Lisa on Yoga

Yoga and running (Part 2)

In Part 1, I compared yoga in general with running in general and told you why I enjoy the combination. This time I want to go in to specifics about how yoga asanas can help those muscles and joints used in running function at their optimal level. My favorite source (so far) for yoga and running information is the book The runner's yoga book: a balanced approach to fitness. It contains many clear photographs and offers more challenging or less challenging variations of postures as well as clear instructions. The method used in this book is predominantly Iyengar; however, I believe it is valuable no matter what style of yoga you practice.

Movement can be defined as the repetitive contracting of muscles, but it also involves bones, joints, the nervous system and the vascular system (brings energy to muscles and removes wastes). In running, quadriceps on the front of the thigh contract, hamstrings lengthen and stretch on the forward leg, and on the back leg, quads stretch while the hamstrings contract. This contraction, which moves the leg pushing back, is actually what propels you forward. It is therefore important to have very strong yet flexible hamstrings (also called leg biceps) and strong and flexible quadriceps (to help you on hills and balance the leg so that the joints are kept healthy). Running affects the muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments of your feet, legs, low back, chest, shoulders, arms, and abdomen - or your whole body! Yoga helps with all of this and this entry goes into more detail about how yoga can help with problems caused by running in the knees, hips, and feet. The next entry will give specific asanas that strengthen and stretch hamstrings, quadriceps, shoulders, chest, and abdomen.

Healthy knees and hips are very important in running (and in yoga). Knees are vulnerable to ligament tears, meniscus tears, patella misalignments, and arthritis (which is the wearing down of the protective “padding” in the joint). To help prevent some of this and to alleviate discomfort if your knees already have some damage, make sure that the muscles supporting your knees are strong and balanced. Any movement that extends your leg in front of you, or straightens your leg from a bent position, will strengthen your quadriceps. Any movement that bends your knee will work your hamstrings.

When practicing yoga you need to make sure of your alignment in all of the standing asanas, i.e., never let your knee go past your ankle in virabhadrasana (warrior pose) and ekapada ustrasana (one-footed camel pose or lunge) and utthita parsva konasana (standing side angle pose). Also avoid deep squatting motions (utkatasana), padmasana (full lotus position - unless your hips are exceptionally flexible), positions such as virasana (hero-heroine pose) unless you use supportive props, and high impact moves like jumping in and out of positions in Ashtanga yoga. You can even adapt positions such as balasana (child’s pose) to make it more comfortable on sore knees (knees wider apart or put a rolled up towel or mat behind knee in joint) and use extra padding for any asana that requires the knee to be on the floor. Remember to never lock your knees in any position. Use the muscles around your knees to hold them in a straight position, lifting the muscles above your knee cap and doing a slight isometric movement with your heels, bringing them toward each other when standing to activate the muscles of the thighs. In lateral bending postures, like trikonasana (triangle pose), try to keep the hip, knee, and middle toe of the foot in a straight line on the leg that you are bending towards. This helps to re-educate knees and hips that tend to be inwardly or outwardly directed.

It is also possible to run with problem knees as long as you listen to your body and take a few precautions. Always run on a forgiving surface, such as a track or a dirt/grass trail, and try to avoid uneven surfaces or even steep hills. Wear good running shoes and reduce your weekly mileage. Remember, it is better to be able to run a little regularly without discomfort than not being able to run at all! Of course, always consult a good orthopedic physician (one well versed in sports medicine is helpful) before practicing yoga – or running – if you have pain in your knees.

Hips take a pounding in running but the muscles surrounding and protecting the joints are the biggest in your body. Again, alignment is important here, too, because leg imbalances, thigh muscle weakness or inflexibility, knee problems, and foot problems eventually affect the hip joints and consequently your low back. Yoga is fabulous for opening up the hips and strengthening gluteus muscles (buttocks), hip flexors (iliopsoas, etc) and hip rotators (piriformis, for example, which can impinge on the sciatic nerve). The healthier your hips are, the fewer problems you will have with your low back, at least before, during and after running, because many “hip” muscles are connected to points along the lumbar spine (section between the rib cage and sacrum/tail bone).

In running, your feet work hard to absorb the impact of each step, so many of the precautions from running with compromised knees also help keep feet happy. In addition, a good orthotic prescribed by a podiatrist can correct pronation or supination, high or low arches, ease pressure on bunions or hammer toes, help with heal spurs or plantar fasciitis or neuromas. Yoga is great for strengthening and stretching the muscles that keep feet functioning optimally. Yoga is practiced barefoot which allows the feet freedom to expand and grip when needed. If you bring attention to the feet (yoga is about paying more attention, isn’t it?!) you can begin to notice and correct any imbalances that you find. Square the feet and spread the weight of you body evenly on your heels, balls of feet, and the spot at the base of your little toe. If these areas are on your mat than there is less likelihood that you will be caving in your arches, gripping with your toes (can cause foot cramps during yoga practice) or leaning onto the outer edge of your foot (in this case weight the ball of the foot at the base of the big toe). You will also be stretching your Achilles tendon with asanas such as adho mukha svanasana (downward dog posture) or virabhadrasana I (warrior I pose), and your toes while doing caturanga dandasana (yoga push up or low plank). Balancing poses can also build strength and awareness in the feet and calves (even though it is better to balance using your core strength rather than just your feet).

Next blog entry: Yoga and running part 3 – Asanas for the hamstrings, quadriceps, hips and for strengthening your back, chest and arms

Additional Sources:

1. Kinetic Anatomy by Robert S. Behnke (Human Kinetics, c2001)
2. Yoga for Wellness: Healing with the Timeless Teachings of Viniyoga by Gary Kraftsow (Penguin, c1999)

Posted by Lisa Newman at 3:12 PM 11 comments links to this post

Yoga and running (Part 1)

I first experienced the yoga and running combination when I was an exchange student at the University of Oregon in Eugene – way back in the 1970’s. Eugene was nicknamed “Track Town, USA” and was the birth place of the Nike footwear company. Everyone seemed to run in Eugene! Also prevalent in Eugene at the time (and probably still is but I haven’t been back in a while) was the interest in alternative lifestyles and “new age” music, exercise, and diet. I encountered food coops, living coops (like a fraternity or sorority house for groups of students but not!), Birkenstocks, vegetarians – and yoga. If running tightened me up and strengthened my heart and leg muscles, than yoga would strengthen my belly and arms and loosen everything up again! It seemed like a natural combination, and boy did those running yogis look good! After many years and life experiences, I am again back to running and practicing yoga, so I looked into the combination a little deeper and here are some of my discoveries.

There are a great many similarities between the activity of running and the practice of yoga. Running can be a very competitive sport and it can be goal-oriented. It doesn’t have to be either of these, of course, but for many runners it’s all about going faster, farther, and winning the next race. Yoga is more about the process or practicing in a non-competitive way. On the other hand, there are yoga practitioners who feel very competitive and goal-oriented. Both running and yoga can be very good for you when done with attention to your body and its needs, and both can be very harmful if you disregard the messages and stop paying attention.

Running and yoga can be simply your body and the basics (a pair of sneakers and a sticky mat) or complicated with performance enhancing equipment! There are an amazing number and variety of running shoes, heart rate monitors, watches, clothing, hydrating beverages, and sunglasses to complete your running experience. In yoga, you can use an assortment of mats, blocks, straps, pillows, balls, music, incense, gongs, and clothing to round out your practice. Yoga and running can both be done indoors. Treadmills and indoor running tracks allow running in all weather and help soften the impact on problem knees and feet. Most of us practice yoga in a studio, gym, or in-home setting. If done outdoors in a natural setting, both experiences can be enhanced by the wonders of nature (although running in the cold rain isn’t great, neither is doing sun salutations on the beach and getting sand on your mat…)

Physically, running and yoga both affect your brain chemistry and increase your lung capacity. Running makes your lungs more efficient at taking in oxygen and sending it to blood vessels and muscles. Long distance runners tend to have lower resting heart rates because their bodies get so efficient that their hearts don’t have to pump as fast, even when not running. Yoga breathing increases lung capacity by re-training the muscles of your abdomen to allow the lungs to fill completely and empty completely with each breath. More oxygen comes in during each inhale and more toxins are released with each exhale, while the abdominal muscles are strengthened. This helps keep you in a comfortable upright position when running and further allows the lungs to function in their optimal position. Aerobic exercise increases the levels of serotonin in your brain (the “feel good” hormone”). Serotonin is an endorphin or neurotransmitter which acts as one of the body’s natural pain relievers. Serotonin regulates emotions and prolonged continuous exercise can increase production of serotonin and elevate mood. In this way running makes you feel good and elevates your mood just as yoga and yogic breathing do.

Running is not for everyone (unless you consider walking a modified form of running). It can be very hard on the joints and on the muscles of the legs and feet and low back. It is a very intense cardiovascular workout that requires developing your aerobic capacity over time. Unlike yoga, running is often more about winning a race, or at least making improvements in your speed, time, or distance. The goals of yoga are less tangible (in my opinion) than receiving a trophy or completing a ten mile race in under an hour, but no less important to the serious practitioner.

The joy I feel from running is very similar to the joy I feel from yoga. Yoga is freeing and uplifting and clarifies and purifies my mind and body. Running does the same for me. I am proposing here that you can run in a very yogic way, benefiting your mind and body and celebrating the miraculous human form – while still enhancing your yoga practice. Part 2 of Yoga and running will go into more details about the specific muscles used in running and how various yoga asanas can make you a stronger and more peaceful runner!

Resources:

1. Sports Training and Yoga Practice by Danielle Arin
2. Provide Life Sciences Inc.
   

Posted by Lisa Newman at 9:06 AM 2 comments links to this post

Yoga mats

There seems to be periodic reviews and “testimonials” on yoga websites and blogs about yoga mats. How much can one say about a yoga mat? It turns out to be quite a lot, actually. I want to mention a few web sites with good yoga mat commentary – and then I’ll add some thoughts of my own.

The February 24, 2006 blog entry on Yoga-space has a nice little summary of the different types of mats out there. Yoga-space also references Cara Jepsen’s very informative and entertaining piece of writing from the Yoga Chicago website called “How to Find (and Keep) the Perfect Mat - Revisited”. From a health perspective, Yoga Journal’s article about PVC’s and yoga mats is very interesting and the web site Health and Yoga has a brief article about why sticky mats should not be used for yoga at all! Who knew?!

My experience has been somewhat more limited, I’m afraid. I was used to using the standard “Tapas” brand yoga mat spread over a foam exercise pad to cushion my practice on hard wood gym floors. This was acceptable for a while – until my hands and feet started slipping (and the mat wore thin). I then splurged and bought myself a Nike Ultra mat. It is dark gray on one side and light blue on the other and has a honeycomb weave (closed cell foam). It is a cushy 8 mm thick but not sticky – and I do not budge, in any position, on this mat! I have to say, for now anyway, that this is my favorite mat. So far the mat is wearing well, and I just wipe it off with a Jo-Sha wipe when it gets dirty. It has its own carrying cord but I use a cute “Life is Good” brand mat bag (in dark blue) that holds the mat perfectly.

What is your opinion on mats?

Posted by Lisa Newman at 8:26 AM 4 comments links to this post

The Yoga Teacher/Student Relationship and Why I teach Yoga

The quality of the yoga teacher/student relationship determines the depth of the student’s experience of yoga. It is essential for the relationship to be one of mutual trust, respect, and openness because we, as students, are asking our teacher to guide us in our practice and our journey towards discovering our True self. It can be a very difficult journey and a good teacher will help us to ask the right questions, recognize the harmful habits and thoughts that we cultivate, and deepen our sense of who we are.

The yoga teacher/student relationship is similar to the connection between therapist and patient. Raphael Gunner, a yoga teacher and psychoanalyst, writes that yoga teachers need to be sensitive and respectful of their students’ emotional vulnerabilities and they need to be aware of the importance of this unique relationship to the student’s yoga experience. Therapists, however, have a lot more guidance, than yoga teachers do, in this area so yoga teachers have to be very careful about setting boundaries. A good teacher can deepen your experience and help you work through any physical and mental problems you may be encountering. Unfortunately, this relationship can also provide an opportunity for a bad teacher to take advantage of a student’s trust. There can also be the danger of a student forgetting that their teacher is human, with human shortcomings, no matter how deeply immersed the teacher seems to be in the yoga lifestyle.

The word “yoga” means union or bringing together two things into a relationship. There are many examples of union in yoga, like the union of body and mind, the union of yin and yang, the union of the individual’s energy with the cosmic energy – and the union or relationship of the teacher and student. I experience this relationship in different ways in my attempt to bring yoga into my life. I am always a student, coming to my mat for a yoga class, always practicing and hopefully getting a little better at pranayama and asana. I am a student every time I pick up a book about yoga (it happens pretty often, actually) to read about another teacher’s interpretation.

I am also a student with my own teacher who guides me in learning about the vast field of knowledge that is yoga and who has shown me how to be the best teacher I can be. And I am a teacher, who is privileged to be allowed to continue the process with my students. There is a tradition in yoga of passing information down from teacher to student – of taking the yoga wisdoms codified by sages such as Patanjali and expanding upon them, interpreting them, explaining them and making them accessible.

I teach because it makes me feel good. I teach to receive praise and I teach for money. I teach to reinforce the lessons that I am learning about yoga. I teach to help more people benefit from the healing powers of yoga and I teach to make people feel good about themselves (like it has for me). I feel the constant challenge to stay fresh with my teaching and offer something even just slightly new or different every time. I try to be flexible every class - even if conditions are less than favorable for yoga practice. (I teach some classes in a gym where the temperature can be really cold, or hot, or the floor dirty, or the little kids noisily waiting to play basketball outside the door.) I teach because I like to feel like I’m making a difference and I still remember what it was like when I was just a student and not a teacher and every class made a difference to me. And finally, I teach because the subject is so interesting that I’m just bursting with the desire to get it out!!

Yoga teachers have a great responsibility to their students. They pass on their passion for yoga. They teach from their own experiences and show their human side. They readily acknowledge that there is little difference, really, between, the student and teacher, other than one is a little bit farther along on the journey. A teacher should learn from his or her students.

Posted by Lisa Newman at 8:17 AM 0 comments links to this post

Yoga and body image

Body image or how we think about the physical body that we present to the world is a very interesting and perplexing topic. Yoga has some unique – both comforting and strange - approaches to dealing with the physical form. I believe in and have felt (as a American woman in the 21st century) the healing powers of yoga when my own “bad body fever” threatens to take over and consume me.

“Bad body fever” is a kind of self-loathing that many women experience on a daily basis. We walk past a mirror and we instantly think, “those thighs are disgusting…I look like an elephant…what was I thinking wearing those pants out in public!?” We are so fat phobic in this society that we think the amount of fat on our body reflects our value as a person and “too much” fat means we are bad, weak, unworthy, and disgusting. We get so caught up in this feeling that we subject our bodies to unhealthy and excessive dieting and exercise habits in our attempt to achieve physical perfection. We set ourselves up for countless bouts of bad body fever and we can never truly be at peace.

Yoga can help “treat”, “cure”, and “prevent” bad body fever. Tantra yoga tells us to accept all types of reality - spirit and matter - as being equally important, real, and true. Suffering comes from the illusion that there is opposition in our reality, while tantric yogis believe that weaving together spirit and matter in our own minds leads to union with the divine. Tantra teaches us to view the body as a manifestation of the divine, worthy of celebration! It tells us that we have a choice of living fully in this reality and that choice is a divine gift! Our bodies, therefore, should be loved and accepted for their very nature - they have value in just being – as well as providing a wonderful vessel for our thoughts and spirit.

The Yoga Sutras tell us to feel gratitude for what we have, to practice ahimsa (non-violence or non-harming) towards ourselves as well as others, and to observe satya or truthfulness (when it is non-harming). There is also samtosha, meaning contentment or being content with what one has, and aparigrapha (non-grasping or non-covetousness) or not always wanting what someone else has. These yamas and niyamas, if they are observed and honored in our every day lives will go a long way towards helping us get rid of harmful, bad body thoughts. (I realize that this is an over-simplification of the yamas and niyamas and I apologize to those Raja yoga students who have spent years studying the Yoga Sutras). If we are treating ourselves in a non-harming way, honestly recognizing who and what we are, content with that person and not yearning to have what someone else has, we will be more at peace. The bad body thoughts will disappear if you treat yourself with a little patience and kindness. It is then easier to make peace with the world when you make peace with yourself.

In every day yoga practice, there are also ways that your negative body image can be improved or eliminated. Many yoga studios do not have mirrors, or because your eyes are often closed, or the light is often muted, you become less concerned or even aware of what you look like. A good teacher will encourage you to approach your mat and practice in a non-competitive way, being mindful of the other students (and the group energy) but not being influenced by them. Yoga requires you to get reacquainted with how you feel, rather than how you look. It teaches you respect for your body’s abilities and patience with your body’s weaknesses. It is not results-oriented like an aerobics class, but it urges us to discover things we never knew about ourselves (e.g., we may have very loose hip flexors but tight hamstrings or we can sit still and breathe for a half hour but we can’t balance on one foot for even ten seconds…). Yoga can make you realize that there are infinite possibilities for movement and growth.

If your bad body thoughts are caused by stress or anxiety, yoga helps you relax. If bad body thoughts are caused by an unhealthy, unfit body, then yoga helps to increase strength and flexibility. Yoga is personal; it is something you do for you and no matter whom you are and what you look like coming to the mat, you will always benefit in some way from the experience. (It makes you feel so much better that you don’t really care that much what you look like!) The many different styles, variations, modifications, adaptations of yoga mean that there is something for everyone. Not everyone can climb a mountain or run a marathon, but everyone can do yoga!

We also realize when we come to the mat for our yoga practice that we are not alone in our journey. We are following in the footsteps of many, many people who have come before us, with the same kind of suffering and the same kind of desire to be accepted for who we are. Sometimes this can be very comforting.

Further reading:

1. ACE Network Eating Disorders article
   
2. Anusara website and Tantric philosophy
   
3. Maui Yoga Outreach
4. Nourishing Connections

Posted by Lisa Newman at 3:53 PM 2 comments links to this post