Yoga at the Olympia
November 23, 2009
There are more and more yoga classes being offered across the country. Its popularity is continually growing. Not only is the yoga interest increasing to the general healthy public, but also in the competitive fitness world. There are now top fitness athletes incorporating yoga poses as strength moves in their routines. The yoga poses not only demonstrate strength, but also meet fitness routine’s requirements of balance and flexibility.
For example, a top routine athlete in the Fitness Olympia, demonstrated a slow variation of flowing yoga poses. This yoga series has become one of this athlete’s many signature moves. She begins in a handstand and lowers in to a lever balance parallel to the floor. She does this in a continuous slow and controlled motion. She holds the beginning handstand and the final lever for three to four seconds to show strength and advanced level of yoga.
Another IFBB Fitness Pro Florida, started her routine in the advanced pose of “Visvamitrasana”. She performed the move with proper extension in the arms and legs. She shows openness through the chest. She used this difficult pose as her opening position for the two-minute routine at the Fitness Olympia. She demonstrated a steady balance with full amplitude until the music played. The moves that both these top athletes have used originated from yoga skills. They have also added a little more fitness appeal to strength move.
Visvamitrasana is the proper name for the pose. There are a few ways to get into this “side one-arm leg-extended push-up” pose. You can start in a push up with the leg over the shoulder and then open the body to the side. The bottom leg is extended towards the head. As you begin opening the body the top arm will reach over the head to connect with the foot. Another way to move into the pose is going thru bent knee triangle. The front leg is bent and the back leg is straight. The same hand is on the ground as the bent leg. The balance begins as the bent knee extends off the ground. The grounded hand pushes into the floor. The opposite arm reaches over the head to grab the foot. This is a difficult pose because of the lateral twist, flexibility and balance. The chest must be open to the side so the shoulders are stacked on top of each other. There is a significant amount of strength and balance on one hand.
This pose can be broken down into a few intermediate practice poses. Visvamitrasana demands flexibility in the legs, hips, chest and shoulders. If one of these areas is tight, it will hinder the move. One of the requirements of this pose is the right or left split. If you are unable to comfortably do the splits on the ground, then it will be more difficult to execute. Practice the balance portion of this pose by learning a bent knee triangle pose. Extend the arm over the head and focus the eyes towards the ceiling. This will also open the chest.
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san diego yoga…
The purpose of the classes is to help you establish or deepen your daily meditation and yoga practice and help you achieve your highest potential. I hope you take advantage of this opportunity to learn the wonderful arts or meditation, yoga and pranaya…
I have been doing Yoga since college and i love the way that it can relax my body. yoga is great for stress relief. .
Hi Harriet – Yes – yoga is really great for stress relief as well as strengthening and lengthening!