Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Why do people go on Yoga Retreats?

Retreats are more than a vacation, they are an opportunity for you to reclaim yourself, renew your life goals and recommit to them!

In SoulSister Women Retreats, my focus is on helping you with your goals for refreshing your perspective in regards to your overall wellness, especially in the stage of life Midlife and beyond…. You know, the fun years when we are mostly done with our responsibilities of parenting young children, more established in our careers..but maybe noticing our own health, fitness and wellness could use a rehaul. I specialize in retreats for women over 50, retreats for...well you get the idea!

But let's back up a bit.. let me tell you how I got to the point where I wanted to offer retreats and why!

...it was through participating in several retreat experiences myself, and having a transformation…every TIME!

I had the opportunity on my first retreat experience back in 2008, it was a women's only retreat to India to do some soul searching with the guidance and support of like minded others. I came back and started to change the direction of my life. It was through taking the time to work on self discovery, and having deep conversations with people like myself, at the same stage of life that I was in, that helped me transform my life.

On another retreat I went on to Italy, I was in full fitness mode. I was brand new to road biking and I jumped into an experience which required me to push myself to new limits, this time with the guidance and support of expert cyclists to help me.

I came back with new knowledge of how to fit cycling into my life and fitness plan in a doable way. I learned how to improve women's fitness over 50. I also was the group's yoga teacher and led practices in yin yoga, guided meditation and relaxation after the rides.

Then I went to Greece. Yes, we practiced some yoga (this was a yoga retreat), but mostly we learned from each other. We had a wonderful teacher who made it easy for us to relax and enjoy the country, all while taking the time also to renew some yoga practices and learn some new ones. We were able to go to the beaches, do some snorkeling, hiking and of course exploration of the ruins. It was a great escape and get-away for solo women travelers. I didn't know anyone except the group leader prior to the retreat! Solo trips for women are sometimes a bit scary, but it was worth it.

I came back from that retreat with new knowledge and experience that I used in my work as a yoga teacher and therapist.

So I began hosting yoga adventure retreats myself with Yoga Club back in 2013. We went to local nature areas, Crowder's Mountain, Greenville, Asheville, Tybee Island.

These retreats were targeted to all ages, men and women. We focused on having fun, learning a little about yoga, having a few adventures and relaxing. We practiced and I taught yoga teachers all types of yoga, restorative yoga, vinyasa yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Guided Meditation and more. We were more about the yoga education on these retreats and it was great, but I knew there was more to be gained by the participants, because I had experienced that transformation myself. I wanted to lead retreats that allowed connection and growth for women, because when I went to India, that was what made that retreat stand out as one of the best yoga retreat vacations I had been on.

I also attended two retreats to Bali Indonesia! The first experience was an exploration of various types of yoga, and we were able to explore the local culture of the island. I traveled with a good friend and met many amazing people at the retreat, many of whom I still keep in contact with. They came from all over the world, Australia, Europe, the US to retreat together. On this retreat we did a service project by visiting Bali Children's Project. We taught them yoga and brought them supplies. Giving Back was a new addition to my retreat experience and DEFINITELY something I received much joy from doing.

In 2017 I retreated again to Bali to SoulShine Bali with Michael Franti for a Yoga and Music Retreat.
That is where I came up with the inspiration for the name my retreats.. SoulSister Retreats. Michael Franti and his wife hosted the retreat with Gina Caputo as the yoga leader. We had a purpose which was to Reset our Lives. I was so inspired from my retreat there that I came back and booked a mission trip to Haiti to provide physical therapy to children in a medical clinic... talk about changing your life! ' But enough about my experiences.. let's talk about your experience.

As I was contemplating my own "next chapter" during COVID, I realized I was ready to offer a deeper experience for women, through a retreat AND I wanted it to be in one of my favorite places, the Virgin Islands.

I had visited the Virgin Islands with my life partner the year before, and fell in love with them. I now had a network of family and local support on the islands, so that would make the process more seamless. That is where SoulSister Women Retreats was born! I had considered the women I had connected with on my previous retreats my SoulSisters and really wanted to incorporate that feeling into the retreats I organized.

Women in our stage of life are many times are looking to have a fun girls trip, a holiday, but when they go on a retreat, they usually come away with a transformation. Some come looking for it… and are ready to take that deep dive the minute they arrive. But one thing that always happens, they return to their lives saying things such as:

“I didn’t plan on having a transformation, but I did.”

“How I fit in with my family and friends is now different, I feel more like myself, more confident, more clear and ready to live my best life”.

‘Wow, a retreat feeds every part of me. I came to just enjoy a nice holiday, and I left with so much more. ..it was life changing.”

“I am not really a yoga practitioner, so I never considered a “yoga” retreat. But it was so much more than practicing yoga poses, it was practicing a new life perspective. I am now hooked.”

This retreat is designed as a Women Over 50 Get Away Escape and Retreat! (but you can certainly come if you are not 50 yet...cause one day you will be!!) This is a retreat in the Virgin Islands. In this retreat we will have the opportunity to move through a process together of exploring the Caribbean, while also exploring ourselves and who we want to be in the next chapter of our lives. We will enjoy wellness for women in their 50's and beyond, nutrition for a healthy body, fitness and yoga practices such as yin yoga, restorative yoga, guided meditation, and some more robust vinyasa yoga if you like.

My goal is for you to enjoy exploring the Virgin Islands, relaxing on the beach, sailing the blue seas, enjoying delicious, local food and learning about the history of the islands, and also leaving with a reset and a plan for when you return home of living a healthier, more vital and full life.

I will be hosting these retreats with my life partner, Renaldo Turnbull. He is a native of the island and he and his family are assisting me to ensure you get a real local's taste of life in the VI's. No touristy stuff for us. Just down home, authentic experience.

If this is you, and YOU are ready to ReClaim yourself, ReNew your commitment to health, fitness and wellness and ReLax and enjoy a beautiful Carribean paradise at the same time..then check out all the deets at FitYogaTherapy.com

Hope this helps bring you to this opportunity to change your life...for the better! I would love to be a part of it.

Warmly,

Chrys

Monday, December 9, 2019

YOGA TEACHERS! YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A YOGA THERAPIST OR PHYSICAL THERAPIST TO HELP YOUR STUDENTS!

BECOME A CERTIFIED YOGA CORRECTIVE EXERCISE SPECIALIST.

_{Why become
a specialist in Yoga as corrective exercise?}

_{When it
comes to corrective exercise training vs 200 and even 300 hour yoga teacher
training, all yoga teachers have varying levels of training in anatomy and bio
kinesiology, but not all yoga teachers are qualified to do corrective exercise
training through the use of yoga postures and techniques.}

_{In your
general yoga teacher training, you might have learned how to do some postural
or corrective exercise assessments and sequences using yoga postures. This,
however, is only a limited exposure to the capacities of a yoga asana practice
to help improve mobility and decrease pain.}_{(Ward, Stebbings, Cherkin,
& Baxter, 2014)}

_{FitYogaTherapy’s Yoga Corrective Exercise
Specialist training goes over movement
assessments to be able to assess mobility and stability capacities for a yoga
asana practice through the Yoga Asana Practice Screen (YAPS). This screening allows the yoga teacher to
efficiently and quickly (in a 15-minute screening) identify challenges the student might face
when asked to move into certain yoga postures.
This might be a limitation in joint mobility or a lack of stability
leading to perceived tightness in a muscular area. Once the teacher is aware of these
limitations, they are more easily able to offer adaptations to allow the
student to participate in the yoga practice safely. Through more in depth assessments which may
be performed in a private yoga session, the yoga teacher informed on corrective
exercise can then begin to identify which yoga techniques may be more
beneficial and effective in allowing the practitioner to improve mobility and
stability in a progressive manner, resulting in less musculoskeletal limitation
and more ease of movement.}

_{You will
learn the concepts of MoSility (Mobility combined with Stability ) as well as
how to impact flexibility in an evidenced based way using the RollEaseana Yoga
Flexibility Method. This ease of movement is the benefit of a yoga
practice which many people are seeking when they seek out yoga. (Monson, Chismark, Cooper, & Krenik-Matejcek, 2017) (McCaffrey & Park, 2012) (Lorenc, et al., 2018)}

_{If you don’t believe so, go ahead and ask your
students.}

_{At this
moment in time, the yoga teacher has a great opportunity, and frankly a
responsibility, to serve the
practitioner who is suffering from musculoskeletal dysfunction.}

_{The
World Health Organization states the following:}_{(Organization, 2019)}

_·_{Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading contributor to
disability worldwide, with low back pain being the single leading cause of
disability globally.}

_·_{Musculoskeletal conditions significantly limit mobility and
dexterity, leading to early retirement from work, reduced accumulated wealth
and reduced ability to participate in social roles.}

_·_{Musculoskeletal conditions are commonly linked with
depression and increase the risk of developing other chronic health conditions.}

_·A recent report from the United States of America suggests that one in two adult Americans live with a musculoskeletal condition – the same number as those with cardiovascular or chronic respiratory diseases combined!!!

_{In addition, the
World Health Organization has recommended guidelines for Integrated Care for
Older People (ICOPE) . This program specifically identifies as one
of the components that we incorporate programs to improve musculoskeletal function,
mobility and vitality in the aging population.
This includes multi modal
exercise with progressive strength resistance training, balance, flexibility
and aerobic training. As we all know,
yoga as exercise addresses low level strength training, and certainly balance
and flexibility components.}

_{Our
challenge as yoga teachers, is to be able to make yoga accessible to this older
population, many of whom have limitations and challenges in their
musculoskeletal system. Being able to
identify, adapt for and improve these conditions will be one of the roles of
the Yoga Corrective Exercise Specialist.}

_{Therefore,
corrective exercise training has become in demand. Personal trainers and the fitness industry have
already embraced this need by providing continuing education and certification
in corrective exercise. Unfortunately,
the yoga community has not yet taken up this task. While there has been a movement towards the
practice of yoga therapy as a specific discipline of health care, the training
of yoga teachers to fill the gap between the 200 hour/500 hour yoga teacher and
the yoga therapist has not yet been addressed.
It is evident that there is a need to provide more accessible movement
education and guidance for those with musculoskeletal pain and the aging
population, and yoga has been identified as an effective and viable option for
those with such challenges. (Monson, Chismark, Cooper, &
Krenik-Matejcek, 2017)}_{(McCaffrey & Park, 2012) (Lorenc, et al., 2018)}_{Many physicians will refer their patients to go to a
yoga class to help them move more easefully.
Unfortunately, many yoga teachers do not have the training to help these
students, especially to help them in a group yoga class.}

_{As someone with more training in corrective
exercise using yoga asana as a modality, the yoga instructor can give the
student some options in their practice to customize the movement to fit their
needs and help them learn to move more easefully. These yoga practitioners are not currently
suffering from a specific injury or diagnosis that would be require the skills
of a health care practitioner or yoga therapist, however they do deserve to
access a yoga practice provided by an
instructor that is qualified to help them practice within the
limitations of their challenges as well as provide guidance to improve their
ease of movement. This niche is exactly
why as a yoga teacher who seeks to provide a more informed practice, should seek continuing
education in yoga as corrective exercise.
In addition, by completing a certification in Yoga Corrective Exercise,
this instructor can now be confident in
their interactions with prospective students and physicians who are seeking
just these services.}

_{So, the
question remains: should you seek a
corrective exercise certification specializing in yoga as the modality of
choice?}

_{Ask yourself
the same questions one would ask a personal trainer:}

₁₎_{Have you ever taught
yoga to an older individual, and
overweight individual or an out of shape individual? (Read, n.d.)}

₂₎_{Have you ever had a yoga student come up to you and ask how
to adapt or modify their yoga practice due to pain or difficulty with certain
movements?}

_{As Read
indicates to his personal trainer audience, if you answered yes to the above
questions, knowing corrective exercise will be one of the best ways to help
your clients to wellness and functional mobility, and keep them coming to
attend yoga practice. This in turn may
lead them to experience the other well documented benefits of yoga such as
decreased stress, decreased anxiety, decreased inflammation, improved heart
health, improved quality of life, ability to fight depression, reduction of
chronic pain, improved sleep quality, and improved breathing.}_{(Rachel Link, 2017)}_{These wonderful benefits may never be realized if the
yoga practitioner leaves the practice due to the inability of the yoga teacher
to identify and assist with musculoskeletal challenges in a corrective
manner.}

_{So, the
next question arises, is it worth the investment?}

_{Currently
as a yoga teacher, you are limited in what you can earn as revenue. In most cases, you are only able to earn
revenue from teaching group yoga classes.
Unfortunately, due to the saturation of the yoga teacher market, this
compensation can be quite limited. Now,
some can become Instagram Influencers and lead workshops worldwide based on
their asana practice, but as we all know, this is a small fragment of the yoga
teacher population.}

_{What can you do to
set yourself apart?}

_{How can you confidently
market yourself to the consumer as an expert in movement utilizing the yoga
practice?}

_{With a Yoga Exercise
Specialist Certification, you can stand apart from the general yoga teacher
population as a specialist in your field, without spending thousands of dollars
on an unnecessary degree as a physical therapist or yoga therapist. That is not to say these are not valid and
valuable professions, after all, I have a degree in physical therapy and bio
kinesiology and a certification in yoga therapy from the International
Association of Yoga Therapists. But
honestly, in my practice as a yoga teacher, I have found that a good foundation
in the practices of yoga specifically with advanced study in yoga asana and
movement serves the yoga teacher well.
Certainly, for your own evolution and growth as a yoga practitioner, one
should continue their study into the more in-depth practices and philosophies
of yoga. A greater understanding of
these practices on an experiential level will only serve you to become a better
overall yoga teacher.}

_{But without
reservation, I can state that this in depth study is NOT a requirement for you
to be of service to your clients seeking physical benefits of yoga AND will
allow them to continue their personal practice so they also have the
opportunity to move deeper into their personal practice. Once you are able to increase your income by
offering specialty small group practices emphasizing helping practitioners with specific
biomechanical challenges, and the ability to confidently offer one on one
private yoga training to assist your students to advance their asana practice;
then you will be able to afford the $6000.00 average cost of an in depth 300
hour yoga teacher training. In fact, you
could even be motivated to further study yoga and become a yoga therapist to
the tune of 3 years of study and an average cost of $10,000. Or, if so, inclined further your study to
become a licensed physical therapist, at an average cost of $75,000 in tuition
alone.}

_{So, in answer to the question at
the beginning of the paragraph…it depends.}

_{What is your ultimate passion and goal as a provider of yoga as a modality? Where are your talents and to what degree would
you like to pursue this profession? That
is a question only you can answer. My purpose
here is to inform you of all your options and allow you to make a clear and
informed decision.}

_{If you are interested
in finding out more about Yoga Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification,
please feel free to contact me via email at fityogatherapy@gmail.com. I saw a great need for this type of education
and decided to compile my many years of yoga teacher training, physical therapy and yoga therapy expertise to give
yoga teachers a more accessible and viable access to serving our population through
the practices of yoga asana. I would
love to help you on your journey. My new program will launch in early 2020. Check out the preliminary module curriculum on my website at FitYogaTherapy.com Be the first in the yoga industry to receive this unique certification. Then YOU can help your clients sooner rather than later.}

_{Chrys Kub, PT is a licensed physical therapist of over 30 years clinical practice, she is a certified yoga therapist through IAYT and a certified personal trainer. She has taught continuing education courses for health care practitioners, fitness professionals, yoga therapists and yoga teachers throughout the US, Canada and internationally since 1992.}

Lorenc, A., Feder, G., MacPherson, H., Little, P., Mercer, S. W., & Sharp, D. (2018). Scoping review of systematic reviews of complementary medicine for musculoskeletal and mental health conditions. BMJ Open, 8(10). Retrieved 12 7, 2019, from https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/10/e020222

McCaffrey, R., & Park, J. (2012). The Benefits of Yoga for Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Yoga & Physical Therapy, 2(5), 1-12. Retrieved 12 7, 2019, from https://longdom.org/open-access/the-benefits-of-yoga-for-musculoskeletal-disorders-a-systematic-review-of-the-literature-2157-7595.1000122.pdf

Monson, A. L., Chismark, A. M., Cooper, B. R., & Krenik-Matejcek, T. M. (2017). Effects of Yoga on Musculoskeletal Pain. American Dental Hygienists Association, 91(2), 15-22. Retrieved 12 7, 2019, from https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29118252

Organization, W. H. (2019, 11 26). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions

Rachel Link, M. (2017, August 7). Healthlink. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga

Read, T. (n.d.). Personal Trainer Pioneer . Retrieved from https://www.ptpioneer.com/corrective-exercise-specialist-certifications/

Ward, L., Stebbings, S., Cherkin, D. C., & Baxter, G. D. (2014). Components and reporting of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 22(5), 909-919. Retrieved 12 7, 2019, from https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25440383

_{Find out more about Chrys and her practices at her website fityogatherapy.com}

_{Her Instagram chryskubfityogatherapy}

_{Facebook Fityogatherapy}

_{and Twitter chryskubfityoga}

Monday, January 5, 2015

More than Stretching: RollEasana Yoga Start to ROLL YOUR "ASS"ANA!

More than Stretching: RollEasana Yoga Start to ROLL YOUR " ASS” ANA!

As a physical therapist integrating yoga into my work with clients to help them get out of pain and move more efficiently, I have frequently been asked my opinion on the use of foam rolling and the benefit of static stretching. We are now learning more about how to use these tools to improve our efficiency of movement. The thing is, there is a huge paradigm shift in why and how we stretch as well as how foam rolling may fit into your program.

First of all here are some facts about foam rolling:

1)Foam Rolling can help decrease post exercise fatigue if performed prior to exercise, this may allow participants to extend acute workout time and volume. Healy et al

2)Foam rolling prior to an athletic activity can enhance joint range of motion without decreasing performance McDonald, Penny et al., Sullivan et al

3)Foam rolling can help decrease post exercise soreness and helps in attenuating muscle soreness while improving vertical jump height, muscle activation, and passive and dynamic ROM in comparison with control. McDonald, Button et al

4)Foam rolling is equally effective as static stretching for improving joint range-of-motion (ROM) but does not acutely reduce muscular strength and power. In addition, the researchers found that while the static stretching group acutely reduced knee flexion torque and one-leg jump distance significantly, the foam rolling group did not. Amico

So what does one conclude from the latest research? Foam rolling is beneficial pre exercise to reduce muscle fatigue and possibly improve exercise performance. It will improve the joint range of motion without decreasing performance (as static stretching has been found to do). Post exercise, foam rolling can help decrease muscle soreness, possibly improving your ability to train again sooner and with less discomfort. For 5 tips on how to practice yoga to prevent injury see my blog post: WAWADIA? How about WCWDIA: 5 tips on What Can We Do in Asana.

For those of you who are practicing yoga just to improve your flexibility, you are missing the point. Flexibility is relative to function. Muscles become stiff because they are neurologically told to contract. The brain tells the muscle to contract in order to do the following:

a. To produce movement (eccentric or concentric)

b. To provide stability

c. To protect joints during novel movements or ranges of motion

Foam rolling is not utilized in order to improve flexibility, but to decrease the neural activation of the resting tone in the prime movers (which are usually the muscles you think are "tight”) Once you reset that neural tone of the tissue, the muscle is better able to build tolerance to the stretch sensation, thus allowing an increased range of motion of the joint. This results in more efficient movement of the joint and allows one to begin to activate those muscles which may have been "lazy” and not doing their job. Those lazy muscles are what caused the brain to tell the compensating muscles to activate more in the first place in order to perform the movement or protect you from injury. Foam rolling should be incorporated into your yoga practice as the first step, specifically addressing the hips and shoulder girdle in order to help regain lost mobility. Then proceeding to practicing asana following these simple steps: BAMA: Breath. Awareness, MoStility (mobility with stability) and Alignment. .

In order to help address the principles of BAMA, I developed the practice of RollEasana Yoga. RollEasana Yoga integrates foam rolling into a complete yoga practice. Integrating use of the foam roller and small massage balls into your practice is easy, and learning the sequencing for this practice is important in order to make sure your are properly preparing the body for the asana/movements following the foam rolling. YogaUOnline has several practices I have developed which are available for you to access. Yoga For Athletes, Yoga For Cyclists, Yoga For Myofascial Release : Awakening Prana, Awakening Your Core and Releasing Your Shoulders.

There are lots of foam rollers on the market. Most of them are petroleum based, made of various densities of foam in a variety of sizes and colors. You can also use various densities of firm small balls to help with myofascial release in the harder to reach places such as your shoulder and neck muscles, shins and feet. When looking for a foam roller, look for one that has the following qualities: 1) keeps it shape well 2) provides a solid surface to roll on 3) durability. The Perform Better Elite Molded Foam Roller works well in all of these areas. It works well for those who work with private clients or in a gym where it is used heavily by many people.The Foam Roller Plus is a roller which is not as firm, for those who prefer a softer surface. The issue with this foam roller is that it will compress with time, which will be a disadvantage and probably require you to purchase another one in a few years. I was introduced to a specialized foam roller called the LannaRoller. This roller is durable, functional and beautiful. While most foam rollers are petroleum based and pretty unsightly to have in your home, the LannaRoller is all natural, made of a single piece of mangowood. Lanna Rollers are made by artisans in "The Lanna Kingdom" of northern Thailand from sustainably-harvested natural materials: a mango wood core, cushioned with natural latex foam from trees, and wrapped in authentic hand-woven textiles. This roller will never compress and the cover is removable.

So that’s it in a nutshell. Become more efficient and pain free in your movements, using the benefits of modern research on kinisiology and physiology to transform your practice to meet your needs and improve your performance during your recreational and competitive athletic activities as well as your daily life. It’s not that hard, just practice your BAMA techniques and watch the magic happen. The first step is to get off your duff and "RollEasana!”

Resources:

1) Guidelines for Foam Rolling: To Roll or Not to Roll: Concerns about Self Massage http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/03/to-roll-or-not-to-roll-concerns-about-self-massage-ruthie-streiter/

2)J Strength Cond Res.2014 Jan;28(1):61-8. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182956569. The effects of myofascial release withfoamrollingon performance.Healey KC1,Hatfield DL,Blanpied P,Dorfman LR,Riebe D.

3) J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Mar;27(3):812-21. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31825c2bc1. An acute bout of self-myofascial release increases range of motion without a subsequent decrease in muscle activation or force.MacDonald GZ1, Penney MD, Mullaley ME, Cuconato AL, Drake CD, Behm DG, Button DC

4) Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013 Jun;8(3):228-36. Roller-massager application to the hamstrings increases sit-and-reach range of motion within five to ten seconds without performance impairments. Sullivan KM1, Silvey DB, Button DC, Behm DG

5) Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Jan;46(1):131-42. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182a123db. Foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense bout of physical activity. Macdonald GZ1, Button DC, Drinkwater EJ, Behm DG.

6) Amico, Undated Effects of Myofascial Release on Human Performance A Review of the literature http://www.fiteval.com/Site_1/Research_Study_files/Pilot%20Study%20addition-pdf.pdf

7) Beardsly, Chris Does Research Support the Use of Foam Rolling? http://www.strengthandconditioningresearch.com/2013/10/01/foam-rolling/#button

8) FIELDS, M.D. et al. (2007) Should Athletes Stretch before Exercise? Sports Science Exchange, 20 (1)

Monday, December 29, 2014

Happy New Year 2015! 5 Tips for New Yoga Practitioners from an Integrative Physical Therapist and Yoga Therapist.

Welcome New Yogis: Awakening your body, mind and spirit through Yoga can change your life for the better! Here are some tips for a wonderful and safe practice!

1. Research prior to attending class.

Prior to just jumping into a yoga class at your local studio, visit the studio. Talk with some instructors and ask if you can peek into some of the practices. Ask them to explain the style of yoga they teach and ask if they have a beginner series. Just like you would not jump into running a marathon as a new runner, don’t jump into advanced Power Vinyasa Yoga on your first try, give yourself an opportunity to learn the foundations of the practice and explore the type of practice you may benefit from in your life.

2. Use the props.

Props are not there only for beginners, yogis advanced and beginning can benefit from the use of yoga blocks, yoga straps, blankets and bolsters. Props will help you access the alignment which will make your movement efficient and allow you to grow in your asana practice with less risk of repetitive stress and injury.

3. Listen to Your Intuition and consult the teacher after practice.

If you are in an expression of a posture and it just feels wrong and you notice any of the following: a. breath is labored and you are having difficulty calming it down , b. you feel sharp, burning or stabbing sensations, or c. you feel pain in a joint, modify the posture to a position which is less stressful for you that day. Then AFTER class, consult the teacher regarding that pose and many times, she or he can help you understand what might be right for you. In a class with several students, it is sometimes difficult for the instructor to address everyone’s individual needs, and it is your responsibility to take care of yourself by being proactive.

4. Understand that yoga is a practice.

This may be a cliché, but it is really true. Yoga is a physical practice when we go to an asana class, certainly. But it is more of a practice of learning how to observe yourself. We utilize the asanas and breath as tools to tap into self awareness. Through this self awareness we begin to understand how we react to various situations which occur on your mat. This could be anything from noticing you get angry at yourself when you can’t perform a posture to your expectations or arising sadness that may creep in during a certain posture. We then use this knowledge to help us take what we learn about ourselves and apply this awareness of our reactions to real life situations. One of the best quotes I ever heard was “ the person you become on your yoga mat is the person you are in the world”….think about that!

5. Enjoy yourself, be in the moment.

In our society of striving to be the best and the greatest, sometimes we forget to celebrate the joy of just experiencing and being. Yoga helps you to take the time to be present, no cell phones, no work or outside responsibilities, for that time you are on your mat. Practicing mindfulness while on your mat will result in a happier and more joyful state of being as well as better health. This is not just yoga jargon, but has been proven by scientific research!

So, what are you waiting for! Come practice some yoga asana, improve your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Atha yoga anushasanam
Now, the teachings of yoga begin.
—Yoga Sutra 1.1

The time is NOW!

Saturday, November 29, 2014

WAWADIA? How about WCWDIA: 5 tips on What Can We Do in Asana? ( A response to Matthew Remski)

Mathew Remski has recently started a project called WAWADIA.(Whatare We Actually Doing in Asana?) which is creating lots of discussion in the yoga community. As a physical therapist and biokinesiologist, this question has been loudly blaring in my mind since I have started my yoga practice over 14 years ago. In the beginning, I assumed it was because I did not know enough about the practice, so I would just follow my teachers when they would confidently say things such as “this is the pure posture as taught to me by Swami What’sHisName when I was studying with him for the last 15 years, so just do it! “ As time passed and I deepened my knowledge of the practice, doing the requisite 500 Hour Teacher Training and eventually studying yoga therapy, I realized the dirty little secret that Matthew so astutely reveals…we don’t really know What We are Actually Doing in Asana! And neither did Swami What’sHisName.

In a recent podcast, The Liberated Body hosted by Brooke Thomas, Matthew mentions that in addition to this question, he would like to ask “what can we do in asana to make it a safer, more efficient practice biomechanically for the body?” This response is to offer some suggestions, based on my 25 years in the field of physical therapy, the last 10 which have been working with persons on an individual basis using yoga asana as one of the tools to help them heal structural injuries, not just a few of which have been “because” of yoga. These are things you can do now, until the time comes when the majority of yoga instructors begin to understand that the in depth knowledge of how the body moves can only enhance their teaching and help their students keep coming back, without injury.

Just to be clear, I love the practice of yoga. It has helped me become healthier and happier and I have seen this occur in the many clients who I have worked with who have embraced the practice. My livelihood is dedicated to spreading the practice of yoga to others, and helping them learn how to use it as a tool to help them in their lives, but it is only one tool. I am not condemning anyone who teaches asana practices, but instead challenging them to perhaps dig a little deeper, not to accept and teach practices that they don’t fully understand and to get in on the discussion and conversation that Matthew started. We all know that asana is only one small part of yoga, but let’s face it, it is the biggest part that modern society is now practicing, and it’s the part that is causing the physical injuries that William Broad discussed in his now infamous article, HowYoga Can Wreck Your Body in the NY Times.

This article got national exposure, and scared (maybe appropriately?) many people away from yoga practice. Below are some tips to address some of the things we can start today, things which on the cutting edge of modern research I might add, to help us prevent injury from the practice of yoga, as well as use it to maintain structural health and possibly heal a structural injury.

1. Stop practicing yoga to stretch tight muscles, it doesn’t work!

This radical thought will probably rock the yoga world. When the general yoga population is polled as to why they practice yoga, the majority state it is to gain flexibility. Unfortunately, the latest research is showing that stretching does not really change your flexibility and that flexibility probably does not help improve function or performance. Any changes you are seeing in flexibility are due to the changes in the nervous system, not how hard you pull on your hamstings or how deep you go into a backbend. For a deeper discussion on this particular issue, read a few blogs by my wonderful colleague Jules Mitchell, who spent the past two years investigating the research on stretching and yoga. She describes what stretching is and what is isn’t, and what we really need to do in asana to actually increase muscle stiffness to improve efficiency.

2. Get a one on one assessment of your body’s structure and weak links by a qualified yoga teacher, personal trainer, physical therapist or yoga therapist trained in structural assessment. This is probably the most important tip. You may think that I am just promoting my profession (which is true), but I have good reason. It is virtually impossible for your yoga teacher to know what your individual body’s’ needs are and address them adequately in a group yoga class. We all have our body’s history of lifestyle and trauma; emotional, physical and mental. This is held in our body and manifested through dysfunctional movement. When we practice yoga, we are moving the body biomechanically, with various levels of force and contraction through movement patterns. These movement patterns are affected by our individual alignments, weaknesses and strengths.

In order to make your practice fit your body, you must know where you might be compensating, where your muscles might be overworking and learn to use the asana practice to create more efficiency and balance in your movement patterns.

3. Individualize your practice to address your needs. You may think that getting an individual assessment means you have to practice alone, and not attend a group class. But to the contrary, having this knowledge will transform your practice to one that is specific to your needs and instead of getting hurt, you will stay healthy or even begin to heal. Attend the group class after you learn from your yoga assessment session how to adjust the postures to meet your goals. Yes, they probably will tell you to do a short 15 minute home practice a few days a week to target certain areas more intensely, but you can take that knowledge into your practice, be it Bikram, Ashtanga, general vinyasa or restorative, and make that practice your own.

4. Consider adding foam rolling for myofascial release into your asana practice. Since we now know we don’t really stretch our muscles (i.e. change their length), we can use the foam roller to help improve mobility of the muscles and connective tissues to allow the nervous system to more efficiently activate your muscles. Research into foam rolling has found some wonderful benefits which will help you learn to release overactive muscles and activate those that need to awaken in order to improve efficiency and alignment. As described in the review by Chris Beardsley entitled Does Research Support Foam Rolling, foam rolling is beneficial pre exercise to reduce muscle fatigue and possibly improve exercise performance. It will improve the joint range of motion without decreasing performance. Post exercise, foam rolling can help decrease muscle soreness, possibly improving your ability to train again sooner and with less discomfort. Foam rolling is not utilized in order to improve flexibility, but to decrease the neural activation of the resting tone in the prime movers (which are usually the muscles you think are “tight”)

Once you reset that neural tone of the tissue, the muscle is better able to release and relax, thus allowing an increased range of motion of the joint. This results in more efficient movement of the joint and allows one to begin to activate those muscles which may have been “lazy” and not doing their job. Those lazy muscles are what caused the brain to tell the compensating muscles to “tighten up” in the first place in order to perform the movement or protect you from injury. To learn how to incorporate myofascial release into your yoga practice, check out Yoga TuneUP and Rollasana.

5. Finally, move through your practice with BAMA (Breath, Alignment, Mostility and Awareness)

a. Breath: the foundation of the asana practice. We all know it, it’s undeniable, yet I have been to many a yoga practice where I did not hear the students breathing or the instructor really cuing the breath. All I can say is please include this as the foundation of your practice.

b. Alignment: if your body is out of alignment, your movement is inefficient and you will create overuse injuries from repetitive stress. This is well established in the literature. Shirley Sahrmann, PT, PhD, FAPTA was a ground breaking physical therapist in the area of movement dysfunction. Her philosophy, if we move with poor initial alignment, we are setting ourselves up for failure and possible pain. If you are a kinesiology geek, her text, Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes is a must read. If you aren’t, just trust me, alignment is important.

c. Mostility: Mobility and Stability are the keys to efficient movement. Since one is codependent on the other, I came up with a new term, Mostility. If you have decreased mobility of a joint, it is usually due not to a tight muscle, but to a combination of fascial restrictions and connective tissue from an injury or repetitive movement dysfunction coupled with poor activation of the prime movers as well as some muscles compensating for that poor activation with over activation. A prime example, the hamstrings in someone who is active in athletics tend to get what they perceive as tight. This tightness is actually increased contraction of the hamstrings to compensate for relative inactivity of the gluteus maximus, which is the primary hip extensor. Once the athlete learns to turn on the gluts as the prime mover instead of the hamstrings, his tightness miraculously decreases. This athlete could practice this in an asana practice by paying attention in poses like Shalambasana as to how he turns on his hip extension, activating the gluts before the hamstrings. This is just one example of how knowing what to activate and how can change your movement patterns.

d. Awareness: One word, Feldenkrais. What is it? The Feldenkrais Method is experiential, providing tools for self-observation through movement enquiry. It is used to improve movement patterns rather than to treat specific injuries or illnesses. Feldenkrais taught that increasing a person's kinesthetic and proprioceptive self-awareness of functional movement could lead to increased function, reduced pain, and greater ease and pleasure of movement. Wow, that sounds like yoga with awareness to me.

So what is the conclusion? What We Are Doing in Asana is still being debated and investigated. It is only through the work of those who are brave enough to bring this issue to our attention that we can begin to address the impact of this practice in creating injuries. Purists may balk that this is taking the yoga out of the yoga practice. But to the contrary, what could be more in line with the practice of yoga than practicing ahimsa in our asana practice? That is…do no harm.

Update on WADWADIA! If you would like to contribute to Matthew's research and help him write his book, you can pre order it and/or provide financial support. Click HERE for more info!

Chrys Kub is an integrative physical therapist who incorporates therapeutic yoga as a tool in her practice. She is also an educator in therapeutic yoga through teacher trainings and the yoga therapy program with Holistic Yoga Therapy Institute. She provides continuing education in yoga therapy online through YogaUOnline , HomeCEUConnection.com and PTCourses.com. She also travels throughout the United States presenting yoga therapy at conferences and to health practitioners to help spread the benefits of yoga to all who are willing to learn. You can Chrys at fityogatherapy@gmail.com

Links:

1) WAWADIA.(What are We Actually Doing in Asana

http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/what-are-we-actually-doing-in-asana-introducing-the-wawadia-project/

2) Liberated Body Podcast

http://www.liberatedbody.com/category/podcast/

3) Brooke Thomas

http://www.liberatedbody.com/welcome/

4) How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

5) Jules Mitchell

http://www.julesmitchell.com/blog/

6) Does research Support Foam Rolling?