Practicing Yoga in this modern world (better say in the human world?) is really challenging. We are so use to compete, to achieve, to arrive, to win… So, when we decide to take the yoga journey we take it with the same attitude of: bring it on!! Almost everybody fall in the trap of the outside shape of the yoga poses. We believe that if we reach the toes or we get that difficult posture we will arrive… (to Samadhi, to peace, to total achievement, to enlightenment, to final destination… ) So, despite all the signs that your body send to you in an attempt to protect itself (and you!!!) we keep going, we keep pushing, forcing, tearing apart our muscles, joints, soul… Ohhh, believe me! I know it, I was there! (Still am! Some days I can see myself pushing more than I should just to feel more adequate, more in tune with the general idea of what a yoga teacher should look in a pose!). I was an active gymnast for many years (competitions included) and I worked for many, many years as a fitness instructor (even now) so push myself to the limits was (sometimes still is L) my way of living. I know what is to have your hands bleeding and still jump to the uneven bars to keep practising, to don’t lose a single moment. Or have your body plenty of bruises and your joints and muscles destroyed and still training hard. Resilience was at the order of the day. So, after a few years break of doing nothing (when I just arrived to Ireland, 7 years ago; no exercises at all, when I used to do at least 5 classes a day) and, when I decided that I wanted to teach again, I took my yoga practice with the same attitude (I should say that before I decided to teach again, my relationship with yoga was a peaceful and extraordinary one – deserve another blog J ): Lot of classes a day, shoulder stand to the limit even if my neck was screaming for help, ploughs were practised and I was determined to touch the floor with my toes even if my back wasn’t ready. Seated for hours every day with the sand bag in my knees to open my inner tights, forward and back bends were practised as crazy. Chaduranga and arm balances oh yes! Give me more!! (Gymnasts are afraid of nothing!) I did it all without paying attention to the signs of my body. I didn’t care about my body, about myself! I only wanted to achieve those beautiful poses that I could do before at ease. No awareness at all, not kindness or caring for myself at all (Awareness? Mind, body and soul connection? What is that?). As a result, after a year of intense torture what I got, obviously, was a great injury in my elbow (I have an extra bone to probe it!), the muscles of the back of my legs are still recovering for those bad stretchings (I am even more stiff than before I started to practice again!), my back still cannot afford to do a normal shoulder stand without props, ploughs? Not for me right now! and my knees are still in the same place (really close to my ears when I crossed it in a seated position! J So, slowly I start to realise that pushing hard, to the limits, leaving my body and myself out of the equation wasn’t the way. It wasn’t all at once, it wasn’t suddenly, but slow and gradually the whole idea of bring awareness to my body as I practice fell in place. I can proudly say now that the previous reading of Yamas (series of "right living" or ethical rules within Yoga) has a whole different meaning for me than before. I am now a believer! And I would love to convince you too! These rules are meant to be applied in others and (more important?) in yourself: - Ahimsa: non-violence - Satya: benevolent truth, absence of falsehood - Asteya : non-stealing - Brahmacharya: spiritual advancement by education and training - Aparigraha: non-appropriation, absence of avarice As you read and explore their meaning you can find a reason within yourself of why we need to achieve so badly (envy, pride, vanity, need to show our strenght, our determination?) Why we cannot feel the beauty of contentment in our present situation, in our body as it is in any given moment? We have so indelible marked in our mind the belief that contentment is synonymous of average. The word surrender (to the present moment, to the breath, to the higher self) sounds as a defeat instead as a courageous act of living. So, I invite you to apply it, in your own way, in your practice today. Use your will power to restrain yourself to force your body to the limits. Allow the contentment, the acceptance of your own body and situation to flow in your consciousness and awareness. Enjoy the process of self-discovery of your body and soul as you move in the mat without expectations, without pressure, knowing that everything is ok as it is… Claudia Gutierrez You can read more about Yamas and Niyamas here: http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/2565 Yoga and Flexibility: According to Michael Alter, author of Science of Flexibility (Human Kinetics, 1998), current research demonstrates that individual muscle fibers can be stretched to approximately 150 percent of their resting length before tearing. This extendibility enables muscles to move through a wide range of motion, sufficient for most stretches—even the most difficult asanas. If your muscle fibers don't limit your ability to stretch, what does? There are two major schools of scientific thought on what actually most limits flexibility and what should be done to improve it. The first school focuses not on stretching muscle fiber itself but on increasing the elasticity of connective tissues, the cells that bind muscle fibers together, encapsulate them, and network them with other organs; the second addresses the "stretch reflex" and other functions of the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system. (Yoga works on both. That's why it's such an effective method for increasing flexibility)!!! Why is not recommended to bounce while we work in flexibility: The Stretch Reflex According to physiologists who view the nervous system as the major obstacle to increased flexibility, the key to overcoming one's limitations lies in another built-in feature of our neurology: the stretch reflex. Scientists who study flexibility think that the small, progressive steps that allow us to go a little deeper during the course of one session—and that dramatically improve our flexibility over a life of yoga practice—are in large part the result of retraining this reflex. To get an understanding of the stretch reflex, picture yourself walking in a winter landscape. Suddenly you step on a patch of ice, and your feet start to splay apart. Immediately your muscles fire into action, tensing to draw your legs back together and regain control. What just happened in your nerves and muscles? Every muscle fiber has a network of sensors called muscle spindles. They run perpendicular to the muscle fibers, sensing how far and fast the fibers are elongating. As muscle fibers extend, stress on these muscle spindles increases. When this stress comes too fast, or goes too far, muscle spindles fire an urgent neurological "SOS," activating a reflex loop that triggers an immediate, protective contraction. That's what happens when the doctor thumps with a small rubber mallet on the tendon just below your kneecap, stretching your quadriceps abruptly. This rapid stretch stimulates the muscle spindles in your quadriceps, signaling the spinal cord. An instant later the neurological loop ends with a brief contraction of your quadriceps, producing the well known "knee jerk reaction." That's how the stretch reflex protects your muscles. And that's why most experts caution against bouncing while stretching. Bouncing in and out of a stretch causes the rapid stimulation of muscle spindles that triggers reflexive tightening, and can increase your chances of injury. Your Internal Knitting: Muscles, tendons, ligaments and muscle's facsia Connective tissues include a variety of cell groups that specialize in binding our anatomy into a cohesive whole. It is the most abundant tissue in the body, forming an intricate mesh that connects all our body parts and compartmentalizes them into discrete bundles of anatomical structure—bones, muscles, organs, etc. Almost every yoga asana exercises and improves the cellular quality of this varied and vital tissue, which transmits movement and provides our muscles with lubricants and healing agents. The three types of connective tissue more important for flexibility are: tendons, ligaments, and muscle fascia. Tendons transmit force by connecting bones to muscle. They are relatively stiff. If they weren't, fine motor coordination like playing piano or performing eye surgery would be impossible. While tendons have enormous tensile strength, they have very little tolerance to stretching. Beyond a 4 percent stretch, tendons can tear or lengthen beyond their ability to recoil, leaving us with lax and less responsive muscle-to-bone connections. Ligaments can safely stretch a bit more than tendons—but not much. Ligaments bind bone to bone inside joint capsules. They play a useful role in limiting flexibility, and it is generally recommended that you avoid stretching them. Stretching ligaments can destabilize joints, compromising their efficiency and increasing your likelihood of injury. Muscle fascia is the third connective tissue that affects flexibility, and by far the most important. Fascia makes up as much as 30 percent of a muscle's total mass, and, according to studies cited in Science of Flexibility, it accounts for approximately 41 percent of a muscle's total resistance to movement. Fascia is the stuff that separates individual muscle fibers and bundles them into working units, providing structure and transmitting force. Many of the benefits derived from stretching—joint lubrication, improved healing, better circulation, and enhanced mobility—are related to the healthy stimulation of fascia. Of all the structural components of your body which limit your flexibility, it is the only one that you can stretch safely. Anatomist David Coulter, author of Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, reflects this in his description of the asanas as "a careful tending to your internal knitting." For that reason is so important to don’t push you to stretch further but allowing you to go deeper into the posture at your own pace. You're getting to know the posture and getting comfortable with it. Perhaps you even feel like a timelessly serene statue as you hold the posture for several minutes. In this kind of practice, you're maintaining the posture long enough to affect the plastic quality of your connective tissues. Prolonged stretches like this can produce healthful, permanent changes in the quality of the fascia that binds your muscles. Stretches should be held 90 to 120 seconds to change the "ground substance" of connective tissue. Ground substance is the nonfibrous, gel-like binding agent in which fibrous connective tissues like collagen and elastin are embedded. Ground substance stabilizes and lubricates connective tissue. And it is commonly believed that restrictions in this substance can limit flexibility, especially as we age. 1. Flexibility One of the primary benefits of a regular yoga practice is that one is able to develop a body that is more flexible. Reaching down to touch one’s toes or extending an arm up to grab an object become much easier. With flexibility comes overall ease of movement in normal daily activities. 2. Anti-aging Yoga helps one age gracefully, keeping the joints fluid and open, allowing movement to be fluid and pain free. Skin is refreshed and organs are balanced as the forces that add to our normal aging are reversed. The common stiffness usually found in those who ages poorly is avoided. 3. Breath Yoga brings attention to the breath. Deep regular breathing and postures that gently elongate the muscles of respiration allow the breath to deepen and slow down. Increased amounts of oxygen are able to reach cells and revitalize the tissues. A slower and deeper breath aids in relaxation and calmness. 4. Strength and tone Muscle tone and strength are achieved by utilizing the body’s own weight to provide resistance. This helps in firming and shaping the overall body appearance as well as providing the necessary strength for daily activities. Conditions like Osteoporosis are avoided as bone growth is greatly enhanced. 5. Balance Balance is not something that most people think about until they have trouble standing upright. What many elderly fear greatly is to lose their balance and slip and fall. Yoga helps to stabilize us and provides a solid sense of balance. This insures that we are well grounded and not as prone to falling or slipping as we age. 6. Focus Many people are scattered and disoriented in their normal waking lives. Yoga helps to bring us back to a focal point to become clear with our goals and intentions. As we become focused we are better able to witness ourselves and achieve our goals. 7. Expansive movement Most of the movement in our culture is contractive in nature. This means that we move to tighten up and harden ourselves. Unfortunately, this is what stress and repression are already doing to us. Yoga is a system of expansive expression that allows us to counteract the forces of stress and repression in order to expand through our bodies. 8. General health For those accustomed to grabbing a pill every time they are uncomfortable, yoga offers another solution. A regular yoga practice brings life and energy to the body, improves overall circulation, as well as increases organ and gland functioning. As you stretch through the body the various systems of the body begin to have a greater capacity to function fully. 9. Cosmetic results People often report that they feel and look better with a regular yoga practice. They are able to trim down and feel strong and toned. This helps to build confidence and radiance about one’s body. 10. Body self-discovery The story of our lives is often held within the body. Every fall or accident from the past is stored within our musculature. Yoga begins to strip away the layers of holding to release old patterns. In this manner yoga becomes a marvelous tool for healing. Old and restrictive patterns of movement are replaced by more dynamic and natural ways to move. 11. Metaphor for life What do you do when difficult sensations or emotions show up in your life? Do you face this adversity or run away? Yoga becomes a metaphor to show us new ways to work through challenging sensations and emotions. We are encouraged to accept what we are feeling rather than to run from these feelings. 12. Relaxation Most people find it very difficult to relax. They are wound up nearly always and seldom let their guard down. Yoga offers us an opportunity to unwind and melt away the tension and stress that keep us locked up. As we do so we are able to allow the body to heal itself. 13. Energy flow There is a natural flow of energy that travels through us when we practice yoga. This is like an electric current that touches every cell. As the connective tissue of the body opens up the blockages that prevent energy from flowing are released. In this manner we become more open to removing these blockages. 14. Removes toxins As we move and sweat through the yoga practice toxins are released and flushed out. This occurs through the skin, breath, and the lymphatic system. Once released, we are free to allow new nutrients in to nourish us. Yoga is an activity typically associated with adults but can it be suitable for children too? People who actively take part in a number of different forms of exercise on a regular basis will have their own beliefs and ideas on what works best for them. Yoga is something that tends to be favoured by all those who give it a try and the benefits are most certainly vast. It is a fantastic activity for the body and the mind but it is undoubtedly most closely associated with adults. However, yoga is also ideal for children to take part in and there are some very clear reasons why this is the case. Improving focus Children develop at very different levels and although the genetics have a huge impact on this so too does the learning that they are exposed to. In terms of helping them to focus their mind there is not an activity quite as suitable for them as yoga. Kids can be very excitable and although it is very important that they have the opportunity to use this energy to play and have fun it could also be of much benefit for them to learn how to improve their concentration. There are lots of examples of activities that are designed to encourage an improved level of focus and they tend to share the characteristic of giving the participants a set of rules to keep in mind and as yoga involves following and learning techniques this too is an example. Relaxation Yoga is excellent at promoting the ideal way to relax and to switch off from certain worries that may be dominating our thoughts. Although it is important to acknowledge that a lot of children are unlikely to be worrying about too many mentally taxing details it is still wonderful practice for them to learn how to find this peace within themselves. It is far from easy to simply get the children to just switch off, as any parent will testify, but if you use some of the yoga techniques to achieve it (via music for example) then it is a distinct possibility. Awareness It is vital to recognise how adults and children are extremely different in the way they think but there are certainly a lot of techniques in yoga that can be used to benefit people of all ages. With regard to children, yoga has been used as a way of increasing the awareness that they have because they are taught how to fully engage their mind and body at the same time. Twists: Has a "squeeze-and-soak" action: The organs are compressed during the twist, pushing out blood filled with toxins. When we release the twist, fresh blood flows in, carrying new oxygen, new nutrients . Twists stimulate circulation and have a cleansing and refreshing effect on the torso organs and glands. Backbends: Energize, refresh and invigorate the body. Open the chest, encouraging proper breathing. Backbends realign the spine, counteracting and re-teaching the body’s poor postures. Helps to build confidence and self-esteem Forward bends: Give an internal massage as well as improve the circulation to the various organs in the abdomen: stomach, pancreas, liver, intestines and kidneys. Reduces stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue - Calms the mind and soothes the nerves. - Relieves tension in the spine, neck and back - Improves digestion. Inversions – Downward facing dog: Retrieves blood from your legs and lower torso, carrying it upwards against the force of gravity. Inversion allows your body to work with gravity to ease the circulation process. Inversions provide a lymphatic wash. The lymphatic system has no pump, putting the body upside down helps speed up the process of removing waste from the body. • Inverted poses are extremely important because they reverse the action of gravity on the body and get the blood and lymph flowing in opposite directions. • Increases blood flow to the top of the body, improving brain function and cognition and reduces anxiety and depression. • Takes pressure off the heart, which has to work less to get blood flowing to the brain. • On an emotional level helps us to see things from a different angle and perspective. Shavasana /Savasana: Shavasana is perhaps the most important part of yoga practice. It is an integration phase where the effects of the practice are allowed to take hold and penetrate deep into the self of the practitioner. After the exertions of the practice, Shavasana allows the body a chance to regroup and reset itself. It is intended to rejuvenate body, mind and spirit. |
Claudia Gutierrez
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Yoga Fitness BlogI am Claudia Gutierrez, owner of Yoga Fitness, originally from Argentina and proudly Irish Citizen since 2012. Archives
November 2021
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