Yoga Pose of the Day: Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose

Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose, or Utthita Hasta Pandangusthasana, is a wonderful pose for stretching your legs, primarily your hamstrings and calves, challenging your balance, and strengthening your ankles. There are multiple variations of the pose which can help further open your hips and shoulders.




1-Begin standing in Mountain Pose, creating length through your spine by pushing through your heels and extending through your head. Keep your chest up and your shoulders down away from your ears, pressing down into your back.

2-Shift your weight onto your left foot, until 98 percent of your weight is supported on your left foot.

3-When you feel balanced, begin to lift your right knee up to your chest, and place your hands on the outside of your knee and hold this position for a few deep breaths. Engage your core and find your balance here.

4-Take your right hand to the inside of your right foot and loop your index and middle fingers around your big toe.

5-As you exhale, begin to slowly extend your right foot forward, being sure to keep your torso straight. Extend to the farthest point of your flexibility or until your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Hold this extension for five deep breaths.

6-On your next inhalation, slowly bring your knee back to your chest, then exhale and lower your right foot to the floor.

7-Find yourself back in Mountain Pose, and the repeat on the other side, this time extending your left leg forward.


Want to challenge yourself and open your hips? Try Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose, B. After you have extended your leg forward to the point where it is parallel to the ground, rotate your extended leg 90 degrees to the side and gaze in the opposite direction.


NAMASTE!

Exercise of the Day: Pistol Squats

Yesterday I introduced one of the gym members to pistol squats, and her legs and glutes were on fire! This is a great exercise to get firm glutes that are also lifted, perfect for getting ready for that pool season that is almost officially here!!

Pistol squats can be modified easily, so if you're balance just is not quite ready to support it, you can place a hand on a wall or stable bench. You can also make the squats more challenging, by holding dumbbells, or strapping on ankle weights.



1-Stand with your feet placed about hip width apart, creating length in your spine, really extending through your head. You want a long, flat back, and your chest to stay up during this exercise.

2-Begin by raising your right foot a few inches off the ground, being sure that your right foot is flexed and you are grounding yourself through your left foot.

3-When you feel stable in this position, slowly start lowering yourself down into a squat, raising your right leg so that your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Be sure that you keep your torso as upright as possible to relieve your back of as much strain as possible. If this is too strenuous, you may hover your right foot closer to the floor.

4-When your left thigh is parallel to the floor, hold the squat for two to three counts, and then slowly and with control, push through your left foot and bring yourself up to the starting position discussed in Step 2, your right foot hovering slightly over the floor as you stand on your left foot. This is one repetition.

Do 15 to 20 repetitions on each leg to complete 1 set. Do a total of 2 to 3 sets.

ENJOY!!

Exercise of the Day: Plank and Superman Tabata

Want to make sure that you hit every aspect of your core in one section of your workout? Do a tabata exercise, alternating between holding plank and holding the superman. Both your abs and your back will be worked, and both exercises can be manipulated with to be more challenging,  or simple a little different to prevent boredom in your workout.

You will hold the plank position for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Hold the superman position for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. This is one round. Do a total of 4 rounds, the entire exercise therefore lasting 4 minutes.

Make sure you give your back and abs a good stretch!!! Blast that core!!


Here's a picture of your standard plank. Be sure to have your elbows directly under your shoulders to avoid unnecessary strain on your shoulder and elbow joints. Push through your heels and extend through your neck, as if you are being pulled in opposite directions. Want to make it a little harder? Place your toes on a box to elevate your legs.


Here's a picture of the standard superman. This will really work your lower back, and you want to engage your glutes as well to keep your thighs off the ground. Extend your arms straight ahead of you, keeping your palms facing each other and your gaze at a point about 45 degrees ahead of you to keep your neck relaxed. You can make the superman harder by holding dumbbells in your hands, you can do superman pulses, or you can flutter your hands and feet.

So, play around with the different variations of the exercises and alternate them in a tabata-style exercise.

ENJOY!!