For those of us stuck in 9-5 office jobs - even those of us who work out 5 days a week - movement and NEAT activity is so important. Human beings were not designed to spend eight hours a day rooted to a desk in front of a computer. So many of us feel the need to reconnect, and thankfully there are courses out there that help us get back to ourselves and our bodies.
To get a better sense of how to improve our movement and our well-being, we interviewed Tine Boles, a Group Fitness Instructor at West Wood Club. Tine runs truly brilliant courses and has an amazing philosophy about body movement and well-being. In this interview, she explains, amongst other things, the Ripple Effect, how she became a fitness instructor and why we should #bemoredog.
How can those of us who have to spend 8 hours a day at a desk improve our relationship with our bodies? Wow this is a big question and everyone will view this slightly differently I'm sure. Having originally spent years myself behind a desk I understand how tough it can be to psych yourself up to moving after a full day's work. Most people train because they have to not really because they like it. Many of us are not very kind when it comes to how we think or view or own bodies and social media hasn't helped. With the constant bombardment of pictures of beautiful people being posted daily, it's hard not to compare. It's all about mindset - instead of thinking of all the things our body can't do start being grateful for what it can. Our bodies do all these great things without us even having to think about it. That’s pretty amazing! Rather than exercising for aesthetics, change the mind set to what feels good for me today. It's an incredibly difficult thing to change but work on it every day and the relationship does start to change. (I could go on and on about this!)
What’s the biggest misconception that people have about doing movement classes? It’s the fear of 'everyone's looking at me and I'm doing it wrong so I look stupid' The truth is no one is looking at you. They are either too focused on themselves and that same thinking or focusing on the instructor so they can follow the moves. Once you realise that it's incredibly liberating as you stop caring what others are thinking in class and just let yourself go with the flow!
Did you know you want to teach movement at a young age? Not at all - I was always creative and loved to move. Horse riding was my passion and I was always outdoors but not with specific sports or goals in mind. I got hooked after a few years of attending some amazing classes (at West Wood Club actually) and decided to take the leap and become a Group Fitness Instructor.
Do you have a morning routine for starting the day and getting in touch with your body & being? I love dogs and first thing is to bring them out for a walk. The fresh air clears the headspace plus they make me laugh. They always live in the moment and don't care what anyone else thinks #bemoredog!. I also do gratitude. I say 3 things that I am grateful for and that helps set up my day ahead. It can be gratitude for big things/opportunities or it can just be gratitude for my fave: coconut matcha latte.
Your Instagram page says you’re a believer in the ‘Ripple Effect’ - can you explain what that means? Every human has the ability to change someone's day. If you smile at someone it could be the first time they have felt 'seen' that day. That is a powerful thing to do! They might then smile at someone creating a similar result. Like ripples! Changing the world doesn't always mean doing big deeds. Mostly it's the small things that help us and lots of small together will eventually grow big things!
As someone who teaches movement/yoga/pilates, who are your inspirations? David Swenson, yogi extraordinaire. He delivers everything with a touch of humour and makes movement very accessible. Jackie Mills - the founder of my all time favourite class Bodybalance/Bodyflow. She is a gorgeous human being and will mesmerise you with her smile. At the same time she always gets her points across in a very simple concise way. Brene Brown, I have read all her books, she doesn't come from a physical movement space, rather how to help your headspace. For you to win at movement you need to have your head in the game too.
Are there any apps or technology that you use to improve your mental health/being/movement? I have trialled a few. Calm and Headspace apps are very good - especially before bedtime. Les Mills On Demand is another great app I subscribe to - it has both physical classes on and also mindfulness talks and practises. Every 1-2 months I will do a week of food tracking on Myfitnesspal. This helps me keep an eye on what I am eating and the breakdown of calories & nutrients - especially if I am travelling for a bigger event. It just helps keep me on track.
You can follow Tine on Instagram here and attend her brilliant classes at West Wood Club.
