Category Archives: Yoga

Spring Yoga Detox Series

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by Gretchen Spiro

It’s spring! In honor of the season, I’ve outlined 5 poses that you can incorporate into your routine (whether it’s a full yoga routine, or just a few yoga postures you do as a cool down after a walk, run or bike ride.) Backbends are a fabulous antidote for sluggish winter energy, and help the heart and chest lift out of “slouchiness” [as a yoga teacher, I sometimes have to invent new words.] Backbends stimulate the kidneys to detoxify, as they are gently squeezed as the spine extends. Twists are good for all the organs, as they alternately “squeeze and soak” the liver, digestive organs, etc. Two of the postures are considered “restorative” poses—they offer a gentle amount of stretch–very healing as you calmly remain in them for 3-5 minutes. While springtime is a great time to work with a more vigorous longer yoga practice, sometimes our bodies need help adjusting to the season, especially if you suffer from seasonal allergies or a springtime cold…with a few simple yoga postures supporting the body to move with vibrancy through the seasonal changes.

Upward Facing Dog Using Chair
Using a chair allows the spine in upward facing dog pose to lift vertically, which decompresses the lower back. Start with your hands pressing down onto the edge of a firm chair, with your arms vertical. Raise your upper chest forward and up through your arms, and walk your feet back away from the chair, with the balls of the feet on the floor. Your arms should be supporting your weight. Draw the tips of your ears skyward to extend your spine up and un-scrunch your shoulders. Your body will be in a wide bow shape (when seen from the side.)

When your arms tire, draw your hips back into a modified downward dog pose (sometimes called “Box Pose”): arms overhead with the hands facing down on the chair, hips back over vertical legs, spine parallel with a 90-degree bend at the hip joints. Move between the modified downward facing dog pose into upward dog on the chair several times.

Bridge Pose Using Chair
Lie on your back, with your feet on the edge of the chair. Your hips should be close to the chair. Raise your pelvis skywards, creating and arch with your back. Interlace your fingers. Be sure to draw your shoulders under—the tops of your shoulders (not the back of the shoulderblades) should be on the floor. Draw your tailbone towards the backs of your knees. Be comfortable, not pressing up so high with your back so that you feel any strain in breathing or over-gripping of your back muscles.

Then move into the second variation (in photo.) Bend your elbows, placing your pelvis in the heels of your hands with the fingers turned to the sides.  The lower arms thus create a “pillar” to support the pelvis, which should be level to the floor in this variation (tailbone still moving towards the backs of the knees).

When you come down, hug your knees into your chest to stretch your back, and then rest the lower legs on the seat of the chair for a few moments.

Chest Opener Using a Rolled Blanket
This is a wonderful restorative posture that releases tightness in the upper back and chest. It helps open the ribcage, which is good for breathing (and thus feeling energized!) Tightly roll one blanket into a long tube (like a tootsie roll). Place a folded blanket (a few inches lower than the roll) behind the roll, perpendicular (see photo.) Lie down, with the roll across the upper chest, beneath the shoulderblades, supporting your heart and upper chest to lift. The roll should be firm against the spine and back of ribcage. Your head should be lightly tilted backwards, but if you have neck discomfort, raise your head by folding the blanket higher. Stretch your arms above your head, to complete the lengthening of the torso. Your legs can be straight, or knees bent with feet flat on the floor, whichever is most relaxing. Remain in the gentle backbend with deep breathing, for at least 3 minutes.

Restorative Twist—Rotating Child’s Pose
This is a wonderful pose for releasing tight back muscles, as it releases the fascia (the connective tissue of the body), creating an action like gently twisting a washcloth.

Sit facing a bolster or 2-3 firm folded blankets (the height should be about 8”). Take both knees to the R, so that the blanket end is next to the left hip. Arrange the angle of the legs in a comfortable way. Place a hand on either side of the blankets, lengthening your torso along the line of the spine, rotating the spine gently away from the knees. Lay your torso down along the blanket, drawing it long and maintaining the gentle twist. Remain in the twist for 3 minutes, and then change to the other side.

Double Bent Knee Twist
Sit with your hips on the blankets, with both knees bent and the feet firmly on the floor. Keeping your spine tall, twist to the side, using your elbow for leverage, placing your other arm behind to help keep the back straight and the chest open. All twists should “originate” in the deep belly and organs—turn from the core of your body, not just from the shoulders or ribcage. Always move into a twist with an exhalation. All twists are excellent for detoxifying the body. Repeat each side 2 times, visualizing stagnant energy being wrung out, with the body infused with fresh “joie de vivre” with each inhalation.

Yoga Cool Down After a Bike Ride

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By Julia Ingersoll

Put down your kickstand and enjoy this cool-down set of yoga poses to restore, refresh and renew your body after any ride. This sequence is specifically designed to lengthen muscles that work hard on the bike, to help relieve stiffness and soreness throughout your body, and to help you recover more quickly so you integrate the wonderful cardio and strength benefits of your bike rides and feel ready to ride again soon!

1. Prasarita Padottanasa C (wide-leg forward bend with shoulder stretch). Stand with your feet wide, about one leg-length apart. Firm your legs and draw your tailbone down. Interlace your fingers behind your back as you inhale deeply and lift your heart toward the sky. Keep your legs strong. As you exhale, bend forward and stretch your clasped hands overhead. Draw your shoulder blades onto your back, even as you lengthen your head toward the floor.

2. Downward Dog. Excellent stretch for all major muscle groups in the body at once, this pose re-lengthens the spine. Come to all fours, on hands and knees. Place your hands shoulder-width apart, with your wrist creases parallel to each other. Spread your fingers wide and root the finger pads down. Firm your arms, lengthen the sides of your body. Tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back. Press the ground away with your hands, stretch your sit-bones high and the tops of your legs back. Reach your heels towards the ground.

3. Toe Stretch. From Downward Dog, come to your knees and sit back on your heels to stretch your feet deeply. This is a strong stretch, so expect lots of sensation. You are lengthening the fascia that covers the sole of the foot and extends all the way up your legs. Endure this stretch for several rounds of breath, knowing that you are improving the circulation and suppleness of your legs in this simple way.

Now, roll up a towel or blanket into a firm roll.
Place the roll behind your knees.

 

 

 

 

Sit back and smash your calves! Why?

4. Calf Compression. This one sounds weird, and it feels intense, but is so effective for flushing fluid and toxins from the legs for rejuvenation and recovery. Roll a blanket, thick towel, or yoga travel-mat into a firm, compact tube. While kneeling, place the roll in the bend behind your knees, as close to our knees as possible. Then sit back and compress your calves. You can move the roll a few inches at a time, all the way to the ankles. Afterward, take Downward Dog again, and notice if your heels stretch further to the floor.

5. Windshield-Wiper Psoas Stretch. This one is not only good for you, it also feels great! It’s a supine twist to lengthen and tone the deep hip flexors and psoas muscles, which get shortened while cycling. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet wider than hip-width apart. Keeping your feet wide, let both knees drop to the right side like windshield wipers. Place your ankle on top of your left knee to add a little leverage. Stretch your arms overhead and grasp your left wrist with your right hand. S-t-r-e-t-c-h your side body open, as you actively draw your left knee down away from your hip. Repeat on the left side.

6. Supported Backbend. Relax and open your heart, while countering the tendency of the upper spine to round from bending over the handlebars. Roll a blanket or thick towel into a compact tube. Lie down with the roll approximately under your shoulder blades at bra-strap level. With this lift under your upper back, allow your head to rest on the floor. Stretch out and relax for a few minutes, or as long as you have.

7. Supta Virasana (thigh stretch). Sitting on your knees, open your ankles just wide enough that you can sit down between your heels. Your knees should point straight ahead. If your butt doesn’t reach the floor, place a folded blanket, block or other prop for support. Scoop your tailbone forward in a pelvic tilt. Keeping this engagement, lower your back as far as is comfortable for you—to your elbows, or even lying all the way onto your back. Keep your knees drawing toward the midline and s-t-r-e-t-c-h your quads.
Stage 2 (at left), scoop your tailbone under and lean back to your elbows.
If this feels easy, go to Stage 3 (middle photo). Stretch all the way back, and actively extend through your knees to lengthen.

 

 

 

 

 

8. Viparita Karani (legs up the wall pose). This is the queen of restorative postures, and a fantastic aid to recovery after a bike ride. This pose allows fluids to drain from the legs, reduces swelling and inflammation, and is great for preventing varicose veins. In addition, it is a great pose for reducing the cumulative effects of stress. Use it anytime you need to restore yourself.
Place a folded blanket (or 2) right against a wall. Sitting with one hip pressed against the wall, carefully turn yourself to lie back, with your hips on the blankets and your legs up the wall. Place yourself as close to the wall as you can, depending on the openness of your hamstrings. If you have a yoga strap or belt, you can strap your thighs together so your legs don’t splay open as you drift off and relax. Cover your eyes with an eye bag, or whatever is handy, to further promote total relaxation. Stay and indulge for 5-15 minutes.

A former top-ranked, professional mountain bike racer, Julia is a certified yoga teacher and an artist, and has been leading retreats for Women’s Quest since 2004. Julia began practicing yoga in 1991 with Richard Freeman, and her continuing studies include extensive training in Vinyasa Flow and Anusara styles of Hatha yoga. She maintains an active teaching schedule at the Esalen Institute and the Post Ranch Inn, in Big Sur, California where she lives. Julia also teaches yoga, cycling, and art on Women’s Quest retreats internationally.

Yoga Warm-Up Before Your Bike Ride

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By Julia Ingersoll

When I was racing mountain bikes for a living, I made sure to take extra good care of myself, both so I could optimize my performance and so I could feel good in my body at the same time. I discovered later that yoga had truly been contributing to my long-term health by easing the effects of pushing myself so hard on the bike during by competitive years. We love riding our bikes, don’t we? That’s one of the best treats that springtime brings. This quick yoga sequence is specifically designed to help open your body and your breathing for an optimized bike-riding experience.

Let’s begin. Connect with your breath and open to grace.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width and parallel. Firm the muscles of your legs and hug them to the bones. With a big inhale, float your arms up to the sky on the wings of your breath. Root down from your hips as you stretch up.

1b. Parvattansana in Tadasana (Standing raised-arm stretch). Interlace your fingers and press your palms up. Stretch up, even as you draw your tailbone down, and breathe evenly into the front and back of your body. Hold and expand for at least 5 rounds of breath. Opens the shoulders and chest to optimize your breathing.

2. Heart-Opening Shoulder Stretch. Interlace your fingers behind you, and with elbows bent, rest your thumbs at the base of your spine. Lift your heart, draw your tailbone down, and move your waistline back. Maintain this engagement and extend your arms straight behind you. Inhale deeply and lengthen the sides of your body. Breathe and extend for several rounds of breath. Opens the heart space, shoulders and upper back to counteract rounding.

3. Standing Forward Bend w/ Shoulder Stretch (Uttanasana variation). Standing with your feet hip-width and parallel, and your hands clasped behind you, make your legs firm and strong. Lift up through your heart and exhale as you bow to the earth, extending your clasped hands overhead. Reach your hands towards the earth, even as you draw your shoulder blades up onto your back. Draw your tailbone down and lift your low belly in and up to support your spine. Stretch for a few rounds of breath. Inhale to rise. Stretches and warms the hamstrings, low back and shoulders.

4. Twisting Lunge. From Standing Forward Bend, place your fingertips each side of your ankles and step your left leg back into a deep lunge. Bend your front knee to a square, and press your back leg straight. Lift from your hip to straighten your back leg, then sit deeper in the legs. Hug the muscles of your legs firmly to the bones, and scissor the legs isometrically to the midline. Extend your heart forward and stretch out through the bones of both legs. Keeping this engagement, lean into your left palm. Extend your right arm up into a twist. Draw your left ribs around, twisting from left to right. Curl in your upper back, tip your chin back, and look up. Breathe deeply. Repeat on the other side with your right leg back. This pose stretches legs and torso.

5. Downward Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana). To prepare, come to all fours, on hands and knees. Place your hands shoulder-width apart, with your wrist creases parallel to each other. Spread your fingers wide and root the finger pads down. This protects your wrists. Firm your arms and lengthen the sides of your body. Tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back. Press the ground away with your hands and soften the space behind your heart. Stretch your sit-bones high to the sky and the tops of your legs back. Reach your heels towards the ground. Breathe deeply, fully, richly. Oxygenate ever cell in your body as you lengthen your spine. Stay (like a good dog) at least 5 rounds of breath. This pose stretches and warms all the major muscle groups at once.

6. Plank. Inhale forward to plank, the upward push-up position. Hold your body in a straight line by lifting your low belly and filling your kidney area with breath as you draw your tailbone down. Look slightly forward. Exhale, lower down to the ground. This pose strengthens and activates your core.

7. Locust Pose Variation (Shalabasana C). Lying on your belly, clasp your hands behind your back, and point your toes. Scoop your tailbone under, and inhale as you lift your head, shoulders, and legs up, drawing your hands back towards your feet. If you can, squeeze your palms together. Lengthen your legs back as you lift your heart higher. This pose tones and strengthens the low back, opens the chest for expanded breathing, and stretches the shoulders. Hold at least 3 rounds of breath, release down. This pose strengthens your lower back, opens the heart and shoulders.

8. Thigh Stretch. Come to a lunge with your right leg forward, knee bent to a square. Lower your back knee to the ground. Bring your hands to your front knee. Tuck your tailbone under and lift your low belly. Keeping this engagement, sit deeper in the legs, letting your front knee come over your toes. Bend your back leg, and reach back with your left hand to take hold of your foot. Draw your foot to/towards your outer hip. Scoop your tailbone strongly, lower your hips to sit even deeper. Breathe fully, deeply. Release and switch legs. This pose lengthens the quadriceps, which work hard on the bike.

9. Foot Stretch. Come to your knees, tuck your toes under and sit your weight back on your heels. This is a strong stretch for most people—a tad torturous, but very therapeutic for the fascia of the soles of your feet, which will soon be locked in position on your pedals. Endure this pose for 60 seconds, then release. Repeat whenever you feel like it (or not)!

10. Gratitude Pause. Close your eyes. Sit for a moment and turn your attention to your breath. Receive the breath, this gift of life, in gratitude for a healthy body and this wonderful day.

Have a great ride!

A former top-ranked professional mountain bike racer, Julia is a certified yoga teacher and an artist, and has been leading retreats for Women’s Quest since 2004.

A Different Kind of Triathlon

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Allie leads the way on the first leg of my triathlon: the hike!

By Rebecca Heaton

I like to think of myself as a multi-sport type. I don’t just focus on any one activity all of the time. That’s too boring. My favorite days are when I can incorporate a number of activities. I call it my “personal triathlon.”

Your typical triathlon is three legs: first a swim, then bike, then run. I enjoy mixing things up a bit.

I live in Boulder, Colorado, so I have wonderful access to the outdoors. This past weekend I fit in a “triathlon” on a sunny Saturday. After a hearty breakfast, I started the first leg with a hike with my dog along one of my favorite trails. My pup, Allie, is part border collie, so she always has energy to go, go, go. I feel guilty if I don’t get her out for at least an hour a day. She seemed quite happy to accompany me for the start of my multi-sport day.

After the hike, I changed clothes and headed to my gym for a vinyasa flow yoga class with one of my favorite teachers, Lisa. It felt good to move and stretch my body and relax my mind. I’ve been doing yoga for almost 10 years, and every class is a new experience. After a wonderful shavasana (corpse pose), I made my way home to fuel up with some lunch for the final leg of my “triathlon”: road cycling.

I met two girlfriends and we decided on a nice spin along farm roads east of town. Boulder is nestled up against the Rocky Mountains, so if you want to head up for a big climb, it’s right there. But seeing that it’s still early in the cycling season, we thought a flatter ride would be best so that we could pedal the winter cobwebs out. The temp was a perfect 69 degrees, the wind was minimal, the sky was practically cloudless. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions.

I got home from my ride feeling energized and exhilarated after such an amazing day. Oh, if every Saturday could be like this.

What’s your favorite way to spend a day in the outdoors?

Spring Yoga Poses

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In light of our Costa Rica surf and yoga retreat this month, we wanted to include a yoga sequence that we use to prepare for the glorious soul-enlivening adventure of SURFING! This is a good basic routine for general flexibility and strength. You might want to put on some music (any sort) if that helps keep you focused and moving. You’ll need a yoga mat and a blanket or towel for this 2- minute sequence.

Child’s Pose
Begin sitting on your heels, torso folded forward gently over your thighs. If you head doesn’t easily touch the floor, place a folded blanket under your forehead. Align your intention for practicing, and take a few deep, cleansing breaths.

Shoulder Openers
For surfing, your arms, back and core are your power for getting to the waves! Begin with some shoulder stretches to prepare your upper body for strengthening yoga postures. These are also great stretches to do when your arms feel like noodles from paddling.

Arms Overhead
Clasp your hands together with your palms facing the outwards. Stretch your arms overhead, fully straightening your elbows. Press up through the heels of your hands. Feel how this elongates the sides of your body—side ribs, armpits, and lat muscles (the ones you’ll use for paddling.) Smile.

Eagle
Reach your arms in front of your chest, and wrap your forearms, bending the elbows so that your fingers face upwards. Draw both elbows forward, widening the upper back between your shoulder blades. Turn your head to each side to release your neck. Do both sides.

Arms Behind Back
Clasp your hands together behind your back. Straighten your arms down and back, and lift your chest forward and up. This stretches the fronts of your shoulders. Bring your chin towards your chest to elongate the back of your neck.

Warm Up: Vinyasa I ~ Mini Sun Salutation
A vinyasa is a flowing sequence of yoga postures. Moving between the poses creates strength, especially as you learn to flow smoothly and stretch fully in each pose.

Downward Facing Dog
From child’s pose, reach both arms forward and place your hands shoulder width apart with fingers spread. Press through arms so that hips press back as far as possible. Your body is like an inverted V. If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees slightly. The important thing is to press strongly through your arms so that your hips reach back as far as possible from your arms. This elongates your lower back, and strengthens and stretches your arms and torso while also stretching your wonderful legs.

High Plank
From downward dog, come forward into a pushup position, with your arms straight and your hands directly under your shoulders. Keep your torso in a straight line (don’t let your hips sag or lift—your entire body – heels, hips and shoulders – should be in a straight line.) Can you remain steady, breathing deeply for 10 seconds?

Low Plank
From plank, bend your elbows directly back (right next to your side ribs). See how long you can hold at the position with your elbows next to your ribs, and your shoulders no lower than your elbows- upper arm perpendicular to the floor. Place your knees on the floor if keeping the whole body straight is too challenging. This is a great pose for the upper arms, which are your paddling muscles! Try staying in low plank for 10 seconds!

Cobra Pose
m low plank, lower all the way torso down to the floor. Keep your hands in the same place (right next to your ribs), and raise your head, shoulders, and upper chest off the floor. At first, just raise as high as your lower ribs. After your back warms up and becomes more flexible, you might be able to go higher. Don’t push it—the aim is to strengthen your back so that you can look forward while you’re paddling, so it’s better to do more repetitions instead of trying to go too high. Raise up [inhale] and lower down [exhale] at least 5x.

Press back into child’s pose, and then back to downward dog pose.

Repeat entire sequence 5x. You’ll get warm, and begin to develop the endurance necessary for surfing.

Core Strength
Yup, the you need a good amount of core strength and stability for surfing. Your whole body is used—paddling mostly works the arms and back, popping up to standing uses the core, standing on the board involves the lower body, with balance provided by your core and arms. It’s a whole-body adventure!

Blurpee
The “burpee” is a strength training/aerobic exercise that has 4 steps. Do them as fast as you can.

1) Begin in a squat position with your hands on the ground.
2) Jump both feet back in one quick motion to the high plank position. (For more challenge, you can add a push up here)
3) Jump both feet forward into the squat position
4) Quickly stand up (or, for more challenge, jump with arms overhead
See how many “burpees” you can do in 1 minute. Do 3 sets.

Elbow Plank
Grasp your hands and place your forearms on the floor, with your forearms in an inverted V. Your elbows should be right under your shoulders. Keep your shoulder blades neutral on your back (not spread apart or pinched together). Remain stable here for at least 10 seconds. You can challenge yourself by stepping your legs from wide to narrow, or by lifting one leg. It’s great for core and arm strength—basically like plank pose, but on the forearms (good for women whose wrists don’t like too much plank pose).

Back Lifts and Cobra Pose“Core strength” is not just abdominals—it means a strong back as well. Developing this back strength using small extensions is good training for surfing, where you will be paddling prone (belly-down) on your board.

Variation 1
Lie on your belly, with your arms by your sides, reach your arms back along side your hips, raising your upper body (off the floor.) Do 5-8x


Variation 2
Reach both arms forward. Alternate raising the opposite arm and leg. Avoid lifting your arms and legs high off the floor; the aim is to reach long (parallel to the floor), and develop coordination and strength for paddling. Do about 8-12x on each side, moving rhythmically with the pelvis stable on the floor.

Legs
Surfing requires strong legs. Standing yoga postures are great for balancing strength with flexibility and balance. Check in with your local yoga teacher for details and for individual alignment tips for these 3 postures—I’ve just listed a few notes for each pose. These are great ones for surfing—Warrior II is similar to the stance you’ll have on your board; Warrior I builds strong back and arm muscles, while stretching your calves and hips; Warrior III is a fabulous pose to cultivate balance and poise.

Pretend your yoga mat is a surfboard and cultivate grace in your transitions between postures. Work on each of these individually, then link the 3 poses into a little sequence. Hips facing side in Warrior II, then turn hips forward into Warrior I, then step forward onto the front foot and balance in Warrior III…return by stepping back into Warrior I, and then open up to Warrior II… Then, for the other side, pivot your feet so you begin with Warrior II on the second side.)

Warrior 2
Forward leg bent to 90 degrees, with knee right over the ankle. Reach strongly into each leg—weight should be evenly distributed between the two feet. Torso aligned vertically, shoulders above pelvis. Arms reach parallel to the ground, like a horizon, at shoulder level. Look out over the front arm—pretend to be surfing

Warrior 1
Face pelvis forward, but don’t force the back hip if this causes discomfort in your lower back. Front leg bent to 90 degrees, rear leg foot slightly turned out with heel on the ground. Reach with vigor into upraised arms, which stretches the torso and lifts the frontal hip bones. Draw the tailbone down and the belly up and into the body (avoid pressing the belly forward, which can overarch the lower back.)

Warrior 3
Aim to have the torso and back leg parallel to the floor. If balance is challenging with your arms forward, take your arms to the sides (like a soaring bird). Straighten your standing leg, without “locking” your knee. Pelvis level to the floor (the hip of the leg which is raised is often higher; sense whether you can level the pelvis so that the frontal hip bones are parallel to the floor.) The torso should feel strong and stable, like it did in plank pose.

Cool Down
Twisting is a good way to release tight back and chest muscles. It’s also an important movement for surfing—imagine sitting on your board waiting for that perfect wave…you have to twist around to see it com in’!

Seated Twist
Sit cross-legged on a folded blanket or towel. Ideally your knees are not higher than your hips. (You’ll need to fold your blanket or into a square, and possibly use another one for additional height.) Have a yoga block behind you if you can’t reach the floor. Reach your hand to your opposite knee, and use the back arm on the block. Make keeping your spine straight your main priority, twisting only as far as you can without rounding your back. Breathe deeply.

Relaxation
Ahhha. Place a rolled blanket or towel under your knees (this helps the lower back be more comfortable). You can also put a small folded blanket or towel under your head—don’t make your pillow too high—your forehead should be no higher than your chin. Open your arms out to your sides, a little lower than your shoulders, palms up, and relax deeply for at least 5 minutes. You can pretend you are basking in the sun (with sunscreen on, of course), after a great surf session.

Remember, the key for a healthy body and mind is the cultivation of JOY. If you can find ways to make your movement fun, you’ll want to do it and your exercises will generate joy. Think of this routine as a as “joy-generator!” If any of the movements cause pain, make modifications, or move onto the next one. Consult a qualified yoga teacher if you have questions about any of the postures. This sequence is only a brief sketch explaining the wonderful depth that is possible when exploring yoga postures.

Sequence by Gretchen Spiro, Women’s Quest Yoga Instructor
Gretchen Spiro, MA, has been teaching yoga since 1989. Trained originally in Iyengar yoga, she fuses the precision and joy of precise alignment with the flow and rigor of Ashtanga and Vinyasa styles. She is also a dancer, Gyrotonic trainer and body-centered psychotherapist. She lives in the mountains outside Boulder, CO and is the mother of a vibrant 4-year-old daughter. Yoga helps her discover more and more ways to be happy in her body.