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Cheetahs, and Tigers, and Crows, Oh My!

GiggleSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:00:00 PDT

When a wild animal is discovered running loose on the streets, peeps go batsh*t. The animal, on the other hand, remains as calm as can be. The following surveillance footage shows what happens when unsuspecting pedestrians have surprise encounters with animals typically found in the wild. Their reactions, although totally warranted, are hilarious. Most of them make a run for it. Meanwhile, a tiger with a Frisbee in his mouth is left wondering where the hell he can find a bottle of agua up in this liquor store . . .

Strike a Yoga Pose: Crow

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:00:00 PDT

I love yoga poses that both challenge my sense of balance and work on my strength, like this one called Crow. I know it looks really hard, but once you break it down step by step and practice it a lot, you'll be flying like a crow in no time. Not only does it feel amazing to be balancing solely on your hands, but this pose really works your core and upper body, so it'll make you feel strong inside and out.

This pose is ultimately done with your arms straight, which takes a ton of upper body and abdominal strength. Once you can do this easily with your elbows bent then you can work on straightening your arms.

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana
English Translation: Crane Pose
Also Called: Crow Pose

How do you do this pose? To find out

Challenge Your Sense of Balance

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Many people take up Yoga as a way to relax, reduce stress and bring a sense of inner calmness. For me, balancing poses are the most effective at reducing the stresses of life because they require all my attention and focus, that I am forced to forget about everything else. Staying in the pose and not falling requires all your effort and concentration. Once you release the pose, you feel an amazing wave of relief and contentment.

Here are some of my favorite balancing poses. Some of them solely challenge your sense of balance, and others also challenge your strength and flexibility. Just click on the name of the pose to learn how to get into them.

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana English Translation: Crane Pose Also Called: Crow
Sanskrit Name: (beginner's) Vasisthasana English Translation: Sage Pose Also Called: Side Plank

Want to see the others? Then

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana English Translation: Half Moon Pose Also Called:
Sanskrit Name: Upavishta Konasana English Translation: Seated Angle Pose Also Called: Balancing Wide Legs
Sanskrit Name: Baddha Hasta Sirsasana B English Translation: Bound Hands Headstand Pose Also Called: Double Arm Headstand

Sanskrit Name: Pincha Mayurasana English Translation: Feathered Peacock Pose Also Called: Forearm Stand
Sanskrit Name: Garudasana English Translation: Eagle Pose Also Called: Eagle
Sanskrit name: Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana A English translation: Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose Also called: Standing Hand to Big Toe A

A Little Sanskrit Lesson: Animal Names

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:45:00 PDT

When you take a yoga class (especially Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Jivamukti classes), sometimes the instructor will call out the names of the poses in their original language, Sanskrit. Here's a list of some animals in Sanskrit and the poses they're named after. Knowing these Sanskrit words really helped me to remember the names of certain yoga poses.

Baka - crow, crane or wading bird, as in Bakasana (Crow pose)
Bheka - frog, as in Bhekasana (Frog pose)
Bhujanga - snake or serpent, as in Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
Gomukha - face resembling a cow, as in Gomukhasana (Cow Face pose)
Kapota - dove or pigeon, as in Salamba Kapotasana (Supported Pigeon pose)
Kukkuta - rooster or cock, as in Kukkutasana (Cock pose)
Kurma - tortoise, as in Kurmasana
Matsya - fish, as in Matsyasana (Fish pose)
Mayura - peacock, as in Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock pose, also called Forearm Stand)
Nakra - crocodile, as in Nakrasana (Crocodile pose)
Svana - dog, as in Adho Mukkha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog pose)
Simha lion, as in Simhasana (Lion pose)
Vatayana - horse, as in Vatayanasana (Horse pose)
Vrschika - scorpion, as in Vrschikasana (Scorpion pose)

Humans were not the first to do yoga. Way back in India, animals were observed in nature, and noted for their particular abilities and accomplishments. To imitate these qualities was considered a high sign of spiritual enlightenment, that's why so many yoga poses are named after animals. Check out this post to see animals doing yoga.

Crow Adopts Kitten

GiggleSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 04:00:00 PST

I know you guys can't get enough of the interspecies lovin'--and this story is a doozy. This cute little waif of a kitty wasn't just abandoned--she was tossed over a fence into this couple's yard, only to be welcomed into the loving and feathery arms, er, wings of...Moses the crow.

Favorite Crow Pose

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:02:00 PST

Thank you to kevindineen, suzanne and her husband (grandfather of 9) for trying out Crow pose. You were all awesome, but the award must go to the person who took the challenge and ran with it!.

birdwoman tried Crow pose and took it to a whole other level and showed us her Side Crow. I was so amazed at her balance, grace, and beauty. She made it look like she was floating in space without a care in the world. Talk about inspirational.

And now let's get ready for the latest Yoga challenge called Eagle pose.

Give this balancing pose your best shot and submit your photos to the IYOGA CHALLENGE group. Your picture could be my next favorite.

YOGA CHALLENGE: Crow

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 09:15:00 PST

Did you all have fun practicing Tripod Balance Pose as much as I did? I hope so.

I read your comments and was planning on making this week's challenge Tripod Headstand, but colormesticky gave me a much more exciting idea.

This week's Yoga Challenge is Crow Pose. I love it because it really works your arms and core. It can hurt your wrists, so try to press into your fingertips instead of the heels of your palms.

Get your cameras ready people. Send those pictures in to Fitsugar's Yoga Challenge Group called It's a STRETCH: Fit's Yoga Challenge.

Click on "Post Content to the Group" on the left-hand side. Then click on "Blog." To add your picture, just click "Add image." Then click "Submit."

Here we go:

For a real challenge, begin this pose in Tripod Balance Pose.
Very S-L-O-W-L-Y (did I say slowly?) lift your head up off the ground - in order for this to happen, you need to shift some (NOT all) of your weight into your hips and feet.
Now the trick here is to know just how much weight to shift so that you can lift your head, but still stay balanced.
Once you're up there balancing on your hands, try to bring your feet together.

That's it - can't wait to see your pics. This pose took me a little while to get because I think my butt weighs more than my head - Could that be? Nah.

Maybe I should have worn a helmet. Want to see my Yoga Bloopers? Then

View 14 Photos ›

YOGA CHALLENGE: Bound Squat

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:45:00 PST

I hope you've all been working on opening your hips doing the wide squat pose. This week's Yoga Challenge is just a little variation on the traditional wide squat.

Give it a try. I'm looking forward to seeing the photos you post in the YOGA CHALLENGE Group.

This is how you do Bound Squat:

Now wrap your left forearm in front of your left shin, trying to bring that hand up towards your left hip.
Now lift your right arm up as high as you can and drop it behind you, bringing your right hand towards your lower back.
If you can, you're going to bind around your left knee - this means your left hand grabs your right hand (grab your right wrist if you can.)
Stay here for 5 breaths, trying to keep equal weight in both feet. Pull your right shoulder down towards your hips so you can open through your chest.
Try it on the other side.

What do you think? Can't wait to see your pictures. My favorite will be featured right here on FitSugar!

Sheryl Crow Tackles Her Tour With Little Fans Levi and Wyatt

Lauren Turner — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:11:39 PDT

Sheryl Crow carried her youngest child, Levi, at the airport in California yesterday. Her oldest, Wyatt, was close by catching a ride on a luggage cart while the group made their way through LAX. Sheryl announced the adoption of her second son in June last year after taking one final vacation with only herself and Wyatt. Her growing family hasn't slowed down her career at all, and Sheryl's currently on tour supporting her latest album, 100 Miles From Memphis. The busy mom and musician added yet another endeavor to her plate with the March release of her cookbook, If It Makes You Healthy. She's just one of many celebrities who have recently shared their kitchen skills in publications, including Gwyneth Paltrow with My Father's Daughter and Eva Longoria in Eva's Kitchen.

Circumcision Increasingly Up For Debate

Annie Scudder — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:45:30 PDT

These days it seems like circumcision is the new abortion, at least if you compare the heated rhetoric surrounding the debate. Russell Crowe angered some fans after he took to his Twitter feed this week to call circumcision "barbaric and stupid." While Eli Roth, the Jewish director of Russell's new film, says it was just a joking exchange between friends, the reaction to the tweets offers more evidence that circumcision is a hot button issue.

Russell tweeted: "Who are you to correct nature? Is it real that GOD requires a donation of foreskin? Babies are perfect." He also wrote to Eli Roth, "I love my Jewish friends, I love the apples and the honey and the funny little hats but stop cutting yr babies @eliroth." He has since apologized for any distress he caused and said he was very sorry if his tweets were seen as "mocking the rituals and traditions of others." And Eli Roth has subsequently said that he and Russell were just teasing each other.

Joke or not, the Oscar winner isn't the only one to use harsh language against the practice. In San Francisco, one anticircumcision advocate has successfully put a measure on the ballot that would ban the practice, which he calls "genital mutilation," within the city limits. Anyone who violates the law would face a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail.

Parents have to weigh various factors when deciding whether to go forward with circumcision, and in fact, the rate has dropped in the US to only 32 percent of baby boys. But as one San Francisco rabbi says, taking away that choice from parents "threatens a liberal society; it's so dictatorial; it's so over the top." Do you agree?