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Here are five poses to help you with flexibility and balance.  Improving your balance strengthens your core and other muscles, improves stability, posture, muscular control, and body awareness. It also improves mental focus and clarity.  Try these on a balance board for an extra challenge, in the sand, on pebbles, or on your yoga mat.

Crow Pose: Whenever we teach yoga to kids, they love to try the crow pose, because it's such a challenge and they feel so proud of themselves after they have mastered them (or even while trying).While in frog pose (squatting on feet with hands touching the ground between two legs), take hands and place them in front of legs.  Kneel forward, bending elbows to make a shelf for your knees.  Then, lean forward and place your knees onto your elbows like a shelf.  Keep leaning onto your tippy toes and then lift both feet off the ground so that your elbows are supporting your knees.

Half Moon Pose:Begin in Triangle pose, then slowly start to shift your weight forward onto your front foot. Lift your back foot off the floor, and center your hips over your standing leg. Open your hips as you extend your arm upwards (lift the same arm as your leg), keeping the other hand on the ground.

Dancer Pose:Begin in Mountain pose, then lift one foot so that the heel makes contact with your behind. Grasp the top of the foot with the hand on the same side, then lift your foot up and away from your torso and the floor. This pose requires arm and leg strength, as well as balance, but with enough practice it is a majestic balancing pose.

Tree Pose:Begin in mountain pose, then slowly slide your foot up the length of your standing leg and let it rest against your upper thigh. Bring your hands to your chest or above your head, and balance, breathing deeply.

Warrior III:Begin in a high lunge, with both arms above your head and your torso leaned slightly forward. Exhale and attempt to straighten your front leg and lift your back leg at the same time. Let your torso and arms come parallel to the floor as you balance on your standing leg.

These poses will strengthen your arms, wrists, belly, back, legs, and hips. 

There are some yoga poses or workouts that you just know are working, because you can feel the heat that your body is emitting.  It's not enough to start a fire, but it's enough to warm you up and give your body a boost of energy and adrenaline.  They may even increase your metabolism. Sometimes people just want to know that work is being done when they are doing yoga.  They want to feel the heat!  So, here are a few poses to get your inner heater turned on and maybe even break a sweat (and if you don't, no worries...you are still getting a good stretch and strengthening your muscles).  Alrighty, here it goes!

Plank Pose-Why not start with this one in the morning. Wake those lazy bones up.  You won't be moving much...just a plank....and breath.

Boat Pose-Turn over and sit down with your legs bent and straight out in front of you. Your feet should be flat on the floor with knees bent.  Hands can be to the side or behind you.  Then, lift your feet off the ground and pretend to row with your hands.  Feel the burn in your belly...and don't forget to breathe.  Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. 

Superman/Super Girl Pose-This pose is also called Locust Pose.  Lie on your belly and keep your legs and arms straight.  Arms can be straight out in front of you or by your side.  Then, lift your legs (keeping them strong and straight), and arms, as well as your chest, shoulders, neck, and head.  This is a good counter stretch after boat pose.

Bow Pose-While still in Superman pose, reach around and grab your lifted feet and bend them towards your head.  This will really stretch your belly.

Mouse pose-Take a break in mouse pose to feel  your breath in your belly.  Inhale slowly, exhale slowly. Relax.

Warrior I, II, III-Do these poses in sequence, spending time in each pose.  Take 5 deep breaths before moving into the next pose.  Also, don't forget to do the sequence with the opposite foot forward.  We always want to balance out our bodies.

Twisted Chair Pose-Sitting in a real chair doesn't do much, but PRETENDING to sit in a chair will get your heart beat going and boost your metabolism.  Press your palms together (in a prayer position) and twist your body to the left......breath......go back to center and twist to the right.  Don't forget to breath. 

Eagle Pose-This pose will get your body energized and you will probably feel the heat lifting off your head. 

I always like to throw in a few jumping jacks or frog jumps either before or after, to get my heart pumping lots and lots of oxygen to my body.  I feel awake and alive.  This is a good replacement for coffee. 

Why are millions-even billions of people practicing yoga?  Because it's not just good for you...it's yogalicious.  This body-mind practice has been going on for centuries and has continued to be popular for a great reason.  It strengthens our bodies, relieves stress, opens our hearts and our minds, and has a gazillion other benefits-some which we still haven't discovered yet.

Check out the infographic from the Huffington Post, which gives you an idea of the short-term and long-term benefits of yoga.  I can't think of anything on the list that I wouldn't want.  How about you?

Did you know that doing the plank engages almost every muscle in your body, especially your abs? Here's how to do the plank pose and many benefits of this underrated pose.

HOW TO DO THE PLANK

There are a few ways to get into plank pose. Some people start by getting into the start of a push-up, where their hands are pressed to the ground at a 90 degree angle below the shoulders. The shoulders should be right above the wrists. The body should be in one line from the top of your head to your heels. Do not dip or raise your hips. You need to push back through your heels and forward through a neutral neck out through the top of the head. At the same time, press firmly down through your whole hand, and do not let your chest sink.

Take a moment and make sure that your hands are pressed firmly to the ground and that fingers are spread and palms flat. You should feel firm, but do not overextend your elbows. Then gently slide your shoulder blades down your back so your shoulders are away from your ears and your neck is elongated. I like to think of a turtle sticking his head out of his shell. Your head should be a natural extension of the spine. If you have slight pressure in the lower back, pelvic tilt until the feeling dissipates. Legs should be strong, straight and engaged. Your heels should point straight up to the sky, and your feet should be square.

Another way to get into plank pose is to start with downward dog and then move into forward-facing dog. Then, stop midway and take a moment to make sure that your body is aligned, strong, straight, and engaged. A mirror or a friend can be very helpful.

BENEFITS OF THE PLANK

It's recommended that you do the plank pose at least 3 times a week.  If done so properly and consistently, plank pose improves posture.  It also strengthens the abs, back, arms, wrists, hands, and neck.  It aligns our bodies and when done on a balance board, increases balance and stability. 

VARIATIONS

Some people prefer to do the plank on their forearms.  Instead of having your shoulders at a 90 degree angle above your wrists, your shoulders should be at a 90 degree angle of your elbows, with your arms flat on the ground and straight out in front of you. 

Another variation is to start on your knees instead of raising your lower legs onto your toes. 

PLANK CHALLENGES

When you feel confident and comfortable doing the plank, you can try some other variations and challenges.  For example, try lifting one straight leg at a time. 

Another variation is to turn each wrist 180 degrees so that the your fingers are pointing at your toes.  Do this carefully and make sure that you do not hyperextend your elbows. 

Plank poses can be done anywhere and everywhere. FEEL THE HEAT!

When we talk about balance in our lives, sometimes it's about the balance between our emotional health, physical health, and spiritual health.  They are all important and in fact, they all compliment each other and work together in harmony (or disharmony).  So often, emotional health is left out of the loop. There are a number of ways to help yourself or a child regain strong emotional health.   

Yesterday I was watching a Tony Robbins video on YouTube.  It was actually a very inspiring way to start the day, after my yoga routine.  The clip was only 7 minutes long, but it talked about how in order to have good relationships with others, you first must have strong emotional health.  Emotional health starts when we are born and how we are raised, and it can change in either direction as we grow older. Emotional health is not about money, but about the way we feel about  ourselves.  Are we happy? Are we proud of who we are? Do we understand our background and upbringing (whether good or bad) and feel secure with our feelings? Are we able to let go of the things that have gone wrong, learn from our mistakes, and set goals for our future? Do we treat people kindly and compassionately? Can we control our emotions? Do we have self-confidence? These are all questions that we would ask ourselves, and all deal with emotional health.  If you have strong emotional health, you are probably a very happy person who is grateful in life. 

What are some tips to improve our emotional health?  For one, surround yourself around happy, healthy people.  We are social creatures, and it's important to be able to talk to others about our lives, problem-solve together, and have fun together. As I mentioned before, physical health and spiritual health are connected to emotional health.  Therefore, get some exercise, fresh air, and sunshine. Get plenty of sleep and eat healthy.  Invite art and nature into your daily habits.  Engage in meaningful, creative work.  Challenge your creativity whether you think you are creative or not.  Indulge in free time.  Yes, it's important to have fun and relax.  Listen to music that makes you smile and feel proud or courageous. Greg Louganis, who won two gold medals in diving in the 1984 Olympics and two more in 1988 said that he listened to the song "Believe in Yourself" from "The Wiz," which helped him focus and feel strong.    Appeal to your other senses: surround yourself with things that look pleasing, feel good (think soft textures), and smell good.  Read or listen to inspiring words.  And lastly, be thankful for 10 things every day. 

Your body is your first home:

“Breathing in, I arrive in my body.

Breathing out, I am home.”

Thich Nhat Hahn