exercise

Six Reasons to Slow Down Your Workout

We tend to think bigger is better. We have to work harder and faster or we aren’t getting a good enough workout. Sometimes we even use this as an excuse not to exercise. But research is showing we can chill out. You don’t have to go hard or go home. You can just move. Here are some research points in favor of a gentler workout:

Run Slow (10-min mile)

Running ten-minute miles and under 15-miles a week is more beneficial to your heart health than running faster for longer, which actually diminishes the gain for your heart. So slow down and enjoy the run. And stop calling yourself a jogger at a 10-minute mile. It’s not 1970. You’re out there running with everyone else. You’re a runner.

Pilates Good For Your Mind

A small study showed that 10-weeks of Pilates increases memory, cognitive function and neural network activity. You won’t be surprised if you’ve done Pilates. It’s basically the exercise for multi-taskers. There’s a lot going on at the same time.

Aerobic Exercises Creates New Neurons

That’s right. Exercise is one of the few things, if not the only thing, in life that creates and builds new neurons in the brain. This should be reason enough […]

Six Reasons to Slow Down Your WorkoutMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:49-04:00

Triathlon Training Part II

I got my lazy behind to the gym, with the realization that I had completely ruled out learning how to do the crawl before August 4^th. I will be doing this tri with the breast stroke. I’m not out to win it, just finish, so my stroke really doesn’t matter. Multiple friends provided tips on how to do the breast stroke more effectively. For example, apparently your body should be as vertical as possible. It should not go through the water, like mine, at an angle that creates drag.

I shoved ear plugs in my ears because I hate getting water in my ears—that neurosis stems from multiple ear infections as a kid.

Within a half a lap I came to the realization that I had never, in my entire life, attempted to swim hard. I had only ever gone swimming recreationally. Even if I raced anyone it was to the other side of an above ground pool—less than half a lap […]

Triathlon Training Part IIMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:34:24-04:00

Handstand to Peacock

Handstand to PeacockMaggie Downie2017-10-25T14:26:33-04:00

Stabilize Without Tension

Stabilize Without TensionMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:52-04:00

Inspiration

I have a friend who often tells me that my blogs or Facebook posts motivate her to be healthier or to get to the gym. That makes me happy. In my career, getting to hear that you motivate people is some of the best news you can get.

But it’s important to know that everyone I work with motivates me too.

On a very obvious level, as a Pilates instructor I generally think it’s important to stay healthy and active in order to physically be able to do my job and to stay fit. But when I have a client trying a new activity for the first time, they remind me everything there is to try and experience out there. When I have a client who eats healthier than I do (which is probably many), I feel like I should be more like them. They set a good example for me. When a client has been struggling with an exercise for a long time and they finally get […]

InspirationMaggie Downie2017-10-25T14:30:12-04:00