Yoga For Strength and Flexibility

So I was a dancer growing up.  I don’t mean the kind that took ballet lessons as a kid and quit by the time they were pre-teens, I mean the kind that started ballet when I was five and ended up in a dance company in college.  For me, dance was a sport.  When you think of a dancer, you obviously think of someone with nice clean lines, strength and above all, super-human flexibility.  No one is more flexible than dancers, right?

Well, I was pretty darn flexible too.  I mean splits were warm ups for me!  If you were doing intense stretching six days a week, you’d be pretty flexible too.  These days my flexibility has decreased big time.  Part of it is getting older and part of it is that I don’t dedicate as much time and energy to my flexibility.  I’m trying to make a conscious effort to change that my introducing more yoga and yoga-inspired stretching into my life. 

Recently, when I was in Puerto Rico, I filmed this on the beach yoga-inspired stretch sequence.  It was right before sunset and so peaceful.  Well, except for the fact that everytime I find a quiet, secluded spot to film it’s like I whipped out honey next to a bee’s nest.  I don’t know where these people come from or why they think it is necessary to pose for photos directly in my shot rather than on any other inch of this extremely large beach, but suffice to say, it kind of kills the mood!  #FitnessBloggerProblems 

In any event, I channeled some Namaste from way down deep and prevailed through to make this video for you!  Please remember that I am not a certified yoga instructor and this video is yoga-inspired for flexibility.  I recommend attending a yoga class with a certified instructor before attempting this video.  For the full terms and conditions associated with this video, please click here.  Enjoy!

Readers, have you ever tried to get to a place of zen only to be interrupted?  How’s your flexibility?  What’s your favorite stretch?