Broken Leg?

Pulled muscle? Sore shoulder? Back Pain?   You don’t have to wait until you are healed to practice yoga.  In fact, yoga might be just the thing your body needs to help it heal and become stronger than ever.  However, it is super important that your yoga practice be designed with modifications for your injury and with purposeful sequences that address your physical and emotional needs.  Most people become impatient and frustrated when they are dealing with an injury, which pushes us to do too much too soon way too often!  A Therapeutic Yoga session should help to combat that frustration as well as bring healing to the injury itself.

This is why investing in Private Yoga Classes with a teacher who can listen to YOU and help YOU is so important.  I often work with individuals to help them create a personal practice for healing, or to help them learn modifications for their favorite yoga class at the gym.    Following up a yoga class with Reiki can increase the healing by opening energy channels in order to let the integration of yoga, mind, and body benefit you the most.

Still wary?   Take a look at this wonderful, complete yoga session despite a fractured femur.

Now, email me, and let’s start planning YOUR path to healing!

~Peace Out

Today is the only day that matters.

Make it count!

It’s Spring!   

Let’s go for a run!

Spring is a great time to start a running program.  The birds are chirping, the air is fresh and the sun feels soooo good. There are so many reasons to jump on the running train, but I know from experience that it can also be a little overwhelming or frustrating at times.  So let’s address some of those issues first.

New  runners often  can struggle with PACE.  This means a consistent speed you plan to run, whether it is for 1 mile or 10 miles.  Most people start out running faster than they can maintain.  Even the elites have to pay close attention to that, so if you feel like you need to slow down, then DO IT!  But as a Running Coach, I have my beginner runners try to build up their pace, rather than slow down, which also builds their confidence and enjoyment of running.  Try this technique, and see how it works for you.

• Begin by walking for about 5 minutes, or a few blocks. Look around, notice the birds, the budding flowers, the squirrels scampering around.  Smile at everyone you pass. Feel good?
• Great!  Now that you feel loose and relaxed, bend your elbows and pump your arms a little as you move your body into a jog that is the same pace as you were walking.  You are just using different muscles, but keeping it relaxed and easy.  Keep smiling!  No, you don’t look silly or slow.  You look like a runner!
• See that tree up ahead?  Or that sign? Or some other landmark?  Begin to jog a little faster until you reach that tree / sign/ etc.  Not so bad, right?  Then slow it back down to walking pace.  Repeat this a few times.
• If you feel good at that faster pace, then keep it up for as long as comfortable.  You can always slow down again.
• Each time you run, pay attention to how your body feels and how your lungs feel as you shift back and forth between these two paces.  Are you out of breath?  That is too fast.  Are your shoulders tight and high?  Relax them, lifting your chin and letting your arms swing easily.  If you can master the art of body awareness you will be ahead of most runners and more likely to enjoy running, keeping yourself healthy and injury-free.

Many of the principles of YOGA can be utilized to help runners of all levels improve their performance.  Yoga for Runners programs are yoga sessions brought to your running group to help all runners feel loose, calm, and strong.  Click HERE for more information or to schedule yoga for you and your runner friends.

See you on the path!

~Molly

Adho Mukha Svanasana…

…0therwise known as “Down Dog”, is one of the most quintessential yoga poses, and is incorporated in other athletic flexibility training as well.  Down Dog is a great full-body stretch, and helps build upper body strength.  This pose feels great after you’ve been sitting for a while or after a tough workout.

 Take a moment to try this pose, with special attention to a few specific areas, and feel your body come alive!

Start your down-dog by kneeling on all fours, with wrists, elbows and shoulder stacked, and hips stacked above knees.  Curl the toes under and push your hips up toward the ceiling, bringing your knees off the floor, but keeping them slightly bent.   Now, for a great stretch:

• spread your fingers wide, like starfish, and reach through your arms, feeling your body lift
• relax your chest toward the floor, bringing your head in line with your elbows; feel your spine lengthen
• alternate bending and straightening your knees, feeling a stretch along the back of the leg and into the calf
• raise your hips toward the ceiling by coming up onto your toes;  keeping the hips lifted, release the heels toward the floor; feel your sacrum open and your legs lengthen
• pay attention to the lower belly, lifting the belly-button toward the spine;  inhale deeply, feeling the lower ribs expand
• when you are ready, release your knees back to the floor, sit back on your heels, with your tummy resting on your thighs; fold your arms in front of your knees and rest your forehead on your arms.  Feel your lower back open and release tension.

Repeat as needed.  If you are anything like me, it will be often!

Do you have specific needs that you would like to address with yoga? Contact me and we will work together to build a yoga practice unique to you!