3 Inversion Yoga Poses that Defy Gravity Posted by author on Oct 11, 2018 in Uncategorized | 0 comments It is time for you to overcome your fear and learn to master yoga inversions. All these asanas are fun to do, and they provide plenty of benefits for your health and body. However, learn them with caution to avoid injuries. Below, we have created a list of the best inversion yoga poses that defy gravity. #1. Feathered Peacock Pose This asana is also known as the elbow balance. It is a complicated pose in which you must support your entire body on your upper arms, palms, and elbows. Lie on your stomach on a yoga mat while facing a wall. Bend both elbows and align them with your shoulders. Lift your hips up and move your body towards your arms as much as possible. Raise one leg and then kick off the mat. Raise the other leg as well. At first, you can allow your legs to touch the wall with the soles for a better balance and support. You will also feel your lower body being pushed off the floor. Maintain this pose for a couple of seconds. Try not to touch the floor with your head. If holding your legs perpendicular to the mat is too hard for you, then support both feet on the wall while doing your best to keep a straight body. Release the pose following the same steps you used to get into the asana. #2. Handstand Asana Use a wall to learn this pose. Start from all fours and press your heels against the wall. Align your body by keeping your shoulders over your elbows and wrists. Also, your knees should be placed right under your hips. Lift up your buttocks to create a semi-dog pose. Now, it is time to lift your legs one at a time. At first, keep both knees bent and straighten your legs only when you feel comfortable and ready. This is an L stand. From here, you can lift one leg towards the ceiling. Then, kick the other leg up as well. Try to maintain your balance in this inverted upright position while your body is perpendicular to the floor. It is best to learn it with the help of a trained yoga expert. #3. Plow Pose Lie down on the mat, on your back. Put your palms right next to your torso on the mat in a resting position. Inhale slowly and activate your abs while lifting both feet off the ground. They should be lifted until they form a 90-degree angle. You can hold your hands on your hips for a better support until you reach with your legs up. Continue lifting them, but now you should also push your legs back over your head until your toes reach the mat above your head. Your tailbone should be as high as possible. Also, don’t cram your chin into your chest. Keep a space between them. Finally, you can extend both arms in the opposite direction of your legs, and clasp the palms together. (Safely executing an inversion pose requires wearing the right attire. Shop the above look here.) Bottom Line These inversion yoga poses are very beneficial for your health and physical strength. They alleviate not only stress but also other conditions such as sinusitis and headaches. Inversion yoga asanas improve your organs’ functions and they increase your spine’s flexibility. Read More

Yoga On the Go Posted by author on Apr 24, 2018 in Uncategorized | 0 comments One of the great things about yoga is how very transportable it is. You do not need a lot of equipment, and the equipment you do need is light and easy to pack. It can be practiced in a small space, even a hotel room. It also does not need any other people, but yourself of course. All these reasons mean that no matter where you are, you can experience the benefits of yoga, and keep your practice strong. Required Equipment In all reality, you do not need any equipment to practice yoga. However, there are some items that can make practicing yoga much more comfortable. All of these are light and won’t take up too much room in your luggage, so bringing them along is not going to be much trouble at all. The first thing you will want to look into bringing is a yoga mat. Thinner mats will be easier to pack, but make sure it provides you enough padding. You can, if you find the thinner mat to be uncomfortable, use blankets underneath to provide more cushion. You may also want to check with where you are staying, many hotels now offer yoga mats that you can rent or gym space stocked with yoga mats. For clothing, a simple yoga outfit just needs to include a comfortable bra, shirt, and pants. This can easily double as great loungewear doing downtime in your travels, so bringing it along should not impede your travel plans at all. If you are used to practicing in yoga socks, bring those along too. Adjusting to being barefoot can be difficult if you use yoga socks regularly. Blocks and rollers are going to be a little more challenging to pack, as they can take up quite a bit of room. They are thankfully very light, they might just take some work to fit their bulk into your suitcase. Like mats, you may also find that your hotel has access to these pieces of equipment, so that can let you avoid trying to pack them. Effective Locations for Your Practice Most hotels will offer a small gym space, they may have some equipment there too. The space in most hotel gyms will be plenty to go through your practice. If there is no gym space, or you are just more into quiet and private practice, feel free to stay in your room. Don’t forget that outside can be a great venue for yoga as well, and this can allow you to enjoy some sights and sounds of a new place. With the small space required and the minimum equipment that you need, your yoga practice can come with you almost anywhere in the world. It is also independent of other people. While having a favorite instructor is wonderful, it is possible to self-guide yourself through a few yoga routines. Yoga has also become popular enough that many gyms provide space and basic equipment to their guests. Vacation or business trip, there is no need to pause your practice. Keep yourself happy, strong, and in tune with your body, no matter where you go. Read More

The Purpose of Yoga Props Posted by author on Jan 15, 2018 in Uncategorized | 0 comments Depending on the style of yoga you do, you might already be familiar with the purpose of yoga props. If you haven’t yet had a class that allowed you to play with them, you really are missing out. Yoga props aren’t for everyone and they aren’t for every style of yoga; let’s see if yoga props are a good fit for you! The Purpose of Yoga Props There are a couple of general purposes of yoga props. Sometimes they are used for allowing better alignment in poses. For example, in Iyengar yoga there are a lot of yoga props used. Other times yoga props are used to help students relax into deeper poses. Restorative yoga uses many props and they are used for that reason. The third main reason yoga props are used is to allow for modifications to poses that may be difficult or otherwise impossible for certain body types. Let’s break down each of the main yoga props. Blocks Yoga blocks are the main type of yoga prop used. The purpose for yoga blocks are vast. Like mentioned above, it depends on the style of yoga that is being performed. One of the main reasons blocks are used is because they allow student to reach the “ground” easier. There are a lot of poses that student have a hard time reaching the ground in but once they place a block down it is much more realistic and comfortable. Blocks are also used to help students align themselves better in poses, to sit on, to elevate other props, and even to balance on. Yoga blocks are used for just about anything. Don’t be offended if your instructor suggests that you use yoga props; especially blocks because it could be for so many reasons. Straps Yoga straps are used for multiple reasons as well. Most commonly they are used to help students extend their reach. Extended reach can help modify poses and even make up new ones. Yoga straps are also useful in restorative yoga. In restorative yoga they can be used to bind feet, legs, and more together. This allows for more relaxation in poses that require you to stay still but would require muscle tension to hold for long amounts of time. Yoga straps are also really good for stretching in general. Bolsters Yoga bolsters are good for relaxation and comfort. You might wish to try sitting on one next time you are meditating. The height allows a lot more comfort in most people’s knees. You can lay back on them in restorative yoga or in gentle Hatha yoga classes as well. In savasana you can place yoga bolsters behind your knees if you get a sore back whenever you are laying flat. Restorative yoga in general commonly uses bolsters for many of its poses. Other Useful Yoga Props There are so many yoga props that it is hard to get to them all. Other props include blankets, sandbags, wheels, the right active wear like athletic leggings , and more. Ask your yoga instructor if you can try out different yoga props during your next class if you think that any of them will be beneficial to you. Read More