As the weather begins to warm up, there are plenty of ways to stay in shape and shake things up by getting outdoors.

Its important to never have a zero-day when it comes to physical activity, Mitchel Black, owner of STRONGSIDE, a gym wth locations in Woodstock, Canton, and Roswell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Black stresses doing anything above the minimum can count as exercising, even outside.

Park far away, walk up a hill, take the stairs, get out of breath for about 20 minutes each day, Black said.

Black offers a Legends program at STRONGSIDE specifically for people 55 and older. Each class has a warm-up, strength session, and workout with a special coach trained to work with this age group. They take their workout outside when the weather permits.

If the gym isnt your speed, an easy way to get outdoors and get the body moving safely is to go for a long walk. There are plenty of easier trails around Atlanta for those who want distance over difficulty. If you want more of a workout for your heart, try out trails that offer a little more diversity in terrain.

Credit: Courtesy of Mitchel Black

Credit: Courtesy of Mitchel Black

If you prefer exercising outdoors by playing a sport and havent tried pickleball yet, it might be time to look for a local league. The popularity of this sport has continued to grow.

As a person who has always enjoyed and played a variety of sports, pickleball sparked my interest, and I have enthusiastically encouraged people to give it a try, Mike Levin told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

At 74, Levin considers himself to be in the best physical condition of my life, and plays pickleball at least three times a week.

Among the reasons Levin gravitates toward the sport, he cites its health benefits, how easy it is to learn, the low-pressure stakes of playing, and that its a fun way to meet people while being active.

I get a full-body workout that provides pleasure and rewards. It makes me feel energized, happy, and excited, Levin said.

Yoga is yet another way to exercise indoors or out.

Seniors can gain both flexibility and mobility from practicing yoga, depending on which specific practice they choose, Alena Levine, E-RYT 500, YACEP, lead yoga trainer told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Levine is an instructor at Peach Out Power Yoga in Marietta and the owner of Heartwell Retreats, which combines yoga practice with the sanctity of nature.

Credit: Courtesy of Alena Levine

Credit: Courtesy of Alena Levine

Yoga is all about finding the right type of movement and setting a personal intention at the start of each practice, Levine said.

Its also about finding an instructor who offers positivity and shows compassion. Class choice should depend on your personal history and what daily activities you already do, says Levine. If youre looking for a flow that focuses primarily on muscles, try a yang class. Yin classes work on muscles, too, but also bring in a focus on the connective tissues in the body.

Levin includes yoga in his workout routine in addition to pickleball because of the opportunity to take classes outdoors.

Being outdoors helps release stress levels and helps me stay focused, Levin said.

Look for classes held in parks or near lakes around Atlanta for a quieter way to connect your yoga practice of mind and body with a natural setting.

Whether its a more active workout or something that helps you find calm while moving, you can find additional benefits to taking that exercise outside.

Being outside gets you to connect with you, Black said. It gives you that mental clarity thats a big piece to being successful in exercise.

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Yoga, pickleball and more ways to enjoy the outdoors - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

SALT LAKE CITY For people recovering from addiction, the healing process can be complicated. While medications and behavioral therapies can help break the cycle, Utahns are finding success through the ancient practice of yoga.

Over the last 14 years, Taralee Trammell has been teaching yoga to people in recovery treatment centers.

Their ability to cope and deal with things has expanded. The problem is the same, but they can deal with it on a higher level, Trammell said.

During that time, she also started a business, "A Balanced Life," to not only bring yoga services to treatment centers, but to corporations, senior centers, and beyond.

Trammell invited FOX 13 News to one of her classes at Synchronicities in Sandy.

So, when I teach yoga, I try to have the atmosphere nice and calm, she explained. And sometimes I sage people so they feel calm with just loving energy from the universe.

Breathwork exercises were then performed, followed by a meditative experience that uses instruments to heal, also referred to as a sound bath.

While she has noticed its positive impact on the stress and anxiety of her clients, yoga continues to serve an important role in her recovery journey from alcohol.

Im slowing my mind, and spirit, and everything down, and I can manage and deal with everything thats going on, or, at least, right after yoga for a little bit, Trammell reflected.

Currently, Trammell has 15 certified yoga instructors who work for her. Diane Christensen-Fife is among them who helps teach at treatment centers.

The yoga practice is a place where you can maybe find what youre trying to do with other substances," Christensen-Fife said. "Youre just trying to find peace or to fix pain. Youre trying to fill a hole.

Christensen-Fife left her corporate job in 2016 to teach and practice yoga full-time.

I can be on this two-by-six mat in my own space, and the rest of the world just disappears," she reflected.

Personal growth is why people turn to the yoga mat, too, so they can be better equipped to handle lifes challenges.

Even if its five minutes a day, youll notice that your patterns will change, and your nutrition will change. And youll start to make different choices, said Megan Wilson, who has been teaching yoga and integrated mindfulness for the last 4-5 years.

While these women have seen the benefits of yoga, scientific studies also show that its a promising treatment for people recovering from addiction. However, researchers say yoga must be used with other therapies since substance abuse disorders tend to be more complex and can involve factors like genetics.

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Utahns recovering from addiction use yoga to balance life - FOX 13 News Utah

Lenovo

If you cant decide between laptop deals and tablet deals for your next device, you wont have to choose if you go for a 2-in-1 laptop like the Lenovo Yoga 6. If youre interested, youre in luck because its $310 off in the Lenovo Annual Sale, so youll only have to pay $550 instead of its original price of $860. Youre going to have to be quick with your purchase though, because theres a chance that stocks are already running low for this versatile machine.

The Lenovo Yoga 6 is a 2-in-1 laptop, which is described by our laptop buying guide as a device that combines the convenience and ease of a tablets touchscreen with the utility of a laptops keyboard. From laptop mode, you can fold the 13.3-inch WUXGA touchscreen of the Lenovo Yoga 6 all the way back to transform it into tablet mode. The 2-in-1 laptop also features a fabric top cover for added style, and a think and light frame so it would be easy to carry it around with you wherever you go.

In terms of performance, the Lenovo Yoga 6 wont disappoint in handling your everyday activities with its AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor, integrated AMD Radeon Graphics, and 8GB of RAM. The 2-in-1 laptop also packs a 512GB SSD, which should provide plenty of storage space for your files, and with Windows 11 Home pre-installed, youll be able to start using the device right after unboxing it. The Lenovo Yoga 6 also offers a 1080p Full HD camera with a privacy shutter and dual microphones for joining online meetings, and it comes with the Lenovo Digital Pen for taking notes and drawing sketches.

There are all kinds of 2-in-1 laptop deals out there, but this one from the Lenovo Annual Sale will be tough to beat the Lenovo Yoga 6 for just $550, following a $310 discount on its sticker price of $860. Were not sure how long stocks will last though, so if you think the Lenovo Yoga 6 is the perfect device for you, you shouldnt hesitate with your purchase. If you hold yourself back from finishing the transaction right now, theres a chance that you miss out on the savings.

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Lenovo Yoga 2-in-1 laptop is discounted from $860 to $550 - Digital Trends

Downward dog took on a whole new meaning on Saturday at Napervilles Just Be Yoga Studioat 124 S. Webster St., as the business hosted its first-ever puppy yoga session.

Ive always rescued all of my dogs from a dog rescue, and its kind of the trend on Instagram right now, this puppy yoga, said Just Be Yoga Owner Brooke Hornbaker. So I contacted Chicagoland Dog Rescue, they were the first rescue I contacted, they were all in on trying this out with me, so thats how I came about doing it.

There was a class of 20 on hand to meet the six furry friends brought over by the rescue organization, working through yoga moves all the while. All proceeds from the session benefitted Chicagoland Dog Rescue.

Combining my two favorite things that I love the most; yoga and dogs, it was just a great combination, I feel so fortunate to be able to give back to dog rescues and help them, said Hornbaker.

The event offered a bit of playtime with the pups, as well as a chance to give them a forever home.

All the dogs here today were available for adoption, and then the rescue would then get in contact with them, said Hornbaker.

The special yoga class was the first of many animal sessions Just Be Yoga hopes to offer.

I definitely think we will do the puppy yoga again, but maybe do a monthly thing and just pick different animals to play with, said Hornbaker.

A workout that offers both some stretchand a bit of pawsitive energy to start the day.

If you have a story idea, wed like to hear from you!

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Puppy yoga brings pawsitive energy to Napervilles Just Be Yoga Studio - Naperville Community Television (NCTV17)

My first experience with yoga was a decade ago, attempting a month-long challenge in my cramped college dorm room. I didn't keep up the practice, but I wanted to start the year with a renewed focus on flexibility, so I decided to give it another shot with a new 31-day challenge.

As I was basically starting again, I checked out the toptips for yoga beginnersand found myself one of the best yoga mats with plenty of grip to support me in all the various poses. That should do, but I also used a yoga block to help ease into several positions.

I decided I was going to do the challenge at home since that meant I was more likely to stick to it each day, so I foundYoga with Adriene's 31-day Flow serieson YouTube and got started. Here's what happened.

Compared to my college years, I was expecting the experience to be a bit different this time around, but that wasn't the only change. I managed to see the program through and used a different routine from Adriene's playlist to add some variety to the proceedings.

After the first few days, I noticed a renewed tightness in my core and the muscles around my stomach. This improved as the month went on, but I was impressed at how quickly I felt the impact, thanks tothe practice's focus on balance and stability.

Towards the end of the first week, a big core-focused practice that might have previously left me really suffering found me far less sore than I would have been before. This is also one of the benefits of regular practice, as you continually challenge the muscles.

However, it wasn't all plain sailing. I found that my legs caused a few issues. I try to ensure my hips are flexible, but I regularly ended the classes with low-level pain and soreness around my hips a feeling usually reserved for post-leg day recovery.

The most significant benefit I found in that first week was surprising. Yoga's focus on form meant that I was starting to feel the impact of my practices in other workouts, and not just because I was strengthening my muscles.

Strengthening my mind-body connection during yoga meant that I could concentrate more effectively in the gym that first week of downward-facing dog definitely made itself known in back workouts like lateral pulldowns.

I've spent a lot of time over the years building muscle in my leg. However, the endurance required to hold certain lower-body yoga poses was challenging my quads and hamstrings in a very different way from the squats, curls, and extensions of my normal leg days.

You often imagine you need a set of weights to work out effectively, but as I found,yoga can still build muscle. And this is why it did get easier to hit and hold these poses over this second week, and, as a bonus, I was finding more flexibility around my hips.

Another unexpected benefit was the desire to make more time for exercise generally. Putting time aside for a yoga session every day meant that I was also more likely to try and find time for a quick run, which is handy, asrunners can benefit from a regular yoga practicetoo.

Combined with quicker recovery and extra flexibility around my lower back and hips in particular, beginner poses that I'd had to concentrate on were becoming increasingly instinctive, and I was feeling generally much fitter.

By day 15, I was noticeably more flexible, and stepping into lunges seemed a lot easier than it had two weeks ago. On the first day, it was a multi-step process, but this started to resemble a more fluid motion from standing through to getting into position.

As I was still ayoga beginner, I quickly realized that focusing on your breath plays a big role, and it became easier to hold positions like chair pose and balance-focused positions. And as my endurance increased, I became more confident.

I was also starting to feel thebenefits of daily yogaacross the rest of my body. I felt stronger, with the benefits readily apparent in the gym upper-body exercises like lat pulldowns and shoulder presses benefited from the amount of time I'd spent in downward dog.

I had a better awareness of my body, so I could more accurately sense when I needed to make small adjustments in each pose to improve my form or concentrate on specific muscles. This focus on form carried through to my resistance training workouts.

Coming into the final week of the 31-day challenge, the most notable benefit was a lot more strength in my core. The regularplank posesthat have made up the foundation of these classes were much easier, and it was more natural to pull my core into place to better support other poses.

My general flexibility was also notably better. There are still poses that need work, especially those around my hips and lower back, but I was getting increasingly able to get deeper into positions like child's pose and to add extra intensity into those exercises.

Core strength and flexibility were two things I'd somewhat expected to improve throughout this challenge, but an added benefit was a general improvement in my fitness level.

Perhaps that shouldn't have come as a surprise after 31 days of daily exercise. After all, if I ran for a month, I'd expect my cardiovascular fitness to improve. I also began to see my breath as a tool.

Changing the way I breathe, or even just focusing on my breath, made it easier to hold difficult poses. This resilience is also known asmental strength, and can work wonders in your training and everyday life.

At the beginning of the month, a difficult pose would have made me tense (physically and mentally), but as I closed out the final class, I realized I had gained the strength and technique to hold the poses for longer periods and rely on the correct muscles too.

More:
I did yoga every day for a month for the first time in 10 years here's what happened to my body - Tom's Guide

Even on the coldest winter day, there is one place in La Crosse where summer lasts all year long. From the early hours of the morning to the evening, students file into a spacious room on Caledonia Street to practice yoga together in a balmy 95 degrees with added humidity.

For me, part of the beauty of the practice is to get that really deep sweat and the people who come to us they want to sweat, said Root Down Yoga Studio owner Mandy Roush, who started the studio with her husband Nick Roush in 2012.

Mandy, who worked in health care at Mayo Clinic, became enamored with the style of heated yoga after attending a teacher training in Mexico. When she returned, she was determined to replicate the experience at home.

Rachel Scanlan attends a yoga class at Root Down Yoga studio on Monday, Feb. 5. Scanlan has been attending heated yoga classes at the studio since 2016.

I remember feeling so wrung out in a really good way from the element of adding that heat and sweat, Mandy said.

Nick, who happened to work in the heating and ventilation business, installed a furnace in the couples garage, where they began hosting free yoga classes for friends. Word quickly spread, and soon the makeshift studio was hosting students five days a week. After seeing the community response, the pair decided to open a studio on Caledonia Street.

Heated yoga is part of a worldwide trend. In the U.S., the concept was first popularized in the 1970s by Bikram Choudhury, a now infamous yoga teacher who developed a style of practice in heated rooms of up to 105 degrees. Since then, the trend has evolved toward a less dogmatic approach, with studios adopting their own preferred temperatures and styles.

Address:1217 Caledonia St., La Crosse

Information: 608-519-2467,www.rootdownyogastudio.com

Hot yoga is an umbrella term for any style of yoga practiced in a heated setting. The heat can help relax muscles, thus increasing flexibility.

Our bodies are just so much more pliable when theyre warm, said Nick Roush. And it adds a challenge aspect to the practice that helps you be more present.

Root Down is now one of a handful of establishments offering heated yoga classes in the La Crosse area. PALM + PINE, a yoga studio with locations in Holmen and La Crosse, offers classes that owner Kat Soper describes as warm.

The studio also offers non-heated classes, which Soper said are equally as popular.

Mandy Roush leads a yoga class at Root Down Yoga studio in La Crosse. The studio was the first to offer heated yoga classes in the la crosse area.

There are definitely some people that just go to our heated ones. And there are definitely some people that just go to the non-heated ones. But Id say there are more people that dabble in both, Soper said.

At PALM + PINE, classes are heated from 80 to 90 degrees without added humidity. Instead of forced air, radiant heat panels warm the space.

Despite variations in temperature and style, the studios have one thing in common: A strong sense of community. At Root Down, many of the teachers started out as students.

I feel like we lit the match and the whole thing just kind of continues to smolder and burn on its own now, said Mandy Rousch. Yes, we all come there to do yoga, but its really a group of like-minded people that gather for this sense of togetherness and connection.

Co-founder of root down yoga studio nick roush attends a yoga class on Monday, Feb. 5. Roush founded the studio with his wife Mandy in (year), after the pair had hosted free classes in their home garage to great commmunity response.

Rachel Scanlan yoga since 2016 i love it its like a religion for me, some people go to church, I go to yoga,

Co-founder of Root Down Yoga Studio Mandy Roush helps guide a student during class on Monday, Feb. 5.

Mandy Roush leads a yoga class at Root Down Yoga studio in La Crosse. The studio was the first to offer heated yoga classes in the la crosse area.

Kelly Malszycki practices yoga in a heated room at Root Down Yoga Studio in La Crosse on Monday, Feb. 5. The studio heats most of their classes to 95 degrees with added humidity.

Rachel Scanlan attends a yoga class at Root Down Yoga studio on Monday, Feb. 5. Scanlan has been attending heated yoga classes at the studio since 2016.

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Warming up in the cold: Hot yoga trend heats up La Crosse - La Crosse Tribune

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A new UCLA Health study found Kundalini yoga provided several benefits to cognition and memory for older women at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, including restoring neural pathways, preventing brain matter decline, and reversing aging and inflammation-associated biomarkersimprovements not seen in a group who received standard memory training exercises.

The findings, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, are the latest in a series of studies led by UCLA Health researchers over the past 15 years into the comparative effects of yoga and traditional memory enhancement training on slowing cognitive decline and addressing other risk factors of dementia.

Led by UCLA Health psychiatrist Dr. Helen Lavretsky of the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, this latest study sought to determine whether Kundalini yoga could be used early on to prevent cognitive decline and trajectories of Alzheimer's disease among postmenopausal women.

Women have about twice the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to men due to several factors, including longer life expectancy, changes in estrogen levels during menopause, and genetics.

In the new study, a group of more than 60 women ages 50 and older who had self-reported memory issues and cerebrovascular risk factors were recruited from a UCLA cardiology clinic. The women were divided evenly into two groups. The first group participated in weekly Kundalini yoga sessions for 12 weeks, while the other group underwent weekly memory enhancement training during the same time period. Participants were also provided daily homework assignments.

Kundalini yoga is a method that focuses on meditation and breathwork more so than physical poses. Memory enhancement training developed by the UCLA Longevity Center includes a variety of exercises, such as using stories to remember items on a list or organizing items on a grocery list, to help preserve or improve the long-term memory of patients.

Researchers assessed the women's cognition, subjective memory, depression, and anxiety after the first 12 weeks and again 12 weeks later to determine how stable any improvements were. Blood samples were also taken to test for gene expression of aging markers and for molecules associated with inflammation, which are contributing factors to Alzheimer's disease. A handful of patients were also assessed with MRIs to study changes in brain matter.

Researchers found the Kundalini yoga group participants saw several improvements not experienced by the memory enhancement training group. These included significant improvement in subjective memory complaints, prevention of brain matter declines, increased connectivity in the hippocampus, which manages stress-related memories, and improvement in the peripheral cytokines and gene expression of anti-inflammatory and anti-aging molecules.

"That is what yoga is good forto reduce stress, to improve brain health, subjective memory performance, and reduce inflammation and improve neuroplasticity," Lavretsky said.

Among the memory enhancement training group, the main improvements were found to be in the participants' long-term memory.

Neither group saw changes in anxiety, depression, stress or resilience, though Lavretsky stated this is likely because the participants were relatively healthy and were not depressed.

While the long-term effects of Kundalini yoga on preventing or delaying Alzheimer's disease require further study, Lavretsky said the study demonstrates that using yoga and memory training in tandem could provide more comprehensive benefits to the cognition of older women.

"Ideally, people should do both because they do train different parts of the brain and have different overall health effects," Lavretsky said. "Yoga has this anti-inflammatory, stress-reducing, anti-aging neuroplastic brain effect which would be complimentary to memory training."

More information: Adrienne Grzenda et al, Cognitive and immunological effects of yoga compared to memory training in older women at risk for alzheimer's disease, Translational Psychiatry (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02807-0

Journal information: Translational Psychiatry

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Yoga provides unique cognitive benefits to older women at risk of Alzheimer's disease, study finds - Medical Xpress

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Ask most yoga students what they want to practice during class and chances are theyll tell you hip openers. As with anything we feel overly enthusiastic about, the human tendency is to equate bigger and more dramatic with better. (Yes, were also talking aboutStanley cups.) But thats not accurate when it comes to most of our yoga practice, including hip flexor stretches.

When we continue the fetishization of hip openers, as New Zealand-based yoga teacher and Yoga Medicine podcast co-host Rachel Land refers to them, we overlook other, more subtle, aspects of hip opening. The hip flexors comprise several muscles, including the psoas major and minor, rectus femoris, iliacus, iliocapsularis, and sartorius. Each of these muscles and related tendons cross the front of the hip joint. When they contract, they draw your chest and legs closer to one another. Stretching these muscles means lengthening the muscle, and thats achieved by taking it in the opposite direction.

Each hip flexor stretch you practice is going to land a little differently for each of those muscles. The more different poses you practice, the more likely youll experience significant change in your flexibility.

Land and others who have spent years studying, practicing, and teaching an array of hip flexor stretches consider some of the less theatric hip flexor stretches to be the ones they most appreciate. And when we recently inquired which they consider the most beneficial, many couldnt contain their hip flexor favoritism to any single pose and shared several less common yet essential poses.

As you try to shift your approach to hip opening, consider that no single component of your yoga practice will instantaneously make your life better. If your backbends are getting deeper and your hip opening more dramatic, yet you still have the same arguments with your partner or simply arent that nice to the people you encounter, then you need to readdress the way you engage with your yoga practice, explains London-based teacher Adam Husler in a recent Instagram post. The asana (physical pose) is a vehicle for self inquirywith the side benefit of getting more bendy and strong.

Following are some areas of inquiry for you to explore.

Some of the following hip flexor stretches will be familiar. Others less so. Youll quickly notice which ones feel like theyre exactly what youve been lacking in your life but didnt know it.

Most teachers refer to shapes that invite external hip rotation hip openers, but my go-to hip openers encourage gentle length along the front line of the body, explains Phoenix-based yoga teacher Kimberlee Morrison. She practices High Lunge or Crescent Lunge as an excellent counter movement for the sitting I do during the day.

Although teachers used to cue students to bend the front knee until the thigh is parallel to the mat, whats most important is that you simply feel a stretch without allowing it to become so intense that you to hold your breath. Morrison adds a reach up and over with the arm opposite the bent knee to bring another dimension to the stretch. You can feel the difference.

Another hip flexor stretch Morrison relies on is what she calls Pinwheel Twist and its essentially a moment frozen in time during Windshield Wipers. Youre sitting on the mat, your knees are bent, your feet are on the floor wider than your hips, and your knees go in one direction as your gaze goes the other way.

She appreciates its multitasking ability to stretch not only the hip flexors but also the quadriceps, and the outer hip and glutes. This one is also a little gentler on the low spine than most twists that focus on spinal rotation, since the rotation here is mostly in the hips, as the pelvis stays relatively level, explains Morrison.

People may fight me on considering this a hip opener, but I have to say Dancer Pose, or Standing Bow Pulling Pose as we call it from my lineage, says yoga teacher Kate Herrera Jenkins, founder of Native Strength Revolution and member of the Pueblo of Cochiti in New Mexico.

Although many students find the pose to be an intimidating balancing pose, Herrera Jenkins found it to be an elegant recovery stretch. I suffered a super painful, torn labrum from a trail run fall in August. My injury caused pain to simply stand upright, she explains.

Her approach to coming into Dancer works well for anyone unfamiliar with the balancing pose. Her first step was being able to simply stand Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and slowly regain the stability of the hip flexor and hip joint. Her next focus was on being able to bend her knee and, not long after, grab her foot behind her in the hip flexor stretch runners commonly practice. From there, she was able to press her foot into her hand and bring her upper body forward and down for a beautiful stretch along the hip flexors. You can practice this near a chair or alongside a wall so that the arm opposite your bent knee can reach out for support.

We focus so much on outer and inner hip openers and hamstring stretches that we sometimes forget how influential quad and hip mobility can be on not just our hips but low back, too, says Land.

She favors Half Saddle Pose (Ardha Supta Virasana). The half in the name refers to bending just one leg at a time, rather than the traditional ask to bend both. Unlike in the photo above, you can extend the other leg straight in front of you or bend the knee and place the foot flat on the mat. Land also practices it with the support of a bolster beneath her back.

Once you find the position, theres a subtle but essential movement in this pose thats often overlooked. Land suggests you lengthen your spine, as teachers say. That essentially means reach your sacrum toward your knees, which enhances the stretch in the hip flexors and minimizes compression in the lumbar region. She notes that some people are more comfortable with padding, like a folded blanket, under the front of their ankle.

I love love love a yin pose that I personally call the Lazy Lizard, says Leta LaVigne, yoga teacher and founder of yogaROCKS studios in Finland. Maybe its a species of Half Frog? LaVigne explains that the pose begins with lying on your stomach. Bend one knee and take that leg out to the side at approximately a right angle from your body, with a bend in your knee creating another right angle. Feeling for the stretch along the inner thigh. If you dont feel a stretch, try elevating the knee and shin on a folded blanket, bolster, block, book, you get the idea. You can either rest your upper body on the floor or prop yourself up on your elbows or a bolster.

Theres just something really calming about lying prone and being invited to release your entirety into contact with the earth, says LaVigne. Its like a big sigh for your body.

More than one teacher mentioned their affinity for the stretch thats known in yin yoga as Deer Pose and moonlights as the exercise known as 90/90. The name 90/90 comes from the fact that youre trying to create two right angles with your legs and the shape is essentially a seated cousin to Lazy Lizard Pose.

I love this one because it also lengthens the internal rotators on my back leg, which are notoriously tight from long hours of sitting while I write, says yoga teacher and author Sarah Ezrin. I notice a huge difference in my strides or gait and breathing when I do this consistently.

The name is perhaps the simplest cue for coming into the pose. You basically come to a seated position, shift your weight onto one hip, and then bend both knees approximately 90 degrees, while noting what works best for your body and adjusting accordingly. The thigh of one leg will be approximately parallel to the shin of your other leg. You can remain upright, start to lean forward, bending at the hips, or lean yourself backward and perhaps come onto your forearms, depending on which stretch you prefer.

Several yoga teachers expressed a tendency to linger in a pose thats not exactly a pose but may as well be for all the relief it brings. Its the moments you linger in between Three-Legged Dog in which you extend one straight behind you, bend your knee, and let it fall open behind you in a blissful state of being unconstrained.

Theres a reason you typically see students stay in the stretch for several beats even after the teacher cues the next pose. The stretch reminds us of the truth in the quote from French composer Claude Debussy in which he expressed, Music is the space between the notes. Lets not become so preoccupied with the specific notes that we overlook our unique beat.

Model: Christina Muruato is a yoga teacher and founder of De La Sol Yoga.

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Hip Flexor Stretches That Yoga Teachers Swear By - Yoga Journal

People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter A person does yoga on the Strip while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter A person takes photos of people gathering on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter A person does yoga on the Strip while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter Megan Jones, the Senior Political Advisor to Kamala Harris in the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign, practices yoga on the Strip while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter Spectators on a pedestrian bridge watch as people do yoga on the Strip while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter Police watch as people gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter A person does yoga on the Strip while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter Megan Jones, the Senior Political Advisor to Kamala Harris in the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign, practices yoga on the Strip while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter People gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter Pedestrians on the pedestrian bridge watch as people gather on the Strip to do yoga while it is shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @madelinepcarter

The Strip is not exactly one of the most calming places to be in the world.

But it was for an hour on Sunday.

About 100 people gathered for the rare opportunity to practice yoga on Las Vegas Boulevard while it was shut down for the Rock n Roll Running Series. The event, which featured exclusive yoga mats, was sold out and sponsored by Lululemon.

There was a festive atmosphere on the Strip, where 21,000 runners and walkers competed in the half-marathon and 10-kilometer races. Both events started at New York-New York and finished at the Bellagio.

See the original post:
Breathing in yoga before the Las Vegas half-marathon PHOTOS - Las Vegas Review-Journal

March is Womens History Month, making it the perfect time to learn about and appreciate the powerful women who have influenced history and the ones who are around making history today. With these events and activities in NoVA and DC, youll be able to educate yourself on womens roles in essential moments in history, show your appreciation for the artists and activists of today, and connect with other women in the area.

March 3, 14:45 p.m.

Enjoy a special concert from the U.S. Army Band Pershings Own, arranged for Womens History Month. There will be an array of styles and genres represented, with special focus on female musicians. Before the concert there will be a documentary film screening and opening remarks, and it will be followed by an open house tour of the memorial. Military Womens Memorial: Memorial Avenue and Schley Drive, Arlington, free

March 8, 10 a.m.5:30 p.m.

Theres a full day of activities in store at this museum. Join the museum for yoga sessions in the Great Hall and listen to talks from museum curators and artists, including keynote speaker Ferren Gipson. You can even get a flash tattoo, done by artist Bibi Abelle. National Museum of Women in the Arts: 1250 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC, admission $16 for adults

March 8, 9 a.m.9:30 p.m.

This event will combine relaxation with empowerment. Enjoy a calendar of activities including meditation and breathwork, a wine tasting, an oracle reading, and hot yoga, plus workshops on topics like self-love, reclaiming self, and cherishing our inner beauty. Balian Springs: 6432 General Green Wy., Alexandria, $165

March 8, 5:306:45 p.m.

The Salamander Resort will host a 75-minute Vinyasa yoga class. Its suitable for all levels of expertise and will incorporate strength, stretching, and yoga. A specialty cocktail or mocktail will be provided after the class. Salamander Middleburg Resort & Spa: 500 N. Pendleton St., Middleburg, $45

March 9, 11:30 a.m.3 p.m.

Visitors can see portraits of influential women through history, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Beyonc, and Oprah. There be performances and workshops from the Washington Ballet, plus art activities, scavenger hunts, and other fun activities. The National Portrait Gallery: 800 G St. NW, Washington, DC, free

Theres a little slice of womens history right in Lorton. The Lucy Burns Museum, housed in the Workhouse Arts Center, educates visitors on the history of the womens suffrage movement and prison history, based on its own history as a former reformatory. 9518 Workhouse Wy., Lorton, free admission

Want to explore the regions history independently? Check out some of the DC areas memorials and historic sites that honor women with a guide from the National Park Service. Sites include the Vietnam Womens Memorial, the DAR Constitution House, and the Dumbarton House. Locations vary

Feature image courtesy The Workhouse Arts Center

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Women's History Month Events: Yoga, Art, and History - Northern Virginia Magazine