EQUESTRIAN YOGA, PART 3

FOR CORE STRENGTH

Welcome back to Part 3 of the Equestrian Yoga Series for Core Strength. So far, we have covered the Goddess Pose and Warrior II, and by now, you should be feeling stronger in body and mind. This month we cover a popular pose called Downward Facing Dog, and as a bonus, we’ll also go through the importance of the ever-elusive Yogic Breath, which you can incorporate into all of the poses we’ve mentioned in this series. So, grab your yoga mat, and let’s get started!

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog, or ‘Adho Mukha Svanasana’ in Sanskrit, is a great total body workout. This exercise strengthens your shoulders, arms and wrists in your upper body. In your lower body, it strengthens and develops flexibility in your hamstrings, calves, ankles and feet while building that vital core structure. It is also a great exercise for riders that struggle with keeping their heels down.

But, the benefits of Downward Facing Dog don’t end there; due to the positioning, it is great for moving blood and oxygen to your head, giving you a yogic glow - with a healthier facial appearance and improved complexion and skin radiance - all the while relieving tension and stress.

How to do it:

1. Start by going down on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Place your hands below your shoulders and knees below your hips.

2. Exhale, put your weight on your toes and press down into the floor with hands and feet, lifting your pelvis towards the sky.

3. You will want to form an inverted ‘V’ with your body. Continue to breathe normally.

4. Tuck your chin in and gaze towards your navel.

5. Keep your shoulders away from your ears, and press your heels down into the mat.

6. Keep breathing and hold this pose for 60 seconds.

7. Return to the tabletop position, rest for 30 seconds and repeat.

Downward Facing Dog may not be easy to achieve at first, but like everything in life, it gets easier the more familiar you become with the exercise. Don’t worry if you can’t get your heels to touch the floor or you can’t last a full minute; this will come in time. Yoga is not a competition but instead a way of bettering yourself as a whole — inside and out, little by little. As you gain strength and flexibility, you can slowly increase the time you spend in the pose and up the reps.

What is Yogic Breathing?

Yogic breathing — Pranayama in Sanskrit — is an essential part of yoga. Yogic breathing is intentional and controlled breathing that helps us maintain focus. It assists in clearing our minds of clutter to effectively manage our thoughts.

Not only does effective breathing help us gain a sense of calm, stability, openness and focus, but it also assists in oxygenating the body, which is essential for all our different parts to work properly.

The majority of the western world lives in a constant state of stress, unaware of our rapid breathing, erratic heart rates, high blood pressure, and bad tempers. Yogic breathing effectively counteracts these potentially damaging effects and helps us become aware of the current state of our body and mind.

Thank goodness for all the dedicated Yogis out there, teaching us how to reach and maintain a state of calmness! Through this state, we are not only able to make better decisions but manage our emotions in a healthier way. It’s truly amazing what learning how to breathe properly can do for you.

The benefits of yogic breathing include:

• Reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.

• Increasing calmness and relaxation.

• Lowering cortisol in the body.

• Stabilising and lowered blood pressure.

• Aiding with insomnia and sleeplessness.

• Improving core strength.

• Expelling carbon dioxide and increasing oxygen levels.

• Helping manage irritable bowel syndrome.

Pranayama is just one of the eight branches of yoga. These breathing exercises are done in a stationary position and performed separately from the physical movements (Asanas). It’s important to make time for Pranayama exercises; remember to include them in your yoga regimen. Next, we look at Ujjayi Pranayama, a breathing exercise you can practice to help calm your show nerves.

Ujjayi Pranayama

Ujjayi Pranayama, or ‘Ocean’s Breath’, is a great exercise to practice before competing when your show nerves are at their worst. In Sanskrit, Ujjayi means to conquer, which makes this exercise perfect for equestrians.

Ocean’s Breath calms your mind and warms your body. This exercise also lowers your heart rate and regulates blood pressure. When done correctly, your breathing will sound like waves crashing on the beach or wind rustling through the trees, hence the name Ocean’s Breath.

How to do it:

1. Sit on the floor, cross-legged or in your favourite meditative pose with your spine erect.

2. Start by taking deep breaths, in and out, through your mouth; feel the air passing up and down your windpipe. Try to fill your lungs to full capacity.

3. Once you have settled into a nice rhythm, contract the back of your throat on the exhale, restricting the movement of air. There should be a change in the sound, a lot like the ocean.

4. Now try contracting on the inhale.

5. Once you have the hang of it, start breathing through the nose.

6. Breathe this way for two minutes at first, and when you are comfortable, extend the time to five minutes and keep on increasing as your concentration gets better.

How do I breathe while holding a pose?

This great question often causes confusion among beginner Yogis. The simplest breath while holding a Yoga pose is to breathe deeply through your nose and bring the breath in all the way to your stomach. Once your stomach has expanded, continue to breathe in so your rib cage expands. Then, use the last of your breath to expand the chest.

On the exhale, reverse the order. Exhale through your nose and deflate your chest, then your rib cage, and finally your stomach to create a flowing movement with a nice rhythm. Focusing on your breath in this way will help you stay present and prevent your mind from wandering. If your mind wanders, just recognise it’s happened, and bring your focus back to your breath. There’s no need to fret.

You can practice breathing this way when sitting at your desk or stuck in traffic. It may be difficult to get the hang of at first because your ‘monkey mind’ will take over. It’s completely normal. See if you can get to ten breaths without getting distracted or changing the rhythm.

Namaste!

Thank you for taking part in our three-part yoga series. Practice these exercises regularly, and you will see a marked improvement, not only your riding, but in all areas of your life. There is nothing a little bit of yoga can’t fix - Namaste!