Yoga at Home with Laura, Self-taught Yogi!

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Easy Way to Slip in an Early Morning Meditation!

The beginning yogi who wants to add a meditation practice to his or her regime may complain about their lack of time to schedule in yet one other activity.  And, this was one of my challenges when I learned my first type of meditation - Transcendental Mediation- as a high school senior.  Over the years I have learned to be creative and resourceful in carving out the time for meditation which goes hand in hand with a yoga practice.  Mediation's benefits are myriad, from overcoming anxiety and depression to reducing blood pressure, overcoming addictions, and increasing focus and overall rest.

So what's a busy person to do?  Well I have found that sometimes you have to bend the "rules" about how to do meditation.  For example, many schools of thought teach that to meditate effectively you must sit upright in some kind of cross-legged pose or at least upright in a chair.  Nonsense, I say!  At least not for the type of simple meditation practice that I do.  (Please note:  this may not work for all types of meditation such as chanting - but you can experiment and see...)

I actually meditate every morning in the above sponge pose.  I set my alarm early, answer nature's call, and then return to my bed lying exactly in the above pose. "But, I would fall right back to sleep in I lie back down in bed," I can hear you protesting right now.  

No, I do not!  Here's why. As soon as I begin meditating, I use a yoga "mudra," a hand pose in which I make a circle with my thumbs and index fingers.  The yoga mudra combined with whatever favorite prayer or spiritual phrase I am prompted to focus on inform my mind and body that they are not to fall back asleep. Instead, they are going to be restfully alert.  

I meditate in the sponge pose for 20 minutes.  I have experimented repeated and found that for me there is something magical about those 20 minutes versus 15 or fewer minutes.  Twenty minutes of this quiet meditation allows me to rest deeply and transition smoothly from total slumber to  my morning activities. I actually count this meditation time as part of my sleep.  I usually am out of bed by 5 am during the week, but my alarm goes off about 30 minutes or so earlier so I can "slip in" my meditation practice.  

You may find that by meditating during the last 20 or minutes of your usual sleep time, you'll feel just as rested all day as you normally do.  It works for me. In fact, last night I slept fewer than 6 hours sleep - yet by following this regime this morning, (combined perhaps with an invigorating morning walk), I felt absolutely fantastic all day long and still do now - in the early evening.  Why not try test this out for yourself tomorrow morning?!  

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga at Home: More Thoughts on Yoga for Youthful Vitality...

I like what internationally recognized cancer expert, Dr. Bernie Siegel, says about "youth" and living fully:

    "Finally, never forget that the source of the fountain of youth is you.  You are in charge.  You have the power to activate the life and death mechanisms in your own body...Don't wait until you are near death before you awaken to life.  Begin now to live fully, and set the youthing process in motion."

I could not agree more!  And that's what a regular yoga practice done at home can do for you - it sets the youthing process in motion because of the energy, flexibility, and serenity that you gain.  And, the better you feel in your mind, body, and spirit, the more carefree you will become.  You're not going to concern yourself with the passing years - you will be too busy enjoying each day as it comes.

People will comment on the sparkle in your eyes, the bounce in your step, and the radiant glow of your complexion. They will barely notice the few so-called wrinkles (or "crinkles" as the the Evil Queen played by Julia Roberts in the new movie, "Mirror, Mirror" calls  them) that you may think are so painfully obvious.

A person's zest for life(which yoga can help restore if you have lost it!) is what makes them youthful isn't it? Just consider actress Betty White - she's a real hoot and turned 90 years young a few months ago. I don't know if she does yoga but at 90 years of age she  maintains one of the most enviable youthful spirits and attitudes I have ever witnessed!

As Dr. Siegel says, "the fountain of you is you" and a daily yoga practice can help you maintain your personal fountain of youthful vitality in the years and decades to come! 

Yours for maintaining a youthful attitude with yoga at home,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

Yoga at Home: Yoga -Fountain of Youth or Youthful Vitality?

Last year, during a talk I gave about the spiritual beliefs of the peoples of the Caribbean while on an Eastern Caribbean cruise, I touched on the travels of Ponce de Leon and his quest to find the legendary "Fountain of Youth."  De Leon supposedly heard about the fountain of youth from the Caribe Indians who claimed the fountain was located in an area north of present-day Cuba and in a place called BeeMeeNee.

Alas, despite his long search, de Leon never found the fountain of youth.  Instead, he discovered Florida which he claimed for Spain and named it La Florida. At least his search wasn't totally fruitless!

In the centuries that have elapsed between de Leon's travels and now, there have always been people searching for a fountain of youth to stay young forever.  Arguably, Baby Boomers have a particularly avid interest in remaining youthful and avoiding aging. That's why cosmetic surgery is a booming business and wrinkle creams no matter how expensive have a huge market.  And, boomers have taken up various exercise programs including yoga in an effort to stave off the aging progress.

Can yoga be your fountain of youth (whether you are a baby boomer or younger)? Well, I would qualify that...  A few years ago I bought a book called Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth" by Peter Kelder. The book teaches 5 exercises, the Tibetan rites, which are a bit similar to yoga in their execution and in how they boost your energy, flexibility, and serenity in a short time.  I added a set of the Tibetan rites to my yoga routine and they work quite well together.

The only dispute I have with the Tibetan rites is as that I am skeptical of the reported claims of restored youth touted by the author Peter Kelder and by some practitioners of these poses. The claims aren't limited to feeling more energetic and vital.  Instead, they assert that gray hair can revert to its original color and that some individuals 65 and older start having the appearance of someone 40 or even younger. I have heard similar, exagerrated claims made by practitioners of yoga.

Can yoga restore your youthful vitality?  Yes, indeed.  In fact, in my book, Yoga at Home:  Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity in 20-30 Minutes a Day, I state that the "Y" in yoga stands for the "youthing" you gain from the practice.  And, by "youthing" I mean a feeling of rejuvenation and youthful energy regardless of your chronological age.  A regular yoga practice enhances your flexibility and energy.  And, when you stand tall with an improved posture and walk with grace, you will feel younger and possibly appear younger than your chronological age.  However, if you're 55, it's VERY unlikely that you will look 25 or even 35.

In my opinion, however, the principal aim of a yoga practice is in how you FEEL. Hopefully, you will sizzle with zeal and delight as you go through your day and embrace life with everything you've got! Such qualities are usually associated with people's younger years.  Do I still look 25 decades later...?  Aah - not at all.  But, do I feel 25- yes I can still vouch for that - I honestly do.  And yoga has made this possible. So whereas it's silly to claim that yoga will be a fountain of "youth" for you,  it can definitely be a fountain of youthful vitality!

Yours for youthful vitality with yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

 

Yoga at Home: Yoga Motivation Tip

Greetings on this Sunday evening!  From conversations with many people and through much reading, one of the most common complaints that would-be daily yogis report is their "lack of self-discipline."  People have told me since I was a teenager that I have an especially large dose of self-discipline and that's why I have been able to maintain a daily regime of exercise for decades.

This has puzzled me.  I don't have a definitive explanation for my "self-discipline."  I only know that if I want a certain result - like maintaining vibrant health and staying youthful as long as possible, that such a goal is motivation enough to keep me exercising.  Of course I  have days when I don't feel like exercising. But, I use numerous strategies to keep me on track.

Here is one motivational tip I have found helpful for staying motivated to practice yoga daily (or as close to daily as possible.  Try it this week!

Surround yourself with yoga instructional materials - books, DVDs, and laminated drawings of yoga poses.  Keep your yoga mat close to your bed or wherever you go frequently.  It should always be in sight- not tucked away in a closet.  I know I know, you want to keep a clutter-free house, but, if your motivation to practice daily is lagging, follow this simple, but powerful advice.  Soon, daily yoga practice will become ingrained into your very being. And, you will notice an increase in your energy, flexibility, and serenity.  Plus other tremendous results!  

Yours for staying motivating to practice daily yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Nude Yoga Ads Don't Inspire Me- They Irk Me!

Now, although I have been practicing yoga for DECADES, I have never practiced yoga "unclothed."  It just doesn't appeal to me and I don't see what advantages I could gain from it.  I have heard there are groups of yogis out there who enjoy practicing yoga in the "raw." Just don't expect me to follow their lead and execute my daily regime in my birthday suit anytime soon or ever!   

And, it's not because I am a super prude or anything - although maybe I AM a tad inhibited.  But, while I admit that I appreciate the artistic beauty of a toned, ethestically pleasing physique, I have to say that those nude "Toesox" yoga ads that appear far too often in the monthly publication, Yoga Journal,  do NOT inspire me. They irk me!

I am all about presenting the benefits of yoga to the average "real, regular person" and motivating them to practice daily.  Yoga is not just for movie celebrities, athletes, and singers like Madonna and Sting.  For this reason, the Toesox ads that feature an always nude and super-toned, super athletic-appearing and comely yoga instructor Kathryn Budg (with NOT ONE centimeter of excess flesh on her frame!) are off-putting.  They present an instructor doing a complex, advanced pose, that real, regular, klutzy people like me, could never hope to master.  And to add insult to injury, the poses are done nude.

Yes, the ads have an artistic appeal and panache that grab your attention...BUT, if I were a beginner yogi and thumbing through the Yoga Journal for the first time, I would feel that I had an impossible standard to live up to - a perfect body in an pretzel pose.  Really!  I don't believe these ads inspire people to learn - they're just they're for shock value and to take advantage of the cliche that "sex sells."  It just would not sell me on yoga....I would believe that yoga was beyond reach!

And the idea of practicing yoga "sans vetements" (that's French for without clothes) except for socks that grip the floor is absurdity to the max!  I would have included one of the ads here in this blog, but didn't want to risk infringing a copyright.  You can easily find scores of them (I see it now already - the male readers of this blog haven't even finished reading this post because they are already typing these keywords into Google) by typing in "Toesox Kathryn Budig nude ad."  Tell me what you think!  Do they inspire you or anger you?  Or neither?  And, no, I don't want to hear from men telling me how tantalizing they find such ads!  I am addressing solely the perspective of their value as an inspirational and instructional tool.

Yours for practicing gentle yoga with clothes ON,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Visualize to Stretch Farther -It Works!

Plough Step 1

Plough - Step 2

Plough Step 3

The above 3 photos show me executing the plough pose (also known by the Sanskrit term as "halasana"; hala means plough).  It's not the easiest pose, although I believe virtually anyone (unless they have had severe neck injuries or disc degeneration), can with practice and time, get into the final part of this pose.

Age is not an issue - really!  Although I can usually touch my feet all the way to the ground in back of my head in recent years, I could not do this in my 20s, 30s, or 40s....!  Nope.  Maybe I had tight hamstrings from jogging for 2 decades.  I just could not get my feet to reach the floor in back of my head!  

No - not until I decided to visualize my feet getting there while I was in the pose!  And, it worked within a very short time! I have learned visualization through several different types of courses.  In 1992 or 1993, I attended an all-day "unleash your power" seminar from motivational speaker Tony Robbins at Constitutional Hall in Washington, DC.  One of the exercises we did was to swing our outstretched arms behind us to see how far we could go. We did that once with no preparation.  Then we followed by just doing the exercise in our minds and imagining that we were able to stretch much further than we originally had.  Finally, we did physically stretched back again and I believe EVERYONE found that they were able to move at least 50 percent farther than they had initially!

It did not occur to me until about 3 years ago (duh) to apply this technique to my yoga practice!  When I did, I found that within a few days or a week or so I was able to touch the ground while doing the plough - something I had previously never accomplished!  However, I tweaked  and revised my process just a tad from the Robbins approach.  I visualized AS I did the pose rather than doing a before and after sequence. It worked!  Who said a "more seasoned" dog can't learn new tricks!  I proved to myself that I could do something physical in the present time that I could not do when I was 25!

Visualization is an amazing tool that can be applied to all areas of your life, not just yoga.  For more info on how to use visualization for areas other than yoga, check out the trainings of the Queen of Visualization, Ms. Carole Dore, my spiritual mentor by clicking the link on my blog banner above that says "Power Exercise/Vision."

Yours for stretching farther with visualization,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Home Yoga Coach

Yoga at Home: Flexibility - Yoga Motivational Maxim

A few years ago I found a delightful yoga quotation - or maxim to be most accurate.  In a few words, It capatures what you gain from a regular yoga practice.  The quotation is:

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape!"

A frequent (preferably daily, in my not so humble opinion/view) gentle yoga practice increase your fleixibility not only in your body, but also in your mind and spirit.  Why is this so important?  Well, I believe it's because flexibility  leads to overall resilience!  

Consider the willow tree as shown above.  Willow trees can withstand high winds better than virtually any other trees. Their branches don't snap off as frequently in the middle of severe wind storms as other types of trees because willows have more "ecological resilience," a quality that allows them to maintain and renew themselves in the presence of stressors (the strong winds).  Willow trees bend and sway but rarely break in the midst of strong winds because their branches are more flexible.

When you practice yoga regularly, your flexibility increases as does your resilience to the often chaotic or stormy world around you.  Events and experiences that used to "get you all bent out of shape" no longer do, or to a much lesser extent.  You often find it easier to just let them go and move on and stay calm and happy as the willow tree allows the strong winds to pass through without damaging its limbs.

Just another tip to keep you motivated to do your yoga practice consistently.

Yours for staying resilient and flexible with yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Mentor

 

 

Yoga at Home: Niños, adolecentes y yoga

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, en sus casa, haciendo el egg roll calentamiento

Greetings! Saludos!

I thought I'd take a break from English and share a post in Spanish for Spanish-speaking yogis and readers. With my Spanish surname, I'd love to claim that I wrote the following in Spanish.  However, I cannot lie.  My Spanish is not good enough to do that and translation into a foreign language is a high-level skill.  The truth is that two years ago I wrote an article for an online health magazine.  A few months later, the magazine editors had the article professionally translated into Spanish.   So here it is - it's about the value of yoga for children and teens.  I love reading my writing in Spanish!

Hasta luego!

Niños, adolecentes y yoga

Por:Laura Venecia Rodriguez
Green Monkey

Cuando el yoga se empezó a hacerse popular en Estados Unidos, yo tenía 15 años y aprendí un tipo de Hatha Yoga, obtuve muchos beneficios, entre ellos la flexibilidad a través de la práctica diaria, así que la he seguido practicando con el paso de los años.
La infancia y la adolescencia son un excelente momento para empezar a adquirir hábitos saludables, así como un cuerpo alerta y en tono de por vida. Los beneficios pueden ser grandiosos.

Por ejemplo, en uno de los artículos que publicamos anteriormente en el boletín de Green Monkey, escrito por un joven yogui : Charlie Nelly de 18 años, quien empezó con el yoga para ayudarse en su entrenamiento para una competencia de escalar. Además de hacerse fuerte como escalador de rocas, el hacer yoga y meditar dos veces por semana, le han permitido a Charlie enfrentar presiones de examenes finales, aplicar para los examenes de la Universidad, todo con mas equilibrio y calma.

El también se siente mas confiado en todas las areas de su vida. En sus palabras el se siente “magnífico” y en situaciones estresantes Charlie dice: “Tengo la seguridad de no caer en el stress, tengo el yoga.”
Charlie Nelly no dice donde y como aprendio el yoga, pero las oportunidades actualmente son muy extensas para aprender esta práctica ancestral. A partir del año pasado, he encontrado mucha información de clases de yoga enfocadas a niños, desde infantes de 12 semanas hasta adolescentes.

En Marzo de 2010, Lil Omm Yoga, un estudio enfocado a enseñar a los niños junto con sus papás, abrió en el noroeste de Washington D.C.- Las clases de yoga que ahí ofrecen, ayudan a los papás a crear una unión con sus hijos y aprenden a relajarse. Algunas simples poses que enseñan a los infantes como aliviar la incomodidad de los gases, tan comunes a esa edad.

En adición a estos estudios de yoga, la técnica del yoga también se enseña en algunas escuelas. Hace un año leí que en aproximadamente 26 escuelas en Estados Unidos se usa el yoga en los salones de clase para aliviar el stresss. Algunas escuelas ofrecen cuidado a los niños despues de la escuela con clases de yoga para adolescents en riesgo, con dificultades de concentración, que sufren baja autoestima y que viven en casas plagadas de violencia. Los estudiantes están aprendiendo como enfocarse mejor y relajarse a través de sumergirse en un ambiente pacífico.

Rita Geller, una maestra de 3er. grado de la escuela Parkside Elementary School en Coral Springs, Fla., incopora 5 minutos de ejercicios de yoga dentro de su sistema, para ayudar a sus estudiantes a concentrarse, ¡maravilloso! Cuando le pregunté acerca del uso del yoga en su clase Ms. Geller me dijo: “El yoga es una herramienta poderosa para estudiantes y maestros, ayuda a soltar el stress y adquirir fuerza interior y concentración. La sesión es corta pero específica y efectiva y se utiliza según se necesite, una vez que los niños están concentrados, te ahorra tiempo.”
Solo imagínate mas escuelas siguiendo ésta práctica todos los días!! Es gratis y toma solo un poco de tiempo, esto estimulará a los estudiantes en su concentración. En una nación donde el deficit de atención parece ser una epidemia, en lugar de rellenar a los niños con Ritalin o Aderall, enséñales yoga, ella aconseja que se guíe a los estudiantes a la técnica del yoga de relajación que los beneficiará dentro y fuera del salón de clase.

Si tú tienes hijos, también los puedes introducir de manera simple, divertida y efectiva a la práctica del yoga en casa. Yo tengo un hijo de 13 años, ha estado recibiendo calladamente a través mío la meditación varias veces por semana.
Las siguientes son técnicas de calentamiento y ejercicios faciales, como ejemplo, de éstas técnicas te recomiendo el libro que uso con mi hijo: “Yoga for the non-Athlete: Savy steps for you to become Slim, Supple and Serene”.- Es lo suficientemente simple para enseñar a tu hijo rapidamente. Hazlo como un “momento especial” entre tu (s) hijo (s) y tú. Recuérdales el cuento de Aladino cuando hizo salir al genio de la lámpara a través de sobarla de una manera especial. Diles que juntos van a aprender y a hacer técnicas, movimientos y ejercicios de respiración, para ayudar a sus cuerpos a liberar al “YO FELIZ” que vive dentro. Crea con ellos un momento divertido y ligero y verás como responden.

EGG ROLL CALENTAMIENTO/DESCANSO:
Objetivo (partes del cuerpo) : Espina dorsal, hombros y muslos.

Como hacer ésta pose :
1. Acuéstate en tu tapete en posición relajada: las piernas juntas y los hombros relajados.
2. Inhala y jala tus rodillas a tu pecho.
3. Envuelve tus rodillas con los brazos.
4. Inhala y mécete suavemente adelante y atrás sobre tu espina dorsal, jalando tus rodillas más cerca de tu pecho.
5. Exhala y empuja las rodillas lejos de tu torso, así tu cuerpo se puede enrollar hacia adelante.
6. Mécete y enróllate varias veces suavemente y despacio sobre tu espalda de 3 a 5 veces. Mantén una respiración constante en un mismo ritmo de inhalaciones y exhalaciones relajadas.
7. Después de completer de 3 a 5 Egg Rolls, suavemene retira tus brazos de tus rodillas y estirando tus piernas, regresa a la posicion inicial sobre tu tapete.
8. Suavemente estira todo tu cuerpo alzando tus brazos hasta atrás sobre el tapete y e-s-t-i-r-a tus brazos hacia atrás como si fueras un nadador haciendo nado de espalda. S-i-e-n-t-e el suave estiramiento reforzado por entrelazar tus dedos y estirar tus brazos hacia atrás una pulgada o mas.
9. Dobla tus dedos de los pies adelante y atrás para reforzar el estiramiento de tus piernas.
10. Inhala y exhala profundamente.

Los beneficios de esta pose:
1. Es un calentamiento efectivo antes de la sesión de Yoga.
2. Ayuda a trabajar el stress de tu cuerpo, especialmente en tu espalda y piernas.
3. Es divertida!! Te sientes como un niño haciendo ésta técnica.

Tips especiales:
Como ésta pose require que te mezas con tu espalda, trata de conseguir un tapete grueso o una alfombra, nunca sobre el piso directamente o superficie dura como la madera.

LEON:
Aunque esta pose la usan los adultos para cuidar su complexión y disminuir las arrugas, también es magnífica si tus hijos sienten que el dolor de garganta les va a atacar, generalmente hará que tus hijos se rían.
Objetivo (Partes del cuerpo) : Cara y Garganta

Como hacer ésta pose:
1. Siéntate en una posición cómoda en tu tapete, en posición de medio loto o Japonesa o en una silla con tu espalda derecha.
2. Arquea tu espalda ligeramente hacia adelante y estira tus brazos, estira los dedos de las manos y sepáralos.
3. Inhala profundo y después exhale fuertemente, forzando todo el aire de tus pulmones.
4. Abre tu boca tanto como puedas y abre los ojos tan grande como puedas.
5. Saca la lengua lo más que puedas como si quisieras tocarte la barbilla.
6. Sostén ésta posición por 10 segundos sin moverte.
7. Despacio, mete la lengua, cierra la boca y relájate completamente. Permite a tus manos relajarse sobre tus muslos. Inhala y exhala profundo.
8. Repite el ejercicio.

Tiempo de práctica: Comienza por sostener la pose 10 segundos, agrega 5 segundos a la semana hasta que llegues a 30 segundos.
Número de repeticiones: 3 en una sesión de practica. También se puede hacer a cualquier hora del día para despertar tu cara!!

Beneficios de esta pose:
1. Incrementa energía y vitalidad en la cara y garganta. Estimula la cara.
2. Incrementa la circulación y estimula los nervios de cara y cuello.
3. Puede parar o aliviar el dolor de garganta.

Tips especiales y experiencias de Laura con ésta pose:
Exhala completamente cuando saques tu lengua. Puede parecer chistoso (a los niños les encanta), pero algunos maestros de yoga, sugieren rugir y sacar la lengua para crecer la pose. Mantén tus ojos abiertos durante la pose.

LAURA VENECIA RODRIGUEZ es la autora del libro “Yoga for the non-Athlete : Savy Steps for yo to Become Slim, Supple and Serene”. Para más informacion, visita www.laurasathomeyoga.com
Ella se considera una mala consumidora ya que solo aprendio a ser yogui. Y dice que si ella pudo hacer yoga, tu también puedes.

www.greenmonkey.net

Mucho éxito con yoga!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, Beginners' Home Yoga Coach

 

 

Yoga at Home: Excellent Beginner's Yoga Video! - Mountain Pose Demo

 

Greetings.  To date, I have rarely found videos for beginning yogis that are well done.  Too many jump right into showing the pose with very little explanation and assume a base of knowledge that few beginners have.  However, a couple of days ago, my email in-box brought an excellent video for the beginner which shows you how to do the moutain pose.

Here is why I think this youtube video (which only has just under about 500 views so far) of the yoga mountain pose is ideal for the beginner:

1)  The instructor, Robin Downes, speaks clearly and slowly.

2)  She explains the purpose of the pose and shows how to do it step-by-step, literally from the toes to one's head.

3)  She doesn't just toss out the yoga sanskrit terms (in layman terms, sanskrit is an ancient language of India) rapid fire (as so many yoga instructors do) and assume the beginner is following along.  She links them effectively to her demonstration of the mountai pose.

4)  She emphasizes the importance of proper breathing and shows you how to do it.

4)  She has "real, regular people" in her video.  She appears "real" herself.

5)  In short, she makes the pose accessible to the beginners.

6)  I enjoyed watching this succinct explanation of a basic yoga pose.

Watch it now! It takes less than 3 minutes.

 

 

 Yours for learning how to do yoga at home with clear, succinct explanations!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners Yoga at Home Mentor,

 

Yoga at Home: Move Your Booty with Yoga On the Hour Every Hour- a la Denise Austin

Yesterday's Washington Post Express paper featured  "Memo to Staff:  Get Moving," an article about local exercise expert, Denise Austin's efforts to get the staff of a company to move their booties on the hour every hour.  I enthusiastically agree with Ms. Austin's statement, "I'm a true believer that sitting still is our enemy."

Ms. Austin, known for her incredibly rock-hard abs (that she always invites people to touch), the result of her workouts, is a well-known exercise instructor with DVDs and television programs.  I have had one of her books for years.  It doesn't have yoga in it, but she offer many useful ideas for staying fit.  Although Ms. Austin didn't mention yoga office breaks during her visit to this particular local firm, you can apply her philosophy to your yoga practice.

Granted, you can't do every yoga pose at the office, unless you have an office to yourself, can change your clothes, roll out your mat, and can close the door without fear of interruption for a few minutes. However, there are many yoga poses and moves that you can do at your desk such as neck rolls, facial and eye yoga, forward bends, arm and leg stretches, backward bends, and so forth to avoid the dicomfort of too much inactivity.  My job is sedentary to the max.  Most days I could work nonstop in front of my computer like a hermit if I chose to. 

Fortunately, I know better and I make every effort to rise about every 30 or 60 minutes and move around.  I just have to make sure I do it every hour!  As I I have divulged in prior posts, I will often do a yoga stretch like the one shown above in the ladies' room when no one else is around.  When Denise Austin visited the local company to guide them into more physical activity, she advised the employees to take a physical movement break at least every hour on the hour. She said whereas this didn't obviate the need for a regular workout, frequent mini-exercise breaks help keep your body conditioned and your head clear.  It also helps eliminate the afternoon dip in energy that many people experience after lunch.

So get your timer out and do a yoga stretch every hour on the hour to feel your best!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners Home Yoga Mentor