Monday, April 5, 2010
Module 3: Teaching Stretching to Clients response
This is where Pyramid massage students should post their responses to taking a Yoga or general stretching class. Please note general reactions here, as well as anything specific about the class or that the instructor did that was especially helpful to you.
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Hi, Everyone!
ReplyDeleteI took a yoga class at The Pyramid with Allison on Friday, paying particular attention to stretching, and modifications advised for physical limitations. In my case, the modification was for a 2-yr. old injury to my right wrist, which results in occasional bouts of tendonitis. Allison suggested several postures that would put less pressure on my wrists, such as coming down on my elbows during a plank.
I personally like the cat and dog postures for stretching, as they're so easy to learn and gentle on the back. Also, the bridge posture. As so many modern stretching moves originate from ancient yoga practices, I like to use yoga as an instructive tool in meeting my personal fitness goals.
Hi Everyone,
ReplyDeleteA month ago I was visiting my Chiropractor for some job related upper back issues. He suggested that I do some back and core exercises to help build up and strengthen the muscles in my back. My daily exercise routine of cardio workouts 5-6 days a week, was not effective in accomplishing my fitness goals. I was not seeing any improvement in toning or strenthing, and was getting discouraged in the process.
I would shy away from working with weights because I didn't know what I was doing and I needed instant results! I decided to give it another try and started taking classes with fitness trainer Josh Moore at the Pyramid.
I just completed 12 sessions and the improvement in my strength and back is amazing! In addition to weight training, we also work on stretching the muscles. Stretching has so many benefits, my flexibility has increased, improved range of motion, improved posture and a great stress release!
Often the most effective things we can do for our health and well being are the simplest and the most natural. Stretching is one of those things.
I am looking forward to more seesions with Josh!
I have taken a few yoga classes in the past and have loved them, but have never followed through with attending regular classes. This semester at school I bought myself a fitness pass and have vowed to take regular pilates and yoga classes. I went to one of the yoga classes here the other day and absolutely loved it. One thing that really makes a difference, I have found, is when the instructor can teach a class to a range of people, and provide variations for the advanced group while not leaving the beginners in the dust. I appreciate when they let you push yourself as far as you feel comfortable, and can provide advice but not make you feel uncomfortable if you aren't as advanced as everyone else.
ReplyDeleteThe feeling after a yoga class is always the best part. I feel so relaxed and aligned and focused. Hopefully this semester will get me into a good routine where I will continue weekly yoga for years to come!
In the past I have done some kundalini yoga every morning, and it was the most grouding thing I did for those five years. I just took in a few stretching videos from online. The thing that comes to my mind first is how the extra weight I've taken on over the year can be felt in the stretches. Also, the love of movement comes back with each stretch. It always feels good to feel the body parts stretching, waking up, saying "Hi, I'm here!" , the wake up call and awareness is moving. I do small stetches before walking, nearly daily, but the deep stretches of the video was delicious and hopefully contegious.
ReplyDeleteMy physical fitness improvement plan is to continue my exercise. I lift weights with my father twice a week doing strength exercises and anaerobic exercises. When I lift weights I focus on different muscle groups. Mainly focus on back and chest, or triceps and biceps. The rest of the week I use an elliptical runner, under various different programs for example; interval, strength, cardio. I run on the elliptical every day for 38 minutes and then when I am finished with my running I do mat exercises. Mat exercises consist of sit ups, crunches and various hip flexors and pelvic thrusts. These exercises are designed to strengthen the core muscles of the body. After every workout I take 20 minutes to stretch my muscles, using stretches I learned by playing lacrosse in college and taking yoga classes for years. I also have a healthy diet consisting of organic milk, bananas, peanut butter, honey etc. In addition I have become very conscientious of food portions. I also don’t drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. I make sure that I get at least 8 hours of sleep every night as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteI chose to participate in an online yoga class. I found some of the positions to be difficult and a little uncomfortable at times mostly because these are not my everyday positions. The stretching really felt good though! After the class, I could immediately feel my muscles loosen up and I was able to relax much easier. The website I used was www.yogayak.com. I highly recommend it.
I did my own stretch/yoga type of class from home. I have yoga cards that explain how to do the stretch, what it does, and what it's for. I did a workout before and did the yoga/stretch cards immediately after. I felt very relieved from working my muscles all week. I love stretching anyways but I really pushed myself this time and felt much more flexible, relieved from muscle pain, and relaxed. I'd like to take some real yoga classes once my knee is better, but that will probably be awhile, but I love doing yoga, its very relaxing, energizing, and revitilizing. It's really a great exercise.
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteI do a lot of stretching in my Body Awareness 2 class and it is absolutely wonderful. I tend to get very tense in my upper back and shoulders, so doing a good arm and shoulder stretch (reaching one arm back and around toward your shoulder blade, and the other arm down to connect to the opposite arm) to make you feel relieved. I am also a dancer, so stretching is a VERY important part of dance; because if you're muscles are not warmed up it is much easier to tear something.
I'm in the JSC dance club and in one of the dances I'm in we take about 20 minutes to stretch. In most of the dances we only stretch about 5 minutes or so but I really enjoy this dance and look forward to the stretching. There are a couple of jumps in this dance and one split so it's very important to stretch. We usually spend a good portion of the time stretching out our legs which feels great. I notice that my flexibility and strength in my jumps have improved since doing this. In this dance we learn not just chorography but technique which is awsome! At the end of our stretching we do some abdominal work. They are a series of crunches and we adjust the height of our legs for every set of about 16 that we do. I definitly feel it later! It's very effective and helps with the overall quality of dancing!
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteI've practiced yoga a few times in the past, including a week-long intensive class where we practiced yoga every morning for ninety minutes to two hours. It was wonderful and time flew by. I don't practice it as often as I'd like to since I find it hard to motivate myself to practice at home.
I took a yoga class here at JSC held at the gym. Even though I've practiced yoga in the past, I'm by no means an expert, far from it. For many of the asanas I opt for the simplified versions for beginners. I liked when the instructor assured the class that it's perfectly acceptable to adjust asanas to your own level of ability, yet at the same time encouraged us to challenge ourselves.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteDuring our hands-on weekend down at your facility in Rutland, we participated in a Yoga class with Darcy. It was first thing in the morning before we started our day, and I have to say it was just what I needed to find the energy to massage all day. We slept in the yoga studio that night and my back was pretty sore from sleeping on the floor. The class helped a lot, especially with the downward dogs and spinal twists to really stretch out my back.
Doing this class reminded me that I should be practicing yoga more often. I used to practice all the time, but it seems to be harder to find time lately. I'm going to remember to take care of myself so that I can be healthy in all aspects of life and PRACTICE MORE YOGA! :)
I took tow yoga classes this week. One was a Kirpalu Yoga classs and one was a Hatha Yoga class. I enjoyed them both so much that I have added them to my personal wellness plan. I especially enjoyed a series of poses designed to open the hips in the Hatha class. I could feel a great deal of opening and release in the stretches. I also really enjoyed the warrior poses and the sun salutation poses.
ReplyDeleteI did have trouble with my right wrist hurting. It gives me trouble from time to time and some of the poses put too much strain on it so I listened to my body and stopped. My teacher was also a massage therapist and she gave me some suggestions for care since she noticed that I was pampering my wrist.
I look forward to practicing more Yoga and benefiting more from the stretches and form the mental relaxation it can bring.
One of the college students at the school I went to has a yoga class every Thursday, which is open to anyone who would like to participate. I have never taken much interest in yoga, as when it comes to exercise, I usually like something more fast-paced. Still, this seemed like a good opportunity to learn something new that I could also pass on to future clients!
ReplyDeleteI think what helped the most in the process was that the instructor made it very clear that if there wasn’t anything we didn’t feel we could physically do, we should just hold the previous position or something comfortable and wait until we moved on. She started us off with some very simple but relaxing poses and then gradually led us into more difficult positions. Yoga is one of those exercises that looks easy and calm and relaxing, until you realize there is sweat pouring down your face and the instructor asks you to put yourself in a pretzel form and hold it! I talked with the student instructor for a while after the class, explaining that I was looking for some simple stretches that I could suggest to my clients for all different areas of the body. She showed me a few simple, yet effective positions and I feel that not only have I learned some new strengths (and limitations) of my own body, but also ways I can help my clients through more than just massage!
Hello Everyone!
ReplyDeleteIn August, I attended an introductory Tai Chi Chuan class, which was suggested by my medical doctor. The class was arranged specifically for people with chronic illness, in particular, chronic Lyme Disease. As most of the students have varying degrees of symptons and limitations, the class is carefully paced and focuses specificlly on the Medical aspects of Tai Chi Chuan, thus calling this particular class, Medical Tai Chi.
I was amazed to find that some of the most simple looking moves could be such a challenge. It felt good to stretch parts of my body that I hadn't realized I was neglecting. It was important to keep ourselves aligned which helped me with better balance. It was also stressed that we do not do too much too soon. As with massage, Tai Chi also stresses first and foremost to "do no harm". Although I was a bit sore the next morning, overall I felt really good. I also noticed a surge of extra energy! Our official classes start mid September and I am looking forward to learning more Tai Chi, as I feel strongly that this is going to help tremendously with healing body, mind, and soul.
I have just started taking Yoga classes and have attended 3 classes thus far. The classes meet 1 mile up the road from me, so that is ideal. They are also early enough in the afternoon that they don't keep me awake at night . The style offered is Kripalu Yoga.
ReplyDeleteBecause of my accident, the teacher keeps an eye on me to see if I need adjustments in the poses so that I can do them. I find that even though I can put weight on my arm or stretch my shoulder (to a certain point), I cannot do both. So although I can plank (not for very long) or do child's pose (arms extended), I cannot do downward dog. Many times I find my own adjustments (not raising arm or just simply looking for a comfortable position that is close to the requested one). I also check in with the teacher after class and we discuss what I was able to or not able to do. I tell her how I adjusted and she offers suggestions. (I do wish she would give more clues about proper body position. I see people in the class doing things I know are wrong and I wonder if I am doing the same things.)
Doing yoga feels good for my body, although alien. I used to be a gymnast, so this feels as if I am going back to my roots.
During my yoga class I paid a lot more attention to my body as a whole than I normally do. The poses were a lot harder than I had expected, they all look so simple but little did I know. It felt so amazing to stretch. The bridge pose felt so relaxing to my legs. Yoga made me realize that I need to work on my posture, it really helped me open my chest and relax my shoulders. I didn’t realize how stiff and sore I was till I started my class. Yoga was a great experience!
ReplyDeleteI have been taking a yoga class at my College for the past three years.Each time I go to class I learn more about my body and understand that there are no boundaries to what I can do with my body. Through my journey, I have increased in flexibility more than I knew I was capable of doing. Stretching is amazing, and I can't get up and start my day without a couple minutes of stretching, or I feel stiff all day. I practice Sun salutations and try holding each position for a couple of seconds. On days I feel extra bold, I try hold longer, such as down-ward dog. I find that stretching is a life style choice for me.
ReplyDeleteI have taken yoga off and on for years now. I find that I practice better at home. I even bought flash cards that have poses if I forget some. My favorites are the boat pose, the bridge pose, the camel pose and the cow pose. I'd like to get better at the cobra pose. I love any of them that stretch my hamstrings, the core or ab's and my neck and back feel good when I am trying the cobra pose. My son and I have been motivating each other to do them more often.
ReplyDeleteHello All,
ReplyDeleteI have tooken a course called "Body Awareness" this semester and found it very beneficial. My mentor/teacher taught me the importance of incorporating breathing when stretching. As silly/trivial as it may seem, not very many people realize that they need to focus on their breathing, which is essential. I've also realized that when stretching, my body like everyone else, has certain limitations. But by practicing different variety of poses I will be able to become more flexible! I personally try to work every body part as much as possible. My personal favorite stretching poses are: gluts, the outer hip, quad, lateral stretch, the Sternocleidomastoid stretch, front shoulder stretch, child's pose, cat pose, abs/core stretches on a ball and the Soleus Stretch. I feel that doing these various types of poses are fun/energizing to do, especially with friends. Having someone to practice with makes it much more enjoyable to do and get's me motivated/determined to do more each time I practice stretches! :D
When I took yoga I really enjoyed the "me" time. Time to clear my head, focus, stretch, and calm down. At first I thought I would never be able to do some of the poses the instructor would display but over time
ReplyDeleteI gained more and more flexibility and stamina. There are so many variations for people with different skill levels which made me more comfortable practicing in a group.I didn't feel like I had to match the instructor because there was usually a simpler form to work your way up and practice.
I have taken several yoga classes there at the Pyramid. I really enjoyed every minute of them! I do actively do the majority of the stretches showcased in the reading on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteThe stretches are a necessity when it comes to dance. I am a performing belly dancer and if my body is not completely limber for a performance or even a practice, I can seriously hurt myself. Through the time I have been dancing and incorporating stretching into my life I have noticed a higher sense of peace. I have learned that breathing is key when stretching. Too many people hold their breathe most of the day and in return, their muscles tie themselves up and hold tension for sometimes weeks or months. While stretching, taking deep breathes can allow you to go deeper into the stretch and reach a higher level of enlightenment through your physical body.
I took a beginning yoga class this week at Sanctuary Integrative Medicine. It was very interesting. I did find some parts of it relaxing and other parts stressful. I loved the relaxation part of deep breathing and felt a lot of tension leaving my body. Even though this was beginning level and not very complicated at all I found some of the poses hurt and were very uncomfortable, however I also found after the class that I felt more flexible and loosened up all over. I may try more yoga in the future but need to think about how I can get comfortable with it.
ReplyDeleteI took a yoga stretch class at Jackson Gore yesterday. It was the first yoga class I had taken in years. Many of the poses were difficult but I found the more I breathed into it and adjusted the pose to my level if I needed to, the better I felt. I began to feel calmer and more grounded. Certain parts of my body were definately a little shaky afterwards. I can see the benefits of yoga on so many levels.
ReplyDeleteYoga
ReplyDeleteThis is my second time in a Yoga class that I was in... I took both classes at Pico Sport center. The first time my lower back was hurting a little bit and I find out it was like the chakars. My second time around my back didn't hurt and I had the same teacher and no one class is the same. For me the second time around I felt the energy in my hands about 75% of the time. My first time around I had some energy after the class and my second time I didn't had any energy after the class and I felt the same. I look at the clock 2 times and I thought wow that is the time. If you thinking of sometime else besides what you are doing and being in the moment in the class you can't do some things in the class and you want to stop. It was good time to spend on a Yoga class and you can come down as well. Lastly I think if you tune your chakars and relaxed you should take a yoga class, and yes I might take another class.
Rob McGarry
Yoga class: Saturday 10/5/13 at The Castle Hill Resort and Spa in Cavendish, VT
ReplyDeleteIt has been a long time coming, ha..... I have only taken one other class since my daughter was born 19 months ago. I did take Prenatal Yoga during my pregnancy, and a few baby and Mama Yoga home videos.
I arranged for my Mom to watch my daughter so I could take a Yoga class. Upon arrival I was feeling scattered, and in a hurry. My shoulders were definitely up to my ears. I also realized I forgot my Yoga mat....figures. Luckily they had mats to share. Bonus- I discovered they have a locals pass, saving an extra $2 per class (YAY!!). Class began... there was 10 of us there. The instructor started us off in Mountain pose, and gave us some encouraging words offering us to make an intention if we would like for our practice. Mine was to be present and slow down. She then offered us to do some Ujjayi breathing if we wanted to. Immediately I could feel my shoulders lower and my pulse and blood pressure slow down. During the class the instructor brought us through a sequence of flowing poses and stretching, balancing poses, and reminding us of our breathe. No longer were my thoughts racing, or energy pulsing. I could finally feel myself deepen in poses and my mind quiet.
The instructor came around with a block for those of us that wished to use one for some poses. I liked her support, and her calmness throughout class.
After our inverted poses (for me I just did legs up he wall). She passed around blankets and eye pillows (with scented lavender inside) for those of us that wanted them (I accepted). We had about 5 minutes of Shavasana and then a moment of meditation, again she invited us to set an intention, but this time for our day. Mine was to take this sense of calm, and centered energy home with me, and to be present with my daughter. She ended with a quote (I cannot remember), that left us feeling centered, and present, and then Namaste.
It felt so wonderful getting back into Yoga...for both my body and my mind. I dug out two Yoga mats at home, and have them spread on the floor, so I can do Yoga often with my 19 month old daughter. I am hoping to start going to this Yoga once a week.
Namaste
Gretchen
I completed a yoga routine at home with a vidio I have. It was a bit challenging to hold the poses but I felt a nice stretch in the muscles after completing it.My daughter who is almost three was also enjoying the poses too! It was a lot of fun to do it with her. I am interested in trying Bikrham yoga ( the hot yoga) I hear it ismore benificial to help hold the poses and gives a deeper stretch for the muscles.
ReplyDeleteAshley Smith
I did a yoga for beginners video at home. After doing the video, I realized how much flexibility I am lacking and need to work on. My muscles seem really tight. Something like yoga/stretching is something that I need to incorporate into my daily routine in order to be a more healthy person overall.
ReplyDeleteI woke up this morning earlier than normal because I was excited to try yoga at home. I now understand why some people say it's relaxing! I have been stressed out lately, and just the calm voice and silence and stretching of my muscles made me feel awesome. Yoga will definitely be added as one of my daily routines. It did make me realize that I need to stretch more and work at becoming more flexible.
ReplyDeleteI began yoga a couple of months ago after years of not practicing due to all the things that typically get in the way. Going to work, raising kids, building a house... the list goes on.
ReplyDeleteMy first couple of classes were eye opening. I realized the flexibility, strength and balance that once came so naturally were now a struggle. However, now that I have done several classes these things have improved.
I love where I go, River House Yoga, the space is small and beautiful overlooking the Onion River. I always look forward to going to class and always leave feeling rejuvenated. I love yoga and am so happy to have it back in my life again. Just one more sign my path is going in the right direction.
I bought a yoga DVD that I really like. It is by Element YOGA for stress relief and flexibility. I enjoyed it. I definitely prefer to go to a yoga class instead but with my schedule it is often hard. At first it is often difficult for me to turn my brain off until I really start focusing on my breathing. The best way for me to start to focus on the smoothness of my breath when the video told me to breathe like waves-breathing in and visualizing the water coming in to the beach and breathing out visualizing the water going back out. I did however have a hard time with a couple of the other breathing techniques we were instructed to try- tiger's breath was the most difficult, mostly because I had a hard time not laughing. A breathing technique that I also enjoyed was the one that had you breathe in one nostril then out the opposite alternating. My body felt great during the different poses- I can definitely use the stretching it provided for me. One thing that I feel is not as great as being in the real class is that there is not someone who can correct my pose if I am having difficulty.On a regular daily basis I do find myself stretching in different ways on the floor to relieve my legs and back . I also use self massage when doing so. I will most definitely continue incorporating yoga and stretching into my life.
ReplyDeleteIn the past I practiced Bikram yoga religiously, going to classes regularly 6 days per week for about 6 months. During this time I felt very grounded, calm, happy, more flexible, and energetic; it's like I was a whole new person. Since this time (about 2 years ago) I have not practiced yoga with the same intensity, and have only shown up to my mat when I felt like it (which wasn't necessarily often) until this semester. I am enrolled in a Yoga & Ayurveda class at JSC, and although we only meet one day per week for class (practicing one hour of yoga) we are required to have an outside practice once a day. It is recommended we show up to our mats every morning, in hopes that a set time each day will provide better and faster results in our practice. Since beginning this regime I have noticed I am slowly gaining back my flexibility and daily vital energy. My instructor, and instructors in the past have safely guided me into deeper modifications of the asanas (poses) that I practice. For example: Adho Mukha Svasana (downward dog), Garurasana (eagle pose), Ustrasana (camel pose), and Supta-Varasana (fixed firm pose), are a few of the poses that I have found safe ways to stretch into- as some poses can be harmful, especially to the spine and back, if not practiced properly. In picking up my yoga practice again I have felt more flexible and I have realized how much I missed showing up to the mat. Yoga or stretching is definitely a great way to avoid injury and to become more flexible. Yoga has also helped me during massages by allowing myself to stay comfortable throughout the time it takes for the massage.
ReplyDeleteMy typical workout consists of running four miles (an hour) then strength training for one hour alternating muscle groups daily. finding two hours everyday to exercise is difficult but afterwords I always feel awesome, energized, motivated and confident. I do the best i can to stretch my muscles but have had difficulty reaching some of them. I use a foam roller to help break up the lactic acid built up in my muscles which has helped immensely. In the future i would like to incorporate yoga into my workout and believe i will benefit greatly.
ReplyDeleteOk just tried to post my response on here and I am not seeing it so i will try this again.
ReplyDeleteI have just started a yoga/pilates combination workout at home 6 days a week. Since starting the program I noticed I feel more relaxed and energized afterwards, though somedays that only lasts as long as it takes me to get to my next class!
I really like how the instructor walks you through better body mechanics before you start the session and will give you reminders throughout the session, pointing out common mistakes and misalignments that are common with each pose or series of poses. It has certainly helped me to remind myself how important prober body alignment is throughout the day, not just while working out.
I chose a stretching video from home. Some of the stretches were very hard to do. Some of the I couldn't physically do. Some of them I really liked! I have since started doing some of them daily, for example what the instructor called a "neck roll". This has helped me so much because I carry a lot tension and stress in my neck. Since the daily "neck roll" I have less pain and my headaches aren't as bad. I will continue to this and other stretches daily!
ReplyDeleteI took a beginner yoga class this past week. Fortunately I have a friend that has been a yoga teacher for years. She has been trying to get me to attend one of her sessions for years. I have always resisted telling her that I stretch fine on my own. And truly I have believed that as a marathon runner I have figured that I had the whole stretching thing down. Well although beginner level, I have to say I was surprised how inflexible I am. Simple stretches were difficult to for me especially anything involving the hip flexors. I know that running has not helped this area of my body. I will say that after an hour class not only did I feel looser, I felt really relaxed. I would be willing to attend another class.
ReplyDeleteI regularly participate in yoga with Darya at Fair Haven fitness. I also do yoga on my own and want to become an instructor in my near future. I absolutely love the way my body feels when doing yoga, and afterwards. We do a lot of detoxing poses which are so beneficial. There are modifications for beginners, and more advanced poses for the more experienced people. I think yoga is super beneficial in so many ways, physically and mentally. Yoga helps with keeping the body young and youthful. Helps prevent injuries and gain balance. In addition to physically, yoga is a tremendously helpful to relax and ease ones mind. Helps a person be mindful, connect, and be present.
ReplyDeleteI took a yoga class at my regular gym. Today we focused on the hamstrings. The teacher led us through as series of poses that focused on core strength and hamstring stretches.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I liked was her sense of flow--she had us start in a restful position, move into a challenging stretch, then back to the restful position before doing the opposite side.
She used anatomical terms and spatial descriptions to help the students know what to do with their bodies, such as 'move your femurs back toward the mirror' or 'raise your hips up toward the ceiling' or 'roll your shoulders outward'.
She broke the movements down into their component pieces so we could check in with our bodies and make sure we were doing each piece correctly.
She also made sure to offer easier and more demanding options to account for the different people's levels of flexibility and balance, and when a pose was contraindicated for a certain group (like people with shoulder problems) she let us know before hand.
She had us hold poses quite long while she checked everyone's position and came around to suggest gentle modifications to make sure the position was correctly carried out.
Once when my hand started to slip, she came right over with a better sticky mat--I was impressed at how much she noticed from the front of the room.
During the session, I focused on my posture and breath and relaxed into poses even though we held them so long I really thought I wouldn't be able to hold them any longer.
I noticed that there was some anxiety in the body (muscle tension, heart rate going up) when doing poses that challenged my balance and I had to remind myself to go easy and accept that I might not be able to do everything perfectly right away.
I felt my body was taller and calmer after the session, and stronger, too. As much as yoga does for stretching, it also seems to require some muscle strength and stamina, so I appreciated all of that.
I participated in a Kripalu yoga class recently and felt very relaxed post instruction. I hope to incorporate more Yoga classes with my regular aerobic class schedule to achieve balance.
ReplyDeleteI liked the fact the instructor introduced herself and asked if I had any physical issues she needed to be aware of. I also liked her stye of instruction as she rounded on each student and made individual adjustments to poses, if needed, thus insuring poses were held correctly for optimal benefit. She also offered options for students if poses or positions were uncomfortable or difficult to do e.g., holding a stork position. I noticed my body gradually relaxing after each long stretch. During the cool-down phase of class, the instructor spritzed our faces with a lovely, relaxing, refreshing spray which furthered relaxing my body, yet simultaneously creating an invigorating sensation! Overall, a great class.
Yoga is my favorite practice! I have been practicing yoga for about 5-6 years and I will never tire of the practice! I took my yoga class at Steadfast and True in Nashville where I have my membership. I love to use my practice to connect my breath with my body and use it as a tool to sink deeper with my self. I inhale deeply into tight areas and exhale the tension and discomfort into relaxation and surrender. I strongly believe in the healing powers of yoga and massage! :)
ReplyDeleteYoga is my favorite practice! I have been practicing yoga for about 5-6 years and I will never tire of the practice! I took my yoga class at Steadfast and True in Nashville where I have my membership. I love to use my practice to connect my breath with my body and use it as a tool to sink deeper with my self. I inhale deeply into tight areas and exhale the tension and discomfort into relaxation and surrender. I strongly believe in the healing powers of yoga and massage! :)
ReplyDeleteYoga is my favorite practice! I have been practicing yoga for about 5-6 years and I will never tire of the practice! I took my yoga class at Steadfast and True in Nashville where I have my membership. I love to use my practice to connect my breath with my body and use it as a tool to sink deeper with my self. I inhale deeply into tight areas and exhale the tension and discomfort into relaxation and surrender. I strongly believe in the healing powers of yoga and massage! :)
ReplyDeleteYoga is my main source for keeping my body, mind, & soul in shape, so to speak. I teach yoga 3 days a week and 1-4 classes on those 3 days. Needless to say, since starting this new routine I've never felt better. I have a nice balance of gentle & flow classes with some restorative in there. I also have an at-home Kundalini practice. I try to attend other classes when possible, but when not possible I do youtube videos. My 2 favorite channels are Yoga with Adriene and Brett Larkin. Both offer wonderful classes. They give just the right amount of cues and offer a well rounded practice:) I do appreciate the way they offer cues to take the poses a little bit deeper or tiny changes we can make to shift the energy of the posture. I think yoga & massage go hand-n-hand. I hope that I can offer my clients relief, connection, restoration both on and off the table:)
ReplyDeleteI started doing yoga this year to help recover my knees from running. I love it! I've really taken to Bikram yoga, I feel so wonderful afterwards. The poses are tough and I do not feel very flexible, but the benefits are limitless. I particularly like the poses that help stretch my intercostal muscles...I could stay in those forever. One pose that is particularly tough is a stretch pose for the back and quads, it puts too much tension on my knees. The instructor reminded me to push into the stretch which really helps and makes the pose healthy for my knees. I really enjoy how the class is all spoken, so it forces you to be in the moment and really listen.
ReplyDeleteHello beautiful people!
ReplyDeleteI decided to take the easy route and do yoga at home whilst following a youtube video. I have done a few Ashtanga classes before here locally in rutland, so I chose to follow a video of someone teaching ashtanga primary series. I enoyed the breathwork, the movement, and the postures of this session, and ashtanga as a whole. What was helpful was the simple minor reminders from the instructor such as "focus on your breath" After getting the hang of it I was able to connect with my body and get into a moving meditation. I highly recommend trying/continuing practicing yoga. It does have some immediate benefits, however they do not compare to the long term you can achieve if you focus and learn the many lessons you can learn from practicing yoga.
It has been several years since I attended a vinyasa yoga class or maintained my own practice at home, largely owing to back and knee injuries. For much of this time, it has been difficult to attain an adequate or satisfying stretch from my legs. Lots of chiropractic care has alleviated much of this tension, however, and so I recently participated in a vinyasa class. Understandably I am not at the level of practice I once was, and so although it was frustrating to be unable to push myself as I once could, it was enjoyable to stretch actively with my whole body, beyond the simple static stretches I have been performing for many weeks now. Even though I have preferred practicing in private in the past, I had forgotten how beneficial an instructor's guidance can be to helping me visualize how I want to move and shape my body, and how it can motivate me to reach a little farther and hold a little longer. Also, the synchronicity of movement and breathing inspires and encourages. I look forward to incorporating a more regular practice as I progress with the rehabilitation of my back and knee.
ReplyDeleteI have been learning yoga @ the same time as taking a teacher training course. My teacher invited me and thought it would benefit the group to have a beginner in the class & I'm so grateful. Before the class started, we were assigned to follow her YouTube video of sun salutations & it would get a little complicated for me to try and watch the screen while changing direction. Being in YTT gave me lots of understanding so I can get into poses despite not being in great physical shape. The most important piece being, rooting your pose by standing on the 3 corners of your feet and rising up with your breath, elongating your spine so your crown reaches toward the ceiling. Even in poses where your foot is floating in the air, imagine that foot pressing against the air (or an object) and keeping your gaze in such a way that your spine is always straight, pulling prana from both the earth and the cosmos. Inhaling and exhaling, using the breath to open the body & the heart. We also tried restorative yoga which was very little physical movement and a lot of relaxation, being in the present moment & using tennis balls and props to stretch the fascia. Whenever I completed an hour (&2 hour class) I was glowing after. Turning the heat up to 82 degrees makes you sweat.
ReplyDeleteI participated in an online yoga course for this activity. It was a power flow, which is not something I usually subscribe to. The gentle reminders to return to the breath were crucial to me in order to fully enjoy this experience. The teacher also did a nice job with cues of what to tighten/let go and where I should be feeling the stretch. Additionally, there were modifications to intensify some of the poses, as well as to gently back out of them.
ReplyDeleteI also participated in an online yoga session. I did so with a friend which was helpful when I needed gentle reminders to remember my breathing (and motivated me to go farther than I thought I could) It was a beginners session so there was a lot of focus on breathing and paying attention to how my body was feeling during every pose. The instructor was pointing out where to focus during each stretch, which made it easier to tune into the muscle being worked or stretched.
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ReplyDeleteRecently, I've discovered that the Spinning and Core/Strength classes I've been taking at Zen Revolution in Manchester, Vt., are a nice supplement to a personal yoga practice. One of the exercises that we practice in Core/Strength class is holding plank pose. Each week we try to beat the prior weeks' time. In this exercise, I have noticed myself getting much stronger and also how it translates back on the yoga mat at home. I do feel improvement and a greater sense of stability of the core muscles and lower back when moving through the vinyasas!
ReplyDeleteWhile Spin classes make me feel great, I am learning that I need both the cardio of spin and the stretch of yoga, as they balance each other out really well. The hard work of spin is exhilarating, and the listening and refining of yoga is grounding!
The other day I was waiting for spin class, and to pass the time, I took a beginner's yoga class (part of a six week series). Though it was not a vinyasa flow style sequence that I prefer, I found the instructor's feedback to be very helpful. Also, the stretch work set me up for a great spin class because all my muscles were activated and supporting good posture.
Something that I've noticed is the relaxation that I feel after a yoga class is refreshing in a different way than how I feel refreshed after spin or an intense core/strength session.
This evening it is very cold and I didn't take a class after work.
Instead, I closed out the day with a gentle flow sequence. This simple movement and breath has helped to ease the tightness I feel from this especially cold day.