Brrrrrr!!! 5-10 inches of snow in Seattle!! It's so beautiful and I'm very grateful that I have warm snow boots and run out and play in it!
Yoga is Hard Core!
Most people associate yoga with flexibility and mental relaxation training, but rarely make the connection that Yoga Asana (poses) are great abdominal strength training too!
If you need a break from “crunches”, take a little journey with me as I explore two powerful “hard core” poses from the yoga asana sequence.
Plank Pose and Dolphin Plank are two very powerful strengtheners for both the abdominal core and hip flexors. Plank has the added benefit of strengthening the chest, arms, back and triceps, which traditional sit up don’t do. Keeping your torso strong will help prevent a sore back, and helps you move your limbs with more grace and awareness away from the spinal medium.
The strength training from Plank will also help for more challenging yoga poses like Head and Handstand for the advanced practitioner, and if you are an athlete, a strong core translates in to explosive power and injury prevention and quicker recovery.
Let’s Do This
Plank:
To begin, find Down Dog on your mat, and make sure your fingers are spread wide and you have a strong connection between the floor and the power moving up your arms, lifting the shoulder blades up your back.
Plank is, moving the shoulders forward from Down Dog, so your shoulders and elbows are in a direct line above your wrists, and your body is straight out behind you like a board.
To prevent “sagging” in the hips, tighten your kneecaps, activate your inner thighs and push “away” from the floor with your feet and hands. Your hips should be about level to shoulders.
Since the breath (prana) in yoga is so very important, as you hold this pose for 5-10 breath cycles, fill out your rib cage with new oxygen like a balloon. This newly oxygenated blood with give you energy and focus to hold the pose.
Dolphin Plank:
Dolphin Plank is similar to Plank with your forearms on the floor instead of hands. This is great if you have wrist issues or shoulder injury.
Start on hands and knees, in Cat/Cow, and lay your forearms on the floor, palms facing down, fingers wide, and elbows and wrists as wide as your shoulders. From there push back off the floor to either a Down Dog Dolphin or walk your feet back behind you so you are straight like a board, same as Plank.
For more intensity in both poses, join feet together and lift one foot at a time off the floor and hold up for the 5-breath cycle. Then switch. To strengthen Glute Medias, lift the foot, keep the toes pointing down, and open the leg out an inch or two. SLOWLY!!
To modify, set knees on floor and press belly button actively up toward spine so you won’t sag in belly.
As always, all Yoga Asana and other similar movement disciplines are best under the guidance of a certified instructor or coach.
Please come to one of my SAC classes, and I’ll show you this and a whole lot more!
Monday/Wed. from 6-7pm
You can always email me through my website, if you have more questions about yoga and wellness.
Thank you!!
Tonja Hall
PS…. incase you didn’t know, Tonja is one of the senior yoga instructors at Seattle Athletic Club, conducts classes for the Seattle Sounders, FC and has conducted classes for the Seattle Seahawks, Rat City Roller Girls, and members of the Luna Cycling Teams. She is also a Lululemon Ambassador, and has taught yoga internationally in Thailand, Vietnam and Croatia. She is looking forward to her up coming trip to Oaxaca, Mex. to teach and practice her Spanish skills. She is a certified Thai Yoga practitioner and mixes a wonderful blend of Thai Yoga and passive yoga stretching for a total body feel good tune up, in her private practice. She is ever grateful for the lessons her students teach her daily, and always curious about way to make yoga accessible for all.
Let’s Do the TWIST!!
Ardha- Half
Matsyendra- Lord of the Fishes
Twist Benefits: DeTox’s liver and kidneys, relief for stiff upper back, neck and shoulders, energizes the spine, stimulates digestive fires, and some relief for sciatic discomfort.
You know that feeling when you stand up and stretch after a long period of sitting? Ahhh…you can almost feel it! That’s what twisting feels like for your back and internal organs. Monday yoga practices at the SAC, I have been dedicating to the concept of detoxing the body from toxins. Twisting is one of the best ways to use your yoga practice as a tool to feel healthy from the inside, out.
Twist it UP! To start, grab a blanket and fold it firmly under your sit bones, there by elevating your hips, and tilting your pelvic bone forward for more flexible ease in the hips.
Bend one knee, then; step the other foot over the top of the “bent knee” leg. If you have supper tight hips, you can modify by stepping the foot near the ankle.
Exhale as you lengthen the spine and twist the torso towards the bent knee-as if you are wringing out a dishtowel. Keep lifting up through the spine and avoid collapsing the chest and shoulders. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute for max twisting benefits.
Counter twist by lying on your back for Bridge Pose or Happy Baby.
There are many variations of twisting poses in a yoga practice, and as you continue deepening your yoga practice, you'll discover the ones that feel best for you.
Yoga Wisdom:
I have started adding a little “aside” to this column I am calling “yoga wisdom” that will include advice from a yogic perspective for a variety of common topics. The winter months of rain and lack of sunlight in the Northwest often causes the “winter blues” for lot’s of folks, including myself. One idea is to amp up your practice, by either adding some heat or taking a “hot vinyasa” class, and to focus on twisting, upside down poses and back bends. One piece of advice I’ve been hearing from a few different sources is go to a Tanning Salon! In combination with the oral usage of St. John’s Wort, popular herbal mild anti depressant, and Vita D, the tanning bed provides warmth, UV rays; necessary to “trick” the body into thinking it has had sun. Please use caution, as the wrong tanning and length of time on the bed can ruin your skin. But in small doses, is very beneficial. I’m going tanning this week!!!
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
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
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
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!!!
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
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 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. |
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.
