Wellness
5 Ways to Help the Men in Your Life Get Into Wellness
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According to research¹ from our MINDBODY UK team, one in three men who join a gym do so to build muscle, but keep coming back for their mental health. The link between exercise and better mental wellness is clear, however, 35%² of men struggling with their mental health admit to waiting two or more years before disclosing a problem to a friend or family member. This suggests many men believe they should manage their emotional wellbeing alone.
Here are five ways you can help the men in your life up their wellness game to benefit their physical and mental health.
Attend a yoga class together.
Yoga is known for its ability to ease stress and promote relaxation. Working on your breathing techniques is an essential part of every yoga practice, helping you stay calm and think clearer in certain situations. There are many different styles of yoga—Hatha, Vinyasa, Bikram, and more—some more strenuous than others. Before heading to class, check out our page on all things yoga for advice on which workout is best to attend with your loved one.
“Yoga found me in my mid-twenties as a form of rehabilitation for back and knee injuries. I had no idea then it would take over my life! For me, movement is vital and so important,” says Stephen Marks, founder of Stephen Marks Yoga.
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Attend a yoga class together.
Yoga is known for its ability to ease stress and promote relaxation. Working on your breathing techniques is an essential part of every yoga practice, helping you stay calm and think clearer in certain situations. There are many different styles of yoga—Hatha, Vinyasa, Bikram, and more—some more strenuous than others. Before heading to class, check out our page on all things yoga for advice on which workout is best to attend with your loved one.
“Yoga found me in my mid-twenties as a form of rehabilitation for back and knee injuries. I had no idea then it would take over my life! For me, movement is vital and so important,” says Stephen Marks, founder of Stephen Marks Yoga.
Head outdoors.
37% of men say their preferred method of exercise is running, and 54% also say they’re more motivated to exercise when they have a ‘buddy’³. Going for a run, jog, or walk outdoors not only helps you stay fit, but it also increases your energy and helps clear your head. So, if you want to help your man get outside and get active, offer to be their buddy! You’ll get to help him out while getting a jog in for yourself—it’s a win-win.
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Head outdoors.
37% of men say their preferred method of exercise is running, and 54% also say they’re more motivated to exercise when they have a ‘buddy’³. Going for a run, jog, or walk outdoors not only helps you stay fit, but it also increases your energy and helps clear your head. So, if you want to help your man get outside and get active, offer to be their buddy! You’ll get to help him out while getting a jog in for yourself—it’s a win-win.
Meditate.
In a Harvard study, researchers found that as little as eight weeks of meditation helped decrease anxiety and improve stress regulation. Working together to learn the basics of meditation will mean dedicating quality time to each other, which can have a positive impact on your relationship. Today, accessing meditation tools has become even easier. Technology like Muse and apps such as Headspace can help guide new users into meditation. You can also look for boutique studios that offer meditation classes on the MINDBODY app!
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Meditate.
In a Harvard study, researchers found that as little as eight weeks of meditation helped decrease anxiety and improve stress regulation. Working together to learn the basics of meditation will mean dedicating quality time to each other, which can have a positive impact on your relationship. Today, accessing meditation tools has become even easier. Technology like Muse and apps such as Headspace can help guide new users into meditation. You can also look for boutique studios that offer meditation classes on the MINDBODY app!
Pick up the weights.
Weight training doesn’t just increase your physical strength, but your mental strength, too. So, why not organize a gym session and focus on your physical and mental strength together? If you’re a beginner, make sure you do your research before reaching for those dumbbells. Try finding exercises you can do with a partner such as squats, lunges, chest presses, and curls. Whatever exercise you choose to do, be sure to push one another, as this will give you both a motivation boost.
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Pick up the weights.
Weight training doesn’t just increase your physical strength, but your mental strength, too. So, why not organize a gym session and focus on your physical and mental strength together? If you’re a beginner, make sure you do your research before reaching for those dumbbells. Try finding exercises you can do with a partner such as squats, lunges, chest presses, and curls. Whatever exercise you choose to do, be sure to push one another, as this will give you both a motivation boost.
Sweat it out in a cycling class.
Although cycling classes take some serious cardio, they offer multiple benefits, especially for your mental wellbeing. Yes, the class will be hard, and you’ll sweat (a lot!), but you’ll leave feeling much happier thanks to the endorphins your body will produce. If either of you is new to cycling, get to the class a little earlier and speak with the instructor to learn everything you need to know before you start.
Notes to editors:
1. Survey of 1,148 UK men who have been to the gym and/or studio in the last week, undertaken in May 2019 by TLF
2. A survey conducted by YouGov for the Mental Health Foundation (2016)
3. Research of 1,000 UK respondents undertaken by TLF in July 2018 on behalf of MINDBODY
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Sweat it out in a cycling class.
Although cycling classes take some serious cardio, they offer multiple benefits, especially for your mental wellbeing. Yes, the class will be hard, and you’ll sweat (a lot!), but you’ll leave feeling much happier thanks to the endorphins your body will produce. If either of you is new to cycling, get to the class a little earlier and speak with the instructor to learn everything you need to know before you start.
Notes to editors:
1. Survey of 1,148 UK men who have been to the gym and/or studio in the last week, undertaken in May 2019 by TLF
2. A survey conducted by YouGov for the Mental Health Foundation (2016)
3. Research of 1,000 UK respondents undertaken by TLF in July 2018 on behalf of MINDBODY
Fitness
Why I’m Stoked Surfing Will Debut in the Olympics
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For the first time ever, the globe will be watching surfing take center stage at the 2020 (postponed to July 2021) Olympics. People from all over the world will be appreciating the sport, many for the first time.
This symbolizes the surfing community breaking through centuries of negative stereotypes. Though conditions play a big part in the sport, the biggest hurdle the athletes will have to overcome to see success is mental. The winner will be the one who chooses their waves wisely with their understanding of the conditions and ability to intimidate and therefore overcome components. Meanwhile, they will be challenging themselves to emerge from crashing barrels, fly into the air, and land on the shifting surface gracefully. No big deal.
You’ve probably heard the invention of a wave pool, which creates the perfect man-made wave. In 2007, Kelly Slater founded his wave company with a passion to build the perfectly rideable wave at his surf ranch. It was debated whether the Olympics should be held in the ocean or on a manufactured wave, with many differing opinions on what would be right. The decision was made, and the event will take place in the sea, at Tsurigasaki Beach in Japan, about 40 miles east of Tokyo, where the rest of the 2021 games will be hosted.
As you watch, take a moment to reflect on the century of effort for this to happen. This initiative can be traced all the way back to the 1912 summer games that took place in Stockholm. Duke Kahanamoku, known as the father of modern surfing, won three gold medals in swimming, and while accepting his medal, he expressed that it was his dream to see surfing be added. To add fuel to the fire, International Surfing Association, recognized as the surfing world's governing authority by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), began lobbying for the inclusion of surfing in the Olympics in 1955.
The magic of surfing
Surfing is a multidimensional sport unlike any other. Nothing compares to paddling out to the serene silence that awaits beyond the breaking waves. Once you get out there, you immediately escape the many annoyances ingrained in everyday life—the constant notifications on your phone and laptop, your back-to-back schedule, answering to other people. You’re no longer on the time that your watch reads, you’re on mother nature’s time. You’re also no longer in control of your surroundings. Now, all you can do is surrender and wait for the next set to come, while trying to position yourself for when it does.
The high from catching the perfect wave is so addicting that surfers would fail on one hundred in a row just to catch that one. After you catch that perfect one, you replay it in your mind for the rest of the day.
A successful session is reliant on so many factors of mother nature—a force way bigger than us. For ideal conditions to exist, a good-sized swell must approach from the right direction, the wind must be flowing offshore, and you have to time your session right with the ebb and flow of the tide.
The sport is always teaching you life lessons. It is humbling, even if you’ve been practicing it for many years. One reason why it takes so long to master is that the conditions are going to be different every time you get out there. You might have caught a million yesterday, but today makes you feel like a kook because you can’t land one decent wave.
The community of people that you become a part of when you surf is special. A shared obsession with the ocean that brings you to dive into the water at dawn to get a session in bonds you quick. When you’re out there, you’ll find yourself interacting with people of all ages and backgrounds. People enjoy sharing the stoke of the sport. When you see someone out there teaching somebody new, you’ll encounter them cheering at the top of their lungs when they catch a good wave, and as you look around, you’ll see smiles all across the lineup. The other day, I caught a long wave in to be met with a cheering crowd of locals who frequent the spot that I do. When I got to shore, a local showed me their secret stash of hot packs to access in case I, or someone else, gets stung by a stingray when they aren’t around.
Being out in the ocean and abiding by her rules gives surfers a deep love and connection to nature. It’s common to see sea animals out there, like dolphins, stingrays, and fish. When you have an encounter, it’s a reminder that we are invading their territory. It sucks when you see trash floating in the water, or on the sand in its route to the water. It’s a sad reminder of the negative impact that humans can have on natural environments. It inspires you to pick up trash and advocate for sustainability so that we, as a collective, can take care of the beauty that we are lucky to have access to.
Tune in to see surfing break into the biggest international sporting event in the world beginning on Saturday, July 24th.
Check out these surf classes on the Mindbody App
Do you live by the ocean? Paddle out with an instructor.
Don't live by the water, but still want to train for your next surf trip? Consider these classes.
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