Is the nagging pain in your neck and back distracting you and draining your energy?
Press PAUSE on your busy life with this free 10 minute "Yoga at My Desk" video to instantly feel better!
B L O G
Back to School, Back to You Challenge Starting Monday September 9th
Sep 05, 2019
It's back to school time so that means it's the perfect time to get back into your routine too!
Life can be busy and work gets hectic so that means its super important that you take care of yourself!
This 5 day mini challenge is the perfect way to kick that off and give you tools to:
-ease chronic tension in your neck and shoulders
-strengthen your muscles so you stand and walk taller
-have consistent energy all day long
-lower your stress levels
-boost your focus and creativity to get more done!
All in just a few minutes everyday because Yoga is amazing like that ;)
Ready to sign up? Right on! You can by joining the Yoga at My Desk Tribe here
Because it works on many systems and parts of your body simultaneously Yoga is the ultimate vehicle to help you optimize your health on all levels!
The hard truth is that sitting can take a big toll on your body so it is vital that you take breaks...
No bones about it: Yoga is amazing!
Aug 12, 2019
By now I'm sure that you have realized that Yoga has a long list of benefits such as relieving back pain and neck tension, lowering your stress level and boosting your productivity to name just a few! But did you know that it helps you build strong and healthy bones too?
Pretty awesome right?
In the poses we are placing our joints in a variety of positions which helps to circulate their fluid and stimulates renewal of cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
Simultaneously, the bones are isometrically subjected to forces many times those of gravity, which causes them to grow stronger.
Yoga uses such a variety of positions that it stimulates the muscles and joints from all sides! Which is also fantastic for building strength AND maintaining flexibility.
This signals the mechanosensor cells within our bones...
Does working a desk give you lower back pain? Then it might be time to lunge and squat!
Jul 10, 2019
Spending a significant portion of our day seated can take a toll on us in many ways. One area of our body that is often effected is our lower back, that can get stiff and painful without regular movement.
Couple this with tension in the surrounding muscles: hip flexors, hamstrings and lower back muscles plus the extra pressure on the spine when seated and we could have a problem on out hands: LOWER BACK PAIN!
So what can we do?
SQUAT!!
Research shows us that doing hip flexor stretches combined with holding a deep squat is a powerful way to maintain lower back, hip and ankle mobility.
In just as few as 10 minutes a day we can go a long way towards keeping our spines healthy and pain free!
Mobility expert Kelly Starrett suggests that we start with 10 one minute squats every day, working our way up to a 10 minute hold.
Eventually, we want to work our way up to a more balanced ratio of time spent sitting, to time spent mobilizing our body….but we have to start...
4 Ways that Yoga Helps You Avoid Getting Sick!
Jul 03, 2019
At certain times of the year it seems like everyone around us is sniffling and sneezing right? With colds and flus going around like crazy it is so important that we do everything we can to stay healthy and keep our immune systems strong!
Remember the saying: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? Well it's true! The more that we can do on a regular basis to keep our vitality high the better, which means we will get sick less often and recover more quickly when we do.
Since it effects our body on many levels simultaneously, Yoga is an extremely powerful tool for boosting our immunity and keeping us feeling great. The key of course is to practice it on a regular basis to get maximum benefits and keep everything running optimally.
Curious how taking Yoga Breaks can help you avoid the sniffles, aches and fevers of cold and flu season?
Check out 4 ways Yoga helps you helps you avoid getting sick:
- Yoga helps to bring stress levels down to reduce inflammation and reduce...
Try this easy move you can do at your desk to ease neck and shoulder pain
May 21, 2019
Do you upper back or neck pain when working at your desk? So many of us do!
Part of the reason for this is because when we are working on the computer we tend to slouch: letting our shoulders and head roll forward. This takes us out of the natural S curve of the spine into a rounded C curve. When this happens our muscles have to work harder to hold us upright and our head gets heavier and heavier.
In fact, for every inch your head moves forward of your shoulders it’s weight increases by approximately 10 pounds!
This extra weight means the upper back and neck muscles have to work extra hard leading to extra tension and discomfort. This extra work can drain our energy and zap our productivity. This makes it extra important to take Yoga Breaks throughout our day to reset our posture and ease the impact of sitting. Click here to learn more about the effects of sitting on our bodies, minds, and spirit.
Watch this quick video to learn a move you can do right away to...
Celebrate Posture Month with 50% off the ABC’s of Strong Posture Workshop
May 01, 2019
Sit up straight, stand up tall….you’ve probably heard this advice SO many times right? And for good reason! Posture is so important, so important that it now has its own month, May! May is Postural Awareness Month, so I’ll be sharing lots of tips and tricks to help you strengthen your posture.
Want to learn more about posture and why it's so important? Check out this short Facebook Live I did on the topic!
Slouchy sitting and bad tech habits are a common cause of back and neck pain, as well as headaches, and are a major drain on your energy. So what can we do about it? Learn the ABC’s of Strong Posture in my fun and interactive workshop!
From May 1-30th I am offering 50% off this fun and interactive workshop that will teach your team:
- the key elements of posture so they can sit taller with less pain and tension
- how to use their breath to lower stress and boost energy
- tools and tips to integrate into their workday immediately
Book your...
Why should you do stretching exercises at your desk? To prevent sitting disease!
Apr 17, 2019
Did you know that the average American spends about 55% of their waking hours every day sitting???
This adds up to almost 8 hours everyday sitting, and this finding is on the low end, with other studies that many people are sedentary (ie: not moving) for 12 or more hours everyday. WOWZERS!!
So what does this all this sitting mean for your health?
Remember how we talked about how Sitting is the New Smoking ie: how all that time parked in a chair is not only wreaking havoc on your derriere, but also your health? Well unfortunately, it’s true and it even has its own name: SITTING DISEASE! “The growing body of research on sitting disease has found a strong correlation between long periods of sitting and elevated risk of illness or injury.” YIKES!!!…..like what you might be asking yourself????
It turns out that sitting for so long everyday puts someone at a higher risk for:
- weight gain (especially around the midsection where it...
FREE 5 day “Desk Yoga” Challenge starts April 22nd!
Apr 16, 2019
Did you know that taking short Yoga Breaks throughout your workday is a great way to:
- ease the chronic tension in your neck and shoulders
- strengthen your core muscles for better posture
- balance the effects of chronic sitting
Within just a few deep breaths Yoga Breaks help to boost your productivity by:
- lowering your stress levels
- keeping your brain alert and sharp
- boosting your creativity and focus
AWESOME RIGHT?
I’m so excited to help you get into the habit of taking Yoga Breaks throughout the day with this FREE 5 Day “Desk Yoga” Challenge!!!
Sign up by HERE:
http://bit.ly/takeayogabreak to get your challenge worksheet!
Each day at 7am HST/10amPST/1pmEST in my Yoga at My Desk Tribe I will be going live to show you 1 stretch and 1 strengthening move for a different area of your body, plus a breathing exercise to help you focus and quiet your mind!
Then once you have done the...
Remember how much fun recess was as a kid? It turns out adults need them too!
Mar 29, 2019
Do you remember how much joy you felt when you heard the recess bell sound? Hooray, time to go outside to play!
And within an instant everyone would grab their snacks and head outside to skip, play ball, talk, whatever. Wasn’t it fun?
Spoiler alert:
It turns out that recess really wasn’t all fun and games, it actually serves a purpose!
According to research from Georgia State University, the brain can only focus for 45-50 minutes at a time. In order for it to regain focus, it needs novelty and downtime to process information at high speeds again.
Interesting right?
While you thought you were just out there having fun you were actually:
- increasing oxygen and blood flow to your brain
- improving your balance and motor function
- building healthy muscles and joints
- lowering stress levels
- enhancing your hormonal balance and overall well-being
When you returned back to class after this “brain break” (aka: recess ;)) research...
A powerful question to ask yourself anytime, anywhere
Mar 11, 2019
Want a simple yet extremely powerful way to ground yourself and return your focus to the present moment?
Ask yourself this question:
And then pay attention:
Where do you feel your breath? What is the quality of it?
Often when we are feeling stressed out or paying attention to things around us our breath is short and shallow and mostly in the chest and shoulder area.
Not only does this increase tension in this area because these muscles are not meant to be our main breathing muscles, it also triggers more stress in our bodies because it is the fight or flight breathing pattern.
As soon as you shift your focus to your breath and begin to pay attention to it you will notice a shift within yourself. As you tune into the flow of your breath, the feeling of it and the quality of it you will feel yourself becoming more relaxed, grounded, and present.
Tuning into the subtle rhythm of the breath is the easiest way we have to bring our attention into our body and into the now.
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