Knee (or Hip) Problem? Why You Should Farewell Pigeon Pose and Similar Stretches…
Yoga Body
Knee (or Hip) Problem? Why You Should Farewell Pigeon Pose and Similar Stretches…
Chances are, if you suffer from a sore knee or two, you’ll end up being treated for your sore knee. However, for lots of people in Western, sitting culture, these types of problems stem from our super stiff hips! Truth is, it’s at the essence of so many knee problems that our approach should be…
Read MoreDoes the Physical Practise of Yoga provide a Cardiovascular “Workout” ?
Does yoga improve cardio-vascular health? Interestingly I reckon most people would say no, so it’s worth examining the whole concept of the meme that we describe in the modern world as “cardio”. In reality, “cardio” is actually aerobics and it’s become the term we use for any kind of intense activity or exercise where we…
Read MoreThe Yogic Perspective: Activating Muscles for Power, Strength and Balance.
With regards to muscle power, there’s a massive difference between “activation” and just “tensing”. Just those words make it clear. One definition of tense is; “stretched tight or rigid..” which really doesn’t sound useful at all….. But we all know what “active” means.
Read MoreWhen Does our Natural Spine Become Compromised? (and how do we manage this?)
Today’s intention – how does your body feel right now? Stiff? Sore? Injured? Got a Fit Bit? When did you stop being able to squat down or sit on the floor easily? When did your body begin to ache and not move quite as easily as it once did? We can all blame this on “getting…
Read MoreAnyone Out There NEVER Had a Sore Neck?
This week I’ve been explaining in a little more detail the importance of “bandha” again – particularly when it comes to your neck and also, if it’s relevant, when/how you breathe in these instances. This is particularly the case when/if you randomly throw your head back, niggling (once again) usually the most niggliest and most vulnerable vertebra in the neck and combine this action with a deep inhale. Seriously, if you happen to be a mouth breather, it could be one of the most dangerous things you ever do.
Read MoreShould we be Rigid When it Comes to Rules of Alignment?
According to my online dictionary, the definition of “kinesthetic” relates to learning through feeling such as a sense of body position, muscle movement and weight as felt through nerve endings..And this stuff, is far more important and relevant than rules.
Read MoreJoining the Culture Club! Keeping it simple when making water kefir & kombucha
Fermenting is all the rage right now and why not? Many of us have compromised gut health either due to genetics or stress/lifestyle and so it’s important to ingest as much good bacteria as possible from as many different sources as possible. Here are my simple, so-far-haven’t-failed, recipes for water kefir and kombucha.
Read MoreHow to Practise Tadasana or Samasthiti (in Daily Life as Well as Class)
Samasthiti or tadasana helps us create awareness of our “normal” posture. It can help us realise the habits we have slipped in to, the strength we have lost; the tension we might naturally hold on to in order to try to keep ourselves upright.
Tadasana translates to mean mountain pose whereas samasthiti means “upright” or “equal”. In other words, to establish a sense of power and relaxation in a dynamic yet soft way. Tadasana and samasthiti represent a kind of “proforma” for all the standing poses. What we do in these poses, we try to recreate in most of the other standing postures in some way.
Read More“Get Your 2017 Yoga Body Now!” (& Why This Matters Much but Should be Ignored)
Every New Year, many of us embark on self-improvement plans and challenges. Some resolves and intentions we may stick with for the longer term, but mostly, the standards we can set ourselves at the beginning of January are so high and unattainable, that we often fail miserably and revert back to normal habits pretty quickly – only with an…
Read MoreWhen you Squeeze, your Organs Wheeze!
The Secret to all Balances….? In a fitness or yoga class situation, if you are instructed to “engage your core” what do you automatically do? Chances are you will tighten and/or squeeze something. Or even a lot of things – and it would take a lot more than a few lines of text here to…
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