An Afternoon of Aerial Acrobatics

Swinging From The Ceiling
The last weekend in July found me literally swinging from the ceiling – I know the word ‘literally’ tends to be overused these days but trust me, I’m using it in context thanks to my Aerial Cirque ‘Introduction To Silks’ workshop.

I managed to persuade two of my pals to come along with me – Debbie, who was a willing victim and Aoife, less willing but suffers from severe FOMO which makes her an easy target. 

What? Who? Where?
 In case you’re not familiar with it, Aerial silks is the performance of aerial acrobatics while hanging from long lengths of fabric.   Perhaps you saw Pink’s unforgettable performance at the 2010 Grammy’s…as if singing in front of a massive audience of your peers wasn’t challenging enough, she threw in some aerial silks work aswell ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htaKHoihSSA

 Aerial Cirque is run by aerialist extraordinaire Ria Murphy and is situated in an old Victorian building at no. 10 Exchequer street. The studio itself is full of space and character, with beautiful stained glass windows providing colour and light to the shabby chic interior.   

An Historical Site
Bear with me while I go off on a bit of a tangent, but the building itself is so interesting I had to do a little bit of snooping.  As it turns out Exchequer Street has a fascinating and at times sordid history.  The site of at least three political assassinations, home to the 12th century exchequer, that’s probably not a revelation, and later on brothels and at one stage a temperance hotel - that was never going to catch on.  Particularly interesting it seems No. 10 played home or at least ‘office’ to the Irish National Aid and Volunteers’ Dependants’ Fund and in turn was workplace to Michael Collins who became secretary to the fund in February 1917.    

Warm Up
Back to the business of aerial acrobatics.  After we all signed the very thorough waiver, we met our teacher Nicola. As bendy as she was patient, she got us off to an energetic start with our warm-up which served as a good ice breaker. 

Tying Ourselves Up In Knots
As soon as the warm-up was done, the crash mats come out – yikes.  We were split up into groups of twos and threes to each silk.  The vibrantly coloured silks all hang from the ceiling looking like props from a Bollywood movie.  Our first lesson was how to tie a knot.  I failed miserably at this, thankfully one of my team was more than competent and happy to be the chief knot tyer.  

Once our silks were safely knotted (thanks Hayley), we were ready to start some simple ‘bum hoists’, I’m not sure what the official term is.  Nicola demonstrated each move a couple of times and then it was our turn.  We quickly graduated from sitting to standing and onwards to a standing lunge out of the silks, on to the flying splits or at least that’s what it looked like when Nicola was doing it.  My version of it looked a bit more like Penelope Pitstop with a hamstring strain.  

Taking Things Upside Down
After quite a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, again I’m talking literally here, we graduated to the inversions. Although hanging upside down looked quite complicated in the demo and yes, I had to be talked through it very slowly, we all managed it.  The two hours flew by and I would certainly recommend it as a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  The workshop kicks off at 15.30 and costs €30.

That’s a (Silk) Wrap!
It is quite strenuous, if you have any issues at all I would make sure to discuss with Aerial Cirque before booking in.  I would suggest bringing a long sleeved top as there are one or two moves which are a little bit chafey on the old underarms.  Remove your jewellery, bring your friends, or go it alone, the vibe is welcoming and fun for all.  If you fall in love with aerial performance on your first date, there’s a six week beginners course take you to the next level.

 www.aerialcirque.org
(01) 444 8959
info@aerialcirque.org

Time To Stress Less

I think we’re all a little blue in the face from either being stressed or hearing about how to cope with stress.  Well here’s more of it, but with the suggestion of a very simple stress reducing solution. 

 I’ve managed to reduce my stress levels significantly in the last few years. Changing my job helped greatly, but there was another far simpler change I made, and that was to my timekeeping. For anyone who is reading this and is a paragon of punctuality you might aswell skip on to the next blog, you’re already singing from this hymn sheet, for the tardy types read on.

 For a long time I was a ferocious timekeeper.  Always a few minutes,  occasionally more than just a few minutes late. I was late for appointments with friends mostly, rather than business meetings.  The dread of discommoding a client far outweighed the fear of annoying my friends, whom I clearly took for granted, selfishly valuing my time above theirs.

Part of my issue was trying to pack as much as possible in before finally getting myself out the door.  Also I think I hated the idea of getting to a place too early for fear of actually having to wait for someone – imagine.

About three years ago when I started ‘Grá For Fitness’, this all changed.  I simply could not be late for classes that I was teaching.  I’m not sure if it was a conscious decision but I started applying this new found approach across the board.

I simply gave myself more time.  If I couldn’t get my ‘to do’ list done before I left the house, then so what?  One thing I noticed immediately is the difference it made to my stress levels.   When it came to driving places I drove slower and had more patience with people on the roads.  The level of road rage and related profanities decreased greatly, I was able to find a parking space with a bit of time left over to prepare for whatever the occasion was.   

Google maps is a fantastic timekeeping tool whether walking, cycling or driving.  I nerdily check out timings in advance, eliminating the question of how long it’s going to take for me to get somewhere.

 Another thing I’ve realized is, if you’re driving and running late, you’re far more likely to use your phone to send a sneaky text or call ahead with your ETA (if there are any gards reading obviously I have never done this).  

With regards to meeting friends, my new found promptness was also making my (and their) life easier.  I realized that I had been turning up to appointments late – irritated with myself, on the back foot, and sometimes a little irritated with them because I knew they were irritated at me.  That’s a lot of unnecessary irritation.  These days I even take a little pleasure in getting to my destination early and enjoying that slightly smug feeling of getting there first. 

I still have occasional times including the other day when I was late to an appointment. Instead of using my driving trip to the location to mentally prepare, all I could do was worry about how far away I was, road-raging like a loon and arriving proffering apologies which is never a good place to start.  It served as a reminder.

Of course there are times when being late due to unforeseen circumstances is unavoidable.   I realise ‘first thing in the morning tantrums’ related to issues such as not wanting to eat breakfast or wear your chosen / proposed outfit, refusing to be strapped into the car can cause serious delays, and then of course there are parents dealing with small children.  In the unavoidable cases where it really isn’t your fault, you just have to let the stress go.

If you’re already a top time keeper and kept reading – good on ya, think of all the stress you’re avoiding.

If you’re a habitual johnny or joanie come lately, I suggest giving this punctuality thing a go and enjoying those reduced stress levels.

And to all my friends I’ve kept waiting; thank you, I appreciate your time.

The Benefits of Working Out at Work

The buzz around Corporate Health & Wellness Programmes has been growing steadily.  At the January launch of the government’s ‘Healthy Ireland 2018’ campaign, Leo Varadkar flagged upcoming tax incentives for employers to install showering facilities and equipment into the workplace indicating the government’s strong support for workplace wellness.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), workplace health programmes are one of the most effective ways to prevent and control chronic disease and to support mental health, so it’s fair to say that workplace wellness / fitness is not a passing fad.  Although relatively new to Ireland, corporate wellness programmes originated in the US in the 90s, growing steadily to the point where they are now more of a need to have than a nice to have.  Some companies in Sweden including sportswear retailer ‘Bjorn Borg’ have gone as far as making on-the-job exercise compulsory with a weekly workout at a nearby gym.

I have taught corporate classes for over two years and put the question to some of my clients, asking how they saw the classes benefitting them. Roisín, who has been attending classes for over a year, mentioned several points including better back health, improved sleep, increased productivity and convenience. 
As a busy Mum of three girls with chronic back pain who has a long commute, she finds it impossible to fit in exercise outside the workplace;  “With lunchtime Pilates at work, I can fit exercise into my daily schedule. I have seen a noticeable improvement in my back while doing the Pilates classes, which has helped to considerably reduce the pain and as a result improve my quality of sleep. I also find on the days where I have that break to do Pilates at lunchtime, my afternoons are even more productive as I come back to my desk rejuvenated and ready to go.”

Mental wellness is now recognised as a major component in our overall health. One of the greatest challenges to our mental health is stress, all too often caused by what’s going on in the workplace.  While physical exercise is a known mood enhancer, many companies are offering a more direct approach to mental health with meditation / mindfulness classes.

Treacy O'Connor, team lead for meditation, mindfulness and team building with Corporate Wellness Ireland, says "We are receiving an ever increasing amount of corporate enquiries. Every session has been full to date with up to 60 people at a time. Giving the workforce access to very simple techniques they can use at any time of the day is proving to be of great benefit. One employee shared with me, that before the sessions, she suffered a lot from anxiety. She has been able to greatly reduce her symptoms (actually they’re nearly gone) and she now feels much more confident in herself.”

As well as the physical and mental health benefits, corporate classes have been shown to foster camaraderie between work colleagues. Never mind discussing last night’s Game of Thrones episode around the water cooler – how about comparing aches after yesterday’s exercise class?  As head of the TII sports and social committee, Mary Deevy reported “An unexpected bonus, as a recently merged organisation, is that the Pilates classes which are attended by a great mix of staff have facilitated staff to get to know each other better”. 

Let’s face it, business is business and companies are not going to invest in an initiative long term unless there are benefits to be had for the organization.  Healthy and more energised employees mean better productivity and less sick days. In addition, a good corporate wellness program can make a company more attractive to potential employees and can help to retain existing ones thanks to workplace satisfaction.

Whether fully, partially or not subsidised by the boss, more often than not wellness programmes work out cheaper for employees than the gym or regular fitness classes. Furthermore the convenience of working out at work is clear.  Workplace wellness programmes don’t have to be complicated or expensive or limited to large businesses or urban centres.  There’s a broad menu of activities to choose from and if you want to keep costs to zero, walking or running groups are an easy to organise option with a wide array of training apps to choose from.

The benefits are far-reaching, from individual employees to the companies they work for, with the end goal being that a healthier workforce impacts positively on families, communities and the nation as a whole, from an economic to a quality of life perspective.

© Grá For Fitness 2018

Feast the eyes and tastebuds with this Crunch Carrot, Apple & Beetroot Salad

I had a few veggies rattling around the bottom of my fridge that were on the verge of getting wobbly so I put them to work in this lovely salad. Super easy, full of colour, crunch, fibre,  vits and mins! Also some toasted seeds thrown in for extra crunch.

2 x carrots, 1 x large cooking apple, 4 x small beetroots
Wash everything, peel the carrots & beetroots. Leave the skin of the apple on.
Grate all of these bad boys.  
2 x sticks of celery chopped - chuck 'em in.
Toast sunflower and pumpkins seeds on a dry pan and add in a good old sprinkle of tamari sauce when they're toasted - let them dry for ten mins or so. 
When they're cool and crunchy add them to the salad.

For the dressing - half teaspoon of whole grain mustard, juice of half a lemon, dessertspoon of apple cider vinegar and 3-4 dessert spoons of olive oil. Add to the salad.  Mix it all up and chuck your seeds on. Crunch and taste-tastic! 

Buen Camino

For many the Camino is a spiritual journey, a chance to escape from the pressure cooker that is everyday life and just focus on putting one foot in front of the other for a week or two or more.  I’m not saying I’m a complete spiritual Philistine but I found myself on the Camino because 1) Grace, a friend of mine was organising a group of 24 women, 2) I fancied a walking holiday,  3) I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

After an initial group briefing with the ever efficient Grace - who is as the name would suggest, amazing, we had clear direction as to requirements starting with Compeed, good walking shoes and socks and finishing with an intense training schedule.  I’ll admit I was all over the Compeed and footwear but my training fell more than a little short of Grace’s recommendations.

On April 20th our group of merry women and Dave, (Grace’s husband), stepped onto the flight for Santiago and subsequently onto the bus for Sarria a further 120km away and our starting point.  The thought of four days of walking fairly solidly was a little daunting, but that paled compared to my anxiety about sharing hostel rooms with twenty three mostly strangers – I had however given myself a stern talking to about going with the flow and the first night of sleep while fitful was aided by earplugs, an eye mask and a few glasses of the local brew. Having been determined for months to carry my own rucksack all the way I changed my mind after walking out of the hostel on the first morning where I found Dave ready to take it with him to be transported in the hire car…along with everyone else’s.

Over the next four days, powered by café con leche and hefty boccadillos we made our way through the stunning Galician countryside bathed constantly in glorious sunshine.  Dave – a fireman and paramedic with the patience of a saint – drove along the route and kept check on us all attending to everything from blisters and muscle strains to recovering lost items like sunglasses…and pilgrims. Grace was the sweeper each day walking at the back of the group providing support, encouragement and entertainment along the way.

The fourth and final walking day was a humdinger of 39km to get to Santiago. We staggered the last few kilometres into Santiago’ old town which is beautiful as is the cathedral, breathtaking in fact, if we’d had any breath left to take.

All in all it was a fantastic experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the walking, the sunshine, the countryside, the pristine and well run cafes at every kilometer but most of all the chats along the way, getting to know existing friends better and making new ones. I loved the fact that everyone could take their walk each day at their own pace, completely non-competitive whether you wanted to power through, take a brisk stroll or just lop along as part of a group, with a friend or with yourself. I do believe whether you share a coffee, a walk, a bunk or something more along your journey, the Camino experience is a personal one and to each their own.