I have a great guest post for you tonight from Kendall @ On An Inhale. I am having a crazy day, and needed someone to help me out – Kendall jumped to the challenge with an excellent calming post all about yoga! Enjoy!
Hi I’m Kendall from On An Inhale . I jumped on the opportunity to guest post because I love Chelsey’s blog!
Yoga came to me exactly when I needed it. Just like Chelsey, I did not feel good about myself for many years. I agree, it was a complete waste of time. When I was at overnight camp at age 12 I took my first yoga class. Let me first tell you that I was not athletic, did not take part in any athletic activity and felt really bad about my slightly overweight changing body. A lot of family changes were also happening around that time too. My parents separated when I was 11 and adjusting to the divorce, parents having boyfriends/girlfriends was completely overwhelming.
Yoga gave me the ability to feel more comfortable with my body and let my mind have a rest for an hour. For the first time, I felt confident and strong. Yoga gave me to confidence to eventually join a gym and want to be more active.
I continued doing yoga my last two years of high school for my gym elective and on and off throughout college. Once I graduated in 2010 I moved to Boston and started going to a local yoga studio. I am now finishing up my certification and will be a registered teacher June 26th! I am so excited to be able to help others, especially pre-teen and teenage girls. Hopefully it will help with their confidence and feeling more comfortable with themselves the way it helped me.
Below is a little seated stretch sequence to try! Whenever I feel sore or just want a little release I do a few of this moves. Once, you are warmed up try my favorite pose which helped me get rid of my persistent hip pain. My guy is now very used to me breaking out into random yoga poses!
Start off in a comfortable seated position. Spine lengthened, shoulders down, and face relaxed. Center yourself. On An Inhale lengthen and on an exhale extend your legs.
In Dandasana flex the feet feeling the knee caps rise as the legs are engaged, lengthening the spine and becoming rooted in the sit bones. On An Inhale raise your arms spiraling the pinky’s inward. Keep your shoulders down, bhanda’s engaged and chest open.
On an exhale release and hinge from the hips keeping the spine straight and the belly soft. Don’t worry if you cant reach your feet. Hold onto your ankles or shins.
Coming into Janu Sirsasana bring the left foot into the right hip crease. On An Inhale raise your arms, twist toward the right leg and hinge from the hips lowering over the right leg. After a few breathes take this on the opposite side. Remember to take the time to lengthen and twist.
On An Inhale bring your feet together and fold them open like a book in Baddha Konasana. You can use your elbows to help press the knees further to the ground. Take a few inhales here.
Bring your legs apart and come into Upavistha Konasana. Keep your torso upright until you feel deeply rooted in your sit bones. Once you are comfortable but at your edge, lengthen the spine and fold from the hips. If you need a block or a pillow you may put it under your arms.
If you have any yoga questions ask away ! Thanks for reading about my yoga journey and I encourage everyone to at least try yoga for the peace of mind it can bring.
Question: What is your favorite yoga pose?
I have a great guest post for you tonight from Kendall @ On An Inhale. I am having a crazy day, and needed someone to help me out – Kendall jumped to the challenge with an excellent calming post all about yoga! Enjoy!
Hi I’m Kendall from On An Inhale . I jumped on the opportunity to guest post because I love Chelsey’s blog!
Yoga came to me exactly when I needed it. Just like Chelsey, I did not feel good about myself for many years. I agree, it was a complete waste of time. When I was at overnight camp at age 12 I took my first yoga class. Let me first tell you that I was not athletic, did not take part in any athletic activity and felt really bad about my slightly overweight changing body. A lot of family changes were also happening around that time too. My parents separated when I was 11 and adjusting to the divorce, parents having boyfriends/girlfriends was completely overwhelming.
Yoga gave me the ability to feel more comfortable with my body and let my mind have a rest for an hour. For the first time, I felt confident and strong. Yoga gave me to confidence to eventually join a gym and want to be more active.
I continued doing yoga my last two years of high school for my gym elective and on and off throughout college. Once I graduated in 2010 I moved to Boston and started going to a local yoga studio. I am now finishing up my certification and will be a registered teacher June 26th! I am so excited to be able to help others, especially pre-teen and teenage girls. Hopefully it will help with their confidence and feeling more comfortable with themselves the way it helped me.
Below is a little seated stretch sequence to try! Whenever I feel sore or just want a little release I do a few of this moves. Once, you are warmed up try my favorite pose which helped me get rid of my persistent hip pain. My guy is now very used to me breaking out into random yoga poses!
Start off in a comfortable seated position. Spine lengthened, shoulders down, and face relaxed. Center yourself. On An Inhale lengthen and on an exhale extend your legs.
In Dandasana flex the feet feeling the knee caps rise as the legs are engaged, lengthening the spine and becoming rooted in the sit bones. On An Inhale raise your arms spiraling the pinky’s inward. Keep your shoulders down, bhanda’s engaged and chest open.
On an exhale release and hinge from the hips keeping the spine straight and the belly soft. Don’t worry if you cant reach your feet. Hold onto your ankles or shins.
Coming into Janu Sirsasana bring the left foot into the right hip crease. On An Inhale raise your arms, twist toward the right leg and hinge from the hips lowering over the right leg. After a few breathes take this on the opposite side. Remember to take the time to lengthen and twist.
On An Inhale bring your feet together and fold them open like a book in Baddha Konasana. You can use your elbows to help press the knees further to the ground. Take a few inhales here.
Bring your legs apart and come into Upavistha Konasana. Keep your torso upright until you feel deeply rooted in your sit bones. Once you are comfortable but at your edge, lengthen the spine and fold from the hips. If you need a block or a pillow you may put it under your arms.
If you have any yoga questions ask away ! Thanks for reading about my yoga journey and I encourage everyone to at least try yoga for the peace of mind it can bring.
Question: What is your favorite yoga pose?