Yoga Cures: Simple Routines to Conquer Over 50 Common Ailments and Live Pain-Free (44 page)

The cure for saggy pecs is simply to begin strengthening the upper body with consistent practice. The good

news is that there are a few fantastic poses that will target the pecs so you will build a strong, lean, firm, and
lifted upper body. Regular practice is essential to maintain strength and muscle tone, so even though you will
feel the burn with this routine after doing it once, keep doing it every day for lasting results.

Forearm Plank

Bring yourself to all fours. Lower your forearms to the ground so they are parallel to each other. Lengthen your legs straight behind you, tuck your toes, and straighten your legs. Your body should be in one long, straight line from the top of your head to your heels.

Plank

Press into your palms, straighten your arms, and come into a plank. Make sure your wrists are under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips. Spread your fingers wide. Tuck your toes under and straighten your legs and arms, bringing your body into a straight line from the top of your head through the bottoms of your heels. Keep your stomach nice and strong and lift the front of your thighs up. Stay here for ten long, deep breaths. If this is too intense feel free to gently lower your knees to the floor. Always make sure you can breathe easily during this pose.

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Plank Push-Up

You can do this with your knees either lifted or lowered, for a slightly less challenging version. Listen to your body.

Bend your elbows straight back and lower your body halfway down in one straight line until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. If a half push-up is too intense you can either lower your knees so they’re touching the ground and then bend your elbows to lower halfway, or slowly lower all the way down to your belly by simply bending your elbows straight back. Press straight up to plank.

Side Plank with Tree

From your plank, lift your hips, press down with your right hand, roll to the outside edge of your right foot, and file:///C|/...ures%20Simple%20Routines%20to%20Conquer%20Mlments%20and%20Live%20Pain-Free%20-%20Stiles%20Tara/index.html[5/29/2012 10:54:20 PM]

open your body to the left. Bend your left knee and place the bottom of your foot on your right upper thigh. Open your left arm straight up over your shoulders and look up at your hand. Stay here for five long, deep breaths, then repeat on the other side.

Crow

Come into a full squat. Press your palms firmly into the ground a few inches in front of your feet. Place your knees onto the tops of your upper arms. Look out about a foot ahead of you. Lift your hips and belly up. Stay here for a few breaths. If you feel steady lift one foot off the ground and place it back down. Then try lifting the other foot and placing it back down. If you are still stable, try lifting one foot, and then the other. Press down through your palms to lift both feet up, if possible. Stay here for three long, deep breaths and slowly lower your feet back down.

Scattered Mind

A scattered mind is all over the place and hard to rein in, even when called upon. Have you ever felt

that you were working on several things at once but not really getting anything done fully? If you find

yourself writing an e-mail while simultaneously checking Facebook and Twitter, snacking, and planning

the next day’s agenda, you’re surely not being as efficient as you could be if you focused on one thing

at a time. Being in a million places at once but not really focused on one is a scattered mind. You can

self-diagnose it on the yoga mat. If you are in down dog and focused on the next pose, and then

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thinking about dinner, and your presentation, and back to being concerned about the next pose, you

probably have a scattered mind.

At a conference of the American College of Sports Medicine, two researchers presented a paper

showing that yoga can reduce anxiety, improve concentration, and increase motivation in as little as

eight weeks. Traci A. Statler and Amy Wheeler tested students taking ten-week yoga classes at

California State University, San Bernardino. The results were dramatic. “We were surprised by the

degree of difference in just eight weeks of practice,” said Statler. “We measured significant increases in

all three areas.”

THE SCATTERED MIND YOGA CURE

The cure for a scattered mind is to give it something to focus on for an extended period of time, and practice
cooling yoga poses that calm down your nervous system. Do this routine daily.

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Alternate Nostril Breathing

Sit up tall, however you can sit comfortably. Take your right hand and curl down your index and middle finger into your palm. For this exercise you’ll use your ring finger and your thumb.

Press your ring finger over your left nostril and inhale for four counts through your right nostril. Close off your right nostril with your thumb so both nostrils are closed. Hold all the air in for four counts. Release your ring finger and let all the air out your left nostril for four counts. Reverse this pattern starting with inhaling through the left nostril, holding both closed, and exhaling out the right side. Repeat this breathing pattern for three to five minutes.