Former yoga teacher in Wellington New Zealand
Research has updated our thinking about what helps with recovery from acute injury. Moving on from rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE) model to include optimal loading. But what is optimal loading?
We’ve developed this idea that stretching is a panacea for pain or injuries. But the body is not that simple. After an acute (sudden) injury, wait 48 hours before you experiment with gentle movement.
Śavāsana is a yoga asana, a physical pose that involves lying on the floor relaxing. But what is the purpose of the pose? Is it just about relaxing or something more?
Yoga and research have shown that lengthening your exhale can help trigger the relaxation response. This audio recording talks you through the steps starting with 1) breath awareness, 2) finding an even breath, 3) lengthening the exhale, and 4) then returning to the even breath.
This variation of cobra pose (Bhujangasana) focuses on stretching the chest, arms and shoulders. It has the added benefit of taking pressure off your wrists and creating a much smaller backbend which can be gentler on the spine.
Compassion is more than kindness. It is about recognising and wanting to alleviate the suffering of others. Yoga offers ways to practice and incorporate compassion into our lives and research shows that practicing compassion can improve our health and wellness.
Keeping fascia hydrated is key to keeping fascia pliable and wet, better allowing us to move our bodies and avoid injuries
What does the research about challenging your balance? Do you really know how much is too much?
Tai chi and yoga both emphasise moving with intention. But how that intention looks will depend on your body – is it about gentle relaxing or subtle activation?
For years, I have ended my yoga classes by saying namaste. But I’ve recently learned that this is not a practice or tradition associated with yoga, and is cultural appropriation.