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Tag: Tips

Why NOT to Have a Spot in the Hot Room

Posted on by hamiltonadmin

When first embarking on your yoga journey, you were probably pushed outside of your confort zone the first few times you practiced, which is amazing! The more we push our boundaries, the more we grow and learn! That being said, when you were pushed, you most likely pushed back, finding ways to control your experience and feel less vulnerable.

Heather in a dark room

They are many ways that students try to ‘control’ their practice from always attending the same class time, style of class or even or practicing with a specific teacher. No matter the way you tried to control your practice, it is important to remember that the practice of yoga is to let it change you. That it is a safe space, and feeling vulnerable is part of the process.

Many, many students continue to have ‘a spot’ in the room in which they always practice. These students come early, just to secure their spot and even walk away from practice if the class is full and their spot is taken. We have even seen extreme instances of this where students have actually asked another student to move because they were in the covenanted ‘spot’ (this is a big no, no, just in case you were wondering!)

Knowing you have a spot may make you feel safe. Maybe it is at the back of the room, where no one can see you, beside a post, so you feel secure, or in the front row, so you can see every posture on your body. No matter where you spot is, we strongly encourage you to give it up!

Here is your challenge, if you are one who has a spot, next time you come to class, practice as far away from that spot as you can! See how impactful this can be on your practice, and see if the openness to change starts to trickle into your every day life!

(Originally published July 25, 2018)

The Neuroscience Behind Savasana

Posted on by hamiltonadmin

Laura recently came back from Teacher Training and is excited to start practice teaching! She wrote this amazing article on the neuroscience behind Savasana as one of her projects and we wanted to share!

Hopefully this will encourage a few more people to stay in Savasana is little longer 😉

woman at restA requirement for me at yoga teacher training was to deliver a speech – no power point, no cue cards allowed…eeek! We were given a list of potential topics and I chose the neuroscience behind Savasana. I chose this because yoga teachers always say that Savasana is the most important and most difficult pose of the series, or that we have done all of the sequence poses to enjoy the benefits in Savasana… I never understood this.

Savasana or Shavasana is also called corpse pose. For that final Savasana historically I have two versions: a “good Savasana” when I zone out (google pratyahara). Although I am still awake, I am sort of swimming just under the surface of the water. What I perceive as a “bad Savasana” is when I am focused on such important topics like did I pay the hydro bill, do I need milk, I need to scratch my cheek- the really important stuff.

savasana comic

Now I know that there is no such thing as a bad Savasana…here are a few reasons why.

Cardiovascular: this one is obvious. We work hard in that hot room and our hearts are pounding. Our muscles demand more blood, so all the little vessels open to feed them, our heart pounds quickly and we breathe a little faster- much of this is a result of our finely tuned nervous systems’ running behind the scenes. When we finally lie down in Savasana our vessels continue to feed our muscles with fresh oxygenated blood, the heart and breathing begins to slow down leaving us with this peaceful sensation of having done something wonderful for our bodies.

Interoception: I love this one. Let me define this because I had no idea what it meant. Proprioception is the awareness of where our arms and legs are when we can’t see them. Interoception is defined as the sense of the internal condition of the body. This level of our mind does not use words, the way I understand it is that this is the essence of who we are. Interoception is not the garden but the soil. By spending a few minutes at peace with this part of our being allows us to recognise where some thoughts are coming from, maybe help to change some of the negative ones (Forbes). Interoception is not just within our mind, but through our entire body. Take the time to travel through your most important asset at the end of class and become familiar with what feels normal.

What fires together will wire together: I don’t know who said this first but this is truly a buzz phrase now. When we are doing yoga, we are focusing on breathing with our movements. Our mind is thinking about two things at one time while exercising our bodies. The neurons working together will build stronger pathways so in the future our brain will take this route naturally. That peaceful feeling that you get at the end of each pose could be sought out in the line up at the grocery store or in a traffic jam, just by being aware of your breath.

How does this happen? Neuroplasticity: this is the development of new neurons. Chemicals that are released when we exercise help to create new neurons (Vaughn). Asana, meditation along with all forms of exercise release these chemicals which also improve attention, impulse control and memory (Vaughn). The re-wiring impacts many parts of our brain, making the brain healthier and stronger. One area that does not show any increase in function is the amygdala. The amygdala is our fight or flight centre, it decreases in size when we exercise or meditate. This is a good thing as this area is often overstimulated in our high stress society. After a healthy practice settling down into a deep and relaxing Savasana will allow for these minor renovations of the brain to be done. Leaving us with our “bliss head feeling” (Boccio) accessible whenever it is required.

Inhibitor neurons: Neurotransmitters are also part of our. These are the chemicals that allow for messages to transmit from one neuron to another. Exercise in general increases production of feel good neurotransmitters like serotonin and euphoriants and a stimulant (Vaughn). Asana does not release the stimulant but it does produce the endorphins and euphoriants, as well as something called Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) (Vaughn). GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, it works to “inhibit” the massive amounts of information being synapsed through out motor neurons. The stronger the inhibitory signals are, the easier it is to settle down our over active responses. Lying down in Savasana will allow these feel-good chemicals to flood our system allowing our nervous system to benefit (Coulter).

When I start to teach, you may hear me say that Savasana is the most important pose of the series as well. Hopefully this information will explain why that is.

References

Boccio, Frank Jude. “Mindfulness Yoga: the Awakened Union of Breath, Body, and Mind.” Boccio, Frank Jude. 1993.

Coulter, H. David. “Anatomy of Hatha Yoga.” Body&Breath Inc, 2010.

Forbes, Bo. LA Yoga. 27 04 2015. 03 08 2017. <https://layoga.com/practice/yoga/interoception-mindfulness-in-the-body/>.

Vaughn, Amy. Yoga to Ease Anxiety. 01 01 2016. 03 08 2107. <https://www.yogatoeaseanxiety.com/>.

About the Author:

I am a Dundas native with two sons in their 20’s. I am 48…soon to be 49 and my husband and I live in Pleasant Valley.  I teach for McMaster Mohawk in the medical radiation science program, I have a Masters in Ultrasound so that is mainly what I teach.

(Originally published on August 8, 2017)

10 Ways to Make Lifting Weights More Effective

Posted on by hamiltonadmin

If you’re more than a few months into your workout routine, you might be ready to take things to the next level. To make sure that you’re continually strengthening and improving with your workouts, we’ve developed a list of 10 ways to make lifting weights more effective in the gym. These are a great way to make your workout routine – well – not so routine anymore.

Skip the traditional machines

Don’t get us wrong, traditional machines serve their purpose – they teach you great form and get your major muscle groups firing. Most of the machines that we carry are functional machines with cables, which allow you to improve your form as they work your small muscles (which are your stabilizers). If you want to step up your game even further, use free weights to find even more freedom in your movement. You can also add resistance bands and the functional trainer to change the movement in your workout.

Combine strength & cardio

Strength and cardio go together like peanut butter and jelly. When you add cardio into your workout, it not only brings your heart rate up and boosts your metabolism, but it also allows your muscles to recover. The next time you lift weights, try adding 20 seconds of jump rope between sets for a heart-pumping workout.

Hold your pose

An isometric hold is when you contract a muscle and hold it in a flexed position. This is great because it gives you good activation and helps to strengthen the muscle. So for example: when doing a row, you’ll want to hold your arm in a flexed position for 1-3 seconds before slowly releasing.

Embrace instability

You don’t need to look like the next Olympic gymnast, but a balancing act can add tremendous benefits to your workout. When you balance during a workout, it stimulates more muscles – especially throughout the core. Rather than doing your workout in a stable position, try adding in a BOSU or stability ball at the gym.

Train one side at a time

Doing unilateral exercises that require each leg or arm to work independently (think: single-arm push-ups or pistol squats) will build strength faster on each side than bilateral exercises that work both sides of your body at once (standard squats or push-ups). It also helps to activate the core, so you’ll get a core workout at the same time as your strength workout. If you tend to favour your dominant side, this is a great way to balance your muscular development and strength across your body.

darren and barbellPlay with tempo

Another great way to challenge yourself with resistance training is by playing with the tempo of the rep. An example of playing with the tempo of a rep is 2s concentric, 1s pause, 2s eccentric, 1s pause and switching to 2s concentric, 1s pause, 4s eccentric, 1s pause.

Build a circuit

Quickly moving from one exercise to another is a great way to create a time-efficient workout. Keep in mind when you’re building your circuit to target different muscle groups back to back. This will help you to avoid exhaustion because it allows your muscles time to recover between sets, and it also provides a great full-body workout.

Get explosive

Quick movement exercises like kettlebell swings or box jumps target fast-twitch muscle fibers which produce more force than slow-twitch muscle fibers. You can do this with free weights as well. What you’ll want to do is use force for one second, then slowly release for two-three seconds.

“Think of it this way: if you ever need to spring into action –  like to push a heavy door open or lift a car off someone – you’re going to do it with force. By getting explosive in your workout, your muscles will be ready to do that.” – Coach Mark.

Aim for failure

brooke and aprilBelieve it or not, failure is a word that we embrace in the gym! It’s when your muscle is so exhausted that you just couldn’t possibly do one more repetition without losing proper form. Training to fail has been shown to increase both strength and size of muscles.

To improve your workout and make it more effective, you can add a little bit of weight (resistance) and decrease the number of repetitions in the set. For example, if your goal is to get to 12 reps and you feel like you could do 18 or 20, then the weight is too light, and you’re ready to add some resistance.

Improve rep ranges

To increase muscle endurance, you’ll want to do higher reps with lower weight. To increase muscle strength, you’ll want to do lower reps with higher weight. The benefit of increasing muscle endurance is that it tones and leans out a muscle, which means you can build muscle strength without increasing the size of the muscle. When you’re ready to move up to a higher weight, you’ll be able to push through it because your muscles will have built up the endurance.

Bonus:

Keep track of what you’re doing

By keeping track of what you’re doing, you’re able to measure your progress and remember which weight and how many reps you did for each exercise. This will also help you to recognize when it’s time to add resistance or move down to a lower weight for a higher number of reps.  Some great apps for tracking your workouts are Gym Hero and StrongLifts. At Momentum we use Evernote, but there are also online log books, or the good old fashioned pen and paper!

About the Author:

Rebecca is the Community and Social Media Lead at Momentum Fitness. As an award-winning public relations professional, Rebecca has been recognized for her clear understanding and application of public relations practices and principles. She has taken her passion for digital marketing, media relations, community engagement, and strategic planning and has applied it to grow small businesses. If you have a community initiative that you would like Momentum to get involved with, please be sure to contact Rebecca at rebecca@getmomentum.ca.

(Originally published July 25, 2017)

Taking your practice off the mat. Yoga isn’t just for the hot room.

Posted on by hamiltonadmin

You may have heard teachers talk about ‘taking your practice off of the mat’ and wondered what exactly this entails? And, no, it doesn’t mean standing in tree pose while waiting in the line at the grocery store, but that does feel good, doesn’t it? The practice of taking your yoga off of the mat refers more to creating and holding space for what you need outside of the hot room. It means practicing the skills that you use while in asana. Patience, kindness, peace, self-love, being mindful and the list goes on …

michael tree plantingBoy, do I know this is so much harder said than done!! A fellow teacher once said to me that nothing makes her lose her yoga faster than her kids, and can I ever agree! I am the mother of three teenagers and they know how to push my buttons. There are times I don’t think I could keep my cool with all the patience in the world. That being said, I get to practice breath and patience every day, MANY, MANY times a day.

It is in positions like pigeon and toe stretch where your body may feel uncomfortable and that little voice in your head is screaming at you to come out, but instead you breathe. Focusing on the breath, allowing it to calm the body, and letting go of your anxieties. Over time, you may notice, with a regular practice, that you stop reacting so quickly to uncomfortable or tense situations outside of the hot room. Slowly changing the neural pathways in the brain and thus your behaviour.

annie, alex, breChanging your behaviour in the hot room will also effect the way you see yourself. I always park my mat in the exact same spot, right by the middle pillar. Subconsciously, I may think it provides some sort of camouflage. As humans we get comfortable in our own grooves and try not to deviateate too much. When we break free of those restraints, it lets us sometimes see something in a new way. A fellow teacher was telling me that she, like myself, was uncomfortable looking at herself in the mirror in Warrior 2. Then during a particularly busy class, she noticed a pair of legs in the mirror that were really toned and strong. She surprised herself that they were actually hers, and with a gaze free of judgement, she loved what she saw.

Yoga is not meant to be something that happens in a room and stays there. It can become a way of life, an appreciation for your body and so much more!

 

About the Author:

Tara Hansen-Rix is a Yoga Teacher at Moksha Yoga Hamilton and also works at the desk and behind the scenes. Tara is a Mother to 3 amazing kids, a lover of animals, books and the outdoors.

(Originally published July 4, 2017)

The Importance Of Savasana And Why To Stay After Namaste

Posted on by hamiltonadmin

Whether you have visited our studio a few times or are a seasoned yogi, you already know that we start and end every class with a pose called Savasana. This posture is often thought of as the hardest of the Modo series. In todays society, there is a large focus on always moving, going, getting to the next task as fast and proficiently as possible. What we are missing is a focus on the importance of taking time, creating space, and connecting with breath.

In coming to a yoga class, we always have the best intentions, but often end up cursing our way through traffic and rushing in the door just in the nick of time. In Savasana, we are forced to just be, if only for a moment before moving into the practice of yoga. This posture, also referred to as corpse pose, allows the release of everything that happened in the day leading up a yoga practice. It allows space where it is ok not to be constantly on the go. Most importantly, it provides an opportunity to connect to breath. Breath is the fuel of life and practice. Breath can also be used as a tool to calm the body and mind. The practice of Savasana should take a mimimim of ten minutes, but most don’t allow themselves that.

In our traditional Modo series, we also have a space for Savasana built into the practice, right in the middle, separating the standing from the floor series. It gives students an opportunity to separate both portions. In the North American culture, we have a tendency to be so hard on ourselves, always striving for perfection. This ego also pops its ugly head up in our practice. The mid-Savasana gives students the chance to let go of all of the judgement or attachment that may have popped up in the first half of their practice. It also gives students an opportunity to come back to the roots of the yoga practice, their breath.

The end of class is the final chance to practice the pose Savasana. Consider this as what you have worked for throughout your practice. This is the chance to just sink into the mat, letting everything go. This posture allows the body to return back to “normal”. It allows the heart rate to lower, muscles to let go and the body temperature to begin lowering. It also allows the student to absorb the peace and the space they created in their body. This is the posture that connects everything in practice together, without it, practice is incomplete.

About the Author:

Tara Hansen-Rix is a Yoga Teacher at Modo Yoga Hamilton as well as being one of the co-owners. Tara is a Mother to 3 amazing kids, a lover of animals, books and the outdoors.

(Originally published June 20, 2017)

Modo Music and Modo Live Music – Follow the Yogi

Posted on by hamiltonadmin

There is a space — a space that only quiet can create — that you can fill with your own degree of depth. Modo Music and Modo Live Music classes aren’t silent: they are accompanied by a live musician or a carefully created playlist, but they don’t feature the same constant cues and themes. Recently, I’ve found myself drawn to the Music classes more, and I’ve noticed a few subtle differences. I could feel myself taking a little longer to get into and out of poses. I can feel myself taking a few extra movements, experimenting in a pose differently than I would in a regular Modo.

Modo Live Music is an animal unto itself. Joel, the talented musician who plays in our Dundas Moksha Music classes, does a wonderful job of reading the energy or the room and intensifying or quieting the music when needed. It also helps that Joel is a yogi too, so he is very familiar with the Modo sequence, with what certain poses feel like, and to a listeners perspective, it certainly feels like he does a great job marrying music to the yoga.

amanda in upward dogThis is not to say that Modo Music without live music isn’t worth going to. Quite the contrary. Finding a teacher who can curate a playlist that speaks to you is a treasure, and I know that all of our teachers slave over their playlists to make sure that the tunes they bring you are fresh, that they fit their sequence, and that they set the tone of the class. I recently went to one of Annie’s Modo Music classes, and her playlist truly speaks to my own sensibilities: I have since followed her on Spotify. Find your own music soul mate amongst our talented and diverse roster of teachers. The only way to know who’s playlist is the best is to test them all.

You’ll see Modo Music – Follow the Yogi and Modo Live Music all over our schedule. Hope to catch you there, jamming out!

About The Author:

Nicole Doro is a tree hugging, book loving yogi who you’ll see behind the desk at MYH. For more tree hugging, book loving, and yoga, catch her at @nicoledoro on IG.

(Originally published June 13, 2017)

Essential Oils and How to Use Them Safely

Posted on by hamiltonadmin

By Steve Spriensma, Goodness Me!

Essential oils and a flowerYoga and aromatherapy are like red wine and Netflix – they just go better together (they’re also great alternatives to red wine and Netflix!). Essential oils and their soothing aromas can expand and enrich the yoga experience, but these aren’t simply perfumes. They are extremely concentrated oils that always need to be handled with care and used correctly!

Essential Oil Safety

Many yoga studios use essential oils with diffusers to create a serene environment, but there’s a growing amount of yoga practitioners using them on several pulse points on the body – on the neck, wrists, and behind the ears. Using an essential oil such as lavender oil at these points can relax the body and clear the mind, letting the user get the most out of their yoga session.

Before using essential oils on the skin, it’s important to make sure you know how to use them safely:

  • Make sure you aren’t allergic to the ingredients! You’re probably aware of what your body can and can’t take, but all the same, be certain before using, especially if you aren’t familiar with the source.
  • Don’t put essential oils directly on the skin, and always use a carrier oil. Essential oils can do damage to your skin if not used properly, even if you don’t have an allergy to the oil.

Carrier oils are fatty vegetable oils used to dilute the essential oil so it can be applied to the skin (essentially carrying the oil to the skin). While they dilute the essential oil, carrier oils don’t rob them of their positive properties; they can even enhance the effect of the essential oils, by ensuring they aren’t overused.

  • Look into the different types of carrier oils. Since carrier oils come from seeds and kernels, they don’t have strong concentrated aromas, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have aromas at all. Take this into account before choosing one, because you don’t want to be stuck with a subtle fragrance you can’t stand.

Choose one that won’t react with your allergies. How you dilute depends on how you want to use it; for non-medicinal topical application, you should use a 2% solution, adding 10 to 12 drops per 30 ml (one ounce) of carrier oil. Here are some very popular options:

    • Apricot oil: A great choice for massage oils and homemade moisturizers, it’s got a moderately oily texture and absorbs quickly, with a faint aroma. Good for the skin, too!
    • Avocado oil: Very moisturizing, but it could overpower the aroma of the essential oils.
    • Grapeseed oil: With a light and nutty aroma, grapeseed oil is quite popular.
    • Sweet Almond oil: This carrier oil is very little aroma and is not too expensive. It’s a great all-purpose oil, one of the best for using on the skin.
  • Water is also safe. Dilute your favourite essential oil in hot water for a scented compress after hot yoga, or in filtered water to spray down your sweaty yoga mat.
  • Proper application is important. Use a roller bottle (also known as a roll-on bottle or roll bottle) to apply your diluted oils to the skin.

If you want to learn more about using essential oils for all kinds of things, check out the Goodness Me! blog for more information!

(Originally published May 29, 2017)