By Guest Blogger: Jane Grates

If you have any runners in your life, you know that they all love to talk about running. Virtually all they want to do is run, and even though many of them know that doing it, exclusively, won’t get them to be as strong or fast as they can be, many still choose to exclude other forms of cross-training. Relatedly, tons of runners suffer from some impressive muscular imbalances. It’s no secret that runners are physically strong individuals, but more often than not, they get strong by moving strictly in one plane of motion. Their quads get super strong, for example, but their hamstrings might be teetering on the brink of a strain at any given time. The same goes for iliotibial bands, plantar fascia, calves, hip flexors… and the list goes on.

Photo: @ifilmyoga  Featured Print: Dear Love

That said, most runners would immensely stand to benefit from incorporating a weekly yoga practice into their running routine. Of course, if you suggest this to runners, they’ll run away in the opposite direction, claiming no interest in the matter, so it’s imperative that you frame it in language that they’ll understand. 

The benefits include the following:

• Doing yoga regularly can help runners’ mental games. You’ll often hear from runners that their sport is 90% mental and 10% physical. However, most runners spend significantly more time on their physical side than they do on their mental side.

• Doing yoga regularly can help rectify muscle imbalances that crop up from running so much mileage. Most runners typically run only in one plane of motion, which ultimately means that parts of their bodies get really, really strong while other parts get really, really weak and underutilized. A regular yoga routine can help to rectify the imbalances simply because, in yoga, participants typically move through many planes of motion. Yogis move forwards, backward, diagonally, and even upside down, and in doing so, they implicate all of their muscle groups and in varying ways.

• Doing yoga regularly can help strengthen muscles that may be teetering on the edge of exhaustion and injury. In turn, over time, yoga can help runners remain injury-free, get faster, and be more consistent. When runners get really strong in one area but remain very weak in other areas of their bodies, their propensity for injury increases significantly.

• Doing yoga can help force runners to slow down and learn to quiet their minds, stay in the present moment, and breathe through the experience when things get uncomfortable or tough -- as they surely will during a race or during a hard training segment.

Photo: @ifilmyoga  Featured Print: Dear Love

These are just a handful of the benefits that yoga confers to runners. Many runners may not believe that a regular yoga practice will make them stronger or less injury-prone, but I think the proof is in the pudding. There are even now tons of “yoga for runners” types of programs available online, at gyms, and at yoga studios all over, so I think the fitness and yoga markets are becoming privy to this realization and knowledge, too.

Running and yoga might not be the most obvious match, but like any good partnership, they balance out each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Together, their sum is greater than the total of their parts, and the same goes for the combined runner-yogi athlete.

I bet if you tell runners those claims, they’ll actually sprint back to you, asking for more information and when they can start!

About the Author:

Jane Grates is a fitness enthusiast and an adventurer. Making at the sweet spot between beauty and intellectual purity to craft delightful brand experiences. She also writes recommendations and reviews on sites like Runnerclick, GearWeAre, NicerShoes, and ThatSweetGift.

By Guest Blogger: Kristi Paxton

The Mother: Who is she?

This one word, ‘Mother’ can have many different meanings and invoke many different feelings and emotions. It is never just a neutral or benign word. Did you know, 85 million Americans have the title of a mother?

 Photo: @jonahallendesigns | Featured Products: Legging Stamped in Green and Movement X II Bra 

Motherhood can manifest itself in a lot of different ways. You can be a biological mother or an adoptive mother, a foster mother or maybe your babies are covered in fur!

Either way, it is instinctual to love and nurture and comes from a place of innate wisdom. From this intuitive response to nurture, I have realized our only true purpose as a mother is to LOVE!

This love was tested & had to show up in a big way when the father of my three children, who were only 6, 8, and 12 at the time was killed in a car accident. Time briefly stood still for us on that fateful day. We had to quickly learn to move into life in a new and unfamiliar way. On that day I was given the role of mother and father. I accepted this role with a great faith that God must have instilled in me the ability to LOVE fiercely and to instinctually know how to mother the fatherless. 

I had to look at motherhood in a whole new way. 

There are endless sacrifices that we all make in regards to motherhood & it has a lifelong tenure.

Photo: @jonahallendesigns | Featured Products: Endless Love Legging and Movement X II Bra

I decided to ask my three children what the word, mother meant to them, so here goes....

My middle son, Drew commented: “a mother is someone who is a lifelong supporter”.

This statement could not be truer. I love his words because the love I have for him is exactly that, lifelong!

When my daughter, Lane, the oldest of the three, decided she was ready to become a mother I thought it would happen naturally & easily for her. It did not. She struggled for years with infertility. It was painful to watch and hard to understand. She along with so many women suffered in silence with infertility and a deep, innate longing to have a child.

Miraculously after a lot of tears and prayers and help from fertility doctors she was able to conceive. Another baby followed and was a big surprise because she conceived on her own naturally. Lane has two little girls now, Kate and Anna, who are 1 year apart. She is an amazing mother and I could not be more proud of the determination and strength she exhibited to become a mother. 

I asked her to tell me how she felt about motherhood for this blog post. Here is her answer: “I am a mother and I am fiercely loved by a two and three-year-old little girl. Every day their sporadic sweet hugs and 'I luv you’s' somehow keep me going between the constant sister fights and whining. If I am being honest, being a mother makes me feel like the most beautiful, strong woman one minute and the most exhausted, failure the next. I would encourage women everywhere to band together and encourage each other on the most thrilling journey we will ever embark on, motherhood”.

Photo: @jonahallendesigns | Featured Products: Legging Stamped in Green and Movement X II Bra 

Lastly, I asked my youngest son, Tucker, if he had any thoughts on motherhood. His response is very telling: “I think a mother is a teacher and someone who makes you feel loved both for what you do and in spite of it.”

I don’t take motherhood for granted. I think it is an honor and a privilege to mother another human being. My devotion to this lifelong calling created a gratitude practice & ritual that I humbly participate in each morning. I open my balcony door and play a crystal heart chakra bowl tuned to the letter F which resonates with the heart chakra. I then speak out loud the things I am grateful for. Being a mother to Lane, Drew and Tucker is number one on the list. This practice cracks my heart wide open!

On this Mother’s Day, I am grateful for ALL mother’s out there struggling to do their very best. The joys, the tears, the sometimes heartache are all worth it to be called... MOTHER!

Happy Mother’s Day 2018!

About the Author

Kristi Paxton is a 500 hour certified Vinyasa Flow Yoga Instructor, Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga Instructor as well as a Master Trainer for FiTMAT by Boga. She lives in Seacrest Beach, Florida. Follow her on Instagram: @kristi.yoga

By Guest Blogger: Randi Lynn Greene 

I remember a time in my life when I could (and sometimes would) spend hours a day on my mat. A time when finding my balance meant figuring out how to stay upside down just a little bit longer every day. My flows were creative, my core insanely strong, and my time plentiful. I was what some might call a #yogagirl.

Fast forward to present day. I now have a one-year-old son who is everywhere and into everything. I have multiple businesses I run from home and housework that isn’t just going to do itself. Some days I feel overwhelmed by it all. I wonder how I’m going to get everything done, take care of my child, and still find time to move my body.

Motherhood definitely requires a certain amount of flexibility, and no, I’m not talking about being able to put my foot behind my head. It requires changing plans at the drop of a dime and finding other ways of doing things that were once a no-brainer. For me, figuring out how to fit my yoga practice and workouts into my new role as a mother was a priority. My flows may not look like they used to and my workouts may not be as long, but I’m finally starting to find my balance again. So, what have I learned over the past year + of being a #yogamom?

Photo: @randilynngreene | Featured Print: Pure Energy

Some movement is better than none

Once upon a time, I believed the only way a workout “counted” as if I poured sweat or stayed on my mat for at least an hour. I know, crazy right? Whether you’re a mom, student, businesswoman, or just a lady with a whole lot going on, I’m going to let you in on a little secret I wish I had learned years ago: you do not have to exercise for an hour + in order to feel good and achieve the results you’re working towards! Since becoming a mother, I’ve learned that your days don’t always go as planned. Some days your child naps for three hours, other days he boycotts his naps all together. You can plan all you’d like for an hour-long workout or flow, but when your child wants your attention, needs to eat, or isn’t feeling well, you’re most likely going to drop everything to be there for him.

This is exactly what I meant about being flexible! My first few months of motherhood, I would get frustrated when my hour-long workout was cut short. I felt like the time I had already spent moving my body didn’t mean anything because I never technically “finished.” These days, my workouts and flows usually last around 20-40 minutes, and guess what? I am more than okay with that because regardless of how long I’m able to move my body, I always feel better afterward.

Photo: @randilynngreene | Featured Print: Innocence

It doesn’t matter how you move, it just matters that you move!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever said: “I don’t feel like lifting, running, going to CrossFit, doing yoga, or working out today."  Chances are, at some point or another, you’ve probably had a day where you just weren’t 'feeling it'. You knew you wanted (and needed) to move your body, but you were tired, sore, you just didn’t feel like it, or whatever the reason, the thought of doing the said workout just sounded like a terrible idea.

So what did you do? Did you power through and force yourself to do it or did you say the heck with it all together? What if I told you there was another option? On any given day, your mind and body crave different types of movement, so what better way to respond than to provide what they need. If you’re tired, sore, and dreading lifting weights, don’t! Do a yoga flow, go for a walk, or turn on some music and dance around like a fool. Move your body in a way that feels good to you! Some days I get on my mat and flow, other days I get nice and sweaty with interval style training or by busting a move. Once I realized the most important thing is that I move my body, regardless of how my whole mentality about exercising changed. It went from something I felt like I needed to do, to something I actually wanted to do.

So what’s the best type of exercise for YOU? The kind that you enjoy doing! Maybe it’s something different every day or maybe it’s the same thing. Whatever it is that gets you moving…do it!

Photo: @randilynngreene | Featured Print: Endless Love

What’s a #yogamom without her #yogababy?

 The only time my son slows down is when he’s asleep! If I don’t get on my mat while he’s napping, then I am fully prepared to have my little workout buddy by my side or climbing on top of me when it comes time to get moving.

To some, this may not seem like the ideal situation, but for me, I love it. I love watching him bounce up and down when the music comes on or try to copy me in a downward facing dog. When he gets fussy and wants my attention, I don’t mind picking him up and holding him while I do some squats.

He isn’t going to be this little forever. There’s no better time than now to start introducing yoga and exercise into your child’s life. Pull out a mat next to yours and let him share this experience and have fun moving with your mini by your side!

It’s okay to take days off (planned or unplanned).

Some days I wake up with every intention to move my body at some point during the day, but then 7:00 p.m rolls around and I still haven’t done half of what I planned that day. I did, however, knock out a bunch of emails, do a few loads of laundry, cook a yummy dinner, read book after book to my son, chase him around outside, and give him a ridiculous amount of hugs and kisses. Sure I would’ve loved to get on my mat and sweat a bit, but I’ve learned to stop beating myself up over missed workouts.

You need those days when you can focus solely on your child, significant other, housework, business matters, family, and friends without having to worry “when am I going to be able to fit this workout in?” , I can say with absolute certainty that years from now when I look back at my life, I won’t remember any of the workouts I missed, but what I will remember is the time I spent loving on my little one.

Photo: @randilynngreene | Featured Print: Endless Love

Motherhood is the most challenging, best thing I’ve ever done. Though it’s not always easy, it is 100% ALWAYS worth it. I thought I knew a lot about balance before my son came along when I was merely a #yogagirl. What I didn’t know, is that becoming a #yogamom would teach me about a whole new kind of balance. The kind of balance that you just can’t learn about from taking a yoga class.

About the author:

Randi Greene is a 200 hour certified yoga instructor, fitness enthusiast, and creator of Wild Spirit Yoga Camp and RLG Fitness Online. Randi encourages others to move their body in a way that feels good to them. Her virtual fitness studio provides an easily accessible, convenient option for those who just can't seem to find enough hours in the day. Find her on Instagram and her website  

By Guest Blogger: Desirae Monique

Stop and ask any one person what they visualize when they think of a ‘yogi’. You’d probably get a handful of oversimplified answers like ‘zen’ or ‘peaceful’. They might even gesture a praying motion with their hands and say with a serene demeanor, ‘Namaste’.

Take a snapshot of a yogi's life and what you’ll actually find is what every other person faces each day: a constant juggle of life’s demand. The never-ending to-do list is as real as anyone else’s, with yoga somewhere amidst countless of other priorities.

 Photo: Agathe Padovani Featured Print: Peaceful Sunday

So, you’ve managed to carve out an hour of a yoga the other day and you feel amazing. Your savasana was as revitalizing as always, and you continue on your day wondering: Can I maintain this calm state of mind? Is the euphoria of savasana limited to the last moments of my yoga practice?

Returning to the stillness you so effortlessly cultivated those last 5 minutes of your practice isn’t as difficult (and time-consuming) as it may seem. Meditation is an effective tool that can be practiced literally anywhere and anytime. At any given moment, you can create space and re-create you own mini-savasana experience. Whether you have 1 minute, 5 minutes, or only a mere 7-10 minutes to put aside, these micro-meditations will help nourish a rejuvenating sense of calm throughout your day.

THE GRATITUDE MINUTE 

How many times have your yoga sessions ended in tears full of gratitude? Personally, I’ve lost count. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve laid in so many savasanas feeling more grateful than ever before. This feeling of being blessed, loved, and lucky to be alive is one that seems to always uplift me! And it’s one that can be produced in 60 seconds or less.

Photo: Agathe Padovani Featured Print: Tiled Serenity

1. Inhale deeply and exhale, finding a comfortable upright posture where ever you are seated. Take out your timer and set it to 1 minute.

2. Scan your surroundings and without over thinking it, choose one thing you see in front of you that you are grateful for. This can be literally anything! The trees for providing you oxygen, the clothes on your back, the food in front of you, your best friend sitting across the table from you, your partner, your SELF, anything at all.

3. For the remainder of the minute, close your eyes and hold the image of what you feel gratitude towards in your mind. Notice your heart center generating warmth and love towards this image. Inhale, try to visualize the image more vividly. Exhale, allow the warmth to intensify. Repeat this 3 - 5 times.

Tip: This practice often leaves the meditator feeling so good, they extend their 60 seconds of appreciation into 3 or 4 minutes! Give yourself an extra minute or two and see how powerful gratitude can be!

FEARLESSNESS IN 5

There is something about a fiery, sweaty flow or deep restorative stretch that leaves me ready to take on the world. Fearlessness can be conjured up in a mere 5 minutes. Stop what you are doing and follow these few steps to ignite confidence from within.

1. Take a deep inhale, filling the lowest part of your belly. On your exhale, roll your shoulders up to your ears and down your back, creating room for your heart center to expand.

2. Sitting tall, continue this deep belly breath.

3. On your inhale, imagine yourself breathing in negative feelings, such as inadequacy or low self-esteem, as a dark smog. Right before you exhale, visualize this smog of negativity transforming into a beaming, golden light of positive qualities, like self-worth and fearlessness.

4. Exhale, envision yourself in front of you, filling up with this fierce, courageous energy. Repeat this as many times as possible in 5 minutes, taking your time with each breath.

Tip: I know, it sounds a little confusing, right? ‘You want me to inhale the bad, and exhale the good?’ The power of this practice lies in the transferring of energy onto oneself. It’s as if each time you breathe, you strip away the negative qualities that don’t serve you and gift yourself the vitality of fearlessness and grace.

7 MINUTES OF STILLNESS

In every yoga class, I teach, I always instruct my students to return to the breath. The breath is such a crucial part of any yoga practice and shouldn’t be overlooked. When we move through our day, we may find that we hardly breathe to our fullest capacity. You will notice in this last meditation when you become fully aware of each inhale and exhale, stillness begins to feel second nature.

1. Find an easy, upright posture where your spine feels long, but not rigid. Allow your chin to drop a centimeter towards your collarbone. Gently rest your hands on your knees, thighs or in your lap. Soften your gaze, not staring too intently at anything.

2. Start the timer for 7-10 minutes. Immediately bring attention to your breathing. Don’t change it just yet but notice how it is.

3. After a few moments, begin to slow down each inhale, allowing the breath to fill your entire body. As you exhale, bring your awareness back to the present moment, letting go of any thoughts or feelings that may arise throughout the meditation. Possibly find the tiniest of space between your breaths, where thoughts have dissolved and all that is left is you, your body, and your breath. Repeat.

Tip: Don’t worry. If you feel like nothing is happening, just keep breathing. If you feel like something is happening, just keep breathing. This practice isn’t about contriving some experience that’s outside of yourself. Just breath and stillness will uncover itself naturally.

The best part about these micro-meditations is that they are entirely at your disposal to use whenever you need. When you feel a lack of inspiration, but can’t fit another flow in until next week, take 5 minutes to ignite yourself with the spark of fearlessness.

If you are frustrated with a loved one but don’t have time to whip out your yoga mat, cultivate gratitude for a minute or two. And if any point, if you yearn for stillness... just simply breathe, returning to that calm state of mind that knows no boundaries of time.

 About the author: