Written by: Helena Smolock, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Balancing life after a hectic day at the office is now possible with New Age Fitness – A concept I have developed to apply holistic principles to fitness to de-stress, revitalize and re-connect your body and mind.
The buzzword in the 80’s was “Aerobics.” We felt the impact of our feet on wood-sprung floors and moved our bodies to music at speeds of 150 to 160 bpm (beats per minute). Our instructors ensured we got a good sweat. Breath work was far from anyone’s mind and stretching meant only the last 10 – 15 minutes of a one-hour class.
A new era: Yoga, Pilates and the “body-mind connection” has sprung around the world touching those who are seeking to center themselves and experience solitude to rebalance.
There are principles to be followed while practicing these modalities that will easily build the body-mind connection –
1. Concentration
This principle is the very core of the body-mind connection. Organizing your thoughts and preparing for each movement allows one to become aware of any restrictions, imbalances, and pain – often because of STRESS.
2. Centering
This relates to the body core, located between the ribs and hips, and includes the musculature deep within the abdominal area. From this centre we can strengthen the abdominal region, lengthen the spine, and improve alignment and posture.
3. Breathing
In Pilates, breath work is the most important principle to refine before attempting any exercise. The correct technique involves in through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. The key is to visualize the rib cage expanding in three dimensions – forward, sideways, and backward during each inhalation. This increases the oxygen flow to working muscle, increasing stamina, and aiding waste material removal from the body.
4. Precision
In Pilates, correct positioning before any movement is crucial to achieve proper form. Movement speed is also important. Sloppy, uncontrolled movements can put undue stress on muscles and joints –and cause injuries.
5. Flowing movement
Once you have achieved flowing movement in an exercise session, your body becomes fluid in daily tasks. The body learns to make a graceful and controlled transitions from one move to another eliminating stiff, jerky movement.
To the Western world, Yoga is associated with breath work and a series of physical exercises known as “Postures.” In the East, yoga is practiced a spiritual journey. The word “Yoga” means “union.” Yoga (in its many forms) is seen as a way for people to perfect their union with the divine.
It is quite simple to integrate these principles of Pilates and Yoga into your lifestyle. I recommend my clients take time out of their day, even if it is only five or 10 minutes of a lunch break, to focus on breathing, body movement or to have a light stretch before heading back to the office. During my 40 years in the fitness industry, I have seen the evolution of this interest in Body, Mind and Fitness make a remarkable improvement to many of my client’s lives.
Helena Smolock, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Helena Smolock, is an award-winning CPT-RNC, a Master Athlete, and Founder and President of Velocity Athletic Training. She received the Business Excellence Award from the Langley Chamber of Commerce 2003, was voted by clients and business associates across Canada and the USA as Business Person of the Year (2020-2022), seated at 4 in the top ten businesses in the USA, and most recently in 2023 seated at 1 (Blaine, WA). Voted in the top ten Business Person of the Year 2023, seated at 6 in the USA. Her company, Velocity Athletic Training has most recently been voted by LUXLife 2023 as the 1 Personal Training Company in Washington State. She has been a Fitness Columnist for Canadian Healthstyle Magazine, The Langley Times and has been featured on radio and television. Helena is also WBENC ‒ Certified as a Woman Owned Business. The Gold Standard in business Certification.
From athletes and corporate professionals, to those seeking post-rehab, Helena has provided an environment where a trusted bond is developed between client and coach. Together we design your 1:1 Functional Conditioning to boost your Fitness with an Athletic Twist to enhance Performance and Mindset to WIN!!
