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December 5, 2014 In News, Video, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Strength of a Warrior: Warrior II Yoga Pose, Virabhadrasana

Embody the power of Shiva in Warrior II (Virabhadrasana), and meet conflicts in life with the confidence to persevere. Warrior II is a standing, strengthening yoga pose that works the muscles of your lower body while sharpening the will of your mind. While relying upon a strong base in this position, it’s easy to succumb to doubt arising in the mind concerning your own capabilities. This position becomes uncomfortable – and that’s where the real practice starts. Like a warrior, you need to believe fully in the right of your cause (you), and the capabilities of your army (you), so you’re...

November 20, 2014 In Spotlight, Video, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

Stability Ball Hamstring Curl: Exercise of the Week

The Stability Ball Hamstring Curl could possibly be the most effective hamstring exercise around. To perform this movement you will need a Stability ball and your body. Since the ball is unstable, your hamstrings and back muscles have to work hard to maintain your body position. Hamstring curls using the ball delivers great resistance to your hamstrings, and when done correctly this relatively “new kid on the block” is super effective. Goal: Keeping your hips up in line between your knees and your shoulders as you draw your heels in. Muscles involved: Hamstrings, stabilizer...

November 9, 2014 In Spotlight, Video, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

Plank with Chest and Back Series: Exercise of the Week

In the eighties and nineties we heard the words "six pack" used to describe strong rectus abdominals. In today's fitness industry, the words core strength is commonly being used, but what does the core really consist of? Anatomically, the core consists of the muscles in the hips, deeper muscles in the abdominals such as transversus abdominus (TA), multifidus and others surrounding the spine. One of the most important reasons to strengthen your core is because the structural integrity of the body depends on it. A very efficient method of training called Functional core training challenges the participant in an environment that uses...

November 8, 2014 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Video, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

Bosu Burpie Pushup: Exercise of the Week

If you haven’t already seen this blue and oddly shaped ball in your gym or fitness studio, you will soon because this fitness item is one of the best to hit the gyms in a long time. BOSU stands for “Both Sides Up” or “Both Sides Utilized” depending upon whether you are talking about the BOSU Balance Trainer (the product) or BOSU (the philosophical approach to exercise). Millions of people from all over the world now train with the BOSU Balance Trainer including many of the world’s top athletes. But you certainly don’t need to be a top athlete to benefit...

September 22, 2014 In Fitness, News, Running, Spotlight, Video, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Going with the Yoga Running Flow: Yoga Heals Injuries

If you are a runner or an athlete, life may throw you a curve ball. The important part is how you react to this curveball. Injuries are an unfortunate but common occurrence with runners. Yoga can help move the healing process along. From a yogic standpoint, going with the flow means to modify as things change, on and off the mat. When our circumstances change, we must make conscious decisions about how we can continue to flow, even with the changes. Healing the injury is very important. Relaxing and trusting the whole process is even more important. The meaning of yoga...

April 8, 2011 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Video, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

No Gym? No Problem: Paper Plate Circuit Training

The gym can be an intimidating place. Large muscular guys with tank tops on are slamming weights around and grunting. Some females are dressed like they are about to go out to the club right after the gym. For the novice fitness enthusiast, it can be tough to workout in an environment where you may feel like you are getting judged just because of your physique. All gyms aren’t like that but I am pretty sure your gym has that one guy or girl that either yells and slams weights or gets all dolled up. If being in the gym...

December 6, 2010 In Spotlight, Video, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

Get Fit for Snowboarding: The Ultimate Snowboard Workout

If you are fired up for the slopes and eager to ride this workout is designed to get you mountain ready.  These four moves have been selected to help you build upper and lower body strength, balance and improve your posture. Although it may be the exhilaration of the ride that every boarder chases, it is also important to prevent injuries and this means training off the slopes as well as on. These moves will help build muscle to make you stronger and faster on your snowboard just like the Canadian Olympians Maëlle Ricker and Mike Robertson. So, perhaps not as strong...

September 27, 2010 In News, Video, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Strike a Yoga Pose: Tree Pose, Vrksasana

Tree Pose (Vrksasana) improves balance and flexibility, while also encouraging you to lighten up a bit. Something very important to remember when losing your balance in Tree Pose and sans the gentlest breeze: Trees have roots. A tree grows both upwards and downwards from the ground, thus creating a supportive base from which to sprout. In Tree Pose, a yogi creates the supportive base by mimicking the trunk of the tree with the lower body – but any roots that assist in staying upright are conjured through imagination (since we lack “Go Go Gadget Tree Pose Roots!”). Without the underground mirror image...