Yoga for the Shoulder Girdle

 As we settle into the spring months after the long winter season, the excitement grows to get outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather. The spring offers us an opportunity to exercise specific muscles that may have taken a break over the cold winter months. Homeowners will regain that stamina by cleaning out their garden beds and lawns and moving the outdoor furniture to their respective spaces. Professional and amateur athletes look forward to participating in spring sports such as baseball, softball, and tennis to compete and build their muscles. Though excited to be working and playing outdoors, all individuals need to properly prepare their muscles, to protect their bodies from getting injured. The shoulder girdle is one crucial muscle group that should be developed because of how often individuals use them in outdoor activities. These muscles help rake, dig, pick up and put down mulch. They also help lift and hang potted plants on the front porch and trim the shrubs and trees in the yard.

  If you play baseball, softball, tennis, or track and field, it's another reason to have a healthy, stable shoulder girdle. This group of muscles is used when throwing and catching a baseball or softball. They are employed when throwing a disc, javelin, or hammer throw. Knowing how often we use the shoulder girdle, the next question is what and how many muscles are in the shoulder girdle? 

The shoulder girdle contains seventeen muscles that create the three primary stabilizing groups:

The first group comes from 6 muscles that connect from the axial skeleton to the shoulder girdle to the rib cage and spine. They are;

The serratus anterior

The latissimus dorsi

The pectoralis minor

The levator scapulae

The lower, middle & upper trapezius 

The major & minor rhomboids 

The second group consists of nine muscles from the scapula and clavicle to the humerus. They are;

Deltoid

• The Rotator Cuff( which consists of four muscles that connect and stabilize the head of the humerus in the shoulder socket.)

• The supraspinatus

• The infraspinatus

• The teres minor

• The subscapularis

Teres Major

The pectoralis minor

The biceps brachii 

The coracobrachialis 

And the last group consists of two muscles that go from the axial skeleton to the humerus.

Pectoralis major

Latissimus dorsi

These muscles within the primary stabilizing group need to be strong and mobile to assist you in whatever activity you love to do in the spring. Whether it's baseball, tennis, or cleaning up the flower garden, you have to anticipate these activities' effects on the body. So to help you prepare, here is a short yoga sequence I've created to help keep your shoulder girdle healthy and stable so you can continue enjoying your interests in the great outdoors! 

Yoga For Writers

Writers and journalists are some of our forgotten heroes in today's world. Journalists, for example, keep us well informed of essential facts in the world that weigh in the decisions that affect our daily lives. On the other hand, creative writers continue to produce fascinating stories that can take us to exotic places and feed the soul that motivates us to be better. Mind you; these chosen jobs are not ones to be taken lightly. They push the author's mind to find a way of being truthful and creative to keep the reader fully interested until the end of the story. This commitment to their art takes the writer's dedication to sit long hours honing their narrative to be their very best to inform and inspire. This commitment to excellence is hard on the mind, but this line of work can be debilitating on the body. After a short while of sitting, the body's muscles will begin to tire, and fatigue will set in. At first, minor annoyances of the neck and shoulder will emerge and then spread to the back and hips. If continued without proper adjustments, it will encourage poor posture in the muscular-skeletal body, leading to significant injuries throughout the whole body. Not only does the physical body feel the pain, but the mental and emotional body will pay the price too. This transition manifests into overall moodiness, fatigue, and irritability that will cause problems for the author both at work and at home.

Being a yoga sports coach, I'm a firm believer in the positive power of physical movement. That is why I encourage people in all areas of writing to include yoga as a recovery tool during their writing process. Yoga will improve posture, relieve back pain, and increase stability and mobility in the joints. Yoga has many physical benefits, but it has much mental and emotional welfare. Studies have shown that steady yoga practice will help decrease stress anxiety and improve well-being, critical for writers to be their best.

Though you may struggle physically and mentally at first, you'll see steady improvement by keeping a dedicated practice. You'll create new, healthy habits by moving your body, taking a mental break not to overload your mind, and decreasing stress.

Remember, the more you move your body, the happier it will be at work and in other areas of your life.

Here are the ten yoga poses for writers to help improve their physical and mental health.

1: Cow Pose.

2: Cat Pose

3: Downward Facing Boat With A Strap

4: Warrior One With A Strap

5: Lateral DiP With A Strap

6: Pectoral Opener With A Strap

7: Mountai At The Wall

8: Pectoral Stretch At The Wall

9: Neck Stretch

10: Supporte Bridge On A Block

Yoga And Snow Sports For Winter Blues

Most people don't mind feeling the cold and see snow leading up to and during the holiday season. It brings back memories as a child playing outdoors, building snowmen, having snowball fights, drinking hot cocoa, and sledding down some awesome hills. Though winter is just beginning as December flows into January, most people are already tired of the freezing temperatures and are looking forward to spring. This negative attitude towards winter can make it seem that it drags on too long, thus making individuals feel sluggish and weary. It can also make people feel depressed and irritable from being inside for long periods. Guess what? It doesn't have to be this way. I would argue the importance of being outdoors will help to relieve the negative outlook most people have about winter. There are so many healthy recreations to do in the outdoors during frosty times.

Learning activities like downhill skiing, snowboarding, or cross-country skiing are a great way to get the blood pumping and drop those extra hoilday pounds. Snowshoeing or hiking in the open air supplies the body a good workout and allows individuals to appreciate nature's quiet, calming experience. Not into skiing or snowshoeing? No problem, head down to the local ice rink and do some ice skating to challenge your balance and work your legs. What's important to remember is that any winter activity you do can be modified to meet your personal needs. All you have to do is dress accordingly and change your perception of how boring winter exercises can be.

Reverse Warrior increases flexibility in the psoas and quads to offset tightness to those muscles from snow sports.

By adding these fun, new endeavors to your life, you'll also activate muscles that you may not typically work. So that's why it's essential to add a solid yoga routine during the winter months to help your body recover. Remember that yoga helps decrease the delayed onset of muscle soreness that we experience after a workout, so your body heals faster to get back into your winter activity. Yoga will also help strengthen your core and improve your balance, which will assist you on the slopes or the trails!

Here is a yoga practice that targets specific muscles used in your snow sports. The yoga flow will also help create balance for the mind, body, and spirit to improve your mood during wintertime.

Enjoy!

Yoga For Balance

Balance. We all need it to be successful in life. Athletes need it to best their physical best in their sport. Teachers and professors require the mental stability to juggle all of their student's particular needs. Spouses and partners need emotional steadiness to deal with the complexities of being in an intimate relationship. And we all personally need poise and solid footing when we’re dealing with the up and downs that life loves to throw at us.

Finding one’s symmetry in life to stay grounded can be difficult. When you have the full awareness of these challenges, it’s imperative to find a positive way to stabilize yourself to stay healthy. One option is engaging in mental health therapy to help find a balance for emotional issues in life. Another choice is seeking spiritual guidance at your place of worship to steer you onto a positive path. Exercise is also an excellent addition to mental health therapy to find balance in your life. Running, cycling and weight training are fantastic choices, but yoga is another alternative to improve balance in your life. 

Studies have shown that Yoga will strengthen your primary balance muscles.  It improves the equilibrium receptors located in our ears which helps the body to find symmetry. Mental and emotional benefits include increased focus, concentration, stress reduction, and confidence-building, 

Here are the five yoga poses that you can begin to practice to add overall balance to your life.

Mountain:  

Benefits:

• It helps to develop concentration, confidence, balance, and focus.

• It strengthens the knees, hips, back, shoulders.

• Supports posture and body alignment.

1. Stand with the feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward, and the arms alongside the body with the fingertips pressing toward the earth. Lift the sternum and lengthen through the crown of the head. Feel the quads squeeze together and engage the core.

2. As you inhale, lift the arms out to the side of the body and then bring them overhead.  Relax the shoulders down the back and reach the fingertips to the ceiling.  Keep a soft gaze in front of you or close your eyes to invite introversion.  

3. Breathe here for 3- 5 complete breaths.

4. As you exhale, bring the arms slowly down until they are alongside the body.

5.  Pause and feel.

6. Repeat.

Standing Squat:

Benefits:  

• It develops focus, balance, and stability.

• It strengthens the feet, ankles, knees, quads, glutes, core, and shoulders.

• It increases blood circulation to the lower extremities.

1. From the mountain, shift your weight onto the heels and lift your toes to feel full weight distribution taking place (keep toes raised throughout for extra work).

2. Bring hands at the chest in Namaste, lift the arms straight out in front of you, or lengthen the arms overhead.

3. Engage the core and imagine as if you have a chair behind you. 

4. Lift your heart, begin to bend the knees, and take your sitz bones back towards that chair into your squat.

5. Pause and check that your knees are not going past your toes and that your shoulders are relaxing. 

6. Breathe here for numerous breaths and play with how low you can go.

7. On an inhalation, come back up to a standing position

8. Release and repeat.

Modifications: 

Don’t go as deep into the squat. 

If the shoulders are tired, keep the hands at the chest in a prayer position or place them on your thighs.

Eagle

Benefits:

• It strengthens the ankles, calves, quads, and hips.

• It stretches the Rhomboids. 

• It Improves focus and balance.

1. Start in Mountain with the arms alongside the body.

2.  Shift weight onto the left foot, lift the right foot off the ground, cross it over the left leg, then either rest the foot on the side of the left leg or wrap the foot around the left calf.

3. Inhale to lift the arms to a t-position. As you exhale, bring the arms towards each other at the center and cross the left arm over the right arm.  Bend the right arm at a 90-degree angle, then bend the left arm at a 90-degree angle and bring the palms of the hands together.

4. Press the arms slightly away from the face and begin to lift the arms towards the ceiling. 

5. Engage the core, keep the chest lifted, drop the gluts back and start squatting towards the earth.

6. When you find your working stance, pause here for 3- 7 breaths. 

7. Engage the core to come back to the center to release the legs and arms.

8. Notice how the body feels for a moment, then change side and repeat.

Modifications:

• Keep the top arm extended if that shoulder bothers you.

• Bring hands to Namaste at the heart if both shoulders are injured.

• Place the leading foot on a block to help you balance the body.

Tree:

Benefits:

• It helps balance, focus, and stability.

• It strengthens the legs.

• It stretches the inner thigh, groin, and hips.

1. Start in the Mountain pose and feel both feet engaged into the earth.

2. Begin to shift weight between the left foot and the right foot.  Notice any issues with an imbalance in the feet, legs, torso, and mind.

3. Pick a focal point or dristi anywhere in front of you. Let the muscles in your face relax, the shoulders soften, and bring the hands to the heart center.

4. Eventually, bring your total weight onto the left foot.

5. Lift the right foot, and place it either below the knee or above the knee. Ensure that the foot does not press into the knee joint, as it can cause pressure and even cause damage to the knee joint. 

6. Lightly press the right knee back as far as it will comfortably go. The stretch will allow a deeper opening in the inner thigh, hips, and the piriformis muscle in the glutes.

7. Either keep the hands at the heart center or modify by taking the arms straight overhead into a temple pose.  Feel free to close the eyes for an additional challenge of balance in the pose☺

8. Slowly release under your power.

9.  Pause and feel the weight equally shifting back to both feet.

10) Change sides and repeat.

Modifications:

• Place your lifted foot on a block. 

• Stay close to a wall for support.
  
  
  
  

Twisted Warrior: 

1. Start in the Mountain pose. 

2. Step the right leg back to your most full extension. You’ll have the toes tucked under, with the heel lifted off of the earth.

3. Bend the left leg right above the ankle. 

4. Bring hands to the heart center, engage the core and stabilize the legs. Begin to twist to the left, keeping the torso long. Stay long and tall in the torso, or take the right elbow onto the left thigh.

5. Step the right foot forward next to the left leg and release the arms alongside the body when ready.

6. Pause to feel the difference between the right leg and left leg.

      7) Then change sides and repeat.