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THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IN YOGA POSES

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1 Boskykloof Road Hout Bay Cape Town
cell 072 290 9203
catherine@ wellnessconnection.co.za

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am so impressed with this incredible group of Yoga

am so impressed with this incredible group of Yoga Teacher Trainees. They are so open to exploring applied anatomical science and the many variations of the movements we find in Yoga.

I like to tell the @wellnessconnectionyoga Teacher trainees that by week 3 they know more about applied movement science than most Yoga teacher training courses out there. Not sure if its a 100% true but close.

On the course today we explore how to look at arm balance poses in terms of variation, flexibility, strength and skill requirements - AND then look at their own bodies to work out what work they may need to do if they wish to do the pose.

Some Firefly options than can help different bodies:
1. Bolster Firefly. Lots of people find the sitting back bit of Firefly quite challenging. The bolster against the wall supports you well.
2. Strapped Firefly. Literally strap your upper body to your legs
3. Block Firefly. This is great to give those people with long legs more space to lift their legs up. Also great for wrists that are shouting a bit.
4. Spider Firefly. Yes I know it looks weird but I love it. It works well for people whose hamstrings aren’t so flexible. The bent arms give you more ‘shelf/‘ to place your legs and you can have your legs wider apart which can help too.
5. Chair Firefly. Great for those who haven’t quite worked out the push needed by the arms.
6. Straddle L sit Firefly: You have to be fairly strong to do this version - great for people who don’t have so much hamstring flexibility.
7. Cushion Firefly. Similar to the wall bolster. Great for that sit back fear
8. Firefly Stretch. Playing with the flexibility of firefly

Be as STRONG as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪
#fireflyyogapose
#fireflypose
#crowpose

Spice up Shoulderstand. Shoulderstand is probably

Spice up Shoulderstand.
Shoulderstand is probably the most common inversion taught in Yoga Classes today. But unlike a lot of other poses, Shoulderstand is offered pretty much the same way every time. Teachers have been incredibly creative changing the shape of traditional poses like Warrior 1, adding new poses like Skandasana, Pistol Squats and bringing circular flows around the mat.

But poor old Shoulderstand has been left out. Not that there is anything wrong with repeating the same pose over and over. But adding creative challenges to movement makes our body and brain very happy.

Some ideas to add to your practice, classes and privates.

1. Lotus to Unsupported Shoulderstand. I am using a bolster under my shoulders purely because it feels more comfortable to hang out here and play with what I can do with my legs, but directly on the floor is good too. Try Lotus or simple Crossed legs. Hold your knees with straight arms. Then add some core work by releasing one arm then the other
2. Floating Bridge to Shoulderstand. Block under your sacrum in Bridge, floating Bridge, up to Shoulderstand. This feels so expansive in my chest.
3. Chair Shoulderstand to Butterfly to Long Bridge. Yes the chair is awkward for a class but brilliant for privates and leg play
4. One armed Twisted Shoulderstand. This is a tough one. Flat hand on sacrum - just the one hand, lower straight legs out to the side
5. Core roll up to Shoulderstand. This is surprising tough for a lot of people - it looks really easy but to roll up slowly takes control
6. Unsupported Shoulderstand. So hard and huge fun. When we teach this most people have to roll out.
7. Relaxed Shoulderstand. Really chilled position this one.

Be as STRONG as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪

#shoulderstand
#shoulderstandvariation
#shoulderstandpose

Yoga Teachers often feel concerned about teaching

Yoga Teachers often feel concerned about teaching Headstand. In our Yoga Teacher trainings the concern I hear the most is that people’s necks aren’t strong enough and the teacher is worried people will get hurt.

But we can get creative! And build up some arm/shoulder strength and skill first before moving to Headstand if we choose to do that. There are so many other Headstand versions that are huge fun and give us the sensation of being upside down in a similar way to Headstand. We get to play with balance, kick up skill and push down action.

Some of these ideas are better for individual clients, or small groups. And of course, most will need the wall for a sense of security.

1. Chair Float Headstand. 2 chairs on a sticky mat against the wall. Shoulders lie on chairs, grip chair edge with your hands and push down to float that last leg up.
2. Block Straddle Sweep Headstand (Head is off the floor). Forearms as for Headstand 1, look up if you need to, to get your head off the floor. Feet on blocks, sweep them out to the side
3. Bolster forearm stand. Forearms as in Headstand 1. Need a bit of momentum for kick up here.
4. Cushiony Headstand. This one I use a lot for Tripod Headstand, my head is on the floor but it feels more comfortable and I concentrate on pushing hard with my hands into the floor.
5. Block tuck Headstand. Forearms as for Headstand 1. Head is off the floor.
6. Normal Forearms Headstand with Head off the floor - like in Pincha Mayurasana.

Be as STRONG as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪

Tips for 8 Angle Pose (Astavakrasana). The Sw

Tips for 8 Angle Pose (Astavakrasana).

The Swing:the momentum needed to get into 8 Angle Pose. If you don’t swing it makes it way harder.
1.     Cushion Castle for Scary Swing help: Cross ankles, LEAN BACK, SWING FORWARD AND PUSH DOWN. Lie the side of your face on the comfy cushions. It’s nice 😍
2.   Crossed Leg Swings to Boat Pose. Cross ankles, PUSH DOWN, LEAN BACK into Boat pose
3.     The Cross legged 8 Angle Swing: Cross your ankles, SWING FORWARD, PUSH DOWN and back.
4.     The Straight leg 8 Angle Swing - Compass L-sit then cross ankles and SWING.

The Stretches: Little warm ups that are fun and may help you to feel more flexy taking your leg behind your shoulder.
1.     Telephone Ear Cradle 4 stretch: love this one 😂😍. Round your spine to get your foot to your ear.
2.     Shiva pose stretch: aim for the thigh high up the arm.
3.     Compass Stretch :round your spine, turn your head & body away from your top leg.
4.     Hamstring stretch: general nice stretch. Out to the side, then to your nose.

The Lift and Leg position:
1.     Compass L sit lift: the more you round your spine (yes its fine to round your spine I promise 😂) the higher you can get your thigh up your upper arm. Once the leg is there, bend the knee and grip your upper arm. Hands in line with hips or a little forward - depends on your leg length. Lean forward and push down at the same time.

Key Tips …ROUND SPINE, POSITION LEGS, SLIGHT LEAN BACK, SWING FORWARD AND PUSH DOWN.

Be as STRONG as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪

All things Eka Pada Bakasana - one legged crow. Th

All things Eka Pada Bakasana - one legged crow. The hardest arm balance for me. I got it one day completely by surprise by entering in a very unusual way!

Surprisingly, the fancy, leg up high Eka Pada Bakasana is so much easier than the Horizontal version - it’s more of a balance where as the horizontal version requires so much arm and front body strength - its crazy hard. The angle changes the strength requirements - kind of like if we did plank with our hands on the wall compared to a forearm plank.

As we all know we need variation in our movements, to help us improve our skill, strength and our brains too. No version of Eka Pada Bakasana is right. It’s just a shape that you can challenge your body and your mind to jmake in lots of different ways.

1. EPB from standing. Bend leg, and place your upper arm on your shins. Knee out to the side. And allow the movement down into the pose to be fairly fluid ie don’t stop, let the slow momentum help you. Lean forward, look forward.
2. Chair EPB: hold here to get the feel of the Balance version of EPB or let your leg float up slowly
3. Wall EPB on blocks (or the floor). Great front body and arms strength builder. Draw your knee to your elbow and if you can bend your arms slightly
4. Headstand EPB: nice way to feel where your legs go without strength involved.
5. Horizontal EPB: Start in Crow, knees out slightly to the side, one knee off (push hard hard hard into the floor) then leg back if you can.
6. Balance version of EPB: Arm & Knee placement is crucial (see last video). Squeeze elbows together. Dhristhi - look forward, lean forward….and your leg may float up
7. Block Balance version: gives a little lift to the back leg
8. Where to put stuff for the Balance version of EPB. For me I need to have my knee bent so its rounded, place my knee on the flattish bit above my bent elbow - flatter surfaces and less sore (albeit a bit precarious)

Be as STRONG as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. In all variations💪

#ekapadabakasanatips
#ekapadabakasana
#onelegcrow

Bad down dog, Good down dog….. Yoga Teachers ar

Bad down dog, Good down dog…..

Yoga Teachers are very picky when it comes to how your Downward dog should look. Yoga Teachers often think that certain Downward dogs are more dangerous than other Downward dogs.

Yoga Teachers will cue that hanging in the shoulders (longer range of shoulder flexion) in Downward dog is dangerous for your shoulders and spine.

But this is simply not how our amazing anatomy works. All variations of Downward dog are fine. Your Downward dog can be short, long, backbendy, bent knees, on a chair, on the floor….

The shapes we make in yoga are dictated by a wide range of motion in joints like our hips, spine and our shoulders. Our joints naturally have a shorter range and a longer range - its how we move in life.

What does determine what we can do movement wise in a healthy way is how much load we can take in ANY range.

We can be strong at ALL ranges. Ask @rangeofstrength

Progressive Downward dog loading - in short AND long ranges. From harder to easier.

1. Handstand Shoulder flexion changes: Handstand to Shorter range and Longer range. Adding some spinal extension (backbend) - backbendy down dog.
2. 1/2 Handstand Shoulder flexion: Longer to Shorter range. Reducing spinal extension - like a bent knee down dog.
3. Downward dog shoulder pushes: Different ranges of shoulder flexion down dogs
4. Short to Long down dog: Lots of hamstring flexibility to less hamstring flexibility requirements.
5. Wall Downward dog: More shoulder flexion and backbend to less
6. Core Downward dog: Long to short - short requires more hamstring flexibility
7. Simple shoulder range movements: Plank to Short Down dog to Longer Down dog.

Be as STRONG as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. At ALL RANGES💪
#downwarddog
#downwardfacingdog
#handstandsforeveryone

Handstands. The wall as a Yoga prop. Building stre

Handstands. The wall as a Yoga prop. Building strength in my arms - all my favourite things.

Balancing in handstand requires good straight arm strength - shoulders, triceps, forearms and hands.

But it’s a bit chicken or egg. In order to balance we need that arm strength but we can’t balance so we can’t get the arm strength that way.

So here are some fun ways to build up your arm strength one arm at a time.

Straight arm strength will make downward dog and side plank (Vasisthasana) feel more comfortable, and help with straight arm balances as well as handstand.

And it’s fun.

Exercises from hard to easier: choose where you are and work progressively
1. Handstand tummy taps - start by leaning without lifting your hand, then to cupped hand, then to tummy taps.
2. Wall Vasisthasana - an oldie but goodie. Progress from side plank to full Vasisthasana
3. Downward dog one arm with weights - these are actually really hard! Hello triceps!
4. Wall Warrior 2. If both feet up on the wall is too hard place your bottom foot on the floor.
5. Chair Move stuff from side to side - weight or a tennis ball.
6. Downdog Alternating Ankle taps - stolen from the amazing @strengthforyoga program. Love these, thank you!
7. Supported side plank on the wall. Foot is pressed agains the wall. Progress from staying in side plank, to tree leg, to full Vasishtasana leg.

Be as STRONG as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪.
#sideplankpose
#handstandsforeveryone
#handstandsforbeginners

Spilts is often taught with an emphasis on stretch

Spilts is often taught with an emphasis on stretching passively - you know the lying down with the strap hamstring stretch, pyramid holds and half spilts type movements.

I am not a big fan of passive stretching - not because its ‘bad’ for you but because it offers only that - passive stretching.

I am a huge fan of using load to increase my flexibility. Our hamstrings work at different ranges - when we fold into Uttanasana they are working eccentrically - towards long range to stop us face smashing. And concentrically - when we come up from Uttanasana. We can add load - weight or body weight to many yoga movements.

By working like this (if we load enough) we get to stretch AND strengthen our muscles and connective tissue at the same time (yes its possible to do both I promise).

For splits we need good flexibility in our hamstrings and quads.

Some ideas for you to try: If any of these drills are easy for you then simply add weight to make them harder. None are easy for me 🤣

1. Standing splits slides. I got this movement from @kat_beyondthebody - see my stories to see how strong and flexible @kat_beyondthebody is at doing this movement (and so many others too). I am still learning and need to use my hand on the wall to control the slide. Quads and hamstrings working very hard.
2. Hero Pose lean backs: Really hard quad work here. Burning!
3. Wall handstand toe taps. Quad stretching with some load (lots of good arm and core work as an added benefit)
4. Slide Bolster splits: both quads and hamstrings working more in the concentric (the coming up)
5. Hamstring wall holds: Hamstrings really working hard to come up here. Got this challenging idea from @jenni_rawlings - really fun to try.
6. Pyramid deadlifts: Hamstrings - no need to say more.
7. Camel lean backs: similar to Hero pose but with toes tucked. Quads quads quads on fire!

Be as STRONG and FLEXIBLE as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪

#yogasplits
#yogastrong
#yogastretch

Many of you have heard me complain, many times, ab

Many of you have heard me complain, many times, about the cue ‘if you can take Crow do so, everyone else just stay here and breathe’.

That it isn’t helpful. It isn’t encouraging. It makes people feel bad and useless, that they are incapable, when in fact it is the job of the teacher to help them to ‘learn’ how to train to do Crow Pose.

I spent the month doing the EPIC @strengthforyoga Strength program for Crow Pose and more. So many exercises, so much fun and bliss for me as a teacher to have such intelligent teachers come up with ideas for me to work on. Highly recommend the program.

All things Crow Pose:

1. Where to put your arms and legs for bent and straight arm Crow
2. @strengthforyoga Down dog push offs -short down dog, lean forward, bend your arms and push back up to standing. Then fall forward again. Great for pushing and for fear.
3. @strengthforyoga Supine hollow body rock - one knee bent elbow rock, getting some core in here
4. How to move into the pose - look forward, come up on to your toes, then lean, one foot at a time - props can help
5. @strengthforyoga Forearm plank tricep extension wall and floor - the floor was really hard for me - I could only do one arm at a time - next month!
6. @strengthforyoga Push up variations- planche, bent knees, plank - elbows in for tricep strength work
7. @strengthforyoga Hanging leg raise - knees together, a sneaky Crow leg raise, straight legs. Nice core and hip flexor work.
8. Weight vest Crow. @jenni_rawlings and @fitness_pollenator challenged me to do Crow with a weight vest. Such fun and great way of adding load
9. @strengthforyoga Staff pose lift - sitting up and leaning forward - nice hip flexor cramps here.

Be as STRONG as you need to be for YOUR body to do the things YOU want to do. 💪
#strengthforyoga
#yogastrong
#yogastrength

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