#SpringBackYogis

I thought this one sounded like a good one for me to do. I need to work on the flexibility in my back so some of these poses me not look so curved and pretty but in the long run they will be helping me to become more flexible there.

#Goddessomgrowth Yoga Challenge

Look at all those beautiful goddess poses in the picture. I am sure that will probably be one of our first poses for this challenge that last half the month. I wonder what other poses they will come up with that fit the theme.

#MermaidYogaFun Yoga Challenge

Here is another challenge I am going to start today. I am intrigued by the title of mermaid yoga challenge. Let's do this. It should be fun.

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#Mermaidyogafun April 24 - May 3
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Hosts
@shreeyoga
@lunar11mermaid
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Sponsors
@lotustribeclothing (use code shreeyoga for 15% off)
@awakenthepeace
@wildkrystals
@sunnyside904
@shopsecretlyamermaid
@mymalanecklace
@youphoriayoga
@gaiacollective
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Posing order-
Fish @lunar11mermaid
Splits @shreeyoga
Hero @lunar11mermaid
Dancer @shreeyoga
Low lunge @lunar11mermaid
Mermaid pigeon @shreeyoga
Bird of paradise @lunar11mermaid
Half moon @shreeyoga
Lotus both
Free choice
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This challenge is open to everyone and we invite you to have fun.
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If you are new to yoga, we ask that you use props, and make modifications.
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You can choose to do the pose of the day or modify it to fit your practice.
Guidelines To Enter:
1) Repost This Flyer and Hashtag #Mermaidyogafun
2) Follow All Hosts and Sponsors
3) Tag a couple friends to join
4) Post daily, hashtag #Mermaidyogafun with all posts, and tag all hosts and sponsors so we know you are playing along.
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#yoga #yogaeverywhere #yogaeverydamnday #yogalove #yogalife #yogainspiration #yogamotivation #igyoga #igyogafam #igyogacommunity #practiceandalliscoming #octoberyogachallenge #yogapractice #yogapose #yogi #instayogi #yogaanywhere #instayoga #yogaaddict @yogachallengeworld

December Yoga Challenges: #NaughtyorNiceYogi3 and #YogEmojiChallenge

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM!

Who wants to join along and do these two different Instagram Yoga challenges? They started today. I will probably try to find one that starts on the 15th and goes through Christmas or maybe goes to the end of the year as well. I like having to to do at one time.

So I have included my pictures for these first poses which are Lotus pose and head stand. The  top yoga challenge seems to have some different and interesting poses I have never done before. I like to do these Yoga challenges because they do give me some experience doing poses I had not tried before. And the second one I think it's just hilarious because it is emojis. I wonder if there is an app out there that I can turn myself into an emoji when I do the pose. Anyone know?

#Practiceingratitude Yoga Challenge

This was a fun short challenge. I gave me the opportunity to practice some more difficult poses like a chin stand and a forearm stand that I did in a previous challenge. I was able to see how with some more practice I am getting better at them. The only thing I didn't like about the challenge was that I didn't know what the poses were ahead of time and the host must live in West Coast time zone or possibly even further away like Hawaii or something because they would share the pose in the afternoon and often I am already changed out of my work clothes and wearing clothes for the day.

This one just ended this week and I I'm still doing a different challenge. I have added in another challenge this week as well so that I am back to two challenges at a time.

#StrongAndBendyBums Yoga Challenge

I so much do not have a bendy bum. So that is why I'm going to try this one out. I would like to increase my flexibility in my hamstrings and in my back. Some of these look like they are going to be quite challenging for me.

How the #HippyHalloween Yoga Challenge Turned Out

The first two collages are from the first 10 days of this yoga challenge. So far the first third of this challenge has been doable and have been put aside I do and up getting more of a workout doing the use because I take quite a few pictures before I get one that I am willing to post. Often while doing it I am noticing any type of Corrections I need to make in the pose to get into a better and make sure that I am doing it correctly.

November Yoga Challenge #TheGratitudeChallenge

Let's do this one! It starts today so join in now or play catch up later on. This month I am going to do this Challenge and the first 5 days of this month I am going to do a different type of fitness challenge and possibly look for another yoga challenge to add in.

Join me in this #SpookyAsana Yoga Challenge - Starts Monday

Here is one filled with some pretty typical yoga poses. It's only a week! Who wants to try this one with me. Was thinking I might have some fun and dress up for some ( maybe all of them).

Why You Should Try Instagram Yoga Challenges

Do you have Instagram? 

Are you wanting to get in shape or stay in shape? 

Do you find other people motivating? 

Do you need something extrinsic to motivate you, like reporting results to others?

Do you want to work out from home?

Do you want to workout for FREE?

If you answered yes, to any of those questions you might want to try out an Instagram challenge. I have participated in a couple of them now and the results of the #JumpForCore challenge I just completed are pictured below. I also participated in the #NamasteStrong Yoga Challenge for the entire month of September.

So, here is what you need to do. First Follow Me on Instagram! because I plan to do some and maybe we can motivate each other! Next, do a search on Instagram for #yogachallenge. There are a lot of pictures to look through but look for posts that have a picture that shows many poses. I am also going to do this #HippyHalloween Yoga Challenge because I think it would be very beneficial for me to work on right now with how tight my hips are. You could still join in that one because it is all month.

Participate in the #HippyHalloween Yoga Challenge with Me!

Any readers want to join me in this #HippyHalloween Yoga Challenge. I am following along with this one because my hip are SOOOOOOOOO tight and most of these poses look good while I ease back in to my fitness plan after injuring my hamstring. I want it to heal nicely and properly so I don't have more set backs.

Even if you are not on Instagram or don't want to post your picture, you can certainly still follow along and do each of the daily poses.

I just like to share the challenges I am doing on my blog because then I can have quick and easy access to see what the next pose it (wish this one had the days numbered on here) and can see it bigger on my computer screen if I need to.

So, participate if this sounds interesting to you.....

Follow Me (to see how I am doing)

And follow the #HippyHalloween Challenege Hosts:

sarahshaktiyoga

om_yoga_love

om_yogi

Days 24-30 of #NamasteStrong Yoga Challenge

I am going to start out with my post from Sunday. What you see there is what is left after I try to do a flying Warrior. I thought I was warmed up and now my hamstrings are very very tight and I tried a variety of ways looked up a bunch of modifications and was trying it with both black and a strap and ended up pulling a hamstring muscle in my left leg. Not what I wanted to happen ever and certainly not how I wanted to see ending this challenge.

So now I backtrack to Saturday and show you two variations of pyramid pose. The one on the right is what was on our challenge sheet. And the one on the left is what you typically see for a pyramid pose.

So this next one is from Monday. It is a standing backbend. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get very deep into the post and thought I would briefly try it out and see if it engaged my hamstrings are not. I think because of my lack of flexibility in being able to bend over it did not engage my hamstrings at all and was able to complete this one. My leg was wrapped all yesterday and will be today. I actually ordered a adjustable Velcro thigh and hamstring wrap that should be delivered soon to start wearing. I have been I seen often and taking Aleve and applying all of the RICE principles. I looked ahead at the next few poses and they might be possible but I am not sure. I am updating this post as I do them. So we'll see.

Day 27 is flying pigeon pose. I had done this one before and had an idea of how it was supposed to work and feel but there was no way I was going to be able to straighten my leg today.

The last three poses of the week. This last week especially seem to give me a lot more challenges especially considering I injured myself trying to do one of the poses. I think that injury made me more aware of my body and questioning my own strength. I know I have more work to do and we'll keep practicing these yoga moves. Tomorrow I will share a challenge I am going to do the first 10 days of October.

Days 17-23 of #NamasteStrong Yoga Challenge

This week has been full of surprises and some not so much surprises. This top post is of the first 5 days of the challenge.

Day 17 was baby crow. This I had a feeling I could do and was successful. But for this one I had fun trying out the app Prisma and made a more artistic picture on Instagram. Day 18 I took the kids up to the park and while they were playing I was trying to do flying Crow pose. I worked up quite a sweat and had to try this many times before I got to holding it up for three seconds. Need to work more on this one. Day 19 was a very humbling experience. I knew I probably would not be able to do that pose which is baby Firefly because in a previous post we had to do regular Firefly and I fell on my butt every time and was not very successful. This one I couldn't do it all. I found that my forearms would barely skim the ground and wasn't able to lift my body up into the pose mostly in part due to tight hamstrings and not strong enough for.

But on day 20 I was able to bounce back and do a tripod headstand. I have done them before and knew this one I could get in easily and hold the pose for a long time. It helps to do it outside because it doesn't hurt my head because the ground is soft.

Day 21 was the Flying splits. I had never done this post before but I followed the instructions that one of the hosts gave. She said that she gets into the pose differently than most people do. I am not sure how other people get into the post but I found these instructions relatively easy to follow and was successful. My only limitation is my tight hamstrings which prevent my legs from getting fully straight.

Days 10-16 of #NamasteStrong Yoga Challenge

Wow what a week this has been. Such a combination of poses that are relatively easy for me to do and one that I completely failed on. And one post that I had no idea that I could even do which is the flying lizard pose and is the top right picture and the top collage.

 Here we have the elevated Lotus pose which I have done before but isn't very easy for me and I can't get my legs up too high. And then the other post was something I have never tried before and will have to continue to work on but at least this is a start.

And finally here is suppose I just couldn't do it is called Firefly pose. I think there is a lot more work that I am going to have to do to get into this one. They can't all be easy and it wouldn't be called a yoga practice if you didn't have to practice some things.

Days 3-9 of #NamasteStrong Yoga Challenge

Another week of yoga poses as part of the #NamasteStrong yoga challenge.

Day 3 of #namastestrong  yoga challenge, outside our house is chaturanga. This one I feel I have got pretty good, but they are only getting harder from here.

Day 4 of the #namastestrong yoga challenge is a crescent lunge . I have a hard time getting the backbend in this as I lose my balance and backbends are not easy for me either.

Day 5 of #namastestrong yoga challenge is boat pose I can't get my legs very straight, it's as good as it gets rt now. On my back deck of our house.

Yoga inside on this rainy day. Feeling very humbled seeing this photo of me. Not as flexible as I thought. Day 6 of #namastestrong yoga challenge is salabhasana Gotta keep working at it.

Day 7 of #namastestrong yoga challenge was a yoga pose I have never done before and a little difficult. I did the prep stretches that @happybettyann posted in her video. Those were helpful. Then I tried the pose. Then I grabbed my yoga block and tried it a few times under my extended leg. That was helpful. Then I did it a couple of times without the block this is the result.

Day 8 of #namastestrong yoga challenge is camel pose or ustrasana. I had a chance to go to a yoga class today too! Kids are back in school, so time to get back in to an exercise routine again.

Day 9 of the #namaste yoga challenge. I like to support my back doing this pose, but you can also put your hands on the ground. I can do that, but it has been quite a while since I have done this and wanted to be careful as I am a little sore from doing a boot camp class on Wednesday night.

Yoga Challenge I am doing this September #namastestrong

I decided I needed to do something to get me working out more and doing yoga more, and since I had seen this yoga challenge on Betty Ann's Instagram, I thought I would follow along and participate.

I am not familiar with the other two yogis, but I am sure after a month of following them through these daily challenges, I will be. Check out their websites to learn more about them and their practice: Matr3Moni and Gina Heminover.

Below are my pictures for the 1st 2 days!

Be sure to FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM so you can see how I am doing this month and other stuff I am up to. Some of these poses look tough, so we'll see how well I can do.

#ad Review: Aurorae Yoga "The Ultimate"" Racer Back Tank Top

My Thoughts:

As someone who does yoga at least twice a week, I was very excited to try a new top that was geared towards participating in yoga and see if I liked it better than other athletic tops I wear. I am reviewing the Aurorae Racer Back Yoga Tank Top in a size Medium and color Black, but there are sizes XS-XXL and quite a variety of colors.

My biggest gripe when I pick out a top for yoga is having it be loose. I hate the feeling of my stomach being exposed and chances are when you are doing yoga you will expose your stomach unless you have the right top and this is the tight top. It is made long so that it covers my torso completely (my torso is on the long side too) and stretches in to place settling at the top of your hips. The bottom of the top pretty much stayed exactly there the entire time of yoga class.

My next biggest concern with yoga clothes is if the top of the shirt comes forward when I am in downward dog and end of having my nose in my shirt. You just can't breath or relax when it looks like you are a turtle with your head in its shell rather than a downward dog. This top does not do that at all. The only part about this shirt that I wanted to point out is that make sure you wear a sports bra underneath that adequately covers your chest as the top part moves a bit with all the movement (granted I go to a power yoga class, so we move rather rapidly).

Overall, I am very with this top because it isn't loose and it nice and long.

Buy the Aurorae Racer Back Yoga Top on Amazon!!!

Product Description from Aurorae:

Aurorae's new clothing line is made from a eco-friendly fabric, Lenzing Modal and Spandex. The fabric is made in a carbon-neutral process from beech wood trees, which are 100% self-rejuvenating. The Ultimate Racer Back Tank Top is made with the active yoga participant in mind, but because of its extreme comfort and stylish design can be worn by anyone. Designed specifically for women, The Ultimate Racer Back Tank Top is lightweight, machine washable, breathable, moisture wicking, and features flat lock seams as well as high fabric retention so material will not lose its flexibility or shape.

I was sent the above product for the purpose of reviewing it on this blog. No monetary compensation was received. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Women's Wellness Weekend at Long Lake Conservation Center

These are all pictures from the Karmady Yoga and Fitness Women's Wellness Weekend at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, MN.

You can see some of the activities I did below, but all of them include  Archery, Power Yoga, Cross Country Skiing, Kick Boxing, a Sunset Hike, a couple of talks & meals, and a comedian on Saturday night.