Yoga
Kelly's Yoga
I incorporate yoga poses and techniques with physical therapy techniques to develop a program that will help you heal from current injuries, balance your body and mind and prevent future injuries.
Many yoga poses are therapeutic. I use individual yoga poses as therapeutic exercises to treat and prevent conditions. For instance, if i have a pregnant woman with low back pain I may teach her how to perform a few yoga poses and have her do them on a daily basis.
I also teach you how to modify yoga poses if you attend a yoga class. If you regularly attend a yoga class it is essential that you perform the postures properly and safely. If you have an injury or pain such as low back pain you may need specific modifications for certain poses. I will teach you modifications of yoga poses that allow you to go to a large class but do modifications of poses to keep your body safe. As with any form of exercise if you are consistently performing an exercise or posture improperly you are putting repetitive stress on joints and muscles, causing micro-trauma and degeneration to those areas.
I can help you develop a home yoga practice too. Developing a home yoga practice can help you bring balance to your mind, body and spirit on a daily basis. I will assess your current fitness level and goals to develop an effective daily yoga practice. A daily yoga practice combines yoga poses, breathwork and mindfulness techniques. It will change your life.
No matter what level of yoga you are interested in, I evaluate your health history, current health and fitness level, previous or current injuries, movement patterns, posture and more to design an appropriate yoga program that will meet your goals. I determine what poses and sequences will benefit and balance your body. A yoga sequence that is good for one person can injure another person. Yoga is a form of movement that you can do everyday for the rest of your life.
I often combine yoga with gyrotonic exercise, pilates and physical therapy techniques to develop an individualized program that works for you. A daily yoga program is a great addition to most exercise programs.
History
Yoga comes from the Ancient Sanskrit word meaning “union”. It seeks to unite the body, mind and spirit. Yoga is one of the six systems of Indian philosophy. It was systematized by Patanjali in his classical work, the Yoga Sutras. One who follows the path of Yoga is a yogi. The most important authority on Yoga philosophy is the Bhagavad Gita.
Benefits
- Improved lung capacity
- Improved strength and flexibility
- Improved balance
- Improved focus, attention and concentration
- Increased daily mindfulness
- Decreased stress
- Increased relaxation and peacefulness
- And more...
Yoga incorporates postures (asanas) and breathwork (pranayama). Yoga focuses on the health of the spine which is the center of the nervous system, where all our energy initiates from and is key to the health of the whole body. Yoga develops strength and balance. Yoga increases and maintains flexibility of joints and muscles. It increases blood circulation and lung capacity while massaging the internal organs. The regular practice of yoga improves focus, concentration and attention while building self-confidence. It releases tension and induces a state of relaxation and peacefulness.
Vinyasa Flow Yoga
Vinyasa Flow Yoga synchronizes the breath with a flowing sequence of postures and typically uses transitional vinyasa sequences between sustained postures. It often includes components derived from ashtanga yoga such as sun salutations, ujjayi pranayama, bandhas (constrictions of specific muscles and organs to contain energy) and drishti (gaze). Asanas, vinyasa and pranayama are creatively sequenced to develop internal awareness, build heat and explore energizing effects. The choice of movements consists of counterposes that help balance the effects of postures and clear energy channels. The linking vinyasas bring the body back to neutral so that one can feel the energetic effects of the practice.
An important aspect in Vinyasa Flow Yoga is breath-synchronized movement where breath and movement are seamlessly united in such a way that each action encourages the other. For each movement, there is a corresponding breath. Vinyasa Flow Yoga generates the subtle, internal heat of transformation and stokes agni fire. Agni is the digestive fire used not only to digest physical food but also experiences and sensations. If our fire is strong we can better adapt to life's challenges.
The breath used in Vinyasa Flow Yoga, ujjayi pranayama, creates a vibration across the soft palate of the mouth, warming the breath as it enters the body. A “haaaahhh” sound is made by contracting the glottis in the back of the throat and breathing through the nostrils with closed lips. Ujjayi is the continuous rhythmic breath that builds heat and provides a mantra of ocean sound to enhance the fluid nature of the practice. The ujjayi breath should be long and deep; this stretch of the breath serves to calm the mind. Yoga practices incorporating ujjayi are often referred to as moving meditations, because the continuous awareness s of the breath helps develop focus and concentration and draws us deeper into our internal sensations. The sweat that develops from the practice helps to remove impurities.
Yoga as a Way of Life
Yoga can be a way of life. Judith Lasater, PhD, PT wrote, “Living Your Yoga” in which she expands the meaning of yoga beyond the poses and breathing to include the events of daily life. She bridges the gap between yoga on the mat and the yoga of daily life. Living your yoga can include living in the present moment, being mindful in everything you do, daily meditation or living in alignment with your beliefs and values.
