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Yoga

Improve Your Digestion

February 12, 2017

A few days ago I mentioned in one of my updates that you may eat the best food that you can possibly find, but if your body doesn’t assimilate all the nutrients then eating healthy food is an exercise in futility. To the right are 6 poses which are beneficial in stimulating and massaging the digestive system and maintaining its good health. However, remember, as always, that yoga poses can’t be practiced in isolation. For the practice of yoga to work for you, you must incorporate these asanas in a regular yoga practice.

Below are a few important points to remember when performing these asanas.

Setubanasana – The Bridge Pose

Elbows must be right under the wrists.
Back of the neck should be long on the floor.
Fingers should be touching while the thumbs are facing away from the body.
Knees should be above your ankles.
Thighs should be parallel.
Squeeze your glutes and lift from the hips.
Don’t rest your weight on your hands.

Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose

Keep the neck long.
Keep the shoulders pushed back.
Push the chest forward and up.
Lengthen the spine and stretch the abdomen.
Tighten the glutes and the groin.
Shoulders and wrists should be in one line, arms perpendicular to the floor.
Feet not more than hip width apart.

Dhanurasana – The Bow Pose

Neck should be long.
Shoulders should pushed back and chest should be open.
Keep your glutes and groin tight.
Push the legs away from the torso, which will also pull the arms back.

Marichyasana – Lord Marichi’s Pose

Keep good engagement between the elbow and the knee. Do this by pushing the elbow out and the knee in, creating a kind of tension.
Keep your backbone long.
Keep both buttocks on the floor.
Keep the straight leg active with the heel pointing out and the toes pointing straight up.
Rotate the neck and keep the chest open.

Vajrasana – The Thunderbolt Pose

Keep your back erect.

Pawanmuktasana – Wind Releasing Pose

Keep the back relaxed and be aware of the spine lengthening across the floor.

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Yoga

Pose #5 for Women – Setu Bandhasana

March 5, 2016

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I remember when I first started practicing yoga, the Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) used to be my least favourite pose. It felt really uncomfortable and even gave me a back ache sometimes. I put it down to being overweight. I thought that because I was heavy, my hands were unable to support the weight of my lower body. Of course now I know better. And now I come across so many people who don’t! So many people tell me that their arms are not strong enough or their thighs/hips/butt are/is too big/heavy which prevents them from doing this pose well. Study your technique. The key to any yogasana lies in the technique. Study your technique.

Benefits of the Setubandhasana:

Stretches the chest, neck, and spine
Strengthens the core muscles and the legs.
Enables blood flow to the brain and this helps in reducing stress and bringing about a feeling of rejuvenation and wellbeing.
Provides an excellent massage to the abdominal organs.
Massages the Thyroid gland.
Helps in reducing discomfort during
Reduces discomfort and pain during menstruation.

To avoid making the mistakes I did when practicing this asana remember to:

Evenly distribute your weight on the soles of your feet.
Push your soles into the floor evenly.
Engage the thighs and the core muscles.
Roll your shoulders back and away from your ears.
Using your legs push your chest closer to the chin.
Keep the back of your neck long and pushed against the floor.

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Yoga

Week 2 Day 1 – Abs Are Made in the Kitchen…

February 8, 2015

…But you have to work on them in yoga class too! So for Day 1 of Week 2 do a bit of abs work. The great thing about yoga (and particularly about our classes) is that most yoga moves involve the core. Every single time you do a rep of the Surya Namaskar, you’re utilizing your core strength. So today practice a few rounds of the Surya Namaskar to warm up and then start with your leg raises. You can do 3 sets of 15 each. Take a small break and repeat twice more. You can choose to plank and side plank as well. These moves engage the core and strengthen the arms as well.

The Naukasana (The Boat Pose) is an awesome way to strengthen the abs and also to test your balance. Start with lying down on the floor and raise your torso and legs up at the same time. No jerky movements. Keep your legs absolutely straight. Push your shoulders back and try and expand the chest. Elongate the neck. Breathe. You should be balancing on your tailbone.

Setubandhasana (The Bridge Pose)

After the Naukasana you can start to stretch your abs a little bit. Start with the Setubandhasana. Start with keeping your feet about hip width apart. Keep your arms on the floor next to your body with your palms flat on the floor. Push into the floor with your hands and press your feet into the floor and raise your hips up. Tighten your glutes to take the load off of your back. Make sure that your ankles and knees are in one line and perpendicular to the floor. Once your hips are as high as you can take them lift your hands and place them on the small of your back. Your fingers should be facing each other and thumbs should be on the outside, circling your waist. This helps in strengthening the arms and wrists. Try and get your elbows as close to each other as possible. Your shoulders should also be pushed back and chest should be expanded. You should also experience the Jalandhar Bandha.

Chakrasana (The Wheel Pose)

After the Setubandhasana, the Chakrasana is a great way to deepen the stretch on the torso. As a prep, you can practice holding the Bhujangasana. After this lie down on the floor on your back. Bend your arms and place your hands under your shoulders. Bend your legs and bring your feet as close to your hips as possible. Lift your hips up first just like you did in the Setubandhasana. Then start to push your hands into the floor and raise the shoulders up as well.

The Halasana or the Plough Pose

When you practice back bends its important to do complementary poses as well. The complementary pose for the Chakrasana is the Halasana. In the Halasana you must try and get your spine straight. The Jalandhar Bandha in the Halasana is a deeper and stronger one than the one in the Setubandhasana. Keep your elbows locked and arms clasped. Push your shoulders away from your ears.

Try this cool variation as well:

Remember after all this you must go into the Savasana and allow your spine to rest and relax.

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