Quote: Running & Yoga

From RunnersWorld.com's Daily Kick in the Butt:

Running is a thing worth doing not because of the future rewards it bestows, but because of how it feeds our bodies and minds and souls in the present. -- Kevin Nelson, The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration

Now that pretty much sums up why I think yoga and running are absolutely perfect for each other.

Yoga for Athletes

I taught the Yoga for Athletes class tonight at The Fitness Factor and I wanted to take a moment to post tonight's class routine for those of you who would like to practice at home. Please keep in mind that these poses should be done mindfully, paying close attention to your body and what feels good for you at the moment you are in the pose. 

Centering

Begin by sitting in a comfortable sitting position (easy sitting or hero's pose) and focus on your breath. Inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your nose. Each inhale fills your belly, lungs and chest and each exhale grows longer as your body relaxes.

Warm Up

Seated body circles

Seated forward fold

Downward dog

Sun salutation A (repeat 3 times)

Sun salutation B (repeat 2 times)

Standing Series

Warrior II

Reverse warrior

Side angle

Triangle

Pyramid

Sun salutation A and then repeat standing to other side

Balance Series

Warrior III

Modified utthita hasta padangushtasana

Dancer

Cool Down

Seated IT band twist

Supine hamstring stretch

Yogi ball

Wrist/ankle rolls

Savasana

If you have questions on any of these poses, please e-mail janette.yoga@gmail.com. I would be happy to provide you with additional information or answer any questions you have.  A good reference book for more information on sport specific yoga is The Athletes Guide to Yoga by Sage Rountree. It contains pictures of poses as well as information on how to get into them and modify them to fit your body and your sport depending on what training cycle you are in.

**Disclaimer**

Please remember, I am happy to provide you with these tools, but I cannot be held responsible for your personal practice while not under my supervision. I encourage you to attend classes with certified professionals and to always seek out answers regarding your bodies alignment, feelings and any other questions you may have regarding your comfort within a pose.

Adorably Illustrated Yoga Sequences

I received my iYogaLife e-newsletter in my in-box today and opened it to find the most adorably illustrated yoga sequences. iYogaLife has put together seven series called, Yoga to the Rescue: 7 Sanity Saving Sequences. The illustrations are so adorable and provide tips for positioning yourself in the pose as well as an inset with an easier pose option. I love the illustrations of the women in the poses. The ladies are depicted in all shapes and sizes and with totally crazy outfits.

Take your time while you're at iYogaLife and poke around the website. They have a lot of good information on there and explain it in a very easy to understand way.

Enjoy!

Janette vs. The Storm Cloud

I went out for a nice easy run tonight. I was really questioning going out. I had this urge in the pit of my stomach that said, "man, I really don't want to go tonight. Couldn't I just skip this one?" I just had a bad feeling, but I knew there was a reason this was planned, a reason why I should do it. After all, I believe everything happens for a reason and that we are always where we should be. I reminded myself that this is the plan and if I had no really legitimate reason for missing it, then I would just have to get out there and do it.

I left around 4:30pm and all was going smoothly until about 35 minutes in. I had actually been thinking about a post for my blog when at that moment, I turned around and saw this gigantic navy blue storm cloud! That's right, it wasn't black, it was navy blue and that's how I knew it was bad. I could even see the layers in the clouds. It was unbelievable. So for the remainder of my run, I went at more of a get-me-away-from-this-freakin'-storm-cloud-and-back-into-my-apartment-safely pace than an easy pace.

I somehow managed again to finish my run again before the rain (I did this Friday night too). Except this time I missed a lot more than rain. According to News Channel 5, I missed 60 mile an hour wind gusts, hail and torrential downpours. Here's the picture of the Doppler I took when I flipped the news on when I got home - my house is somewhere in that red. Following the Doppler are two pictures of the clouds that were over my head as I finished my run.



I made my dinner while I watched this storm pass by. It was pretty incredible. There was one particular crack of thunder/lightning that I was pretty sure killed my building because it triggered the alarm to go off. I was pretty freaked out, but of course taking my deep, relaxing yoga breaths. Within 20 minutes the temperature had dropped from 77 degrees to just 66. I spent quite a few moments here thanking whatever power it was that I went for my run when I did and made it back when I did. If I hadn't, I probably would have been either stuck under a tree somewhere or holed up in a gas station awaiting the end of the storm.

The sun was already coming back out on my way to teach gentle hatha yoga. How poetic is that? A big storm to end a run and then sunshine for yoga. I love it! (Please note the photo below - I do not typically take pictures while driving.)

And then as if the weather couldn't get any more interesting (yes, I'm a nut about the weather, big deal. I love it. If Dave is reading this he has been laughing and calling crazy the entire time.) the sunset out my apartment window was gorgeous!

Tonight at my yoga class, I left my students with this thought: "you are just where you should be." For me, that meant I went for my run just when I should have, I did the route I did and the amount of time & distance because I should have. I didn't know at the time why I was doing all this, but looking back I realize it was so I could stay safe and out of the mess of the storm we had tonight. So the next time you're wondering why you're doing something you shouldn't be or you're having the time of your life or you're just wrapped up in your loved ones arms, just remember, you are always where you should be.

[A lot of people tend to disagree with me on this "everything happens for a reason" and "you are just where you should be" idea. I welcome all your comments whether you agree or not, but please no this is just my opinion and keep an open mind about it as I will keep an open mind free of judgement on any comments you may post.]

Yoga Terms

Ever wonder what your yoga teacher is saying in class? Sometimes teachers, myself included, speak Sanskrit, an ancient Indic language. Most believe that yoga originated in India and was taught in Sanskrit. Therefore, many teachers believe they should speak Sanskrit when teaching their students.

You may hear your teacher begin class with an "Om", he/she may tell you that your "chakras" are blocked, or they may tell you to inhale "prana."

What does all this mean? There are many websites out that to help you define these terms, but here are a couple to get you started.

• The Runner's Guide to Yoga Terms (Runner's World 1/8/2008) - This article is a great reference for a short list of the most common terms you may here in a yoga class.
• 200 Key Sanskrit Yoga Terms (Yoga Journal) - This is a much longer glossary of terms. It is more extensive, but a very easy to use source.

Many other websites can be found by typing in "Sanksrit Glossary" into your Google search.

It's Official... Janette, CYT

It's official! I am a Certified Yoga Teacher. I graduated on Sunday from Finding Inner Peace Yoga School with the other girls at the Quincy teacher training program at Healing Tree Yoga & Wellness Center. Here is a picture of myself and the other ladies.
I cannot express how good it feels to have finished the six month training program. At first, I really thought it was just about becoming a yoga teacher - something to do in the part time and as a little extra cash maybe - but it became so much more than that. It becaming making new friends, meeting a new self, taking a spiritual and at many times emotional journey, as well as finding a way to become involved in my community and spread the experience and my joy of yoga. I really enjoyed the journey throughout the program - no matter how many times I wished it would snow so Thursday night class would be cancelled or how many times I went to work grouchy on Friday because I was too energized after Thursday's class to fall asleep.
I learned so much about anatomy, philosophy, yoga, myself, perceptions, feelings, emotions, the mind and the body that I cannot even begin to put it into words. My intention is to bring out a bit of me and a bit of everything that I've learned in each of the classes I teach as well as in my own personal practice.

I hope to see you at one of my classes. Contact me at janette.yoga@gmail.com for more information on classes, private/small group sessions, yogassage or with any other questions you might have.

Yin Yoga at The Fitness Factor

I taught a yin yoga class for the lovely ladies at The Fitness Factor tonight. Yin yoga is a form of yoga that involves holding a pose for anywhere from three to five minutes and longer. It has many physical and mental benefits, including enhancing the range of motion in the joints and conditioning a practitioner to stay with the intense sensations that may arise. Yin refers to the still, stable, hidden aspect of things. It is the opposite of yang, which refers to movement, changing and revealing. For more information on yin yoga, visit YogaJournal.com or SarahPowers.com.

In tonight's yin class we explored the following poses: butterfly, saddle, sphinx, pigeon, dragonfly and savasana. For details on how to perform these poses, see the Sweet Surrender link below.

Articles consulted for this entry:
Sweet Surrender
Yin Yoga

The Starting Line

I have started a new blog to detail my yoga teaching services as well as my running endeavors and just about whatever else might come along. If you want to see how the past was you can check my old blog, but I've moved on to the present moment and started a new blog - a new story. I am not sure where this story will lead me, but I welcome you along for the adventure. Check out the links and information on the right and contact me with your comments or questions by posting a comment. If you are interested in yoga services, e-mail janette.yoga@gmail.com.

Thank you for starting the journey and I hope to see you again along the way.