This week at the Studio-April 11 & 100 Incredible Yoga Teachers who Blog List

Saturday night and with a quiet house I decided to take the opportunity to start on this week's entry.

It has been such an awesome week. I am very happy and humbled to say our little blog out of Smiths Falls made the 100 incredible yoga teachers who blog - in the annual Nursing Schools list right here at your fingertips (we are Yoga for Everyone). It is funny cause we were considered to be out of Australia! It's the Lanark reference, I guess! (Yes, there is one in Australia)

I would like to thank you for the positive feedback concerning the total conditioning class. It is always so rewarding to hear when you feel positively charged following a class. This class represents the best of all muscle conditioning exercises combined to produce positive results. The tricep lift that was introduced this week-small, but what a powerfully effective exercise. The boomerang exercise description follows the main entry this week.

Zumba-Ringa, Ringa joins our great list this week along with a new Salsa battle. Enjoy-Smile-Have Fun-It is Zumba after all. This Monday is the start of L'il Starz (4-7) years olds-getting children to engage in physical activity while having fun is instrumental to encouraging a lifelong habit of exercise.

As discussed with many of you in yoga, I've decided to complete Sadie's certification to offer core strength vinyasa at the studio. Many of you have passed along positive feedback regarding her signature asanas-they are truly wonderful and causes the student to pause and really identify from their inner foundation as they move into the asana. I am hoping to have the certification completed by August in order to have this on the Fall schedule along with one Yin class a week.

Fit Fact-The Importance of Strong Hip Flexors

Your hip flexor muscle attaches from your hip and part of it attaches to the vertebrae in your lower back. Tight hip flexor muscles can pull your lower back into more of an arched position, placing additional strain on it. Your hip flexor is a deep muscle in the front of your hip and when it is tight can also cause a hip flexor injury. In addition to back pain, tight hip flexors affect performance in runners and cyclists and affect common movements such as walking.

A simple yoga asana to help open your hip flexors:

This is commencing from a 1/2 way lift, you can move into this asana from table, down dog....
-from 1/2 way lift
- step back with your right foot into a low lunge (left knee lines up with ankle and knee does not protrude beyond ankle)
- gently lower your right knee to the ground (use a blanket for padding if needed for your knee while on the ground)
- Press the palms, fingers or fists into the floor to lift the crown of the head up towards the ceiling. Roll the shoulders down and back and press the chest forward. Look straight ahead with the chin parallel to the floor.
- Breathe and hold for 4-8 breaths.
- To release-step right foot next to left and stand in 1/2 way lift
- Repeat on other side.
Precautions-Knee or hip injuries

Have a safe and healthy week!

Breathe....Do not pause on the problems, but rather see solutions.