Shoulder and Back Support - October Newsletter - Grounded Earth Yoga

September has been busy for me indoors and out. I had my first week of pilates teacher training, which consisted in four 6-hour days in a row. Yikes! That was a lot of information, but I always enjoy an intellectual challenge.

The cooler weather also sends me back outside again into the garden and landscape, so when I'm not pilates-ing, I'm mulching and digging and hauling and all those other fall clean up duties.

The result is that I am VERY AWARE of the importance of shoulder and arm strength. Having injured myself in the past, I'm also aware that shoulder and arm care means upper back, neck and wrist exercises must be included.

And that's our direct segue into October's theme of the month!

Theme of the Month -

Shoulder & Arm Strength

In my first week of pilates teacher training, we covered anatomy in a six hour class. All the students and even the teacher agreed that the whole shoulder girdle area is a web of muscles and confusion. Between the shoulder blades and shoulders themselves, there are FOURTEEN different ways the bones can move. Whew! Taking into account all the ways shoulders can be injured or limited in movement, that is too much information to understand and pass along in a yoga class.

So although I normally like to shout out muscle names as we move through poses, you won't hear a whole lot of that this month. Instead we'll talk in general terms about movements that strengthen muscles and support joint mobility. We can always go to our good buddies, the Occupational Therapists, if we want to get in the weeds on upper body anatomy.

As a yoga teacher focused on functional mobility, I teach upper body movements with the goal of improving everyday activities. This month we will work on upper back strengtheners to counteract the slumpy posture we fall into unconsciously, as well as arm strength to translate to better gripping and fine motor skills. We can do these movements on chairs and the mat, so you will see this focus across all my classes.

Video Resources

These videos are all free to access and work with our theme for your home practice. If you have trouble accessing these, reach out to me by responding to this newsletter or email info@groundedearthyoga.com.

Website-based full classes:

Adaptive Mat/Chair Yoga - Upper Body Strength

Chair Yoga - Upper Body Strength & Stretch

Full Chair Yoga and Adaptive Yoga class videos are always available on my website for free or limited time access purchase by clicking here on my Video Library page. They are ALL ALWAYS free for membership package members! Get more details about membership by clicking here.

Schedule Changes for October

Pilates Teacher Training!

I've been doing pilates for a couple years now with Corinne Fuentes in Alexandria, who is an amazing teacher. I may eventually teach actual mat pilates classes, but for now, I plan to integrate the training into my current yoga classes. This is easy to do, as pilates was inspired by yoga, so they work together well. Yoga moves through various poses with holds, whereas pilates emphasizes repetition of movement and core strength. To me it's a fitness-y version of yoga, which I really enjoy.

Because of this training, my FRIDAY ALEXANDRIA FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH class will have to cancel for four weeks in September and October. However, my Friday RIEGEL RIDGE MAT/CHAIR CLASS will not be affected.

Check my schedule page for changes, as well as the calendar kept by your favorite yoga venue, like Riegel Ridge Community Center and the Senior Center in Flemington.

NO YOGA CLASS ON

• Friday September 18th, October 2nd, 16th, and 23rd at AFPC

Community Service Project For October:

Support Your Local Food Pantry

It is not difficult to find appropriate food based charities at this time of year. Although giving to national programs like Feeding America is an option, there are many local churches and grocery stores accepting donations for our local food banks and food pantries.

If you don't feel like tracking down your local pantry donation details, you can bring canned and dry goods to me during class, and I will get them to our local Frenchtown/Milford/Holland pick up sites.

Here are a few options for donation in Hunterdon County as well!

Flemington Food Pantry

Norwescap Food Bank

Meals on Wheels Hunterdon

Open Door Community Pantry - Kingwood/Frenchtown

Current Schedule

Here's my latest and greatest schedule:

Riegel Ridge Community Center (free for members, $12 to drop in)

• 60 Minute Chair Yoga, Mondays, 10 am

• 60 Minute Slow Flow Mat/Chair Yoga, Fridays, 9:30 am

Alexandria First Presbyterian Church in Milford (donation/pay-as-you-like)

• 45 Minute Chair Yoga with Zoom option, Fridays at 11 am

Senior Center in Flemington (free to members)

• 60 Minute Gentle Chair Exercise, Tuesdays at 10:15 am

• 60 Minute Advanced Mat Yoga, Wednesdays at 11:30 am

That's my schedule for now. Get up to the minute changes by following the schedule page of my website!

As usual, thanks for reading. Please reach out with questions or comments using the contact page of the website. Pass this newsletter along to a friend, so they can sign up for my newsletter as well!

Om Shanti,

Laura