Sage Yoga Training

Backbends

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:42:45 -0400

This eight-minute episode features moderate-intensity backbends from a lunge, then builds to camel pose. You'll stretch the quads, hip flexors (iliopsoas), and chest, while building back strength, balance, and mental focus. The routine is especially good for cyclists—or anyone who spends a lot of time sitting or slumping.

Practice on a soft surface or add extra padding under your knees. Move slowly into and out of each backbend, working within your own limits.

Music for the episode is “Leave No Trace,” from the album Messy's Pace, by General Fuzz. It’s available at magnatune.com.

This podcast represents my return from a sabbatical in which I completed my book and DVD, both called The Athlete's Guide to Yoga. Read more about them and view my workshop schedule at sagerountree.com.

Core and More

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:28:10 -0400

Use this workout at the end of your workout to improve core strength and flexibility. We’ll alternate core-stabilizing poses and stretches, holding each core pose twice and enjoying each stretch twice. Feel free to move out of the poses or modify according to your needs.

Music for the episode is “Man of the Shadows,” off the Curandero album Aras. Look for it at Magnatune.com.

Please share your feedback and requests for future episodes. And please check out my book, The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga: An Integrated Approach to Strength, Flexibility, and Focus, now available for preorder at VeloGear.com.

Yin Hips

Tue, 15 May 2007 16:47:29 -0400

The long holds of simple poses described in this podcast follow the yin yoga style, designed to work deeply in the connective tissue around the pelvis, spine, and joints. The poses will challenge your endurance; you may find the mental experience is very similar to that of a long training session race. If you find yourself in pain, please move out of the pose. If you are enjoying the challenge of the growing intensity, build up to the full holds timed in the episode (around two and a half minutes per pose), or pause the episode while you linger in each pose for up to four or five minutes. Be sure to sit in stillness between poses to observe the effect of the work.

For more on yin yoga, visit yinyoga.com, or the Web sites of yin yoga teachers Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers.

Music for this episode comes, via Magnatune.com, from the Tilopa album Turkishauch. The first track is “1x3,” the second, “Schlicht 1.” I hope you enjoy them as you sink into these poses.

Please share your feedback and requests for future episodes. And be sure to look for my book, The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga: An Integrated Approach to Strength, Flexibility, and Focus (VeloPress, forthcoming December 2007).

Standing Hip Openers

Thu, 5 Apr 2007 17:04:37 -0400

Add a few minutes of yoga after your workout to improve your strength, flexibility, and balance. This brief series of yoga poses will help to open your hips. If you have time, repeat the sequence once or more. No props are needed—not even a mat!—and you can practice barefoot or in training shoes.

Music for the episode is “Desert Journey,” by Solace, from the album The Gathering Season. It’s available at Magnatune.com.

Look for my book on yoga for endurance athletes, to be published by VeloPress in late 2007. I welcome your feedback and requests for future episodes: yogasage at mac dot com.

Warrior Flow

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 17:06:30 -0500

This warrior flow focuses on building strength while stretching the hips and legs. We begin with a few holds of chair pose, then move from warrior II to warrior I to warrior III. Take five or more slow breaths in each standing pose. Between sides, rest in a standing forward fold with your knees slightly bent.

Music for this episode is by Christopher of the Wolves, two tracks from the album Samadhi, “Waking Atlas” and “Orb.” The music is available at Magnatune.com.

There’s been a gap between episodes; during the hiatus, I finished the manuscript for my book on yoga for endurance athletes. Please look for it later this year! I welcome your feedback and suggestions for future episodes: yogasage at mac dot com.

Balance and Bowing

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:06:08 -0500

This short routine works both as a dynamic warmup and as core strength and flexibility training after your workout. We begin by moving from mountain pose through tall mountain to a squat, then we stretch the lower legs before standing again. Next is a series of bows and forward folds that include optional arm positions to open the chest and stretch the hips and shoulders while improving strength in the back and the legs.

Throughout, work within your own limits and keep your knees slightly bent, to prevent overextending the joints.

Music for this episode is “Eastern Sky” by touchingGrace. The track is remixed by DJ Cary on the album Eastern Grooves, available at Magnatune.com.

Your comments are always welcome: yogasage at mac dot com.

I’ve reloaded the episode; please let me know if you can’t see the pictures. They weren’t appearing for me using Apple’s Safari browser (ironic, since I made them on my Mac), but I could see them in Firefox. Thanks for the comments! —Sage, 5/15/07

Relax

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:04:15 -0500

Relax. This thirteen-minute sequence leads you in relaxing poses perfect for unwinding after a race, game, or long workout, or simply before bedtime. You’ll gently stretch your entire body: legs, hips, chest, back, and arms. Linger in these postures, breathing calmly and relaxing fully. We end with a long hold of legs up the wall.

Props to have on hand include a bed pillow, or a stack of two pillows, and a wall or some other object on which to prop your legs.

Music for the episode is “Kyo Rei” by Tilopa, from the album Kyotaku Live, available at Magnatune.com.

Thanks to Stephanie for requesting this relaxing series. I welcome your comments: yogasage at mac dot com.

Shoulder Stretches

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 16:47:14 -0400

This series of shoulder stretches—great for swimmers and anyone with a tight upper body—includes optional leg positions to get your whole body looser. We begin with a shoulder strap sequence, for which you’ll need a yoga strap or a substitute—try a dog leash, a belt, or a necktie. Next we bring the arms to eagle pose and cow-face pose stretches, then we finish with a yoga mudra series for the chest and neck.

Music for the episode is “Nana,” by Tilopa, from the album Pictures of Silence. It’s available at Magnatune.com.

Thanks to Ruffin for requesting shoulder stretches, and thanks to Linda for inspiring me to get the episode finished. I welcome your feedback: yogasage at mac dot com.

Quick Fix

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 13:27:32 -0400

This short sequence of yoga poses will challenge your balance, increase your flexibility, and engage your core strength. If your postworkout time is limited, follow this podcast to include a little stretching and strengthening—your body will thank you.

After beginning with Warrior III to work on standing balance (strengthening the hips, legs, and torso), we move to the ground for Modified Side Plank (opening the hips), Half Moon Balance on the knee (core and balance challenge), and Side Bow (balancing and opening the front body), finishing with a brief stay in Downward-Facing Dog (for the back body).

Music for the episode is “Go,” off the Tilopa album Pictures of Silence, available at Magnatune.com.

Feedback is welcome: yogasage at mac dot com.

IT Band Express

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 12:43:40 -0400

This sequence of postworkout stretches targets the quads, hips, and hamstrings while engaging the upper body in arm stretches and spinal twists. Athletes with IT band problems will especially benefit from gentle, patient practice of Cow-Face Pose.

If you feel like you can’t sit tall on the ground (i.e., if your pelvis is tilting backward), try sitting a little higher by using a prop such as a block or a firm pillow. Remember never to force your body into any position; if your knees don’t stack or your arms don’t connect in Cow-Face, no sweat. If you’ve just finished a long workout, take care not to spend long inverted in the wide-legged hamstring stretch.

Music for the episode is “One Day in May” by Tilopa, from the album Out of the Blue, available at Magnatune.com.

Please be in touch with feedback or offers of sponsorship (to cover bandwidth fees!): yogasage at mac dot com.

Wall Stretches

Fri, 2 Jun 2006 11:26:11 -0400

Great to practice after your workout, this seven-minute sequence uses a wall, a car, or a natural prop to help you stretch. Move gently into the poses, especially the arm stretches; take each to the point of pleasant intensity and no further.

Music for this episode is the title track of Paul Avgerinos’s album Muse of the Round Sky, available at magnatune.com.

Please send requests and feedback to yogasage at mac dot com.

Sun Salutations

Sat, 6 May 2006 17:08:22 -0400

This eleven-minute sequence can serve as a warm-up, a cool-down, or a workout in itself. Starting with three half salutes, we move through four sun salutations: first a high lunge; then a balancing high lunge; a low, crescent lunge; and a crescent lunge with a twist.

All you need to practice the sequence is something to cushion your knees in the backbends and low lunges: grass, a mat, a jacket, a towel.

If you find the flow from plank to down dog difficult or hard on your wrists, practice it with your knees down, or skip it entirely. None of these routines or any yoga should hurt.

Music for this episode is “River of Mills,” by Etherfysh, from the album Box of Fysh. It’s available at magnatune.com.

Please send requests and feedback to yogasage at mac dot com.

Pigeon Sequence

Sun, 2 Apr 2006 15:10:20 -0400

This sequence addresses the hips and hamstrings, which are chronically tight in athletic bodies. We move from Pigeon Pose to Head-to-Knee, ending with a twist. (In Sanskrit, it's Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, Janu Sirsasana, and Marichiyasana III.)

If you have knee problems, be especially careful in Pigeon; you may need to simply sit on the hip of the bent leg to protect your knees.

Music for this episode is by cellist Claire Fitch. “Shortest Day” and “Ice Field” come from her album Ambiencellist, available at magnatune.com.

Please be in touch with comments, requests, or offers of sponsorship: yogasage at mac dot com.

Core Flow

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:20:20 -0500

This challenging flow targets the core in plank poses, a roll-up/roll-down sequence, and a bridge series. To modify the exercises, bend your knees. If you have issues with your neck or back, please watch the sequence through and consider skipping the roll-over portion.

Once you're familiar with these exercises, you can add repetitions, keying each motion to your breath and moving in your own time.

Music for the episode is "Kereshme," by Stellamara, from the DJ Cary album "Eastern Grooves," available at magnatune.com.

If you have questions, feedback, or want to sponsor this podcast, please be in touch: yogasage at mac dot com.

Lunge Series

Sun, 19 Feb 2006 15:47:19 -0500

A seven-minute series of low lunges to practice after your workout. Each pose is held for thirty seconds to improve your flexibility. (Once you're familiar with the sequence, you might like to hold each pose even longer to work deeper.) You'll be stretching the hips, hamstrings, quadriceps, and lower leg, while also releasing the muscles of your lower back.

You'll want a soft surface to cushion your knees: a field, a rug, a mat, a folded towel. Take each stretch to the point of intensity, but no further, and don't forget to breathe.

Thanks to Mandy Devetsky for taking the pictures my five-year-old couldn't get, and to Alex Maiolo for the second song (no part of his music can be used without permission).

Standing Stretches

Sun, 5 Feb 2006 16:01:58 -0500

This six-minute sequence is designed to help you stretch your major muscle groups following a workout. If you’ve been listening to your iPod during your run, for example, you can tack the podcast at the end of your playlist—it will keep you honest at holding the stretches long enough for them to work their magic.

The standing sequence works first the right, then the left leg, before moving to quick lateral stretches and spinal extension. Until you are used to the sequence, you might find it useful to have something to hold on to: a wall, a car, a tree, a rock, a friend.

Feel free to move in or out of a stretch at your own pace; if my cueing seems too long or short, listen instead to your body’s needs.