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?
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Chels, I hope you are doing okay and you will make it through this crazy day!! LOVED this post especially now that I am getting into yoga. GREAT pictures!!
Thanks girlie - I’m okay, just crazy busy tonight!!!
Thanks so much! I’m glad you liked it! I’m lucky to live near the water in Boston.
I love love love yoga. It has helped me in ways I never thought possible, especially mentally. My favorite pose is either Warrior II because I feel so powerful or Upward facing dog because it makes my back feel sooo good!
I love Warrior II also. I love reversing it and feeling the stretch! Backbends are great for energy. Just make sure your spine is warmed up!
Great post!
Thanks for sharing.
I go in and out of yoga moods…I am back into loving it.
I just spent a week in Thailand practicing and it got me
back into a good groove.
I loved reading your yoga story, Kendall! To me, yoga is a way of relaxing and doing something for myself. I always feel better after a good yoga sesh which is why I really want to incorporate it into my workout routine more! I’d love to do yoga outside now that summer is here, too!
Thanks so much! I’m lucky to live by the water in Boston. It is a perfect yoga backdrop!
Love this post! I need to do yoga!!!
Hang in there Chelsey!!!
fave yoga pose is pincha mayurasana, full kapotasana or urdhva dhanurasana.
Basically arm balances, backbends, things that open my heart chakra, and inversions are my faves! I wish I could come back and be in cirque du soleil in my next lifetime.
Until then the past 10 yrs that ive been a certified yoga teacher have been awesome and i cant imagine my life w/out yoga, even tho i dont actively teach anymore.
Great post Kendall!
Thanks Averie!
I’m still super new to yoga, but so far my favorite pose is Warrior 2! I definitely feel powerful when I’m in that pose
Loving this post as a yoga noob!
What a great back drop you’ve got there for your photos!
My favorite pose is child’s pose. I like to relax.
Thank you! Oh I loooove child’s pose too!
mmmm I LOVE yoga and the great breathing exercises that come along with it. Totally calms me down, in a really good way
Thanks for the beautiful post. I don’t do a lot of yoga, and I really want to incorporate it into my routine. My favorite poses are the warrior poses. They make me feel powerful.
Tree is by far my favorite pose.
Love yoga, this post and that picture of you sitting cross-legged! I’ve dabbled in yoga on and off for years but came to love it this year. What I like most is that it’s a time for you and you can push yourself to whatever extent works for YOU. My favorite pose is tree. It makes me feel so at peace
Love this! My favorite yoga pose is either camel or eagle!
Love this post! I’m totally a yoga beginner but I’ve enjoyed doing it for years. I’m all about warrior pose, both one and two!
I have been dying to start yoga!
I love this post - I just recently (like this past weekend recently) realized that I love yoga!
This is wonderful! I “dabble” in yoga from time to time but posts like these always inspire me to go full-force with it and really see the benefits that come from a consistent practice. I’m going to a class tomorrow, actually!
That’s so awesome how yoga was able to help you through a rough time. Good luck becoming a certified instructor!
I love the warrior poses because I can feel them working my leg muscles!
Thank you so much! I love warrior s too. There is a great story aboout the names and why they are called warriors. I will have to post is soon.
Thanks for sharing this post - I am just starting to get into yoga and can see why so many people love it!
I love yoga. As a runner, it was difficult in the beginning to slow down my breathing and movements, but over time I’ve found I value yoga as much a run outside. Here’s a little post-yoga snack…pesto popcorn!
http://bread-n-chocolate.blogspot.com/2011/05/whats-your-pop-secret.html
Thanks for this informative post! I’m working on incorporating more yoga into my workout regimen. My favorite post is the Warrior Pose, it makes me feel strong.
what a beautiful, scenic place to do yoga!
Thank you all so much for the kind feedback! Warriors and Tree seem to be the poses that people love the most. I will be sharing a story on how warriors were named shortly! I just have to refresh my memory. Keep up with the yoga! It really is a gift to yourself. Thanks Chelsey for letting me guest blog!