The Joy of Exercise

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Tadasana is the foundation for all the other standing poses, so let’s begin at the foundation of our body, the feet.

The feet are not fixed to the ground; they move with and support the body each and every day. They need to be flexible and mobile, yet strong and firm, creating an unwavering solid platform for the body. If the feet are stiff or collapsed, our entire body may suffer from imbalances and misalignments.

Stand with the feet together, ankle bones touching, the toes spread and the arches lifted. Take the time to sense your balance, feeling an evenness of pressure through the soles of your feet. Try to maintain this integrity and placement.

Now moving from the ground up we’ll take our awareness to each and every part of our body. Begin by engaging the thigh muscles, gently lifting the kneecaps, being sure not to jam the knees back. Squeeze the buttocks lightly and draw the navel to the spine softly. Through this abdominal contraction the front of the body meets with the back of the body. Sense your neutral pelvis.

Inhale, hunch the shoulders up around the ears, exhale and draw them down, creating length in the neck, having the arms active beside the body, palms facing the thighs. Slightly tuck the chin, extending through the crown of your head. Use a visual of a bunch of balloons, floating and balancing the weight of the head on top of the spine.

Focus on still maintaining your foundation. Remember the feet, anchoring and grounding the body into the floor. Imagine two opposite lines of energy extending out from your center, one grounding into the earth, the other reaching heavenward.

Sense the elongation through the spine, opening the spaces between the vertebrae, allowing the discs to breathe.

With a soft gaze find a point of focus directly in front of you at eye level. Alternatively close your eyes (unless you experience dizziness) and step inside yourself.

Take time to sense the breath here, becoming in touch with your center.

Now we’ll begin to shift our weight from center to sense what takes place particularly in the postural (stabilizing) muscles.

Tadasana is the foundation for a strong body, creating a still mind and building a solid practice. It brings balance and symmetry to the body. We retreat inwards to sense our neutral spine, self, and senses, creating a neutral mind, a standing meditation.

1. Slowly take your weight onto the toes, almost lifting the heels from the floor; sense the engagement of the muscles that keep you from falling. Shift your weight back to center.
2. Repeat the process, slowly taking your weight to the heels and back, moving with awareness.
3. Now repeat the same, moving from side to side, exploring the two extremes and sensing that subtle mid-point, that place where the body is completely balanced.
4. Step inside your center of balance— your natural plumb line. This is a place we do not often take the time to feel. The body feels light, weightless, elongated and relaxed. It is no effort for the body to be here.

Lateral Roll Downs

Standing in a wide stance, feet, knees, and hips in line:

• Inhale, raise the right arm up to the side, dropping the shoulder and maintaining length in neck. Slightly bend (soften) the knees.
• Exhale, bend the body to the left, maintaining a neutral pelvis, expanding the right ribcage towards the ceiling.
• Inhale, twist the body to look towards the floor.
• Exhale, release the body, allowing it to hang forwards.
• Inhale, hold it there.
• Exhale, navel to spine, uncurl the body with knees still bent, rebuilding the spine vertebra by vertebra, keeping the head and shoulders as the last to come back up to neutral.
• Repeat other side.
• Repeat 2 times each side.

The sides of the body gain a good stretch as the ribcage and lungs are expanded during the lateral part of this exercise, helping to aerate the lungs. The spine is mobilized and limbered both in the side (lateral) flexion and when rolling up. The back and abdominal muscles are strengthened while the internal organs are massaged. The passive inversion brings a fresh supply of blood to the brain.

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Category: Muscle Develop, Nutrition, Plus Size, Relax, Weight Loss, Workout, Yoga, gym, muscle

Tags: back, body, center, creating, energy, exhale, feet, foundation, inhale, knees, muscles, neutral, repeat, sense, side, spine, time to sense, weight