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Rock Climbing Yogi
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    Ann SEibert

    is a rock climber and passionate yoga enthusiast. Her classes are intended to help athletes of all types avoid injuries caused by strong tight muscles and to increase performance through improved range of motion.

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    NOTE: You should consult a medical practitioner before starting any new exercise regime. This is particularly important if you are overweight, pregnant, nursing, regularly taking medications, or have any existing medical conditions. Content shown on this website may not be tailored to your current physical and mental health. Please consult a medical professional before attempting any of the poses listed here.
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Handstands: Lovin' the Journey

9/6/2017

 

How to Perfect Your Handstand? Practice...Practice...Practice!

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Taking a moment in the early morning, before teaching yin class, to practice handstands.

Since beginning my yoga journey I’ve been in awe of those yogis who press-up, seemingly without any effort, into inversions such as handstand. In my mind, I hear my mentors saying “the key Ann is to practice…practice…practice and then practice some more.” Okay okay. Let me squeeze in some more practice time while it's calm and quiet outside. So as I practice, I reflect on the meaning of practice.
Yoga Sutra I.12
​“
Abhyasavairagyabhyam tannirodha”
​
In order to achieve a state of yoga, one must develop both practice and non-attachment.
To me Yoga Sutra I.12 is about nurturing an attitude of persistent and regular effort without being overly fixated on the pose of handstand. Easy to say, sometimes hard to do...okay, really hard.

But, as that old Virgina Slim ad used to claim, "You've come a long way baby!"  If I stop and reflect, giving myself time and space to really look back with objectivity. WOW! I have come a long way. Plus, every day I see small improvements. I’m learning to love handstand drills. I’m finding it easier to enter into handstand and to hold it. I’m working on refining the pose—pressing through fingers and hands, extending out, pull ribs and pelvis toward each other while reaching the tailbone toward heels, squeeze legs together, roll thighs in, extend out through pointed toes….Oh yeah and BREATHE!  
***sigh***  Okay still not easy, but it's a practice. 

So, food for thought…
What are you practicing? How are you practicing? Do you practice daily? Do you practice with love and care, honoring the place you are in your journey not overdoing and harming yourself? Do you practice without greed or obsession (non-attachment). I love how the practice of yoga  can apply to all aspects of life—work, rock climbing (or any sport), relationships, etc... 

So, as you venture into the world today. Think about what you practicing and how can you practice more diligently, carefully—honoring where you are in your journey and finding the joy and love in being right where you are.
Namaste 
​Ann
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Story Behind the Pose:  Koundinyasana

8/23/2017

 
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Eka Pada Koundinyasana (the pose dedicated to Koundinya) is an arm balance, In this pose the key to success is more related to leverage than strength. Therefore, in order to achieve this pose, we must have faith like Koundinya. Faith to find the middle way between balance and strength; belief in our self and physical ability (readiness)  in order to achieve the pose.  ​

​Who was Koundinya?
The sage, Koundinya, was a royal court scholar. He is known for predicting Prince Siddhartha Gautama would become Buddha (the Enlightened One). This news was not well-received by the king. Nonetheless, Koundinya vowed to become one of the Buddha’s most dedicated disciples.

Eventually the prince (Siddhartha) decided to leave his life of luxury behind and followed Koundinya into the forest to live as an ascetic. They lived together for six years in extreme self-deprivation and harsh living conditions. Siddhartha's hope was to find enlightenment. Eventually Siddhartha decided this was not the path to enlightenment and left Koundinya, which greatly saddened Koundinya.
The Middle Way
However, on his own, the Buddha discovered that true happiness was a balance of both extremes, the material and the spiritual, and he called it the Middle Way.


​The Buddha returned to Koundinya and the forest community to share his new philosophy. After initial trepidation, Koundinya became one of the Buddha’s first students and taught this Middle Way for the rest of his life.  

​The story of Koundinya is one of faith and belief. His trust and confidence in Siddhartha remained steadfast even when the Buddha ventured away from Koundinya’s own teachings. 

Trying out the pose.
If you want to give a go at Koundinyasana A or B, below are two videos by a favorite yogi of mine, Kino. I hope you find them helpful. Please let me know if you gave the pose a try! 
Koundinyasana A
Koundinyasana B

***DISCLAIMER***
​Do not attempt any of these poses without the aid and supervision of a well-trained yoga instructor. Please be sure to consult a medical practitioner before starting any new exercise regime. This is particularly important if you are overweight, pregnant, nursing, regularly taking medications, or have any existing medical conditions. The information contained in this website may not be tailored to your current physical and mental health. Rock Climbing Yogi and Ann Seibert accept no liability whatsoever for any damages arising from the use of this website. As with any workout or yoga class, be sure to warm up properly and cool down afterward to avoid injury. 
​
Icons edited and created from source artwork made by Roundicons from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY
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Drills To Build A Strong Core

5/18/2017

 
Its a common mistake for people to associate a strong core with strong abs. Instead, think of your core as the muscles connecting your upper and lower body. No matter what you're doing (climbing, practicing yoga or cleaning your house), the motion to make those movements originates and/or moves through your core. Thus, a weak or inflexible core can significantly affect how well you move. This makes building up a strong core critical to crank up your power, performance, balance and stability. Below are six of my favorite drills to build a strong core. Photos and links are from YogaJournal.com. And,...if you're looking for a great flow sequence, give this Twisting Core Flow by Baptiste Yoga a try.  It'll kick your butt!
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Ardha Salamba Sirsasana (piked headstand)
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Vasisthasana (Side Plank)
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Tiger Curls (Knee to Nose)
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Tolasana (Scales Pose)
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Dolphin (Forearm Plank)
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Navasana (Boat Pose)
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Handstand Prep Drills

5/12/2017

 
For those brave souls that attended Wednesday's Yoga for Power & Flexibility class, you all did amazingly well! Before we started practicing handstand, we discussed how important it is to maintain strong straight arms during the inversion. Below are four of the arm drills we did to help prepare for adho mukha vrksasana (aka handstand) and to ultimately make achieving the pose a bit easier. 
  1. Seated Block Drills for Shoulders, Exercise 1 - From sukhasana (an easy seat pose) hold a foam block between your hands. Extend the block out parallel to floor. Extend out from your shoulders, squeezing your elbows and hands together. Hold for five (5) breaths. Then lift the block to a 45 degree angle, extending up and out from the shoulders, squeezing the elbows & hands together. Hold for five (5) breaths. Then, lift the block above your head. Extend up and out from your shoulders. Still pressing your hands together and keeping your arms straight and strong. Hold for five (5) breaths. Repeat this sequence four (4) more times.
  2. Seated Block Drills for Shoulders, Exercise 2- Still seated in sukhasana and holding the foam block between your hands with your arms parallel to the floor, you will raise and lower the block.  While maintaining strong straight arms with shoulders extended: Inhale, raise the block above your head. Exhale, lower the block to parallel. Repeat this for a total of ten (10) times.
  3. Table Top/Down Dog Arm Exercises - Come to table top. Fingers splayed out. Elbow creases facing forward. Pressing away from the earth and engaging your shoulders. Next, keeping your arms straight and strong, lean your hips back so that your arms now slope in a diagonal. Claw with your finger tips on the mat. Lift the underside of your arms—shoulders toward the front of the room, Soften your chest toward your wrists. Lift your head and look forward slightly. Now, keep your arms steady, lift your knees and stretch your legs into downward facing dog. Keeping this awareness (steadiness) in your hands and arms raise and lower your knees. Repeat this for a total of five (5) times.
  4. Down Dog/Plank Arm Exercises - From down dog, claw with your fingertips. Press your index finger and knuckles down. Make your arms straight and strong. Now, slowly move your chest & shoulders forward by approximately two inches. Soften chest towards wrists, while lifting out of your shoulders. Keep your arms straight and strong, elbows pulling toward eachother. Keeping this engagement, lower your knees on the floor. Then lift your knees, keeping your arms, hands, & upper back steady. Repeat this lowering and lifting of your knees for a total of five (5) times.
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Places to find me teaching


Flagstaff Climbing
205 S. San Francisco St.
FLAGSTAFF, AZ, 86001

(928) 556-9909
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Flagstaff Athletic Club
1500 N Country Club Rd 
FLAGSTAFF, AZ 86004

(928) 526-8652
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