Bold Yoga

Embrace the power of Pranayama during pregnancy!🤰🏼🌿

🌬️Your breath reflects your emotions, but it can also be your anchor. Through yoga and breath awareness, you can find balance when stress and emotions run high.

🧘🏼‍♀️Pranayama is your tool for promoting positive emotional health, helping you manage mood swings and stay calm, even during labor. By practicing controlled breathing, you train yourself to relax and open up, reducing pain and allowing labor to progress naturally.

Let your breath guide you through this beautiful journey! 🌸

Breathe better, mama! 🌬️

As your body changes during pregnancy, proper breathing becomes essential for comfort and well-being.

Swipe through to learn more, and don’t forget to follow for breathing exercises and tips on how breathwork can support you and your baby!

Bonus: Reverse Table Top also provides similar benefits 👇🏼

✨ Strengthens the back, shoulders, and arms

✨ Helps counteract poor posture

✨ Engages the core muscles and strengthens the glutes

✨ Boosts energy and mood

Wondering what you can do instead? 🤔

Keep an eye on the upcoming posts for safe alternatives and modifications! 👀

We discussed in the previous post that when the uterus and baby reach a certain size, lying flat can compress the vena cava. Thus, it is recommended to avoid lying flat on your back for prolonged periods of time.🤰⚠️

What about Shavasana?

You can still enjoy it with the proper adjustments! 🌟

The general principle is to either opt for a side-lying variation or prop yourself into an inclined position. Use available props and/or household items (if you practice at home) to make yourself as comfortable as possible. Don't shy away if you don't have all the bolsters or blocks—any pillows, blankets, or towels will suffice as long as they are stacked in a stable way and offer you the proper support.

Save this post for later reference if you found it useful or share it with a friend who might need it! 🌸✨

🤰🏼🧘🏼‍♀️ Pregnant and Love Yoga? Read This!

Did you know lying flat on your back during pregnancy can lead to Supine Hypotension Syndrome (SHS)? This condition, common in the later stages of pregnancy, occurs when your growing uterus compresses a major vein, leading to dizziness 😵‍💫💫

But don't worry! You can still enjoy your yoga practice safely. Stay tuned for upcoming posts on how to modify those yoga poses for a healthy and enjoyable practice 🧘‍♀️✨💪

As I've embarked on my own pregnancy journey over the last seven months, I've decided to share some yoga tips that have helped me navigate the ups and downs, accommodate the changes of the pregnant body, and alleviate the symptoms that come along.

Stay tuned for some prenatal yoga content that I hope will guide you through this magical journey. Let me know what you think! 🙏🏼 🧘🏼‍♀️

Looking to take your stretching to the next level?
Check the technique described above ⬆️

This technique builds on a neuromuscular reflex called reciprocal inhibition. Simply put, reciprocal inhibition is the process in which a muscle must relax on one side of a joint to allow a muscle on the other side of the joint, typically the antagonist, to contract effectively.

Some examples of antagonistic muscles include:

✨ biceps brachii and triceps brachii
✨ pectoralis major and rhomboids
✨ gluteus maximus and iliacus
✨ re**us femoris and biceps femoris
✨ tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius

Time to debunk some yoga myths! 🕵️‍♂️

I've put together my take on three commonly misunderstood aspects of yoga that can hold us back from fully experiencing this transformative practice:

🚫 Myth #1: You have to be flexible to practice yoga.

You have to be flexible to practice yoga
Yoga is a practice that welcomes people of all shapes, sizes, and flexibility levels. In fact, flexibility is not a prerequisite for starting a yoga journey. The beauty of yoga lies in in the process. Our flexibility, balance and capacity to be mindful will be enhanced through consistent practice.

🚫 Myth #2: Yoga is Just Stretching

Although yoga does incorporate stretching, it encompasses much more than that. Yoga is a comprehensive system that combines physical movement, breath control, meditation, and philosophical principles. Practicing yoga offers a pathway to self-discovery and personal growth. It cultivates mindfulness, deepens body awareness, and promotes mental clarity.

🚫 Myth #3: Yoga is a Religion

Yoga is a spiritual practice that encourages self-inquiry, compassion, and a connection to something greater than oneself. However, it can be integrated into any religious or spiritual framework without conflicting with one's existing beliefs. Yoga's teachings emphasize unity, love, and personal growth, making it accessible to individuals of diverse faiths.

What other yoga myths should we say goodbye to? 💭

Unlock tight hips and power up your legs with Lizard Pose! 🦎

This yoga posture targets your hip flexors, hamstrings, and quads, providing a deep stretch that can help improve your overall mobility and prevent injuries. 🔓🦵

Whether you're a seasoned yogi or just starting out, make sure to add Lizard Pose to your routine and feel the difference! 🙌

Looking for a powerful yoga pose that targets multiple areas of the body?
Look no further! 💪🧘‍♀️
Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana) combines strength and flexibility to help you improve your balance, muscular strength, and stretching.
Plus, it's a great way to tone and strengthen your arms, shoulders, obliques, and core. 🙌 So give it a try and see how it can benefit your practice!

This unique and creative pose not only challenges your balance, but also provides a deep opening for your hips. Plus, you can adjust the stretch to your comfort level by lowering or raising your hips and torso.

If you're a runner or swimmer, incorporating Half Chair Pose into your practice can help improve your flexibility and endurance by challenging your hip abductors and glute muscles.

Give it a try and see the benefits for yourself!

Did you know... 🤔
Child Pose is a great counter pose for most yoga postures?

In yoga, counter poses are used to balance out the effects of a previous posture or sequence, to release tension or stiffness in the body, and to prevent injury. 🧘🏼‍♀️💆‍♀️

✨ For example, if you perform a backbend,
A good counter pose would be Knees to Chest, which gently stretches and neutralizes the spine

✨ Similarly, if you perform a Forward Fold, a perfect counterpose would be one that gently opens the front side of the body, such as Upward Plank Pose.

By incorporating counter poses into your yoga practice, you can help to create balance in the body, prevent injury, and ensure that you are getting a well-rounded practice. 🌞💪

🤔💭 Do you often feel stiff and inflexible? 😩
Give Gate Pose a shot! 🙌

By grounding one knee on the mat, this pose offers a gentle way to improve your balance while stretching your rib cage.

Gate Pose specifically targets the intercostal muscles, which are often neglected and weakened due to poor posture.

By incorporating this pose into your routine, you will experience more freedom and ease in your movements. Give it a try and feel the difference!🌈

Want to improve your posture and build a stronger core? 🤔

Reverse Plank Pose, also known as Upward Plank Pose, can help you achieve just that!

This pose offers many benefits that can help you counteract the negative effects of modern life. By opening up your chest and shoulders, you'll feel more comfortable and confident standing tall. Plus, keeping the posture requires strong engagement of your muscles, which will help you build strength and tone throughout your body. So next time you're on the mat, give the Reverse Plank Pose a try and feel the difference it can make! 💪🧘‍♀️

New to inversions?
Give Shoulderstand Pose a try!

This beginner-friendly posture comes with many physical benefits, including stretching tense shoulders and neck, building core and upper body strength, and reducing fluid retention in the lower body.

Moreover, mastering Shoulderstand provides the ideal foundation for taking on even more advanced inversions, such as headstands and handstands.

Bananasana is a Yin Yoga posture that involves a lateral flexion of the spine, stretching all the side body tissues and muscles such as the IT band and intercostal muscles.

How to practice:

✨ Lie down on your back with your legs straight and your arms overhead.
✨ With your glutes firmly anchored on the mat, move both of your legs to the right.
✨ Use your right foot to keep your left foot in place by crossing your ankles.
✨ Bring your upper body to the right, allowing your spine to bend to the side.
✨ Hold the pose for at least one minute.
✨ Repeat on the other side.

Beginner tip:

According to Yin Yoga philosophy, one should hold the posture anywhere between one to ten minutes, keeping the focus on the breath.
You might not feel much in this pose right away. Take some time to allow the first sensations to arise, then adjust your body in a deeper bend if you’re looking for a greater sensation. 🧘🏼‍♀️🙏

Give your body a little love with Half Circle 💞
Feel how this pose opens and stretches the whole side of the body from foot to fingers! 🧘🏼‍♀️🌟

How to practice:

✨From a Table Top position, extend the left leg out to the side placing the foot flat on the floor.

✨Keep the right arm strong, under your shoulder, supporting your body on the palm.

✨Extend your left arm up, then overhead.

✨Open the chest and gaze up.

Enhance your yoga practice with this Sleeping Swan variation! 🦢
Experiment with the pose by adjusting the placement of your front leg, bringing the heel closer to your hip for a milder stretch or further away for more intensity.
Find the variation that works best for you and enjoy the journey of self-discovery! 🌟

yogapractice

Experience a powerful mind-body connection with the Beast Pose!

Although it primarily focuses on the core, holding this posture will teach you how to engage your whole body as a cohesive unit. Plus, it's a fun and challenging pose that will leave you feeling empowered and energized.

Give it a try and see the amazing benefits for yourself! 🌟

Incorporating variations in your yoga practice is a great way to keep things fun and fresh!
Have you tried the back bend variation of pigeon pose?
By keeping your arms straight and lifting your chest, you can open up your hips and stretch your quads, while also improving your posture.
Give it a try and see how it feels for your body. Remember, yoga is all about finding what works for you and honoring your unique journey. Namaste 🙏

Looking to improve your bow pose? 👀
Proper alignment is key!
Engage your quadriceps and core muscles to lift your chest and legs off the ground, while keeping your shoulders relaxed and back.
This pose stretches the chest, shoulders, hip flexors, and thighs, while strengthening the back muscles and improving posture.
So take a deep breath, focus on your alignment, and enjoy the benefits of this beautiful pose! 🙏🏼

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Working on your splits?

Half Split Pose is a great preparatory pose to help you get there! This pose engages the hamstrings, hip flexors, and quads while also stretching the calves and lower back. It also helps to improve balance and posture.

So, if you're looking to improve your flexibility, balance, and overall sense of calm, give the Half Split Pose a try in your next yoga practice! 🙏🧘🏼‍♀️

If you're new to backbends, this pose is a great starting point.

By propping yourself up on your elbows and forearms, you'll be able to gently explore the mobility of your spine and strengthen the muscles of your back. Plus, it feels amazing to stretch out your front-body, all the way from your pelvic bones to your chin.

Cow Face Pose is an amazing way to open up your chest and shoulders, but it can be tough for new yogis, especially if you're feeling stiff from sitting in front of a screen all day.

If you're having trouble interlacing your arms behind you, simply lift one arm up and rest your palm on the middle of your upper back. With your other arm, gently hold your elbow an press it down to increase the stretch 🧘🏼‍♀️

Why ?

+ Improves spinal flexibility
+ Opens up your heart and chest, helping you breathe deeper
+ Offers a deep stretch for the chest and shoulder muscles, as well as the hip flexors
+ Strengthens the hamstrings and spinal extensors

How ?

+ Lay down on your back and relax
+ Place the palms on the floor backwards, close to your upper shoulders, near your face
+ Bend the knees keeping the feet firm on the floor
+ Press through your palms to lift your entire body upwards
+ Open the chest by lifting your ribcage away from your pelvis

Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) stretches your entire body—your shoulders and arms, your ankles, hips, thighs and back. In the pose, the folded legs are said to resemble a cow's mouth; the elbows form the shape of a cow's ears.

How to practice?

+ Bend the right knee. Bring your left foot to the outside of your right hip, weaving it underneath your right knee. Bring your right foot to the outside of your left hip, so that your right knee is stacked on top of your left knee.

+ Ground through your sitting bones.

As you inhale, lengthen your spine and stretch your arms out to the sides, palms facing forward.

+ Internally rotate your right shoulder so that your palm faces to the wall behind you and your thumb points down. Sweep the arm behind your back, walking your hand up between your shoulder blades, palm facing outwards.

+ Stretch the left arm up, fingertips pointing towards the ceiling, the palm of your hand still facing forward. Bend the elbow and reach down for the right fingertips, hooking the fingers together if they reach.

Broken wing pose is a prone pose for beginners that targets the opening of the the pectoral muscles (these are the muscles that connect the front walls of the chest to the upper arms and shoulders). The pose allows the students to stretch and twist the chest in such a way that if an observer notices the practitioner from far, the position looks like a bird lying with a broken or injured wing.

How to practice?

Lying on your stomach, take your right arm out to the side, 90 degrees or less from your torso with your palm facing down. Then, press your left hand into the floor to roll onto the right side of your body. You’re looking for sensation across the right side of your chest, shoulder, and right arm. Keep this posture for at least 30 second, then repeat on the other side 🧘‍♀️

Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) is a challenging posture that will test your balance.
Practicing this pose will stretch and strengthen the whole body:
- quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves are deeply engaged to keep the proper alignment
- core is engaged to maintain your ballance
- your upper body receives a side stretch
- the arms wre extended and active
- joints like the ankles, knees, hips, rib cage, shoulders, elbows and wrists are active, and the supporting muscles that stretch farther ensure these joints gain flexibility with time