Geelong’s Gym

Did you know that Yoga can not only help you manage stress but can also reduce or even eliminate the need for prescription medicine?

That last part probably sounds like a bold claim but I can assure you it’s not without foundation.  As you know, I like to find new pieces of information or perspective to broaden your thoughts on lots of different topics.  So, I’ve got a great video for you today which will substantiate my claim.

Angie Hilton, a Geelong’s Gym member and health and fitness enthusiast, asks Linda Newman, one of the Yoga Instructors here at Geelong’s Gym, to explain why she got into Yoga in the first place and the massive change that it made to her life.

This is truly inspirational and I’m sure will convince you of the benefits Yoga can have to your health, fitness and well-being.  But I’ll let Linda take over from here…

So why not come along to Geelong’s Gym and try one of our Yoga classes – you’ll love how it makes you feel afterwards!

How many pregnant women out there have wanted to actively do something to ensure a trouble free pregnancy while at the same time promoting the health and well being of your baby?

One of the Yoga Instructors at Geelong’s Gym, Monique Gharios, explains how this is possible.

I’m sure we all know that pregnancy is a time of pure joy but is also full of changes and challenges.  This is because the physical body is shifting and adapting to the needs of the growing fetus.

Some women find themselves overwhelmed by emotions, confused by the changes and lost in the middle of this life-altering time.  As a result, some aspects of pregnancy can be perceived as negative.  Add to this the weight gain, morning sickness and decreased sexuality – many women find themselves battling with Continue reading ‘Yoga and Pregnancy’

Did you know that happiness is a state of mind? That’s right. And what is the mind supported by? The body, of course.

Monique Gharios, one of Geelong’s Gym’s talented Yoga Instructors, tells us more about how Yoga can make us not only healthier, but also happier.

It only stands to reason that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. Because without physical health you can’t be completely happy. And the flip side is, without happiness you can’t be completely healthy.

Did you know that health is a positive state and not just the absence of a negative state? Health is not just about the absence of disease. Traditional Western medicine treats illness as a disease, but in reality it is often nothing more than an imbalance in the natural harmony of body and mind.

True healing means restoring that balance and true health means keeping it.

So how does Yoga fit into this? Yoga means “to unify” and is a holistic approach to all aspects of life: physical, mental and spiritual. What Yoga does is view the person as a whole, as in a unique combination of body, mind and soul, and then uses techniques to maintain that body-mind-soul harmony.

I’m sure we’d all agree that preventing an illness is much better than having to cure one. So it’s important to live a life that prevents illness from developing in the first place. We want to be healthy and stay that way.

Linda Newman, one of the Yoga Instructors at Geelong’s Gym, explains how Yoga has made its journey from the Ancient East to modern day Western culture.

Although Yoga’s appearance in the west is rather recent, it can be traced to mid–nineteenth century America, where it was initially embraced for its spiritual elements by a small and elite portion of the American population.

However, Yoga did not emerge as a fitness option until the 1950’s and even then, its health benefits were appreciated by only a few people for another 25 to 30 years.

So how did it become so popular?

Yoga’s current status reflects the growing interest in the mind-body connection.  Research in both the medical and fitness communities supports the important role the mind plays in promoting wellness, reducing stress and combating disease. Yoga techniques provide both a blueprint for stress management and a system for physical fitness. There is also a therapeutic aspect to the practice.  This area deals with specific breathing techniques, poses and meditations to help various structural, physiological and psychological conditions.

Fitness experts once paid little attention to what Yoga had to offer, but leaders in the field now recognise its value as a viable fitness choice.

While not all styles of Yoga cover all essential aspects of a fitness regime – aerobic, strength and flexibility training – many do. At the very least yoga can provide a balanced strength and flexibility workout that can be supplemented with a cardiovascular routine.

Linda has more than 20 years teaching experience in the UK, USA, Asia and Australia. She came from a sports and fitness background and became interested in yoga after spending many years living in Asia. In 2005 Linda studied Ashtanga Primary Series with David Swenson in Singapore, and has also studied Ashtanga yoga with Graeme and Leonie Northfield, Dena Kingsbury and John Scott to name a few. She has studied meditation, yoga philosophy and asana (1 month intensive) with Nicky Knoff. Over the past few years Linda has completed many training workshops with Simon Borg-Olivier.

Linda currently teaches yoga and Pilates, she lectures for the Victorian Fitness Academy (VFA) and is course director and teacher trainer for mat Pilates. She is also registered with Yoga Alliance, ACE (USA) PIA (AUS) and Kinect Australia.

I think we’ve pretty much all heard of Yoga, but has anyone ever wondered where it came from?

One of Geelong’s Gym’s pre-eminent Yoga Instructors, Linda Newman, shares with us the evolution of Yoga practice.

Yoga is believed to be a 5,000 year old philosophy which was orally passed on from teacher to student. The Indian sage Patanjali is said to have put this tradition in to writing about 2,000 years ago in his classic work The Yoga Sutras.  The writings give direction concerning all levels of human potential: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. They even provide guidance on personal development that includes standards for ethical and moral conduct.

Hatha yoga, initially created to prepare the body for meditation, is an important part of this process. This technique includes exercises designed to strengthen the body and nervous system, creating a state for a higher level of consciousness. The repertoire consists of postures, movements, breathing and relaxation techniques, which affect every system of the body, bringing about health and well-being.

Yoga is not a religion – however its philosophy has been embraced by religious traditions in India and elsewhere.

I’m sure that most, if not all, of you have noticed that Yoga is suddenly everywhere you turn.  Why is this?  Well, the short answer is that it has so many different benefits for your body and your mind.  No wonder it’s so popular.

Linda Newman, one of Geelong’s Gym’s Yoga Intructors is here to tell you a bit more about why Yoga has suddenly sprung up everywhere.

Yoga as an exercise activity has become a permanent fixture in the fitness arena. Long recognised as an effective stress-management technique and a great way to improve flexibility, Yoga has more recently become known for what it can do for building strength and stamina. This popularity has been a contributing factor to the growth of mind-body exercise, which continues to be an increasingly important part of the industry.

Yoga classes are now a standard feature of the class schedule at Geelong’s Gym.  And they’re so popular that we’ve had to add extra classes to the timetable.  So there are now more Yoga classes at Geelong’s Gym than ever before!

Yoga, however, is much more than just another form of exercise. It is part of an extensive ancient East Indian philosophical tradition. What we refer to as “yoga” – the exercise activity – is really hatha yoga, the physical aspect of this philosophy. There are many different ways in which hatha may be practised. Guidelines govern the practice and reflect the basic principles of yoga regardless of style. Yoga techniques provide both a blueprint for stress management and a system for physical fitness.

To find out more, tune in again for our next Yoga blog.

Have you ever thought that Yoga was only for the free-loving, away with the fairies,

incense-burning hippies who wish they were still in the seventies, umming their way through life?

Are you dubious about the health and fitness benefits of Yoga?

I’d like to challenge you to try a Yoga class and I’m positive that you will have changed your mind by the end of it.

How can I be so sure?

Well, Yoga has benefits for both the mind and the body. In fact, the ancient Indian practice combines physical exercise with particular focus on breathing techniques, concentration, relaxation and meditation.

In the class you will move every part of your body, sometimes lying on your back or stomach, and at other times sitting or standing, torso twisting, back arching and inverting.

Not only does this give you a full body workout but you will be able to boast of greater elasticity, flexibility and strength. And that’s not all… many people say Yoga causes them to be calmer, with better posture and concentration levels.

Wow! Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it. How about putting your hesitations aside, and give a Yoga Fit class a try so you can experience the benefits for yourself.  We have a number of different classes at different times during the week – check out our timetable to see which time suits you best.

Did you know that indoor cycling on a stationary bike travelling on imaginary terrain set to music is one of the most efficient ways to burn kilojoules, tone the body and develop great fitness?

The cycling craze which swept the world was originally developed as “spinning” by ultra-endurance cyclist Johnny Goldberg (aka Johnny G) in 1986.

Johnny G’s original goal was simple: to help people challenge themselves to be their physical and mental best.  He succeeded; the classes are tough on the body and mind.

But don’t be scared… You don’t have to be super fit to do Spin!

Why not?

Because Spin requires next to no coordination – do I hear a cheer from all of you out there who can’t even manage to walk down the street without tripping on your shoes?

And, the Spin bikes allow you to set your own resistance levels so you can work as easy or as hard as you choose.

So if you’re a beginner, you will be just as at home in a Spin class as an experienced athlete.  How’s that for comforting?

Want to hear some other great benefits about Spin?  Try these on for size:

• Spin is non-impact, so you can train hard without worrying about injuring yourself.
• If you currently have an injury (damn that footy game where you pushed yourself a little too hard!!), Spin has proven benefits for knee and other leg injuries – so you can keep fit while recuperating from your injury.
• Watch your fat just melt away – Spin gets your heart rate soaring and your metabolism climbs with.  But it gets even better… when your heart rate slows after the class, your metabolism still stays up for hours so you continue to burn fat while sitting in front of the TV!!
• Say goodbye to flabby thighs and hello to fantastic looking, taut and toned legs.  That’s right, Spin combines a resistance workout with cardiovascular training, so you can’t help but get toned!

If you take just 45 minutes out of your day and try a Spin class, you can experience the benefits for yourself.

So what are you waiting for? Get to a Spin class and start riding to music now.