I was 30 when my friend showed me five little exercises I could do every day. She swore they would change my life. I think I did them for the first few months to prove to her they wouldn’t. She won — they did.
The reason she suggested them was because my periods were very sporadic. I’d get them once in a while but not every month. For the amount of pain and upset those few brought, I was okay with my situation. To top it off, I wasn’t a fan of yoga (that changed over time) but these exercises are yoga postures called the Five Tibetan Rites. You don’t stay in them like the holds you might do in a yoga class. Instead, you keep moving. It’s more like doing reps in a gym. If you look them up, they have wild claims like eternal youth. That part, I still don’t believe. They haven’t stopped wrinkles one bit, but what they have done is give me energy that lasts all day, regulated my periods, helped me sail through menopause, improved my flexibility and taught me to stick with something even when it isn’t easy.
What are the Five Tibetan Rites, exactly? They’re movements with very specific breathing. You start with five repetitions of each and build up to 21 by adding reps every week. I go back to a lower number of reps and build up again when I take a week off for a vacation or obstinance. I might do fewer reps if I tell myself I don’t have 15 minutes (which is me making excuses) but I do them daily because I find that when I don’t, I don’t feel as well. I don’t have the energy or focus or, after a few weeks, the flexibility. I really notice the difference.
You don’t actually need a yoga mat to do these exercises but I find it helps. Maybe that’s because it’s a visual cue that gives me a boost to get started. I’m generally resistant and want to heed my inner lazy girl and get on with breakfast or a nice warm shower. I like using a mat more than the carpet — I need a little padding.
Here’s how I do them, — but be sure to ask your medical professional if they’re right for you before starting anything new.
Rite 1: The Spin
This is like being a kid and spinning for the fun of it. The difference here is that you have your arms out like an airplane and you spot a point on the wall like a dancer. You can go slowly or quickly. I like to really whirl. I’ve learned to do these on the wood floor and not a yoga mat so I can spin freely and not hurt myself. The breathing is natural.
Rite 2. The J-Leg Lifts
The second one is my favorite because it keeps my belly flat and taut. It’s a version of leg raises. You lie on your back with your arms by your sides, palms down. You lift your legs and head together up, up, up. I go all the way up and over my head with the legs to really engage my core. These are best done somewhat slowly so you don’t just use momentum to swing the legs but instead use your muscles. They didn’t start out easy for me, but now they are. The breathing is in as the head and legs raise and then out as you lower them to the ground.
