Deepen Your Love with Squatting - Partner Yoga for your Valentine!

I love squatting, and it's incredibly good for your health so I teach it in every class. Scott Blossom, my teacher and colleague, sent me a this article which shows that squatting doesn't just improve your overall mobility, strength and digestion, but it actually correlates with longer life span! 

I hope you take the time to share this great partner pose with someone you love this month. Happy Love Month! 

Deepen Your Love with Squatting

My contribution to The Mindful Body February Newsletter

If you are lucky enough to have a partner or best friend who does yoga, lucky you! If the idea of getting your significant other into a yoga class is a dream, don't despair: You can bring the yoga to them! This pose is fun to do with any partner (friend, romantic or family) who is not too much bigger or smaller than you, and it has incredible health benefits for you both. Malasana, garland pose or the squat, provides the following health benefits:

 

• Triggers release of testosterone and human growth hormone when done properly to help you build muscle.
• Stronger legs means more fat burning. For every additional pound of muscle you gain, your body will burn an extra 50-70 calories per day.
• Helps you maintain mobility and balance.
• Tones your backside, abs and legs.
• Creates joint stability while increasing flexibility.
• Helps eliminate wastes in the body as it promotes regular bowel movements and improved digestion.

It's easy to do too! Just stand across from your partner with your feet a little wider than hip width apart. Reach across with both arms and hold on to each other's forearms. You want to be far enough apart that you have to reach forward a little to maintain this hold and not loose your grasp. When you are both ready, exhale and both partners start to bend their knees and gently lean back. This is why you want to be of similar size, so no one topples over! You can take a few breaths here together with your knees bent, then when you're both ready, inhale and come back up to stand. Only once you're both standing steadily should you release your arms. You can choose to just bend your knees a little or you can drop your hips low- see what feels good and take your time! I recommend dropping into the squat a few times so you can really feel how your hips, low back and ankles start to open up.

 

Enjoy and don't forget to give your partner a a big thank when you're done or maybe even a big smooch!

(photo from BirthBliss)

*Resources: 

8 Reasons to Do This Misunderstood Exercise by Mercola (http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/05/25/darin-steen-demonstrates-the-perfect-squat.aspx)

Ability to sit and rise from the floor is closely correlated with all-cause mortality risk

(http://www.sciencecodex.com/ability_to_sit_and_rise_from_the_floor_is_closely_correlated_with_allcause_mortality_risk-103794)