Day 18 Spring Yoga Challenge

Good morning everyone, we are coming closer and closer to the end of our challenge, only 4 more poses to go, and I can´t wait to announce 2 winners. They each will win a 2hrs private class with me :)

Today´s pose is: Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Matsya, the Fish, was one of the incarnations of the Hindu God Vishnu. Vishnu assumed this form to save the world from the Flood. The Fish Pose or Matsyasana in Hindi, is the counterpose to the Shoulder Stand and must always be practiced after it. Doing the Fish Pose also relieves the stiffness of your neck and shoulder muscles and corrects any tendency of having rounded shoulders. Holding this Yoga Pose exercises the chest, tones the nerves of the neck and back, and ensures that the thyroid and parathyroid glands obtain the maximum benefits from the Shoulder Stand. Performing the Fish Pose also expands the rib cage fully, increasing your lung capacity and aids in deep breathing. You should remain in this Yoga Posture for at least half the amount of time you spent in the Shoulder Stand in order to balance the stretch. 

Day 17 Spring Yoga Challenge

Good morning Yogini!!

Happy Easter to everyone :)

Today's Challenge is to remain in an Egg Pose for 30 breaths (5-6 mins :P)

The Egg Pose is perhaps more of a state of mind than a posture in yoga. The Golden Egg involves sustaining and concentrating your core strength, creating what Sadie Nardini calls an "abdominal balloon."

Day 16 Spring Yoga Challenge

Good morning my lovely yogis - we have a pose for today and a bit of more challenge in it as it is an Easter Sunday today :)

Light As a Feather, Stiff As a Board: Plank Pose

You can take a picture and send it to me, but the real challenge is to stay in the pose for 3 long minutes!

Good luck with it! 

Namaste

Day 15 Spring Yoga Challenge

Good morning Yogis, here is the pose or today:

Warrior Seal - Virabhadra Mudra

Day 14 Spring Yoga Challenge

Hello, hello my beautiful yogis, I am a bit late today, but the Easter just began...

Thank you for all the photos posted to me and... 

today´s pose is 

Seated Wide Legged Straddle - Upavistha Konasana

Day 13 Spring Yoga Challenge

Today's pose is a king of hip openers - Pidgeon Pose

Yoga handles stiff hips in a variety of ways, but most directly through a family of poses that are known loosely as “hip openers.” Some hip openers increase the external, or outward, rotation of the femur bone in the hip socket. Others lengthen the psoas muscle, a primaryhip flexor connecting the torso and legs that gets chronically shortened in our chair-bound society. Pigeon Pose is an extremely effective hip opener that addresses both areas, with the front leg working in external rotation and the back leg in position to stretch the psoas.

Pigeon is actually a variation of the advanced pose, One-Legged King Pigeon Pose. The two poses share similar alignment in the hips and, more important, an imperative to be approached thoughtfully and consciously. Most practitioners recognize that One-Legged King Pigeon is an advanced backbend that requires precise alignment. Yet many of us are likely to thoughtlessly fold into the forward-bend variation of Pigeon, which can put a lot of stress on the knee and sacrum. To avoid injury, I approach Pigeon by first doing variations that will open the hips gradually and safely. Once your hips are open, you’ll be able to craft a well-balanced Pigeon that benefits your hips and lower back. If you practice it consistently, you’ll notice more ease in your lower half as you sit, walk, and stand.

Pose Benefits:

Increases external range of motion of femur in hip socket
Lengthens hip flexors
Prepares body for backbends
Prepares body for seated postures such as Lotus Pose.

Contraindications:

Knee injury
Sacroiliac issues

Day 12 Spring Yoga Challenge

Today´s Challenge Pose is:

Crescent Moon Pose 

It strengthens your legs, back, shoulders, and arms, building stamina. It opens your hips and chest, and improves balance. This is an excellent exercise to start a number of backbends with. The lower back gets relaxed, the leg muscles are stretched and you build up strength in your legs. You also improve your coordination and concentration.