YOGA + FITNESS / Movement
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YOGA IS YOUR
Superpower
Y
by Toni Viney
1.UPWARD SALUTE (URDHVA HASTASANA)
HOW TO: Stand tall with your feet hipwidth apart and firmly grounded into your mat. Engage your legs and core and reach your arms up while you relax your shoulders and the muscles in your face. Feel the grounded power of this simple pose as you press down into your feet and engage even more through your legs and core. Consider your intention of expansiveness as you hold this pose to launch your practice. Notice your ribcage expand with each inhalation. Hold for two minutes as you focus on your breath. If you’re short on time, just doing this one simple pose is enough to give you a dose of empowerment. (If you’re out in public, try this pose in a bathroom stall or a quiet corner in a hallway).
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2. WARRIOR II (VIRABHADRASANA II) HOW TO: With feet nearly as wide as the longest edge of your mat, turn your front foot to the top edge of your mat and align your back foot so that your arch is in the same line as the heel on your front foot. Bend your front knee to stack above your ankle and reach your arms out towards the front and back edges of your mat. Hold as you take your gaze across your front fingertips and notice the strength in your body as you actively reach in opposite directions.
TONI VINEY is a yoga instructor in northern Colorado and founder of Best Day Ever Yoga. She earned a Master’s degree in Communication Studies and works at Colorado State University as an academic advisor and program administrator. Toni is currently pursuing advanced yoga training with Tiffany Cruikshank through Yoga Medicine. Her yoga classes are intentionally sequenced around the physical and emotional needs of her students to support their wellness goals. She is energized by travel, the outdoors and spending time with her family. Learn more about her private and small group yoga offerings and virtual workshops at bestdayeveryogafc.com.
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YOGALIFELIVE.COM
Photos by Kristina Wood Photography
ou have a mat-inspired superpower and you may not even realize it. A typical yoga practice is packed full of what Amy Cuddy defines as power poses. Cuddy is a social psychologist who gave a famous TED Talk on how body language impacts how we think and feel about ourselves. She conducted a research study on the concept of power posing at Harvard University and revealed that people who held high-power poses (standing with their hands on their hips) had lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and higher levels of testosterone (the power hormone) compared to their counterparts who adopted low-power poses (seated with arms and legs crossed). She observed a higher level of risk tolerance, enhanced performance in job interviews and more confidence, optimism and assertiveness in individuals who held high-power poses for only two minutes as compared to those who held low-power poses. If you are gearing up for an important meeting, job interview, presentation or just need an extra dose of confidence for the day, you may want to take a few minutes to unroll your mat and activate your yoga superpower. It begins with setting an intention of expansiveness and creating a power pose-packed yoga flow. Take a look at this quick yoga practice to give yourself a boost of confidence and empowerment for your next big thing.
