A sequence of exercises developed in the 1970s promises to brighten up your mornings by boosting your energy, writes SYLVIA THOMPSON
THERE COMES a point in one’s life when you know you need something to do regularly that will keep you fit, but walking the dog isn’t enough and no sports or exercise classes sustain your interest.
And so it was I signed up for a one-day introductory class in psychocalisthenics (PCals), a sequence of 23 movements and breathing exercises that promises to activate the flow of vital energy through all the muscle groups, organs, glands and tissues.
Tai chi teacher and acupuncturist, Declan Rothwell, is a certified trainer in psychocalisthenics who has been teaching here for almost 20 years. The approach was developed in the 1950s by Bolivian meditation teacher, Oscar Ichazo, as revitalising exercises to do after long periods of meditation.
“Oscar Ichazo says that our bodies are not machines but complex living organisms. It’s important to look at the quality of exercise you do in terms of health rather than performance,” explains Rothwell to the six participants at the introductory class.
The best attitude to have to learning is to “let it do you”, he says, which means neither pushing nor pulling to perfection. “This works best for the body, mind and emotions,” he says.
The movements are taught with a specific breathing pattern. As in yoga, tai chi and other meditative movement techniques, the integration of movement and breath are seen to bring an energising dimension to the exercises.
The 23 moves in PCals are taught in a sequence that methodically activates the flow of energy in five different regions of the body. These are the cranial area, the chest/thoracic area, the abdominal area, the pelvis area and the dorsal (back) area. Rothwell demonstrates each exercise first and then talks us through it.
The morning session runs from about 10am until 12.30pm with a few short breaks. By lunchtime, we have practised the first 16 exercises, all of which are done from a standing position.
After lunch, there is a relaxation session in which we are encouraged to “let the music vibrate through our bodies”. PCals was possibly at its most popular in the 1970s in the United States and I found myself almost giggling at the 1970s mood music.
Then it was back to learning the last movements in the series, some of which were done lying down. The final seven exercises most resemble yoga postures and the links are acknowledged as Ichazo also taught yoga.
Rothwell encouraged us all to try all movements, unless we had particular points of pain or injury. Most people agreed that they were relatively easy to learn but might be difficult to remember.
We ended the class by completing all 23 exercises in the recognised sequence while following a CD and Rothwell’s instructions.
“They are specifically designed to do first thing in the morning and the beauty is that you don’t need any special clothing or equipment, just a bit of space,” says Rothwell, who does the exercises five mornings a week, after some tai chi. The space required to do a full sequence of PCals is about two square metres.
“To get value out of the class, you need to practise the exercises. Those who don’t practise afterwards find that they won’t remember them,” he says.
Nutritionist and author, Patrick Holford, is one of the best known advocates. “When I do PCals, I feel good all day. I would recommend them to anyone who wants a better lifestyle. They are suitable for anyone, young and old,” he says.
When Holford is here, he often arranges public workshops in PCals to coincide with his lecture tours. Rothwell or Holford facilitates these workshops.
“I regard PCals as a little secret. It’s a minority exercise that was at its most popular in the United States in the 1970s. It’s a pity more people don’t know about it,” says Rothwell.
The six participants of this class finish at about 5pm, each of them feeling content and energised.
Declan Rothwell will give a one-day course in psychocalisthenics on Saturday, April 16th, from 10am-5pm in the Marine Hotel, Sutton, Dublin. Cost €95. To book, tel: 01-8330865/087-6880865 or e-mail declanrothwell@gmail.com.
