Back when I first started teaching yoga, Warrior 1 was my least favorite pose.

I was always trying so hard to keep both of my hip bones facing forward (like I was taught) but it never really felt good, like many of the other poses did.

My hip bones were always sideways, and in order to keep them facing forward I would have to do a lot of "tweaks" to get them straight. Warrior 1 felt strained and difficult and I often wondered if I was doing it right.

I had no idea that most of the "tweaks" I was doing were actually compensations. I never knew that if I made my Warrior 1 stance SMALLER, my pelvis would stay straight and I would get more benefits out of the pose. I didn't know that trying to force my pelvis to be straight was just a compensation on top of my body's original compensation.

Susi Hately taught me that. It was a huge revelation for me.
It's been 6 years since my yoga therapy training with Susi I am still amazed at how the "less is more" approach makes yoga more sustainable and effective. Sometimes I laugh when I think that after all the time and money I've spent and the studying I've done, a lot of it just adds up to "less is more." Oh the beautiful simplicity of it all!
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If you want to learn more about how to make your Warrior 1 more effective, check out my video: "Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Warrior 1"

The last time I wrote a blog it was about the "Tragedy of Overdoing."

Well, this week a similar theme is on my mind. Only this time I keep seeing people overdoing their goals - getting attached to their high expectations for change - and then giving up because the goal was too big.

When my clients don't do their home programs, I don't judge them for it - it's none of my business - but it does make me sad when I see them upset with themselves for not doing what they set out to do. 

I think we need to lower our expectations and start off with small goals that feel SUPER doable! Baby steps! And be nice to ourselves if we don't do it!

I recently read this great article written by a personal trainer who says that before he gives a home program he asks his clients how "doable" they feel it is on a scale of 0-10. Ten means it feels easy and completely doable, zero feels next to impossible. He says he doesn't give them the home program unless it's a 9 or above. 

I love this! Of course we know how likely we are to do something before we do it...so, what if right when the idea comes into our minds, we ask ourselves how doable it is? And we made it smaller and smaller until it's doable!

Example: I'm going to run every day for 45 minutes before going to work...Doability=4. I'm going to run every day for 20 minutes...Doability=6. I'm going to run for 10 minutes 70 percent of the time...Doability=9.

Some of you might be thinking, "10 minutes, 70 percent of the time?" That's like two laps around the block, 4-5 days a week. That's like nothing!!

Yeah, but it's a 9!!!!!
You will actually do it - THAT's the point. You can do it just fine if it's a #9!  

With that success under your belt, you'll soon be ready for another mini challenge.

I think it's a good mind trick. Funny how we have to trick our minds to get our bodies to do what we want. 

Which reminds me of a snippet I read from the book Meditations from the Mat in class today: 

"It is our judgement that defeats us. We become our own executioners when we sit in judgment of our efforts. Only when we act without judgment can we truly flourish in our lives...Before our bodies can open, they must first let go; the clenched and guarded muscles must relax. But the mind must let go first."

Best of luck on your journey, and cheers to letting go.
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Upcoming Workshops with Mandy:

How to Feel Better In Your Body: A Free Workshop
This Sunday! January 19th, 1-3:15pm @ Full Circle Fitness

Introduction to Therapeutic Yoga - 4 week series
Saturday, February 1-22, 11:15am-12:15pm
​@ Full Circle Fitness
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Click here for more information and to register.

Did you know the number one reason houseplants die is from over watering? I just learned this from a recent Google search to try to save a dying houseplant of mine.

How ridiculous that we are trying so hard to give our plants what we think they need that we are over doing it. To the point of killing them! Wow. 

I think we are over trying with yoga and exercise too. We get such strong cultural messages to "get it right," "push through," "make it happen," or "no pain no gain."  Maybe that's why I see so many people moving so quickly or forcing things that they are missing all the benefits they could be getting out of what they are doing.  There's a lot of striving happening out there - and it's done with good intentions - but it has negative consequences. 

If I could wave a magic wand and change the cultural mindset around exercise it would sound something like this:

Slow down. Less is more. Little by little. Notice the subtle. Don't force. Don't move in pain. Celebrate the small changes. Learn what your compensations are. Let go of what you think you should be able to do and just do what you can do. Trust that you will improve in time.

These are things I say in my classes all the time. Why? Because I don't want you to die from over watering like my house plant. LOL.

Happy Holidays!

P.S. In the spirit of my "less is more" philosophy, I recently made this video about Triangle pose. I hope you enjoy it!  (It's a mini sampler of what I offer at my Saturday Therapeutic + Beginning Yoga class):

https://youtu.be/JONTyedphe0.

One of the best things about my job is hearing stories about how therapeutic yoga changes people's lives for the better. This past week I heard two stories that made me super happy. Both of them illustrate beautifully how yoga therapy is so much more than exercises or poses -- it's literally a body education that translates into making body-wise choices in everyday life.

First let me tell you about my student -- let's call her Annie -- who was always getting a pain in her butt whenever she stood for long periods of time. Annie loves to cook, but she would hesitate to take on bigger cooking projects because she was afraid it would become a literal "pain in the butt." After taking some of my yoga classes, Annie began to realize that when she was in a standing position, she was clenching her butt muscles. Once she became aware of the tension she was unconsciously holding, she stopped. Now she doesn't have any butt pain in standing. She doesn't hesitate to cook anymore because she isn't worried about it leading to pain.

What I love about this story is that Annie used her newfound body awareness to find more ease OUTSIDE of yoga class. Now she can cook as much as she wants. She made that possible by simply upgrading her self awareness. How empowering is that? More than anything else, my goal is to empower my students to feel better and enjoy their lives more with the tools I give them. Annie's story is a perfect example of what I mean by that. 

Now let me tell you about a private client of mine -- let's call her Sharon -- who's body responds to household cleaning the way Superman's body responds to kryptonite. (As I write this I'm wondering...maybe it's psychological...I mean, cleaning=kryptonite for a LOT of people)!  But seriously, Sharon would get widespread body pain from her cleaning episodes and she found it frustrating to be unable to take care of her home the way she wanted to. After she started doing her home yoga therapy practice (which she does almost daily) she told me she was impressed with how she was able to clean house with a lot less pain. She knew it was her yoga practice paying off. 

Last weekend she spent almost two full days deep cleaning a new home for her son and his expectant wife and it was too much kryptonite -- her body was miserable and sore all over. So, she faithfully got out her spinal strip (which she calls her "gadget"), and did her therapy practice. A day and half after her weekend warrior cleaning project, Sharon told me the whole story, ending with a radiant smile and announcing, "Now I feel great!" She was so pleased at being able to get back to feeling good so quickly.  

What I love about this story is that when Sharon overextended herself, she wasn't powerless to wait out the negative effects, possibly wondering how long it would take her to get back to "normal." She didn't need to wait until she could get an appointment with her massage therapist or chiropractor. She had an all natural tool (with no side effects) that she felt comfortable using to help her in her time of need. Like Annie, she was empowered to use her yoga practice to reduce her body pain, right then and there, in her daily life. I am amazed at how much practical use Sharon has taken from just 3 classes and 2 private lessons. With just a few hours of instruction she has been able to impact her life in significant ways. 

I love these stories because they show how Annie and Sharon's body confidence has grown, which means they get to live fuller lives. They know how to care for themselves and handle the curve balls that life throws their body's way. They are empowered body owners.

​As their teacher, I could not be prouder. 

Are you interested in becoming an empowered body owner? I'd love to see you at my next workshop, "How to Feel Better In Your Body," which is coming up this Sunday, October 20th. For more information or to register, visit my workshop page. 

I look forward to seeing you there!