Posted on 25th September 2010 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
pregnancy, prenatal yoga
Wow, this is my first post in… a long while! I don’t even know if anyone still reads this, but the reason I’ve neglected this blog is because I got married, and a couple months after that I went and got myself PREGNANT. It might be an understatement to say that there has been a few things on my mind. I’m entering my 24th week now, so I’m already halfway through my 2nd trimester!
My last post was about Tabata 20/10, and just when I discovered it I got pregnant and couldn’t explore it more. In fact, I stopped doing all high-intensity exercises the moment I found out about the pregnancy and even bailed out of a full marathon (and out $125) that I was supposed to run with my husband. There’s some controversy on how much pregnant women should exercise. The age-old advice is that you should not have your heart rate elevated to more than 140 bpm. Modern research indicates otherwise. To stay on the safe side, I’ve stuck to more low-key exercises, such as prenatal yoga.
There are countless benefits to prenatal yoga, both for mommy and baby, such as:
- Keeping your body limber and flexible.
- Tones muscles while being gentle on the joints (pregnant women release a hormone called relaxin that loosens the joints and ligaments… so it’s easier for pregnant women to strain their muscles with more rigorous activities).
- The ujjayi breathing technique practiced in yoga will help relax you during labor and delivery.
- Reduces low back pain and sciatica because yoga promotes proper body alignment.
- Helps in stress reduction. Pregnancy can be a very stressful (not to mention hormonal) time in your life… yoga helps center you and brings you back to a place of peace.
Those are just a few benefits of prenatal yoga, but I know there are many more not listed above. In my own personal practice, I can really feel a difference on the days that I choose to do prenatal yoga versus the days that I don’t. Yoga has been the one exercise that I’ve been able to keep up with throughout this pregnancy. Running is no longer an option, the stationary bike is a bore, and even the stairclimber is too strenuous these days. Swimming is one of my least favorite exercises so that’s out. The one thing keeping me going is my yoga practice. It clears my head, keeps me sane, and makes me feel rejuvenated and alive.
I was able to do my prenatal yoga in the comfort of my own home, which is nice because I didn’t have to work around someone else’s class schedule to squeeze in my practice. After some trial and error, I found the one DVD I absolutely love. Will share that DVD and a thorough review of it in my next post. Unless you have a favorite that you’d like to share with me?
Posted on 19th April 2010 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
When people ask me if they can just do a yoga DVD at home, my response to them is, “Sure! But I’d recommend taking a few classes at an actual studio first before jumping straight into DVD.” – why do I say that? Because Yoga involves a lot of intricacies that can’t be caught if you’re alone at home following along to a DVD. If you don’t do the poses correctly, you won’t see the full benefits of yoga. Not only will you miss out on the benefits, but incorrect form can also lead to unnecessary strain and possible injuries.
Individual yoga classes can get pricey, but many yoga studios offer introductory unlimited classes (like $29 for 2 weeks) for new students. These are great deals to pick up to get you started into the world of yoga.
Let’s take a look at some common mistakes:
Standing Forward Bend: The image on the right is correct. Notice how your hips must be directly aligned over your ankles and that you need to bend forward at a 90-degree angle. She is also standing with feet parallel to her hips and keeping a slight bend in her knees.
Plank: The bottom picture is correct. Don’t lift your butt so high in the hair. Make sure your back is aligned with your hips in one straight diagonal. This releases the pressure from your shoulders and engages your core muscles.
Cobra: The posture in the first image is incorrect. As you can see, her chest is up too high and her shoulders and nearly touching her ears – this puts strain on the shoulders. It feels awkward just looking at her. It’s important to pull your chest down and squeeze your shoulder blades together, as if you were cracking a nut in-between them.
Downward-facing Dog: this basic yoga pose was one of the most troublesome for me when I first started out. My yoga teachers would constantly come around and pull my hips up higher even as I thought I was doing all I could to get this pose correct. Your body is bending downward in a “V” with arms straight in front of you, palms pressed flat into the floor, and fingers spread apart. The head should be aligned with the spine.
Adapted from: The Los Angeles Times, which has a more extensive list of proper yoga postures.
Posted on 30th March 2010 by Jiggly in Reviews |Yoga and Pilates
yoga studio
Soul At Home
17612 17th Street
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 573-7685
I wanted to get to know a friend better, so we bonded over classes at her yoga studio, Soul At Home. Originally, I planned to just take one class with her, but it was more worth it to buy the one-month unlimited pass ($39) than to pay for a single class ($15). I ended up coming with my friend once a week for a month.
Soul at Home has a full schedule filled with a variety of classes. The downside with soo much variety is that if you can’t make it on a certain day/time for a class you will probably have to wait until the following week to take it again. Their most regular class is the beginners/level 1 yoga, which crops up frequently throughout the week.
They have two rooms where they hold their classes – one large and one small. The rooms are clean and well-lit, and I loved that they provided really great quality mats and props for those who don’t have their own. Beyond being just a yoga studio, they also offer massages and facials so this could essentially be your one-stop-shop for your health and beauty needs.
For More Reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/soul-at-home-tustin
Best for: those who want a truly relaxing, meditative yoga experience.
Would not recommend for: those looking for a more intense, sweat-inducing workout.
Posted on 20th February 2010 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
bikram yoga
It’s been awhile. The last time I did Bikram Yoga was over 6 months ago, right before I started developing my rashes. Then I got married, then the holidays came, and before I knew it… Bikram and I had become strangers.
I decided to go today after hours of studying. I was restless, the weather outside was perfect (crisp, cold, and gloomy), and I had been missing yoga for awhile. I looked at the online schedule and didn’t recognize half of the teachers’ names. So much can change in just half a year! It was a risk having to try a new teacher my first time back – if you think all teachers are created equal, I’m here to break that illusion and tell you NO, they are definitely not.
Luckily, my teacher today was amazing. Better than amazing. She had a soothing voice, was very helpful, encouraged me throughout the class, and couldn’t be funnier. Yes, Bikram can be fun (and funny).
As for me… I wanted to die halfway into the balancing series. We were barely at balancing stick pose and I already had to sit out a few times. The heat was getting to me. My stomach felt nauseous. My head was lightheaded. I felt the onset of a Migraine. I did not feel good.
But I got through it. I even got myself to do the triangle and tree to toe stand poses. No easy feat I tell ya. Once the floor series started I stopped thinking about the lightheadedness and just let my body bend and breathe the way it needed to.
It felt like the longest hour and a half of my life, but I got through it with dignity. At the end of it, my teacher even called me a superstar! I don’t know when I’ll be back, but for today I just want to relish in this accomplishment. Now back to studying.
Posted on 14th July 2009 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
namaste book club, welcoming space
Nancy, one of the co-founders of Namaste Book Club and blogger of Welcoming Space asked me to interview for her blog a few weeks ago. After writing down my responses I found myself curious about her journey, and asked her some questions in return. There’s something so special about each person’s journey that I find intriguing – it gives you a whole new sense about a person, a deeper understanding, and hopefully a more fond appreciation. Enjoy!
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Posted on 13th July 2009 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
yoga gives back
Previously, I mentioned an organization called Yoga Gives Back, whose purpose is to fight poverty through yoga and microfinancing. I have been in regular contact with the founder, Kayoko Mitsumatsu, and they are putting on a special benefit class this Saturday July 18th at Yogaglo’s Santa Monica studio. All proceeds go to fight poverty around the world. Come for a great class and some wonderful networking opportunities while giving back to those in need. Hope to see you there!
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Posted on 13th July 2009 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
namaste book club, yoga books
Those who know me know that I am obsessed with books – old, new, borrowed – I don’t discriminate. If you haven’t already heard, there’s a new and rapidly growing online yoga community called Namaste Book Club. The first book they’ve chosen is The Heart of Yoga by T.K.V. Desikachar. I haven’t read too many yoga specific books, so this will be a great motivator, hopefully opening my eyes to a different side of yoga. Up until now, I’ve been mostly aware of the physical benefits of yoga, with little knowledge of the history and motivations behind its start. Am interested in seeing where this journey takes me…
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Posted on 2nd July 2009 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
welcoming space
One of my favorite bloggers and tweeters (twitterer/twit?? I still don’t know all these terms), Nancy, asked me to interview for her blog – after months of back and forth light banter with her about all things yoga, how could I refuse? You can read my answers to all things Bikram Yoga on her blog – Welcoming Space.
A striving yoga instructor, she writes about her practice with depth and heart. I can’t help but be drawn by her poise and authenticity – it helps that her writing style is quite lovely too! Hers is definitely one of my favorite yoga blogs to read! Check out her blog, subscribe, RSS feed it, add her to twitter (@yoga_mydrishti) – she’s likely to become one of your favorites too. 
Posted on 1st July 2009 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
ana forrest, forrest yoga, the examiner, Yoga and Pilates, yoga journal
No, you don’t do Forrest Yoga in the trees, though that has a certain appeal doesn’t it? I can just imagine doing triangle, reaching high above as sunbeams light up the dirt floor while I soak in the smell of a nearby lake. Sorry – hiatus. My mind wanders. So anyway, Forrest Yoga was named after creator Ana Forrest. Is it me, or does it feel like everyone wants their “own” patented yoga now?
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Posted on 29th June 2009 by Jiggly in Yoga and Pilates
punk rock yoga, the examiner, yoga journal
When I first wrote about laughing yoga, then again with antigravity yoga… I seriously thought the buck stopped there. I’ve underestimated the phenomenon yoga has taken on the world, I wonder how many yoga spin-offs are out there. I might just make it my mission to find them all! My new discovery is a modern spin to yoga called Punk Rock Yoga. Has yoga fusion gone too far? Let’s see if this truly is a form of yoga or if it’s all talk with none of the walk!
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