Baltimore sure did get slammed with snow this weekend, huh? It started snowing Friday afternoon until late Saturday night…I wasn’t sure Jonas was ever going to let up. I’m hoping you all stayed safe out there despite the blizzard of the century.
Did anyone else spend some serious time shoveling? It would be an understatement to say my back is feeling it today. As I was hauling piles of super heavy snow on Saturday, I got to thinking about how I really needed to stretch my back out afterward. Back injuries are nothing to mess with, and I find myself being overly cautious when it comes to intense and/or repetitive movement involving my lower back.
My first line of defense for a healthy back? Yoga! If you belong to a gym or yoga studio, that’s fantastic. Consider heading to a yoga class whenever Baltimore re-opens for business. If you have never given yoga a chance, I highly recommend it. The practice of yoga has endless benefits for your bod, such as increased muscle strength and flexibility, improved posture, and can ease aches and pains.
The good news is that you don’t need a pricey studio membership to give yoga a try. Check out these simple back-stretching poses you can do in the comfort of your warm home. Not only did this sequence gently stretch my back, but my hamstrings and hips found much needed relief. Go ahead and give it a try!
My personal experience with yoga has been a game-changer. Since I consistently started attending yoga classes (either online or at local studios), my chronic knee pain from running has disappeared. I can actually touch my toes, and I generally feel more flexible and strong in all areas of my body. Yoga has also shifted my mentality of what a workout needs to be. To be honest, I had my doubts that yoga would be “enough of a workout” for me. Oh man was I wrong. There is a level and style of yoga out there for everyone, from gentle stretching to an intense heated workout, and some days I need one more than the other. The bottom is line is that I always feel restored after a good class.
Looking for more at-home resources? Check out Yoga Studio App.
Users have access to 65 ready-made yoga and meditation classes ranging from 10 to 60 minutes, with a variety of difficulties and focuses. You can also customize and schedule classes, which automatically sync with your calendar. I like the simple and easy to follow videos and access to their library of poses, for when I just want to practice a specific pose. Definitely worth checking
