Author Archives: Jill

About Jill

Jill Lawson has been a fitness professional for 20 years, and has concentrated on yoga for more than 10 years. She has a bachelor's degree in exercise science, and a master's in physical education. This yogi lives in Southwest Colorado where she teaches yoga and Pilates.

School Kids Benefit from Practicing Yoga with Parents During Holiday Break

Kids benefit from yoga as much as, if not more than, adults. With yoga programs for the classroom sprouting up all over the country, the opportunity for school-aged children to get in on this wildly beneficial discipline is growing.

A few days off of school, let alone three full weeks, can really wreak havoc on you and your child’s state of mind. In order to avoid the chaotic days that follow a break in the routine, you must do what you can to maintain some sort of consistency.

If your child has been participating in a regular yoga practice at school, there are a few things you can do to help them maintain their healthy habit during the holiday break. No doubt you both stand a lot to gain!

Yoga in the Morning

Every morning while your child is brushing his or her teeth, practice a few fun balance poses like tree pose, eagle pose, or mountain pose on tippy-toes. Encourage your child to focus on a spot in the mirror or on the wall and keep their attention fixed on that spot for as long as they are brushing their teeth. (more…)

Posted on November 28, 2023 by Jill

3 Yoga Poses to Beat the Holiday Blues

The holidays are undoubtedly a stressful time of year and many folks become highly vulnerable to anxiety and depression when the sleigh bells start to ring.

Instead of reaching for food, try rolling out your yoga mat. Studies have shown that a regular yoga and meditation practice can reduce stress and help fight depression.

The following is a short list of three must-do yoga poses that beat the holiday blues. Practice them at least once a day or as needed. This short series will help tame your tension and get you back in to a cheerful holiday spirit.

Child’s Pose

When you are ready to take a mental vacation from the mayhem, begin your yoga practice with child’s pose.

Come down on to your hands and knees, reach your hips back over your heels, and rest your forehead on the mat, your stacked forearms, or on a pillow. Close your eyes and stay in the pose for up to ten long, slow, deep breaths.

Child’s pose will instantly induce a state of calm and help get you feeling centered and ready to face any challenges that may lie ahead. When you are ready to exit the pose, do so slowly. Coming up too fast will negate the benefits of the pose and could be agitating to your state of mind. (more…)

Posted on November 26, 2023 by Jill

The Nike Studio Wrap is the Yoga Industry’s Latest Innovation

The sale of yoga swag helps support what is now a six billion dollar industry. From ToeSox to yoga tops, yoga studios are stocking up on merchandise to sell to their peace-seeking supporters.

In today’s world, it is not uncommon to drop over a hundred bucks on either a set of yoga videos, one pair of yoga pants, and even a yoga mat. Companies such as Gaiam, Lululemon, and Manduka do not deny the capitalistic nature of the yoga business. They manufacture innovative and quality products just as fast as you can say “om.”

It is not just the smaller retail companies enjoying the fruits of the growing yoga tree. Big name brands are also getting in on the action. The latest innovation to hit the market is the Nike Studio Wrap. While it may sound like a sarong you might don at the beach, the Nike Studio Wrap is actually a pair of shoes.

Inspired by the need to maintain a firm base of support, beyond what a yoga mat can provide, the Nike Studio Wrap was created for women who spend hours working out in the studio.

Whether it is in yoga, Pilates, or ballet-fitness classes, women can now wrap up their feet in this stylish three-part system that involves a wrap, a ribbon, and a flat bottom surface. (more…)

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Jill

Use Yoga to Reduce Aches and Pains after Snow Skiing

If someone told you how much their body ached after a day of skiing, you’d probably never want to click into a pair of bindings and hit the slopes. Do not fret. Pain and agony are not the only words you need to describe the first day of your ski vacation. With a little bit of preparation and maintenance, freedom from post-ski day soreness can be yours.

The following are a few yoga-inspired tips and techniques that will help sharpen your fitness edge and get your body tuned up for some downhill fun.

Just say no to quivering quads

At least six weeks before a ski vacation, take every opportunity you can to strengthen your quadriceps. Perform wall sits, yoga chair pose, warrior lunges, and horse stance squats as often as you can, intermittently throughout the day. There is no need to try and fit a full yoga class into your already busy schedule. A little bit of time spent here and there will suffice. Just be sure and do it, or you will suffer the consequences of tired legs too early in the ski day. (more…)

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Jill

YogaVotes Pins Politics to a Non-Partisan Mat

It seems as if now more than ever the current political climate is creating a massive fault line of tension under the foundation of this country. While many are ready for the elections to be over, some are still left undecided in their choice of whom they’d like to see as the next president of the United States. Election Day presents a seriously important opportunity to make a seriously important decision, and because of that, some will never even fill out a ballot.

As much as we’d love to just bury our heads and hide until after Election Day, it is nearly impossible. Propaganda is everywhere we look. While the yoga mat would seem like a nice shelter from the political storm, as yoga studios typically do not encourage wicked political debating, slander, or inappropriate propositioning, this election is different. It is spawning a nationwide kick in the asana.

In an effort to motivate yogis into action, celebrity yoga teacher and activist Seane Corn put her tenacious attitude to work and has reintroduced yoga to politics. Together with Congressman Tim Ryan and many others, Corn founded YogaVotes, a nonpartisan campaign to get yogis to the polling stations in 2024.

Believing that the yoga mat is too small of a space to express human potential, Corn created an avenue for people to practice political action and bring unity to what she refers to as a “hyper-partisan” country. Not only can individuals sign on to become YogaVotes leaders, yoga studios can also commit to extend the philosophies brought on by yoga out into the greater community via political activism. (more…)

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Jill

Pairing Yoga and Wine Blends Complementary Health Benefits

Increased levels of heart-healthy high-density lipoproteins, better sleep, and reduced anxiety are just a few of the shared benefits of yoga and…can you guess? Wine!

As yoga rises in popularity, yoga and wine retreats are also making an appearance as some of the most sought after vacations in the world of self-pampering spa-like escapes.

In addition to booking a week of yoga and wine tasting at some fabulous resort with some fabulous instructor, such as Wine and Yoga in Tuscany with Sadie Nardini, yoga studios and businesses are also taking advantage of the delightful combination loved by so many.

For example, The W Hotel in San Diego is on the cutting edge of the wine and yoga craze by offering the popular Vino and Vinyasa series sponsored by Lululemon Athletica. Consisting of an all-level vinyasa flow class followed by wine and appetizers, yoga and wine lovers can take to the hotel’s rooftop to strut their poses before satisfying their palates.

But, it is not just businesses and retreat centers who are keenly tuned in to the dynamic relationship between wine and yoga. Colleen Saidman, wife of acclaimed yoga teacher Rodney Yee, has partnered with Estancia winery to assist in their campaign to sell wine. Pairing wines with health tips, Saidman believes that yogis need not steer clear of drinking alcohol, but rather find an appropriate balance and avoid overindulging. (more…)

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Jill

3 Core Exercises to Increase Stamina and Prevent Injury This Winter

Fall is a busy and active time of year. While many have been hectically scurrying to settle in to a new school year, others have been expending enormous amounts of energy winterizing the yard, gathering wood for the stove, and unpacking the shovels in anticipation of calorie-burning snow removal. These fall and winter activities take strength and stamina to endure.

A strong core is paramount to having increased energy and to prevent back pain or injury. The following are a few basic core exercises that will help you stack that last load of wood and leave you with enough energy to shovel yours and your neighbor’s drive.

Windmills

No, this is not the same thing as the classic 1950’s physical education exercise that wreaked havoc on people’s lower backs. It is however, a more modern and adaptable version of it that is much more effective, plus a lot safer. (more…)

Posted on October 17, 2023 by Jill

3 Premium Yoga Retreat Destinations to Realign Your Fitness Goals This Fall

Fall is a great time to cleanse, detoxify, and reorganize your health priorities in preparation for a long, cold winter. Sometimes breaking out of a routine is the best way to realign our intentions and deepen our commitment to wellness.

If you think a little change in scenery is what you need to give yourself that gentle kick in the butt to reboot your booty, check out the following yoga retreats. Everyone I know who comes back from a yoga retreat is more than refreshed and ready to take on whatever challenges life brings. Maybe it is time you take a much-needed break, reinvent your mind-body fitness strategy, and come home with a fresh perspective on life.

Not sure where to go? We’ve found a few locations that will satisfy your fun-filled yoga needs or more luxurious yoga dreams.

Via Yoga

With locations in Mexico and Costa Rica, Via Yoga offers yoga and Pilates retreats combined with surfing, snorkeling, whale watching, and margarita drinking. Love yoga, your workouts, and the pleasure of eating good food with great folks? Visit ViaYoga.com and check out the great offerings and specials for a fun-filled and adventurous retreat. (more…)

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Jill

Practicing Yoga When Sick with Cold or Flu Can Aid Your Recovery

I am often asked if it is appropriate to practice yoga when sick with a cold or some sort of energy-zapping bug. Some experts are convinced that rest is the best medicine when not feeling well, but practicing a little bit of yoga when you are sick can be beneficial.

The following is an explanation of why yoga can help restore your health while you are fighting an illness.

Immune Boost

Yoga stimulates the immune system by flushing swollen lymph nodes and circulating white blood cells throughout the body. Gentle inversions such as downward dog help to create a small amount of pressure on the lymphatic system so fluids can flow freely and help the body fight infection.

The key point to remember is that too much yoga is not going to be beneficial. The body uses a lot of energy when it is sick, and stealing some of that energy so you can do a full yoga practice is not advised. Practice just a few poses, and make sure you have a lot of time to rest in between each pose. If your body is telling you to stop, honor its request and take a break. (more…)

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Jill

Choose Wisely: The Color of Your Yoga Mat Can Affect Your Practice

Have you ever wondered why you are attracted to a certain color? Be it stark grey, or a wild and vivid fuschia, colors can have a direct affect on our mood, as well as reflect the way we feel about ourselves. The history of feng shui, the philosophy behind the chakras, and the classic mood ring from the 70s all reveal a close look at the influence certain colors can have on our lives.

It is no surprise that yoga mats these days come in a rainbow of shades. Tiptoe across the floor of your yoga studio and you will see varied tones of greens, yellows, and reds, in addition to multicolored, patterned, or printed mats of numerous colors. Not to mention, Kelly at KellyTurnerFitness.com just had a custom mat made with a “dead guy chalk outline.” The mat options are endless, really!

You may not realize it, but the color of your yoga mat can either inspire or dampen your enthusiasm with regard to your yoga practice.

The following slideshow offers a few explanations of how the color of your yoga mat can affect your mood, energy level, and inner peace.

View Yoga Mat Color Meaning Slideshow (more…)

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Jill

Despite Being a Multi-Billion Dollar Industry, Only 5% of Americans Practice Yoga

I teach yoga for a living. I manage a yoga studio, I direct a yoga teacher-training course, and I write articles about yoga. Aside from thinking about yoga all day long, I sometimes dream about yoga. This means I am immersed in something that relates to yoga nearly 24 hours a day, on some level or another.

The fact that 15 million Americans practice yoga today doesn’t surprise me. What raises an eyebrow is that there are more than 300 million people living in this country. Do the math and you will learn that less than 5 percent of the population is practicing yoga.

In a society that promotes yoga classes of a wide variety from yoga for Christians to yoga for the family dog, it makes you wonder why everyone is not doing some type of yoga.

To appease my curiosity, I did a little research. I called, emailed, or Facebooked friends and acquaintances that I knew didn’t do yoga and I asked them to give me their number one reason why not. The following is a short list of some of the answers people gave me. (more…)

Posted on September 24, 2023 by Jill