Spring Sports

In Spring Training, one of the most common muscle groups of complaint are hamstrings and hips. I suggest adding longer held 'down dog" pose, pigeon pose, and laying on your back with knees into chest, hands behind knees or "happy baby" pose. All of these poses focus on 'lengthening' your posterior chain, and creating flexibility around the hip joints and pelvic region. Longer held poses will begin to create the flexibility that you are looking for. Hold each pose for at least a minute, and BREATHE!

Lionheart Yoga Training

Spring Workshops:

Seattle Athletic Club

April 4th 6-8pm

$15 for members

(non members pay additional $15 day use fee)

Kick start your Spring Sports Training Program with a yoga training session with Lionheart Yoga Training !!!

Individual Training

from $70 an hour

Team Training

from $150

Sports Stretching Session

from $70

Thank you so much for your support!

Tonja

Let's do the TWIST!

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!!!

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!!