Covid-19 pandemic has led us to stay home, where we have fewer social interactions and exercise less. This can have negative consequences for physical and mental health.
It is well known that regular physical exercise is beneficial for the body and also to the mind, as it helps to prevent illness, establish daily routines and is a way to keep in touch with family and friends. It is also very good for our mental health, as it reduces the risk of depression and cognitive decline, delaying the onset of dementia and improves our general mood.
In short, regular and systematic physical activity has proven to be very beneficial in the prevention, development and rehabilitation of health, while helping character, discipline and decision-making in everyday life.
Functional training, what is it?
When we use the term functional to refer to something, the first meaning that comes to our minds is that we are talking about something practical, useful and suitable for specific purposes or functions.
In functional training we have a type of training in which a methodology is followed, including exercises and movements to help the athlete to carry out a specific work to achieve the desired objective. You work consciously preparing your muscles for each exercise. Thus, we improve sports and emotional performance and reduce the risk of injury.
Yoga-Pilates
The fusion of Yoga with Pilates is a system that provides physical and mental balance, improves posture, trains muscles and provides vitality. The ancient benefits of Yoga are added to the strength and control of Pilates. If Yoga and Pilates are good themselves, together they are even better.
The idea of joining this two methods and creating a comprehensive system was born from the need to improve and increase the quality of both systems.
Yoga-Pilates share objectives, being not only compatible but totally complementary. Students of this new method who have previously practiced one of these disciplines, have found that the quality of their practice has really improved.
The first requirement this fusion fulfills is that they are two completely compatible systems, since Joseph Pilates was inspired, among other disciplines, by Yoga. Yoga practitioners insist on the great contribution that Pilates has made in providing a single center of gravity «the abdominal center», which not only gives strength to all exercises, but also keeps the mind completely focused on the movement.
Another contribution of Pilates is movement, rhythm and coordination. On the other hand, Yoga provides a great wealth in variety of exercises (in total there are 1500), thus being able to expand the repertoire of classes and adapt them to all levels. In addition, it works other areas such as breathing and relaxation, very important for good physical and mental health.
In summary, the fusion of these two systems is not only recommended, but it is advisable for teachers when it comes to expanding and enriching their classes, as well as for students, who increase the variety and quality of the exercises. The benefits are obvious.
At Agoyoga Ibiza we have set up new spaces for different therapies and disciplines such as Functional Training and the Yoga-Pilates fusion. Go ahead and try it yourself!
Flávio Silva
CENTRO AGOYOGA
+34 657 196 610
www.agoyogaibiza.com