Something I hear a lot after class is "I'm so glad I came. I wasn't feeling great earlier, but now I"m feel really good. I'm so glad that I didn't cancel."
There are times when it's appropriate to cancel. I'm so happy that AC (after COVID-is it over? Is it really?), people are more conscientious about staying home with colds and making an effort to not spread viruses around. I remember when I was in the first trimester of pregnancy, a client came to my mat class, approached me up close (!!?!) and told me, "I think that I have the flu, but I'm going to take class and try my best." Thanks for letting me know and being a close talker. I appreciate that.
Having low energy can be a time to rest, but if we have mostly sedentary jobs and lives, our bodies are just stagnating. We need some movement, either high or low intensity, to get the body going and get our circulation flowing in order to pick up our energy. Movement and exercise are great tools to get the upward spiral going (Body, mind and spirit).
I have a few friends who get in their heads a lot, worrying about work, and small mistakes that have happened during the day. They carry the weight of those events with them out of the studio. I never do this, so I don't know what they're talking about 🫠 ( Spoiler alert: I totally know what they're talking about, haha). One choice is to get together and complain. It is somewhat cathartic, but it will drag you down. The dopamine rush gives in to the crash eventually, and that really sucks, when you realise nothing has changed, except that you've vented. A better choice is to do something physical that channels that negative energy into movement. Anger and frustration is a great motivator for change. Even moving in sadness can be release emotions that feel stuck in the mind and body.
When I speak to clients after classes, they often say, I was feeling down, low energy, or in a bad mood. I was considering not coming. I'm so glad I did.
You will never regret moving your body. Something is ALWAYS better than nothing. Leave perfectionism behind. Listen to your body and alter your training that day to calibrate accordingly. Somedays we need some stretching and chill, others, more intensity.
If you need to get some ideas to get moving, check my YouTube channel for kitchen workouts, Pilates mat workouts, and standing mobility classes, so if you are sick, but have some energy, you can still move your body without spreading the love...I mean, the virus du jour.
Try Pilates on the mat to get your energy going on at the end of your Tuesday:
Book a 1-1 Pilates Private session to have a personalised stretch and strength hour:
Still want a personal class, but can't leave the house?