FitSugar

Strike a Yoga Pose: Cow Face

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Sometimes it's nice to do a relaxing pose that stretches your muscles, but doesn't require a large amount of strength or energy. This pose called Cow Face is really calming, yet gives your hips and shoulders an awesome stretch.

The name is intriguing and you might be wondering why is it called Cow Face? Take a look at yourself in a mirror while doing this pose. Your crossed legs are the lips, and your bent elbows are the ears. See it now?

Sanskrit Name: Gomukhasana
English Translation: Cow Face Pose
Also Called: Cow Face

Want to see how to get into this pose? Then read more

Begin sitting on your mat with your legs out in front of you as if you were about to do a Seated Forward Bend. Now bend your left leg and sit on your heel. If this is uncomfortable, just place your left heel to the outside of your right hip.
Now bend your right knee and cross your thigh over your left thigh, bringing your right heel beside your left hip.

If you want to go further, reach your right arm straight up above your head. Then bend your left elbow, and sweep your left arm behind your back. Bend your right elbow and try to touch or clasp both hands together at the middle of your spine. If you can't reach your hands, hold opposite ends of a towel or strap.
Try to sit nice and tall, with your neck and spine straight. You can press your head back slightly against your right arm to open your shoulder even more.
Stay here for 5 or more breaths and then gently release. Shake out your arms a little and then do the other side.

Fit's Tips: If you love Cow Face pose, here's another shoulder stretch for you to try.

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Torn Rotator Cuff = Painful Shoulder

FitSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 10:15:00 -0700

About a year ago, I was taking the same yoga class I had been taking for years. I should have been paying attention to what was happening in the present moment, but my mind was focused on a fight I had with a friend earlier that day. When I pressed my hands into the mat and lifted my lower body up off the ground to jump back to Chaturunga (4-Limbed Staff), I felt a pinching pain in the top of my left shoulder. A fellow yogi (who also happened to be a massage therapist) said it might be a torn rotator cuff. Just what I needed.

Your rotator cuff is made up of 4 muscles and their tendons. These combine to form a "cuff" over the head of the humerus bone, and help to stabilize, support and allow your arm to move up and down, as well as rotate. When the muscles get strained or pulled, they can tear, and Bingo! - you've got yourself a torn rotator cuff.

Swimmers, pitchers, and tennis players are prone to rotator cuff tears. You can also tear your rotator cuff lifting something too heavy, by repetitive activities, or if you've injured your shoulder previously in an accident or dislocation.

So how do you know if you have a torn rotator cuff? To find out read more

For me, when I raised my arm above my head, I would feel a piercing pain in the front of my shoulder that radiated down my arm. Some people feel pain when they're not moving it at all, or when they lie on it at night. A torn rotator cuff may also cause stiffness or loss of movement in your shoulder.

If you suspect you have a torn rotator cuff, you should definitely have it examined by a doctor. They'll measure your range of motion (or lack of - ouch!!!) in different directions, and test the strength in your arm. You may need X-rays, and possibly an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) so your doctor can better visualize the rotator cuff tendon. In some circumstances, an Arthrogram may be helpful, in which local anesthetic and dye is injected into the joint.

If you do have a rotator cuff tear, an orthopedic surgeon will recommend the most effective treatment. In many instances, non-surgical treatments can provide pain relief and can improve the function of your shoulder.

Treatments include:

Overall rest, and limited use of that arm (that's what I did)
Use of a sling
Anti-inflammatory medication
Steroid injection
Strengthening exercises, and physical therapy (did this too)

Unfortunately, if these don't work and you're in a severe amount of pain, surgery may be necessary.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Handstand Trick

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Spring weather always reminds of how much I love doing handstands in the grass. You can really dig your fingertips into the earth to get some grip, and if you lose your balance - so what? You have a nice cushion of grass to fall on.

In the Yoga Stretch and Tell Group, one of our readers, snowdaytoday had a question about how to stay up and balanced in handstand.

Doing handstand in the middle of space, with no help can be really scary. I'm a firm believer in using the wall to lean on, but you want to do it in such a way that you can work on your balance at the same time. You don't want to rely on the wall completely for support because then you'll never achieve the strength and balance to stay up on your own.

Here's something you can practice against a wall. Want to see? Then read more

Stand facing a stable, bare wall (you don't want to kick up and knock over a painting or go through a door). Place your hands flat on the floor, with your fingertips about 5-7 inches away from the wall.

Spread your fingers wide and put pressure into your fingertips, as if you were gripping the floor (kind of like your toes do when you're walking). This will take pressure off your wrists and hopefully prevent pain, which many people complain about when first learning to do handstands.

Leave your hands planted and walk your legs forward into a short Downward Facing Dog, with both feet together and about a foot closer to your hands than they usually are.

Lift your left leg into the air. This is called 3-Legged Dog pose.

Bend your right knee and press off the ball of your foot in order to kick up and plant both heels on the wall.

Now place the crown (top) of your head against the wall so you are gazing between your palms.

You want your shoulders directly above your hands, so you might need to come down and adjust your hand position.

Now work on bringing one foot off the wall and then the other until you're balancing on your hands with the crown of your head still pressing against the wall (this will help you to stay balanced).

Fit's Tips: Practicing this position is an awesome prep to doing it on your own. Hang out in this pose for a minute or more and you'll build the muscles in your shoulders, forearms, upper arms, upper back, and core that are necessary for staying balanced.

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.

My Fave 3-Legged Tabletop Pose

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:45:00 -0800

I love doing 3-Legged Tabletop pose. And it looks like rugeorge loves it too.

Check her out. She makes it look so easy. I love how this pose stretches out your shoulders.

And I love those red hot pants. I've got to get me a pair of those.

Are you ready for the next yoga challenge? This pose is all about balance. It's called Eagle pose and I can't wait to see your pictures. You know you want to show the world.

Post them in the YOGA CHALENGE Group.

Stretch It: Shoulder Releasing Spinal Twist

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:58 -0700

Tense shoulders are a symptom of stress and working at a computer all day, so take a break, get on the floor, and give this relaxing stretch a try. It's a variation of the chest opening spinal twist, and it'll not only relieve tension in your shoulders, but you'll also get a nice stretch in your lower back.

To learn how to get into this pretzel of a stretch, read more.

Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
Lower your left shoulder to the floor as close to your right hand as possible, while keeping your hips stacked over your knees (they like to sway to the right).
Extend your left arm straight out and hold your wrist with your right hand. Gently pull your left hand away from you, feeling the stretch in your shoulder. Actively press your hips to the left to increase the spinal twist.
Stay like this for 30 seconds then come back to your hands and knees. Repeat this stretch on the other side.

Weekend Workout: Shoulder Shapers

FitSugar — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:30:00 -0700

If you're looking for a short workout to tone your shoulders for strapless dress and tank top season, try these three shoulder sculpting moves. You'll need a set of dumbbells, a mat, and a chair or bench. Repeat all three exercises for a total of three rounds.

Seated
Reverse Fly

Superman

Side Leg With
Shoulder Press

If that wasn't enough for you, click here for more Weekend Workouts.

Chef Workout: Counter Shoulder Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0700

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and like to use those few minutes waiting for water to boil and veggies to steam by doing this stretch. It targets the shoulders, lats (sides of your upper back), hamstrings, and your lower back. It's a good one and is a great break while cooking dinner.

To learn the details of this stretch read more.

Stand in front of your counter with your feet hip distance apart. Place your hands on the counter so they are shoulder width distance apart.
Walk your feet backward until your hips are above your ankles and your spine is lengthened. Allow your head to fall comfortably between your shoulders so there's no tension in your neck. Try not to round through your lower back.
Hold like this for 30 seconds, pressing your pelvis away from your hands to increase the stretch.

For a variation on this kitchen stretch try this.

Back to Basics: Keeping Your Shoulders Down

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:00:00 -0700

When teaching Pilates, I am always telling clients to keep their shoulders away from their ears. Raised shoulders is a sign of serious tension in the neck and upper back and over time it will create pain. Not only that but it wastes energy and can make surrounding areas not function correctly. Pilates clients aren't the only folks with tense necks and raised shoulders. I see this posture all the time when people are working out with weights, biking and running.

In an effort to keep the shoulders down, people tend to tense their necks even more – as if the sheer weight of their neck will calm the busy shoulder joint. Or people tend to grab in their lats or arm pits, which also increases neck tension and interferes with free movement of the arms.

To effectively relax your shoulders, you need to focus on your shoulder blades (scapula) sliding down your back. The muscle that anchors the blades is the bottom part of the trapezius muscle. You also want to feel your collar bone (clavicle) widening and the scapula sliding slightly toward one another. The end effect is an open chest with relaxed shoulders and neck. Nothing should feel pinched or gripped. Imagine the scapula is a slippery bar of soap sliding up and down the back. Try it next time you do bicep curls, sit in freeway traffic or ride your bike.

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Relax Already: Stiff Neck and Shoulders Be Gone

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0700

August is the month when I feel the need to squeeze in a last-minute vacation. And while getting away might be relaxing, sometimes the planning and details are not. Stress for me goes straight to my neck and shoulders, making them stiff and sore. Staring at a computer all day certainly doesn't help. To help relieve some of my last Summer stress, I like to give myself a little shoulder massage. I have a little routine I like to do help release this area, and to learn it, just read more.

Inhale, lifting your shoulders toward your ears, taking three slow counts to raise them. Exhale and just let your shoulders fall. It is ever-so-nice to just give in to gravity once in a while. Repeat five times.
Gently lower your right ear toward your right shoulder, then slowly switch sides. Don't hang in any one position for too long, this isn't really a stretch - super-tense neck muscles don't like to be stretched. Just try to get your stiff and tense neck moving around. Repeat five times on each side.
Exhale and squeeze your shoulder blades together by pulling bent elbows toward each other behind your back. This might feel like you are doing the funky chicken, but it is a great move for opening your chest.
Nod your chin toward your chest, taking three slow counts to do so. Really isolate the movement so just the neck is moving; don't round the upper back. This move provides a stretch for the muscles in the back of the neck. Repeat three to five times.
Take your left hand to your right, really tighten the muscle between your neck and shoulder joint (the upper trapezius), and squeeze the muscle like a sponge. Squeeze all the tension out. Repeat five times.

Still feeling stressed? Check out these tips for more ways to relax.

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