Search This Blog

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Filling up with breathe ... Listening to our bodies!

Great seeing you all in class yesterday. 

It was an intense focus on the breath with every movement to emphasis the "Calm before the Coil".  Breath before movement. 

We started with our foot work using the half round balls.  Wonderful way to start your day even without the balls. Waking up and stretching all those 19 muscles, 33 joints and 100 ligaments just in one foot.  While you are at it, work the hands and wrist too.  Two areas that are overlooked way to often. 
The goal is to be able to flatten those hands while in plank... And that's an entirely different story.  

Remembering our spines ... Empty coat sleeves everyday!!!

Please learn to listen to the wisdom of your body.   DO NOT go past your limit.  No pain, no gain is NOT our mantra.  Be gentle with yourself for your longevity. 

See ya next time ...

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Post test rotations were significantly awesome!

11/20  MEN
Last post before the holiday but not forgotten!
You all were so impressive with your determination, focus and fun all wrapped together.  AWESOME!

Great to see half my class at the range today.  YES ... 
Be kind to yourself NOW!

Class reminders for HA (home-awareness): 

Calm before the Coil ...  start the inhale breath before the take back motion for
*  blood flow to muscles
*  increases endurance
*  enhances rhythm and tempo
*  reduces tension
*  quiets the mind. 

Wall Clock:
With your back to the wall ...  heels, calves, buttocks, shoulder blades flat and head against the wall...
Arms at 7 and 5, palms facing out, back of hand brushing the wall ...
 Then ... Breathe in ... Breath out ...
Arms at 9 and 3 ... Breath in ... Breath out...  
Belly fills with the inhale ...  belly button exhales back to spine !
Arms at 11 and 2 ...  Go only as far as your alignment stays on the wall.

All previous  HA's (home-awareness) apply. 

May this week be full of happy times.
See ya next time ...

Women's yogblog

11/22. Tuesday 4pm's Women's YogBlog:
A beautiful late afternoon practice with 4 very lovely ladies. 
We continue to align ourselves on the mat...  and beyond. ...
Be very diligent at listening to the  wisdom inside our bodies. 
Focus on just being present.   
Allowing the flow of movement to either come with your intuitive listening of your own body or/and take the yoga journey ride of class and be in that moment.  Feel your body align itself in every posture you find yourself in.  
Please re-read the previous post 11/15.  
Thank you Shelley for your 'om' suggestion.   A lovely way to complete a practice and take us to a place of thankfulness this holiday weekend.  
Be happy & have a peaceful & loving weekend. 
See ya next time ...

Friday, November 18, 2011

Thursday Men getting Aligned

WOWee!!!    Great attendance and presence in class.  
We are working on the principles of alignment which will aid us in anything and everything we do. This takes lots of focus and becoming more aware of our bodies.  For some, it might be the first time you are exploring yourself in this way.  Congrats!!!  It is an awesome path to take. 

Reminders:   
*   Shins in ... Thighs back .... Tailbone down ... Shoulders blades together on the back and down ... BREATH.  
*   Provide more space inside for less pain. 
*   A tight muscle may need a gentle stretch or may need slackening. 

Daily HomeAwareness work:
*   Balancing at the bathroom or kitchen counter daily.  
*   Walk with your hands clasped behind your back to open those chests.          
*   Pay attention and thank your feet everyday.  Give them a squeeze or pull 
*  Movement with breath

Got to love Ben Hogan's motto/mantra:   " Retaste the Sweetness".

May you all have a peaceful, happy, loving Thanksgiving holiday.  
Be safe and see ya next time.  

Any questions please feel free to call, email, or come see me.  
Comments are welcomed as well.  

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Standing tall and opening up!

Monday Men's class
Your focus and determination is to be admired.
Home-awareness for the week:
Start with twice a day in front of the mirror before you brush your teeth!  Clasp your hands behind your back while standing upright. Take a slow breath in and lower your chin to your chest as you exhale. Looking at your feet, line the outside edges to  parallel. Lift your toes, spread them wide, pinky toe reaches out and place down each toe one at a time til you are gripping each one into the ground. Take a breath and raise your head. Hands still clasped behind your back with a slight bend to the elbows, squeeze them towards each other.  Check your upper body and keep it upright.  Curl your outer lips up and look how handsome and broad your chest is becoming. 
See ya Monday!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Be aware! Legs are govenors of our lower backs!

Hello Lovely Ladies from Tuesday's 4pm Yoga class.  
It was a pleasure to have you in class.     Thanks for approaching your practice with an open heart and mind.  
Always remember this is your practice and if something doesn't feel right to you then listen to your innate wisdom. This is a wonderful way to expand your awareness within your own body.   Allow whatever arises to be a tool to perceive   Perception creates reality. 
Our theme was strong legs for a healthy spine. The actions and postures of our legs are critical for lower back health.   We worked with the principles of alignment from grounding down through four corners of our feet, drawing the shins in,  blossoming our buttocks, dropping our tailbones and ending with shoulders drawn together on our
backs.  
Take a breath. 
Your homework (home-awareness, home being you and all your parts) is to start to notice your posture more
throughout your day and remember that those principles can be applied to any position your body is in. 
Be kind to yourself and each other! 
See ya next week. 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

THursDay Class ... reminders


Great Class today Guys.     All of you!      You all showed up and  were present.  
The efforts will always pay off.  One  full diaphragmatic breath at a time.  HUH!
Had two great reminders of my pre an post tests in Paul's absence.    
Some  RE-minders ... Home Awareness ... HA's:    (Choose your cup)
Your body is wise and is your teacher.  Stop if it doesn't feel right!!!
Are you listening?
Whether it's low back pain, shoulders, knees or curled toes ...   Take your athletic stance ... Find those 3-4 corners of your feet ...  clasps your hands behind you ... and take a full thru the nose and out the mouth Breath...  filling up the lower lungs (belly expands) ... exhale the belly button towards the spine.
and another and another ....
That's a good start for now ... Find a way to fit it in daily ... Take care of you!




Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Listening to the whispers...

"The real juice of life, whether it be sweet or bitter, is to be found not nearly so much in the products of our efforts as in the process of living itself, in how it feels to be alive.". George Leonard

Back in Naples, enjoying my teaching and learning everyday.   I am listening to the whispers of the people I have shared  my passion of yoga with and will be posting reminders of what we have focused on and to keep that awareness alive everyday, not just in a class.  I give homework which I'd like to rename as Home-Awareness.  Home being the place inside us that we carry around everywhere.  For us all to feel better in our bodies, minds and hearts it takes an effort at times to learn and unlearn and learn again.   Some of our ways serve us well and others would benefit from a new perspective. 
So, here we go...

For the Monday 4pm/Thurs 10am classes and anyone else who'd like to practice our home-awareness:
Last week we focused on freedom in the body!
Giving space inside ourselves, opening up our chest and shoulders is a big OUCH for many!
HA (home-awareness):  When you walk, clasp your hands behind your back to start re-training the pecs to lengthen and open. 
Another freedom is feeling comfortable in our standing foundation ... Our FEET!
HA:  The toothbrush shuffle. As you are standing brushing your teeth, lift your toes and spread then rock on the balls of your feet and lift your heels. You have the counter right there for support if needed. Back and forth.  Ideally, we should brush for 2 minutes so if you tend to brush 2x's daily then you got 4 mins. logged already.
This week: 
I opened class with a brief description of the kinematic sequence. 
What?
Kinematic sequence is how to generate speed within our body which will translate to further distance off the tee and  down the fairway and can be applied in other scenarios as well. 
 How?
Speed translates to power in the body.  To harness that power is to be efficient in acceleration and deceleration or another way to say that would be coiling and uncoiling . 
It begins in the lower body and travels up the torso to the shoulders and out the arms to the club (top of the swing) then uncoiling  the downswing with the same path. 
A visual would be ideal here tho the main reason for this explanation is to get to the focus of class.  Hang in here ... 
Mobility & Stability. 
HA:  Continue to clasp hands behind your back as you stand and walk. Likewise, keep up the toothbrush shuffle. These both are also working towards our mobility and stability. Keep tuned in to see our body awareness progression. 
One more thing   I keep hearing people say "I can't do this..." or "I can't do that..."  The brain is a powerful tool.  It hears and doesn't decipher if it's a positive or not so the more you say it, the more the brain will infuse it and believe it.  So, You CAN take it out of your vocabulary and just watch, observe over time how this or that might be a bit easier.  Come back home and to class with Can on your mind.  Thanks
Oops,  one more thing ....   Please remember we are mostly made up of water.  If we don't keep ourselves in that % then naturally our many parts will start to dry out, like our joints.  Nourish those joints and your stiffness (may be some arthritis) will so appreciate it.  
Be kind to YOU!

Emails are welcomed with questions or comments. 
carub@ me.com