Yoga at Home with Laura, Self-taught Yogi!

Yoga at Home: Avoid Feeling Older than You Are! - Dahn Yoga Guest Post

Today, I received a guest post from a representative of Dahn Yoga, a group that teaches a Korean form of yoga. I agree with her advice.  I would only say that instead of "avoiding feeling older than you are," yoga enables you to feel eternally youthful!  I know I don't look 25, that would be a miracle-slightly more than three decades later! But, I certainly DO feel 25 - no joke!  And yoga, has been a major contributing factor.

Here is the article verbatim, contributed from Dahn Yoga and its accompanying photo:

"How to avoid feeling older than you are 

Growing old can make a person feel down. No one likes to feel like their time has passed them by. Yet the more you dwell on these kinds of ideas, the older and more decrepit you feel. As soon as you start recognizing your age you truly are old.

However, there are many ways to get around these problems and make yourself feel young again. Age doesn't have to be a drag. In fact, individuals who take steps to preserve their physical health may find that growing old doesn't have to mean physical disability. Meanwhile, the experience gained throughout the years may come to seem like a benefit.

Exercise is one of the most important things a person can do to maintain their youthful enthusiasm. You don't have to start going out and running marathons or anything like that, but finding ways to get some physical activity into every day is one of the best ways to keep the muscles tight and the blood flowing.

Even simple things like going for a walk with your partner or spending some time in the garden count toward daily exercise. Furthermore, activities like these are low-impact, and therefore are less like to take a toll on the joints, which is a common problem that makes people feel older than they really are.

Yoga may be another way to keep the body moving and feeling young as you start to get older. This exercise involves stretching and mindfulness, two activities that can preserve the body and the mind at the same time. Again, as with moderate everyday activities, yoga is low-impact, so individuals with joint pain don't have to worry about it aggravating their condition.

So exercise is the best way to keep the body in a youthful state, but what about the mind? Even people who are in good physical health can experience cognitive impairments as they age. Few things make a person feel old quite like forgetfulness. Fortunately, there are many ways a person can keep their mind sharp.

One way may be to start a hobby. This is a part of growing old that many people overlook. However, few things quicken the pace of cognitive decline quite like sitting around in front of the TV. People who have things to do and interests to develop are much more likely to maintain good mental function.

A hobby can include painting, picking up a new instrument, learning a new language or even something simple like doing the daily crossword puzzle. The important thing is to have something do every day. Ideally, it should be something you enjoy and look forward to.

Meditation is another great way to avoid cognitive impairments with age. The practice helps individuals practice clearing their mind and paying attention to specific thoughts. This can lead to better control of ideas over time.

No one wants to get old, but unfortunately, it will happen even to the best of us. The key is to age gracefully and with dignity. By paying attention to your physical and mental health and taking steps to improve yourself every day, you can accomplish this." 

Dahn Yoga is one of the largest yoga and tai chi companies in the world with its own unique style and brand of yoga.  <a href=”http://www.dahnyogaor.com”>Dahn Yoga</a> is rooted in the rich history of an ancient Asian mind-body practice, Sun Do, and in the wisdom of the Chun Bu Kyung."

 

Thank you Dahn Yoga for your guest post.  I intend to stay youthful with yoga!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

 

 

Yoga at Home: Backward Handclasp -Great for Loosening Tight Shoulders!

Do you ever wake up in the morning with stiff shoulders?  Are you guilty of hunching over your computer at work only to realize an hour or two later how tight your rotator cuffs and shoulders feel?  Well, I have a simple (although not necessarily easy to do at first) yoga "fix" for such problems.  It's called the yoga backward handclasp or shoulder stretch and it's perfect for getting tight kinks out of your shoulder blades, rotator cuffs, and upper arms.  Check it out!  I do this yoga pose daily.

Backward Handclasp/Shoulder Stretch

Type of yoga pose: Active, can be done seated or standing 

Body parts targeted:  Upper arms, shoulder blades, spine, back muscles

How to do the pose:

1. Sit or stand erect. If seated, the Japanese sitting pose or any cross-legged pose (simple cross-legged pose, half-lotus, or full lotus pose) on your mat is most conducive for the backward handclasp.
2. Gently and firmly raise your left arm directly into the air as high as you can. F  -e  -  e-  l   the stretch—I often imagine myself trying to reach the clouds as I lift my arm directly into the air—I enjoy elongating my arm straight above my shoulder.
3. Slowly, move your right hand behind you, palm facing outward, and bend your elbow so that the back of your right hand is against your spine.
4. Bend your left arm at the elbow so your left hand, palm downward, touches the center of your back. Your left elbow is pointing straight up into the air.
5. Carefully work your left hand while at the same time inch your right hand slowly upward so that the fingers of your two hands can clasp each other if possible. This may be difficult when you first practice this exercise. Some beginners use props like belts or towels to make the reach if they can’t clasp their hands. I just kept my hands on my back as far as they could reach.
6. Hold this position motionless for 5 seconds.
7. Gently release your fingers and come out of the pose reversing the steps you used to enter it. Again, feel the stretch and imagine touching the clouds as you raise your left arm again directly up into the air. Release and bring your arm down. Inhale and exhale at least once. Raise your shoulders toward your eyes and gently shake them out.  That should feel so good!
8. Reverse sides and do the same steps starting by raising the right arm directly up into the air.  Inhale and exhale again after finishing the exercise.

Practice Time: Hold the pose for 5 seconds; add 5 seconds each week until you are holding the pose for 25-30 seconds on each side.

Number of repetitions:  1-2 on each side

Key benefits from this pose: 

1. Improves your posture.  You may start walking with more grace and elegance by adjusting and straightening your spine and back muscles.
2. Develops the seldom-used trapezius muscles at the top of the shoulder blades and the muscles under the shoulder blades. Helps to broaden and straighten the shoulders.
3. Opens the rib cage.
4. Helps prevent calcium deposits in the arm joints.
5. Eases tension in the shoulders and upper back.
6. Firms and tones upper arms.
7. Enhances breast health, according to some yoga teachers.
8. Enhances symmetry in shoulders and upper arms.  Yoga teacher Tara Fraser recommends this pose for people who play racquet sports like tennis to restore muscular balance for the less used arm.

 Special hints and Laura’s experience with this pose:

This exercise can seem difficult at first! Don’t become discouraged if it takes you a few weeks or even a month or more to be able to interlace your fingers as shown above.  If you store a lot of tension in your neck and shoulders, you may find it helpful and soothing to do this pose with the neck rolls back to back.

This was one pose I didn’t do for a few years when I was doing yoga off and on after my son was born. When I took it up again a few years ago, I could not clasp the fingers of my hands together at all and I felt a slight strain even attempting this! My left arm was much stiffer than the right. But, I focused on holding my hands as close together as possible. Over the next few weeks, I was able to inch my hands closer and closer until I could interlace my fingers and hold my hands together.  Yoga is so effective in creating or restoring balance in the body that later, I could not even remember which side had been the stiff one.

Yours for opening and loosening your shoulders with yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

 

 

 

 

Beginners' Yoga at Home: Doing Yoga "Gives" You Time

Yoga instructor, Ganga White has said, "yoga does't 'take time"-it gives time."  I agree!  For many people, however, the most daunting aspect of establishing an exercise regime including a yoga practice is carving out the time for it.  When I check in with people who have bought my book, Yoga at Home:  Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity in 20-30 Minutes a Day, to see how their practice is going, a common reply is that when they do yoga, they feel more energetic and relaxed, but that they are still working on doing it regularly. It's "finding" the time that seems to elude them.

However, in my humble opinion, saying you have to "find" time for yoga reinforces the notion that time is scarce.  Granted, out 21st century lives appear increasingly hectic despite all the time-saving gadgets that we own and use.  Many of us feel we're on a rapid, nonstop treadmill of activity that is hard to get off. But, the fact is that we just have to choose to step off the treadmill and take a breather. And, that breather can be our yoga practice.  When you practice yoga daily for 20-30 minutes a day (or longer if you choose!)  you will likely find, as I have, that yoga "gives" time. My yoga practice gives me more energy, clarity, and joy which in turns enables me to do all my activities more effectively and efficiently.  The key, as I preach ad nauseum, is giving myself the gift of doing yoga daily.  As Ganga White has also remarked, "Only when we take care of ourselves can we have more abundant energy to give to others and to our endeavors."  So I say, go roll out your yoga mat right now and just see how your yoga practice can give you time!

Yours for enjoying more time by practicing yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

Yoga at Home: The Bow Pose Helps My Knees! Here's How to Do It.

Last month, Dr. Oz wrote a column in the local Washington Express paper about "being nice to your knees." As the years pass, many people experience knee problems particularly if they are avid tennis players or joggers/runners or if they are carrying excess pounds.  I jogged daily for 20 years up until 12 years ago and I started noticing that the regular pounding of my feet on asphalt was not necessarily helpful to my knees, regardless of how great it felt to jog.

A few years ago, my podiatrist (who I see because I once broke my foot jumping on the trampoline and since then I see annually to get new orthotic inserts for my shoes) said I was fortunate not to have knee pain because my pesky bunions likely throw my back and overall posture out of alignment which can also affect my knees. Every so often, if I have been dancing for hours in heels (I love to dance - but that's a rare occasion!) or if I have walked around for hours in shoes without my orthotics, I will notice that my knees start rebelling and I will experience knee soreness. When this happens, I address the issue by massaging my knees and doing extra repetitions of certain yoga poses, particularly the bow, shown above!

As you see, I cannot raise my thighs very far at all off the ground- some yogis are able to lift their thighs at least a foot or so.  Nevertheless, when I do the bow, my knees enjoy great relief!  The initial part of the pose shown in the first photo above stretches the muscles around the knees in a most soothing way.  And, then part two of the pose shown in the second photo further enhances the soothing stretch and relieves soreness. So, if you have some knee problems, and have the green light from your medical advisor, include the bow in your yoga practice.  I have given the instructions before for the bow, but here they are again for easy reference.  Enjoy!

Bow  (Sanskrit name is Dhanurasana; dhanu means bow)

Type of yoga pose:  Active, convex, prone

Body parts targeted:  Lumbar area, spine, thigh muscles, abdominals, bust line, buttocks, upper arms

How to do the pose:

1. Lie on your stomach with your chin down on your mat. Place your arms and hands at your sides and have your legs straight. Your body should be relaxed and limp (aah – that can feel so good, but don’t go to sleep…). Inhale and exhale deeply at least once.
2. Bring your toes and heels together; stay relaxed.
3. Bend both legs at your knees; bring your heels as close to your buttocks as possible.      
4. Reach backward with both hands and grasp each ankle with your respective hand (if you can’t grasp both ankles, grasp one ankle and perform the bow by alternating the feet each time until you build up enough strength and flexibility to grasp both ankles at the same time).  F – e – e – l the stretch in your upper thighs and the tension being released.  A- a- a- h!  Feel the toning in your arms.
5. Inhale and slowly raise your knees and lift your thighs as high as possible off the floor (which for me is not high at all…) while simultaneously and gently raising your head and trunk off the floor. Your body should look like a bow and your arms should look and feel like a taut bowstring (having that image in your mind enhances the stretch).
6.  Keep your head back only as far as is comfortable (be certain not to strain your neck) and keep your knees together if possible.
7. Hold the pose for three seconds and inhale and exhale normally.
8. In slow motion, lower yourself out of the bow by first releasing your legs and allowing them to move slowly back toward the mat starting with your knees, then followed by your trunk and head.
9. Return to your initial resting position on your stomach with chin down on the mat.
10. Your entire body should be limp as you rest for a moment before repeating the pose or moving on to another pose.

Practice time:  Start with 3 seconds and add 1 or 2 seconds per week until you can comfortably hold the pose for 12-15 seconds.

Number of repetitions:  1-2 

Key benefits from this pose: 

 Strengthens, firms, and tones the abdominal, thigh, and arm muscles.

1. Helps reduce weight in the hips; tightens and eliminates extra fat from the back and buttocks.
2. Opens the chest and adjusts the sacroiliac and lumbar vertebrae.
3. Improves the posture and streamlines and firms bust muscles.
4. Improves spinal elasticity and flexibility.
5. Helps relieve menstrual disorders and lower back pain.
6. Enhances libido by stimulating the sex glands.

 Special tips and Laura’s experience with this pose:

This is one of the most intense, challenging poses taught in this book and that I do daily. Sometimes, I can hold the bow for only 8 to 10 seconds; other times I can hold it for 15 seconds or more.

Lift your thighs off the ground with your knees together if you can. If this is difficult, you can allow some space between your knees, but gradually work your way to keeping the knees together.  As you can see from my photo, my thighs appear as if they’re barely off the ground. Maybe 20 plus years of jogging made my hamstrings extra tight.  I don’t know but I am still working my way to getting higher off the ground. Nevertheless, I still feel the toning action of the bow and I reap its other benefits even though I can’t lift my thighs high off the ground as professional yoga instructors can.

When I started this pose, and this is still true on some mornings when I awaken a bit stiff, I feel a strong stretch in my upper thighs just by bending my legs at the knees, the first step of the pose.  Sometimes you will hear your vertebrae crack as they adjust into place with this pose.  Be patient and persistent and your comfort level will increase over time. After completing this pose you will likely hear your heart pumping or you may feel a bit winded because you have been lifting your own body weight. As you gain experience, you may choose to rock back and forth gently while holding the pose.

Yours for enjoying the Bow,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach 

 

 

Yoga at Home: Pour LOVE into Your Yoga Practice to Celebrate Valentine's Day!

I probably don't need to remind you that tomorrow is Valentine's Day.  Although die-hard romantics like me love this day because it gives us another excuse to be romantic, many people groan and bemoan its too "saccharine" nature.  Some folk complain that it's just another excuse for florists, chocolate candy makers, and other retailers to peddle their wares.  "Just a bunch of hype" they say.

But, it's all a matter of perspective.  Just as I believe that Thanksgiving Day is a good reminder of what we need to do every day - be grateful for our blessings, Valentine's Day is a fun acknowledgement of how we should express or pour love into all we do EVERY day and with everyone.  It doesn't need to be limited to romantic, love relatioships.  Yesterday my minister's talk was about BEING love to attract love and he gave the congregation a exercise - everyday for the next week, we were to infuse love into everything we did and to everyone whose path we crossed.  And, of course this would include my and your (hopefully) yoga practice!

What does this mean?  Well, when you roll out your mat tomorrow - roll it out with love and anticipation of all the wonderful benefits you will gain as a result of your pratice.  Right before you begin your first pose, cup your heart with your hands and beam love into it. Then, during every moment of your practice, radiate love to all the parts of your body - appreciate them and love them as you move, stretch, and hold your poses. Smile as often as you can as you do your pratice. When you complete your yoga regime with the Savasana (fully resting as you lie flat on your back) pose, imagine rays of love circulating from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.

Sound too woo-woo?  It really dosesn't hurt to try it.  And, since you are in the privacy of your home studio, no one will likely see you.  You may be pleasantly surprised at how loving and love=filled you feel on Valentine's Day and on every day you choose to POUR your love and heart into your practice.

Yours for a love-infused yoga practice for Valentine's Day,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners Yoga at Home Coach

 

 

Yoga at Home: Yoga Proves More Effective Than Walking to Alleviate Depression

 

This past week I learned the exciting results of a recent medical study comparing yoga with walking to change moods and alleviate disorders such as anxiety and depression.  On occasion, I wake up in a funk, feeling down for no obvious reason.  Although often, if I think carefully, I can usually pinpoint the catalyst for my emotional descent.  Fortunately, I have found that when I practice yoga, the negative mood almost always dissipates rapidly.

The study I just heard about a few days ago, conducted by Dr. Chris Streeter of the BU School of Medicine and medical researchers from McLean Hospital, revealed that the practice of yoga was more effective than walking in helping to allevaite depression in a group of test subjects.  A twelve week experiment was done in which participants either practiced yoga for an hour 3 times or week or walked for an hour 3 times a week.  At the end of the study, the particpants were given MRIs to measure their brain activity and particularly to examine their "GABA" levels.  GABA stands for "Gamma-aminobuytric acid," a neurotransmitter that hepls induce relaxation and sleep as well as manage stress."  Prescription drugs such as valium and prozac help raise GABA levels.

The study found that participants who did yoga for the 12 week period had higher levels of GABA and as a result, enjoyed better moods and a dissipation of anxiety and stress.  Dr. Chris Street believes that the results of the study may suggest include yoga as an adjunct to medical treatment of depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.

I was was pleasantly surprised to learn about yoga's superior benefits to walking for elevating one's mood because brisk walking helps me feel invigorated leading feeling better emotionally and physically.  But, once again, new revelations about yoga indicate that its benefits exceed mere stretching... ''

Below is a brief interview with Dr. Streeter so that you can listen to the evidence yourself!

Yours for keeping your spirits up with yoga!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez

 

 

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Yoga and Musing on Madonna's Moves at the Superbowl

As I mentioned in my blog post yesterday, I'm really not a football watcher and I have to admit that what draws most of my attention to the Superbowl is the half-time music show.  I look forward to it every single year.  And, I was curious to see what Madonna was going to come up with in her performance.

Dramatic and dynamic as ever, Madonna had dozens of dancers dressed in Roman/Egyptian (?) costumes kick off the show and accompany her as she sang and moved to some of her classic songs.  Granted, Madonna has been not only a singer but a professional dancer for decades.  Because of her fame and fortune, no doubt she can afford the best personal dance coaches and athletic trainers. However, just as the Giants have included yoga in their training for the past 11 years, Madonna has been practicing yoga for years...and it shows!  She maintains an enviable youthful vigor and physique.

As one writer pointed out, though, Madonna did not start practicing yoga to just stay fit and to get a "cute butt." Her yoga practice has brought benefits far beyond that.  In her words, Madonna has said,  "I want to be liberated from my ego, less concerned about what other people think of me." She also said,"I remember that I couldn't sit still for a second. I was always on the move. I was often pretty aggressive, wild and unpredictable, but all that's changed."

Does Madonna's practice of yoga mean her performance was perfect?  No- I saw her briefly lose her footing. But, it does seem that she was having a good time performing - she was totally in the moment and in her element.  In my opinion, that is something that yoga helps to enhance. And, it's a benefit that not only celebrities can enjoy, but one that you can enjoy as well.

Yours for enjoying innumerable benefits from yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, The Beginners' Home Yoga Coach

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Yoga's Role in the Superbowl and for You?

Well, I must admit, I am not an avid football fan.  The only game I watch (sort of) is the Superbowl so I don't appear un-American!  In all candor, the half-time music show attracts most of my attention during this annual event.  I do not favor either team this year -although I guess since my college alma mater is in Massachussetts, I lean a tad more toward the New England Patriots!  But, on the other hand, maybe I should support the Giants for reasons you'll see below.

But, to be fair to both sides, in the above photos you see pink (?) yoga mats for each team.  Yes, you can buy such mats - they're easy to find on Google or Amazon. No, I haven't bought one - they don't appeal to me.  But, these mats may motivate you!  But what most intrigues me is the behind the scene, supportive role that yoga may play at the Superbowl!  

In June 2011, New England Patriots player Devin McCourty stated that "If you think it’s hot outdoors, you should try spending 90 minutes inside a 105-degree studio performing yoga exercises. That’s what I’ve been doing twice a week as part of my offseason workout regimen," McCourty writes. "Talk about an intense workout. You sweat from the time you walk in the door to the time you leave. A few players I know said they had tried hot yoga and that it helped improve their flexibility while flushing out their systems, so I thought I would try it. I can do most of the poses, but I’m not as flexible in my upper body because I’m so muscular. Sometimes I just have to stand there and watch everyone else." 

The Giants as a team are even more involved in yoga - they've had yoga instructor Gwen Lawrence helping them enhance their pre-and in-season workouts for the past 11 years!  Lawrence  specializes in various forms of yoga including Ashtanga Vinyasa, Hatha, and Iyengar.  She says, 

photo via flickr

“My philosophy is, strength plus flexibility equals power on the field.  Doing these moves not only keeps players less injury prone – because a tight, rigid body is more likely to crack and break – but they also translate into power.

“We’re working on mental toughness, too,” she said.  “Sometimes you have players with pre-game anxiety, and the breathing techniques they learn in yoga can help them cope.

 

Hmm - will their yoga practice as a team give the Giants and additional edge this evening?  It's food for thought.

I don't usually talk about athletes and yoga because I am all about motivating "regular" people to practice yoga.  But, here's what we can recognize from football players' practice of yoga - if it can help them become more flexible, less injury prone, and able to cope with anxiety, can't it help you do the same? 

Yours for energy, flexibility, and serenity through yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners Home Yoga Coach

 

Yoga at Home: Yoga Poses-Intention Counts More than Perfection!

The Eagle pose shown above that I do every other day is not easy for me.  Maybe it's because of my pesky bunions that cause my feet to be misaligned and impede my balance. Whatever the reason, the Eagle requires coodination and balance - qualities that are not innate to me.  

So, I have had to devise ways to make the pose easier for me to do.  These include extending my arms out to the side as shown in the first photo. By doing this, I create a center of balance that allows me to enter the next phase of the pose - intertwining my arms and legs.  Finally, to maintain the last segment of the pose in which you look downward like an eagle ready to swoop down on its prey, I founding that gazing at a specific spot on the mat or the floor also helps me maintain my balance.

But, this pose is one that I do well some days and other days, barely at all!  Yesterday morning was one of my off days.  I was teetering and tottering in the final part of the pose and had to catch myself by extending my arms in the doorway where I often do the pose.  

It occurred to me that I could have been angry and frustrated by my inabilty to maintain my balance, but I chose not to be. Although we can gain mastery of yoga poses through consistent practice, yoga is not about perfection.  Sure, I'd like to be able to do every pose perfectly or well everytime but, I am still a bit uncoordinated and it "ain't going to happen" for me.    And, it may not happen for you.

I just know however, that when I practice with a positive intention, my body, mind, and spirit benefit despite my imperfections in executing a pose. And, the Eagle is great for toning the calves and thighs, stretching  upper back muscles and hip and knee joints, relieving varicose veins, and in helping to improve coordination and balance.  It's wonderful when you can do a pose superbly, but in my humble opinion, "intention counts much more than perfection."

Yours for practicing yoga with a positive intention,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, The Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

 

Yoga at Home: Yoga Practice-Begin Anew Each Day!

I subscribe to a publication that shares daily spiritual messages.  The past few months these messages have been especially meaningful for me.  Part of today's message was the following:

 "Now and then life is challenging. I may not welcome challenge itself, but I welcome the opportunity to learn from whatever arises, to grow in understanding to flex my spiritual muscles. Every day is a new day, a fresh start.  No situation or circumstance can hold me back.  My life is not only about what's happening to me;  it's also what's happening through me."

Take this approach toward your daily (I hope it's daily...or at least close to daily) home yoga practice!  As I have said in previous posts and in my book, your progress in yoga is not linear.  Some days or weeks you are thrilled to see substantial progress with certain challenging poses.  Then, later on, you seem to backslide! And, yes, you can feel discouraged!  But, don't stay there!  Acknowledge it for a moment and then move on!  

Every day, when you roll out your mat, focus on beginning your practice anew that day.  Don't compare or compete even with yourself on how you're doing that day compare with the day, week, or month before. As Nike says "just do it."  But do it anew with fresh eyes and a fresh perspective and engage yourself fully. If you do that, you will enjoy your practice like never before and you'll feel a surge of energy, flexibility, and serenity that will make it all worthwhile.

Yours for practicing yoga anew every day,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez