Solène Michelon at Air Yoga Thionville. Photo: Guy Wolff/Maison Moderne
Solène Michelon, audit director at Grant Thornton Luxembourg, enjoys aerial yoga. “A bubble of serenity for a moment just for myself, suspended in a hammock, aerial yoga is a practice to challenge me physically and mentally, connect my movement to my breath. A good practice to lay my head and forget the worries of everyday life.”
Chris Knght at the EIB sports centre. Photo: Guy Wolff/Maison Moderne
Chris Knight, a writer in communications at the European Investment Bank, says jiu-jitsu is the most addictive sport he has tried. “I started taking jiu-jitsu lessons about seven years ago in Luxembourg because it reminds me of the sport of wrestling I did in high school in the United States, and I wanted to learn a self-defence martial art. My first jiu-jitsu coach in Luxembourg warned me that if I started, I would not stop. He was right. I became obsessed with it. Jiu-jitsu offers a great way to stay in shape and teaches a lot of skills in unarmed combat. But I enjoy it because the sport feels like a chess match--there are hundreds of techniques you can use to beat an opponent and each one requires a lot of practice.”
“On top of that, jiu jitsu allows a person to use his full strength against a grappling partner without getting hurt. You don’t have to be fast or big to excel at jiu-jitsu. You just need a flexible body and must commit to learning the moves. I’m 56 years old and go to classes about twice a week. I never plan to stop. My family wishes I would have quit the sport right away. They don’t understand why two people want to roll around on the ground while trying to defeat each other. My wife and kids are especially bothered by the smell of my clothes after a practice. They wish I would just ride a bicycle for exercise.”
Kerstin Boernecke at Parc Hesperange. Photo: Guy Wolff/Maison Moderne
“Most of the day I’m seated at a desk and used to suffer from back pain,” says Kerstin Boernecke, director in tax at PWC Luxembourg. “Daily yoga exercises improved my situation considerably. I now feel much better and healthier.”
Martin Boehm at Respirit Pilates Merl. Photo: Guy Wolff/Maison Moderne.
“I discovered Pilates during a casual conversation at a business meeting, and it has been beneficial,” Martin Boehm tells Delano. “Not only has it strengthened my back muscles and improved my stability, but it has also equipped me for a successful return to mountain climbing and running.”
An alternate version of this article first appeared in the .