YAS Fitness Centers » The No OM Zone book

One Tough Yogi: My Interview with mindbodygreen.com

Kimberly Fowler — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:21:10 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by mindbodygreen.com’s Jason Wachob. We talked about how I came to yoga, about overcoming obstacles, about my love of yoga and where that’s leading me now. Jason was great to talk to, and I’m frankly moved by his telling of my story. Here’s how he starts: You could say that Kimberly Fowler is one tough yogi. She began her yoga practice after being hit by a car in the 1980s while in law school (and working two jobs). She soon recovered but a year later was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer (she beat that, too). It wasn’t until age 40, after falling thirty feet while mountain climbing and landing on a tree stump (it took her a year to recover) that she created a business around her life and passion — practicing yoga and helping people. Yoga for Athletes® was then born. The rest is history. Read my complete mindbodygreen.com interview with Jason here.

My 7 Stretches to Liven You Up from Total Beauty

Kimberly Fowler — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 02:51:19 +0000

Kristen Oldham Gordan from Total Beauty recently asked me to come up with a short wake-me-up yoga series and it’s just been published at totalbeauty.com. Here’s how she described it: We sat down with Kimberly Fowler, owner of YAS Fitness Centers and author of “The No Om Zone” and asked her to create a mini yoga series that would help wake you up, put pep in your step and sharpen your mind. This combination of moves will get your body going by working out kinks, getting your blood flowing and it’ll give you precious time for yourself — to help you set your intentions for the day. Click here to see the full story.

No OM Yoga takes Chicago (and the Prevention “Take Charge Tour”)

Kimberly Fowler — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 15:26:25 +0000

I traveled to the heartland recently to act as featured yoga expert at the kick-off of the nationwide “Prevention Take Charge Tour” on October 23rd at Chicago’s Millennium Park. The one-stop health event, which provided the latest findings in nutrition, fitness, and age-defying beauty, was sponsored by Prevention magazine – America’s #1 healthy lifestyle brand – and included other inspirational guests Olympian Dara Torres and NBC “TODAY” anchor/journalist Hoda Kotb. I was honored to take part in the first ever Prevention Take Charge Tour alongside such iconic women. The event also included financial planning sessions and career seminars, nutrition consultations and cooking demos, preventative medical screenings, giveaways, surprise age-defying makeovers, motivational stories, and more. It was a really inspiring weekend of amazing updates and presentations in so many areas that affect and better our lives. And I loved sharing my No OM approach to yoga with Chicagoans. The deep dish pizza wasn’t bad, either. Thank you, Prevention and Chicago! Check out this video interview I did with beloved Chicago Sun Times sports writer Elliot Harris. He was a good sport and fun to talk to.

No OM Yoga

Kimberly Fowler — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 03:03:14 +0000

People that are passionate about yoga often get really passionate about the style of yoga they practice. And controversy over what is “real” yoga and what isn’t—which style or philosophy is purer—goes back as far as, well, yoga. To me, all that doesn’t really matter. Getting people to practice yoga does. My philosophy is simple: Doing a little yoga is better than doing none at all. Hatha yoga, what most Westerners think of when they think of yoga, has always been based in physical practice. Still, the Eastern traditions and spirituality of many styles of Hatha Yoga are what draw so many people to yoga. They’re also what put so many others off. As a result, in the last decade or so, “secular yoga” classes, or what I call No Om Yoga classes, have been popping up all over the place. That’s rewarding to me because I’ve been teaching No OM Yoga for years in my Yoga for Athletes® classes. No OM Yoga is all about removing the barriers that keep people from trying yoga. No OM Yoga trades Sanskrit terms for plain English. As the name implies, there’s no chanting in No OM classes. People who want to benefit from yoga—from increasing their flexibility to lowering their stress levels—don’t have to pay to chant along with songs (or instructors) they don’t really relate to. Strong, fundamental poses that can be adjusted to your own ability are taught instead of the intricate “pretzel poses” people often associate with traditional yoga. No OM classes are non-competitive and newcomers are welcomed and made to feel at home. And there’s no place for the whole “intimidation factor” that many people feel walking into some yoga classes. No Om Yoga is sometimes confused with other types of secular yoga, especially Power Yoga. Even yoga pros sometimes make the mistake. Yet Power Yoga instructors often still use Sanskrit terms for poses and include chanting in their classes. And some Power Yoga classes can be out-and-out pretzel-poser competitions. The intimidation can be sky high, especially for newcomers. The first Power Yoga class I took, the teacher started class by having everyone do handstands! But maybe the biggest turn-off for me with a lot of Power Yoga classes is the whole teacher-as-guru thing. Whether they mean to or not, many Power Yoga instructors wind up with students who treat them like celebrities (and big egos to match). No Om Yoga isn’t about anyone’s power but your own. “I’m not your guru, you are,” is how I’ve been putting it for years. No OM Yoga is about welcoming newcomers, not acting like your class is an exclusive club. It’s about a straightforward approach to yoga that keeps people practicing instead of putting them off. Most of all, No OM Yoga is about sharing all the great physical and mental benefits of practicing yoga with people who can use those benefits now more than ever.

YAS on CBS Los Angeles / KCAL Nine News

Kimberly Fowler — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 23:45:46 +0000

Christina McLarty of CBS Los Angeles/KCAL Nine News came by YAS Venice recently to talk to me about YAS Fitness Centers and my No OM Zone book and DVD. We had a nice talk—thank you, Christina! The segment aired last Thursday and Friday but you can catch it below or on CBS Los Angeles/KCAL Nine’s website.

Excerpt from The No OM Zone: Keep Hips Flexible and Injury Free

Kimberly Fowler — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:27:12 +0000

Inspired to run your first Marathon? Here’s some tips on how to keep your hips flexible and injury free during your training. I have been a runner most of my life, so my hips have always been my nemesis, especially when it comes to injuries and pain in general. When you are young your hips are very flexible, they have wide range of motion, if you don’t believe me watch a 4 year old walk. As we age our bodies start to round forward. Our hips get tight, our shoulders round forward we lose that mobility aka flexibility that we had when we were young. The yoga poses in the Yoga for your Hips Workout Routine will help restore mobility in your hips, but I’m not promising that you will run around like a 4 years old. I have always found the hips fascinating, when you think about it, without them we can’t do much of anything. Almost all poses in yoga work on your hips in one way or another, that’s how important hips are to the overall function and health of your body. I am going to go into the “anatomy of the hips” but don’t worry nothing too complicated, I just want to give you an idea how they work so you have a better understanding of how yoga can help with injury prevention and all around body mechanics of your hip joints and the muscles around the hip. How do the Hips work? The hip is the most stable joint in the body and it is surrounded by muscle on all sides. The multiple muscles attach to the back, abdomen, hamstrings, quadriceps, abductors, adductors and gluteal muscles, which gives the hips a great range of motion. Most of the muscles of the Hip are shorter and fatter than those of the leg, and allow rotation which helps stabilize the Hip joint. Most of the hip injuries result from these small muscles being overused or pushed too hard. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint where the head of the femur aka the thigh bone, meets the pelvic bone. The pelvic bone fits tightly around the head of the femur. The ball is held in the socket by very powerful ligaments that form a complete sleeve around the joint which is called the joint capsule. The capsule has a thin lining called the synovium fluid. The head of the femur is covered with a layer of smooth cartilage. The socket is also lined with cartilage. This cartilage cushions the joint, and allows the bones to move on each other with very little friction. The hip joint itself is capable of a wide range of motion, due to the construction of the joint, supported through the presence of the four sets of muscles and connecting tendons that operate together with machine-like precision. The hip flexors, extensors, adductors, and external rotators combine to provide a 360° range of motion. The importance of the Hip joint is not only the range of motion that it allows the upper leg, but also through the considerable muscular power and endurance that is delivered in concert with the motion. The hip joint flexor supports the process of flexion, the movement of the hip joint that produces a bend, which helps propel the legs forward and upward. Extension is the Hip action that straightens the leg. Rotation is the ability of the Hip joint to direct the femur and the upper thigh through the 360° range of motion. Adduction is movement of the Hip muscles that draws the femur and upper thigh toward the body; the adductors are important stabilizing muscles in running. There are also a lot of ligaments in the hip joint which connect the femur to the pelvis. They are responsible for providing stability to the hip. These ligaments prevent the hip moving outside the possible planes of movements. Muscles play an important part in stabilizing the lower part of your body and are powerhouses for the hip in locomotion activities. The muscles are involved when the limbs are raised or lowered. Overdeveloped and tight hip flexors can contribute to lower back pain by causing the pelvis to tilt forward. To counteract this, you must stretch the hip flexors and strengthen the abdominal muscles which we talked about in the Core/Abs Chapter. This will reduce pelvic tilt and decrease lower back pain. Strengthening the lower back can also help improve the balance between the muscles of the hip region. Common injuries of the Hips: Hip Bursitis: Hip bursitis is a common problem that causes pain over the outside of the upper thigh. A bursa is a fluid filled sac that allows smooth motion between two uneven surfaces. For example, in the hip, a bursa rests between the bony prominence over the outside of the hip (the greater trochanter) and the firm tendon that passed over this bone. When the bursal sac becomes inflamed, each time the tendon has to move over the bone, it causes pain. Because people with hip bursitis move this tendon with each step, hip bursitis symptoms can be quite painful and is commonly seen in runners or athletes who participate in running-oriented sports e.g. soccer, football, and basketball. Broken Hip: A broken hip is a common injury, especially as we get older. In the United States, hip fractures are the most common broken bone, with about 300,000 Americans hospitalized for a hip fracture every year. Hip fractures in the “elderly” are most often caused by a fall, usually a seemingly insignificant fall. In “younger” patients with stronger bones, more common causes of a broken hip include high-energy injuries such as car accidents. Snapping Hip Syndrome: Snapping hip syndrome is a condition that is characterized by a snapping sensation, and often an audible ‘popping’ noise, when the hip is flexed and extended. There are several causes, most commonly due to tendons catching on bony prominences and “snapping” when the hip is moved. There are three primary causes: * Iliotibial Band Snap The iliotibial band is a thick, wide tendon that runs over the outside of the hip joint. The most common cause of snapping hip syndrome is when the Iliotibial band aka “IT band” snaps over the greater trochanter, what you think of as the Hip bone. If this is what is causing snapping hip syndrome, you may develop trochanteric bursitis from the irritation of the bursa in that area. * Iliopsoas Tendon Snap The iliopsoas tendon is the main hip flexor muscle, and the tendon of this muscle passes just in front of the hip joint. The iliopsoas tendon can catch on a bony part of the pelvis, what you think of as your hip bone and causes a snap when the hip is flexed. Usually when the iliopsoas tendon is the cause of snapping hip syndrome, people have no problems, but may find the snapping annoying. * Hip Labral Tear This is the least common cause of snapping hip syndrome is a tear of the cartilage within the hip joint. If there is a loose flap of cartilage catching within the joint, this may cause a snapping sensation when the Hip is moved. This cause of snapping hip syndrome typically causes a snapping sensation, sometimes-you can hear a “pop.” It may also cause an unsteady feeling, and people will grab for support when the hip snaps. Sacroiliac Joint Injury (Inflammation of the SI Joint): The sacroiliac joint is a firm, small joint that lies at the junction of the spine and the pelvis. Most often when we think of joints, we think of knees, Hips, and shoulders–joints that are made to undergo motion-move. The sacroiliac joint does not move much, but it is critical to transferring the load of your upper body to your lower body. Illotibial Band Syndrome: Iliotibial band syndrome is due to inflammation of the iliotibial band, a thick band of fibrous tissue that runs down the outside of the leg. The iliotibial band begins at the hip and extends to the outer side of the shin bone (tibia) just below the knee joint. The band functions in coordination with several of the thigh muscles to provide stability to the outside of the knee joint. POSES TO HELP YOUR HIPS: 1. Leg Cradle Pose 2. Foot to Knee Pose aka Seated Tree 3. Knee to Ankle Pose aka Fire Log Pose 4. Cobbler Pose 5. Happy Cow Pose 6. Reclining Pigeon Pose LEG CRADLE POSE Benefits: Loosens up your hip joint, I always do this pose before I run. How do you get into this Pose? · Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. · Grab you right leg and “cradle” it in your arms, so your foot would be in the crease of your left arm and your knee would be in the crease of your right arm. · Rock it side to side for 30 seconds. · Switch sides. Quick Fix Tip: Sit with your back up against the wall. Modify the Pose: Don’t pull your shin to your chest, just go to your level of flexibility. Level of Difficulty: This is an easy pose. I’ll give it a 5. FOOT TO KNEE aka Seated Tree Pose Benefits: This pose opens your hip in an outward rotation. We are going to work on stretching and opening every muscle around the hip joint. How do you get into this Pose? · Sit on the floor with your legs together and straight out in front of you. · Bring the sole of your right foot to the inside of your left knee. If that’s uncomfortable then bring your foot down your leg to your calf. · Sit up straight; make sure your Hips are square, not leaning to one side or the other. · Reach your arms up to the ceiling. · Hinge at your hips and try to reach your toes. · Try to grab your foot, if you can’t reach your foot then use a strap or a towel to help out. · Hold for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Quick Fix Tip: The more flexible you are the higher up the thigh your foot will go. So as you work on this pose and your hips opens up try to bring your foot closer to upper thigh, groin area. Modify the Pose: Bring your foot down to your calf; you can also sit up on a blanket. Level of Difficulty: This is a fairly easy pose, I’ll give it a 5.5. KNEE TO ANKLE POSE Benefits: This pose stretches your hips and your groin area. How do you get into this Pose? * Come down to the floor in a seated position. * Bend your legs and put your right leg on top of your left leg. * Bring your right ankle on the outside of your left knee. * Flex both of your feet. * Sit up tall. * Hold for 45 seconds to 1 minute. * Switch sides. Quick Fix Tip: If you have really tight hips, try sitting up on a blanket. Modify the Pose: To make this pose more challenging, lean forward from your hips. Level of Difficulty: I don’t know about you, but I find this pose hard, I would rate it a 7. COBBLER POSE Benefits: This pose opens and stretches not only your hips but your lower back and your inner thighs, all of these muscles work together to keep your hips working. The sports that benefits from this pose are: running, cycling, soccer, hockey, skiing (snow & water) football and basketball, just to name a few. Sports injuries where this pose would be helpful: Piriformis syndrome, groin strain, tendonitis of the adductor muscles, and bursitis of the hips. How do you get into this Pose? · Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you. · Bring the soles of your feet together and your knees wide apart. · Bring the heels of your feet towards your body. · Sit up straight, grab a hold of your feet for leverage, take a deep breath in and then on your exhale hinge forward from your hips. · Keep your back straight to get the maximum benefit from this pose. · Don’t force yourself down in this pose focus on keeping your back straight. Whether your nose is hitting the ground or you only can lean forward a few inches, you are still getting the benefit from this pose. Quick Fix Tip: If this pose seems easy to you, then walk your hands out in front of you, lowering your chest towards the floor. Yoga is all about body awareness, so see which feels better to you. Modify the Pose: If you find that your knees are way up in the air, then you can move your feet away from your body or you can use your elbows to push your knees down, whichever works for you. Level of Difficulty: For most athletes and guys in general, this is a tough pose. I would rate it a 7.5. HAPPY COW POSE aka Cow Face Pose Benefits: I never understood why this pose was called Happy Cow, once you get into the pose, see if you look like a Cow? But regardless of the name, it’s a great pose to stretch and open your Hips as well as your thighs, shoulders, triceps and chest. How do you get into this Pose? · Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. · Bring your right leg on top of your left leg. · Bring both of your feet towards your body. · Line your knees on top of each other. · Sit up tall. · From here we are going to add the arm part of this pose, so bring your right arm up in the air. · Bend your right arm at the elbow and drop it behind your back. · Bring your left arm behind your back. · Try to clasp your hands together. · Hold for 45 seconds to 1 minute. · Release your legs and your arms and switch sides. Quick Fix Tip: Use a strap to help you with the arm part of this pose. Hold the strap with the top arm and let it fall down your back so you can grab it with the bottom arm. If your Hips are really tight then sit up on a blanket. Modify the Pose: If the arm part of this pose is too hard to do, you can skip it for now, since this workout is for your hips. If you want more of a challenge you can lean forward in this pose, bringing your upper body towards the floor. But I think this pose is hard enough, just on its own! Level of Difficulty: This pose is hard to do, I would rate it a 7.5. RECLINING PIGEON POSE Benefits: This pose helps open the hip area by stretching the muscles around the hip joint. It works on the psoas, back and the thigh muscles that are attached to the hip. You should feel a great stretch in the muscles around your hip. This is my favorite pose for the hips; it could actually be my favorite pose of all because “hips are my nemesis”. If you only have time to do one hip opener pose, this would be the one I suggest doing. It can be done anywhere, even on the floor at work or in your office. How do you get into this Pose? · Start by lying down on the floor, on your back. · Bend your knees with your feet on the floor about hip distance apart. · Bring your right foot up and place it on top of your left thigh, your ankle should hit just below the knee of the bent left leg. · The knee of the right leg is bent out to the side, it should look like a triangle. · Take your right arm and reach it through your legs. · Take your left arm and bring it on the outside of your left leg. · Try to grab your shin with both hands lacing your fingers together. · Gently pull your shin towards your chest but only go to the point where you can keep your head and shoulders on the ground. · Hold this pose for 1 minute and then work up to 3 minutes. · Switch sides, so release your left shin and bring both feet to the ground. · Put your left foot on top of your right leg. · Your left ankle should be just below your right knee. Now I want you to take a moment and notice if there is a difference between your left and right hip. It is very common to have one side of your body tighter than the other. I’m a lefty, so my left side, which is my dominate side is tighter then my right. Our goal in yoga in general is to balance out the body. This pose in particular you might notice the imbalances in your hips. Our goal is to first notice them so we can correct the imbalances before something happens i.e.: getting injured. · Hold this pose for 1 minute and work up to 3 minutes. Use your stop watch, if you have one, you will have a tendency not to want to hold your tighter side as long. Quick Fix Tip: Try to relax your neck and shoulders. Don’t force this pose, stay relaxed to get the maximum benefit. If you find yourself holding your breath than you are pushing yourself to hard, back it off and remember to breathe!! Since there are so many muscles around the Hip joint, this is a pose you need to hold for a while. Modify the Pose: If you can’t keep your head and neck on the ground when you grab your shin then grab the back of your leg instead. If you still can’t hold onto the back of your leg and keep your head and shoulders on the ground then use a strap or a towel until your hip releases then try to grab onto your shin. Level of Difficulty: This pose is an easier version of full Pigeon, but for most of us with tight hips this is still a hard pose, so I would rate this pose a 6.5.

Good Morning America!

Kimberly Fowler — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:33:15 +0000

Well!!

As many of you already know (because I’ve shared), I had the wonderful opportunity of appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America on Wednesday to talk about No OM Yoga and my new book, The No OM Zone. I have to admit, I was a little nervous. Here I am sitting in this “fishbowl” studio in Times Square with all these people looking in and waving. A little girl got my attention, so I was waving at her, when the host suddenly began our interview. Thank goodness she started the interview asking about Yoga Breathing. I was reminded to practice some myself!

From there, things went well, and I had a great time. Big thanks to the people at ABC, Good Morning America and Rodale Books, that put it all together. Check out the clip, below, and let me know how you think I did:

No OM Yoga: Yoga You Can Relate To

Kimberly Fowler — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:30:24 +0000

Whether or not you’ve tried Yoga, it would be hard not to notice how popular it’s gotten over the last ten years. If you haven’t tried it, chances are that a yoga-convert friend or a trendy magazine has urged you to give it a try with stories of how wonderful Yoga is for you. Actually, there’s a good chance you’ve heard or read such stories more than once. And, yes, they are true! But sometimes, too much hype is enough to turn anyone off, and if you still haven’t tried Yoga, maybe that’s why. But I think there’s another reason why, despite all the good PR, many people still haven’t tried or truly gotten into Yoga: They just can’t relate to it. And it’s no wonder sometimes. Many Yoga classes ARE hard to relate to. Many Yoga classes look more like rooms full of pretzel people (tied up in knots) than, well, people like you and me. Many Yoga instructors use complicated Sanskrit terms so you don’t have a clue what they’re saying. Many classes include unfamiliar and, if you’re like me, uncomfortable chanting. Worst of all, many classes seem like exclusive clubs led by instructors who are treated (and sometimes act) more like gurus than everyday people. That’s why there’s No OM Yoga. No OM Yoga is Yoga everyone can relate to. It’s practical, straightforward Yoga that’s fun and energizing and not intimidating. No OM Yoga was designed to get rid of the reasons many people have for not doing Yoga. I’m going to talk more about these reasons in a minute, but first, let me remind you why Yoga is so worth doing. The physical benefits you hear about getting from Yoga—improved strength and flexibility, protection against injury (or help to recover from it), improved posture and overall tone—are all true. Take it from me, I just turned 52 and I know! Yoga has helped me to recover from two severe injuries and even cancer (I was told I had a brain tumor and six months to live in my mid-twenties). Yoga has kept me going strong for years: It truly does make you look and feel better, younger and even taller. Then, of course, there are Yoga’s important mental benefits. Yoga is proven to help you relieve stress. It can bring you much-needed calm in our not-so-calm world. But you’ve probably heard all this before. So let me talk about why No OM Yoga will actually get you up off the couch and onto the mat! For starters, and like the name says, there’s no chanting in No OM Yoga. When you walk into a No OM class (like one of my YOGA for ATHLETES® classes) there really is no Om-ing, you never have to worry that the instructor is going to ask you to chant along with her. And No OM Yoga instructors use Western names for poses so you’ll actually understand what they’re saying. Ancient Sanskrit terms that are hard for many of us to remember or even tell apart are never used in No OM Classes. Other “spiritual” aspects of many traditional Yoga classes are also left out of No OM classes. Not because there’s anything wrong with them. It’s just that No OM Yoga prefers to leave your spirituality to you. You won’t be preached to in a No OM class. “I’m not your guru, you are,” is my only philosophy. No OM Yoga isn’t a cult, it’s a workout for your body and mind. As I often tell people, I’m not trying to get you to meditate on a mountain top. I just want you to experience the great physical and mental benefits of Yoga. Another big reason many of us don’t relate to Yoga is what I call “the intimidation factor.” That’s really important to me. I can’t tell you how many Yoga classes I’ve walked into where I felt a lot of “attitude” from other students or the instructor. No OM Yoga has zero tolerance for that. No Om classes are designed to be welcoming, especially to newcomers. They’re absolutely non-competitive. And you’ll never be asked to tie yourself up in impossible poses in a No OM class. I know I can’t do some of the pretzel poses I’ve been asked to do in certain Yoga classes—and I’ve been doing Yoga for almost 30 years! The good news is that you don’t need to be a contortionist to get all the benefits of Yoga. Doing uncomplicated poses that you adjust to your own level works just fine to give you a seriously good workout. Other reasons that a lot of us use for not taking Yoga is that we don’t have the time or energy. I know peoples’ lives are hectic these days. Mine sure is. That’s why No OM classes tend to be shorter than traditional Yoga classes. Shorter, still, are the workouts in my new book, The No OM Zone! The book includes 13 five-to-ten minute workouts that target different areas of your body, from your head to your toes. I designed these workouts specifically for today’s busy schedules. You can do one here and one there, or a few at a time–whatever works for you! As far as not having the energy to do Yoga, well, No Om Yoga’s got an answer for that, too. Once you take away all the things that stress you out about Yoga, you’ll find that you come away from class with more energy than you had going in. It’s not magic. It’s just that your body and mind react positively to the exertion and actually get you revved up to re-engage with your day. And that’s something everyone can relate to! And that’s what No OM Yoga is all about: a great, straightforward workout that energizes you, that makes you look and feel better, that you look forward to doing instead of think of as a chore. No OM Yoga is all about making Yoga work for you, not the other way around! If you’re one of those people who would like to do Yoga if you could only feel more comfortable about it, your wait is over. Try a No OM Yoga class, and start relating to a new you!

Top 10 reasons Runners, well ALL Athletes, should do Yoga

Kimberly Fowler — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:15:39 +0000

I feel like I’m doing the Late Show with David Letterman: He’s always doing “The Top 10 Reasons” for something or other. Now if only I could be as funny… Here are some of the easy, common sense reasons why runners should be doing Yoga. In fact, I give these to all the athletes I train, to convince them to at least try Yoga. Flexibility: Yoga is all about flexibility, when it comes to running, flexibility may mean just the ability to touch your toes, but the increased flexibility you get from Yoga also helps with the number two reason for athletes to do Yoga. Injury Prevention: As with all things Yoga, when you are working one area of your body, you are also working others. So when you are improving your flexibility, you are also working on injury prevention. When it comes to injury prevention, nothing is better than body awareness. Body Awareness: I always use Yoga to gauge how my own body and the bodies of the athletes I train are holding up under the stress of preparing for competition. Aches and Relief: With body awareness, comes reduction in the aches and pains that accompany most sports, especially running. If you are a runner you know what I’m talking about!! Your feet hurt, your lower back aches, your legs hurt, sometimes to the point of barely being able to walk–but of course you can still run. I feel your pain. Increased Strength: I know when you think of an athlete, you don’t think they need to work on strength but they do. For example, runners have strong legs but no upper body strength. Yoga helps balance out their bodies and in the end makes them a better athlete. Yoga is also amazing for “core strength.” In sports, everything starts with the core. It’s your center of power, whether you are running, jumping for swimming. Lung Capacity: Focusing on the breath in Yoga helps all athletes to become more aware of how they are breathing. This not only helps with training but also helps an athlete stay calm before a race, which of course leads to one of the main reason people in general do Yoga… Stress Relief: There is nothing more calming to your nervous system then a Yoga class. Since training and competing can increase stress, not only on your body but also your mind set, it’s important to be able to perform/compete/race in a way that does not feel stressful to be “in the zone.” Focus aka In the Zone: When you think of being “in the zone” in sports, you might not be thinking samadhi (aka Yoga bliss). But it is a similar feeling. There is nothing better than being in the zone when you are participating in a sport, it’s when the mind and the body align, which is similar to the meditative feeling in Yoga. This leads me to inner peace, the meditative aspect of Yoga. Inner Peace: Hmm, I’m sure you are thinking that’s a “stretch” when it comes to athletes doing Yoga. But the inner calmness you get from doing Yoga is actually an asset to athletes. Most athletes are Type-A personalities. We are not the calmest group of people. Better Performance: Everything listed above will help athletes to perform better. And when it comes to athletes, it’s all about performance. Following are my top five Yoga poses for athletes. I’m only giving five because, if you are an athlete, there is only so much time in a day. Better you do some Yoga than none at all. SEQUENCE Forward Bend Pose WHY: Stretches and lengthens the muscles of the whole back of your legs, hamstrings, calf muscles and lower back. HINT: Try to keep your feet from rolling in or out, keep them in a neutral position, to help with tight IT bands. HOW: Sit on the ground and bring your legs together feet touching; sit up tall and take a deep breath as you reach up and on your exhale, hinge forward from your hips and try to reach for your toes. If you can’t reach your toes use a towel, strap or even a T-shirt. Keep your back long rather than rounding your low back so you are stretching the backs of your legs. Hold for 60 seconds. Make sure you breathe into any tightness in your body. Seated Tree Pose WHY: Releases tightness in your outer hip and lower back. HINT: If your knee is up in the air, then bring the foot of your bent leg down, closer to your knee or calf. HOW: Sit up straight like you did in Forward Bend and bring your right foot to the inside of your left thigh. Take a deep breath in and on your exhalation, hinge forward and try to grab your foot. If you can’t reach your foot than use your towel. As the area around your outer hip stretches, your knee will start to fall to the floor. Make sure the back of the straight leg is on the mat, you are still working on lengthening and stretching the hamstring muscles on the outstretched straight leg. Repeat on other side. A key component of Yoga is body awareness, so notice if there is a difference between one side and the other. Cobbler Pose WHY: Stretches your lower back, your inner hips and thighs. HINT: Let your head go. Allow it to hang forward, using the weight of your head to help you sink deeper into the pose. HOW: Bring the soles of your feet together with knees wide apart. Sit up tall; take a deep breath in and on your exhale hinge forward. Try to bring your “nose towards your toes.” (Don’t worry if your nose can’t touch your toes at this point.) If this is an easy pose for you then walk your hands out in front of you. If your knees are way up in the air, move your feet a little further from your body or use your elbows to push your knees down, gently! This is a great pose for runners and cyclists. Reclining Pigeon Pose WHY: All athletes have issues with tight hips. This is a safe and effective way to create more flexibility in your hips without putting pressure on your knees. If you only have the time to do one of these poses, this is the one to do. HINT: If you cannot reach your shin than just grab the back of your thigh. Keep your neck relaxed. Use a folded towel under your head if your head is lifted off the mat or your neck is tight. HOW: From Cobblers pose, bring your knees together then roll down so you are lying on your back on your mat. Hug your knees into your chest and then bring your right foot on top of your left thigh. Bring your right arm through on the inside of your leg and the left arm on the outside. Lace you hands around your left shin and bring your knee towards your chest. Repeat on other sides. Try to hold this pose for at least one minute on each side. Make sure you take a moment and notice if there was a difference between your right and left hip. If you do have one side that is a lot tighter than the other, I would suggest holding this pose longer on the tight side, to help balance out your body. Bridge Pose WHY: Stretches your chest, hips and quadriceps while it strengthens the muscles of your lower back. HINT: Try to bring your chest to your chin and raise your hips high by pressing into your heels. HOW: After Reclining Pigeon, hug your knees into your chest and rock side to side. Take a deep breath in and on your exhale let your feet come to the mat with your knees bent. Reach down with your finger tips and see if you can reach your heels, if not, then walk your feet a little closer to your body. Press your feet and palms into the mat to lift your hips up. Interlace your hands underneath you if you can, then try to roll your shoulder blades together. Try to get you chest to your chin and your hips to the ceiling. Hold for 30 seconds, remember to breath, then release your arms and slowly roll down to the mat. Repeat this two more times, then hug your knees into your chest and rock side to side. Release everything to the mat for Corpse pose. Corpse Pose WHY: To let the benefits of your yoga poses settle into your body before you “run off”. HINT: This can be the hardest pose of all because you have to “just relax”. If you want you can use this time to visualize: you can use techniques that help connect you with performance, such as crossing the finish line with your best time ever. HOW: Lie flat on your back, arms out by your sides with palms up. Take one deep breath in through your nose and let it out through your mouth. On your next exhale let every muscle go, just relax into your mat. Stay here a minute or two if you can. From here roll onto your side and use your hands to come up to an easy cross-legged position. Take a moment to see how you feel, I’m sure your body will thank you!!

Yoga for your Lower Back

Kimberly Fowler — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:49:59 +0000

When the muscles in your back become weak, that’s normally when your back goes out. The vertebrae in your back are held in place by a lot of small muscles and ligaments, which need to be exercised to keep them in shape. There is a saying “Your are as young as your spine.” If you want to stay young, you need to keep your back strong and flexible. Lower back issues are one of the most common complaints I hear from new students. Usually after they start doing yoga their lower back pain goes away. The current issue of More features a short yoga workout of mine entitled “Beat Back Pain in 8 Minutes” (excerpted from The No OM Zone by Danielle Kosecki and featuring photos from the book). Check it out! There are many reasons for lower back pain. Sometimes it’s caused by stress or sitting too long at your desk or in your car. For women, lower back pain can be caused by wearing high heels. For new Moms, picking up babies they carry on their hips–primarily on one side–throws their backs out. Unfortunately, I see this a lot. In sports the lower back is affected by pounding the pavements while running. When golfing the stress of the troche in the golf swing or walking the course carrying your bag can do it. Not all of us have the luxury of a caddie. There are other sports-related injuries to the lower back from being hit, usually in contact sports like football, or from quick stop and starts in tennis or basketball. If you know your lower back pain is coming from stress, you might want to read Chapter One, Yoga for your Head. If you know your lower back is bothering you because your Core/Abs are weak, check out Chapter Seven. Of course, if you have severe back pain, make sure to check with your doctor before you try yoga or any other exercise. Some back issues can come from what are known as “biomechanical imbalances” in your spine. Doing yoga will be great for your back in this case, because it works on not only flexibility and strength but also balancing out the imbalances in your muscles. Now, most of us have areas of our bodies that are tighter on one side than the other. This is usually our “dominate side,” the side you use the most. If you are right handed it’s your right side, I’m a lefty, so my left side is always a little tighter. Most of us have had lower back issues at some point in our lives. Sometimes lower back issues can be a direct result from tightness in other areas of your body like the hips or shoulders. If your lower back is chronically hurting, meaning it hurts all the time, see a doctor. Some doctors, like Chiropractors, specialize in the back. Others, like Acupuncturists, deal with pain. Massage is also good for lower back pain. Like massage, yoga also releases tension from your muscles. One of my students, an actor named Chris Wiehl, came to my studio because of severe lower back issues. Nothing he tried worked and he was reluctant to try yoga, since he is a “guy’s guy.” But he took the plunge and now he’s pain free. A regular yoga practice, meaning practicing more than once a year, will help relieve the stress and tension that causes back pain. Studies have shown that yoga is the most effective exercise for relieving back pain.