All entries tagged with “fitness”
Let's Get to The CORE of Our Beings
We’re hearing the words Core and Strength a lot these days throughout the fitness world. What, exactly is our core and what exactly, are we strengthening? I like the way Thomas C. Weiss describes it in an article he published: http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/exercise/core-muscles.php#ixzz1lWz52j3J “A person's functional movements are greatly dependent upon their core. People who lack core development may experience a predisposition to injury. The major muscles of a person's core reside in their belly area and in their mid and lower back, to include their hips, neck, and shoulders. The major muscles involved include the pelvic floor muscles, multifidus, transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, erector spinae – particularly the longissimus thoracis, as well as the diaphragm. The minor core muscles involved include the gluteus maximus, latissimus dorsi, and trapezius. The function of the core is to stabilize the person's thorax and pelvis during dynamic movement, as well as to provide internal pressure in order to expel substances.” That’s quite an impressive description, and well it should be, regarding the CORE unit of our bodies. There’s a lot of interaction within the musculature of our core simply to move our arms and legs, let alone when we challenge our bodies through more intense physical activity. Let’s appreciate the core of your beings. Not only is it the powerhouse from which all movement is established and made in our bodies, but it also houses our internal organs. We focus on knitting together the musculature of the abdominus, and obliques to create that carved-out six-pack, eight-pack, and v-cut through the hip flexor area. Sexy, yes? Think, organ prolapse… Sexy, no! A tighter, toner core keeps our organs in place! In yoga, an ancient pose called “Pavanamuktasana” or Wind Removing Pose - smile, it's okay - does the job of tightening and toning your core muscles while in an anatomically safe and supported position. When practiced to create an opposing force within the upper and lower musculature of your core, you’ve got one static strengthening “exercise,” tightening the unit supporting your heart and lungs, as well as, toning your shoulders, abs, back and glutes, making you look fABulous on the beach! Let me also mention that practicing this pose will massage your digestive organs as you engage and breathe deeply…
With your back lying upon a firm surface, tuck your knees tightly to your chest. Keep your feet side-by-side to one another. With your head remaining on the ground, dip your chin downward toward your throat. Press your shoulders away from your ears and lock down your wings. Reach for your opposite elbows and draw your arms inward. Engage your upper-body strength and roll your knees in tightly to your chest. Engage your lower-body strength and press your tailbone down toward the ground. You create an opposing force within your core unit toning and tightening even the intercostal muscles between your back ribs. This engagement also helps to hold your spine firm and straight. Breathe as deeply as you can with your mouth closed in this position, and gain the revitalizing massaging effect for your digestive organs at the front of your belly. In Pavanamuktasana, the core of your being is engaged, your organs beomce stimulated, your back strengthened, spine straightened. It's a one-stop, core-plus-more, yoga pose. Enjoy your body. Get to know the CORE of your being. Infuse it with goodness and gratitude for being able to move and breathe, and to feel the opposing forces you create within your musculature. LIVE in your body better, today. Be happy. Live healthy. Karen Cutrona Underwood, Better-Body-Inhabiter, and Owner of Blue Moon Yoga and Fitness, Inc. 
Inhabit Your Body Better
Who doesn’t want to be happier, healthier, sexier…? It’s a new year. That’s a tall order. Here's a standing challenge to help make it happen: Start by slimming up. Yes, up! When you stand tall, you inhabit your body better. The very act of stacking your shoulders over your hips, your hips over your knees, your knees over your ankles, makes you consciously aware that you are taking ownership of all of the space God gave you within your skin and bones. You become longer and leaner. You’ll feel sexier. If you want to look thinner, stand straighter and taller and you’ll appear to have dropped 5 pounds instantly. In yoga, standing tall is called Tadasana or Mountain Pose:
Our daily activities such as driving our cars, working at our desks, using our technological devices, lifting and holding young children, carrying items, preparing meals, washing dishes, reading, etc., all create a forward-reaching, head-tilting downward lifestyle. Before we know it, even standing is not all the way up any longer. Re-claim your body territory! Here’s a pose to help strengthen, lengthen, and straighten your spine to counteract the forward-reaching lifestyle we live, called Salabhasana or Locust Pose:
Lying on your belly, exhale all of the air in your lungs, then inhale lifting your shoulders and your heels. Keeping your head in line with your spine. Press your arms back. Fingers are ignited reaching toward your heels. Your legs are engaged and your pointed toes are reaching in opposition of your collar bone. This pose is a great one to practice to allow you to press into your spine and open your chest cavity. You strengthen all of your back-side muscles in the process. Stretching and strengthening in Locust pose also allows for better heart and lung function by creating space in the ribcage area. Building this pose into your body will allow you to stand taller and firmer as well. Take your stand, firm and tall like a mountain, for a new you in 2012, and then breathe. Fill your lungs fully, and empty your lungs completely. With your mouth closed, draw the air down your windpipe, filling your ribcage area with your lungs. Squeeze the air out using your diaphragm and ribs to empty your lungs. You should feel your upper abdominal muscles press together on your exhale. Your lungs help support your spine, easing tension and also massaging internal organs when fully inflating and deflating. Let them fully inhabit the space they’re allotted within the boney walls that house all of your internal organs. When fully extended, they can take up the space from your collar bone to your hip bone. Breathing this way allows your body to “memorize” your long, lean, straight posture. Let even your breathing become an exercise for your body. Practicing Mountain Pose will build integrity to your posture. Stand up for yourself, fully. Be all “in” to your body and you will create a firm foundation for a happier, healthier sexier you. You’re more approachable, more confident, and you’ll be “on” when you’re all “in.” Inhabit your body better simply by standing taller. You’ll even look smarter! Happy New You everyone! Be happy. Live Healthy. ~ Karen Cutrona Underwood, E-RYT, RYS Director, and Owner, Blue Moon Yoga and Fitness, Inc.
Work Your Asana and Get the LSD Effect
Confucius said, “Wherever you go, there you are.” What a profoundly simplistic concept worthy of a big, “DUH!” Nonetheless, this is truly one of the fundamental tenants of yoga. It’s about being present and seizing the moment to, of course, tighten your gluteus maximus-ly! Wherever your body goes, yoga is available to you. If you can move and breathe, you are fully equipped to make your body better and more vital. Yoga is portable and accessible. It doesn’t require a facility, a membership, or a machine. You can get your Lengthen, Strengthen, and Decompress, also known as LSD, anytime, anywhere simply by posing challenges to your body that create these effects within your muscles, joints, organs, glands and mind. Practicing yoga helps you becoming a better inhabitant of your body. Yoga creates more space between your bones so that more of you can be, wherever you are. I know… Read that sentence again. Thousands of years ago, the yogis in India would practice yoga “asanas,” which in Sanskrit, translates to “poses,” prior to meditating for hours without moving a muscle. Think about this. Yoga, as the fitness modality we know it to be, was a practice developed to satisfy the body’s need for movement and physical activity so that the spirit could be satisfied in stillness and inner focus, which was deemed a higher level of yogic practice. Imagine how the ancient yogis must have worked their “asanas” to literally expend their strength so they could surrender willingly, to meditative bliss. With this ancient concept in mind, let’s work our “asana” (you like that word, don’t you?) in another LSD pose. This is a very dynamic posture for your body - Triangle Pose: On a mat or non-skid surface, step out to a four or five-foot straddle stance. Turn your right toes forward. Turn your left toes in at a 45-degree angle to your ankle. Take a deep breath in and on your exhale, bend your right knee stacking it directly over your ankle and lower your quadriceps parallel to the ground. Stacking your knee over your ankle keeps your leg muscle engaged and avoids tension in your knee. Zip-up all the muscles of your back leg and press them to the bones. Roll out and press down into the outer blade of your left foot. With this action, you want to feel as if you’re pulling your mat apart with your legs by creating horizontal tension. Take another deep breath in, and on your exhale, lower your right elbow to rest against your inner-knee wall. Raise your left arm to the sky and press your fingertips tightly upward. You want to create vertical tension in your arms with the opposing force of feeling as if your right wrist is being pulled downward, and your left wrist is being pulled upward. Gaze directly up at your thumb, or down at your big toe to keep your head aligned with your spine. Breathe deeply drawing the air down your windpipe, and forcing the air by using your diaphragm and ribcage back up your windpipe. Your mouth remains closed. Your jaw relaxed. Draw air in for a count of 6, and press air out for a count of 6. Take 5 inhalations and exhalations. Turn on your heels and start all over on the other side. Tighten and tone every muscle to the bone as your pose this challenge to your body and meet it with the ease of your steady, deep breathing. Feel length, strength, stability, and equanimity in your Triangle Pose. Gain revitalization for your kidney and adrenal glands, a stimulation of your lymph nodes in your neck, armpits and groin, and stretch through your ribcage cavity creating space for better heart and lung function, and gain a better-looking toned body all in this pose, and all of your own body’s creation of opposing forces. Yoga poses can be done as your LSD fix in the break room at work or in the basement away from the in-laws at that family gathering. You are your own piece of equipment, and when you learn to create opposing forcing within your muscles while practicing yoga, your body begins to crave these kinds of movements. It’s like adding onto your house. You want to live and enjoy the extra room you’re created. Yoga allows you to move into your own space – space you didn’t know existed within your body, and live there better. Sounds a little far out, right? It is. Yoga will take your body to new heights creating expansion, toning, and agility. It’s yoga’s LSD effect that takes you to the edge! It’s a great addiction to build into your body. When you simultaneously stretch and strengthen your muscles, your create space and when you breathe into that space, it becomes “alive,” you become better aware of your body’s capacity to bend, stretch, tighten, tone, and mostly, breathe by fully inflating and deflating your lungs. This is the key to vitality. By creating a relaxation response with steady, deep breathing, while challenging your body in poses like Triangle, you absorb the benefits of the lengthening, strengthening and decompressing effect. You’ll wear the result! Yoga is a “work-in,” not a “work-out.” During this holiday season, take time to enjoy your loved ones, count your blessings, spread joy, laughter, and peace to all, and do some LSD. You’ll love the effect it has on you and those around you, and that little black dress or tailored black jacket you’re planning to put on for the office party or your New Year’s Eve celebration will look even better, worn over your yoga! Be happy. Live healthy ~ Karen Cutrona Underwood, E-RYT, RYS Director, Owner of Blue Moon Yoga and Fitness, Inc.
LSD for the Holidays!Downward Facing Dog is perhaps THE BEST pose in all of yoga to stretch and tighten every muscle to the bone. Everyone could benefit from a few deep breaths in and out of their lungs in this total-body... More »
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Your body is engaged and active. Your feet are rooted into the ground, your leg muscles are fixed to the bones, your fingertips are pressing downward tightening triceps, chest and back muscles, and with your head in line with your spine, the crown of your head is reaching for the sky. Grow yourself an inch by creating vertical tension this way. And, who doesn’t want another inch, especially when it’s already yours to claim?
