We welcome Tammy's baby boy Kian into this big world full of adventure and possibilities. We also wish the best for him in his new life and send our choicest wishes of luck towards the happy parents.
Loads of love,
The Camyoga Team
We were all expecting it to happen but we are still sad to say that it's the time for our lovely Yoga & Sales Advisor, Tammy to leave our Camyoga team to become a mum. Needless to say - Camyoga won't be the same without your infectious laugh and smile :).
Congratulations Tammy and best wishes to you and your family. We hope to see you and your baby very soon :).
Love,
The Camyoga team
Headstands
Every so often teachers like to challenge us by letting us try more advance posses at the end of the classes. When this happens I start to sweat only from the thought of it and start to count the time till the class ends. Headstands or crow poses are definitely out of my comfort zone when it comes to yoga. Last week I had a chance to try Anna’s class in our Shelford studio and Anna decided that we should try out ournew Yoga toy called ‘Feet Up’ which allows you to get in headstand easily and in the proper alignment. I was thrilled when I managed to get into the headstand on my own (and even last there for a little while) and at that point I changed my mind about headstands - it felt amazing!
I decided that I’d like to find out why exactly headstands are so great for us and here is what I found:
Firstly, those who do headstand will find out that their upper body is getting noticeable toned (you definitely use some muscles to get up there). Secondly, it improves digestion and stimulates brain function - this is due to the fact that when your body is upside down the pituitary gland get stimulated (healthy digestion) and more blood flows to the head (calm brain). Ladies will be pleased to find out that being in the headstand also nourishes the face.This works on the same basis as the brain stimulation - increased blood flow to the face ‘means oxygenation and sustained youth of the facial cells’ - Leigh Butler for Livestrong.com.
Me and Anna created little video showing the miraculous ‘feet up’ equipment at work. Miraculous simply because it is still impossible for me to get into headstand without it (to my disappointment). Thank you Sarah for being of assistance and for agreeing to do the demonstration for us :).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0BNeh-ihCI&feature=youtu.be
Come to our Shelford studio and find out the effect of using the ‘feet up’ for yourself :).
Stemming from a discussion the other day about what part of the head you use for a headstand, Pilar and Ellie decided to make a few videos. Below you will find Sirsasana A with Pilar and Sirsasana B with Ellie. These videos are of course in addition to learning in class with your teacher present.
Headstand is wonderful inversion that can stimulate the brain, energise the body and mind, and help you feeling strong. It requires strength, flexibility, and practice. So don't get discouraged if you don't come right up the first time you try. When the body and mind are ready, the pose comes.
Typically we learn Sirsana A, before moving on to a tripod headstand. Here it is:
http://youtu.be/UrpUmWwAeQ4
Here in Sirsasana B, Ellie answers the question of what part of the head rests on the floor, and how to find it. In pressure point terms it is Du 20, the top of the head just up from the ears. Check out tripod below!
http://youtu.be/51QM6IWu0J0
Ellie Coats is our Yoga for Athletes expert starting your day right on Tuesday mornings at 7:30. Pilar teaches headstands and more inversions in her 2/3 classes. Come along and have fun!
If you have just tuned in to the blog, check the many other videos we have made here at Camyoga under the video blog section of the site, and Subscribe on youtube.
This past weekend students turned their worlds‚ upside down...literally. Beverley Nolan gave a master class on this master pose, headstand (salamba sirsasana). While the health benefits are vast, the pose can be daunting. Don't worry you are not the only one! Beverley broke down the alignment points and techniques needed for going upside down safely and with confidence.
Looking at the body's alignment before coming up in the pose is important to having a safe headstand. Beverley had students lying on the floor looking at the alignment of the body and the natural imbalances unique to each person. Students helped each other make small but crucial adjustments to their body's alignment. After some preparatory work, students were ready to engage their cores and come up into headstand with legs together.
Some Benefits of headstand are:
- Calms the nervous system (relieves stress)
- Regulates the pituitary and pineal glands (balances hormones)
- Stimulates the brain with fresh oxygenated blood
- Improves digestion
- Builds strength in the arms, legs, and core
Headstand is a pose that takes time and practice to develop. If you missed the workshop, check out one of Beverley's Friday classes and fine tune your practice.
Namaste!