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!!

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