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!

Yesterday afternoon, a group of yoga mayu teachers and students got together for a short film shoot for Yelp. Want to see how it went? Check out pictures of the fun over on our Facebook page! And stay tuned for the actual video!

Jody's Quote of the Week

"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving." Dale Carnegie

Criticizing, condemning and complaining are easy. Just stayin' in the muck of the negative, not trying to find a solution is the status quo. Rise above that--find solutions. Try to understand people and why they do what they do and then you may have more sympathy or empathy. Maybe then you can at least relate and possibly forgive.

Change Your Perspective with a Workshop!

Now that spring is here, why not shake-up your practice with one of yoga mayu's upcoming workshops?

If you want to unwind, try Sara Levine's Complete Surrender restorative workshop. The group is small and the experience is effortless. Expect a lot of hands-on massage and deep openings.

This 2 hour workshop is on Friday, April 27 at 6:30pm.

Want something a little more active? Try Jody Hahn's Lift the Weight of the World workshop. Ease the tightness and restriction in your shoulders, neck, upper back and chest with Jody as she helps you open and unwind.

This 2 hour workshop is on Saturday, April 28 at 1:30pm.

Looking for an even more vigorous experience? Gizella Donald's Ashtanga Detox might be right up your alley! Expect to work hard, be sweaty, and leave rejuvenated and energized in mind and spirit!

This 2 and a half hour workshop is on Sunday, April 29 at 1:30pm.

And don't forget to look ahead to May 15 when Jody Hahn will help you get Hot and Loose with an hour and 15 minutes of vigorous flow followed by 45 minutes of long, opening stretches.

Sound fun? Sign-up now!

Transform! 8 Weeks Bootcamp

Do you feel like you've lost focus and motivation and fallen out of shape? Transform! might be exactly what you need to jump start your fitness and get you back on track.

This 6 day a week, 8 week program unites 4 training disciplines (fitness, yoga, pilates and circuit arts) with the intention of transforming your body and your attitude.

Here's the training schedule:
Method Training with Reed Taylor: Mon/Wed/Fri
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga with Gizella Donald: Tue/Thu/Sat

Yoga - Ashtanga Yoga Based on the Primary Series. Learn to deepen your practice effectively and safely. Receive correct and deep adjustments to achieve maximum benefit of the asanas. Learn and build on poses in each session to gain stamina, endurance and flexibility. Develop the strong and fluid yoga practice you have always dreamed of!

The cost of the program is $495 for 8 weeks (48 classes).

Ready to transform? Sign up now!

Yoga For Urbanites: Get to the Root of Upper Back Tension

Barbie Levasseur is a new (and awesome) teacher at yoga mayu. Here's her advice on dealing with upper back tension! Sign-up for one of her classes to learn more!

"You may be surprised to know that tight chest muscles are often the culprit behind aching shoulder, upper back, and neck muscles. Writing e-mails, texting friends or driving to work, we spend most of the day in one position: seated with our shoulders slumped and our arms out front. With our body in this shape, our chest muscles are at their shortest, and over time they tighten to stay this way. In turn, when the chest muscles are shorter, the we tend to slouch even more—it's a vicious cycle. In response, the muscles in the upper back, shoulders, and neck compensate, becoming tired, sore, tense, and overstretched.

Want some proof in your own body? Take a moment to get up from your computer and find a doorway. With a 'cactus arm' (your upper arm parallel to the floor at shoulder height, and your elbow bent at 90 degrees so your finger tips point up toward the ceiling), press your palm and forearm against the door frame then shuffle forward until you feel a stretch across the front of the shoulder and chest. Hold this for 20-30 seconds. When you release the stretch, notice the relief you feel in your upper back, shoulders, and neck. Next time you feel like stretching your upper back at work, try this instead!

For lasting results, become a regular at my 8:15pm Mellow Flow classes on Monday and Thursday evenings, in which we take the time to stretch deeply into the chest muscles and to strengthen the upper back muscles that support healthy posture. As you bring the body back into balance, you'll put the kibosh on that vicious cycle of slumping shoulders and shortening chest muscles, you'll notice yourself sitting taller, and you'll enjoy more ease around the shoulders, upper back and neck."