Inner-Thigh Stretch Exercises
Areas stretched: Inner thigh, hip
Variation: When you first begin to push your knees toward the floor, use your legs to resist the movement. Then relax and press your knees down as far as they will go.
EXERCISE 9
Instructions: Sit on the floor with your left leg straight, right leg bent and crossed over the left knee, and right hand on the floor next to your right hip. Turn your trunk as far as possible to the right by pushing against your right leg with your left forearm or elbow. Keep your right foot on the floor. Repeat on the other side.
Inner-Thigh Stretch Exercises Photo Gallery
Once you’ve put the fork and champagne glass down, once you’ve signed up for your spinning class, consider meditation. This meditation is designed to move you away from “overdoing” into simply “doing.” We will try the Zazen practice, which is the nature of studying the self by forgetting the self. In forgetting the self (including the self who overdid it) we can learn many things.
First things first. Positionyour body effectively so that you can be comfortable while paying attention to the body and the breath. Make sure you feel grounded and stable, whether you’re sitting in a chair or in lotus position. Gaze a few feet in front of where you sit.
Let yourself focus wholeheartedly on your breath. Breathe in and out through the nose, being with each breath as it comes and goes. Just be with the breath and then after some time, just be the breath. (Deep, huh?)
If thoughts come, let them come and then go again. If bodily sensations arise, let them come and go without clinging to them According to Zen philosophy, out of the stillness our whole life arises. Your breath will slow down as you continue, as will your reactions to yourself.
Zazen is not about having a goal of any sort; so as soon as you feel you are done, let yourself release the meditation. Let yourself keep your free and clear mind as you continue about your day.
