I am honored to announce that I have been asked to be apart of a new inspirational book title “Passwords: Passing On Words Of Wisdom & Hope”. It is a new inspirational book project by Mimi Publishing Inc inviting 21 people to share their inspirational stories about overcoming some kind of challenge in their lives.
It will be coming out June 10th.
Check it out here: www.passwordsthebook.com
And Let me know your story!
I give talks to many running groups, letting them know about the negative impact running can have on the body when the proper technique and lot’s of stretching aren’t taken into consideration. Most people are running in a manner that leads to many problems in their knees, hips, lower back and ankles. When countered with stretching, especially the passive stretching of yin yoga, one can enjoy the benefits of running for a long time. Yin can decompress the joints, open the hips, quads, hamstrings and that famous IT Band.
Check out one of many free videos I have designed to help people get into the Yin Practice. This is the Dragon Pose which is one of the best stretches for your hip flexors.
Someone recently brought to my attention a book by Danny Dreyer called “Chi Running”. It is a completely different approach to running that makes it much safer on the body and also makes it much more effortless. I highly recommend that if you are going to take up running or continue to run, you check out his book or his dvd for the proper instructions so that you can enjoy this activity for years to come.
His site is www.ChiRunning.com.
So Funny… So True…
Such an amazing time to be alive. it is time to recognize it.
For those of you who didn’t get to see us on the shopping channel here is one of the clips.
You can still get the special deal on the dvds from their website at www.theshoppingchannel.com.
Happy New Year every one,
It is “New Years Resolution” time again. Here are 10 tips to help you stick to it and accomplish your goals.
1. Be realistic
Resolving to drop half your weight or half your budget is not a realistic goal. Rather strive for a goal that is attainable, such as setting a reasonable amount of weight to loose giving yourself enough time to safely drop it. People with reasonable goals have been shown to actually stick to their goals, rather than just reaching for them and then wandering off.
2. Write it Down
Write your goals down on paper to help solidify them. Bring them out from inside your head into the real world. Right the in a journal, or right them on sticky notes and place them in places where you will see them often enough.
3. Be specific.
Don’t resolve to “Loose some weight” or “exercise more”; that’s too vague. Set some specific goals like “loose 15 pounds by a specific date”, or “ exercise 3-4 times per week.”. The more specific you can get, the more concrete it will feel.
4. Plan ahead
There is always that temptation to quit. Plan ahead by coming up with alternative activities you can do to cut that urge off on spot and replace it with healthier habits or ways off thinking. You can call a friend, or drop down into a short 10 min. yoga sequence, or maybe something simple like declaring out loud your intention to make a different choice this time. Remember it is only an urge, it’s not really who you are.
5. Make it Social
Don’t keep your resolution a secret. Tell friends and family members who will be there to support your resolve to make healthier choices. If possible, find yourself a buddy who shares your New Year’s resolution and motivate each other. Studies show that publicly committing to your goal makes it easier to accomplish it.
6. Reward yourself
Give yourself a small reward for achieving the smaller goals. A Reward can help keep you motivated to reaching the bigger goals. However you want to be reasonable about it.
7. Don’t beat yourself up
Obsessing over the occasional slip up or feeling guilty about it won’t help you achieve your goal. Often enough people ended up getting addicted to the feelings of guilt which is not going to get you closer to your goal. If anything guilt will only give you more of what you are feeling guilty about. Do the best you can each day, and take each day one at a time. If you do slip up, simply acknowledge it and resolve to stick to you plan.
8. Stick to it
Experts say it takes roughly 21 to 25 days to create a new habit, and 6 months for it to become part of your personality. Your new healthful habits will become second-nature in no time if you can make it past the breaking point. When you feel yourself slipping go back to step 4.
9. Keep trying
If you have totally run out of steam by mid-February, don’t worry about it. Start over from the beginning! There’s no reason you can’t make a New Year’s resolution any time of year.
10. Nourish your Mind
Our subconscious mind plays a big role it the choices we make. You need to reprogram you subconscious with the beliefs that will take you in the direction you would like to go. Check out this video to get some tips on how to do so.
And check out some of the other videos here.
I will be on The Shopping Channel on January 5th 2009 selling the MindBodyWarrior Yoga dvds.
It will be live at 3 different time slots at 11:00am, 3:00pm and 11:00pm.
If you don’t have a tv you can also check in out live from there website at www.theshoppingchannel.com
When asked what is the best way to deal with stress on Oprah, Dr. Oz gave 3 great tips.
1. Take deep Breaths
2. Stretch more
3. Have more sex
And wouldn’t you know it, the yoga practice offers you deep conscious breathing, deep stretches, and when done often enough will definitely increase the libido.
To help you get started with your practice I have uploaded a series of videos that are free to use by anyone.
Here is a great little sequence to help relieve tension in the shoulders and neck, and will also counter slouching and improve your posture.
Spread leg child’s Pose
Sphinx or Seal Pose
Supported Fish
Diamond Pose or West Stretch (with a block or support under the forehead)
Followed by a five minute relaxation on your back.
Enjoy
one of the most common problem areas in many people these days seems to be the lower back region. Whether you suffer from sciatic nerve problems, or simply carrying around a lot of tension. This short yin yoga sequence can do wonders for the entire area.
All it takes is anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes 3 to 4 times per week to see amazing results. You can hold the poses anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes, there longer you can stay in the pose the more effective it will be.
Make sure you are not aggravating the nerve, and if you start to feel any sharpness, make sure to back off and support the pose with some props. it is always recommended to consult with your physician before starting any new exercises.
The videos to the following sequence can be found here:
Diamond Pose or Spread Leg Child’s Pose
Half Butterfly ( Place a rolled up towel under the extended leg of the side that you are feeling the sciatic nerve to keep the knee bent)
Laying Spinal Twist
Smiling Cow Face Pose
**If you have the time, you should finish the sequence with a 5 min relaxation, maybe placing a bolster or pillow under your knees to keep your lower back flat.
I have always encourage people to get into a home yoga practice a little more frequently.
I always tell people in class that 3 times a week for 15 to 20 minutes, is way better then 1 a week for an hour and 1/2.
To help you out in getting started, I have design a series of instructional yoga videos (Click here to see videos) for anyone to access online. I have posted most of the yin poses on my site for any one to access. And I will be posting short and long sequences from time to time.
The layout will soon change to make it easier to use. For know I will be posting the sequences right here on the blog.
My recommendation is to try practicing 3 to 5 times per week for as little as 15 to 20 minutes or more if you can. Try it out for a few months on a regular basis to see if it is of benefit to you, and let me know your feedback.
Here is the first sequence for you to try out. Great for the hips:
Spread Leg Child’s Pose
Sphinx Pose
Dragon Pose
Gecko Pose
Laying Spinal Twist
Finishing off with 5 minutes of relaxation on your back.
Have fun exploring your body.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who showed up on The hill on Wednesday the 20th. We had almost 300 people for our Yoga class.
We have been holding these classes for the last few years every wednesday at noon, and it seems to be catching on.
Also like to send a special thanks to Matt Hill & Stephanie Tait from Run for One Planet.
Matt and Stephanie are running a marathon everyday for one year to raise awareness about the environment. But also to inspire action for the environment. Check there website
http://www.runforoneplanet.com/ to give your support and check out the details of their journey.
