The Humble Yoga Mat

The humble yoga mat is the unsung hero of yoga. Here are some tips about how to care for your mat, and yourself :)

When I did my first yoga class, I didn't have a mat of my own, so I borrowed a spare one from the teacher. It had been borrowed by countless newbies before me... It smelt like feet, had grubby marks all over, and it was not very pleasant to touch.

Yoga mats are not expensive. A normal one is about £10. I would suggest buying a couple: one for at home use, and the other can be kept in your car for classes and yoga emergencies.

I tend to do yoga after my shower when I'm nice and warm. I always moisturise after a shower. I do it on autopilot. But the problem is, it makes my hands all slippery... Not great for yoga! So, try not to moisturise your hands before a yoga session.

Keeping your yoga mat clean is easy and important. I just use fairy liquid (washing up liquid) and give the mat a good rub down in the shower / bath and rinse it off. If you don't have anywhere to hang it up to dry, you could lay it on a towel, or give it a wipe down with a towel. Simples.

If you have hard floors at home, you can make your yoga experience more comfortable by laying the mat onto a rug, rather than straight onto the hard floor.

This blog post won't win any awards, but I hope you find it helpful (in a really mundane way).

Yogi with a mat :)

Power and Symmetry

Land Training

I wasn't able to get out onto the river again this morning, but I did a 2K erg (rowing machine) piece. I really need to get my erg time back to where it was, and better! An erg a day will get me there. I'll mix it up with some sprints, pyramids and distance pieces.

Power and Balance

The only downside of doing all this land-training, as far as I can tell, is that it could affect your balance. Working on your power with an erg or with weights isn't the same as building up power and speed in a boat on the river. When you're in a boat, you cannot decide to concentrate on power and forget about balance. You have to do both, otherwise you will capsize.

Power Without Balance

Training on land does allow you to concentrate on power without worrying too much about balance, but that could create imbalance in your body, and you may not notice the consequences until you get in a boat again.

Doing yoga or pilates can bridge the gap, because all of the moves require balance and strength, and each move strengthens both sides of your body equally.

Symmetry Before Death

There's a great saying in yoga, that I really like, and it's 'symmetry before death.' Essentially, if you do a yoga move on one side of your body, you must do the same move on the other side to create balance and harmony.

A Good Stroke

A good stroke is all about power, balance and symmetry.

In rowing we are all aiming for that illusive 'good stroke', when the boat is perfectly balanced, the blades move in perfect unison and hover over the water without touching it. We start squaring the blades at the right time so they are ready for entry at the perfect moment; and we hear that single splash as both blades enter the water in stereo. We push off equally with both feet and feel the boat run underneath us as it cuts through the water. When it happens it feels amazing! And I'm sure we all want every stroke to feel like that.

Work more balance into your land-training routine today and feel the difference!

Yoga will Body Rock You to Fantastic Rowing

Flexibility in the hips is absolutely essential if you want to row without hurting your back. I see countless rowers hunched over as the reach for the catch, and it's a ticking time-bomb for their poor back and shoulders.

Forward Fold and Body Rock

The 'forward fold' is a key move in the yoga repertoire, and it simulates the rowing 'Body Rock', or 'Rock Over', move, which is at the beginning of the sequence of taking a stroke from back-stops. It stretches out your hamstrings and relieves the pressure on the back.

Stretch Your Way To Health

Stretching in general is so important for wellbeing. Whether you're an athlete or you sit at a desk all day. Our routines are full of repetitive movements with a limited range of motion, which can lead to tension and injury.

From Treat to Treatment!

Before I started yoga, the muscles in my back and shoulders would get really tight. A back massage was not a treat for me, it was a treatment! Since doing yoga, however, I don't need massages anymore. Yoga has made my core muscles so much stronger and my rowing is so much better!

The Core of the Problem

To clarify, the core muscles are not just your stomach. The core includes your sides and back. The centre of your body is your core. They are your muscle power-house! If the core is strong, supple and stable, it means that the rest of your limbs can get on with their jobs without having to overcompensate.

Start Your Yoga Practice Today

A friend of mine introduced me to this great website called DoYouYoga.com After randomly trawling through YouTube previously, it was nice to have a central location with a library of fantastic yoga courses. I started off with the Erin Motz 30 Day Yoga Challenge and moved on from there. I have subscribed to a few of the course over the past year, and they are great!

Whatever your body goals are, yoga will change your body and your life in ways that you couldn't imagine. Hey, and if it's good enough for the England Rugby team, it's good enough for me :)

Rowing: The Inside Scoop on My Training Schedule & A Little Secret!

Now that I'm starting to get settled in the new place, I decided to re-started my weight training routine today! It felt so good!

Choosing to use a 'man and van' rather than a removal company, I did a lot of the actual moving myself. Woman + man + van. So, that was quite hard work, but lugging boxes around the new flat has been great exercise!

As part of the performance team at Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club, we had to do weekly 'strength and conditioning' (i.e. weights) sessions - amongst other things. I attended the last session two weeks ago, and then moved house. I'm still looking for a new rowing club to join, but I've got some weights at home, so I can keep in shape at times like these.

Weekly Training Schedule

When I'm in full training, my routine looks something like this:

Monday: Erg (i.e. rowing machine) session (pm)
Tuesday: Strength & Conditioning (i.e. weights) session (pm)
Wednesday or Friday: Single scull - technical session (am)
Thursday: 12K Erg session (am / pm)
Saturday: 2 x Sweep / Sculling - coached session (am)
Sunday: 2 x Sweep / Sculling - coached session (am)

And the secret... 2 - 5 Yoga sessions per week!

Yoga!?

I actually started with yoga before doing weights, and that improved my overall core strength and stability really quickly! It was great to have the strong core already when starting the weights training, because it meant that I could focus on technique rather than balance. Thanks to yoga, I am more mindful and aware of my body during each exercise, which means that I know how things should feel, and where I should be feeling the workout, which reduces my risk of injury.

No matter what your sport, or your lifestyle, yoga is probably the most beneficial thing you can do! It has given me strength and flexibility, regulated my appetite, improved my breathing (which is another massive topic that is vastly underrated / misunderstood), and improved my posture. Again, the benefits of a good posture for your health and wellbeing are immeasurable will be carried well into your old age!

I'm looking forward to getting back into a proper routine again, but until then, I can keep up with the yoga and weights.

Thanks for reading!