Week 171: Tear Your Yoga Mat Apart

This isn't something I regularly do BUT this week I joined an exercise challenge. When it comes to my exercise I am a creature of habit. I like what I do and just do it. Yet, when a colleague of mine sent out notice of a 30 day fitness challenge, I had to join.

You see, this lovely colleague is the creator of moveBALL and the transFORM 30-day Fitness Challenge. Early last year, she graciously gave me the challenge kit and I've loved what she has created.

So what does that mean to my yoga routine (and the rest of my exercise routine)? Well, I had to get creative with time and just fit it all in. And you know, this first week has turned out just fine!

After my new (read: intense) routine this week, I was happy to settle on the yoga mat without out my moveBALL. It was actually weird not to have my new orange medicine ball friend in tow!

I thoroughly enjoyed my 25 minute practice with Adriene. As always, I found something new about yoga to ponder.

Sphinx pose, otherwise known as Salamba Bhujangasana.

I sometimes feel like sphinx pose plays second fiddle to cobra pose on many occasions. Both back bends, I typically find asana sequences include baby cobra when maybe sphinx could work equally as well.

It too is a chest opener and a pose that challenges and strengthens the back. Simply, the only difference (from what I can tell) from sphinx to cobra pose is the use of the forearms instead of the hands for support.

Yet with a simple cue this week from Adriene, I found a whole new respect to the sphinx pose that I have never realized before.

Tear your yoga mat in half from right to left.

Okay…

When I tried it - whoa - it was an amazing lift to my chest and it intensified the backbend.

Thinking back to all the times I’ve done sphinx pose, knowing THAT cue would have made all of my poses much better!

It is surprising to me how one simple sentence can take a yoga asana from “blah” to “ya”!

 A new found respect to sphinx pose this week! As I am 171 weeks in to my journey, it is my first (and not last) post about sphinx.

Stay tuned!

Please also wish me luck with the rest of my challenge! My yoga is on the priority list but it also has some competing demands over the next 23 days!
LW