A Fitness Challenge for your Family this Easter!

Let’s face it, most of us would benefit from being getting a bit (a lot?) more exercise. Children over five and teenagers should, according to the Department of Health, be doing a bare minimum of 60 minutes ‘moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity’ every day. And once you reach adulthood you’re not off the hook. If you’re between 19-64 you should aim to be physically active for at least 20 minutes every day, and for no less than an hour and a half each week.

When you see it written down like that it doesn’t look that much, but for many of us there can be little time between work and family commitments to focus on fitness. It’s often the last priority when it should really be right up there. How can you do everything else that’s expected of you, after all, if you don’t look after yourself?

So here is a fun, and sociable (and slightly competitive!) fitness challenge for the whole family to enjoy over the Easter break. I’ve done it with a family I teach regularly, so it’s a tried and tested workout! This is your chance to see who’s the fittest - mum, dad, or the kids!

Rachel’s five day fitness challenge!

The whole family needs to do the five exercises below for the week leading up to Easter Sunday. To make sure everyone is motivated to stay the course you could offer a special Easter treat as a reward to everyone who completes the challenge.

Start by doing 4 repetitions of each exercise on Monday 30th March, then add one extra repetition of each exercise per day until Easter Sunday, by which time you'll be doing 10 of each.

Do make sure you all do the workout on something soft when you’re lying down, a carpet will do as long as you have no back problems.

And that’s it!

I’ll be posting on my blog and facebook page too so please let me know how you’re getting on, who completed the task and what your reward was!

The Eggsercises – sorry, but it is Easter!

Roll down and walk the plank

Standing up straight to begin with, feet hip distance apart. Start to roll your spine down starting from the neck until your hands are close to the floor. Bend your knees, put your hands on the floor and start to walk forward with your hands until you are in the plank position. Take a breath and then walk your hands back until they are near your feet and roll back up.

Superman/Superwoman

Start kneeling on all fours, then lift your right arm and left leg at the same time and balance like a flying superhero. Hold it for a moment, then do the same on the other side. You need to do both sides to count as one repetition.

The Chiswick Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet hip width apart and arms down by your side. Pull your tummy in, tilt your pelvis towards you and roll your pelvis up starting from the tailbone until your body is in a bridge position with your pelvis in the air. Take a breath, then roll the spine back down onto the floor.

The Westside Leg Lift

Lying on your side, bottom arm straight out in line with your body and with your head resting on it. Make sure your legs are together and that you are completely on your side so that your hips don’t roll forward and you are not arching your back. Place the hand of your top arm in front of your chest with elbow bent. Breathe out and try to lift both legs off the floor without your spine arching or your hips rolling forward or back. You need to keep your body in as straight a line as possible.

The Chiswick House Swan Prep

Lie on your front with your arms bent, elbows close to the sides of your body and palms facing down. Pull your tummy in and away from the floor. As you breathe in lift your back up slowly until you feel the weight on your elbows. Breathe out to lower back down to the floor. If your back feels ok, you can progress to lifting up until your arms are straight. At no point must you sag in the back, keep the abdominals pulling in to protect your lower back. The kids will do this one easily, us adults find it a bit more challenging as our flexibility decreases with age!

Don’t forget to let me know how you got on by posting here or on my Facebook page! 

And a very Happy Easter to you!

© Rachel Lawrence. All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Dynamic Pilates Workshop at Lululemon Richmond

I'm delighted to announce I'll be presenting a Dynamic Pilates workshop this saturday for Lululemon Richmond 10:45- 11:45.

This is a complimentary class so a great chance to rock out with fellow fitties, and get to know me too. 

Here's some information about the session:

This is a challenging and energetic class which takes your fitness, flexibility and strength to the next level.

Taught in the way it’s practiced in California, this is a free flow class where you move seamlessly from one exercise into the next, giving you a cardio workout as well as increasing your core strength, stamina, balance, and mind/body awareness of movement. Great for athletes, fitness fiends, dancers, and anyone who has undertaken Pilates before and is looking for a new challenge.

*Only suitable for those with previous Pilates experience.

Are you ready?! Click here to see the invite on Facebook from the lovely Lululemon people.

As they say first come, first mat! See you there!

© Rachel Lawrence. All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Purple Perk Me Up Smoothie

With the lighter evenings and the wonderful glimpses of sunshine we’ve had in London over the last few days it feels like spring is on the way. So I thought I’d bring a little more sunshine into your day by rustling up a new smoothie.

I’m an advocate of buying local and supporting those unsung heroes of the high street; the individuals, the one off businesses who work hard and keep the character of our high streets unique. One of these is my local fruit and vegetable stall. Every week, I’ll pop along and buy a selection of whatever they have and then make something out of it. It’s great fun as it challenges me to think more about what I’m eating, as well as be more creative with my cooking, rather than sticking to the same old recipes.

This week they had an abundance of blackberries and mangos so here’s my little smoothie experiment!  I call it the Purple Perk Me Up as it’s refreshing, revitalizing and a great way to start the day.

Ingredients

10 Blackberries

1 Mango –flesh chopped into chunks

Handful of Spinach

250ml Coconut Water

2 Dessertspoons of Linwood’s Milled Flaxseed with bio cultures & Vitamin D

Blend the coconut water and spinach first, then add the rest of the ingredients and whizz until fully mixed. There’s enough for two so share the love around and give a glass to someone who looks in need of a perk me up too.

The Science bit

Apart from being fresh and tasty, this smoothie is full of goodness. The blackberries are rich in bioflavonoids and Vitamin C; the dark colour ensures blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits. Antioxidants are well-known for lowering the risk of a number of cancers. Blackberries also have a healthy dose of Vitamin K which helps the muscles to relax.

Mangoes are an excellent source of Vitamin-A and flavonoids, which have been known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy skin. Mangoes are also a good source of potassium, which is an important component of cell and body fluids and helps control the heart rate and blood pressure.

I’ve added the Linwoods flaxseed with vitamin D to boost the vitamin D levels after all the long, dark nights of winter. What’s also good about this particular flaxseed mix is it contains good bacteria for a healthy gut, great for improving digestion. And finally, it also contains Omega 3, which contributes to healthy blood and cholesterol levels.

The science bit done, it’s just really tasty so give it a go and let me know what you think!

© Rachel Lawrence. All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Exercise Yourself Happy

We’re all aware of the physical benefits of exercise, but what is becoming more and more apparent is the positive effect it can have on your state of mind. Exercise can actually make you happier. And here are five good reasons why:

1. It boosts the ‘happy’ chemical in your brain

Exercise releases Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is vital in creating feelings of pleasure and happiness. It’s also responsible for feelings of motivation so the more your exercise, the more motivated you’ll feel in general, which will help in all areas of your life. 

Dopamine decreases with age so all the more reason to get out there and get active if you want to be smiling well into your twilight years.

2. You’ll feel less stressed

When you exercise you are submitting your body to low levels of stress as it raises your heart rate and triggers hormonal changes. By exercising regularly your body learns to cope with this level of stress, which in turn enables it to cope much better with any stress you encounter in day-to-day life. 

More exercise equals less stress. And less stress means a happier way of life.

3.You’ll have more energy

There is no doubt that exercise leaves you feeling energized, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. So when you have that nagging voice in your head saying, ‘I’ll just skip it today. I’m too tired/ busy/ stressed’ remember that you always feel better when you’ve done it.

Exercise equals energy! And energy gives you the get up and go to enjoy life.

4. It will ease anxiety

Anxiety along with stress is one of the worst offenders of our modern world. If you suffer from anxiety, exercise may be a way to cure those difficult feelings.

Recent studies on people suffering from anxiety show that exercise gives an immediate mood boost, which is followed by longer-term relief, similar to that offered by talking therapy and meditation.

So when you’re feeling anxious, have a workout, you’ll feel happier for days afterwards.

5. It will boost your confidence

Feeling good about your body and how you look is so important to your overall wellbeing. No one is happier than a person comfortable in their own skin.

If you suffer from low self-esteem due to how you feel about your body, this can have a negative affect on many areas of your life from relationships to career and personal aspirations. Exercise can change this. Getting into a regular routine you will see your body start to change and be amazed at how quickly you begin to feel better. Not only will you like the way you look, you’ll also have a sense of pride and achievement at what you’ve accomplished. Because the bottom line is, you did it for yourself.

And what if you don’t like exercise? Well, I believe everyone can enjoy exercise, it’s just a case of finding something you like doing. Remember it doesn’t have to be going to a gym; it could be a walking club, cycling, archery, yoga, pilates, dance, a team sport like football or netball, anything to get you moving.

Whatever your gender or your age there is something out there for you. Be open minded, look at what there is available in your area. Be brave and try something new. You’ll be amazed at how it can change your life; you’ll meet new people, you’ll get fitter and most importantly, you’ll exercise yourself happy.

© Rachel Lawrence. All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission.

The importance of core strength for runners

Having just taught a Pilates workshop aimed at runners for lululemon UK in London, I thought it would be timely to follow up with some thoughts on exactly why core strength is so important if you run. 

Run faster and further with less chance of injury

Whether your running is an occasional weekend pursuit, a regular part of your fitness week or indeed your profession having a strong core is vital not only for injury prevention but to increase your overall strength. Running is an easy way to keep in cardiovascular shape but there's no doubt your body can take a pounding due to the nature of it being high impact on the joints, as well as the potential to develop asymmetries.  Body asymmetries develop from poor body mechanics which causes certain muscles to become overused, whilst others become underused resulting in a variety of ailments such as lower back pain, hip bursitis, knee pain, tendonitis, hamstring tears, strains and pulls.

The Core of the Matter

Runners like any athlete should view the body as a functional unit consisting of many parts which work together and have specific roles in performance as well as injury prevention. And at the centre of the body is the core, that area between the bottom of the rib cage and the pelvis. It's the epicentre of your power and deserves your attention and your time. All movement starts from the core, and when running it endures a considerable workload. The bottom line is if you're not strong in the middle you won't be powerful. For runners this core strength comes into play as a stabiliser of the body; being able to maintain good posture will maximise your performance and help avoid injury. Core stability is achieved through muscles that are strong but evenly balanced as well as flexible enough to enable the relevant joints to move through their full range of motion. And because everything in the core is connected, excessive tightness in any area can limit movement elsewhere and lead to injury. Tightness results in poor posture, and poor posture creates inefficiency. It's a vicious circle.

Why do Pilates?

Pilates exercises create a stronger, more flexible spine and core as well as promote faster recovery from injury.  Good posture is dependant on a strong core, and whilst many knowledgeable athletes understand the importance of a good set of abs, they often neglect the other key core muscles of the lower back,  hips, pelvis and bottom. Pilates will build up the back muscles evenly, align as well as elongate the spine for better stability, and increase overall flexibility, strength and balance. Pilates will increase the range of motion in hips and shoulders whilst strengthening them at the same time and it will expand the diaphragm. It will also enhance concentration through the focused breathing technique that is fundamental to the practice.

Performance Benefits

If you have a stronger, more stable core you will run more efficiently uphill with a stabilised musculature, run more efficiently downhill with a strong and more balanced sciatic area, experience less tightening in the neck and shoulders, and increase oxygenation and stamina with a diaphragm that is able to expand fully. You'll also decrease fatigue because of less strain on your body, and be able to focus on correct technique as you develop better kinaesthetic awareness. There’s no doubt core training can pay huge dividends and in the long run your body will thank you for it.  And the best bit of all?

You'll shave seconds off your times because you simply move better and more efficiently.

Now that can’t be bad can it?

© Rachel Lawrence. All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Got a cold? Try my cold busting smoothie

Broccoli and Apple Cold Busting Smoothie

I’ve just made this after tinkering around in my kitchen, and it’s not only absolutely delicious but packed full of the health giving green stuff.

Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse, it’s rich in Vitamin A, K, B-Complex, Iron and just 100g gives you 150% of your recommended daily Vitamin C intake so especially good if you are fighting off a cold. I've added apple for an extra cold busting kick as it also contains Vitamin C, along with minerals including Calcium and potassium. The coconut water is to keep your body naturally hydrated, the wheat germ gives you a fibre boost as well as a good source of vitamin E. And finally the flaxseed with almonds and walnuts adds a nutrient rich pick me up to keep you going until your next meal.

Ingredients

300 ml coconut water

4 Raw broccoli florets (I used straight from a freezer pack)

1 Apple (chopped)

2 Dessertspoon of Jordan’s natural wheatgerm

2 Dessertspoons of Linwood's milled flaxseed with almonds, brazil nuts and walnuts

Very easy this one, just pop the coconut water, broccoli and apple into your blender first and whizz up. Once mixed, add the wheatgerm and flaxseed and whizz until mixed in. If you like your smoothie a little bit more runny just add a little more coconut water to taste. You can have this as a meal replacement if you’re not feeling like eating a full meal, or you can share your healthy drink with a friend and treat them to a bit of green goodness too!

Enjoy!