Yes, your form does make a difference! Here are the basics you need to know.

Just two weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times's Health and Fitness section featured a photo spread demonstrating the proper and improper alignments of some very basic asanas. Take a look at the link along the sidebar and see if you can identify the better alignments. How can you make sure that your own alignment is correct? First of all, know your body. You might not be capable of looking just like the models who pose for Yoga Journal (yet!). Those models are most likely--usually--professional yoga instructors with years and years, hours and hours of rigorous training. Most of us in the Group X room of 24 Hour Fitness are not professional yoga instructors. That isn't our goal. We practice because we want to get stronger, manage stress, build muscle mass, improve our skeletal structure, achieve more balance and poise, or stretch out after a vigorous workout. Slavishly copying a photo isn't the best way to perfect alignment. In fact, adhering to a photo guide might be downright painful and cause injuries. Here are some of the most basic alignment guides that work for everyone's body--beginner or yogi. Breathe. Connect with your breath; it's your power source. Keep your lower abdominals engaged, just a bit. Holding your breath blocks your energy and makes any asana difficult.  Start from the ground up. When standing, distribute your weight evenly across the entire foot or both feet (depending on the pose). When seated, get both "sit bones" firmly in contact with the ground. When doing hand balances (as we did today in Crane), get the entire surface of each palm on the ground. When in standing poses, keep your feet parallel and hip distance apart. Attention to this will align your ankles and knees correctly. Not only will your knees thank you, so will your lower back. The entire foot works in many asanas, particularly standing poses. Keeping your feet supple and flexible, as well as grounded will improve your practice and your balance. Tadasana or Mountain Pose is fundamental to proper alignment in your practice. Keep your awareness of your body's alignment in Tadasana every time. Keep a micro-bend in your knees. Locking your knees into hyper-extension not only strains the knee joint, but is also a strain on the hamstrings. In standing poses, slightly engage the quadriceps muscle to lift the kneecaps. Keep your bent knees pointing straight ahead, toward the toes of the leg that is bending. Knee joints are marvels of engineering, but they can't take years of abuse. Align knees toward the toes, keeping the bend no more than a 90-degree angle, never extending past the ankle. Not only will you keep your knees for years and years, you will build your quadriceps and get stronger. Pamper those knees, please! Mom was right, keep your shoulders back. And Lois is right as well, "Shoulders aren't meant to be earrings." Keeping your scapulae (shoulder blades) solidly grounded and down will help life your chest, empowering you to rise up from the center of your core. You'll be stable, sturdier, and more powerful in your poses. And, you won't tire as easily during your practice, as it takes lots and lots of energy to hold up those shoulders. While holding your body in Warrior One or Warrior Two, check your alignment and make minor adjustments. Awareness of alignment is part of your practice. When bending forward or backward, rotate the thighs slightly inward. This applies to all bends, whether standing (forward fold) or sitting (seated forward bend). Moving the thighs inward just the teeniest bit opens up the sacroiliac and prevents compression in the lower back. Twist from the center up. The spine increases in flexibility from the bottom upwards. The lumbar spine doesn't twist AT ALL. The center (around the navel) can twist a bit. The upper spine (around the shoulders) is pretty flexible. The cervical spine (the neck) can move easily. When twisting, start at the bottom of the flexibility scale. Twist from the navel, then the ribs, then the shoulders, then the neck. When untwisting, reverse the order. As you inhale, strive for more length up through the spine; during the exhale, move through the twist. Take your time. Twists are beneficial, but only when done correctly. Use the mirror. We are lucky enough to have lots of visual reinforcement in the Group X room. Use the mirrors to check your own alignment. Adjust yourself. Trust your instincts; if a pose doesn't look or feel correct, ask questions. We want you to be safe. As a rule, I stay after class for 20 minutes or so to answer questions on an individual basis. If you feel shy, or can't stay after class because of time constraints, we can communicate through an e-mail via the comments section of this blog.  At 24 Hour Fitness, we want you to experience the best that yoga can offer--good alignment, safety, well-being, and confidence. The benefits of regular practice are many. I want to thank every one of you who have shared the difference that your practice has made in your life, your health, and your sense of progress. I can't say it often enough, "It's my privilege to be your teacher." Namaste, Nancy

Being Present, Mindfulness, or Going with the "Flow"

What separates yoga practice from another other form of Group X classes? Yoga is the only Group X offering that deliberately sets "mindfulness" as an outcome of its activity. Yoga is good for balance, building muscle mass, stretching and elongating muscles, and general health--all these are wonderful outcomes; nevertheless, yoga gives practitioners an additional goal--to focus intently on the present moment. Much of the relaxation and rejuvenation that are felt at the end of savasana are because of the mental energy spent while in a "flow" state.

The classic "flow" study researcher, Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi ("just call me Mike"), actually charted under what conditions we experience what he calls flow; what we might call "having fun." Being caught up in the moment's activity, being completely present in the moment, being mindful and completely absorbed in an activity,  or being lost in time itself--that's what is meant by flow. There is a delicate balance between finding an activity too challenging or too boring. In the middle of the continuum is flow. Here's a visual example of how flow can be expressed.

As you can see, the visual (or flowchart, sorry I just couldn't resist!) says absolutely nothing about the type of activity that generates a flow state. Flow is experienced and available during any activity. Flow states can happen potential with any form of physical or mental exercise. How do we know we have achieved a flow state? Here are the essential descriptors for flow and how yoga deliberately addresses them so that students can have an optimal flow experience.

We are up to the activity. If we are tired or cranky, injured or hurting, we just plain don't feel like playing or working. We must have the physical ability to perform the task. This is essential for any form of exercise, and why, specially in yoga, you are encouraged to sink back into child's pose or final relaxation if you feel overwhelmed by an asana's intensity.

We are able to concentrate on the activity. Distracting stimulations such as ringing cell phones, extraneous conversations, flashing lights, wailing sirens, crying babies can really break into our ability to focus on an activity. In your yoga practice at 24 Hour Fitness, we dim the lights to keep visual distractions minimal, and ask every one in the room to refrain from cell phone use.

The activity has clear goals. Some activities' goals are very specific. The pitcher on the mound at a baseball game knows the goal--to throw a strike (and even what kind of strike)--to get the batter out. Writers have incremental goals, to finish a sentence, a paragraph, a chapter, eventually a book. At the start of our practice, we set an "intention" or personal goals for the day. We preview the types of asanas that will be performed (focus, breathing, warm-up, sun salutations, standing work, balance, mat work, final relaxation). We have a general idea of the hour's journey from the outset of our practice.

The activity has direct feedback. It is very difficult to enjoy anything if you don't experience progress or gains. In a yoga class, the instructor gives verbal and non-verbal feedback, cues on alignment and suggestions for modifications. The mirrors along the room give instant feedback. Some students have such a good sense of their own alignment that they adjust their poses automatically.

We feel that we control the activity. Being forced into doing anything doesn't make for optimal flow conditions. All Group X classes are voluntary, and that's good. If you don't want to do yoga, you can do something else on the cardio floor or in the weight room. If you are doing yoga, you can choose the level of the asana that works best for you that day. You search for the level that gives you the balance between too challenging (frustrating) and too easy (boring). There is no pressure to go faster, to reach farther, to push yourself beyond your abilities.

Our worries and concerns disappear. The flow state is achieved when you forget the problems that were niggling away at your concentration. During exercise, flow is possible because we expend our attention and concentration to the task at hand. Yoga deliberately and intentionally asks you to focus on your practice for an hour and to postpone your immediate concerns during the hour's practice. The emphasis and focus of yoga is what makes it such a popular form of exercise, particularly for those whose lives are stress-filled. Yoga gives us permission to let our worries be in the background.

Our subjective experience of time is altered. Remember that old saying, "Time flies when you're having fun"? It's absolutely true. While in a flow state, you don't look at the clock; your awareness of time is completely absent. While experiencing flow, you lose track of time. For those of us teaching in the Group X room, that big clock is a mixed blessing. We need a reminder to help us stay on track, but frequently, we get so caught up in the experience we lose track of the time as well. I am fortunate to have a class slot that ends the Group X schedule for the morning and we can end our class without the distractions of the next class's students vying for floor space.

Have you experienced flow lately? It's a wonderful place to be, an inspiring state of consciousness. Watch small children play and you can see flow in action. If you have a cat or a dog, you can observe that most of the time, they are in a flow state (but they do seem to have an awareness of time when it comes time to be fed!). Hope that you have some flow time during our practice together as well; that's where the bliss of yoga originates.

Until next week, namaste,
Nancy

Giving it a rest! Growing muscles--the basics.

After class yesterday, a new student asked me if she would "get muscles" by doing yoga and pilates classes. My answer, "Yes, but . . ." Building muscle mass is not an overnight process. Like most any change in our bodies, muscle growth and regeneration occurs by a complicated series of events involving factors such as age, nutrition, enzyme and hormonal interactions, challenges to the muscles in question, and recovery. To simplify a process that has kept physiologists, biologists, nutritionists, and geneticists employed and published for years is a dangerous endeavor. Nevertheless, here are the very basics of how muscles grow and increase in size.

Muscles get larger by being used. What actually happens during exercise is that little, microscopic tears in the muscle fibers regenerate from satellite cells within the muscle fibers. Resistance exercise (weight training and other forms of exercise that use your body weight for resistance, such as yoga and Pilates) activates and challenges the muscles to "make more" to accommodate the larger or more demanding weight loads.

Once a muscle is used, or challenged, it grows. (And conversely, if a muscle isn't used, it gets smaller.) The growth process involves several factors; awareness and enhancement of those factors can foster muscle growth. Here are some of the major factors influencing the rate of growth of skeletal muscles:

Hormones. Kids and young adults have an edge in muscle development. Human growth hormones are in abundant supply among the young. After age 30, we lose approximately 10% of those hormones for every decade. That explains why some professional athletes have been tempted to pump their bodies with artificially manufactured hormones and "performance-enhancing" drugs. This tactic is illegal, and for good reason. Artificial hormones and/or steriods affect every one of the body's systems, and frequently result in major injuries. And they aren't necessary. With proper training methods, nutrition, and rest, young adults can increase their muscle mass at a remarkable rate, as they have a chemical advantage at this stage of their lives.

Nutrition. Muscles need calories and quality protein to grow. Muscles are much, much denser than fat (about 18% more dense). Muscles' compact and complex fibers can only grow and regenerate with adequate caloric intake. Too much exercise and insufficient calories means that the body will "rob" the existing muscle stores to get calories to keep going. The result is a net loss of muscle mass no matter how much exercise. In fact, with too strict a diet, it's possible to lose weight, but to also lose lean body mass. When you gain muscle mass and all other factors stay constant, you will weigh more than before (but chances are, you'll look better in your clothes and still wear the same size).

Age. It's a sad fact that as we age, we don't build muscle as quickly. The satellite cells in our muscles, cells that signal the growth of new tissue, grow more scarce with age. However, muscle growth is still possible and is desirable. The positive effects of exercise--increased muscle tone, strength, and greater flexibility--yield terrific benefits, but those benefits won't be evident as quickly for older persons. For some of us, such as women over 50, trainers at 24 Hour Fitness factor in an additional 10 per cent body fat. Of course it's possible to reduce our body fat and increase our muscle, but realistically, at 70 years of age, few of us will have the muscle mass of a kid who is 20. Rather than accepting declining growth, adopt another perspective: Imagine what little muscle would be retained if older adults didn't exercise?

Rest and recovery. Muscles grow as a result of exercise, but the actual growth process happens while the body is resting. The best example is that of a human infant. During the first year of life, human beings need lots and lots of sleep for growth. While sleeping, cells regenerate, new growth happens, and muscles develop. Not a lot changes for us as we get older. Adequate rest is essential for muscles to repair and renew. Working out, day after day, without a break doesn't give muscles time to regrow. It's important to build in rest days, especially after demanding workouts. Equally important, sleep helps reset the entire body's metabolism to a more efficient level. How can you tell if you are getting enough sleep? Try lying down during the middle of the day. If you can fall asleep within ten minutes, you might consider getting into a bed earlier. The ancient tradition of ending every yoga practice with savasana emphasizes the importance of rest and recovery. The wisdom of the yogis still hold true after so many thousands of years: Real growth occurs while we take time to recover.

And so, for the young woman who asked me if she would get muscles by doing yoga, the answer is: "Yes, of course. You have age on your side. Just make sure that you eat a quality diet, get plenty of sleep, and don't overdo your program by exercising without rest days." For the rest of us, perhaps we are hoping to have a leaner, more muscular (and less flabby) body, or perhaps we want more strength, or better balance. The same advice holds true: Eat sensibly, get enough sleep, and give yourself enough recovery time between workouts. You can't help but get stronger, leaner (and a bit wiser) every day.

See you all on the 26th!
Namaste, Nancy

Good Golgi Miss Molly! What happens when we hold stretches (a brief physiology lesson).

After the past few classes, a number of you have asked about your particular flexibility and/or range of motion when doing asanas. Increasing your flexibility and range of motion requires time, patience, time, acceptance of your body's skeletal limitations, time, respect for past injuries to joints and/or major muscle groups, and yes, more time. I'm not a physical therapist or a physiologist, but I can share with you some knowledge (and a link) to help us understand just what happens when we stretch and elongate our muscles during our practice time together. Once you have a clearer understanding of how stretching actually affects your muscle fibers and how stretching is perceived by your nervous system, it's easier to accept that increasing flexibility and greater range of motion will happen--in time.

In your muscles, just where the muscular fibers meet the tendons, is a Golgi tendon organ. The organ is composed of strands of collagen and contains nerve tissue. The main purpose of the Golgi tendon organ is to sense muscle tension and then send signals to the brain as to where the tension is located and how much force is applied. When you stretch into an asana such as Downward Facing Dog, the Golgi tendons in your body's muscles are sending signals to your brain. The Golgi tendon organs are what actually causes you to realize the "pull" or stretch in your hamstrings, your Achilles tendons, across your shoulders, in your arms, through your quadriceps. When a muscle generates force, the Golgi tendon organ fires and sends an electrical signal through to your central nervous system. If there are any electrical engineers reading this blog, you might enjoy this this superfine graphic animation (physics and physiology, amazing!). In the simplest of terms (speaking as a total moron in the sciences), the Golgi tendon organ enables the location and intensity of muscular activity.

When a muscle is stretched, it automatically responds with a reflexive contraction (this is called, logically enough, the "stretch reflex"). After a certain length of time, the stretch reflex weakens as the muscle gets used to the sensation. One of the reasons for holding a stretch for a prolonged period of time is that as you hold the muscle in a stretched position, the muscle spindle habituates (becomes accustomed to the new length) and the Golgi tendon organ reduces its signaling. Gradually, you can train your stretch receptors to allow greater lengthening of the muscles.

Developing longer muscles doesn't happen overnight. It's downright dangerous to stretch a muscle beyond its limits (some say beyond 7% of its length). How do I know this? My husband completely tore his right rotator cuff when he overloaded his shoulder while moving an overloaded wheelbarrow. Muscles need time to grow and to stretch. It will take him approximately twelve months (and about three hours of physical therapy exercises everyday) to regrow and strengthen the four inches of muscle that he tore in his shoulder. Time, patience, and gentle, regular stretching--all three are important to regaining range of motion and flexibility.

And so, if you feel frustration when you can't touch the mat (yet) when doing a standing forward fold--be patient. Your hamstrings, calves, and back muscles need gentle stretching to lengthen. Don't push your body beyond its limits. Pay attention to the sensations that your Golgi tendon organs send to your brain, stop and spend a few seconds waiting for the stretch reflex to come to habituation (less sensation). Understand that your body is an amazing collection of interdependent systems, with time and patience you will increase your flexibility and range of motion. As my fellow yogini Lois has often said, "Yoga is slow medicine."

Finally, just because you have long muscles in one part of your body, don't assume that all your muscles are equally long. Your particular skeletal structure, primarily determined by genetics, may have given you extra long bones in your arms or legs, thus giving you the gift of being able to wrap your legs and arms with ease in Eagle Pose. You might spend most of your day slouched at a computer terminal and so hunching your shoulders forward in a Cat Stretch feels natural to you. Chances are, for every muscle group that seems to be stubbornly short and inflexible, the opposing group is longer and more supple (biceps/triceps, quads/hamstrings, abs/lower back). That's not a failing on your part--that's just how our bodies are designed.

And there's a negative side to being too flexible as well. Take a look at this illustration of hyperflexibility. Without supervision and guidance, dramatic injuries can occur. Some sources suggest that with extensive training, the stretch reflex of certain muscles can be controlled so that there is little or no reflex contraction in response to a sudden stretch. While this type of control provides the opportunity for the greatest gains in flexibility, it also provides the greatest risk of injury if used improperly. Only consummate professional athletes and dancers at the top of their sport (or art) are believed to actually possess this level of muscular control.

Physiologically, one of the best aspects of hatha yoga is that we spend a lot of time working on all muscle groups in a pose/counterpose system. We work both sides of the body equally. We hold our stretches with patience. We do make progress. It just takes time.

Until next week, namaste!

Nancy

Building a Bridge: Seta Bandha Sarvangasana

It's been a crazy week here, but I'm never too busy to post something on the blog! From Yoga Journal's "Yoga Basics" section, I am sharing, with Natasha's permission, her step-by-step explanation of Bridge Pose. It's a great strengthener for your spine, quads, buttocks, and shoulders; plus, Bridge Pose is a wonderful transitional pose into Wheel or as a warm-up to Shoulderstand. As a rule, this asana is done near the end of our practice, when we are truly supple and our muscles are warm. 

Don't be overwhelmed by Natasha's descriptions of how to do the pose. Her instructions are specific and descriptive, just exactly what you need to try this pose at home. If you don't have yoga blocks at home, try using a good-sized telephone book or two. The smaller, thicker phone books are pretty nice substitutes for yoga blocks (and the price is right!). With patience and some practice, Bridge Pose provides transitions into more challenging asanas by giving you strength, endurance, and heightened focus.

Until next week, namaste,

Nancy

By Natasha Rizopoulos

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) is an amazingly versatile backbend that you can practice in a variety of ways, depending on what you want to achieve and how you use it in a sequence. The posture is potent by itself, but can also be a precursor to a range of postures with very different energetic benefits—from a heating, stimulating pose like Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose) to a cooling and calming pose like Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand).

Bridge can be either a restorative posture or a dynamic way to open and strengthen your body. It opens your thoracic spine (the middle and upper back) and imprints important alignment principles in your lower body that will serve you throughout your practice. Whether you are new to yoga or have been practicing for years, you can reap benefits from building a strong Bridge. As you play with the pose in its various incarnations, enjoy it as you would a new friend with whom you anticipate many years of fruitful and illuminating companionship. It won't disappoint you.

Setu means "bridge," sarva means "all," and anga means "limb." So in Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, all your limbs are working to form a bridge with your body. This pose serves as a bridge in other ways as well, because it connects your practice to other poses—namely Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose) and Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand). Your work in Bridge can inform both those powerful postures, so that when you start to practice them you can truly reap their rewards.

Energizing Upward Bow—The setup of your legs and feet in Setu Bandha is identical to the lower body in Urdhva Dhanurasana. Sometimes Upward Bow is called Full Wheel, and Setu Bandha is called Half Wheel. Bridge is the ideal pose in which to imprint the correct actions for Upward Bow, because alignment tends to go out the window in the more challenging backbend. Setu Bandha gives the hip flexors a gentle stretch and teaches parallel feet and neutral rotation in the legs, which are essential to protecting your lower back in Upward Bow.

Relaxing Shoulderstand—The arms, neck, and upper back in Setu Bandha look similar to how they appear in Shoulderstand. You don't take your entire body weight into those areas in Bridge, however, so it's the ideal place to develop your strength and flexibility before you attempt an inversion like Shoulderstand. Bridge opens the thoracic spine and teaches the actions of lifting the shoulder blades into the chest, externally rotating the arms, and keeping the natural curve in the neck—all crucial to a healthy Shoulderstand.

The first variation, which is one of my favorites, is a restorative version that will open your thoracic spine, teach you several important actions, and relax you on a muscular and an energetic level. You can use this setup outside class when you feel congested or tight in your upper back.

Lie Back

Begin seated on your mat, with a pair of blocks placed behind you. Situate one block in the middle of the mat in a horizontal position (either flat or on its side) and another block parallel to the first, but closer to the top of the mat and in a more upright position (either on its side if your first block is flat, or at its most vertical if the first block is on its side). If you're petite or less flexible along your spine, try the two lower block positions, which will create a gentler backbend.

Next, release back onto the blocks, reaching behind with one hand so that you can adjust the blocks as you make contact with them. You will want the bottom block to end up beneath your shoulder blades, with the lower edge of the block lined up with the lower border of your shoulder blades. Once you've placed the first block, adjust the other block so that it supports the back of your head. It's in the right place when it feels stable enough that you're willing to relax back onto it rather than hold yourself up, which can create tension in your neck.

The block beneath your shoulder blades guides the shoulder blades to move up and into the chest, creating a bend in your middle and upper back, an area that's usually tighter than the rest of your spine. Because the blocks do the work, you can stay in this position longer than if you held the position on your own, so your body and mind assimilate and imprint the opening action.

When the blocks feel secure, externally rotate your arms so that the palms face the ceiling, and allow your upper arms to drop toward the floor. The rotation in the arms, along with the action in the shoulder blades, allows your trapezius muscles to soften and release down your back, counteracting the tightness that often accumulates during the day.

Next, extend your legs and let them fall open so they are externally rotated. Then release your inner thighs toward the floor so your quadriceps squarely face the ceiling, which creates a neutral rotation in the legs. Observe the difference between the two positions in terms of how your lower back feels. Externally rotated legs result in a narrowing across the lower back, which can compress the sacroiliac joints. A neutral rotation, on the other hand, broadens the lower back; this openness is critical to healthful backbending. Hold the pose for one to two minutes, depending on how comfortable you feel.

Lift Up

For the next variation, shift the blocks to your lower body to learn valuable alignment lessons for your legs and feet. Begin lying on your back with your legs in the neutral position from the last round. Now bend your knees and plant your feet close enough to your buttocks that your knees stack over your heels. The position of the feet is very important in backbends. Check to see if your feet are hip-distance apart and parallel to each other; it's common to feel that your feet are parallel when they are actually turned out, and to feel that your feet are pigeon-toed when they are actually parallel.

When the feet turn out, the knees often follow and splay out; and when this happens, there's external rotation in the legs, which can compromise your lower back. To counteract the tendency to turn your legs out when you backbend, place a block flat on the floor between your feet (in whichever position keeps them hip-distance apart) and keep the inner edges of your feet alongside the block as you come into the pose. Now place a second block between your inner thighs (in whatever position keeps your knees hip-distance apart).

Press down with your feet to lift your hips to the ceiling. Extend the flesh of your buttocks toward your knees and gently grip the block between your inner thighs to ensure a neutral leg rotation. These actions will lengthen and broaden your lower back. Externally rotate your arms, palms up, and press down with your outer shoulders and upper arms so that your ribs and middle back come off the floor. Re-create the lift of your shoulder blades into your chest to open your thoracic spine. Move your chest toward your chin, but don't let the back of your neck touch the floor. Instead, keep the natural curve of the neck by lifting the cervical spine into the front body, so someone could slide a finger between your neck and the floor. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths and slowly lower down.

Bridging the Gap

For the full pose, begin in the same position as the last round, but without the blocks. Remember to keep your feet and thighs parallel. Root down evenly through the four corners of each foot and lift your hips. Without the blocks as guides, your knees may start to splay out. You will feel more weight on your outer feet if this happens. Release your inner thighs toward the floor as you did in the first variation and extend your tailbone toward your knees to lengthen the lower back.

Interlace your fingers beneath your hips and externally rotate your upper arms so that your outer shoulders roll under. Make sure when you do this that the movement is purely lateral; don't drag your shoulders away from your ears. Doing so flattens the natural curve of your neck and tightens the trapezius muscles, which should remain relaxed. Imagine that your shoulder blades are a pair of hands lifting into your chest, spreading the front of your body and opening your heart.

When applied to yoga postures, the Sanskrit word sukha is often understood as "comfortable," "easy," or "spacious." When your Bridge is aligned so that there is no compression in the lower back and the emphasis is on opening the middle and upper back, the pose can embody this concept, releasing tight spots in ways that will benefit you in both your practice and your daily life. It will also help you in Shoulderstand and deeper backbends, so that those powerful and transformative poses are equally sweet. Finding sukha in Setu Bandha, in other words, can be a veritable bridge to life.

Natasha Rizopoulos lives and teaches yoga in Los Angeles and Boston.

Enlightening Reading: Getting deeper into your practice.

Once yoga becomes part of your daily life, you want to know more. Which asanas are beneficial for you? Which might be used for relaxation, for insomnia, for energy, for internal focus, for balance, for just what you might need at that moment? There are some excellent books available to the general public that are of interest to yogis and yoginis. If you want to know more, if you would like to try some variations or modifications of asanas we practice together, if you have particular concerns about your health or physical condition, or if your are just plain curious, here are some inexpensive (less than $20.00), paperback books that might interest you. Most of these titles are available at general retail bookstores, or online at the ever-ready amazon.com site. I have printed out each book's title, cover, and a review of the contents.

Timothy McCall, Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing.

Starred Review from Publishers Weekly: "Western-trained internist and Yoga Journal medical editor McCall has practiced Iyengar yoga for a decade. In 2002, he traveled to India, where most scientific research on yoga's medical benefits has been conducted. The results of that visit and McCall's subsequent study of yoga therapy and ayurveda (India's ancient medical system) are presented here, translated into Western medical terms. For example, McCall demystifies such concepts as samskaras (unconscious patterns that negatively affect behavior and health); scientists, McCall says, explain these patterns as repeated firings of neurons that change the brain's wiring. Although McCall's focus is on yoga therapy, he includes material that will be helpful to most students. For readers challenged by illness, he provides an overview of popular yoga styles and their suitability for various degrees of fitness; steps to finding a yoga therapist; and what to expect from a session. Twenty chapters feature noted yoga instructors describing their approaches to specific conditions—panic attacks, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, infertility, cancer, etc. They offer advice, rather than fixed protocols, based on their tradition and experience. This might frustrate readers seeking a formula, but those willing to experiment have access to many diverse tools and practices. No doubt McCall's fine articulation of yoga's healing potential will appeal to a large audience of instructors, students, physicians and their patients." Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Leslie Kaminoff, Yoga Anatomy.

Basic and classic asanas are illustrated "with clear, expert instruction and full-color, detailed anatomical drawings, Yoga Anatomy depicts the most common asanas to provide a deeper understanding of the structures and principles underlying each movement and of yoga itself. From breathing to standing poses, see how each muscle is used, how slight alterations of a pose can enhance or reduce effectiveness, and how the spine, breathing, and body position are all fundamentally linked. Whether you are just beginning your journey or have been practicing yoga for years, Yoga Anatomy will be an invaluable resource—one that allows you to see each movement in an entirely new light. Author Leslie Kaminoff is a recognized expert and teacher in anatomy, breathing, and bodywork. He is the founder of The Breathing Project, New York City’s premiere yoga studio dedicated to the teaching of individualized, breath-centered yoga practice and therapy." (Review from amazon.com's website


Jean Couch, The Runner's Yoga Book.

This book "is an ideal companion for the weekend or professional athlete, for the reader who wants to stretch and relax, and for the developing yoga student who wants to establish a home practice. Drawing on over thirty years of teaching and personal practice, author Jean Couch offers precise instruction in all types of poses, guidelines for home practice, yoga routines for other sports, including bicycling, skiing, swimming, tennis, and walking, a resource guide for further study, and a yoga-poses-by-alphabetical-listing index." (Product description from amazon.com's website) There are over 400 photographs and illustrations for various levels of expertise. If you include yoga as part of your cross-training routine, this is a most helpful book, designed for all ages and fitness levels. 


Martin Cook, Brooke Boon, and Daniel DiTuro, Hatha Yoga Illustrated.

This book is highly recommended by two famous instructors: Shiva Rea and Baron Baptiste. This book "presents nearly 650 full-color photos to visually demonstrate 77 standard poses from hatha yoga that apply to all major hatha styles including Iygengar, Astanga, Anusura, and Bikram. Individual poses are presented from start to finish, showing you how to achieve proper alignment and breathing to ensure challenging yet safe execution. The results is an increase in the effective, both physically and mentally, you'll experience with each pose. Several pose variations based on your personal preference, ability, and fitness level are also included. Eleven sample yoga routines show how to assemble the poses into workouts that meet your specific time, difficulty, and intensity parameters." (Review and description from amazon.com's website.)

B. K. S. Iyengar,  Light on Yoga: The Bible of Modern Yoga.

"The definitive guide to the philosophy and practice of Yoga--the ancient healing discipline for body and mind--by its greatest modern teacher. Light on Yoga provides complete descriptions and illustrations of all the positions and breathing exercises. Features a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin. Illustrations throughout." (Product description from amazon.com's website) This book provides the foundation for both the physical and spiritual practice of yoga. A true classic!

Mira Metha, How to Use Yoga: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Iyengar Method of Yoga, for  Relaxation, Health, and Well-Being.
Written by "one of today's leading exponents of yoga in the style of B. K. S. Iyengar. She presents a practical philosophy that unites body, mind, and spirit for health and fulfillment. With over 450 color photographs, this book acts as a guide in achieving a fit and flexible body through the practice of yoga postures (asanas) and breathing techniques (pranayama). These practices work on all body sustems, stimulating circulations, toning muscles, and improving overall health. Best of all, the author makes this powerful antidote to the stresses of modern life accessible to those who want to practice at home safely and effectively." (Product description from amazon.com's website)


Of course, reading about yoga is a long way from practicing yoga, but visual examples are helpful for many of us, and concrete illustrations are even better. What can also be gained from these books is that your yoga practice is just that--YOURS--and your practice will evolve over time. Many of these books present several levels for asanas, an ever-so-essential reminder that it's not about the pose, it's about listening to your body.

After class next week, I'll have a few of these books available if you'd like to take a look at their formats and illustrations. 

Namaste,

Nancy

Yoga and Hypertension

Hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, can be a major health challenge. As we age, our blood vessels become less elastic and/or narrower, thus putting more pressure on the vessel walls and creating hyper (too much) tension (pressure). Because hypertension is often present with few or no symptoms, it has sometimes been called the "silent killer." Left unchecked, high blood pressure damages arteries and kidneys. Even worse, hypertension is related to other high risk conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), paralysis, and can be fatal. No one wants that! If a hypertensive person does experience symptoms (mild or pounding headache, dizziness, blurry vision, ringing in the ears), the symptoms might not be recognized as being caused by high blood pressure.

Now that we understand just how important it is to manage blood pressure, what should the "numbers" be? Several blood pressure readings need to be taken to determine if hypertension is present. An occasional high reading, perhaps as a result of racing through the medical building to make an appointment or even anxiety about an office visit, is no cause for alarm. Essential hypertension or primary hypertension can be caused by several factors: stress, injury, emotional disturbance, heredity, race, the weather, body weight, smoking, alcohol intake, and even how much salt or fiber is in your diet. Your and your doctor will work on managing not just one, but several of these factors to bring your blood pressure closer to ideal for you.

By definition, the standard for Stage 2 Hypertension is a reading of 160/100 or higher. Such a reading would require at least one (or perhaps two) medication to keep the pressure on the blood vessels lower. Stage 1 Hypertension is classified as a reading of 140-159/90-99, and frequently is managed with medication as well as life-style changes. Pre-hypertension is a reading of 120-139/80-89. Whether hypertension is evaluated as being at Stage 2, State 1, or Pre-hypertension--only a medical professional is equipped to determine what specific medications and life-style changes are needed.

All that being said, one important lifestyle change is exercise. Yoga is an ideal exercise for hypertension, as the discipline of yoga calms the nervous system, encourages deep and regular breathing, and promotes gentle circulation throughout the body. If you have hypertension, yoga is really, really good for you, but there are a few contraindications (or no-no's) for your yoga practice:
Don't spend too much time with your head below your heart. When in forward fold, for example, raise your head level with your chest, especially if you experience heaviness or throbbing in your head.
Stay away from extreme inversions. Leave the headstands for the bats and other animals with low blood pressure. Upside-down asanas aren't for you.
Don't practice breathing exercises (such as Breath of Fire) that force rapid breathing. Instead, focus your pranayama practice on deep and profound breathing such as Alternate Nostril Breathing. You are trying to calm your nervous system; hypertensives are charged up enough as it is.

What are some asanas that are particularly recommended for hypertensives (or, in my case, just plain "hyper" people)? Take life and your daily practice at a more relaxed pace. Try some restorative poses such as Legs Up the Wall, Reclining Bound Angle, and of course, Savasana. Spend some quality time in each of these poses. Get comfy with pillows, blankets, music that soothes you, turn the phones off for a bit, and enjoy each asana for ten minutes.

Using yoga as one of your lifestyle modifications will not only help you manage your blood pressure, it will become an essential part of your routine. Think of your yoga practice as some of the least expensive, yet effective, medication you can use. Thirty minutes everyday? That's worth your lifetime.

Until next week, namaste,
Nancy