“All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”
–Buddha
One of the most frequent comments I receive from clients regarding why they enjoy Method Putkisto is that they cannot think about anything else whilst practising. Not only is it de-stressing, to be able to put those to-do lists, commuting annoyances and family worries to one side, but this enables them to get better results from their bodies.
Focus
It may sound obvious to say everybody’s body is different and therefore how each person experiences movement and exercise is different. You also arrive at each exercise session in a different emotional state, and this influences motivation. Consider the effect of exercising whilst in pain, agitated or depressed?
However, by turning your attention inward, for example focusing on a part of your body, or your breathing you are able to calm your mind, tune in to what your body is doing and feeling. In this way you become aware of your body, its potential and reduce the risk of injury.
Time
Our urban lives are busy, and we often carry our “rushing-around trying to fit everything in” state of mind into exercising. This tends to result in “doing exercises” in a distracted or automated fashion; give yourself the gift of me time – your mind and body will thank you and connect.
Undertanding/Visualisation
I use many visualisations in my classes to help clients focus and understand the goal of the movement or stretch. Your brain is task orientated, understanding that task and how it relates to your body will better enable you to achieve it.
Be aware of your learning style – do you learn best by watching the instructor, or listening carefully to verbal instructions or are tactile cues more useful?
Variety
As a child my mother told me learning to be bored was a life skill. Whilst this was handy for surviving the long summer holiday, boredom is the enemy of learning. In order to change your body, you need to stimulate and challenge your mind. This can be as simple as varying the music you listen to, or changing the order of your exercises. I love experimenting with new paths through my body, it is always challenging (my success rate varies) but it is never boring.
Skill
Getting to know your body and maintaining a mind-body connection are skills that take time and practice to learn. The great thing is these skills are transferable and you can apply them to every area of your life, be that sport, work or meeting the demands of family life.
Breathing & Meditation
Breathing connects you to your internal and external worlds. It calms your mind and helps you focus, which takes us back to where we began. There is a meditative component in Method Putkisto, particularly during relaxation. Research on yoga has shown that mediation does change the brain.
Lest we forget
All of the above become more difficult to achieve without –
- Adequate nutrition
- Enough Sleep
- Drinking enough water to keep yourself hydrated.
Method Putkisto works from inside out, building strength, power, flexibility and freedom of movement in layers. There are different types of classes where the content is variable, so you’ll never get bored and your body and mind will always be challenged.
