News from Bradley Wellness

Cleansing Exercise

Physical activity during a winter cleanse does not include exhausting strenuous activity. Instead seek to incorporate deep breathing and slow controlled movements into your daily routine. Take a restorative yoga class or tai chi class. Get out in nature and take a hike or walk while practicing deep breathing. Practice sun salutations every morning. Below are details on how to perform sun salutations.

Sun Salutations:

This sequence links 12 yoga poses, one for every month of the solar calendar. It is performed in one continuous flow with the breath, which helps the mind focus and relax. The series encourages energy to flow through the body while it strengthens, tones and promotes flexibility from head to toe. The sun salute contains all the elements of a good yoga class. It moves you through standing poses, forward bends, back bends and even a mild inversion in Downward-Facing Dog. It moves your spine through a full range of flexion and extension.

Start with 3-4 rounds of sun salutations each morning and gradually work your way up to 12 after several weeks of regular practice. Always link your breath to the movement and attempt to keep the breath smooth and controlled. Take time to be mindful in each pose. Bring awareness to the muscles being used, areas of tightness and area of instability. Notice if you feel different at the end of your session compared to the beginning.

There are many modifications for each pose dependent upon an individual's medical history and fitness level. Be mindful and listen to your body. Consult a yoga practitioner or physical therapist for specific modifications for your body and goals.

In each of the following poses pull the belly button up and in to support the back.

1.Tadasana or Mountain Pose: Stand with big toes together and heels slightly apart. Maintain proper upright posture with the feet grounded and lifted at the inner arch. Wrap your shoulder blades down and back. Engage your legs by lifting your kneecaps. Create a slight inward rotation of the upper thigh. Bring your hands together in front of your heart so your elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Keep your chest open. Lift the crown of your head upward. Take deep breaths in and out through the nose.

2.Urdhva Hastasana or Upward Hand Pose: On an inhalation, sweep your arms out to your sides and bring the palms to touch above your head. Maintain your shoulders blades wrapped down and back. Reach through the sides of the body lengthening the body up and slightly back. Do not just lean back but lift up and back.

3.Uttanasana or Standing Forward Bend: As you exhale, sweep your arms out to the sides and bend at the hips to go into a deep forward bend. Your hands are flat alongside your feet. Allow your head to release towards the floor.

4.Lunge Pose: Keep your hands where they are, inhale and take a large step back with the right foot. The left knee bends at a 90 degree angle. (Each time you perform the sun salutation switch which leg goes back to keep the body balanced).

5.Plank Pose: As you exhale, keep your palms on the floor and step the left foot back to meet the right. Reach through the top of your head and your heels to increase the length in your body. Remember to engage the abdominals to support the back and increase the length in the torso. Do not let the hips rise up too far or drop too low. Maintain the body in one diagonal line.

6.Chaturanga Dandasana or Four-Limbed Staff Pose: At the end of an exhalation, bend your elbows straight back and lower your body down to the bottom of a push-up. Be sure to keep your elbows close by your sides. Continue to lengthen through the top of the head and heels to increase the length of the whole body and engage the core muscles to support the back.

7.Urdhva Mukha Svanasana or Upward-Facing Dog: As you inhale, roll forward over your toes and straighten at the elbows. Do not hyperextend the elbows or lock the elbows. Maintain your hips, thighs, knees and shins off the floor. Increase the energy into the tops of the feet and palms as the heart pulls forward past your arms.

8.Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward-Facing Dog: As you exhale, roll back over the toes and lift the hips by engaging the core to come into an inverted V position. Increase the energy into your hands and reach the thighs back, lengthening the torso and the spine. Slightly internally rotate from your hips to open up space in your low back. Do not let your shoulders flow up to the ears. Keep the shoulders blades wrapped down and back by engaging the shoulder stabilizers. Release the weight of your head to relax your neck muscles.

9.Lunge Pose: As you inhale, step forward with the leg your originally stepped back with, returning to the lunge pose. The front knee is at a 90 degree angle. Your palms are on the surface alongside the front foot.

10.Uttanasana or Standing Forward Bend: Exhale and step your back foot forward. Fold over your straight legs keeping your palms on the floor alongside your feet.

11.Urdhva Hastasana or Upward Hand Pose: As you inhale, sweep your arms our and up over your head as you rise back up to a standing position.

12.Tadasana or Mountain Pose: Exhale and bring your arms back into prayer position in front of your heart. Remember to increase the energy coming up through your feet, engage your legs, pull the belly button in and up, keep the chest open and wrap the shoulder blades down and back.

Learn more about Yoga at Bradley Wellness