Photo by Dex Ezekiel on Unsplash

That you are a golfer or not, lower body strength has a direct impact on our longevity as well as on the health of our knees and lower back.  A typical yoga class (that it is focused on golf or not) incorporates standing postures which improve lower body strength and stability. 

For golfers, lower body strength has a direct impact as to how efficiently we can connect to ground reaction force and increase our club head speed.

In this blog, since our winter Yoga for Golfers™ program focuses mainly on building strength and stability, I am proposing a short leg strength assessment, which includes a video.

​Let me start by wishing you much happiness for the new year. May we all stay healthy and thrive!

As I was brainstorming a few creative ideas for the year ahead, out of curiosity, I searched the significance of the number 2022. Apparently, in numerology, 2022 indicates that there is hope and healing ahead... How fitting and uplifting for these unstable times!

Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, fibres and vitamins. They are also a great source of healthy fat which we all need to function optimally. For example, on the golf course, a handful of nuts can provide you with sustained energy, and help you keep hunger and fatigue at bay.

Although I am not a vegetarian, I do prefer eating meals that are plant based and try to add nuts and seeds to my diet as often as possible. 

​Are you hydrating enough on the golf course? If not, you may find yourself having difficulty finishing the round strong and focused. Sipping a little bit of water before teeing off, at every hole, is a good practice to have.
 
On extremely hot days however, plain water may not be sufficient to maintain proper electrolytes level in the blood stream. In other words, we need to replace the sodium we lose as we sweat. 

Instead of grabbing your favorite sports drink (which most likely contains tons of sugar and other ingredients not necessarily good for our health), try the following recipe.
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Accountability is something that I have been working on a lot these past few months. For example, remember when I shared my "Pandemic Weight Gain" post? Well, it was a way for me to be accountable, and follow-thru with my weight loss plan. On that note, I am happy to report that the steps I have put in place paid off! I have lost 7 pounds since January 2021 and feel great about it. 

​I don’t know about you, but I gained a few pounds over the last year! Some refer to this as COVID weight. Not surprisingly. Our life, as we knew it, came to a halt last March and since then, some of us have been developing coping mechanisms such as learning how to bake! Seriously, I am no baker. However, in the last year, I have baked more than ever.
 
When I stepped on the scale on January 1st, 2021, and saw 146.7 pounds, I was shocked. This is the heaviest I have ever been. At 55 years old, my ideal weight, considering my level of activities and lifestyle, is 135 pounds, give or take a couple of pounds. That is where I feel at my best. 11 extra pounds in less than a year… how could this be?

I am thrilled to announce that, between December 14th and December 21st, together, we raised $920 for the The Housing Help Center, a registered non-profit organization that help families and individuals who are homeless, and/or at risk of losing their housing. I am grateful for everyone who joined me on the mat virtually during this fundraiser week. Thank you for your generosity and kindness!

I don’t keep a gratitude journal, but if I did, yesterday's entry would have been: “November 8th, 2020: today was a good day! I am grateful for the fact that I was able to write my monthly newsletter sitting outside, the warm sun on my back, occasionally glancing at the last autumn leaves swaying in the breeze. 20 degrees in November! Thank you, Mother Nature!” 
 
Research shows that the simple act of expressing gratitude can help ease symptoms of depression and improve our overall mental health. Whereas some people keep a daily gratitude journal, others may simply state what they are grateful for, when the feeling comes up.  That is my method. On the spot, feel the gratitude, express it out loud (even when I am alone!) and move on with my day.

I have the pleasure of playing golf weekly with a client of mine (who has now become a friend and regular golf mate!) This person plays with consistency and from what I gather, has been having a great year so far on the course. During our last round, which was not so positive for me, she happened to mention that the breathing techniques she learned from our Yoga for Golfers™ sessions together over the years contributed to her playing well . "As I am waiting and preparing for my next shot, I breathe deeply, as you taught us. It keeps me focused, relaxed."  In a cheeky way, she added "Perhaps you could practice what you preach?" 

Before you head out to the course, join me in my garden as we prepare body and mind for a great round of golf! We will pay special attention to the thoracic spine, allowing us to reduce tension and play with more ease. During this 30-minute video, we will warm-up our ankles, hips, hamstrings, gluts, shoulders, wrists and neck. All you need is a pillow or a yoga block to support your head. As always, breathe deeply, move slowly, and enjoy! ​ Happy golfing!  /  Watch video

More than ever, we need to monitor our level of stress in order to maintain resiliency during our current confinement. Restorative Yoga is the perfect antidote to stress. For those of you who may not have traditional yoga props at home, here is a list of items that can easily be used in replacement of yoga bolsters and blocks.

More than ever, we need to equip our body and mind with tools that will help us stay calm, grounded, and resilient. I am sharing with you today, in the form of a video, a meditative practice which I hope you will enjoy. It's been my go-to practice this week!

​Take 10 minutes, find a comfortable seat and enjoy! VIEW VIDEO
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​I have to admit that, a few days ago, I was really concerned about the future of Fore! Yoga. Like many small businesses in the service industry, these are interesting times! Luckily, with the support of our community, and the brilliant invention of virtual platforms, such as Zoom, we are on a brighter path. ​We are happy to share with you our Live Streaming Yoga Schedule.  

Until we are able to resume our in-studio group classes, hug, and shake hands, let's embrace new technology and get together virtually from the comfort of our own home. 

​More than ever, we need to breathe deeply and stay united!

​Today, I am offering you a quick tutorial video describing three ways to perform side planks safely. Side planks, when done properly, help strengthen the obliques. Like any other muscle in the body, the obliques, located on both sides of the abdomen, have many functions, one of them being to help with torso rotation. For my fellow golfers, you can only imagine how important that function is for an efficient golf swing. 

​Our lats muscles (short for Latissimus dorsi) play an important role during the entire golf swing. Lengthened lats allow you to have an efficient shoulder turn and to finish your swing completely (with a tight right lat for example, the right handed golfer will be limited in finishing the swing comfortably.) Strong lats also have the potential to generate a lot of power as you initiate your downswing. 

Do not worry! We have not branched out into the match-making business! But as yoga instructors, we are often asked, “What should I look for in a good yoga mat?”  Depending on your yoga practice, you may be spending time on your yoga mat every day, as well as bringing it along wherever you go. Hence, the importance to find the perfect mat(ch!)

​What initially lured me to spend the summer in a small village located on the south shore of the St-Lawrence, in Quebec, was the chance to be closer to my family and to be in a scenic setting far away from the city's distractions. It was also an opportunity for me to take a step back from teaching yoga, which I have been doing now, on a full-time basis, for the past eight years. 

Meditation does not have to take place in a perfectly quiet space. In fact, one of my favourite method of meditation is the one where we focus on ambient sounds. The idea of an ambient sound meditation is to simply notice the sounds surrounding you without developing a narrative around it. Notice them, hear them, and let them be part of your experience.

​Full disclosure: before I took my yoga teacher training, I injured my lumbar spine - from doing yoga. It all started with some workshops on practicing Upward Facing Dog, an advanced backbend. Although my teachers described this back-bending pose in depth, I was doing it wrong and I kept pushing for "more", to "feel more" and to "backbend more" (whatever that means!) I started experiencing some low back sensations but misinterpreted it as "going deeper into my pose", so I kept at it.  ​

Although it may not feel like it here in Toronto, spring is just around the corner. We can finally look forward to the beginning of warmer weather. As nature does, we are thawing out, slowly coming out of our “winter hibernation mode” and embracing the sunny days, easing into “spring growth mode”.  While I believe that the time to begin yoga is always “now”, creating a new habit with the change of seasons may be powerful as you connect to the idea of spring renewal. So here are my top ten reasons (a few of them backed by science and helpful resources!) why you should consider incorporating yoga in your life, or rekindle your practice if it has waned. Hopefully one or a few of these reasons will help you create a steady yoga practice that you can call your own.