There have been some big demands on your mind and body.
From myofascial release to a post-class mini spa day in your most lounge-y shorts at home, we got you covered with some quick and simple self care so you can breeze through the final days of this Challenge.
#1 – Yin Yoga & Reformer Stretch
Self care can still involve stamping that Challenge card!
You’ll discover the cultivation of breath in the body – formless moving form – is one of the most interesting factors in balancing the opposing forces at play during these classes.
Our Yin Yoga classes across all studios blend traditional yoga practices, Chinese Medicine and modern understandings of human biology to transform the way you move.
Physically, you can expect to gently stress you body’s “yin” deep connective tissues with long holds in yoga asana (postures).
While Yin does more of the deep tissue stress, our Reformer Stretch sessions, you guessed it, get you feeling stretchy.
It’s a space to encourage you to welcome your body in whatever state you find it and attend to tension (in body and mind) with gentle dynamic movement to improve myofascial nerve health.
You’ll simply glide out the door after being guided by our magical Yin or Stretch teachers.
If in-studio classes are tricky for you, check out our On Demand classes or our juicy Stretch & Mobility Series on Youtube.
#2 Myofascial Release
Do your muscles fatigue quicker than usual in movements that you normally ace? Do you feel spring-loaded, like your body won’t relax?
MFR is some tough-love therapy using the pressure of a foam roller or trigger point release ball to chill out that tense or achy feeling in tissues.
Think of it as a motor nerve reset.
Tension in muscle fibres and fascia restrict blood flow, which restricts nutrition, which inhibits muscle metabolism and the chemical processes that need to happen for your muscles to contract and relax with ease (ii).
When you begin MFR your body might be like WTF and auto-reply with danger signals. This hurts.
So find a long and steady exhale breath, uncrease your eyebrows and unclench your jaw, and surrender to the sensation.
Grab a tennis ball and begin.
If this sounds like your jam join our Yin & MFR class to energise tired bodies:
6pm-7.15pm Friday 17 November at Magill Rd (Livestream and On Demand avail!)
You can explore more MFR self treatment here.
#3 Post-Workout Mini Spa
OK, so you're home from a double at the studio, you fold yourself into the couch and flick on the Headspace Guide to Meditation (busted, the new season of Selling Sunset just launched, whatever) or get busy with alllll the jobs you’ve been procrastinating on that are now shouting at your from various parts of the house.
Rewind.
Before you submit to the inevitable pull of sofa or dishes, rinse and gently exfoliate your face with a warm damp cloth and put on a clay mask (iii) or massage in some jojoba oil (iv) to rejuvenate your skin.
Then you put a flame to that glorious Hoseki Sara crystal burning kit that you just happened to pick up at the studio to treat yo’self.
Lie down with chunky slices of cool cucumber on your eyes (v).
What’s that now? Yes Hoseki Sara is in our online store, thanks for asking! along with our MAHŌ incense sticks and Salt & Stone Natural Deodorant.
Bonus tip: Rest & Hydration
Sounds too simple.
We’d be remiss if we skipped over these being 2 of the most effective and subtle ways to boost your energy in the last few days of the challenge.
Take 2 minutes here and there throughout the day to close your eyes. Drink more water than you think you need. And breathe well.
Work Cited
(ii) Davies, C & Davies, A. (2013). The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self Treatment Guide to Pain Relief. (3rd edition). New Harbinger Publications. pp. 16-19.
(iii) Watson, K. (2019, August 8). What is Calcium Bentonite Clay? Healthline. www.healthline.com/health/calcium-bentonite-clay#Benefits-of-calcium-bentonite-clay
(iv) Gregory, E. (2023, June 27). Jojoba Oil: Uses, Benefits and Side Effects. Forbes Health. www.forbes.com/health/body/jojoba-oil/#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%20jojoba%20oil,it%20absorbs%20easily%20without%20conflict.
(v) Ware, M. (2023, November 8). Health Benefits of Cucumber. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/283006#benefits
