happenings.com

| Fitness

46 February 2011

Keeping your Motivation & your Resolve through the Practice of Yogaby Tony Bishop, E-RYT

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As you think about your favorite activity, what is the first thing that happens? You probably smile. Yes, either physically and externally, or in your mind, you smile as this favorite activity brings you joy, confidence, peace, and even a feeling of belonging and community. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? For many, that feeling comes only at your place of worship. But there is a common thread I have found among my own friends and family in church, work, leisure, play or physical exercise: Desire and motivation. One of my favorite people in the world, Bill Tinsley, always said, “You can have all the can-do you could imagine, but you’ll never get anywhere without the want-to.” Bill is a retired newspaper publisher with whom I had the pleasure of working for many years, and his quote has stayed with me for a long time. He is exactly right. What you desire is what you become.

For the past 15 years, I have practiced yoga on a near-daily basis and sometimes for long periods during those days. I have found yoga to be the best activity for physical healing and effective exercise, but more than these I have experienced the calming and mental clarity which are so greatly improved through proper yoga practice. Personally, I happen to be a Christian who teaches and practices yoga, and although I will discuss spiritual aspects and misconceptions in a coming yoga article, that is not my intent here. I simply wish to recognize a connotation of “spirituality” to which some

practitioners refer, one I have also experienced. I understand this phenomenon as the calm, peace, the feeling of a loving heart, and connection to others around you after a great yoga class... it’s in essence very similar to that feeling after a great church service. It is rather euphoric, as you feel cleansed and renewed.

Although being aware of where you are in your spiritual life is a completely separate and personal issue for you, being aware of your body and mind is the key to a great experience in yoga. And this awareness is what separates yoga from any and all traditional (especially Americanized) exercise and exclusively physical activities. This is also the key to keeping your resolve and your personal motivation. Yoga is a much deeper experience than simply doing a few sets of crunches, a weight-lifting routine, a nice run in the cool air or a brisk walk at the mall. These are all excellent things to do, and I have done them all (and still do). I love to move my body. It gets the endorphins and the adrenalin activated within, and brings about the “exercise high” which just feels wonderful! This is why we keep working out and putting ourselves through a difficult routine. Other than looking better, the feeling we have mentally and physically is most motivating.

So here we go. Let’s get started on a journey which will keep us motivated and excited, and feeling great all year. Try yoga. Not just once. Try practicing yoga on a regular basis, for an

extended period of time. As with any worthwhile thing that you do, your mental attitude and approach are of utmost importance. Once or twice in a yoga class and then shrugging, “It’s just not for me,” is very unfair to yourself and such a tragic end to the potential you have in the future. Just relax, smile, take a deep breath and try the following:

--- First, choose a yoga class with which you feel comfortable. Yoga is becoming more available at health clubs, yoga studios, schools (college, high school and elementary), civic clubs and even churches. Do a little research regarding your choice so you will know what the approach of the class will be and what results to expect.

--- Enter the class with a smile and an open mind. You are in a good place if you have researched the class previously and know where you are.

--- Be very, very, very patient. With yourself, the practice and the yoga instructor. Don’t expect instant gratification. Yoga is a process, similar to healthy weight loss. You don’t expect to lose

45 pounds in your first weight control meeting; don’t expect to find perfect postures and peace of mind in your first yoga class.

--- Be prepared to work on your mental approach to this experience. So many new yoga participants go to classes and will talk about what a “great workout” it was, and they will be the first ones to rush out of the yoga room after class, and always seem to be in a hurry to get the class over so they can dash to their phone to check their new text messages. This is where yoga is so different, and can be so much deeper than a “workout.” It starts with controlling your mind and body in a new way. You become more responsible in improving your well-being. As you realize how involved you are in your own practice, you slowly will become more motivated and more confident.

--- Awareness is your new favorite word. While many of us like to be distracted from hard work in exercise by using earphones and television monitors, yoga is much more centered... As with the world’s top athletes, such as Lance Armstrong, awareness of every movement and every breath becomes important for optimal

happenings.com 47

| Fitness

February 2011

experience it, love it.YOU CAN KEEP YOUR RESOLUTION ALL YEAR

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performance. A great example is Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, who played professional basketball into his 40s, by practicing yoga and tai chi every day, along with his normal workouts.

--- Keep doing your normal workouts (as long as they are physiologically safe), and slowly add yoga to your weekly routine. Remember, you can always schedule time for something worth doing, so plan on doing yoga at least twice or more per week to see and feel true results.

--- Be open to changing your eating habits. Small changes are still good, so just work on better hydration and fewer processed foods to start, and then take small steps to better nutrition. This makes a tremendous impact on how you look and feel, as it greatly affects your overall health.

--- Yoga works virtually every muscle and system in the body — along with deep mental concentration, deep breathing and nearly 100 percent stimulation of the worked muscle tissue — so this can be the greatest, most intense and yet most calming and gratifying experience you have ever done. Just allow yourself to go slowly and methodically as you get better and more aware with each time you practice.

Realizing what a great thing you’re doing can be very motivating in itself, and this is where I got my resolve when I first began practicing yoga. I began doing yoga years ago to help heal an injury from Kung Fu, and I remember after my first class thinking, “Well, that was pretty cool... It was nice, but I don’t know that I got a lot out of it.” But then that very night, I slept like a baby and felt so rested when I awoke the next morning. And I didn’t have a sleeping problem, but it was just so much more restful after yoga. I was immediately impressed, and even though I was a hardcore “workout” guy who did Chinese Iron Body and Kung Fu techniques (which were very intense, to say the least), I was already a yogi in the making.

Yoga means “yoke,” the bringing together of yourself and simply not being so “scattered” in your daily activities. Keeping your excitement, and keeping your resolve throughout the year, is so much easier with yoga in your life, as it will help make you more aware of everything. Now let’s try this personal exercise to introduce yourself to basic yoga: I call this posture “Poorna Supinasana,” or full-body pose in supine position.

This is our February Pause for a Pose!

Lie down on the floor, or any flat, firm surface, preferably with a yoga mat or comfortable towel. Face up, close your eyes while allowing your feet to externally rotate until the ankles are relaxed. Arms are at your sides with the palms up and backs of the hands on the mat next to your hips. Take a few long, slow breaths as you relax completely. Allow the eyes to relax and your face and jaw to relax with the rest of the body. Remain in relaxation for 1-2 minutes, then take a huge breath from the neck to filling the belly. As your exhale begins to naturally happen, begin to tighten/flex the toes and feet as you bring engagement of all muscles to total flexion. Slowly flex from feet, ankles, calves, thighs and so on upwards through the body, keeping all the areas from the toes upward as tight and engaged as possible. Continue slow, deep breathing as everything becomes tighter and tighter all the way up... Clinch the fists, through the shoulders, neck, face and top of the head. Squeeze and tighten as hard as you possibly can — everything — for seven deep breaths. Then suddenly and completely let go. Completely relax at one time and sigh the breath out. Relax... Really relax. This is a great posture to practice after a yoga class, and right before going into final savasana. It is also great for the end of the day, possibly after an exercise routine, right before a bath or shower before bedtime. Don’t be in a hurry after completing the pose. Stay for a while.

So be healthy. Be well, and take some special time for you. As God himself said, your body is a temple. Treat your body and your mind with a daily yoga practice! God bless, and namaste!

About the author: Tony Bishop, E-RYT/RYT/CYT is director and chief instructor with Hot Yoga Bowling Green. He is certified in Hatha Yoga instruction, yoga teacher training, yoga personal training, yoga coaching, PowerHouse Pilates instruction, Spinning, Sil lum Kung Fu, and is experienced in many other forms of exercise training. He is registered with the Yoga Alliance, is a graduate of Sunstone Yoga Schools teacher training programs and has some 2,500 hours of yoga teaching experience. For more information, visit hotyogabowlinggreen.com, email hotyogabg@yahoo.com, or contact Tony at (270) 793-0011, 730 Fairview Avenue, Suite C-2, Bowling Green.

photos by Lesley Davis & Matt Fields-Johnson