Baby Boomers and their Bucket Lists. All you need is yoga!

So what's on your bucket list?  Does it include an inventory of exhilarating adventures like climbing Mt. Whitney, skiing Mak-M-Stairs-Plunge in Colorado, backpacking The Appalachian Trail or cycling through the hills of Tuscany?  Or maybe something a little less intimidating but equally thrilling, like swinging a golf club at an uncooperative dimpled little ball and driving it 200 hundred yards down a pristine fairway or smashing an explosive forehand down the line to convincingly win your match and secure the title of Baby Boomer Open Champion.  Whatever your dream yoga can help.

Frequently it is the nagging, noisy chatter of the mind more than the snap, crackle and pop of the body that hijacks our best intentions and keeps us from reaching in to that bucket and eagerly attacking our list.  However sometimes all we need is a little encouragement and a lot of team work and that is where yoga is at its best.  Team work is all about cooperative effort and yoga teaches us that it takes the integration of  mind, body, breath and spirit working cooperatively to tackle and overcome the physical and emotional objections we so often succumb to.

I am frequently asked if there are distinct yoga asanas (poses) or sequences to support specific activities like golf, cycling, hiking or skiing.  I always give a very clear and straight forward answer.  Yes and No.

I am completely convinced that a well rounded yoga practice will help improve ability with all physical activities, whether it be the demands of running a 10 minute mile or lifting a gallon of milk on to the top shelf of the refrigerator.  The more you understand how to balance strength with flexibility, improve balance and concentration and rely on the breath as your most trusted friend,  the more you will be able to reach into your resource bag of experience when a particular muscle protests at the most inconvenient time and place. However, different activities do demand more work from specific muscle groups and their supporting structures and targeting those areas with focused awareness can help direct energy where it is needed most, improve agility and heighten your enjoyment of the experience.  Warning: Many Type A Baby Boomers are at serious risk of minimizing the importance of enjoying the experience while chasing the goal.  Fortunately, yoga can help with this, as well.  Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination.

What makes yoga different from other "training" methods is that in addition to teaching you how to prepare your body, it helps you learn to focus the mind, incorporate the breath and bring acceptance to the present while pursuing the future.

We all need bucket lists.   They remind us that we are never too old to have dreams and never too old to  set new goals and add to our bucket lists.  Goals and dreams keep us young at heart and physical challenges keep us strong in mind and body. We are never too old to experience the pride and sense of thrill that accompanies every accomplishment.

One of the goals on my bucket list is to encourage others to establish their own lists and then help them achieve their goals.  My yoga practice has made profound changes in my physical abilities and emotional well being which has allowed me to complete challenges that I was not capable of in my pre-baby boomer years.   It can do the same for you.

I will be writing a series of short articles about how yoga can provide support and training for specific physical experiences and athletic activities.  I will keep the articles brief and focused so that the reader can attempt to integrate and apply the information quickly and easily.  When appropriate, I will attach links for those who wish to pursue more detailed information on anatomy and movement.

Please feel free to send me thoughts, questions or suggestions on activities for which you would like to see some yoga specific guidance.

Yin or Yang?

It is understandable that even if you have heard the terms Yin and Yang Yoga, you may not know that Yin and Yang yoga refer to two different styles of yoga that target different parts of the body. Most westerners think of all yoga as "Hatha" Yoga, when in fact, Hatha Yoga, a physical practice encompassing "asanas," is only one branch of the "eight limbs of yoga" and Yin and Yang are two different styles of a physical practice.

The terms Yin and Yang can be traced back thousands of years and are referenced in ancient Chinese writings. Although many think of Yin and Yang as simple terms to describe opposites (like good vs. bad or strong vs. weak) this is in fact, inaccurate. Ancient Taoists (or Daoists) believed that all forces within nature exist along a continuum and that the concepts of Yin and Yang only make sense when viewed relative to each other. Seemingly opposing forces are actually interconnected energies dependent on each other for survival. According to Taoist Philosophy, everything in the universe has Yin and Yang properties and nothing exists in a fixed state. Within this cosmic sphere of fluidity exists a natural tendency for opposing forces to seek equilibrium in order to achieve balance and bring harmony to all things. These same principles apply to all living organisms. Physiologically, the body's ability to seek and maintain equilibrium is known as homeostasis and is critical to our survival. From a more holistic perspective, yoga helps maintain the physiological, psychological, emotional, energetic and spiritual systems within the human body thus supporting balance and harmony throughout the whole body. Yin and Yang yoga practices target different tissues within the body but both practices support bringing the body into harmonious balance.

Yin and Yang yoga generally refer to two different styles of yoga, although it is important to recognize that within each style of practice, there are yin and yang properties.

Yang yoga is the style we are more familiar with in the West. It targets muscle tissue which has more elasticity compared to the connective tissues surrounding bones and joints. Therefore, muscles respond well to the heat, flow and repetitive movements of a Yang practice which relax, stretch and strengthen the muscles. A traditional Yang practice includes the well known repetitive flow of Sun Salutations and Warrior asanas.

Yin Yoga, targets the connective tissues of the bones and joints, which are much less elastic than muscle tissue and respond better to deeper poses held for longer periods of time. The objective is to stretch and stress the connective tissues around a joint while relaxing the surrounding muscles. Connective tissues include ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Poses such as wide legged forward bend, reclining hero and pigeon are examples of poses well suited for a Yin practice. These poses help to bring greater flexibility and movement to many of the stiff places in the body that are traditionally sore and tired such as the spine, hips and pelvis.

For a deeper understanding on Yin Yoga, I recommend readings and DVD's by Paul Grilley, a Master Yoga Instructor who specializes in Yin Yoga, anatomy and meridian theory. Read one of Paul's articles on Yin Yoga and why it is good for our bodies by clicking here.

My entire yoga practice shifted dramatically after taking a weekend Yin Seminar with Paul Grilley. I still enjoy practicing and teaching Yang yoga, but have added Yin poses to my personal daily practice and my teaching style. After a few months of a consistent Yin practice, I noticed a gradual decrease in the ache in my lower back and knees. I used to fear back bends. They hurt and I thought they were harming me. After a weekend with Paul, I began to embrace back bends and had a clear understanding of how, when done slowly and properly, they could improve my range of motion and decrease my pain. As long as I maintain a routine practice I find I am more flexible and less sore. Paul uses the analogy of brushing your teeth. It's not a one time event. As with all yoga, a practice must be consistent. Just as our tissues can stretch and relax with use and practice, without maintenance, they can just as easily tighten up and tug on all those tender spots. Remember, everyone's body is different and it is important you check with your health provider to ensure what practices are safe for you. It is always a good idea to seek guidance from an experienced yoga instructor when beginning or experimenting with your practice.

As a point of caution, Yin Yoga is not Restorative Yoga. Restorative Yoga is another wonderful practice intended to help restore, relax and renew the body with the artful use of props for support. Judith Lasater, Yoga instructor and physical therapist, specializes in this practice and has a wonderful book called "Relax and Renew."

Works by Paul Grilley, Judith Lasater and many others can be purchased from this website by going to the Amazon Window and typing in their names.

If you have not already discovered the benefits and rewards of practicing Yin poses, I encourage you to incorporate some beginning Yin asanas into your practice. Be patient and consistent. Remember all yoga has yin and yang properties. The trick is finding the harmonic balance between effort and yield. Yin and Yang are not opposites. They are balancing forces on an energetic pole. As with all yoga, stay present, move from within, stay mindful and be aware of what your are experiencing. Always adjust the pose and the breath to meet the needs of your body. It is your body, your health, your practice. Make it work for you.