By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, YACEP
We often talk about the benefits of daily Yoga exercises we enjoy in our daily life “off the mat.” However, there are also plenty of Yoga techniques we can do off the mat to make sure our practice improves! Most people don’t realize how easy it is to incorporate aspects of Yoga into daily life. We don’t have to be on a mat or chanting a mantra in an ashram to practice Yoga, and we could practice without making a show of it. Here are some easy techniques to add to your daily routine that will help deepen your practice.
Rooting
Strengthening the feet and stretching the Achilles tendon. These exercises will give you a stable base for standing poses and help you with rooting your feet during the day. When brushing your teeth or washing your hands, practice rooting by rising up on the balls of your feet of and back onto the four corners of your feet. Repeat throughout the day whenever you stand in front of a sink. This exercise works two muscles in the calf, the gastrocnemius and the soleus, and improves balance.
Calf Raises
Next, whenever you climb stairs throughout the day, stop once on the way up, at the bottom step, and stretch each foot by putting the toes on the edge of the step and letting the heel “reach” down. This will stretch your calves and eventually, allow your feet and calves to relax when needed.
Mindful Movement
Practice your daily Yoga exercises mentally in the office. Before getting up from your office chair to visit the photocopier, close your eyes for a moment and visualize yourself standing, reaching out with one hand to grasp the document, turning and striding towards the machine in one long, flowing movement. Practice moving your body as smoothly as possible during the day; this will create complete efficiency of motion. Mindful movements during the day make it simple to absorb yourself in your personal Yoga practice later.
Subtle Diaphragmatic Breathing
Improve your overall health with slow and deep diaphragmatic breathing. Find a sound that acts as a natural metronome, such as your printer or the whooshing of a copy machine, or the clacking of subway cars. Practice breathing in all the way to your stomach for three clacks and out for three clacks, and adjust as your lung capacity improves.
Isometric Mudra
Use isometric exercises to strengthen your hands and wrists by placing the palms together in a namaste position and pushing against each other. Repeat for 10 seconds in a sequence of 3 to 12 times while reading email, then gently stretch the fingers forward toward the forearm. Strong wrists provide support in many poses and increased flexibility in the hands helps with performing mudras while giving the arms additional support.
Moderation and Results
Although some of the above mentioned daily Yoga exercises might require multi-tasking, you will find them beneficial. Multi-tasking is a fact of life in the workplace. With repetition, these simple exercises can become habit and will make your time in Yoga class or in your home practice even more productive.
Moderation
One point to mention is to practice in moderation. The student who wants to make up for lost time tends to push, force, or take risks. Injuries sideline our practice. Therefore, we are better off to engage in daily Yoga exercises while being mindful of your inner compassion. A steady practice over years of time produces a dedicated practitioner who gathers knowledge for a good cause. A dedicated practitioner will share knowledge, which helps everyone.
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Mindful movements during the day make it simple to absorb yourself in your personal Yoga practice later. Thanks for posting this helpful article.
Its really there are plenty of Yoga techniques we can do off the mat to make sure our practice improves. Thanks for sharing this valuable article.