As the leaves change color and begin to fall, my eyes glow with the anticipation of snow! I love the uniqueness of each flake, gathered in inches softly cooling my blood. There is a new energy and flow. Every flake adds up to the excitement of skiing, holidays and new boots , sweater weather as well as  old broken-in boots that  feel comfy, crunching the sidewalk snow and tires as a start to winter!  It is especially important to stretch before winter sports.

Stretching is one of the things that I love most about practicing Yoga. When I am doing these slow, deliberate postures, I can feel my body being stretched while muscles are working quite hard. I always feel so limber and relaxed after a yoga class. I attribute that to the intense stretching. My best friend is a dancer, and she says that the first half of her rehearsal sessions often focus primarily on stretching to limber up the body and protect it from muscle strain. Adding meditation or “Svasana” to any exercise calms the body and assists the recovery.

 For those of us who are more physically active, stretching is probably something we do before and/or after exercise. Did you know that it’s important to take time out during the middle of an exercise routine to do some stretching? Meditation in between my yoga flow is important for muscle recovery. This practice helps to release tension in the muscles and makes your workout more effective. 

 Stretching is equally important to increase circulation and improve balance and equilibrium. Always find the guidance of a qualified trainer or physical therapist, which can be a tremendous help to the elderly or even  bed-bound by helping to correct poor posture, atrophy of the muscles from non-activity,  and alleviate the overstretching of joints and muscles. In Sanskrit “Aieem Nama” means find time for playful activities and your true self.

Namaste, Eileen