Yes, This Is Exercise! - Adding Restorative Yoga to Your Practice

I have a handful of friends who are what I like to call, "workout nuts." (If any of them are reading this, I use the word "nut" with the utmost affection.) For them, working out is a regular part of their "To-Do" list, right up there with breathing and laundry. These same friends believe that a good workout makes you sweat like a pig and leaves your muscles crying out in agony for days to follow. They think it's "nice" that I teach yoga, and some of them have even been known to enjoy an occasional Vinyasa class, but most of them don't see the point of the "restorative stuff."

So what exactly is restorative yoga? Unlike a typical Hatha or Vinyasa class, poses are held anywhere from 3 minutes to as long as 10 minutes This can be incredibly frustrating to a person who is looking for heart-thumping exercise. But don't let the thought of your knees buckling in down dog scare you. Props are an important part of a restorative practice. Bolsters, blocks, pillows and blankets offer support for your body, allowing for more comfort and ease in the asanas, and aiding in your total relaxation.

Breath is a key component of any yoga practice, and restorative is no exception.  Focusing on your breathing can help settle your mind and allow you to enjoy a delicious respite from your daily routine.

Here is a basic restorative yoga sequence, perfect for unwinding after a long day:

Begin in a comfortable seated position. Close your eyes. Quiet your mind and begin to focus on your breathing. Hold this position for 3-5 minutes.

1, Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle)
Place the soles of your feet together and allow your knees to fall out to either side. If necessary, place a blanket or pillow under both knees for support. Position a bolster lengthwise behind your low back. Take a yoga strap around your waist and fasten underneath the arches of your feet. Lie back onto the bolster and allow your chest to open towards the ceiling. Hold for 5 minutes. 

2. Supported Balasana (Child's Pose)
Start by kneeling. With your big toes touching, position your knees slightly wider than hip distance apart. Place a bolster or stack of folded blankets between your legs. Fold your torso over your props, and rest your forehead or cheek on top. Hold for 5-10  minutes. 

3. Viparita Karani - (Legs Up the Wall)
Place a blanket up against the wall. Sit sideways on the blanket with your right hip against the wall. Lie on your back and swing your legs up along the wall. Release your arms to your sides with your palms facing up. Hold for 5-10 minutes.

4. Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Lie on your back. Extend your legs long, letting your feet fall out to either side. Rest your arms at your sides with your palms facing up. Close your eyes. Focus on your breath, and allow your entire body to sink into your mat. Hold for 5-10 minutes.

Restorative yoga can be a gratifying addition to your current yoga practice and overall fitness routine. And while you won't leave class in a ball of sweat, increased flexibility, stress relief and a calm, focused mind are just a few of the benefits of a restorative practice. So grab your mat, light some candles and enjoy. Don't worry, all of your problems will be waiting for you when you're done!

Namaste

Who's Got The Props?

Props are often the ugly step children of yoga classes. Students tend to avoid them, believing that they are only intended for beginners' use. But nothing could be further from the truth. Props can enhance your yoga practice regardless of your level of experience. They can help students avoid injury, maintain proper alignment and allow them to hold poses for a longer period of time, and therefore reap some of the therapeutic benefits of their asanas.  So don't be shy, grab that block, blanket or strap. You never know where it may take you!

Some props that can be used in your practice include:

Blocks - Yoga blocks can be found in a variety of colors and materials (wood, cork or foam). They come in handy when trying to maintain alignment in postures that require you to reach for the floor (including Extended Side Angle and Half Moon). Blocks can also be placed under hips to keep them level in various seated and supine postures.
Yoga Mommy Tip - When starting to work with arm balances such as Bakasana (Crow Pose), use a block under your feet, until you are comfortable supporting the weight of your body on your hands.

Straps - If you think only people with Gumby arms can pull off arm binds, the yoga strap can be your best friend, adding a little artificial length to your arms until you gain more flexibility. Generally found in cotton and nylon varieties, straps can also help to deepen your stretch in backward bends and forward folds.

The Wall - This is the one prop you're almost certain to have access to regardless of where you practice (indoors, that is), The wall can be used for support as you are finding your balance in postures such as Vrksasana (Tree) and Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III). It's also a great way to find integrity in hip opening postures such as Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle) and Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II). If you are properly aligned, both shoulders will make contact with the wall as you are open in the pose. You may be surprised at the small adjustments you may have to make to execute the pose properly. The wall does not lie!

Don't Skimp On Savasana

These days, we have very few excuses to do nothing. With computers and smart phones, we're expected to tune-in, be available and stay connected with the rest of the world at all times. Our packed schedules force us to account for every minute of the day, so it's no wonder that many people find it difficult to justify making time to lie still and do absolutely nothing - even if it is part of their yoga practice. 

I can't tell you how many times I've been in classes where students have walked out before Savasana (corpse pose) begins or somewhere in the middle. I've even been guilty of stopping a DVD during final relaxation in order to make sure dinner is on the table in time.  

While it may look like you're doing nothing, Savasana is one of the most important parts of your asana practice. The pose allows you to focus on your breath and truly bring your awareness inward. This is a great time to check in with the various parts of your body, and notice how things feel after all of the bending, stretching and twisting. It can be difficult to notice these sensations when you're busy doing other things. Lying in this restorative posture is also a wonderful stress reliever that can help with symptoms of mild depression, headache and fatigue. 

So do yourself a favor and stick around for final relaxation. You will be amazed by how much you can get out of even just a few minutes of allowing your body and breath to settle at the end of your practice. 

Yoga Mommy Tip: Try to include 5 minutes of Savasana for every 30 minutes of practice. If you feel any discomfort in your lower back, place a rolled mat or blanket under your knees. 

When you are ready to come out of the pose, roll over to your right side and press up slowly to a comfortable sitting position with your left hand. Your head should come up last. 

Head Over Heels

I was first drawn to yoga by the beauty of the asanas. The way each pose showed off the natural lines and curves of the human body always kept me coming back for more. I loved the graceful arms that completed a Tree Pose and the strong legs needed to maintain a perfect Warrior II. But there was one pose in particular that I was determined to master – the headstand. As a beginner, the idea of being able to rest comfortably on my head was fascinating.

I was convinced that mastering this pose would put me among the more experienced yoga students in my classes who thought nothing of plopping their mats down in the front of the room, and set my sights on tackling Sirsasana. I hung out in the back of the class, struggling to set up a firm base that would allow me to bring my legs into the air with ease, only to leave unsuccessful and frustrated. From then on, I did my best to avoid the pose at all costs, choosing instead to rest in Child’s Pose or Legs up the Wall until the rest of my classmates were finished torturing themselves.

One day, I found myself in a small class with a teacher who gave us time at the end to play with our favorite inverted poses. Determined to conquer my nemesis, I asked the teacher to guide me into a headstand. After helping me set up my base, she gave me a few quick words of encouragement, "Don't be afraid to fall." In the next moment, I was surprised to find my legs above my head. After too many unsuccessful attempts to count, I had finally found my way into the king of all asanas. Once I got over the fear of falling on my face, the pose was much less intimidating, a lesson I try to apply in almost every aspect of my life now. Since that day, I've found a way to get myself up into Sirsasana every single day.

Yoga Mommy Tip – Headstand is a great pose for strengthening the core and improving circulation. In addition, inversions help to bring fresh oxygen to the face (Hello, gorgeous skin!), and can also help relieve the symptoms of mild depression. Be sure to keep the forearms pressed into your mat while in Sirsasana. This will help to create space between your shoulders and your head and neck and prevent injury.

Balancing Act

Many yoga students have a love-hate relationship with balancing postures. While they are beautiful to look at, they can be frustrating for those of us who are balance-challenged. No one wants to be the person quivering clumsily in the back of the class! But balancing postures can be an extremely valuable part of your practice, offering mental and physical benefits that will take you far beyond your mat. Maintaining balance requires strength, improves your focus and develops willpower. Successful balancing forces you to keep your awareness in the present. Without it, you’re sure to topple over! And in a world that constantly forces us to multi-task, it can be a nice treat to take some time to have a one-track mind. With practice, patience and a sense of humor, you’ll be balancing like a pro before you know it.

Here are a few of my favorite balancing postures:

1. Tree Pose (Vrksasana) – If you don’t have balancing poses in your practice, this is a great one to start with. In addition to opening the hips, thighs and chest, holding Vrksasana for several breaths can have an extremely calming effect on the mind. Yoga Mommy Tip – Rooting down into your standing leg will give you more stability in the pose. If you’re feeling shaky, keep your hands at your heart and bring leg to ankle height only.

2. Dancer (Natarajasana) – Along with opening the chest and shoulders, Dancer is great for strengthening the muscles in the legs and feet. Yoga Mommy Tip – Use a yoga strap to hold your foot as you develop the strength and flexibility to go deeper into the pose.

3. Half-Moon (Ardha Chandrasana) – Half-Moon is great for those wanting to develop focus. Finding one point of focus (drishti) can help you maintain stability in this intermediate balancing posture. Yoga Mommy Tip – If you find it difficult to balance or have neck injuries, keep your gaze at the floor rather than up at your top hand.