Well, that was fun! I enjoyed sharing some favorite hip opener poses with you, and I know my Riegel Ridge students enjoyed our month of actually practicing them in real life on Friday mornings.

I did not, however, love the yoga selfies.

I know that’s how the whole online yoga teacher thing works, but I’m super uncomfortable taking pictures of myself when I’m trying to be “serious and professional.” I also don’t enjoy the “being pretty”  selfies. If given the option, I’d always go for the “being a self-deprecating clown” photo, but that doesn’t seem like a very effective way to be a credible yoga teacher. But since the teaching yoga part of our hip series is over, please enjoy this series of outtakes I found as I scrolled through my videos.

Anyway, about those hip openers. I hope you enjoyed the reading, and got inspired to do some simple stretches, even if that means trying out seated pigeon pose while watching college basketball. There are so many moments during your daily routine when you can take five minutes to stretch and strengthen your body. Incorporating yoga into your regular life is a great way to build a long term practice!
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Next month I’ll share more chair yoga poses, since I’m continuing to teach Tuesdays at the Hunterdon County library, and will be adding a chair yoga class to Monday morning at Riegel Ridge. Clearly, I’m a fan of the chair. So stay tuned in April and learn how to exercise while watching tv, scrolling facebook, or waiting for your dentist appointment!

Well that is some bendy BS, isn’t it? 😄

Cow facing pose is one of those poses that make people think they can’t do yoga because they “aren’t bendy enough.” If this pose was the criteria you needed to meet to start a yoga practice, most of us would not make the cut, including me. Regardless, there are other ways to practice this pose to get the hip opening benefits, or alternate options that help build the flexibility to go into the full pose.


In cow facing pose, the hips are in adduction (legs moving towards midline) and in external rotation (toes pointing outward from the body). You can do the same movements sitting in a chair crossing one leg over the other, and also sitting on the floor but extending the bottom leg straight. Either way, you can experience the adduction and external rotation without being in the full pose.


This pose also features an intense shoulder and chest stretch, but since this is a hip series, we’re going to save that for later. I do show a few options for the arms just for fun.

​Chair: Sit on a chair with a straight spine. Cross the right knee over the left and contract the inner thighs. Pick up the right ankle and gently bring it toward the left hip. Rest in the stretch, then switch sides.

​If you haven’t done this move since you were in grade school, don’t worry. Props and variations can set you up for a great stretch. If your doctor warns against forward folds because of disc herniations or osteoporosis, then make sure you are keeping your spine straight and long with the armpits pulling down towards the hips. This keeps the back muscles contracted and active.

​In my opinion, a forward fold with a straight back (vs. curving the spine and relaxing all the muscles) should be the go-to, no matter what type of pose you're in. Try it and see how it feels in your body!

Chair, seated: Move towards the front of the chair and open both knees out to the side. Hinge forward at the hips keeping a flat back and straight spine, and let the spine relax forward and bring the hands to blocks for support.
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Chair, standing: Step both legs a good distance from the chair while still holding onto the back. Spread your feet shoulder distance apart or wider, as comfortable. Hinge forward at the hips with a flat back holding onto the back or seat of the chair for support.

Mat, seated: Sit on a blanket or bolster to better lengthen and keep a straight spine. Open the legs away from each other as wide as you feel comfortable with. Keep the knees softly bent, and hinge gently at the hips keep the spine long. If it is ok for your back, you can curve the spine forward and bring your arms in front of the hips. You can also rest the forearms or forehead on blocks for additional support.

Mat, standing: Spread the legs open wide with the toes pointed forward. Keeping the knees soft, forward fold with a straight or curved spine, whatever you prefer. Bring the hands to blocks on any height for more support.

Restorative: Lie on the back with the hips snuggled against the wall. Open the legs a comfortable distance apart and use a strap below the knees or on the ankles to keep the legs from extending too far apart.

​This hip opener stretches the inner thighs and gluteal muscles while strengthening the outer hips and hip flexors. Props and modifications can make this active stretch available to nearly everyone. Generally the front knee is deeply bent so that the thigh is parallel to the floor. If that is too deep a leg stretch for you, don’t bend the knee as much, as shown in the standing chair variation. Find the stretch that suits YOUR body, even if it is not exactly what you see on the screen. Don’t forget to practice this pose on both sides!

Chair, seated: Sit up tall with a long straight spine. Keep the hips open to the front of the room with both hips firmly on the chair. Open the left leg out to the side and keep it bent with the knee over the angle. Extend the right leg straight out to the side with the toes pointed forward. Stay upright, or lean to the left with the left elbow balanced on the left knee and the right arm extended overhead.
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Chair, standing: Stand behind a chair holding onto the back and step an arm’s length away. Step the right leg back and release the right arm, turning the toes and body to face out. Bend the left knee keeping it over the ankle. Sweep the right arm up along the side of the head, or bring the hand to the hip in the case of shoulder pain or limitation. Keep the left hand on the chair for balance, and look for a stretch in the inner thighs.

Standing: Repeat the steps above in the standing chair variation of the pose. Instead of holding onto a chair with the left hand, let the elbow drop to the thigh for support. If you are able the keep the torso facing forward and the spine straight, you can drop the hand to a block on the inside of the left foot. The right arm can reach out through the fingertips alongside the ear, pointing up to the ceiling, or the arm can rest along the torso. The head can be facing forward or looking up at the ceiling. You can also drop the back knee to the floor for more support, which adds a twist to the torso.
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Reclining/Restorative: If standing or chair poses don’t seem right for you, a similar stretch of the inner thigh can be achieved lying face down in half frog pose. In this pose, lie on the belly with the forehead resting on the backs of the hands. Begin to bend the knee drawing it up towards hip, but keeping both the knee, foot, and hip on the floor. Keep the hips and pubic bone pressing down into the mat. This should produce a gentle inner thigh stretch. Do one leg at a time, and notice any differences from one side to the next.

What's this thing about the hips holding emotion? I know, it's all very woo woo. I wrote about it in my March newsletter (you should be signing up for my newsletter) and in it, I dropped some science like Galileo dropped the orange (Beastie Boys, 1989). It goes like this. 

The hips are the physical and energetic gateway of the body. Muscles in the hips, specifically the iliopsoas muscles, are triggered during the "fight or flight" mechanism in response to stress. When the mind senses danger, the brain releases chemicals that prepare the body to defend itself from attack. Our bodies regularly kick into this mode by non-life threatening events, like worrying about work, getting startled by a barking dog, or forgetting to send in the school permission slip. The hips contract in preparation, and yogis believe the emotion connected to that stressful event gets trapped in the body in those chronically contracted muscles. (To read more about the psoas and the nervous system, click here.)

So onward we continue with our stretching and releasing of the hip muscles, especially in the Pigeon Pose variations I included below.

​If pictures of pigeon pose in its full expression make you feel daunted, know that there are many variations. Pigeon pose stretches the external rotators of the hip in the front leg, and the hip flexors of the back leg. In the accessible variation I usually teach, the back leg is bent and the focus is on the front leg stretch of the deep gluteal muscles, often called the “deep six.”

Note about sciatica: Pigeon pose stretches the piriformis muscle which is often blamed for compressing the nerve in the leg that causes sciatica. Although the pose might relieve sciatica pain at the time, it could actually worsen it the next day if the muscle swells in response to deep stretching. Strengthening poses like tree pose are important to overall hip health and balance in the deep six muscles. Please consult with your doctor and physical therapist for proper poses and alignment to relieve sciatic nerve pain and before taking on a new exercise practice. 

Chair: Sit in a chair with the spine straight and the left leg bent with the knee over the ankle. Lift the right leg and cross the right ankle over the left knee. Open the right knee out to the right side and feel the stretch in the right hip. If your right ankle does not cross over the left knee comfortably, then straighten the left leg and cross the right ankle over the left ankle, or raise is slightly higher over the left shin. Keep the knee open to the side and feel into the stretch.

Mat: Sit upright with the hips on a folded blanket, the feet forward and the knees bent. Drop both knees to the left side. Sweep the right foot towards the right hip and drop the right knee to the mat while the left knee drops to the left side of the mat. (WAIT! If this isn’t possible due to knee surgeries or general mobility, please do the chair option as listed above, or get the hips higher up onto many folded blankets or a bolster. For the floor pose to be comfortable, both knees and both hips should be comfortably supported by the floor.) Turn the trunk to face the left knee with the spine straight. If this feels safe, you can begin to either hinge forward with a straight spine or drape forward with a curved spine. Use blocks to bring the floor up to you in a supportive way, either under the forehead or forearms. Feel into the stretch in the deep gluteal muscles on the left side.
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Reclined/Restorative: Lie on the back with the right knee bent and the right foot on the floor. Cross the left ankle over the right knee. Stay in this position, or enhance the stretch by grasping behind the right thigh and bringing the right knee closer to the chest. 

Why practice hip openers? Muscles in the hips stabilize the body, control mobility, and can affect the health of the lower back. When muscles are tight or constricted, they are also often weak which leads to imbalance in  movement and support. Stretching  and strengthening the hip muscles can open the pathway to overall improvement in physical health.  Welcome to Day 2 covering all sorts of lunges!

​Low lunge stretches the back leg hip flexors, the muscles in the front of the hip that are responsible for bringing the knee up the chest when walking. They also stretch the hip extensors on the front leg, which include the muscles of the glutes and hamstrings. Variations of the low lunge can also stretch the inner and outer hips and thighs. That means that the low lunge is a great practice for stretching many muscles in the legs, hips, and lower back. You can also practice variations of a high lunge using a chair for support. This is a double sided pose, so don’t forget to switch sides!

Chair, seated: Sit towards the front edge of the chair and turn the body the left side. One hip might be off the chair at this point, or you can turn only slightly so that both hips are still on the chair. Both hips should be square to wherever you are facing. Bend the left knee, and extend the right leg back, until you feel a stretch in the front of the back hip. The back knee can be bent or straight, depending on your flexibility.

Chair, standing. Stand behind the chair and hold on to the back with the hips parallel to the back of the chair. Step the right leg back with the toes pointed forward and bend the front knee so that it is right over the ankle.  Straighten the back leg. Keep the spine straight and tall with no curve in the lower spine. Or follow the same alignment as above, but place the front foot on the seat of the chair.

​Mat: Place blocks on either side of the front foot. From tabletop position, step the left leg forward between the blocks with the knee right over the ankle. If you are not feeling a stretch in the front of the right leg, slide the right knee backward until you do. Keep the hips square to the front of the mat. The spine should be straight and long with the tailbone tucked forward to keep the lower back supported.  Move the blocks towards the hips to bring the spine upright, and turn the blocks to any height that is comfortable and supportive.

To stretch the inner and outer thighs, move the blocks to the inside of the left foot and move the left foot to the left side of the mat with the toes pointed forward or out to the side. Stay upright on blocks or you can deepen the stretch by moving the torso lower and dropping the forearms to the blocks at any height. You may not need the blocks at all in this position.
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Reclined/Restorative: Lie on the back with the lower back resting on the mat. Bend the right knee and keep the right foot on the floor for more back support, or let the straight right leg rest on the floor. Bend the left knee into the chest either holding the shin or back of the leg with the hands, or using a strap on the bottom of the foot.

It's the season! Whether you are deep cleaning closets, or raking old leaves from the flower beds, the urge to welcome spring with a fresh start shows itself everywhere. The same practices go for our bodies.

After a winter of limited movement huddled against the weather, you might feel the urge to get moving and start a new fitness program. Doing hip opening yoga poses that stretch the tight muscles in the hips is a rejuvenating practice that releases old tension and emotional obstacles held in the body, just like I talked about in the March newsletter.

But what does accessible mean? In this context, accessible means that hip openers can be practiced by everyone, regardless of ability level, body type, or range of motion limitations. Often people look at yoga poses and immediately decide that they are “not bendy enough” for that practice. Using props like blocks, bolsters, straps, and chairs, hip opening yoga poses can be made available to everyone.

Let’s review six  common poses over the next two weeks with variations and props. Today is Day 1, and we are practicing Bound Angle Pose.

Bound angle pose is a lovely hip opener that is performed with knees bent and soles of the feet together. There are many variations to make this pose comfortable while still getting the hip opening benefits. The spine can be upright, straight, or curved forward, and the feet can be any distance away from the body. Check out the pictures featured here, and see which variation is right for you!

Chair: sit towards the front of the chair. Place the soles of the fee together, and open the knees apart. Hinge forward slightly with a straight spine, or relax forward with a curved spine. Look for the stretch sensation in this inner things. Prop the feet on blocks for a more intense stretch.

Mat: Sit upright on a folded blanket or bolster. Place the feet a comfortable distance from the body and feel into the stretch in the inner thigh. Options for the forward fold are to 1.) Stay upright with a straight spine 2.) Keep the spine straight and hinge forward with a flat back 3.) Relax forward with a curved spine.

Reclined/Restorative: Lie down on the mat, bring the feet together, and open the knees to the side. Make sure the tailbone is curved slightly upward and the lower back is snuggled against the mat. Open the knees to the side and find the sensation of stretch in the inner thighs. Move the feet closer to for further away from the body until you find the best experience of stretch. Once you find it, prop a block or folded blanket under each knee to keep the hips from over stretching. 

​"Sprong" is not a real word. I just figured you are probably aware spring is coming and have enough ads in your email about it. I also thought reading about spronging your hips open might make you curious enough to open the email. Did it work?

​But I'm not done talking about spring, because it's my favorite, and the Hellebore flowers pictured above are my favorite harbinger in spring. They actually start pushing up through the snow ("What's snow?" says all of New Jersey) in January and start blooming in February. The leaves are evergreen, and though scraggly and worse for the wear by March, they power through and support the beautiful new blooms. Nice analogy for the human condition, right?

So here we are in March, with all the symbolism of spring. We awaken from our winter energetic slumber to rejuvenation and inspiration. Maybe to you this looks like getting outside more, taking on new creative projects, or rekindling connection to friends and family. Whatever it is, let your heart feel the energetic shift the longer days bring, and see where it takes you.

This month in yoga, I'm focusing on hip opening poses during Gentle Flow Yoga class at Riegel Ridge Community Center. I am also teaching a four week Chair Yoga series at the Hunterdon County Library. If you're catching spring fever, and looking to expand your body and mind, join me at either or both!

​The hips are the physical and energetic gateway of the body. Muscles in the hips, specifically the iliopsoas muscles, are triggered during the "fight or flight" mechanism in response to stress. When the mind senses danger, the brain releases chemicals that prepare the body to defend itself from attack. Our bodies regularly kick into this mode by non-life threatening events, like worrying about work, getting startled by a barking dog, or forgetting to send in the school permission slip. The hips contract in preparation, and yogis believe the emotion connected to that stressful event gets trapped in the body in those chronically contracted muscles. (To read more about the psoas and the nervous system, click here.)

If all that is a little too "hoogety boogety" (my husband's term), consider this. Many hip muscles connect the lower spine to the pelvis and upper thigh bones. Tight or weak muscles in the hips can be the cause of low back, hip, and even knee pain and instability. That means we are affected by tight hip muscles in simple movements like walking and standing up, and even when we are perfectly still. 

In my yoga classes, we combine hip releasing poses with hip strengthening movements to help these muscles release tension and build stability. On Facebook and Instagram this month, I will share tutorials and movements that will help you practice at home and in a chair. If you don't do the social media thing, I will share the same posts on my website blog page. Hip openers can be practiced by every BODY at any level of experience and ability.

​Please register for this event directly to the Hunterdon County Library Headquarters by calling 908-788-1444 or CLICK HERE to register online. The main headquarters library branch is 314 NJ-12, Flemington, NJ 08822. 

​According to my newsletter history, you last heard from me in April 2020. I guess you could say I've been completely confused and utterly derailed by a worldwide pandemic AKA busy. This is what I used to look like, in case you've forgotten.

​This is what I looked like from March of 2020 to October of 2021.

​I had just gotten back to teaching in person at Riegel Ridge in October when my Mom passed away. Here's what we looked like.
 


Losing my Mom felt like being a balloon cut from its string. I spent the last year just kind of floating around without much direction. I continued teaching one day a week, but not feeling motivated to do more. Luckily I continued to be a yoga student and held strongly to my personal meditation practice, which supported me through that time. 

I'm happy to say that my energy finally shifted, and I'm inspired to teach and write more again. To kick off 2023, I did my own version of a Facebook and Instagram New Year challenge called "I'm Doing Jack Shit in January." I posted daily with meditation, philosophy, and poses to encourage people to take 20 minutes to relax every day in mindful awareness doing restorative yoga (or "Jack Shit", as I termed it). If you didn't see it, it's worth checking out! It really got my writing juices flowing again and I once more feel purposeful in my practice and teaching.

So this year, I will get back to writing monthly newsletters and posting frequently on social media. I also intend to set up a YouTube channel with video classes and to compile my writing into an ebook. i hope you'll follow along with me, and I hope to see you soon in person!

Well, I did it. With the exception of that post about the Eagles going to the Superbowl, I wrote something yoga-ish every day. I missed a day or two of restorative yoga and never missed a beat on the meditations. Not bad for a thirty day practice!

Since this is the last post of the January series, I feel a summary is in order.

Laura’s yoga practice to-do list:

• Make time every day for quiet stillness, but don’t wait for time to magically free itself up. It won’t. MAKE it happen.
• Turn it into a ritual by creating a special place and adding touches of beauty and sensory pleasure.
• Practice observing your own emotional reactivity as a way to reclaim the power you lose to old patterns of behavior that cause suffering.
• Try restorative yoga poses, like the ones I mentioned throughout the month.
• If restorative yoga poses aren’t for you, find a different activity the elevates you to a higher emotional state and balances your energy.
• Seek out a group of like-minded people to connect and grow with.
• Find your purpose and live authentically.

No problem, right? Ha! Easier said than done. The last important thing to note is that when the list falls apart, don’t take it personally. Tomorrow’s another day, and failing is just a part of growing. So off we grow!

Thanks to anyone and everyone who read my diatribes for a month. I feel like I’m just getting started, so don’t go anywhere. I’m not done with you yet. 😁

#yogachallenge #yoga #restorativeyoga #yogapractice #selfstudy #meditation ​