Back in January I presented a class at the Yoga Expo in Pasadena. It was a combination of gentle yoga movements and Somatics, that I called "Slow your roll". In a somatics yoga class, you slow down, in order to pay attention. The good news is with all the spare time I've had recently, I finally got around to recording the class for YouTube. I don't know about you but I'me slowly beginning to lose track of time. Every day slowly rolling into the next. One thing that's keeping me on track is …
Search Results for: somatics
Somatic Yoga for tight lats & IT band
As a personal trainer, I'd encourage my clients to do self-myofascial release (SMFR). It's a great way to release tight muscles, increase blood flow, and reduce injury. However, most people hear SMFR and think foam rolling. I've seen grown men cry rolling out tight IT bands. Well my friends there is a gentler way, the somatic way! Instead, try this 12-minute yoga for tight lats and IT bands. Stop using effort and foam rollers, and activating the sympathetic nervous system. Instead, use …
Somatic yoga for headache relief with a tennis ball
When we begin to feel headache symptoms our instinct is to massage our temples or back of the head and neck. It's instinctual. We know that when the stress and tension build, it needs releasing. While our hands can do a great job, sometimes we need a little extra. Before you reach for the medicine cabinet try this somatic yoga for headache relief, using a tennis ball. In previous posts, I've talked about my love of using tennis balls in my yoga practice. They are a fantastic way to …
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5 minute hamstring release with tennis ball
The bane of many a yoga practitioner is forward folds. Whether a seated or standing pose, often the culprit is tight muscles. Try this 5 minute hamstring release with tennis ball next time you get on the mat. Because it's a great way to see if it's the calves, hamstrings, or back causing the issue. Stretching only goes so far when it comes to tight muscles. Sometimes more work is needed in order for us to go deeper into poses. I've talked before about the benefits of tennis balls to …
10 minute Yogalates workout for beginners
One thing I am known for at the yoga studio is core, strength and challenging classes. While I have a soft side, I also trained for 20+ years as a Personal Trainer. Nowadays I ride the line between working out and working in. There is a balance. In this 10 minute yogalates workout for beginners we focus on the core. And, it's all on the floor! When I was creating a lot of workout style interval videos I tended to make them around 5 - 10 minutes long. Why? Because, if you have longer, just …
How to improve pigeon pose, variations you need to know
In a previous post I shared that pigeon is my nemesis pose. As such I thought it would be a good idea to discuss how to improve pigeon pose. While I don't think I'll ever love it, using the tricks and tips in this post have made it more accessible. So much, that I no longer dread it. Disclaimer: Links in this post may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! A big issue with pigeon is that it's a STRONG externally rotated pose. Meaning that the …
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One word – what did I DO in 2017?
At the beginning of each year I choose one word to set my intention for the year ahead. Rather than setting a ton of resolutions or firm goals one word is chosen as a theme to guide me through the year. For 2017 I chose the word "DO". I've mentioned before that sometimes the words don't always work the way you think they will, and this year was definitely one of those years. I had high hopes for 'do'. No more thinking or planning, instead just do! That was the plan, and while that …
12 benefits of yoga
This post is sponsored by Mambo Sprouts and prAna. Over the last 25 years I've tried just about every fitness trend thats come out. Heck I've taught most of them too. However the one staple that always remained in my program no matter whether my program involved weights, running or rebounding was yoga. Yoga just makes me feel good. Even bad yoga is good yoga. I walk out of every class feeling taller, and my joints feel like I took oil to a squeaky hinge. There are so many other benefits of yoga …
My Yoga Journey
Hi, and thanks for visiting Di Hickman, (formerly Workout With Di), and welcome to my home on the web. Who am I? In a nutshell I'm a yoga fanatic teacher, movement educator, vegan, anatomy nerd, dog lover, photography enthusiast, foodie, artist, geek, entrepreneur, DIY diva, travelista, writer, explorer and so much more. I believe in not putting yourself in a box, constantly learning new things and questioning everything. You can learn more about my life here, but for now let's dive into my yoga …