Written by: Gemma Oberholzer, Wellbe&Co Founder & CEO
Movement and physical activity is one of the key contributors and determinants of good heart health. Studies have shown how exercise is one of your most effective tools for strengthening the heart muscle, assisting with healthy weight management, and helping prevent arterial damage from high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack or stroke.
Here’s how the different types of exercise can benefit you and your heart.
Aerobic Exercise
What it does: Aerobic exercise (or what most of us know as cardio) improves blood circulation, which results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate. In addition, it increases your overall aerobic fitness which positively impacts your cardiac output or how well your heart pumps. Through its positive effects on blood sugar control, aerobic exercise has also been shown to reduce risk or the management of type 2 diabetes.
How much: 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week.
Examples: Moderate heart-pumping exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, aerobics classes, playing tennis, padel and skipping.
Strength Training
What it does: Resistance training’s heart health benefit comes from the effect it has on body composition and weight. For those carrying extra body fat (including the unhealthy belly fat which is a risk factor for heart disease), regular strength training can help reduce fat stores and promote healthy and metabolically active lean muscle mass development. Research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training may help raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
How much: At least two to three 30-min sessions per week.
Examples: Training with free weights such as hand weights, dumbbells or barbells, on weight machines, with resistance bands or through body-resistance exercises, such as push-ups, squats and pull-ups.
Stretching, Flexibility and Balance
What they do: Flexibility workouts don’t directly contribute to heart health in the same way that cardio and resistance training do. However, their benefit arises from the role they play in ensuring musculoskeletal health and longevity, which enables you to stay flexible and free from joint pain, cramping and other muscular issues. This in turn enables you to consistently participate in the other heart health promoting exercise type, injury free. As a bonus, flexibility and balance exercises such as yoga have also been shown to promote more mindful movement and so help reduce stress and anxiety.
How much: Daily as well as before and after other exercise.
Examples: Your doctor, qualified fitness trainer, physiotherapist or biokineticist can recommend basic stretches you can do at home. Tai chi and yoga also improve these skills, and classes are readily available in almost all cities and towns.
Do you feel like everyday is a struggle to find the motivation to do anything? Well then it’s time to make some serious changes! Adding some positive daily habits into your life can definitely help with creating a bullet proof routine that will ultimately encourage you to have a great day, everyday. Being positive is a choice. I truly believe that if we have our mind in a positive space we can become unstoppable in all aspects of our life. But finding a way to keep ourselves motivated and positive takes work and conscious effort. You need to create a morning routine to get your mind into a positive space. This way you will feel motivated to tackle everything in your day!
7 Tips to get onto the positive train
Get up and get going
You know when that first alarm goes off? Don’t press snooze! Get up right away and get going. Trust me, I know it’s much easier said than done but it really makes a difference in helping you feel less groggy and more motivated!
What am I grateful for
Waking up and thinking about or writing down what you are grateful for will really help you focus on the positive things you have in your life. It doesn’t need to be more than 5 minutes every morning, but make this a priority! This will set you out in a positive direction and will put you in a good mood.
Drink water
Even though it may sound obvious, drinking a big glass of room temperature water first thing in the morning BEFORE you grab your coffee will make your body feel good and revitalized. Drinking water will hydrate you and wake you right up!
Meditation or deep breaths
Taking 5 minutes in the morning to meditate or even do breathing exercises is a great way to clear your mind before your day starts. It doesn’t need to be anything formal, you could literally just sit down while doing your gratitude exercise or drinking your water and take a few deep breaths!
Have a healthy wholesome breakfast
Instead of skipping breakfast completely, eat something healthy and nutritious. If you don’t have too much time you could throw together a smoothie that is jam packed with wholesome goodness! Eating healthily goes hand in hand with feeling good about yourself and your day.
Put together a playlist
Put together a playlist of your favourite happy songs! That way you can just press play and that positive feeling will come your way. Music really can bring in those feel good vibes into your life, so try to incorporate that into your morning (whether it may be when you are getting ready for work or when your commuting to work).
Move your body
Finding time to move your body and get a great workout in definitely has a massive positive impact on the body and mind. I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but exercise helps release endorphins (happy hormones) into your body which make you feel happy and positive! I suggest trying to fit in your workout in the morning but if not set a time that works for you everyday.
Let’s be positive!
Ultimately, you have the control on how you live your life and how you decide to look at things. Using the above tips will really help set you up for success and get those positive vibes flowing throughout your day, everyday!
“The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible!”
Proper breathing can make the world of difference when running. Whether you are just starting out or you’ve been running for years, chances are, you’ve often struggled with your breathing.
Now, we get that our hamstrings, quads and calves are the driving force that propel us forward, but the power of your breath is more important than you realise. In fact, getting your breathing right will not only make your running more enjoyable but it will make you a stronger, better runner. Meaning you can run harder for longer.
The science behind breathing
Many runners start out not knowing the importance of breathing correctly. The right breathing technique is vital as a runner. It differentiates rookies from experts. But far too few runners are actually aware of how their breathing impacts their running, not to mention how the body works when we breathe.
When we breathe in, our diaphragm will contract and the lungs will expand – basic science. Breathing in allows oxygen into the body, an important gas that our muscles need to generate energy. We thus inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. When carbon dioxide accumulates in the body, it can lead to breathlessness and anxiety, making any run feel incredibly strenuous and hard.
How to breathe right to run better
The first thing you need to pay attention to so that you can properly examine the efficacy of your breathing technique (apart from gasping for air like a fish out of water), is assessing whether or not you are using your diaphragm effectively. Some signs include:
Pain or tightness in your upper body while running
Flared ribs or an arched back
Paradoxical breathing – your stomach rises when exhaling and compresses when inhaling
All of the above signs indicate an issue with your breathing efficacy. When you bring awareness to your breathing technique, this will enable you to create a calmer mind, steadier pace and help you to endure high-pressure race scenarios. Focusing on a good breathing technique will give you the power you need to fight any fatigue you might experience and maintain a proper form.
Did you know that the common reason why we gasp for air when we run is because we have not regulated our body’s response to running and our heightened state of breathing? Instead of reacting in a ‘fight or flight’ manner, we need to adapt our way of thinking to be ‘rest and remain calm’.
When we react in a stressful manner to running (i.e. heavy breathing, gasping for air, feeling light-headed), this will impact your lungs and heart, which in turn, means you cannot run without reaching your ventilatory threshold, this is the point at which you cannot breathe in oxygen quickly or deeply enough to meet your body’s demand. When nearing this point, our body’s stress response will kick in and result in struggle and panic. It’s a vicious cycle.
Breathing with your belly and not your chest
Deep belly breathing is the correct breathing technique to use when running, also known as diaphragmatic breathing. This will result in a maximum oxygen intake compared to shallow chest breathing. Your maximum oxygen intake is known as your VO2 max – this is the maximum rate of oxygen your body can use when exercising. The higher this value is, the more oxygen your body is able to consume and the more effectively the body can use oxygen to generate energy.
The air we breathe in will remain in our lungs for a short period of time, which will prevent the complete exchange of air, thus reducing the oxygen intake. When our breathing technique is poor, it can not only result in unnecessary fatigue but also the common side stitch so many runners experience. Deep belly breathing allows for increased oxygen intake and prevents side stitches.
Here’s how to do it…
For a few minutes before your run (you can also practise this at random during the day), lie down on a comfortable surface, placing your hand on your belly. Take a few slow, deep breaths, ensuring your belly naturally lifts your hand when inhaling and your hand sinks when exhaling. Once you are comfortable with this technique, you can practise it when moving around and running at a comfortable pace.
Pay attention to your form
Make sure you also pay attention to your posture when running. Your upper body should be straight, shoulders relaxed (not hunched forward) and your head should be in line with your body, not pushed forward.
Applying deep belly breathing to your running: Rhythmic breathing
Experienced runners know about rhythmic breathing. This is breathing in a pattern which allows you to increase your oxygen intake and result in your body being in a more relaxed state. Remember, every time your foot hits the ground, your body experiences stress associated with this impact. It’s your job to control how your body reacts to this stress.
An expert trick is to alternate exhales between your left and right foot. This form of rhythmic breathing will allow for less pressure to be placed on your diaphragm and balance the impact between both sides of the body.
Following a 3:2 pattern allows you to focus on your breathing and lessen the stress your body experiences. This means you will inhale for three strides and exhale for two. If you increase your pace, you can change the pattern to be 2:1 – Allowing your body to take in more oxygen and quickly expel the carbon dioxide.
The final stride
Following these expert tips will improve your running, lessen the stressful impact of running on your body and help make your running more enjoyable.
A word from RunMalibu
This blog was written by WellBe&Co in collaboration with RunMalibu. WellBe&Co is a personal and corporate wellness company specializing in easy-to-implement, lifestyle-focused nutrition, training and health solutions.
When I talk to other people about yoga, more often than not I get a response similar to this – ‘I would love to try it but I’m just SO inflexible!’. And while I try my best trying to explain that this truly doesn’t matter, it doesn’t help that every picture we see online or in social media of ‘the modern yogi’ is someone doing the splits, or folding themselves like a pretzel.
There are enough ways we all judge ourselves and compare against others. And yoga isn’t another form of exercise we do to hopefully, one day, feel better about ourselves. Doing the perfect headstand, or a perfect backbend is not the end goal. And even if it was, it wouldn’t guarantee that we love ourselves anymore.
As Judith Lasatar so aptly says – ‘Yoga is not about touching your toes, it is what we learn on the way down’.
But what exactly are we learning when we show up on our mat to practice?
Yoga is an inward journey
Let’s take a step back and remember that the practice of yoga is believed to date back over 5,000 years. It truly is an ancient discipline, that was practiced to cultivate a strong and supple body so that one could be able to sit still in meditation for long periods. Having a strong core, supple spine and open hips was necessary to ensure the body stayed relaxed and comfortable, without being a disturbance or distraction.
The ultimate goal for the Yogi was to be still. To be able to master their mind, achieve inner peace, and ultimately – enlightenment.
Western culture has glorified the physical practice, yet the heart of yoga remains – as a tool to guide us on an inward journey so we can find true harmony within ourselves.
In our fast-paced, distracted modern lives, wouldn’t it be a joy to interact with people who are calm, centered, and present? Who can navigate all changes and challenges from a place of grounding?
Lessons from the mat
Each time you step onto your mat, you show up for yourself. Although yoga is often practiced among a group of people, it is very much an individual practice. The focus is within your four corners of your mat. As you move silently, you are guided to tune into the sensations of your body and to move with intention. Where the body goes, the mind follows, and so by focusing and controlling the physical self, we, in turn, can experience calm and ease in our thinking mind.
Yoga means to ‘yoke or unite’. What are we uniting? Our body and our mind, through a focus on our breath.
Every moment on your mat is a time to tune in and connect. In building strength through movement, we cultivate a stronger sense of self. As we stretch and lengthen our bodies, we also learn to expand our mindfulness and awareness. It is an all-encompassing practice that leads us on a path to our true self.
And while we may not achieve enlightenment like few of those ancient yogis, with a real commitment to our practice, the lessons we learn on our mat impact who we become off our mat, and we begin to show up in our lives with greater compassion, empathy, self-acceptance, and joy!
A journey begins with a single step
If touching your toes is no longer a reason to hold you back, the only next step is to decide to start. I have a range of pre-recorded videos to follow along, for free, in the comfort of your own home. There’s something for everyone including beginner classes, guided meditations, yin, vinyasa, and more.
Whatever you decide, the joy is in the journey. You can start yours today.
Written by Sarah Braithwaite, a WellBe&CoNeuroscience-based Life & Health Coach
We have all had that same message drummed into our heads since we were young – ‘eat plenty vegetables, exercise often and get enough sleep’ , and while we are all familiar with the physical benefits these have on our body, most are not aware of the incredible impacts had on our brains – particularly when it comes to exercise. Our brain and body is intrinsically connected and while neurology is flowing downwards, physiology is flowing upwards and to separate the dual effects on one another would be impossible.
The love-hate relationship of endurance running is real – time, commitment, pain, and pressure, versus that insane ‘runners high’ that keeps us coming back for more and more. Let us unpack the latest science on brain health in relation to exercise – after all knowledge is power, and these juicy facts may give you a whole new appreciation for those long arduous training sessions.
How exercise actually rewires your brain
More than a mood boost
The latest buzz word in the neuroscience world, ‘neuroplasticity’, means our brains are able to change and rewire depending on many factors, one being physical movement. Beside the mental health benefits of reducing anxiety and depression, regular physical exercise is actually rewiring your brain for better cognitive function as well as improvement of emotional regulation. Exercise also allows the release of the stress hormone, cortisol, from the body which is hugely beneficial and explains why we experience mood changes after a workout.
It’s all biochemistry
During exercise, the body begins to produce endorphins which are our ‘feel good’ hormones. The effects of these endorphins plus the release of important neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, means that you are getting all the right kinds of ‘highs’ while you are running. Dopamine affects the reward pathways in the brain while serotonin stabilizes our moods – both are essential to mental health and well-being. While physical exercise is best, studies have also shown the mind boggling benefits to the brain from simply visualising a detailed exercise session in your head – what better evidence to prove the brain’s role in physical movement?
Okay so now that we have indisputable evidence of just how great movement is for our minds, here are a few easily implementable training hacks to help you get the most out of it:
HIIT-style training has been shown to help prompt new cellular growth in the brain as well as increasing activity between neurons and prompting neuroplasticity.
Keep consistent
Regular exercise improves memory function in the brain. The hippocampus is responsible for memory and learning, and studies have shown that exercise improves these functions and causes neurogenesis (new cellular growth).
Sweat out the stress
Use exercise as a stress release tool to rid your body of excessive levels of toxic cortisol. Cortisol is the stress hormone that we produce, and it can become toxic when chronic. Stress can quite literally cause the physical release of cortisol.
Be mindful
Combine exercise with some mindful or visualisation practices to encourage neuroplasticity. The mind battles to distinguish reality from imagination, and the power of visualization is helpful in ingraining those neural pathways that are used when performing the activity.
The brain thrives off of slow release carbohydrates as well as healthy fats. Dr Tara Swart, a remound Neuroscientist, recommends food such as: eggs, nuts, avos, coconut oil and salmon. Other foods such as sweet potatoes and healthy grains can also be beneficial.
Movement for the mind
Regular exercise, like running, really has profound benefits for both the brain and body, and that ‘high’ is there as a reminder to keep coming back for more. And with that in mind, I’m putting on my trainers and hitting the road…
A word from WellBe
This blog was written by Sarah Braithwaite, of MindSight, is a WellBe&Co Neuroscience-based Health & Life Coach, in collaboration with RunMalibu.
When it comes to running wisdom, numerous myths and misconceptions have been generated over time, and some of these more popular theories have turned out to be a lot more fiction than fact.
Recent research has debunked some of the most widely-known rules and beliefs. From stretching before a run to adopting extreme fad diets, here are some of the most common running myths that you should kick to the curb.
Myth busters: running facts vs fiction
Myth 1: Running trail is harder than road
Road runners thinking about trying their hand at trail running are often hesitant to tackle more technical routes due to the unfamiliar terrain. But is trail running really harder than road running?
It’s true that trail running requires a lot more attention than running on local roads. This is largely due to the uneven terrain, steeper grades and winding switchback, while road running provides smoother and harder surfaces which often correlate to faster times.
Because of this, people tend to think that road running has a lower level of difficulty, while the slower and more technical nature of trail running tends to get a bad reputation.
Often we want to categorize trail running and road running as two completely different activities but, at the end of the day, they are both just running. According to most athletes, if you are already an avid runner, then you already have all the skills you need to run on the trails.
In fact, trying your hand at trial running could benefit you in the long run since many health professionals actually report seeing less injuries in runners that mix their training with some trail running and road running than those who prefer to stick just to the roads.
Myth 2: Runners don’t need strength training
Most people tend to think that if they want to improve their running, all they should focus on is running. In actual fact, if you want to perform at your full potential, you should try to adopt a more comprehensive approach to your training.
Strength training is a key part of boosting performance and preventing injury. Strategically targeting different body parts on different days will also help you to better strengthen your muscles, improve your power output, give you a stronger, better push on the roads and improve your overall race time.
That’s why it’s important to supplement regular roadwork with occasional training to strengthen muscles and joints, as well as to target areas of fitness that you may not normally pay attention to – such as flexibility, balance, mobility, and strength.
Myth 3: Taking a few days off will hurt your fitness
The benefits of rest days shouldn’t be underestimated. Most people tend to forget that one of the most important parts of exercising effectively is giving our bodies time to recover.
Often, being stuck in an “I must work out everyday” mindset will do more harm than good. A lot of the time we tend to feel like taking a day or two off for rest and recovery, or sometimes even for illness, means that we have immediately lost the miles that we’ve logged during the week.
The truth is that cardiovascular fitness doesn’t just disappear overnight. Studies show that there is little decrease in general fitness over the first 10 days of inactivity in trained athletes. So if you need a rest day, take it. There’s no real need to ‘make up’ for the lost time.
A recent study even found that 80 marathon athletes reported that their bones and joints around the knee actually became stronger after training! And while 45% of running injuries do involve knee pain, it’s not the running itself that is inherently strenuous on your body, but rather the related issues which result from weak hips, tight muscles and overuse.
The only time you should really be cautious about injuring your knees when running is if you’ve had a recent knee surgery or if you’re significantly overweight. If that’s the case, it’s always better to start with a more gradual fitness routine before jumping right into an intensive running routine.
Myth 5: You don’t have the right body shape to be a runner
Often people are told that they are too tall, too heavy, too big or too short to be a good runner.
While it’s true that most elite trail or roadrunners have a specific shape and build, we’re not all born elite gold-medalists who are predisposed to a smaller frame and leaner body fat percentage. In reality, most of us don’t have single-digit body fat, and there is no ideal body type for someone looking to get into the sport.
While an individual’s body weight is undoubtedly important when it comes to distance running (since being lighter generally makes running a little easier), runners of all shapes and sizes are capable of beating times and breaking personal records.
Simply put: anyone can become a runner. At any big race, whether it’s a 5km or marathon, you’ll see athletes with varying body types cross the finish line. All it takes is a good level of aerobic fitness and the right training program.
Myth 6: Stretch before you run
While many people swear by a regular stretch routine before a run or race, static stretching is not actually the optimal way to warm up before a run.
In general, the rule is to never stretch a cold muscle. Certified running coaches tend to agree that you should never engage in static stretching before a run as lengthening your muscles could actually over-strain your muscles, and a simple stretch might even end up slowing you down instead.
Your primary focus should instead be to get enough oxygen into your muscles before you partake in any type of physical exertion. A good idea is to start it by warming up with a slow walk. Swing your arms back and forth to get the blood moving or do a few shoulder shrugs. The idea is to slowly elevate your heart rate for a few minutes before you pick up your pace.
Myth 7: There is a perfect diet for running
These days, athletes are always always looking for a new fad diet that will make them leaner and faster.
In reality, there is no specific diet for athletes looking to build stamina and better their performance. The bottom line is that proper nutrition and a balanced diet is all that matters when it comes to keeping your body fit and strong – and research has shown that we are able to thrive equally well on a variety of diets.
The key is trying different diets to find out what works best for you and to create a sustainable lifestyle centre around holistic, healthy living. Essentially, it is all about experimenting with a range of meals and eating plans to see what combination of foods will help you feel good while also enabling you to reach your peak athletic performance.
Whether it’s a vegan lifestyle, a ketogenic diet or a plant-based way of living, once you’ve figured out your best diet, it will undoubtedly give you more energy and stamina when you head out on the roads or the trails.
A final word
Don’t let any myths or misconceptions keep you from hitting the road – or the trail, or the track. At the end of the day, running is an ever-evolving sport, and new studies, better research and different theories are always showing up in the running community.
The trick is to use these opportunities to learn something new so that you can better develop your running wisdom and put your best foot forward every time you hit the roads.
A word from WellBe&Co
This blog was written by WellBe&Co in collaboration with RunMalibu. RunMalibu is taking virtual running to the next level with their US-based virtual races hosted between 7th and 8th November 2021.
Have you ever started running and then a few weeks later you find your body being consistently sore with niggles and possibly a potential injury? If you shouted ‘hell yes’ in your mind right now then this one’s for you!
Check this out: THE POWER OF MOVEMENT: INCORPORATING EXERCISE INTO YOUR LIFESTYLE Whether you are getting into running or you have been running for years, it’s very important to incorporate strengthening exercises into your routine.Strengthening your glutes, hamstrings and core will help you prevent injury and set you up for success.Many of us are naturally more quad dominant when we run due to weak hamstrings and glutes from sitting all day at work. You may feel like when you run your glutes or hamstrings struggle to activate leaving your quads with most of the work. This will cause injury in the long run if you don’t give it some time and attention.
When it comes to strength training there are many benefits you can gain:
Reduced risk of injury
A strong core and lower body will set you up for success. If you strengthen these parts of your body, you will be able to maintain a correct running form throughout your runs, reducing your risk of injury to your hips, knees, lower back and so on.
Many injuries form from muscle imbalances or weaknesses. Using strength training, you can treat theses imbalances or weaknesses and therefore avoid injuries altogether. Not only will you avoid the pain from injury but you will also avoid having to stop running because of an injury. This will leave you more motivated to continue running and it’ll help you form a consistent running habit.
Running becomes easier
Like anything else, if you run consistently it will become easier. Adding strength training to the mix will help speed up the process because if you strengthen the parts of your body that you are using when running your runs will feel easier and more doable.
Reduced fatigue
Strength training helps prepare your body for the stress it endures on a run. It will help your muscles perform for longer without getting tired. You will be more prepared to fight off those tough moments when you are running than before – avoiding cramping up or muscle fatigue.
Keen to get started with some strength training? Here is a gentle strengthening workout that you can do absolutely anywhere.
Workout: • 1 min single leg glute bridge (each side) • 1 min lying lateral raises (each side) • 1 min bird dog (each side) • 1 min lying clams (each side) • 1 min plank hip dips • 1 min single leg deadlift (each side) *Complete each exercise back to back with little to no break. 1-minute rest between rounds* 3/4 ROUNDS Happy Running!
Let’s keep in touch: Instagram and Facebook: @thelivelyfitnessgirl
A number of companies are starting to see the benefits of wellness in the workplace. From improving employee’s happiness which is directly linked to their levels of productivity, a healthy workplace allows for not only healthy and happy employees but a boost in sales and your company’s bottom line.
As working professionals, our personal wellness is of top priority and when a company enables its employees to work in an environment that supports their personal health and wellness, it creates loyalty, decreases sick days and creates a workplace that boosts morale and decreases stress levels.
One of the first steps to improving personal wellness in the workplace is to inspire a culture of fitness. But it takes more than just some healthy snacks in the breakroom and encouraging employees to take the stairs.
More than a few simple acts of wellness
To truly make a difference in the lives of your employees and sustain these positive results, you need to create healthy habits of wellness in the workplace, it’s these habits that help develop a culture of health and fitness.
It’s important to understand that whilst a culture of fitness is important to implement and sustain, as a company, you need to look at the bigger picture of corporate wellness. Which is why it helps to get some professionals in to help. Wellness coaches offer expert advice and implement effective practises to improve the wellness culture in your office.
In any case, one of the first steps to creating a culture of wellness is to inspire a culture of fitness.
Why fitness matters
Exercise is known to make you feel good. From the runner’s ‘high’ to the great feeling you get after working out, even when you go for a brisk walk around the block, exercise does more than just improve your physical health, but it also taps into our mental wellbeing on a number of positive levels. As with healthy eating and positive thinking, exercise helps us to feel great about ourselves which has a direct impact on our work lives.
So, how great would it be if your place of work inspired this kind of healthy living? It would be amazing.
1. Get moving – step up to fitness
It’s all about the little efforts that make the big difference. Rewarding employee’s ‘stepping’ milestones is a great way to encourage movement.
For example, set daily goals of 10 000 steps a day. Those who reach this goal for 10 days in a row are celebrated and rewarded with discounted gym memberships or healthy snack baskets.
Walking meetings offer a fun alternative to the boring boardroom.
Provide safe bike parking for those who cycle to work.
Did you know that staff who spent 30 to 60 minutes working out during their lunch break reported an average performance boost of 15%? Encouraging staff to work out during lunch and better yet, providing them with the space to do so is a great way to improve productivity.
2. Bring fitness into team building
Fun soccer games, 5k fun walks/runs or even jumping on trampolines at Bounce are all fun and engaging ways to interact as a team.
3. Offer yoga and meditation classes
During lunch and after work, bring in a yoga instructor or offer a meditation class for those who want to get involved. You can also offer this before work starts in the morning to ensure employees start their day feeling relaxed and ready to take on the challenges of the day.
4. Clear communication and celebration is key
It’s all fine and well having these various fitness and health opportunities available to employees, but you need to ensure that they know about them too!
And what’s more, your staff need to know that you care about them. A fitness culture in the workplace will not happen without reinforcement.
This means you need to create a clear communication plan and timeline that lets employees know exactly what activities will be taking place and when as well as what rewards and incentives are linked to these activities.
It’s important that you reward and celebrate those who take part in fitness challenges. As mentioned earlier, some rewards include:
Discount gym memberships
Healthy snack baskets
Healthy reward vouchers for shops like Total Sports or Sportsmans Warehouse
Free yoga vouchers
The list goes on.
Open up an honest conversation around fitness in your business. Talk about topics like work and personal life balance and nutrition. Create an environment where employees are encouraged to talk openly about their health and mental wellbeing and have the right tools to improve their health.
It starts at the top
Don’t forget that effective fitness in the workplace starts with the boss. As a leader, your staff will follow you so ensure you set a good example and take part in the various fitness activities in the office.
Compound exercises are known as the secret to building lean, strong muscles. If you have ever done some research into new workouts to add to your gym routine, then chances are you would have come across some of these incredible exercises.
Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle or improve your fitness, compound exercises can help you reach your fitness goal.
Before we get into the excellent benefits of compound exercises, let’s first explain what exactly these are…
Tell me a little more about compound exercises
Compound exercises are movements that incorporate and activate multiple muscle groups.
Isolation exercises (another common term in the world of fitness), target a specific muscle group (here’s looking at you, bicep curl).
Both these types of exercises have fantastic benefits and have their own place in any training plan, however, compound exercises are a great way to get more done in a shorter period of time.
There are 2 different types of compound exercises:
Single movement compound exercises: These include the activation of multiple muscle groups in one single move. Some examples include a squat, lunge or deadlift.
Double movement compound exercises: These are 2 moves that create one exercise, such as a bicep curl into a shoulder press.
Why you should include compound exercises into your training routine
Did you know that one of the biggest reasons people give up their training routine is because they just don’t have the time?
While isolation exercises are great for those who have the time or inclination to slowly build a muscular body, these ‘one muscle’ movements are not effective enough to maximise the calories burned in a workout. And not only that, but if you stick to isolation exercises only, you are missing out on a lot of the benefits of compound movements.
The truth is, everyone should include compound exercises into their fitness plan.
The 3 main categories of fitness that compound exercises are extremely effective for include:
Cardiovascular
Strength
Flexibility
Now it’s time to get into the exciting part of this article (are you ready?)
4 benefits of compound exercises
The benefits of compound exercises are incredible.
They activate multiple muscle groups, which help you to gain more strength and also burn more calories. Compound exercises help improve your balance, coordination and also strengthen your abdominal muscles. But before we give all the details away, here are the 4 main benefits…
1. Burn more calories
Compound exercises make you work harder, sweat more, move more and use more energy.
The more muscles you use during a workout, the more energy you expend. This means that compound exercises can help your body to burn more calories in a shorter period of time.
2. Spend less time working out and more time making gains (or shredding down)
Whether you are on the gain train or wanting to slim down and lean out, compound exercises will help you reach your goal, and in half the amount of time.
Compound exercises are a great way to get in a full body workout in a short amount of time. Only have 30 minutes to squeeze in a workout? No problem. Download a quick and effective compound workout plan and get to training!
Did we mention that you can also burn more fat doing compound workouts?
3. Improve your intramuscular coordination
When you move and activate several muscle groups at the same time, this inevitably works on your coordination.
Over time, your muscles will start to remember (muscle memory) the movements and apply this strength and coordination to other situations and activities.
A large number of pro athletes include compound movements into their training regimen to do exactly this. Professional mountain bikers who need a lot of balance and coordination to ride over technical sections find that compound exercises improve their dynamic balance and movement skills. Gymnasts are also athletes who rely heavily on their own ability to balance and maintain a strong core.
4. Improved cardiovascular system
Your cardiovascular system refers to your heart and blood vessels. Cardio exercises are any exercise that raises your heart rate.
The thing is, our bodies were created to move. To keep your muscles in good shape, you need to move them. In time, this movement will develop stronger muscles that lead to a healthier, more efficient body.
Because compound exercises are targeting a number of muscles at once, these movements can easily increase blood flow and as a result, your heart rate will increase to meet this demand.
Knowing what compound exercises to include in your workout routine can be tricky. One of the most important things you need to ensure is that your form is correct (to not suffer from any injuries).
If you want to know where to start, then get in touch with our team and we can help design a personalised training and eating plan for you. One of our professional and qualified trainers can also guide you along the way.
To get you started, have a look at this blog post on 1 PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. 10 MOVES. ALL THE SWEAT.
When you think about corporate wellness programs, many companies don’t know where to start, let alone know and understand the importance of them.
This article breaks down what a corporate wellness program is, and more importantly, why your own company needs one (more than you know).
An example of a brand doing it right
Before we get into the incredible benefits of corporate wellness, let’s first take a look at an example of a brand that exceeds in corporate wellness… Google.
The moment Google started in the ’90s, the company changed the game when it came to wellness in the workplace. They were the first to take such a unique approach to their employees’ happiness and satisfaction.
During an age of monotonous days, nine to fives and identical cubicles, Google added a corporate wellness program. Their aim was to create an environment where the best talent, creative minds and creative solutions could come together and thrive.
As a result, companies around the world are implementing wellness programs of their own.
What is a corporate wellness program?
Great question!
Now, before you start to think that you don’t have the budget to build an in-house training facility or gym, take a breath.
It is possible to implement similar practices aligned to Google’s corporate wellness program without it costing you an arm and a leg.
The trick is to get in some experts to help you through the process.
Understanding an employee wellness program
Simply put – this is a program that helps your employees stay healthy, which in turn helps them stay happy.
From group exercises and training programs to helping employees reach specific fitness goals such as losing weight or running a 5k. Wellness programs can be ongoing or once-off. Although, we recommend the implementation of ongoing wellness in the workplace.
By hiring an external company, we can help you to create a wellness program designed around your company’s goals and your employees’.
At WellBe, we bring our expert knowledge to the table and formulate plans that not only boost employee health but happiness too.
The benefits of a corporate wellness program
1. Increased Productivity
When people are encouraged to lead a healthier life through food and fitness, they are more likely to be productive than those who do not.
The benefits of improved personal health include:
Higher energy levels
More optimistic outlook on life and improved mood
Fewer health issues and risks
Better sleep which means increased concentration
2. Improved morale and loyalty
When you actively show your employees that you care about them through a wellness program, this creates a clear sense of belonging from each individual in your company.
Employees who feel valued will feel more attached and loyal to their company.
3. Reduced absenteeism
The benefits of healthy eating and exercise lead to a stronger immune system and stronger bodies. This means that employees are less likely to get sick.
4. Increased talent
When talented people are in search of a new career move, they are likely to choose a company that offers benefits such as corporate wellness.
People are more concerned with their wellbeing than ever before, this means they will value a company who understands their needs.
5. Improved teamwork
Some wellness initiatives can offer employees the opportunity to work together as teams. This form of interaction will aid in creating bonds and help teams work well together.
6. A fun environment and a break from work
At first, this may seem counterintuitive to the general workplace environment, but remember, everyone needs a break from time to time.
Work can often become repetitive and draining, this can put a damper on morale and lower productivity levels.
Wellness programs can include fun group exercises and fitness classes which provide a great break from the mundane workday routine.
Which is better than a bored employee turning to a scroll through social media, isn’t it?
7. Happier employees
When healthy eating and fitness is encouraged and supported, this leads to decreased stress levels and increased happiness levels.
A happy employee is a hard-working employee.
8. Sense of accomplishment
A wellness program will often challenge employees to reach certain fitness goals. This can range from being able to do 10 push-ups, run a race, or even give up smoking.
Those who are able to meet their goals will feel a great sense of accomplishment, which in turn, creates a proactive work atmosphere and gives employees the confidence they need to meet their professional goals too.
Wondering where to start?
Implementing an employee wellness program is a win-win situation and leads to a number of amazing benefits for your company.
If you are interested in a wellness program for your own company, then give us a call and let’s chat about what we can do for your employees and your brand.
