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3 tips for your first partner yoga class

2016Mar14_Yoga_AWhen you’re in yoga class, balancing in scorpion pose, focusing on your breath and pondering the greater mysteries of the universe, have you ever felt like there was something missing? No, we’re not talking about that special someone who magically completes your life…okay, actually we might be, but in a more literal sense. To be more clear, we’re talking about partner yoga. A type of yoga where you bring a significant other or friend to class to practice with you. If you have yet to hear about partner yoga, here’s what it’s all about.

What is partner yoga?

Partner yoga is exactly what it sounds like: doing yoga together with a partner in class, instead of solo. Expect to get physically close to your partner as you will be maneuvering into poses, hands-on with him or her. Sometimes the two of you will form into poses you never thought possible, as your bodies take the shape of some crazy, elevated jigsaw puzzle. Other times you will simply tumble over. Whatever happens, it will be all in good fun, as long as you follow these simple rules.

1. Bring the right partner

Your partner can make or break your experience. Don’t just choose some random acquaintance or new friend. Choose someone you can trust. You will have your hands on each other, be in each other’s personal space, and need to clearly communicate with him or her. And you’ll be doing this for an entire, hour long class. A good partner choice is likely your boyfriend or girlfriend, or a spouse. However, a close friend can also do the trick…especially if you’re simply looking to share a few laughs and some fun.

2. Come prepared

When you come to partner yoga, you need to bring the same items you would to your normal class. That includes a yoga mat, towel and water bottle. Also, like your normal yoga class, make sure to wear comfortable clothes. Lastly, (and probably most importantly) ensure your partner brings the above items too, minus the yoga mat as you only need one for the both of you. If your partner is new to yoga, they will likely be clueless as to what to bring. Make it your mission to fill them in.

3. Have an open mind

If you’re considering partner yoga, you likely already follow this guideline. Regardless, get ready for a yoga experience that is a bit more carefree than your typical Vinyasa class, and much more loose than a Bikram session. There will be plenty of playful opportunities and laughter in class, so be prepared to have fun while helping support your partner in various poses.

If you follow these three guidelines, you are sure to have a blast in your first partner yoga class. For more information on different yoga varieties or class times at our studio, give us a call today.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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How to tell if you have a good yoga teacher

For a lot of people who do yoga, they end up sticking with the first instructor they visit. This is out of convenience or fear of the unknown more than anything else. Maybe it’s because the studio is close to their house or maybe it’s because they get a great discount for buying class sessions in bulk. There’s no shame in this, but perhaps you’re wondering if your teacher is actually any good.

After all, there is a reason you continue to go to their class, but is it because you are learning from the teacher or some other non-experience related reason? Here are 6 questions to ask when trying to better understand if your yoga instructor is good.

Does your yoga teacher make you feel comfortable?

This is something a lot of students don’t necessarily realize until after they reflect upon the question. A big part of yoga is mental and if you don’t feel totally comfortable during your class because of something the teacher is or is not doing, then that’s a problem. For instance, if you don’t like being touched, having a hands-on instructor might make you a little uncomfortable. A good yoga teacher will take the time to understand you and help you find your comfort zone during their class.

Where’s the teacher’s attention going?

We have heard our fair share of stories that involve male teachers, and even a few female ones, paying attention to a handful of the best looking students and basically ignoring the rest of the class. This is a sign of a bad instructor and one who is not in tune with the basic principles of yoga. A good teacher is aware of his or her surroundings and will assist those students who may be struggling as well as provide support to everyone, not a select few people in the class.

How prepared are they?

Each yoga instructor has a different style, but it’s pretty easy to tell if one is unprepared. You don’t want a teacher who rolls into class five-minutes late and just starts throwing out poses for everyone to do without any rhyme or reason. We aren’t saying a yoga teacher needs to have the entire class planned out from start to finish, the good ones are able to read the class and go with the flow, but they must be prepared to teach.

Are they flashy?

There are yoga instructors out there who will make sure their students know just how great they are by doing ridiculously complex poses and bragging about how much their yoga mat costs. These are arguably the worse kinds of teachers because they don’t understand that the class should be about you, the students. If the session has become focused on the teacher then the class dynamic is backwards and it can be difficult for anyone to learn.

Do they challenge you?

One of the most important aspects of yoga is challenging yourself, both physically and mentally. A good yoga teacher will help prepare you for these challenges and push you when you need it. We tend to not test our boundaries and instead try to find a routine which we can stick to. A good yoga teacher will make sure this doesn’t happen and present you with challenges when you are ready for them.

What do other students say about the teacher?

While you’re entitled to your opinion, it’s good to ask around to see what your classmates think about your yoga instructor, especially if you haven’t practiced with a number of other teachers. If they share similar complaints you might want to consider what they are saying and see for yourself if it is true or not.

The teachers at our studio always put students first. No matter what your level is, our yoga instructors will help guide you on your journey.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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The do’s and don’ts of talking about yoga

You love yoga. You love it so much much that you want others to know about it and maybe even try it for themselves. There is no problem with that as long as it’s done in a respectful manner. Unfortunately, some yoga practitioners take things a little too far when talking with others about our beloved activity. One of the key tenets of yoga is being mindful, and it is something you should extend beyond the asanas to everything yoga-related.

Yoga is known for teaching self-discipline, and awareness of the body and mind. While experienced practitioners take note of this and often times extend these philosophies to all other aspects of their life, newbies tend to be focused on the mat, and so are not as mindful outside of class.

The main difference between yoga veterans and rookies, apart from skill level, is how they talk about yoga outside of class. Those who have been doing it for some time are already aware of how others feel about it, but those people new to yoga tend to be overly enthusiastic and want to share this passion with just about everyone they come across.

However, not everyone shares this enthusiasm with you, and not being mindful of others – and the situation you find yourself in – can see you turning your friends and family off yoga forever. Here are a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to talking about yoga outside of class.

Do – organically mention yoga in conversations about health and fitness. When your friends are talking about workout routines, you have a great opportunity to inform them of the benefits of yoga, and pique their interest.

Don’t – force yoga into conversations where it doesn’t belong. For example, if you happen to be talking with your partner about the struggles he or she is having at work, suggesting yoga as the answer is probably not the advice they are looking for.

Do – let others know when you are going to the yoga studio, and invite them to join. If they are bored or have some free time, maybe they’ll want to tag along.

Don’t – tell others they need to be doing yoga, and then trick or cajole them into coming with you.

Do – have facts and experiences ready if someone asks you for your thoughts on practicing yoga. If you share something about yoga with another person, you want it to be truthful and, if possible, backed up by facts.

Don’t – be a know-it-all or a liar. If you start telling people that yoga will make them taller or that it can cure cancer – and you don’t have the proof to back up your claims – they will immediately dismiss you, or at least be pretty upset with you when they do try yoga for themselves, and find out your claims were false. Don’t bombard others with what you know about yoga, either. It can be overwhelming and off-putting to others who have no idea what you’re talking about.

Do – be passionate when you talk about yoga, even if you have only started practicing recently. There is no need to hide your passion, as long as you are mindful of those who are not as enamoured with yoga as you are.

Don’t – be a yoga zealot. Remember when all those CrossFit people were menacingly telling people about the benefits of their activity? Not only was it annoying, but it made a lot of people skeptical of CrossFit. When you think of yoga you think of tranquility and peace, so why would you want to be overbearing when talking about it?

Practicing yoga extends far beyond the mat. We can help guide you on your journey, and provide you with the support and assistance necessary to excel both inside and outside the yoga studio. Contact us for more information.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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Yoga strength with inversions: Pt 2!

yoga_Nov27_AAs we covered earlier this month, inversions are powerful yoga poses that can strengthen your muscles, inspiring balance and stability and reinvigorating your circulation and lymphatic system. Yoga inversions provide a great physical challenge that boosts energy and inspires relaxation. While certain inversions may prove strenuous, many poses are accessible to all levels of fitness and experience.

An inversion, where you head is lower than your heart, does not necessarily entail standing on your head. There are poses of varying degrees of difficulty. Here are three inversions which you might want to try, always checking with a medical and yoga practitioner that it is safe to do so given any injuries or health issues you may have.

Downward Facing Dog

This is perhaps the most well-known inversion in yoga and whilst not overly difficult to get into position, it is a strong pose to maintain and a real solid strengthener.

  • Start on all fours, making sure that your hands are firmly pressed into your yoga mat. Your upper arms and shoulders need to be rolled out and your forearms straight and slightly rolled in.
  • Inhale with a deep breath and as you exhale bring your hips up, starting to straighten your legs, keeping your back straight and pushing against the mat with your hands.Your body should look like an upside-down V.
  • Press your shoulder blades down as you lengthen your spine, as you bring your knees back to a straight leg position, if possible, with your feet slightly apart and facing forward and the soles of your feet and heels flat on the mat.
  • Make sure your fingers are slightly splayed and that you are putting your weight onto the firm grounded palm rather than on your wrists. Likewise, make sure your feet are parallel and hip-width apart.
  • Your hands need to be under your shoulders and keep your elbows from pinging out as this could put undue pressure on your elbow joint.
  • It is easy to lurch-forward and lose balance with this pose, so consciously move your weight from your arms through your hips, to create greater stability.
  • This inversion really stretches your hamstrings but be wary of overstretching or creating an unbalanced pose by trying to fight against tightness in this part of the leg. Instead, bend your knees slightly and shift your body into the correct posture, keeping a central square shape between your hands and feet.

The Hare

A far more relaxing and less challenging inversion, which can really lengthen and relieve pressure in the spine.

  • Start in a kneeling position with your hands resting lightly on your thighs, before raising your arms with the palms facing, being careful to keep the shoulders from hunching.
  • Breathe in deeply and as you slowly exhale bend forward with a smooth movement, so that the arms move forward and your forehead rest on the ground.
  • Turn your arms so that the palms rest on the mat as you stretch them out without pulling the neck muscles or tensing the shoulders and back.
  • Relax further into the pose by staying in position and breathing deeply, before drawing the arms in and gently curling the spine to get into your starting position.

Next week, we look at even more inversions for beginners and you can join our dynamic yoga sessions by getting in touch.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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Yoga breathing!

yoga_Nov12_ABreathing techniques are a crucial part of yoga practice to inspire and promote wellbeing and to control what is known as Prana, our body’s vital life energy. Controlling the breath and using it to work with yoga movements and poses, is regarded as a way of bringing more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, stimulating wellness and creating a sense of balance in your practice.

What is wrong with the way we breathe?

Breathing in yoga is used to work with each movement but also to bring about benefits in itself. Today’s stressful lifestyles of and sedentary working days, can leave the body out-of-sync and this includes our breathing. Pressures can lead to faster, shallow breaths, where the full lung capacity is simply not being used.

Mouth breathing and breathing from the chest, does not bring in the same level of oxygen and we may even hold our breath during times of anxiety of even concentration. The way many of us live leads to a tightening of muscles and this includes the thorax and the neck and upper body muscles, which can restrict deep breathing.

What are the benefits of breathing in yoga?

Essentially, yoga breathing is aimed at promoting a better flow of oxygen and a more powerful flow of Prana, which leaves us feeling energized and full of vitality. Getting into poses, holding challenging positions, such as inversions and focusing on the flow of movements in yoga, are all greatly aided by quality breathing techniques, that are deep and controlled. Other benefits include:

  • Better balance of oxygen inhalation and carbon dioxide exhalation.
  • Greater connection of the body and mind through controlled, focused breathing.
  • Relaxed body and mind as slower, deeper breaths create a meditative feeling.
  • Better focus and a sense of inner peace and calm.
  • Increased lung capacity and training for the body to breath correctly.
  • Discipline for the mind and body.
  • Combats stress.
  • Reduces toxins in the body, helping the circulation.
  • Good for digestive processes.
  • Purifies the blood and rejuvenates the skin.
  • Enhances ability to deal with emotions.
  • Enhances immune system.

How to breathe with Yoga

It is important that you breathe through your nose with yoga and that you use your diaphragm rather than shallow breathing. Breathing can be part of meditation, to help you move, and is also a part of yoga training itself. I you are unsure how to breathe correctly for yoga then follow this simple exercise:

  • Sit upright with your legs crossed or the soles of your feet touching and your knees relaxed. Keep your back straight and your hands resting on your knees.
  • Close your eyes or softly focus them in the mid-distance.
  • Breath in through your nose slowly, holding the breath for a second or two.
  • Exhale through the nose, making sure the breath is slow and steady; controlled.
  • Focus your mind on your breath and each time the mind wanders bring your attention back to your breathing.
  • As you inhale, feel your diaphragm move up and your abdomen expand, lowering and deflating as you exhale.
  • Let your thoughts come and go as you concentrate solely on deep breaths. You can imagine a bright light being drawn in if it helps.
  • Feel grounded, safe and relaxed.

Yoga is a fitness system for your whole being rather than simply exercises for the body alone. Take advantage of yoga benefits by getting involved in our yoga sessions.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.