Keeping fit and healthy, both physically and mentally, is paramount as we head further into 2022, especially as the pandemic continues to rage on and we live in a constant state of upheaval.
It’s easy to say that the best way to counteract the feeling of uncertainty is to just roll with the punches, but that is most definitely easier said than done.
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost two years since the majority of us were relegated to our homes to work (and play) as the first lockdown unfolded, and I don’t think I’m alone in acquiring more than a few props and online fitness class memberships as time rolled on. Some of us immediately took to transforming our living rooms and bedrooms into at-home gyms, complete with skipping ropes, yoga mats and dumbbells, while others took to the streets and sent their average step counts through the roof. Now our locals gyms and studios are open again it’s essential that we try and support them as we do hospitality, with the bonus being that we feel stronger and happier for it.
Many of us are questioning when (if at all) we'll head back to a professional workout space, and if we do, how we’ll adapt our routines to the lessons we’ve learnt about well-being and fitness over the last two years. For me, a key lesson has been about flexibility and being kinder to myself, choosing the form of exercise that works with my mood rather than fighting it and pushing through regardless.
Kara Sweney, the owner of Grey Lynn’s Yoga Ground and a busy PR consultant, says: “When it comes to looking after our overall health and doing the best we can for our mind, body and spirit, I’m a big advocate for mixing it up.” She elaborates by adding: “the blending of higher intensity workouts, to get the blood pumping and heart rate up, with strength training (especially important for women of my age and above) and of course practices like yoga, help us to really support our physical, mental and emotional well-being in a balanced way.”
As an example, Kara says that when she was training for long distance running races, “I gained my PBs (personal best times) when I incorporated yoga into my training plan. It helped hugely with mobility, recovery and injury prevention, as well as the mental challenge of the commitment and focus required for the training and the race itself.”
Kara is also an avid F45 fan, coupling F45 workouts with her yoga practice (and teaching) at Yoga Ground. “It has been the community support and connection at the two studios that has really been a significant factor in helping maintain good mental health during these trying times we’ve had. Purpose and community are proven to be two major factors in quality and longevity of life.”
Kiwi hockey star and co-founder of Studio Box, Dwayne Rowsell, is a man on a mission to demystify the culture around boxing – and the grimy, back alley gyms that many of us associate it with. The key mission of Studio Box (which has locations in Newmarket and the CBD) is to give boxing to the everyday person, in a welcoming, positive and non-intimidating way. “We’re all about breaking down the barriers so people feel most comfortable about trying something new,” he says, adding “boxing can be pretty intimidating for some people, so we’ve broken it down in a way that it can be presented in quite a different way to a whole new audience.”
Dwayne says that arriving at any movement class should always be about “showing up for yourself, not showing up for your body,” and that fitness should be about feeling good, first and foremost, at any time of year. He admits that returning to regular fitness after stop-start lockdowns has been tough for some of us, “with some cautious about group fitness due to the threat of the virus, and others who feel like they’ve lost their motivation. The challenge is just to get going again - to get out and move today, and then get out and move tomorrow.”
It’s also important not to compare your fitness now to how you felt before the pandemic, “as it’s just going to make you feel like crap." Instead think about how great a workout makes you feel, “drop all expectations and just focus on one workout at a time. Put one foot in front of the other and you’ll be surprised at the difference it makes.”
Another fitness and wellness trend that is emerging as a result of Covid-19 is the recognition that for all of us, recovery is key. It’s not a new concept, but increasingly the fitness world is waking up to the fact that rest days and active recovery are ultra-important for a healthy body and mind. Whereas once we might have gone for a 10km jog without stretching, or sat down at our desks straight after having finished a HIIT workout, recovery is now a priority in many fitness lovers' minds. After all, active recovery and rest days are just as important as weight and cardio workouts.
Stretching is of the utmost importance, as well as exploring the benefits of both heat and cold water therapy to help take down inflammation and more.
HANA in Grey Lynn is my spot of choice for rest and recovery, where I aim to show up once a week and give my body and mind a little love. The main attraction for many at HANA is the private infrared saunas that can be booked for up to 45 minutes, as well as contrast therapy via a designated infrared sauna and ice bath treatment room. Widely used in Europe for centuries, the traditional hot/cold experience involves pushing yourself to your limit in a communal sauna with a very high temperature, then immersing yourself in snow – then repeat. The HANA experience however optimises the latest technology in architecturally designed private rooms, for a far more controlled and contemporary experience.
The session begins in the infrared sauna for twenty minutes. While traditional saunas raise the air temperature to very high levels, infrared saunas heat the body directly, so that only around 20 per cent of the heat goes to heat the air. Instead, infrared waves penetrate deep into the body for deep heating, which allows the body to activate sweat glands and eliminate toxins.
The heat also supports the dilation of blood and lymphatic vessels to encourage better circulation. Pairing this heat with a two-minute immersion into the ice bath, which sits at six degrees, has numerous benefits including reducing inflammation, constricting blood vessels to redirect circulation towards vital organs, and boosting the metabolism to support weight management. Exposing the body to these extremes of temperature triggers the production of heat shock and cold shock proteins, which repair damaged proteins and cells, increases the immune system response, and speeds up muscle recovery.
Whatever your go-to when it comes to movement, there has never been a better time to embrace it and do all that you can for your body and mind. We can’t control what is out of our control, but we can manage our mindset as we head into the unknown. (HELENE RAVLICH))
#ponsonbynews #iloveponsonby #ponsonby #auckland #aucklandshippestrip #onlyponsonby #ponsonbyroad #Greylynn #freemansbay #westmere #ponsonby #hernebay #stmarysbay #archhill #family #friends #coxsbay #mshelene #fitandhealthy #studiobox #F45 #hana #yoga
Published 4 February 2022