Welcome to the newest instalment of AMALAwellness’ Newsletter!
AMALAwellness is a Teesside-based not-for-profit social enterprise delivering Gentle Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi & Chair Yoga & Exercise to enhance physical, mental and social wellbeing. We have classes in the community, in assisted living complexes & local charities and organisations – bringing wellness to people where they are!
Pay it forward.
When you come to a class, course or event with AMALAwellness, not only are you working on your own wellbeing, you Pay It Forward to help others access Yoga, Meditation and Chair Based Yoga and Exercise in the local community too!
When you attend classes, you are helping us to fund initiatives with charities and organisations to offer support to those who need it most and may not be able to access these much needed services across Teesside.
Latest News, Views and Articles to support you on your wellbeing journey.
Read on for the latest news about what our teachers have been up to across Teesside, as well as testimonials & health tips!
Always consult with a doctor of health physician before embarking on a new regime. Especially if you are living with a long term health condition. Please note – Nothing on this website is to be taken as medical advice, recommendation or as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any concern about your wellbeing, always seek the advice of a doctor, physiotherapist or mental health expert and take a professional guide with you for activities.
Cold Water Therapy – Why Cold Showers can compliment your Yoga and Meditation practice.
Click the link above to read an article Aimee written on why she has started to incorporate cold showers into her daily routine.
Why is it important to work the hips?
Your Yoga, Tai Chi or Chair Yoga & Exercise teacher might tell you that particular exercises are good at working the hips, but why is this important? The hips play a key role in helping us to walk, stand & sit. We use our hip abductor muscles every time we we step out to the side or get out of the bed, car or bath. Flexibility in the hip is important for these everyday, functional activities. But perhaps more important is building strength in the hip to keep the hip joint stable. When the hip because tight, our bodies might try to compensate by using our knee joints to complete movements which can lead to muscle injuries & pain over time.
Try these simple exercises to bring mobility to the hips while the kettle boils!
- Side step – step out to the side, bring the feet together & then step out to the other side.
- Around the clock – standing on one leg, point the toe of the other leg to 12 o’clock, 3/9 o’clock and then 6 o’clock. Swap legs and keep the knee of the supporting leg soft.
- Inner thigh strengthener – place a resistance ball between the thighs, just above the knee. Squeeze the ball with thigh muscles then release slowly with control. If you don’t have a resistance ball, a small football will work just as well!
Class spotlight – North Ormesby
North Ormesby Community Hub & Library has been home to a popular Monday morning “Keep Moving Teesside!” class for over a year!
The class was originally fully funded through MFC Foundation and You’ve Got This. When this came to an end in April, The People’s Postcode Lottery kindly agreed to fund teacher costs. There is now a charge of £2 per class to cover other costs which has enabled the class to keep running. However, new students can still access their first 6 weeks fully funded!
AMALAwellness are continuing to offer Cafe AMALA sessions on the 2nd Monday of the month where students are invited to stay after class for a warm drink, healthy snack and a good old chat! The Stay Included Foundation (Middlesbrough Council) are also running extra Cafe AMALA sessions on the 4th Monday of the month to run digital inclusion sessions and offer other signposting and information.
Why do we use spikey balls in our Chair Yoga and Exercise classes?
Moderate resistance training with a spikey ball or stretchy band reduces the effect of the normal decline in muscle mass & strength that happens as we age.
Resistance training in class or at home is a safe way to improve bone density by loading the bones & creating positive structural changes to the bone tissue.
You can improve muscle endurance through moderate resistance training, too!
The NHS recommends that adults over 65 should do activities that improve strength on at least 2 days a week.
It’s never too late to start strength training! Our bodies maintain the ability to adapt to exercise & activity to build strength even as we age.
Resistance exercises can be particularly effective for people with arthritis because improving muscle strength supports key joints.
One of the benefits of using spikey balls in class is that activities can be tailored to the needs of each class member – activities can be done with or without the ball, we can change the grip or complete different numbers of repetitions.
What’s new this month?
The lovely Madeleine visited Vision25 to promote health and wellbeing by delivering a chair yoga pilot. Vision25 offer a meaningful option for young people living with a disability, aged 17 plus and living in Stockton-on-Tees.
Vision25 commented: “We started with warming up our bodies by moving our heads in circles, stretching up tall and stomping our feet then we went into our stretches, we did a tree, an Eagle and cloud and grass movements. At the end we cooled down and relaxed our muscles. Some of us even fell asleep. We loved it so much! Can’t wait for the next one in 2 weeks! Thanks to Madeleine our teacher & our Helen for organising it, you both made our day!”
The pilot was a huge success & now the class is running fortnightly!
Testimonial
“Physically, I feel a lot better. I can move easier. Now I can get my arm behind my back & my neck moves easier. Mentally, it’s done me good. I like the company, the social aspect. I love Cafe AMALA! It’s time for yourself. I never liked exercise as a kid, I was hopeless at PE but I love it here. Now I practice at home, too. My confidence has grown since attending these classes – confidence in myself to take part & in my ability. I was always on the “back row” but I have moved up a few rows now & I’m happy where I am.”
Dorothy, Keep Moving Teesside! Nunthorpe
Pay it forward with a Coffee!
AMALAwellness is a Not-For-Profit organisation.
We keep things as open and accessible as possible – so all can enjoy Gentle Yoga, Chair Yoga, Exercise, Mindfulness and the positivity it brings to life.
Sometimes, people wish to donate to us. This allows us to keep having a further community reach. If you would like to donate, you can ‘buy us a coffee’. All funds go back into communities across Teesside – meaning we can support more people,
setting up new projects and classes in areas of Teesside.
If you would like to donate, please click the link below.
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amalawellness
A big THANK YOU for reading our June Newsletter!
Is there anything you would like featuring? Made any progress you would like us to share? Email us at info@amalateesside.com and we can incorporate it in future editions.
Aimee and Deborah – helping to spread Yoga and Wellness in an affordable, accessible way to the people of Teesside.