Yoga For Urbanites: Desk Chair Rx

By Barbie Levasseur

Sitting in a desk chair all day can leave the low back feeling sore and tight. Stretching out the low back muscles feels amazing in the short term, but it may actually be counterproductive in the long run. Think about how your posture gets after sitting in a desk chair all day; many of us begin to slouch forward and round into the low back. This happens because the low back and other core muscles are weak and get tired of holding us upright. Instead of muscle strength holding us up in this position, the muscles and connective tissue of the spine stretch until they are taut enough to support us. Or course, this puts strain on the structures of the low back. Now, think about how you stretch the low back muscles in a yoga class: you round the spine (think cat pose)--this is what you've already been doing all day. Most likely, your low back muscles are already overstretched, and what they need most of all is strengthening. Dancing cat is a great way to strengthen the low back muscles and teach them how to move the spine from a rounded to an extend position.

To compound low back soreness, tight hip muscles can make it hard to break posture habits that put excessive strain on the low back. Tight hamstrings (muscles in the back of the thighs) encourage us to round the spine when we sit, and tight hip flexors (muslces in the front of the hips) encourage us to over-arch the low back when we stand. Some of the hip muscles attach directly into the spine, so, needless to say, if they're tight, they affect your low back health. It is important to stretch tight muscles around the hips to prevent and address low back pain.

Some yoga classes use only on traditional sequences that fail to target muscular imbalances that arise from the modern lifestyle. In Yoga For Urbanites: Desk Chair Rx (This Saturday, June 2, 1:30-3:30pm at Yoga Mayu), we will address this problem head on. We will spend time limbering and lengthening tight muscles in the hips and thighs. We will move through poses that provide relief for the low back and build awareness and strength in the core to promote healthy seated posture. This workshop will also include office-friendly poses that you can take to work with you to sustain these benefits! All levels are absolutely welcome.

yoga mayu's Teacher Training is Back This Fall!

yoga mayu Teacher Training grads!

There are a lot of reason you might want to apply to yoga mayu's 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher Training Program. Maybe you want to develop a sustainable personal yoga practice. Maybe you want to deepen your study of the history of yoga or develop your skills with experienced and down-to-earth teachers. Maybe you want to stay right here in San Francisco to do all those things. But if you are looking for a practical and engaging teacher training that will give you the real knowledge you need to teach and if you are you ready to transform your body and your mind, yoga mayu’s 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher Training Program is exactly what you are looking for.

Starting August 31 and running Friday through Sunday until December 16 (with a week-long break in November), this program is about giving you the practical tools you need to teach yoga to students of all backgrounds and skill levels. According to Gizella Donald, studio director and founder of yoga mayu, the goal of this training is to “empower students to be their own teachers, learning from their own experiences and struggles and growth.”

How will this training be different than others you might be considering? At yoga mayu, you can expect personal attention, a lot of physical asana practice and more than anything, a profound change in your body and how you see the world. As a student, you will be partnered with one of the teacher training instructors, who will teach and mentor you during the training. You will spend a total of 11 hours per week training plus 3 hours per week participating in class observation and practice. And you will come away from this training as a progressive yoga teacher with extensive knowledge and skills that will distinguish you as an accomplished instructor among the many teachers entering this growing profession.

It won’t be easy but it will be an amazing journey. Interested? Apply now!