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LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationNumber: 2005925096
eISBN: 978-1-59474-688-8
PhotographybyMaximoMorrone
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Not all exercises are suitable for everyone. Your physical condition and health are important factors in determining which yoga exercises, positions, and advice may be appropriate. This or any other exercise program may result in injury. The packager, author, and publisher of this book disclaim any liability from any injury that may result from the use, proper or improper, of any exercise or advice contained in this book Please consult your professional health care provider for information and advice on the suitability of your exercise program.
v3.1
Iwantto dedicate this bookto a bro who Ithoughtwould never be caughtdead doingyoga. His name is George Hyder. George was a wild man, the kind ofmanthatguys wanted to be and women well, they all loved George. He was an in-your-face boot-camp Marine sergeant personal trainer. You would never have guessed in a million years that George Hyder was also a yogi, but he was. I’ll never forget the dayhe came up to me withthat strongSouthCarolina accent and said: “DDP, I was watchingearlier, and I’ve gotto know whendid youstartdoingyoga?” Iwas amazed thathe knew what I was doing. I actually thought someone had put himup to it as a rib, but then he started going intoall these one-leggedstandingpositions,andIwas trulyblownaway.He wentonabouthow good yoga was for core strength and how it could really keep me from getting injured in the ring. I immediatelyasked George aboutpersonallytrainingme inyoga, and he helped me take myyoga to a whole new level. He showed me thatifguys like us were doingit, thenthere was a whole world out therejustwaitingtogetthewordfromaRegular Guy.
Thank you, George. You are always with me, bro, and I dedicate this book to you. May you rest in peace,mybrother.
Cover Copyright
Dedication
Title Page
PREFACE
FOREWORD byRobZombie
INTRODUCTION
THEOWNER’SMANUAL
CHAPTER 1
GettingReadyfor YRG
CHAPTER 2
PuttingItAllTogether
20-Minute Workout
30-Minute Workout
45-Minute Workout
YRGWorkouts ata Glance
CHAPTER 3
Hammers andDuctTape:QuickFixes for InstantStress Relief
CHAPTER 4
DDP’s HealthTips andPreventative Maintenance
CHAPTER 5
Inspiration,Motivation,andCongratulations
ABOUTTHEYRGCREW RESOURCES
INDEX
Iknew Icouldnever getRZtohavehispicturetakendoingYRG,sothisisapictureofRZandmeon thesetof Devil’s Rejects. DDP
PREFACE
Hey,guys!
Welcometothee-bookreleaseofDDPYOGA’s Yoga for Regular Guys.
We started to write this book back in 2004, and it was published in 2005. Since then, we have released the original YRG Workouts on DVD, the YRG Fitness System, and the DDP YOGA Workouts.
In May 2012, DDP YOGA exploded in the mainstream health and fitness industry after Arthur Boorman’s YouTube video went viral. Arthur inspired the world byusingthe DDPYOGAWorkouts to help him lose 140 pounds in only 10 months. Even more amazing, he was able to get rid of his canesandhislegandbackbraces,SPRINTINGrightbeforeour veryeyes!
(Seethevideofor yourselfathttp://www.bitly.com/inspiretheworld.)
Our workouts have evolved a great deal over the years, and so have several of the DDP YOGA positions;for thisrereleaseofthebook,wehaveupdatedmostofthenamesofthepositions.Inthisebook you will find the foundation of ideas and principles that we have built on over the last nine years. We like to call this book the “Old Testament,” because it is here that we introduced the engaging of muscles when moving fromone position to another (DDP YOGA’s secret sauce, which we now call “Dynamic Resistance”), the importance of deep-belly breathing, the heart monitor, specific positions to help rehabilitate worn-down body parts, organic juicing, food combining, healthyeatingfor weight loss, and strategies to Hold Backthe Hands ofTime. That is whywe made this book required reading for all those who wish get certified in the DDP YOGATeacher Training Program.
Backin2004, we were tryingto breakthe stereotypes surroundinga workout that included anything even resembling yoga, so you’ll see our “regular guy” humor come through my advice to you is to havefunwithit.Enjoyall thenuggets ofinformationthatwill helpyouOwnYour Life,strengthenand rehabyour body,and,mostimportant,HoldBacktheHandsofTime.
After you’ve read our book, youwill AbsoF’nlutelywant to go to www.DDPYOGA.comand order theDDPYOGADVDssothatyoucantakeyour workouttothenextlevel!
Butdon’ttake mywordfor it.Ifyoureallywanttoknow whatthis programis all about,gotoTwitter @RealDDP and @DDPYOGA or our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DDPYOGA). And because you’ve purchased our book, you’re now invited to join our amazing support system at www.TeamDDPYOGA.com. There you’ll getto see whatall the fuss is aboutand view pictures and readtestimonialsofothersdoingDDPYOGA.Trustme,you’ll beINSPIRED. IliketosaythattheDDPYogaWorkoutProgramdeliverstheBigFour Benefits:
2) IncreasedFlexibility
3) Minimal JointImpact
4) MaximumCoreStrength
All this is delivered withthe unmistakablymotivatingand inspiringT&A(Tone & Attitude) that sets DDPYOGAapartastheBestWorkoutProgramonthePlanet!
IsincerelywishthatthroughDDPYOGA,youattainall your lifegoalsandBEUNSTOPPABLE! DDP
Givemeaf***ingbreak!
Ifyou’reanythinglikeme,youknow thateventhesoundoftheword yoga will getyouasarcasticroll of the eyeballs and a loud Bronx cheer. I mean, come on YOGA! Yeah, sure, let’s all sit around cross-legged,chantingtoour inner peacewhilesuckingdownonwheatgermsmoothies andfeelingat one withthe f***inguniverse. I mean, this is what yoga is all about, right? This is girlie-manhippie crap,right?
Well, that’s the wayIalways saw it. Thatis, until Diamond Dallas Page explained Yoga for Regular Guys to me. Hey, I figured if this guythought yoga was a badass workout, maybe and I emphasize maybe theremightbesomethingtothisNew Agevoodoo.
Truthfully, if it weren’t for the fact that this DDP guy is built like a block of granite and could most certainly crush my skull, I would have laughed my ass off at the thought of doing that Down Dog/Warrior One shit. I mean, really: Only spiritual head-cases need to twist like a pretzel for fun, right?
ButonedayIagreedtogiveitashot.WhatdidIhavetolose?
Ona hotsummer afternoonIroll outmymatand getreadyfor action. The firstthingDDPsays is that he’s going to teach me how to breathe. Listen, buddy, I think to myself, I might not know how to whoopass inthe squaredcircle,butIknow how tof***ing breathe!Butlike Isaid,he’s a bigguy,so I decided to go along with this breathing deal. After about fifteen minutes of trying not to laugh, I realize this ain’texactlywhatIthoughtitwas. This shitis difficult …seriously. Prettysoon,Iwasn’t laughinganymore.Iwas feeling the burn,as theysay.I’mtryingtoactivate muscles thathave beenin acomafor well …well,forever,really.
To make a longstoryshort, Yoga for Regular Guys works, and trustme, it ain’twhat youthink. It’s a total body, kick-ass workout that whips you into shape. Think of it as yoga meets old school calisthenicsbywayofslow burnisometricmovements.Translation: somethingfuntokickthatflabbyass body of yours into shape! Let’s face it folks, DDP is the new Jack LaLanne for the hardcore, cynical, regular-guy “I’m-too-cool-for-that” generation. Here’s my advice to you: Put down the doughnuts,pickupthisbook,andgetwiththeYRGprogram…or else!
ROBZOMBIE
LosAngeles,California
INTRODUCTION WHOISTHEREGULARGUY?
If you picked this book up, you’re most likely one of them. Or else you’re close enough to one to know thatthe onlyyoga bookyou’ll ever gethimto read would be writtenbya pro wrestler. Regular Guys are everywhere: They’re athletes, CEOs, cops, firemen, construction workers, bartenders, and lawyers;well,Imayneedtogetbacktoyouonlawyers,butIthinkyougetthepoint.
Ask a Regular Guy if he does yoga, and he’ll probably say, “I wouldn’t be caught dead doing that crap it’sfor girls.”
I know, because that was my exact response when I was first introduced to yoga six years ago. If at any point in my life someone told me that I’d be writing a book about the benefits of yoga, I would have said, “I’m sorry. You must have me confused with another six-foot-four-inch, two-hundredthirty-five-pound pro wrestler who beats people up with steel folding chairs.” (Incidentally, in case youdon’tknow me,I’maprofessional wrestler,notachaplaininafuneral home.)
So whatever made me, DDP, tryyoga? Well, atthe age offorty-two, the doctors said myprofessional wrestlingcareer was over.Iwas onthetopoftheworldatthattime,inonemaineventafter theother. Butin1998 Iruptured myL4/L5 disc so badlythatIlostjustaboutall flexibilityinmylower back. I couldbarelybendover,never mindwrestle.Youcansaywhatyouwantaboutprofessional wrestling, butwhenitcomestogettingbouncedaroundinthering,youcan’t fake gravity.
I remember that night like it was last night. I was battling the NWO (New World Order), and my opponent was KevinNash(6’10", 335 lbs.). The problemwithfacingthe NWO was, youdidn’t just faceoneofthem youfaced all ofthem. Near the end ofthe match, ScottHall (6’6", 285 lbs.) rolled
into the ringand blasted me withthe World Championship title belt. ThenKevinpicked me up onhis shoulders like Iwas a child and power-bombed me flatdownonmybackfor the win dirtycheatin’ bastards.
WhenIhitthe mat, mybodyjackknifed, and itfeltlike myspine had brokeninhalf. Nashdidn’tmean to hurtme;it’s notlike we were playingcheckers outthere. He actuallylaid me outas flatas he ever had, butthis time, ithurtlike hell. Itwasn’tjustthatfall;itwas anaccumulationofall the falls Ihad takeninthe ringover the years, like the one Ijustdescribed, alongwithyears ofgettingsplattered by guitars,steel chairs,andgarbagecans,thatfinallycaughtupwithme.
Yousee, eventhoughmost athletes retire intheir mid- to late thirties, I didn’t get into the ringuntil I was thirty-five, and at forty-two, I was just hitting my stride. This Regular Guy was pretty bummed out.
But one day, while I was laid up in bed with my back injury, I noticed my wife, Kimberly, coming upstairs fromone of her workouts. She was absolutely soaked in sweat. When she told me she was practicingyoga, Ithoughtfor sure she was pullingmyleg. Butshe insisted thatyoga sessions offered her a great physical workout, and also simplymade her feel rejuvenated. She was absolutelycertain thatyogacouldhelpmerehabilitatemyback,andsheaskedmetostartpracticingwithher.
Aside fromthe obvious worryofmybuddies findingoutIwas offlookinglike Grasshopper in Kung Fu, I was concerned that yoga could worsen my condition. However, Kimberly convinced me that, because I was injured, I could work at my own pace. So my attorney sent over a confidentiality agreement,whichKimberlysigned,andIdecidedtogiveitashot.
Guys, I’mnot bullshitting when I say that in my entire life I’ve never experienced a more profound andgratifyingworkoutasthoseI’vehadinyoga.
Theword yoga actuallymeans “union,”andthe practice ofyoga beganaboutfive thousandyears ago. The old school yoga guys were called yogis and Idon’tmeanYogi Bear. These yogis were looking for different ways to exercise, breathe, eat, sing, think, and meditate inorder to live vibrant, healthy lives. Theyeventalked about celibacy, but I’mnot buyin’that part. (I’msure there were some yogababes somewhere.) Their goal was to put together a lifestyle programthat created a perfect balance of body, mind, and spirit. They devised an incredible exercise system called Hatha yoga, which producesflexibility,strength,balance,stamina,andmental focus.
To me, the word yoga means balance: havinga good, healthybalance inyour entire life. Butalso, on the physical level, I’mtalkingabout the balance of strengthand flexibility. Bothare important. Alot of guys are strong, but they have little or no flexibility. Trust me when I tell you this is not a good thing. To me, flexibility means youth. The more flexible you are, the younger you feel, and the less chanceyouhavefor injury.
Over the years, manydifferentstyles ofyoga were developed, butthe three mainsystems are Iyengar yoga, which is very biomechanical and therapeutic in nature; Ashtanga yoga, which is athletic, acrobatic, and ridiculously challenging; and Viniyoga, which is a more moderate program that is basedontheneedsofeachindividual practitioner.
My favorite kind of yoga, besides Yoga for Regular Guys, is “power yoga,” which is the Americanized version of the Ashtanga style. The term power yoga was originally coined by an incredible yoga-ladybythe name ofBeryl Bender Birchinthe early1980s.She calledit power yoga in order to draw athletes into her Ashtanga Yoga classes. But a guy named Brian Kest really took power yoga and ranwithit. He tookthe verychallengingAshtanga style and made itmore accessible for those with a more Western body type. I originally learned yoga from Brian’s videotapes. His systemis reallygood, butthe Regular Guymighthave a toughtime relatingto the spiritual stuff you
know,meditatingandfindingyour inner-selfstuff.
I’ve had the pleasure ofworkingoutinBrian’s classes he’s a verycool dude onmanyoccasions, and I really enjoy them (lots of yoga-babes), but I wanted to do something a little different. That’s whyIdecidedtodothisbook.
You see, most serious yogis are more about “namaste,” a spiritual greeting that means “I honor the divine light within you.” But Yoga for Regular Guys (YRG) is a little more “T & A” (which is the Regular Guy greeting to a hot yoga-babe that means “I honor the gorgeous round things that God, or possiblyyour plasticsurgeon,hasgivenyou”).
The yoga I’mtalkingaboutis nota religion. We won’tbe meditatingor chanting“Om,” and no one is goingtobeaskedtoputonapair offootiepajamas.(Thatis,unlessyou’reintothattype ofthing.) It’s all aboutthe workout andgettingbacktowhereyouneedtobewithyour healthandfitness.YRGwill challenge you, getyouingreatshape, and chill yououtall atthe same time. Infact, ifIwere allowed todoonlyonetypeofexercisefor therestofmylife,Iswear toGod,Iwouldchooseyogabecauseof itsbroadrangeofbenefits.
With this book, we’ve taken yoga to a whole new level. YRG is the perfect fusion of old-school calisthenics and core stability training, along with the hot new concept of slow-motion isometric strength training. We’ve taken a few time-tested calisthenics, like push-ups and squats, and we’ve turneduptheheatbyslowingthemdownintoaslow-motionburn.This combinationwill addstrength andendurancetoanythingyoudo.Wewill incorporatetheisometricaspectintoYRGbyteachingyou how to engage your muscles in every position for the entirety of the workout. You will be training your corefromstarttofinish,andwe’veaddedsomesuper corestrengthexercisesifyou’reupfor the
challenge. Power yoga is our base, which is where this entire workout comes from. We’ve just modifiedittomakeYRGmoreguy-friendly.ThisworkoutistheBomb!
You see, yoga exercise works a lot like chiropractic and massage therapy. They all increase blood flow and nerve flow to everypart of your body. So all of those locked-up and closed-off areas will be receiving more oxygen and healing life force than they probably had since you were a kid! And yoga releases enoughtensioninyour bodythat it canmake almost anytherapeutic treatment, suchas chiropracticcareor massage,muchmoreeffective.
I still find myself amazed at what mybodyis capable of doingnow after all I’ve put it through. For instance,youmaynotbelieve this,butI’ve writtenthis entire introductionwhile standingonmyhead. Well, that may be stretching it, but believe me when I say that yoga not only allowed me to recover quickly,ithasbeenprovenhelpful inpreventinginjuriesaswell.
Shortlyafter beingintroduced to yoga throughthe BrianKestvideos, ImetDr. CraigAaron, a sports chiropractor, trainer, and certified yoga instructor who has trained, among others, Georgia Tech’s basketball and tennis teams, members ofthe Senior PGAtour, as well as manysuperstars ofthe NFL, MLB,andmajor collegefootball teams.The“Yoga-Doc”(atleftinthis picture),as heis now known, not only taught me more about the day-to-day benefits of practicing yoga (after he signed that confidentiality agreement), but also became my tag-team partner in the writing and development of thisentireYRGprogram.You’ll seehispointersthroughoutthebook.
Look, Iknow mostRegular Guys are notprofessional wrestlers. MostRegular Guys don’tgetbeaten up for a living. (That is, unless you’re the sort of Regular Guy who thinks he’s getting away with reading the introduction to this book and putting it back on the shelf.) But we all have things in common. As time passes, our bodies all become stiffer, regardless of our line of work. We lose flexibility and we lose strength. A lot of guys go to the gym to stay bulked up, but they do nothing about their flexibility. It’s a rut that the Regular Guy doesn’t have to be in. I am a walking, living example of someone who has beaten the hell out his body for years and still feels great after achievingflexibilitythroughyoga.Flexibility,myfriends,isyouth.
Another benefit is time. Imeet so manypeople who say, “I’mtoo busyto workout. Ijust don’t have the time.” Myquestionto themis always, “Do youhave twentyminutes?” Everyone canspare twenty minutes, and that’s all you’ll need to do the workouts in this book. There’s a reason yoga has been around for five thousand years. It’s the best use ofyour time, and it works. Most Regular Guys don’t have time to lift weights three or four days a week, work on cardiovascular, and also manage to fit some flexibility/stretching into their routine. And for those guys who are asking themselves, “What aboutall thatjumpingup and downIdo watchingthe football game?,” getreal. This isn’ta “getrich quick scheme” or a guarantee that you’ll go from looking like George of the Jungle to George
Clooney, but the fact is, yoga is the most efficient five-thousand-year-old exercise system on the planet.
Many people do yoga just for its ability to reduce stress without beating the crap out of their knees and backs the waythathiking, jogging, or runningdoes. Butwait, there’s more!Yoga does a lotmore thanjustrelaxyour mind for a little while. There has beenanincredible amountofnew researchthat points to yoga as a major player innormali-zingblood pressure and improvingsleep patterns, and it canalsohelppeoplebelessdependentonmedication.
Today, Ipractice yoga because it’s the bestdamnworkoutyoucando for your bodyand your mind. It reallyhelps youfocus ineveryaspect of your life, and youcando it at your ownpace. WhenI first started doing yoga, most of the guys in the locker roomor in the gymwondered what the hell I was doing. As time went by, the same guys would watchmyflexibilityand strengthincrease, and one by onetheywouldall startaskingquestions.
I told themthe same thingI planonteachingyouinthis book. Inshort, if youcommit twentyminutes three or four days a week to your practice, you can receive the benefits of increased strength, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, oxygen uptake, and improved confidence. YRG exercisesalsoimproveyour posture,increaseyour energylevels,reducestress,helpyousleepbetter, and burn fat! That’s right, you can lose weight, get into shape, and feel better by putting in three or four days a week! Now if the twenty-minute programreally gets you charged and you want to move forward,this bookwill show youhow toincrease your workouts tothirtyminutes andevenforty-five minutes. We’ve also added five- and ten-minute routines justto getyouenergized inthe middle ofthe day.Youwill noticethatproper breathingwhiledoingtheYRGworkoutincreases bloodflow,which cangiveyouinstantenergy.
Yoga is definitelybecomingmainstreaminthe United States, but it has yet to reachthe Regular Guy. Andthat’snotgoingtohappenuntil theRegular Guyhassomeoneteachinghimwhomhecanrelateto. Iamthatguy.Ispenthalfofmylifeinnightclubs,drinkingandthrowingparties thatwouldhavemade Caligula blush.Hell, IgraduatedfromRegular GuyUniversity, summa cum laude. I’ma professional wrestler!Soyoucantrustmeonthis.
Youmightbe thinking,“How muchequipmentdoIhavetobuytodothis yogathing?” Onceyouknow whatyou’re doing, all youneed is you. If youwant to see your results right infront of you, I suggest youget a heart monitor to help youstayinyour fat-burningzone, a yoga mat, some shorts, a T-shirt, and your bare feet. And, you can do yoga anywhere: at home, in a hotel room, anywhere no gym membershiprequired.
First,we’ll teachyouaboutbreathingproperlyandhow importantitis for youtomoveandbreathein aspecificwaytogetthemostoutofyour YRGworkouts.
Next, you’ll learn your specific target heart rate and how to monitor your heart rate during these workouts sothatyoucanmaximize your cardiovascular andfat-burningbenefits.Regular Guys like to see results rightinfrontoftheir eyes. Youguys will be blownawaywhenyousee justhow highyour heartrate will actuallygowhile doingthe simplestpositions.Itmayall soundprettycomplicated,but Ipromise that we will use the KISS method ofteaching: “Keep It StupidlySimple” and veryeasyto follow.
The twenty-minute programwill get you moving and build your flexibility and endurance. I’mgoing to give you basic moves to get you started, and I won’t have you twisted up like a pretzel. As you continue your workouts, youwill notice thatthe tougher yoga positions will be the ones thatgive you the most benefit. However, even if you stick with the more basic program, you will keep getting stronger,moreflexible,morecentered,leaner,andhealthier.
Let’s see: morerelaxed,less fatigued,better rangeofmotion,increasednerveflow andbloodflow to all parts of the body. That sounds like a prescriptionfor a better sexlife to me! Yougotta know, it’s all about the flow. Guys, the couple that does yoga together has better sex go figure. (For starters she’s moreflexible,ifyougetmydrift.)
And ifyou’re single … fuhgeddaboudit!Ican’tthinkofa better place to meetwomenwho are in, or alreadyontheir waytobeingin,greatshapewithgreat,flexiblebodiesthanintheyogastudio.
Come to think of it, I bet the reason all the Regular Guys who’ve been doing yoga for years have never smartened the rest of us up is because they want to keep all those hot yoga-babes for themselves.
So, bro, what are you waiting for? DDP is ready to take you back where you belong. It’s all about feelingbetter todaythanyoudidyesterday,right?Solet’sdoit!Whatthehell,giveitashot!
AWORD FROM THEWIFE
When I first tried to get Dallas to try yoga as a way to help his back pain, I was surprised by his reaction He didn’t even want to try it! Page is famously open-minded and receptive, but he turned me downFLAT! “Thatstuff’s for chicks,” he grumbled Butone day,his lower backwas feelingparticularly stiff After some gentle cajoling,I gothimtojoinme downstairs
After twenty minutes, he was sweating, straining, and grunting through the poses like it was football practice. In extended side angle pose, I could see him glancing over at me, attempting to go as deeply into it as I was. “No, honey,” I chuckled. “You’re supposed to kinda just relax and breathe. You don’t have to work so hard at it.” But his competitive nature wouldn’t have it. At the end of the hour,he was thoroughly spent yet invigorated. He said he felt two inches taller. His back felt looser. Better yet, he was readytotryitagainthe nextday.
From that day forward, Dallas did yoga workouts. I am extremely proud of Page for picking up yoga, andamazedthat his ego-integritywouldallow himtocelebrate his maleness throughthe practice. I have nodoubt thathe willbuildanarmyof shirtless,sweaty,smilingyogis doinghis brandof YRG andthat’s a sighta girlcanappreciate!
GETTING READY FOR YRG
Believeitor not, breathing isthemostimportantpartofYRG.Why?Becausewhenyouarebreathing properly, you will find that you can go deeper into your yoga positions, which will increase your flexibilityand raise your heartrate. And what’s the bestwayto measure your heartrate? Bywearing a heart monitor.Let’s faceit: Guyslovestats.Youwanttoknow how muchyoucanbenchpress.You want to know how fast you can run (or used to run). You want to see your results right before your eyes, and youwantto see themimmediately. But, the mainreasonyouwear a heartmonitor is to keep your heartrateintheoptimal cardioandfat-burningzonestogetthemostoutofyour YRGworkout.If you’re breathing fully while staying in your cardio/fat-burning zone for the entire YRG workout, you’ll bekickin’assandtakin’namesinnotime!
This sectionfocuses onproper breathingtechniques notonlywhendoingYoga for Regular Guys, but also whenyouneed to calmdown, focus, and de-stress. Hundreds ofbooks have beenwrittenonthe subject.Inthisbookwewill touchontheimportanceofthebreathwhiledoingyoga.
If you’re not breathing correctly or not breathing at all while doing yoga, all you’re doing is stretching, and according to many experts, stretching will only get you so far. But when you stretch and move inconcertwithyour breath, youare doingyoga, whichis a total bodyexercise. And when you’re doingyoga properly, you’re gainingphysical and mental focus, balance, endurance, flexibility, and power. How important is breathing to us? Remember, you can go without food for weeks. You cango withoutwater for days. Butifyougo withoutoxygenfor more thana few minutes, it’s curtains suddendeathwithouttheovertime fadetoblack.
SAYS…
At birth,the first thing the doctor does is to check the many aspects of a newborn child’s respiration with an “APGAR” score that measures the baby’s heart rate,respiratoryeffort,muscle tone,response tostimuli,and skincolor. These five indicators allrelate toa newborn’s abilitytobreathe andproperlyutilize oxygen. The old sayinggoes,youknow thatyour newbornis healthyif itcomes outkickingandscreaming.
As Regular Guys, we also know thatthe reasonwe came outkickingand screamingis because atthe time of birth, we knew that we just left a warm, soft, and wonderful place that we were going to spend a major part ofour lives tryingto hump, dive, or climb backinto!(Now Idon’t care who you are,thatwassomefunnyshitrightthere.)
Healthy babies breathe into their whole lung fields, from the belly to the collarbones. When we breathe this wayinour yoga workouts, we getclean, oxygenated blood to places inour bodythatwe didn’t evenknow we had. Deep, long, slow breathinginconcert withyoga movements stretches and rejuvenates the body from the inside to the outside. This type of breathing and moving also helps create space between each vertebra and assists in healing compressed spinal discs; it squeezes tired/trapped blood out of our vital organs and brings fresh oxygenated blood back to those same organs.Italsohelpsbreakupoldscar tissueandfixour posture.
WhyWeSlouchontheCouch
Unfortunately, as we accumulate physical traumas inour lives, suchas sports injuries, car accidents, pile drivers/tombstones, falls, or evensteel chairs to the skull, anaccumulation of scar tissue forms aroundthoseoldinjuries.Thesetraumas createstructural “holdingpatterns”inour body,whichcause lossofflexibilityaswell asdistortionsinour posture.Evensmaller traumas,suchasslouchingonthe couch, sleepingonairplanes, longperiods ofinactivity, drivingfor longhours, or sittingfor hours at the computer can create bad postural habits. According to the Yoga-Doc, in time, these “postural distortions” and regions of accumulated stress will cause our body to close down and fold inward, which leads to decreased lung capacity which could cause the depth of our breath to become shallower and shallower. Shallow breathing means less efficient blood-oxygen exchange and could leadtoalotofphysical problems.
HowCanYogaHelp?
