An Athlete's Dilemma; The Body Connection

"One would think athletes are connected to their bodies, but it's actually quite the opposite..If they were, they wouldn't put themselves in harm's way." (Keith Mitchell, former NFL linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars)

Keith Mitchell, former NFL linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, sustained a spinal cord injury and found himself paralyzed after a devastating tackle in 2003. Yoga, which was introduced to him in the hospital, now has him not only walking but practicing and teaching yoga as well. An article about his experience was passed along to me today and is such an amazing reminder of how important it is for all people, and especially athletes, who tend to put their bodies through the ringer, to learn to tune in to, respond to, and honor what their bodies need to keep them strong, healthy, and most importantly, safe. 

When I was running at least 30+ miles a week and training for marathons, I really thought I was connected to, in tune with, and had compassion for my body. The truth, I've come to realize, was that I was quite the opposite for the very reason Mitchell states above - I put my body in harm's way over and over again. I ran when my body was tired and begged for rest. I ran through pain and illness.  I ran through just about everything until I started practicing yoga on a regular basis. Suddenly my body began to feel different. It felt better, it was happier, it even looked and felt stronger. For the first time, I could actually hear and respond to what my body needed each day. Now I know that some days it needs rest, other days a nice long run is what its craving. But yoga has been the key to opening up my eyes and ears to what is important for me and for my body each day.  

Running is great exercise, there's no arguing that. But if we're not careful, it can have the opposite effect, causing excess stress to our skeletal and muscular system and increasing our risk for injury. We're often led to believe that more is better - run faster, run longer, run harder. But when we do this without listening to our bodies when they beg for rest, when we ignore the pain and push through, we are abusing our body. The body is something to be cherished, not abused. It is the vessel that carries us through life, creates and sustains new life, and harbors our soul. Yoga can help us to find balance within ourselves so that we can also find balance in what we demand from our physical selves. 

Yoga for Runners Pose for the Day...Figure 4

As a runner, there are several reasons why I love this pose. To begin, its a balance pose so it requires concentration, breath awareness, and strength. Its challenging, yet calming, teaching us to quiet our mind, be still, and breathe when we just want to come out of the pose. Not only does Figure 4 offer these mental benefits, but it also opens the hip and knee and strengthens the standing leg and ankle.

Begin in Mountain pose.

Inhale, raise your arms overhead.

Exhale, bend both knees and sit your hips down into chair pose. Keep your weight in your heels and your core strong. You should be able to see your toes in front of your knees.

Bring your right leg up and place your right ankle above your left knee on your thigh.

Bring hands to heart center. You can stay here or sink down further, bringing your arms to rest on your right leg and deepening the stretch in your right hip.

Hold and breathe 8-10 breaths.

Repeat on other side.

Mommy and Me Yoga: Core Workout Demo

Here's another little demo of some mommy and me post-run yoga! This one focuses on some core strengthening you can do with baby. I'd suggest holding your stretches a bit longer than I did if baby doesn't mind and adding some more reps to the core work and bridge pose lifts, but you get the idea. And if you have time and baby enjoys it, you can start with the sun salutations I posted the other day (click here) and then move on to this workout. Enjoy and namaste yoga mamas!

Letting It Go: How Yoga Cured My Obsession With "Putting in the Miles"

I used to be a very avid distance runner. I ran marathons, half marathons, and 200 mile relay road races. A 10k felt like a sprint and a 5k wasn't really worth it. I ran 6 days a week, usually at least 5 miles a day, and this was during the off season. I hate to admit it, but there was a time when I called myself a runner not just because I ran, but because I ran long distances. I thought running less would make me less of a runner. At the time, I emphatically claimed to not have an obsession with putting in those miles each week, but looking back, it seems pretty obvious; I was all about those miles.

Then along came my now-4-year-old daughter, who, as it turns out, brought yoga into my life. During my pregnancy I ran for the first 5 months or so, then walked or did the elliptical when that became too uncomfortable. This was the beginning of my practice: Letting go. I had to let go of 30+ miles a week and eventually, running altogether. I had to let go of doing things on my own time, getting my workouts in every day, and bouncing right back to my pre-pregnancy body and level of fitness. I had to let go of trying to be perfect and I had to reevaluate what was really important. I started doing yoga once or twice a week then eventually began running again. But something had shifted with my running by this time. I was still pretty determined to get my miles in each week once I recovered from child birth but now my intention was different. It was more about staying healthy and active than miles. I gradually became more and more aware of how I felt during my runs and the need to push through pain began to subside. I walked when I needed to, I stopped to stretch when my muscles felt fatigued or sore, and I gave myself the day off when I was just too tired. Some of this was the effects of mommyhood but it was also the start of my mindfulness practice and the start of my daily yoga practice.

In yoga we practice mindfulness in many ways, one of them being through body awareness. As we move through and hold poses and as we breathe purposefully, we learn to recognize and listen to the subtleties of our bodies. We become aware of where we are tight or stuck. We recognize our holding patterns and what we are clinging to. We learn to let go of what no longer serves us. For me, I've learned that, at this point in my life at least, those miles no longer serve me. I run because it feels good and it's good for me. I run because it makes me happy. But when it stops feeling good, when it feels like a chore, not a choice, then I stop, take a break, and do something else that brings me joy.

One of the most profound things that yoga has taught me is to be present - present to my breath and present to what my body needs and is experiencing. Yoga is not about pushing through pain, rather it's about recognizing and honoring our limits. It's about being kind and compassionate starting with ourselves and being present to the sensations of our body.

I imagine I'll go back to distance running when my kids aren't so little or when I have more time or just whenever it feels right, but for now, I have permission from myself to be content right where I am. 

Runner Pose of the Day: Revolved Half Moon

Revolved Half Moon (Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana) is one of those poses I love and dread at the same time. Its a wonderful pose post-run or after you've warmed up sufficiently during an asana practice. I incorporate this pose a lot in my 12 week Yoga For Runners Series (YFR12) because it requires a steady breath, patience, strength in the legs, core activation, balance, and deep twisting - all things beneficial to a runner. It's also an intense stretch for the hamstrings, glutes, and and lower back so be sure to do this pose after warming up.

Often times it is suggested to come into this pose from Half Moon (Ardha Chandrasana) but I'm not an advocate of this transition because the rotation from open facing hips (facing the long side of the mat) to closed (hips square to the mat) and all the way over to open facing on the opposite side can, over time, be rough on the hips. I prefer to come into the pose from Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

From Forward Fold, lift your left leg up and straight back behind you, making your body into an upside down L shape. If you have tight hamstrings, start with your knees slightly bent, then begin to straighten as you lift your leg up. Keep your hips square to your mat. Ground firmly into your standing leg keeping some softness in your knee.

Keep your left hand on the ground or place a block beneath it to bring your torso more parallel to the floor. Start with your right hand on your right hip and begin to rotate your torso to the right. Keep your spine elongated and imagine your breath being sent into your hips and spine, creating more openness. Eventually, you will bring your right arm straight up to the sky. Continue to breath, lengthen and twist gently. Stay for 5-10 breaths, then slowly come out the same way you came in, ending in Forward Fold. Repeat on the other side.