Fit Tip of the Day: Yogi Pushbacks

I wouldn’t consider myself a Yogi, per say, but I try to take classes once a week and really enjoy them.  The true yoga afficianados in the class absolutely amaze me.  Their strength and the ways they can twist their bodies and hold what looks like the most impossible positions is not to be reckoned with.

Besides the mental ease of yoga, I try to go for the stretching and toning.  After taking so many cardio-pump classes during the week, it helps to keep my muscles long and lean. I got the scoop from Jeanmarie Paolillo, a Senior Teacher at YogaWorks in NYC on how to achieve sexy arms and shoulders with one easy move.

Start in downward facing dog. On an inhale, shift your body forward until you are in the plank pose.  Make sure  your shoulders are over your wrists and your heels are over your toes. On an exhale, push from your hands and engage your abs to fold back into downward facing dog.

This move seems very simple, but it’s all about form.  Don’t rush through it.  Make sure you’re breathing properly and keeping your abs engaged to maximize the benefits.  Try doing a set of ten reps.  For real strength training, try holding each position for two breaths before flowing to the next one.