Using the Block as a Weight Take 1 - Lets Strengthen Those Arms

Hi and Welcome to your Journey into Yoga! I’m Avery Cundill and am so happy to have you along for the ride! 

Our journey has been going on for some time now - 93 episodes long to be accurate!  So by now, I am hopeful that you have had the opportunity to buy yourself a yoga block of some kind, because for the next few episodes, you will likely need one.  

Now, when I say for sure, if you have a book or props that can recreate the shape of a yoga block then go for it, but a yoga block would obviously  be a bit more ideal.

Our work today is going to be fun I promise, and at the same time, it will challenge the body in a way that I dont think we have done before!

Many people view yoga as all about the stretch - and it definitely encourages stretching and lengthening the muscles.  However, yoga is also keenly interested in building strength as well, and this may surprise many.  In fact, I would venture to say that yoga is as interested in building strength as it is in stretching!!

Its fun to find new and unique ways to build strength in yoga, and today our work may seem untraditional to you, but when I introduce this work to people they are shockingly surprised at how challenging it actually is!

Today our work will target the triceps with the aim to build strength into this muscle group. 

So with your block in tow, lie down on your back body with the legs bent.  Once here, take your block and place the hands onto the short sides of the block holding it up with the palms pressing into these sides.  Stretch the arms straight up towards the sky holding the block roughly directly above the chest.  Now, press your palms strongly into the block as if you were trying to “implode” the block. This in and of itself is work, outwit…there’s more!  With the arms up, begin to bend the arms taking the block towards your forehead, you can tap the block onto your forehead or hover it and then extend the arms back up straight again, continue –

inhale to bend the arms and exhale to straighten, all the while keeping your palms pressing firmly into the sides of the block.  Yes, you guessed it, we are working into building strength into the triceps, and it’s not as easy as we may have thought!  Continue for awhile - don’t worryI won’t forget about you and will let you know when to stop.

TO release, simply place the block beside you and rest the arms down beside you - allow yourself to rest. 

If you are in a “get strong” kind of mood, feel free to repeat.  Otherwise, we will see you next time!!!