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Partner Yoga Pose: Butterfly Pull

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:30:00 -0800

Most of us can always use some lower back stretches, and this one called Butterfly Pull stretches your entire spine and opens your hips as well.

Partner #1 (blue shirt) sits in Butterfly pose with his heels together and knees out wide.
Partner #2 (no shirt) sits with his legs straight facing Partner #1, and places his feet on Partner #1's shins.
Both partners hold each other's hands or wrists. Partner #1 folds forward over his feet as Partner #2 leans back, pulling him deeper into the stretch.
They hold for five or so deep breaths, making minor adjustments if necessary. Then both partners slowly sit back up and they switch roles.

Source

Stretch Those Tight Hips and Lower Back

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Chances are if you are reading this, you have the ever popular "office job" that involves sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day. This can wreak havoc on your precious body creating tight hips and lower back pain. Many stretches for your hips also stretch out your lower back, so these poses are like 2 for the price of 1.

If you can, try and take a break during work to do this hip and lower back stretch sequence. Go through the sequence on one side and then start from the beginning and do the other side. All these yoga poses have been explained previously, so if you want to know how to get into them, just click on the link.

1 - Sit on the floor, bend your knees, bring the soles of your feet together (take off your shoes) and come into Butterfly. This pose is great because it stretches both hips at the same time. Press your elbows against your legs to feel more of a stretch in your inner thighs.

To feel the stretch in your lower back, start to lean your chest out forward and walk your hands out in front of you. Stay here for 5 or more breaths.

Want to see the rest of the sequence? Then read more

2 - Now swing your left leg back behind you, keeping your right leg in front. This is called Pigeon and it's probably one of my favorite poses. It feels great on your lower back and you can really focus on working one side at a time. This is great considering one hip is usually much tighter than the other (usually your non-dominant leg).

This pose feels so amazing to me that I like to hang out for a few minutes on each side to really concentrate on deeply opening my right hip. If you don't have much time, then you can just do 5 breaths.

3 - Now ever so slowly and gently, swing your left leg in front of you, bringing your left inner thigh against the sole of your right foot. Lean your chest straight over your left leg, and walk your hands out towards your left foot, coming into Head to Knee pose.

Try and keep reaching your forehead out towards your left foot, elongating your spine. Relax your shoulders away from your ears and stay here and breathe for at least 5 breaths. This pose works your hips, lower back, and hamstring.

4 - For the last pose called Double Pigeon, keep you right knee where it is and bend your left knee. Stack your left ankle on top of your right knee, and your left knee on top of your right ankle. You want your shins to be parallel, with the left on top, and if you are doing it right, when you look down, you'll see a little triangular shape that your legs have made.

Try to keep your ankles and knees stacked one on top of the other and flex your feet. Stay seated and if it feels okay, bring your hands out in front of your shins and start to walk your hands out. Stay here for 5 or more breaths, relaxing your shoulders and the muscles in your face.

Now you're ready to do the other side. Come back into Butterfly once again and see if you can get a little deeper into the pose. Then keep your left leg where it is and swing your right leg back, coming into Pigeon. Then move into Head to Knee pose, and then Double Pigeon. After this sequence, your hips and lower back will thank you.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Butterfly

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Sanskrit name: Baddha Konasana
English Translation: Bound Angle
Also Called: Butterfly

This is the first pose I do right after a run. It feels utterly amazingly to stretch out my tight hips and low back. Here's what to do:

Sit on the ground, bending both knees and bringing your feet together.
Using your hands, open your feet up like a book. Use your muscles to press your knees down towards the floor. This will help to open your hips up even more.
Lengthen your spine, drawing your belly button towards your spine. Relax your shoulders and gaze either in front of you or towards your feet.
Stay here for 5 breaths, and then slowly begin to fold forward, drawing your torso towards your legs. Remember to try and keep your spine straight.
You can keep your hands on your feet, pressing your knees down with your arms, or if you want more of a stretch, extend your arms out in front of you. Stay here for 5 breaths or as long as you want.

Your hips will love you for this. Plus your lower back gets a little stretch, and I found doing this pose before and after a run or bike ride prevents me from having tightness in my lower back later.

Partner Yoga Pose: Back-to-Back Butterfly

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Butterfly pose is one of my favorite hip openers, and there are many Partner Yoga moves that involve this pose. There's the Butterfly Pull, Butterfly Supported Forward Bend, and Seated Butterfly Lounge is great way to stretch. If you have tight hips then you will appreciate trying Back-to-Back Butterfly with a partner since this variation deepens the stretch and it is only slightly hands-on compared to a couple of other partner poses.

To give it a try read more.

Partner #1 and Partner #2 sit with their backs touching and their legs out in front of them. They each bend their knees and come into Butterfly.
Then they reach their arms behind their backs and rest their palms on their partner's knees.
If it feels OK, each person gently presses down, increasing the intensity of the stretch in their partner's hips. It's important to communicate here. Each person should tell their partner to push harder or push less.
They stay like this for five breaths or more and then release.

Partner Yoga Pose: Butterfly Supported Forward Bend

FitSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:00:00 -0700

One reason I love partner yoga poses that allow you to relax and slowly get deeper into poses. This pose Butterfly Supported Forward Bend, will also bring you a little bit closer to your yoga partner; it is definitely intimate, but it allows for a deep stretch in the hips, lower back, and shoulders from the Butterfly, as well as relaxing hamstrings stretch from Seated Forward Bend. Why not take this opportunity to get to know someone a little bit better while you stretch your hips?

Want to give it a try? Then read more.

Partner #1 (man) sits on a mat. He bends his knees and brings the soles of his feet together, and comes in Butterfly pose.
Partner #1 (woman) sits down opposite Partner #2, with her feet slightly wider than hips-width distance apart. She places the soles of her feet on Partner #1's shins.
Then Partner #1 leans forward, extends his arms straight out and reaches for Partner #2's thighs, or if he can, wraps around her lower back.
Then Partner #2 can fold forward and rest her torso gently on Partner #1's upper back, placing her hands on his lower back. Each person can use their hands to pull against their partner to get a deeper stretch.
They stay like this for five or more breaths, and when they're ready to come out, they both sit up and then switch roles.

Partner Yoga Pose: Seated Butterfly Lounge

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Keeping your hips flexible helps prevent injury, and here's a great hip stretch you can do with a partner. It's similar to the Seated Straddle Lounge, but for this one, the person on the bottom is in Butterfly pose with her feet together and her knees out wide.

Music: "Shiva Shambho" by Namaste

To see a detailed description of how to do this hip-opening partner pose read more.

Partner #1 sits on the ground, bends her knees, and places the soles of her feet together in Butterfly.
Partner #2 gently sits down on Partner #1's sacrum at the base of her spine (aka back of pelvis), and begins to lie down on Partner #1's back. Partner #2 should move slowly because this is a really intense stretch for Partner #2's hips. If it feels comfortable, Partner #2 can extend her arms overhead and straighten her legs.
Both partners talk to each other, making small adjustments if necessary.
When either partner is ready to get out of the pose, Partner #2 lifts her torso and stands up.
Then each partner switches roles.

Fit's Tip: If Partner #1 has tight hips and cannot fold forward, then Partner #2 can squat behind Partner #1, facing her back. Then instead of using her entire body to add weight (as in the video), Partner #2 can place both her hands on Partner #1's thighs, gently pushing downward. She can also lean her chest into Partner #1's back to encourage Partner #1's torso to lean forward slightly.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Balancing Butterfly

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:00:16 -0700

If you're a runner, chances are your feet could use some extra love. Here's a tranquil pose that will stretch your arches and toes like Toe Breaker stretch, but will also open your hips and challenge your sense of balance.

To learn how to do this pose and see another variation read more.

Begin standing on your mat with both feet together. Bend your knees and squat down, placing your hands on the floor in front of your feet.
Turn your knees out to the sides, keeping the balls and heels of your feet together. When you're ready, bring your hands to your knees as shown below.

You can stay here, or bring your hands together in front of your heart in prayer position. Hold here, balancing for five deep breaths. To release, bring your knees together and stand up.

This is one of my favorite balancing poses. What's yours? Share it in FitSugar's Yoga Stretch and Tell Group.

Thinking of Getting Inked?

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:00:09 -0800

I have never gotten a tattoo unless you count the temporary henna kind, but it looks like I might be in the minority. About 25 percent of 18- to 30-year-olds have been inked, and 65 percent of them are women. If you've always wanted to get your fave butterfly etched onto your ankle, here are some things WebMD wants you to know before anyone puts a needle to your skin.

Pay the money and go to a shop that has licensed tattoo artists. Since getting a tattoo involves breaking the skin with a metal object and coming into contact with blood, you want to make sure the studio is clean, so there's the lowest risk possible for infection.
There are serious risks involved, such as contracting life-threatening HIV or hepatitis C from unclean equipment. You could also get other infections including impetigo, MRSA, or cellulitis. It's OK if you don't know what these are, just know you don't want them.
It's also possible to have an allergic reaction to the tattoo ink, so before getting an enormous fairy imprinted across your back, you probably want to do a small patch test on your skin first.

To find out what else you should know, read more.

Also note that your skin will look a lot different at age 25 than it will at 65, so keep that in mind when choosing the design, size of tattoo, and area of your body.
The artist should thoroughly wash his or her hands before they begin, and wear gloves to prevent the spread of infection.
Be sure all needles are removed from a sterile, single-use package, and all equipment is sterilized after each use.
Make sure you don't drink alcohol or take drugs (including aspirin) the night before or while getting a tattoo.
If you're sick, wait until you're healthy to get your tattoo, since you'll need energy to heal.
Follow the after-care instructions so your skin heals quickly and without any complications.
After you've had a tattoo, you can change your mind and have it removed by a doctor, but know that your skin most likely won't look like it did pre-tattoo. The procedure tends to require a series of visits, it's expensive, and often the tattoo can't be completely removed.

Do you have a tattoo? Did you have any complications? Tell me in the comments section below.

Source: Flickr User geishaboy500

Relax Already: Supported Butterfly

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0800

After a long day of work or a challenging workout, it's nice to take a few quiet minutes to yourself, to do nothing but relax. Some people chill with a bath, a hot cup of tea, or a glass of wine, but I like to do a calming stretch. This is one of my favorites because not only does it relieve tension, it also opens my hips, which tend towards tightness.

To learn how to do this stretch read more.

Grab two pillows and place them side-by-side on the floor.
Lie on your back with your bum on the ground (not on the pillows). Bring your feet together and your knees out to the side. Your legs should be the only part of your body resting on the pillows. Make any adjustments you need to and then release your arms next to your torso.
Remain here for a few minutes, or as long as you'd like.
Then slowly lift your knees and bring them together. Hug them into your chest. When you're ready, roll over to one side and sit up.

This is also a good pose for relieving menstrual cramps. It feels even better if you place a vibrating heating pad on your lower belly.

Why Bouncing and Stretching Don't Mix

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 08:45:00 -0800

I remember taking a dance class when I was a little girl. We would always do floor exercises to warm up before dancing. My favorite was called Flying Butterfly. We'd sit down, facing the mirror of course, and put our feet together and our knees out wide. Then the teacher would say "Fly, butterflies, fly," and we'd flap our little knee wings.

Now we know that bouncing your body while you stretch is a big no-no. But why?

Bouncing can cause microtrauma in the muscle, which must heal itself with scar tissue. The scar tissue tightens the muscle, making you less flexible, and more prone to pain. This type of repetitive, bouncing stretch is called Ballistic Stretching and it can strain your muscles and tendons because they aren't quite warmed up yet.

Think of it this way. Your muscles are like bubble gum. If you stretch a cold piece of gum, it'll snap rather than stretch. Your muscles work the same way. They've got to be warmed up in order to be pliable.

Static Stretching, where you you hold one position for a period of time is much gentler on your body, because you ease your muscles into it. When you stretch, you want to work your edge, lengthening the muscle as far as you can, feeling a stretch, but NOT feeling pain.

Fit's Tips: Make sure you breath while you're stretching because holding your breath can increase your blood pressure, making you feel dizzy.