2- Sandra Vollrath
She is a 200h qualified Hath yoga, 50h Yin yoga, Pre/Postnatal yoga & meditation teacher.
I run Unwind Yoga Studio in Cookham, Berkshire, UK where we focus on slower yoga styles to help people feel good in their body & mind
Says Sandra
Yoga FAQ’s with Answers by Sandra
How often and for how long should I doan asana?
In a yoga sequence there is no set number of how many times to do any particular asana, it all depends on the focus of the sequence, how much time you have to practice, etc. I always try to do an asana with a target area of a joint or muscle or body area at least once during a sequence, to ensure that all of the above stay mobile, strong and healthy. That’s for flow classes. In Hatha, and Yin, where we slow the speed of moving through poses right down, we may only get to 8 or 5 saunas overall, so then I have one, maybe two target areas per sequence, and recommend to do a couple of classes per week.
The answer to “how long” always depends on the question: what are you trying to achieve? If you are looking to move faster for a stronger workout that gets your heart beating, link a move to a breath and an asana hold will be just a few seconds. If you are trying to get stronger, than slowing the movement down and holding an asana for time, such as in Hatha yoga will support that. You can hold for a few breaths, or even minutes. If you are looking to get stimulate your body’s connective tissue, passive, static stretches and compression for several minutes are needed.
How much air do you roughly breathe every day?
I recently read that we breathe about22000 times per day. About 11000 litres – wow!
Am I breathing properly to full capacity?
As we age our lung capacity tends to reduce. I noticed that my lung capacity dramatically increased since I started doing yoga. Slowing the breath down, holding it in the expanded lungs, using abdominal breathing and different breathing exercises allows me to breathe deeper, with ease and to an impressive capacity.
Can I practice Yoga Nidra while traveling in flight?
Sure! Whilst Yoga Nidra is typically practiced when lying down, it can be done sitting up. You may be surrounded by distractions, so maybe adjusting to block out noise and wear an eye mask can help. Yoga Nidra is typically guided, as the practitioner follows the teacher’s voice through the different levels of consciousness to reach that blissful state between being awake and being asleep.
Why do I experience knee pain during Padmasana?
Right off the bat I’d say if you have any form of knee injury, avoid lotus pose, there are safer poses to do for the hips and knees. Any kind of pain has no place in yoga. If there is knee pain in lotus, which could be due to a number of causes, from stiff hips, or short quads to meniscus issues, you have to stop and come out of the pose. You could try elevating the hips by sitting on a blanket or block, or support the knees off the floor with props – if there is still pain, sit cross legged and over time, your hips will become softer and you may inch your way towards lotus. I am still not able to do it and I do a lot of yoga – my body isn’t built in a way that makes lotus pose easy for me, and I appreciate that by honoring this limitation.
How do I choose a prenatal yoga class?
Aside from finding a day and time that work for you (many mummy’s find it difficult to practice first thing in the morning, or late at night), choose a suitable prenatal yoga class by looking for a studio that has lots of props available to support you as you progress in your pregnancy, has teachers that can either safely accommodate you in a regular class, or run a designated pre-natal class. Cleanliness, warmth, a place where you can have a rest in a chair if needed, all can help to make your prenatal yoga the best experience.
How yoga can help with middle back pain?
As a complementary therapy, yoga can be helpful with middle back pain as you can gently mobilize and strengthen the area that is in pain. Depending on the nature of the pain (is it caused by an injury or physical issue), gentle twists, mild forward folds and passive backbends can all help.
My middle back rises during a crunch,how to correct it?
(Not sure…there are better exercises for your core, so I never use crunches)
Tech neck and headache, single stretchI can do to avoid it
Tech neck is an injury to the tissues around the top part of your spine, the cervical spine. Looking forward over an extended period of time or over and over again can cause strains that result in neck pain and headache. To counter tech neck effectively, more than one pose would be best, but the one I’d recommend if you want a single stretch is Cobra pose:
Begin by lying down flat on your stomach.
- Place your palms flat on the ground directly under your shoulders. Bend your elbows straight back and hug them into your ribs.
- Pause for a moment looking straight down at your mat with your neck in a neutral position. Connect your pubic bone to the floor.
- Inhale to lift your chest off the floor. Roll your shoulders back and keep your low ribs on the floor. Make sure your elbows continue hugging your sides. Don’t let them wing out to either side.
- Keep your neck long, don’t let the head fall back, your gaze is gently ahead of you.
Share a message for International Yoga Day 2022.
Slow Down. Notice. Adjust. Grow.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
