Align Pilates® Minneapolis

Think about what yoga does for you. Wouldn’t it be great if you could pass it on to your kids? It’s certain—yoga is not just for adults. In fact, many schools and teachers incorporate yoga poses and instruction into their every-day curriculum. The positive effects are plentiful. It not only helps with children’s concentration, but it promotes wellness, spurs creativity, instills the importance of de-stressing and self-reflection, and much more. (Check out the Yoga in Schools organization for a whole slew of information.) Of course, the bet instruction starts at home. If you want to encourage your little one’s interest in yoga, here are some creative takes on the traditional yoga moves you know and love (‘crab walk table top’ for plank pose, ‘super hero’ for locust pose, ‘pencil stretch’ for savasana…you get the idea). Play around—it’s a great way to get started.

Do you find yourself on edge and wanting to avoid certain situations like they are dentist appointments, or do you have so much self-confidence that you fantasize about being the leader of the free world? Do you know what you want when you want it and aren’t afraid to say it, or do you prefer to keep your emotions tactfully bottled up inside? Are you an ‘Ernie’ or a ‘Bert’? Besides giving insight into your, eh-hem, ‘special’ personality, your answers to these questions could say a lot about your chakras. Yes, your chakras. Everybody has them, seven of them, to be exact.

Chakras are otherwise known as centers of energy that run along the midline of your body. Each one of them corresponds to an emotional or mental characteristic. Some of them are open and active like a seven-eleven, and some are shut up tight like…well, use your imagination. The key is to find out which ones are working overtime for you so that you can strive toward emotional and mental balance. Now wouldn’t that be nice.

Per usual, we are here to help. Here’s an excellent chakra test that will help you see which of your energy centers are wide open (or active), which ones are closed (under active) and how to kick those under-achieving buggers into high gear. And, as luck would have it, Align has introduced a new Yoga Chakra Series so you can put it all into practice. It starts June 17th so you have plenty of time to figure out what these chakra thing-a-ma-jigs are really all about.

Ah, Costa Rica. What can I say? Your beaches are blissful, your ocean is oh-so inviting and your sunsets produce sentimental moments of pure and utter juicy joy. Yes, Align Pilates just returned from its 3rd annual Wellness Retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica. And, yes, it was THAT good. We’ve arrived back in the Twin Cities feeling rejuvenated, relaxed and ready for two more months of winter. Okay, that last part is a huge lie, but we’re just trying to keep the positive vibes alive here. Even though we are back in reality, we can still reflect on the little bit of heaven we left behind us.

If you were fortunate to be there, you’ll surely remember that each day’s Yoga and Pilates classes were focused on one of the seven chakras—seven chakras for seven days. (How prefect and Zen-like.) For those of you who were not there, first of all, you MUST sign up for next year. Second, here’s a sort of crash chakra course. (After all, we don’t want you to feel totally left out of the bliss.)

You can learn how the chakras travel your body, from the base of the spine to the top of the head, and correspond to certain functions and feelings both in and outside of ourselves. Try putting one to use each day and see how it can transform your Yoga or Pilates practice.

Namaste!

Ah, the yoga mat. It supports you, it accepts you just the way you are and it only gives you dirty looks when you neglect it. Just when you thought your six foot pad of harmony couldn’t get any better, the Yogamatic mat comes along. The gurus behind Yogamatic use artist-inspired designs to create expressive mats with functionality AND character. When you strike a pose on one of these pretty babies, not only will you avoid unsightly slips, bruises and foot marks, but you’ll be thoroughly inspired by their one-of-a-kind designs.

Yogamatic mats are colorfully printed from edge to edge to reflect your style and personality, provide a durable and solvent-free surface for your poses, are made of eco-friendly materials AND come with their own bag for ease of travel.

With outstanding qualities such as these, perhaps they should be called yoga mates.

When it comes to burning calories, it’s often the little things that count. Making small yet smart choices about your diet and exercise can get you closer to the big picture: trimming and toning your whole physique. For example, today’s CNN article points out 7 small choices that can lead to big results. And isn’t it convenient that there are also 7 days in the week? The article even schedules a different choice for you to make Sunday through Saturday. I particularly like Saturday’s choice: yogic breathing. We tend to eat more when we are stressed. So to conquer this, try relaxing. And just breathe:

“Rest your right thumb near your right nostril, ring finger and pinky by your left nostril. Close the left side and inhale through the right for four counts, then close your right nostril and hold for four counts. Open your left nostril and exhale through that side for four counts. Repeat cycle again on other side; continue alternating for at least a minute. You’ll relax in no time—and may even forget about that cookie you longed for.”

Today’s Monday—a great day to start shaking things up. Start off the week by adding a few new, small choices to your routine…maybe even schedule a yoga class and put your yogic breathing into practice. And in a couple of weeks, who knows. Each small step could be one giant leap toward your fitness goals.