Unlikely Yoga Dude

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-beres/the-unlikely-making-of-a_b_744188.html

Body Language

Article written by one of my fellow Capoeirista's in NY Metro

Strength training

I hate strength training, but its something I have to start doing for my upper body to do these damn Aerial Silks! So my BFF who is a personal trainer is going to be helping me. If you're looking for an awesome personal trainer who is well versed in anatomy, core stabilization, strength training and conditioning...check him out!

Amazing things can happen

So today started out as any other ordinary rainy day in NYC. A lil depressing actually, but later in the afternoon the sun came out. I am not much of a sunshiny yogi type but humor me. So my dear friend was having an all around bad day and she came to the gym to meet me and our other friend. We ended up trying all these arm balances together for shiz and giggles and check out how we busted twin peacocks together! I only just got this today...and this was her first time too! I also taught her albatross which she did for the first time too. I feel like that is always a cool thing...to be there when a friend busts a pose for the first time, and then doing it together —EXTRA AWESOME! The moral of the story is...things can seem bad but doing Yoga with your friends is always amazing. Well, only if you're friends are as cool as mine.

And to top my fabulous night off, on my way home I found a street roda, sang a few songs and got to play a lil.

For tips on Mayurasana, see my last peacock post here.

Dancer's Pose

Just a few mudras

This is a mudra a friend of mine taught me.  Press the middle finger and thumb together and interlock both hands in this position. Other fingers are flexed. Wards off negativity. I don't know what its called though.

Shunya mudra. Bend the middle finger down and place the thumb on top. Straighten out the other fingers.  This mudra is said to relieve ear aches, nausea and vertigo.

  

Mummies fight!

The new thing I'm attempting

 

So I haven't even tried Aerial Yoga or Anti-Gravity Yoga Wings (as they call it at Crunch) but I am attempting Aerial Silks. UHM you never realize how much upper body strength you DON'T have until you attempt this.

A few things, that despite my lacking in strength, that I was able to attempt variations of, though I was much closer to the ground, with padded floors beneath me. :)

Atmananda Open House!

Because its officially September!

Lately, I have been too sweaty in class to do Crow pose. Actually, I have been able to do it, but not so well, due to the slippage. But I thought I'd share my tips on the pose:
1. Bring your feet so that they are 1 foot length behind your wrists.
2. Come up onto the balls of your feet and align your knees to your arm pits
3. Engage bandhas. Or just engage your abs and feel the lift.
4. Look forward
5. Bring up one foot at a time, slowly
6. Bring toes together when you can balance and look forward.
YAY! Bhakasana!

Tricks:
I like to put a blanket in front of me so that I am less afraid to face plant. Also gives me a focus point and reminds me to look forward.
Having heels on, actually is a nifty trick, because it already brings you to the balls of your feet!
You are already lifted to align your knees into armpits. OK, so maybe you don't want to bring heels to yoga class... start standing on a block then.
Really engaging the abs or bandhas makes all the difference!

OH, yes, and breathe.

And now onto one of my least favorite poses. Shoulder stand. I might hate plow pose more...or it could be just that its leads to shoulder stand a lot of times. Anyways, I hate it! I feel all clausterphobic in my throat area and I get bored and anxious staying up there. Often times you will see me skip it in class and do supta baddakonasana instead. Nonetheless, I know I should do it, so I do.