To get the most out of your workouts whether it’s resistance training, practicing yoga, pilates or other core work, let’s remember to “hug our muscles to the bones.” This is a simple phrase that helps you to remember to keep your muscles active. For example, if you are doing bicep curls and you have flip-floppy-quick-arms, you are only using momentum which won’t make the muscles stronger. Same thing with core work. If you are scrunching up your neck and hunching your shoulders for a crunch or sit up, you are using neck muscles and back muscles (not in a good way) and you will probably be sore in those places from doing the exercise incorrectly.

Using weights/resistance and doing the correct moves is only part of the game. Since mind and body are linked, you will find that when you are focused and mindful of the muscle groups you are working, the muscles respond much quicker.

Let’s keep our muscles strong, our bodies elongated and hug those muscles to the bones. Practice daily (I just straightened up in my chair at work). You can do it at work, in the car, watching tv, doing dishes, or in a nice mountain pose. Let’s be mindful of our bodies to keep them strong and working nicely for us.

And remember no matter what, roll your shoulders up, back and down. Always holding an open chest. Open heart = open mind.

Sheez. I went for a run today at lunch and I needed my flyers! I was all by myself on a very simple run – only 30 minutes and totally flat. It was one of those “cruddy run” days and I knew it as soon as I started out.

Anyway, I was JONES’IN for some company and I realize that I need you guys as much as you need me. Even though the Saturday FoF’s are more difficult, they are also sooo much more fun than these poopy solo lunch runs. I could have used some energetic little beings for some laughter, silly antics, and encouragement to keep me going. I even tried my “o” breathing technique but I got into pouty mode and just slugged along.

I know you have all felt the same thing at some point. You come to class but don’t feel like being there, yet once you’ve finished you feel loads better. Some of that has to do with the people around you, some has to do with your pilot (me), some is endorphins, and some has to do with YOU showing up for yourself.

And when all THAT doesn’t work, you must reach for Madonna. Not the holy one, the one originally from Michigan.

I swear Madonna’s “Spotlight” came on (you can laugh at me, I’m not afraid) and I started to zoom. I listened to it twice…okay twice through and then 1/2 way again until I finished my run. It’s BY FAR my favoritest, secretest, guiltiest, pleasurest, workout song. It’s super uplifty. I recommend it for your workout playlist (ok, maybe just for the ladies). The version I have is off of Madonna’s “You Can Dance” album. It’s worth the 99 cents.

So when you’re thinkin “Holy Mother of God, get me through this workout…” *bing!* she just might come through!

Many of us have those pesky computer jobs where we are hunching over our key boards and mousin’ around with our right hands for 8+ hours a day. This can cause lots of undo tension in the upper traps because the chest (pecs) muscles become shortened while the upper back (traps) muscles are over stretched. Over time, your chest muscles are trained to stay short and your traps stay over extended resulting in hunchy posture and tight, crunchy shoulders. Although I’m not hunchy I totally have crunchy shoulders. And while I’m not judging, it’s definitely something we can all work on

To help relieve some of the stress on the upper back and to open the chest, you can simply remember: Up, Back and Down.

What it means:
1. Scrunch your shoulders up to your ears
2. Pull them back aiming for the wall behind you
3. And then drop your shoulders straight down so the rest below your ears

Feel that? Huge difference, right?

So now, you have opened your chest and engaged the muscles in your back so they continue to work to hold you up straight. In yoga, we always lead with our hearts and keep an open heart. Doing this simple posture correction several times a day will strengthen your core and back while keeping your chest and heart open – for all possibilites and for all new choices you can make today.

Last night when I was running up a not-to-steep-but-long hill, I found myself eager for breath. In the past some of you have asked me how to breathe while you run. So I thought I’d offer this tip.

Don’t ask my why this works, but I found that if you form your lips into an “O” breathing becomes much easier. I don’t know if the air flows directly into your air passage or what, but it works. My body became calmer and my breath seemed to be coming from a deeper place. And I beat that sassy hill. Give it a try!