yoga poses – EcoSalon

Yoga Poses You Should Not Do

Liz Thompson — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:00:47 +0000

Yoga is touted as the exercise good for everyone. But too much of a good thing can be, well, a bad thing. And, yes, there are some yoga poses that many of us should never do.

It seems everyone is practicing yoga these days, whether at home or in the studio. It offers flexibility, balance (both physically and mentally), and calming of the mind. But more, in this case, is not necessarily a good idea. There are certain precautions you should take in order to protect your body.

Maybe you’re a yoga beginner or a practiced yogini. Either way, injury, inflexibility, and life happenings all affect your performance on the mat. Remember, yoga is a noncompetitive sport. Just because the person beside you can touch her palms to the floor in Forward Bend, doesn’t mean you have to. Tailor your practice to work for you. Don’t push yourself to get there. If you feel pain, this is your body telling you to stop.

Whether your practice is temporarily sidelined due to injury, or certain poses are best left off the list permanently, there are always modifications or other poses that will work well for you. As you become stronger and develop the best practice for you personally, you will see results not only in your body but your energy and satisfaction too.

Yoga Poses You Should Not Do…

If you have a bad back // Don’t: Cobra, Camel, Wheel (Backbend), standing or sitting forward bend with knees locked. Do: Be sure, no matter what pose you are doing, that you are engaging your core. This will help to protect your back.

If you have weak knees // Don’t: Hero, Warrior, High Lunge, Full Lotus. Do: Strengthen your quadriceps. Weak knees are often the result of under-engaged or weak quads.

If you have weak wrists // Don’t: Plank, Side Plank, Downward Facing Dog. Do: Try going onto elbows and forearms during Plank and Down Dog. Or some people feel that using blocks make these poses easier on their wrists.

If you have a sensitive neck // Don’t: Plow, Shoulder Stand, looking forward while in any forward bending pose. Do: When doing Elbow Plank be sure your shoulders are out of your ears and avoid craning your neck in any position, like Shoulder Plank, or Triangle Pose. Try instead to keep your neck in a natural position.

If you are pregnant // Don’t: Backbend, Camel, Headstand, Shoulder Stand, Boat Pose, Revolved Triangle. Do: Seek out a yoga instructor knowledgable in teaching women during pregnancy. There are several contraindications to consider in each trimester to protect you and your unborn child.

If you are menstruating // You thought we’d suggest avoiding inversions here, right? This used to be the case but now experts believe there is no health risk to these poses at any time in your cycle. So, it is best left to personal choice. Again, take note of how your body feels and ease off if a pose is uncomfortable. You may need a day or two off, or extra meditation, if you are feeling low energy.

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Can You Practice Yoga Poses on Your Period?

Sara Novak — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 08:00:29 +0000

It’s still awkward to sit one out when you’re on your period. For one, everyone knows something about you that you wouldn’t necessarily tell them and for two, you’re not even sure if you really need to abstain. I’ve been practicing yoga regularly for the past eight years and over the years, I’ve come to some conclusions about doing yoga poses on your period.

First off, let’s look at the yogic perspective. The issue of inverting on your period revolves around apana energy or downward pranic flow. The concern is that reversing the normal flow of energy could cause heavier bleeding later or cramping. I have not ever experienced this. And to be frank, all sorts of fluids beyond your period flow downward throughout the month related to your cycle like cervical fluid, for example.

In ashtanga yoga, women are advised to take a break from yoga poses entirely while they’re menstruating. This makes a lot more sense to me because in my particular experience, I feel dense and lethargic when I’m on my period as if my body is naturally trying tell me to take a break. That heaviness weighs you down, it doesn’t make you want to invert.

From a scientific perspective, the Mayo Clinic refers to something called “retrograde menstruation” which occurs when menstrual flow goes in the opposite direction. When cells flow back into the fallopian tubes and into the pelvic cavity instead of out the body, it could lead to endometriosis. Although, science hasn’t proven this as a direct cause. However, Lizzie Wade wrote on Slate that even if retrograde menstruation was a valid cause of endometriosis, inversions don’t cause it. Rather, uterine contractions reverse flow back into the body. Bottom line–inverting isn’t going to cause retrograde menstruation.

There you have it–if your period slows you down, skip your practice or consider Yin Yoga or Restorative Yoga. If not, have at it–practice yoga poses all you want.

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6 Yoga Poses to Help You Chill Out and Wind Down

EcoSalon — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:15:47 +0000

Work stressing you out? Or maybe you just want to chill out and wind down after a long day? Yoga can alleviate stress and help you chill out and wind down. If you’ve never practiced yoga don’t be shy! Here are some great yoga poses for beginners from Michael Taylor to help get you started. You can even practice these beginner poses in the comfort of your own home.

1. Butterfly Pose

How-to: Sit with your knees close to your chest. Relax your knees out to either side, and gently press the bottoms of your feet together. Hold your feet or your ankles.

Tips: Lean forward slightly, so you can feel your “sit bones” on the ground. You can round over your feet to open up your back and relax your neck, or stay more upright and breathe your chest.

Benefits: Opens the hips. Calming. Deep breath in, stress out.

2. Child’s Pose

How-to: From hands and knees, untuck your toes and lower your hips back to your heels. With knees apart or together, lie your body on your thighs and rest your forehead on the ground. Arms can be straight forward on the ground, or reaching behind you for an extra shoulder release.

Tips: Before relaxing completely, press your palms into the ground with arms straight and elbows lifted, pushing your hips firmly back toward your heels. For an extra back release, breathe deeply into your whole back. Use this pose to rest between challenging poses.

Benefits: Opens hips and back. Calming.

3. Pigeon Pose

How-to: From a low lunge, lift or walk your front foot over so the ankle is behind your opposite wrist. Lower your back knee to the ground, and using your hands for support at the front of your mat, lower your front knee behind your wrist. Front shin can be parallel to the front of your mat, or angled slightly back. Walk your hands forward and come on to your forearms, or extend your arms and body out on the floor in front of you.

Tips: Before coming forward, walk your hands back so your body is vertical over your hips, breathe and press into your hands to take some weight out of your hips and roll them square to the front of your mat. Take your time coming forward, and keep the front of your body long and open.

Benefits: Opens the hips and the fronts of your upper thighs. Increases flexibility.

4. Reclining Goddess Pose

How-to: Lie down flat on your back. Lift both knees up, bringing your feet right behind your hips. Let your knees fall open to either side, bringing the bottoms of your feet together.

Tips: To get a great hip opening, it’s good to stay in this position and breathe for several minutes. If you feel some pain in your hip joints, slide blocks (or rolled up blankets) under your thighs toward your hips, picking a spot on each side where your thigh is supported and able to relax without pain.

Benefits: Opens the hips. Calming.

5. Happy Baby

How-to: Lie down on your back, and bring knees into chest. Keeping knees deeply bent, bring bottoms of feet to face upward, and hold the outsides of feet with your hands. Use the weight of your arms to release knees toward the ground.

Tips: For a deeper hip release, bring your elbows to press on the backs of your thighs just behind the knees, wrap your forearms behind your calves, and hold the outsides of your feet with your hands. Don’t use a lot of force here, just breathe and relax.

Benefits: Opens hips.

6. Corpse Pose

How-to: Lie down flat on your back. Feet can be about mat width apart, arms straight, palms up.

Tips: Relax. Follow your breath without trying to control it. Notice what’s going on in your body. Catch your thoughts as they come along and let them go.

Benefits: Good for body awareness and relaxing. Also good for noticing how persistent thinking can be.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from MindBodyGreen.

Image: lululemon athletica

The post 6 Yoga Poses to Help You Chill Out and Wind Down appeared first on EcoSalon.

6 Yoga Poses to Help You Chill Out and Wind Down

EcoSalon — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:17:51 +0000

1. Butterfly Pose

How-to: Sit with your knees close to your chest. Relax your knees out to either side, and gently press the bottoms of your feet together. Hold your feet or your ankles.

Tips: Lean forward slightly, so you can feel your “sit bones” on the ground. You can round over your feet to open up your back and relax your neck, or stay more upright and breathe your chest.

Benefits: Opens the hips. Calming. Deep breath in, stress out.

2. Child’s Pose

Benefits: Opens hips and back. Calming.

3. Pigeon Pose

Benefits: Opens the hips and the fronts of your upper thighs. Increases flexibility.

4. Reclining Goddess Pose

How-to: Lie down flat on your back. Lift both knees up, bringing your feet right behind your hips. Let your knees fall open to either side, bringing the bottoms of your feet together.

Benefits: Opens the hips. Calming.

5. Happy Baby

Benefits: Opens hips.

6. Corpse Pose

How-to: Lie down flat on your back. Feet can be about mat width apart, arms straight, palms up.

Tips: Relax. Follow your breath without trying to control it. Notice what’s going on in your body. Catch your thoughts as they come along and let them go.

Benefits: Good for body awareness and relaxing. Also good for noticing how persistent thinking can be.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from MindBodyGreen.

Image: lululemon athletica

The post 6 Yoga Poses to Help You Chill Out and Wind Down appeared first on EcoSalon.