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How to do a shoulder stand

yoga_Dec17_AThe shoulder stand is really an iconic pose in yoga; it not only looks dramatic but the benefits practitioners purport this pose brings are many and varied too. Anyone who is serious about really understanding and experience the real power of yoga can really find that sense of integration through the shoulder stand pose; one of the most wonderfully satisfying yoga inversions.

While we looked at how challenging some inversions can be in yoga, where the head is lower than the heart, the shoulder stand can look more daunting that it actually is. However, you do have to take care with this pose and it is best to try this with a trained yoga practitioner. Women who are pregnant or have their menstruation should avoid this pose, as well as anyone with an underlying health issue such as high blood pressure or neck problems. Check first.

How to do a shoulder stand

To get in the right position, you can follow these steps:

  • Start lying flat on your mat.
  • With the legs together and keeping your arms and palms flat on your mat, bring the legs up and over your head into the Plow Pose as you inhale.
  • Your head, neck and shoulders should be on the mat, along with your arms. Your toes should be touching the mat behind you, with your legs straight.
  • Be careful not to jolt into this position or swing into it too intensely. Instead, let the spine gently bend and bring up your hips to give some momentum.
  • Next, bend your arms, placing your palms on your waist at the back. Your elbows should be pointing out slightly and not overly wide or too tucked in. Your hands should fit snugly and comfortably in this position.
  • The next step is really the tricky part. Keeping your arms strong, bring your legs up so they are straight up. It is best if you bring one up at a time, rather than both together. Don’t bend them and keep the toes pointed upwards. It is easy here to lose your balance.
  • Remember, you are using your hands to support your back and to benefit from the pose you want to lengthen and stretch the body, so tuck your pelvis in and straighten the line from the mat upwards but do not tighten up the glutes. Keep the neck still and move the chest to the neck and not vice versa.
  • To add more support you can place a folded blanket between your shoulders, but your head and neck should not be on this.

If you find this pose too challenging then you can vary it with a Half Shoulder Stand, where you begin lying down with bent legs. Bring the legs into your chest and then extend upwards. As you do so, place your hands on your lower back and lift lower body off the ground so that a 45 degree angle or more is created by your hips. You will find less balance issues in this pose.

Make sure you come out of either pose slowly, lowering your hips in a smooth movement, bending the legs down and finally bringing them down to your mat to rest.

Learn some powerful yoga poses with us. If you are not already benefiting from yoga then get in touch and start a new journey for the body and the mind today.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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Yoga inversions for beginners!

yoga_Dec4_AOver the last couple of weeks we’ve looked at the power of inversions in yoga, whereby poses put your head below your heart. Though great core strengthening movements, inversions can be incredibly strenuous and are often a real challenge to the novice yogi or yogini. However, even if you’re not quite at the level of a headstand or a shoulder stand and find Downward Facing Dog difficult to sustain, there’s no reason why you cannot still benefit from some yoga inversions for beginners.

If you are not used to being topsy turvy and upside down, yoga inversions can prove to be a rush to the head that’s a little too far out of your comfort zone. However, with as they boast such great benefits, it’d be a shame to dismiss inversions altogether. Instead, start with less challenging but still incredibly beneficial beginner inversions.

Extended Puppy Pose

This is a good and far easier pose than Downward Facing Dog; begin on all fours, like a dog but take time to make sure you are creating a good, grounded position. This means your hands should be placed on your mat firmly, under your shoulders and your knees should be under your hips.

Keeping your arms shoulder-width apart, walk forward with your hands. You will need to keep your palms pressed down. Throughout the exercise you want to ensure that your forearms and elbows stay away from your mat and do not make contact with the floor. To do this you will have to consciously raise your arms a little.

As you move your hands forward, let your chest lower to your mat. As you rest your forehead on the ground, you’ll feel a kind of melting sensation as you let your body sink down, while your spine lengthens.

Keep your hips up and vary the pose on an exhale, by bringing your hips back so that you are halfway to sitting down on your calves and really stretching your back. All the while you should be keeping your hands in place and feeling that sense of relaxation in your core. You can let your forearms touch the ground and then you are transforming your pose into Child’s Pose which inspires deep relaxation and calm.

If you are feeling this is too much of a stretch then add a blanket or bolster for support between your calves and thighs, and also bring the arms in a little and add a blanket under your forehead.

Dolphin Pose

This is really a variation on Downward Facing Dog. Start on all fours and lower your forearms so that they lie parallel with each other. Your palms should be facing down and your elbows under your shoulders.

Curl your toes in to get a grip on your mat as you raise your hips and abdomen. Try and walk in a little if you feel yourself slide. You are aiming for a V shape, so it is important to keep your hips straight and pulled up. A good way to achieve this is visualize an imaginary piece of string pulling you up toward the ceiling and keeping you in place.

If you can, place the soles of your feet flat on the ground, but don’t worry if you have to raise them because your calf muscles are too tight; it’s always best to listen to your body and not over-stretch.

Keep your head and neck relaxed and in line with your upper arms, with your face looking into the V. Your legs and spine need to be straight.

In essence, Dolphin Pose, takes the pressure off the wrists that you often feel with Downward Facing Dog and allows for greater stability with an inversion that is still incredibly effective.

Next week, we will look at shoulder stands and also how putting your feet up can relieve stress and tension in the body. Meanwhile, come and be part of our yoga experience.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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Yoga strength with inversions: Pt 2!

yoga_Nov27_AAs we covered earlier this month, inversions are powerful yoga poses that can strengthen your muscles, inspiring balance and stability and reinvigorating your circulation and lymphatic system. Yoga inversions provide a great physical challenge that boosts energy and inspires relaxation. While certain inversions may prove strenuous, many poses are accessible to all levels of fitness and experience.

An inversion, where you head is lower than your heart, does not necessarily entail standing on your head. There are poses of varying degrees of difficulty. Here are three inversions which you might want to try, always checking with a medical and yoga practitioner that it is safe to do so given any injuries or health issues you may have.

Downward Facing Dog

This is perhaps the most well-known inversion in yoga and whilst not overly difficult to get into position, it is a strong pose to maintain and a real solid strengthener.

  • Start on all fours, making sure that your hands are firmly pressed into your yoga mat. Your upper arms and shoulders need to be rolled out and your forearms straight and slightly rolled in.
  • Inhale with a deep breath and as you exhale bring your hips up, starting to straighten your legs, keeping your back straight and pushing against the mat with your hands.Your body should look like an upside-down V.
  • Press your shoulder blades down as you lengthen your spine, as you bring your knees back to a straight leg position, if possible, with your feet slightly apart and facing forward and the soles of your feet and heels flat on the mat.
  • Make sure your fingers are slightly splayed and that you are putting your weight onto the firm grounded palm rather than on your wrists. Likewise, make sure your feet are parallel and hip-width apart.
  • Your hands need to be under your shoulders and keep your elbows from pinging out as this could put undue pressure on your elbow joint.
  • It is easy to lurch-forward and lose balance with this pose, so consciously move your weight from your arms through your hips, to create greater stability.
  • This inversion really stretches your hamstrings but be wary of overstretching or creating an unbalanced pose by trying to fight against tightness in this part of the leg. Instead, bend your knees slightly and shift your body into the correct posture, keeping a central square shape between your hands and feet.

The Hare

A far more relaxing and less challenging inversion, which can really lengthen and relieve pressure in the spine.

  • Start in a kneeling position with your hands resting lightly on your thighs, before raising your arms with the palms facing, being careful to keep the shoulders from hunching.
  • Breathe in deeply and as you slowly exhale bend forward with a smooth movement, so that the arms move forward and your forehead rest on the ground.
  • Turn your arms so that the palms rest on the mat as you stretch them out without pulling the neck muscles or tensing the shoulders and back.
  • Relax further into the pose by staying in position and breathing deeply, before drawing the arms in and gently curling the spine to get into your starting position.

Next week, we look at even more inversions for beginners and you can join our dynamic yoga sessions by getting in touch.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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Yoga strength with inversions!

yoga_Nov19_ASometimes you need to shake things up to get a fresh perspective on life and you can also do the same with yoga exercises. Creating a different approach to movement with yoga inversions can have some really beneficial effects on your mind and body, such as strengthening your core and so much more. Is it time you turned your fitness moves upside down?

A yoga inversion pose is basically a pose where your heart is higher than your head. If you think about your everyday life, when you walk, run or go about your chore and work, you are usually upright or at least you are not walking on your hands or doing a headstand. Inversions can really test you physically as they involve positions which seem to go against your natural way of moving. However, if a shoulder stand sounds a little advanced, there are many inversions, such as downward dog which are perhaps easier positions to get into.

What are the benefits of yoga inversions?

Yoga inversions get your body moving in a new direction and for this reason, it is always good to check with a doctor and your yoga tutor about any health issues you might have before you start turning your body upside down. Once you do start doing some inversions you will probably start to really enjoy them. Some of the benefits of yoga inversions include:

  • Improved circulation – When you invert you are effectively reversing the blood flow and as oxygen-rich is sent to the brain you are really giving your body a circulatory refresh. This can help boost concentration and focus and leave you feeling mentally alert. Many people swear a headstand in the morning gets their brain working for the rest of the day!
  • Increased core strength – With inversions you are often relying on your upper body to help you stay in position, such as with a forearm stand. You are keeping in position against gravity by engaging your core muscles and even without moving, yoga inversions are a great way to strengthen this part of your body. You only have to get into an inversion for a short time to really feel how powerful these yoga positions are, and how effective.
  • Relaxation – Supported-inversions and certain types of restorative inversions have more of a calming influence on the body, such as lying down with your legs up a wall. This relieves tension and stress in the body and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
  • Boosting energy – More challenging inversions create a real rush of blood to the head which has a stimulating and invigorating effect on the whole body. This has the effect of giving your body a powerful energy boost which makes you feel motivated and ready for an active life. Inversions really do shake you up in a good way!
  • Increase stability and balance – For many inversions, you need to ensure that you keep your body in a balanced position. You may be upside down and balancing on one arm and two legs or one leg and two arms, or even just your shoulders. Part of the practice of inversions is to promote balance, especially since these are resistance exercises which need strong physical stability to be achieved.
  • Helps detox process – Many inversions increase the flow of lymph which helps clear the body of toxins, which are eliminated by the lymph nodes. The flow of fluids can help lymph travel into the lungs where toxins and mucus are found. The result is a real boost to the lymphatic system and in turn to your immunity response.

Next week, we will look at some great inversions for you to try. Meanwhile, join us in some great yoga moves.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.