Author: Lisa S

Best Yoga Positions For Pregnancy

Posted on by Lisa S

Can yoga help you get pregnant? The simple answer is ‘YES’. Although most women are aware of the physical benefits that yoga brings such as toning, strengthening and stretching, many do not realize the benefits of yoga for pregnancy. The postures taught in yoga classes for pregnancy can help a woman become pregnant and improve fertility.

Yoga’s benefits don’t stop at relieving stress and helping you shed the pounds. Ten minutes of the right poses in a day helps fight infertility, increases chances of conceiving, and also strengthens pelvic muscles to ease delivery.Pregnancy yoga positions have been shown to improve fertility in a number of ways, and many women who have trouble conceiving use yoga as an important part of their treatment.

Yoga for pregnancy is more than just exercising. It is said that 1 out of 3 women with irregular menstrual cycle becomes pregnant after practicing natural type of therapy like body alignment, meditation, and positive attitude. This is because these therapies optimize the energy flow that ultimately helps one achieve pregnancy easily

Here are 5 of the best yoga positions to get pregnant – positions that can help improve your fertility:

Chair pose
Chair pose one of the best yoga asanas to get pregnant. It strengthens your thighs and helps stabilize your knees. It is considered a strengthening and heat-building asana. Chair pose brings different parts of your body together into a powerful whole. In order to perform the chair pose properly, one needs to combine the strength of the legs, arms, and torso while lifting the core muscles and lengthening the spine.

Warrior pose
Warrior pose in yoga is termed as ‘Virabhadrasana’. Being one of the most effective yoga asanas, this posture improves blood circulation and makes the body flexible, which helps stimulate the reproductive system and helps women conceive more easily.

Bridge pose
Bridge pose is an excellent asana or yoga pose for women who believe in the power of yoga to become pregnant.Some of the benefits are stress relief and a sense of calmness, improved posture as it stretches the shoulders and upper back muscles. Most importantly it results in increased blood circulation in the body, especially to the abdominal region, thus helping in ovulation and conception.

Handstand
There’s so much that handstands do for women having fertility issues. Handstands help stretch the whole body, including loose shoulders and hips, tight hamstrings, tired back, and stuffed intestines.

Modified bridge
This is one of the easiest yoga asanas to conceive a babyand can significantly improve your chances of conception.This two-benefits yoga pose can help a woman conceive a baby as well as relieve her from common pregnancy complaints.The modified bridge pose is a great stretch for the lower abdominal area, pelvic area and hips, which are all key areas in getting pregnant.

If you are a yoga instructor, yoga studio owner or fitness entrepreneur who is passionate about showing women how yoga helps with pregnancy, click here to learn how you can help your business grow with the right support.

How To Choose The Right Fitness Studio Management Software For Your Business

Posted on by Lisa S

If you’re a fitness studio owner or you’re just starting one, catering to people’s current needs and preferences is the key to success. But with the rise of digitalization, managing your fitness offering, instructors and employees virtually is the way to go. And to help you manage everything conveniently and effectively, here are some things you should consider when choosing a fitness studio management software for your business. But first, let’s look at what exactly is fitness software.

Fitness software helps you manage all your activities, including client registrations and memberships, class scheduling & reminders, payment management and more.

Fitness studio software is designed to help fitness experts, gym owners and fitness trainers manage their gym operations in a more efficient way. Wouldn’t it be great to manage your gym or fitness club efficiently so you can do what you do best – help people with their fitness goals? Let’s dive into what exactly you should be looking for.

  • Be aware of your challenges and objectives
    As a gym owner, what are the challenges you are facing ? Do you want to get more members? Do you want your clients to stay? Is the rush in your gym at peak hours too much to handle? Is your staff (or you) spending too much time on administrative tasks? Look for a fitness studio software that aligns with your goals and requirements.
  •  Consider the software features you need
    Fitness software solutions vary in terms of features and functionalities. Some tools may offer basic client management and billing functionality, whereas others might be full-fledged ERP systems with payroll and financial management capabilities. Ideally, choose a comprehensive fitness studio management software that covers the entire spectrum of studio operations and simplifies your managerial tasks.
  • Ensure the software is easy to use
    It’s likely that you or your staff haven’t used a management software solution before. If the fitness class booking software you implement is complex to use, your team will spend a substantial amount of time figuring out how to use it. You certainly don’t want that to happen. So, ensure that the gym software you buy is user-friendly and easy-to-use.
  • Check the software pricing
    Fitness studio scheduling software can be a fairly significant investment. If you choose to spend your time and money on a software solution that’s too expensive, your profits may be insufficient to neutralize its cost. Also, be aware of software that seems too cheap, as it may require you to pay additionally to unlock certain features or may contain hidden charges. Try to find a solution that is a good value for the price you pay.

What Happens To The Body If You Don’t Exercise

Posted on by Lisa S

Sometimes doing nothing at all can be the most dangerous move of all. Inactivity (like sitting for hours on end) causes more deaths around the world than cigarette smoking or diabetes. Experts say the results show that no matter who you are or how fit or unfit you are, there’s still a benefit to taking even a short walk every day.Researchers have found that the least fit people (determined by a treadmill test) had a 500% increased risk of early death.

Still need convincing? Here are some more reasons to stop being a couch potato and break a sweat!

Exercise helps you get a good night’s sleep
Have you ever experienced a deep, extremely satisfying and rejuvenating sleep after spending a couple of hours in the fresh air, paddling a kayak, working in the yard, backpacking 10 miles, or running a long-distance race? Vigorous exercise, especially outdoors, is a highly effective sleep inducer—one that you are missing if you aren’t getting regular exercise.

Exercise may prevent you from developing high blood pressure
Exercising helps your heart become more efficient at pumping blood, which decreases the force of blood flow through your arteries. If you don’t exercise regularly, over time you will lose your cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF). A study of 3,831 men found that those whose fitness levels decreased over about 10 years were 72% more likely to develop high blood pressure compared to subjects who increased their cardio-respiratory fitness.

Exercise could protect you from memory loss
Scientists have linked physical fitness to the brain’s ability to make new neural pathways, and the hippocampus, which refers to the area of the braindevoted to memory and executive function. Studies have shown that people who were fit as young adults had better motor skills, memory and aheightened  ability to focus on emotional control 25 years later, in middle age.

Exercise could help regulate your blood sugar levels
Researchers found that just one 30-60 minute session of moderate exercise can help to boost insulin sensitivity, and improve the way our body regulates blood sugar. So take a walk at lunchtime, or maybe have a mini workout after dinner – there’s a good chance it will help to keep your blood sugar levels in check.

Exercise may reduce chances of getting some cancers
Does sitting the entire day increase your risk of cancer? Scientists don’t know for sure. But what they do know is sedentary behavior is a risk factor for several chronic conditions and premature death.According to the National Cancer Institute, while no studies have conclusively proven that lack of exercise causes cancer, many self-reported observational studies have provided evidence that links higher physical activity to lower cancer risk.

Martial Arts Boosts Mental Health. Here’s How.

Posted on by Lisa S

Martial arts have a wide array of health benefits. The goal of martial arts is to teach the body and mind to work together in order to bring about self-discipline. It isn’t surprising that the martial arts business is growing in leaps and bounds. If you’re thinking about trying martial arts, here’s why it’s a good idea.Practicing martial arts is a great way to not only change your physical strength and muscle tone, but also transform your mental health. By practicing martial art you are able to get in touch with your emotions and channel your negative thoughts. Martial arts are good for developing concentration and focus, as well as emotional skills like self-­control, resilience and inner calm.­­­­

1. Helps Combat Stress
Stress and anxiety are nowadays a part of almost everyone’s life. You can be sure that it will not, in any way, leave you alone in the near future. However, with martial arts training, you can easily combat all the adverse effects of stress and anxiety. Additionally, most of these trainings have meditation and breathing sessions that can further help you fight stress.

2. Increases Mindfulness
If you’re looking to practice mindfulness, you might want to consider taking up a martial art. Through their teachings and focus on meditation, martial arts classes can help you become more aware of how your body works.

3. Increases Confidence & Self Esteem
Martial art training can promote the development of moral values. It also assists with physical and mental relaxation, mind and body control, and an increase in self confidence.

4. Helps Release Anger
The practice of martial arts is an intense aerobic workout, so it’s a very helpful way to release your anger. Kicking, punching, yelling and sweating do wonders!Martial arts helps you to manage your reactions and calm your thoughts before it gets too intense.

5. Teaches you how to go with the flow
Martial arts teaches you to overcome difficult challenges that life throws your way by developing a more flexible mindset.Through martial arts students develop awareness, resilience, and acceptance that help them to get through life’s curve balls with a positive attitude.

If you are a personal martial arts trainer who is looking to scale up, investing in a martial arts software is a great idea. Many business owners of fitness studios have explored martial arts business software solutions for their enterprises.

Top Reasons To Invest In A Fitness Studio Management Software

Posted on by Lisa S

If you are a fitness studio owner, then the secret to keeping your business afloat and at the same time remaining competitive is not in burying yourself in paperwork. You need to find ways to save time and increase productivity so that you can focus on the core business. Software automation can be an efficient way of saving both time and money. Here are the top reasons to invest in a fitness studio management software.

Automation of processes:
A fitness studio software automates the most repetitive and often time-consuming tasks like billing, attendance tracking and more.A fitness class booking software like the one offered by My Best Studio can manage your schedule and bookings with ease.

Staff management:
With the right specialized fitness software, you can improve the efficiency of your workforce with a better management of instructors’ time.

Member database:
A fitness studio software makes it easy for you to keep track of all your studio members with a simple database, allowing you to access and edit all member details quickly and efficiently, in one place.

Configurations and Customizations:
If you zero in on a good fitness studio management software, it will allow you to customize configurations as per the requirements of your business. So you have control over the operations of your business in the way you want to run it.

Powerful reporting:
Fitness software helps you store client data, but it goes beyond that.  It also helps you generate a wide variety of reports.

Easy integration:
Fitness studio software can integrate into your brand website, and it typically comes with the requisite 24×7 technical support to address all your grievances and concerns.

One thing to remember, however, is that many fitness studio management software service providers hide some of their important features behind a paywall. This forces you to pay additionally anytime you need access to them and can work out to be expensive. So,its important to do your homework and choose a fitness software provider with an all-inclusive rate. My Best Studio is one of the most popular choices for fitness studio owners around the globe. At a flat, fixed rate of $55 per month, it takes care of all your business needs from a single interface and even offers two complementary apps at no extra charge. Check it out here.

10 Mistakes You Need To STOP Making In Pilates Class

Posted on by Lisa S

Pilates is a great way to get fit, improve your posture and flexibility, strengthen your back and tone your stomach, thighs and bottom. The demand for pilates and pilates class scheduling solutions has picked up considerably in recent years and in fact many business owners are choosing pilates studio management software like this one to run their business.

We asked some leading pilates instructors for their top tips on making the most of a workout in pilates class – avoid these ten common mistakes and you’ll be well on the way to feeling like a pro.

Mistake #1: Getting your alignment wrong when you move between positions
Inpilates, the “center” is what you should be holding all your moves from, and should always be kept in alignment as you move through poses to avoid straining muscles or putting unnecessary pressure on any certain part of the body.

Mistake #2: Not breathing
Proper breathing is essential to proper core engagement, and the most common form used in Pilates is called lateral thoracic breathing. The focus on proper breathing can help you make the most of your core correctly, as well as help you to calm your mind.

Mistake #3: Equating strong abs with a strong pelvic floor
Pelvic floor exercises are the only way to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Period.

Mistake #4: Doing only the moves you like instead of the moves you need
Know what you need to get out of your exercises. To counteract the desk life and reverse the look of our rounded shoulders, do your darts, your back extensions. If facing a computer all day, do arm openings and rotations – don’t do more stomach crunches that bring you back to where you started!

Mistake #5: Not being consistent with the workout
Many people believe that one pilates class per week is enough to create big results for your body over time. Only when you are consistent will you start seeing significant health improvements.

Mistake #6: Competing with others
Exercise is not a competition, so don’t compare yourself to others. Strive for progress and not perfection.

Mistake #7: Hurting your neck during crunches
For years when it came to crunches, the experts warned against putting your hands behind your head. But now certified fitness instructors agree that when it comes to curl-ups, you should use your hands to help hold your head up!

Mistake #8: Over engaging your pelvic floor
When you over recruit your pelvic floor, it basically means that the muscles of your pelvic floor are working too hard or in an imbalanced manner.

Mistake #9:Rushing through movements
Sometimes it’s actually more difficult to do something slower than it is quick. If you’re doing a hip roll and you’re doing it very slowly, you’ll need to really control it over a period of time. If you do it quickly then it’s just your legs doing the work. You should try to focus and work slowly and precisely.

Mistake #10: Giving up after the first class
People often give up on pilates classes too soon after only one or two classes. Mental preparation and not quitting too soon are essential for giving any new exercise a real shot.

If you own a fitness studio and offer pilates classes, a pilates studio management software is a great investment. Pilates software such as the one offered by My Best Studio helps you manage basic functions such as bookings, attendance, payments, so you can reduce the paperwork and focus on your business growth.

The importance of having a regular exercise schedule

Posted on by Lisa S

People who are insufficiently active have a 20% to 30% increased risk of death compared to people who are sufficiently active (Source: who.int)

Exercise is an integral part of living a healthy lifestyle. Apart from maintaining an ideal weight, you must have various reasons to exercise on a daily basis. It is said that exercising on a regular basis releases endorphins in your body and these endorphins are also responsible for keeping you mentally happy. Thus, not only does exercise help in maintaining an ideal body weight but it also helps you in being energetic, positive and strong.

Exercise prevents health problems and helps in building strength, boosting energy and reducing stress. Experts recommend that an individual must exercise for 60 minutes in a day either by way of yoga, walking, going to the gym, aerobics or any other of physical exercises. Exercise is known to benefit every part of the body, including the mind. There are innumerable health benefits of exercising and hence, one must commit to it for a longer and better life.

A few studies have also found that people who do regular exercise perform better on all fronts of life. It is also said that high physical activity reduces the chances of being obese or overweight, thereby creating a positive and healthy lifestyle for people.

Here are some reasons that will encourage to you to add exercise to your daily routine and get you moving –
  • Exercise lowers the risk of heart diseases and ensures that your cardiovascular health is in check
  • Exercise reduces stress and anxiety levels
  • Exercising on a daily basis improves your energy and endurance
  • Exercise is known to improve your sleep cycles
  • Exercise reduces the effects of aging and gives you strong
  • Exercise enables you to maintain a normal weight and also assists in increasing your metabolism
  • Exercise can contribute positively to mental well-being and is also helpful in treating depression
  • Exercise keeps your joints, muscles and ligaments flexible, making them easier to move and giving them more elasticity
  • Physical activity enhances learning and thinking skills
  • Exercise acts as an aid in boosting your overall well-being
  • Exercise lowers the risk of various diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cancer etc.

It is also said that physical activity stimulates brain cells and releases chemicals that leave you feeling happier and give you a pleasant mood. Exercise further enables you to feel better about your appearance and feel more enthusiastic and joyful. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and thereby helps in the efficient working of your cardiovascular system.

Moreover, exercise and physical activity are a fun way to keep your health intact and improve it to a large extent. Exercising with your friends and partners makes you socially active and helps you have a pleasant mood, Hiking, Trekking, taking a dance class, swimming, joining the soccer team are all forms of exercise that will help you in contributing to a good health. Moderate aerobic exercises like brisk walking, jogging, trekking,  biking, mowing lawns etc. can help you meet your fitness goals and get more health benefits.

A study has also found that kids who exercise well function in a better fashion and have improved cognitive functions like reasoning, memory, attention span and increased knowledge.Additionally, physical activity and exercise gives people a sense of pleasure, accomplishment and pride of having achieved a purpose. It also imbibes discipline and passion at an early age. Thus, it is of prime importance to start exercising at an early age.

Hence, if you are tired after a stressful day, feel loss of energy or need an emotional lift, remember exercise will come to your rescue. A regular exercise routine will always go a long way in securing your health.

Workout for Beginners

Posted on by Lisa S

It is not an unknown fact that exercising has innumerable advantages. Exercising helps in reduction of the risks associated with chronic disease, better mood and mental health, balanced energy levels, slowing of the aging process, a boost to brain health amongst various other benefits. Some common types of exercises include cardio training, strength training, flexibility and mobility training.

With multiple write-ups, blogs and videos on the internet, it can feel overwhelming for you to get started. Also, as a beginner, you might be worried about where to start from and how to start exercising and workout.

Through this article, we wish to simplify your workout sessions and help you in setting an approach that will motivate you to exercise on a daily basis and reap the benefits of workouts. The first step to planning a good workout session is to set your short-term and long-term goals. Setting the right goals encourage you to work in the right direction and feel more energized and productive.

Here are a few steps that will help you in planning your workout as a beginner-

Decide a workout routine and stick to it
While planning a workout routine, you must always keep in mind that you as a beginner will have a slow journey. However, it is more important than the duration and type of workouts that you maintain a regular routine and follow it strictly. In the initial phases, even a short 7-10 minutes workout session will provide you with great health benefits.
Start gradually and keep a track of your progress from the start, so that you can see your improvisations on a daily basis and stay motivated.

Expect setbacks and learn to overcome them
There may be days when you have a planned workout session but you suddenly feel loss of energy and feel tired. It may also happen that you feel stressed or have no motivation to pursue your workout plan. In all these cases, you must encourage yourself and remind yourself of the great health benefits associated with workouts. You must learn how to overcome your setbacks so that you can get back on the right track immediately.

Don’t stress hard on the days when you fail to workout. Instead, just start again to feel energized and refreshed.

Set realistic goals
Starting with small and achievable goals is the key to reaching towards bigger goals. For e.g., if your goal is to walk 10,000 steps in a day, you must first aim at walking 4,000 steps in a day and gradually increase your stamina to reach to your desired goal. Hence, setting realistic goals will help you go a long way and make your workout sessions more fun.

Make your workout a Habit
Making your workout a habit is another key component to attaining success. It is easy to purse your workout sessions in the long run if you make exercising your habit. Furthermore, you should make a schedule and do your workouts at the same time everyday so that you can sustain your routine and make it last.

Below is the list of a few workout exercises for beginners to make it achievable in the long run:-

  1. Chair Squat
  2. Bridge
  3. Knee Pushup
  4. Stationary Lunge
  5. Plank to Downward Dog
  6. Straight-leg Donkey-kick
  7. Forearm Plank
  8. Bird Dog
  9. Side-lying hip abduction
  10. Bicycle crunch

It is very important to stay hydrated, optimize your nutrition and listen to your body while exercising and doingworkouts.

Lastly, have fun while doing exercises and do not dread it. Work out in groups or with your friends to maintain accountability and keep your exercise routine within your control.

Track your progress at each stage and gradually, try to reach for more intense workout sessions so that you can reach to the intermediate level and advanced level with passing time.

Conclusion
Starting something new can be difficult but having real objectives and doing it for your body will take you a long way. Start slowly and build your fitness level in order to achieve the maximum benefits of workouts and exercise. Additionally, take care of your diet and keep a check with your healthcare provider to see that you are going in the right direction.

Dance as a form of fitness

Posted on by Lisa S

Dance is defined as an act of performing arts where humans execute specified sequenced movements. Different countries and cultures have different dance forms. 9,000-year-old paintings in India at the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, and Egyptian tomb paintings depicting dancing figures, dating as old as 3300 BC depict the history of dance.

But today, thousands of people around the world are incorporating dance in their daily life as a form of fitness. This is because dance has several health benefits and is enjoyable to do. Dance has several health benefits like:-

  1. Improving the condition of the heart and lungs
  2. Increased muscular strength
  3. Endurance and motor fitness
  4. Increased aerobic fitness
  5. Increased muscle tone and strength
  6. Weight management
  7. Stronger bones
  8. Reduced risk of osteoporosis
  9. Better coordination
  10. Agility and flexibility

These benefits are only to name a few. Dance has several other benefits as well, making it a very popular form of fitness.

But every coin has two sides. With a list of benefits, there is also a list of disadvantages that come with dance. Namely breaking of bones and tearing of tissues due to dance accidents, injuries to hips and toes (particularly in ballet), repetitive strain injury due to overdoing, stress fractures, tendon injuries, sprains, and strains.

Despite all the negative effects, dance is at an increasing demand as a form of fitness. In 2019, there were over 100,000 dance studios only in the United States. Even as of now the number is increasing.

One of the most popular dance forms for fitness is Zumba. Zumba is an exercise fitness program created by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto “Beto” Pérez during the 1990s. In this dance form, people usually take an hour-long class and follow the Zumba instructor.

Zumba choreography is composed using all or some of the sixteen core steps. There are four basic rhythms: salsa, merengue, reggaeton, and cumbia, and each basic rhythm has four core steps. It is total body cardio and aerobic workout where people burn about 900kcal in one session.

Thus, this was dance as a form of fitness with benefits.

Last 10 Years Fitness Trends

Posted on by Lisa S

As we move towards the end of 2019 we also move to the end of another decade. These 10 years have shown immense growth and diversity in the methods and techniques of different workouts and trends. This one is for the last 10 years that have got us here today.

2010

Fitness boxing and specialty classes such as Zumba, Bollywood, Afro-Cuban, and ballroom dancing grew in popularity – encouraging more people to become involved in physical activity, but in a slightly different way. This period saw personal training to increase significantly in popularity (and continues to be up until this day). It was less for the rich and famous, and more for the everyday gym user, and as a result many gyms and fitness centres moved away from having ‘floor-based’ gym instructors to service their clients.

2011

It was during this time that the age demographic of those involved in physical activity began to broaden quite dramatically, with a large focus on providing fitness programs for both older adults and children. With obesity at epidemic levels for both children and adults in Australia, more families were looking for programs to help them lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

2012

trends like intermittent fasting, low carbohydrate and gluten-free diets became popular to follow (and continue to be up until this day). The first examples of successful wearable technology were also starting to hit the market at this time, giving people an insight into information about their health and fitness that was previously unobtainable.

2013

With the functional fitness movement becoming increasingly popular, traditional gym equipment was still being used, but was now sharing space with innovative equipment such as kettlebells, battle ropes, suspension trainers and many other unique tools that could be used as a part of an exercise program. Primal, body-weight training, movement-based, whatever you want to call it, functional fitness was at the forefront during this time.

2014

This period also introduced the world to a new type of ‘fitness centre’, one that was determined to capture the atmosphere of large group-training while incorporating high intensity strength and aerobic based exercises – all in short, pre-determined and repeatable workouts.

2015

High Intensity Interval Training was trendy and there are lots of people seeing fabulous results in the fitness club and with home regimens using these high and low intensity moves. Strength Training remained a popular form of exercise workouts, especially among males interested in fitness and better health. More and more women continued to hit the fitness clubs for various strength training exercises as well, in the hopes of building or improving their strength.

2016

Bodyweight training included the use of minimal equipment makes it a super convenient and affordable do-anywhere workout. And it’s not limited to just push-ups and pull-ups-put a fresh spin on bodyweight exercises with different routines.

2017

Group Training.
Some things are just more fun in a group. Group exercise instructors teach, lead and motivate their students through classes designed for a specific intention. Experienced and educated group instructors help people of varying levels achieve their fitness goals. They use a combination of leadership, teaching and motivational skills to accomplish this. Group programs appeal to a wide demographic because of the variety of choices available, camaraderie and social aspects. Thus group training was immensely popular in 2017.

2018

Wearable Technology
Activity trackers, smart watches, and heart rate monitors were as popular as ever in 2018 for people who—were into seeing their workouts by the numbers, wearable technology can give them interesting feedback about how you move. Many estimate your steps, sleep, standing time, calories burned, and time spent working out.

2019

Yoga
The ancient practice has been on the list for many years. ACSM notes that in 2019, yoga has taken on many forms, like “Power Yoga, Yogilates, yoga in hot environments,” and more. Now that we’ve seen goat yoga, who knows what other forms of yoga the future holds? Yoga became immensely popular with a 32% increase only in 2019. It is on of the hottest forms of workout right now and will continue to be for some time.