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Strike a Yoga Pose: Warrior 1

FitSugar — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0800

All you runners and skiers out there are going to love Warrior 1. Not only does it strengthen your quads to build your endurance, but it helps to open your tight hips. This pose may seem easy at first, but work on holding it as long as you can to reap the benefits.

Sanskrit Name: Virabhadrasana 1
English Translation: Warrior 1

To find out how to get into it read more

Begin in Downward Facing Dog, with both hands and feet pressed firmly into the floor.
Then step your right foot forward between your hands. Turn your left heel in, press into your feet, and lift your torso up. You want your right foot to be slightly to the right of the center of your mat (not directly in front of your left heel). With this positioning, your hips can be parallel with the front of your mat. You can place your hands on your hips, and gently direct your right hip back and your left hip forward. This is called squaring your hips.
Once your hips are square, lift your arms up, and press your palms together. Draw your shoulder blades down towards your hips and gaze up toward your hands.
Stay here for five breaths. Then come back to Downward Facing Dog, step your left foot forward and do Warrior 1 on the other side.

5 Stretches: After a Run

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:30:00 -0700

We all know how important it is to stretch out our muscles, especially after a run, so here's a series of five stretches I like to do.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch - From a Down Dog position (this is a great stretch for your calves too), step your right foot forward between your hands. Lower your left knee onto the ground (make sure it's a padded surface - fold up a towel or use a thin block if you're on bare floor). Bring your hands to your front knee, pressing your shoulders back to increase the stretch in the front of your left thigh.

Take 5 or more deep breaths, then plant your hands down, step your right foot back, then step your left foot forward and do the other side.

Hamstring Stretch - Once again start in a Down Dog, then step your right foot forward about halfway between your hands and feet, so your feet are about 3 feet apart. Keep your torso low, and walk your hands back toward your feet. Place your hands on your front leg, ankle, or if you can reach, place them on the ground. Try to keep your front leg straight to stretch your right hamstring.

Stay for 5 or more breaths, then plant your palms, step your right leg back, then step your left leg forward and do the other side.

Want to see the 3 other stretches? Then read more

Hip and Inner Thigh Stretch (Butterfly) - Sit on the ground, bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together. You can use your elbows to press your knees down towards the ground to stretch out your hips even more. Stay here or fold forward to increase the intensity. You can keep your hands on your feet or reach your arms straight out in front of you. Take 5 or more breaths.
Hip and Hamstring Stretch (Head to Knee pose) - From Butterfly pose, keep your right knee bent and straighten out your left leg. Press the sole of your right foot against your left inner thigh. Fold over your left leg, trying to keep both shoulders parallel with the ground. Stay for 5 or more deep breaths. Then lift your torso up, straighten out your right leg, bend your left knee, and do the other side.
Double Hamstring Stretch (Seated Straddle) - From a seated position, straighten out both legs in a straddle (or "V") position. Place your hands on the ground in front of you and start to walk them out away from your hips. Try doing this pose with different distances between your legs - it will change the position of where you feel the stretch. Stay in each for 5 or more breaths.

Try this sequence the next time you go for a run. If I do these 5 stretches, I'm never sore the next day. If you feel really inflexible the first time you try them, just keep at it. Your muscles will respond and begin to lengthen and stretching will get easier. Who knows you may actually start to enjoy stretching!

Yoga Video: Sun Salutation B

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:30:00 -0700

In honor of the summer solstice and the first day of Summer, let's do Sun Salutation B. This video will walk you through the entire sequence once, but I definitely recommend doing it about 5 times. That way you'll give your body a chance to warm up and stretch out.

Music: Solar Spirit by Asiatronic

Fit's Tips If you don't have much time, but still want to do a short yoga session, do 5 Sun Salutations A's and 5 Sun Salutation B's. It's the perfect warm up to begin your day or before a run.

Strike A Pose: Sun Salutation B

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:15:00 -0700

When you take an Ashtanga yoga class, it always begins with the opening chant, then 5 Sun Salutation As in a row, and then 5 Sun Salutation Bs. In other types of yoga, they usually do variations on these sun salutations, so parts of this series may look familiar to you.

Sun Salutation B has just a few more poses than Sun Salutation A. I love to do this as a way to warm up before a run or bike ride. It works the entire body slowly, so it gradually heats up your shoulders, back, hamstrings, core, calves, fingers, toes, and hips. After 5 of these Sun Salutations, my breath feels even, my mind feels calm, my muscles feel alive, and my body feels ready to do more intense poses.

Do you want to see what Sun Salutation B looks like? Then read more

Start at the front of your mat in Mountain pose, bringing your awareness inward, and following your breath. This is the pose you're in when you do the opening chant. It's a prep pose for Sun Salutation B.
Release your arms to the sides of the body. This is a variation of Mountain pose.
Inhale, bend your knees, drop your hips, lift your arms up overhead and gaze at your hands. This is called Fierce.
Exhale as you dive out and come into a Standing Forward Bend.
Inhale to look up and lengthen your spine.
As you exhale, step or jump back and come into 4 Limbed Staff pose.
Inhale as you scoop your chest forward into Upward Facing Dog pose.
Exhale into Downward Facing Dog.
As you inhale, step your right foot forward between your hands and come into Warrior 1
Exhale, release your arms down, step your right leg back and come into 4 Limbed Staff pose.
Inhale as you scoop your chest forward into Upward Facing Dog pose.
Exhale into Downward Facing Dog.
As you inhale, step your left foot forward between your hands and come into Warrior 1.
Exhale, release your arms down, step your left foot back and come into 4 Limbed Staff pose.
Inhale as you scoop your chest forward into Upward Facing Dog.
Exhale into Downward Facing Dog. Stay here for 5 complete slow breaths. Inhale...Exhale...1, Inhale...Exhale...2, etc.
After 5 breaths, on your next inhale, step or hop the feet forward between your hands.
Exhale into Standing Forward Bend.
Inhale as you bend your knees and come into Fierce.
Exhale your arms down. Sun Salutation B begins and ends with this pose. To do another one, inhale your arms up and continue through the entire sequence again. In an Ashtanga yoga class, they do it 5 times, but you can do Sun Salutation B as many times as you like.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Warrior 1

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:45:00 -0700

The last pose we need to learn for Sun Salutation B is Warrior 1. It is a powerful and grounding pose that strengthens your quads, calves, booty, and the muscles in your feet. Working these muscles together helps to build knee joint stability.

Depending on how you do this pose, if you actively arch your back, this pose increases flexibility in your lower and upper back. If you work on keeping your spine straight, this pose will strengthen the muscles in your belly and your back. Both ways will strengthen your shoulders and the muscles in your neck.

You can get into Warrior 1 from Downward Facing Dog.
Step your right foot forward between your hands, turn your left heel in, press into your feet, and lift your torso up.
You want your right foot to be slightly to the right (not directly in front of) your left heel, so that your hips can be parallel with the front of your mat. You can place your hands on your hips, and gently direct your right hip back and your left hip forward - this is called squaring your hips. Once your hips are square, lift your arms up, and press your palms together. Draw your shoulder blades down towards your hips and gaze up towards your hands. Stay here for 5 breaths. You can come back to Downward Facing Dog and then step your left foot forward to do Warrior 1 on the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Split

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Not too many people are born being able to do a full split, so after you try these stretches to help open your hamstrings and hips, give this pose a try.

Sanskrit Name: Hanumanasana
English Translation: Monkey Pose
Also Called: Split

For step-by-step instructions read more.

From Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot forward as if you're coming into Warrior 1, but leave your hands on the floor. Lower your left knee to the mat and point your toes behind you. Shift your hips back so you can straighten your front leg. Flex your foot.
Slowly slide your right heel away form you. Lower your hips as far as you can while keeping your right leg straight. It's OK if you can't go down very far. Don't bend your right knee to get lower because it will take the stretch out of your hamstrings.
Stay here for five deep breaths. If your hips are on the floor, straighten your arms up above you and gaze at your palms. After five, place your hands on the floor and slide your right heel in toward your body, step it back and come into Downward Facing Dog. Then repeat this pose with the left leg forward.

Strike a Pose: Lizard

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:00:50 -0700

As someone who runs, bikes, and sits at a desk all day, my hips can always use a little extra love. If you suffer from tight hips and hip flexors, give this relaxing pose a try. Like Pigeon, it's a pose you can spend minutes in and allow gravity to further increase your flexibility.

Sanskrit Name: Utthan Pristhasana
English Translation: Lizard Pose

Want to know how to get into it? Then read more.

Begin on your hands and feet in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your palms, as if you're going to come into Warrior 1, but keep your hands on the floor.
Lower your left knee to the floor, and release your elbows to the floor as well. Either rest your hands palms facing down on the mat, or bring your hands together in prayer position.
Continue to squeeze your right knee toward your body and keep your gaze in front of you to encourage your hips to lower toward the floor.
Stay here for at least five breaths. Then come back onto your hands. Tuck your back toes and step your right leg back. Take a vinyasa and step your left foot forward to do this pose on the other side.

I like to add this pose into my sun salutations, after the third or fourth round, when my body is warm and ready for a deeper opening of the hips.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Warrior 3

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:00:00 -0700

If you're looking for a yoga pose that makes you feel strong and centered, then it's time for you to spend a little quality time with Warrior 3. It's one of those poses that looks easy enough, but when you're in it, you'll feel it working every muscle in your body. It's named after Virabhadra, a warrior said to have a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet; wielding a thousand clubs; and wearing a tiger's skin. It's meant to make you feel both powerful and at peace.

Sanskrit Name: Virabhadrasana 3
English Translation: Warrior 3
Also Called: Balancing Superman

To see some variations of this pose read more.

I like to come into this pose from Warrior 1 but you can also come into it from Mountain pose. From Warrior 1 (with your right knee forward), lower your torso and lift your left leg, bringing your body parallel with the ground. Extend your hands out in front of you, pressing your palms together firmly.
If it bothers your shoulders to press your hands together, separate your arms so they're shoulder-width apart. If extending your arms creates pain or pressure in your lower back, then bring your hands to your hips.

While in this pose, look down at the ground below you, and reach the crown of your head away from your left toes to create length in your spine. Engage your abdomen and draw your navel up to protect your lower back. If you feel pain in your knee, go ahead and bend it slightly. Your entire body should be engaged but not tense, so be sure you're relaxing your glutes, and drawing your shoulders away from your ears. Check to make sure your right toes aren't clenched.
Hold this position for five deep breaths, then lower your left leg returning to Warrior 1.
Now take a vinyasa and come into Warrior 1 with your left knee forward. When you're ready, do Warrior 3 on this side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Warrior 2

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:00:00 -0800

We could all benefit from stronger quads and more open hips, so let's spend a little time with this basic yet challenging pose called Warrior 2. It will also strengthen your upper body and core because when you're in this pose, you really have to concentrate on elongating your spine and drawing your belly in. This is one of my favorite poses because it makes me feel powerful, grounded, and calm.

Sanskrit Name: Virabhadrasana 2
English Translation: Warrior 2

To find out how to get into it read more.

Begin on your hands and feet in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your palms, and come into Warrior 1.
After creating a strong base with your feet and legs, extend your arms out in T-position as you rotate your torso to the left, coming into Warrior 2. Ideally you want your front thigh to be parallel to the ground, and your right knee directly over your right ankle. Press into the outside edge of your left foot to prevent from collapsing into your arch. Make sure your shoulders are stacked directly above your pelvis.
Once you've checked yourself for correct alignment, gaze passed your right fingertips. Hold for five breaths, then return to Downward Facing Dog. Step your left foot forward and do this pose on the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Rotated Side Angle With Prayer Hands

FitSugar — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:30:00 -0800

So you've mastered Warrior 1 and you're ready for something more difficult. Give this variation of Rotated Side Angle a try. Since your hands are pressed together in prayer position, it really challenges your sense of balance and strengthens your quads.

Sanskrit Name: Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
English Translation: Revolved Side Angle Pose
Also Called: Rotated Side Angle Pose

To find out how to get into it read more

Place both hands and feet on the mat, coming into Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands. Lift your arms up, and press your palms together coming into Warrior 1.
Now lower your elbows toward your chest and rotate your torso to the right, crossing your left elbow over your right thigh. Actively press your left tricep into your right quad to lift your chest as high as you can. Gaze over your right shoulder and hold for five breaths
Then release your hands to the mat, step your right foot back and come back into Down Dog. Then repeat this pose on the left side.