As the weather continues to be cold and hopefully full of snow, I struggle to keep my body warm and not sink into hibernation. Which means, my yoga practice needs to help me generate a bit more heat. That doesn't mean a full on heated flow (although it could). For me. it means a practice a little more sustaining. Something that will allow me to carry some internal heat throughout the rest of the day.
So, what does a warming practice looks like. There are many preconceived notions on ways to warm the body. The most prevalent one is with lots of aerobic movement. While that does work, I find that warmth to be very short lived in my body. The method I prefer is slow, mindful movement that engages some of the more central muscle groups in the body is a very controlled way. Muscle groups like the abs, the gluts and all of the various hip flexors. These muscles tend to be continually used matter how you move the body so the warmth we generate on the mat will hopefully follow you off the mat as you use these muscles throughout the rest of your day.
What does your February yoga practice look like?
If you are curious what this kind of practice looks and feels like in your own body, but aren't sure how to create one, consider joining me on the mat. In just a few clicks, you can schedule a session with me and have a gentle warming sequence designed with your own personal needs in mind.