Challenge 13 - Asanas for Multitasking

This post is inspired by learning more about the effects of television watching, aka sedentary lifestyle, on health, development, and children. (WebMD, NYT Blog) Children should limit their time watching tv and playing on the computer. But then big kids, aka adults, should too. If you have to watch television then use the time to stretch and work on hard poses. I love watching tv so no guilt for indulging.

Challenge: Move and stretch during your sedentary times.

Application (Stretches) - Seated poses listed:

• Bound Angle or Cobbler's - bottoms of feet touching and keys to ground (groin & hips)
• Staff - legs straight out in front and arms straight down side body (hamstrings)
• Hero - sitting on heels and tuck heels between sit bones (thighs, ankles & hips)
• Prep for Lotus Pose - one leg straight, other foot crossed over thigh (hips, knees)
• Seated Pose with Spinal Twist (spine, organs)

Go Above and Beyond: Incorporate any standing pose to strengthen legs

• Mountain 
• Low Lunge
• High Lunge and with Prayer Twist 

Challenge 12 - Asanas for Running

Yoga sequence focused on best benefits for runners or just people who run.

Challenge: Complete the sequence this week the day before or after you go for a run.

Sequence: 

• Bound Angle Pose - opens hips and works inner thighs
• Downward Facing Dog or Wall Dog (Place your hands against a wall or on a chair) 
• Triangle Pose - Stretches lower back and hamstrings
• Forward Bend while grabbing elbow behind you 
• Wide Leg Standing Forward Bend
• Low Lunge - opens hips and stretches back hamstring
• Hero Pose - stretches ankles and feet
• Corpse Pose or any Pranayama to expand lung capacity

Challenge 11 - Yoga for Immunity

Being sick is no fun. Nothing can guarantee perfect immunity but do what you can to not feel under the weather. Practice the following sequence to boost your immunity. Benefits of poses relative to health are included.

Challenge - Do Sequence for Health every day this week!

• Pranayama: Bhramari (Humming Bee)
• nostril breathing
• Exhaling plug ears with index fingers and make a humming sound
• Inhale into the back of the throat
• Benefits are clearing throat and nasals of infections and soothing the mind
• Asanas: Hold for 5 breaths each
• Cat/Cow (optimizes exhale and inhale)
• Extend opposite arms and legs (quickens breath)
• Your favorite seated twist pose (compresses organs)
• Cobra (strengthens respiratory muscles)
• Downward Facing Dog (circulates blood to sinus) 
• Mountain with back bend (opens chest and shoulders) 
• Warrior I & II (increases stamina and incorporates breathing with movement)
• Bounded Angle (engages gentle backbend, do not go into wheel) 
• Corpse (relaxes body and breath, bundle up for this pose)

Challenge 10 - Open Your Hips Part I: Pelvis in Neutral Position

Hips are one of the hardest areas to increase range of motion and mobility. The hip joint connects the pelvis and legs so "stretching" out this area requires strengthening the muscles around the joint. Challenges to open hips will be covered in 4 set of poses: (1) Pelvis in neutral position, (2) Strengthening legs, (3) External rotation of hips, and (5) Internal rotation of hips.

What is neutral position for the pelvis? A straight line extends from the ear through the shoulders, hips, and heel. Neutral pelvis is achievable in a seated, standing, and supine positions.

Challenge (Part I): Spend 15 minutes every day in neutral pelvis position and learn to make neutral the default. This is harder than you think!

• Helps to use a mirror
• Square and Open Shoulders
• Relax Shoulders
• Right and Left sides of pelvis are even, on the same plane
• Lift the torso from the waist and pelvis to straighten the spine
• Good alignment should feel "effortless"

Application: Pay attentions to pose details to increase intensity, hold for 20 breaths

• Lighting Bolt Pose - seated pose on heels, wrap heel with checks
• Staff Pose - Lefts extended straight forward, fingers press down, push out through heels 
• Mountain Pose - engaging the legs make the asana more intensity
• Upward Hand Pose - bring arms over the head from Mountain Pose, engage legs and reach up
• Warrior I w/ hands over head - focus on ground feet and straightening back leg
• Warrior II w/ hands over head - align pelvis, focus on opening shoulders
• Tree Pose - ground and stabilize balancing leg 

Challenge 8 - Try a New Yoga Style

I just watched an episode of PBS's Scientific American Frontiers about the hippocampus, which plays a huge role in creating memories and linking experiences in the brain. The experiments showed the brain's elevated response to new experiences, which can help individuals store memories and keep the brain sharp. This should encourage all to complete the challenges this week

Challenge: Break your yoga routine to elevate your mental, physical, and emotional response to yoga generally. (This does not give a passport to skip yoga this week!)

Application:

• Try a new yoga style
• Try a new studio, a new environment and yogis can stimulate motivation
• Do yoga at a different time in the day: switch to morning asanas
• Talk to a non-yogi about yoga
• Read a book about yoga or meditation
• Do yoga at home by yourself or with a friend
• Use a yoga video or online source in your office or home
• Meditate for 30 minutes in lieu of physical yoga practice

Vote - Yoga Journal Photo Contest

While enjoying the few days of good weather in Utah, I snapped some photos in yoga poses on the salt flats. This is the photo entered into the Yoga Journal Photo contest. 

View and vote at Yoga Journal, starting with my entry http://talentsearch.yogajournal.com/view/2396

♥ Thanks for your support!

Challenge 7 - Healthy Hamstrings

Challenge: Stretch your hamstrings every day.

• Hamstring flexibility changes your body and helps avoid injuries. Tight hamstrings can affect the range of motion in sports, running/walking, and posture. 

Application: Complete one hamstring sequence each day. Three different sequences below for any part of the day and at any location: in your office, at the gym, morning/evening in bed.

• *Standing Sequence: Forward Bend ➜ Big Toe ➜ Extended Triangle ➜ Extended Hand-to-Toe
• *Sitting Sequence:  Bound Angle ➜ Staff Pose ➜ Seated Forward Bend (Left/Right/Center)
• *Supine Sequence:  Happy Baby ➜ Reclining Big Toe (On Back) ➜ Side Reclining Leg Lift 

Go Above and Beyond: Complete a full sun salutation sequence with all three sequences above!

* Stick figure illustrations coming soon!

Challenge 5 - Three Poses a Day

Challenge: Do yoga every day and start with three poses.

Application: Pick any of these three poses and set a time during the day to hold each pose for 5-10 breaths. Listed poses can be done anywhere, in cubicle, bathroom, or back of a classroom:  

• Mountain - Stand w/ straight spine, both feet touching and grounded, and arms at sides (start and end all other poses in this position)
• Half-Moon - Bring arms straight up, arch & tilt head backyards, and breath floating ribs in
• Eagle - Cross/Wrap left arm over right arm & left leg over right leg to hook left toes under right thigh, join hand & point fingers up. Repeat on cross/wrap opposite arm and legs.
• Triangle - Stand w/ feet wider than shoulders, extend hands parallel to the ground, extend left arm forward, bring left arm to ground/top of shoe, extend right hand to the ceiling and open chest
• Chair - Bend knees as if sitting in a chair, bring hands straight up, keep chest open, and look up
• Downward Facing Dog (standing) - position hands on surface of desk/grabbing rail, legs hip width, straighten arms and relax neck
• Standing Knee to Chest - Shift weight to one leg, bring the other side knee to the chest
• Standing Forward Bend - From Mountain, fold torso from hip joints, bring finger tips to shin/tops of shoe/around ankles and lengthen torso 
• Variation: legs hip width apart, grab elbow with hands, hang and stretch hamstrings

*For more information, google the pose names under "images" (photos coming soon)

Go Above and Beyond: Complete 3 sun salutations in the morning or before lunch.