Category: Movement

YogAlign Bird Dog A Weight Bearing Movement.

YogAlign Bird Dog A Weight Bearing Movement.

reneeinnerbreathyoga

By Renee’ Fulkerson

Some weight-bearing movements where your bones support your weight are walking, dancing, stair climbing, and gardening, to name a few. I love to do all of these activities. Well, maybe not stair climbing so much. I also find when using my 5lb weights for 20 minutes at least twice a week. My arm, back, and chest muscles stay toned. By stressing our bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Men can also get osteoporosis. To learn more, click on https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/men

We all come in different shapes and sizes and find enjoyment and various benefits in different ways of moving our bodies. Even something like weight lifting plays a different and unique role for each individual. For some, weight lifting is serious business. Men and women of all ages going to great lengths to achieve a competitive body ready for competition. And those more mature using 5lb free weights to fend off osteoporosis. We can use our body’s weight to our advantage. Did you know the femur is the longest/ strongest bone in the body and the heaviest? An average human being weighing 150lbs leg weighs 26lbs. Much heavier than a 5lb or 10lb weight. And the weight in the arm is 8lbs. Three more pounds than a 5-pound weight. And just under 2 of a 10-pound weight. 

Bird dog is a posture you can use your leg and arm weight to your advantage. Bird dog promotes proper posture and increases range of motion. Improving balance and stability and strengthens the core, hips, and back muscles. Anyone can do the bird dog including, the more mature set. (and lean muscle does diminish with age)

YogAlign Bird Dog:

  • Begin by starting on all floors also, known as table pose. Be sure to distribute your weight evenly front to back. This balance will take the extra pressure and weight off your wrists.
  • Next, focus on your head/ neck posture. Imagine putting a marble in the long crease in the back of your neck. Place it right between your hairline and the top of your shoulders. When you begin to drop your head too far forward (chin to chest). You will lose your marble. If you lift your head too much, you will also lose your marble. The goal is not to lose our marble. 
  • Extend your right leg back with the top of your foot gently touching your yoga mat. Toes pointed, begin your SIP inhale (breathing through a straw), and slowly with purpose, raise your leg. Bring your leg only as high as the rest of your body, not higher. Making sure you are not lifting/ twisting your right hip towards the ceiling.
  • Smile and start your sss-hale like a snake and slowly bring your leg down and back to starting position. You can begin moving from side to side with conscious breath, posture, and pointed toe. Taking it to your edge and then come down and rest on your forearms. 
  • Take a nice inhale and exhale through the nose.
  • Now add the arms (jet plane arms) with palms facing down and fingers spread. Create gentle resistance by pushing your arms down towards the floor. Be mindful not to let your shoulders creep up towards your ears. Left leg/ right arm and right arm/ left leg.

It is more important to move slowly with proper alignment with less number of times. Then, rushing through the posture with more times and little to no benefits. After all, can you imagine the possibilities in a body you can trust?

Aloha

Fitness, Movement, Health, and Fun!

Fitness, Movement, Health, and Fun!

reneeinnerbreathyoga

By Renee’ Fulkerson

What words would you use to describe your fitness routine? Everyone seems to have their vision of what fitness means and what it looks like; Fitness, movement, health, and fun are the four words that come to mind when describing my YogAlign practice/ classes. In my opinion, the YogAlign method meets my definition of fitness. The postures put me in proper alignment. And create a good physical shape for my body and structure. I can trust my body when performing a specific task or purpose. I want my fitness program to support and enhance my abilities to perform daily activities pain-free. Have you clearly defined what you want from your fitness program?

Movement, I love all kinds. I think dancing would be my favorite. I could dance for hours without much thought; I get lost. The movement of walking is also underrated and has endless benefits mentally, spiritually, and physically. To learn more about five surprising benefits of walking. To learn more about five surprising benefits of walking.

When I think about my health, it is not merely just the absence of illness or injury. It is the complete package addressing body, mind, and spirit. I rely on my YogAlign practice to keep my immune system up as my diet. In my everyday life my, mantra is all gain and no pain. Our minds allow us to think and feel. We want and need to feel good during and after our practice/ class to fill up our spirit. To keep wanting to come back. One of the main things we can do to be healthy is to have conscious breathing. Our lungs work all day and night, whether we are awake or asleep. That’s 20,000 or so breaths per day! 

Fun is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “Light-hearted pleasure, enjoyment, or amusement; boisterous joviality or merrymaking; entertainment”. Although particularly associated with recreation and play, fun may be encountered during work, social functions, and daily life. There is something to be said for having a laugh and a good time. I remember when I took my first YogAlign training with Michaelle Edwards (founder and creator). She recommended having a few jokes up our sleeves. And sure enough, jokes and having a good time were encouraged. I know myself and others have commented I did not arrive with a smile but, I am leaving with one. Are you having fun with your fitness?

In conclusion:

  • What words come to mind when describing your yoga or exercise class?
  • Have you clearly defined what you want from your fitness program? 
  • What kind of movement do you enjoy?
  • Do you finish your practice/ class with a smile? 
  • And do you keep wanting to show up for your fitness and health?

Aloha

Living Long And Dying Short Or Living Short And Dying Long.

Living Long And Dying Short Or Living Short And Dying Long.

reneeinnerbreathyoga

By Renee’ Fulkerson

In other words, having a body you can trust and living pain-free. With a sustainable body that allows you to imagine all of the endless possibilities well into the future.

Or, having a body you cannot trust and maybe living with discomfort and or pain. A body that limits you from enjoying life and all the activities you love.

Living long and dying short or living short and dying long?

I had first heard this phrase in my first YogAlign Teacher Training. Then again recently in a two-week intensive YogAlign Posture Education Certification Course. I started thinking about the phrase once again and wondered do we have a choice? And, the answer was of course in almost all cases we do have a choice. I feel most certain if people were asked which they would prefer from the above-mentioned phrases living long and dying short would be the most appealing option. I know it would be for me!

Pain knows no age, race, or gender, and becoming aware of bad posture habits is the first step in changing the existing habit.

The most common issues I work with are neck and shoulder discomfort and or pain. Various aches and pains along the entire back body (mostly low back). Also, hip discomfort and or pain is an issue that comes up often.

The first thing we need to look at is our daily posture habits:

How are you standing, walking, and sitting? Do you find it difficult and tiring to stand for even a short period of time (such as doing dishes)?

When walking are you able to walk with ease? Have you ever looked at the bottom of your shoes to see how they are wearing (evenly or unevenly)?

Do you find it difficult to sit comfortably for any period of time? Have you created a sag in the support system of your chair or couch from sitting too much?

How does your posture translate into your workspace and weekend activities? These are all good questions to ask yourself as the answers will be very telling and helpful. And a jumping-off point into good posture. With good posture habits/ body mechanics, your life can be long and prosperous and without maybe uncomfortable and or painful.

Let’s start by looking at some of the reasons for neck, shoulder, back, and hip discomfort and or pain.

We are developed in the womb and birthed from a C shape or the fetal posture. At this point, we do most of our breathing from our bellies. Babies and young children will use their abdominal muscles (bellies) much more to pull the diaphragm down for breathing. The intercostal muscles are not fully developed at the time of birth. The baby has to grow to develop these. Once babies are placed on their tummies curiosity gets the best of them and they begin by lifting their heads to fully see their surroundings. Soon after they can get themselves up on all fours (hands and knees) and start locomoting forward known as crawling. Next pulling themselves up and walking supported by a person or object to eventually walking all on their own. During this process, we are developing the natural Lordotic and kyphotic curves aka shock absorbers in our spines. We are still very comfortable moving from the center of our bodies and bending at the knees with ease when picking something up.

Fast forward to today and as a teen, young adult, adult, or elder take a look in the mirror from your side profile or lateral line and what do you see. Natural Curves in your spine or have you returned to the C shape posture? If your answer is C not to worry we just need to shift some outdated posture habits. Also known as rewiring and updating your body’s posture software. But, before we do that we need to look at why this C posture is creating negative impacts on your breathing, mood, and possibly causing you discomfort and or pain.

Having the body in a perpetual C posture draws your chin to your chest, your pubis to your sternum, rolled forward shoulders, and forward head carriage just to name a few. Your spinal curves aka shock absorbers are non-existent and not putting a much-needed spring in your step. This C posture makes it quite impossible to get a full diaphragm inhale or exhale (as adults we should not be belly breathing). With proper diaphragm breathing, we can work on our good posture habits from the inside out (the diaphragm is a muscle and also needs to be exercised). The C posture puts all the weight onto your knees and can very easily add to those achy, painful, and unstable knee joints. As the body curls forward it puts the front of the body into full-blown flexion. Meaning muscle groups whose actual job is to be stabilizers are not being able to do their job. They instead are being enlisted out of necessity to keep the heavy forward-leaning body up. That forward pressing body is affecting the space for your organs and possibly creating some fear and anxiety emotions/ mood responses.

Meanwhile, the back of the body is stretched out and exhausted. Think of your back like a shirt riding up towards your shoulders and ears. Again take a step in front of the mirror and looking from the side angle or lateral line view are you able to see your vertebral column very close to the surface of the skin? If the answer is yes again the natural curves aka shock absorbers are not being able to do their jobs in keeping you agile and bouncy. The back body is also in need of some extra support to keep your head up as it is falling forward and calls in the fascia. The fascia lays down more fascia in the upper back area usually between the top of the shoulder blades to the Occipital (bulbous part) of the back of the head. Causing those tight and stiff feeling shoulders, neck and causing possible headaches. The lower back is not tight needing to be stretched it is stretched and exhausted in need of support. How does the back get the support it needs? Simple answer proper posture. Believe it or not, you have a muscle corset around your midsection made out of muscles and muscle groups which we call stabilizers. These stabilizing muscles and muscle groups are some of your most important and necessary posture muscles. Unfortunately, as I mentioned above if you are leaning forward in a C shape some of these stabilizer muscles start to work as flexor muscles. Just by getting your body back into its natural curves and proper posture we can tap into our body’s internal back support brace (stabilizers).

All of these above issues and so much more can be addressed and overcome with rewiring and reprogramming of your body’s posture motherboard.

Getting started:

  1. Breathing from your diaphragm and not your belly
  2. Balancing the flexor chain or front of the body. With the extensor chain at the back of the body.
  3. Firing up posture muscles and posture muscle groups that have forgotten how to engage.
  4. Creating tensegrity or balance throughout the body.
  5. Being mindful of how we stand, walk, and sit.
  6. Questioning movement, yoga, and exercise classes that put you intentionally in bad posture (reinforcing bad posture).
  7. If you tend to be hypermobile creating new habits not to take a posture to your edge ultimately pulling yourself apart.
  8. Find exercise, yoga, and movement classes that focus on real-life movement (reinforce good posture).
  9. Create a space for movement, health, fitness, and fun in your life.

Aloha

Loneliness And Movement Solutions.

Loneliness And Movement Solutions.

reneeinnerbreathyoga

By Renee’ Fulkerson

Definition of lonely:
Being without company: LONE
Cut off from others: SOLITARY
Not frequented by human beings: DESOLATE
Sad from being alone :LONESOME
Producing a feeling of bleakness or desolation

I have had feelings of loneliness focus on the word feelings. When I verbally expressed this to a friend, she reminded me that this was a state of mind and not the reality of the matter. That got me thinking yes, I could reach out via phone, facetime, Skype, or physically show up to another human being and connect.

Although, that last part may be a bit difficult given our current situation.

I have been able to continue to teach my regularly scheduled YogAlign classes I am very grateful. Why because I work with a small group of regulars and one student generously offered to host our YogAlign classes at her home. Which, may not be the case for many yoga teachers, students, and beyond.

For the students and myself that meet several times a week for YogAlign Class, this is part of our community, relationships, and for some a lifeline. We can continue to move our bodies, fill our diaphragm with deep full breaths, and best of all smile, and laugh with one another. Keeping our spirits as well as our immune system/ body happy and healthy!

My mom is a perfect example of a lonely state of mind. She is in her early seventies and has attended her regular exercise classes at her local YMCA for years. This weekly ritual has been her lifeline as she lives alone. She can join in community with others in group classes, socialize a bit before and after classes and then get her personal workout on. Due to our current situation and not having that resource she is having all the feelings mentioned above.

The solution?

Across the ocean on Kauai, where myself, husband and teenage son live. He also is feeling some degree of loneliness. For him, it is manifesting in feelings of boredom, unmotivated, and lack of engagement. For most seventeen-year old’s school, every week is their lifeline. Meeting in community for classes, socializing during lunch, before and after school. With his school being completely virtual (online) he is missing out also on connection.

The Solution? Sometimes you haft to get creative.

We packed up all things precious to a seventeen-year-old (his gaming computer) and sent him across the ocean to his Grammys. This was not necessarily easy for dear old mom and dad but, it felt right and he was all for it. Although none of us were sure how this would unfold? I haft to say we all have been pleasantly surprised with the outcome thus far.

It has been a little over a month now and there is more comradery, movement, and breath on both parts. How? Aside from having a change, they both are doing for each other. Meaning my mom is motivated to get up and get creative with cooking, work in the yard, and take walks with her grandson. Joaquin is spending less time gaming (on his computer) and out of boredom, also cooking, running errands, and again taking walks with his grams. With more movement, breath, and a few laughs, this keeps their mind, immune system/ body, happy and healthy.

Remembering loneliness is a state of being (a feeling) is half the battle.

I mentioned in another blog post that we can connect with the physical. sometimes it’s easier than spiritual as it is more tangible. We can connect with unpleasant feelings just as easily as pleasant feelings like joy. Once we can get motivated and get our bodies moving with gardening, going for a walk, or practicing YogAlign some level of happiness will follow. You have everything on your side to succeed in-breath, purposefulness, and movement. Maybe you won’t always have a partner by your side but, you still can create joy. I find listening to music with headphones or a book on tap/ podcast while participating in activity proves to be a great companion.

The Movement does not always haft to be a grand gesture. Washing the car is a pretty good workout.

As a YogAlign posture educator, I will be teaching and practicing YogAlign postures during class. I never show up teaching with a planned class I teach to the energy of the students. During these last six months, the energy has varied from day to day. With some comments before class being, I am just happy I am awake and got here. To follow up comments after class, “am I going to be a lump today”? YogAlign was my accomplishment for the day. I now feel motivated to get other things done after my YogAlign class. All good stuff I recommend honoring how you feel days you need to be a lump and other days a firecracker.

Playing with my pal Max.

I like to be playful when the energy feels heavy. For example, after travel has opened back up a few of my students who also happen to be grandparents will be traveling to see their precious grandchildren. Some of those grandchildren are infants and toddlers who spend most of their independent time on the floor. As they begin to lift their heads out of curiosity. A necessary phase to create the natural curves in their spines. Littles are born with a C-shaped spine and with head lifting and crawling, they start to create the natural S curves in their spine. I teach YogAlign postures that will allow them to get down on the floor, move around comfortably and trust their bodies to perform pain-free doing something they love with someone they love. When students are lying on their back on the floor in their last full-body stretch or practicing self-massaging they think savasana (final resting pose) is next. I instruct them to come to standing. There are not too many times during the day when you come to standing from lying on the floor next we have a glorious and well-deserved final resting pose.

Practice getting up and down off the floor from lying on your back or stomach postures a few times. It’s all about movement.

That is the beauty of practicing YogAlign pain-free yoga from your inner core consisting of real- life movements. Practicing movements that reflect who you are and how you live and want to live your life. We can all tap into feeling joy instead of loneliness. Syncing movement with breath is a beautiful way to get there.

Aloha


How Does Too Much Time Sitting Damages Our Ocean’s Reefs? 

How Does Too Much Time Sitting Damages Our Ocean’s Reefs? 

reneeinnerbreathyoga

By Renee’ Fulkerson

How Does Too Much Time sitting Damage Our Ocean’s Reefs (fragile underwater ecosystems)? 

You might be thinking, what does sitting in a chair haft to do with an ocean’s reefs? I would be thinking the same thing if I had not made the connection personally. The last time I was out snorkeling at my favorite beach. Just one of a few beaches on the North Shore of Kauai, having had limited to no access for over a year. Because of a devastating mudslide. And during that time of recovery, animal and plant life were present and growing. At a rate locals had not seen in many years. The smiles it brought to their faces as they talked story. They saw turtles come back to nest on the beaches. They had not done that for as long as they could remember. They shared their gratitude for all the fish coming back to the reefs. 

A little back story:

In April of 2018, Kauai received 50 inches of rain in 24 hours that devastated the island. The north shore communities of Wainiha and Haena were isolated from the rest of the island. Due to countless mudslides that covered the only two-lane road in or out of these communities. It took over a year to repair the road to a safety standard that would allow all non-Wainiha and Haena residents to re-enter the area.

YogAlign Inner Breath Yoga Kauai Hawaii

That happened to be the time when I began my regular snorkeling adventures! During this time, I continued teaching and practicing YogAlign – pain-free yoga from your inner core. I began to realize how my movements in the water reflected my postures in my practice. Breathing through the snorkel replicated the YogAlign SIP breath. And similar to YogAlign, the activity of snorkeling required full-body engagement and global body perception. The primary muscle groups needed to engage in snorkeling are the Hip flexors, hamstrings, upper and lower abdominal’s, quads, and gluteal muscles. A fair amount of flexibility in the ankle region and the ability to point the toes like a dancer is necessary (if you prefer to avoid leg and foot cramps). A strong core (abdominal, Oblique, and back muscles) helps to create a stable platform. And allows your legs to kick and balances your front and back leg strength.

Here is where the sitting in a chair comes in as none of the core muscle groups are engaged during sitting – it is quite the opposite. (the average American spends 7.7 hours a day sitting)

Take an average person who sits 7.7 hours a day in a chair put them out in the ocean snorkeling. Chances are they and the ocean reefs (fragile underwater ecosystem) are going to suffer.

Why? Because they would be expecting their bodies to perform in a way it was not capable. The primary muscle groups they need to fire when they are snorkeling have amnesia. Why? Because they are sitting in chairs all of the time. The flexibility in their ankles and the ability to point their toes would be limited. Due to the shortening and tightening of the front line while sitting. Their core would be void-creating, an unstable platform for their legs to kick. Thus, creating an imbalance between the back and front leg muscles.

YogAlign Inner Breath Yoga Kauai Hawaii

How does all of this affect the ocean’s reefs (fragile underwater ecosystems)?

On my last snorkeling adventure, I realized I had gained greater endurance, strength, and stamina (all supported by my regular YogAlign practice). When I looked all around me, as far as my eyes could see, people were STANDING ON THE REEFS! Why were they standing on the reefs? I swam up and said do you realize you are standing on a fragile underwater ecosystem. A system that has had a year’s gift to repair itself from the endless years of damage it has received? The answer was I have not snorkeled in years. I became too tired and needed to rest on the reef. Another gentleman responded he got a foot cramp and needed to rest and rub his foot out on the reef. I noticed one gal was having difficulty breathing (and yes, I asked). She needed to rest on the reef before she could get back to the shore. The reef had become a resting spot to rub and recover. Much like a park bench, you could rest on it during your walk.

YogAlign Inner Breath Yoga Kauai Hawaii (2)

At that moment, I realized the consequences of our growing sedentary lifestyles. I made the connection how too much time sitting can damage our ocean’s reefs. I vowed to continue to do my part by staying active and leading a healthy lifestyle. And talk story with fellow snorkelers about how priceless these fragile ecosystems are. I hope you will too! It is never to late to start protecting the islands precious and sacred resources.

Aloha #getupstandup

Top 10 benefits of Snorkeling 

June YogAlign Classes On and Off Island

June YogAlign Classes On and Off Island

reneeinnerbreathyoga

By Renee’ Fulkerson

Dance with the waves, move with the sea. Let the rhythm of the water set your soul free
-Christy Ann Martine

Aloha, gentle reminder Inner Breath Yoga – YogAlign will not be hosting any YogAlign classes in the month of June at either  location Anaina Hou Community Park in Kilauea or Hot Yoga Princeville. Inner Breath Yoga – YogAlign classes will resume as regularly scheduled time and location in the month of July. However, I will be teaching a few YogAlign classes on the mainland in my home town of Big Bear Lake while on Vacation – please feel free to pass on information if you know someone who would be interested. Be sure to follow Inner Breath Yoga on Social Media to follow all our Mainland Adventures. Aloha

Mainland Inner Breath Yoga- June Drop-in YogAlign Classes

Big Bear Yoga

Friday June 14th, 6:00 to 8:00 PM

Saturday June 15th, 11:00 Am to 1:00 PM
Investment – $25 in advance/ $30 day of

Mats and blocks provided

Please bring a towel and water

421 W. Big Bear Blvd #663
Big Bear City, Calif. 92314
www.bigbearyoga.com 

www.innerbreathyoga.com

Private classes also available for more information please contact: renee@innerbreathyoga.com  / 909-747-4186

On Island June – Kauai Drop-in YogAlign Class

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Manayoga Studio

Wednesdays 8:30 to 10:30 AM

Investment $20 for locals

Mats and blocks provided

Please bring a towel and water

3812 Ahonui Place

Princeville, HI 96722
Manayoga Studio – YogAlign

YogAlign – Pain Free Yoga From Your Inner Core

YogAlign – Pain Free Yoga From Your Inner Core

reneeinnerbreathyoga

By Renee Fulkerson

In YogAlign, we actively seek out positioning, alignment, and movement that reflects how we move in daily life. We avoid uncomfortable, unnatural, and compressive positions that restrict deep breathing or that cause spinal compression. When aligned with the spine in natural curves, the body connects naturally as a continuum. We feel relaxed, balanced, secure, and peaceful. We can be in a comfortable and natural state of being, connected to our true essence.

YogAlign encourages proper body alignment, builds strength, and increases mobility.

YogAlign can add longevity to your life by providing a template for the body to follow, allowing it to be functional and highly mobile well into old age.

YogAlign emphasizes maintaining natural body positions and the natural curves of the spine. Utilizing only postures that mimic functional movement.

The basis of a YogAlign practice is to create and maintain posture in natural alignment. The emphasis is on posture, not the poses.
What differentiates YogAlign from other practices? By focusing on the rewiring of real-life movement patterning. Instead of confusing the body with poses that do not necessarily stimulate real-life function or movement.

Capture me

The practice of YogAlign is centered on eight principles:

  1. Create the Foundation with SIP Breathing.
  2. Learn to Activate the Psoas Muscle-“The Core of Your Core.
  3. Establish Spine Alignment.
  4. Learn Concentric/Eccentric PNF Neuromuscular Postures.
  5. Free Your Fascia and Know Your Anatomy.
  6. Learn Self Massage and Sensory Body Awareness.
  7. Practice Presence and Awareness Now.
  8. Know Your Bodies Authentic Needs.

The Core SIP Breath or Structurally Informed Posture inhalation creates an extension in the body and an engagement of your waist muscles deep in your core. When you exhale in YogAlign, you will practice keeping this length in your spine and waist rather than letting the contraction movements of exhalation collapse your waist and pull your sternum and breastbone down.

With awareness, your inhales and exhales; can be used to traction, align and strengthen your spine and the muscles that act upon it. Using this breathing process can support you in achieving natural alignment. That will free your neck and shoulder muscles from the constant strain and overuse that occurs when breathing and posture are less than ideal.

The Psoas Muscle ~ The Core of Your Core ~ What does that mean? In YogAlign, the psoas is just one of the four muscles we will be referring to as the core muscles. The psoas major joins the upper body with the lower body. It forms part of a group of muscles called the hip flexors, whose action is primarily to lift the upper leg towards the body. When the body is fixed or to pull the body towards the leg when the legs are stable.

If constricted and weak, the psoas can cause back and hip pain. And can also engage the fight or flight nervous system. Creating feelings of anxiety, Why is it important to learn how to engage, activate, lengthen and relax this muscle/ group to live pain-free from your core.

Establishing and supporting your spine’s alignment and your natural curves in YogAlign practice is yet another way to live a pain-free life. Spine alignment is a determinate of your overall health and quality of life. You should practice yoga postures that support and engage the natural curves of your spine. That is why in YogAlign practice, all yoga poses stimulate good posture and functional, real-life movement. Good health is regained painlessly and quickly by addressing posture and breathing habits. Supporting natural alignment during yoga, fitness, and life’s daily movements.

Learning and practicing Concentric/Eccentric PNF Neuromuscular Postures is simply tightening what feels tight. PNF is an acronym for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. It is a technique activating a specific muscle to relax the muscles around a joint. So, you can decrease the stiffness around a joint. In YogAlign practice, we refer to this as resetting the tension. The PNF essentially outwits your habituated stretch reflexes and resets resting muscle length, which determines your level of flexibility. Tightening a muscle past its normal contraction or, tightening what is already tight, during exercise throws a switch in the nervous system creates more flexibility. PNF allows strength and flexibility at the same time. Quickly with no pain or strain to muscles or joints.

Freeing your fascia and knowing your anatomy are topics woven throughout the entire YogAlign practice. Basic knowledge of anatomy will grow as you begin to relate the yoga poses and their benefits to your body. Fascia is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. YogAlign uses the inner movement of deep breathing to bring blood flow and fascia releasing where it would be otherwise impossible to palpate or massage your structure. The YogAlign combination of SIP breathing, self-massage, and yoga postures can be very effective in freeing your fascia. Drink lots of water to keep your fascia hydrated and pliable. We are made mostly of water and space.

Sensory Body Awareness and Proprioception in YogAlign practice allows you to pay attention to the sensations of tension and/or release in the muscles. Feeling where the body is in space and time, and become aware of the kinesthetic sensations while moving through your yoga poses. Sensory Body Awareness and Proprioception will support you in practicing presence and awareness in the now ~ staying in the moment.

Practicing YogAlign, gradually, you attain the innate muscle memory that allows you to maintain natural alignment. Without thinking about it-moving gracefully and with ease from the core center of your body with a toned, flexible spine and strong stabilized joint functions. Showing up to YogAlign practice will allow you the time and space to get to know and support your body’s needs.

Michaelle Edwards is the creator of the YogAlign Method on the Island of Kauai.

Aloha