Exercise and Mental Well Being

It has long been known that regular exercise is good for our physical health. It can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and strokes.

In recent years, studies have shown that regular physical activity also has benefits for mental health. Exercise can help people recover from depression and prevent them from becoming depressed in the first place.

Dr Alan Cohen, a GP with a special interest in mental health, says that when people get depressed or anxious, they often feel they're not in control of their lives.

“Exercise gives them back control of their bodies and this is often the first step to feeling in control of other events,” he says.

Anyone with depression can benefit from doing regular exercise, but it's especially useful for people with mild depression.

“Any type of exercise is useful as long as it suits you and you do enough of it,” says Dr Cohen. “Exercise should be something you enjoy. Otherwise it will be hard to find the motivation to do it regularly.”

What Are the Psychological Benefits of Exercise With Depression?

Improved self-esteem is a key psychological benefit of regular physical activity. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain.

Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric." That feeling, known as a "runner's high," can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life.

Endorphins act as an analgesic, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They also act as sedatives. They are manufactured in your brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of your body and are released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. The neuron receptors endorphins bind to are the same ones that bind some pain medicines. However, unlike with morphine, the activation of these receptors by the body's endorphins does not lead to addiction or dependence.

Regular exercise has been proven to:

·         Reduce stress

·         Ward off anxiety and feelings of depression

·         Boost self-esteem

·         Improve sleep

Exercise also has these added health benefits:

·         It strengthens your heart.

·         It increases energy levels.

·         It lowers blood pressure.

·         It improves muscle tone and strength.

·         It strengthens and builds bones.

·         It helps reduce body fat.

·         It makes you look fit and healthy.

In the U.K. mental health issues are often over looked, however recently more effort is being made to address mental health and a large focus is on the openess of the subject and effect treatments, fitness and being physically active continues to show a strong correlation in the prevention, treatment and understanding of mental health and well being. Remember fitness isnt just being strong and fast, it reaches much further into a persons social and mental development and well being.

Metafit

The Metafit™ bodyweight training system is an effective and simple tool for to maximise results. To burn fat you need to change the resting metabolism, work big muscle groups with high intensity intervals and get quick results for your clients and Metafit does all three Created by a former Royal Marine Commando and a national gymnast Metafit™ combines traditional bodyweight exercises with the latest interval and Tabata techniques to set the metabolism on fire! No expensive kit required for this workout just hard work and dedication. Corey one of our trainings will soon be getting qualified to deliver this unique style of teaching and delivering it here at Breadsall Priory Leisure club. The training is in December so get along to one of Corey sessions over the festive period and try it out for yourself. Keep an eye out for Corey’s blog to see how the training went and what to expect when we launch our new class. Metafit will seriously change your body!

Have You Ever Tried Pilates?

• 
  The Pilates method is essentially a mind-body centering technique that emphasises the importance of beginning movement from a central core of stability, namely the lumbo-pelvic region. The aim is to concentrate in precision of movement, awareness of breath control and a continued flowing movement. When this is mastered the exerciser will be able to alter abnormal patterns of movement allowing it to be carried over into daily function, therefore decreasing chance of injury.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Pilates was created by Joseph Humbertus Pilates who was born in Germany in 1880. When WW1 broke out Joe was interned as a POW in Lancaster and later moved to the Isle of Man. Whilst there he trained as an orderly in the hospital and became increasingly appalled to see so many ill people in stuck in their beds. He devised a gentle exercise regime for patients, it quickly became evident that those practicing Joe’s exercises were improving faster.
• Joe believed that injuries were caused by imbalances in the body and habitual patterns of movement. He observed that when a person had a weakness or maligned area, that person overcompensated or overdeveloped another area to achieve functional movement. Thus, Joe found it critical to correct the misalignment and to re-educate the body to prevent recurrence. A belief that 50 years later is being hailed as the phenomenon of the muscle imbalance theories of physiotherapists today. Much Physiotherapeutic effort is devoted to correcting muscle imbalances in the lumbar spine and peripheral joints. Pilates is a great tool to help correct these imbalances which can lead common symptoms such as chronic lower back pain. Over Joe’s lifetime he perfected his Pilates method which is today taught in two categories, matwork and machine based work. Matwork is a combination of the original 34 pilates exercises Joe developed which consist of strength, mobility and stretching. Machine based Pilates takes the concepts of matwork into a spring loaded resistance machines designed originally by Joe himself.

  Are you now interested in trying Pilates?

  Matwork Pilates is taught at Breadsall Priory Leisure Club just check out our studio timetable and book into a class. If you are interested in one to one tuition just ask for Zoe at the leisure desk.

  

One Move, Full Workout

The latest question asked to me was one regarding a time efficient workout, many people are pressed for time and can’t really spend an hour or two in the gym, so I was asked for a super quick and worthwhile routine and to be honest I thought immediately there is a single move that is a great workout in itself, the front squat shoulder press, also known in Crossfit circles as a ‘thruster’.

This exercise incorporates a front squat with a shoulder press, you can use a barbell or a pair of dumbells . Take the weight up to the level of your shoulder, keep your chest lifted and your back straight, sink into a squat, aiming for hip crease to drop below knee crease, keep the heels flat on the floor, keeping your back straight drive up through your heels keeping your core strong as you reach a full standing position press the weight directly over your head, then drop the weight back down to upper chest level and quickly and smoothly repeat the squat and press movement.

This exercise incorporates so many muscles that it gives a great workout, incorporating strength, stamina and focusing on the development of lean functional muscle. Also by taking the weight at the front of the body (anterior) and as opposed to on the shoulders carry the weight on the back (posterior) it promotes better alignment of the spine and puts a greater emphasis on the abdominals, giving a great abdominal workout throughout the lift and press.

This move can be put very easily into a great interval workout, 300 meter row 20 Thrusters, hit 8 intervals with strong technique, go for time and hit the showers. Quick, functional and efficient, time in the gym minimal, benefits maximum!

-Karl O’Sullivan, Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor.