The lower body is a complex network of muscles and joints, including the hips, thighs, hamstrings, glutes, quads, calves, and the all-important joints of the knees and ankles. The hips, or the hip flexors, consist of muscles like the iliopsoas and rectus femoris, which are crucial for movements like walking, running, and sitting. The hamstrings, located at the back of your thighs, help with bending your knees and extending your legs behind you. The quadriceps, at the front of your thighs, are key players in knee extension and overall leg strength.
Joints like the hips, knees, and ankles are pivotal for stability and movement. When these areas are tight, they can lead to discomfort, limited mobility, and even injuries. Stretching these muscles and joints helps maintain their flexibility, reduces the risk of injury, and improves overall posture and movement efficiency.
The Benefits of Stretching and Loosening the Lower Body
Stretching the lower body increases blood flow to the muscles, which aids in muscle recovery and reduces soreness. Stretching also improves the range of motion in your joints, making everyday activities easier and more fluid. For those who spend a lot of time sitting, loosening up the lower body can alleviate lower back pain, as tight hip flexors and hamstrings often contribute to discomfort in the lumbar region.
In "Light on Yoga" by B.K.S. Iyengar, it's highlighted that the hips are often where emotional tension accumulates. Stretching and opening the hips can lead to the release of these emotions, promoting not only physical but also mental well-being. Yoga also encourages mindful movement and breath awareness, which are key to safely and effectively loosening tight muscles.
Yoga: The Ideal Practice for a Flexible Lower Body
Yoga is uniquely effective in targeting and loosening the lower body. Here are some key yoga poses for specific muscle groups:
Through consistent practice, yoga helps to balance muscle groups, improve alignment, and enhance overall mobility. The combination of mindful movement and deep, conscious breathing in yoga facilitates a deeper release of muscle tension while fostering a sense of relaxation and well-being.
New Classes this Week
To help you on this journey to a more flexible lower body, we present three new online yoga classes:
1. Happy Hips & Hamstrings with Mary Baker Join Mary Baker in this soothing yet challenging class focused on opening your hips and stretching your hamstrings. Mary’s expert guidance will help you release tension and find joy in every pose, making your hips and hamstrings happier than ever.
2. Fusion Flow: Lower Body with Annie Dee Coyle Annie Dee Coyle brings a dynamic blend of traditional yoga and modern movement in this fusion flow class. Expect to sweat, stretch, and strengthen your lower body, leaving you feeling invigorated and balanced. Annie’s creative sequencing will keep you engaged and energized.
3. Flow for Strong & Flexible Legs with Tereza Sauerova Tereza Sauerova’s class is perfect for those looking to build both strength and flexibility in their legs. Her precise and encouraging instruction will help you achieve new levels of lower body freedom, enhancing both your practice and daily activities.
Roll out your mat, embrace the journey, and let’s get those hips, hamstrings, and legs moving towards greater flexibility and freedom. See you on the mat!
While modern life offers unprecedented conveniences and technological advancements, it also harbors insidiously major risks to our well-being. Behind a veneer of constant connectivity and convenience lie hidden dangers that threaten both our physical and mental health: risks include heart disease and obesity from sedentary habits, anxiety and depression from digital overload, and a growing inability to relax and recharge.
Join us below as we dive deep into these problems, including what causes them, how a modern lifestyle worsens them, and what you can do to reclaim control over your health.
Back pain, weight gain, joint problems, and heart conditions are just a few rising medical problems caused by sedentary lifestyles filled with endless commutes and long days in front of desks. To prioritize physical health, it’s vital to set realistic health goals and make achievable steps toward realizing them. Let’s discuss some ways you can focus on exercise, correct poor posture, and boost your nutritional health below.
Maintaining physical fitness is harder than ever – who has time to go to the gym? Approach fitness with high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which promotes respiratory, skeletomuscular, and cardiovascular health with bite-sized sessions. Consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator when possible, and use breaks at work to get some physical activity – even short bursts add up over time.
Little things like slouching, sitting for long periods, looking down at screens, and even sleeping in the wrong position can lead to poor posture, causing neck or back pain. To alleviate poor posture, make small changes like setting up an ergonomic workspace with your monitor at eye level and using a chair that supports your lower back. Yoga and Pilates are great supplementary exercises you can use to enhance posture during downtime.
Don’t fall into processed meals and fast food traps, which starve your body of essential nutrients. Combat this by prioritizing whole foods rich in vitamins and minerals, like organic produce and meats without hormones. Start with simple swaps: trade breakfast cereal for oatmeal with berries, or replace afternoon chips with some nuts.
People in the 21st century face a barrage of widespread mental health concerns. Information overload coupled with the pressure to always be "on" has formed a perfect storm of anxiety, depression, and burnout. To find balance in the chaos, it’s critical to recognize the challenges we face and devise solutions – we have some ideas for you to chew on below.
Blue light from screens disrupts our natural sleep cycles, while constant notifications fragment our attention. Control digital consumption by using apps and in-app features that limit your time spent on screens. To make screens less of a pervasive presence, make certain areas and times of day screenless – dinnertime and bedtime are two of the most effective places to cut out screens.
Curated social media feeds can harm your body image by promoting unrealistic body standards and fueling a fear of missing out (FOMO). Regularly vet the content creators you follow to prioritize positive content and themes while avoiding negative content that contributes to 'doomscrolling.' Limit the mental bombardment by setting specific times for social media use and challenge fake body standards by practicing self-affirmation and following body-positive content.
Chronic stress and overwork lead to emotional exhaustion and crippling anxiety, both major ingredients in creating burnout. Prioritize essential tasks and say no to draining non-essential commitments, which lowers overall stress levels. Treat early signs of burnout with rejuvenating activities, like a walk in nature, yoga, or simply disconnecting for a while.
When was the last time you had a real vacation? The constant drive for productivity in today’s world often leaves us physically and mentally depleted. Mastering the art of relaxation is crucial for both performance and overall well-being, but penciling it in is hard to justify sometimes. To live a more tranquil life and relieve pent-up stress, read below as we discuss the importance of work-life balance, active relaxation, and getting better sleep.
Poor work-life balance is at the root of many health problems today – it elevates stress levels, sabotages immune health, and worsens overall mental health. Fight muddled scheduling with clear boundaries, working hours, and off-time to unplug from work. To make transitions to and from home smoother, mentally reset with a quick walk or some light stretching.
Instead of scrolling Instagram or binging TV, take time to perform active relaxation that can help make downtime more fulfilling and beneficial. Practices like yoga, tai chi, and even stretching calm overstimulated nervous systems and promote mindfulness. Breathing exercises are fantastic too – controlled breathing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress-causing cortisol levels, and confers a host of other tangible health benefits.
Quality sleep is the foundation of proper recovery, yet it's often sacrificed in our 24/7 culture. Improve your sleep quality by creating a cool, dark sleeping environment, developing a consistent pre-bed routine, and keeping a set sleep schedule for your body to get used to. These critical sleep habits will ward off the detriments of sleep deprivation and sleep debt while improving both physical and mental well-being.
In our endless quest for progress and productivity, we often overlook the hidden dangers lurking in our lifestyles. From the physical toll of sedentary work to the mental strain of constant connectivity, modern problems require modern solutions. By taking the time to critically self-reflect and take incremental steps toward improvement, you can mitigate risks while creating a lifelong foundation for a healthier life.
By Katie Brenneman
A strong core is more than just toned abs; it's the powerhouse of your entire body, providing stability, balance, and strength in every movement you make. In yoga, the core is the epicenter of many poses and transitions, acting as the key to unlocking advanced postures and maintaining proper alignment. According to B.K.S. Iyengar, the core muscles are essential for achieving steadiness and ease in practice. Without a strong core, one cannot fully harness the benefits of yoga, as it plays a pivotal role in supporting the spine and facilitating breath control, or pranayama.
In the context of overall health, a strong core is crucial. It helps improve posture, reduces the risk of back pain, and enhances your ability to perform everyday tasks with ease. The core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis, work together to stabilize the pelvis and spine, ensuring that your body moves efficiently and effectively. This stability is not only vital for physical activities but also for maintaining balance and preventing injuries.
Yoga is uniquely suited for core strengthening due to its holistic approach to movement and mindfulness. Poses such as Plank (Phalakasana), Boat (Navasana), and various twists engage the core muscles deeply, promoting strength and endurance. Additionally, the controlled breathing techniques in yoga enhance the engagement of the diaphragm and deep abdominal muscles, contributing to a stronger core. Yoga literature, including the ancient texts like the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," highlights the importance of a strong core for mastering advanced postures and achieving overall physical harmony.
This week, YogaDownload invites you to embark on a journey to fortify your core with our new online classes: "Sweet & Simple: Core Harmony with Elise Fabricant" offers a gentle yet effective approach to core strengthening with a series of mindful movements and targeted exercises. Elise's soothing guidance will help you find harmony and stability in your practice. For those seeking a beginner level class, "Restore Your Core with Dana Hanizeski" moves at a slow and deliberate pace, in order to help you to engage your deep core (transverse abdominis) and pelvic floor.
Both classes are crafted to help you build a solid foundation, enhance your yoga practice, and improve your overall well-being. Don't miss this opportunity to get on your mat and experience the power you’ll feel from building a strong core. Your journey to a healthier, more balanced you starts here.
Sweet & Simple: Core Harmony - Elise Fabricant
Restore Your Core - Dana Hanizeski
Ignited Core Vinyasa Flow - Dylan Zukowski
Nothing but Core - Claire Petretti Marti
What if happiness was a choice? What if even if you were in one of the most challenging chapters of your life, you could still live with a grateful attitude? What if you learned to trust the transience of the peaks and valleys? If you could trust that everything is temporary, and you can be happy despite the difficulties?
In yoga, this concept is expressed as Santosha or contentment. Yoga Sutra II.42 interprets the Niyama Santosha as the greatest happiness, the underlying joy that cannot be eradicated despite life's challenges.
All steps along the yogic journey take practice and cultivating gratitude is no different. Learning to be grateful for what you do have in any given moment instead of focusing on what’s missing can transform your life. What we focus on expands so if we direct our attention to the positive, that’s what will occupy most of our being. We’re not talking about toxic positivity or pretending difficulties don’t exist. It’s not always easy to feel grateful. Buddhism preaches that life is hard. Maybe it is but your life doesn’t have to be defined by the tough times.
If you find yourself stuck in a place of fear or negativity, look at Yoga Sutra 2:33. Pratipaksha Bhavanam encourages us to replace negative thought patterns and emotions with positive ones. Practice catching yourself when you’re being judgmental, critical, or negative. Pause and reframe your perspective with compassion, kindness, and positivity. Focus on the positive in each day and begin to cultivate your patterns of appreciating everything in your life.
One of our favorite tools is a gratitude journal. All you need to do each day is jot down three things you are grateful for, no matter how small or large they may seem. The warmth of sun on your skin, a text from a friend, a snuggle with your dog or cat––anything that you appreciate. Another great practice is doing a five-minute meditation each morning focused on one thing you’re grateful for in the present moment. Soon, focusing on what you’re thankful for instead of what’s weighing on you becomes your new pattern!
This week, we’re excited to offer you classes focused on feeling grateful! We are grateful for you!
Yoga for a Compassionate Heart - Claire Petretti Marti
Flowing Into Gratitude - Mary Baker
Fitness 'n' Yoga: Balance and Gratitude - Ben Davis
Invitation of Gratitude - Alex Cordoba
“Smile, breathe, and go slowly.”~ Thich Nhat Hanh
This week, we’re here to remind you that sometimes slowing down helps you feel more present. Yoga is all about learning to live in the now––not in the past and not in the future. Sometimes, we need to slow down to cultivate a greater sense of being present. While all styles of yoga help you cultivate flexibility, strength, and balance, sometimes slowing down allows you to sink deeper into the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits of practice.
Yoga Sutra 2.46 Sthira Sukham Asanam means the asana or posture should be steady and comfortable. Steadiness is a quality of strength and grounded energy. Working on developing a mindful steady approach in your yoga practice will aid you in staying centered and stable.
If you usually prefer a faster paced Vinyasa or Power Yoga class, that’s great! But consider mixing it up with one of this week’s classes like Slow Burn from Kristin Gibowicz or Deep, Slow Mindful Flow from Keith Allen. Think of it as cross-training so you’re garnering some new and perhaps different benefits. You’ll hold postures for more time, which can help you settle deeper into your mindful breathing, as well as into your thoughts and emotions. And if you’re used to flowing breath to movement, holding postures for longer will challenge your patience––in a positive way!
Aesop’s fable about the tortoise and the hare evokes the saying: “Slow and steady wins the race.” The tortoise ambles along but never breaks his pace. The hare sprints from the start, forgetting to pace himself. The tortoise wins the race because of his patience, stability, and unwavering effort. We live in a fast-paced world, which can keep us in a constant state of “fight or flight.” Slowing down on your yoga mat will shift your nervous system into “rest and digest” so you don’t burn out. So try being the tortoise and see how you feel!
This week, we’ve got four fantastic classes to choose from that will help you settle into stillness.
Slow Burn - Kristin Gibowicz
Slow Flow - Kylie Larson
Deep, Slow, Mindful Flow - Keith Allen
Slow Burn Yoga - Blair Bradley
In our fast-paced world, distraction surrounds us. One of the greatest gifts of yoga is offering ancient wisdom that resonates in the modern world. The Yoga Sutras offer a path to hone your focus and more consistently tune out all the external and internal noise and pay attention to what really matters to you. It may sound simple, but don’t confuse simple with easy. Who wants easy though, right?
Let’s dive into Patanjali’s guidebook. The Sutras contain four Padas or chapters filled with sutras, or threads, of knowledge. Basically, Yoga Sutra 1.2 Chitta Vritti Nirodaha translates to mean that yoga is the ability to direct the mind without distraction or interruption. Yoga equals sustained attention. Your mind isn’t stagnant, it’s active but focused. How to achieve this state of mind when you’re dealing with out of control thoughts and emotions?
The fundamental internal obstacles to a state of yoga are the Kleshas, detailed in Sutras 2.3 to 2.11. Without delving too deep, basically the primary root of suffering and the inability to achieve Samadhi lie in the thoughts we cling to that are mistaken perceptions of the world around us. Avidya is the inability to see things as they are. Avidya consists of:
1.Egoism asmita,
2. Aversion dvesa
3. Ignorance--avidya
4. Attachment -raga
5. Fear of death—abhinivesa
The practice of yoga is moving away from these misperceptions toward Viveka, the ability to discern and see clearly. For many of us, we have deep-seated beliefs from our childhood, our lived experience, our relationships, our health…all of it. Perhaps you lost a parent at a young age, or your partner betrayed you, so now you have a fear of abandonment that colors your choices in relationships. You aren’t alone!
Through a dedicated yoga and meditation practice, you can choose to leave some of these traumas in the past and live in the present moment. We cannot change the past or predict the future but if we can see the world around us with more clarity, we can create a life filled with gratitude and contentment. Tuning out distractions, whether they are external or internal, enables us to focus on what we do want. This week’s classes will help!
Find Your Focus Flow - Mary Baker
The Yogic Way: Steady Rhythms - Annie Coyle
Yoga for Focus & Concentration - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Yoga for Strength and Focus - Celest Pereira
Yoga is one of the best ways to improve your health and wellness. Regularly practicing yoga increases your flexibility, relieves your stress, reduces inflammation, and may give your mental health a much-needed boost.
Yoga in the summer sun is particularly beneficial. Doing yoga in nature can help you engage with the world around you while you connect with yourself through meditative breathing and challenging flows.
If the idea of adding some nature into your typical routine sounds appealing, you may want to consider taking a retreat to somewhere restorative. This can help you focus on your practice and connect with other like-minded folks. Setting aside time for a retreat is sure to enhance your wellness and help you escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Getting out of town for a break is great for your mental and physical health. Escaping city life is particularly important if you live in an area with poor air quality. Breathing poor-quality air undermines your health and may lead to issues like coughing, wheezing, and irritation. Breathing poor-quality air can also increase your risk of developing chronic conditions like sleep apnea.
Taking a summertime yoga retreat to an area with high air quality can be deeply restorative if you’ve lived in an urban area for some time. If the idea of a retreat sounds appealing to you, consider signing up for yoga sessions in iconic settings like:
These areas offer plenty of yoga retreats and are situated in areas of outstanding beauty. You’ll be able to reconnect with nature this summer while enjoying Lanzarote and Bali, too, as there is plenty of hiking and backpacking to be had while abroad. Additional benefits of outdoor yoga retreats include:
These benefits will stay with you long after you leave your retreat and may reignite your passion for yoga. This is particularly beneficial during the summer months when you must take advantage of the fine weather to top up your vitamin D reserves.
Taking time off to go backpacking is a great way to reconnect with nature and boost your well-being. Backpacking is particularly beneficial in the summer, when you’ll be able to enjoy the long days and shouldn’t have to worry about packing heavy sleeping bags or tents. This is key, as nothing will detract from your flow like sore shoulders and tired legs.
If the idea of blending backpacking and yoga sounds appealing, consider adopting ultralight backpacking. Ultralight backpacking means that the weight of all of the gear in your pack is less than 10 lbs, excluding the weight of consumables like food, water, and fuel. This is possible today due to improvements in technology which means that your tent, sleeping bag, and backpack can be both light and durable. This also allows you to take some of the items vital to your yoga practice with you outdoors.
If you do decide to take your flow outdoors, be sure to choose a suitable flat, firm area to practice. If you experience any kind of joint pain, you should still bring your yoga mat. Alternatively, you can consider using a sleeping pad as a makeshift mat — just be sure that you have enough room to practice and that it will not slip from under you.
Adjusting your flow to embrace nature in the summer is a great way to get more from your practice. Rather than sticking to the same old routines, consider choosing inspirational flows to improve self-acceptance and confidence. These are easy practices designed to get you moving and can be completed in the summer sun.
As the middle of the year approaches, consider starting a solstice routine. Reflect on your flow with a journal and use your writing to show gratitude towards nature. Consider spending more time in a meditative state, and use an altar to help yourself embrace the changing of the seasons.
If you do decide to take your practice outside, just be sure to practice in a shaded area and remain mindful of the heat. Pack plenty of water and stay well hydrated throughout. This will help you combat heatstroke and will ensure that you’re able to embrace nature healthily this summer.
Practicing yoga in the great outdoors is the best way to take advantage of warm summer weather. You’ll be able to soak up plenty of vitamin D while flowing outside and can ground yourself while on a retreat. Just be sure to practice outside of the scorching sun and pack enough water to stay hydrated throughout. You don’t have to engage in an exhausting flow while outside either, as simple practices to boost gratitude and confidence are perfect as the summer solstice approaches.
Spots still available on these amazing retreats: Eat, Beach, Yoga: Koh Samui, Thailand March 1 - 8, 2025 (7 nights) Eat, Explore, Yoga: The Scottish Castle II, Duns, Scotland May 31 - June 6, 2025
About 400 years ago, William Shakespeare said, “Not only is it the summer solstice, there is a full moon. May love to surround you like sunshine on a sunny day.”
And here we are again! June 20th marks the Summer Solstice with Full Moon energy in the Northern Hemisphere. Sol means “sun” and sistere means “to stand still” which means this is a planetary pause no matter which hemisphere you live in. While those in the Southern Hemisphere will experience the shortest day and the longest night, those of us celebrating the start of summer will enjoy the most light of the year.
The Solstice is a reminder to align ourselves with the divine rhythm of nature. To celebrate the earth, the sun, the planets, and the stars beaming down on us. So, this day is the perfect moment to turn inward and reflect on what it is we’d like to grow and transform. Because June 20th is the longest day of the year, it contains the most Yang energy so harness that light and fire up your desires!
One way to celebrate the Solstice is to move your yoga practice outside. Take your yoga mat outside to your yard, a park, or to the beach if you live by the sea. Start your practice with Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations––with sunscreen, of course) and offer gratitude to the Sun for its warmth bestows on us. It doesn’t matter what style of yoga you prefer, just do it in nature. If it’s too hot where you live, move into a tree’s shade. Create a flow with poses which evoke nature, like Vrksasana (Tree Pose), Tadasana (Mountain Pose), and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog).
The change in seasons is an excellent time to shift your awareness inside and reflect on how you’d like to grow and expand. Bring a journal when you head outside. Either after your yoga practice or meditation, write your reflections and intentions down. To intensify the power of the longest day of the year, plan your ritual while watching either the sunset or the sunrise.
Join us in embracing the power of nature to manifest your deepest desires. This week’s classes are perfect for the Solstice. Check them out!
Adapting to Change ~ Standing Balances - Caitlin Rose Kenney
Fabric Of The Universe - Erin Wimert
Balance - Denelle Numis
Awaken Your 3rd Chakra - Life Force Project
The summer solstice, often referred to as midsummer, marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. This celestial event, occurring on June 20th this year in the Northern Hemisphere, is when the Earth's axial tilt is closest to the sun, resulting in the most extended period of daylight. For many cultures, the summer solstice symbolizes a time of abundance, light, and the peak of life force energy. It is a moment to honor the sun, embrace its energy, and celebrate the vibrancy of life.
The Significance of the Summer Solstice
The summer solstice has been celebrated for centuries across various cultures. Ancient civilizations built monuments, such as Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt, aligned with the sun's path on this day. The solstice represents a time of renewal, reflection, and connection with nature. It is an opportunity to set intentions, harness positive energy, and embrace the warmth and growth of the season.
Celebrating the Summer Solstice with Yoga
Yoga, with its emphasis on mind-body connection, is an ideal way to celebrate the summer solstice. Through specific practices, you can honor the sun, balance your energies, and align with the natural rhythms of the earth. Here are five online yoga classes from YogaDownload that are perfect for celebrating and honoring the summer solstice:
1. Sun Salutations Breakdown with Robert Sidoti
Sun Salutations, or Surya Namaskar, are a sequence of poses designed to greet and honor the sun. This class by Robert Sidoti provides a detailed breakdown of each pose, helping you perfect your alignment and flow. Practicing Sun Salutations on the summer solstice can enhance your connection to the solar energy and invigorate your body and mind.
2. Yin / Yang Balancing Flow with Claire Petretti Marti
Balancing the yin and yang energies within us is essential for harmony and well-being. Claire Petretti Marti's class combines gentle yin poses with dynamic yang flows, creating a balanced practice that reflects the dual nature of the solstice – the peak of light balanced by the subtle transition towards shorter days. This class helps you find equilibrium and inner peace.
3. Manifestation & Visualization Meditation with Keith Allen
The summer solstice is a powerful time for setting intentions and manifesting your dreams. Keith Allen's meditation class guides you through visualization techniques that help you harness the abundant energy of the solstice. This practice can amplify your goals and desires, aligning your mind and spirit with the transformative power of the sun.
4. Surya Devotion Flow with Mark Morford
Surya, the Hindu sun god, symbolizes life, energy, and light. Mark Morford's Surya Devotion Flow is a dynamic and devotional practice that connects you with this vibrant solar energy. Through a series of heart-opening poses and fluid movements, this class celebrates the solstice by honoring the life-giving force of the sun.
5. Anytime Sun Salutations with Jackie Casal Mahrou
If you're looking for a versatile and accessible way to incorporate sun salutations into your solstice celebration, Jackie Casal Mahrou's class is perfect. This session provides a quick and effective practice that can be done anytime, allowing you to greet the sun and embrace its energy throughout the day. It's a wonderful way to stay connected to the solstice's vibrant energy, no matter your schedule.
The summer solstice is a time of celebration, reflection, and connection to nature's rhythms. Through yoga, you can honor this significant event, harnessing its abundant energy to rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit. Whether through dynamic flows, balanced practices, or meditative visualizations, these online classes from YogaDownload offer diverse ways to celebrate the solstice and embrace the season's warmth and vitality. Take this opportunity to align with the sun, set powerful intentions, and welcome the transformative energy of summer into your life.
“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength” ~Saint Francis de Sales
In yoga, we often hear Yoga Sutra 2:46 Sthira Sukham Asanam which translates to the posture should be a balance between effort and ease. And with how yoga has progressed in the West, there’s been a definite emphasis on the effort, a reward for how physically demanding a practice is and a shift away from the importance of the ease or comfort in the asana. If you feel like you’ve lost that balance and want to shift toward a softer yoga class, focus on gentle yoga.
What do we mean by gentle yoga? Plenty of variety exists but in general, gentle yoga classes move at a slower pace, encourage using props and modifications, and emphasize “trying easy” instead of pushing yourself to your edge in each moment. Perhaps a gentle class spends more time in seated or supine postures or features extended pranayama and meditation instead of asana. If you’re looking for a gentler class, usually ones titled Hatha or Restorative will feature that more mellow pace.
If you usually practice intense Ashtanga or Power Vinyasa, try mixing up your routine with a gentle class. Sometimes moving slow and steady will enable you to drop into your emotions and thoughts more deeply. Taking a variety of styles of classes will help you stay healthy, decrease risk for injury, and boost your overall wellness.
If you’re recovering from injury, have some physical limitations, or are simply shifting into a different season of your life, gentle yoga might be your new favorite way to spend time on your mat. Gentle yoga offers all the same physical benefits of more vigorous classes, like building muscular and bone strength, maintaining and extending flexibility and mobility, and keeping digestion and elimination flowing. On the emotional and mental level, you’ll release stress, clear your mind, and feel happier.
Whether you’re in a phase where you’re craving a quieter practice or are healing, gentle yoga is for you. This week’s classes offer some accessible options, so check them out or bookmark them for when you need them.
Chair Yoga for Everyone - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Pranayama and Visualisation - Joanna McEwen
Gentle Yoga for Post Illness Recovery - Joanna McEwen
Mindful Motion for Healing - Shannon Paige
Most people understand the importance of taking care of their health and well-being. But, some common misconceptions maintaining good health requires drastic changes. That’s not always the case.
In fact, it’s often the small, simple habits that can significantly impact your overall well-being. By incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine, you can not only improve your physical health but your mental wellness, too.
So, if you’ve let the idea that being healthy requires major changes keep you from taking charge of your well-being for too long, start taking small steps today with these simple daily habits.
We often think of routines as something babies and kids need to thrive. But, adults can benefit from a daily routine just as much. It starts with making sure you’re getting enough sleep. Chances are, you’re probably not. According to the National Council on Aging, about ⅓ of American adults get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. That can lead to negative effects like:
One of the best ways to get more sleep is to improve your sleep hygiene and incorporate it into your routine. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night and wake up around the same time each morning. It’s a great way to set the tone for the day and make it easier to stick to other aspects of your routine. You might include daily journaling, working, spending time outside, and spending time with your family in your routine. Find what works for you and promotes your well-being.
Exercise should be a part of your routine, no matter how active you decide to be. Finding a physical activity that makes you feel good and allows you to have fun will improve your physical and mental health. Consider taking a yoga class or dance lessons, or even taking a leisurely walk around the neighborhood with your family each night.
Self-care practices, like a daily skincare regimen, should also be a part of your daily routine. If you’ve never adopted a particular skincare routine before, consider diving into the popular and effective Korean skincare regimen, that focuses on consistency, layering products, and utilizing natural ingredients.
Before you skip past this section assuming that you’ll have to completely change your diet to be healthier, pause and think about what you’re consuming daily. Try planning and preparing meals ahead of time so you aren’t tempted to eat out as often. Get rid of added sugar whenever possible. Load up your dinner plate with vegetables before adding anything else.
Additionally, listen to the old advice that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You might think skipping breakfast will help you eliminate a few calories for the day, but it will actually end up making your metabolism more sluggish, and can even send your body into “starvation” mode. Breakfast helps with weight management, provides essential nutrients to get you through the day, and can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Perhaps the most important thing to consider when it comes to your diet is how to stay hydrated. Drinking enough water is one of the best things you can do for your body, but it’s not always easy to drink glass after glass throughout the day. If you’re having trouble staying hydrated, try things like:
Speaking of alcohol, it’s not necessarily off-limits, even if you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet. However, alcohol does take a toll on the body. It can increase your risk of acid reflux, weaken the immune system, and even damage the heart and lungs. While the occasional drink is okay, make sure you’re conscious of how much you’re drinking, and how often.
Spending time with people is actually a great way to boost your mental and physical well-being. Isolation can actually wreak havoc on your mind and body, contributing to depression, a weakened immune system, and even higher mortality rates.
The stronger your social connections, the higher your quality of life. When you take the time to foster healthy relationships, you’re likely to notice improvements in your sleep health, reduced stress, and a greater sense of belonging, and you might even be inspired to participate in healthier habits and behaviors.
Call your friends or family members regularly, and make it a priority to spend quality time together. Additionally, don’t be afraid to meet someone new. Take a class or join a club that you’re interested in. You’ll meet some like-minded people who could become your greatest friends.
As you can see, you don’t have to completely turn your life upside down to boost your health. Try some of these simple daily habits, and you might be surprised by how much better you feel.
“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Now, we’re not saying you aren’t perfect just as you are but it’s easy to become a little too comfortable with our routine sometimes. And when we realize we’re no longer challenging ourselves, it’s a wakeup call. If we aren’t growing and expanding, we become stagnant. Yoga can empower you to tap into your inner fire, so you continue to grow and move forward in your life.
Yoga reminds us that everything is temporary. The only constant is change and tuning into this universal truth reminds us to continue to renew our minds, hearts, and bodies. Asana, Pranayama, and Meditation all help balance our nervous system. Then, we can better manage our thoughts and emotions, not to mention feel physically better. When we move the prana or energy through our system with mindful breath and movement, we release sluggishness and create room for the new and fresh.
All styles of yoga create shifts within us. According to Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, the three primary benefits of the physical postures or asanas, are resolving dis-ease, creating lightness of body, and stability. In the Sutras on Pranayama, breath control, II-49 through II-53 detail how the regulation of life force is regulated by the inhale and the exhale. Through a dedicated yoga practice, you can continue evolving into your healthiest self.
This week’s practices take into account the power of ancient yogic wisdom and were specifically designed to get you flowing toward feeling powerful, strong, and full of vitality. If you’re ready to reset, this week’s new classes are a perfect place to start! Whether you're feeling like you’re in a rut, or just need something to improve your mood, or feel like a fresh flow, try one or all of these 4 practices today!
Dynamic Power Flow - Kylie Larson
Flow for a Better Mood - Lila Whiting
Flow: Breath-Initiated Movement - Christen Bakken
Flex and Flow - YogaFit
In today's fast-paced world, finding ways to rejuvenate and replenish your energy is crucial. Yoga has evolved to become a powerful tool for revitalization, offering numerous benefits that extend far beyond physical fitness. Whether you're new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, incorporating yoga into your routine can rejuvenate your entire system, helping you feel more energized, balanced, and focused.
The Power of Yoga for Renewal
One of the key benefits of yoga is its ability to increase energy levels. Through various poses and breathing techniques, yoga helps improve circulation and oxygenate the body's cells. This boost in oxygen and blood flow not only enhances physical vitality but also sharpens mental clarity, making it easier to tackle daily tasks with renewed vigor. Practices such as Sun Salutations and energizing flow classes are particularly effective in invigorating the body and mind.
Another significant advantage of yoga is its impact on stress reduction. The combination of mindful movement, meditation, and deep breathing exercises helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing the production of stress hormones like cortisol. This leads to a calmer, more centered state of being, allowing you to navigate life's challenges with greater ease and resilience.
Flexibility and strength are also enhanced through regular yoga practice. By engaging in a variety of poses that stretch and strengthen different muscle groups, yoga helps improve overall physical health. This increased flexibility and strength can lead to better posture, reduced risk of injury, and a more balanced body structure.
Boost Your Energy with Dynamic Poses
Certain yoga poses effectively boost energy levels. For instance, backbends like Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) and Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) open up the chest and lungs, enhancing oxygen intake and invigorating the body. Similarly, standing poses like Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) and Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) build strength and stamina, making you feel more grounded and energized.
Incorporating these poses into your practice can provide a quick and effective way to combat fatigue. Additionally, incorporating sequences that flow from one pose to another can create a dynamic practice that keeps you engaged and invigorated.
Find Revitalization Anytime, Anywhere
YogaDownload's extensive collection of classes includes sessions specifically designed to revitalize and energize. Whether you're seeking a quick energy boost with a 20-minute session or a deeper, more comprehensive practice, you'll find options that suit your needs and preferences. Our highly trained, expert instructors will guide you through each pose and sequence, ensuring you get the most out of your practice.
Embrace a New Level of Vitality
By incorporating yoga into your daily routine, you can experience a profound transformation in your overall wellbeing. From increased energy and reduced stress to enhanced flexibility and strength, the benefits of yoga are vast and varied. And with the convenience of YogaDownload's online platform and apps, accessing these myriad benefits has never been easier.
Start your journey to revitalization today and discover the positive impact yoga can have on your life!
“It’s all right to put the weight of the world on your shoulders sometimes, if you know how to take it off.” ~ James Patterson
Sometimes life feels heavy, right? Between all the responsibilities with finances, family, and friends, it’s tough to stay balanced inside and out. Add in “tech neck” from hours on the computer and phone and it’s no wonder we can feel like an albatross is perched on our shoulders. Pain and tightness in the neck and shoulders is a complaint for many of us. Yoga can help you find some freedom and relief.
One of the major physical causes of neck and shoulder tension comes from improper alignment and poor posture. As a result of slouching or sitting too much, our shoulders round forward and our necks stick out, like a turtle poking its head out of its shell. This type of misalignment can cause muscular pain and tension, headaches, distracted thoughts, and shallow breathing. Yoga focusing on creating mobility in the shoulders and stretching the neck will keep your muscles strong and supple and prevent injury.
Focusing on this upper part of the body has the invaluable benefit of correcting imbalances in your subtle body. The four higher Chakras, Anahata (Heart), Visshuda (Throat), Ajna (Third eye), and Sahasrara (Crown) are located here. The subtle body holds our emotions and thoughts––both the positive and the negative. When we are experiencing fear and anxiety, it’s often tied to Anahata. Anger is often stored in the shoulders and neck or in Visshuda. A direct correlation exists between creating space in the muscles and joints and releasing emotions.
Heart opening asanas (postures) like Urdvha Danurasana (Back Bend) or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) help us deepen our compassion and love for others, in addition to opening the spine and stretching tight pectorals. Matsyasana (Fish Pose) and Halasana (Plow Pose) extend the throat and neck and balances Visshuda, which is associated with our ability to verbally express our feelings. Meditation balances out Ajna and Sahasrara energy so we can tune into our intuition and connect to the Universe.
Even if you’ve simply got a crick in your neck or some tightness in your chest, these practices will not just help you feel better physically, you’ll receive the emotional and mental benefits as well. Enjoy the freedom that comes from releasing your body, mind, and spirit.
Neck Release - Erin Wimert
Myofascial Release- Shoulders, Chest, & Neck - Gemma Celento
Therapeutic Yoga for Wrists, Shoulders and Neck - Shy Sayar
Shoulder/Neck Mobility Flow - Kristin Gibowicz
“You are only as young and as healthy as your spine is strong and supple.” ~ Ancient yogi saying
Are you ready to tap into the fountain of youth and feel more vibrant and energetic, no matter your chronological age? When you focus on practices designed to strengthen your center, you’re not just creating toned abdominals and back muscles, you’re boosting your overall health and wellness. Every movement you make, from yoga to sports to walking, involves your core.
This week, the spotlight is on how creating a powerful center helps tone your muscles, keeps your spine healthy, encourages healthy digestion and elimination, and balances your navel or Manipura Chakra. Here are a few of our favorite benefits of a strong powerhouse.
1. Create and Maintain a Healthy Spine: When you strengthen the core, which consists of your abdominals, your back and your trunk, you create a natural protective girdle for the spine. Your overall alignment and posture improve, which benefits you on and off the yoga mat. You’ll stand tall with ease and keep your spine flexible and stable.
Toned abdominals and strong back muscles, along with open hamstrings and hips, serve to prevent back pain and injury. A well-rounded yoga practice helps you target these three goals for long-term spinal wellness. Look at the work as an insurance policy to staying mobile and healthy!
2. Improves Digestion: A strong center doesn’t only address your muscles and bones but also stimulates your digestive organs. When you’re mindfully engaging the muscles of your trunk and also twisting and forward folding, you’re keeping your digestion and elimination flowing. You’ll release stagnant energy that can build up as disease. Because seventy percent of your immune system resides In your gut, keeping your center strong will help you feel your best.
3. Boosts Self-Confidence: Your Manipura or Navel Chakra is located in your center. Self-confidence, willpower, self-discipline, and fire are all qualities associated with the Manipura. When you’re out of balance here, you could feel insecure or unmotivated. Any exercises that involve your core and back help stoke the energy of Manipura.
This week we’ve got four classes to power up every aspect of your center. Check them out today!
"An optimist expects his dreams to come true; a pessimist expects his nightmares to." ~ Laurence J. Peter
Are you ready for today to be the day your dreams come true? What if you shifted your mindset and each morning when you opened your eyes, you decided today would be your best day, regardless of external events? Yoga reminds us that we cannot control anything except our reactions to what’s occurring around us. According to the Yoga Sutras eight-limbed yoga path, we can achieve happiness and peace by turning inward. All we need is within us.
If we cultivate gratitude and a sense of Santosha, or contentment, we are one step closer to making each day our best day. Yoga Sutra 2:33, Pratipaksha Bhavana, states, “When negative thoughts present themselves to cultivate and think the opposite thoughts with feeling.” This philosophy encourages us to repetitively practice replacing negative thought patterns with positive ones until the positive attitude becomes the default.
To deepen this habit, jot down three things you’re grateful for, either in the morning or evening. Learning to appreciate all that we do have as opposed to focusing on what we lack is a fantastic way to create a peaceful mind and heart. By making gratitude a habit, it begins to be your default, instead of stress and anxiety or lack.
By focusing on the positive, by committing to breath and movement, you’ll be living in the present moment. Whatever you practice on your yoga mat transfers to your life off the mat. You’ll delve deeper into your yoga, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Then, you’ll be able to transfer these lessons to the remaining twenty-three hours of your day and have your best day––every day.
Decide that today will be your best day yet! If you can imagine your most perfect day, you can create it. Try this week’s classes to help you tune into feeling fantastic right now!
Good Morning Flow 3: Tune In - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Daily Flow - Jesse Fuller
Turn Your Day Around - Keith Allen
Morning Yoga Ritual - Elise Fabricant
In the US, over 20% of adults lead physically inactive lifestyles. This inactivity can contribute to many limiting ailments and conditions. There are numerous reasons why adults across the country aren’t as physically engaged as they should be, and many adults simply don’t know how to begin their journey to better physical health.
As you age, you may be looking for a miracle product or item that will help restore a sense of mental and physical vitality. However, low-impact exercise mitigates the effects of aging and may just be the magic potion you've been trying to conjure. Yoga is a fantastic practice for maintaining your health, offering significant benefits for adults who are looking for a way to enhance their overall fitness. Let’s review the primary benefits of yoga and how to incorporate this exercise into your daily life.
Yoga as a practice is a great way to blend mindfulness, flexibility, and strength without engaging in overwhelming exertion. Yoga has been proven as a great method for reducing inflammation in the body, which is especially helpful for older adults who suffer from conditions that affect your muscles and joints. It can even have a positive impact on blood pressure! Since 48.1% of adults across the country deal with hypertension, this is an especially helpful practice to regulate your health and prevent the need for daily medication.
Mobility is a huge concern for older adults, with over one-third of people ages 70 and up experiencing limitations. Lack of mobility can lead to other health issues as well, along with forcing you to forgo a variety of activities you once enjoyed. Preserving your quality of life is a must, and yoga can certainly help you do so. Yoga increases muscle tone and keeps your joints healthy, helping decrease the chance of developing severe mobility issues later in life.
Insomnia is another health issue many adults try to manage during their later years. Sufficient sleep is essential for brain and heart function, and is crucial for the bodily healing process. Taking part in yoga can allow you to experience more restful sleep, allowing you to stay asleep throughout the night without excessive waking periods.
Older adults may experience adverse changes in their mental wellness for several reasons. Medication side effects, reduced familial support, and physical health decline all contribute to mental health decline for many older folks. Physical activity, particularly yoga, is a great way to improve mental wellness.
Yoga allows you to become more in tune with your thoughts, preventing you from succumbing to excessive worry or intrusive ideas. Mindfulness is a major tenet of some of the most common psychotherapy techniques. Yoga in conjunction with therapy sessions can help you understand the root of your feelings, giving you the tools you need to address them head-on and greatly reduce the effects of these thoughts.
Exercise has a phenomenal effect on your mental wellness in general, and effects can last even if you choose to stop practicing yoga consistently. Studies have shown that yoga has a profound effect on the brain, positively changing areas like the hippocampus and frontal cortex, which tend to be affected most as you age. The same study has also shown that 90 to 180 minutes of yoga per week is effective at reducing anxiety in older adults as well. This can be a great activity to do with friends, giving you a reason to connect with your loved ones more frequently.
If you’ve never been the type to have a consistent exercise regimen, the prospect may seem rather daunting. Not to worry – with yoga, you can start as slow as you’d like. Yoga, as mentioned before, is relatively low-impact as well, which means those with present physical limitations can still find ways to engage without adding further stress to their body. You can also slowly incorporate other workout activities into the mix so you don’t get bored with your routine.
To get started, it can be helpful to designate a specific area of your house for your fitness regimen. Many people decide to transform a spare bedroom or old office into a home gym. If you’re looking for more space to incorporate other fitness activities, or if you plan on sharing the fitness space with others in the home, you may want to consider transforming your garage into a home gym. Here, you can store your yoga equipment and participate in daily sessions while still having plenty of room for other fitness-related equipment, such as a treadmill or stationary bike.
Create a floor plan that designates certain areas to specific activities – one section for yoga, one section for weight lifting, and one section for cardio. This is especially useful if you have a fitness buddy who isn’t interested in yoga but still wants to join you for a workout. Consider including plants in the layout to improve the air quality.
To gain flexibility and strength, it's important to be comfortable while exploring yoga. Outfitting your space with the right insulation, along with heating and cooling systems, ensures you’re always at a safe temperature and can perform each exercise to the best of your ability.
After you’ve created the perfect yoga space, create a workout schedule and pick a routine! Many websites offer free daily workout videos and tutorials. You can also hire an instructor to come to your house to train you. Your workout schedule should align with your goals and lifestyle. If you have trouble sleeping, try doing yoga at night. For a more refreshed start to your day, wake up early and have a relaxing 30-45 minute session.
Aging is a natural progression in life. There are ways to offset the more troublesome aspects that come with aging, such as health decline. Exercise, and yoga in particular, can be a fun way to keep yourself in good health while building a new hobby to devote your time to.
Yoga Sutra 2.46 Sthira Sukham Asanam means each asana or physical posture should be a balance of steadiness and ease. Steadiness is a combination of strength and grounded energy. If your muscles quiver and strain when you’re trying to hold an asana, you’ll struggle to achieve a sense of calm. While flexibility and mobility are key elements of a well-rounded yoga class, without stability it’s impossible to truly find your yoga groove.
We all can benefit from some yoga classes specifically designed to build internal and external stability so this week, we bring you four classes to help you feel grounded and powerful. You’ll embody strength and softness with each breath and movement. Classes focused on strength aren’t just about your muscles but creating a healthy spine and strong bones and joints. You’ll not only be able to hold postures longer while controlling your breath, but you’ll also release mental and emotional stress.
When you’re focusing on standing poses like Virabhadrasana (Warrior) series or Vrksasana (Tree Pose), you’re performing weight-bearing exercise which engages your lower body muscles and bones. Building this type of strength helps prevent injury because if you’re not physically strong enough, you can sink into your joints causing instability and injury. It also fosters a connection to the earth, so you’re not just physically grounded but also calmer in your mind and heart.
It's also important to have a strong center to prevent back pain, create a natural girdle to protect your spine, and powerful core muscles to help you balance in challenging positions. Phalakasana (Plank Pose) and Navasana (Boat Pose) build core strength and stability and stimulate your Manipura (Navel) Chakra, which boosts self-confidence. And a strong core improves your posture and the way you carry yourself in the world!
Building upper body strength is also key to excellent posture and spinal health. So many students injure their shoulders from improper form on chaturangas and planks because they aren’t engaging and stabilizing their back muscles. By learning how to properly use the body without sinking into the joints, you’ll become stronger and protect yourself from injury.
This week’s classes will enable you to feel powerful and grounded, from head to toe. Check them out!
Weight It Out - Erin Wimert
Katonah Inspired Flow - Caitlin Rose Kenney
Power up your Chaturanga! - Mary Baker
Shred, Strengthen, & Tone - Becca Riopelle
Are you ready to feel your best from head to toe not just on the outside but also on the inside? Physically, a consistent yoga practice will improve your posture, prevent injury, alleviate pain, and benefit your nervous and digestive systems. Opening the body creates corresponding openings in the heart and emotions, as well as helping develop a clear, calm mind.
This week’s classes offer synergistic effects of a well-rounded yoga practice for your entire being. When you step onto the mat, an integral element of the practice is learning to stay present through the challenging and the simpler parts of class. When you utilize the breath to filter out distractions and shift your awareness inward, you can tune into what you’re feeling and release what no longer serves you.
Beyond the observable physical benefits of stronger and more supple muscles, healthier bones and joints, yoga impacts the subtle body, or the blueprint of your physical body. The seven main Chakras or energy channels run along the Sushumna Nadi, which mirrors the spine. Yoga for your entire body will correct imbalances in your subtle body from the Muladhara or Root Chakra all the way up to the Sahasrara Chakra on the crown of your head.
When you focus on your lower body, you’re creating a healthy foundation from the ground up. Standing poses are excellent for creating the balance of stability and mobility in the hips and pelvis and developing strong, flexible legs. You’ll also fortify the emotions associated with the three lower Chakras: Muladhara (Root), Svadhistana (Sacral), and Manipura (Navel). These Chakras are associated with basic needs, relationship issues, and the ego, respectively.
As you move along the spine and focus on the upper body, you’ll boost upper body strength and posture. The other four main Chakras, Anahata (Heart), Visshuda (Throat), Ajna (Third Eye), and Sahasrara (Crown) are positively impacted through physical postures for the upper and full body, too. Think heart opening poses and balancing poses to create space and power!
Various poses like Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog) benefit your full body, mind, and heart. Each time you step onto the mat, no matter what the style of class, you have the chance to become the best version of yourself. Enjoy this week’s variety of classes for all of you!
Full Body Loosen Up - Lila Whiting
Fusion Flow: Upper Body - Annie Coyle
Lower Body - Denelle Numis
Full Body Mash Up - Jessica Oldfield
It’s easy to envision your ideal life, but much harder to figure out the daily steps it will take to get there. While your optimal existence seems like an end goal, it can be transformed into the entire journey. Empowering yourself to make lifestyle changes can give you the health and wellness boosts you’re looking for, permeating into all aspects of your life. Learn how to holistically change your life by focusing on bettering your lifestyle in key ways.
When you picture the best version of yourself, you imagine each aspect of each day going well. In reality, it’s more advantageous to be resilient. Enhancing your well-being holistically will allow you to cope with anything life throws at you. Managing your physical fitness, health conditions, and emotional states can give you a beautiful canvas on which to paint your perfect life.
Perfection doesn’t look the same for everyone. Find your unique blend of perfection. This may include starting your day with a morning ritual to set the tone for whatever else happens. Being able to roll with the punches is a key aspect of holistic wellness. You can bounce back from illness more easily, cope with stressors more effectively, and manage interpersonal relationships more smoothly. Above all, you can experience life more meaningfully. From start to finish, try to incorporate the following healthy habits into your mindfulness practice each day.
Your breath is the center of your well-being. Keeping tabs on your respiratory wellness will have positive effects on your quality of life. In your home, simply adding air filtration can help alleviate allergies, reduce headaches, decrease respiratory distress, manage chronic pain, stave off autoimmune complications, promote better sleep, and increase your energy. Allowing yourself to literally breathe easily can make life easier to navigate.
Stretching exercises like yoga can aid healthy lung function, as well. Even patients with coronary artery disease showed an increase in lung function and diffusion capacity when incorporating yoga regimens into their routines. While you can’t control what illness may befall you, you can take preventative measures and even reverse or pause negative effects. Healthy respiratory systems allow you to exercise more frequently, think more clearly, and sleep more restfully.
Circulation is another essential aspect of your health to keep an eye on. The ability of your heart and circulatory system to pump blood throughout your body is responsible for keeping you alive and healthy. Instead of taking this automatic function for granted, you can work to keep your circulatory health in check. Poor circulation can lead to many bodily discomforts like chronic inflammation, pain, and fatigue.
If your cells aren’t able to get adequate oxygen, they will have trouble processing nutrients and will die off more quickly, unable to regenerate as fast as someone with good circulation. This can also lead to more stored fat, greater susceptibility to illness, mood swings, and decreased cognitive function. It’s clear why lifestyle changes that affect circulation can help you feel better, overall. Try incorporating cardio, hydration, massage therapy, hot/cold immersion, deep breathing, and dry brushing into your regular routine to improve blood flow and enhance holistic vitality.
Moving your body is beneficial to almost every aspect of your health. Mindfulness involves a keen awareness of your body. Movement that facilitates that is great for your holistic well-being. For example, some yoga benefits include:
It’s clear how interconnected each of your lifestyle habits is in keeping all of your body’s systems healthy and maintained. Keeping a holistic overview of how you are feeling allows you to be deeply connected with your mind and body, allowing for mindful movement. Incorporating yoga into your daily routine can help you understand what your body needs while enjoying the added benefits.
To achieve holistic health, you likely know that you must incorporate physical activity and good nutrition. A nourishing diet keeps all of your systems functioning properly, allowing you to fully engage in these lifestyle changes. Try eating mindfully by:
The way you change your diet should be in line with your values as well as your overall health. If you have underlying conditions, you may need to adjust your diet to reflect your specific needs. Consult your doctor or dietician to figure out how to best nourish your body, and listen to your body when you are engaging in mindful eating practices. If done correctly, healthy eating can give you more energy and brain function to keep up with the other lifestyle changes you’re making to optimize your health.
Holistic lifestyle changes will have a compound effect on your health. Try incorporating one new habit at a time, giving yourself grace, and focusing your efforts until that habit sticks. Celebrate your progress and relish in the new, healthy lifestyle you are building for yourself.
“All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” ~Michael John Bobak
Okay yogis, it’s time to mix it up on the mat. We all have our favorite teachers, preferred classes and routines. And if returning to your favorites keeps you practicing consistently, that’s fantastic! But sometimes, you’ve got to shake things up to continue growing. This week, try a faster paced Vinyasa Flow class. Read on for just a handful of the benefits of this style of yoga.
Vinyasa Flow yoga is a flowing, varied sequence of postures linked with your breath to create a moving meditation. These classes are all unique, colored by the teacher’s creativity and energy. Of course, classes vary but the faster paced practices feel like a powerful dance with your breath. Whether the class emphasizes a vigorous pace or an emphasis on muscular strength, you’ll feel invigorated.
Your body is designed to move in a variety of ways. When you vary your routine, you can prevent repetitive stress injuries and keep your mind engaged by not shifting into auto-pilot. Faster paced Vinyasa classes challenge your stamina, build muscular and cardiovascular endurance, boost your mood with endorphins, and quiets your mind. The emphasis on flowing breath to movement goes a long way to calm anxiety. And, because you work at a challenging pace, you’ll be primed for an excellent night’s sleep.
A dynamic yoga practice ensures you’re tuning out distractions and focusing on the present moment. If you’re keeping up with the vigorous pace, you literally can’t focus on anything but your breath and movement. Don’t worry––you can always modify the class to suit your abilities and energy. The openings we create in our physical body help release emotions and thoughts, which might be blocking us from living life to the fullest.
Sometimes staying on a path of growth is as simple as sweating it out on the yoga mat. The physical, mental, and emotional are intertwined and sometimes what feels like a workout for the body, is really a balm for the soul. This week, spice up your practice and your life with four classes designed to help you feel empowered, invigorated, and ready for anything!
Practice Not Perfect Vinyasa Flow - Claire Petretti Marti
Spicy Vinyasa - Mary Baker
Spice Up Your Practice - Pradeep Teotia
Turn Up Your Vinyasa Flow - Christen Bakken
“You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you.” ~Barbara Sher
Whether you’ve never tried yoga before or practiced sporadically and never found your groove, it’s never too late to try again. Maybe the timing wasn’t right before, or you couldn’t find a yoga teacher that you connected with––the reasons why you’re trying yoga for the first time or returning to the mat aren’t what’s important. What matters is your attitude.
If you can step into a beginner’s mindset and be open to step outside your comfort zone, you can discover the myriad of benefits yoga offers. A well-balanced yoga practice will help you become stronger, more flexible, more centered, and happier. What’s key is finding a style you love and a set of instructors who encourage you to be patient with yourself. One of yoga’s primary teachings deals with learning to release attachment to outcome. To let go of pre-conceived notions of what you believe yoga should be.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.12 covers two vital elements of yogic philosophy: abhyasa (persistent effort) and vairagya (non-attachment to end result). If you can embrace this concept, you can try anything as a beginner and focus on the joy of something new without worrying about the outcome of your practice.
There is no perfect yoga pose. What matters is how you feel in any given shape and the quality of your breathing. That’s it. You don’t have to wear expensive leggings and look like a supermodel to practice yoga. Humans come in all shapes, sizes, and energy levels and there is a perfect yoga practice for each one of us. You only need to be willing to try. To be okay with not being good at it for a while. Practice takes time and discipline but the benefits to your body, mind, and heart are invaluable.
This week, we’ve got the roadmap for you! Even if you’re not a true beginner, it’s always valuable to review the basics and tune in to your mind, body, and heart. Let go of your ego and step onto your mat with an open mind! Enjoy!
Yoga for Complete Beginners - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Beginner Flow - Erin Wimert
Downward Facing Dog - Sarah Shannon
Introduction to Iyengar Yoga - Dana Hanizeski
What’s your go-to warm up before you start your favorite workout? And do you cool down and stretch after you hike, bike, run, or do a HIIT class? To enhance your performance and to prevent injury, it’s important to warm up properly as well as allow your system to return to normal after exercise. If you’ve never tried yoga before or after your favorite sports and activities, this week we’ve made it easy for you.
Many cardio activities, like cycling and running, consist of repetitive movements in one direction and in one plane of motion. Sports like golf and tennis are focused on using one side of the body, which over time develops certain muscle groups to the detriment of others. Over time, this creates imbalances in the muscles and joints leading to overuse injuries. Yoga is dynamic and moves your muscles and joints through a full range of motion. A well-rounded yoga warm up is a great way to stay balanced and aligned.
Another awesome benefit of using yoga to warm up is that it emphasizes quieting your mind through Pranayama or breath control techniques. Yoga is all about learning to be present in the moment and directing your attention where you want it to go. Your mental focus and concentration will be activated before you begin your workout, so you’ll be tuned-in and performing at your highest capacity.
Once you’re finished, make sure to cool down properly, especially after a vigorous workout to ensure your body is supple as well as strong. Maybe you walk for the last five minutes of your run to bring your heartrate down but it’s also important to stretch out the muscles you used to avoid soreness, tightness, and fatigue. Yoga can help you recover faster and also open the tight areas that might hinder performance next time.
Think of using yoga pre and post workout as your insurance policy to perform at your ultimate level and ensure you remain injury-free. This week’s classes make it easy to warm up and cool down. Try it!
Yoga for Cross Training - Pre/Post Stretch - Mary Baker
Post Workout Stretch - Lila Whiting
10min Pre/Post Workout Yoga Stretch - Kierstie Dolezal
Pre-Workout Warm Up - Elise Fabricant
“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Yoga is an incredible way to renew our mind, body, and spirit each time we step onto our mats. We’ve heard over and over from our students that one of the best benefits of regular practice is the feeling of softening or a sense of being more content. And physically, if we aren’t keeping our bodies moving, we literally become stiff and inflexible.
We’ve just celebrated the Vernal Equinox, which is a perfect time to celebrate the changes in the seasons. When we align ourselves with the cycles of the earth, we harness the strength of nature to become our most balanced, strong selves. Depending on where you live, you’re either eagerly awaiting the flowers blooming or watching the leaves fall. It’s a great time to shed what no longer is serving you and create space to invite in the fresh and new.
Yoga Master TKV Desikachar, said, “Yoga is 99% waste removal.” He taught the importance of removing what he called “the rubbish” from your system before you could truly integrate all of yoga’s benefits. Through a dedicated practice of Asana and Pranayama (physical postures and breath control and extension), individuals can reset and rejuvenate not just the physical body but also thoughts and emotions.
Yoga is a path of self-discovery and it’s the perfect way to shed the habits and patterns which aren’t serving us any longer and rejuvenate our systems. Asanas like Parivrtta Trikonanasa (Twisting Triangle), Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog), and Vipariti Karani (Legs Up the Wall) are excellent ways to give yourself a natural reset. With poses like these twists, forward folds, and inversions, you stimulate your digestive system, soothe your nervous system, and encourage healthy lymphatic flow. You’ll feel energized and lighter on your feet.
This week’s classes offer fresh ways to dramatically shift the way you feel––either helping you relax or feel more energetic. Through mindfully created practices, our talented teachers will guide you through this time of transition to emerge feeling reborn! Enjoy.
As we age, our bodies undergo various physical, mental, and emotional changes. These transformations can be challenging to accept for many individuals, leading to feelings of frustration, disappointment, and even depression. However, we can better navigate advancing years by embracing change and finding ways to adapt and adjust.
One practice that’s been popular practice for decades due to its ability to encourage physical and spiritual health is yoga.
Unlike other high-impact exercises, that may take a toll on your body, yoga is a low-intensity workout incorporating controlled breathing with stretches and meditation. Through regular practice, individuals can build strength, improve balance and flexibility, and reduce joint pain.
However, it can be intimidating to new practitioners, especially those who are older and those with mobility or health issues. Fortunately, yoga can be for everyone, and there are special classes tailored to the needs of aging people. Here are some of the physical benefits of yoga:
Over time, our bodies become stiffer, making it challenging to move freely. Yoga helps improve flexibility and mobility by stretching and strengthening the muscles, joints, and ligaments. It also helps to lubricate the joints and improve the range of motion, making everyday movements easier.
Falls are a significant concern for aging individuals, leading to injuries and even hospitalization. It’s also highly common among older adults, as nearly a quarter of older adults fall every year in the United States. Although yoga doesn’t eliminate the risk entirely of falling, it can help improve your balance and coordination, which can help prevent a fall in the first place.
Practicing yoga can help shift our relationship with our bodies by accepting and embracing the changes that come with aging. This is especially true in our society which places disproportionate value on physical appearances. Yoga teaches us to focus on how our bodies feel rather than how they look, leading to a more positive self-image.
Additionally, yoga can be part of your self-care routine by allowing time for reflection and an opportunity to let go of negative thoughts and embrace new beginnings later in life.
By regularly practicing yoga, individuals can gradually build acceptance and appreciation for their bodies, regardless of age.
While yoga can be life-changing for older adults, it isn’t the fountain of youth, either. It can’t magically cure the process of aging. However, in conjunction with other actions, yoga can significantly improve your well-being far into your golden years. Let’s take a look at those additional actions.
Regular physical activity helps keep the body strong and flexible and can help manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. Ultimately, daily movement is the ultimate preventative measure for these latter two conditions which are common among older adults. As for arthritis, yoga can help strengthen the muscles around the joints which deteriorate because of the condition.
Eating a wholesome diet that includes proteins, carbs, and healthy fats can help support the body by providing essential nutrients. For example, a diet filled with plenty of protein, vitamins, and minerals can prevent a variety of types of cancers, strengthen your muscles and bones, and aid in cognitive function.
In a similar vein, you must consider your alcohol intake. While too much alcohol can be harmful in excess, moderate intake of red wine has been linked to many health benefits, including lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Red wine is rich in antioxidants, which can help fight free radicals that contribute to aging.
Taking the first step can be difficult, but there are many resources available to help older individuals get started with yoga. Here are a few ways to incorporate yoga into daily life:
It's tempting to jump into advanced poses and challenging routines, but listening to your body and starting slow is essential to prevent injuries. So, begin your yoga journey with gentle, beginner-friendly poses such as downward dog and child’s pose, then gradually work up to more advanced levels.
You can also use yoga props like blocks and straps can aid in modifying the poses and make them beginner-friendly. These props can be used to gain better alignment, provide support during difficult stretches, and deepen relaxation.
As with any exercise, consistency is crucial to improve strength and flexibility. Even if it's just 10-15 minutes a day, make an effort to practice yoga regularly to reap its full physical and mental benefits. This can also help build strength and confidence to try more challenging poses in the future.
Yoga can complement strength training and help increase muscle mass and bone density. This is crucial to older adults since it helps maintain strength and can reduce the risk of fractures and falls.
Some exercises that can improve muscular strength and endurance include holding static poses like plank or warrior poses, as well as dynamic movements such as sun salutations and balancing poses like tree pose or warrior III. Consider incorporating these stances in your fitness routine to avoid muscle and bone loss that comes with age.