YogAAHHHHH

Whyever wouldn't I practice yoga? It feels soooooooo goooood!!!

This morning, after the circus of several people and a dog out the door, I eagerly returned to the free 7 Day Vinyasa Challenge from Yoga International waiting in my inbox.  

Note - I realize this probably was conceived and prepared as ideally a consecutive-day practice; however, I began day 1 on the day before a camping/fishing trip where I was purposefully removed from electronics most of the time. *bliss* 

Returning to the challenge today to complete Day 2: Heating Vinyasa Flow has given me physical and mental satisfaction.  A bit of ad-lib to make the practice my own, I added a bit of adductor stretching with a yoga strap and some quadricep/hip/adductor myofascial release with a foam roller just before savasana - remember the post  never skip savasana? I had to remind myself of this today as the temptation to pick up the mat and finish getting ready for work kept flitting through my mind. 

I'm grateful for today's practice and for the changes I am noticing in my ability to move into various poses. 

@CoachBurow #neverskipsavasana #vinyasa #7dayvinyasachallenge #yoga #balance #gratitude

Space, Length, and Freedom - interesting concepts

Release tension from neck and shoulders? Sign me up!  Today's instructor suggests to notice space, length, and freedom in my body - sure, why not. 

Preface:
I have been thinking all day about practicing yoga and have finally completed Day 22: Release Tension from the Neck and Shoulders. My westernized thinking was unrelenting as I checked my email and saw the "Thanks for completing the 30 for 30 Challenge!" email because I haven't technically completed, nor have I done yoga every day for 30 days.  My mind tells me I am falling short of completing my goal. **WONK.**

I am not completely dissatisfied with the progress made in my personal well-being during the last 30 (31!) days.  Come to think of it, I have done yoga every day - even if I haven't completed a "30 minute practice" or followed a sequence from an instructor, I have been incorporating mindful breathing during stressful times at work; I have used a few minutes before teaching a class to move through a few warm-up and centering poses; I have taken even a few minutes before meeting 1:1 with coaching clients to ground myself. (Honestly, even taking time to prepare more mindfully for each client is more than I had been doing lately.)

Back to 'day 22' - I used a foam roller for the practice today because all of the tennis balls in this house are slobbered on and/or shredded (by dogs, not wild homosapiens).  I enjoy a good foam-roll session as much as the next gal, but for the areas of the body we were working on today, a tennis ball or similar tool would be preferred. Anywho, here are a few notes and reflections from today:

• Create or allow space - for change?
• Lengthen, expand, or stretch - rather than condense, consolidate, make more efficient?  
• Embrace freedom to modify - perhaps modify my rigid thinking? modify a pose?

Note to self: No immediate answer is needed! And the answer may not be right or wrong!

I will continue to use the yoga class links that were emailed to me and finish each of the practices.  As of now, I am signed up for the 10-day yoga core challenge, so perhaps combo-blog posts will be in order.  We shall see what comes.


@CoachBurow #30for30 #yogachallenge #yogaeveryday  #dynamicwellness #mindbodyhealth 

How many times can I be the come-back kid?

Since I have been teaching more and more group fitness classes at TWC and have been working various other places in the community, my personal training and small group training has picked up (Praise God!).  As well, I am more active by . . . default?  I don't know about that, but I am slowly gaining muscle endurance and s-l-o-w-l-y gaining muscle strength.  (Unsure what is going on but my body still won't tolerate strength+endurance physical activity for very long without pain.  Interesting.)  One of the small groups that I am working with is a 'Beginner 5k' training group!  Therefore, I am holding myself accountable for running the route 2 days before the training group runs it so that I know approximately how long it will take to complete and what the terrain is like.  Got my behind out there this morning, despite wanting to "skip it" due to Minnesota's ever-changing climate (last week: 60-70 degrees, sunny; today: snow/sleet). 

I continue to come back to blogging when I "feel" like I am getting back into "training" :-p I do have some goals and even some upcoming events that I plan to participate in, so I suppose this may translate into more frequent blogs in the upcoming months. *insert applause, hoots and hollers*

Has anyone else been using foam rollers?  I have been using mine daily and have been encouraging just about EVERY client/patient/friend to utilize one!  Foam rollers are somewhat "trendy" right now, but I will say that I started using them nearly 15 years ago when I had access to one at home (dad was rehabing from a vehicle crash and had one).  The rollers can be used to massage muscles and break up scar tissue - really effective for Chronic Myofascial Pain, injury rehab, muscle tightness, etc. 

Another note - I have been experimenting with making kale chips and "ice cream" (not mixed - ew).  When I get recipes that I like A LOT, I'll share!  Meanwhile, I'm also going to start experimenting more with the juicer my housemate has . . . and figure out ways to use the 'fibrous leftovers' [because it is very nutritious and it is wasteful not to use!].

Okee-dokey then.

Are you training for anything?  Training yourself to be more physically active, in general, perhaps?! :-)