Winter Blues:
I think every longarmer or seamstress is familiar with the toll our craft takes on our neck, shoulders and back. Long hours this winter sitting at a desk working on website and hovering over my Gammill doing custom quilting has certainly left me with a few aches and pains. It seems no matter how I adjust my machine height I’m constantly hunched over the quilts I’m working on, straining my lower back. Over the years I have found that the more active I stay the easier it is to deal with these aches and pains.
BUT, let me introduce you to winter in Montana. That time of year when the weather outside is frightful, and it takes great effort to maintain any kind of exercise routine. Anyone who has experienced the heavy gloom of the Flathead Valley, in northwest Montana, knows what I’m talking about! Usually I greatly enjoy winter and use cross country skiing or snowshoeing to chase the winter blues away. However we have been plagued by icy snow conditions this winter. That along with my busy work schedule has made it difficult to grab much time outside in the few daylight hours we get. After losing my side kick and personal trainer Hank the cow dog the beginning of January, my will to exercise hit an all time low.
A couple weeks ago, after a particularly nasty weather day I decided it was time to take action. I was tired of living with an aching neck and back. I needed to motivate, so the aches and pains didn’t keep spreading! I also needed some exercise to release some of the stress and cabin fever that has built up over the winter. The solution? Welcome my old friend yoga!
Time for a Change:
For years I’ve practiced yoga on and off. The benefits and enjoyment are undeniable, but when we get busy usually the little luxuries for ourselves are the first things we cut out of our daily schedule. But I recognized that if I didn’t do something to at least improve my posture I was going to be facing much bigger problems in the future. So two weeks ago I decided it was time to commit to a routine. . .even 20 minutes a day . . . surely I have 20 minutes a day for myself . . . for the well being of mind and body.
Anyone who knows me knows that routines are not my strong suit. I love the idea of planning out what I’m going to do each day and for how long, but the reality of being able to stick to that plan often escapes me. Especially when the boredom of a routine sets in and distraction takes over. So my number one concern setting up my yoga routine was how to keep it interesting.
A Little Online Help Goes a Long Way:
Enter yogadownload.com. Introduced to me by a yoga crazy friend, this website that offers some free streaming classes, downloads upon purchase, or a monthly subscription for complete access. It has made all the difference in my morning routine! After creating an account, (and no you don’t have to subscribe to start an account) I searched through their free classes and compiled a wishlist of ones that I want to try in the 20-30 minute range. This reduces that morning search through class after class that quickly cuts into my allotted exercise time. I found many different style of free ones from light stretching routines to ‘you better have a towel handy for this 30 minute class’! I even found an 11 minute stand up and stretch video that I’m excited to try on the days when I have to be behind the computer digitizing patterns or when custom quilting is getting to my back.
So my current morning routine?? Get my workout clothes on and boot up the computer. Get my stove top espresso maker together and ready to roll. Pick out one of the 20-30 minute videos from my Wishlist or Class favorites, and get it ready to play. Turn on the stove, then hit play! I have found a 25 min class will finish up right about the time that the espresso stops percolating. There is something soothing and enticing about doing yoga in the morning while smelling the alluring aroma of coffee brewing. And it’s a great treat at the end of the session! Do you need enticement to do yoga you ask?? I need enticement to do anything in the morning I say. . . .
The Benefits:
The results in the two weeks I’ve been committed to this have already been amazing. I’m starting to notice my flexibility increase, while my aches and pains decrease. Also my body is starting to take shape again after softening out over the winter. Most of the routines I do don’t even get me close to breaking a sweat! Every time I can get a little deeper into a pose than I could yesterday, or feel more balance and strength in a pose, I’m thankful for the changes I chose to make. I’m excited to see how far I can go over the next couple weeks! Another bonus – I don’t dread heading to the desk or machine to work, as I know it’s not going to be so painful when I’m done!
Are you a beginner and scared to try yoga? While I’ve tried several great teachers on yogadownload.com, Jackie Casal Mahrou has some fantastic free light stretching classes with clear instructions and information on how to vary a pose to your level of fitness. I particularly liked her Daily Decompression class!
There is one negative aspect of this routine that I’d like to caution you about. While doing floor poses the other day I had a little time to stare up at the ceiling. After a few minutes I registered the cobwebs that at some point this winter have appeared along the beams. Why oh why did I have to notice that??? I guess spring cleaning shall be the next routine to tackle. . . .
