Yoga is not just an hour or so class you take whenever you get the chance. Yoga is your life.
The most important part about going to a yoga class is to take home what you learn and apply it to your everyday life.
When you learn how to flow through a vinyasa with good alignment like bending over with a straight back, keeping your shoulders relaxed away from your ears, and being entirely focused on the moment, don’t leave these lessons on the mat. Apply them!
Keep your back flat whenever you bend over, whether it’s to tie your shoes or to pick something up. Don’t let your back round which puts the whole weight of your upper body onto your lower lumbar spine. Instead, stick your butt out, keep your heart lifted, and bend your knees a little if you need to.
It’s the same way when you’re standing or sitting (minus sticking out your booty). To correct your posture while either sitting or standing, just raise your heart and everything else will fall into place. You’ll notice that when you lift your breastbone, you’re shoulders naturally slide down behind your back away from your ears and the crown of your head tends to lift up, lengthening your spine.
When you’re sitting in a chair or on a couch, sit like a yogi. There are a few different cross legged positions that you can do to open your hips while doing nothing! I’ve found that sitting like a yogi is actually more comfortable than sitting with my legs straight down.
Some people are under the assumption that push ups can cause damage to the wrists because of all the weight they hold. This only happens when you’re not pushing down evenly with all four parts of your palm. We tend to put the weight on the bottom part of the wrist, and the index finger knuckle is especially stubborn at staying down. If you do push ups, remember to push down evenly on your palms.
Solo Yoga
Learning a solo practice is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body, mind, and spirit. We don’t always have time to take an hour or longer class on someone else’s schedule, but there’s almost always time for five minutes of pranayama, or ten minutes of sun salutes. Read the rest of this entry »