| We’re coming to the end of our Rowing Program this week. It has been such a fun program and we’re delighted that so many of you have noticed how much stronger and more flexible you feel. It’s testament to your commitment and hard work – well done everyone!
We’ve been mirroring much of the program in our Bone Health and Online classes and it has been great to see the increased mobility, strength and balance in those classes too.
One of the fun, but challenging elements of the Program is the Curtsy! It has become a firm favourite in all of our classes, so much so that it’s one of the elements that we’ll carry forward into the new Down Stretch Program. (If any of us come into the presence of Royalty, we’ll be able to perform the most elegant of curtsies!) It is, of course, an amazing exercise to challenge and improve our balance, using core muscles to keep us upright. In addition, it really works into our glutes and into the muscles in our hamstrings, quadriceps (front of thigh) and depending on which version we’re doing, into muscles surrounding our shins. In one variation, we work into curled toes (great for toe mobility) while in another version, we lengthen through the front of our foot – opening the front of our ankle. So, while it’s great fun to do, we’re also working hard!
We’ve worked on our Bridging to help open our hips and strengthen hamstring muscles.
In Roll Down Reach – just about everybody’s favourite! – we’ve enjoyed rolling back against the spine corrector (or the Arc). This really helps open our hips and mobilises our thoracic spine, as well as opening and lengthening muscles surrounding the front of our shoulders, chest and collarbones.
The star of the Rowing Program is, of course, the Rowing movement itself! Before working on the rowing elements, we had to be able to find strength, control and dynamic stability through muscles in our core. We learned (or reminded ourselves) how breath can help us hold – or move – while working into deep core muscles. With that core strength, we were able to focus on the shoulder movements – and a bit of quite complex choreography! – to help us flow through the movement.
Rowing helps improve our shoulder mobility and dynamic stability while finding lots of gorgeous rotations in our shoulders and arms. It’s great for swimmers, golfers and tennis players. We’ll also feel the benefit as we do our housework, work in our gardens, carry shopping, or keep a watchful eye on little ones!
We hope you have enjoyed the Rowing Program as much as we have enjoyed sharing it with you. We are excited to share the Down Stretch Program with you this week! Learn more about its benefits in coming weeks.
If you’d like to experience the Down Stretch Program, you can reserve your place below! |
