Yoga at Home with Laura, Self-taught Yogi!

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Avoid Injury-Never Jerk or Strain Your Body!

AVOID YOGA INJURIES-NEVER JERK, STRAIN, OR FORCE YOUR BODY INTO A POSE!!

The other day a work colleague shared that he recently had been in touch with someone from our division who retired several years ago. This individual, a fairly active person (from what I recall), had apparently taken up yoga.  As is often the case when learning new yoga poses requiring balance, he was unable to keep his balance.  I don't know which yoga pose he was doing, but his impatience and frustration with not maintaining his balance got the better of him.  So - what did he do?  He jerked his leg up and attempted to force his body to balance.

Rip....!! Tear....!  Ouch!!!!  There went a major leg muscle.  Guess what?  He won't be able to balance at all in any pose for a while now!

Even if you do the type of slow, gentle yoga I practice daily - such as the ankle to forehead pose shown above, you MUST, you absolutely  MUST go slowly!  And, never jerk, strain, or force your body to do something new!  You never win and only increase your chance of injury tenfold!  (And, if you attend a yoga class and happen to have a yoga instructor who tries to persuade you to go farther that you feel comfortable, just say "no!")

When I began the ankle to forehead pose, I could only bring my ankle up about a third of the way.  And that was back in high school.  My body was not accustomed to moving into that pose.  If I had jerked my ankle up to my head, I could have torn a thigh muscle or put my hip out of whack. 

In my not always humble opinion, learning yoga is not just about learning how to place your body into a particular pose.  It's also about practicing patience, transcending frustration, and listening to your body.  If you do this, your risk of injury will be small.

Yours for practicing yoga with patience and caution,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

 

Yoga at Home: Yoga Practice: Approach It This Way...

(Photo above from a lovely, peaceful vacation with my daughter and son in Cozumel, Mexico, August 2009)

Controversy about the possibility of "wrecking your body" with yoga and the recent sex scandal surrounding John Friend, founder of Anusara yoga, can distract us from the beauty and inherent value of a gentle yoga practice.

I subscribe to an small spiritual magazine that features daily inspirational messages that are relevant to virtually anyone regardless of your chosen religious denomination (Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh) or absence thereof. And, last week one of the messaages leaped out at me. It epitomized the type of attidue that can benefit us tremendously when we roll out our yoga mat to do our practice (daily I hope!).

The core elements from the message (that I am paraphrasing and adapting) that you can apply to your yoga practice are as follows:

1.  Relax and be present in the moment.  Drop all past troubles and concerns about what you have to do after your practice for the moment - let them be (now really!).

2.  Too many people are speeding around like chickens without their heads from place to place and task to task.  Give yourself the gift of a short period of time (20-30 minutes) in which you just focus on  your mind, body, and spirit.  

3.  Notice the rhythym of your breath and allow it to revitalize you.  "Be quiet.  Be still,  Be at peace."

4.  Give thanks for your body temple and all its magnificent mechanisms.  Be grateful for the gift of peace, quiet, and renewal.

5. Embrace each pose with enthusiasm.  

6. Approach your yoga practice with this attiude and notice how much more you gain.  "Rinse and repeat" daily!

Pretty simple, eh?

Yours for a relaxed yoga practice,

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: 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: Increase Your Flexibility-Do Yoga AND Drink More Water!

About 5 months ago when I had a physical checkup, my new holisitc doctor advised me to bump up my water consumption from about 8 glasses a day to 14 a day.  Fourteen????!!!!  Yes - that many.  She said I was a bit "dry."   I thought I'd be running to the bathroom every few minutes with such a prescription. But no, I found that my body welcomed the additional hydration and acclimated easily to the increased water intake.

Physical therapist Sue Falsone has stated that water "is the single biggest factor to increasing flexibility from something you can take into your system."  Consider water as your "flexibility drink!"  Water lubricates your joints and keeps your body fluid and flexible.

Yoga expert and instructor, Lucas Rockwood says, "Literally 70-80% of people are dehydrated and constipated,and the combination means your connective tissues are going to feel stiff and stuck all the time." Consequently, it seems logical that drinking more water will make it easier to do execute yoga poses.  Drinking lots of water if you practice yoga is significant for another key reason. Because of the scientific way in yoga stretches and twists your body, toxins are released.  And, the best and fastest way to flush those toxins from your body is to drink lots of water! 

So, how do you put this into practice?  If you're a home yogi - it doesn't mean you imbibe glasses of water only immediately before, during, and immediately after your yoga practice. And then go on your merry way. (Actually, unless you get really hot or dehydrated during yoga, I find it's best NOT to drink water DURING yoga practice.)

No, it means you drink fresh water throughout the day.  One of the first things I do in the morning is drink 12 ounces of water.  When anyone awakens in the morning, he or she is fairly dehydrated because 6-8 hours of sleep means no water intake for a long segment of time.  After I meditate I drink another 12 ounces of water before beginning my aerobic exercise on my mini-trampoline. After those aerobics, I drink another 12 ounces of water to re-hydrate.  I follow with a steamy shower and then (25 minutes later) begin my yoga routine.  By the time I leave for work,I have already imbibed 36-48 ounces of water. I continue drinking about 8 ounces every hour or so the rest of the day.

What has this done for me?  Well, my body feels fluid and my mind seems clear. And, I do feel that my bodily functions better regulate themselves.  For the next 10 days, conduct your own experiment - consistently increase your water intake each day and look for any differences in your yoga practice and in your day-to-day well-being.  Report back!

Yours for increased flexibility by doing yoga AND drinking lots of water,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners Yoga at Home Mentor

 

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 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

 

Yoga at Home of Beginners: Amateur or a Professional Yoga Student?

 

I received the following quotation in my in-box this morning from yoga expert and instructor, Lucas Rockwood, who is based in Barcelona, Spain. 

“An amateur yoga student is someone who practices when she feels like it, practice whatever she wants or whenever she wants. A professional student practices on purpose, even
with a headache, even when no one is watching, even when it’s dark and cold outside.”

As I replied to Lucas, I could not agree more!  Doing yoga every so often is okay- better than not doing it at all...but not much!  You reap yoga's myriad rewards and can gain ongoing energy, flexibility, and serenity when you practice consistently!  For me that means at least 5-6 times a week.  Yoga must be part of your lifestyle or you are just an "amateur yoga student," a mere dilettante, in my perhaps not so humble opinion.

Sure it can be hard to rise and shine to do your yoga practice on dark, dreary winter mornings when it seems that everyone else is luxuriating and snoozing in their warm, cozy beds. But, when the alarm sounds, don't allow yourself to think about your warm bed. Instead, ease out and focus on all you will gain from your yoga practice. Create and add fun, inviting rituals to your yoga practice so that you relish and look forward to it.  For examples see the ones that I have written about in this blog - check the archives or read chapter 12 of my book, Yoga at Home:  Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity in 20-30 Minutes a Day, in which I present numerous techniques to enhance your practice and stay motivated.

Are you an "amateur or professional yoga student?"  It's your choice.

Yours for practicing yoga as a professional student,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez

 

Yoga at Home: Missing Points from Controversy over Yoga's Safety

Once again the controversy over the safety of yoga rears its head.  Yoga expert Glenn Black reportedly recommends that many people should give up yoga because of the large numbers of injuries he has witnessed.  He says that some people are reluctant to admit to their yoga instructors that they suffered an injury in class.

The above video presents the controversy and also includes an interview with a yoga instructor who says that she is not surprised by Black's viewpoint but that she believes that the yoga can benefit virtually everyone. To avoid injury she advises people to do their research to determine the best type of class of style of yoga for themselves.  And, she states that in her yoga studio instructors offered time before and after classes to meet with students to discuss their individual needs and concerns. 

What I felt was missing in the discussion was the following advice:

1) assess where you are physically before starting a yoga class or practice - how active have you been over the past year or two (or even decade).  If you have been quite sedentary - begin with EXTRA caution

2) start out SLOWLY - with baby steps and notice how your muscles, limbs, and overall body FEEL in every phase of a pose- if your muscles feel tight - be patient - let them unwind over time

3) go only as far as you are reasonably comfortable - if you experience pain - back up!

4) alwys listen to your body first and the instructor (or instructions) second and realize that how limber you may feel can fluctuate daily

5) compete only with yourself- don't do more than what is comfortable for you because other people can do a certain pose with ease.

Yours for practicing yoga with wisdom (aka common sense - too often overlooked!),

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners Home Yoga Coach