More Yoga Holiday With Paul

Tags

26 postures, Bikram yoga, Bikram yoga abroad, intensive yoga, teaching yoga, vinyasa yoga, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga holidays, yoga practice, yoga retreats, Yoga With Paul, yoga with Paul retreat

Some more words and photos from the Yoga Holiday with Paul retreat.
A little vicarious sunshine for your practice as the days get chilly!

What was the highlight of your YHWP?
‘Let the mind be strong. What the mind thinks the body translates… if the mind has faith, the body will follow. God bless you.’ Paul B

What was the group like, and what social activities did you enjoy?
The group was very friendly, I hugely enjoyed the beach and the evening meals. Vibeka

What did you think of the mixture of Bikram, vinyasa, meditation and music?
I absolutely loved the mix of Bikram and Vinyasa- they complimented one another beautifully.  I just loved the space to meditate and the music was not only fantastic overall but answered the subtle nuances everyday. Claire

How did you hear about Yoga Holiday with Paul and why did you choose it? 
Paul mentioned his blog in his class at Balham HotYogaSouth. When I got home and googled it so I could subscribe to his weekly newsletter, the first thing I saw was YWP. It resonated with me so strongly that I booked it the following morning despite having had already planned another 2 holidays and not even checking with my boss if I could go! Kamila

What five words would you use to describe Yoga Holiday with Paul?
Privileged, Inspirational, Fun, Relaxing, Awesome. Su

What did you hope to learn and gain from the holiday?
I hoped to improve my Bikram practice, do a digital detox, clear my mind – basically just relax and live and enjoy every moment. Elke

What was the highlight of your holiday?
The highlight of my holiday was learning more about vinyasa yoga, it was interesting and nice to learn about a different type. Kay

How would you describe Paul as a teacher?
Paul is a very calm instructor who made you feel relaxed.  His instructions were clear and detailed for example he would remind us to breathe deeply before stretching and turning.  He was funny and engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed his sessions. Rung

Follow yogawithpaul blog and follow me on Twitter @yogawithpaul for future retreat information and bookings!

Just Dance

Tags

26 postures, Bikram yoga, dance, hot yoga, mind body fitness, music, stress, yoga dance, yoga health, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga movement, yoga music, yoga postures, Yoga With Paul

I was a dancer before I discovered yoga and love the way dancing and yoga complement each other.

Dance requires discipline and stamina. It is also joyous and enriching. An article on the health benefits of dancing points out that dancing can

Reduce stress
Increase energy
Improve strength and
Increase muscle tone and coordination.

Dance lifts your mood and can even sharpen your mind. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, dancing can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. In the study, participants over the age of 75 who engaged in reading, dancing and playing musical instruments and board games once a week had a 7 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those who did not. Those who engaged in these activities at least 11 days a month had a 63 percent lower risk.

Dance is life-affirming and you don’t have to be “good” at it to have fun or benefit. Whether you dance around the front room to your favourite song, hit the club with friends, or sign up for swing classes, it lifts your spirits, energises the body and gives you something to smile about.

What song makes you get up and dance? Share in the comments!

Sugar-Free Coconut Energy Balls Recipe

Tags

26 postures, Bikram yoga, clean eating, clean food, gluten-free recipes, healthy eating, hot yoga, London chef, London yoga teacher, Michael Arthur, nutrition, sugar-free recipes, vegan recipe, yoga food, Yoga With Paul

This sugar-free coconut energy balls recipe is from chef Michael Arthur.

His site, Michael Arthur Food has loads of creative, delicious clean food recipes with lots of vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian recipes.

These energy balls are a great energy boost before or after Bikram, and a healthy, satisfying option to scoffing chocolate or biscuits during your busy day. They’re also vegan and gluten-free.

Photo courtesy Michael Arthur

Sugar-Free Coconut Energy balls

Energy balls are a must have in your fridge, for those of you with a sweet tooth who want a sugar-free hit. Dates have a natural sweetness to them, but are also digested very easily, therefore supplying a quick burst of energy. You could use any type of nut in this recipe. Nuts are a source of protein and general research shows that walnuts help reduce cholesterol.

Ingredients (makes approx 10 balls)

150g dates (try to buy stoned dates, as it saves a lot of time)
50g dried figs
150g walnuts
65g dried apricots
125g dessicated coconut

Method

Soak the dates and the figs in water for an hour. Roughly chop the dates, figs and walnuts and blend everything together. A fairly smooth consistency is best, as it makes them easier to roll, but the odd bit of walnut here and there is fine. Once this is done chop the apricots into small pieces and add to the mixture. Stir in half of the coconut.
Roll into small balls and roll in the remainder of the coconut, making sure the outside is well coated. Place the balls in a sealed container and leave in the fridge for at least an hour, before eating. These will keep for a long time, so you could make a bigger batch.

What’s your favourite healthy snack? Share in the comments!

Wrist Strengthening Yoga Poses

Tags

26 postures, asanas, Bikram poses, Bikram yoga, hot yoga, hot yoga postures, hot yoga studios, locust post, London yoga, Salabhasana, wrist healing, wrist injuries, Yog With Paul, yoga poses wrists, yoga repetitive strain, yoga wrists

Wrist injuries are common thanks to the amount of time we spend on computers and messing with phones, tablets, etc. The structure of the wrist is delicate. It wasn’t designed to spend eight hours a day clicking a mouse!

Yoga is a great way to prevent and help to heal wrist strain. If you’re already injured consult with a medical professional before starting or intensifying your yoga practice to be sure you don’t aggravate anything. If you’re in good health, adding some specific wrist-strengthening poses to your practice can help stave off future problems.

In Bikram yoga salabhasana – half-locust pose – is a key for strengthening and healing your elbows, lower arms and wrists. Ensure you do it correctly for maximum benefit:

-Roll your arms under your body, placing your elbows against your abdomen as close as you can, palms flat on the floor. Spread your fingers so that they’re pointing toward your knees; this will give you a nice strong grip
-Relax, keeping your body firm and steady
-Once your legs are up, breathe normally in and out through your nose and keep using the strength in your hands and arms to maintain your weight to the front of your body, so you can hold your legs up for as long as you can

To challenge yourself and expand your practice, visit the Yoga Journal for a whole section devoted to powerhouse poses that will work your wrists — and your whole body.

Any questions? Ask in the comments and I’ll respond.

Yoga With Paul May Newsletter

Tags

26 postures, beach yoga, beginner yoga, Bikram hot yoga, Bikram London, Bikram poses, Bikram postures, Bikram studio London, hot yoga tips, nutrition yoga, yoga holiday Portugal, Yoga Holiday With Paul, Yoga With Paul

The best of the blog from May… plus more tips, inspiration and yoga goodness.

Yoga With Paul newsletter MAY 2015

 

 

 

 

Bikram Yoga A to Z: M for Mistakes

Tags

26 postures, Bikram hot yoga, Bikram yoga, Bikram Yoga A to Z, hot yoga, hot yoga studio, how to do yoga, London yoga, practicing yoga, yoga advice, yoga mistakes, yoga postures, yoga teaching, yoga tips, Yoga With Paul

One of the most common things I see among new students is the fear of making mistakes. They worry they aren’t doing a posture correctly, or that they aren’t going deep enough into the pose, or that they’ll mix up their left and right.

Worrying about mistakes is a distraction. It takes you out of meditation and focuses you on negative possibilities, rather than helping you flow. Bikram yoga is an opportunity to retrain ourselves and step out of the right/wrong thinking that we are taught. There is no “wrong answer” or “mistake” in Bikram yoga. If you are on the mat, giving your 100% honest effort, you are doing it right.

To rise above your fear of mistakes, keep these tips in mind:

Let the teacher worry about your posture. It’s our job to help you get the best out of each asana. Follow the dialogue, take suggestions, but otherwise don’t worry.

There is no such thing as a mistake, just a learning opportunity. Each time you do a posture you learn a little more and get a little closer to the ideal for your body.

Don’t judge. Some days you feel on top of the world and everything is easy; other days you feel like you have two left feet. Accept sensations as they come, without judgement. As you learn to listen to your body without criticism you’ll naturally let go of your fear of mistakes.

What is your biggest fear in Bikram class? Share in the comments

Bikram Sit Up Tips

Tags

26 postures, Bikram postures, Bikram sit-up, hot abs, how to do Bikram, London yoga teacher, posture tips, sit-ups, yoga abs, yoga back pain, yoga core, yoga flat tummy, yoga postures, yoga sit up, Yoga With Paul

Bikram sit-ups are supposed to be challenging. But sometimes when I watch students do sit-ups, I say to myself, “What was that?!”

I see too many variations! And students looking and sounding like it’s a chore to even think about doing a sit-up. C’mon folks! The sit-up is in the sequence to give you energy. Don’t exhale like it’s your dying breath…

If you’ve been in class recently you know I focus on doing sit-ups step by step. There are so many benefits. Sit-ups strengthen the lower back by engaging the the abdominals. By engaging the abdominals during the sit-up you get a flat tummy you’ll want to show off when summer comes. If that isn’t incentive enough, I’ve been upping the stakes: if one person does the sit-up incorrectly the whole class gets to do another sit-up… however many times it takes to get it right!

A correct sit-up goes like this:

Toes and heels together. Flex your feet, keep your heels on the floor, (push your heels to the floor. This will help with the sit-up.)
Arms over your head, cross your thumbs, arms and head together.
Inhale breathing, quickly sit up.
Exhale breathing, grab your big toes, double jerk.
Touch your forehead to the knees, elbows to the floor (bend your knees, if you can not touch forehead to your knees with straight legs).

This bonus exercise will help strengthen and tone your abs:

Lie on your back with legs together and point your toes like a ballerina.
Press your palms into the floor by your side.
Lift your legs off the floor one inch and hold for 20 secs, engaging the abdominals.
Release.

Questions or thoughts about sit-ups? Hit me back in the comments!

Black British Experience Photography at V&A

Tags

26 postures, art, Bikram yoga, black British experience, London, London museums, London yoga, photography, street photography, things to do in London, V&A, Yoga With Paul

A new free exhibition on the black British experience at the V&A starting Monday February 16 2015 and running till Sunday May 24. Well worth checking out!

This is a new display in Gallery 100 that showcases a variety of photographic responses to black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s. The images were acquired as part of a collaborative project with Black Cultural Archives which aims to increase the number of black British photographers and images of black Britain in the V&A. 118 works from 17 artists have been collected so far, with pieces ranging from Yinka Shonibare’s large-scale series Diary of a Victorian Dandy to JD Okhai Ojeikere’s black and white studies of elaborate head ties worn by Nigerian women.

The exhibition includes oral histories from a range of subjects including the photographers themselves, their relatives and the people depicted in the images.

The Black Cultural Archives will also present an exhibition drawn from the Staying Power collection at their heritage centre in Brixton (1 Windrush Square, SW2 1EF. Thursday January 15 to Tuesday June 30, Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm).

Yoga For Strong Ankles

Tags

26 postures, Bikram hot yoga, Bikram London, Bikram poses, Bikram postures, Bikram studio London, Bikram teacher, Bikram yoga, healing yoga, yoga ankles, yoga injury, Yoga With Paul

Ankle sprains, twists and even breaks are common injuries. Running around on wet, slick winter streets calls for balance and poise and when we slip weak, tight or imbalanced ankles can easily give way.

Yoga is a great way to strengthen ankles, build flexibility and improve balance to avoid mishaps. Bikram yoga teaches us to be aware of the position of our joints and cultivate balanced muscles.

A common ankle problem is that they tend to be tight in the front. Cyclists, runners, and basketball players, for example, overwork their shins causing the muscles in the front of the ankle and the top of the foot to tighten.

Balancing poses like Standing Head to Knee and Standing Bow Pulling Pose teach you to spread the weight throughout the foot so you stand evenly, not throwing your weight too far forward or back or right or left. This helps build muscle and joint strength and train your body to move in correct alignment.

Eagle Pose (Garudasana) is another excellent pose for strong ankles because the ankles work differently. Your standing leg learns to be strong and fluid, while the top leg gets a stretch along the inside of the ankle.

If you have any ankle weakness or injuries, be sure to move carefully in the postures, pay close attention to alignment, and let the teacher know!

Putting Yoga into Practice

Tags

26 postures, beginner yoga, Bikram hot yoga, Bikram London, Bikram poses, Bikram studio London, Bikram yoga, detox, diet, fitness, New Years Resolutions, yoga tips, Yoga With Paul

Happy first week of January!

Now we’re done with the annual season of indulgence and festivity it’s a great time to refocus on your yoga practice. Getting your yoga groove back on doesn’t mean going crazy. Unfortunately all the ads and media that were pushing you to eat, drink and be merry last week are now busy hectoring you to go to the gym, buy the latest fitness DVD or start some crazy diet. Don’t believe the hype.

By all means, set a goal. Invest in your practice physically and mentally. Add an extra class per week, try a new style, or pledge to do a challenge, but don’t push yourself to where you get bored or injured. Many people come to class in January for the first time, or after a break, and hurt themselves by rushing into postures, trying to do too much, not listening to their bodies.

Yoga is not just for New Year, it’s for all year, every year. Take it easy when you get back into the studio this month. Take your time. Be mindful. Be receptive. Remember, yoga is not a competition!

What’s one thing you’re doing to honour your practice this month? Share in the comments.