Softly Does It
Sun Herald
Sunday April 23, 2000
Relax. You don't need to work up a sweat to exercise your body. By Paula Goodyer
In the '80s we went for the burn, in the '90s we pumped iron, but the Noughties could be the decade when low-sweat exercise comes into its own. Perhaps it's all those Baby Boomers, clutching their aching backs or wincing from the early twinges of osteoarthritis, who now feel the need to loosen up their joints. Or maybe it's a greater awareness that you don't need to hammer your body hard to do it good. Either way, a growing number of gyms are now adding gentler, slower-paced yoga and pilates classes, while an estimated 100,000 Australians - from both Asian and non-Asian backgrounds - have taken to the graceful, fluid movements of tai chi.
All this is good news for anyone who's still stuck to their chair, convinced that any kind of exercise involves too much sweat and grunt. In fact, for the seriously bum-bound, these exercises are just what they need. In the 21st century, human beings must spend more time sitting around than at any other time in history. The result, points out Sydney yoga teacher Simon Voysey, is that the underused muscles in your buttocks, hips and hamstrings tighten up, your posture slumps and your risk of back pain rises.
But one of the advantages of gentler exercise forms, such as yoga, tai chi and pilates, is that they all counteract the stiffening that comes with inactivity and age and help prevent back pain by strengthening muscles and improving posture. The stretching movements involved in all three exercises also improve an element of fitness that is often overlooked in the rush to burn fat and build muscle - flexibility, or the ability to make your joints move through the full range of motion. Walking and running, for instance, although they're great exercises, don't do much for flexibility. Stretching lengthens your muscles so that you can reach, bend and twist more easily and are less likely to injure yourself.
The Chinese believe good physical and mental health depends on having a kind of energy called chi (sometimes spelt "qi") flow through a number of channels or meridians in the body. When this flow of energy is blocked, you end up with health problems. The benefit of tai chi is that it opens up the energy channels allowing chi to travel through freely. But if you prefer the Western view, says Sydney GP and tai chi teacher Dr Paul Lam, research has found that tai chi helps improve another underestimated asset - balance. For anyone over the age of 60, a fall is the injury most likely to result in hospital admission - and 30 per cent of these admissions are for a fracture of the hip. But a US study has found that after 15 weeks of tai chi, elderly people reduced their risk of falls by almost 50 per cent. There's also evidence that tai chi can lower blood pressure and it's known to help relieve the pain and stiffness of arthritis.
As for yoga, which originated in India at least 6000 years ago, medical research has found that it can lower high blood pressure, reduce headaches and migraine and can also improve symptoms of arthritis and possibly asthma. Like tai chi, yoga is a tranquillity work-out with both psychological and physical benefits - by concentrating on your breathing and the movements of your body, both exercises help to focus the mind and reduce stress.
Compared to the ancient practices of yoga and tai chi, pilates (pronounced "pilah-tees") is the new kid on the block. Developed in the 1920s by Joseph Pilates, a German boxer living in New York, it focuses on stretching and conditioning the muscles - including the deep abdominal muscles - that help keep the spine strong and stabilise posture.
The result, explains Sonja Schultze of Balance, a physiotherapy and pilates centre at Neutral Bay in Sydney, is longer, leaner muscles, stronger abs, improved flexibility, reduced back and neck pain, and much better posture. After a few sessions of pilates, many people say they feel a few centimetres taller.
What yoga, tai chi and pilates usually won't do, though, is melt fat. If you want to lose weight, you'll have to add some walking because none of these exercises will do much to make you thinner. Some possible exceptions could be more athletic forms of yoga such as Astanga yoga or power yoga, or doing tai chi very fast. However, some people suggest yoga might improve your eating habits for the better. Its relaxing effect could tame the stress that makes many of us over-eat.
All three exercises, however, will improve overall muscle strength and tone. The less fat you're carrying, the more obvious this tone will be.
Despite their slower pace and therapeutic effects, tai chi, yoga and pilates aren't just for couch potatoes, the elderly or people in pain. Along with athletes and others recovering from injuries, Sonja Schultze's clients include professional dancers working on staying supple and pregnant women who want to strengthen their backs.
Taking it easy - a mini guide
Tai chi
A low-impact form of martial art good for flexibility, balance and imitating the slow-motion fight scenes in chop-sockey movies. Think Bruce Lee on Prozac.
Pilates
The last big thing in Hollywood - until Madonna discovered Cabala classes. Still the trendiest exercise in the world, relying on a yoga-like combination of stretches and muscle conditioning.
Yoga
Still going strong despite its 1970s hippy connotations. Why? Just look at someone like Sting with his shirt off - an amazing physique for someone pushing middle age.
© 2000 Sun Herald