The Power of Intention

So how many times have you been in yoga class and heard the instructor ask you to “set your intention?” Maybe it’s the first time you've been asked, or the fiftieth time, but either way, you still aren't totally sure what setting an intention means exactly.

An intention is a higher-consciousness of a thought, a thing, a goal, and using it for a higher purpose. Intentions provide you with an agenda to help you set your priorities and expectations. By consciously setting an intention, you are saying to yourself, and the universe, that you are committed to this thought, this thing, this goal. Making your intention clear also helps you become more mindful when it goes off track, so you can quickly self-correct.       

Situations may arise from time to time that throw us off balance. A big part of a successful intention is finding ways to keep it in front of your awareness at all times. Write it down, repeat it, record it, post it where you’ll see it often. Once you put that intention out to the universe, an energy is formed.

Setting an intention will not only bring your yoga practice to a deeper level, but can bring your daily life to a deeper level. Try setting an intention as part of your everyday routine and squeeze it somewhere between hitting your alarm and brushing your teeth. Remember that the best intentions are not material wants or needs, but desires of the heart like the ability to forgive, confidence, strength, honesty, spirituality, peace, and compassion. Intentions are all about what is important to you.  So what do you want to be intentional about?

Did you know…that yoga is a practice that you carry with you throughout the day, long after your

time on the mat has ended, so it’s the best place to set a daily intention. Movement Works offers a variety of yoga practices including Mommy and Me yoga, family yoga, kids and tweens yoga, gentle yoga, and flow yoga. Check out our latest schedule for days and times.

It's Thyroid Awareness Month

January brings with it lots of reasons to celebrate – the holidays are over, a new year begins, and

spring is just around the corner. But January is also Thyroid Awareness Month; 31 days to spread awareness about thyroid disease, which affects nearly 20 million Americans.

Many of us don’t even know where or what the thyroid is. So how can something so obscure like a thyroid get its own month of recognition you may ask?  Well, that little butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of our necks influences the function of just about every major organ of the body including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and even skin.   

According to the American Thyroid Association:

• More than 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime.
• Up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition.
• Women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.
• One woman in eight will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime.
• Most thyroid cancers respond to treatment, although a small percentage can be very aggressive.
• The causes of thyroid problems are largely unknown.
• Undiagnosed thyroid disease may put patients at risk for certain serious conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and infertility.
• Pregnant women with undiagnosed or inadequately treated hypothyroidism have an increased risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, and severe developmental problems in their children.
• Most thyroid diseases are life-long conditions that can be managed with medical attention.

So what can you do to lower your risk of thyroid disease? When your body is active, the thyroid gland releases the thyroid hormone that boots metabolism and regulates your body’s temperature. When the thyroid isn't producing the hormone, the body’s energy level and heart rate drop. Physical activity is a significant way to improve your body’s metabolism, and studies have shown that aerobic programs with different intensities and durations can improve thyroid hormones.

Aerobic or “cardio” fitness as it is most often referred is when the body’s cardiovascular and muscular systems are providing the necessary energy to sustain activity that uses the large muscle groups over an extended period of time. Not only will regular aerobic exercise improve thyroid function, but it will decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Did you know…That Movement Works in Calabash, NC offers an entire lineup of aerobic and fitness programs. Try our Buti Yoga, a fun 
workout that combines elements from yoga, tribal dance and plyometrics. Or consider  Funk Fit, a fusion of dance, strength and cardio to the hottest Latin, hip-hop, swing and feel good music that incorporates toning sticks, weights, and chairs. Don’t forget Piloxing, which uniquely blends the power, speed, and agility of boxing with exhilarating dance moves and targeted sculpting and flexibility of Pilates. And of course, you can’t talk about aerobic exercise without mentioning Zumba! Our Latin-inspired dance-fitness party is a must for anyone looking to add aerobic exercise into their fitness program. and exercise programs? Try our Buti Yoga,

So celebrate Thyroid Awareness Month by participating in aerobic exercise. It’s the first step to improving your thyroid health! 

Youth Programs 2015!

This time of year is so fantastic with everyone geared up to action in their New Year's Resolutions but have you made them with your kids? This is a perfect time of year to introduce new fun activities for your children, helping them connect to their bodies and create healthy habits at a young age.

Here are a few fun activities we offer here at Movement Works...

Kids Yoga

A lot of times we forget that the hustle and bustle of everyday life effects our children too. By cultivating a practice for them that teaches them to care for their bodies through movement and breath they learn to handle challenges in a more peaceful way. 

Most of the same poses that are taught in adult yoga classes are taught here but in a more imaginative and playful way. Many yoga poses are inspired by animals and nature, so in kid’s yoga we approach them with stories and sounds. 

Children will walk away with more flexibility, strength, keener concentration skills and calmness. They hold all the benefits of practice all the while having fun. 

Researchers at California State University recently examined the correlation between yoga and academic performance, discipline, attendance and self –esteem. The study showed a 20% increase in the number of students who felt good about themselves and a 6% increase in classroom discipline, indicating that students who had high participation in yoga class also had fewer discipline problems. These research results also showed a “statistically significant” link between yoga participation and better grades. 

Slovacek, S.P, Tucker, S.A, & Pantoja L. (2003) A Study of the Yoga Ed Program at The Accelerated School. P2, 10.

Dance

Dancing is a fun and athletic form of self-expression as they learn to move fluidly with their bodies as well and train in strength coordination, flexibility and concentration.

Here are four amazing reasons your child should dance!

1. Improved physical health. 

     - Dance corrects poor posture, creates stamina, flexibility and physical strength. It improves balance and coordination and not to mention a fantastic cardiovascular workout.

2. Social Benefits

    - Because dance is a social activity, children learn to interact with others and become a team player and learning to perform for others allows for more confidence in speaking or performing for others. 

3. Educational Benefits

    - In order to become a skilled dancer one must be committed to a dedicated practice which creates focus and discipline. These skills can later be adapted to other areas of their life academically or otherwise. 

4. Improved Self Esteem

    - When practicing dance regularly a student becomes more aware of their body in how it operates, is cared for and moves. This understanding of their body creates comfort in their own skin and self-expression. 

Students who participate in arts learning experiences often improve their achievement in other realms of learning and life. In a well-documented national study using a federal database of over 25,000 middle and high school students, researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles found students with high arts involvement performed better on standardized achievement tests than students with low arts involvement

Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development. The Arts Education Partnership (AEP)

Martial Arts 

Why should my kid take Martial Arts?

1. They will be physically active

2. They will learn dedicated focus and stillness

3. They will learn to take hits (in form of self-defense and disappointments in life)

4. They will attain self-respect and confidence

5. They will connect mind and body

6. They will learn to breathe

7. They will learn to resolve conflicts

This disciplined practice teaches honor and respect for one’s self as well as others and is actually a training in non-violence. 

One cross-sectional study controlled for self-selection and attrition by studying both current and former students of Karate, Tae Kwon do or Jujitsu. They found an inverse relationship between rank and aggression in students studying in "traditional" settings. Former students also had these lower measures of aggression. This suggests a decrease in aggression can be attributed to training, not attrition. Martial arts practice cultivates decreases in hostility and feeling vulnerable to attack. They also lead to more easygoing and warmhearted individuals and increases in self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-control

Psychosocial Benefits of the Martial Arts: Myth or Reality? A Literature Review by Brad Binder, Ph.D 1999

As you can see all three activities are beneficial physically, mentally and emotionally. Which one resonates with your child?

Our Youth Program starts this week January 12th, 2015! 

Check out our website for more details. 

http://www.mvmtworks.com/

A Whole New Way of Looking at Fitness and Well-Being

Ahhhh, that post-holiday feeling: bellies are full, bank accounts drained, credit cards maxed, and our weary, stressed selves are down for the count. Now that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is over, it’s very tempting to let our bodies fall into a wake-me-when-it’s-spring-coma.  Don’t let yourself get caught hibernating this winter.  For many, resolutions for the new year start with a fitness goal, only to be broken by the end of February.  The key to challenging yourself and meeting your goals is to stay motivated.  And what better way to stay motivated than by doing something fun and unique.  So think outside the barbell, get off that couch, and let Movement Works introduce you to a whole new way of looking at fitness and well-being.

  

• Remember the Hula hoop - that plastic toy you whirled around your waist, arms and neck as a kid? Well get ready because hooping is back! And not as a game but a fun way to get your

  

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  fitness on. Whether you were a Hula hoop champion or you’ve never even seen one, Hoop 360 fitness class will have you twisting, tightening and twirling in no time. Hoop 360 uses lightly weighted hoops to help you blast that belly, improve balance, coordination, flexibility, and core strength, and a positive mindset in this no-impact, cardio interval fitness class. Don’t worry about dropping the hoop, it’s gonna happen, but you won’t be alone.  Check out Hoop 360 at Movement Works on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm.
• No ballet experience required for Barre Blast Fitness. Just a desire for elongated muscles and tightened and toned gluts, legs, and arms. Barre Blast incorporates movements and stances inspired by ballet, yoga, and Pilates, and is set to stimulating music for an entire upper and lower body workout. The barre is a support to give you a sense of center and balance while you’re working out so you can concentrate on the muscles you’re working on. The Barre Blast Fitness class also incorporates very light hand-held weights to tone your arms as well as some mats for floor work.  For an exhilarating, refreshing new way to get fit, grab your enthusiasm and hit the barre on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm and Saturdays at 9:30 am at Movement Works.
  
• Who says you need weights or machines to get toned and sculpted? Pilates uses the weight of your own body in a system of controlled exercises to create a strong, long, and lean body without the bulkiness often associated with weights. At the heart of Pilates is strengthening the core – the deep muscles of the abs and back – to support your spine and movement. Pilates is a mind-body experience that blends strength and flexibility to improve posture, reduce stress, and create long, lean muscles.  Come check out Pilates at Movement Works on Tuesdays at 8:30 am and Fridays at 9:30 am.
  
• What do you get when you combine dance moves, punching and jabbing, and Pilates? Piloxing® of course! Piloxing cardio fusion incorporates cutting edge research and fitness techniques to burn maximum calories, build lean muscles, and increase stamina. Using weighted gloves to tone arms and increase cardiovascular health, Piloxing takes the benefits of boxing like power, speed and agility, and fuses them with fun dance moves and the sculpting and flexibility of Pilates to tone muscles, burn fat and give you an overall mind-body workout. Movement Works is excited to offer Piloxing on Monday evenings at 7:15. 
  
• Pump up that fitness resolution with Zumba. This Latin-inspired dance-fitness program is anything but boring!  It blends an aerobic fitness program with high energy music for endless health benefits like weight loss, cardio health, toning, and improved coordination. Not to mention it’s fun, addictive, and a great mood-enhancer!  Zumba is accessible to any age. Zumba Gold is ideal for seniors and beginners who need a lower-impact routine with the same cardiovascular benefits. Come move those hips, legs and arms at Movement Works. Check out our new schedule for class times and days. 

Did you know…That 47% of New Year’s resolutions are related to self-improvement, yet only 8% of people successfully achieve their resolution. The key for creating a better you starts with a willingness to make clear, concise changes. The good news is that people who make precise resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t make precise resolutions. But no matter your goal for the year, all you have to do is get started!

Let Us Know What You Want to Read!  This month is a busy month in terms of awareness.  It’s Cervical Health Awareness, Glaucoma Awareness, National Birth Defects Prevention, National Blood Donor, and Thyroid Awareness Month.  Do you have a special connection to any of these health-related issues you’d like us to talk about?  Let us know and we’ll feature it in our blog post at the end of the month. 

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