Fusion techniques - creating balance and relaxation in your life

With summer vacation over and the kids back at school, life once again picks up its frenetic pace. Finding time for yourself and exercising becomes increasingly difficult. A known fact, stress and the lack of exercise increases body fat storage making it more difficult to lose weight and keep it off. Creating balance with Fusion exercises can keep you on your workout plan; help you cope with life’s stressors and give you more energy for the important things in life. Fusion is a combination of fitness disciplines: yoga, Pilates, balance and core strength. You’re 10 minutes away to a relaxed and rejuvenated state with this season’s workout plan.

Facts about stress
When we feel stressed our body goes into sympathetic mode or a ‘fight or flight’ response. Muscles tense, respiration and heart rate increase and our bodies become taxed. Without the ability to relax, chronic stress or anxiety can lead to burnout, anger, irritability, depression and medical problems. Stress has been linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. Spending time balancing your nervous system in parasympathetic mode is important for overall health and well being and can be achieved through the following exercises.

Exercise’s relaxing benefits
Exercise releases endorphins, the body’s ‘feel good hormones’. In as little as 20 minutes a day you can change your entire outlook on life.

1. Reduce levels of stress hormones in the body which raises immunity and also helps with weight loss.
   
   
2. Achieve mental clarity and focus.
   
   
3. Rid muscles of imbalance to increase performance in daily activities and sports.

Hip rolls
(Targets: spine)

Helps relax muscles along the sides of the spine and increases range of motion. Helpful if you have arthritis to keep flexible and mobile.

A Lie on back with feet under knees, hands at your sides and in neutral spine. Inhale to prepare.

B As you exhale tilt the pelvis up without engaging the glutes and slowly peel back off mat, vertebrae by vertebrae, lifting hips up into a full hip-bridge.

C Inhale to stay. As you exhale tuck pelvis under and place each segment of the spine down on the mat again one vertebra at a time. Be sure to take your time through the low back area. Flatten the low back onto the mat and then come back to neutral spine to finish.

Side bends
(Targets: low back, external obliques)

Releases tension through low back and sides, and re-aligns the spine.

A Start with feet hip width apart with slightly bent knees and neutral spine. Clasp hands together pointing index fingers up. Gently contract abdominals.

B Inhale through your nose and slowly bend your body down towards the right side as far as you comfortably can while keeping both sides of the torso long. Push left hip to the side and exhale into the stretch. Keep abdominals strong and spiral your chest towards the ceiling. Repeat on the left side. Slowly raise back up to neutral spine. Hold for 30 seconds.

Forward chair bend
(Targets: low back, glutes, adductors, hamstrings, upper back)

Releases tension down the entire back of the body.

Sitting in an armless chair, place feet shoulder width apart. Slowly bend at the waist as far as you can without lifting your glutes off the chair, until you feel yourself release fully at the hips.

Grab elbows as shown. Hang in this forward bend for up to 1 minute to release muscle tension through your entire back and neck. Come back to a full sitting position by lifting your spine one vertebrae at a time starting at the waist.

B As you exhale raise your left arm up and back as far as you comfortably can, opening your chest and shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds. Take a breath and slowly lower to floor. Repeat 6 times per side.

Standing triangle pose
(Targets: almost everywhere)

Helps open up the low back, sides, chest, shoulder and groin area.

Begin by stepping feet more than shoulders width apart. Turn upper body towards front. Extend arms out at shoulder height. Turn the left foot in so that it is slightly pigeon-toed. Bend down toward the right and rest the right elbow on knee.

Extend your left arm toward the ceiling – look up at the hand. Do not collapse right side of waist. Keep breathing, hold posture for 30 seconds.

Slowly lower arm and come back to standing.

Repeat on the left side.

Warrior stretch - level 1
(Targets: hip flexors, low back, sides)

Good for relieving tension in legs that sit at a desk a lot.

Lunge forward with the left leg, place right knee back on towel for extra comfort especially if you suffer from arthritis or knee pain. Extend arms to ceiling without tensing shoulders.

Contract glutes and press front of hips forward. Hold stretch and breathe for 30 seconds.

Lower hands to floor, step right foot up alongside the left. With a rounded back slowly roll up until standing.

Repeat with opposite leg.

Advanced Warrior Stretch with spinal rotation

(Proceed only if you feel you have the flexibility and require more of a stretch than the level 1 Warrior posture)

Begin as with level 1 Warrior, then place right hand on the outside of left knee and left hand at the base of the spine, rotate into stretch.

Do not force or lead stretch with your neck. Breathe into muscles on the sides of the spine to loosen.

30 seconds each side.

Stress-buster

Emotional stress release points for relief of tension headaches, general stress and mental fog. This exercise uses pressure points to increase circulation and provide energy.

A With head facing straight ahead, close your eyes. Place the pads of your fingers directly above your eyebrows (as shown) onto your forehead. Rest your thumbs on your temples’ pulse points.

B Gently press and drag your index finger over eyebrow in one smooth motion.

C End with index finger at end of eyebrows. Repeat 10 times or as long as you need to ease tension or a headache.