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FitSugar Readers Name Their Top 5 Yoga Poses

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:50:00 PDT

Last week I asked you to tell me what your favorite yoga pose is, and even though the results varied, a few poses were mentioned over and over. Keep reading to see what poses FitSugar readers love most, and make sure to click through to the end to see what the all-time favorite pose is.

Jennifer Aniston's Favorite Yoga Poses Are . . .

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:00:00 PST

I'm really happy that yoga is gaining in popularity these days, because it's so good for everybody. Whether you're training for a marathon, recovering from an injury, dealing with chronic back pain, are pregnant, or just need to de-stress, the ancient practice of yoga can help. Apparently it's also good for celebs too. Madonna, Brooke Shields, Adam Levine, Drew Barrymore, and Naomi Watts are all into practicing yoga.

So is Jennifer Aniston. When asked about her favorite yoga poses, Jennifer said in a recent interview with People, "I'm so terrible with names . . . Child pose. And it's a mix between that and Tree pose. [Tree] has good balance and I like how it feels."

These two poses are basic poses you'd learn in a beginner yoga class, but they're poses that you'll continue to do until you're an experienced yogi. To find out the benefits of these tranquil poses

Partner Yoga Pose: Child Cobra

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:30:00 PDT

If you're looking for a way to increase flexibility in your spine and also get an amazing stretch in your lower back, then grab a friend and try Child Cobra. The person on the bottom is the one benefiting the most from this partner pose, since the person on top is pressing all her weight into his hips and back.

For a detailed explanation of how to get into this

Partner Yoga Pose: Supported Shoulderstand Child's Pose

FitSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:00:00 PDT

I love partner yoga poses that allow you to use your partner's body to help you relax and Supported Shoulderstand Child's Pose is one of those poses. It's similar to Double Child, but I like this one better because partners alternate between doing an energetic inversion and a lower-back stretch.

Want to know how to do this pose? Then

Strike a Yoga Pose: Child's Pose

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:30:00 PDT

Anytime you need to release your lower back, rest your arms, or take a break in a yoga class, Child's Pose is for you. Folding your body into a little ball makes you feel calm, safe, and relaxed.

Sanskrit Name: Balasana
English Translation: Child Pose
Also Called: Child's Pose

There are many variations to this pose, so to hear about them

Kneel on your mat with your knees hips-width distance apart, and your big toes touching behind you.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, lie your torso down onto your thighs.Try to lengthen your neck and spine, by drawing your ribs away from your tailbone, and the crown of your head away from your shoulders.
You can do it as shown in the photo, with your arms resting comfortably on your lower back, but I prefer to do it with my arms beside my legs, with my palms facing up. Or you can also try extending your arms out in front of you. I also like to separate my knees and bring my arms between my legs, and turn my head to the side so my cheek is on the mat. Each of these variations will stretch your back, neck, and shoulders differently, so try them all to see which one you like best.
Stay here for five breaths or longer, and once you've had enough, you can inhale to lift your torso up.

If you are preggo, open your knees wide so when you bend forward there is space for your ever growing belly. Source

Partner Yoga Pose: Double Child

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:45:00 PST

While it's true that many Partner Yoga poses can help you get a deeper stretch, another benefit is the emotional support you share. Energy can be passed and received between you, so doing a pose with someone can instill a sense of joy and serenity. This one, called Double Child, will help to relieve stress and calm the mind.

Partner one (blue shirt) and partner two (tan shirt) kneel down on a mat with their feet touching.
Both partners come into Child's Pose and hold hands.
They remain here for at least five breaths, allowing the lower back, hips, and shoulders to release.
After they've had enough, both partners slowly sit up.

I know this pose doesn't look like much, but it's one of those things that you just have to try. Once both partners allow themselves to relax completely, they'll feel the amazing effects.

Source

Strike a Yoga Pose: Camel to Child's Pose

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:00:00 PDT

Doing stretches for your back not only feels good physically, but they are also energetically stimulating. Backbends open the muscles near your heart. This is the location of your 4th chakra which is associated with love and compassion. It allows us to feel peace and a sense of being centered.

Backbends also open your hips, where your 2nd chakra is located, which is associated with sex and creativity. This chakra is all about having a strong personal identity and the ability to accept change. Poses like Camel (Ustrasana in Sanskrit) are great if you are feeling lonely, sad, bored, or tired.

Backbending poses can feel really intense, so after you do one, it's great to do a forward bending counter pose like Child's Pose.

Kneel at the front of your mat, keeping your knees under your hips (hip distance apart). Look back and make sure your shins, ankles and feet are parallel to each other.
Put both hands on your hips, and gently arch back, just beginning to warm up your lower back and quads.
When you're ready, reach your right hand down towards your right foot. If your back is less flexible, stay here for 5 breaths and then switch to the left side.
If your back is feeling good, bring your left hand down, so that both hands are reaching for both feet. Stay here for 5 or more breaths, pressing your hips forward, and dropping your head to look behind you. Try to keep your knees under your hips (they tend to slide out wide).
Come up slowly, sit on your heels, and lean forward into Child's Pose. You can do it with your hands by your feet, or stretch your arms out in front of you.
Repeat this series (Camel to Child's Pose) a few times to give you energy and increase flexibility in your back, chest, hips and quads.

Source

Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, and Chris Hemsworth Reunite For a SWATH Photo Shoot

Katie Henry — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:55:06 PST

Kristen Stewart teamed up with her Snow White and the Huntsman costars Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron for a photo shoot in LA Friday. Kristen arrived in a casual hoodie and later changed into a plaid shirt to pose with her leading man, Chris. The trio wrapped the film just before the holidays and since then they've all kept busy with new projects and well-deserved vacations.

Earlier this month it was announced that Kristen will be the new face of Balenciaga perfume while Charlize scored the February cover of W magazine. Meanwhile, Chris and his wife Elsa Patakay announced they're expecting their first child later this year and also vacationed off the coast of St. Barts with Matt Damon. Chris and Matt let loose during their stay in the Caribbean, and even partied with George Clooney's ex Lisa Snowdon. Snow White and the Huntsman hits theaters June 1 and we can look forward to seeing a lot more of Chris, Kristen, and Charlize in the upcoming months.

Bacteria Is Not Bliss: How to Keep Your Yoga Mat Clean and Germ-Free

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:36:17 PST

We're knee-deep in cold and flu season and although practicing yoga is a great way to strengthen your muscles and your immune system, doing Child's Pose with your face pressed into a dirty, germy mat is a surefire way to sign yourself up for a case of the sicks. You can protect yourself by keeping your mat clean with these tips.

Bring a towel to class to absorb your sweat, and also wear long pants. The more sweat you can absorb and not allow to pool on your mat, the cleaner it will be.
Choose one side of your mat to practice on. That way, one side always stays clean and only the other side comes in contact with the germs on the floor.
Before you practice, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly to avoid passing germs onto your mat. Then after class, roll up your yoga mat and place it in a mat bag or tote to protect it from outside germs.

Don't let your mat make you sick. Keep reading for more essential tips to keep your mat germ-free.

George Clooney Reveals an On-Set Injury and Talks Politics at Critics' Choice

Lindsay Miller — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:47:16 PST

A dapper George Clooney snapped up the best actor honor at the Critics' Choice Awards tonight before stopping to talk about The Descendants and his take on politics with reporters. George weighed in on his slightly dorky wardrobe in the film and an on-set injury he said he hadn't revealed until now. He also shared a sweet moment with his friend Viola Davis, who won best actress, as they hugged and posed for pictures together backstage.

On his on-set injury: "Amara, who is the younger child, had never been on a set before, and she went behind me, one day when were sitting in Kauai, so we're out in the middle of nowhere, and took her hand and smacked me on top of the head, because that's what she does. And it was funny, but it broke my two front teeth and I had to go shoot. So I had to go get Krazy Glue and take my pieces of my teeth and glue them in to finish the shot. And Alexander [Payne, the director] came in and saw me gluing my teeth in and made some joke about the fact that I really was from Kentucky."

On his wardrobe in The Descendants "That was almost ending all masculinity, the minute you pulled the khakis up about there, and the Hawaiian shirt tucked in down to there."

On the moment he realized the movie resonated with people: "The first time we showed it to . . . a critical audience and the first time we understood and heard people laughing. Because the funniest thing is, when you're doing it, there are a few moments in the film that we knew were going to be funny, but there were a lot of moments . . . that weren't necessarily there as the actors. The actors didn't know. So it was nice to hear some of the laughter, because that really set up some of the really rough stuff later."

On what he would do if he were president: "OK, I'm going to get right on that, because that seems like such a fun job, doesn't it? There's not much I could do there. There are very smart people around - much smarter than me - doing the best they can."

On using his fame for good causes: "As someone who's not in politics . . . I find that it's very helpful to find one or two specific things to educate yourself about and try to exploit that as much as you can. Exploit your fame or whatever that is to focus on that . . . I find that for people in my position that get an awful lot of attention - a lot of attention - it's nice to be able to refocus that on people who can't get any attention."

Child's Pose is one of my favorites too because it's so relaxing. Lowering your head below your heart has this calming effect on your mind, and it's a great pose to do if you're feeling stressed or tired. Child's Pose is recommended for people with lower back pain. It's also the perfect pose to do in a yoga class if your arms need a break, or if you feel your breathing becoming too erratic.
Tree is a wonderful balancing pose because it doesn't require a ton of muscular strength. When your bent leg is resting on the inner thigh of your straight leg, it's actually quite stable. So you can stay in this position for a while, just breathing and feeling your connection with the ground.