FitSugar

Stretch It: Low Squat

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Some squatting poses in yoga strengthen your quads and booty, and then there are relaxing variations on poses like the Wide Squat, which opens your hips. Here's a two-for-one version of a squat that will stretch your lower back and open your hips. One of my all-time favorite stretches, it feels amazing after a run.

To learn how to do this low squat read more.

Stand with your feet parallel so they're slightly wider than your hips.
Bend your knees and lower your hips down toward the ground. If your heels don't touch the floor, roll up a towel and place it under your heels for support.
Shift weight into your heels and lengthen the crown of your head up toward the ceiling. Place your palms on the ground in front of you.
Now leading with your belly button, press your torso forward between your knees. Try to lengthen through your spine as you walk your hands away from you. Then gently lower your head, tucking your chin toward your chest and stay here for 30 seconds or more. Remember to relax your shoulders away from your ears. It's an intense stretch so once you've had enough, slowly straighten your legs and come into a Standing Forward Bend to release your hips.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Twisting Goddess

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:30:00 -0700

After channeling your inner strength with Goddess pose, it's time to try this variation. Not only will it tone your quads, glutes, and core, but it will also increase flexibility in your shoulders.

Sanskrit Name: Parivritta Utkata Konasana
English Translation: Revolved Fierce Angle Pose
Also Called: Revolved Goddess or Twisting Goddess

To learn how to do this pose read more.

Stand at the top of your mat in Mountain pose.
Step open to the right, opening your legs about three feet apart. Turn your heels in.
Bend your knees coming into wide squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Your knees should be directly over your ankles, so adjust your feet if you need to.
When you're ready, lift your arms up, bending your elbows so they are at 90 degree angles, and open your palms away from you, coming into Goddess.

Now rest your right elbow on your right thigh and either raise your left arm over your ear, or reach it around your lower back and clasp your fingers around your right inner thigh.
Hold here for five deep breaths, gazing over your left shoulder.
Then switch sides, resting your left elbow on your left thigh, holding for another five breaths.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Goddess

FitSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Channel your inner goddess with this simple but bold yoga pose. Goddess pose builds your inner and outer strength; since it is like a wide squat you will be working your quads and glutes.

Sanskrit Name: Utkata Konasana
English Translation: Fierce Angle Pose
Also Called: Goddess or Victory Squat

To learn how to do this pose read more.

Stand at the top of your mat in Mountain pose.
Step open to the right, opening your legs about three feet apart. Turn your heels in.
Bend your knees coming into wide squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Your knees should be directly over your ankles, so adjust your feet if you need to.
When you're ready, lift your arms up, bending your elbows so they are at 90 degree angles, and open your palms away from you.
Hold here for five deep breaths.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Prep For Bound Wide Squat

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Wide Squat is a great pose that opens your hips, but if you want to open your shoulders, chest, and increase flexibility in your spine as well, then you're going to love doing Bound Wide Squat. The prep for this pose makes you feel an incredible sense of openness in your heart and lungs. Since you put weight in your bottom hand, it also gives you a great wrist stretch which allows you to shift weight into your heels so you can stretch your calf muscles.

Sanskrit Name: (Prep pose for) Bada Malasana
English Translation: (Prep pose for) Bound Garland Pose
Also Called: (Prep pose for) Bound Wide Squat

Want to know how to do this pose? Then read more

Begin in Wide Squat. Bring your right arm between your knees, and place your right palm flat on the floor. Try to lower your right shoulder and reach your fingers as far as you can out to the side, underneath your right shin.
Put some weight into your right palm, so you can shift weight back into your heels and balance equally on both feet.
Then reach your left arm up towards the ceiling. You can keep your arm straight, or for more of a stretch in your left shoulder and chest, you can pull your left arm further back. Gaze towards your lifted hand to encourage your spine to twist a little more.
Stay here for five deep breaths, then come back to Wide Squat for one complete breath to release the pose. Then do the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Wide Squat

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:15:00 -0800

'Tis the season for tight hips. If it's snowy where you live, and you're doing all kinds of Winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, I'm sure your whole lower body is feeling tight. The onset of Winter often causes people to exercise less, and not moving around can cause tight muscles, too. If you sit all day at a desk, that's not helping your hips either. I bet your body is just craving to do a Wide Squat.

Sanskrit Name: Malasana
English Translation: Garland Pose
Also Called: Wide Squat or Frog

Want to know how to do this pose? Then read more

Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips.
Bend your knees and lower your hips down toward the ground. If your heels don't touch the ground, roll up a towel or the back of your mat and place it under your heels for support. If you or your studio has one, you can also use a wedge block.
Bring your palms together at your heart center and firmly press your elbows against the inside of your knees. This will help to open your hips even further.
Work on shifting weight into your heels and lengthening the crown of your head up towards the ceiling.
Hold the pose for five deep breaths, or as long as you'd like. It's an intense stretch so once you've had enough, slowly straighten your legs and come into a Standing Forward Bend to release your hips.

ExerciseTV: Squat With Side Bend and Overhead Press

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:05:01 -0800

In a time crunch, you need to find exercises that work many body parts with one exercise. That is why I am loving this variation on squats I found over at ExerciseTV. It incorporates side bending as well as an overhead press into your basic squat. This means you are not only working your hamstring, quads and glutes (aka your legs and bum), but your obliques (side of your torso) and shoulders as well. Talk about a three for one bonus deal!

The folks at ExerciseTV are so generous for sharing their videos; they even sponsored this post. So grab some hand weights, any style will do. I would start with five pound weights and work up to using eight and then ten pound weights.

You should definitely check out the extensive video library at ExerciseTV. There is no reason to ever be bored with your workout again!

Yoga Video: Fierce Sequence

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:15:00 -0800

If you love squats, hiking, climbing stairs, and other exercises that make your thighs and buns burn, then this is the sequence for you. It starts with Fierce pose, which you'll recognize from Sun Salutation B, and moves on to some variations that are sure to strengthen your lower body.

Music: "Devata" by Material

Work it Girl: Chair Squat

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Sitting at your desk for countless hours in one position can really tighten up your lower body. So why not do something to open up those hips, quads, and calves?

You could always do a Wide Squat on the floor, but if you squat down on top of your chair, you can still get a little work done (I'm all about the multi-tasking).

Stay like this for a minute or two, or as long as you'd like. I wouldn't stay like this for too long though, because your feet will start to fall asleep from loss of circulation.

Just like the Chair Spinal Twist, I love the way this stretch releases my lower back. Give it a try and tell me what you think.

CAUTION: Do NOT try this squat on a chair with wheels. If you do have a rolling chair, find a place in your office where you can do this move with your feet planted firmly on the floor.

Get Physical: Family Yoga

FitSugar — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Doing yoga can be so much fun, especially when you do it with people you care about. Why not designate a half hour this weekend to practicing with your entire family? Ideally you should do it around 10:30 or 2:30, so you are in between mealtimes (yoga doesn't feel very good on a full or completely empty belly).

Pick a spot in your home or outside if weather permits so you all have enough space to move. You can set up mats if you have them, or just do the poses on a hard wood floor or carpet.

If you have experience going to yoga classes, just think of the poses you love to do, the ones that stretch and open, relax or energize, or the ones that are fun to try.

If you have younger kids in your family, make the poses more active. Bark like a dog in downward facing dog pose. "Ribbit" and leap like a frog in Squat pose. Make a forest when your entire family does Tree pose. Each person can practice being the wind and blowing the branches in the trees.

Kids also love being in charge, so you can play a game of "Simon Says" with yoga poses. At the end, when you lie down in Savasana to rest from all your hard work, you can take turns massaging each other's feet.

With a little creativity, you'll be doing yoga together and having fun in a healthy way.

Fit's Tips: Maybe yoga is new to you. If so, check out this incredible book called Playful Family Yoga for Kids, Parents, and Grandparents. It's actually out of print now, but you can get a copy through Amazon starting at $39.99. I love this book because it illustrates so many wonderful partner poses.

YOGA CHALLENGE: Balancing Wide Squat

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Spring has gotten me excited for the newest yoga challenge - Balancing Squat. This pose is great for stretching out the tiny muscles in your feet that have been cooped up in big clunky boots for much too long. This is also great for feet that get so stiff and sore from walking in heels and running.

Just as the name of this pose suggests, it's also great for working on your balance as well as opening your hips just like in Wide Squat and Bound Squat.

Be sure to get a friend to snap a picture of you doing it. Then go to the YOGA CHALLENGE group. If you're not sure how to post your picture to the group, check out this easy explanation.

This pose is easy to get into, here's how:

Begin standing in Mountain pose.
Bend your knees and squat down all the way, bringing your hands on the ground in front of your feet.
Bring your heels and the balls of your feet together (the part beneath your toes). Take your knees out wide.
Balancing on just your toes, work on bringing one hand up towards your chest and then the other, gazing at a still point in front of you to hold you steady.
Hold for 5 breaths and then come to stand up slowly.

That's it my friends. Not too tough, right? I'm looking forward to seeing your wonderful pics in the YOGA CHALLENGE Group.