Thank you Tammy of EDS Wisconsin, Inc. for the video! Link to video on the Strength/Flexibility/Health/EDS YouTube channel – https://youtu.be/4f47ctJoNQU
Three-legged (or One-legged) Doward Facing Dog Pose is something we discussed and worked on in my class last week. It is also Pocket Yoga’s Pose of the Day. This pose takes a lot of strength, because there’s a lot going on to hold this pose properly. It takes time to build the muscles to necessary to stabilize the joints properly in a pose like this, especially if you are deconditioned or hypermobile. Modifications for One-legged Downward-facing Dog Pose are: regular downward-facing dog, downward dog with knees bent or on a bolster, one arm bent and one extended (1/2 dolphin pose) or child’s pose. The key is to not hyperextended your knees or elbows, and to keep your elbow pits by your ears. You also don’t hang into your shoulder joints or hyperextended your shoulders and back. You can read more by going to http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/3-ways-make-downward-facing-dog-feel-better-for-you#gid=ci0207568e50252620&pid=downward_facing_dog_mod3-erin-motz
One of my goals while growing EDS Wellness and working to expand the Just 5 Minutes initiative, has been to have our own yoga mats – mats that mean something to those we work with — and to us. The featured picture is one of the first yoga mat designs created for Wellapalooza 2017. Next, we are partnering with Sankalpa for another amazing design — and very different. The EDS community identifies with the Zebra, but I prefer to do things a bit different and go against the norm. Hence, why I love the amazing yoga mat designs by one of the graphic designers I’ve been working with. Specifically, the Wellapalooza 2017 yoga mat is incredible — and my mom’s favorite birds was the hummingbird. Bonus for becuase of that too! Here’s what a Hummingbird symbolizes — I think it fits perfectly with EDS Wellness‘ mission and initiatives – “The Native American symbol of the hummingbird represents wonder and beauty. The hummingbird is also a healing symbol that helps people focus on the positive aspect of …
Same as day 1, when you are Hypermobile, you learn to not “go there” just because you can, or because it makes your pose look prettier. Yoga with Hypermobility is all about restraint and not going as far as you think you should or are told you should. In fact, true strength in yoga with Hypermobility starts when you stay within proper range of motion and hold it, to help your muscles gain strength to help stabilize your joints and do the work your connective tissues cannot. So, my crescent lunge does not have a deep back bend, and my back leg is not super straight, nor is it hyperextended. It may not be the most perfect or prettiest cresent lunge, but it’s within proper range of motion for those of us who are Hypermobile, and trying to stay in this “normal” range of motion is where our real work is. This is wear we gain strength and how we prevent injuries from doing yoga and “going too far.” I aim to lunge my front …
YTT weekend and James was back from travel.
Yoga and Alignment with Dave at TMC (part of YTT weekend)
5k + 1 hr 20 mins Yoga + 1 hr Meditation = Wanderlust 108 A ton of good food and even more classes to take – barre, aerial and acro yoga, some type of really hard on a tightrope yoga, hula hooping and more. Such a fun event! My friend Ashira met me there and thankfully took me home — I crashed hard as soon as I walked in the door. I signed up for Acro Yoga but didn’t have anyone to do acro with, and I’m not uber comfortable with touching strangers or strangers touching me. I never realized how uncomfortable I am with that until today during yoga. Totally creeped out by the guy next to me. I stopped after MC Yogi because I’m so not the group touching type person and I didn’t have anyone around me that I knew. I always hated workout classes where you have to get a partner and do things. I like to workout to be in my head and not have to interact — unless …
Splits – not something I usually do in Yoga, not because they are hard, but because they are way too easy for me. If you are hypermobile, splits can be super easy and done (or very close) with little effort – that’s not always a good thing. It may seem like a yogi dream, but many of the issues that can or may go along with hypermobility are not so great. Unfortunately, hypermobility has mistakenly been glorified in many sports, including dance, gymnastics, ice skating, and more. Yoga is much the same, but times are changing – thankfully because many of us were told not to do yoga and that yoga is dangerous if you have joint hypermobility, which is often caused by an underlying connective tissue disorder such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). There are several types of EDS, and also several other heritable conditions that affect the connective tissues and cause hypermobility – Marfan Syndrome is one, as is Williams Syndrome, Sticklers Syndrome, and Osteogenesis Imperfecta. There are also several types of hypermobility …
Earlier today, I saved an article to read later. The article that I saved was about an 85-year old woman, living with severe osteoporosis and a terrible hunch back, who made incredible progress in her posture and pain through yoga. Tonight, after YTT (Yoga Instructor Training), I finally had the chance to read the article I saved. I love this article for so many reasons — it made me think of my Gram, who suffered for years with chronic pain due to undiagnosed Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and who also suffered from severe kyphosis, scoliosis, and osteoporosis — all due to EDS also. Smoking two packs of cigarettes a day, and her lack of movement of any kind, didn’t help either. Of course, any article sharing the story of someone who has enjoyed great success through yoga, and the personal care and instruction of a knowledgeable yoga teacher, is pertinent to me because of being in YTT. However, these stories are also important because they share hope, strength, and the focus is often on the body’s amazing …
