HARTSVILLE – With more than 20 years in the fitness industry, Libby Heath of Columbia presented Hartsville with a workshop to introduce the foundational concepts of yoga that apply to overall health, focusing on breath, posture and gravity.
“It’s about strength and finesse and protecting your body,” Heath said. “Your body is not a problem to be solved but a fantastic machine that deserves to be nurtured and nourished.”
Heath has appeared in more than 25 nationally released workout videos as a master instructor for The Firm. “That was deeply enriching, but there was something missing,” she said.
She found a yoga teacher/trainer and found the ancient wisdom better fit her lifestyle.
“What drew me to Kripalu yoga – more than the other 42 yoga traditions – was the breath work and safety,” Heath said. “You ease into movements, so the body responds the way it needs to.”
Heath took attendees through several breathing exercises and yoga positions during the hour-long session at the Hartsville YMCA.
“We’ve got this whole stress dynamic, shallow breath and sheer age,” she said. “You can reverse that if you learn to breathe properly.”
Deep breaths have a massaging effect on internal organs because the abdominal cavity has no expansion – unlike the lungs, Heath said. It also stimulates the release of relaxation hormones in the brain.
“I try to get people out of their heads and into their bodies,” Heath said. Taking the time to experience our bodies’ reaction and feel how things affect us can lead to better health.
“The world in which we live cultivates slouching,” Heath said. “By slouching, we are starving ourselves in small ways.”
She said the slouching constricts digestion, oxygen and blood flow, allowing toxins to build up in our bodies and starving our cells of necessary tools for optimal performance.
“You straighten up and un-kink that hose. It increases the oxygenation in the blood,” Heath said.
The idea of postural awareness is central to yoga and healthy living. She said it’s important to be mindful of your posture all the time. Using the muscles to keep the vertebrae of the back extended and supported keeps connective tissues pliable and hydrated, which can keep people from having pain.
She encouraged people to use small moments such as waiting in line at the grocery store to concentrate on their posture and breathing.
For information about yoga classes offered at the Hartsville YMCA, call (843) 383-4547.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement