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Yoga Alignment Workshop Series: Reclined Bound Angle Pose, Suptabaddhakonasana

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Disclaimers: Consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime. Never force a pose.  Stop if you feel pain or intense discomfort.  Yoga is meant to be yummy.

 

I love vinyasa yoga and I am obsessed with good alignment.  This obsession doesn’t stem from a need for perfection, which would be very “un-yoga-like” of me, but from a passion for protecting the body from injury.  Most bodies can safely practice yoga on a daily basis, but maintaining sound alignment is essential to your physical wellbeing.  In this series, I will break down some common poses—explaining how to stay safe and fully enjoy each posture.  Finally, remember to BREATHE consistently while practicing yoga to receive the full benefits of the practice … otherwise, you’re just stretching in Sanskrit.  Today’s pose is Reclined Bound Angle Pose, or Suptabaddhakonasana.

Reclined Bound Angle Pose, or Suptabaddhakonasana
Reclined Bound Angle Pose, or Suptabaddhakonasana
  • This is one of my favorite hip-openers. I usually will either start a yoga session in this pose for centering, or end in this pose—right before shavasana.

 

  • Start by lying on your back.

 

  • Palms face up, shoulder blades draw together and away from the ears.

 

  • Feet come together and knees butterfly open.

 

  • Gently close the eyes.

 

  • Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

 

Practicing yoga on your own can be a ton of fun, but taking a class is a great way to explore new poses under the tutelage of a trained yoga instructor; check out MINT’s yoga offerings, here.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.
Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

How To Determine If You’re Too Sick To Exercise

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wellness

Getting sick is inevitable. In fact, most adults usually get two to three respiratory infections each year. However, we all have obligations that cannot wait, especially if it’s a newly made New Year’s resolution. It can certainly feel like a huge setback, and more so when it involves a new focus on getting healthier. Common sense should tell you that if you have a little cold, then scale back the intensity and duration of your workout. However, there are instances where you should back off completely and take time off. Here are some considerations so you know the difference.

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Let us start with an easy rule to remember–if your symptoms occur from your neck up, then it’s alright to perform a light exercise routine. If, however, your symptoms travel below your neck–stay home! In other words, if you have a common cold, which is often limited to upper respiratory symptoms like a runny or stuffy nose, then it is usually okay to exercise. However, if you are experiencing general achiness, GI symptoms, chest congestion, or profound weakness, then stay home and drink plenty of fluids.

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Now let me clarify one exception to the “above the neck” rule, and that being whether you have a fever. Since a fever is going to raise your body’s core temperature, which will also most likely get you dehydrated, you do not want to add insult to injury by taxing your body with any type of exercise workout. In addition, once your fever has broken or you have recovered from a bad illness, it is best to avoid exercising for at least the next 24 to 48 hours. Moreover, when you do finally resume your exercise routine, do not pick up where you left off–ramp up slowly.

Now, under normal circumstances (aside from being sick and exercising), regular, moderate activity can help your immune system which, in turn, helps to prevent future illness. Note–the key word being moderate. Whenever you perform extreme exercise at very high levels, then you compromise your immune system (think running a marathon).

bigstock-Get-Healthy-Green-Road-Sign-wi-33019967So the bottom line? Listen to your body! If you do not feel well, then take it easy and back off. Even if you have been given medical clearance to resume exercising, there is nothing wrong with taking off an extra day or two to focus on eating healthy meals, drinking plenty of fluids, and getting some much-needed extra rest. However, if you do decide to go back to the gym, please make sure to sanitize all equipment that you touch before and after your workout.

It is extremely important to make sure that, in order to minimize your risk of getting sick, you keep your immune system on high alert. This includes taking the necessary steps to minimize stress, get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, stop smoking, and get proper nutrition through healthy well-balanced meals and snacks. Remember–you want your body to have a healthy immune system before you start challenging it with a new exercise regimen.

Do you or someone you know have questions on how to get started with designing an individualized exercise program, as well as strategies to make sure you properly recover in the most effective way? Call my office at once at (202) 670-8874 or visit me at the Mint Health Club to schedule your FREE 30 minute consultation to see how Physical Therapy can help. Don’t delay–schedule now!

Trupti
About

Trupti Mehta
Trupti Mehta, PT, MS, OCS is DCs Leading Physical Therapist and Back Pain Specialist.

Trupti graduated with a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from UNC- Chapel Hill in 2001. She has furthered her studies with numerous post-graduate courses focusing on the Neck, shoulder, knee, and back, with a strong emphasis in manual therapy. Recently completed courses in Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy Seminars (Levels 1- 5), has afforded her an excellent way to relieve pain and restore function quickly and effectively. With 18+ years of experience in Physical Therapy, Trupti has practiced in various orthopedic and sports focused clinical settings, in both the Raleigh-Durham, and DC regions. During her years of service, Trupti has had the privilege of caring for a wide variety of clients: from school-aged children to retirees, from homemakers to business professionals, from weekend warriors to professional athletes.

Trupti is an avid fan of the outdoors, art, traveling and of course the Tarheels. She enjoys spending time with her little niece and nephew and working with her clients to improve their live

New Community Partner: District Rolfing

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Meet our newest community partner, District Rolfing! 

District Rolfing

What is rolfing? Rolfing is a highly effective approach to improve the body’s structural balance and ease of movement. As mobility and alignment improve, you feel better. Rolfing provides lasting results by actively engaging the body’s innate intelligence – the body-mind. Athletes, dancers and artists, professionals, and people who use their hands and bodies at work have all benefited from Rolfing. It’s safe, gentle and appropriate for every age and body type. Every session is adapted individually for you.

MINT members get their first 80-minute session at District Rolfing for only $100 (that’s a $50 discount!) when they sign up before February 15th!

New Equipment at MINT Dupont!

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You may have noticed some new equipment around MINT Dupont. Give the new equipment a try… and as always, let us know what you think!

Woodway Treadmills in the Cardio Area

Woodway Treadmills

Learn more about what makes these treadmills different, here!

Ab Mats in the Intensity Studio

Ab Mats

Learn more about Ab Mats, and why we love them, here!

*Note: Please feel free to use these when they are not being used by a class. They should stay in the Intensity Studio!

Happy Hour at The Big Hunt on January 24

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On Tuesday, January 24, The Big Hunt is extending their happy hour

for MINT friends and family! 

The Big Hunt is a craft beer bar featuring 32 draft lines and constantly rotating list of delicious, unique, one-off, and rare beers, 3 floors, 4 bars, gamer-room with Skee-Ball & Pin-Ball, beautiful patio, and stand-up comedy in the basement.

We will raffle off a personal training session at 7 pm. You do not need to be a MINT member to win!

DRINK SPECIALS
$3.50 PBR, Lite Ass Brew, Big Ass Wheat, Hard Ass IPA & Bad Ass Amber
$3.50 rail drinks
$1 off all other drinks and draughts

RSVP to the event and invite your #fitfriends!

Now Hiring: MINT Marketing and Communications Director

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NOW HIRING: MINT Marketing and Communications Director

  • Part time at 15 to 20 hours per week, with advancement opportunity
  • Position can start immediately
  • $25,000 annual salary to start
  • After 90 days, subject to consideration of increase in hours, responsibilities, and compensation for exemplary performance.

 

The part time Marketing Director (MD) serves as a central point for all company marketing and communications; organizing and coordinating marketing efforts across all resources, and continuously identifies, and works with others to identify, additional mediums to promote MINT.

Qualified applicants have excellent organizational and intrapersonal skills, and are able to effectively juggle multiple pieces within multiple projects.

The MD works with, and answers to, Patrick as CEO; collaboration with other staff is required, while keeping time and energy focused on macro company goals.

A Marketing Assistant is in place, who assembles email campaigns, makes basic website updates, reports marketing statistics, and several other regular tasks.

Projected-based Q1/Q2 2016:

  • Launch/re-launch ‘Flash Classes’- outside classes in popular public areas around the city
    • Identify a corporate partner for the events to maximize exposure
    • Organize the event details, participate until the program can mostly run on it’s own

Ongoing: 

  • Create entire marketable campaigns both large and small, and manage the entirety of the logistics
    • Identify internal and external mediums to promote and lead execution of such promotion
    • Create physical and digital promotional material
    • Identify and procure prizes
    • Manage all other details and logistics
  • Examples of past campaigns include:
    • Maintain, Don’t Gain- a holiday based challenge to get to the gym, which included guest access
    • Cycle challenge- most classes taken in a month
    • MINT 10 year anniversary celebrations- 10 days for 10 years in which community partners had a presence at the clubs
    • New dedicated barre studio opening celebration
    • Meet the personal trainers event
    • Open houses at the facilities
    • Personal Training promotions (most/all months)
    • Membership promotions (most/all months)
  • Work closely with MINT’s ambassador team and team leader (team consists of approximately 15 individuals working about 1-2 hours per week for MINT on an independent basis)
    • Leverage the team’s creativity and availability to coordinate and communicate with current and prospective partners
    • Encourage the team to create and be present at events
    • Track the teams overall productivity
  • Lead social media content gathering and posting
  • Lead blog management
    • Solicit submissions from staff and community
    • Edit and post submissions
    • Organize weekly blog update email (MINTy Fresh update)
  • Lead and coordinate communications
    • Weekly GM & Program update/newsletter
    • Weekly Staff update/newsletter
    • Promotions
    • Minty fresh update
    • App pushes
    • Website updates
    • All other communication mediums, including identifying additional mediums.
  • Thoroughly proofread and edit all outgoing communications
  • Work with general resources, such as
    • Graphic design and print vendor (currently Basecamp)
    • Sign vendor (currently Affordable Signs)
    • Shared online docs and spreadsheets
  • Logistical management of misc. marketing-related items, such as but not necessarily limited to:
    • Coordinating headshot sessions and communication and accountability to staff
    • Receive various forms from staff, coordinate pieces accordingly (such as event promotion requests)
    • As needed, coordinate with photographers
    • Field third party requests, both directly and forwarded by others, for marketing related topics and opportunites
      • (for example a request to partner with a blog, app developer, a vendor who may be able to drive business to MINT, etc)
    • Administration of various third party marketing and promotional services

Schedule and Meetings:

  • The MD works largely independently using their own computer and determining their own workspace
  • A presence in the MINT facilities is required:
    • For events
    • Ongoing regular presence of at least 2-3 minimum hours per week to members/clients to best understand their wants and needs, and general ‘vibe’ of the clientele
    • Ongoing regular presence as needed to touch base with key staff, such as marketing assistant, club General Managers, personal trainers, and other staff
    • Once-monthly meetings with CEO and/or others to review work, progress updates, strategize, etc.
    • Room for advancement exists as MINT is growing as a company; full time employment is a possibility
    • This is a 1099 subcontractor position

No specific meeting schedule will be implemented to start; MD works mainly via email, shared online docs, and phone/conference calls as needed.  A regular meeting agenda may be needed in time.

To Apply, please send a resume and letter of interest to: PJMINT@GMAIL.COM