Summer in Israel is a scorcher and so is the parade of hot bodies down the beach promenade. Getting your body ‘beach-perfect-ready’ is a national pastime for many Israelis hoping to look their optimum-summer-toned-best and draw an appreciative smile – or maybe a phone number!
A Head Start. Rolene Marks trying to outdo Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion.
Okay, so while flirting is a fancied-favoured summer hobby it is not enough to burn off unwanted winter flab. More serious exercise is required than perfecting body signals as the action on much of Israel’s alluring coastline will attest to. Walk along the coastline of Tel Aviv – you have 13 beaches to choose from – or Herzliya beachfront, and you will see folk of all ages walking, jogging and cycling. When it comes to sport, Israelis are ‘passionate’ participators.
Mark This! Rolene Marks all fired up.
Pilates and Yoga pretzels
Some of us prefer more meditative sports; there is a plethora of options for those of us that like to do Pilates or pretzel our body’s yoga style. The ‘wellness revolution’ has not skipped Israel and more and more Israelis are applying the principles of mindfulness and meditation to their daily lives. Perhaps this is the secret to why Israelis are not only amongst the happiest people in the world – as polls have shown – but also why they enjoy long life expectancies.
Pilates, once the domain of serious sportsmen who found that the intense muscle work coupled with breathing contributed to a stronger core and safe healing of injuries is now more and more popular with people who want long, lean muscles and enjoy the almost meditative state that comes with focusing on breathing while stretching deep into the muscle tissue.
Created by physical trainer, Joseph Pilates in the 1920’s, Pilates was originally for rehabilitations and some of the first people treated were soldiers returning from war. Dancers like Martha Graham and George Balanchine discovered that these principles could ease their aches and pains and hey presto – a new fitness trend was born.
Bikram, Kundalini, Iyengar, Ashtanga – no, I am not chanting a mantra (although being yoga related I could very well be doing just that!) but rather listing just a few of the many options available for those wanting to downward dog or twist their body into a pose or asana that is more pretzel than human. Pilates is no more the exclusive domain of crunchy granola hippies for whom the chanting of a distant Indian ashram beckoned. It is the way to spend some intense time at one of Tel Aviv’s beaches!
Sizzling under the Sun
Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word that means “union” and today the yoga mat has been rolled out for anyone who wants to marry both a physical fitness with a more spiritual practice. It is often said that those who practice any form of yoga not only age backwards but enjoy heightened intuition and serenity as well.
National Yoga Day has not become a hotly anticipated date in the calendar, and in pursuit of stress-free working environments, many Israeli companies are inviting a resident yogi to put their staff through their various paces and poses. Focusing on your breath, and silencing your mind, brings you into a meditative state, and the benefits are extraordinary.
But that is fodder for another article….
So why not join me at Tel Aviv beach – roll out your mat, get into downward dog and get your Zen on. A hot body and a chilled disposition is the perfect accessory for a sultry Israeli summer on the beach. You never know who may drop you their digits.
So rather than nush pretzels, do ‘em!
Namaste!
Aren’t Tel Aviv’s Beaches Stunning?
