Home Exercises Get Your Body Moving!

Simple home exercises like yoga, chi kung, walking, biking and stretching will make an enormous difference in the success of your detox. Regular movement helps to clear toxins out more quickly. They’ll be stirred up and eliminated through the combination of increased circulation of blood and lymph fluid, deep breathing and sweating.

Modern life has got us all sitting around... in our cars, at our computers, at our desks and in front of the TV. Without intentional exercise, we’re likely to get very little movement in the course of everyday life. Technology has taken the movement right out of our lives and replaced it with excessive screen time and driving time.

But your body is not designed to sit around all day. Without regular physical activity your body becomes stagnant. The vital fluids that pump through your veins and glands slow down, toxins accumulate and your internal systems begin to weaken. Home exercises get things moving again.

Isn’t the Busy Lifestyle Enough Exercise?

Dedicated time for outdoor, fitness center or home exercises gives gets you out of your head and into your body. Spending this focused time away from your daily tasks and concerns allows you to recharge physically and mentally. A good exercise session will get your heart pumping, your body sweating and your endorphins flowing much more effectively than any amount running around or busy-ness that your daily life demands.

Find Something You Love!

Find something that you truly enjoy and that feels good. Over time you can build intensity as your body strengthens and your joints become more flexible. If you haven’t found the outdoor or exercises that you simply love, try exploring new ideas – how about dancing, kayaking, or even hoola hooping?

Mild cardiovascular exercise, like swimming, biking and walking are great ways to get your blood and lymph fluid moving. During your detox you won’t want to overdo it. The goal for home exercises during your detox is to stimulate motion in your body, not to burn off calories or exhaust yourself. Remember, your body is already doing a lot of extra work.

If you have a regular exercise routine you may want to tone it down to accommodate your energy level. If you don’t have an exercise routine, try some short walks and gentle yoga stretches as home exercises to get things moving. Listen to your body and give it what it needs to feel well.

Our Favorite Group and Home Exercises

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is the practice that uses physical postures and has become so well-known in the West. The traditional postures were designed many thousands of years ago to cleanse the body and still the mind in preparation for sitting in meditation.

Yoga postures use breath and proper alignment to clear toxicity from the physical organs and the energetic meridians of the body. Many diseases can be prevented and even healed through on-going use of yoga.

Yoga was a lifesaving practice for me (Cindy). I began practicing when I was 19 years old and it has been a thread of ongoing healing and transformation for over 20 years. I studied many styles of Hatha Yoga (Iyengar, Kundalini, Ashtanga) before settling on the lineage that is a perfect fit for me.

I first discovered classic Ashtanga Yoga (as taught by the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois) in 1998. I then found my current, ongoing teacher, Annie Pace, in 2002. When I first practiced this ancient series of postures it resonated deeply with me and met a strong yearning in my body. It is a very pure practice that has not been significantly altered for thousands of years. It can be used very gently for restorative and healing purposes or strenuously to produce a cleansing sweat and strong body.

Use the Yoga practice that is available to you and that you feel most drawn toward. I recommend finding a qualified teacher in a traditional lineage such as Iyengar, Kundalini, or Ashtanga. But even the newer Western styles of Anasara, Bikram or Forrest Yoga have great physical and mental benefits. Yoga studios and fitness center classes have become widespread.

For a home exercises practice, Yoga videos are useful. The very best video I know for learning Ashtanga Yoga is Ashtanga Yoga: The Primary Series with Richard Freeman. Good for beginners and established yogis, this video includes a theoretical introduction, breathing instruction, and the full 90 minutes of postures that can be broken down into shorter increments according to your personal progress.

Chi Kung (Qi Gong)

After many years of attempting to establish a yoga practice, I (Jo) discovered Chi Kung. Although I appreciate yoga and enjoy going to the occasional class, I found it hard to develop a daily yoga practice. Something wasn’t sticking for me. But from my very first Chi Kung lesson, I was hooked.

For me, it’s a fun and rewarding daily set of home exercises for health maintenance and energetic nourishment. I am motivated to do it every morning because it feels great, makes sense to me and really works. Doing my Chi Kung practice in the morning makes a tremendous difference in my ability to face the day feeling peaceful, joyful and strong.

Each of the exercises in a Chi Kung practice is specially designed to bring vitality and cleansing to specific internal organs. This practice will provide strength and focus while supporting the vital detox organs, and may become an ongoing home practice.

If you are interested in practicing Chi Kung you can look for a teacher locally or start out by using this instruction video made by my teacher, 18 Buddha Hands Qigong-DVD by Larry Johnson, OMD, LAC.

Outdoor Adventures Get the Body Moving….

Walking, hiking and biking are great ways to explore natural beauty and take a break from your daily concerns. Getting into the groove of your body’s rhythm allows you to look around and take in the sights. You can choose to explore different natural areas or neighborhoods on your outings. While you’re enjoying the sights you can also work up a good sweat, raise your heartbeat, build strength and increase flexibility.

You may be drawn to adventure sports like rock climbing, backpacking, skiing, snowboarding, or paddling on lakes and rivers. Rock gyms and climbing walls have become popular in most cities. Or look for a local outing club to access training and equipment. Visit your local REI store or Sierra Club to find groups that sponsor everything from nature walks to technical climbing trips.

Swimming is a form of exercise that can be deeply pleasurable. Whether you have access to natural water sources, like a lake or ocean, or a public pool, the weightless and fluid feeling of swimming can be a true joy. Swimming is much easier on your joints than running or biking. If you enjoy being in the water, anything from water aerobics to swimming laps to surfing ocean waves can be a terrific workout.

Dance Away Toxins and Stress!

Dancing gives your body the opportunity to move with rhythm and flow, like no other form of exercise. Every muscle and joint can be engaged in the dance experience. Emotions, toxins and all forms of stuck-ness can be shaken and shimmied right out.

If you enjoy dance and would like to incorporate it into your home exercises routine you have many options. Your most simple and accessible option requires finding some music that truly inspires you to move. Set aside about 30-60 minutes in a time and place that you feel completely uninhibited. Play your music and dance like you mean it! For the true exercise experience, keep dancing the whole time and explore every movement you can.

If you prefer tribal dance styles and want to learn traditional moves, there are great African, Indian, Brazilian and other dance videos you can use for home exercises. Several of our favorites are The Bollywood Dance Workout With Hemalayaa or African Healing Dance with Wyoma.

The synergy of dancing with other people is very energizing. You can find local dance classes or go out to clubs and concerts for your dance experiences. If you go to clubs be sure to bring plenty of water to drink instead of succumbing to alcohol.

Group dance classes can be great fun and excellent workouts. Look for local classes in belly dancing, African dancing, Bollywood/Indian dancing, Capoeira (Brazilian), Jazz or Hip Hop. Couples’ classes are available in many areas for ballroom dancing, salsa, swing and similar types of dance. You may not even need a partner for most of these types of classes, as there are usually skilled dancers available to dance with you. Dance classes available at your local YMCA or dance studio can expose you to rich cultural traditions while providing a joyful and fulfilling workout.

For a gentle dance workout accessible to all ages, body types and skill levels, check for local Nia dance classes or read about The Nia Technique and order one of the Nia videos.

The Reward is in the Doing