Category: Fitness

  • Daily Practice: Keep It Fresh!

    Daily Practice: Keep It Fresh!

    Do you ever feel burnt out or bored in your yoga practice? Don’t worry…everyone does at some point. Life takes hold, you’re tired, and the thought of hitting your mat feels like torture. Here are three tips to help keep you out of a yoga funk.

    #1: Consider a location change!

    BEACH YOGA

    You are probably bored because not only are you doing the same thing over and over again, but you are doing it in the same location. Time to change up your surroundings! Take your practice outside.  If you practice at home, take classes at a studio.  If you always go to a studio, take online classes at home.  A new location offers new perspective and freshens up a dull practice.

    #2: Try a new type of yoga!

    SUP YOGA

    Try a different type of yoga!  There are so many different kinds of yoga. . . from Vinyasa to Yin to Restorative to Acro Yoga to Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Yoga. This past week I had the pleasure of doing SUP Yoga.  It was amazing! Along with it being a completely different and new experience, it brought me back to the basics. I never realized how much I took the basic postures for granted until I tried doing them while floating on a board in the middle of water. Get out there and experience something new!

    #3: Find a friend!

    FRIENDS

    Doing ANYTHING alone is fun for a second but can get boring after a while.  Find a yoga buddy to help you in your yoga journey. You can inspire one another and also keep each other in check.  If you’re anything like me, your practice with your yoga buddies turns into a practice full of laughter, love and fun!

    XOXO

    Blog Signature

  • So You Can Crow…Now What?

    So You Can Crow…Now What?

    Recently, I wrote a short article about the empowering nature of an arm balance practice.  If you’ve taken that article to heart, you may be just beginning your arm balance journey with Crow pose.  For a beginner, Crow pose (bakasana) is a seemingly impossible arm balance.  I still vividly remember the struggle—sweating, engaging every muscle in my body, and trying to balance without tipping forward onto the pillow on the floor in front of me.  I assure you that with consistent practice, it will stop feeling impossible, and one day, it will somehow feel comfortable!  When you get to that day, you will be excited to move on to the next challenge.  This article is for those of you who are ready and eager to move on.

    SoYouCanCrowOnce you are able to balance in crow pose for 4-5 breaths, you are ready to add an element of difficulty.  Rather than introducing you to one-legged crow (eka pada bakasana), which is the typical progression, I recommend trying a slightly less challenging, core-engaging crow exercise, which I call “sliding crow”.  The mechanics of this exercise are similar to one-legged crow in that you must engage your core muscles and lift one knee off of your tricep, but it will feel less intimidating because your knees will not move more than an inch or two off of your arms.

    To begin, start off in crow pose, and review your alignment checklist.

    -Are your fingers spread wide and gripping the mat?

    -Is your upper back rounded like a cat to help engage the core and redistribute your weight on the back of your arms?

    -Is your core engaged?

    -Are your thighs squeezing inward?

    -Are your elbows squeezing inward?

    -Are you pulling your heels up toward your bottom?

    -Are you gazing forward past your fingertips?

    If you have answered “yes” to each of the questions above, your crow is in good form, and you are ready to move on.

    From crow pose, begin to shift your weight onto the back of your left tricep without actually lifting a knee.  To an observer, your weight-shifted crow may look no different from your regular crow.  This is just a shift in weight.  Pause here, and find your balance in this variation of crow, where the majority of your weight has moved onto the back of your left arm.

    If you feel stable, the next goal is to lift the right knee from the back of the right arm by just an inch or two.  In order to accomplish this, pretend that your belly is connected to your right knee by a string.  I know it sounds odd, but this visualization works.  You have the ability to lift the right knee from the back of the right tricep by engaging your core even more than it currently is, and pulling your knee up using the imaginary string.

    If you are able to lift your right knee about an inch, slowly begin to slide that knee over to the left tricep.  The end goal of this exercise is to ultimately be resting with both knees on the back of the left arm.

    SlidingCrow

    Pause for a moment, and return the right knee to the right tricep.  Repeat this sliding crow exercise, but this time, shift the weight onto the back of the right arm and slide the left knee to the right tricep.

    Once you develop the balance and control to do this exercise, your crow will be ready to take flight into one-legged crow (eka pada bakasana).  Good luck, and have fun!

     

     

     

  • Daily Practice: Take a Seat

    Daily Practice: Take a Seat

    I am not one to meditate. The concept of sitting for long periods of time to clear my mind is foreign to me.  I have little time between work and taking care of a family for a long meditative process.  However, I can build in a few minutes each morning and evening to take a seat, close my eyes and just be.  These moments, while short, are restorative.  Here are five reasons why you should take a few moments for yourself each day.  And, remember, you can take this mental time-out wherever you are — you don’t need to be in lotus or even on your yoga mat!

     

    Take a Seat 002

    #1: Set the tone for your day

    Taking 3-5 minutes in the morning to close your eyes and be at peace can significantly change the tone of your day.  Think about when you oversleep.  Your morning is rushed. Your attitude is rushed. Your driving is rushed. You rush your family. Your patience is non-existent. We’ve all been there.  Instead, make a point to get up a few minutes earlier each morning so that you can squeeze in a restorative moment.  It will help clear your mind, reduce your stress level, and start your day on a much calmer note.

    #2: Set an intention

    While setting the tone for your day, you may wish to set an intention.  It could be as simple as completing all of the tasks on your to-do list that day.  It could be to breathe a little bit deeper when you are feeling stressed and angry.  It could also be as simple as being kinder to yourself and the people around you. Your intention does not have to be life changing or huge. It could be just something little you work on that day.

    #3: Ground yourself

    Take a moment to ground yourself and check your ego. Remember that we are all made up of the same stuff…you are not better than anyone, and no one is better than you. Take this moment to release any negative energy you are storing away so that you can go about your day positively.  Celebrate your accomplishments but also celebrate other people’s accomplishments without jealousy or the need to diminish them. Ground yourself to your mat, to the Earth and release judgement and criticism.

    Take a Seat 003

    #4: Heighten your awareness

    Take these few minutes to be aware of your body. Feel your breath, your life force, move in and out through your body. Feel your lungs expand with each inhalation and contract with each exhalation.  Feel your heart beating. Take a moment to notice how you are feeling that day… Are you sore?  Are you tired? Are you feeling great? Take that moment to take inventory of your body to see what it needs that day.

    #5: Let it go

    At the end of the day, maybe right before you go to bed, take a moment to close your eyes and let go of everything that happened that day. Take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments but more importantly to release any stress or problems that occurred. Tomorrow is a new day, a new adventure.

    “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

    XOXO

    Blog Signature

  • Daily Practice: 5 Tips to a Better Handstand

    Daily Practice: 5 Tips to a Better Handstand

    The most common question I receive is: “How can I improve my handstand?” While understanding basic principles and alignment is key, I do have some tips!

    Here are five ways to help you improve your handstand and get you balancing on your hands.

    New to handstands?  Make sure to check out my Handstands 101 Part 1 and Part 2 articles!

    #1: Grip it!

    HANDSTAND PREP 0

    Your 10 little fingers truly play an important part in your handstand practice. They can help you keep your balance and prevent you from falling over. From the moment your hands touch the earth, spread your fingers and actively grip or claw your mat. Making slight adjustments in your fingers can take your practice to a new level.

     

    #2: Square your hips!

    HANDSTAND PREP 2Keeping your hips square while kicking up may be the most important tip of all. When you go to lift your leg to kick up, be mindful of where your toes are pointing. Are they facing the ground or are they off to the side?  If they are off to the side, you are opening up your hip which can cause you to kick up tilted and, ultimately, fall down.

    Once you lift your leg, flex your foot, and internally rotate the inner thigh so your toes face down towards your mat. Another great tip to keep your hips square is to plug the femur bone (or thigh bone) into your hip socket.

    #3: Move away from the wall!

     HANDSTAND PREP 1

    There is no shame in using the wall when learning to handstand.  In fact, I encourage it.  Unless you know how to gracefully fall into wheel or cartwheel out, having a wall as a safety net is your safest route.  You don’t, however, want to become overly reliant on the wall – at least not if your goal is to handstand without its assistance.  Therefore, I suggest practicing about a leg’s distance away from the wall, only using it when needed. Doing it this way will help you learn to control your kick ups and make it that much easier to handstand in the middle of the room.

    #4: Learning to Balance

    If you are at the point in your handstand practice where you can gently kick up but cannot find your balance point when you bring your legs together, this exercise is for you!

    Start in tabletop position with your fingertips right at the wall, and notice the placement of your heels and your hands. Move your hands back now so your fingertips are where the heels of your hands were…Essentially you are now a hand’s distance away from the wall. (You may need to play with the distance at first.) Kick gently up to the wall (notice how softly I land), and extend both legs up.

    Press the crown of your head firmly into the wall and notice how my feet float off of the wall. My body comes into complete alignment. From here, you can learn what it feels like to have everything stacked, and you can also start to experiment with taking the crown of your head off of the wall.

    [KGVID poster=”http://www.twofitmoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Video-Jun-09-9-51-26-AM_thumb25.jpg” width=”640″ height=”360″]http://www.twofitmoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Video-Jun-09-9-51-26-AM.mov[/KGVID]

    #5: Slow down and have PATIENCE!

    handstand prep 3

    This last tip is probably the hardest.  First…Slow down!!! Everyone is quick to plant their hands down onto their mat and start kicking up at a frantic pace. Take a moment to set yourself up and check your alignment. Do this before each and every kick up attempt! If you are always rushing, you are decreasing your chances for success.

    Second…have PATIENCE!  Patience with yourself, patience in your practice.  Progress may be slow, you may get frustrated…breathe.  Slowly but surely you will reach your goal!

     

    XOXO

    Blog Signature

  • Daily Practice: Chaturanga Dandasana

    Daily Practice: Chaturanga Dandasana

    If you have ever taken a yoga class, you should be familiar with the pose, “Chaturanga”.  However, it is very likely you are not familiar with the correct way to get into this pose! Chaturanga Dandasana, or Four-Limbed Staff Pose, is essentially a tricep push-up.  It may look simple, but many yogis have trouble with this pose. Here are my recommendations for correctly getting into Chaturanga.

     

    Most commonly you will find Chaturanga Dandasana, or Chaturanga, for short, in a vinyasa that consists of Downward Facing Dog, Plank and Upward Facing Dog. Depending on the class you are taking, there could be 10 Chaturangas or 100! And, muscling through Chaturanga with bad form can wear out your shoulders, your elbows and strain muscles in your chest and back. Here are the key steps to safely chaturanga-ing your way through a vinyasa class!

    – From Downward Facing Dog, shift forward into Plank Pose, or the top of a push up. Your arms are perpendicular to your mat. You are a straight line from your head all the way down to your heels, and your shoulders stack directly over your wrists. Draw your shoulders away from your ears and down your back, keep the belly engaged, and try not to let your buttasana sag. Gaze slightly forward.

    – Now, I want you to think of your arms and shoulders as a ferris wheel. Your shoulders are at the top of the wheel and about to make their descent down towards the earth. If you drop them straight down by just bending your elbows, you plummet to the earth.  Not good. Instead… Slowly start to shift forward as seen in the top picture below. It’s a slight movement that brings the shoulders beyond the wrists.

    chaturanga collage 1

    chaturanga collage 2

     – Continue to squeeze the elbows in as you slowly bend them to a 90 degree angle.

    – Shoulders remain broad down your back, the front of your shoulders remain lifted and your belly continues to be engaged. Gaze down or slightly forward, but keep your neck soft.

    If you cannot do the full Chaturanga with proper form, or you are tired, MODIFY and do Caterpillar Pose.

    Caterpillar Pose is a great alternative, and allows you to practice keeping your elbows pinned to your sides and forearms perpendicular to the ground. From Downward Facing Dog, shift slightly forward and lower your knees, chest and chin to the ground. Your elbows hug into your body, your hips and buttasana remain high.  From this position you can slide forward into your Upward Facing Dog.

    Catepillar pose

    As always, be mindful in your practice.  Take a few pictures or even a video to see your form, and make adjustments if necessary.

    XOXO

    Blog Signature

     

  • Daily Practice: Opening Up the Hips

    Daily Practice: Opening Up the Hips

    DSC_9761a

    When I became serious about my yoga practice, getting into inverted lotus was one of my goals. However, it was no small feat with naturally tight hips (which became even tighter after two kids!).  The pose seemed nearly impossible. Even seated lotus was hard…my knees would bother me, and my ankles would hurt. Opening up my hips was the obvious answer and only after adding hip openers to my daily practice did I see any progress. Here are the five hip openers that I try to incorporate daily. I recommend having a block nearby if you have tight hips. As always, be mindful of your practice and move at your own pace!

    #1: Reclined Thread the Needle

    DSC_9567aa

    – Start out lying down with your feet planted on your mat.

    – Cross your right ankle over your left thigh, just above the knee. Flex your right foot.

    – Bring the legs into your body. The right hand will go through the triangle in your legs.

    – Grab onto the back of your left thigh or you can grab onto your left shin.

    – Hug the legs into you.

    – For a deeper stretch, push the right elbow into your inner right thigh to open the hip even more.

    – Hold for about 10 breaths, then switch sides.

     #2: Easy Seated Hip Opener

    DSC_9586aa

    – Sit on your mat and extend both legs out in front of you.

    – Bend the left knee and plant the left foot firmly on your mat…not too close to your body at first!

    – Cross the right ankle once again over your left thigh, just above the knee.

    – Bring your hands behind you and sit up tall, bringing your chest towards your right shin.

    – For a deeper stretch, move the left foot closer to your body.

    – Hold for about 10 breaths, then switch sides.

    #3: Warrior II

    DSC_9674a

    This might seem weird, but holding a standing posture like Warrior II builds heat in your hips.

    – From Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot in between your hands and spin the back heel down.

    – Windmill the arms up to shoulder height, straight line from fingertip to fingertip.

    – Right knee stacks directly over the right ankle.

    – Right knee is parallel to your mat.

    – Shoulders stack directly over your hips; shoulders relax away from your ears.

    – Gaze out past your right middle finger.

    – Hold for 10 breaths, then switch sides.

     #4: Lizard PoseDSC_9642a

    DSC_9651aa

    – From Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot to the outside of your right hand and lower your left knee onto your mat.

    -Drop down on your forearms. If this is highly uncomfortable, use a block to bring the ground up to you.

    – Keep your gaze forward; think Upward Facing Dog in your torso.

    – Keep your right knee squeezing in at first. Then if accessible, roll onto the outside edge of your right foot. Keep your right foot flexed.

    – For a deeper stretch, curl your back toes under and lift the back knee up.

    – Hold for 10 breaths, then switch sides.

    #5: Pigeon Prep

    DSC_9617aa

    – From Downward Facing Dog, bring the right knee behind the right wrist and drop the shin down onto your mat. Depending on how open your hips are, the shin may be parallel to the top of your mat or closer in towards your body.

    – Square off your hips. If you are way up off of your mat when you do this, place a block or blanket underneath you.

    – Take a peak behind you and make sure the back leg is going straight back.

    – Sit up tall, then walk your hands forward over your right shin. You can rest your forehead on a block, your hands or the ground.

    – Hold for 10-20 breaths, then switch sides.

    Remember to always be patient with yourself during your practice. Your hips will open up with time and consistent practice.

    XOXO

    Blog Signature

  • Instagram Quick Tip:  Creating Inspirational Posts

    Instagram Quick Tip: Creating Inspirational Posts

    When I first joined Instagram, I found myself taking lots of screenshots of inspirational posts— amazing quotes, yoga photos, running trails, exotic locations, and fitness routines.  As I scrolled back through these captured images on my phone’s camera roll, I realized that most of Inspirationthese posts had one thing in common:  they all had some sort of caption or inspirational quote right on the image itself.  I assumed that these images were all professionally produced until I came across the Over app.  Over will help you create your own inspirational image by quickly adding a quote or your own motivational words to a photo.

    There are many typography apps on the market, but this app is my favorite because of the variety of professional looking fonts that are offered, and the ease of use.  Even if you have very little experience with apps or photo editing, you will find this program to be intuitive and simple to use.  The app gives you complete control over the size, alignment and color of the font, so each photo can be customized to your liking.  If you are looking for a free version of this app, download Overgram instead.  The functionality is the same, but each image will be branded with an Overgram watermark unless you upgrade.

    Go ahead and give the free version of this app a try to see if you like it.  Think of your favorite quotes.  Look through your photos to find your most inspirational images.  Combine the two to create your own inspirational posts for others to enjoy and share on Instagram.  It’s fun, it’s easy, and you never know whose life you may touch with the right words and the right image at the right time.  Enjoy.

  • Daily Practice: Heart & Shoulders

    Daily Practice: Heart & Shoulders

    Getting into King Dancer, Forearm Hollowback or any Wheel variation depends on opening your heart and shoulders.  For the longest time, I was convinced that I couldn’t do overhand grip poses because my back just wasn’t naturally bendy. In reality, it was my chest and shoulders that were too tight to reach back.  So, now, heart openers and shoulder openers are a part of my daily practice.  In fact, you might want to consider incorporating them into yours! I tend to rely on blocks and a strap for these exercises, so make sure to have them handy!

    DSC_3882b

    Here are the top 5 heart and shoulder openers that I practice daily.

    #1: Relaxing Heart Opener

    DSC_8195w

    DSC_8216w

    Blocks are a great way to open up your chest and relax at the beginning of your practice. Depending on your level of flexibility, you can play with the height of the blocks and also the number of blocks that you use. Whatever level you choose, place one block between your shoulder blades as you lie down onto your mat. Use a second block under your head or, if it’s comfortable, your head can rest on your mat. Let your arms fall open to your sides or you can place them overhead. I usually stay here a minimum of two minutes and up to five minutes. Also, feel free to deepen the stretch as your heart opens up.

    #2: Clasp Your Hands

    DSC_8242w

    Clasping your hands behind your back is a great way to open up your upper body!  And the great news is…you can add this to almost any standing posture! As you move through your flow, incorporate this into your Standing Forward Folds, Warrior Poses, Lunges and even Cobras.  Try to keep your palms squeezing together as you straighten your arms and do not forget to change your grip as well!

    #3: Bow Pose

    DSC_8269w

    I love doing about three rounds of Bow Pose at the end of my practice.  Each round I hold for about five deep breaths. The trick here is to let your feet do most of the work! After you grab onto the outside edges of your ankles, kick them into your hands. The strength of your legs will lift up your heart. Don’t fight it, let your arms extend back, let your heart open.

    #4: Overhead Strap Extensions

    DSC_8286w

    Time to grab your trusty yoga strap or belt!  Start out by holding it out in front of you.  Grip the strap much wider than your shoulders to begin and pull it straight. From here, slowly extend it up and over your head…the entire time, keeping the strap taut. Repeat a few times and then move your hands slightly closer and repeat.

    #5: Overhand Grip Prep

    DSC_8318w

    If you are working on your overhand grip, this is the perfect exercise to explore what it feels like. Stand on one end of your strap or belt and step the other foot forward for support. Grab the other end of the strap with one hand and bring it up overhead so you can comfortably grab the strap with the other hand.  With your arms squeezing in, bend your elbows and slowly start to walk your hands down the strap towards the ground. Stop when you feel the stretch and take five to eight breaths. Release, shake it out, and then repeat this two more times.

    Remember to move slowly and mindfully, especially with any shoulder exercises.

    XOXO

    Blog Signature

     

  • 10 Reasons I Do Instagram Yoga Challenges

    10 Reasons I Do Instagram Yoga Challenges

    Over the past year, Laura and I have been very active in the Instagram yoga community.  We’ve hosted some of the very first yoga challenges offered on Instagram, and we continue to remain active in hosting and participating in challenges today.

    Since our early days of posting very detailed step-by-step picture tutorials, we’ve watched thousands of people connect and grow a virtual Instagram yoga community just by attempting the GrasshopperPrepdaily pose of the day and posting a photo of their attempt to a designated hashtag.  What an overwhelmingly positive experience to watch Instagram yogis grow, inspire, and BE inspired!

    If you have not yet given a challenge a try, I suggest that you pick one and get involved today.  Here are my top reasons for participating each month.

    It Creates a Daily Habit
    A daily yoga challenge makes you commit to a daily practice.  Let’s be honest—it’s hard to commit to a daily hour-long yoga session.  We are all tired and busy, but, I assure you that it feels much less overwhelming if we believe that we just need to stretch and warm up for one yoga pose.  This is a great way to take baby steps toward a longer more meaningful daily practice.  Get in the habit of rolling out your mat daily by participating in a challenge.

    It’s Fun
    Everyone loves a good challenge.  I still remember the first time I saw a photo of an arm balance pose on Instagram.  It looked incredible.  How was it even possible to balance in that way?!!!  I was fascinated and excited to get on my mat and try.  Perfecting the pose was not the goal.  The goal was to try, and practice, grow and play.  As adults, we rarely play.  Practicing new yoga poses each day awakens our inner child, and it’s just downright FUN.

    It’s Free
    Do I have to say more?  It’s free.  Free instruction, free participation, free fun, and often, you can even score a free prize!  Not everyone has the money to take a yoga class in a studio.  By participating in an Instagram yoga challenge, you can get your yoga fix without shelling out the big bucks.

    SideCrowIt’s Inspiring
    It’s incredibly inspiring to look through a yoga challenge hashtag and see thousands of yogis from all walks of life doing the same pose.  These yogis are different ages, races, sizes and nationalities, but they have all come together to participate and grow in their practice.  Seeing a yogi that is twice your age is inspiring.  Seeing a parent and child together attempting a pose is inspiring.  Seeing yogis that are overcoming sickness and pain by using yoga as a healing tool is inspiring.  All of this inspiration will make you want to come back day after day and practice with the Instagram community.

    It Can Be Done from Home
    Some people don’t have the money to take a yoga class, and others don’t have the time to take a class.  As a mother of young children, it takes a village for me to be able to leave my house to do basic things—like shop for groceries or get a haircut.  Traveling to a yoga studio does not happen often, and it doesn’t happen without planning in advance for babysitters.  By getting involved with Instagram challenges, I can practice at home whenever it’s convenient—even if that means taking photos of poses at midnight.

    It Documents Your Journey
    For better or for worse, if you participate in a daily Instagram yoga challenge, you will have a visual record of each pose that you attempt.  In the beginning, seeing your poor form or lack of flexibility may be discouraging, but as time passes, you will be grateful for these photos.  It amazes me to look back at my old yoga photos and see how far I’ve come in my practice.  My posture, flexibility, strength and form have improved dramatically, and I am aware of the progress that I’ve made over weeks or months.

    It’s a Great Way to Meet Yoga Friends
    The Instagram yoga community is an amazingly supportive group.  Everyone is encouraging and supportive, and that is a great kind of environment to learn and grow in your practice.  When you join an Instagram yoga challenge, you get the feeling that you are a part of something greater than yourself.  As soon as you join a challenge, you are no longer alone.  You have joined a movement, and it feels amazing to get caught up in the positive energy and practice (virtually) alongside your new Instagram yogi friends.

    FlyingLizardIt Creates a Well-Rounded Practice
    We all have our strengths.  We all also have our weaknesses.  I’ve found that when I practice yoga on my own, I have a tendency to work on poses that come easily to me, and I avoid working on the poses that target my weaker/less flexible body parts.  The wonderful thing about Instagram yoga challenges is that the pose of the day forces you to work on body parts that you might otherwise completely avoid.  If the challenge pose is a backbend, you will work on backbends, even if you dislike them.  If the challenge pose is a deep hamstring stretch, you will spend time stretching the backs of your legs.  I’ve found this aspect of the challenges to be very beneficial.  Rather than focusing on just the poses that I enjoy, I also work diligently on the poses that I don’t enjoy so much.  By doing this, I’ve become much more well-rounded in my practice than I otherwise would be.

    It Exposes You to Different Types of Yoga
    I used to think that there was one type of yoga—the kind where you sit with your hands in prayer and maybe do a warrior 1 pose from time to time.  The idea of doing yoga used to bore me to tears.  I had no idea that yoga could be a challenging, sweat-inducing workout.  There is a type of yoga for everyone, and the world of Instagram yoga has opened my eyes to it all.  Who knew that yoga could include inversions like headstands and handstands or arm balances that tested your strength, balance and flexibility?  Take a look through all of the available challenges this month and you will see how much variety yoga has to offer.

    TreeEnjoy the Non-Physical Benefits of Yoga
    If you join an Instagram yoga challenge and you’ve never tried yoga before, you might start out just enjoying the physical benefits of the poses.  That’s definitely the experience I had.  I would stretch, strengthen, sweat, take a photo of the pose of the day, and move on with my life.  Over time, however, I’ve noticed that my body has loosened up to the point where my practice has truly become a moving meditation.  I can find peace in each pose, as the poses become more accessible.    I am now able to focus on the present moment as I’m living it, and THIS is an invaluable skill on and off the mat.

  • Daily Practice: 5 Reasons to Do a Headstand Every Day!

    Daily Practice: 5 Reasons to Do a Headstand Every Day!

    Headstand, or Sirsasana, is often referred to as the “King of all asanas”… and rightfully so. It requires both physical and mental preparation to practice this inversion. Getting upside down can be a scary experience! The fear of falling, the fear of failing, the fear of the unknown, all come into play. Once you get over the initial fear though, the practice of inverting will offer new perspective and many benefits. Here are my top five reasons why I love to flip upside down every day.

    If you’re a newbie to headstands, no worries!  Check out the beginner’s guide to getting into a headstand here.

    DSC_1213s

    #1: Increases Blood Flow to the Head

    Getting upside down reverses the flow of blood from the heart, giving your heart a much needed break.  Blood is able to flow more easily to your brain including the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. These two glands play a vital role in your mental and physical well-being, and regulate all other glands in your body. They also regulate sex hormones, so daily headstands can improve your sex life!

    DSC_8068s

    #2: Fountain of Youth

    Added blood flow to your head also means added blood flow to your scalp and face. These added nutrients can possibly delay the onset of gray hairs and also give you an instant face lift by reversing gravity. Who needs botox and hair dye when you can just invert every day!

    DSC_5624s

    #3: Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

    The pituitary gland located at the base of your brain controls the release of endorphins. Endorphins trigger a positive, happy feeling in your body. The extra blood flow to this gland, helps to release more endorphins, thus making you a happier person.  It also helps to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. You cannot help but smile while upside down!

    DSC_9672s

    #4: Tones and Strengthens

    Headstands are a FULL BODY exercise.  You use every single muscle in your body in order to get into a headstand! Doing a headstand every day will strengthen every muscle in your neck, arms, shoulders, back, abdominals and legs.

    DSC_4142s

    #5: Become the Life of the Party!

    Headstands are just plain fun to do and there’s nothing wrong with that! Bust them out at parties or in the park! Your friends and family will be impressed!

     

    As always though…practice mindfully and honor your body! Have fun and laugh lots!

    XOXO

    Blog Signature