We’ve passed the Spring Equinox and as we move into the final week of March I’m wondering how you have got on with the concept and practice of mindfulness, and whether you have any thoughts… such as, have you felt more informed, changed your view point, tried any of the techniques and practices, and if you have noted any changes or benefits?
Our world is changing fast, the pace of life is rapid with constant connectivity to news, work and other people’s stuff, pushing us (or dragging us) along.
It can feel like we are passengers in a bus that has a destination that we have no say in.
But despite this constant connectivity, more and more people across society are feeling isolated and lonely – possibly feeling on the outside of all that is new, friendly, fresh, and cutting edge much of which seems not to be relatable or understandable.
News and most information about the world comes to us via the TV and social media and is presented in a sensationalist way, there is no change of pace! It’s very dramatic and loud like a shouty American TV ad ‘must buy now or miss out’ sales pitch. This constant noise ignites our FOMO (fear of missing out) and can rob us of the precious time and focus we need for our own life, health and happiness.
Practising mindfulness daily gives us a chance to ‘get off the bus’ as a passenger and decide where we are going in life and how we want to get there!
We can make the time to focus and reflect upon our journey (its pace, how it feels, what we include), the destination and with whom we take along as either co-drivers or passengers!
Have you ever got to a destination and wondered how you had got there? You couldn’t really remember the journey, what you passed , the route etc. We can often be disconnected and dissociated with our here and now, doing life on auto pilot.
I don’t want to roll up to the pearly gates and wish I had paid more attention to the journey, been in charge of my route, explored more options or wish I had spent more precious time experiencing life and the people I want in it!
I believe that practising mindfulness and being fully present is an important part of our health, fitness and wellbeing routine.
Which is why I have dedicated this month’s weekly blog to describing what it is, the various ways you can do it and setting you a challenge – that you can continue with or start/return to at any time.
Try this 10 minute Mindfulness recording.
News
Tanya has received the card from you all and she is thrilled with it , here is her message to you all. As I write this she is still waiting to be evacuated home for surgery.
‘Hi all, I can’t begin to tell you just how much all your messages mean to me. Vietnam is a long way from home, particularly when you’ve only got one leg to get back with, but knowing I’m in your thoughts has lifted my spirits and it no longer seems quite so far. Big hugs – and defo tiffin all round. Even if I can’t walk or dance I’m sure I can make tiffin for everyone!. Tanya xxxxx’
Jo’s Pilgrim Walk
Jo is raising money for the British heart foundation in memory of her late father by walking 20 miles from Kentwell Hall in Suffolk to Bury St. Edmunds Cathedral along the old pilgrimage route. With 6 other Tudor enthusiasts dressed in full Tudor costume they are staying at authentic hostelries along the way and In the evening, they will be story telling just as the ancient pilgrims would have done. They will end their walk, with a blessing of their St Edmunds pilgrim badges, at the cathedral.
You can sponsor Jo with this link!
The week ahead…
We have a full schedule of classes Monday to Thursday this week and can offer (if there is sufficient interest ) pop up morning classes on Good Friday at 9.30am (Fitness Yoga) and 9.30am on Bank Holiday Monday (Total Tone). Both classes will be live on Zoom or in the DYBO Studio.
Please email me helen@dybo.co.uk by 9pm on Wednesday 27th March with your booking. Minimum number required for each class is 10 people.
I will make contact with everyone who has booked on Thursday.
Our week looks like this!
BOOK NOW- and spread the word!
Join us for INDEPENDANCE on Saturday 27 April ‘24
With Helen Carpenter-Waters & guest presenter Nikkie Riozzie
Enjoy four creative and unique masterclasses;
- House is a Feeling – Nikkie
• Soul Motion – Helen
• Fluid Art – Nikkie
• Release – Helen
Location – All Hallows School, Farnham, GU9 9HF
Special Offer
Buy now save £5 – tickets only £34*
Normal price £39
*Offer ends Fri 19 Apr 2024
Please note, tickets are non-transferable or refundable.
Payment Options
Bank Transfer – reference ‘INDEPENDANCE Nikkie’
Name: UK Fitness Academy
Acc No 04284324
Sort 09-01-28
If you are doing a transfer, please send a confirmation email to helen@dybo.co.uk to confirm the name of the attendee and your contact number plus email address .
If you prefer PayPal get in touch for details.
Spring Greens with Pine nuts and Garlic
Packed with fibre, folates, iron and gut healthy nutrients, it’s a fab side dish with any cuisine – simply serve with chicken or fish or for veggies like me I will add more nuts and lentils or a veggie Curry!
- 800g spring greens, rinse and pat dry
- 100g butter
- 1 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ tsp Ras El Hanout (or leave out)
- 100g pine nuts, toasted until golden
Cut out the course centre stalk from the leaves, roll it into cigar shapes and finely slice into ribbons.
Heat a large pan and add the butter. Fry the spring greens for 5 minutes over a low heat, then add the garlic and Ras El Hanout. Add a splash of water, cover with a lid and cook for a further 10 minutes, until tender. Scatter over the pine nuts, taste and season before serving.
I love veggies so could easily have this on its own.
I would love to know how you have got on with your mindfulness and of course let me know about the the pop up classes on Friday and Monday!
See you at class.
Have a Fab Easter
Love ya,
Helen x
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DYBO Live & Online – Next weeks Classes are as follows:.
At All Hallows, Farnham & DYBO Studio, Church Crookham (Book in Advance only): Zoom class details further down the page.
Monday (AH)
6.30-7.15pm: Boogie Fit
7.30-8.15pm: Total Tone – with bands, handweights and mat.
Tuesday (AH)
6.30-7.15pm: 5 in 1 Fitness – with bands, handweights and mat.
7.30-8.15pm: Dance Fit & Fab
Wednesday (DYBO Studio)
6.30pm Old Skool Step – Step, hand weights and band.
7.30pm Barre Fit – Something to assist balance like a barre, eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.
Thursday (AH)
6.15-7.20pm: Contemporary Stretch – various equipment used at each class, contact me for info.
7.30-8.30pm: Dancespiration
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Joining us at All Hallows or The DYBO Church Crookham Studio? – Protocols and Information
I’m so happy to be able to run Face to Face classes at All Hallows and at the DYBO Studio in Church Crookham. My primary objective is to ensure that we all have a wonderful time with effective and fun classes that are engaging, relaxed and of course, safe.
Preparation
1) Firstly ensure that you have booked by sending us an email info@dybo.co.uk confirming all the classes you wish to attend plus your payment method, be it as a member, using your voucher, or pay as you go. No on the door bookings or payments can be taken. Bookings are not refundable or transferable. I will keep records of all attending, please also keep a record of your own attendance too.
2) Preparing your kit bag/box. This depends upon the class you are attending.
Boogie Fit, Dance Fit and Dancespiration crew will only require your indoor trainers/dance shoes to change in to, sweat towel, and drink.
Total Tone and 5 in 1 crew – in order to prevent cross contamination currently I am not sharing equipment in a group exercise setting so you will need your mat, a resistance band and light hand weights/equivalent in addition to your trainers, sweat towel and drink.
Contemporary Stretch crew need a mat, band, chi ball and on the last Thursday of the Month you will need 2 x tennis balls and a sock for our Trigger Point and Myofascial release class !
3) Re borrowing equipment – if you would like to try a class or have forgotten equipment then you may borrow equipment on that occasion and please ensure that you sanitise it before and afterwards (sanitising products supplied). I can assist you with sourcing your own equipment inexpensively, moving forward.
On the night
*When you arrive at All Hallows, enter the school via the gates to the left as you face the school and follow the road around the school buildings.
*Please park in the playing courts and walk between the old school building and new sports hall, up a few steps on to the outside seating area, the studio door is to your right.
*Participants are required to arrive 5-10 mins before the class.
*Please change into your clean trainers for indoor activity as you enter, e.g. slip off your outdoor shoes, place your bag, walk to activity area then put indoor shoes on, the same in reverse to leave. This is to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the space, avoiding stones and glass being walked in and potentially causing injury and to protect the lovely new wood floor.
*The toilets are open to use but please arrive changed, ready for activity so as to keep use time minimal and avoiding queues.
*After a wonderful class change from your indoor trainers to outdoor shoes and sanitise your hands again if you wish.
*Please tell friends and family about our wonderful classes!
When joining me at the DYBO Studio (No.42, GU52 0YA) I will send information directly, including entrance code for the Studio and please note, advanced booking is required.
Fees, you have THREE options!
Please note that all Classes must be booked and paid for in advance and are non transferable or refundable.
Online payments only.
45 min Class – £8.00, 60/65 min Class – £8.50.
10 Class Voucher: £75 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase).
Membership: £55, unlimited classes, plus a bonus of free access to all class recordings on our DYBO TV channel, and another bonus of a £5 discount for one to one services for current membership holders.
To be paid by the 1st day of the month (at the latest) and is valid from the first to last day of calendar month.
One full month’s notice of membership suspension/cancellation is required with one membership restart permitted within a 12 month period.
Bank details are UK Fitness Academy Ltd.
Sort Code 09-01-28, Acc No. 04284324
Please email me when you have made a payment and use your name and what it’s for as a reference. eg. Jane Smith Class Voucher
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Joining us on Zoom? – Links and Information
Monday
6.30pm: Boogie Fit
7.30pm: Total Tone
Tuesday
6.30pm 5 in 1 Fitness Class
7.30pm Dance Fit & Fab
Wednesday
6.30pm Old Skool, Step & Strength – Step, hand weights and band.
7.15pm Barre Fit – Something to assist balance like a barre, eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.
Thursday
6.15pm Contemporary Stretch
7.30pm Dancespiration
****** All the above classes change and vary weekly! *****
How to prepare your Zoom environment
- You need space to move 2 side steps, 4 walks forward, 4 backward. Move trip hazards and furniture as much as you can (get help, be careful!) to give you maximum space for upper and lower body movement. Roll up rugs or secure them so they don’t slip or cause you to trip.
- Plugging your device in to your TV with an HDMI cable is brilliant as it gives you a good picture of you (like a mirror) and me – as well as boosting the sound if you go through the TV/Hi-Fi sound system. If you can place your device under the TV, then even better.
- I know some of you are using your phones – try to plug in to a speaker system (even those little speakers we have when we go on holiday would help) so that you can hear better as you move back from the phone. Angie has tried Bluetooth earphones and it worked well.
- Ensure you have maximum access to your Wi-Fi in the house and as close to the router as is feasible. Take phones off the Wi-Fi system and pop them on to your 4/5G network or place on airplane mode, unless that’s what you are using to join us, obviously. Ask family to do the same for the duration of your class – keep them off the internet whilst you need the bandwidth. The more bandwidth you have, the better the picture and sound and the less likely you are to lose the feed. Your health is a priority at this time and I’m sure they can do something else for that short time!
- Ventilate your exercise space, have plenty of water and towels to hand, keep your exercise equipment close – if you need anything, let me know.
- Wear correct footwear for your activity – putting an old pair of socks over the toes and ball of your trainers will help reduce friction when exercising on carpet (if they are a really old pair, cutting the toes open and then just having them over the ball of the foot is even better). It’s up to you if you want to dance or train in bare feet but be careful if you don’t usually do this as it takes time for the muscles and connective tissue of the feet and rest of the body to adapt to barefoot training.
- Make your own gym equipment. Save laundry liquid or milk bottles – you can fill them with water or wet sand/rice etc. to add weight and make a dumbell/kettlebell. I recommend you make a few in differing weights and you have written on them so you know what they weigh and seal the caps with tape to prevent leakage. Get a heavy duty shopping bag and put weighty items in it, check they can’t fall out and you have a kettlebell alternative. Make your own hurdles, put cushions, pillows, boxes, books on the floor to jump over. Use household items as floor markers for circuit activities. The stairs and outdoor steps are great temporary steps/benches for cardio and upper body work. The garden is a great open space to make an assault course or if you can get a signal, take your class or PT session outside, but do make it safe.
Disclaimer
I declare that all of the information I have given (both written and verbal) is accurate and truthful. I know of no reason why I cannot participate fully in any exercise programme and I do not deem it necessary to consult my medical Practitioner/GP/specialist. I undertake to inform my instructor should any information change.
I understand that I participate at my own risk and that any information given is not intended to replace or represent medical advice. I agree to comply with all terms conditions and class protocols and instructions as outlined above and whilst attending DYBO classes/training.
Do not attend classes if experiencing symptoms of Covid 19, Flu or airborne transmissible infection or have tested positive.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
