Healthy happy you.
I love exercise DVDs from Acacia, and I recently checked out a new one called Yoga to the Rescue with Desiree Rumbaugh. This is a gentle yoga practice, specifically designed for people with injuries or physical ailments, hence the rescuing. If you ever have pain in your neck, back, shoulder, knees, or wrists, this DVD will show you simple yoga techniques to work with those areas to find relief. Read more
Traditionally yoga is done on the floor, but your mat isn't the only place you can stretch, strengthen, and calm your body and mind. Since yoga's burst in popularity, people have figured out ways to incorporate basic yoga poses into other forms of movement and fitness. If you're a fan of practicing on your mat, check out these four exciting ways to deepen your love affair with yoga. Paddleboard Read more
You're loving your yoga class from Half Moon to Pigeon Pose, but as soon as you get to Shoulderstand, you're less than psyched. Although a basic — challenging, but basic — pose, Shoulderstand can put you at risk of strain and injury when done incorrectly. Turn this pose into your favorite by checking out these common complaints and ways to remedy them. "I Can't Breathe" If you're well Read more
We love running and yoga. We actually find that these two forms of exercise are quite complementary. Yoga is perfect for stretching out all those muscles worked, and often overworked, while pounding the pavement. To ensure that your body can handle all the miles, Kimberly Fowler, founder of Yoga For Athletes, suggests adding these five yoga poses to your weekly fitness routine. This short series Read more
No matter how much moola you dropped on your yoga mat, you want it to last and offer you a smooth and injury-free yoga practice. There's not a whole lot that goes into caring for your mat, but here are three things you should never do. Lather up: New mats often come with a rubbery or plastic-y odor, so of course your first instinct is to give it a thorough cleaning. Using too much soap can Read more
Is one of your legs always stiffer and won't stretch or move as far as the other one? You're not alone. Flexibility and range of motion differences between the sides of our bodies is very common. The problem is, this can set you up for an injury. In general, we all have a dominant leg just as most folks have a dominant hand. If you notice one leg is more flexible than the other, it means you're Read more
Yoga is generally seen as a therapeutic practice that can alleviate pain from previous injuries and help prevent new ones. But a recent article from The New York Times Magazine highlights the practice as something quite different — yoga can wreck your body. The stories are scary and cautionary: healthy, advanced yogis having strokes, breaking ribs, and experiencing permanent disabilities Read more
If you practice yoga, you've probably spent a decent amount of time holding the majestic standing pose Warrior 1. The pose tones the legs and tush, opens tight hip flexors, and strengthens the shoulders. The next time you step onto your mat, make sure you're avoiding these Warrior 1 mistakes that could lead to pain or injury. Short Stance Why it's bad: Doing Warrior 1 with a short stance places Read more
People love yoga because it's such a welcoming form of movement — there's something for everyone. Yoga is all about embracing your body's limitations and honoring the light and joy within you. With that said, you're not going to feel very blissed out if you pull a hamstring trying to stick your leg behind your head. Here are some no-nos when it comes to attending a yoga class. Not warming up: Read more
Many a runner has been sidelined by knee pain caused by the iliotibial band (aka the ITB). But knowing how to deal with this long band of fascia, which runs down the outside of the thigh from the pelvis to just below the shin, can help keep an injury at bay. Knowledge is power, and we want to help keep you on the road. First off, fascia is a stiff connective tissue (like tendons and ligaments) Read more
