Testimonial – Dance Class

Here is another great testimonial for all of you out there that are scared or a little nervous to venture into dance classes.  No matter what level of dancing you have, even if you have no experience, our dance class is about coming together and working hard to accomplish a common goal.  Come out have fun, do your best and enjoy something new and exciting.  Here’s what one of our recent dance class attendants had to say…

“I took Erica’s dance class and am so happy I did!  Erica is truly dedicated to her student’s success.  Rhythm has never been my strong area, so I thought I would try her dance class to see if there was any hope for me.  While I found the first two classes challenging, by the 3rd class I really started to prove that there was a dancer hidden inside this body after all!”

If you would like to send in a testimonial, please do!  to info@violetquartzwellness.com

Stability Ball Classes

Stability Ball Classes have started!

A strong core is essential to well rounded fitness and decreased overall pain cause my muscle imbalances. Focusing on all the core components; shoulder stability, trunk stability, hip stability; including glute control and strength, balance and muscle control through movement.

To keep the class fresh and interesting we use a variety of techniques and equipment such as stability balls, BOSU balls, foam rollers, balance boards, etc. Including all components of fitness from cardiovascular endurance to more traditional strength training exercises to flexibility and range of motion work tone your entire body while building functional strength. This class is appropriate for  for all levels of fitness.

Drop in or sign up for our 6 or 8 week series.

Wednesday night at 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Hope to see you there 🙂

Moderation, rest and it place in creating sustainable change.

mod⋅er⋅a⋅tion  /ˌmɒdəˈreɪʃən/

–noun

1. the quality of being moderate; restraint; avoidance of extremes or excesses; temperance.
2. the act of moderating.
3. moderations, British. the first public examinations at Oxford University for the B.A. degree in mathematics or in classics.
—Idiom

4. in moderation, without excess; moderately; temperately: to drink in moderation.
There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, even the healthiest foods, exercises can become dangerous and harmful when we abuse them, not only can it become an obsession, but it can also have detrimental effects in the body, thus in the energetic system and so on. Often when trying to maintain healthy habits we begrudge ourselves small slip ups, we feel we must be on the ball one hundred percent of the time, when in fact our changes would be more sustainable if we accept that we will falter, thus we should take it easy, be kind to ourselves and start with small steps. Taking breaks and taking stock are an important part of the process. It is comparable to what happens in the body when exercise training. There is a prescribed rest interval for different types to training which yield different adaptations. When training for increased strength and size, you would not use a rest time appropriate for endurance training. Furthermore you would not for go the rest period all together since it would limit the change in the muscle over time.
If we apply this principle to life and making changes in our lifestyle or perception then it stands to reason that depending on our goals and aspirations, different paths will be appropriate for different types of people. Do not compare your journey to that of another, we are all unique. take your time, as a wise person once said it is not the destination that matters but the journey there.

 

Olympic spirit

The olympics are fast approaching, and the flame will be in Squamish in nine days. It is very exciting to be on the world’s stage; show off our beautiful town and get wrapped up in the energy of the Olympics.

I am very proud to say that Rob will be the RCMP representative greeting the torch when it lands in Lion’s Bay on the 4th.

I encourage you to step out and participate, not only for this event, but also throughout February; it is a once in a life time opportunity to be shared with people from all over the world.

For more information on the torch relay click here.

 

Stairway to health

The stairway to health is a program designed by the Canadian public health agency to provide support and resources to encourage Canadians to get active and increase their daily physical activity. Something as simple as taking the stairs throughout your workday can do a lot in helping you reach minimum physical activity requirements (30-60 min a day, everyday). Here is on of the “stairway to health” fact sheets:

There are a variety of benefits to programs that encourage the use of stairways, as part of physical activity in workplaces, or other settings. These benefits may include improved morale, a sense of well-being, higher energy levels and improved team building. Below are the measurable benefits that are indicated in research on stair use.

  • Canada’s Physical Activity Guide recommends that Canadians accumulate 30-60 minutes of moderate physical activity each day.
  • Stair climbing is possible in many workplaces and requires no special equipment in order to participate.
  • There is evidence to suggest that moderate intensity lifestyle activities like taking the stairs may be more successfully promoted than structured vigorous intensity exercise programs (Kerr, 2001).
  • Stair climbing can be accumulated across the course of the day, making a significant contribution to 30 minutes of daily physical activity (Kerr, 2001).
  • Stair climbing interventions typically result in a 6-15% increase in use of stairs.
  • A significantly lower risk of mortality is indicated in studies where participants climbed more than 55 flights per week. (Paffenbarger et al. 1993).
  • Stair climbing requires about 8-11kcal of energy per minute, which is high compared to other physical activities (Edwards, 1983).
  • Active Stair climbers are more fit and have a higher aerobic capacity (Ilmarinen et al, 1978).
  • Even two flights of stairs climbed per day can lead to 2.7 kg weight loss over one year (Brownell, Stunkard, and ALbaum, 1980).
  • There is a strong association between stair climbing and bone density, in post-menopausal women (Coupland et al. 1999).
  • Stair climbing programs can improve the amount of ‘good cholesterol’ in the blood – HDL concentrations (Wallace and Neill, 2000).
  • Stair climbing increases leg power and may be an important priority in reducing the risk of injury from falls in the elderly (Allied Dunbar Survey, 1992).
  • Because stair climbing rates are currently very low, increasing population levels of stair climbing could lead to substantial public health dividends (Kerr, 2001
  • Because stair climbing is an activity with which we are all familiar, participants have a high level of confidence in their ability to participate in the activity (Kerr, 2001).
For more information and resources click here.

 

My word of the year; abundance

Yesterday I was sharing a meal with a friend, and at the same time picking up some flower essence to support my goals. You may ask what a flower essence is, here is a description fromMarrisa’s website who is the one I get such things from:

Flower essences are energetic remedies made from flowers. They are similar to the idea of homeopathy, yet different. Many people are familiar with the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy as it is the most common and oldest commercial flower essence. It is used for stress, upset, fear, trauma, shock and grief. It is also often used for pets when they are stressed with a trip to the vet, fireworks, lightening or other trauma.

The one I am currently using is abundance. As I was explaining why I was using it, I realized as I spoke it had much deeper significance than I originally intendend. My friend asked me if this was my word of the year, since resolutions are still somewhat on our minds. In that moment I decided that yes, this is my word of the year.

Abundance in health.

Abundance in love.

Abundance in time.

Abundance in fun.

Abundance in friends.

Abundance in wealth.

Abundance in success.

What would you choose your word of the year to live by to be?

 

This gives me hope for the future… just amazing

I was in the grocery store yesterday and I picked up a copy of the new National Geographic because the feature interested me. The article looks at bionics; have a look yourself, truly amazing. Some people really are changing the world.

National geographic: Bionics

Do not forget to post a comment, and send me your testimonials. 🙂

 

Stretching and meditation

Yesterday I wrote about all the components of fitness, but today I wanted to further emphasize the importance of stretching. When we stretch our bodies we invite relaxation, not only in the body but also the mind. Those who come to my stretch class know that by the end of the class the mind is quieter, thoughts are more calm, and your body feels great! In a gym setting you will see people stretch 10-15 seconds, muscle their way into it, but he reality is that a stressed out muscle can not relax therefore can not stretch. Comparatively a stressed out mind can not relax and therefore can not expand and grow.

Stretching the body allows you to be present within it, check in with yourself if you will. Expanding the mind offers the opportunity to explore yourself. The next time you are in a yoga or stretch class, relax. Do not force it, just be, and see where your flexibility of body, and openness of mind takes you.

Happy stretching.

 

Well-rounded fitness

There are five components of fitness which together determine your overall physical well-being and ability; Cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and balance.

Together these components provide general health benefits also known as functional fitness. Functional fitness is comprised of  exercises and activities which includes two or more of these components. They are all equally important because they contribute to a longer and more importantly independent life.

Cardiovascular endurance is essential to a healthy circulatory system and heart; your body’s transportation system to nourish itself. Because heart health is so vital for everyday living regular cardiovascular exercise, is a sure fire way to ensure it is optimal for as long as possible

Muscular strength is important in everyday movement, getting out of bed, getting dressed etc. These are things we take for granted until we are no longer able to perform them for ourselves. Because we lose muscle mass as we age it is important to build and maintain as much as possible so that you can live independently for as long as possible.

Muscular endurance is the ability to repeatedly move a muscle without tiring and allows us to participate in sport, gardening, hiking; activities which contribute to our quality of life and are essential to our overall well-being.

Flexibility helps us maintain range of motion around our joints reducing stiffness and tension. The more flexible we are the less likely we are to get injured because we can more easily move our joints properly.

Balance is critical in injury prevention especially as we age. Participating in physical activity which requires us to balance helps us build and maintain our stabilization muscle which helps prevent falls and related injuries.

 

Benefits of napping

I am not a morning person, as my clients know 9 am is the earliest I will train, but I am happy to work well into the evening. We all have different sleeping patterns and getting enough of it is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. One of my favorite sleeping behaviors is napping; often given a bad rap, nothing beats a nap to get you back on your feet when feeling tired mid day. We often relegate napping to young children and the elderly, but napping can provide many benefits. The average recommended napping duration is about 20 minutes. Here is a great link with lots of useful information on napping.

Happy sleep!