JUNE PROMOTION - REFER A FRIEND & RECEIVE $30 CREDIT

We know that the best form of any social marketing is actually just word of mouth. If you love it, your friend will trust what you think.

So for the whole month of June, when you refer a friend who’s new to Yogalife, your friend will receive a class on the house, and when they purchase a pass, you’ll get a $30 credit added to your account to use on anything you want.

The easiest way to refer a friend is logging into the Yogalife App, and finding your unique referral link and share from there.

Boosting Productivity and Focus through Yoga

In today's fast-paced world, maintaining productivity and focus is crucial for accomplishing tasks effectively and achieving success. While there are numerous strategies and techniques available, one approach that has gained popularity for its holistic benefits is yoga. Yoga, an ancient practice originating from India, offers a unique blend of physical postures, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques. In this blog post, we will explore how incorporating yoga into your routine can provide a powerful boost to productivity and focus, whether in the realm of work, school, or everyday life.

1. Cultivating Mindfulness:
   At the core of yoga is the practice of mindfulness, which involves being fully present in the moment. By engaging in yoga, individuals learn to tune in to their breath, sensations, and thoughts, developing a heightened sense of awareness. This mindfulness training can be directly applied to work or study settings, enabling individuals to stay focused on the task at hand and avoid distractions that hinder productivity.

2. Stress Reduction:
   Stress is a common productivity killer, leading to decreased focus, mental fatigue, and burnout. Yoga offers a sanctuary where individuals can release tension and find inner peace. Through gentle movements, stretching, and controlled breathing, yoga activates the relaxation response in the body, reducing stress hormones and promoting a state of calm. By managing stress effectively, individuals can enhance their productivity and maintain a clearer, more focused mind.

3. Enhancing Physical Energy:
   Physical energy and mental focus go hand in hand. Yoga provides a gentle yet invigorating form of exercise, promoting blood circulation, oxygenation, and energy flow throughout the body. Regular practice can boost vitality, combat fatigue, and improve overall stamina. By having a well-nourished body, individuals are better equipped to tackle demanding tasks and sustain focus throughout the day.

4. Developing Mental Resilience:
   Yoga is not just about physical postures; it also cultivates mental resilience. Through challenging poses and the practice of staying present in uncomfortable situations, individuals develop the ability to overcome obstacles and stay focused in the face of difficulties. This mental fortitude translates into increased productivity, as setbacks and distractions are approached with a determined and focused mindset.

5. Restorative Practices for Renewal:
   In the pursuit of productivity, it is essential to find a balance between effort and rest. Certain forms of yoga, such as restorative yoga and relaxation techniques like yoga nidra, provide deep rest and rejuvenation. These practices help reduce mental clutter, promote quality sleep, and recharge the mind and body. By incorporating restorative yoga into your routine, you can optimize your energy levels, improve concentration, and sustain productivity over the long term.

Yoga offers a holistic approach to boosting productivity and focus in various aspects of life. By embracing the principles of mindfulness, stress reduction, physical energy, mental resilience, and restorative practices, individuals can unlock their full potential and achieve greater success in work, school, and daily activities. Whether you are seeking to enhance your performance in a professional setting or improve your study habits, integrating yoga into your routine can provide the necessary tools for sustained productivity, enhanced focus, and a more fulfilling life journey. Start your yoga practice today and witness the transformative effects it can have on your overall well-being and success.

Detoxify Your Life: Spring Cleaning for the Soul

As the seasons change and the world around us begins to awaken, it's the perfect time to engage in a little spring cleaning. While we often associate this ritual with tidying up our physical spaces, it's equally important to extend this practice to our inner selves. Just as our homes accumulate clutter and dust, our souls can become weighed down by negative emotions, toxic relationships, and unhealthy habits. In this blog post, we'll explore the concept of "spring cleaning for the soul" and provide practical tips to help you detoxify your life and create space for growth, positivity, and well-being.

1. Reflect on What’s Holding You Back:
   The first step in the process of soulful spring cleaning is to reflect on your emotional baggage. Take some time to identify and acknowledge any negative emotions, past traumas, or limiting beliefs that may be holding you back. Journaling or talking with a trusted friend or therapist can be helpful in this process. Once you've identified these emotional burdens, you can work towards letting go of them and embracing a fresh start.

2. Evaluate Your Relationships:
   Just as we declutter physical spaces, it's important to evaluate the relationships in our lives. Consider the people who bring positivity, support, and joy into your life, as well as those who drain your energy or bring negativity. Surrounding yourself with toxic relationships can hinder your personal growth and well-being. It may be time to set boundaries, have open conversations, or even distance yourself from those who don't contribute to your overall happiness.

3. Declutter Your Mind:
   Our minds can become cluttered with endless thoughts, worries, and distractions. Engaging in mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simply taking regular breaks from technology can help clear the mental clutter. Set aside dedicated time each day to quiet your mind, focus on the present moment, and cultivate a sense of inner peace.

4. Establish Healthy Habits:
   Spring cleaning your soul involves adopting healthy habits that nourish your mind, body, and spirit. Consider incorporating activities such as regular exercise, nutritious eating, quality sleep, and engaging in hobbies or activities that bring you joy. Taking care of your physical and mental well-being is essential for a balanced and fulfilled life.

5. Cultivate Gratitude:
   Practicing gratitude is a powerful tool for soulful cleansing. Take time each day to reflect on the things you are grateful for. This simple practice can shift your mindset, increase positivity, and bring more joy into your life. Consider keeping a gratitude journal or sharing your gratitude with others to amplify its effects.

6. Set Intentions and Goals:
   Spring is a time of renewal and growth. Take advantage of this energetic season to set intentions and goals for your personal growth. What positive changes would you like to make in your life? What new habits or experiences do you want to cultivate? Setting clear intentions and actionable goals can help guide you on your journey towards a more fulfilling and purposeful life.

Just as we clean our physical spaces, periodically detoxifying our lives on a deeper level is essential for personal growth and well-being. By engaging in spring cleaning for the soul, we can let go of negativity, create space for positivity, and cultivate a life that aligns with our true selves. Remember, it's an ongoing process, and small steps can have a profound impact. Embrace this opportunity for renewal and start detoxifying your life today. Your soul will thank you!

Exploring the Benefits of Practicing Yoga as a Family

In today's fast-paced world, finding quality time to connect with our loved ones can be a challenge. Practicing yoga as a family not only promotes physical health but also nurtures emotional well-being and strengthens the bond between family members.

1. Cultivating Mindfulness and Presence: Yoga encourages us to be fully present in the moment, and when practiced as a family, it creates a shared space of mindfulness. By engaging in yoga together, family members learn to focus on their breath, body sensations, and the present moment. This shared mindfulness helps to reduce stress, increase self-awareness, and foster a deeper connection with one another.

2. Strengthening Bonds and Communication: Yoga poses and partner exercises provide an opportunity for family members to work together, trust each other, and communicate effectively. As family members support and assist one another in various poses, they develop a sense of unity and cooperation. This shared experience strengthens the emotional bond within the family, creating a safe and supportive environment.

3. Promoting Physical Health and Well-being: Regular yoga practice offers numerous physical benefits, such as improved flexibility, strength, and balance. When practiced as a family, it becomes a fun and engaging way to stay active together. Family yoga sessions can be tailored to accommodate different fitness levels and ages, making it accessible for everyone. By engaging in physical activity as a family, you not only promote a healthy lifestyle but also inspire each other to prioritize well-being.

4. Managing Stress and Enhancing Emotional Resilience: Yoga provides powerful tools for managing stress and promoting emotional well-being. By practicing breathing exercises, meditation, and relaxation techniques together, family members learn valuable skills to cope with daily challenges. Family yoga becomes a safe space to express emotions, release tension, and cultivate a positive mindset. These practices can have a profound impact on the overall emotional resilience of each family member.

5. Creating Lasting Memories and Traditions: Family yoga offers a unique opportunity to create lasting memories and establish meaningful traditions. By engaging in regular yoga sessions together, families create a shared experience that can be cherished for years to come. Whether it's a weekly yoga practice or a special yoga retreat, these moments become cherished memories that strengthen the family bond and create a sense of belonging.

Practicing yoga together as a family is a beautiful way to nurture physical health, emotional well-being, and the bond between family members. It provides a space for mindfulness, communication, and shared experiences that create lasting memories. So, gather your loved ones, roll out your mats, and embark on a transformative journey of togetherness through family yoga. Embrace the power of yoga to strengthen your family's connection and well-being.

Switching from Mindbody to Momence

We're making a change to our booking platform, effective August 22nd.

Our website will be updated with the new scheduler so you'll be able to book classes from the website.

We will also have a new phone App available for you to download if you prefer booking classes that way. Download here.

You will receive an email to set your new password & access your Momence account, your active passes/memberships will transfer to your new account.

If you don’t see one, you can click here to enter your email that you use for Yogalife to get a reset password link.

If you have any questions, email us (memberships@yogalifestudios.ca) and we’ll help you get things sorted.

Our main reasons for switching:

• Mindbody hasn’t been able to find a workaround for Apple & Google 30% cut for in-app purchases, so passes & membership purchases have simply been disabled from our app

• The support from Mindbody is lacking, for you (our clients) but also for us (as studios). We use a lot of workarounds to make things work in Mindbody and we’re looking for a platform that doesn’t need us to troubleshoot software issues.

• Complicated class booking process. Too many steps. Login issues.

Momence Features

• Video On Demand Library will be seamlessly integrated and you'll have automatic access based on your membership, look out for new classes & course content.

• Our Live Stream classes will also be easier to locate & book as well.

• 'Community Section' - a space for students to engage with each other and where we'll keep you updated on news and events happening in studio.

• Better App experience, more user friendly.

Mindfulness, Yoga, and Setting Boundaries: Finding Balance in the Digital Age

In today's fast-paced and hyper-connected world, finding moments of peace and stillness has become increasingly challenging. We are constantly bombarded with notifications, social media updates, and digital distractions that can leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from ourselves. However, with the practice of mindfulness and yoga, we can cultivate a sense of awareness and set healthy boundaries with our phones and social media, allowing us to find balance and reclaim our well-being.

The Power of Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of bringing our attention to the present moment without judgment. It involves being fully aware of our thoughts, feelings, sensations, and surroundings. By incorporating mindfulness into our daily lives, we can develop a deeper sense of self-awareness and a greater ability to stay grounded amidst the chaos of the digital world.

One powerful way to incorporate mindfulness is through the practice of yoga. Yoga combines physical movement with breath awareness, allowing us to synchronize body and mind. By focusing on the sensations of our body as we move through different poses, we can bring our attention away from our phones and social media and into the present moment.

Setting Boundaries with Your Phone: While our smartphones are incredibly useful tools, they can also be major sources of distraction and stress. To set healthy boundaries with your phone, consider implementing the following strategies:

1. Establish "Phone-Free" Zones: Designate certain areas or times in your daily routine where the use of your phone is off-limits. For example, you might decide to keep your phone out of the bedroom to create a peaceful sleep environment or institute a "no phones at the dinner table" rule to encourage mindful eating and meaningful conversations.

2. Practice Digital Detoxes: Set aside specific periods of time, such as an hour or even an entire day, when you disconnect from your phone and social media. Use this time to engage in activities that promote mindfulness, such as going for a nature walk, journaling, or practicing yoga.

3. Mindful Notifications: Take a moment to assess which notifications on your phone are necessary and which ones are simply distractions. Consider turning off non-essential alerts and only allowing notifications from critical apps or contacts. This will reduce the constant interruptions and allow you to focus more on the present moment.

Embracing Social Media Mindfully: Social media platforms have become integral parts of our lives, but they can also have negative effects on our mental well-being.

Establishing Boundaries: To develop a healthier relationship with our phones and social media, setting boundaries is crucial.

Here are some practical tips:

a. Create Tech-Free Zones: Designate certain areas in your home, such as your bedroom or the dining table, as tech-free zones. This allows you to disconnect and be fully present in the moment.

b. Set Intentional Phone Usage: Determine specific times throughout the day when you will check your phone or engage with social media. Create a schedule that works for you, allowing for dedicated phone-free periods.

c. Mindful Social Media Consumption: When using social media, be intentional about the content you consume. Unfollow accounts that don't align with your values or cause negative emotions. Use the mute or unfollow features to limit exposure to content that may trigger stress or overwhelm.

d. Practice Digital Detoxes: Occasionally disconnecting completely from your phone and social media can do wonders for your mental and emotional well-being. Set aside regular periods, such as a day or weekend, to engage in offline activities and recharge.

Wrist Pain & Yoga: Physiotherapy & Yoga Perspectives on How to Resolve

Yoga is a great form of exercise that not only incorporates stretching, but also mindful awareness of your body through movement.

There are many schools of yoga with a wide variety of different poses. One of the most common schools of yoga is hatha yoga. The movement sequences, or flows, in hatha yoga incorporate exercises where you need to put body weight through your wrists. For example, downward-facing dog is one such pose.

It’s not uncommon for some people to experience wrist pain when doing these wrist-loading exercises. Wrist pain when doing body-weighted yoga poses can be a result from an old injury, a muscle imbalance or overtraining.  Although you may feel your yoga practice is limited because of this, don’t fear!

In this article, Innovation Physical Therapy & Yogalife are teaming up to bring you a complementary perspective on this issue.

Wrist Pain in Yoga

There are a variety of yoga poses that can load the wrists. Downward Facing Dog, Upward Facing Dog, Plank and Chaturanga are among the most common poses especially in a Vinyasa style class.

There are quite a number of bones that make up the wrist joint. 13 in fact! These bones work together to provide flexibility and stability to the wrist. Wrist pain can occur in a number of places, but the most common would be just below the thumb in the small divot that shows up when you spread all your fingers. As well, pain can commonly be experienced on both the front and back of the wrist.

Yoga Recommendations on How to Reduce Wrist Pain

When starting out in yoga, there is a common tendency to grip like a bear into the yoga mat.  This can end up causing pain at the base of the wrist. When you’re in the plank position lowering down to Chaturanga (or half push up), your elbows need to stay close to your body. Your legs should remain engaged while you lower down to the floor. This will keep your weight distributed throughout the body rather than using only your hands to lower your body.

One of the main instruction cues that yoga teachers remind students during a weighted wrist pose is to focus on pressing down into the base of the  thumb and index finger. This helps to take the pressure off of your wrist. When you’re starting out in yoga, it’s easy to lift your thumb and index finger off of the matt which causes excess tension and body weight to be translated through your wrist.

Another important strategy to reduce wrist pain is to activate your core a little more so your body weight shifts away from your wrists. It’s also important to not forget your legs. Activating your legs in any pose (even a handstand) will help you lift your weight out of your hands and spread it more throughout your body.

It can also be helpful to stretch your wrist muscles as well as opposing movement to help relieve any of the repetitive strain you may feel when practicing yoga.

If yoga students need to reduce or avoid weight bearing through their wrists then yoga instructors can adapt poses to help reduce wrist strain. This could include weight bearing through the forearms as opposed to the wrists (e.g.baby cobra instead of upward facing dog for instance) or using a closed fist (e.g. during chaturanga) to help maintain the wrist in neutral alignment.

Finally, it may be necessary to look at transitioning to a more gentle class style that has fewer wrist loading poses.

PT Recommendations on How to Reduce Wrist Pain

As physiotherapists, we focus on understanding the root of your pain and it’s no different if you are experiencing pain in your wrists during yoga.

It is hard to say what could be causing your wrist pain since we have not physically examined your wrists or upper body. But assuming no specific injuries, there is one foundational concept we find helpful in those with wrist issues during yoga.

The concept we want to share is the importance of opposing muscles sharing an equal amount of tension and length. Let us explain.

You have muscles on the front of your forearm (that let you grip) and muscles on the back of the forearm (that let you extend your fingers). These muscles cross the wrist. When one group of muscles tightens more than the other, the unfortunate result can be increased strain through your wrist joint.

We do a lot of gripping in life (writing, holding things, opening doors, lifting weights, etc) so it’s likely that your wrist flexors will become shortened in relation to your wrist extensors. This can strain your wrist and you may find yourself experiencing pain with yoga poses.

The solution: Start working on strengthening your wrist extensors. This Youtube video walks you through what this looks like. Low weights are ok (typically 1-3 pounds) and focus on working up to 3 sets of 15.

It goes without saying that getting assessed by a physiotherapist is important to understand what is going on. There are many other reasons for wrist dysfunction! Also you may experience numbness and tingling in your hand and fingers. This is something not to ignore and should be looked into.

Key Takeaways

We hope you found this article helpful bringing together two different perspectives on wrist pain during yoga. Here are your key takeaways:

• Engage your leg muscles while doing yoga poses so your weight can begin to move throughout the body and not just your hands
• Increase your contract pressure through your thumb and index finger during wrist load bearing poses so pressure through the wrist is reduced
• Balance the muscles that cross your wrist joint by strengthening your wrist
• Adjust your poses to take weight off your wrists

Next Steps

Need to dig a little deeper? We’d recommend you give Innovation Physical Therapy a call to get an in-depth assessment of your movement challenges. They have 6 physiotherapy clinic locations throughout Edmonton & Sherwood Park including Riverbend, Meadowlark, Belvedere, Namao, Sherwood Park and West Henday (January 2018).

For all our Yogalife guests, you can now benefit from Yogalife priority bookings, rates and access to their therapeutic facilities through our new Yogalife + Innovation Physical Therapy priority access program. Simply, provide your Yogalife member number at time of booking. Call (587) 524-8200 to book an appointment.

8 Ways to Improve Your Immune System Naturally

Anyone who suffers from hayfever will be as qualified as possible to attest to having a healthy and robust immune system. If you’ve got a seasonal allergy to the pollen of plants and grass, you’ll be well aware of your immune system going to work. Of course it’s not pleasant as you sneeze heartily and repeatedly and your eyes water incessantly, but it’s still good to know what your body is guarded against invaders and will dispatch histamines at a moment’s notice when a transgressor is detected.

Rather a shame that those pollen particles are a false alarm, but the immune system’s taking no chances!

For the rest of us, you’re probably not going to be aware every time you’ve got neutrophils on the march taking on bacteria, viruses, and the like but they go into action pretty darn often. Having a healthy immune system is very important for every human, and there’s natural ways you can improve the function of your immune system. Let’s have a look at them.

While there are no scientifically proven direct links between lifestyle and enhanced immune function, there’s plenty of evidence suggesting that making the following diet / lifestyle choices can help you have improved immunity, with the diet changes being particularly highly recommended by Sherri Danrin, a naturopathic doctor specializing in immunology and a regular contributor at YesWellness. 

1. Eat A Diet High In Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grains, Plus Low In Saturated Fat

A very telling fact is that scientists have long determined that people who live in poverty and are malnourished as a result are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. This increased susceptibility is a result of micronutrient deficiencies, and in particular not getting enough zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, B6, and Vitamin E. If you have reason to believe you’re deficient in any of these vitamins (click here for an easy quick-reference chart for vitamin deficiency syndromes) you can address them via dietary sources or quality supplements.

 

2. Exercise Regularly

Getting regular vigorous exercise – which means getting your heart rate up and breaking a sweat – is so beneficial for improving cardiovascular health, lowering blood pressure, controlling body weight AND supercharging your immune system to defend against viruses and disease. A large part of this is due to the fact that it promotes improved blood circulation, which allows cells and the different substance components of the immune system to move through the body freely and complete their job with maximum efficiency.

Important note; do not push yourself too hard when aiming to exercise vigorously. Know your limits of exertion, and if you need to take a break then take one. If you ever feel faint or can’t handle the strain, stop immediately.

3. Maintain A Healthy Body Weight

This point is added here immediately following exercise because one promotes the other, and they’re both helpful ways to improve your immune system naturally. And yes, that’s in large part because your circulation will be much improved when your hearts’ not working nearly as hard to pump blood throughout your body as it was before you lost body weight. 

 

4. Control Blood Pressure

The important thing to understand here is that there is a relationship between prolonged stress and high blood pressure (hypertension), which in turn limits your immune system’s ability to product T-cells, which it uses to fight infections. Maintaining a low blood pressure will prevent your adrenal glands from being hyper stimulated and producing too much adrenaline and noradrenaline, which leads to a rather vicious cycle where the weakened immune system promotes more stress, which promotes more hypertension, which promotes further weakening of the immune system.

You get the idea, keeping your blood pressure at healthy levels and regulated is highly advisable here.

 

5. Get Sufficient Quality Sleep

By getting sufficient AND quality sleep, we mean a) getting enough of it (most people need 7 hours a night) and b), making sure you go through all of the 4 stages of sleep. As regards the second point there, the importance of getting through all of these stages is important as the N3 (3rd) stage is where you get your deepest and most restorative sleep and cellular energy is provided to the different systems of the body, including the immune system.

In order to establish a good circadian rhythm and get the best and most thorough sleep, try to establish consistency with the time you go to bed and wake up each day. Sleeping in on the weekends or days off may be appealing, but it’s best not to.

6. Drink Alcohol In Moderation and Don’t Smoke

This one will likely be fairly self-explanatory for you. Drinking alcohol heavily damages your liver, and the liver works to filter contaminants out of the body. When that’s not occurring effectively, the buildup of toxins and the like affects your immune system. And most of the many harmful chemical in cigarette smoke work similarly. 

There’s a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t drink excessively or smoke, and this is just one more very valid one like all the other ones.

7. Be Proactive in Preventing Infections

This involves being smart and wary of know ways that viruses and pathogens are commonly transmitted to people. Wash your hands frequently, cook meats thoroughly, etc. Being very cleanly will keep you in good stead and boasting a nice tip-top immune system.

8. Be Wary of ‘Quick Fix’ Supplements

Many products on store shelves state that they will boost or support immunity, but in reality there really are not ‘quick fixes’ for boosting your immune system via under-the-counter supplements. Further, boosting the number of cells in your body — immune cells or otherwise — isn’t necessarily advisable. To put that in perspective, consider this; athletes who pump blood into their systems to boost their number of blood cells and enhance their performance run the risk of suffering a stroke. There’s no concrete definition of how many cells or what mix of them allows the immune system to function at its best.

No one likes to have their weekend wasted by the flu, being laid up for a month by mono, or anything of the sort. Your immune system is the last line of defense against all of these misfortunes, so make sure you do all that you can to ensure yours is primed to combat at full force all the time.

BLOOM LISTEN: A curation of the talent at Bloom 2017.

Here's the list of Bloom's amazing artists that will be sharing their musical talents at the festival, in all ways: from Daniela Andrade's concert, to Garth Stevenson's mellow Cello accompaniments in class, to MC Yogi and his soulful lyrical yoga classes. 

You're in for a treat when you come to this class. 

Featured Playlist of the Month: by Sol Rising

Got a hit on a really excellent artist, making some magic for your yoga practice. 

Sol Rising

Sol Rising's original soundscapes evoke feelings of bliss throughout an eclectic mix of electronic music and hip-hop.

Born in Vancouver BC, Brandon began meditating at age four with a walking mantra technique. His mother took him to visit numerous spiritual teachers, who inspired him on the spiritual path he walks today. As a teenager, he became a hip hop fanatic.

His rooted interest in hip hop led him to learning the art of scratching — using turntables as musical instruments. Sol Rising soon became one of America’s top scratch DJs, winning second place at the DMC, the world’s most prestigious DJ competition.

After graduating in the top 5% of his accounting class at University of Iowa, he realized accounting was not his path. A journey to India illuminated his true calling — to light up people’s awareness of their true nature through music. This lead him to study audio engineering and production at Pyramind Studios in San Francisco and produce his first album, "I AM Soul."

Now a successful Producer/DJ, with over 4 albums released, Sol Rising plays major events across the United States, including Wanderlust Yoga Festival, Burning Man, Symbiosis and Lightning in a Bottle. He has opened for major acts such as Steel Pulse, and produced official remixes for artists including Jai Uttal, Mochipet, David Starfire, Delhi 2 Dublin, Kirtaniyas, and more. He has also joined forces with Yoga powerhouse MC Yogi and has a fervent following in the global Ecstatic Dance scene. Sol Rising has been featured in major media outlets including the Yoga Journal, Washington Post, and his music has been enjoyed by over one million viewers in a viral YouTube video.

MONTHLY BEATS • More Sunny Days Please

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”

— Plato

It's Edmonton. We get it. Snow comes yet again. Here's to some sunny days and hot weather soon. 

I've put together a little list of upbeat tunes to keep your mood up and get that booty shaking. Upbeat, meant for you to get up and dance, dance the snow away. 

Monthly Beats • March Feels

music is life. that's why our hearts have beats. 

There are simply too many things in life that we feel connected to. And yet we also need to find some time to disconnect. Unplug. And just get inspired by our own damn self. 

Turn up the volume. And get on your mat. Just start saluting the sun with these beats and hopefully Spring will grace us with her presence early this year. 

Monthly Beats: February Feels

here's a little moody soulful tune up for the balmy & cold days. the days you want to stay in the house and cozy up with slippers and house coats. 

Monthly Music Mix: December • Holidaze

Ready for the holidays... it's December. we can start putting those tunes on, do our little dance while we wrap up some Christmas gifts. 

Check out this holiday tune list. Not so traditional Christmas music. 

MONTHLY BEATS • Sunday Love

For our November playlist, we made a mix for you to enjoy on a Sunday. To sing to, to relax to, to dance to... 

Check it out. Sip on your coffee, tea or mimosa. 

Put together by C Hui. 

Yoga for Athletes

Yoga for Athletes by guest blogger, Carolyn Fallon.

Throughout most of my life I have been an athlete of some kind – whether it was participating in various sports in school or playing recreationally on different club and intramural teams in and after college. As an avid athlete, I find that there are other aspects that are part of being an athlete than just the physical skill that each particular sport calls for. There is a need for various characteristics personality-wise, but what I find is extremely important no matter what sport I am playing is the need to be fit and in shape in every way possible. As I have (yes, I will admit I have been out of college for a few years…) gotten a bit older, I have come to find that yoga is a great activity that allows me to be fit regardless if I am playing sports still, and also helps me have an edge over all the athletes out there that believe there is no “real use” for yoga!

Of all the workout styles, yoga is the oldest and most comprehensive practice combining weight-bearing exercise, cardiovascular endurance and meditation. Many people associate yoga with general fitness or just for people who “aren’t athletic”, but a growing body of literature on the effects of yoga on athletic training is changing this. Researchers have found a number of unique and positive results that have come from athletes adopting a regular yoga routine.

Yoga begins with a focus on increasing self-awareness. It starts with the control of breath. Once the individual has learned the use of different breathing styles effectively, these are incorporated into both static poses and dynamic movements that differ based on the particular school of yoga. Once these beginning aspects of yoga have been mastered, athletes can begin to use yoga to propel themselves past the workout plateau by increasing athletic strength and flexibility, while also protecting themselves from various injuries.

Yoga and Strength There are all kinds of ways that yoga can increase an athlete’s strength, training potential and even their recovery time. Just from the practice of controlling one’s breathing, results have been found in the increased strength of people’s grips. Additionally, as athletes become more practiced in yoga they will begin to move in to more vigorous types of yoga, such as power yoga and ashtanga, which will demand more exertion from them physically, and in turn improve their strength over time. Furthermore, because specific sports tend to emphasize certain muscle groups at the expense of others, yoga allows athletes to increase their core strength (and seriously, who doesn’t want that?!) and ultimately optimize their overall training efficiency!

Yoga and Flexibility Athletes have more to worry about than just muscle strength. The tendons, ligaments and other connective tissues of the joints must be trained to handle the extra work of the muscles. Unfortunately, athletes often face the reality of compromised joint health after only one or two decades of training! This problem is largely preventable with the practice of yoga. In fact, many orthopedic surgeons attest that yoga is excellent for strengthening both flexibility and balance. I think we can all agree that these are both pretty important aspects for any type of athlete!

Yoga as Injury Prevention

No matter what sport is involved, the constant movement and exertion that is expected of an athlete’s body can be exhausting. Exercising in general can make one’s legs, back, shoulders, and many other body parts feel sore and tight. Restorative yoga can help athletes to get back to their normal range of motion, which prevents future problems from occurring the next time they are active. Another benefit of yoga in injury prevention is the effect  of increased circulation and reduced swelling which allows athletes to return to normal training without a hitch.

Yoga has so much to offer the modern athlete! It combines a body-focused meditation with complete joint and muscle workout, and has proven results that include better muscle coordination, faster recovery times, reduced fatigue due to efficient oxygen use, improvement to long-term joint stability and a reduction in athletic injuries. With so many benefits coming from the practice of yoga, what athlete wouldn’t want to try it out?!

MONTHLY BEATS • love us some deep practice beats

Check out our little monthly mix for October.  Practice a full deep flow with this movement provoking playlist. Love yourself, set up your mat, your music and get your sun salutations on. 

This playlist is curated by Yogalife's own Caren Hui - studio owner. 

Embed Block

Add an embed URL or code. Learn more