Yoga for the outdoor enthusiast
By Donna Davis For runners, hikers, and out-
door enthusiasts, yoga has enor- mous benefits. Yoga can increase self awareness helping to quiet the mind and shift your focus to your body. While running a race, for example, that ability to quiet the mind allows you to con- centrate on the rhythms of your running, your body and your breath rather than worrying about the outcome of the race. This can also be particularly beneficial when you hit the trails during the summer. Out in nature, a quiet mind allows you to feel the natural co-ordina- tion of body, mind and breathing. You can ‘let go’ of the chatter in your head and experi- ence your surroundings as you move through them. What are the best yoga pos-
tures for creating self aware- ness? Balance postures. Many of us have a love-hate relationship with balance postures. Some days we’re ‘on’, we feel in the zone and some days we’re doing the ‘balance dance’, hopping all over our mats and wishing the teacher would get on with the next pose. The secret to balanc- ing is not so much in the physi- ology of the posture, but rather what is happening in our minds. Where the mind goes the energy will go. To stay balanced, we need to rein in the mind, focus the breath and enjoy the mo- ment. Just think how this simple formula could benefit our every- day lives.
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
One of the easiest and most beneficial balance postures is Tree pose, known as Vrikshasana in Sanskrit. Tree pose improves balance, strengthens muscles in the ankles, toes, calves, knees, thighs and hip joints, and im- proves stamina and concen- tration. Tree pose is also an extremely calming pose when practiced outdoors.
• tensing the shoulders • tilting the head to one side or forward
• pressing the foot into the knee joint of the standing leg
• and, if you have high blood pressure, raising your arms over your head
Tree pose would be excellent Beginner Intermediate
Basic posture guidelines for Tree pose:
• keep the standing leg straight and strong without locking the standing knee
• open the hips • connect the toes of the stand- ing foot to the ground
• firmly press together the foot of the bent leg and the stand- ing leg
• keep the eyes steady • from the hips down, ground downward, from the hips up, stretch upward
• keep the shoulders squared • Things to avoid: • moving your eyes around the room
• locking the knee of standing leg
• facing the bent knee forward ottawaoutdoors 51 Advanced
to practice just before a trail run or hike. In doing so, you’ll be creating self aware- ness by taking the time to connect with your breath, ground yourself, and bring your focus into the present mo- ment allowing you to experience the spectacular scenery that brought you outdoors in the first place. Donna Davis is
the host of Yoga for Runners on Rogers
T.V., Donna is a registered Yoga Teacher, a dedicated vegan ath- lete and a self- taught vegan chef. With Sylvie Gouin, Donna is the co-founder of Elation Centre, Ottawa’s first integrated lifestyle company, combining Yoga, Run- ning and Nutrition programs that educate, empower and enrich the lives of clients. Start your movement to health here www.
elationcentre.com ~ A runner for most of her life,
one of Donna Davis’ greatest passions is turning people on to the many physical and psycho- logical benefits of running and helping them set and achieve their fitness and life goals. She is the founder of
www.movement-
tohealth.com
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