The benefits of Tai Chi

Muscle Strength - Tai chi strengthens both the lower and upper extremities and also the core muscles of the back and abdomen. It has proven to improve daily activities and strengthen postural muscles which will influence correct posture.

Flexibility - Staying flexible is great for healthy joints, muscles and bones. Studies have shown that Tai Chi can significantly boosted upper- and lower-body flexibility as well as strengthen joints.

Balance - Tai chi improves balance and has shown to reduce the risk of falls. Tai chi helps train the body’s sense, which makes it easier to recover from a stumble. Fear of falling can make you more likely to fall; some studies have found that tai chi training also helps to reduce that fear.

Aerobic conditioning - Depending on the speed and size of the movements, tai chi can provide some aerobic benefits. It is a great low impact alternative to traditional cardio workouts such as running or aerobic classes which can be damaging to bones and joints. 

7 benefits of Circuit training

1. Get Maximum Results in Minimum Time

Nobody has hours a day to spend in the gym. Circuit training is the perfect workout for anyone with minimal time but wanting maximum results. The whole body approach of circuits means that you can fit it in an effective, total-body workout whether you have 15 minutes or an hour.

2. Challenge Your Whole Body

Ever found yourself just wandering around the gym floor and making up your route as you go along? By incorporating individual "stations" as part of a whole-body circuit, you're guaranteed to hit every muscle group.

3. Mix Cardio and Strength Training

You love cardio but know you should do weights too (or vice versa), and forcing yourself to do an entire workout you don't enjoy can be tedious. Circuit training offers the best of both worlds by allowing you to combine intervals of high-intensity cardio with weight lifting for toning and strength.

4. Send Your Metabolism Soaring

Thanks to the many benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and heavy weight lifting, circuit training kicks your fat-burning furnace into high gear. You'll burn more calories in 20 minutes than you would in an entire hour on the cross trainer or bike reading a magazine. Plus, the afterburn effect will have you crushing calories for up to 48 hours after your workout ends.

5. Never Waste another Minute

Waiting in line for your favourite machine or trying to avoid conversation in the gym are fast ways to kill your motivation. With circuit training, it's easy to swap out one station for a different exercise and still get the same great workout.

6. Try All the Latest Fitness Tools

Have you ever been curious about a new piece of equipment but weren't sure how to use it? Circuit training allows you to mix traditional body weight exercises with cutting-edge gym tools so that you can get comfortable with new equipment in a supervised environment.

7. Beat Gym Boredom

Because circuit training is such a flexible format, the options in how you set up your workout are limitless. Whether you like to stick to one routine for a while to measure your progress or prefer mixing it up every time you go to the gym, having a plan will make you more confident and efficient. 

Benefits of Core Conditioning

The “Core” is a word which can often be heard in the gym and fitness studio, but what does this mean?

When people think of Core Training they think of sit ups and six packs, however the core is far more complex than many realise. Core training refers to all muscles which stabilise the spine, pelvis and lower extremities, hence the importance of core strength in everything that we do.

For years, exercise techniques such as Yoga and Pilates which challenge and strengthen the core muscles have proved hugely beneficial in injury prevention, posture improvement and many other health improvements. 

For individuals who spend excessive hours sat in a chair core training can be beneficial in preventing lower back pain and other postural repetitive strain injuries. It has also proven beneficial in enhancing athletic performance as many professional sports clubs now openly embrace core training for their athletes.

Below are 8 benefits of core training

1. Tightens the abdominal structures.
2. Aids in the prevention of injury.
3. Strengthens and improves the torso’s stabilization.
4. Can improve respiratory function.
5. Improves weight distribution and postural alignment.
6. Improves movement efficiency, balance and stability.
7. Improves general strength.
8. Tightens and flattens the tummy.

Want to give it a try? Core Conditioning is available to all staff at the Stratford campus Wednesdays 13:30-14:00 and at  Docklands Thursdays 13:15-13:45 and Friday 12:00-12:30.

For more information email healthycampus@uel.ac.uk

Build Up Your Resilience!

Life can be very stressful these days! Try out our 10 tips for building up your emotional resilience to help you to cope with life’s ups and downs.

1 Talk to someone

Communication is important, whether it’s with a friend, family member or counsellor. Communication enables you to release tension rather than keep it inside. If you’re talking about your innermost feelings, be careful who you talk to. Make sure that it’s someone who has your best interest at heart.

Talking about your feelings doesn’t have to be formal or too serious. You can discuss small things that annoy you or make you sad. You might end up laughing about a previous difficult experience. It helps you to strengthen your relationships and connect with people.

2 Improve your self-esteem

Self-esteem is the way you feel about yourself. Lots of things can lower your self-esteem, such as a relationship break-up, not getting the job you wanted or putting on weight. None of these things makes us worth less, but it can feel that way.

If your self-esteem is low, it’s important to learn how to improve it. The best way to improve your self-esteem is to treat yourself as you would treat a valued friend, i.e. in a positive but honest way. Notice when you’re putting yourself down, such as ‘You’re so stupid for not getting that job’ and think ‘Would I say that to my best friend?’ You probably wouldn’t.

Tell yourself something positive instead, such as ‘You’re a bright person, you’ll get the next job'.

3 Manage your stress levels

Being in a stressed state of mind a lot of the time can make it easier for you to overreact or feel negative compared to someone who is relaxed.

Managing your stress can be a gradual process. Look at your lifestyle. If you have a lot of stress in your life, find ways to reduce it, such as asking your partner to help with chores in the house, taking a relaxing yoga class, or talking to your manager about flexibility with your working hours. Introduce regular exercise and time to yourself. These are positive changes. Taking control of your time in this way can effectively reduce stress.

If you have any concerns regarding work, speak to your manager or HR Manager in the first instance, or if you don’t feel able to speak to them, contact Occupational Health for a self-referral appointment.

If you have anxiety with stress, breathing exercises can help. See advice regarding relaxation at the end of this blog.

4 Enjoy yourself

Doing things that you enjoy is good for your emotional health. Watching sports with a friend, having a soak in the bath, or meeting up with friends for coffee are examples of small activities that can improve your day.

Doing something you’re good at, such as cooking or dancing, is a good way to enjoy yourself and have a sense of achievement. If you’re feeling low, tell yourself how good you are at the activity. It really gives you a lift.

Avoid things that seem enjoyable at the time but make you feel worse afterwards, such as alcohol, or clothes shopping if you’re on a tight budget.

5 Limit your alcohol intake

You don’t have to give up alcohol completely to be emotionally resilient, but avoid drinking more than the recommended limit. If you're a man, don't regularly drink more than three to four units a day (maximum 21 units per week). If you're a woman, don't regularly drink more than two to three units a day (maximum 14 units per week).

When times are hard, it’s tempting to drink alcohol because it ‘numbs’ painful feelings. However, it can exaggerate some feelings and make you feel angry or aggressive. It can also make you depressed.

If you think that your drinking might be becoming a problem, contact Occupational Health or your GP for advice.

 6 Choose a well-balanced diet

Making healthy choices about your diet can make you feel emotionally stronger. You’re doing something positive for yourself, which lifts your self-esteem, and a good diet enables your brain and body to work efficiently. Aim for a balanced diet that includes the main food groups.

7 Do exercise

Exercise is a great way to relax. Research shows that physical activity can help to reduce stress by improving your overall mood.

Physical activity can boost your mental wellbeing and improve your outlook on life. It can help people with anxiety and depression, and might prevent such problems from developing in the first place. People who are physically active tend to feel better about themselves and being active can lead to motivation to take on other beneficial changes such as stopping smoking or eating better.

For some people, exercise may be walking more briskly with the kids to and from school, or cycling to and from work.

For others, a more structured activity such as a dance class or a gym session a few times a week may be a practical way of keeping fit and making activity part of your daily routine.

Even a small amount of exercise is beneficial. The recommended 30 minutes of moderate activity at least five times a week can be done in 10- to 15-minute blocks.

8 Get enough sleep

Around seven to eight hours is the average amount of sleep an adult needs for their body and mind to fully rest. But this can vary. Some people need less and some need more before they feel ready for the day.

Whatever the case, make sure that you make sleep a priority. Some people find this very hard at certain times in their lives, for example, new parents and those working shifts. Ask your partner or a family member to help you so that you can catch up on sleep.

9 Develop good relationships

Our relationships are part of who we are and how we feel.

Think about your relationships with family, friends, your partner. Do they have your best interests at heart? Do you enjoy their company? Are you happy with the way you act towards them? Start to think about how you can improve your relationships, and then make little changes."

10 Know the warning signs

Try to recognise when negative emotions start creeping in, whether it’s stress, anxiety or feeling sad.

When you know the warning signs you can do the things that you know will help. For example, a good chat with a close friend or some relaxing breathing exercises.

Be aware of what your body’s telling you but don’t let it take over. If you’re having a really bad day, do what makes you feel better, such as staying in bed a while longer than usual. Enjoy it but don’t let it carry on too long. Get back out there and get on with your normal life.

Relaxation tips for stress

Relaxation can help to relieve the symptoms of stress. It can help you calm down and take a step back from a stressful situation.

Although the cause of the anxiety won’t disappear, you will probably feel more able to deal with it once you've released the tension in your body and cleared your thoughts.

Don't worry if you find it difficult to relax at first. It's a skill that needs to be learned and it will come with practice.

Relaxed breathing

Practice deep breathing at a regular time and in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Loosen or remove any tight clothes, such as shoes or jackets. Be completely comfortable.

Sit in a comfy chair which supports your head or lie on the floor or bed. Place your arms on the chair arms, or flat on the floor or bed, a little bit away from the side of your body with the palms up. If you’re lying down, stretch out your legs, keeping them hip-width apart or slightly wider. If you’re sitting in a chair, don’t cross your legs.

Good relaxation always starts with focusing on your breathing. The way to do it is to breathe in and out slowly and in a regular rhythm as this will help you to calm down.

·   Fill up the whole of your lungs with air, without forcing. Imagine you're filling up a bottle, so that your lungs fill from the bottom. 

·   Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. 

·   Breathe in slowly and regularly counting from one to five (don’t worry if you can’t reach five at first). 

·   Then let the breath escape slowly, counting from one to five. 

·   Keep doing this until you feel calm. Breathe without pausing or holding your breath.

Practice this relaxed breathing for three to five minutes, two to three times a day (or whenever you feel the need to calm down).

Deep muscle relaxation

This technique takes around 20 minutes. It stretches different muscles in turn and then relaxes them, to release tension from the body and relax your mind.

Find a warm, quiet place with no distractions. Get completely comfortable, either sitting or lying down. Close your eyes and begin by focusing on your breathing; breathing slowly and deeply, as described above.

If you have pain in certain muscles, or if there are muscles that you find it difficult to focus on, spend more time on relaxing other parts.

You may want to play some soothing music to help relaxation. As with all relaxation techniques, deep muscle relaxation will require a bit of practice before you start feeling its benefits.

For each exercise, hold the stretch for a few seconds, and then relax. Repeat it a couple of times. It’s useful to keep to the same order as you work through the muscle groups:

·   Face: push the eyebrows together, as though frowning, then release. 

·   Neck: gently tilt the head forwards, pushing chin down towards chest, and then slowly lift again. 

·   Shoulders: pull them up towards the ears (shrug), and then relax them down towards the feet. 

·   Chest: breathe slowly and deeply into the diaphragm (below your bottom rib) so that you're using the whole of the lungs. Then breath slowly out, allowing the belly to deflate as all the air is exhaled. 

·   Arms: stretch the arms away from the body, reach, and then relax. 

·   Legs: push the toes away from the body, then pull them towards body, then relax. 

·   Wrists and hands: stretch the wrist by pulling the hand up towards you, and stretch out the fingers and thumbs, then relax.

Spend some time lying quietly after your relaxation with your eyes closed. When you feel ready, stretch and get up slowly. 

Get a good nights sleep

Simple lifestyle changes can make a world of difference to your quality of sleep, and getting a good night's sleep can help you cope better with stress. Try out these tips if stress is keeping you awake:

1. Keep regular hours. Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time every day will programme your body to sleep better. Choose a time when you're most likely to feel sleepy.

2. Create a restful sleeping environment. Your bedroom should be kept for rest and sleep. Keep it as quiet and dark as possible. It should be neither too hot nor too cold. Temperature, lighting and noise should be controlled so that the bedroom environment helps you to fall (and stay) asleep.

3. Make sure that your bed is comfortable. It’s difficult to get restful sleep on a mattress that’s too soft or too hard, or a bed that's too small or old. If you have a pet that sleeps in the room with you, consider moving it somewhere else if it often makes noise in the night.

4. Exercise regularly. Moderate exercise on a regular basis, such as swimming or walking, can help to relieve some of the tension built up over the day. But don't do vigorous exercise too close to bedtime as it may keep you awake.

5. Less caffeine. Cut down on stimulants such as caffeine in tea or coffee, especially in the evening. They interfere with the process of falling asleep, and they prevent deep sleep. The effects of caffeine can last a long time (up to 24 hours) so the chances of it affecting sleep are significant. Have a warm, milky drink or herbal tea instead.

6. Don’t over-indulge. Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, can interrupt your sleep patterns. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, but it will disrupt your sleep later on in the night.

7. Don’t smoke. It’s bad for sleep. Smokers take longer to fall asleep, they wake up more frequently, and they often have a more disrupted sleep.

8. Try to relax before going to bed. Have a warm bath, listen to quiet music or do some gentle yoga to relax the mind and body. Your doctor may be able to recommend a helpful relaxation CD.

9. Write away your worries. Deal with worries or a heavy workload by making lists of things to be tackled the next day. If you tend to lie in bed thinking about tomorrow's tasks, set aside time before bedtime to review the day and make plans for the next day. The goal is to avoid doing these things when you're in bed, trying to sleep.

10. Don't worry in bed. If you can’t sleep, don’t lie there worrying about it. Get up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then return to bed.

Benefits of Badminton

Physical Fitness: Between the running, lunging, and shuttlecock hitting, playing badminton burns your body fat. An hour game burns about 450 calories, but the time will feel like much less as you’ll be having fun.

Develop skills that are good for other sports: Badminton Improves your speed, reflex, intelligence, and productivity. Its a fast paced game. Since players need to be attentive and powerful all the time, the game increases your speed and improves your reflexes. Intelligence is also a factor since players must know how to deceive their opponents in every shot so they could win the game. Therefore if you play badminton, it will help you develop your agility, strength and intelligence.

Increased Muscle Tone: It’s fantastic for the legs: the quads, glutes, calves and hamstrings. Your core muscles get worked, too. And of course the arm and back muscles on the side you hold your racquet are getting a workout.

Psychological Benefits: Because badminton promotes physical fitness, it helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Exercise increases endorphins, which are the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, and has also been found to improve mood and sleep. Badminton is also likely to put you in a good mood because it’s a social activity.

Social Health: You’ll need at least one opponent, but you can also play with a teammate and two other opponents. The social interactions of a game, combined with feel-good endorphins, will result in positive feelings after a session on the court.

Great for Overall Health: As with all forms of physical exercise, badminton can reduce or eliminate your risk of numerous health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. It can also reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by reducing your triglyceride levels and increasing your “good” cholesterol.