Playin’ The Edge

I downloaded the Hip Opener sequence from Yogi2Go and got through 2 of the 4 segments on the weekend. I’d recommend it - it’s a good Vinyasa flow session and just doing half made my hips feel alive. Jeanne includes alot of detail so it’s a good refresher on the refinements of each pose. Also, she did some fun things I haven’t done before.

Jeanne did Temple pose, which I hadn’t heard of but found it’s similiar to Goddess. Using the same lower body position (toes are pointed out a bit, knees are squeezed open so they’re roughly over ankles) she has you use your hands to roll your thighs open to deepen the hip stretch. Then you dip one shoulder down and press back/open the opposite one, hold and then change sides.

She did another variation on that too. You’re in the same standing squat position. Then Jeane has you bend forward so that shoulders are the same level as hips. Hands are on the floor. Then she has you lift your right arm and reach forward, stretching the right hip back and hold. Reach forward with the left and hold. Then do both and hold. Yowza!

I’d recommend Hip Openers and plan to go through others from the site. For $10 it’s good value for your yoga library.

I can really obsess about the music I play for yoga classes. I’ll get really pumped about a song, mix it into a CD and then as the class is happening *and* i’m talking through a pose think “gyawd what was I thinking, this soulful guitar sounds like some high school garage band is warming up next door” etc. etc.

My tastes often change too which is why I don’t suggest music more often but here’s one I’m keyed up about. Yoga Lounge by Chinmaya Dunster & Niladri Kumar. They use Indian instruments and influences and make some great sounds. And the best part is that the CD has a perfect groove. The songs are interesting and build really well without getting overwrought (I hate that). I used every tune for the CD I put together, which is too rare. The songs are all over 5:58 minutes too, which I think helps build a mood in class. My fave tune, which I’ve listened to alot is “Jhinjhoti “. It has a nice melody that just makes me happy. Check it out.

If you like Vinyasa-style yoga, check out the 20 minute video on Yoga Peeps. The production is great (more than one camera angle! stop!) although if you’re familiar with Sun Salutation As & B you won’t spend much time looking at the video. The majority of time is spend doing Sun Salutes and a few standing postures, so I found I was good and warm by the end.

I was warmed up and energized enough to go outside for a run in the rain (that’s big). On other days I would do more yoga or at the very least head off to something else feeling good that I’d done *something* positive for myself.

Check it out.

Can you imagine having a 2-3 hour-a-day practice? (insert amazed head wag here) I highly recommend catching the interview with Ana Forrest over at Yoga Peeps. It takes a couple of minutes to download but it’s worth it. My favourite quote (especially since I just had a milestone birthday) is:

“We can build healthy muscle tissue or we can rot”

It’s inspiring to hear the story of the personal obstacles she’s overcome to become the amazing yogi and teacher that she is. Did I mention the 2-3 hour-a-day practice?

Just when you think yoga takes itself too seriously, your favourite action figures go public to show off their mad Ashtanga skills at Yogabeans.

See GI Joe do Chaturanga on one fingernail and one knuckle.

See Hulk weep salty tears of frustration because “Hulk hate yoga”.

Even non-yogis love it. Keep it up Elastigirl….

Here’s a follow-on from yesterday’s post about music. Having the ability to remotely control your music is pretty important in a class. It’s a bit disruptive to pad around the class fiddling with music while your class is trying to focus. And realizing while you’re teaching a pose that you’re competing with the music can be discombobulating - do you stop to change the volume or just holler over the chanting? You need a remote control you can use to tweak the sound right at your mat. But what if your music equipment isn’t close enough to point a remote at?

It’s easy - you need the sexy-named RF Remote Control Extender. I have a studio at home where I teach and this baby works to control the music *throughout* the house. You replace one of the batteries in your remote control with a special one that sends the wireless signal, so you don’t need extra clunky equipment. The replacement battery even recharges itself so it’s really low-maintenance. The little round base station thingy sits in front of your equipment so it can pass your signal to the components, you don’t even need to point the remote in it’s direction. It works like a charm. Last night I was able to start the music, move to the next track, and adjust the volume without moving from my mat - no disruption, no discombobulation.

I’ll also add that ordering from Parts Express was easy and shipping was fast (even to Canada). Here’s an opportunity to focus on playing yoga teacher not DJ.

Researchers have been finding proof of the validity of gut feelings. They call it the “Belly Brain” - a complex network of nerves that has it’s own intelligence. In yoga it’s generally referred to as our intuitive third chakra, but you say potato….

It does my heart good to see scientists studying and finding proof of the mind/body connection. So often it seems in science if they can’t poke at it, it doesn’t exist. While anyone who has done 30 minutes of yoga has experienced the connection first-hand.

Anyways, rant over, here are a couple of articles:

1. “There is a lot more to gut feelings than was previously believed”

2. “We are seeing that the gut is a very sensitive organ, so even if you are in another room, my gut can sense when you see a particularly evocative image and respond emotionally. Therefore, your state can actually influence my state.”

It’s spring and I’m eating healthier in advance of doing a detox (there’ll be more on that you can bet). So I’m giving my new microwave rice cooker a good work out. And I. Am. In. Love. The Pampered Chef folks are the kind who want to gather in your living room Tupperware-style, but I just bought one from a co-worker armed with a catalogue. For those in the US it’s here and for the Canucks, it’s here.

I’d heard alot of good things about the rice cooker and although no one really got into the details I figured more options for cooking rice is a good thing right? And I know there’s lots of if-you-want-to-eat-healthy-you-should-avoid-the-microwave people out there, but that’s a level of hard-core healthiness I may not reach in this life time. If you’re there, I’m impressed. I’d starve without my ‘nuker’.

Back to the rice cooker - it’s a kinda simple but well-designed gizmo that cooks the rice just right. There’s never any boil-overs or hard sticky hockey pucks at the bottom of the pot. It’s also super easy to clean and you can just throw it in the fridge with leftovers if you’re in a rush. I was afraid I wouldn’t know what instructions to follow, but most rice packages seem to include microwave instructions now.

So, last night I was in a pre-yoga class rush. I threw in basmati rice and water, added some seasoning, grated a carrot, threw in other veggies and put the cooker in the microwave for 17 minutes. While it cooked I cut up some pre-cooked meat and cilantro. When the rice finished cooking I stirred in the other stuff and let it steam for 5 while I set the table. Voila - yummy dinner in 20 minutes *with* leftovers. Who wouldn’t be in love?

There are plenty of yoga styles but there are exponentially more yoga teaching styles. I’ve been perusing podcasts on iTunes again and found Amy Jin Schmelzer who does Power Yoga with Amy. She’s recorded while teaching an hour-long moderate level class.

Amy is a talker. Like a New York kinda talker. And it’s not necessarily about the yoga pose you’re doing but about life and yoga and all kinds of good stuff. She admits herself that she gets talking so much that she forgets what’s up next. So it just depends what kind of yoga class you like. I found I just relaxed into the pose and listened. Thanks to the talking it’s not a super fast paced class, which makes it easier when you’re following via audio-only. But it warmed me up good because she works through alot of Sun Salutations, probably a good 1/2 hour.

Amy is funny and doesn’t take herself too seriously and yet doesn’t take the yoga lightly either. I’ll definitely ‘go’ to her class again.

I have these fabulous Lululemon capri pants. Love the fabric, color and cut but they’re just too low-cut. I guess we’re supposed to be proud to show off our yoga bellies, but when i’m teaching I’m trying to minimize distractions. For both me and the class. That means not baring my midriff with every single Sun Salutation. It means avoiding the breeze that takes you out of the zone between poses to adjust clothing. Ever been in a class where 1/2 the women adjust during every pause? It’s so funny. But I hate doing that, so I stopped wearing the pants.

Then last week on my vacay I’m in Florida and discover at Target these great long tank tops. Lotsa colors, cheap as borsht. They’re looooong but thin so bunch-ups don’t look like you’re wearing 6 shirts. Presto, no more belly breeze.