Tree Pose August Desktop Calendar

Our August yoga-inspired desktop calendar is now ready for download. A day early I might add. So proud of myself! Just click on the image above to bring up the full-size version. Then right-click on it and "Save as Desktop."

Incredible Yoga Journal Subscription Deal

How would you like to scoop up a one year subscription to Yoga Journal magazine for just $4.29? That's an 80% savings off the retail price. This deal is valid for new subscriptions, as well as renewals, but don't delay. The offer is only good today (Wednesday, July 29th). I just bought mine. Your turn . . . Here's the link: Yoga Journal Deal of the Day.

Tip for Cycling Like a Pro

I accidentally came across this tip and it's a great one. All this watching of the Tour de France has really fired up my biking passion. But watching those amazing guys flying up the most extreme mountains faster than my usual flats is a bit depressing. Lo and behold, I found the solution . . .

A couple of weeks ago my bike computer (the little device that tracks my speed, distance, time, etc) died and needed its battery replaced. Somehow in changing the battery I accidentally reset the default unit of measure from miles to kilometers. There I was biking along the flats, looking down at my speedometer (which was reading in the low to mid 30s) and I was feeling pretty darn good about my cycling. I guess it didn't take me too long to figure out I was looking at k.p.h rather than m.p.h. Well I liked it so much I left it that way. Somehow seeing my max speed reaching close to 60 and my average always over 25 just plain makes me feel good :-) So if you're a biker, do yourself a favor and switch your cyclometer, even for just one ride, and feel the rush. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the peleton, if just for a moment.

I should add one little disclaimer . . . I nearly crashed this past weekend due to the fact that I was fixating on my odometer, trying to do the math conversion from clicks (as my European husbands calls them) to miles. So please be careful and just enjoy the high numbers without trying to do the math while riding.

Pedal on . . .

Better Digestion

Last month I took a wonderful stress-free vacation, during which time I ate foods (red meats, real ice cream, etc.) and drank drinks (alcohol) not normally in my diet. Every night I went to bed thinking, "Uh oh, I’m going to pay for this" and yet I managed to get through a good solid week with no stomach aches. This is practically an impossible feat for me as I normally suffer with stomach aches a couple times per week, minimum. I have become so accustomed to stomach problems that it has just become a fact of life.

Years ago I went to see different gastro-intestinal specialists and was diagnosed with a clear case of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I can't really speak for my bowels, but for sure I was become irritable. It's just no fun to live with constant stomach aches and a restricted diet, but over the years I've learned to live with it. I learned what I can and can not safely eat. But I still wondered how it was possible to be stomach ache free throughout my vacation. It was likely a mixture of several things: no stress, smaller portions, and a much slower eating pace. So maybe, just maybe with a little work I could change my evil ways and cure my stomach issues.

When I got home I found a product called Better Digestion. These pills are a natural daily supplements that promise to restore balance to the digestive system through a combination of probiotics, herbal extracts, and enzymes. I'm not exactly sure what all those things are, but I knew I could use more balance in my life so I gave them a shot.

During my years of research with treating IBS I found that the best results were gotten via herbal remedies. I've learned that things that ginger root and chamomile are sure stomach soothers so when I saw that Better Digestion included these things (and many others) I had high hopes. Another thing that caught my eye was 'Amylase' which, according to the literature, is a powerful enzyme that reduces the amount of stress on the digestive system to help break down food. Now I knew I could use that.

So far I've taken one pill a day and I must say, I've been doing great in the stomach ache department. Ok, there was that one night that I completely indulged on the richest, most decadent European layer cake, but that was my own fault. I am happy with the results and will continue my new good habit of being nicer to my digestive system.

I Did It! Yoga Teaching Certification Attained

Well, it didn't take long. I mailed all of my papers (final exam and essay) along with the DVD of me teaching my one hour class and within a week I got the good news. My certificate arrived in the mail on Saturday. I am now officially certified to teach yoga! No idea if I will ever really teach, but it feels so good to have the credentials and to have gained all that wonderful knowledge. My instructor told me that I don't realize my potential and that certainly gave me a little more confidence. Who knows, maybe I will get the guts to teach a real class some day. But for now I'm just going to bask in the glory that I finally made a dream come true. Namaste

If I Won a Stage of The Tour

Last night the commentators of the Tour de France were talking about all the different gestures that riders have given as they crossed the various finish lines of different stages of the Tour. Seems lots of riders had their own unique celebration gesture, similar to football players entering the end zone during a touch down. They showed some past clips of different riders winning stages and it was fun to see the different personalities coming through in their unique gestures. So on today's ride I asked my husband what he would do if he won a stage of the Tour. It didn't take him long to draw his imaginary sword in the air. And then I thought, "What would I do?" That also didn't take me long to decided. This is what I would do.

What a Relief

I finally did it! I videotaped myself teaching my one-hour yoga class for my final teacher training certification exam. There are no words to describe how excited and relieved I was to have it behind me. But now the stress of waiting and hoping that I passed begins.

My biggest fear is that the fact that I didn’t offer suggested alternate poses for students that may have either been pregnant or have high blood pressure. The truth is that I forgot that I was supposed to do this and after the complete elation of being DONE, there was no way I wanted to go back and do it all over again. But after giving it more thought I realized that even if I did want to go back and tape it all over again I’m not sure how I would offer these alternate poses. My session was very much a ‘power’ vinyasa routine. How could you offer non-inverted alternates to a routine that has you doing so many down dogs that your head feels as though it might explode? I’m really confused with this dilemma. Maybe this shows that I’m really not ready to teach. I guess I just feel that a person that was pregnant or had high blood pressure just wouldn’t be attending a power yoga class. This is really my fault for building a power routine for my final exam. I should have built a beginners’ yoga class that would have allowed me more flexibility. Darn. Too late now. I hope I don’t fail. I just wanted to challenge myself to building a kick-booty class that I, myself, would enjoy doing regularly.

If there are any instructors out there that can shed some light on how I could have designed my dream power class and still incorporated these alternate poses, please do share. I may need the insight to save myself from failing!

Yoga Journal Magazine Subscription for $5.29/Year

This is such a great deal and I take advantage of it and renew for just over $5 every year. But it's only good for one day - Friday, July 3rd. Click on the link below on 7/3/09 to go directly to the link where you can make the purchase. Good for both new subscriptions and renewals.

Best Deal Magazines Deal of the Day

This May Be The Answer To My Sinus Problems

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my terrible sinus problems and how Down Dog and other inverted poses just makes them worse. I received a comment from a reader suggesting the use of a neti pot. I read about nasal irrigation in my yoga textbooks and have been intrigued by the idea. I've been meaning to buy one and that comment was just the kick in the pants I needed to actually get one. I jumped online and bought one. I was a little disappointed that it took nearly 2 weeks to arrive, but then again the shipping was free so I really shouldn't complain. And the timing of its arrival was perfect.

Today was another dreary, rainy, stormy low pressure day here in CT. It's getting to be the norm around here and I'm getting so used to feeling terrible that I almost forget what it feels like to not have a headache and an all over 'icky' feeling. I start off feeling pretty good in the morning, but as the day goes on I feel worse and worse. The 30 minute commute home from work always makes me feel even worse. By the time I get home all I want to do is sleep and today was one of those days. What a great time to test out this new neti pot.

I have to admit the thought of sticking this thing up my nose was a bit scary. I had no idea what to expect and I knew the first time was going to be the hardest. I survived it OK. During my first go of it I did have that moment of wanting to gag when the salty water touched my throat. But I quickly realized that I was holding my breath; exactly what the directions said not to do. So for the next side of my nose I made a better effort to breathe. Actually exhaling seem to do the trick.

The whole process only took about a minute and I have to say . . . I felt so . . . different. I am having a hard time trying to describe the experience. I really and truly felt 'cleaned out' and lighter. It was amazing and I can't wait to do it again tomorrow. What have I been waiting for all this time without one?

Free July Desktop Calendar

Click here to open the full size graphic. Once the full size image loads, right-click and Save as Desktop.

The Power of Arnica

I’m sold on the healing powers of Arnica. I’ve taken it before, both topically and orally, but never together. Yesterday I mysteriously hurt my elbow. Not quite sure exactly what I did, but it was sore and clicking strangely all morning. Might not have been the smartest idea to bust out 40 pushups and lift weights at lunchtime, but I did. And, of course, the pain got much worse. By the evening it was really sore and this morning I had trouble pushing myself out of bed, brushing my hair, and doing anything that required me to move my arm. It was even worse when I needed to both move my arm and flex my muscles. Gripping something in my hand shot pain straight to my elbow. This was not good.

So this morning I went looking for some muscle rub, even though I wasn’t sure it was a muscle problem. Seemed like it could also be a joint problem. When I looked into my drawer I noticed my tube of neglected Arnica. I can’t remember the last time I used it. Now seemed to be the perfect time to give it a try because Arnica is really for pain relief, not just soothing sore muscles. So I slathered it all over my elbow. Then the thought occurred to me that I also had little Arnica tablets that are taken internally. Well, that couldn’t hurt so I took those too and I’ll be darned. By noon the pain was almost completely gone. I won’t forget about my new best friend the next time I’m experiencing any sort of joint or muscle pain. This stuff really works!

Free iPod Workout Downloads

I just stumbled across a web site that offers iPod workout downloads. Some of them cost, but there are a few downloads available for free, one of them a yoga bundle. I downloaded the Glut Camp Workout this afternoon and I was quite pleased with it. I didn't actually put it on my iPod, but instead just watched it on my computer. It was very straightforward. They showed a model doing one of the exercises, explained what to do, and then told you to pause and do a set of reps at your own pace. Then you simply hit play again, watch the next exercise, and repeat the pause/play options until you get through the entire workout. This is such a great concept and so easy to take your workouts on the road. I think I will investigate more of these workouts in the future, but in the meantime, why not download the free ones and give them a try? Here's the link.

Yoga and Allergies - Not a Good Mix

Why does yoga make my allergies worse? Living in New England during this time of year is a big challenge. The pollen is out in full force and the rainy, low pressure days do very bad things to my sinuses. I started off this dreary day thankful that my usual sinus headache wasn't rearing its ugly head yet. But, just like I suspected, my afternoon yoga caused my sinus headache to appear. I think it has something to do with bending over. My head doesn't seem to like being upside down as that seems to make the pressure in my sinuses build. This really stinks. I find myself avoiding yoga for fear of either getting a headache or making the headache that I already have even worse. I wish I knew how to combat this issue. And on that note, I'm going to find some Sudafed . . .

Free June Desktop Calendar

Click here for the full size version. Then right click and Save as Desktop.

Uh Oh

Well, before attempting to hurt any students with yoga, I managed to hurt myself. This is not helping my confidence level at all. I was practicing my yoga routine in my office this week and my hand slipped in the middle of my vinyasa (as I was heading down to push-up position.) In an attempt to recover and prevent myself from landing flat on my face, my left arm and shoulder had to respond quickly. Not sure what my muscles did to recover, but whatever it was, it left me with quite the sore shoulder. I think I just learned an important lesson about cheating and doing yoga without a yoga mat. I've been doing this for years with no issues, but this little incident sent me immediately packing to the store to buy an extra mat to leave in my office. This was a little bonus lesson not covered in my studies. No extra charge, unless you count the cost of the BenGay.

P90X Abs Core Plus

I finally got around to trying out another P90X Plus video, Abs Core Plus. After my last Kenpo X disappointment I guess I wasn't all that thrilled to try more. But since my husband is out of town and I'm out of our normal routine I thought it was a good time to give it a whirl. I had expectations that I wouldn't be able to keep up. With the nice weather and the endless home chores, we've fallen off the P90 bandwagon. I figured I would do my fair share of cheating, with no work-out buddy keeping an eye on me, but was I ever surprised. I did every move on the video and I must say, I did them pretty effortlessly. I didn't even break a sweat and I enjoyed the whole thing. Ok, maybe not the whole thing.

The only parts that I found uncomfortable and difficult were the hanging moves. I did the first 3 or 4 sets with no gloves, which was unbearable. I don't have a nice cushiony bar like the folks on the video and my already-sore painting hands were being shredded. So I threw on some gloves for the remaining hanging sessions, but I still couldn't figure out how not to swing. I must have the wrong technique because my body seemed to swing much more than it should. I'll have to work on that.

Overall the video was excellent. The moves are all one minute each with no idle chatter in between. You just flow from one move right to the next without wasting any time. The 20 minutes flew by and I was pleasantly surprised at how well I did. I can say, without a doubt, that it's yoga that has keep my abs and core in tip top shape. Many of the moves involved balancing and I found them easy as can be. Yoga is solely responsible for my balance and stability. I will definitely add this video to my normal weekly routine.

Anatomy for Yoga

I spent an hour going through some of my Anatomy for Yoga lectures yesterday and it was fascinating. It left me with such mixed feelings. On one hand I feel much better about the parts of me that I consider "inflexible." I've always felt that I would never make a good yoga instructor because I'll "never be able to bend like that." I always thought it was because I just wasn't doing something right, or my muscles just aren't as limber as they should be. But I was completely wrong about that. In these lectures the instructor discusses the terms tension and compression. When you hit the wall and can no longer bend or flex your limbs any further it is because of one of those two terms. If it was tension, it would indeed be a tight muscle preventing you from stretching deeper. In these cases, the muscles can be worked on to increase the motion.

But much more often it is because of your bone structure. Literally one bone is hitting another which is called compression. In this case, no matter how much yoga you do, or how much you stretch, you're just never going to be able to move any further. This made me feel so much better about my yoga inadequacies. The instructor said repeatedly, "you either have it or you don't" meaning great flexibility. He also explained how everyone is built differently and how you could really hurt yourself if you don't understand this concept. The best part was watching him move a skeleton around to really understand what bones where hitting and how.

So that left me feeling much better about myself and what I can and can not do. However, it completely terrified me as far as instructing students through a class. How on earth will I know if they are hitting tension or compression? When you see a student not doing a pose 'properly' how do you know if you should try to make an adjustment or just assume they can't bend any more than they are already bending? I will be very happy to get my certification and I am really enjoying all this knowledge that I'm gaining, but I'm still not sure if I will ever be brave enough to put my certification to use. I have a whole new admiration for all you yoga instructors out there!

The Netflix Gym

A few months ago I discovered a great free sublemental training resource. I, like many, subcribe to Netflix movies in the mail. For years my husband and I have enjoyed the DVDs showing up in our mailbox every week. I knew that you could rent workout DVDs but I rarely did that as it took away from our weekend movie watching. But I recently discovered the Watch Instantly tab along the top of the Netflix page. After clicking on that you are presented with a long drop-down list of Genres, one of which is Sports. And inside that Sports category you will find another header called Workouts. Wait a minute, does that mean I can instantly stream workout vidoes right in my office? Upon further investigation I found even the Workouts section to be broken down into the following categories:

This was too good to be true. For the past 3 months I've been using Netflix approximately 3 times a week during my lunch break. Within just a few minutes I can natigate straight to my choice of workout. I shut my office door and have a great little workout. Sometimes I'll watch the full video, but other times I'll just pick my favorite parts. The more I do the different workouts the more familiar I'm getting, allowing me to scrub right to the section that I want to do. These have been a great supplement to my P90X evening workouts. And I have to say, and I'm not sure if I'm embarrassed to admit this, some of those Crunch workouts leave me sore every time. I'm hooked. For $8 a month I watch a current movie every weekend, I stream older movies and some TV shows at home, and now I'm doing free yoga, pilates, and more in my office. I love it and I highly recommend checking out Netflix for an inexpensive gym alternative.

Free May Desktop Calendar

The April showers have brought us the May flowers. This months free YogaDudes desktop calendar features some of those May flowers. Just click here for a larger image of the calendar. When this bigger image appears, right-click on it and "Set as Background."

Happy Spring to all.

Green Tips for Earth Day

Go green and save. Make simple earth and wallet friendly changes to your daily routine and feel even better about the money you're not spending. Why not make Earth Day every day?

At Home
Lower your water-heater temperature 25 degrees and you can save up to $50 a year.

On the Web
Go to the free website www.catalogchoice.org and unsubscribe from catalogs you don't need. Your house will be less cluttered and you'll be doing your part to preserve the forests.

In the Car
Drive 10 MPH slower and you'll increase your fuel efficiency by about 15%. Unless you drive a MINI, in which case you're getting great gas mileage to begin with and that car just shouldn't be driven slowly. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Kenpo Plus — A Disappointment

Tonight was my second attempt at a P90X Plus video. After getting my butt kicked by Interval, it left me a little hungry to try more. I reported back to my traveling husband that he will like Interval. He's been resisting giving the Plus videos a try because, as he said, he "didn't want to learn something new." Yes, he is an old dog and is resistant to new tricks. So I was thrilled to tell him how easy Interval was. There was nothing to it. The moves were as basic as can be. All you need to do is bring the muscle and the lungs.

I found Kenpo Plus, on the other hand, to be an annoyingly cumbersome work-out. I thought most of the moves were clumsy and awkward. Ok, maybe it was just me being clumsy and awkward, but why did it have to be so difficult? And by difficult, I don't mean physically challenging. In fact, I think it was a big waste of my time tonight. I wish I did anything else in place of this work-out. I couldn't give it my all and really put the needed uuumph into the moves because I was struggling to catch on and never felt well grounded. The traditional Kenpo is a million times better. It's controlled and precise and timed just right. I get a total body (including back and core) work-out with it. This Kenpo Plus was a joke to me. I am so not impressed and will very likely never try it again. My first P90X disappointment :-(

P90X Plus - Ouch!

Holy @$&% I thought I was ready for P90X Plus, but I guess I was mistaken. Today was my first attempt at it. Seeing as I breezed through most of the regular P90X I figured, "How tough can they be?" Well, let me tell you . . . tough!

Granted, I only tried one video and it was Interval. Actually, it was an accident too because I intended to do Total Body, but put in the wrong DVD. Since I don't yet know one from the other, it made no difference. Interval was an interesting approach. I think there are approximately 15 different exercises and you perform them at three different 20 second intervals. You start off at a nice manageable pace, then you move up to a little higher intensity, followed by (of course) 20 seconds of butt-kicking hard work.

I made it through the entire first half and was feeling pretty good about myself. But when Tony said that we were going to repeat the exact same sequence I think I cried. I was so not ready for that. I got through another 4 or 5 exercises, but with much less umph than I did the first time around. I think I was suffering from my typical problem. I didn't have my work-out buddy and I'm just not as driven when I work-out alone. Nobody's looking so I'm gonna cheat. But I still feel good, none-the-less, that I even attempted it. And based on the fact that I was sweating when I was done, I obviously worked hard. Most of the regular P90X sessions didn't make me sweat at all.

I am curious to see what the rest of the videos are like and will, no doubt, be checking them out shortly.

My Big Deput in the New York Times

I was very excited to have been interviewed by The New York Times for an article about Doga. After all, how on earth did the NYT find me and YogaDudes? After 15 minutes on the phone with the most delightful writer I really looked forward to seeing the article in print. But I have to say, I was a little disappointed.

The article made me sound much more negative than I really was. To recap, I did agree that calling the activity "yoga for dogs" was ridiculous. Being a firm believer in the very real art and science of yoga I do find it degrading and fad like to try to involve a pet. However, with that said, there was nothing wrong with a group of dog lovers getting together on a sunny afternoon to socialize their dogs. I believe that all the participants had a good time and enjoyed the hour of 'doga.' I guess I would feel better about it if 1) they called it something else that had no connection to yoga, and 2) the organizers didn't charge $15 per class. That just seems outrageous to me. After all, anybody without real yoga training could lead a doga class. I think it would make much more sense if a group of dog lovers got together and a fellow dog lover led a session on a voluntary basis. Then it would be all about the social aspect and the love of dogs and less about making an easy buck.

P90X Year Two Completed

I forgot to mention that last Friday ended my second year of P90X. Although it was a relief and felt great, it wasn't nearly as thrilling as the first time around. I guess that is obvious, seeing as I forgot to blog about it. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great sense of accomplishment. I think the reason why I wasn't quite as thrilled this time is because my husband and I are planning to continue doing as many videos per week as we can. Case in point, we came home from work today and did Back & Biceps, just because we felt like it. Sick. I know!

Last season we started P90X later in the year and ended up stuck inside when the weather was really getting nice. This year we started on January 1st to ensure we would be done before Spring really sprung in New England. It sort of backfired because the weather is still pretty darn crappy here and the streets are still filled with sand, making road biking undesirable. So now we have to continue with P90X until all the conditions are just right to go outside and play. sigh

With the big P90X commitment behind me, it's time to put more focus on yoga. I've set a goal to have my one-hour class rehearsed and performed by the end of May. And the clock is ticking—gulp!

Free April Desktop Wallpaper Calendar

Since I couldn't think of a good April Fool's joke, I'm sharing a new April wallpaper desktop calendar. Just click here for the larger image. Once it appears in your browser, right-click on it and "Set as Background."

Happy April!

Welcome to Recovery Week

What could feel better than entering into your final Recovery Week of P90X? Oh wait, I know . . . finishing your LAST day of P90X! And that day will be this Friday. That's right. I said this Friday. I have to admit, it's not quite as thrilling as it was last year, but none the less I am looking forward to it. My husband is insisting that we should continue the workouts as if we never finished. This is the same guy that I had to beg and plead with last year to give this 'P90 thing' a try. Now I've created a monster and I can't stop him.

I really need to shift my focus over to yoga starting next weekend. This whole P90X thing has really gotten in the way of my yoga teacher training. I've done a good job with the book portion of my training, but now I'm to the point where I have to create and practice my first lesson. I have it on paper (seems the paper portion is much easier for me) and now I have to commit it to memory. My goal is to practice my own lesson plan every day next week and perform on tape by May. If all goes well, I'll have my certificate by my birthday in early July. That's the goal anyway. I need to hop to it.

My New Recovery Drink

I found my new recovery drink—POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice. I have been intrigued by the magazine ads lately, and finally decided to give it a try. Tony always mentions the importance of drinking a ‘recovery drink’ after the P90X workouts, but I never tried his. The reason is that I didn’t want to get hooked on some expensive drinks that I had to order online. I wanted something healthy that I could just buy at a grocery store. Enter POM Pomegranate Juice.

First of all, the bottles are so darn cute I almost have a hard time tossing them in the recycling bin. I’m constantly trying to come up with a craft project to re-purpose them. At first I thought the bottles were so little that I would need to drink 3 of them after a workout, making them just as expensive. But there are a couple of reasons why that is not the case. First, you only need 8 ounces of this wonder juice to reap the healthy benefits of it. And secondly, I discovered that mixing the juice with my favorite pomegranate-seltzer is a real treat. I compare drinking the straight juice to a glass of Merlot; strong and bold. But mixing it with seltzer gives it a lighter and yummy twist. Perfect for an after workout guzzle.

And speaking of red wine, tests found that ounce for ounce, pomegranate juice has 17% more polyphenol antioxidants than red wine. With incredibly high levels of very potent, naturally occurring polyphenol antioxidants, POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice is truly the antioxidant superpower. And I don’t know about you, but guzzling red wine really puts a damper on the rest of the day.

Scientists believe that antioxidants may help protect the body from free radical damage. It makes sense that exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables including antioxidant-rich POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice may help you stay young. It’s cheaper and more pleasant than Botox so I’m willing to give it a try.

Urban Zen Foundation

The Well-Being Initiative of the Urban Zen Foundation is committed to changing the current healthcare paradigm to include integrative therapies and promote patient advocacy. Their vision is a healthcare system where the patient is treated, not just the disease… a system where eastern healing techniques, yoga therapy, aromatherapy, and nutrition are used in combination with western medicine in a holistic approach to patient care.

As part of the Well-Being Initiative, the Urban Zen Foundation has launched two new programs in 2009 featuring instruction by Rodney Yee:

The Urban Zen Yoga Teacher Training Program is an in-depth 200-hour yoga teacher training program that can be completed on its own or taken as a suggested pre-requisite for the Urban Zen Integrative Therapist program. This program begins March 13, 2009, in New York City, and will run through September 2009, one weekend a month, with a break in July.

The Urban Zen Integrative Therapist (UZIT) Program is a 500-hour advanced program focused on integrating multiple therapies into patient care. The current year-long program started in NYC in January 2009 and the next training will start in January 2010.

For more information visit www.urbanzen.org

One Step Closer

• 50 question written test -- DONE
• 3 page essay on yoga and health -- DONE
• 1 hour lesson plan for my first yoga class -- not even close

I have to admit, I'm completely intimidated with building my first lesson plan. This is the class that I will need to lead in order to achieve my certification. It needs to be perfect. It needs to address all the different aspects of a well-rounded yoga class. It needs to take into consideration the different issues of special needs students. It needs to include only poses that I CAN DO. It needs to be an hour long. And most importantly, it needs me to be serious and on track for the duration. That will be the biggest challenge. My mind has a tendency to drift . . . . Where was I? Oh yes, worrying about how I will lead my first one hour class with the stress of a camera rolling the entire time. Yikes.

To help me prepare my class I'm reading one of the text books provided in my training kit. It's called "The Sivananda Companion to Yoga" and it is a wonderful book. I just love it. It is beautifully illustrated and well laid out. My biggest gripes with my other text books were the cheesy illustrations and the horrific pictures. But this book is simply lovely and will be an invaluable source of information as plan my lesson.

After reading a few chapters and watching a long DVD of instructor tips I thought I was ready to use my husband as a crash test dummy and lead a little yoga class at home. I did positively no planning and tried to just wing it with my newly gained knowledge fresh in my head. Well, it didn't go too good. We both ended up silly and laughing. How on earth will I pull off this taping?

Fitness is Addictive

I’m currently in the seventh week of P90X and I skipped today’s workout. I still can’t believe that I skipped it. I can’t seem to get it out of my head and I feel consumed with fret about it. I’m going to blame my husband for this one. He was trying to be the voice of reason by advising me that, given my current blinding migraine, it might be best to skip the working out. I know he’s right, but if it was up to me I’d be upstairs right now doing Legs & Back; no matter how much my head hurt. Somehow I would get through it.

What is it about a fitness program that makes me so addicted? All I can think about now is, “What do I do from here?” Should I do Legs & Back tomorrow or should I do Kenpo, which is our normal Thursday work out? The best scenario would be to skip our Friday rest day and do both workouts this week. Only problem is that my husband and I have a date planned for Friday. Is it bad that I’m sitting here wondering if he would be mad if we postponed our date so we can get our full P90 week in? Oh God, I’m sick. This addiction must stop. Why can’t I be like normal people and not give slacking a second thought?

Problem solved. I just devised a plan. I will use my lunch break tomorrow to work out my legs and then do our regularly scheduled Kenpo after work. Phew. I feel much better now. I can finally relax for the rest of the night.

Yoga Teacher Training Moving Right Along

This weekend I finished the written test which consisted of 50 questions. I think my answers totaled seven pages worth of information. So much to digest and I wonder how much of it I’ll really retain. My next step is to write a three page essay on yoga and it’s relation to health. I have decided to write about how yoga can have positive benefits to cancer patients because restorative yoga is where most of my interest lies. I don’t have any intention of going out to a yoga studio to get a part-time job leading classes. But if I could ever utilize my knowledge to help people that really could use some extra help as they battle their way through a terrible ordeal, that would be very meaningful to me.

Once this step is complete it will be time for me to devise my own one-hour class routine. This is the part that scares me the most. I know I can happily do yoga by myself for an hour and cover all of my favorite asanas. But my ‘test class’ must be in the proper order and must address every group of poses, making sure to make special modifications for special needs students. This is the part of distance learning that is the most challenging. Nothing beats have the instructors in front of you showing you the proper moves. I have some videos to watch and I’m hoping I’ll get enough out of them. But maybe I should just focus on one step at a time. It’s time to start my restorative yoga research . . .

Plyometrics Revisited

This week I tackled P90X Plyo for the first time this year. I’m following the same schedule I did last year. I start off with, and complete Phase 1, doing the “Lean” version. Then during the first or second week of Phase 2, I replace Cardio with Plyo. Something about just ‘jumping’ into Plyo right off the bat scares me. And I think this method is really working because I got through the hour without any trouble. Seems that P90X is much easier your second time around. I remember talking to a friend who was also doing P90X for the first time last season. When I commented one day that I was planning to do it all over again the following year she was shocked and amazed. She told me that at the end of her 90 days she was planning to drive over all the DVDs with her car and never wanted to see them again. LOL.

I’m not sure if it’s because I know what to expect, or my body is still stronger from last year, but I haven’t had one day of dreading my workout or feeling as though it was too hard–and I’m a year older now! Is it possible that the conditioning I got last year is still paying off? That would be amazing, but it just may be.

Some random observations after starting Phase 2 include:

• My flexibility has improved. My down dogs are near perfect and I feel very strong in the position. I can also reach the floor on all the stretching moves.
• I finally figured out the real way to do the Drya rolls. Suddenly it just clicked and I found myself flying up without having to push with my hands. That felt great.
• My steam engines improved greatly. My knees are now flying up much higher and much easier than they were at the beginning of Phase 1.
• Unfortunately I’m not as strong with the push-ups or pull-ups as I was last year because I have not been supplementing with weight lifting sessions outside of P90X. This time whatever strength I build, I’m building solely from P90.

Win a Free YogaDudes T-Shirt

Although I am enjoying all my teacher training homework and all the fascinating reading, I sometimes ask myself, “Why am I doing this?” I have full-time job and a side business to run. I’m not planning to go out and actually teach yoga classes. This is just something that I feel I need to do. Sometimes the days aren’t long enough and the stress level is high. Sometimes I think I’m just crazy for taking more on my already full plate. So I’m looking for some inspiration . . .

Please answer my simple question, “Why should I become a yoga teacher?” by leaving a comment in the Comments Section below. Please be sure to include your email address in the comment. A winner will be selected on Valentines Day and notified via email.

It’s All In Your Head

Yesterday I proved this theory when I tackled P90X Yoga with a better attitude. Instead of dreading it, like I normally do, I looked forward to the challenge. I put myself into the right state of mind and what a difference it made. I completed the whole thing like a champ. I almost felt silly for complaining about it last week. It wasn’t so bad.

This just proves the power of the human mind and the theory of meeting the expectations that you set. If you expect something to be hard and grueling it typically is. If you expect a bad day, chances are you will get it. From now on I am expecting to enjoy my P90X Yoga routines.

The Real Secret

I have officially recovered from my mental setback and I thought it prudent to publish a new blog post BEFORE I attempt P90X yoga today. I had a week to fall back in love with yoga and it was easy to do from reading more of my teacher training textbooks. The book I’m reading now (and I’m sorry that I don’t have to title to share at this moment) goes over more of the science of the human body. This stuff completely fascinates me. It explains how every single thing you do requires you to exert energy. Even just a mere thought of doing something flexes your brain to send a signal to the muscles required to perform that action. It went on to explain how human emotions can waste exceeding amounts of energy. For instance, getting upset and angry makes your heart beat faster and affects the body in so many negative ways. Just minutes of anger can waste a day’s worth of energy.

The more I read about the physiological effects of yoga on the human body, the more I think that yoga is the true ‘Secret’ to human kind. How could anybody read these textbooks and not embrace yoga with both arms so tight and never let it go?

This weekend I saw a report on 60 Minutes about a new drug called Resveratrol that is supposedly going to slow down the aging process in humans. The report went on to explain the different studies, like calorie restriction, and its affect on mice. I kept finding myself saying, “That’s what the yogis do.” No Resveratrol needed and these yogis seem to have figured out the natural way to reduce the speed of the aging process. I’m sold. Of course this doesn’t mean that I won’t be first in line once they release Resveratrol! Taking that supplement AND doing yoga should keep my young forever.

A Mental Setback

I’m halfway through with my second week of P90X. I managed to squeak out last week with convincing myself that my 30 minute Rodney Yee Power Strength yoga was an acceptable substitute for the P90X yoga. Who was I kidding? Truth be told I hate the P90X Yoga and I would gladly bike 50 miles or lift weights for hours in place of it.

Today was the dreaded yoga day and I ran out of excuses for not doing the real thing. I only had time for 45 minutes of it and it kicked my butt. Not only did it drain my strength, but it drained my spirit. I hate swallowing the fact that I lost most of the strength that I spent months building last year. But even harder to swallow was the fact that 15 minutes into today’s session I was cursing yoga. I mean I think I really hated it. It was just too hard. This past weekend I read an important part of my yoga text book. It clearly stated that a good yoga program ‘should not go to the point of fatigue.’ Well, that means that I shouldn’t go past the first 10 minutes of P90X. It’s such a double-edged sword. If I lift weights and don’t feel sore the next day I’m disappointed and feel as though I didn’t work hard enough. I know that if I attempted a yoga session that didn’t hurt and pose a big challenge I wouldn’t be satisfied. Yet I long for a yoga session that I really enjoy; one that leaves me feeling refreshed and mentally renewed instead of drained and depressed.

Doing the P90X yoga is definitely not good for my dream of becoming a yoga teacher and it’s going to be hard to maintain my passion and love for yoga during the next 90 days. Maybe I should go back to my plan of substituting yoga that I actually like in place of the dreaded program. I have to keep reminding myself that yoga is about more than just the challenging poses. Maybe I should type that 100 times over to get it through my head.


Yoga is about more than just the challenging poses.
Yoga is about more than just the challenging poses.
Yoga is about more than just the challenging poses.
Yoga is about more than just the challenging poses.
Yoga is about more than just the challenging poses.

Yoga—The Fountain of Youth

I completed my first text book in my yoga teacher training and the part of what I learn that is sticking out in my mind the most is the very sad fact that at the age of 35 the human body starts to decay. DECAY. That is the exact word the text book used. My goodness that was hard to swallow. I also noticed that one of my test questions instructs me to create a yoga routine that would be suitable for somebody between the ages of 18 and 35. I didn’t realize the magic behind the number 35. I mean, who knew that you started to decay after that? How much worrying should I do now that I’m the dreaded 4-0? Yoga was supposed to train my brain to be more at ease. This is not helping!

Armed with this new knowledge that I’ve been decaying for 5 years now, I decided to take some of my free time away from reading books and put some time into getting back in shape. Enough with the books; I was ready to get physical. For the past 15 years of my life I managed to stay extremely fit and active. I’m the type of person that actually feels guilty if I don’t exercise every day. But, like most people I managed to collect a few excuses over the past few months. It all started with a rib injury that completely knocked me out of any physical activity for 4+ weeks. That was torture. From there I entered the crazy holiday season and why start working out then?

So here I am slipping into greater decay. What can I do to get into great shape and fast? I knew the answer to that question . . . P90X. I completed this awesome work out last year and I know exactly what the results can be. Now let me preface this by saying that I was already in good shape when I started this program last year. I was lifting weights 4X a week and trail running 3X a week. When I made the decision to start P90X last weekend I had a sinking feeling that I would never make it through the first video. Here I was starting after doing no working out for over 3 months. Very scary.

I completed the first video which was Core Synergistics and although it was challenging, I was able to do it all, and do it better than I did the first time last year. As a matter of fact, tonight completes my first week of P90X and I was surprised at how easy I got through it. I set my expectations for trouble with my 40 year decaying body, but I proved myself wrong. How can this be? How can I still be in good shape without the constant weight lifting and cardio? I truly believe that yoga is the key to maintaining a strong, youthful body. There is no doubt that P90X whipped me into great shape, but it was yoga that kept me there.

The Bridge Between Yoga and Excercise

I took a little break from my certification text book. I recently ran into a fellow yogi that used to own a studio near my office. I took several of her meditation classes last year and they were my first introduction to meditation. It was those classes that made me realize that I have a lot to learn on the subject. Needless to say I was thrilled to learn that this new friend, Cheryl Jones-Reardon, recently published a book entitled Mindful Exercise, A Bridge Between Yoga and Exercise. I just couldn't wait to read it and since it was relatively short and easy to read I decided to dive right in.

What’s interesting about this book is the emphasis on mindfulness which involves being in the present moment. My experience is that many yoga classes are not mindful. A lot of teachers are still stuck in the old fitness mentality where the Asanas or postures simply replace push-ups. Mindful exercise offers a workout and a “work-in” experience, which cultivates moment-to-moment awareness through the breath and movement. During Mindful exercise we practice paying attention to sensations, thoughts, and feelings. We move the body with compassion, gratitude, and honor for the capabilities of the body as they are in the present moment. Mindful Exercise presents seven spiritual practices, one for each day of the week, with illustrations of their corresponding exercise trios. A specific format for this twenty-minute practice is also presented, and an audio CD is enclosed that guides you through each meditation or movement experience. Cheryl’s book/CD is the perfect tool for beginners and for seasoned yoga teachers who wish to bring greater awareness to their teaching. Mindful Exercise sells for $20.95 and you can order this book/CD at www.themindfulpath.com.

The Beginning of My Yoga Teacher Training

I’m in the process of reading my first text book. It’s called The Complete Yoga Book by James Hewitt. Upon first glance and a quick thumb through I thought it would bore me to tears. It’s mostly all text with some very cheesy illustrations sprinkled throughout. At the rate I normally read books (extremely slowly) I thought it would take me a year to get through this first book. I just couldn’t stop thinking that I’ll never learn yoga through a black and white, mostly just words and no pictures text book. But I reluctantly stuck my nose in the book and got busy.

Here I am two weeks later loving the darn book. I’m on page 266—probably more pages than I ever read in a two week stretch— and I’m completely fascinated. I have been doing yoga as nothing more than an exercise for over 7 years. I like the challenge of the physical exertion and just about all I know of yoga is the different poses. I was very naive to think that teacher training was all about memorizing the different postures. There is so much more to yoga and I’m so excited to dive in and soak it all up.

My text book is divided into three sections and it only took me three minutes to figure out that this is what yoga is really about: Beathing, Posture, and Meditation. I have a pretty good grip on the postures part, but I really know nothing about the breathing and the meditation. I still have a hard time believing that I could read nearly a hundred pages about something as simple as breathing and be fascinated by it all. Non-yogis probably think we are all nuts. After all, what can be so complicated about the simple act of breathing? They have no idea . . .

One of the most interesting parts of this first part of the book was the exploration of the extraordinary feats that very experienced yogis can perform. Now, when I say “experienced yogis” I mean Buddhist monks that dedicate their lives to meditation. But still, the fact that humans can put their bodies into such a relaxed state that they can be buried alive for several hours, or even days, is positively amazing. It proves that the power of any human being’s mind is limitless.

Another extraordinary feat that particularly interested me is Tumo, engendering body heat at will. By combining advanced breath control, concentration, and imagination naked or skimpily-clad yogis can sit immobile and meditate for hours on exposed mountain tops in sub-zero temperatures. I can barely stand to be more than 6 feet away from our wood stove in CT without complaining that I’m freezing. Some good breath control and meditation can do me a world of good.

I’m now in the middle of reading about all the different postures. This is probably my least favorite part of the book. As a graphic designer, I’m a very visual person and I’m having a hard time reading every little nuance of each pose. I would much rather WATCH it than read about it, but none-the-less I’m very much enjoying stage one of my remote yoga teacher training.

Chasing a Dream

After years of thinking about it and wishing for it . . . and a couple more years of procrastination and finding all the reasons why I shouldn’t pursue my dream, I finally decided to just go for it and start my training to become a certified yoga instructor. I am both excited and scared. I do worry that all the reasons I conjured up for not going through with it are still valid. There are some poses that I’ll never be able to achieve. I still have old injuries and funny body parts that will not cooperate in some poses. I am also a little old for a new career adventure. But regardless of all these things I still want to pursue it. Even if I never get out there and teach a real class, at a real studio, it means a lot to me to have the training. Yoga has always fascinated me and my desire to learn more is getting overwhelming.

Due to my current schedule of having way more things to do than time to do it, coupled with the fact that I live in the middle of nowhere, I decided to try a ‘distance learning’ course. This won’t be the first study-at-home certification course I’ve taken. A few years ago I became a certified ‘interior redesigner’ and I was very impressed with the course. I learned a lot and enjoyed every minute of it. I knew I wasn’t going to switch careers, but instead I gained a lot of valuable knowledge that I feel enriched my life. I’m taking the same approach to this yoga training. Although I don’t feel that a study-at-home program is the optimal way to achieve training certification, it will certainly teach me a whole lot more than I currently know about yoga.

My course package arrived just before Christmas and so far I’ve read 90 pages of the text book. My head is already bursting from everything that I learned. It is amazing how much more to yoga there is than what meets the untrained eye. Up to this point I’ve spent the past 7 years just exercising my muscles without really understanding the benefits of the postures and movements. My brain is hungry and eager to learn more and more. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to start my journey, but I sure am glad I’m on my way.

Chakra Balancing Yoga

I find it a little eerie how I never took any interest in chakras before this month and then I all of a sudden felt compelled to buy that Chakra Healing book I wrote about in the previous post. I swear the book found me in the book store. I wasn’t even looking for a book for myself. I just happened to pick the book up and I knew I had to have it. Then, only a couple of weeks later, I was sent a brand new DVD to review — Chakra Balancing Yoga by Sharon Gannon. Do you believe in coincidences? Or do you believe that there are no coincidences? Either way, I’m thrilled to be introduced to chakras. I’m completely fascinated by what I’ve learned so far.

I tried this DVD out today and it was a very interesting experience. I picked the perfect day for it. I was home alone and stayed in the coziest fleece that I own. I didn’t bother with hairspray and make-up and just wanted to be comfortable all day. It was the perfect setting for my first chakra balancing experience.

The video focuses on how to open the seven energy centers of the body to achieve physical and emotional balance. The goal of the exercise is to find new energy, relieve stress, feel more whole within, and more united with the world around you.

This was definitely a gentle and slow yoga routine, focused more on the mind than the body. The video guides you through poses, affirmations, and chants that open and balance the chakras. The 55 minute video is broken up into different segments — one for each of the seven chakras. You can go directly to any particular chakra that you feel needs awakening, or simply go through the entire series for a total chakra balancing. I completed the entire video in one sitting for the complete experience. I have to say, I was happy that I was alone in the house because at first I felt a little silly with the chanting. Every pose involves chanting of the mantra associated with the particular chakra. Once I got over the uneasiness with the chanting and just let myself go with it, it was exciting. Unlike all other yoga routines that I’ve done at home, this one did not allow my mind to wander away from what I was doing. I found that the chanting made holding the poses much easier. Instead of thinking, “How much longer?” I was focused on the chant which makes the time pass quickly.

The video asks you to think back to your past and pinpoint different people or circumstances that may need healing. I love how it explains how events in your past have a direct affect on your life today. The video forces you to focus and reflect with the affirmations and chants. I have never been able to stay focused on just yoga during any yoga routine in my life. This was the most focused my mind has ever been. As far as my chakras being balanced, I guess I need to learn a little more about them to be able to tell. I am very excited to have discovered this and will continue to do everything I can to unblock and awaken my chakras.

Learn more about the new DVD and watch a sample here.

The Chakras Personality Test

I recently bought a fascinating book called “A Handbook of Chakra Healing.” I’m learning all about the seven chakras, their meanings, and how to awaken each of them. The book included a great little Chakra personality test to see which of your chakras may be blocked and what areas you are more developed in. I loved it and want to share. Hopefully I won’t get arrested for copyright infringement.

Click on the images to bring up bigger versions that you can print out and read. The first graphic above includes the test — 28 yes/no questions.

Once you complete the questions, you should try to replicate the image in the second graphic, by drawing circles and coloring each corresponding number with a colored pencil (as shown in the second graphic) for every yes on your test. My sample graphic shows my completed chakra test so you will have to start from scratch to make your own.

The third graphic shows examples of different chakra personality portraits. What areas are you strong in? What areas are blocked? Check out the book for more info on unblocking your chakras.

More 10 Minute Trainer Observations

I dusted off my 10 Minute Trainer DVDs this weekend and decided it was time to get moving. A recent injury has kept me completely unable to do any form of exercise for the past three weeks and it’s been Hell. I thought that 10 Minute Trainer would be a good way to jump back into an exercise routine.

Yesterday I started with my favorite of the 10 Minute Trainer videos — Cardio. That name is so deceiving because it leads you to believe that it’s only going to give your heart a work out. I think they should rename the video to Buttinator because, just as I suspected, my butt is killing me today. Since I woke up with sore muscles I choose the Yoga video for today’s workout. During those incredibly blissful and fast 10 minutes it occurred to me how the yoga video is the easiest and most pleasant of the five different 10 Minute Trainer videos. How ironic considering that the Yoga video is the longest, hardest, and most dreadful of the P90X videos. Doing this video makes me remember all the reasons why I love yoga. P90X had me seriously doubting my affection for yoga. In fact, I think I almost started to hate it. Yikes, I can’t believe I just admitted that. It’s all Tony’s fault. But I’m back to loving yoga again so all is well.

One of my random observations after watching these two videos leads me to wonder what the heck Tony Horton did to himself between P90X and 10 Minute Trainer. I remember enjoying not only his great personality, but his handsome good looks during the P90X videos. Now I almost can’t bare the sight of him. He looks completely fake and plastic. WHY on earth would he do that to himself? I personally think that it’s even more impressive to be in great shape if you’re honest about your age. It’s easy for 25 year olds to look ripped, but how many folks in their mid 40s or above do? Turning 40 is what motivated me to do P90X in the first place and now that I’m a P90X grad, and a 40 year old woman, I am coming to terms with the fact that my age is showing. Looking in the mirror is getting harder and harder, but at the same time I’m growing more and more proud of the fact that, for the most part (and from a distance), I still look the same as I did when I was 25.

So here is the picture that I intended to post from the day I started P90X. This is me 3 weeks after my 40th birthday and 2 months after completing P90X. And my husband who is 53.

Free Wallpaper

I featured this quote in the November YogaDudes digital newsletter and what great timing that I found a free desktop wallpaper with the same quote and a nice November calendar on it. Please use the following link to download the full size version. Once the full size version appears in your browser, right-click and choose "Set as Background."

Click here to get the free download.

Free Upcoming Yoga/Meditation Retreat in CT

Debbie Bennett, a CYI from Virginia, will be in Eastern CT for a few days and is hosting a free yoga retreat. Her retreats focus more on the esoteric side of yoga practice, importance of ahimsa or nonviolence (including vegetarian diet), meditation, yamas and niyamas. She has brought it to the level of the everyday practitioner and the retreats are very powerful for transforming our life intent. Her retreats are always free, sponsored by Science of Spirituality as a community service. The event will take place on Saturday, November 8th, from 10 am - 3 pm at:

First Church Fellowship Room549
Storrs Road, Mansfield Center, CT (at intersection of Routes 89 & 195

To Register call 860 487-3597

Doga - Yoga For Dogs

Have you ever heard of Doga - Yoga For Dogs? When I saw an ad in my local newspaper for this last month I just had to check it out. Was it a joke or was the studio really holding a yoga class . . . for dogs?

Well, it was a real yoga class for dogs. Now you may have to stretch your imagination a bit and use the term "yoga class" a bit loosely. But there was a real yoga instructor and a handful of people with their dogs and their mats. I knew this was going to be a challenge for me because my greyhound (Peanut) doesn't know how to 'sit' and is not very fond of obeying commands – unless the command is 'lay there and don't move.'

It was quite an interesting hour. Not sure either of us got much out of it, but it was certainly entertaining. Here's the class in a nutshell - a Peanut shell . . .

First we needed to make eye contact, which is not an easy task with a aloof greyhound, but Peanut did her best.

Here she is showing off a brand new trick that she didn't know she could do.

Here she appears much more interested in Daddy and the camera than in yoga.

Looks like I'm the only one doing any yoga here. Peanut is just relaxing.

She's just not getting it. This is supposed to be 'updog.' Not 'lay-there dog.'

Wait, she's catching on. That almost looks like a 'down dog.' I'm so proud!

And then she figured out where the treats were coming from and it was all over!

A Tough Week

I started off this week with my first trip to the gym in months. I can really only bare to be working out indoors when the weather is too cold be outside and I haven't lifted since completing P90X. For some reason I assumed completing the P90X program would keep me in tip top shape for a year. Boy was I wrong. I lifted on Monday and Tuesday with my insane husband trainer. It was hard and I felt weak. I hated it.

On Monday we concentrated on chest and I didn't find it too bad. I was sore the next day, but it was a good sore. I like it when I know that I did something the day before. I went back to the gym on Tuesday for more punishment. This time we did nothing but biceps. On Wednesday I was very sore, or at least I thought I was very sore. I had no idea how much the soreness would intensify as the days went on. I thought Wednesday was bad, but Thursday was much worse. I had a hard time just getting through the normal course of the day. Lifting my arms past shoulder level was simply impossible and there wasn’t a square inch of my back that didn’t kill if touched in any way.

I actually starting to have feelings of, “I’m getting to old for this nonsense? Why do I do this to myself? I think I should retire from torturing my body.” I was getting comfortable with giving up on the idea of killing myself to stay in great shape. Life would be so much easier if I just let go of this impossible ideal. And this blissful thought lasted for at least 14 hours.

Then last night I went to line dancing class. I talked to a new friend and got the report on how she did in her very first triathlon. She really inspired me and I made a comment like, “You go girl. I wish I could do it.” That led to her saying, “Hey, maybe next year we can do it together as a team.” My eyes immediately widened and twinkled. I jumped up and shook her hand, “You’re on. Let’s start training in the Spring.” I went home so excited I couldn’t sleep.

Shiva Rea – Flow Yoga For Beginners Review

I recently tried another Shiva Rea yoga DVD. This one was Flow Yoga for Beginners. It is so interesting to explore different styles of yoga. I have been limiting myself to the same style of hard-core, sweat-and-tear-inducing yoga for the past 7 years. This ‘flow’ style of gentle yoga is really a breath of fresh air.

This particular DVD is broken up into 5 sections:

• Foundation flow
• Backbend flow
• Relaxing and flexibility flow
• Standing pose flow
• Shavasana

Don’t hold me to the exact titles, but those are the basic sections. The best part is that you can use the menu on the DVD to go directly to the one you want (if you didn’t want to do the entire 70 minutes in one sitting). This is a big plus for me as I’m usually pressed for time and often in the mood for particular movements over others.

This morning I practiced with the entire video. The Foundation series got off to a slow start. It was mostly just breathing exercises and gentle movements. I think the term “meditation in motion” is a good description. Beginners will get an excellent overview of the different terms and positions from this segment as it’s a great foundation for the rest of the video. For me, this was a challenge because it struggled to hold my interest. Luckily each segment got better and better. Read on.

The Backbend segment got a little more interesting. New movements were introduced and each one flowed nicely into the other. I just love this concept of ‘flowing’ movements. It really makes the poses more interesting and easier to do. Staying in any position for more than a few seconds is not only very challenging, but slightly boring. Shiva almost always has you moving some part of your body. For instance, in a seated twist position you will stretch one arm up over your head with each inhale and bring it back down with each exhale. You will be amazed how much this adds to an otherwise boring pose. Great concept!

The Relaxing flow segment is all done on your back. The name implied relaxation and I settled in and wondered if I would fall asleep on my back. But that didn’t last very long. I went from gentle, easy moves to other challenging stretches that had my legs shaking. It kept me awake for sure and was a good combination of relaxation and work.

The Standing pose flow was my favorite. I guess this is where I have the most experience and feel the most at home. And once again, the same poses that I’m used to were presented in a slightly different ‘flowing’ way that made them easier and more fun.

The Shavasana section . . . well, I never experienced a Shavasana that I didn’t like! Who doesn’t love Shavasana?

I would recommend this video to anybody interested in starting yoga for the first time, as well as for more serious athletes that might want to practice these sessions after other work-outs. These segments offer the perfect ending stretch.

Introducing Yoga Chick Tees by YogaDudes

Quite possibly the cutest of all the YogaDudes t-shirts, this one features three hand-drawn chicks in yoga positions. These 100% combed, ringspun cotton tees offer a classic fitting with feminine styling and cute short sleeves. The shirts have contoured side seams that flatter the figure and are made of super soft baby jersey knit. These shirts are available in both teal and white. They cost $19.99 and are available now in our shop.

New Shiva Rea Creative Core + Lower Body DVD Review

I just got my hands on the brand new Shiva Rea Creative Core DVD. I was pleased with the video length. At just 24 minutes I will have no problem adding this to my busy schedule. I really seem to struggle with videos that last over an hour and are not broken into segments that allow me to choose which chapter I want to view. This Core workout is perfect for my short attention span. And better still, it’s broken up into 3 separate parts so that also makes the time feel shorter.

This was my first experience with a Shiva Rea routine. At first I struggled with her style, but it didn’t take me long to realize that this is exactly what I need. Let me explain . . . I have been doing yoga for approximately 7 years and with every single routine I am hell bent on getting my pose ‘just right.’ I spent more time twisting my neck to look at either the instructor or the TV and worrying about if I’m doing it exactly right than I do enjoying the sensation of the pose. I am used to slow, methodical, and precise. Well, Shiva style is very flowing and free. This was a big shock to me and at first I was lost and frustrated. However, it was also the first time that I just let go, let loose, and didn’t worry so much that I was doing exactly what she was doing. In fact, she encourages you to do your own thing. Wow, what a concept.

Each segment was short yet powerful. They engaged both the lower body (thighs) and the core. Actually your arms get a bit of a work-out too. Every motion flows right into the other and my favorite was the rocking bridge. This concept of quick motion in yoga is really new to me and quite frankly, fun! Shiva gives beginners alternates for some of the moves that are more challenging. There is one balancing move that I couldn’t do, but now I have a goal. I have many yoga DVDs that I dread having to do (the P90X yoga tops that list), but this one will always be a pleasure.

Are My Limbs Too Long For Yoga?

During my yoga routine this morning I couldn't help but wonder if my limbs are simply too long to achieve some proper poses. For instance, I can not sit in staff pose without having bent elbows or raised shoulders. It just doesn't work. When I force my shoulders down and my elbows straight I end up with my butt in the air! If my arms are longer than my torso I just don't see how this pose can work properly for me.

Now you would think those long arms would help when I have to grab my big toe and stretch my leg. The longer the arms the easier the stretch, right? Well, that would work if my legs weren't even longer. So if the leg is freakishly long compared to the arm where does that leave you, besides with a bent knee. Sigh. I have come to the conclusion that some body types are perfectly proportioned for yoga while others are not. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm perfectly proportioned to do. Yoga and buying clothing are certainly not it.

10 Minute Trainer Abs

Am I the only P90X grad that hates the 10 Minute Trainer Abs video? I would take Ab Ripper X over this thing any day. Why am I finding it so dreadful? What is wrong with me? Please tell me I'm not alone here. I am a huge fan of all the other videos, but this one will take some time to grow on me. In fact, I'm not quite sure I'll continue it. I may just slip Ab Ripper X in its spot. After all, Ab Ripper is only 5 minutes longer, but yet it strangely feels shorter. Go figure.