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To develop your hand strength, there are some a myriad of exercises you can add to your regimen.  First, finger tip pushups are great at strengthening your fingers and palm area.  Also, hand grips work the same layers and as you can deduce from the name, work your grip.  Another hand exercise is the farmer’s walk.  This is where you carry around heavier dumbells for experiod periods of time – usually until you’re ready to drop them off.

For your wrists, try holding your hands overhand over your knees with 10 lb dumbells and curling them backwards towards your body.  Also, pushups again can help you.  Make a tight fist and keep your wrists straight and tight as you do your pushups on the area of your fingers between your knuckles and joints.  You can also build strengths during your regular exercises such as shoulder press by making sure your wrists align straight with your arms and provide support against the weight, not giving in and relaxing but locked firm.

Post from: EveryJoe

Building Stronger Wrists and Hands

Hello readers and friends,

Just wanted to share with you news of my blog moving to it’s new home–She Knows Yoga! (and meditation and Pilates, etc..)

Beginning Monday, December 1, you’ll be able to find me at She Knows Yoga.  It’s been wonderful these past few months getting to know all of you, sharing ideas and information. 

The topics at She Knows Yoga will follow much of what you have been reading on Grounded Fitness.  But, as always, I’ll be making room and opening up dialogues on many topics realted to what I call the “lifestyle.”  I’m really excited about it, and so looking forward to giving you even more to look forward to in the coming weeks and months ahead!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t sent out good karma to my partner, Kelly, on Grounded Fitness.  Keep watching her work!  She’s an energetic, fun, insightful blogger and fitness professional who really loves people.  You can’t go wrong with Kelly :-)

So beginning Monday, check me out at She Knows Yoga.  It should be a really fun ride :-)

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

It’s Moving Weekend for This Yogini!

Yes, and in that order.  Thanksgiving is just a few days away, so I’m not going to fight it.  I’ll eat–too much–first, then this weekend, I’m going to turn my whole body upside down and do a cheap mini-detox.

What’s that going to involve, you ask?  Well, it’s going to be a simple regimen, really, as far as the steps go.  A little less easy when it comes to my ever-waning will power  :-).  I normally love the leftovers from Thanksgiving.  This year, though, I am going to love my body instead.

I’m going to get started this Friday by eating very light meals, and removing the caffeine and sugar from my diet during the day.  Lots of water, no coffee, no tea, no sodas.  Just simple, basic food in small bites.

Then I’m going to take it up–or down–a notch, depending on how you look at it, and just do unsweetened fruit juices and water throughout the rest of the weekend.  I’m going to try and drink about three liters of water during the course of each of these days.  Kinda makes my tummy ache a little thinking about it, but that’s the plan.

Then on to the skin brushing.  Skin brushing is best done before you bathe or before you go to sleep.  It’s relaxing, and helps stimulate the lymphatic system, which helps your body rid itself of toxins.

Here are some tips for skin brushing:

-Using a medium-soft brush, brush from your feet upwards onto your legs

-Brush your lower back using upward strokes

-Brush across your shoulders, and downward towards your heart

-Brush the back of your neck in a downward motion

-Brush your abdomen in a circular clockwise motion.  This can be really soothing, too.  I love this one

Now nothing I’ve talked about here involves adding any detox formulas to your daily routine.  Just free and uncomplicated steps to see if you can get yourself feeling better, and get your body moving in the right direction.  Not for or against any remedy, just thought it would be more useful to offer a couple of easy, low-cost methods to help you get your bodies running more smoothly after the annual American pig-out we all enjoy so much.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

First I’ll Gorge Myself, Then I’ll Detox :-)

Seriously, who doesn’t want a tighter tummy?  And the older you get, the tougher it is to find exercises that help fight that little tummy drop we all go through eventually.

Here are a couple of quick and easy moves to help you keep that little pouch at bay.  They’re a perfect addition to your daily dose of yoga moves:

Abdominal Lift:

-First, stand straight with your legs about a foot apart, and place your hands on your upper thighs

-Inhale deeply and then exhale

-While the air is out of your lungs, pull your abs in and up.  Hold for about ten seconds and release

-Repeat twice

Abdominal Contractions:

-Place your legs about one foot apart

-Inhale as deeply as you can; exhale

-Keep the air out of your lungs and lean forward slightly

-Place your hands on your upper thighs as you snap your abs in and out 10 times

-Relax, inhale, and repeat two times

These are simple, easy and help release the tension we often feel in our tummies when we’re really nervous and stressed.  Tip: Focus on the breathing.  Proper breathing will help release your tension and aid the abdominal contractions that help make these exercises a success.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

A Couple of Great Yoga Tummy Tighteners

Regardless of what level your practice is at–beginner, intermediate, exploratory or advanced–the eight limbs of yoga (ashtanga) are vitally important stops along the way to the ultimate goal of transformation.

My last post focused on sustainability, and living a simpler, more beautiful life.

To continue along that thread, I wanted to talk a little bit about purity, or saucha, one of the observances belonging to the second limb.

Saucha is purity that operates on many levels. And it’s this purity of thought and action that can lead us to a more sustainable, contented lifestyle.

On a daily basis, we aspire to cleanliness for our bodies by washing ourselves, maintaining clean, organized homes, eating well and drinking clean water. Even more importantly, we must also aspire to an intellectual “cleanliness,” by not polluting our minds or speech with negativity, or clinging to emotional and physical obsessions. In other words, we must strive to find a balance that will provide us with a prescription to helps us keep ourselves clean, inside and out. This is such an important concept, as saucha is itself a pre-condition for experiencing the fullness of yoga and enlightenment.

It is believed–and true–that cleanliness and order within our minds and our lives helps lift our self-esteem and reinforces our knowledge that we are in fact deserving of good experiences. It helps improve our personalities, so we can experience the ultimate proposition of our practices–balanced self-awareness. And on a very practical level, when we feel pure and clean, we can be clear and precise about our intentions, unfettered by the imbalances that can often plague our bodies and our minds.

Every day we can practice purification in a variety of ways. In addition to the basics like bathing and taking care of our teeth, there are some less obvious ways we can achieve purification. I like to take mindfulness walks in nature (yes, all year round), singing, chanting my own personal mantras, burning incense and other natural oils, brushing my tongue (I know, but it does help), fasting from sleep or food for a day, and much to my friends’ delight, mona, which means refraining from talking for a day. I have all but removed watching television (haven‘t quite been able to remove it entirely J ) on a daily basis, religiously clear out clutter and excess, recycle, and laugh–a lot. These are all great and practical ways to purify your mind and your environment.

In yoga, there are several methods that are used to purify energies. My very favorite is the practice of tarka, which is a daily reflection on our activities and how we respond to them, done at the end of each day. Or you can use your own creativity to incorporate new purification techniques into your life to bring you more joy. The rituals themselves are important, but it is the acts and the intentions that are crucial.

I know this seems like another layer to add to your very busy lives and days. However, incorporating some of these techniques will move you much closer to achieving the purity of mind, spirit and body we are all trying to strive for with our own practices.

Once you move closer to that purity of mind through daily, prescriptive actions, you’ll see your own transformation begin to take place, with an enhanced clarity of thought and awareness.  New, comforting and pure.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Pure Bliss of Yoga

Yes, yoga has taught me yet another lesson. You don’t need to spend a lot of money or be a conspicuous consumer to be happy or have nice, meaningful things or a beautiful existence.

One of the key lessons of yoga is that it teaches you to appreciate the simpler things in life. To be present. To be in the moment. This practice alone has not only helped to quiet my mind, in recent months it has also saved me a lot of money.

In fact, my shopping habits have changed significantly. I buy less processed, ready-to-serve foods and eat more healthfully and more simply. I’m cooking at home and packing my lunch a lot more, and it is making a big difference.

Instead of heading out to malls, I now spend my time looking for vintage and resale shops, and I am finding a lot of bargains, not to mention a lot of cool, unique and thoughtful items for my home and my wardrobe that aren’t mass-produced.

Now I will say this–it does take a little more time to shop this “new” way. But even that aspect alone is an exercise in mindfulness for me. It has taught me that I don’t need to scoop up every new and shiny thing that I see, but instead to take the time to really scavenge through and find what I am looking for. And I feel a lot better when I return home from shopping these days. I know I have spent the time and have been aware of every purchase I make, which has really helped me fight off the urges and impulses that used to leave my credit card on the verge of melting, and my bank account deflated.

I am also finding that I value things now, much more so. When I go back and look at what I have purchased, having taken the time and put some thought into it, I am finding that I really like what I have brought home much more than in the past. Those old shopping days when I would spin through a mall, bring home bags of stuff and often wind up disappointed that I had spent so much, and gotten so little satisfaction are over. This change in my way of thinking has really transcended across every area of my life, and now it is saving me money and making me feel more peaceful and content. That’s really saying something.

Now that I am thinking about it, I am going to sign off, hit my mat and see what else awaits me. It’s really quite a journey. It’s helping me in even the most unexpected ways.

I would love to hear about everyone’s journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle. There are so many creative ways to think about improving your daily life that are as unique as each individual in the universe. Let’s really be sustainable together, and share some of these ideas with each other.

I can’t wait to hear.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

A Simpler Life Can Be Beautiful

Just sitting here on this cold and snowy Friday in northeast Ohio, making Thanksgiving and holiday plans, and thinking about the blessings in my life.

While I can always think of something to be cautious or worry about (sorry, healthy skeptic in recovery here), I have to say, my practices–both yoga and meditation–have not only changed my life, they’ve made my thoughts healthier, too.

There are so many areas of my life where I can see change and positive energy, that in the past I had either overlooked or not even considered.  My practices have spurred me to take self-care more seriously, made me more accepting of myself and others, and helped me appreciate the universe on so many levels. 

Where I used to look and see nothing but obstacles, I see opportunity.  I am more vigilant in my relationships, not to mention a great deal kinder and more open-minded.  The best thing–I feel better physically, mentally and emotionally.  I am more curious about the world around me and how things fit together, and, sometimes, how they don’t, and maybe even shouldn’t.

Yoga and meditation are nothing new.  But they are growing in popularity, and based on my own experience and evolution, I am not at all surprised.  Really, nothing feels better than being in touch with your own body, mind and spirit, and understanding and owning your decisions.  It’s very freeing and peaceful.

We’ll all be posting holiday shopping pages in coming days.  I plan to find as many ways as I can to open up the door to a more centered way of life for as many of my readers as possible.  I really want to share what this lifestyle has done for me.  I have gone from being extremely anxious and stressed-out, and moved on to a much more relaxed, peaceful and accepting place.  And it has been a natural and healthy transition. 

I’d love to hear from all of you about your success stories.  I hope you’ll share.  It’s a cold–but great–time of the year to share thoughts and feelings.  Let me know how yoga and meditation have worked in your lives. Sometimes just sharing our ideas can help lift another soul.

Peace. 

Post from: EveryJoe

How Have Yoga and Meditation Changed Your Life?

I know I write a lot about yoga. But I also love running, and yoga actually is helping me increase my productivity on the road.  I used to run long distance before getting into my practice.  I loved it.  It was relaxing, gave me time to think, and reduced stress, too.  What it also did, I found, was make me a little less flexible. And, on occasion, I would even find myself hobbled and sidelined.

Now that I combine the two, I am finding it is a great fit.  Yoga keeps me limber and increases my flexibility, which helps me prevent the injuries I used to experience when running was my primary form of exercise. The constant stretching and breathing exercises I practice in yoga help me maintain my strength and focus, which are very important.  I found that when I wasn’t stretching as regularly as I am now in my practice, that demanding activities (like running) would more easily strain my muscles, joints and tendons, sometimes causing unnecessary injury to my feet and legs.   

Yoga also reduces the tension in my body, which can easily increase the risk of injury, and sometimes cause permanent damage.  And if you’re just a wee bit uncoordinated–like me–the added benefits of increased coordination, balance, concentration and endurance that yoga can bring to your running life are invaluable.

So if you’re a part-time (like me) or full-time runner, I think you should really consider adding yoga to the mix.  It really does help stretch your muscles and increase the flexibility that you can’t always get from a good run.   It will open up tight hips, improve your body’s alignment and help prevent hamstring injuries (ouch!).  

Do them together, and I promise you will see results.

Peace. 

Post from: EveryJoe

My Running Practice

Got a headache?  I do tonight.  Here’s what I am going to go do right after I log off.  It has really helped me in the past, hope it works wonders again tonight.

It’s called the Supported Headstand, or Salamba Sirsasana.  And it goes like this:

-Put a pad or your mat on the floor, and kneel down

- Clasp your hands, intertwining your fingers. Set your forearms on the floor

-Roll your upper arms slightly outward, while pressing the insides of your wrists firmly into the floor

-Position the crown of your head on the floor.  Gently push your hands together, and cup the back of your head with your hands

-Inhale, and lift your knees slowly off the floor

-Slowly walk your feet closer to your elbows, while keeping your heels elevated

-Press the shoulder blades against your back, and lift them up towards the tailbone

-Exhale and lift your feet off the floor. Be sure to lift both of your feet at the same time. Bend your knees if necessary to do this

-Continue to press your shoulder blades against your back; widen them if needed to give you more support

-Beginners should probably hold this for about 10 seconds only.  Advanced practitioners should be able to hold the pose about three minutes. Bring youself down slowly with an exhale

Ok, this should take care of my headache.  Give it a try, and take it slowly at first.  It really relieves headache stress and pressure, and soothes your mind.  Really nice.

Peace 

Post from: EveryJoe

Got a Headache? Give This Pose a Try

Well, it’s not earth-shattering news, but apparently, there is a new category for folks who are vegetarians MOST of the time :-)  You’re called flexitarians, and around Thanksgiving, I have to admit, I become one of you, too.

 In fact, the food industry is targeting these folks, providing vegetarian fare with just a wee bit of protein on the side.  Flexitarians could and would be considered vegetarians most of the time.  But when a slice of meat or fish passes under their noses, they don’t say no.  And restaurants and grocery stores are beginning to package food and menu items just for you!

In truth, a true vegetarian diet can be deficient in protein, iron and essential amino acids.  You do have to be vigilant about what you eat to be a successful vegetarian or vegan.  So from a nutritional perspective, there is an argument in favor of the “flexitarian” diet.

As someone who practices yoga and meditates regularly, I really do buy into the belief that it is healthier for me spiritually to abstain from meat–although I do like my holiday turkey and fish at times. 

Either way, it is kind of an interesting way to categorize the almost-vegetarian person.  And here I thought I was just cheating a little. Didn’t know a whole new category was emerging just for me and my comrades :-)

Peace. 

Post from: EveryJoe

Any Flexitarians Out There? Raise Your Hands!