November 12, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC When I hear someone complain that they “hate yoga” because it’s “boring” and “not a good enough workout,” I can’t help but get annoyed. Because clearly, they aren’t going to the right yoga classes. Not only can yoga double as a serious strength training workout (especially for your core!), but it can also double as your daily dose of cardio—or should we say cardio yoga—by way of one-beat flows. These series pair breath with movement, so that instead of holding poses for long periods of time you’re moving through them rapidly every time you inhale and exhale. This, understandably, will get your heart racing. “One breath per movement will increase the heart rate depending on the pacing and rhythm of the practice,” says Kajuan Douglas, founder of Merge New York, adding that timing is key with these types of flow. “Instead of moving like you’re taking a leisurely stroll in the park, move in your yoga practice like you a have some place to be five minutes ago. Create a tempo that means business.” In addition to getting your heart pumping, these one-beat flows can also be helpful for centering your practice, too. “I truly believe that the breath is the most powerful tool in a yoga practice,” says yoga instructor Bee Creel. “It encourages us to move fluidly and with intention, it establishes a point of focus, and most importantly, it helps us create space where we feel stuck, both physically and mentally.”
Category: Yoga
New Report Reveals A Disturbing Underbelly In The Yoga Community
November 11, 2019 at 11:35PM Only with action can we build the path forward. Continue Reading… Author Ray Bass, NASM-CPT | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
What it actually means to ‘close your rib cage’—in yoga and beyond
November 10, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC No one ever really masters a yoga pose. Even the greats still make tiny tweaks to strengthen their practices, and for many, learning how to close the rib cage is one of those. Despite consistent cues from instructors, it’s not always so easy in practice. Tucking in your ribs is code for “engage your core,” says Lindsay Pirozzi of New York City’s Y7 studio. “It’s important to knit or close the lower ribs together to help lengthen the spin and also take the curves out of the lumbar (lower) and thoracic (upper) spine,” she says. “Drawing the ribs closer together activates your core muscles and protects your spine health.” John Kasten, dancer, gymnast, and co-founder of The Beta Way, agrees. “The ‘ribs in’ cue is what I use to help people stay aware of keeping their core contracted,” he says. According to the two movement experts, the tendency to flare the ribs happens most commonly in handstand (which is done in CrossFit and other strengthening regimens apart from yoga), mountain pose, chair pose, high lunge, Warrior II, and goddess squat. So when you’re in any of these poses, you’ll want to pay special attention to the state of your mid-section. Pirozzi recommends teaching your body what the proper movement pattern feels like. “What helps my students the most is to feel it out of alignment first, to flare the ribs by sticking out the chest in an exaggerated fashion, then feel the difference when you
5 strength-building yoga poses that are also full-body stretches in disguise
November 05, 2019 at 08:37PM by CWC Your favorite yoga pose says a lot about your preferred kinds of movement. Love forward fold? You must find freedom in flexibility. Can’t get enough of chair pose? You’re all about strength. Some asanas have singular purposes, it’s true. But plenty of poses work double-duty to strengthen and lengthen your muscles at the very same time, says Jess Penesso, yoga teacher and founder of The Sweat Method. “It is so important to balance strength with stretching for healthy joints that allow you to practice yoga your whole life,” says Penesso. “If we are only stretching and not strengthening in our yoga practice, we run the risk of putting unnecessary stress on our cartilage where our bones meet at our joints. Because we don’t have nerves in our cartilage, we don’t realize we’re wearing this down until it’s gone and there is an injury.” A handful of yoga poses strengthen the muscles while you stretch to decrease wear-and-tear in the cartilage. 5 yoga poses for strength that stretch your whole body, too 1. High lunge “High lunge strengthens the glute muscles, quad of the front leg, arms, and back muscles while stretching the hamstring and hip flexor on the back leg and chest,” explains Penesso. How to do it: Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on your hips and step your right foot forward 2 to 3 feet. Stay on the ball of the back left foot and bend into right
4 lessons you can learn from yoga to propel you to career success
November 05, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC Meet Wellness Collective, our new, immersive curriculum with Athleta that hooks you up with actionable advice from the smartest experts and brand founders in wellness right now. Get the goods at our monthly event series in New York City, plus our online one-month wellness plans. Here, Yoga Foster founder Nicole Cardoza shares the ways yoga benefits career success. Have you ever been flowing through a yoga class and suddenly gotten hit with a burst of creativity or finally figured out what you want to say in that conversation you’ve been putting off? Well, what if you could apply that same mid-flow inspiration to your career? While we don’t suggest breaking into wheel pose in the middle of your office (unless your job is down with that kind of thing), you can tap into those asana-inspired vibes to fuel your workplace success. Nicole Cardoza, founder of Yoga Foster—a mindful movement program that teaches educators how to use yoga to empower their students—uses this principle in her training programs, and she’s sharing how you can apply it to your own career goals. “Yoga is a practice that goes much deeper than getting a seat in the boardroom,” Cardoza says. “It’s a complex, intimate, spiritual practice that can offer transformation for not just ourselves, but how we engage with the world around us. I think that it can help us feel more rooted in who we are and help us feel more grounded, which helps us show
The 5 Best Yoga Poses For Improving Your Flexibility
November 03, 2019 at 11:04PM Let’s get flexible, flexible. Continue Reading… Author Abi Carver, NASM-CPT | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
A 10-Minute Yoga Flow To Do The Next Time You Can’t Sleep
October 31, 2019 at 08:16AM You’ll be unwound and relaxed in no time. Continue Reading… Author Claire Grieve | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
A 15-Minute Yoga Flow To Create Space For The Changing Of Seasons
October 30, 2019 at 10:08AM All the bliss of yoga, none of the cold outdoor temps. Continue Reading… Author Ava Johanna | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
I found a yoga mat that turns into a full gym in seconds
October 24, 2019 at 07:06PM by CWC You’ve probably seen your fair share of at-home gym set-ups. Typically, they have a few things in common: They’re super expensive and they take up way too much space. Well, I’m happy to report that I’ve discovered a genius product that makes it easy to work out from anywhere without draining your bank account. The Flobody Gym is essentially a yoga mat with about a dozen hidden bonuses. It’s kind of like Mary Poppins’ magic bag, but better. At a glance, Flobody Gym ($119) looks like a thicker rolled-up mat. But it comes complete with removable weights, resistance bands, handles, and foot and hand straps that allow you to get the boutique studio treatment whenever you want, whether you’re into Pilates, yoga, HIIT, and more. A piece of equipment with so much going on might seem like it would be a nightmare to put together, but that’s not the case at all. It’s hard to believe something so compact packs in so many tools, yet it does. From the moment you take the Flobody Gym out of the box, it’s incredibly easy to use—and anything you’re not quite sure about is explained in the detailed instructions and set-up videos available. It’s like a puzzle piece that fits together perfectly, and because of that, it’s just as effortless to roll out and use as it is to put away, making it a breeze to store it in your closet between uses or take it
7 Yoga Poses That Are Safe If You Have Knee Pain + Easy Modifications
October 23, 2019 at 11:28AM It can be tough to find ways to move your body without making things worse. Continue Reading… Author Jessica Moy, DPT | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC