Bridge Pose, for healthy low back, hips and chest

Bridge Pose

Setu= Bridge

Bandha= lock, or bind

Welcome to Seattle winter, brrr, are you ready?

To keep the internal fires stoked, a strong yoga practice that includes a little external heat, and back bending is a great way to stay healthy as cold sets into the joints.

Bridge pose is a simple and easily performed backbend. For intense athletes like you, back bending is key to healthy back, hips and opens up the front of the body.

Let’s Begin:To start, warm up with a few Sun Salutations or 10 minutes easy pace on the Elliptical or Treadmill machines. Gather props, such as block and blanket if wanting a more restorative pose. Lay down supine on your mat, and begin by drawing your knees up to your chest and with feet at least hip width apart, set your feet firmly down on your mat. I like to begin with “Dynamic Bridge” before settling into the pose. If you have tight hips, feet are as wide as your mat to begin. Push down on your feet; inhale, as you raise your hips and arms up off the floor. Hold for one count, connect with your core and inner thighs, Exhale, and slowly release everything to the floor. Do this 3x’s. Lift your hips the final time, and leave your arms on the floor, push into your feet again as you shimmy your shoulder blades together. As you hold the pose, soften your glutes, and connect more with your inner thighs. This will take the pressure off your low back, and allow for lengthening in the front body. Hold for 5-10 breaths, release.

If your traps and pectoral muscles (major muscle group that contains your chest and upper back) are tight, I suggest you lengthen your arms toward your feet instead of clasping your hands behind the back, otherwise to increase intensity, lift your hips as high as you can and clasp your hands. Be sure to continue lengthening your neck away from your chest so you can breath naturally.

Restorative Variations:If you have injury in neck or back, or need to relax instead of a big effort, try these restorative alternatives.

1. As you lift your hips, slide the block under your tailbone for support and fold your weight over the block.

2. Roll the blanket under your neck for support

3. Roll the blanket long like a burrito, and lay supine on the roll with your legs straight on the floor, or knees bent if you have low back pain. The roll will lift your chest and shoulders and put pressure on the back of your lungs in a very calming slight backbend variation of Bridge Pose.

Counter pose:To relax the back after any back bending, twist, or a gentle forward bend. If you have tightness in the hamstrings, roll your blanket under your knees before you forward bend.

Winter Health Tip, from Yoga wisdom:

Most of us contact with winter viral infections, and to stay on top of your health, try a Neti pot; an ancient ayurvedic method for health in winter. A Neti pot looks like a small teapot with a long snout, that you set inside one nostril as warm, slightly salty water pours through your nasal passages, back of the throat, and blows out the other side. You can buy Neti pots from local yoga boutiques, or use a method I do at home. First thing as you waken (before coffee, sorry) mix a tiny dash of salt and warm water in your hands, then slurp up your nose while closing the glottal muscles of the back of your throat. Blow out mixture forcefully. Ok, so the first few times you may feel like you are drowning, but hey, what’s good for you isn’t always fun the first few times. Remember broccoli? Yeah, now you love it!

For extra winter credit, oil up your nose with either sesame or olive oil, after the Neti process.

Let me know how it goes!!

Tonja Renee Hall

Yoga Instructor, Seattle Athletic Club

Yoga Coach for Teams and Intense Athletes

Lionheart Yoga Training and Lionheart Muscle Flexibility Therapy

Dancer Pose, Natarajasana

Natarajasana

Nata= actor, mime, dancer

Raja= king

This beautiful back bending pose is a classic, seen not only in many yoga styles, but also in classical India artwork. It is a pose dedicated to the god, Shiva, the Lord of the Dance and seen often in graphic depictions of him.

You too can feel like a kingly dancer, or at least 10 times more energized when you do, Dancer Pose correctly. It’s many benefits included, stretching the chest, shoulders, quads, and abdomen. This pose strengthens your ankles, and whole leg, while honing your balance and focus skills. All pro athlete's benefit from back bending. Not only does it open your lungs by creating space around your pec's and shoulders, it teaches you how to stay grounded, focus, when attempting a difficult play. It also strenghthen's and creates flexibility in your mid back and glute medius which are necessary to fire off the ground for a jump shot, or spring into action on the field.

Get into the Groove

1. Before beginning this challanging backward bending pose, do 15 minutes of warm up, quick jog, light weights lots of reps, something that makes you sweat. Then do the Yoga Sun Salutation A 3x's .
2. After warm up, come to the top of your yoga mat and shift your weight onto the right foot. Bend right knee, and grasp the foot in a classic “runner’s” quad stretch pose. If you find it a struggle to easily grab your foot, please grab a towel or strap for the rest of the exercise.
Allow your pelvic bone to drop and tilt forward, this will stretch the quad more deeply and prevent pinching your low back as you back bend. Hold this simple stretch for 5 breaths.
3. Before going further, drop your pelvic bone forward, AND lift your chest up to your chin. Then you can proceed into a backbend by leaning slightly forward, and kicking the weight of your foot into your hand and continuing to lengthen your foot and hand upward. BREATHE.
If you feel any pinching, stop, grab a strap and us this excellent tool to ease into Dancer till your quads, pectoral’s and mid back are more open.
GO SLOW. A lot of folks slam themselves into poses, and they are designed to be meditative, thoughtful and well, dancer like. If you find yourself rushing into Dancer or any pose, stop. Are you breathing? Are you struggling to go further than your muscles will allow at this time? Remember, yoga is NOT a competitive sport, but a wonderfully challenging way to integrate, breath and body to enhance a healthy, mind and body.
Stay in Dancer about 10 breaths, then switch.

Counter Poses/Modifications

Forward bending with slightly bent knees, or “soft” knees, or a supine twist are great counter poses to Dancer. Also, if you are still feeling vibrant, a headstand or one leg stretched forward, balance ( Eka Pada Hasta Padagustasana) are excellent ways to balance Dancer

If you need to modify, grab a strap and lasso your lifted foot with it. Also, standing near a wall and using it for support is a great way to train yourself to balance. You can also do this pose with a buddy, who can hold you.

As always, all poses are best learned under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher. You can always email me on t.hall43@gmail.com for yoga related questions and I will get back to you in a timely mannor.

Happy Backbending!!

Tonja Renee Hall

Is a yoga instructor at Seattle Athletic Club Downtown, and for professional sports teams. She uses her 10 years teaching experience, and personal training in many disciplines of dance, cycling sports, and equestrian sports to inform her teaching. She uses humor and discipline to encourage her students to reach for there personal best. To schedule a private yoga lesson, please refer to her website www.tonjareneehall.com or contact Anna Miller, Group Fitness Director at SAC downtown. (. www.sacdt.com )

Her favourite color right now is orange, and she can’t get enough of this sun!!!

Natarajasana

Nata= actor, mime, dancer

Raja= king

This beautiful back bending pose is a classic, seen not only in many yoga styles, but also in classical India artwork. It is a pose dedicated to the god, Shiva, the Lord of the Dance and seen often in graphic depictions of him.

You too can feel like a kingly dancer, or at least 10 times more energized when you do, Dancer Pose correctly. It’s many benefits included, stretching the chest, shoulders, quads, and abdomen. This pose strengthens your ankles, and whole leg, while honing your balance and focus skills. All pro athlete's benefit from back bending. Not only does it open your lungs by creating space around your pec's and shoulders, it teaches you how to stay grounded, focus, when attempting a difficult play. It also strenghthen's and creates flexibility in your mid back and glute medius which are necessary to fire off the ground for a jump shot, or spring into action on the field.

Get into the Groove

1. Before beginning this challanging backward bending pose, do 15 minutes of warm up, quick jog, light weights lots of reps, something that makes you sweat. Then do the Yoga Sun Salutation A 3x's .
2. After warm up, come to the top of your yoga mat and shift your weight onto the right foot. Bend right knee, and grasp the foot in a classic “runner’s” quad stretch pose. If you find it a struggle to easily grab your foot, please grab a towel or strap for the rest of the exercise.
Allow your pelvic bone to drop and tilt forward, this will stretch the quad more deeply and prevent pinching your low back as you back bend. Hold this simple stretch for 5 breaths.
3. Before going further, drop your pelvic bone forward, AND lift your chest up to your chin. Then you can proceed into a backbend by leaning slightly forward, and kicking the weight of your foot into your hand and continuing to lengthen your foot and hand upward. BREATHE.
If you feel any pinching, stop, grab a strap and us this excellent tool to ease into Dancer till your quads, pectoral’s and mid back are more open.
GO SLOW. A lot of folks slam themselves into poses, and they are designed to be meditative, thoughtful and well, dancer like. If you find yourself rushing into Dancer or any pose, stop. Are you breathing? Are you struggling to go further than your muscles will allow at this time? Remember, yoga is NOT a competitive sport, but a wonderfully challenging way to integrate, breath and body to enhance a healthy, mind and body.
Stay in Dancer about 10 breaths, then switch.

Counter Poses/Modifications

Forward bending with slightly bent knees, or “soft” knees, or a supine twist are great counter poses to Dancer. Also, if you are still feeling vibrant, a headstand or one leg stretched forward, balance ( Eka Pada Hasta Padagustasana) are excellent ways to balance Dancer

If you need to modify, grab a strap and lasso your lifted foot with it. Also, standing near a wall and using it for support is a great way to train yourself to balance. You can also do this pose with a buddy, who can hold you.

As always, all poses are best learned under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher. You can always email me on t.hall43@gmail.com for yoga related questions and I will get back to you in a timely mannor.

Happy Backbending!!

Tonja Renee Hall

Is a yoga instructor at Seattle Athletic Club Downtown, and for professional sports teams. She uses her 10 years teaching experience, and personal training in many disciplines of dance, cycling sports, and equestrian sports to inform her teaching. She uses humor and discipline to encourage her students to reach for there personal best. To schedule a private yoga lesson, please refer to her website www.tonjareneehall.com or contact Anna Miller, Group Fitness Director at SAC downtown. (. www.sacdt.com )

Her favourite color right now is orange, and she can’t get enough of this sun!!!

Downward Facing Dog

Adho=Downward

Muka=Face

Svana=Dog

Let's all breathe in together..... and sigh out a big exhale and relax. Usually that's the sound made when coming into your first Downward Dog of the day. Of course if your hamstrings and hips or shoulders are tight, you'll let out a few grunts, but like most forward bends, the function of relaxation and total body stretching out ways the groans.

Downward Dog is an extremely popular pose in most Yoga sequences. Ashtanga, Hatha, Vinyasa, Power, Anusara, Hot Vinyasa all use this excellent pose to warm the big muscle groups and strengthen the arms and shoulders for the rigors of a more strength building practice. Downward Dog focuses on stretching the shoulders, mid back, hamstrings, calves, arches of the feet, hips and hands. The "yoga buzz" you might feel at the end of class, when mind, body and breath are in alignment are often directly related to downward dog. Yoga Therapists have known for along time the benefits of forward bending and stretching to calm the mind , ease mild depression and anxiety.

DIG IT

Ok, let's examine this pose more closely and practice.

1. Set your mat, and come to hands and knees (Cat/Cow) from there tuck your toes under, ground the palms and first finger and thumb toward the floor and come to Downward Dog. Set your feet hip width apart, and lift up on your tipy toes. Once on your toes, you'll take the pressure off your hamstrings so you can roll your shoulders back, straighten your spine, lift your sit bones to the ceiling.

2. As you're lifting everything up, LENGTHEN, your heels to the floor, without rounding back and shoulders. Remember when you were in eight grade, chewing gum, if you clenched 1/2 the gum in your teeth and pulled the other half out like string, THAT'S lengthening. If your shoulders hunch, put a bend in your knees, grind your palms more firmly and press your chest closer to your legs.

3. While holding Downward Dog for 5-10 breaths, engage your core and lift your knee caps, keep micro adjusting shoulders and lengthening. Rest, by coming down to Child's pose or Cat/Cow.

MODIFY THIS!

1. If you have shoulder, wrist or acute hamstring, eye injury, please do yourself a favor and HEAL before coming into a full on Downward Dog. You can get the benefits of a hamstring stretch by lying on your back, and strapping up a lifted leg and gently pulling it toward you. Go slow.

2. If you can't yet comfortably ground your palms, grab two blocks as support props under your hands and come into the pose. You can also use a strap around your upper arms for more stability if your elbows poke out.

Like any yoga pose or practice, please consult your instructor before continuing if you have an injury or contraindication. I work with a lot of athletes, and often they work with incredible pain to stay on the field. Coaches have different theories on this, but my feeling as a Yoga Coach is if you are in acute pain, stop and examine what's going on. I like to push people to there limit, not drive them into pain.

That being said, enjoy. Downward Facing Dog is one of my favorite poses and this combined with stretching hips, neck and a slight back bend, and sitting in silence for 5 minutes, can be your whole practice routine to re focus and energize your body daily.

Eagle Pose = Garundasana or “King of the Birds”

For athletes who spend a lot of the game balancing on one leg, like kicking a soccer ball, or pushing off a dominant foot for a jump shot- Eagle Pose is an excellent pose for you to strengthen the standing leg, while improving balance.

Eagle also targets a tough muscle group between the shoulder blades, that include your Rhomboids and Trapezes, which need to remain flexible especially in sports like tennis, and basketball to take the stress off shoulders.

The benefits of Eagle include:

1.strengthening ankles, calves and adductors (inner thighs)

2.Stretches hips, shoulders and upper back

3. Improves concentration and breath flow under stress

Let’s Play

1. Start at the top of your mat with both feet together and find a point of focus about 5’ in front of you. Get in tune with your breath; slow rhythmic breathing through the nose.
2. Bend your knees and cross your right thigh over the left, balancing on your left foot.
3. Squeeze inner thighs firmly together, and get active in core to increase your balance.
4. Reach your arms out in front of you and cross your right arm over left, bend elbows and bring palms together. If it’s difficult to wrap your arms, hug your shoulders instead.
5. To increase the intensity, sit lower in chair till your thighs are parallel to the floor and reach your fingertips forward. A slight rounding in the back, and you ‘ll really feel the stretch between your shoulder blades.

Have Fun!

Remember to Breathe! It’s only yoga after all, and the more you can keep your sense of humor and come back to the pose if you fall out, the more relaxed and determined you’ll be under pressure; in sports or in life.

Tonja Renee Hall

Lionheart Yoga Training (www.tonjareneehall.com)

Tonja is the Yoga Coach for the Sounders and has conducted classes for Seahawks and members of the Cliff Bar Cycling Team. She is currently in negotiation to teach yoga classes to the Storm and the Rat City Roller Girls, her real claim to fame!!

Urdvha Muka Svasana--Upward Facing Dog

Urdvha Muka Svasana--Upward Facing Dog Yeah!! Sun is peeking it's elusive head out more often these days. For all those winter months we Seattleites have been hunched over our computers and bundled against the rain, and it's high time to open our chests (and hearts) to the Sun's warmth!! Upward Facing Dog is a quintessential pose in the Ashtanga/Power Yoga/Vinyasa warm up sequence that opens the chest, strengthens the arms, and provides a strong back bend when done correctly." Up Dog "provides much needed space to breathe, strength for triceps, deltoids, traps, and core. Back bends are very energizing and calming when done in combination with a forward bend (like Down Dog, or standing forward bend) Most summer sports including, Cycling, Soccer, Squash/Tennis, Swimming would GREATLY benefit from Up Dog, because so many of those sports require the body to constantly be in a hunched or forward moving motion. Up Dog provides a much needed back bend relief. Let's begin: It's best to warm up for 10 minutes doing gentle poses (refer to past blogs orwww.tonjareneehall.com for more info) before moving into Upward Facing Dog. 1.From Downward Facing Dog, roll your shoulders forward over the hands to a strong Plank pose. 2.Slowly, with elbows grazing the sides of your body, lower like a board, all the way to the mat. 3.Slide wrists back to the middle of the rib cage ( your bra strap line....sorry gents, you'll have to use your imagination!) and with your hands as flat as a pancake and fingers spread wide to protect the wrists, push yourself up and forward through the arms til your legs are off the floor. Your chest should be forward of your wrists,shoulders away from your ears, elbows very slightly bent, low back in a deep arch, legs strong around the knee caps,and chin level to the floor. You should be able to breathe comfortably and have no pain in wrists or back. If you feel "pinched" in any way, please start with a variation, below. Beginning Variations 1. Low Cobra-- from laying on your front side, squeeze your glutes and shoulder blades together until your chest peels off of the floor. In this Up Dog variation, your hands can be under your shoulders, and very light on the mat. This still gives you a chest opener, without aggravating wrists or shoulder injuries. 2. Sphinx Pose- Similar to Cobra, from laying on your frontside, prop yourself up on your forearms, and make sure your glutes are SOFT in this pose, and shoulders down. This is usually a strong back bend for folks, so be conscious of your low back. Sphinx is also great to hold for 3-5 minutes with a pillow propped up under your belly for a way to actually release the low back. Follow with 25 reps of your favorite Crunch core work out. From any of these variations, bend your knees on the floor, and push your hips back to Child's Pose or Down Dog for a counter pose to a back bend.

Side Plank, Vasisthasana

Side Plank

Vasisthasana = “best, most excellent posture”


Vasisthansana or “Side Plank Pose” is a very rich core exercise indeed. As summer approaches and we want to look our “bikini” best, time to add Side Plank to your routine.

Most summer athletic sports require a strong core and flexible side waist. Think, reaching for a football pass, keeping your balance on your mtn. bike while ripping up a tricky trail, or max length for free style swim. Side Plank will strengthen your Serratius (deep side muscles) and Latissimus Dorsi (the big group of outer corset muscles that span from your shoulder blades and wrap around your side waist to pelvic region). This pose will also strengthen wrists/shoulders and arms and legs, while creating flexibility in your hips. I will give modifications for those with injury in the arms.

Let’s Play
1. Start in Down Dog and tune into your breath. Once your breath is steady and engaged, then start your practice. This will help you stay focused.
2. Roll forward to Plank Pose
3. Move your right hand underneath your nose on the mat, and spread your fingers wide like a pancake. IF you have injury in any part of your arm, please drop your bottom knee on the floor to support your body weight from here on out.
4. Carefully roll to the side, opening hips and stack your feet on top of each other, lifting the hips as high as you can, reaching the left hand straight up to the ceiling.
5. If you are feeling fresh, lift your top leg a few inches off the other while lifting hips. This will increase your balance and strength practice.
6. Hold Side Plank for 5-10 breaths and repeat on opposite side.
7. Rest in Child’s pose with hands by hips for 10 breaths before moving into the rest of your practice.

Modifications
1. Drop bottom knee to the floor, and keep it there.
2. Rest on forearm for side plank instead of wrists, to protect injured parts.
3. Engage your core, and lift kneecaps for max focus on strength. Stay like a board, not sagging in the hips, shoulders, etc.
4. BREATH!

Side Plank is one of my favourite poses to build the core strength and awareness for more complex poses and inversions. I am available for private Yoga coaching at Seattle Athletic Club, or privately if you have any questions about this pose or want to enrich your on going practice!!


Tonja Hall
Lionheart Yoga Training
www.tonjareneehall.com
206-941-3941

Welcome to Lionheart Yoga Training Blog

Hi! My name is Tonja Renee Hall and welcome to Lionheart Yoga Training Blog. I am a yoga coach in Seattle and Internationally, and this blog will focus on yoga training tips for athletes of all kinds, to keep you at your competitive best. I am the founder of Lionheart Yoga Training which is a yoga program tailored to meet the specific needs of athletes. I use techniques from my 10 years experience as a Vinyasa Power yoga instructor, Thai Yoga stretching and sport visualization to create a unique and energizing yoga program for you or your team. I have yoga coached members of Cliff Bar and Luna Bar cycling teams, and currently coach the Seattle Sounders, fc and yoga for the Seattle SeaHawks pre-season as well as athletes of all kinds at Seattle Athletic Club.
I have found that players who practice yoga on a regular basis, especially Lionheart yoga, experience less injury, have increased flexibility, strength and greater ability to achieve their full potential on and off the field.
I hope you enjoy my blog, and feel free to write comments and ask questions that I will answer in a timely mannor.
Lionheart Yoga training can be reached on: t.hall43@gmail.com or by visiting my website www.tonjareneehall.com
What a great way to start your sports year off right with a training session with Lionheart Yoga!!

Enjoy,

Tonja