Archive for the ‘Yoga/PiYo/Pilates’ Category
Posted by terrepruitt on November 20, 2014
Ok, not really, but it seems as if many of us are always seeking balance. Balance in our diets. Balance in our lives between work and play. Balancing our budgets. Balance between saying yes and saying no. Balance within the body between all of the delicate (yet amazingly strong) systems. There is a lot in our lives that require the act of or the state of balance. In Nia we practice balance a lot, in all of the realms: physical/body, mental/mind, emotional/emotions, spiritual/spirit. Yoga practices that balance too. When I ask the students in gentle yoga what they would like to focus on, they often say balance. When we think of balancing or when we think of balance poses we might think of standing poses, but not all balance poses are standing poses. I’ve already posted about the Gate pose in my post titled Finding Balance In The Gate. That pose is done on one knee and one foot. There is also the Extended Cat pose or Utthita Marjaryasana. That is a great balance pose.
One of the reasons Utthita Marjaryasana is such a great balance pose is that being so close to the ground and being on two limbs helps alleviate the fear of falling. Yet it is a balance pose. The two sides of the body have to work together. This pose is done on one hand and one knee, the opposite hand from the knee. We are using opposing limb extension to create a situation in which we need to balance. So if extending left foot, you extend right hand. If extending right foot you extend left hand.
This pose starts on the hands and knees. Often times I have my students start on JUST their knees with their body upright and their thighs lengthened. I like for them to position their knees directly under their hip joints. I also want them to see their thigh bones perpendicular to the floor. When they come down onto their hands I want that 90° angle to remain in the knee joint. So with knees directly under the hip joint and the knee bent at a 90° angle we are on our hands and knees. The wrist are directly under the shoulder joint, palms on the earth. The spine is in neutral position.
In our example we will use the left foot and right hand. Extend the left foot back with the ball of foot on the floor, raise the right arm bringing the hand in front of you to shoulder height. Use the “karate chop” position, so the side of the hand is towards the floor with the thumb side to the sky. Then move your foot so you are only balancing on your big toe. Then, if you are able, use your glutes to lift your leg keeping it in the straight position. Your leg is stretched out behind you, your foot is flexed. Gently reach with your heel away from your extended hand. Gently reach with your extended hand and the crown of your head away from your extended foot.
The hips remain squared to the floor. One reason we slowly move the leg into the lift position is to ensure that the hips remain facing the floor. The top of the foot, along with, the knee faces the floor. The ankle, the knee, and the hip are aligned. I prefer the foot that is on the supporting leg to be top-of-foot on the floor. But you can curl your toes and be on ball of foot.
It also might help during your set up to bring the supporting hand in a little towards the heart center. It should still be even with the shoulder joint; not higher or lower, but it can be toward the center if that gives you more stability.
This is a balance pose so if you looking at one spot on your mat it helps. Also remember to breathe.
Once you are comfortable with the pose and can balance on opposing limbs the foot can be lifted off of the floor without going through the steps of “ball of foot” to toe positions.
This pose engages the core, the arms, and the legs. It is great pose to activate the stabilizing muscles.
Do you do the Extended Cat Pose in your practice?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: balance, balance diet, core, Gate pose, Utthita Marjaryasana, Yoga, yoga poses | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 30, 2014
I love twists. The folding, bending, twisting poses in yoga. Right now I’m thinking about Ardha Matsyendrasana or Half Lord of the Fishes Pose. This is the one where one leg is folded or bent and the other leg is over it and you’re twisted. Twists can be challenging, but you can often find a level of execution that you can relax into. And as with all poses the more you practice it well, the more you can twist as you gain flexibility. Some twists – depending on the supporting factor – can be good to practice strength and stability. Twists are good for flexibility and digestion.
I prefer to start this pose sitting on one hip (I’ll use the left hip in the example) with my feet to the (right) side. Using the clock as we do in Nia, sit in the middle of the clock, with the left knee at 12 O’clock. Reach with the crown of your head to the sky. Lengthen the neck – create space between the ears and the shoulders. Open the chest. Draw the shoulders back and down. Let those shoulder blades slide down the back. Lift the ribs off of the hips. Gently bring the right knee up and the right foot over the left knee to rest with whole foot on the floor at about 11 O’clock. Use your left hand to gently hold the right knee as you twist your torso to the right. Keeping the posture that you set up before you brought your right leg over the left (lengthened spine) allow your right hand gently press into the earth behind you . . . a few inches from your right buttock. Both hips remain on the floor. With your posture intact relax into it for a few breaths, then untwist, and bring your feet back to the right side. Then switch your feet to the other side and proceed on this side.
That was the gentle version. Stay with this until you are comfortable and confident that you can retain the long straight posture through your entire back and neck before you add the rest of the pose. The additions could be using the crook of your elbow to hold your knee more snuggly up to your rotated torso. The supporting hand would land on the floor more towards the center of your back as you increase the depth of the twist. As you twist further you might find your right foot past the 11 O’clock position, straying towards 10 O’clock. Find your comfortable place, keeping the whole foot on the ground.
A deeper twist would be to place the left elbow (keeping with the original example) on the outside of your right knee. Your left hand could even rest on the left knee. With this the supporting hand would land on the floor perhaps just a smidge more towards the center of your back as you increase the depth of the twist or not. This is a different type of intensity but it might not take your supporting hand that much further back.
There is even a further step where you can thread your left arm (keeping with the original example) through your right leg under the knee and the right arm behind your back so they can link up.
There is also a way to decrease the intensity and that would be to straighten the left (keeping with the original example) leg. It would remain active. As in you would gently press it straight out and down. Hip, knee, ankle and toes in alignment, with knee and toes to the sky. The straight leg version can be used with any of the aforementioned “holds” (hand holding knee, crook of elbow, elbow on other side of knee).
This twist really helps with flexibility in the hips, knees, and ankles. I think of it as one of those “pretzel-y” yoga poses. I have experienced that it is best demonstrated with my back toward my students so they can bend, twist, turn, and hold the exact same sides.
Do you know this pose? Do you practice this pose? Do you like this pose? How do you feel after you do this pose?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: Ardha Matsyendrasas, asana, flexibility, Half Lord of the Fishes Pose, Nia, Nia Practice, stability, strength, twists, Yoga, yoga poses, Yoga Practice | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 7, 2014
I often tell my students at the end of class that making them get up is the worst part of my job. I have posted blog posts about savasana. The restful period of time at the end of a yoga class where you take time to relax letting the body and mind absorb the benefits to be had from the asanas that were just practiced. Let the body remember the stability and strength. Give the body time to become accustom the space that was created. Allow the mind to reflect on the stillness. Well, in Nia we often end the routine in Floorplay. Floorplay is either playing with gravity to experience the muscles or stretching or . . . it can be a combination of both. There are a lot of ways to play on the floor. There are a lot of ways to end the class. Our Nia training DVDs have floorplay and ending movements, but they are not choreographed. So there is a lot of freedom in the last songs. Nia teachers can either duplicate what the trainer does on the DVD or they can create their own movements to the songs and end the class in their own way. I know I sometimes do what I sense the class needs so sometimes I lead the class through movements and sometimes I instruct them to do their own free dance. Often times we end by lying on the floor in a restful pose. Just like in my yoga classes I don’t like to have to make my students get up.
In the studio I rent, I think that I should rent an extra 30 minutes so we can just lie there. Sometimes I sense the class could easily just stay there for an extra 30 minutes beyond the one hour Nia class. In the classes I teach for the San Jose Park and Recs Department, I sense they could do that too, but we need to end on time. Sometimes there is a class right after us so our restful period is interrupted. But when it is not, it is a challenge to know when to interrupt the peace.
Recently I taught a class and I really didn’t want to tell them to get up. The clock in the room was not working so I snuck up to check my phone and as I was returning to the circle I saw such peace and relaxation I didn’t want to bother them. I toyed with the idea of just letting them stay an extra 5 or 10 minutes. But without having planned that in advance, I didn’t want someone lying there past the hour and not knowing it. Many people workout on their breaks so they need to get back to work. Or they just need to get on with their day. So as much as I don’t like interrupting their peace and as much as I would like to just let them relax, I need to keep to our schedule. But it really is the worst part of my job when I feel they would love to just stay.
But, on the other hand, it really is a great part of my job when I can be in the presence of those that can just relax and let go. After dancing and getting all sweaty it is so nice that they can just take a deep breath and melt into the earth and relax. I get a huge sense of peace when I am in the presence of their stillness . . . . that is why it is so hard to disturb them.
Do you take moments out of your day to just relax and experience peace?
Posted in Nia, Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: asanas, body weight exercises, Body-mind, dance exercise, gravity exercises, Nia class, Nia DVDs, Nia flooplay, Nia Free Dance, Nia Practice, Nia routine, Nia routines, Nia songs, Nia students, Nia training, Nia workout, restful period, San Jose City Nia classes, San Jose Park and Recs Department, savasana, shavasana, Yoga class, Yoga Practice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 6, 2014
I like this pose, Utthita Hasta Padasana (Extended Hands and Feet Pose). It is an easy pose. It is one of those asanas that can be used in so many places in a yoga routine. It can be used in the beginning to allow you to “come into your body” and start the process of concentration. It can be used in between other poses, either to rest or reset, or to allow for an easy transition. It can be used at the end. It can be used to help practice awareness and learning sensations in your body. I often use it as part of the cooldown in my Nia classes. It is basically something almost everyone can do. Sometimes it might present an initial challenge for some needing help with balance, but after a bit it becomes easy. I like it. It is very versatile.
Generally no matter when or where in the routine this pose is placed in my current yoga classes we do not hop into it. We step into the wide stance. The feet are beyond the width of the shoulders. If we have come from a mountain pose then we continue with our reaching, lengthening, relaxing, and lifting, but if we are stepping into this from another pose then we check our posture. We want to reach with the crown of the head to the sky, lengthening the neck – creating space between the ears and the shoulders, we allow our shoulders to relax and our shoulder blades to “drip” down our back, we lift the ribs off of the hips, and lift the knee caps by activating our thigh muscles. The feet – in the wide stance – are parallel to the edges of the mat and each other. The chest is open. Arms are stretched out to the side, elbows and hands are at an even height with the shoulders. We are reaching for the opposite walls.
Standing there you open your chest and create space in the joints. Reach up to be taller and reach out to be longer. The head reaching up, the arms reaching out. Feet are firmly planted, weight is evenly distributed over the entire foot (both feet), toes are spread. Here is where you sense the strength and stability while opening.
This pose is traditionally done from the mountain pose with hands at chest level, finger tips touching in front of the heart center. Then when you hop your legs into your wide stance you put your arms out at the same time. In order to be “gentle” we step into our Utthita Hasta Padasana.
Many yoga poses are challenging. Many test strength, many test balance, many test flexibility. The ones, like this one might be very easy so the possibility that they are over looked and not practice in many yoga classes could be very high. But it is the easy asanas where sometimes we learn the most. We learn to take a moment to sense the body. What does it feel like to stand wide, reaching and lengthening? What is the sensation in my bones? What is the sensation in my muscles? Can I open my chest any further? Can I make my arms longer? Check into these sensations. Allow yourself to learn and become familiar so that you can do more challenging poses with the body knowledge you have gained from the easier poses.
Do you do this pose as part of your practice? Do you do this pose in the yoga class you attend?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: asana, body sensations, chest open, Extended Hands and Feet Pose, gentle yoga, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia cool down, shoulder width apart, stability, strength, Utthita Hasta Padasana, yoga classes, yoga poses, Yoga Practice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 1, 2014
I once briefly wrote about the Downward Facing Dog yoga pose in my post Down Dog. This is considered a resting pose. For many; those starting out or those wanting a gentle type of workout, it is not extremely restful. There are many muscles that are being used so it is a very active pose. This pose could be qualified as a “push exercise” or using the muscles that are used for pushing. Muscles on the back of the body are considered the “push muscles”. There are many benefits to this pose.
The lower body gets the biggest stretch. If you are able to straighten your legs and place your heels on the ground the back of your legs get the stretch. The hamstrings get a good stretch along with the calves. If your heels are up there is still a nice stretch going on. With many people working in office chairs and having the posture of bent legs, tight hamstrings is a very common situation. So having heels up and bent knees is a widely used modification.
No matter how your legs are (straight or bent) your arms are holding you up. This pose does require your arms to do some work. It is considered an arm supported pose. In conjunction with latissimus dorsi, the muscles by the ribs, and your deltoids the triceps are working. So for some their arms might feel fatigued. So even though this pose is allowing for a very big stretch in the back of the legs there are muscles working on the top half of the body.
Even though the focus is in pressing the tailbone to the sky we don’t ignore the front. The front of the legs get a bit of attention, as we are lifting the knee caps. We also have a sense of our spine lengthening.
In addition to increasing flexibility in your legs, hips, and ankles. And strengthening arms and wrist, this pose relieves depression and helps calm the mind. Additional benefits include:
-Energizing the body
-Increasing circulation
-Improving digestion
-Relieving headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue
And it can be therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, sinusitis
I have learned to like this pose a bit more. I was reminded of what I tell my students and what we practice in Nia. Find the Joy in the movement, if you cannot tweak it until you do. I believe a portion of my dislike of this pose back when I first wrote about it, was that I was forcing it. I was doing it in away that did not feel good for my back. Once I stopped the complete loose action of my spine, the pose became more comfortable. As it became easier there was room to move into the pose better and relax into it.
So, like many things it is good to do it at your level. As you improve it can be done better. The benefits can be received throughout the practice. It is a practice.
How is your Downward Facing Dog?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: calms the mind, calves, Down Dog, Downward-Facing Dog, exercise, flexibility, gentle yoga, Hamstrings, help with insomnia, Nia, push exercise, relieves depression, resting pose, workout, Yoga, Yoga Pose | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 10, 2014
We have sounding in Nia . . . where we make sounds as we are dancing. Plus people are always invited and . . . in my class . . . encouraged to sing. I’ve written several posts about sounding and put them in their own category under Nia. (Click here for the link to those posts) Although I do not think of making sounds as being regulated to Nia, I just have them as a sub-category under the category Nia. I think sounds are appropriate to make during other exercises and workouts. One that always comes to mind when people seem to need convincing of making noises and exercising is martial arts. Once I remind them that “Hi-Ya!” is a common sound, they seem to relax into the idea a bit. As I probably have mentioned before, I remember it being an unspoken rule that you didn’t make noise while you are doing Jazzercise, lifting weights, or working out at the Lady Spa. Could have been ideal that it was unladylike to make noise. I don’t know, because I never remember being told NOT to make a sound, I just know that no one did it. It was almost as if even breathing heavy was taboo! One reason I love Nia: breathing and making sounds are encouraged. But I think of these sounds as helping with the flow of oxygen and energy. I think of them as stress relieving and joy bringing. So when I was flipping through Yoga Journal and came across an article titled “How To Be Fearless” I thought, “Huh? Interesting.” Mark Moliterno, an opera singer and yoga instructor has paired yoga with voice to create YogaVoice.
This reminded me of one of Nia’s instructors who created Kivo® The Kinetic Voice . . . which is – according to her website – “a vocal practice that uses the whole body. It is designed to harness the power of vocal vibration and movement as transformational tools that unlock energy, activate your true radiance and empower you to go out and create the life you were born to live.” So . . . back to the article when I looked at the chart within the article I realized that the pairings were for more than just overcoming public speaking jitters as the subtitle read. It was for a list of different areas.
Just as we know certain sounds to be related to certain chakras and feelings, you probably also know poses are related to certain chakras and feelings. When sounds and asanas are paired up they can be very beneficial. I would bet many of you are familiar with “OM” as a yoga chant. Different sounds and different mantras can be used. The information on the YogaVoice websites leads me to believe this is different from chanting while doing yoga, there are indications that it goes beyond that.
I just love that more sounding is coming into the workout. Since I believe there is a lot more to sounding — a lot more benefits can be reaped than just breathing — I love movement forms that stem from sounding or that incorporate it.
Do you believe the is benefits to making noises while working out? Do you make noises while exercising?
Posted in Nia, Sounding, Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: Jazzercise, Kivo, Lady Spa, Lifting Weights, Mark Moliterno, martial arts, moving sound, Nia, Nia class, Nia instructor, Nia sounding, Nia Teacher, sound and movement, working out noises, Yoga, yoga asanas, Yoga Journal, yoga magazine, yoga poses, YogaVoice | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 17, 2014
I was in a yoga workshop all day. The day was beautiful and I was in Santa Cruz, but I was inside all day. Well, most of the day. I was in a class about “How do we make our yoga practice and our approach to teaching yoga more meaningful?” A lot of people do yoga just for the physical exercise of it. But some people are interested in making it more of practice. Some people are interested in exploring the deeper aspects of it. I often compare Nia to yoga because it is the same thing in that both are a great workouts in and by themselves, but there is the part that I call the “practice” where it is more than just doing the exercises it is it taking some of the “deeper aspects” out into the world. Or even applying them in the class. But first you have to be exposed to the deeper aspects. This class touched upon that and throughout the class I smiled at the similarities between it and Nia.
Yes, Nia has taken aspects of yoga and used them to make the mix that is Nia, but I am not certain that all of the similarities were used on purpose. As an example, several people have told me that they do not do yoga because it is a religion. I have experienced debate on this. I have read articles that exclaim angrily that Westerners have taken their religion and made it into an exercise. Then I have had yoga instructors/owners of yoga studios vehemently deny that yoga has anything to do with religion. I have had people say they will not come to Nia because we talk about “Spirit” and in a song or two there is an “Om.”
Today it was said that some people do use yoga to connect to God. But “there is no God in Nia” (as quoted from Carlos Rosas during my Nia White Belt Intensive in 2008.) Today’s workshop started out with the religious aspect. Briefly exploring how to teach and stay true to oneself.
During the class there was a lot of talk about awareness and being present. Something that is understandable when in a yoga class. Sensing the body while moving through and holding asanas. This is also something we employ in a Nia class. Being able to dance in the now. At one point Nia was NIA = Now I Am. So during both types of workouts there is an emphasis on moving with awareness and being in the present. Being aware of how your body moves. Noticing the bends and flexes, the circles and lines. Being present and not thinking about our to-do list we have to accomplish after class. And, this is where I consider it a practice . . . where you take those ideals out into your everyday life. Be aware of what you are doing while you are doing it and BEING in the moment. (By the way: This is particularly challenging for me right now. As you might imagine.)
Then the topic of listening to students to learn what they needs was discussed. It went along with teaching people as opposed to teaching poses. I particularly loved this because just last week I told my students we were going to start doing a particular group of poses and they looked at me and said, “Why?” And I said because you told me you needed to. They hadn’t actually told me they needed to so I explained to them that what they told me led me to that conclusion. As a teacher you might be able to relate to the eye rolls I received. Of course, as I feel I do this (teach people), I know there is always room for improvement so I will continue to listen.
Most often I ask my Nia students if they are having any issues or would like to focus on anything in particular during the class. I feel that allowing them to pick the focus or take part in picking it helps me teach to them and their needs. I felt that was a Nia connection to this part of the yoga workshop.
In the workshop, I also kept hearing talk from the students about no judgment and self acceptance. Two things which are also taught and emphasized in Nia. No Judgment is part of witnessing which is a stage in Free Dance. While dancing just witness what is happening but don’t judge. Could be something like, “I kick to shin height.” Instead of, “I am in such bad shape I can’t get my leg higher than my shin.” Non-judgment. Accept what you can do and work to do more if that is your desire.
It was a nice day. And this about sums it up. Plenty of things to think about and work on.
What did you do today?
Posted in Nia, Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: physical exercise, Santa Cruz, teaching yoga, workout, Yoga, yoga asana, Yoga class, Yoga Exercise, Yoga Practice, yoga workshop | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 24, 2014
In one of the sessions I taught for the City of San Jose at the Willow Glen Community Center I taught a progression of back bends over the course of the sessions. We started with a very gentle standing back bend, Upward Salute. Then in our next meeting our next step in the back bend lesson plan was a back bend on our bellies, it was a Locusts Pose. With this one it can be a very gentle progression as it can be done in mini forward steps. It is an easy pose to modify. It can be broken down into three separate components all which can be modified. Then we moved onto the Sphinx Pose, which is more of a bend. Then the next pose we moved on to was the Cobra Pose. This is a bigger back bend and while it can be modified it is not as obvious in its modifications as the Locusts Pose. The last one we did in the series was Upward Facing Dog, which is a hanging pose which allows for a big bend in the back. In my posts regarding each pose I talked about how to do them, but I didn’t really explain the benefits of them.
Here are some of the benefits of each pose:
Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana)
Good for relief from symptoms of:
Fatigue, asthma, congestion, indigestion. Also, like all of the back bends, it helps relieve back ache.
It helps Improves digestion, relieve mild anxiety and create space in the chest and lungs.
Locust Pose (Salabhasana) (11/17/21: Click Gate, Locust – Pictures May Help for a picture.)
Is an invigorating pose so it can help alleviate fatigue. It also helps with relieving flatulence and constipation. It can assist in relieving indigestion.
Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana) (11/17/21: Click Picture The Great Sphinx for a picture.)
Helps calms nerves and relieve fatigue and stimulates abdominal organs. It also helps relieve stress.
Some say Traditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, and awakens kundalini. (According to the Yoga Journal’s website.)
Cobra (Bhujangasana) (11/17/21: Click Picturing Cobra And Updog for a picture.)
This pose also helps relieve stress.
Soothes sciatica along with the same as the sphinx (some believe that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, and awakens kundalini.)
Upward dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) (11/17/21: Click Picturing Cobra And Updog for a picture.)
Is similar to the other back bends as it stimulates abdominal organs, and helps relieve fatigue and sciatica. It is also therapeutic for asthma. It also helps with mild depression.
Many yoga poses separately boast stress relief. I believe, however that yoga in general helps relieve stress. I understand though that some poses target stress specifically. All the back bends open up the chest and bend the back so ailments associated with those areas are often made better by doing back bends. The benefits stated here are benefits that can be found after engaging in a yoga practice and doing the poses properly. This page is not to be used to diagnose or treat any issue you may be having. Please make sure you are seeing a medical professional for your serious health issues.
In addition to know how to do the pose, I always think it is nice to know how poses can help you. Back bends are a good way to reduce stress. Please take caution in doing them.
Do you include back bends in your practice?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: back bends, benefits of back bends, Corbra, Locusts, Sphinx, stress relief, Up Dog, Upward dog, Upward Facing Dog, Upward Salute, Yoga Journal, Yoga Practice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 13, 2014
There is a move I do often at the end of my Nia Classes. I learned it as the Ragdoll Pose in yoga. Some say it is just a variation on the Uttanasana or the Forward Fold. Since it is a standing pose where you bend over I can see that. But the Forward Fold is a very active pose. You are using other muscles, you are actively lengthening your spine. Whereas in my classes, the move we do as the Ragdoll pose is just a hang. The idea is to hang, ya know, like a rag doll.
After all the movement we do in a cardio dance exercise class where moving your entire body is the key, it is nice to just hang around for a bit. This pose made my list of favorite yoga poses but is not one of my sixteen favorites. Kinda surprised me.
With the Ragdoll, as I said the idea is to hang like a rag doll folded over at the hips. Your body goes limp. Your arms can hang. Your shoulders and hang. Everything just hangs. Legs can be straight or bent at the knee. It is a relaxation pose so doing it to your optimum comfort is advised. Let the weight of your head help lengthen and stretch your back and spine. So you are not actively lengthening or straightening, it all comes from the weight of the head. Even if you are resting you forearms on your thighs you are hanging.
One way that people do this pose is with the arms hanging overhead, but bent at the elbows. The forearms are folded together allowing the hands to hold the opposite elbow. This variation is just like the bent knees and/or the arms — or even hands — on the thighs, it is up to the individual at the time of the pose.
Bending over or doing an inverted pose is good for the systems in your body. Such as the circulatory system, turning upside down helps blood flow which helps the respiratory system. The lymphatic system is assisted by inversions which stimulates the body’s immune system.
It seems as if the body enjoys the break from the normal pull of gravity and it likes to be upside down every once in a while. Calms the nerves, heightens the sense, and brings a little peace. Only when done reasonably comfortable. Poses should not be held if they cause pain or dizziness. So when you are in any pose especially and inversion stay only as long as it is comfortable.
To me, the Ragdoll is one of those comfortable poses. Usually just fold over and hanging. But I do remember at least once when my neck was not aligned properly so the full on hang did not feel good, but bending my knees and resting on my thighs was the ticket. Always remember that you do a pose for the moment you are in at the moment you are doing it. So yesterday all the way down might have been the way, but maybe today it is not. Do what your body wants in the moment.
Enjoy the weight of the head and the arms. Let it stretch your spine and bring space into your back. Hang as a rag doll would.
Do you like the Ragdoll pose? Do you like inversions? Which ones are your favorite?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: active pose, cardio dance, circulatory system, dance class, dance exercise, Forward Fold, hanging pose, inversion poses, lymphatic system, Nia, Nia Classes, Ragdoll pose, relaxed pose, standing pose, Uttanasana, yoga poses | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 4, 2014
There are a lot of yoga poses. Especially since a lot of them I know are the modification of the actual pose. Some of these modifications seemed to have morphed into their own pose with their own name. In addition to teaching Nia in San Jose, I am now teaching Gentle Yoga. And I was thinking. I wanted to make a list of my favorite poses. I was thinking I could have a list and do them every day. But it turns out that I like a lot more than I was thinking. And some I don’t like at all. And some I look at the picture and guffaw, saying, “Yeah, right?” Anyway I came up with about 38 poses that I really like, ones that I would call my favorite. I have a feeling that I am forgetting a couple too so I bet my list could really be in the 40’s. I could do over 40 poses a day, but I would rather do less and repeat a handful of poses then just work my way through all of my favorites. So then I circled ones that I would like to do every day and I ended up with 16. I was thinking I could do those 16 every day. But then I realized that while I will probably do that every once in a while I would be better off just picking some from the list everyday. Whatever strikes my fancy. I feel that if I pick a group every day I will end up getting the exact practice I need for that day. It could end up being my favorite 16 of the favorites.
I do feel that my “favorites” for the day will end up being exactly what I need. I plan to post about some of my favorites. Working my way through the list. I have already posted a few of them. One of my favorites that I have posted about is the Gate Pose. This is a balance pose but it is done on a knee and an extended leg. Not all balance poses are done standing. This is a pose that helps with stabilization, strength and flexibility.
Another favorite with a post is the Locust Pose. I REALLY like this pose. This is one that I do extremely modified. I mean I’ve seen the locust pose where most of the yogi’s body is off the ground and they are resting on just their sternum, upper shoulders, and their chin. That doesn’t even look comfortable to me. I prefer the belly-on-the-earth-with-the-head, chest, arms, and legs-lifted-off-the-ground version. This is a whole body pose. Not only on my favorite list but on the favorite 16!
I also like the Sphinx. This is another backbend, but with this one we rest on the forearms and elbows. Another pose that made my list is another back bend, the Cobra. This one to me is more of a lift using the back. And another backbend – the Updog – made the list. Updog and Cobra sometimes look the same in demonstration – depending on who is demonstrating. Be sure to check out my posts to see the difference. I use Patrick Reynolds’ video to explain the difference. I think of Up Dog more like a hanging backbend. The only backbend that made my top 16 was the Locust Pose.
The Garland Pose made my list of favorites and the top 16. This is a position I try to find myself in every day. Even if I am not doing yoga or any type of practice, I will put myself in this posture to pick up something. I think that this pose is a great way to help keeps hips bones healthy and juicy. Also pushing up from this squat is good for the legs.
So I have already posted about a few of my favorite poses. So I will continue to explore and share with you.
What is your favorite yoga pose? Why is it your favorite?
Posted in Yoga/PiYo/Pilates | Tagged: backbends, balance poses, Corbra pose, favorite yoga pose, Gate pose, gentle yoga, locust pose, Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia Teacher, Patrick Reynolds, Sphinx, teaching Nia, Upward Dog pose, Yoga, yoga poses | Leave a Comment »
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