#vasayoga

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For the month of June, Vasa instructors will be working on the many variations of splits! Refer to our website for more information on classes, our studio, and our instructors! http://www.vasaredlands.com/

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Handstand workshop at Vasa on Saturday May 30 at 2:00 pm!! 

 $15 for Vasa members and $25 for non-members

This workshop is for all levels!

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The Benefits of Inversion Poses

Inverted yoga poses offer many benefits but may not be good for everyone! It is important to listen to your body and know your limitations. Inversions are poses that get the hips above the heart and head. If inversions such as headstand, handstand, or forearm stand are not for you, not to worry, relaxed inversions will also get you plenty of benefits. Many inverted poses can exacerbate problems for people with neck injuries, high blood pressure, certain heart conditions, certain eye problems, and epilepsy, among other health conditions. It is always necessary to consult a physician before beginning any physical activities and ask questions when you have them! But let's get to the good stuff...

A Few Benefits of Inversions

-  Improves circulation and helps the heart by momentarily reversing blood flow

-  Increase in energy by increasing blood flow to the brain

-  Immunity boosting by helping he lymphatic system

- Inversion such as shoulder stand, plow, happy baby, and legs up the wall work to calm the nervous center

- Improves balance

- Increase core and upper body strength

- Creates both humility and confidence, inverting is a process and a practice! 

- Promotes focus

- Gives you a new perspective (quite literally)

- Can ease back pain by taking pressure off and better aligning the spine

- Creates body awareness, coordination and movement is even harder upside down!

- Defying gravity fights against wrinkles and varicose veins 

- Helps your posture

- Aids in digestion

- Flushes the adrenal glands releasing endorphins to create good feelings and combat depression

-  Breathing upside down strengthens the diaphragm 

- Remind us to be lighthearted and have fun!

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May’s pose of the month at Vasa is headstand! 

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Check out our website at http://www.vasaredlands.com/, for information on class times, pricing, workshops, and more!

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The Twisted Yogi

Among the many beneficial types of poses that yogis find useful, incorporating twisting poses are a wonderful addition to a daily practice. Many have found that twisting poses have increased mobility of the spine and back, some have found twists to be energizing, twists can be detoxifying, and they can help with digestion. Twists typically focus on lower, middle, and upper sections of the torso, and there are a number of twists that can be integrated into your practice. However, in order to avoid injury, it is important to know how to do them with proper alignment and breath work. Another important thing to bear in mind is when to avoid twisting poses. Let’s look a bit further into twisting asanas….

Benefits

Restoring Your Spine & Back

Over time, the muscles and fascia (connective tissue fibers) in the back will become stiff due to a lack of circulation. This eventually can affect the range of motion, which could cause ongoing discomfort or an increased chance of injury. By safely including twisting postures into your practice, this will increase blood flow, joint and muscle flexibility, and it can help realign the spine.

Flow of Energy

Standing up straight and lengthening your spine does in fact make a difference in your energy level. Research has shown that sitting and standing up straight has a significant effect on our energy levels. Therefore, when practicing a twisting pose, it is important to first lengthen the spine and then twist. Carefully doing this can give an immediate flow of energy and it can decompress the vertebrae.

Detox

There are three main waste eliminating systems in the body, the circulatory system, the digestive system, and the lymphatic system. Stretching and twisting poses can stimulate all three of these systems by increasing blood flow throughout the body. More specifically, when we twist into poses it temporarily cuts off the blood flow to the organs, and then fresh blood is re-introduced to our organs once we release out of the pose. Therefore, the increase in circulation results in a detoxifying effect.

Digestion

As mentioned above, twisting the torso can stimulate the organs in your abdominal cavity and therefore increasing blood flow. After releasing from a twisting pose, there is a surge of fresh blood in which new oxygen and nutrients are carried to the abdominal organs. Consequently, twisting asanas can increase circulation to the digestive organs, thus increasing their ability to function properly.

Types of Twists

There is a variety of twisting postures can be practiced in reclining, seated or standing positions. Below are a few poses for each of the three categories listed above…

Important Notes:

Remember to hold the twist on both sides of the body for the same length of time. Be cautious when starting on a new side because one side of the body may not be as flexible as the other side.

Alignment is essential! Please be sure to correctly align yourself in the pose, so that you can safely enjoy the full effect of the pose.

Reclining Twists

- Reclined spinal twist with one knee

- Reclined spinal twist with two knees

- Reclined spinal twist with eagle legs

Seated Twists

- Marichi’s pose

- Bharadvaja’s twist

Standing Twists

- Twisted chair pose

- Twisted half moon pose

- Twisted triangle pose

- Revolved side angle pose

Essential Tips for Twisting Poses

Remember Your Breath!

- If you’re holding your breath you may be pushing yourself too far, ease back a little and refocus your breath.

- Use your breath to warm up into the twist. Doing this will eventually get you into a relaxed twist suitable for you.

- Inhale as you lengthen your spine, and exhale as you relax into the twist.

Mechanics of Twists

- Twist from the lower spine and work your way up.

- If you are in a class, do your best to listen to the instructor’s alignment cues, alignment is different for each twisting pose.

- Know your body! Everyone’s body is different, so it’s important to listen to what feels good versus what feels like a sharp pain.

When to Avoid Twists

Please avoid twisting poses if you are or have had…

- Pregnant

- Spinal disc injury

- Chronic digestion issues

- SI joint issues.

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Not All Yoga Teacher Trainings Are Created Equal:  Helpful hints for finding the right TT for you!

By Lisa Vest

As yoga has grown in popularity, so have teacher training programs. Teacher training is a big commitment and there are a ton of programs to chose from. Here are some guidelines as to what you should look for when choosing your program. 

First and foremost know what elements of being a yoga teacher are most important to you and what style of yoga you want to teach! There are so many options.  All trainings and instructors have a focus. For example, if you want an alignment based program that can carry across most styles of yoga, look for programs based on Iyengar principles. 

Decide if you want to do it online or in person.  When at all possible I suggest in person because things can get intimate at times and it is a great opportunity to meet new, lifelong friends. However, if you absolutely can not adjust your schedule to fit the times, there are good online programs out there as well.

Do you want to do an intensive program or spread it out over time? Again, this depends on your life/schedule/work/commitments. It is great to do an intensive program, especially if you can travel and immerse yourself in the experience, get away from your regular distractions. However, this is an intense and often overwhelming experience to eat, breathe and sleep teacher training for 4-6 weeks straight! Splitting it up into sections can be great too, you get more time to absorb and experience each lesson over time, rather than getting it all in at once.

Meet the trainers before you commit! Ask questions, know their backgrounds, talk to past students who completed the program. In my opinion, having more than one trainer is beneficial because you get to experience different styles and ideas. It is imperative to find a teacher that you connect with, you should feel comfortable to talk with them about anything that comes up during training. 

Make sure the program is accredited properly for what you want to teach.  Most programs are accredited through Yoga Alliance (https://www.yogaalliance.org) , which is very reputable, but do your research.

Get some variety!  While the convenience of doing training at the studio you practice regularly at is great, you may benefit more by stepping out of your comfort zone and submerging yourself in a new yoga environment.  Your first training really is just the tip of the ice berg, there is so much more to learn. Get out there and take as many workshops and trainings from as many different people as possible.  A great teacher is always a student first and the more you experience the more you will have to teach!

Finally, be prepared to work harder and dig deeper than you expect.  A good program should be intense and challenge you physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Personally I love learning, I have many years of higher education behind me and years of experience teaching dance and pilates yet I still found my program challenging. I spent many nights reading and studying Sanskrit instead of relaxing by the beach!

Yoga teacher training should be one of the best experiences of your life. You invest a lot of time, money, and energy… So make sure to set yourself up for an enlightening experience!