Remote working home flow

REMOTE WORKING CHALLENGES
We have all been working from home for almost a year now and unless you were already set up with a home office you may be working from a less than ideal space which adds extra challenges to sitting for long periods of time. Kitchen tables were not designed for hours of working on a computer. If like me your table is too high you will end up with your shoulders very hunched and wrist strain. You might be sitting on a kitchen chair which most likely is not giving the back support you need. Over the course of the day you will start to feel progressively tighter and achy in the hips, shoulders, neck and lower back. A little bit of stretching during or after your working day can make all the difference.

WHAT IS GOOD SITTING POSTURE
We know that prolonged periods of sitting compromises our posture, spinal health and overall wellbeing. Taking breaks from sitting and ensuring your sitting posture is good will help. You might be limited by your workspace on some of the recommendations, but have a read of the below and see what you can improve on throughout your working day:

• Rest your feet on the floor or if your chair is too high place a prop under your feet.

• Have your knees at the same height or slightly lower than your hips.

• Avoid crossing your legs or ankles to allow good blood flow through the legs.

• Shoulders release away from your ears.

• Lengthen through the spine to the tip of your crown.

• Keep your back against the chair with a natural curve in your lower back.

• Distribute your body weight evenly into both hips.

• Height of your table should give you a natural L’ shape in your arms.

• Height of your computer screen should be eye level.

• Take a standing break every hour of sitting.

• Stretch your gaze at something in the distance during your standing break.

WHY YOGA
With remote working we are all inclined to work longer hours into the evening. While you may feel you are getting lots of work done, you will most likely find when you finally hit the bed exhausted, your mind is processing away all the information and hasn’t had a chance to switch off. This leads to a disturbed night sleep, tiredness, poor focus and another day of working late. Sound familiar? Stepping away from your work and focusing on your wellness is completely acceptable. Especially in the current climate when we are all being encouraged to get plenty of fresh air and look after our mental health to counteract the unprecedented period in time we are currently living through.

Yoga has many benefits, many of which are listed below with a guide to which pose will help the most. With regards to the benefits of yoga to remote working yoga stretches and strengthens muscles that have been weakened by sitting , realigns the spine, improves posture, builds focus & concentration, eases headaches, insomnia, fatigue, stress tension & anxiety, increases circulation and boosts the immune system.

EXPLORING REMOTE WORKING HOME FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE
Remote working makes practising yoga from home even more accessible. Yoga is one of the easiest movement based practices to slot into your day, all you need is a yoga mat. This sequence focuses on simple poses to gently undo all the stiffness from long hours sitting. No need to change into yoga gear just take a break during your working day, roll out your mat and get started. You can break the sequence up throughout your day to keep moving or do the full sequences in one practice. Alternatively get into your comfies and use it as your switch off time at the end of your day to ease out any aches and pain in your hips, shoulders and neck, and realign your spine.

The first row of the sequence can be practiced at your desk, seated and standing, as a mini stretch break or on your mat to start the sequence off. A yoga mat is advised for the following two rows of standing poses to give you some grip. Socks off is always better to let the sticky mat do its job. The final row can be done either on your mat, lying on a blanket or whatever you find comfy. This last line can also be practised just before bedtime to get the spine and hips ready for a prolonged period of rest and restoring as you sleep. If you would like to practice for a bit longer you could also add in some Sun Salutation Cs just after the first row of poses and before each mini flow. Mini flows are the group of three to four poses between the arrowed lines. So for example add a Sun Salutation C before the two lunge mini flow on the second row and before the two warrior flows on the third row. You can also add in more side stretches and twists in any of the standing poses. They are very beneficial for spinal health and are great for getting the circulation going again.

ALIGNMENT CUES
As always, move nice and slow as you practice this sequence. Concentrate on any stiff areas you may have from sitting. There are a few two pose flows which will help you connect your breath with the movement. You will see a ‘+’ for the inhale and a ‘-’ for the exhale to help you establish a nice smooth breath for the suggested rounds. There is no particular peak pose in this sequence. Below are some tips and additional alignment cues for you to try as you practice.

• Practice the first six poses throughout the day at your desk.

• Take hourly breaks where you stand up and do one or two of the standing mini flows from row one.

• Pause in a few poses and breath in for the count of 4 out for the count of 6.

• Add a side stretch when you come to low lunge and again when you come to high lunge.

• If you are looking for a shorter practice leave out one of the lunge flows and the warrior flows.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Anatomy 101 - the shoulders

THE SHOULDER COMPLEX
Similar in structure to the hip the shoulder is a ball and synovial socket joint. It is a more complex joint because of the range of motion that is required for day to day movements. Not only do we use our shoulders for practical purposes like lifting and carrying but we also use our shoulders to express ourselves. We communicate with our shoulders in body language and gestures. They curl forward when we are feeling vulnerable, tired or cold and they open back when we are happy, proud and enjoying the sun. Similar to a dog's wagging tail you can tell a lot about a person by their shoulder language. We carry our emotions in our shoulders and often this is where we see and feel the effects of stress in our bodies. It is also one of the most used body parts in idioms - we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders; stand shoulder to shoulder; give someone the cold shoulder; and offer a shoulder to cry on.

To make this complex joint easier to understand I will break it down into – the structure of the shoulder; the shoulder blade movements; and the shoulder joint movements with their assisting muscles. Having a basic knowledge of this joint will help keep the integrity of this important joint during your practice. When you get a clearer picture of how all the components work together you will get a deeper understanding of the joint in action as you practice the accompanying shoulder sequence below.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SHOULDER
The shoulder is the most mobile joint of the body. The structure of the joint, which gives it this mobility, is the main reason it is considerably less stable than the hip joint and more prone to injury and dislocation.

The shoulder is made up of three bones – the shoulder blade (scapula), the arm bone (humerus) and the collarbone (clavicle). There are three joints that work together as a unit to form the shoulder complex:
The glenohumeral (GH) joint – which is a ball and socket joint made up of the head of the humerus and a shallow cup at the side of the scapula called the glenoid fossa.
The acromioclavicular (AC) joint – which connects the clavicle with the scapula and assists the scapula in shoulder abduction and flexion.
The sternoclavicular (SC) joint – which connects the medial end of the clavicle with the sternum and helps us lift our arm above shoulder height.

THE MOVEMENTS OF THE SHOULDER JOINT
Below there is an illustration of the six movements of the shoulder joint:
Flexion – where the arm lift forward and up, the scapula elevates and upwardly rotates.
Extension – where the arm reaches back and up, the scapula depresses and downwardly rotates.
Adduction – where the arm moves towards the midline, the scapula downwardly rotates.
Abduction – where the arm moves away from the midline, the scapula upwardly rotates.
Internal rotation – where the arm rotates inwards, the scapula protracts.
External rotation – where the arm rotates outwards, the scapula retracts.

THE MOVEMENTS OF THE SCAPULA
Below there is an illustration of the six movements of the scapula:
Elevation – where the scapula lift up
Depression – where the scapula lower down.
Retraction – where the scapula move towards each other.
Protraction – where the scapula move away from each other.
Upward rotation – where the outer corners of the scapula rotate upwards.
Downward rotation – where the outer corners of the scapula rotate downwards.

THE MUSCLES OF THE SHOULDERS
For those of you who love to go deeper into the actions of the shoulder joint I have also listed the six movements of the shoulder joint and scapula with their assisting muscles in the chart below. Grouping the muscles to the action rather than looking at each muscle in isolation gives a more experiential understanding.

THE ROTATOR CUFF
The anatomy of the shoulder is not complete without a mention of the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles which form a ‘cuff’ around the head of the arm bone (humerus) and the shoulder socket (glenoid fossa). Their main job is to work collectively to stabilise the head of the arm bone (humerus) in the shoulder socket (glenoid fossa) and help prevent the joint from dislocating. Each of the four muscles also assist in the following movements:
Supraspinatus – shoulder joint abduction.
Infraspinatus – shoulder joint external rotation.
Teres minor – shoulder joint external rotation.
Subscapularis – shoulder joint internal rotation.

EXPLORING THE SHOULDERS IN YOUR PRACTICE
We use our shoulders a lot during our yoga practice. We lift and extend them, we press into them to hold our weight and we wrap them around our bodies. In this sequence bring your full attention to the sensations of stretching and strengthening in your shoulder joint. Remember that muscles work in tandem to each other so when you feel a stretch on one side the other side is most likely strengthening. Look for each side to build a three dimensional picture of the shoulders in each pose, especially the poses I have highlighted as the six movements of the shoulder. The sequence is designed to build a well rounded shoulder focused practice and each pose has a role to play. For the purpose of simplicity, and understanding the movement of the shoulder and scapula, I have highlighted the six movements twice – once as you warm up and once in the flow of the sequence.

ALIGNMENT CUES
This sequence will bring you through the six movements of the shoulder – flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal and external rotation. Concentrate this practice on your shoulders and move mindfully with curiosity as you move through the poses. The sequence is numbered to highlight sample poses from each movement of the shoulder to give you a better understanding of the role of the shoulder joint in the pose. The seated poses bring you into shoulder flexion, extension, external rotation and internal rotation. Cat & cow will bring the scapula into protraction and retraction which helps the scapula move freely in preparation for other shoulder work. Below are the asana which are highlighted in the sequence and the correlating arm and scapular movement:

1 – Flexion - Seated arm warm up & Ashta Chandrasana/Eight Crescent Moon
When the arms are in flexion the scapula is elevated and upwardly rotated.
2 – Extension - Seated arm warm up & Ashta Chandrasana/Eight Crescent Moon with clasped arms
When the arms are in extension the scapula is depressed and downwardly rotated.
3 – Abduction - Virabhadrasana II/Warrior II
When the arms are in abduction the scapula is upwardly rotated.
4 – Adduction - Garudasana/Eagle
When the arms are in adduction the scapula is in downward rotation.
5 – Internal rotation - Seated arm warm up & Parsvotanasana/Intense Side Stretch
When the arms are in internal (medial) rotation the scapula is in protraction.
6 – External rotation - Seated arm warm up & Gomukhasana/Cow Face
When the arms are in external (lateral) rotation the scapula is in retraction.
7 – Scapula protraction - Marjaryasana/Cat & Chaturanga Dandasana/Four Limb Staff
Scapula moves away from each other.
8 – Scapula retraction - Bitilasana/Cow & Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/Upward Facing Dog
Scapula moves towards each other.

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To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

30 days of restorative yoga

BRINGING RESTORATION INTO YOUR EVERYDAY
I love restorative yoga. But I find that between my daily routine of yoga, walks, sea swims, home schooling and dinners, I don’t regularly find time to settle into an hour long restorative yoga home practice. This month I have made a commitment to myself to practice just one restorative pose each evening. My intention is to make it manageable and aim for just 10 minutes each day. I am only a few days into the process and I am already feeling the benefits. I am calmer in the face of all the uncertainty going on in the world at the moment and definitely sleep much better on days that I carve out this small commitment to myself. Join me and start today, just 10 minutes a day and notice the immediate benefits you will feel.

THE BENEFITS OF RESTORATIVE YOGA
The process of restorative yoga ‘takes a body that is feeling fragmented and puts it back together again in the kindest way possible’. Restorative yoga is the king of all yoga in terms of physical and mental wellbeing. It is particularly beneficial if you are feeling tired, stressed, anxious or have recently been ill. One of the main benefits of yoga, restorative yoga in particular, is that through the nervous system it strengthens the immune system. One of the ways it does this is through the breath, which stimulates the vagus nerve which runs from the brain to the abdomen and is the longest cranial nerve. This brings the body into the rest, digest and restore response, or the parasympathetic nervous system. This creates optimal conditions for the functionality of the organs of the body, strengthens the immune system, and relieves symptoms of chronic stress, fatigue and tension.

PROPS ARE KING
Props are king in restorative yoga, the more the merrier! It is worth the time invested in getting all your props ready to go before you settle into your practice. As you get used to practicing restorative you will become a ‘prop pro’ and know exactly how you specifically like to support yourself in each pose. Sometimes when I am arranging my props I am reminded of happy hours as a kid building all sorts of fortresses with every cushion and throw available. To get started you don’t need to have an array of official yoga props. You can improvise with household items using my prop swap guide in Restorative with home props. The props you’ll need for these restorative poses are – a bolster, two yoga bricks, two to four blankets.

EXPLORING YOUR DAILY POSE
Set yourself up with all you will need and more before you get started. Even though you are only taking one restorative pose the body will cool down quickly so layer up and stay warm. Unlike regular yoga this is a socks on, stay cosy, practice.

For your daily pose set a timer for 10 minutes, or 5 minutes each side if it is a two sided pose. As you settle into your daily routine and get used to being still you might like to extend how long you hold the pose. Be guided by what you feel you need. If I’m feeling frazzled I will stay in the pose for 20 minutes, or 10 minutes each side for a two sided pose. Remember when you are feeling stressed and anxious this is EXACTLY what you need, but a stressed and anxious mind will desperately try to convince you it wont work! You can use your phone as a timer or you can use your instinct if you don’t like the idea of being disturbed with a sound. If you choose to use your phone set the alert to a soothing sound like ‘chime’ or ‘pulse’. Scan down from head to toe and ensure every part of your body is happy. If after a few minutes you start to feel discomfort move or add more props to find comfort again.

START WITH THE BREATH
When you settle into your chosen daily pose take four to five rounds of Viloma breath – inhale for a long breath, and then exhale pause, exhale pause, exhale pause – dividing your exhale into three sections. Keep the breath as gentle as possible, notice if you are holding any tension in your shoulders and upper chest when you concentrate on the breath. Pause after your rounds and observe any change to your body and mind. As gravity and the weight of your body draws you down to the ground, feel the ground come up to support you as you melt into your practice.

Below are ten Restorative Yoga poses for you to choose from each day. Start with No.1 and work your way through the ten poses or pick and choose a different pose everyday. If there is a pose that you find particularly beneficial you can repeat this one as often as you like. You can also pick two or three poses if you would like a longer practice. At the end of your practice take a minute or two to prepare yourself to go back into your day and bring some of the lovely calm you have cultivated with you. Bring your attention to the breath again, as you inhale think ‘this is me now’, and on your exhale tell yourself ‘this is the same me in the outside world’.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Below are the restorative techniques used in this sequence..The props you’ll need are:
1 x bolster - or 2 towels, wrapped around a horizontally rolled pillow and tied to secure.
2 x yoga bricks - or 2 two thick similar sized dictionaries.
2 x yoga blankets - or any wool, thick cotton or fleece blanket with density.

No.1 - Resting savasana
Start lying on your back with a folded blanket under your head, a bolster under the creases of your knees and a blanket over you. Lift your buttocks and slide the flesh of the buttocks downwards. Legs and arms extended. Arms slightly away from your body, palms facing up. Legs slightly apart, feet gently flop out to the sides. Shoulders melt to the floor, back of the neck long. Gently close your eyes, eyeballs become heavy in their sockets, soften the temples and find ease in the tiny muscles around the eyes. Soften the muscles across your forehead, skin is smooth as silk. Let the body become heavy and melt into the support of the ground. Notice all the muscles and bones of your body become heavy.

No.2 - Mountain brook
Start lying on your back with a half rolled blanket under your head, nestling the rolled part in the curve of your neck. Place a rolled up blanket under the lower tips of your shoulder blades and a bolster under the creases of your knees. If you have an additional blanket place it on top of you for warmth and for comfort. Legs and arms extended, palms facing up. Feet gently flop out to the sides. Shoulders melt to the floor. Eyeballs become heavy in their sockets, skin on the forehead smooth as silk. Soften the temples and find ease in the tiny lines around the eyes.

No.3 - Supported bridge
From lying, lift your hips up and place the bolster horizontally under your hips. If your homemade bolster is too low add your two book bricks under the bolster. Settle your hips down onto the support of the bolster. Knees bent, feet hip distance apart or feet mat distance and knees together. Arms in cactus position or extended either side of your body, palms facing up.

No.4 - Bolster twists A
Place your bolster vertically along the top centre of your mat with a folded blanket at the top. Sit with your right hip up against the end of the bolster. Place your hands on the mat either side of the bolster and with an inhale lengthen through the whole spine and on your exhale gently place your front spine along the length of the bolster. Place your right cheek on the folded blanket and let your arms gently hang either side of the bolster. Repeat on the left side.

No.5 - Bolster twist B
Place your bolster vertically along the left side of the middle of your mat. From lying, with a blanket under your head, extend both legs out along the mat and roll your hips to your left, bend your right knee and place it on the support of the bolster, left leg remains extended. To feel this twist let your upper body and right shoulders settle down onto the mat. Bring your arms to cactus position, with arms lifted and elbows bent either side of the body, gaze over your right shoulder. If the twist is too intense add a folder blanket under your knee on the bolster. If the raised arms don't suit you, bring your arms either side of the body palms facing up. Repeat on the left side.

No.6 - Blissful banana
Make a pillow with a book brick and a blanket on top of it at the top of the mat, place a tin prop above this at arms reach. Place your bolster horizontally on your mat with a space between your bolster and pillow. Sit with your right hip next to the long edge of the bolster, knees bent. Lengthen your right side along the mat and nestle the bolster into the curve of your waist. Place your head on your pillow, your shoulder in the space between your bolster and pillow and extend your right arm forward. Extend your left arm overhead and place hold onto the tin prop. If the raised arm doesn't suit you, bring your arm down and place it at your right arm. Repeat on the left side.

No.7 - Back release
Place the bolster horizontally along the centre of your mat with a rolled up blanket at the top of your mat. Come onto your front and lie with your belly on the bolster. Bring the arms to cactus position and place your forehead on the rolled up blanket. If this is uncomfortable on your neck you can flatten the blanket and lie on your cheek remembering to swap sides after a few minutes to even out your neck stretch.

No.8 - Supported baddha konasana
Place your bolster vertically along the top of your mat with a rolled up blanket under the top. Make a head pillow with your second blanket to the top of your bolster. Have ready your book bricks and tin either side of you. Sit with the back of your hips up against the bolster. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop out to the sides. Prop your knees up with one book brick and tin each side. Gently lie back onto your bolster and place your head on the pillow at the top.

No.9 - Hip opener
From lying, with a blanket under your head, lift your hips up and place the bolster horizontally under the creases of your hips. Lengthen your legs out straight and bring your arms to cactus position, with arms lifted and elbows bent either side of the body. If this is too intense a stretch on the lower back, use a rolled up blanket instead of the bolster. If the raised arms don't suit you, bring your arms either side of the body palms facing up.

No.10 - Supine twist
From lying on your back bend your knees and place your feet hip distance apart. Gently let your knees drop to the left side of your mat. Extend your right knee away from your. Bring your arms to cactus position, with arms lifted and elbows bent either side of the body, gaze over your right shoulder. Stay here for 5 deep breaths and swap to the other side. If the raised arms don't suit you, bring your arms either side of the body, palms facing up.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru