Our yoga post today is written by a special guest, Katarina Arneric, migliore yogini, one of the best yoga instructors I have had the pleasure of learning from.
Today Katarina shares instruction for Supported Reclined Bound Angle Pose. This is the perfect pose to help open up tight chests, shoulders and hips, (which are a by product of this freezing cold where our shoulders are up to our ears), and to generally provide a calming sensation. Think of this pose as a mini-vacation!
Here's more from Katarina:
"Yoga is the best cross training activity for running, Crossfit, tennis, football, dance and pretty much life in general.
Yoga helps balance you out. It balances out the right and left side of your body since we are naturally uneven. It balances out strength and flexibility. It also balances the body, mind and spirit.
No matter what your workout or fitness activity of choice, here is a pose that will balance out any Chicagoan in this cold winter: Supported Reclined Bound Angle
How to do it:
1. Roll up a thick towel or blanket like a hot dog.
2. Set it on the floor to be the length of your spine and lie back with your hips directly on the floor, whole spine and head being supported by the blanket/towel.
3. Open up your arms to a “goal post” close to 90 degrees at the armpit and elbows. If this is too much strain on your shoulders, open up your arms wide, away from the torso, out to the side with palms facing up.
4. Bend your knees, bring the feet together and butterfly the knees out to the side. If this becomes too intense on the hips, prop a pillow under each of your knees for support.
5. Take a deep breath and relax your body into the support of your props and the ground.
6. Stay for a minimum of six more breaths, work your way up to breathing in the pose for two minutes.
Benefits:
-Decompresses the spine.
-Opens up the chest and front part of the shoulders.
-Opens up the inner thighs and hips.
-Is a great counter balance pose to rounded posture, hunched shoulders from bundling up and hiding in our coat collars to stay warm while walking about this winter.
-The best pose, in my opinion, to do after sitting at a computer all day."
by Katarina Arneric, Certified Yoga Instructor and Health Coach
