There’s no better place to beat stress and get away from the everyday than St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club.
Set in a tranquil 16 acre lakeside setting, the Club offers a whole range of ways to relax, recover and unwind, from calming yoga and massage therapy to HIIT classes and gym workouts.
We asked the Personal Training team at St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club for their top tips on how to alleviate stress and nourish your mind, body and soul.
1. Focus on your breathing
You might be reading this thinking “I have been breathing my whole life, I must be pretty good at it by now”. Yet, breathing is a powerful tool to ease stress and help you feel less anxious.
According to Harrison Gee, Personal Trainer at St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club, if you’re not breathing properly it can impact your posture, movement, stability and overall body. This can lead to muscle imbalances, neck and back pain and affect your mental state and emotions.
Try the following exercise to get you back on track to correct your breathing:
Crocodile breathing (static with ankle weights)
- Lay as “flat” as you can face down with your head on your hands and your chest, neck and arms relaxed
- Inhale slowly through your nose for 3 seconds feeling the air move past the chest and into the “stomach” then pause briefly
- Exhale slowly and fully taking 4-6 seconds then a slightly longer pause (2-3 seconds)
- The air should expand in a 360-degree fashion
2. Make time for regular workouts
The National Health Service (NHS) recommends that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.
At St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club there is a huge variety of ways you can workout and work off the stress.
Make the most of the state-of-the-art gym equipment, sign up for studio classes or get one of the qualified PT staff to put you through your paces with specialist advice.
There’s also a wide range of racquet sports from tennis to squash and weekly badminton sessions to get the endorphins flowing.
Virtually any form of movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress. Probably the most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy and let exercise take your mind off your everyday worries.
3. Move to the music
3. Move to the musicListening to music can have a powerful and relaxing effect on our bodies and minds. It is no secret that music can help keep your mind focused whether that’s during a run on the treadmill or whilst participating in a studio session.
Try streaming music from Spotify or Apple Music and the choice of playlists for different types of workout. Alternatively, why not compile your own bespoke playlist that includes your favourite tunes.
At St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club, all the personal trainers and experts who take studio classes have years of experience. They know exactly how to use music to set the mood whether it’s motivating you to push harder or helping you to relax at the end of a yoga class.
4. Take mindfulness moments
Ever felt like you’ve been swept along, not fully engaged in what’s going on, so things just happen and not in the way you want?
Mindfulness is the practice of bringing attention to what we are doing right now in this very moment, rather than letting our minds wander off to the past or the future.
To help combat stress take some mindfulness moments to make your focus sharper, reduce conflicts, give your mind a well-earned rest and bring balance to your lives.
The following simple exercises can be used when you recognise that your mind starts to wander:
- Yawn and stretch your arms and legs for 10 seconds every hour
- Take three long, deep, nourishing breaths
- Clench your fist and breathe into your fingers with your eyes closed
- Set an intention for the day (i.e. I will be kind to myself, be patient with others, stay grounded, eat well)
Make the most of the beautiful surroundings at St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club to find moments for yourself. Put down your phone, take a walk around the lake and find a sanctuary where you can escape the crowds.
5. Exercise and de-stress at the right time
To help relieve stress we recommend that you find what time of the day works best for you to exercise and relax.
Certain meditation techniques can be particularly useful for the early morning hours because they can set you up to experience positive feelings. Or a workout before breakfast can help to jumpstart your metabolism and make you feel positive about the day ahead.
After a busy and stressful day many find a workout can help get rid of any built up anxieties and activities such as yoga, Pilates and a relaxing evening swim can help calm the mind and body.
The key is choosing the activity that’s right for the moment and your mood. St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club has the spaces and state-of-the-art facilities to help whatever you feel like doing at whatever time of the day.
Pop in for an energising workout. Enjoy a relaxing treatment from the holistic therapies team in the Spa. Or simply unwind and catch up with friends for a drink on the terrace or fine dining in the restaurant.
