Saturday, 30 July 2011

Yoga For Beginners


I think I would have to describe myself as an optimist. And a skeptic. A skeptical optimist. In other words, I really do "want to believe" but you may to have to spend some time convincing me why I should.



Especially when it comes to yoga blocks. There's something so friendly and familiar about rectangular yoga blocks. Like my best gal pals, they support me, they stretch me and they encourage me. And then they stack neatly away (the blocks - not the gal pals.)



So why on earth mess with something so time-tested and functional? Because Jason Scholder has a better idea.



I discovered Jason's Three Minute Eggs at the San Francisco Yoga Journal Conference held at the Hyatt Regency in January, and they stopped me in my tracks. This may have been partially due to the pair of size 14 boots attached to six feet of inquiring mind blocking my path. Sure, the guy lying on the floor in front of me looked happy - but really - an egg shaped yoga block? Give me a break. The thing is, Three Minute Eggs cannot be sold on looks alone - they have to be experienced. In the case of the Three Minute Egg, feeling is believing. Jason and his assistant Megan were making sure that every curious George and Georgette had an opportunity to sample the future of yoga blocks first hand. I didn't have time for that so I had a quick chat with Jason, sort of half promised I'd be back, and then moved on.



But that night I couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities. Sometimes it's difficult to tell a gimmick from a true, forward-thinking innovation. I had to find out for myself. And that's how, the next day, I returned with my inquiring mind and had my own little lie-down on Jason's floor.



Megan set me up in a chest opening back bend, followed by a neck roll and finished with a wrist-supporting downward dog. And if that wasn't enough to convince me, Jason showed me how to use my body weight and the corner of the egg to massage deep into my hips and shoulders.



I was sold, and one month later my clients love how the Three Minute Egg gently encourages a deeper and safer expression of their poses. I use them in all the ways that were shown and more - that's the thing about the Three Minute Eggs - you just keep coming up with new ways to incorporate them into a practice. I use them with my clients to support stronger alignment but I also use them for simple warm-up stretches. For students with shoulder impingement and poor range of motion, they stack beautifully and offer confidence-building support. Their ergonomic shape makes holding onto them easy - they literally become extensions of the arms during flow sequences.



As far as I'm concerned -- and as far as my clients are concerned - the Three Minute Egg is true innovation.



The Three Minute Egg comes packaged in a mesh drawstring backpack for easy transport and storage. I found the bags a bit frustrating at first but that was easily remedied by shortening the straps and retying the knots - just be sure to burn the ends so the strings don't fray. Presto, chango - no more frustration.



The Three Minute Egg has endless possibilities and benefits for everyone's yoga practice. Two separate DVD's are available to further encourage your "cre-egg-tivity." I encourage you to check out the website: [...] Eggs-ecutive Travel Pack (Ergonomic Yoga Block from Three Minute Egg)'


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