O Estúdio – Página 2

Fevereiro 4, 2022Fevereiro 4, 2022

Yoga: benefits beyond the mat.

“Yoga, an ancient practice and meditation, has become increasingly popular in today’s busy society. For many people, yoga provides a retreat from their chaotic and busy lives. This is true whether you’re practicing downward facing dog posture on a mat in your bedroom, in an ashram in India or even in New York City’s Times Square. Yoga provides many other mental and physical benefits. Some of these extend to the kitchen table.

Types of yoga

There are many types of yoga. Hatha (a combination of many styles) is one of the most popular styles. It is a more physical type of yoga rather than a still, meditative form. Hatha yoga focuses on pranayamas (breath-controlled exercises). These are followed by a series of asanas (yoga postures), which end with savasana (a resting period).

The goal during yoga practice is to challenge yourself physically, but not to feel overwhelmed. At this “edge,” the focus is on your breath while your mind is accepting and calm.

A better body image

Yoga develops inner awareness. It focuses your attention on your body’s abilities at the present moment. It helps develop breath and strength of mind and body. It’s not about physical appearance.

Yoga studios typically don’t have mirrors. This is so people can focus their awareness inward rather than how a pose — or the people around them — looks. Surveys have found that those who practiced yoga were more aware of their bodies than people who didn’t practice yoga. They were also more satisfied with and less critical of their bodies. For these reasons, yoga has become an integral part in the treatment of eating disorders and programs that promote positive body image and self-esteem.

Becoming a mindful eater

Mindfulness refers to focusing your attention on what you are experiencing in the present moment without judging yourself.

Practicing yoga has been shown to increase mindfulness not just in class, but in other areas of a person’s life.

Researchers describe mindful eating as a nonjudgmental awareness of the physical and emotional sensations associated with eating. They developed a questionnaire to measure mindful eating using these behaviors:

Eating even when full (disinhibition)
Being aware of how food looks, tastes and smells
Eating in response to environmental cues, such as the sight or smell of food
Eating when sad or stressed (emotional eating)
Eating when distracted by other things

The researchers found that people who practiced yoga were more mindful eaters according to their scores. Both years of yoga practice and number of minutes of practice per week were associated with better mindful eating scores. Practicing yoga helps you be more aware how your body feels. This heightened awareness can carry over to mealtime as you savor each bite or sip, and note how food smells, tastes and feels in your mouth.

A boost to weight loss and maintenance

People who practice yoga and are mindful eaters are more in tune with their bodies. They may be more sensitive to hunger cues and feelings of fullness.

Researchers found that people who practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes once a week for at least four years, gained less weight during middle adulthood. People who were overweight actually lost weight. Overall, those who practiced yoga had lower body mass indexes (BMIs) compared with those who did not practice yoga. Researchers attributed this to mindfulness. Mindful eating can lead to a more positive relationship with food and eating.

Enhancing fitness

Yoga is known for its ability to soothe tension and anxiety in the mind and body. But it can also have an impact on a person’s exercise capacity.

Researchers studied a small group of sedentary individuals who had not practiced yoga before. After eight weeks of practicing yoga at least twice a week for a total of 180 minutes, participants had greater muscle strength and endurance, flexibility and cardio-respiratory fitness.

Cardiovascular benefits

Several small studies have found yoga to have a positive effect on cardiovascular risk factors: It helped lower blood pressure in people who have hypertension. It’s likely that the yoga restores “baroreceptor sensitivity.” This helps the body senses imbalances in blood pressure and maintain balance.

Another study found that practicing yoga improved lipid profiles in healthy patients as well as patients with known coronary artery disease. It also lowered excessive blood sugar levels in people with non-insulin dependent diabetes and reduced their need for medications. Yoga is now being included in many cardiac rehabilitation programs due to its cardiovascular and stress-relieving benefits.

Before you start a new exercise program, be sure to check with your doctor.

Researchers are also studying if yoga can help people with depression and arthritis, and improve survival from cancer.

Namaste.”

in: Harvard Medical School

Junho 13, 2021Junho 13, 2021

Bungee, radical é não experimentar.

Há quem adore treinar e quem odeie…o Bungee é para esses e para todos, os que nutrem sentimentos menos extremistas, em relação ao exercício físico. Convenhamos: como ficar indiferente à possibilidade de descobrir a sua melhor forma, enquanto se diverte, pendurado no teto, por um elástico de bungee jumping?

Agora, já sabe de onde vem o nome mas, a modalidade criada na Tailândia é mais do que uma hora de pura diversão. Com pouco impacto nas articulações, esta técnica de resistência, fortalece o core como nenhuma outra, alcançando ótimos resultados na melhoria de problemas de coluna e postura, coordenação motora e resistência, obtendo um elevado gasto calórico durante a aula.

Então, o Bungee é ideal para todos? Não. É desaconselhado a grávidas, a quem tem problemas cardíacos, patologia grave da coluna, glaucoma e hipertensão resistente. E claro, é pouco recomendada a quem não gosta de se divertir. Ou será de prescrição obrigatória? 😉

Junho 8, 2021Junho 8, 2021

Inverter é viver!

Yoga, pilates, treino intervalado, relaxamento reparativo…encontramos elementos de todas estas abordagens numa aula de Aerial, mas, sejamos honest@s, a maior atração desta modalidade tão versátil são as posturas invertidas.

Deixamos de nos pendurar por volta dos 12 anos, diz um estudo realizado, mesmo agora, junto d@s noss@os alun@s! A partir desta idade brincamos menos e, infelizmente, os riscos da vida adulta não passam por nos virarmos de cabeça para baixo. Talvez por isso, com menos tecido cerebral oxigenado, deixamos de ser tão criativos.

É aqui que as posturas invertidas ganham fãs: Ansiedade reduzida, superação de medos e fobias, confronto com a capacidade de fazer e consequente autovalidação.

Há muito por explorar no Aerial e, aqui n´O Estúdio, ajudamos cada um@ a encontrar a sua vertente favorita. Já experimentou? Qual é a sua?

Maio 5, 2021Junho 12, 2021

Regressar ao Corpo.

“Numa sociedade que valoriza mais a mente, é essencial regressarmos ao corpo e libertarmos a mente. Este regresso implica sentirmos e tomarmos consciência do nosso corpo, movermo-nos e mantermos uma conexão mente-corpo, deixando fluir no momento presente.

O extremo trabalho cerebral bloqueia o movimento e a expressão física do corpo – perdemos consciência do alinhamento corporal, deixamos de sentir as sensações internas e externas do corpo, desconectamos a inteligência própria do corpo para se auto expressar, proceder a ações físicas e agir em conformidade.

Sabemos que dançar ou fazer um exercício físico sem prazer não dá bons resultados, mas por outro lado uma mente autoritária que quer controlar o corpo e não o deixa expressar-se e desenvolver as suas capacidades, que a ele competem, também não é produtivo. Tudo se torna muito mecânico, sem alma. Acredito que necessitamos de regressar ao corpo no sentido de o melhor sentir para melhor interagirmos connosco e com os outros.

A dança e o movimento são experiências para serem vividas pelo corpo. Por exemplo se a mente compreendeu o exercício proposto temos de deixar tempo e espaço para que o corpo interaja e que aprenda, repetindo, aperfeiçoando, saindo da zona de conforto, explorando as possibilidades, sem ter um número de tentativas limitadas. Quando se trata do corpo as soluções estão no corpo. Através da dança e do movimento descobrimos partes e estruturas do corpo que talvez nunca tenhamos sentido antes. O corpo tem a capacidade de resistir, suportar e transformar de forma autónoma reconhecendo o seu tempo interno e a sua complexidade estrutural. Quando sacudimos o corpo, quando sentimos toda a sua estrutura, peso, formas a moverem-se, quando contraímos os músculos e relaxamos descobrimos a urgência do corpo. Encontramos a sua fisicalidade, a sua vitalidade.

Através do movimento as memórias, histórias, sentimentos, pensamentos e experiências vividas ou imaginadas são activadas. Sair do cérebro significa dar mais atenção e mais espaço ao corpo. O corpo precisa de ter essa autonomia, de ser libertado, de desenvolver as suas capacidades para ser mais hábil e capaz e por consequência muito mais feliz!”

In poleheartstudio.com – Carolina Ramos

Fevereiro 10, 2021Fevereiro 10, 2021

Growing up!

Esta carta começará como tantas outras que se escrevem sobre alguém: como a conheci. No entanto, escrevo sem qualquer presunção de a continuar a conhecer porque se há coisa que a Ana* faz muito bem é crescer. Evitando o paralelismo com o seu tamanho (tarde demais?) gostaria de vos contar que chegou ao meu estúdio de dança com os seus 6 anos e pouco mais de um metro de altura, ao seu ar angelical acrescentava uma genuína vontade de se divertir e ser feliz e, sendo esse o nosso propósito na altura, o alinhamento era o ideal.

Os anos passaram, a Ana continuou a frequentar o Estúdio, a proximidade manteve-se e isto só é possível crescendo. Sendo óbvio que ela teria de crescer, gostaria de vos contar como é que eu cresci com ela.

As aulas de dança acontecem uma vez por semana e duram 60 minutos. Isto faz com que, a maioria dos alunos, veja este momento como uma hora de diversão e escape a todas as horas de escola obrigatória e trabalhos de casa. Mas, há quem queira que aquela hora semanal signifique mais e faça por isso.

A Ana entrava no estúdio para aprender, para sentir e para se desafiar. Não era só diversão, tinha que haver outro propósito, e isso fez-me buscar outro propósito. A procura dela por mais fez-me aprender mais, o notório entusiasmo pelo desafio e a antevisão da entrega a esse desafio, foram e são um catalisador para que, o serviço que o Estúdio presta, esteja sempre à altura das expetativas de alun@s como ela.

Hoje em dia, uma das maiores valências d´O Estúdio é a Dança Contemporânea e foi também por ela, que há três anos a implementei e que, logo nesse ano, ela tão bem levou ao palco: com segurança mas vulnerabilidade, com conhecimento mas espaço para improviso.

Obrigada Loura <3

Carta de recomendação escrita a pedido da aluna para um projeto escolar.
*nome fictício

Janeiro 16, 2021Janeiro 16, 2021

I’m A Professional Pole Dancer and here are 9 things I wish everyone knew about pole dancing:

I started pole dancing after I saw a live event in New York City. The women mystified me with their grace and strength, and I wanted to learn how to move like them. After my first class, however, I found that pole dancing was hard—every muscle in my body ached for days.

After much practice and training, I’m now proud to say I’m a professional pole dancer and aerialist. But it wasn’t easy. Here are 11 things people might not know about this fitness form.

1. Most pole dancers, regardless of age, are in the best shape of their lives.

Pole dancing is a full-body workout. It is resistance training and cardio in one, and flexibility is improved as well. Pole dancers perform acrobatic tricks either suspending their weight or propelling it around a metal pole. The simple act of climbing a pole is an incredible display of strength. It is no surprise, then, that most pole dancers insist they have never looked or felt better.

Natasha Wang, a world champion pole dancer, didn’t even start the exercise until age 29. Greta Pontarelli is a champion pole dancer at age 63—and she only began a few years ago!

2. There are many different types of pole dancing.

When most people think of “pole dancing,” they tend to think of the kind performed in strip clubs. While this type of pole dancing is still very present, there are actually three main branches of pole dancing: sport, art, and sexy:

In sport, you have the serious athletes performing difficult tricks and displaying unfathomable muscular strength. (Some have even petitioned for pole to become an Olympic event!)
Then there are also those who embrace the artistic side pole has to offer. The simplicity of a vertical apparatus like the pole is appealing in that there is no shortage of creativity—so many stories can be told. Many pole dancers perform barefoot and have been known to incorporate modern dance, props and costumes into their routines.
Finally the sexy side of pole is still practiced by many. These dancers usually wear heels, although it is not required.

Although there is some debate within the community about which direction pole is heading, all three forms flourish, and many pole dancers enjoy all styles. There is something for everyone!

3. You need your skin exposed to grip the pole.

I am still surprised that many people don’t understand this concept. In order for skin to grip the pole, pole dancers must have their legs, arms and stomach exposed. There are some grounded spins, poses, and floor work that can be performed while wearing pants, but in order to perform more advanced moves, we must have the proper amount of skin exposure.

Most pole dancers actually shift their focus away from what their bodies look like and onto what they can accomplish—a freeing notion, really, that can help build confidence.

4. It can be dangerous without proper training.

Although pole dancing is fun, it is a serious athletic endeavor that should not be taken lightly. Some people do not realize how challenging pole can be on a first attempt (re: every muscle in my body ached for days). In addition to bruises, pole dancers can experience shoulder or back pain with improper technique or overtraining.

That said, you should always learn from from a certified instructor, rather than trying to figure it out with an improperly installed home pole and instructional video. If you’re too eager to flip upside down, it can be especially dangerous and can lead to injury.

That said, I encourage everyone interested in pole dancing to go through gradually progressive training with a professional.

5. Men can (and do!) pole dance.

The number of men pole dancing continues to grow every year. There are men’s divisions in competitions now, and I usually have at least one man in all the classes I take or teach.

Contrary to what many people might think, men’s natural inclination toward upper body strength makes them ideal candidates for the sport. There are many ancient forms of pole dancing such as Mallakhamb, a traditional Indian sport where the practitioner performs yoga postures on a wooden pole—and has been performed exclusively by men throughout history.

6. “Not having upper body strength” is not an excuse to avoid it.

I understand that you may be nervous to try pole dancing. Maybe you aren’t at your ideal weight, or you think you have no rhythm, or you think you’re too old. But I encourage you to stop creating roadblocks for yourself! You’ll build skills as you grow and learn—that is part of what’s so inspiring and empowering about pole.

Whether you’re uncoordinated and can’t lift your own body weight or you’re an athlete with gymnastic capabilities, there is always a new trick or transition to learn with pole dancing. The process of growth never ends, and the possibilities can be as creative as your imagination allows them to be.

7. It’s not always so sexy.

Don’t get me wrong, pole dancing can be very sexy. But it is not always as overtly sexual as people may believe. Many of us end up with bruises, burns, and scrapes from trying new moves. And although we may wear sports bras and tiny shorts when performing, most dancers opt for comfort over fashion in between training sessions.

8. The community is very tight-knit.

Because what we do is still considered taboo by many, there is a unique closeness that bonds us together. There are pole dancers of all professions, ethnicities, religions, cultures, sizes, and ages. I have friends all over the world because of pole dancing, and I have friends who have been able to travel the world because of it.

We support each other through learning new moves. We share each other’s videos, and we watch each other perform. This shared interest bonds us with a special understanding, just like any other team sport.

9. Pole dancing can be emotionally healing.

This is one of the biggest reasons I’ve stuck with pole dancing as long as I have. The physical benefits are great, but the feeling you get from mastering a move or expressing a particular emotion is indescribable. For example, when I assisted a student in her first climb, the expression of joy on her face reminded me why I do what I do.

You can dance out any emotion in class, whether joyful, angry, or sad. The combination of athletic skill and artistic influence makes it unique to any other form of dance or sport. To me, it is both dance and sport woven together into one beautiful, athletic art form.

Irmingard Mayer in

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/