Embodied Feminine Fitness
In this article I want to discuss a radical new approach to fitness. A type of fitness that is immersive, juicy and accessible to everyone. By the end of the session you should feel more connected to your mind, body & soul, and powerful too. I believe that everyone has the capacity to experience this within themselves, but we each have a slightly different access point. Here are my 5 access points, that I offer you.
Breath-work
Learning to breathe deeper and rhythmically is going to upgrade our experience on a multitude of levels. As we stretch to the true lung capacity, the body becomes flooded with oxygen which then boosts our muscle activity. The organs also get a hit of oxygen which means the brain is energized and we can think clearer. The nervous system is strengthened and balanced, so we can handle more stress without it throwing us off balance. The energy moving through the Chakras is detoxed and enhanced. All of this leading us to feel more comfortable and grounded within our bodies, and giving space from our neurotic mind.
Mind-Body Connection
When we begin to exercise it is inherently important that we turn our focus to the point/s or muscle/s in the body that we are trying to stimulate. There is scientific proof that connecting the mind to the muscle and visualizing it working, actually improves muscle activity. We also strengthen our sensory connection to our bodies, meaning that we can more noticeably FEEL what our body truly needs. This helps not only with exercise, but also when making choices about the food we eat, the people we choose to surround ourselves with and how we want to work. We can literally feel within our body what we truly need to be nourished, and what is not serving us anymore. The body never lies.
Technical Knowledge
I believe that we should all know how to make our bodies work, how to build strength, how to become more flexible, and all the other small tweaks that mean all the difference between hurting ourselves and stretching our physical capabilities. For example, if we understand that pushing through our heels engages our glutes, than we are empowered to know how to use our glutes as and when we want to. We should understand that drawing the shoulders down engages our back/core, so that when we want to lift a heavy weight we can do so with ease. I have guided people who have had broken wrists, never exercised before, pregnant with twin babies & suffer chronic fatigue. I have shown them how to work with the specifics of their bodies to ensure they feel stronger within themselves, showing them that they are unique and that is what makes them so magnificent.
Rhythmic Movement
From the dawning of time, people have used rhythm to finding a deeper connection within and with the natural world around them. Some say it is because it reflects the natural rhythm of our heart beat, the breath, the rhythm of day to night, from winter to summer. When everything is unknown and chaotic, the constant rhythm of all of these things brings a sense of stability. For example, if we repeat Cat/Cow rhythmically for 3 minutes, something shifts in the mind and it becomes eased. For a moment, it can be still and solely focus on the repetitive nature of the movement, relaxing in the knowing of what is coming next. Rhythmic movement is also a technology that can be used to charge the body with energy; just as we (well not me) repeatedly rub two sticks together to produce fire (eventually!), we can practice Breath of Fire to build heat and charge within the stomach - to give us more self-confidence and power. We have been dis-empowered for so long with the programming that tells us that we don’t have powerful energy within us. And this is simply not true. So in order to gain access to this natural force within us, we first must move our bodies rhythmically to experience it. To know it.
Music & Mantras
Stimulating our sensory body with the vibration of music & sound has been used throughout time, to energize, to relax, to unleash our sensuality, and to help us to connect to something bigger. The vibration of words, positive or negative have an effect on our emotions, our thoughts and energy field. Within the Yogic Sciences, mantras are chanted and listened to, because they have a high vibrational frequency. We can use them to literally clear out negative vibrations, be that thoughts or feelings. Music can transport us to another time, a more immersive encounter with our bodies, we can let our minds rest and get lost in the experience of music as we feel it in our bodies.
“May you access the strength and power that lies within your body.”