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3 Yoga Tips to Help Office Dwellers
3 Yoga Tips to Help Office Dwellers
We all work at computers, all day long, myself included. I work as a public school teacher and a yoga teacher, so I’m very familiar with what 8 hours at a computer can do to the body and how yoga can help. Here are 3 ways that yoga can get us out of our rolly chairs and into a better, more comfortable body.
We all work at computers, all day long, myself included. I work as a public school teacher and a yoga teacher, so I’m very familiar with what 8 hours at a computer can do to the body and how yoga can help. Here are 3 ways that yoga can get us out of our rolly chairs and into a better, more comfortable body.
Jacked-up Spines
Jacked-up Spines
Imagine what your body does after sitting for 7-10 hours. Your upper back starts to flex. Your shoulders slump over a keyboard. Sink. Slouch. Slump.
Before I found yoga, I worked as a research analyst for a background check company and my body slowly began to turn into a question mark. My upper back rounded so much that I began to experience nagging neck and shoulder pain. That’s because I didn’t give my body the chance to open up in the front and become an exclamation point (hehe).
Do this at your desk
Do this at your desk
Victory Arms- Sit tall. Take your arms out to a V shape, as if you just landed off the gymnastics bar. Lean back and lift your sternum upwards. You can use the back of your chair to support the upper back (between the shoulder blades). Hold and breath.
Painful Low Back
Painful Low Back
Sitting all day tends to remove the natural curve we all should have in our low backs (all people have more or less curves in their spine, having a lot to do with decades of use). Sitting also doesn’t require that we engage or trunk because the chair supports us, which leads to weak core muscles which leads to weakened support for the low spine. This can be fixed. Trust me.
Do this at your desk
Do this at your desk
Leg lifts- Don’t freak out. Sit at the edge of your seat so that the back isn’t supported by the back of your chair. Keep typing. That’s fine. Sit with a tall spine. Straighten your legs out in front of you and lift them to hold for 5 seconds, one at a time. This will strengthen your core, lengthen your back, and freak out your coworkers. You might sweat a bit, but you can do this slowly throughout the day.
Forward fold- Just stand up. Bend your knees. Fold down, hands towards toes. Don’t worry about touching your toes; that might put too much strain on your back. Just hang heavy. You can hold onto your elbows or place your forearms on your thighs. The goal here is to let the spine lengthen out with gravity. We sit and stand all day, compressing our vertebrate. This will give them some space with the aid of gravity.
Fix your Hips
Fix your Hips
We are a nation plagued by tight hamstrings and hip flexors. It’s because we are sitting at our breakfast table, car, office, car, kitchen table, couch, toilet. The 90 degree angle of your leg shortens the hip flexor (front side of your hip) and the hamstring (from your butt to the back of your knee).
Next to your desk
Next to your desk
Do a lunge, ya weirdo- Stand up tall. Step your right foot 2-3 feet behind you and push your right hip towards the ground while lifting your chest up. You can take your hands all the way to the ground or stay standing.
Forward fold- Like I said early, the forward fold is great for your spine, but it also lengthens the hamstrings. If you’re super tight, keep the knees bent, but the more you straighten the legs (keep your back flat!) the more you’ll get into the hamstrings.
Hope these things help. For more tips, check out my Instagram account where I’ve posted 5 60 second videos on things you can do to feel good in your body. @aaronwayneyoga
Hope these things help. For more tips, check out my Instagram account where I’ve posted 5 60 second videos on things you can do to feel good in your body. @aaronwayneyoga
Why are handstands so cool?
Why are handstands so cool?
Spinal traction creates a healthy spine. Truth. It’ll also make you slightly taller. A teacher of mine said that yoga will make you taller, and then he reminded us, “But who cares?” So here it is: people look cool doing cool yoga poses. I’m not going to lie. But who cares?
Spinal traction creates a healthy spine. Truth. It’ll also make you slightly taller. A teacher of mine said that yoga will make you taller, and then he reminded us, “But who cares?” So here it is: people look cool doing cool yoga poses. I’m not going to lie. But who cares?
Handstands are tough to do
Handstands are tough to do
People who don’t do yoga aren’t aware how tough a triangle pose can be if you’re fully engaged. Similarly, they don’t know how effortless, but super cool, a crow can be when done with good alignment. Handstands strain you, even in good alignment. It’s a fully body engagement from toes to tips. And it looks like it too.
Handstands show good alignment, which is inherently appealing to see
Handstands show good alignment, which is inherently appealing to see
Stack your joints. Engage your core. Muscles wrap the bone. It’s a full body pile up, just like a thoughtful tadasana. Our minds evolved to notice proper alignment, that’s why we find good posture attractive. When we see good alignment, we are attracted to it. Notice that my above photo doesn’t show perfect alignment, making me only slightly cool. Imagine if I had really stacked it out. I mean, whoah.
Not everyone can do them
Not everyone can do them
This isn’t very yoga to say, but most people aren’t able to do a handstand, at least not right now in their practice. I include myself in this category. It takes time to develop. You have to drill it daily. You have to work on it, even when you aren’t in it. Tuck your ribs in arda chandrasana and engage the quads and core in down dog. You wouldn’t think it, but that’ll help.
Sneaky tip for Instagram: If you can’t press up into a handstand, record a video and work it a few times. Take a screenshot of what the pose looks like. Yea, I did it, and all the hotties you see on Instagram are doing it, too. Don’t judge.
Sneaky tip for Instagram: If you can’t press up into a handstand, record a video and work it a few times. Take a screenshot of what the pose looks like. Yea, I did it, and all the hotties you see on Instagram are doing it, too. Don’t judge.
3 Reasons Why You Should Give Yoga a Second Chance
3 Reasons Why You Should Give Yoga a Second Chance
“I don't think yoga is for me. I've tried, but I'm not that into it.”
“I don't think yoga is for me. I've tried, but I'm not that into it.”
Yoga is like music. You can't listen to one alt-rock song or bluegrass tune and then swear off music because you didn't connect with it. That's what yoga is like. There are many reasons to give yoga second chance, but here are three solid reasons to get back into your local room.
You might have had an instructor you didn't connect with.
You might have had an instructor you didn't connect with.
My wife wants to buy crystals. I don't get it. But whatever. If she’s into them, that’s for her. I don’t have to connect with that.
My wife wants to buy crystals. I don't get it. But whatever. If she’s into them, that’s for her. I don’t have to connect with that.
In the same way, some people don't connect with a certain type of teacher. Think of your favorite public school teacher that you had growing up. That person is your favorite because they connected with you. You remember the subject they taught and you may remember a few lessons they gave you, but more than anything you remember feeling connected to them. Yoga instructors are just like this. The subject is the same, but if there's no connection with the person relaying that message, you may not pick it up. So the cure for this is to go to as many yoga classes as possible until you find a handful of teachers that you feel connected to.
You went to the wrong class
You went to the wrong class
Maybe the class you went to was a power yoga class, and the instructor was having you hold poses and burning up your quads and making you sweat when you were expecting to show up and leave class blissed out and calm. Or maybe you wanted to get a good sweat and build some strength, and your instructor bathed you and sage and had you flap your wings in front of a salt lamp. That doesn't mean that yoga is the problem. It means that you need to find the class that is right for you.
You know more now
You know more now
In your first yoga class, you are getting acquainted with a whole new experience. Someone is telling you where to put your feet and how to breathe. That's not typical. You learn new words and you learned new ways to move your body. If you've never been to yoga, you may have lived your entire life without going into child's pose. At least since you were a child of course. So now you know what those things are. Maybe in class for your first time you were self-conscious about getting into those poses. Now you know where you are going. So when you go back to your next yoga class, you will have that memory. You have learned. The second time will feel more natural than the first time and the third and the 4th and the 5th and so on.
After a while, the movements become so natural that you can dive into a deep meditative state that will be calming and enriching regardless of the ease or intensity of the pose. That is worth going back for. That is what yoga is about. That is what is on offer in a good yoga class. Don't stop yourself because you felt uncomfortable at first. The hardest class is the first class. Get back in there.
After a while, the movements become so natural that you can dive into a deep meditative state that will be calming and enriching regardless of the ease or intensity of the pose. That is worth going back for. That is what yoga is about. That is what is on offer in a good yoga class. Don't stop yourself because you felt uncomfortable at first. The hardest class is the first class. Get back in there.
3 Meditation Tools to Help Start Your Meditation Practice
3 Meditation Tools to Help Start Your Meditation Practice
Meditation can be intimidating. You might think that you’re supposed to sit and empty your mind and hum into bliss. That’s not meditation. If you think that an empty mind is the only way to meditate, you’ll never be able to establish a regular routine. Here are three simple meditation practices that will enable you to feel comfortable sitting down to meditate.
Count your breath
Count your breath
On the inhale count 1, exhale 2, inhale 3, exhale 4, and so on. Go up to 50 and then count back down. As you do this, notice that you can barely maintain a count to two before you start to flutter your thoughts. That’s ok and to be expected. Just keep coming back to the breath.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra
Yoga nidra captures that half-awake-half-asleep state that we find sometimes by accident when we’re napping on the couch or sunbathing at the lake. If you can find a yoga nidra at a local yoga studio, do it. Being guided through a yoga nidra practice was revolatory for me. You can also find some on Youtube that are pretty good.
Guided Meditation
Guided Meditation
Meditation apps have exploded in the last five years. I’ll soon be writing a post to review my favorites. For now, Sam Harris’s Waking Up Meditation app is not only a great guided meditation, but it is also filled with lessons on mindfulness and the importance of practice through the lens of neuroscience. One of the drawbacks of an app is the cost. Most apps out there offer 10 day trials that you have to follow-up with a purchase of the program. If that’s a deterrent, check Youtube. If you get tired of those, search and test others. I find that after listening to the same meditation a couple of times, I get a bit bored of what the teacher is guiding me through
Bonus tip: Meditate after you exercise. Yoga’s original purpose was to get the body ready to sit in meditation. Get your ya yas out with a run, lifting, or yoga and then sit down to meditate.
Bonus tip: Meditate after you exercise. Yoga’s original purpose was to get the body ready to sit in meditation. Get your ya yas out with a run, lifting, or yoga and then sit down to meditate.
Reach out for more tips.
IG: @aaronwayneyoga
The Biggest Block for People to Try Yoga
The Biggest Block for People to Try Yoga
Aaron Wayne Richards
Aaron Wayne Richards
The biggest block is just getting there. The reason for that block is personal. You feel you’ll be judged for your lack of yoga knowledge. You feel your friends will think you’re a patchouli, granola, vegan cookie hippy. You can’t afford going every week, so why bother going once? What if I fart? My mat is a cheap TJ Maxx buy.
Getting to your first class can be intimidating. You don’t know anything about yoga, and you assume everyone in your class knows everything about yoga. What we forget is that there is a professional teacher there ready and excited to teach you about what yoga is.
I’ve seen many times people sign up for a class online and then bail. Maybe something came up, maybe they had a conflict, maybe they accidentally signed up. Or maybe they lost the courage to come to the class they signed up for.
If we can learn to accept that the first five minutes in a new location or experience are a bit wonky, then we can jump into many more new experiences. Yoga is like that.
If we can learn to accept that the first five minutes in a new location or experience are a bit wonky, then we can jump into many more new experiences. Yoga is like that.
The biggest block people have that keeps them from visiting their first yoga class is the first five minutes of walking in the door and rolling out their mat. Imagine the last time you went to your spouse’s work party or sat down for a job interview or important meeting. The first 3-5 minutes might rattle you, but once you settle in, you’re good to go. Accept that you’ll feel a bit awkward as you settle into the first five minutes and then you’ll calm and feel more natural.
Yoga teachers know what it’s like to see students experiencing their first time because it happens every day in their classes. You might think that you’re the only new person in your yoga class. That’s almost never the case. Nearly all classes have brand new people or people who’ve practice fewer than a dozen times. So there’s no real cause for feeling alone showing up as a new yogi.
5 Things You Should Know Before Your First Hot Yoga Class
5 Things You Should Know Before Your First Hot Yoga Class
Hot yoga has exploded over the last decade. Small towns. Big cities. Hot yoga rooms are everywhere. You may have done a yoga class or two, and now you're interested in trying this hot yoga thing. There’s a few things you should know before jumping in so that you feel ready for your first hot yoga practice.
Hot yoga has exploded over the last decade. Small towns. Big cities. Hot yoga rooms are everywhere. You may have done a yoga class or two, and now you're interested in trying this hot yoga thing. There’s a few things you should know before jumping in so that you feel ready for your first hot yoga practice.
There’s different styles of hot yoga.
There’s different styles of hot yoga.
If you go to a hot yoga class, it’s likely you’ll end up in either a Bikram style or a Barkan style. Bikram Yoga, also called 26 & 2 or Hot 26, is a set sequence of 26 asanas done twice. The asanas are done statically with long holds, 60-90 seconds. It’s tough and builds a lot of strength. Barkan Yoga utilizes some of the traditional hot yoga asanas and adds vinyasa, or flow, in the set sequence. If you like to flow, this is a good class to try.
It’s also possible that the class is called Hot Vinyasa or Hot Mix. All that means is that it’s not a set sequence and the teacher will plan something new for each class.
The room is hot.
The room is hot.
Some yoga rooms are heated up to 106 with 40% humidity. That’s hot. So pay attention to what it feels like. You’re going to be rolling sweat. If you don’t like to sweat, try hot yoga and become acquainted to the satisfaction of rolling the sweat off in the heat.
Bring a towel
Bring a towel
You can buy yoga mat towels that fit your mat perfectly. These are nice because they prevent you from slipping on the mat from your sweat. If you don’t have a yoga mat towel, a normal towel will do. You’re going to sweat more than you think, so a towel is nice to dry off with as you go.
Hydrate the day before.
Hydrate the day before.
Guzzling water will fill your belly with water instead of saturating your tissues. A belly full of water will be uncomfortable during your practice. Bring a water bottle with some cold water to cool you down if you need a sip, but don’t gulp water during or before practice.
Some people go really hard
Some people go really hard
If you see someone next to you going really hard in their practice, don’t feel like you have to keep up with them. You don’t even have to keep up with the teacher. I’ve had people rest in child’s pose for 15 minutes during a class before. It takes confidence to rest while other people are going wild around you. Give yourself permission to rest.
You’ll learn as you go. The first time I did hot yoga, I was hooked. There was no turning back. Now half the classes I teach are hot classes. There’s that scene in Fight Club where Ed Norton says something to the effect of, “Fight club became the reason to keep your hair short, the reason to keep your fingernails trimmed…” I think of hot yoga that way. Hot yoga becomes the reason you hydrate daily, the reason you eat a nutritious lunch, the reason you wake up at 5:30am, the reason you get a full night of rest, the reason you organize your calendar. Hot yoga can bring you to a new version of yourself, if you’re willing to try it.
You’ll learn as you go. The first time I did hot yoga, I was hooked. There was no turning back. Now half the classes I teach are hot classes. There’s that scene in Fight Club where Ed Norton says something to the effect of, “Fight club became the reason to keep your hair short, the reason to keep your fingernails trimmed…” I think of hot yoga that way. Hot yoga becomes the reason you hydrate daily, the reason you eat a nutritious lunch, the reason you wake up at 5:30am, the reason you get a full night of rest, the reason you organize your calendar. Hot yoga can bring you to a new version of yourself, if you’re willing to try it.
Why your friend won’t shut up about yoga
Why your friend won’t shut up about yoga
I admit it. I am this guy. An old friend introduced me to his fiance as the yoga guy last week. Her response was, “Oh, that's the guy.” Oh boy.
Your friend won't shut up about yoga because they care about you.
Your friend won't shut up about yoga because they care about you.
It sounds like they are humblebragging every time they mention how great the hot yoga class they went to was. But in reality, they are looking to show you what benefits they have found in yoga. Proselytizing can be aggravating. It’s preachy. Nobody wants to be “You should try it” to death. But your friend is coming from a good place.
Their life is improving and they want to share their growth.
Their life is improving and they want to share their growth.
If you're tired of your friend talking about yoga, just take note of how their life has or has not changed over the span of time that they've been bragging about their vinyasa. The next time they say something about getting into sirsasana, just be kind and patient. They're going through a process that they are proud of. They want to share that with you.
Excited people are annoying sometimes.
Excited people are annoying sometimes.
Vegans won't shut up. Paleo people won't shut up. Crossfitters won't shut up. Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, farmers market goers, juice fasters, hikers, thrift store goers, people who finished their first novel since college, people who took a cooking class, someone who just refinished a table, sports fans (God, sports fans), “entrepreneurs,” YouTubers. Let excited people be excited. And understand that you might be doing the same when you talk about the latest season of Survivor. Yes, that show is still on the air.
Allow yourself a rough draft.
Allow yourself a rough draft.
I teach yoga, but I also teach middle school English. One of the toughest things I have to encourage my students both on the mat and in the classroom is that nothing is perfect when it starts.
Getting kids to write can be tough. They are too concerned with judgement on what they’re writing. They think the have to crush a piece into the perfect thing before it can be read. They don’t realize that it’s a process. Teaching my kids that writing is a process that takes time, patience, awareness, and regular practice is the most important part of my job as an English teacher. It’s the same for yoga.
People expect that they must look beautiful and graceful as soon as they start to practice. They don’t understand that we all start out feeling awkward and as if we’re working too hard for something we can’t quite reach yet. It’s a process that develops over time. First draft, second, third, so on. Forever.
On the mat, people come into a yoga class and expect that they should already be through the drafting and revision process. They expect to be able to hit the asanas perfectly, or at least make them look beautiful, on day one. When they fall short of that expectation, they get frustrated and may never come back.
Allow yourself to approach yoga as a drafting process.
Allow yourself to approach yoga as a drafting process.
We get the rough draft done. Get it out of the way. Once you have that draft, you can start to get feedback, either from the teacher, your classmates, or most importantly, feedback from yourself. Nobody is in your body with you. It’s just you, so you will naturally learn to give yourself feedback.
Once you have that feedback, you can start to revise, or refine, the asanas. Each day, we shave off an unnecessary movement, or we start to connect with our breath. We may realize that if we engage a muscle, it gives us the sweetness of the pose we were looking for.
The drafting process can take a long time. Sometimes my kids will work on essays for a month. That’s a long time to look at the same essay, especially for a 14 year old. But that’s what it takes to work towards something that’s polished.
Your practice will always change, allowing you many new rough drafts.
Your practice will always change, allowing you many new rough drafts.
At different points in our practice and in our lives, we will be working from a different draft. If we learn a new asana after a year of practice, that’s an opportunity to start with a new rough draft. What a beautiful opportunity. Finding something new that you can work to refine and revise allows us to apply the skills we learned in our first month of practice.
After an injury or an extended period of time off the mat, we have another opportunity to approach our practice as a knowledgeable beginner.
“We shall not cease from exploration,
“We shall not cease from exploration,
and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and
and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and
know the place for the first time.”
know the place for the first time.”
-T. S. Eliot
-T. S. Eliot
The beautiful thing about writing and yoga is that the final draft never truly comes. At some point in writing, you have to say, “This is as good as I can make it for now. On to the next idea/story/poem.” But with yoga, you’ll never get a new body, so you have the opportunity to continue to revise your drafts indefinitely. If you give yourself permission to start your practice as if it’s something you will revise over time, you won’t deal with the frustration of not being a final draft. You continue to sharpen that sword throughout your life.
6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Be Intimidated to Take Yoga
6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Be Intimidated to Take Yoga
By: Aaron Wayne Richards
People who do yoga are nice
People who do yoga are nice
The nature of doing a lot of yoga brings people a sense of calm (Mayo Clinic). If someone spends an hour doing yoga, they’re blissed out and chill. So when you stroll into your first yoga class, the people at the front desk will greet you with a smile and welcome you in. There are exceptions to every rule, but yogis tend to be pretty cool folks. They meditate and drink smoothies. Who can be mad after meditation and smoothies? It’s hard to be grumpy after doing yoga, so people at a yoga studio are usually pretty affable.
Nobody expects anything of you
Nobody expects anything of you
Teachers, yogis, and studio owners understand that we all begin as beginners. Nobody expects you to mozy into your first yoga class and be able to put your feet behind your head. One of the great joys of life is learning something new that brings you closer to your ideal self. Nobody starts any path as a pro. The people at your local yoga studio know this. Nobody expects to be able to dunk when they step on a basketball court for the first time, so don't have the same expectations of yoga.
People are focused on themselves generally
People are focused on themselves generally
You’re hesitant to go to yoga because you’re too focused on what people might think of you. It’s worth noting that you’re not special in this regard. That’s what other people are doing, too. David Foster Wallace (Read his books. He’s awesome) said that you’ll worry less about what people think of you when you realize how seldom they do. We’re all in our own heads too much. Yoga helps you declutter your self-talk, but ultimately, nobody’s watching you do your asana practice and thinking, “I can’t believe she just did that.”
Teachers are helpful
Teachers are helpful
Anyone who has gone through the efforts to become a certified yoga instructor will have the tools and skills necessary to make you feel comfortable in class. Like public school teachers, yoga teachers aren’t out there making a killing doing what they do. They are in the game because they see the benefits of yoga and want to share them with their community. So when you show up to a class and you’re brand new, they’ll take notice and try to help you. The help could be modifying the poses, or they will introduce themselves to you. Yoga teachers are cool people. They are your ally on this path. Seek them out. Ask for help. Let them know your concerns. They will offer you the grace needed to get over your nerves.
You deserve to take care of yourself.
You deserve to take care of yourself.
Jordan Peterson says that you ought to care for yourself as if you're someone you're responsible for taking care of. You encourage your kids to eat healthy and stay active. You deserve to treat yourself with the same level of a care. Yoga balances your body and mind. It’s the ultimate version of self-care. In an hour long yoga class, you can be challenged, soothed, and rejuvenated. Do yourself a favor and take care of yourself.
It’s not all super hot, flexible people. It’s soccer moms and dads with bad hips.
It’s not all super hot, flexible people. It’s soccer moms and dads with bad hips.
One of the biggest fears I’ve heard from my students is that they don’t want to show up to a class full of gymnasts, body builders, and Instagram models. That is not an accurate description of any class I’ve ever seen. Who goes to yoga? Moms with three kids who want to find a way to destress from their day. Athletes who are trying to prevent injuries. Dads with bad hips. Friends who want to share something together that makes them better people. Grandparents working to stay in a community that supports their healthy aging. Yoga is for everybody. You’re not out of place.The only way to believe that is to go to a class and see for yourself.
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