Changing your body position while executing a push-up can increase the load on the chest, shoulders or arms.
To build strength in the shoulders, execute straddle and pike push-ups. These are set-up by walking the feet in closer to the hands and raising, rear-end towards the sky and shifting the weight from the feet into the hands. Building shoulder strength, and getting used to having the hips over the head, will prepare you for working into inversions.
Donkey Kicks require a fair amount of shoulder strength, balance and core stability and control. You can start off small with both the regular Donkey Kicks and Side-to-Side Donkey Kicks , building up the strength, control and confidence to bring the hips all the way over the shoulders.
Start off by completing 10 reps of the shoulder push-up variations; as you build strength, complete 3 sets of 10. When you are ready move onto Donkey Kicks, start small with 10 reps. Again, build your strength for 3 sets of 10 reps.
As the days fly by towards the opening of my new yoga studio, House of Jai, my heart races with anticipation. Never in a million years did I think, walking into yoga 6 years ago, that I would now be an owner of a yoga studio! So adult. Weird because on the inside I very much feel like a 16 year old girl. I’m sure that’s common…right…right? I am going into business with my family and best friends, all of us yogis. We had been fantasizing about it for a long time. And then one day, it all just fell into place. What started as an idea for a small studio with one practice room quickly turned into a 4,000 square foot space spread out between two floors, in need of complete demolition! We couldn’t help ourselves. Go big or go home, as they say! Ambition runs strong with this group. Or stupidity. The jury is still out, haha. We are in the throws of construction and now things are starting to heat up! Constant problem solving while maintaining a mellow disposition is definitely a tough balance. The irony of yoga mixed with business.
We are growing as people from this. Learning how to start a business has been incredible. It’s been very rewarding for all of us to really put our best skills to use and see how far we can take ourselves. We are all very different and excel in particular areas. I have a bachelor of fine arts in acting, (which means I’m hardly qualified to even leave my apartment) but here I am working on launch campaigns, retail, project management and human resources! Going on heart and instinct. Any job that comes up is offered to a close friend that has expertise in it and who also has emotional investment in us. From our construction workers to company printing our stationary, we are keeping it “in the family”. Business between friends. We even found Splits59 through a friend! The system works. Plus, good karma all around. I am not sure how other businesses start, but this is our way. It seems appropriate and it feels good. Believe me, there is fear sometimes. But it’s comfortable. Which I think means it’s all good. We will see 
I looked at my nightstand and took note when I realized the two publications I am simultaneously reading are: a book on Neuro-Linguistic Programming and a special fashion edition of People magazine. Although there are times where I think…”it would be so much easier to be a man”, this reminded me of how great it is to be a woman.
There’s never a need to compromise the “brainy” side for the “girlie” side or vice versa, because they coexist so perfectly. In fact, the synthesis of beauty and intellect is pretty much the definition of what it means to be a woman in 2012. While it’s true, as the song says, that sometimes it’s hard to be a woman; it’s always an adventure. And it’s one I wouldn’t trade for the world.
With anything in life that you are trying to master, Consistency is the key. “Patience.” You can not double click on an icon, punch in your credit card number and bingo…………have strong abdominals, a split, or get your legs off the floor in flat back! I have been asked, “When will I finally get into a split?” My response is….”Maybe Never!” BUT……” if you are consistent, patient, and work as hard as you can in a focused way, EVERY TIME you take class, you will probably DOUBLE your flexibility or range of motion within a few months”. These types of questions will help you to quickly determine whether or not a person is ego driven or humble. Core Fusion and starting a new exercise programs are a humbling experience….for everyone. So if you have a guest who is worried about being “the worst one in the room”, then you need to impress upon them that nobody is watching and their ego is getting in the way. Move with WISDOM instead of EGO!
The holiday’s are done, New Year parties complete and now maybe you are over flowing, and not in the positive energy department.
All the happy sugar and celebratory alcohol has filled your tummy and your “bod” is tired. Unless, you stayed in tune with the quiet voice who told you to rest during this season. You know the voice, stay calm, keep moving, keep plans to a minimum and drink water. Wait, you didn’t hear that voice, did you over do it?
Here is the perfect FREE, yes free, solution to clearing your mind and detoxing your body. Time to freshin’ up and create more space inside.
Myself, and a few other amazing teachers, teamed up with Yoga Journal to create a 21 day Yoga Challenge. All are welcome, whether you are new to Yoga or already fully committed, this is a wonderful opportunity to liberate your mind, free up your hips, strengthen your CORE and get into all those places your have been holding onto…Join the masses and yet feel intimate in your own home studio, roll out your mat and turn on the podcasts, http://www.yogajournal.com/21daychallenge/
Make your yoga mat your friend, oh and great to meet ya! winkwink
[Join Team Splits59 on the Social Workout for the 21 Day Challenge]
