Align Pilates® Minneapolis

I loathe Mondays. But who doesn’t? To me, this day means trading sleeping in for getting up too early, comfy jeans for rigid work pants, and a leisurely trip to the coffee shop for a hastily home-brewed pot of sludge.

Whether my weekend was bustling or relaxing, Mondays often find me stiff, tired, and unfocused. Once I hit the office and wake my computer from its own weekend slumber, I find myself craving a yoga or pilates class to regain focus and help me put my thinking cap on. So this got me wondering: since I’m attached to my cube for the better part of the day, how can I use what I have to help me get the mental/physical workout I want?

In between mouse clicks and page turns today, I tried a few stretches I found on the websites below. Lo and behold, I worked out a few Monday kinks, right from the comfort of my own chair. Some of the arm/leg/back/neck stretches I stumbled upon include the Chair Twist, Seated Hamstring Stretch, or my personal favorite Warrior 2 (posers beware: if your chair resides in an open workspace, this last one requires the ability to ignore quizzical stares from coworker passersby).

Go on, take another look. Some of these sites even come with pictures or videos, because words, like Mondays, are way overrated.

Yoga at Your Desk
Yoga at Work
Workplace Wellness

Rough day? Stressed? Kinked neck? Stiff muscles? Couldn’t find your passport for a last minute getaway in Costa Rica? You need a massage.

Enter Stacy Seebart. Hands of magic. She not only magically works all that stress from your body but from your spirit as well.

Catch her while you can though, as she’s a busy little stress reliever. When she’s not traveling to Costa Rica to practice Pranassage and teach Yoga at the Nosara Yoga Institute, you can find her at Aagesen Chiropractic Mon-Thurs, Blooma Thursday evenings and Live Well Chiropractic Spa and Acupuncture Center on Fridays.

Stacy is available by appointment at any of the three clinics listed above.

…or not. But you really should be. Align Pilates retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica is a mix of heaven, peace and true bliss.

Check it out here and put it on the books for next year. Believe me, you will thank me for the push.

Have a hot date with a yoga mat, but nothing to wear? Want to buy a new outfit, but like every other level-headed thinker in this downward facing economy, don’t want to spend the big bucks? Try a few sales on for size.

For $20 or under at Lucy.com, you can slip into a new pair of ideal dance pants that will make that special yogi turn his head. Or, if your style requires a different approach, warm up with a paradise thermal, make a statement with a peace tank, or cater to your baby-to-be belly with a luna maternity capri.

As if you thought that the fun stops at Lucy. Check out Prana or Athletica for more deals. You, and your pocketbook, will be glad you did.

Ujjayi. From the moment that I deciphered this word that my yoga instructor repeats in class, I become intrigued by it. Ujjayi breath is a deep breathing technique that adds rhythm, stability, and energy to the yoga practice while giving the body oxygen and ridding it of toxins. Also referred to as “ocean breath,” the Ujjayi is balancing and calming, helping you stay grounded throughout each pose transition.

Ujjayi breath is inhaled and exhaled through the nose. I like to think of it as filling up a deep balloon. The breath begins by filling up the stomach, and then rises to the rib cage. Finally, it pushes up through the chest and throat, and out through the nose. The duration of the breath is personal, controlled by the strength of your diaphragm. Like much else, practice makes perfect—the more you can use Ujjayi in yoga practice, the stronger your diaphragm and breath will become.

Ujjayi can be best when audible. As it flows in and out of the nose, it creates a sound akin to ocean waves rolling to and fro the shore, hence “ocean breath.” Think Darth Vader, but perhaps a healthier, happier, and more relaxed Darth Vader…in Buddha pose on a yoga mat.

Not only do I like what the Ujjayi breath adds to my yoga practice, but I simply enjoy saying it. Like the breathing technique it promotes, it sounds strong, inspiring, and thoughtful as it leaves the tongue.

A local second grade teacher was telling me about this AWESOME program they have incorporated at her school called Yoga Calm. The kids enjoy the break in their day with yoga movements and poses, which may feel to them like recess, while unbeknownst to them they are educating their minds, bodies and hearts! Sounds like an incredible learning experience.

She marvels at the fact that all she has to do is reach her arms out to indicate the beginning movement to heart center and the kids fall peacefully quiet, following in her pose. One of her little guys who has an energy all of his own enthusiastically runs into the classroom asking if they’ll be doing Down Dog today!

You will have this water bottle for the rest of your life. And he is everything you are looking for…worldly, dependable, strong, earth-friendly, fantastic sense of style, bacteria-free, very good looking. And he’ll hold your water while you work out.

SIGG bottles come in over 100 unique designs. Using 30 independent artists from around the world, SIGG Switzerland introduces fabulous styles every year.

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”
- Sir Edmund Percival Hillary

Tomorrow marks the day for many to start fresh and new. Back to routine and full work weeks. Ambitions and resolutions for the new year in hand. Or at least lingering about in back of mind. The holidays are over.

No more excuses to eat two pieces of chocolate goodness before noon. The reasons to skip hitting the gym after work to have one too many glasses of festive cheer are null and void. The last minute Christmas shopping and  out-of-town friends will no longer stand in the way of that 7:00 yoga class.  I must say, it was fun while it lasted. Alas, it’s time to reel it in.

Sir Edmund Percival Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer. On May 29th,1953, at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.

Mount Everest is a pretty admirable feat. I’m just hoping to kick my fell-into-the-big-black-hole-of-holiday-cheer butt back into shape. But after reading this quote from the (remarkably rugged and probably pretty hot in his day) Sir Edmund, I’ve realized that my body doesn’t need conquering as much as the thing that tells my body what to do does.

Music is such a big part of exercise. It can be just the motivation needed to get you up and out on that run. It can also be just what you need to hear to bring you into the moment of focus and relaxation. I melt into my yoga mat every time I hear Protection by Everything But The Girl, Indie duo Tracey Thorn and Ben Wat.

I just got done with my first Prana Stretch class and all I can say is, wow.

I was a bit unsure before attending this class. Prana Stretch? I’m not sure what that means, but I knew I needed a good stretch so I wanted to give it a try. I spend my days in front of the computer which brings an enormous amount of tension to my hips, shoulders and overall spirit. I crave a deep stretch much like many crave a piece of dark chocolate.

I was worried it would be intimidating to have “hands on assistance” in such a small setting especially since it has been awhile since I have attended a Pilates class. Exactly how dumb am I going to look? As I entered the studio room, my nerves were immediately put at ease. The environment was very serene and calming, with dimmed lighting and candles lit. The 6 mats were already placed out on the floor, each with ample personal space. The class began with the calming instruction given by Adrienne, asking us to take some time to put away the thoughts of today’s events. Any yogi can relate to the importance of the pre-class meditation time needed to bring oneself into the moment, focusing on intention while blocking out thoughts that may interrupt that focus. The soothing music playing was a wonderful aid in bringing me inward.

Adrienne  began her instruction for the stretch poses. Each pose rhythmically flowed into the next at a perfect pace. Some simple stretches, some yoga poses. With each pose, we were assisted by Mary or Adrienne, helping to deepen the stretch with a purposeful pull and tug. Their unspoken timing with each other as they each moved from client to client helped keep the class moving without anticipation of “what is she going to do to me next.”

Much of the assistance involves close personal contact with the instructors. My favorite is when they physically steamroll over your back with their bodies. They are as unobtrusive as they can be while using their own bodies to help you stretch your own, respecting your space and personal experience.  I never felt uncomfortable. I actually kind of wanted to hug Mary when she was done working on me.

I highly recommend this class to anybody who feels the slightest bit of tension anywhere in their body or mind. I guarantee you will walk away feeling refreshed and revived. And wanting to do it all over again.