Tag: yoga poses

Sophie’s Favorite LA Yoga Studios

Who’s feeling empowered and rejuvenated heading into the second week of the new year?! ME. I love to get my body moving on the mat and bringing my practice to a studio is the best way to create and challenge new fitness goals. Check out some of my favorites LA studios.

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5 Yoga Poses for Cooling Down

Trying to beat the summer heat? While it may seem counterintuitive to get on your yoga mat, you can actually cool down your body with asanas that will both help restore and rejuvenate your body–especially when the temperature is rising outside. Whether you're at home, in the backyard, or at the pool, try these 5 relaxing poses to cool off your system!

 

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5 Restorative Yoga Poses for The Beach

The ocean naturally relaxes the mind and spirit. Taking yoga, specifically "yin" or restorative yoga, to the beach will help calm you even more–especially if you’re feeling stressed out or overwhelmed. The rhythmic crashing of the waves will actually ease your brain into alpha waves, slowing down the parasympathetic system, along with your entire body. Sync your breath with the ocean waves while flowing through these 5 poses that will have you feeling oh-so-zen within minutes.

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The Handstand: How To Conquer This Empowering Pose

Conquering the handstand is WORK. To nail this pose, it takes A LOT of strength building. But that’s what makes it such a thrill to do. When you’re finally in it, you’re on top of the world, like you can take anything on–because you truly can. Beyond being incredible for your psyche, hopping upside down and flipping your perspective also boosts your circulation and promotes detoxification. By following these 5 tips, you’ll slowly but surely make your way into this empowering pose!

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5 Yoga Poses to Relieve Cramps

Mother Nature’s monthly visit can also bring about those not-so-fun set of aches and pains. While reaching for chocolate or OTC meds to combat cramps may seem to be the best course of action, put the pills and sweets aside and instead ease the pain with a gentle yoga flow. Not only will these five poses support achy quads and thighs, open the hips, and relieve the body of menstrual discomfort, they’ll also calm the mind and open the heart.

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8 Energizing Yoga Asanas You Can Do In Bed

Beautifully begin your morning by practicing these eight yoga asanas in the warmth + comfort of your bed. These poses not only gently awaken your body, but also leave you feeling calm, rejuvenated, and ready to take on the day!

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The Benefits of Corpse Pose

If you've ever practiced yoga, you've capped off your flow with savasana, or corpse pose. While it may look like you're drifting off to sleep when you're in final resting pose, this asana with its creepy, Halloweeny name is an ESSENTIAL for your practice, with magical benefits for the body + spirit! 

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5 Restorative Yoga Poses for Restful Sleep

Unwind + easy your body into bedtime mode with these 5 super yummy yoga poses—a relaxing evening ritual to naturally ward off insomnia, rid your body of stress, and open up your heart for an evening of sweet dreams.

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Gaiam Yoga

People often ask me how I find the time to workout as a mother, a wife, an active part of my community, and as the founder and owner of Philosophie Superfoods. The truth is that taking care of my body by eating fresh, whole foods, including lots of nutrient-dense superfoods, and prioritizing regular workouts provides me with the strength and energy to keep up with a schedule that is packed with activities about which I am deeply passionate.

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Powerful workout: yoga and strength exercises at home

The best way to burn calories and morph your body is to move quickly and with intention. I like to combine powerful yoga poses with strength moves for my personal training clients.

Sophie adjusts male student

Here's an example of a routine- you can do these exercises at home or at the gym, combining yoga and strength, with or without added weight!

*this is a great strength and toning work out... If you haven't gotten cardio yet, I would suggest this as a starting point before a jog or right after wards to cool down.

1. Push Ups with Core Work: Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides. Bend over (it's okay for knees to be slightly bent) and place your hands or fingertips on the floor in front of you. Walk your hands forward into plank position and do 3-5 push ups. Crawl your hands back to your feet, using your core every inch of the way. That's one rep. Continue moving until you've done 6 to 8 reps.

2. Walking Lunges: find a long hallway or big room. begin doing walking lunges lengthwise across the floor. Go slowly at first, paying careful attention to your front leg. Make sure it is around 90 degrees, with your knee over your ankle. then again, slowly, step the back leg up to meet the front. If you have weights you can do a bicep curl while lunging and step up with your arms by your sides. Continue for 50 on each side, back and forth across the floor until your legs are burning. (*you may not feel this burn today but you certainly will tomorrow!!)

downward-facing dog3. Downward Facing Dog: Come into a plank pose (upward push up position). push your butt up in the air until you form downward dog position. Arms are long, strong and straight. Hands are parallel in front of you, arms shoulder with apart. Focus on the L shape of your thumb and pointer finger, pressing into the floor. Now bring your attention to your legs and feet. Try and ground your feet, focusing on all 4 corners of each foot. Try and get your heels as close to the floor as possible. (this is a great stretch for your back and legs. hold this for 1-2 minutes)

4. Mountain Climbers: From downward dog, get into plank position with your hands directly below your shoulders and your feet together. Bend your left knee and draw it toward your nose. Extend back to plank. Repeat with your right leg. That's one rep. Do 20 to 30, moving quickly. *Be sure to keep your back flat and tuck the belly!

Drop down, flat on your belly and rest your head to one side for 30 seconds. then switch to the other cheek for another 30 seconds, taking deep and long breaths in and out.

5. Airplane: From the laying down position, put your arms out to the sides as if you are an airplane or making a T with your body. take a deep inhale through the nose, and lift everything up-your arms, legs, feet, chest and head. Hold for 10 seconds, then come down and rest for 10 seconds, closing your eyes.

6. Swimming: Stay on your belly, this time kicking your legs behind you vigorously and move your arms in front of you, moving them up and down, opposite leg to opposite arm. Do this for 30 seconds-1 minute.

7. Child's Pose. Stretch the lower back by resting in child's pose.  balasana

Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees about as wide as your hips.

Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs. Broaden your lower back across the bottom of your pelvis and narrow your hip points toward the navel, so that they nestle down onto the inner thighs. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis while you lift the base of your skull away from the back of your neck.

Lay your hands on the floor alongside your torso, palms up, to release the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor. Feel how the weight of the front shoulders pulls the shoulder blades wide across your back.

*If you have the time, do the entire routine one more time!! You'll find each exercise is easier since you've already been there before and your muscles are prepared for the positions.

If you don't have the time or feel ready to end, take a few minutes on your back to close your eyes and bring your knees into your chest, releasing the tension in your lower back. Slowly release the legs onto the floor, and take a few minutes to just be quiet, letting go, sinking into nothingness. Savasana.

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