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Strike a Yoga Pose: Bound Lotus

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 04:00:00 -0800

We're up to the last three poses in the closing sequence of Ashtanga Yoga. They're all poses that involve having your legs in full lotus. This pose not only stretches your hips, but it also opens your chest and stretches your shoulders and lower back.

Sanskrit Name: Baddha Padmasana
English Translation: Bound Lotus Pose

How do you get into it? To find out read more

If lotus doesn't work for you because it hurts your knees or hips, just sit cross-legged.
If you want to try doing lotus, bend your right knee and place your right foot up by your left hip bone. Then carefully bend your left knee and pull your left foot over your right shin and place it by your right hip bone. If your knees or hips are hurting whatsoever, come out of lotus and just sit cross-legged.
Once you've got your legs into position, it's time to do your arms. Traditionally, you cross them behind your back, lean forward slightly and your right hand holds your right big toe, and your left hand holds your left big toe. If you feel like your toes are too far away, you can take your legs out of lotus and then fold them back in, readjusting your feet so they're as close to the sides of your waist as possible. If you can't hold both toes together at the same time, just hold one. If you can't reach either toe, just keep your arms crossed behind you, fold forward over your knees and pretend you're holding your toes.
Stay here for five deep breaths, eventually working on bringing your forehead towards the ground. On your next inhale, sit up.

Fit's Tips: Some people are born with really open hips so lotus is easy for them from the start. If you're not one of these people, you can work on opening your hips by practicing Pigeon and Double Pigeon.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Seated Half Bound Lotus

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:00:41 -0700

Most of us suffer from stiff hamstrings and hips, so here's a pose that will increase flexibility in both. It's one of the seated postures in Ashtanga Yoga's Primary Series, and although it looks pretty basic, being in half lotus can be very challenging for those with tight hips.

Sanskrit Name: Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
English Translation: Half Bound Lotus Western Intense Stretch Pose
Also Called: Seated Half Bound Lotus

To learn how to do this forward bend variation read more.

Begin sitting on the mat with both legs straight out in front of you. Bend your right knee and pull your right heel into half lotus, so it's in front of your left hip. Sit up tall and reach your right arm around your lower back and clasp your big toe with the first two fingers and thumb.

Now fold at your waist, rest your torso on your left thigh, and hold your left foot with your left hand. Lower your nose or forehead to your shin. As you breathe, continue to reach the crown of your head toward your left foot. This will help to lengthen the spine.
Be sure to relax your shoulders as you take five deep breaths. Then lift your torso up, release your right leg, take a vinyasa and do this pose with the left leg in half lotus.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Standing Half Bound Lotus

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Whenever I say I do yoga, people always ask me if I sit in Lotus and "ommmmm" for three hours straight. Not quite, but Lotus is a pose I often do at the beginning and end of class. It's a pretty advanced pose actually, because it requires incredible flexibility in your hips. If your hips could use a little opening, give Standing Half Bound Lotus a try.

Sanskrit name: Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana
English translation: Half Bound Lotus Standing Forward Bend
Also called: Standing Half Bound Lotus

To see how to get into this pose read more

Begin in Mountain pose.
Shift weight into your left foot, grounding firmly, and then bend your right knee up towards your chest. Reach for your right foot with both hands, and gently pull your right heel up in front of your left hip. If this feels OK, let your right knee lower down.
Hold your right foot with your left hand and then reach your right arm around your lower back.
Either hold onto the front of your elbow and stay here, or work on reaching for your toes with your right hand.
Stay standing or fold forward, placing your left palm flat on the ground. If your left hand isn't holding onto your right foot, you can still fold forward, but place both palms on the ground. This is going to be an intense stretch in your hip. If you feel any pain in your knee, stand back up.
If you're folded, tuck your chin in towards your chest and work on drawing your forehead towards your shin.
Hold for five deep breaths and then rise back to standing. Release your right leg and then do this pose on the left side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Sage Half Bound Lotus

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Balancing poses are really fun to try and they also perfect your posture and muscle control. After trying Beginner's Sage and Sage Tree, I think you're ready for a more challenging variation: Sage Half Bound Lotus. If the name makes it sound challenging, that's because it is. The challenge is part of the fun.

Sanskrit Name: Vasistha Ardha Bada Padmasana
English Translation: Sage Half Bound Lotus Pose

To learn how to do this pose read more.

Begin in Downward Facing Dog pose. Step both feet together so your big toes are touching.
Now move your right hand over to the left so it's at the upper center of your mat.
Step your right foot forward two inches, and plant the sole of your right foot firmly on the mat so your toes are pointing to the left.
Then roll over to your right side and lift your left hand off the mat, coming into a side plank. Lift your left leg up bending your left knee and use your left hand to pull your heel in front of your right hip so it's in Half Lotus. Reach your left arm around your lower back and hold onto your left big toe. Gaze toward the ceiling. Engage your right fingertips so you can take some pressure out of your wrists. Stay here for five deep breaths, trying to keep your core strong and the pose steady.
Release your left hand back to the mat and move your right hand back where it was near the top right corner of your mat. Separate your feet so you are in a top of a push-up position (what I call Plank). Now take a vinyasa and come back to Downward Facing Dog. Then do this pose on the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Lotus

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 04:00:00 -0800

Lotus is the next pose in the closing sequence of Ashtanga Yoga after Bound Lotus. This is the pose I'm sure everyone thinks of when they think of yoga. It's a calming pose that many people choose to meditate in, and many yoga classes often begin or end in this pose.

Sanskrit Name: Padmasana
English Translation: Lotus
Also Called: Pretzel

If you are following the closing sequence, and doing Lotus pose after doing Bound Lotus pose, all you do is release your hands from behind your back and place the backs of your hands on your knees. Touch your thumb and index finger together, and extend your other three fingers down towards the floor. Tuck your chin in slightly towards your chest and gaze softly at your nose.
If your legs don't do lotus pose, then you can come into half lotus, where your right heel is pulled up to your left hip, and your left foot is on the ground under your right thigh. If half lotus doesn't work for you either, just sit cross-legged with your ankles under opposite calves.
Use your abdominal muscles to keep the spine strong and tall. Relax your shoulders away from your ears, and concentrate on ujjayi breathing where the belly is still and you breathe into the rib cage. Stay here for 10 deep breaths.

Fit's Tips: As I said with Bound Lotus, if you're working on getting your legs to do lotus, practice hip opening poses such as Butterfly, Pigeon and Double Pigeon.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Sage

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

There are so many variations of Sage pose - Beginner's Sage, the tougher Sage Tree, and the even more difficult Half Bound Lotus Sage. Now you're ready for this challenging full variation known simply as Sage. It requires extreme balance as well as flexibility in the hips and hamstrings.

Sanskrit Name: Vasisthasana
English Translation: Most Excellent Pose
Also Called: Sage, Side Plank, or Split Sage

To learn how to do this advanced pose read more.

Begin in Downward Facing Dog pose. Step both feet together so your big toes are touching.
Now move your right hand over to the left six or so inches so it's at the upper center of your mat.
Step your right foot forward two inches, and plant the sole of your right foot firmly on the mat so your toes are pointing to the left.
Then roll over to your right side and lift your left hand off the mat, coming into a side plank. Lift your left leg up bending your left knee and hold on to your big toe with the first two fingers and thumb of your left hand.
Stay here balancing, or work on straightening your left leg completely. Try to keep your shoulders, spine, and hips in one straight line, and gaze toward your right toes. Engage your right fingertips to take some pressure out of your wrists. Stay here for five deep breaths, trying to keep your core strong and the pose steady.
Release hold of your left foot and place your left hand back on the mat. Move your right hand back where it was near the top right corner of your mat. Separate your feet so you are in a top of a push-up position (what I call Plank). Now take a vinyasa and come back to Downward Facing Dog. Then do this pose on the other side.

Strike a Pose: Closing Sequence

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 04:00:00 -0800

The Closing Sequence of Ashtanga Yoga is a powerful and grounding way to end a vigorous class. These particular poses are not limited to just Ashatanga; you can find many of them in other styles of yoga as well. So if you practice yoga, it's good to be familiar with this popular sequence. Plus if you ever experiment with Ashtanga you will be in the know. The poses are listed in sequence as they are done in class. To learn more about a particular pose, just click on the orange link to reach a full post dedicated to the pose.

Wheel Urdhva Dhanurasana Do 3 times, holding each for 5 breaths
Seated Forward Bend Paschimottanasana Hold for 5 breaths

Want to see the rest of the Closing Sequence? Then read more

Shoulderstand Salamba Sarvangasana Hold for 15 breaths
Plow Halasana Hold for 5 breaths
Ear Pressure Karnapidasana Hold for 5 breaths
Balancing Lotus Urdhva Padmasana Hold for 5 breaths
Embryo Pindasana Hold for 5 breaths
Fish Matsyasana Hold for 5 breaths
Extended Legs Uttana Padasana Hold for 5 breaths
Bound Headstand A and B Sirsasana A Hold for 25 breaths Sirsasana B Hold for 5 breaths
Bound Lotus Baddha Padmasana Hold for 5 breaths
Lotus Padmasana Hold for 10 breaths
Lifted Lotus Tolasana Hold for 100 Breaths (or as many as you can)
Corpse Savasana Hold until your heart rate and breath slow down to normal, for about 10 minutes

A Little Sanskrit Lesson: Basics

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 02:30:00 -0700

When I go to certain yoga classes (especially Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Jivamukti classes), sometimes the instructors don't demonstrate the postures. They walk around assisting students, and call out the names of the poses - in SANSKRIT! Here's a little lesson so the next time you go to a yoga class like this, you can have more of an idea of what poses you're supposed to be doing.

Asana - "pose," as in Tadasana (Mountain pose)
Urdvha - "upward," as in Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog pose)
Adho - "downward," as in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog pose)
Utthita - "extended," as in Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle pose)
Baddha - "bound," as in Ardha Bada Padmottanasana (Standing Half Bound Lotus pose)
Kona - "angle," as in Supta Konasana (Sleeping Angle pose)
Upavistha - "seated," as in Upavistha Konasana (Seated Angle pose)
Parivritta - "revolved," as in Parivritta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side Angle pose)
Supta - "sleeping," as in Supta Kurmasana (Sleeping Tortoise pose)
Namaste - A sweet gesture meaning "The light (or spirit) in me greets the light in you." "Namaste" is also a greeting than means hello or goodbye.

So now you'll recognize some Sanskrit words when you take your next yoga class. With a little practice, these words will flow right off your tongue. It's fun to learn the Sanskrit names of poses, but you can still call them by their English names - You won't get in trouble with the Yoga Police.

Source

A Week In Review: FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 12:00:00 -0700

Want to try Sheila Kelley's S factor class? Well you can check out the intro class for free!!!! The "S" could stand for sexy or sensual or stripping.

Since it is Saturday you have time to learn Upward Dog the next yoga pose in the sun salutation series.

Test your health knowledge on butter.

Get back to basics and study up on reverse lunges. They are so effective at toning the legs and behind. You can do this move anywhere...try it in your kitchen while you wait for tea water to boil.

Looking for a race to run? Here's a helpful site. Knowing there's a race to run might be the motivation you are looking for. I found a race in about 47 seconds.

Speaking of races...do you know who is more likely to get injured bewteen someone training for a marathon or a triathlon? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

If you're looking for a challenging yoga pose to try, you need to check out Standing Half-Bound Lotus. Sounds exotic doesn't it?

Looking for something green to eat instead of cabbage. Why not try asparagus?