Flexi-Bar

What with the Swiss Ball, the Bosu, wobble boards, rollers and everything else out there to strengthen our core, we now have the Flexi-bar - and challenging fun it is too. If it´s good enough for Lennox Lewis who uses it as a training tool, it´s good enough for us! Developed from a physio piece of equipment, the Flexi-bar is now being launched in the UK and has been brought over from Germany by respected fitness presenters, Steve Schiemer and Rebecca Small. By swinging the bar, the deep muscles of the back from the pelvis to the skull, the erector spinae group of muscles, the short deep muscles connecting the vertebrae and the transverse abdominus are all activated, resulting in improved muscular strength of both the deep and surface back muscles, core strength and postural alignment.

It takes up minimal storage space so it´s also ideal for home use. It can be used whilst standing, sitting, moving or even laying down (sounds good to me,) except concentration is required to bring the bar into the correct swinging action and it´s not as easy as it first looks - you need to get the hang of it. "We recommend you use the Flexi-bar 2-3 times per week for about 10-15 minutes at a time" says Steve "and although initially the surface muscles of the shoulders and back are used predominatly for swinging, after the correct technique is learned, the deep involuntary muscles of the back are the prime movers of the swinging, improving the posture of the spinal column. It also improves the blood flow through these deep muscles of the torso which means more oxygen to the muscles and better metabolic waste removal. It has a positive effect on metabolism because of the high number of active muscle fibres being used and it´s also great for rehabilitation purposes."

As well as group fitness classes where it can be done to music, for example, squatting to the side whilst controlling the bar, it´s also being utilised in Pilates classes and in personal training. There´s a series of 28 exercises and you pick just 10 or 15 and do them for up to 60 seconds at a time with a small pause in between each one. General Manager of The Laboratory Spa & Health Club, Vas Hava says "We´re the first club in London to offer the Flexi-bar. It adds another dimension to our core training classes. It´s new to health clubs, it´s different and best of all it´s fun and it works."

Check out www.flexi-bar.co.uk or steve@flexi-bar.co.uk for more info and masterclasses.

Angie Newson