Fitness Guidelines

  1. Eat light or do not eat for at least two hours before you work out. Digestion requires a lot of blood and you will want that source for transferring oxygen throughout your body as you exercise.
  2. Wear cool, loose fitting clothing.
  3. Start easy. Follow level one movements and/or just begin by focusing on the leg motions, then add the arm motions. Build intensity gradually.
  4. Move the way you walk, using your whole body! Step heel to toe when you move to the side or to the front, and shift your weight from one foot onto the other. Your leading foot should come directly under your knee when you lower your body weight in a sinking motion. Feel your buttocks move back behind you as you lower your body weight to avoid pressing your knees to the front.
  5. Don't force a motion. Don't strain yourself. Strive for a balance between control and relaxation as you listen to your body's signals. Always move within your own challenge and comfort zone. This puts positive, loving information into the muscle memory.
  6. Make the movements become an expression of you. This is your workout. Your emotional body will help to fine-tune your physical body, and vice versa. Be jazzy, be luscious, lyrical, snappy, or sensually smooth, but most of all, have a lot of fun!
  7. Use "belly breathing." As your body opens, inhale. As your body closes, exhale. Let go freely with hearty "Hai," exhalations to tone your abdominals and protect your back during kicks and punches. Breathing is one of the most effective ways to strengthen and relax your body, mind, and spirit! Activate your sounds.
  8. Step back onto the ball of your foot, keeping your knees soft and your heel high as you lower your body weight. Lower to a point of comfort in the muscle and the joint.
  9. Draw your knee up toward your chest before you kick out. Exhale a hearty "Hai" to protect your back. Always kick at a level where you can lengthen your spine and maintain control, comfort, and balance!
  10. Use your arms to express your feelings, emotions, or mood. Using your arms can elevate your heart-rate even higher, so be careful not to over do it! To maintain comfort, work in a range of motion that allows you to feel balanced and in control. Add your arms back into your movement when you feel ready.
  11. Contract your abdominals to round the spine, don't lean. If you're new to movement, keep your spine lengthened from the crown of your head down through your spine to your tail bone.
  12. Get in as much non-stop movement as possible by finding a good rhythmic easy pace. Work slower and longer rather than faster and harder. According to Kenneth Cooper, M.D., thought by many to be the expert on aerobic exercise, people who work out for fitness and wellness (as opposed to those training for competition) should work at a slower pace to reduce calories and the risk of injury.
  13. Take at least three classes a week. To obtain cardiovascular benefits you must work within your recommended target heart-rate zone for at least 12 minutes, three times a week.
  14. Combine a good diet with internal and external exercise to balance your fitness program. With enough sleep, proper nutrition, and exercise, you will see and feel results far beyond changing the shape of your body.

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