Touching your toes and health
I've been meaning to write about this New York Times article for quite a bit now, but life, as usual, makes sure everything else comes between.
The gist? Inflexible bodies can mean inflexible arteries. As our bodies age, the parts of the body we notice as being more inflexible (stiff legs, stiffer backs) can indicate inflexibility with the parts we can't notice (ie our insides!). For those of you teaching, it's a good article to point out to students who might need an excuse to keep up the practice. For those of you practicing, a good article to put a fire under your behind and get you on the mat.
After reading the article, and taking a walk in the beautiful snow that seems to be blanketing all of Canada and much of the US, here is a yin practice that can help develop your flexibility and keep your arteries in good health!
Touching your toes and health
For more information about Yin and restorative yoga, there are a few good blogs out there that I check in on when I have the time: Linda's Yoga Journey, Yoga Flavored Life, and Do Restorative Yoga. Check them out if you have the interest!
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- Dirgha and Ujjayi Pranayama (Three Part Breath and Ocean Sounding Breath). Come back to this breath often throughout this practice.
- Baddha Konasana (Cobbler's Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes.
- Bhujangasana on forearms, forearms shoulder width apart (Cobra). Hold for 2 minutes.
- Cat/cow in table for 6-10 breaths
- Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose) with arms resting in a comfortable place.
- Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes
- Repeat step 5 with other leg on top
- Supta Kapotanasana (Reclined Pigeon). Repeat other side. Hold for 2-3 minutes each side
- Cat/Cow in table, 6-10 breaths
- Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes each side.
- Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose). Hold for 5-10 minutes.
- Savasana (Corpse Pose). Hold for twice your usual length.