Wednesday, August 3, 2011

BODY BALANCE - LOVIN' IT ^=^

MooMoo had a good stretch today at Body Balance class in gym. ^=^

MooMoo used to only go for Cardio classes with great intensity and movements. i.e. Steps, Aerobics, Zumba. MooMoo didn't really fancy classes with slow movements as it could really make her doze off in class but the more she go to Balance class, the more she loves it. It really does her great wonders and it's kinda fun when she sees herself improving in her own strength and flexibility. Of course, the instructor plays a great role as well. MooMoo have a couple of favourite instructors for this Body Balance class at the gym.

What is 'BODY BALANCE'?!?

Body Balance is a 55 mins workout with the combination of Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates, ending with 10 minutes of meditation relaxation. It is a group exercise class created by 'Les Millis', which is popular for classes like Body Pump, Body Step, Body Combat and Body Jam.

Body Balance is a form of workout for overall body fitness, which focus on the breathing techniques, working on our core strength and flexibility. Other than that, personally MooMoo thinks that it helps her in relaxation and release of stress.

The class usually begins with slow movements of 'Tai Chi' with controlled breathing for warm up. Then, it will be followed by a series of 'Yoga' poses, such as Sun Salutations, Standing Stretches, Balances and Hip Openers. After that, it will be some 'Pilates' core works on the floor, with some twists and bends. Lastly, it will end with the 10 minutes of relaxation and meditation, which brings you to reflect on the effects of the exercises on your body and mental state. After the class, you just feel lighter in mind and body all loosen up after the stretching.

What's the 'BENEFITS' you can gain?
1. Increase your Core Strength
2. Improve your Cardiovascular Function
3. Improve Joint Flexibility and Range of Motion
4. Reduce Stress Level
5. Focus your mind and Raise level of consciousness
6. Burn Calories

Of course, where there's Benefits, there's always some 'CONS' to it.
1. Difficult to follow the 3 different combinations of movements (Tai Chi, Yoga & Pilates)
2. If you're not doing the some movements or poses correctly, you can strain your muscles, pulled a joint or hurt yourselves unintentionally.
3. Lack of muscular strength can prevent you from holding on to poses long enough to have an effective workout
4. You will need more patience to work on the flexibility and range of motion to maximise the benefits of the workout.

Anyway, there seems to be more PROS than CONS. Check out Body Balance if you got chance. MooMoo bet you will like it!! MOOMOO's LOVIN' IT!! ^=^


* So far, MooMoo haven't been haunted by dark clouds yet this week... hope this will last... Looking forward to the weekends... 2 more days to go... Yippee!!! ^=^

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