may drastically enhance their balance. The five basic elements of balance are one of the first subjects to be taught.
The following are the five principles:
- Vertical Line Inside/within
- Arrangement of the legs
- Arrangement of the waist
- Opposite limbs cooperate
- Only move the insubstantial
These five principles apply to our Qigong and Tai Chi forms and how we should move in our daily lives.
Our “vertical line within” is the initial premise. Our top centre of the head collaborates with the sky above, while our bottom centre of the legs collaborates with the ground below. With these two exact opposites working together, our spine remains long and healthy. Despite its simplicity, this one principle may have an instant and significant influence on your physical balance.
At the very ends (top and bottom) of this “vertical line” are Bai Hui and Hui Yin. In many Tai Chi and Qi Gong courses, the Bai Hui acupoint is the “top centre of the head,” while the Hui Yin acupoint is the “centre between the legs.”
Our spine is long and robust when Hui Yin searches the ground below, and Bai Hui ascends to the sky above. Our vertebrae are relaxed as our spine is extended. We reduce the possibilities of diseases and injuries manifesting in our spine due to stress and tension building up and staying in our spine.
We want to feel as though Hui Yin searches the ground and Bai Hui ascends to the sky as we go about our everyday lives so that our spine stays long and in a healthy, comfortable posture. In this posture, we may release any tension already living in our spine and prevent any new tension from forming there.
Furthermore, this line must always be vertical. We never want to shift our spine forward, backward, left, or right to maintain balance.
Tilting the spine exerts undue strain on particular vertebrae while also having a detrimental influence on other body regions.
This is shown by the oft-repeated advice to “raise with your legs, not your back.” When you raise your legs, keep your spine straight. When you lean forward to pick something up, your vertical line is broken. Your spine is twisted and in a susceptible position to injury from the effort of lifting. So, while you go about your everyday activities, try to keep that vertical line within.
This post is for information, educational and entertainment purposes only and does not replace medical advice, therapy or treatment from a licensed/ registered doctor.
by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Fitness, Mind
benefits of exercise
Why is Mindfulness Important for Your Workout?
A workout for the sole purpose of physical exercise can only have limited health benefits. It can help you stay fit to some level and boost your serotonin levels to some points.
But, when you add mindfulness into your workout, it becomes the secret ingredient to overall well-being, including physical and mental health.
Before we move on to the positive effect of mindfulness on your workout, let’s explain what a mindful workout is.
What is a Mindful Workout?
A mindful workout is part of the holistic approach to physical activities. It helps you understand better what is happening in your body and utilize the knowledge to improve your physical and mental strength.
A mindful workout is most commonly in nature, it helps you use all senses, by leaving your headphones at home. You become aware of every breath and the sensations in your body while doing different movements.
Mindfulness during a workout also includes being present in the moment and aware of your thoughts, potential discomfort, and the sensations in your feet while they touch the ground. It helps you truly experience every second of your workout and get the most out of it.
Let’s take mindful running, for example, to describe the benefits of mindful workouts.
How Does Mindfulness Affect Your Workout?
By being concentrated on your mind and body, mindfulness reduces external distractions. Therefore, you are more relaxed, without thinking about your speed, distance, personal records, etc.
By maintaining internal focus, you are ready to overcome your limitations. But, because you are focused on the sensations in your body, the injuries are less likely to happen. You’ll notice the signs of discomfort and expand your limitations.
How to Do Mindfulness Running?
The first thing to remember when practicing mindful workouts is to breathe through your nose. Mouth breathing is part of the stress-induced changes in your breathing, so nose breathing helps you relax and get into the right mood.
Mindfulness is all about the mind-body connection, so try to keep the inner conversation with your body. Let go of the social expectations and social distractions, timings, tracking devices, points, or anything similar, which can shift your focus from internal feelings to external activities and objects. Don’t measure time and think about the technique.
Before you start your workout, prepare for the mindful experience. Do a quick meditation to get out of the state of stress and prepare for the next activity. Five or ten minutes of deep breathing and mindfulness exercises will be enough to get you in the right state of mind for your workout.
How to Start Mindfulness Running?
Once you’ve done the prep work, it is time to engage your focus on your sensations and mind. Start slowly and listen to your body to adjust your pace. Check for the physical sensations as you speed up or slow down.
If your health and breath rate speed up, feel the warming up in your body, the heart beating in your chest, experience every sensation in your muscle.
Maintain that state of mind and internal focus, but try not to think about the sensations, just feel them.
What about Your Thoughts?
Once you maintain the awareness of bodily sensations, focus on your mind. Stop replaying situations and scenarios in your head, and use running (or any other workout) as a time to express gratitude for your physical health.
If you feel like your thoughts are getting out of control, focus on breathing. It will help you calm down in an instant and gain control over your mindful workout.
Don’t think about the end line, feel every step and movement. Slowly, you’ll increase your abilities and enjoy your workouts more!
Have you ever tried mindful workouts? Did you like it?
If the article gets you interested in mindful workouts, please consider sharing it with your friends and family.
by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Fitness
what is muscle memory and how does it work
Muscle memory – fact or fiction?
There’s a high possibility that you have forgotten about the jumps in gym class when you were in 8th grade, but maybe your muscles haven’t.
For the last couple of years science has been fascinated with the idea of how the memory of the muscles can benefit our lives long after we’ve actually worked on it.
This actually means that training your muscles now could help preserve themselves in the future.
What is ‘building your muscle’?
Muscles are incredibly plastic cells that can grow or shrink, depending on how we treat them.
Muscles grow depending on the exercise and food ratio we give them. If there is a balance between a calculated dietary regimen and a well prepared work-out then the muscles will have the perfect conditions to flourish.
On the other hand, malnutrition and a sedentary lifestyle can make the muscles shrink, which is called atrophy.
But the thing that is actually building the muscle is a thing called the “nucleus”. Single cells contain only one nucleus. As the muscle grown It needs to be sustained by more than one nucleus. So It gathers more from the cells surrounding it.
Just as nuclei gather when the muscle grows, the same way it dies when the muscle shrinks.
The long lasting effect
There are a lot of researchers that are affiliated with muscle memory and they all come to the same conclusion – If you’ve done it before, you’ll do it again.
The memory of the muscle, same as the bone structure, starts being built in the early stages of life. Doctors and physiotherapists agree that the younger you start training your muscles, the longer they will be efficient.
Another thing they agree on is that If a person was ever actively exercising at any stage of their life, before turning 35, then It wouldn’t matter how many years have gone – the muscle will remember.
Studies have shown that If a person trained in their life they could restore their former body state even after muscle atrophy.
What is “sarcopenia” and what to do!
Sarcopenia is muscle atrophy related to aging. Other possible culprits for it are strokes, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other health problems.
There are practical steps towards fighting back sarcopenia and plain old muscle loss and It is even possible for the ones who haven’t trained the muscles beforehand.
It doesn’t matter if you’re If you‘re an out-of-shape middle aged man or woman, or a mountain climber – day to day activity can modify the condition of your muscles.
If you’ve missed the last train for building muscle mass as a kid, then start doing it now, but slowly, there’s no rush.
Remember to create a suitable regimen and a nutritious food chart for yourself. If you’re not sure how you can always ask for tips from a nutritionist, or a dietologist, or a doctor.
Don’t rush to get fast results, because you will not. Your muscles haven’t got the slightest idea that you want them to grow, so let them learn one step at a time. Moving fast doesn’t mean It will get you there faster.
Most of all, believe in yourself and move with confidence. Your muscles may not be ready for it now, but they have the potential to get you where you want to be. Believe in yourself, as well as believe in them.
Once you’ve banked those extra nuclei they will help you sustain that muscle memory for the years to come. This doesn’t mean It wouldn’t be hard, so you have to be ready to it.
by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Fitness
Brain exercises for memory
Keep Your Brain Fit with These Five Exercises
People pay for gym subscriptions to keep their bodies fit, they invest time and money into physical workouts. What about mental workouts?
Did you know that once you pass a certain age, your brain cells deteriorate irreparably? The process speeds up if you don’t take care of your mental activities, diet, and general lifestyle.
With everything going on in your life professionally and privately, it may seem impossible to squeeze another workout into your schedule.
However, the following five exercises can help you keep your mind strong and responsive. So, let’s dive into the best exercises for the brain!
#1 Use the Non-Dominant Hand Purposely
If you are right-handed, find several activities to switch to the left hand and vice versa. Those can include everything from zipping your jacket, brushing your teeth, texting on your phone, brushing your hair, writing, or eating meals.
Because most of the mentioned moves are automatic and done by your dominant hand, your brain doesn’t participate in the process.
When you switch to your non-dominant hand, your brain needs to take part in the process. It strengthens your mind, and the more new activities you try with your non-dominant hand, the better.
#2 Do Brain Games
Even though most brain games you can find online claim to help you become more intelligent, the reality is a bit different. Brain games cannot make you more intelligent, but they can help you adopt new problem-solving skills, new patterns and embrace new perspectives.
These games aren’t a joke, even though they might seem like that to you. By regularly practicing brain games, you can improve your focus and memory, or at least, prevent them from deterioration.
any of the available brain games for Android and iPhone and spend at least 15 minutes per day exercising your brain.
#3 Teach
Teaching someone a skill you’ve perfected is a great way to keep your mind sharp. While teaching someone something you’ve been an expert in, you have to focus on concepts and all general and tiny details you might not think about at all.
When you are good at something, you don’t think about your movements that much; you act by automatism.
Let’s say, you are a great basketball player. When you grab a ball, do you think about the position of your hands and legs, or do those movements come to you normally? Explaining to somebody else what to do will trigger brain activities that have been asleep, so you’ll make your mind sharper.
#4 Change your Regular Home-Work Route
Most of the people take the same road every day on their way to work. If you change the route, it can increase your creative thinking.
You can also change the transportation, ride a bike instead of walking or vice versa, choose alternative roads instead of the highway. Try to go to work every day via a different route, so you’ll have to come up with a new way every day, which will keep your brain active.
#5 Use New Words
Next time you grab a book to read, keep a notebook with you to write down unfamiliar words. Then, look at the words in the dictionary, and try to use those words at least five times in sentences during that day.
It will boost your language processing skills!
Final Words
Taking care of your mind and not letting it rust is just as important as taking care of your physical health and look. Try some of the games above and be consistent. Observe how your mind responds to the game and you’ll be surprised how effective the games are.
Which game will you try first? If you have more ideas on how to keep your mind sharp, please share them in the comments.
by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Fitness
Is There a Way to Stay Fit While Travelling?
When traveling, you want to embrace everything around you – new places, new customs, new people, new smells, but also new foods and delicious treats. Nobody wants to keep counting calories when staying in a top hotel with more than delicious meals and restrain himself from trying national food specialties. It is why many people often come back from a trip with at least three or four pounds. But, luckily, there are some tips on how to stay fit while traveling. Get ready and take notes for your next trip!
Tip #1 Invest in Some Good Travel Exercise Equipment
If you exercise regularly, there is no need why you shouldn’t keep up with your workout schedule. But, instead of having a complete workout, spend 15 minutes to complete one series of exercises each day.
Let’s say the first day is leg day, you can do push-ups the second day, and so on. If you have compact travel equipment with you, there are higher chances that you’ll do at least one exercise if you see the equipment in your suitcase.
You’ll be sorry to skip the workout because your fitness equipment has traveled so far!
Tip #2 Do Sightseeing on Foot
Walking on your vacation is an excellent way to engage in physical activity, which won’t require you to change your sightseeing plans. Instead of taking a cab, or going by bus, walk to your next tourist spot. It will help you burn calories from lunch, and you’ll discover more interesting places along the way.
Tip #3 Do Hiking
Explore the surroundings of the place where you are traveling for some interesting hiking locations. Hiking will reveal beautiful nature and provide you an exceptional and memorable experience.
Hiking is fun and doesn’t seem like exercise because the beautiful landscapes will distract you, so you’ll forget about burning sensations in your muscles. You can choose the distance and terrain that matches your fitness condition.
Tip #4 Do a Morning HIIT Workout
HIIT workouts are designed to get you the most of your workout in the shortest time. It will include quick, but effective exercises, such as burpees, push-ups, high knees, crunches, scissor leg lifts, etc.
In only ten minutes, you can complete one HIIT workout before breakfast. You can find free HIIT workout videos on YouTube, so you don’t have to pay for a fitness app subscription for only several days of vacation.
Tip #5 Do Watersports
If you are on a holiday that includes the beach, don’t just indulge in sweet cocktails and tanning. Take a morning swim or jog on the beach. Water and sand will provide resistance, so you’ll get a more intense workout you can complete in a shorter time.
Tip #6 Plan and Balance Your Meals
Research the national cuisine of the place you are visiting. Find what some good restaurants are and check their menus online. That way, you can choose the food you want to try, so you can plan the rest of the meals to stay within your recommended daily calorie intake.
You don’t have to give up on trying local specialties. But, stay away from Pizza Hut and McDonald’s for snacks and on-the-go meals.
Final Tip
Relax and enjoy your vacation. Do short workouts and plan your meals and exercises before you get on the plane. Even if you skip a workout one day, it won’t make you gain 10 pounds.
Instead, try to get the most out of your vacation. But, make sure it is an active vacation.
How do you stay fit while traveling? If you regularly gain weight when on a trip, what do you think are the most obvious culprits?
by admin | Nov 17, 2021 | Fitness
Are you sure you did your push-ups?
If your attitude towards physical exercise is the same as If it were a chore then you probably hate doing it.
The psychological barrier towards the word “chore” is that of something that will most certainly not be fun. And this is completely normal.
We don’t do chores, just because we feel like it, or find it fun. Chores are the thing the grown-up life makes you do whether you like it, or not.
For example, If a person wants to clean the bathroom, he or she wouldn’t postpone it until there are guests arriving, right?
Or do his homework, If not for his parents banning something he or she likes to do.
Well then, why can’t we presume there is a possibility your close friend that goes to the gym 4 times a week is lying to you?
I want one!
Procrastination plays a major role in today’s society. It starts out with the younger generation and before you know it people of all ages start doing it.
We encounter whole classrooms, offices and work environments that live by the idea that “It can wait until tomorrow”, or “Someone else will do it”.
But, of course, no one wants to seem lazy in the eyes of their peers, so then we lie. What about? Well, for one thing, how well they follow their dietary plan and how much they work out.
The result of that is the number of people that complain that they don’t have the body they want, nor the muscle mass they wish to.
And here comes the big question…
Are you sure you’re doing it right?
Maybe, just maybe, you are one of the people that don’t have the body you crave to see in the mirror. You do some exercises now and then and you wait to see the veins on your muscles explode. Maybe you’re doing something wrong.
If you have even the slightest of doubt that you may be a little over your head in the gym then these next tips could work for you.
Is there variation?
A lot of people mistake the idea of exercise for something that is supposed to be on repeat. That’s false.
The more you do the same exercises, no matter in, or outside the gym, your body just gets used to the pressure and you don’t get any results.
Maintaining a diverse work out regimen helps your muscle form build better structure and mass.
Stretch, before you bench
Stretching before doing your exercise is key for a safe, well-planned and efficient work out.
If you want to preserve and prepare your muscles for a training session that will help them grow, then remember to always stretch.
And the reason why we are all here…
Not training hard enough!
At the end of the day you have to come clean to yourself – you don’t do enough to get what you want.
I’m not talking about the hours, the sweat, the weights or the money you’ve put in it, you are not giving it all. And the idea is not to give more of that, but do more, when you don’t feel like doing it!
Making yourself admit that you need to ask more from you, is the moment that will change your thinking towards what you really want.
You need to wake up in the morning wanting this, and I’m not even talking about exercise anymore, and go out there and do it. Falling down, then getting up and starting again.
The real battle is happening inside your head and you, and only you, know what needs to be done.
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