Workout with SL x FLEX Chelsea
It’s Suitable For Everyone
“Whether you’re completely new to yoga or a seasoned pro, this month’s workout series has been designed for everyone. If you’re looking to build strength, flexibility and clear your mind, it’s the perfect workout. So many people come to yoga to find flexibility or fitness, and while it can do both of those things, the mental benefits can’t be underestimated. Yoga helps you focus and creates a space of time where you feel sharp and awake, and it can also help you change negative thought patterns by teaching you how to be conscious of the present moment.”
All Bases Are Covered
“Over the next few weeks, I’ll be doing four yoga workouts, each of which has a different focus. I encourage you to keep an open mind and try new things. It may be yoga, but this is Western yoga, which is an entirely different approach to the traditional yoga of sitting with yourself for hours on end. I’ll be kicking things off with vinyasa yoga, a continuous flow which combines movement with the breath. This will be an all-level sequence incorporating lots of twists, which are great to get things moving in the body and helping you feel fresher. As you twist the waist, you momentarily constrict blood flow to vital organs, so when you release, you get a boost of fresh, oxygenated blood, flushing out the old. Next week will be a Power Flow, when we’ll play with balancing, stretching and strengthening; followed by a shorter session focusing on the core, ideal for when you’re short on time. We’ll round things up with a relaxing Eye Yoga session, which can help with focus.”
You Can Challenge Yourself
“Yoga is as tricky as you make it. If you’re looking to get toned, vinyasa would be a good starting point to build strong, lithe limbs, and you can then move on to power and rocket yoga, which are more intense practices involving lots of core and shoulder strength. Throughout my yoga series, there will be a few balancing poses, which can be tricky if you’re not used to them – balance involves a lot of core activation and mental focus, both of which grow with practice – but listen to your body and go for the challenge.”
Just Ease Yourself In
“If you haven’t done yoga for a while or have been doing gentler forms of yoga at home throughout the last year, remember that slow and steady wins the race. Regardless of how many classes you were taking early last year, if you’ve not kept up your practice, take it easy. Remember that just because you’re in a room full of people (or not), yoga is still essentially a self-practice. Listen to your own body – take stretches to 90% rather than pushing to 110% and you’ll get more out of it in the long run.”
It Can Help To Try A Body Scan
“There are several common mistakes I see women making during a yoga class, but these can also be easily tweaked for a better practice. Savasana – the relaxing part of a class which happens at the end of a session – may sound simple but if you struggle to switch off, it can be challenging. If you lead a busy lifestyle, as we all do, it’s not uncommon for our mind to speed up as the body slows down. If this sounds familiar, the best thing you can do while in savasana is to take a full-body scan – start by relaxing your toes, then inwards one by one, to the top of the foot, sole of the foot, and working your way up to the crown of your head. By doing this, you’re keeping your mind in the present moment and away from whatever your mind may be tempted to rush to.”
Getting The Breath Right Matters
“If you’ve done yoga before, you may have found it hard to get your breath right, particularly with a faster-paced flow, such as vinyasa. If this is you, the easiest way to remember it is to inhale when you’re lifting your head above your heart (therefore making more space in the lungs) and exhale when the head is below your heart – in context, that’d mean inhaling to an up-dog, and exhaling to a down-dog, for example.”
Most Importantly, Forget Your Ego
“Whatever you do, don’t take yoga too seriously. From being worried you’re not good enough to do a certain type of yoga or comparing yourself to the person next to you – remember no-one is looking at you as everyone is there for themselves.”
The Kit Is Minimal
“The best thing about yoga is that you don’t need much to get going – forget heavy dumbbells and kettlebells. A decent yoga mat is essential, and if you’re serious about yoga it’s worth investing in something high-quality as cheaper mats have no grip, which can take its toll on your shoulders. A block and a strap are nice-to-haves, but definitely not essential.”
Ready to get going? Join Chatty for the first instalment in her workout series: a full body vinyasa flow designed to build strength, flexibility and calm the mind…
For more information visit FLEXChelsea.com and follow @FLEXChelsea
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