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Pictured, “Everyday Gratitude Vol 1”

Small gratitudes found in the day to day living of daily life.

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“the intent of this blog is to incrementally build a body of thought that works toward integrating various topics, yoga, fitness, and the arts – it’s a process…”

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touch your yoga stretch with a weight – a tidbit post

# 4

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Tidbits

tidbits are, by definition, tiny bits

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a google search indicates further elaboration –

qualities such as “pleasing” and “choice” are mentioned –

“small” and “bite-sized” also come up…

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thus, this series of tidbits, of small bite-sized posts, are both my choice, and, hopefully, pleasing 😉

if this tidbit comes from, or leads to, a much longer, more complex post, a link will be provided, thank you much

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Intro

during a nice cool-down the end of our jazzercise class this week, one of those synergistic moments i sometimes get i’ve described in my yoga-to-dance aha moments, happened again, but this time, near the end, while we were stretching, thus, a tidbit 😉

it may just be me, but i seem to be noticing more attention being made tying yoga and fitness

early this week, my wife and i received our hard copies of afaa’s july/august issue of “american fitness” magazine – it’s brimming over with fitness info of course, including an article titled, “teaching yoga in the fitness realm”

then the next day i see a wall post on gaiam’s facebook page for an article by sadie nardini, “10-minute yoga supersets: better than another hour of yoga”

now i won’t get into a thing about whether a ten minute set of yoga is or isn’t better than another your of yoga, that’s such an individual-need thing, i can see liking both with no problem, just depending on my needs at the time (sadie herself suggests alternating the longer and shorter sessions)

what i do like, is this very strong tie of yoga into current fitness theory and practice

toss in the concept of the use of a ten minute block, which i use in my own yoga classes, and i really like this 😉

footnote # 3 in my article regarding teaching limitations (a beginner’s view), references afaa, plus provides a couple of links for further info on the ten minute fitness concept; just scroll or jump down to the bottom of the article

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A Weighted Stretch, as a Tool for Learning

so what struck me, as a really neat awareness-enhancing tool, during a supine full body stretch, is :

* when settled supine along the length of one’s mat, with arms still along each side, using

weights light for you, and with a rich inhale, slowly raise each arm up over-head, then bring them gently down above your head, resting once again on the floor

* let your motion and the earth’s pull gently join, giving you a greater awareness of your arms’ full body stretch

* once i felt the difference of the added weights’ pull, i released them, and used the now created memory to help me feel a fuller stretch

so simple, no wonder i’d never thought of it before 😉

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Cautionary Suggestions

if an uncomfortable twing or pain is felt, in the shoulders or chest or anywhere else in the body, i would either reduce the weight, or not try this procedure at all

i also wouldn’t cross either weight across my face, but rather follow a parallel line to my shoulders

as an alternative :

i could raise and lower my arms above my head with a lightly stretched elastic band

though the pull would be more lateral and away from the center of my body, rather than pulling up and lengthening, the new felt resistance still creates more awareness of my arms and shoulders in my stretch

this awakens my perception of my form more –

and further enhances my sense of connectedness

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Final Thoughts

the use of weights, or an elastic band, are kinda fun, and mix things up a bit, but i enjoy them most as tools for being able to do more without them later!

it means using props, shouldn’t be something to be afraid to use; and should be enjoyed when needed or desired –

and whatever new sense of stretch i gain, is now mine in memory –

in the present 😉

namaste – con dios – god be with you

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tidbit series

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• Does Cross Training = Recovery Time? – My Yoga-to-Dance aha! Moments! – # 4 (yoga-adan.com)
• My First Yoga-to-Dance aha! Moment! (yoga-adan.com)