Iconic Fitness is cool…

I used to hate summer, it’s hot, I’m fat, you can’t get to sleep because it’s too hot, if you go outside insects bite you or you burn to a crisp in the sunlight, even when it rains it’s not proper rain, it’s rubbish hot summer rain so that you have to put on a kagool and get even hotter.

Then I got into yoga and Summer Yoga is the best, not just because it’s the season my final exam was based on and it’s the one I know best, no, not at all, ahem…

in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) summer is associated with the element of Fire (the best element), the organs Heart and Small Intestine (nurture and nutrients) and with midday (lunch, wee nap on the grass, take off you’re tie if you still live in the eighties).

In yoga terms it’s the season of big energetic postures and flows, wild thing, rockstar, power yoga and strong fast-moving vinyasas that build up strength and energy, then relaxing restorative headstands and handstands to calm the system and promote deep restful sleep.

It’s a time of connection, connecting with yourself and with others, stay up late, meet up with old friends, make new friends, dance naked in the moonlight, make more new friends after those ones ran away at the suggestion of dancing naked in the moonlight.

Food wise it’s a time for eating little and often, lots of crisp stir fried veg, fish, white meat, avoid red meat which introduces heat to the body and use lots of spices and chillis which dispel heat, similarly don’t put ice in your drink –  the body can’t absorb cold liquid and has to heat it up before it can get any benefit, making you warmer, not cooler.

And summer is a time for taking care of yourself, go for long walks, join a gym (iconic fitness in Lawn St is only £20 a month rolling membership, no joining fee www.iconic.fitness/join) take your yoga mat outside or enjoy more classes – yoga every day at iconic – www.iconic.fitness/schedule for details. You could take up a new hobby, read more, make the changes you planned in Spring, build new memories to get you through those long winter nights, which, thankfully aren’t too far away – what! It’s still too hot, I’m still fat, I love the yoga bit but the rest of summer is still rubbish…

See you on the mat

Ronnie

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