Saturday, May 15, 2010

Yoga Pose May!

Good morning! Before I go get ready to run I thought I'd quick post and share my yoga pose with you all! We are planning to leave around 7:30 to make sure we have enough time to find parking and walk/jog around before the race starts. 
When I heard about Yoga Pose May from Kate (What Kate Ate) and Tina (Carrots N Cake) I knew I wanted to be a part of it. You know I started doing yoga back in January as a way to de-stress and stretch more. I never imagined that I would be so in love with doing it and feeling like my body actually craves it a couple of times a week.  Being a part of Yoga Pose May just meant that I could be even more involved in the blogging community while sharing a new love of mine: yoga.




The yoga pose I was assigned was rabbit. It is an inverted yoga pose that stretches out your back and elongates your spine. 


Here is my version. 
My flexibility is not quite as advanced as the other picture.


The benefits of this pose : 

  • the circulation of your blood will improve
  • relieves pressure from your back, shoulders, neck and head
  • balances your hormones
  • stimulates your thyroid gland
  • improves your immune capacity
  • it also provides relief if you have a cold, congestion or allergies.

(source)


Steps:
1. Begin in a child's yoga position--kneel down and then lower your buttocks to sit on your lower leg and feet. With your arms on the sides, lower your torso on your thighs, as you bring your head down on the floor. From this position, you can start the rabbit pose.
  1. 2. Press your forehead slightly on your knees. Then, extend your arms backward and hold on to the base of your feet. Give your heels a firm hold and then take a deep breath.
    3. Exhale as you gradually lift or elevate your hips. Keep your forehead as close as possible to your knees and the topmost part of your skull (crown of the head) near the floor or mat.
    4.Contract your abdominal muscles as you hold the pose for 5 to 8 seconds, then relax.



Why you should consider doing yoga: (source)


1. Increased flexibility - since starting yoga I have noticed I am much more flexible. I still have a ways to go, but I was NOT flexible AT ALL before I started. My muscles do not feel as tight and I believe it's helped me in other areas of exercising/working out.
2. Increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons 
3. Massaging of ALL Organs of the Body – Yoga stimulates and massages the organs which, in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and providing a warning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder.
4.  Complete Detoxification – By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.
5. Tones the muscles 



I basically picked out the biggest benefits, but there certainly are many more. You can also read more about the benefits of yoga here.


The wonderful thing about yoga is that you can do as little as 10 minutes of it and you will feel the benefits of it. It's very easy to incorporate it into your life by doing some deep breathing and some down dogs. Before the NY state tests I did some breathing with my students to relax them and they loved it. 


I think we would all do yoga daily if we had this background.

Have a wonderful, relaxing Saturday. Maybe think about doing some yoga, whether it be for 5 minutes or 50.


Check out these other pose's too! Christie and Anna are featuring Yoga Pose May on their sites. 
Wish us luck on the race! :)

21 comments:

pegasuslegend said...

Interesting. My back always bothers me and have been told to do yoga. So, here you are again showing me how to do this....will diffinitely have to be doing this, I know its great for you and by the looks of the shape your in, wow, it must be fabulous~

therabbitrunner said...

what I love about yoga poses is that some of them are just SO comfortable that I want to stay in them forever. Downward dog is my favorite!!

healthyexposures said...

I got in a quickie twenty minutes this morning :) Loved reading about the benefits, especially since I'm just getting into it. Too cool! I already feel so much better about myself, and this is what - my third time?! haha
I hope you're off to a good start on your run, can't wait for a recap :)
Oh, and re: "hoarding" - I do the same thing by getting more before I run out, haha. Except lately, I've also been sort of lazy about going to the store, and I almost like having to make do with what I've got - makes me think :)

Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite said...

Awesome rabbit pose - that one still eludes me!!! And yes, if I had a setting like those last two pics, I would do yoga ALL day!!! Happy weekend!

Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen said...

I am definitely going to do my yoga today! I put it off now. I used to be so good about doing it. It makes me feel so good, but I have to force myself to do it now since there are so many distractions around me. Thank you for the pose instructions...I am definite giving this one a try!

Have a great run!

Jennifer said...

Wow, I am going to try this tonight. Thanks for sharing. I've only done Yoga once but I LOVED it. I think I am going to make it a goal to do it at least once per week.

Katie @ Health for the Whole Self said...

Hope your race went well! :) I've actually never tried this yoga pose, but it seems like a great one!

Melissa @ For the Love of Health said...

great post! I really have to start doing more yoga! There are way too many benefits!
I hope your race went well!

Lindsay said...

Great post! I have loved doing yoga.

Megan D said...

Hooray for yoga! I really need to do it more often.
p.s. You must try overnight oats.. they take a second to make and in the morning breakfast is ready!

thirtyandhealthy said...

I just found your blog and I'm loving it! I'm going to go and have a browse through your recipes now :)

Anonymous said...

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kallie said...

i don't know what I would do without yoga. Seriously, if you are a runner it is absolutely necessary. I'm liking this whole 'yoga pose may' thing, i'm also totally addicted to yogadownload.com. ;)

-k
http://kalliemarie.wordpress.com

Nirmala said...

I'm getting back into yoga this week, taking a weekly class. Probably not enough but it's a start given my other activity, running and walking. Thanks for inspiring us.

whataboutsummer said...

you're on your way to doing a yoga headstand, just wait...
Katherine

Travel Eat Love said...

I need to fit more yoga into my life. It always feels so good!

She-Fit said...

Great post! I love this pose... it feels so good on the spine. I just started Bikram Yoga last week and I'm addicted. I would love to try out the less intense forms of yoga.

Fit Chick in the City said...

Thank you for teaching me about a new pose!

Carrie said...

Wow, I haven't ever tried this pose, but it looks like a great stretch. Thanks!!!

livingabalancedlife said...

Such an awesome stretch!!

kate said...

I have a love/hate relationship with rabbit. It really depends on my mood! I love the section on why you should do yoga!

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