Tag-Archive for » flexibility «

Aug
07

My Little Peeee-geon!

I like birds OK… I admire the little hummingbirds that flit and feast from the feeder at our window and I will always stare in awe when I see one of the lovely birds of prey and the herons… well, their long legs dangling, gangly, from their otherwise graceful bodies always make me smile.

That said, there is one bird that drives me a little crazy…  The Pigeon!

It’s a bird that sorta creeps me out… and it’s a posture that I… endure.

It could be said, I suppose, that Pigeon is probably the posture from which I can achieve my greatest growth and expansion, both physically and spiritually.

And I get that.  Really… but damn, it hurts.  I breathe.  I adjust.  And I breathe some more.  Like I said, I endure.  Despite my willingness to expand my yogic horizons through this posture, my hips are not as amenable.  They continue to resist.

So, the trick is to respect the perspective of my tight hips, but slowly, gently ease them into opening just a little further each time.  It means managing my own expectations, of course.  I don’t get to tell them what to do.

It’s yet another exercise in surrender… for both of us.

Pigeon is a posture I would just as soon avoid, in favour of others I prefer (hello, Child’s Pose!) but I don’t.

I don’t let either of us off the hook!

For the low-down on how to get your pigeon on, here’s a lovely variation.

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Category: health, Postures, Practice, Spirit, surrender, yoga  Leave a Comment
Apr
13

Not Just for New Age Hippies… Yoga Training for Athletes

I’m sure this would come as no surprise to Swami Vivekananda, but yoga is finding its place among the popular training methodologies for elite athletes in their quest for a competitive edge.

When you consider the mental, emotional and physical benefits of yoga, it’s really no surprise!

Athletic pursuits such as running and jumping, not to mention getting thrown off your feet at a full run by a 350 pound gorilla, tend to tighten and shorten the muscles, inhibiting flexibility and increasing the likelihood of injury.  Health and longevity in any sport are enhanced when the muscles are limber and loose and those of us who practice regularly know that there is nothing like that blissful feeling of length that comes from a session of yoga.

NBA star Blake Griffin attests to the benefits, ”For me, flexibility is huge,” Griffin said. “Staying loose and healthy and staying limber–you can tell a difference when your muscles are tight or when you’re stretched out and completely relaxed. I’ve heard from a lot of guys that flexibility is the key to longevity in this league,” Griffin said. “For those guys who want to play a long time, I think it’s important.”

Along with the physical and medical benefits are the mental and emotional effects as well.  According to a German study published in 2005, 24 women who described themselves as “emotionally distressed” took two 90-minute yoga classes a week for three months. Women in a control group maintained their normal activities and were asked not to begin an exercise or stress-reduction program during the study period. At the end of three months, women in the yoga group reported vast improvements in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, energy, fatigue, and well-being.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/662388#ixzz1rw3PC4xQ

Category: Articles, Blog, health, people, Practice, running, Spirit, strength, Trends, Tri training, yoga  Leave a Comment
Sep
11

Oh Those Canadians: Yoga… ‘Cannabis Enhanced’

Leave it to the Canadians and their legalized marijuana to find yet another excuse to get high:  yoga class!

I suppose to some, yoga and pot are synonymous anyhow.  But to those of us who practice regularly, the high we get from a practice, any practice, from more mellow Iyengar to balls out Bikram, is just so satisfying and remarkable on its own, it keeps us coming back to the magic of the mat as often as we can.

But, apparently there is another faction of yogis that feel there’s just that much more can be achieved through a practice enhanced by the ganja… the herb… the tea… by the cannabis that they’ve developed a series of classes incorporating the hallucinogen to maximize their yogic experience.

Dee Dussault, founder of Follow Your Bliss center and Ganja Yoga classes, told Relaxnews that she has “been smoking marijuana for four years, practicing yoga for 15 years” and “teaching cannabis-enhanced yoga for about one year.”

Classes range in participation from four to fifteen students, and along with mats, towels and water bottles, it’s a strict policy of  BYOP: Bring Your Own Pot.  There is no sharing or mooching and there is certainly no buying or selling.

Classes include “a vaporizer café and chat (approximately 30 minutes), followed by a profoundly trippy yoga class, set to mystical music (approximately 75 minutes). Light munchies served afterward” for about $15 CDN.

Most of us don’t live in the Toronto area to take advantage of this unique approach to yoga, but if you’re interesting in experimenting with your own ganja infused practice, Dee Dussault offers a few pointers:

-  Focus more on the sensations that one feels in the body than on trying to achieve more intermediate or advanced postures while high.
-  Really slow down, focus inwards, let go of your idea of what “yoga” is supposed to look like. Just “be” in different poses. Hang out there, let the ganja take you to new realms of experience. Notice your breath. Notice how the body moves and feels. Do some simple stretches, whatever your body calls for.
- Always listen to your body, and err on the side of doing less than you think you can.
- Stay away from balancing poses unless you are used to them, as marijuana can negatively impact balance for some people. Spend a lot of time in meditative poses.
- If your mind wanders, just come back to your breath. If thoughts interrupt or distract you, see if you can commit to focusing on the breath and the feeling of the body.
- Marijuana is great for making us super-interested in things for the short-term. Be super-interested in things you’ve never noticed about your body before. Continually commit to coming back to the breath, to the body.
- If you feel anxiety or cannabis-induced paranoia, try “Child’s Pose” – kneel on your knees and lower legs, with your hips reaching down towards your heels, and your forehead on the mat. You can have your arms extended over your head, or by your sides. Child’s pose reduces mental tension and anxiety.

Category: Articles, Class-y, health, Just Crazy... In A Good Way, news, Practice, yoga  One Comment
Mar
25

I Hate Yoga: 10.5 Reasons NOT to Hit the Mat!

drunk10. I LOVE the tension through my neck and shoulders… it’s what holds my head up after another night of not sleeping!

9. The fog in my head that lasts till my second cup of coffee is all comfy-cozy… like one of those Snuggies they advertise on TV.

8. My stiff joints mean I can stay home and watch sports on the tube… I don’t actually have to DO them.

7. I’ve been breathing since birth, thank you very much… like I need to LEARN how!

6. Tranquility is over-rated.  How would my kids possibly get anything done if I wasn’t yelling at them?

5. My extra body fat keeps me warm in winter.

4. I don’t do any heavy lifting… that’s why I have kids.

3. Stress gets me to work in the morning… without it, I don’t know that I’d be motivated to get out of bed.

2. Counting the days until my next poop is my new hobby.

1.5 There’s no bigger compliment than when people mistake me for my mother.

1. Do you think I’m even going to think of putting another dime in the pockets of those glorified pyjama jockeys?

Category: Anti-aging, health, Spirit, strength, weight loss, yoga  2 Comments
Feb
25

A Little Late for the Official Yoga Challenge…

But I’m considering issuing my own, to myself, sometime… soon.  Though in the meantime I will sign up with Power of Movement for a little valuable inspiration.

A great concept and I’m sorry I only just found out about it!  It began earlier this month on February 6th, when Power of Movement issued the challenge:

All of Canada will join together for a virtual 30 Day Challenge for Power of Movement!
February 6th – March 7th, 2010, we’ll send you a daily challenge, bringing yoga and mindfulness into each day. Activities will include yoga, stretching, good deeds and more!

Very cool!  And it’s not too late.  On March 7th you can participate in the finale, either at one of the Power of Movement Mega-Sessions or virtually,  for a really good cause.

Category: Events, health, Spirit, yoga  One Comment
Dec
09

The Balancing Series… Love on One Foot. Part 4: Dekasana… Airplane!

bal-split-bLovely, lovely… and, despite the exertion involved a nice relief from the previous posture, Dekasana- airplane.

The support of one, or two hands if you wish, certainly helps.  The support of the arms provides leverage, allowing for greater extension through the lifted leg, with that foot active and energized.

With a last inhale in airplane, getting a little bit more from the slight backbend, heart reaching forward and up, maintain straight back and exhale, hinging at the hip, draw the torso forward down the long line of the thigh.

Be conscious of the line, making sure to keep the trunk turned to lay against the supporting leg.  With the forward bending motion, the extended leg reaches, long and upwards, the toes eager and active towards the ceiling or up the wall to the rear.

This is an energetic posture and the torso extends long down the leg, pulling in the opposite direction of the reaching toes.  Long, long… oh so long!  The arms are engaged, with hands either on the floor, on the ankle or one of each, pulling offering assistance to the extension happening through both the torso andhttp://www.mommyom.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=761 leg.  A block is absolutely encouraged to offer assistance in support with the hands, to keep the torso properly aligned, if the floor isn’t going to happen without it.  That leverage is important in maximizing the benefit of this posture.

Regardless the height of the leg, the idea is length and energy… down into the floor through the supporting leg and foot and the hands and up through that long, extended leg into and beyond the toes.

Breathe, breathe… BREATHE!!

Feels good, don’t it?!

Category: Postures, strength, yoga  Leave a Comment
Dec
08

If I’d Known Bikram Was Coming….

I’d have cranked the heat… but it is Canada, after all!

bikramIn our neck o’ the woods we’ve seen celebrities of all stripes, most notably the whole Twi-hard phenomenon as they make their homes locally (roughly) to film the monster vampire franchise.

Anywho… a celebrity nearly as big, at least in his own mind, and certainly more interesting, recently graced our northern shores.  With mouth, cocked and loaded, attitude and cash in abundance, the ‘bad boy’ founder of Bikram, Bikram Choudhury, did Vancouver.

“It takes six hours,” the Los Angeles-based yoga mogul said, before laughing: “And I buy all the junk. I love it, you know?”

Here to conduct a lecture as well as judge the Western Canadian Hatha Yoga Championships- who knew?!- Master Bikram, whose efforts and commitment have manifested in a veritable empire founded on heat, sweat and just plain balls(!), boasts more than 350 affiliated studios around the world and the devotion of millions.  Without doubt, were it available to me and given my penchant for celebrity yogis, I’d probably be sitting sweaty and happy on the Bikram train as well.

The roots of Bikram’s methodology lie in a childhood devoted to hours of practice, where he became more and more aware of the positive effects of heat on his body and it’s response to yoga.

“When room is more hot, then I can sweat more, I can stretch more, I can push more, I can go more deeper and deeper and inside the body, it hurts less and you never get injury,” he said, recalling early days in India when he’d shut doors to keep in the heat.

“So I developed this with my own practice,” he said. “Years and years and years and years.”

Guru to any number of celebrities, Shirley McLain chief among them… oh, and Tiger Woods as well, along with the likes of Madonna, Elle Macpherson and the lovely George Clooney.  Despite his roster of notable clientele, when it comes to giving them the celebrity treatment, Bikram states emphatically,

“This is the way I run my kingdom: my way or the highway,” he said in a tone that leaves little room for dispute. “I don’t listen to anybody. You need my help: Come to me, shut up, forget who you are. I will take care of you. And I do my job.”

For anyone perhaps considering taking Bikram to a more competetive level, take a peek… Here’s Mari Dickey, number one woman at the competition.  A little inspiration:

Category: news, people, strength, Trends  2 Comments
Nov
30

The Balancing Series… Love on One Foot. Part 3: Dekasana… Airplane!

airplane Back from Thanksgiving and, Idon’t know about you, but I’m finding the need for balance, in diet- navigating my way from abundant meat and cheese (until Christmas, creamy fondue and Calabrese salami!) and back to hot rice cereal, greens and lean protien…    and practice!  Whew! Moving on in the series we find ourselves moving from grasping our toe as though for dear life long, extended and upright, into Dekasana, or Airplane Pose… I’m guessing (cuz I don’t really know) a modern, 20th century evolution of Virabhadrasana III, or Warrior III.  Regardless, a welcome relief from the intensity of Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, or Extended Hand-to-Toe! From the extended leg, hand-to- toe, the leg is brought forward briefly yet again where the toe is released, controlled of course, not dropped… the hands grasp the hips and that extended leg is lightly, strongly extended forward from the hip.  Alternatively, that leg can be supported by the hands, fingers intertwined below the hamstring- my preference, in fact. more »

Category: health, Postures, Spirit, strength, surrender  Leave a Comment
Nov
17

The Balancing Series… Love on One Foot. Part 2: Utthita Hasta Padangustasana or Grab Your Toe and Don’t Forget to Breathe!

bal-legraise-sketchJust when you thought all was well with the world… you’ve successfully unwound yourself out of Eagle and with a long, delightful exhale are ready to take it down a notch.

Well, nope.

The series continues, long and extended, as we head into a remarkably high energy posture, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, or Extended Hand-to-Toe, requiring strength along with steadiness and focus. The good news is that for beginners, or if the day- and the joints- say, “let’s just not” there is a lovely modification that still fosters knowledge and understanding on one leg, but offers a little break in the intensity.
To modify, rather than grasping the big toe and extending the leg, merely keep the knee bent.  Keep the hands on the hips and hold the knee forward for five breaths, foot flexed and supporting foot grounded into the floor to maintain the stable foundation.

After five breaths, keeping the knee bent, move the knee to the side of the body and hold.  If you’d like to intensify this a little, challenging the balance, turn the head to settle the gaze on the opposite wall to the bent leg.  After five breaths bring the bent leg back to the front, with hands still on hips, hips square, extend the leg forward and hold at whichever height your leg and hip allow for a breath or two before releasing to the floor to switch sides.

If you’d like a little more challenge, actually working towards extending the leg and maintaining that extension, consider using a chair on which to support that leg for the five breaths.  Props are always strongly encouraged!

As with all of the balancing postures, this provides wonderful strengthening and lengthening in the supporting leg, and certainly that which is extended should you take it in that direction. As always, here’s a little more info…

Lovely.  Lovely.  Lovely.

Category: Postures, Spirit, strength, surrender, weight loss  One Comment
Nov
10

The Balancing Series… Love on One Foot. Part 1: Garudasana or Eagle Pose

bal-eagleMaybe it’s autumn, maybe it’s my current serene state of mind, fair & balanced, but I’m all about incorporating the Balancing Series into my practice these days.

So, if you’re looking to cultivate strength, balance and open-ness… look no further!  The Balancing Series provides you with a well-rounded and challenging set of postures to help you achieve all three!

It’s a personal favourite of mine, and one that I look forward to as I’m sweating through the warrior series in anticipation of the sweet serenity and focused stillness of standing on one foot.

I know it may not be everybody’s cup of tea.  Balancing postures, while providing a beautiful payoff, require a heck of a lot in return.  Passive it ain’t.  You will work… your. butt. off!  Heh heh.

But, truly, the balancing postures embody the foundations of yoga and are so worth getting to know better despite the degree of  physical endurance.  The rewards extend, literally, from head to toe and I encourage you to incorporate it, in part or in full, regularly into any practice.

more »

Category: health, Postures, Practice, strength  Leave a Comment
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