Tag Archives: ego

Yogis: Let’s Get Loaded

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After over a decade of yoga and traditional fitness training, the kettlebell rocked me. It literally threw me off balance. I immediately realized how this training could improve my core and endurance. If you have never heard of kettlebells, they look like a cannonball with a handle and range from 4 to over 100lbs. The rigorous Russian Kettlebell Challenge offered an experience as profound as my yoga trainings. The advanced techniques of the RKC have reshaped my practice, my teaching, and Continue reading →

(Re)Defining Functional Fitness

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What does the nebulous buzzword “functional fitness” mean?  It’s volleyed around in debates about what exercises have real-life application and what is completely frivolous. Many fitness professionals assert that fitness functions to achieve  “results.” Sometime in the future, you could achieve weight loss, lower your blood pressure, or build strong muscles. I propose reverse engineering instead. Start by asking, what do those results represent?  If you lost weight, would you feel hot? If your blood pressure decreased would you feel Continue reading →

The 4 Causes of Injuries

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The New York Times article “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” sent waves through social media this week. My teacher, Glenn Black, was prominently featured warning against the perils of yoga asana. The article describes practitioners who took yoga beyond the edges of safety and sanity. Yoga reveals how our personality permeates our tissues. When we see ourselves clearly, we notice common and potentially injurious behaviors. Beyond the yoga mat, here are four ways to get hurt: The ego overcompensates. Continue reading →