Yoga fun with Leisa the Hippie Chick Trainer.......Upward facing Dog

Upward Facing Dog - Benefits

* Expands your chest and shoulders.

* Strengthens the muscles that control your shoulder blades.

* Stretches your hip flexors and core musculature.

* Strengthens your low back musculature.

* Relieves some forms of low back pain.

* Therapeutic for asthma sufferers as it opens your accessory muscles of breathing.

Start by laying face down on your mat, legs should be long with a feeling of extension through the length of the toes and spread hips-width apart. Bend your elbows and place your palms flat to the ground, fingers spread, hands completely plugged into the floor and have your finger tips along side your chest.
Your wrist joints should be parallel to the front edge of the mat, with your wrists and elbows at a 90-degree angle. Elbows should stay tight to your sides.

From here, press down through the top of the feet; the top of all 10 toes should press into the floor. Press the palms down and gently lift your body off the floor. The ONLY parts of your body touching the ground should be the tops of the feet and the whole hand.

Once your arms are fully extended, double-check that your wrist joint is still under your shoulder-- aligning the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints together. (This positioning is critical and ensures a safe, less stressed lower back.) The most common mistake in this pose is having your hands too far out in front of you, creating tremendous low back pressure.

 

Benefits of Yoga

 

You've probably heard that yoga is good for you. Maybe you have even tried it and discovered that it makes you feel better. A regular practice can offers all kinds of mental and physical health benefits. Some, like improved flexibility, are clearly evident. Others, including mental clarity and stress reduction, may be more subtle but are just as powerful. When put together, all the benefits below contribute to an increased feeling of well-being, which helps explain why so many people find yoga so addictive.

 

Flexibility: Moving and stretching in new ways will help you become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to tight areas. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders, and hips. As we age, flexibility naturally decreases, which leads to pain and immobility. Yoga can ameliorate this process.

 

Strength: Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including balancing on one leg (such as in Tree Pose) or supporting yourself with your arms (such as in Downward Facing Dog). Holding poses over the course of several breaths also builds strength.

 

Muscle tone: As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone. Yoga helps shape long, lean muscles.

 

 

Balance: Improved balance is one of the most important benefits of yoga as you get older. Poses where you stand on one leg and, for more advanced students, inversions, are great ways to build core strength.

 

Joint Health: People with arthritis often see marked improvement in their pain and mobility with regular gentle yoga practice. People with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can also benefit from specific types of yoga exercises.

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To Your Success 

Leisa Timms

Hippie Chick Trainer

Zumba / Fitness Coach 

Success Education Entrepreneur



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