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.