| For thousands of years, practitioners have used | | | | and knees, with your hands six-inches from the front |
| mind-body exercise such as yoga as a great stress | | | | of your sticky mat. Place your hands under shoulders |
| reliever while strengthening, toning and increasing | | | | and knees under hips, spread fingers wide and press |
| flexibility. Today, yoga is more popular than ever--even | | | | every knuckle into floor. With your inner-elbow creases |
| outside of the studio. Increasingly, personal trainers, | | | | facing forward, draw the shoulder blades down the |
| fitness professionals, and fitness-minded exercisers | | | | back. In one smooth motion flatten the spine, tuck the |
| are incorporating yoga moves and equipment into their | | | | toes under and lift the hips up and back while |
| routines. | | | | straightening the legs--forming an upside down "V" |
| Try adding the following to your fitness routines and | | | | over the sticky mat. In this position reach the heels |
| yoga practices: | | | | toward the floor, pull the inner thighs up and back as |
| Warrior II: | | | | you lengthen through the waist. Try to bring the weight |
| This is a great yoga move to strengthen legs and | | | | into the legs, keep the palms pressing into the mat and |
| glutes, improve postural alignment and core strength | | | | let the head hang to relax the neck. |
| and to stretch adductors. Standing with feet a leg | | | | Yoga Block: |
| length apart on a sticky mat (to improve traction and | | | | If your hands can't reach the floor during standing |
| provide some cushioning), turn your right foot out | | | | forward bends or any yoga pose, a yoga block is an |
| 90-degreesand the left foot 45 degrees. Keeping the | | | | invaluable tool. By bringing the floor closer, users can |
| pelvis level, bend the right knee so that it is directly | | | | maintain proper form and reduce the risk of injury. |
| over the ankle, with center of kneecap aiming toward | | | | Yoga blocks can also be used to help keep knee and |
| the 2nd and 3rd toes. Keep your weight even on both | | | | feet alignment during bridges, leg presses, stability ball |
| legs and your torso vertical, contracting the abs and | | | | squats and more by placing the block between the |
| pressing the shoulder blades down and back to work | | | | legs (just above knees) while performing the |
| the core. Keeping your base solid and pulling your abs | | | | exercises. |
| in and up, extend the arms out to the sides and focus | | | | Yoga Straps: |
| your gaze over your right hand. Breathe evenly | | | | Yoga straps are crucial for beginners and are a very |
| through the nose and start out holding the pose for 10 | | | | helpful tool for more advanced yoga practitioners and |
| breaths, increasing the amount of time with experience. | | | | fitness participants. By increasing one's reach they help |
| Repeat on the other side and evenly train your body. | | | | to advance strength and flexibility and while performing |
| Downward Dog: | | | | static stretches, such as a supine straight-legged |
| Perhaps one of the most recognized yoga postures, | | | | hamstring stretch. Yoga belts can also be looped with |
| downward dog is a great way to strengthen the | | | | the buckle to support upper-arm placement in poses |
| whole body, build functional strength, and stretch the | | | | such as planks, downward dog, scorpion, back bends |
| hamstrings and calves. Begin by getting on your hands | | | | and more. |