Leaving summer and holidays to enter September and return to the routine has always been associated with good resolutions and the intention of establishing some sporting practice in our daily lives to stay in shape and establish the foundations of a healthy lifestyle.
If you have been thinking about this topic for a while but can’t decide because you have little time to dedicate to sports, we will explain how this Japanese method works that promises visible results in just 10 minutes a day. Of course, as with many other things, you will have to be consistent and combine this with another set of healthy habits.
This is the Kaoru method, named after its creator, a former national aerobics champion in her country and a personal trainer. This system combines Pilates and yoga and to put it into practice you need very little equipment: a mat and a small ball. lacrosse for self-massage, nothing more. If you don’t have a ball lacrosseIt is not essential either, it can be replaced by a tennis shoe.
The method is based on myofascial release, a technique used in physiotherapy to reduce muscle tension and pain. Kaoru gives us the keys to know how to perform a self-massage with the tennis ball and help us relax the fascia – the membranes that surround our muscles and that, when inflamed, cause pain and hinder mobility.
In addition, the movements of the method promote better posture and flexibility that, if we do not exercise, are lost over the years. According to Kaoru, other benefits that we will enjoy if we follow his method are a greater concentration of blood and lymphatic circulation, which will translate into a stronger immune system and a faster metabolism.
Basic postures of the method
In case you were wondering, this method is suitable for all ages and physical conditions. Here are some of the basic exercises that Kaoru suggests, in case you want to try them at home:
- Relationship of the soles of the feet: to perform this posture we will stand up. Put one foot forward and step firmly on the ball. Now, bend your knee a little and keep your fingers straight. In this position, drop your weight on the foot that is on the ball and make back and forth movements. This will allow you to relax the sole of your foot and readjust the muscles of the arch and pelvis.
- Calf Relaxation: This time we will kneel on the floor, sitting on our heels and with our feet extended. We will place the tennis ball on one of the hamstrings (back of the knee). You should maintain this posture for as long as possible, while remaining upright. You will notice how the ischium (in the lower part of your pelvis) is positioned vertically. This posture is beneficial for circulation.
- Stretching the gluteal muscles. To perform these stretches, we will need a chair. We will stand behind the chair, one meter away. We will stand with our legs spread twice hip-width apart and place our hands on the chair so that the torso is parallel to the floor. Try not to arch your back and hold the position for at least 10 seconds.
- Waist stretches: they are good for gaining flexibility in this part of the body while stylizing it. Standing with your legs hip-width apart and aligned with your shoulders, we will support the soles of our feet with our toes turned outwards. We will place our hands behind our head, holding our elbows and rotating our neck to the right and left. The upper torso accompanies the movement.
You see, to put the method into practice it is not necessary to go to Studio Apro, which Kaoru owns, in the Omotesandō district of Tokyo. Kaoru’s method also uses ancient breathing techniques, to which she adds Pilates and yoga postures, but also aerobic movements and sequences, which results in a low-impact but not low-intensity practice. With her method you can also improve balance and tone the body.
Benefits of the Kaoru Method
Its creator won the title of national aerobics champion in 1987 and has four decades of experience in the world of aerobics behind her. ability. In her country, she is a renowned personal trainer and has spent many years improving her method, which promises a long list of benefits:
- Speed up metabolism
- Improve mobility
- Reset the body muscles
- Relieve the feeling of cold in the lower limbs thanks to better circulation
- Less shoulder tension
- Greater ability to concentrate
- Reduce body swelling
- Have a firmer and brighter complexion
It is no coincidence that this method is Japanese. The Japanese lifestyle – who have integrated sports routines into their daily lives – is known to be one of the healthiest on the planet. We explain another Japanese method for toning, the Sakuma method.
This other method was created by the celebrity personal trainer of his country, Kenichi Sakuma. Their exercises are also very simple to perform and suitable for all ages. You also don’t need to devote a lot of time to it. The main thing is that it focuses on dynamic movements of our muscles that activate metabolism.
Follow four steps with very simple exercises that only take one minute:
- Stretches to loosen stiff muscles
- Larger movements to activate the body
- Strengthen muscles and improve flexibility, as well as body postures
- Muscle Memory Movements
