enjoy namast-eggs on easter

hoppy easter everyone!

for all of those celebrating the religious holiday or just enjoy a glorious sunday, the folks at three minute egg are offer a sale even the vegan can enjoy. personally, allergic to eggs this is the only way i like my eggs served.

for the full yogadeal product review, check out this previous post.
the yogadeal: use coupon code: easter2010 for 10% off & free shipping on domestic orders, but hurry because this offer is only valid for today, easter sunday (4/4/2010).

who said yogis don't wear ties?

don't let work tie you down this week. try a new look this fall - grab any ol' tie & use it as a retro prop for your yoga practice!

go ahead, find the ugliest one in your closet (or your dad's, significant other's, etc.) & embrace it as your new favorite yoga strap.

then extend & streeeeetch those hammies out, open up those shoulders - but not your piggy bank. heck, even practice your tying skills if you need to shorten it - talk about multi-tasking....

design within stretch - three minute egg - product review

the three minute egg is the new block on the mat, but what's with the name? according to the founder and 'recovering' furniture maker, jason (aka creative dude with a bad back), the name was hatched (i couldn't resist) because of the "great benefits [that] can come from a practice where one holds challenging poses for up to 3 minutes & restorative poses for at least 3 or more." jason also mentioned, that we should be on the lookout for "a series of 3-minute eggs-ercises which people can do at home or in the office when they don't have time for a complete practice. these different mini-routines will target different needs, and different parts of the body-mind connection."

the three minute egg is not some infomercial version of breakfast, but a way to 'think outside the blocks.' the unique shape of the 'eggs' can add strengthening, stretching & restoring benefits to your practice. i recommend the egg-perience 4-pack that comes equipped with 2 dvds & a convenient drawstring backpack for toting, however you can also get the components a la carte. the site offers some great online demos (aka eggs-ercises) of how eggs are not just for eating but for asana.

after giving these eggs a-go during my home practice, i enjoyed how they took even the basic poses, that are quite common through most vinyasa flow sequences, to the next level. they really helped me stay checked in with my alignment in poses like tadasana and utkatasana, with the eggs acting as gentle reminders to inwardly spiral my thighs back & properly align my shoulder. plank with your hands on the eggs really helps to activate your stability by finding my core & the eggs even added to my relaxation in savasana. now that they have been home tested-approved, i have incorporated their use in my private lessons, in which even the yoga newbies can understand how proper alignment should feel in each pose! all in all, these are some good eggs - even willy wonka would approve - completely vegan, but not edible - these are definitely a prop that can grow with you along your egg-cellent yoga journey!

deal: there's no such thing as a rotten egg. jason, the founder, refers to them as "scrambled eggs" - new eggs which arrive from the factory with minor scratches &/or bruises, but still completely functional. he saves these to be sold in bulk to studios & teachers starting at $10/each(!) when you order 24+ eggs; $9/each for 84+ eggs!

design within stretch - eternefit - product review

eternefit mat marries the benefits of a thick eco-mat with the convenience of a built-in memory foam cushion, which makes it great for toting to class - especially if you have (to name just a few):

• carpal tunnel - super helpful in alleviating pressure on the wrists in down dog
• knee issues - extra protection for low lunges for this precious joint
• bony hips - so you can focus on the backbend in bow rather than how badly your hip points may be digging into the ground

the website also offers a slue of information from how to store your mat to great ways to support your practice using this cushy square.

when i gave the mat a test-run, i was pleasantly surprised to feel the soft support in crescent lunge, while it also tested my balance in headstand, really forcing me to activate my center, & it gave me the perfect extra lift while meditating in sukhasana. so, other than a little bulky in the roll-up, i am loving this mat & it is even appealing to my yoga-phobic boyfriend [read: he may actually give yoga a try if i let him borrow the mat!].

on a side note, the mat is also a great convo-starter & could be the new way to 'meet people' in class [read: yoga class is the new meat market?]. in fact, when i brought my mat out to a vinyasa class - the teacher actually gave it a shout out, along the lines of 'hey, what a cool mat, the padding is already built-in!' & then after class she gave it a try, along with a fellow student who always uses extra padding for her knees!

deal: if you are looking for a new mat & use a block or blanket in your practice, eternefit is a great way to streamline your yoga gear & minimize set-up time between poses so that you can keep your focus throughout your practice as you flow from standing to seated poses.

true, $74.95 may seem hefty, but it can actually be a savings if you were to purchase an eco-mat ($70) & some yoga blocks ($16) a la carte.

design within stretch - giving yoga props

yoga meaning 'union' is truly emerging as a viable industry offering countless schools of asana & now innovative props to help yogis everywhere make that connection with mind, body, soul - & now design. just as asana has evolved from the two original poses, tadasana (mountain) & svasana (corpse), so too have the props. after attending the yoga journal conference in nyc, i stumbled upon two of the most practical & perhaps most effective new asana helpers, where form & function have joined for their own sort of yoga, including the evolved block (aka egg) created by a 'recovering' furniture maker with a bad back & an all-in-one eco-mat which began as an f.i.t. professor's vision. stay tuned for my reviews after i give them a test-run!

props to gaiam

gaiam was one of the first companies i knew to make yoga products for the masses. in fact, i think my first (pvc -eek!) mat was gaiam. and just recently i picked up some inexpensive, eco-friendly yoga props from gaiam to better assist my private students with their practice.


i also stumbled upon their website, gaiam.com, and like the rest of the post-christmas retail world, gaiam is also offering some great savings!


deals: take an extra 30% off already reduced outlet prices for savings as much as 70% off, plus receive FREE 2-day FedEx upgrade.

handy inversion help

inversions are perhaps the most challenging part of my practice, but also an inspiration for me to one day be able to rock a handstand without any help from a wall or fellow yogi(ni)s.

handy helper #1: hand balancing workshop
join jordan mallah for an afternoon of inversion sequence & tools to strengthen your practice.

saturday, 12.06
2:00pm - 4:00pm
pure yoga: 203 east 86th st (nyc)
$50 (or $40 for pure yoga members)
to register, call 212.360.1888

handy helper #2: shoulder & core strengtheners
try incorporating some of these asanas in your practice for inversion prep:

• plank: try isolated plank pose, remaining in the pose for 30-60 seconds, really root through your hands & feet while hugging in through your core, bringing your tailbone towards your navel; 2-3 isolations/practice.
• core plank: start in downward dog, raise one leg, bend the knee & come forward to core plank, hugging your knee up to your chest trying to bring your forehead to the knee. include this through out your practice during your vinyasa flow.
  
• dolphin: start in downward dog with your forarms on the ground, move forward into plank; sets of 10-15; 3 sets/practice
• shakti kicks: begin in a down dog, walk your feet in a bit to create a shorter stance, bring your shoulders over your wrist, inhale & on a deep exhale, kick up to handstand prep with bent legs.

handy helper #3: props for hanging at home
practice your inversions on your own with a little help from a strap or swing

inversion sling start at $110 (about the price of a private session!)
yoga ropes start at $95

deal: although these props function on their own, if you splurge for both you get $15 off at www.yogaprops.com.