When I turned 30, I moved from Atlanta to Philadelphia, into a new job and out of a toxic relationship. My life had become a spiral that astrology-minded friends attributed to my Saturn Return鈥攁 planetary alignment that asks us to make pivotal decisions about our lives. (Think on steroids.) When my birthday rolled around, I wanted to honor my personal new year in some way鈥攁nd establish a clearer vision for my life. It seemed like a good time to get away, get still, and spend time figuring out where my new path would take me.

As an introspective introvert, I didn鈥檛 want a splashy vacay. My life was calling for some quiet time away from the fray, the phone, and other distractions. I needed time to get my head together and think about my Next. A retreat seemed in order.

I didn鈥檛 have much time (or money) to go far, but I found a nearby retreat center that looked secluded and quiet. I booked a weekend trip, packed a bag, and jumped in my car. The lush green campus was 30 minutes from downtown Philly, but a world away from my city life. It was exactly what I needed鈥揳nd the first of many solo retreats. They have become a personal tradition that I rely on for rest, recovery, and recalibration.

What is a solo retreat?

罢丑别谤别鈥檚 , where intrepid travelers take off on some private adventure. But those kinds of trips are often more about getting 鈥渙ut there鈥� than about 鈥済oing within.鈥�

And you can find plenty of yoga and meditation retreats at wellness centers around the world. In fact, carefully curated yoga retreats have become something of an industry. But they tend to be scheduled dawn to dark with activities鈥搚oga classes, meditations, cooking classes, bodywork, dancing, drumming鈥�.听 罢丑别谤别鈥檚 always something to do and you don鈥檛 have to be alone at all.

When I say solo retreat, I鈥檓 thinking of the kind of intentional withdrawal periods that Christian priests, Buddhist monks, Hindu renunciates called , and other ascetics in every spiritual and religious tradition have been taking for centuries. These seekers of enlightenment may spend periods in contemplation and prayer or doing intentional work, away from the distractions of the world. Hindu retreat in order to spend time in meditation, studying philosophical texts, and performing acts of devotion. In the , a retreat requires 鈥渁 series of days passed in solitude and consecrated to practices of asceticism.鈥�

That 鈥渟eries of days鈥� is an important element of retreating. An overnight in another bed somewhere hardly gives you time to resolve your jet lag or recover your land legs, much less spend time in deep contemplation. Retreats take time.

Finding Elements of Ease

To me, a retreat has an element of ease and simplicity. When I鈥檓 on vacation, I may be concerned about the threadcount of my hotel sheets or how many stars the restaurant has. On a retreat, I want a clean and comfortable bed, and clean and comforting food. Ideally, I鈥檇 like a place to practice yoga and a place to meditate, and I鈥檒l accept a massage or a sauna if it鈥檚 offered, but the lavishness of the surroundings is not the point. In fact, that can be an outer-world distraction from the inner world I鈥檓 trying to access.

When I look for a retreat, I try to find a setting that offers quiet paths to walk and places to sit undisturbed鈥搘hether that鈥檚 in a sun-dappled chapel or a grove of trees. The retreat spaces I like have set meal times and buffets of nourishing food, so I don鈥檛 have to decide what to order from the menu or calculate a tip. And there鈥檚 always tea.

Over the years I鈥檝e taken many of these solo escapes. Here are some things I鈥檝e learned about planning the most fruitful personal retreats.

1. Peace and Quiet is a Commodity

My first solo retreat was at , a center run by the Society of Friends. As you鈥檇 expect from a place run with Quaker values, the accommodations were simple but comfortable. There was the option to rent a hermitage, a cottage set away from the main campus where I would be totally alone. For my first time, I didn鈥檛 need quite that much solitude. I chose a room in one of the main lodgings.

The communal dining area included 鈥渟ilent鈥� tables for people who wanted to remain in quiet contemplation. But all of the conversation was gentle and quiet. This was not the place for raucous laughter or boisterous debate鈥搃ndoors or out. During the day, I would find a place to sit in the October sun and write in my journal. Or I鈥檇 take a walk around the grounds. I might come across other people wandering alone or huddled together in muted conversation, but the contemplative mood infused the whole experience.听 When you鈥檙e trying to go within, it helps if you鈥檙e around other people with the same intention.

2. Going Alone Doesn鈥檛 Mean Being Alone

For me, being at a solo retreat means I can choose to keep to myself as much as I need or want. Or I can get out of my comfort zone and strike up a conversation with someone I feel drawn to. Often, people who see that you鈥檙e alone will introduce themselves and begin a conversation. If you set an intention about how much engagement you want to have, it鈥檚 your choice about whether to respond politely and go on about your way, or to engage fully and make a connection.

At Pendle Hill, I met a young woman from Canada who had come for an extended retreat. We ended up taking meals together and having long talks. She invited me to a Quaker meeting in the city; that became my spiritual practice for a number of years. Being open to that serendipitous connection influenced my path in ways that I could not have predicted.

3. It鈥檚 Okay to Be Myself and Feed My Own Needs

I鈥檝e done girls鈥� trips and group excursions. I find that people quickly settle into roles. The Organizer suggests activities; the Outspoken one sets the agenda; the One with the Food Restrictions determines the restaurants we鈥檒l choose. Traveling with a group means being willing to compromise so that everyone鈥檚 needs are met.

A solo retreat involves only one person鈥檚 needs: yours. That means you get to decide what to do each day. At the beginning of a retreat, I tend to make those choices as I make any other decision鈥揵ased on logic or strategy or whatever my intellect tells me is best. I find that as I settle into my retreat, I can feel my left brain give way to my creative side, and I sense myself reconnecting with intuition. Then, where I go and how I move on any given day is determined by a sense of flow.

4.听 When Spirit Moves, Move With It

One year, my annual retreat took me to a rambling house in upstate New York that a friend had recommended. I found it cold and uncomfortable鈥攏o heat against the fall chill and not enough blankets. When I went to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea, I found an infinite variety of tea boxes鈥攅ach of them crisscrossed with spider webs. It was more than I could take. I cut my trip short and came home the next day. Had I been traveling with someone, I might have been tempted (or convinced) to stay. In this case, I didn鈥檛 have to compromise. I didn鈥檛 have to explain. I could move with my own spirit.

5. Take Time for Contemplation

Solo travel may involve all kinds of activities and adventures, but you don鈥檛 go alone on a retreat unless you plan to spend at least some time with only yourself. For me, an ideal retreat space will have opportunities for quiet walks, a place to practice yoga, and meditation space. Because journaling is my preferred way to get out of my head and tap into my heart, quiet places to sit and write are essential. If hiking or swimming or walking a labyrinth help you feel meditative, look for a retreat location where those options are available.

6.听 Let Go of Expectations

One fortunate summer, I received a scholarship for a week-long retreat at the By this time, I was a divorced single mom, living on the modest salary of a liberal-arts professor. A free week anywhere was a blessed opportunity to get away, but also a chance to get some writing projects done. While I was disciplined enough to make it to early morning yoga classes, most afternoons found me sitting on the deck outside the cafe with my bare feet propped up on the railing, doing nothing. Or I鈥檇 retire to my little vine-shrouded cabin, fling open the windows to let in the breeze, and fall into deep naps, lulled by the hum and chirp of the insects. After the first couple of days, I realized that my lack of motivation to 鈥済et something done鈥� was the result of how burned out I was from work and responsibility. I let go of the idea that I needed to produce something and devoted myself to the rest I needed.

The Reason for Retreat

In my daily life, I have responsibility for鈥� everything鈥攎yself, the house, work tasks, my child, and now my parent. I wouldn鈥檛 give up the freedom to make my own decisions, but I admit there are times when I might relish a sounding board or a helping hand. So why would a trip alone seem so nourishing? I think it comes down to being able to attend more fully to your own needs.

Whether you鈥檙e living solo, coupled, or in community, your days may be busy and full of distractions. It鈥檚 easy to find yourself moving around the world on someone else鈥檚 timeline and, if you鈥檙e not careful, on someone else鈥檚 agenda. Solo retreats are a time to remind yourself of your own rhythms. I ask myself pointed questions: What do I like? What do I need? What pleases me? If I pick the right spot and spend enough time, I can find my own flow again.

Or course, a solo retreat tests your ability to enjoy your own company, to tolerate the voice in your own head. But if you allow yourself the time and space to do some helpful introspection, you may come away with a sense of clarity and direction. Or you may not.听 The product of your time alone makes little difference if it gives you a chance to practice self-acceptance and self-love. The ideal solo sojourn allows you to see the value of spending time with someone as special as you.

is a senior editor at Yoga Journal.

The post The Case for Taking a Solo Yoga Retreat appeared first on 黑料吃瓜网 Online.

Veggie burgers, once only found in the frozen-food section of the local health food store or at the bottom of casual restaurant menus, are making their way into fast food. When sales of 鈥攁ptly named the McPlant鈥攄rooped, it was taken off the menu. Meanwhile, fans apparently liked The Impossible Whopper so much that the chain has added another plant-based burger, . Earlier this year, Chick-fil-A tested a cauliflower sandwich that mimics its classic chicken sandwich. Now Shake Shack has added the new to the menu. I wanted to try it.

Should a Veggie Burger Taste Like Meat?

Vegetarian burgers have been around . These days you can find a wide range of options鈥揼rain-forward, bean-based, soy-centric, and, lately, manufactured pseudo-meats that seem to replicate beef flavor so well, you might believe there was a cow involved.

One of my original favorites, , is made of oats, rice, mushrooms, and vegetables.听 Its only resemblance to a beef burger is the patty shape, but it鈥檚 well seasoned and鈥攄ressed with lettuce, tomato, and all the fixings鈥攊t makes a really good sandwich. The Garden Burger isn鈥檛 going to fool anybody into thinking it鈥檚 meat. I don鈥檛 think it’s really trying to.

Soy-based burgers like those from and Impossible, and Beyond Meat鈥檚 pea-protein burger have more of the color, texture, and bite of a burger. But you wouldn鈥檛 compare them with a Garden Burger or, say, a black-bean burger, because they are entirely different meal experiences.

These days, the burger race seems to be between food engineers at companies such as Impossible and Beyond Meat. These brands are pressing for a plant-based burger experience that mimics meat so closely that it鈥檚 hard to distinguish from ground chuck.

What Does the Veggie Shack Taste Like?

We don鈥檛 have a Shake Shack where I live, but I was picking up my daughter from college in a city that has three. She鈥檚 a culinary student at Johnson & Wales so I brought her along for an extra set of taste buds and an 鈥渆xpert鈥� opinion. She鈥檚 half-vegan on her father鈥檚 side so she likes barbecued jackfruit as much as she enjoys a good Angus hot dog. I knew she鈥檇 have the palate for this mission.

The Veggie Shack burger is difficult to distinguish from Shake Shack鈥檚 beef patty, but visible bits of carrot and greenery (chives, we think) indicate we are in plant-based territory. The ingredients also include mushrooms, sweet potatoes, quinoa, and farro, a variety of wheat.

This blend gives the burger a texture and a bite I鈥檒l call al dente. The mouthfeel and chew are not quite as textured as a turkey burger, but it’s not as soft as a bean- or grain-based substitute.

When you don鈥檛 have the natural umami of meat, you have to make up for it in flavor.

鈥淚t鈥檚 seasoned well,鈥� my daughter said between bites. 鈥淚t doesn’t taste like meat, but I guess that鈥檚 not the point. The point is for it to be good.鈥� She took another bite.

Her verdict: 鈥淚t鈥檚 good.鈥�

The sandwich comes dressed with American cheese, pickles, crisp-fried onions, and the signature 鈥淪hackSauce.鈥� I would have added bacon and avocado, but I wanted to taste it the way it was designed to be eaten.

鈥淎nything with crispy onions on it will win my heart,鈥� my daughter continued. And based on how quickly she downed the burger, I imagine she鈥檒l be a repeat customer.

Is the Veggie Shack a Better Plant-Based Option?

Initially, I wondered why Shake Shack would invest in a new vegetarian option when they already had the 鈥楽hroom Burger on the menu. But one bite of the portobello-based sandwich gave me my answer. Let鈥檚 just say it鈥檚 not very tasty. This 鈥渂urger鈥� is two thin slices of mushroom with melted muenster and cheddar in between, breaded and fried. After the initial breadcrumb crunch, you鈥檙e met with rubbery mushrooms and an unattractive ooze of cheese. The flavor is somehow both strong and bland. My daughter鈥檚 review was pretty simple: 鈥淣o.鈥�

Full disclosure: Neither of us are mushroom girls, so the 鈥楽hroom wouldn鈥檛 be our choice anyway. But I can confidently say that, for flavor, the veggie burger runs rings around its mushroom-based counterpart. 罢丑别谤别鈥檚 no question as to which plant-based option I鈥檇 choose.

But how does the Veggie Shack stack up against the basic Shack Burger? I ordered one for comparison and found the beef patty kind of tough, pretty bland, and just sort of boring. With no discernible seasoning of any kind, it appears to rely on ShakeSauce to carry it. However, the sauce isn鈥檛 up to the task.

How Vegetarian is it?

Any veggie burger can expect the inevitable question: Does it taste like meat? For that reason, a plant-based meat substitute has to work harder to prove itself appealing, savory, and toothsome. The Shake Shack veggie burger was actually better seasoned than the signature beef burger. It was tender without being mushy, and substantial enough to hold up under the soft potato roll even with the addition of sauce, pickles, and cheese.

The other question about vegetarian fast food is, how vegetarian is the Veggie Shack? Of course, this one鈥檚 not vegan. It comes topped with cheese and sauce (which contains milk and eggs), and we can only assume it鈥檚 cooked on a grill with the beef patties and hot dogs. If you, like me, are an omnivore who leans heavily into a plant-based diet, a little residual burger grease probably won鈥檛 bother you. If you鈥檙e a purist vegetarian, you鈥檙e probably not coming to Shake Shake anyway.

And, finally, is the Veggie Shack a healthy option? That will depend on your health goals. If you鈥檙e counting calories, the Veggie Shack weighs in at 630, the 鈥楽hroom is 510, and the Shack Burger is 500. The three are neck and neck on fat content鈥�30, 27, and 27 grams respectively鈥攖hough the beef burger is highest in saturated fat. Sodium content is lowest with 鈥楽hroom (650), while the beef and veggie burgers both have 1,250 grams. Both plant-based sandwiches have twice the carbs of the ShackBurger. If you鈥檙e watching cholesterol, the new veggie is significantly lower than anything on Shake Shack鈥檚 menu.

Would I Eat the Veggie Shack Again?

Honestly, my all-time favorite burger can be found at a local place called Cafe Europa in Greensboro, NC, where they will cook Angus beef to my preferred temperature, melt blue cheese on it, and give me a cone of crisp pomme frites and a glass of chilled wine to go with it. If I wanted to blow $20 on a fast-food burger meal, I鈥檇 go to . If I wanted a burger just as good as Five Guys, but at half the price, I鈥檇 go to , a southern favorite. But if I鈥檓 in the mood for a veggie burger, Shake Shack can have my money.

The post I Tried the Veggie Shack and Here Are My Thoughts appeared first on 黑料吃瓜网 Online.

When it鈥檚 time to 鈥済et outdoors,鈥� we tend to go big. Think of strenuous mountain hikes, teeth-rattling bike rides, fighting white water in a roaring river, and sleeping in a tent tucked deep in the woods. But getting in touch with the natural world can also take a gentle path鈥搇iterally.

That’s the message (RTC) wants to everyone to hear. The organization repurposes defunct railway corridors and other pathways in urban, suburban, and rural areas into nature trails. People can walk, run, or bike along trails that mark historic locations, cross wild lands, or carve greenspace through cityscapes.

鈥淭he majority are former railroad corridors,鈥� says Brandi Horton, VP of Communications for the Conservancy.听 In fact, defunct rail lines make up 25,000 of the 40,000 miles of multi-use trails. The other 15,000 miles or so are , canal towpaths, or similar infrastructure. These passageways are cleared to make them accessible for a family pushing a stroller, a kid on a bike, or someone in a wheelchair.

鈥淥ur programming is designed to build engagement with the community,鈥� she says. Having access to trails is one part of the plan. Encouraging people to use them is another story. 鈥淗aving activities and events that are really representative of the community and that are community led is important to helping people see that these are spaces for [them]. And they’re really assets for every community and everyone who lives there.鈥�

罢丑别谤别鈥檚 an App for That

The conservancy鈥檚 goal is to ensure that the trails continue to be an accessible, low cost, geographically available way for people to connect with the natural world.

To help people find their way to a trail, RTC has developed an app called . A quick search by zip code shows you the exact location and length of nearby trails, as well as the kind of surface you鈥檒l be walking on.

There’s good reason to take to the trails. Studies show that spending time outside can improve health. Research from the Community Preventive Services Task Force鈥痵uggests that having parks, trails, and greenways鈥攁nd programs that encourage people to use them鈥攈elps increase physical activity and health. According to RTC, 45 percent of people who use their mapping device also say that using the trails helps them manage stress. Another RTC poll found that 87 percent of Americans feel that trails contribute to the well-being of the community overall.

Taking an Earth Day Walk

This year, Rails to Trails鈥� annual event鈥揅elebrate Trails Day鈥揳ligns with Earth Day on April 22 and reinforces the benefits of getting outside. More than 100 RTC chapters across the country have planned trail-side events.听 Join a multi-sensory walking tour on the Marvin Gay trail in DC with a yoga teacher and trail rangers from the . Adaptive athletes will gather for an event in the Philadelphia area. In Columbus, Ohio, members of and Remember Us Urban Scouts will participate in Earth Day programs. Other locations will host walks, bike rides, adaptive equipment demos, and music performances.

鈥淭his programming is such an important part of building a direct connection with folks to the trail,鈥� says Horton. 鈥淚t’s an invitation to get out there on this day and meet people like you who are out on the trail. And hopefully, people connect for the long term.鈥�

Learn more at.

The post Conservancy Group’s Earth Day Programs Celebrate Nature Trails appeared first on 黑料吃瓜网 Online.

When I heard that a new Chick-fil-A cauliflower sandwich was being test-marketed in my area, I marked my calendar and waited for it to drop. The fast food chain is calling it a plant-forward 鈥渟tunt double鈥� for its classic chicken sandwich.

I鈥檓 a omnivore. Most of my meals are vegetarian, but I won鈥檛 turn down a sprinkle of bacon on anything. This cauliflower thing sounded right up my alley.

The Presentation:

The Chick-fil-A in my neighborhood has notoriously long lines so I waited a few days after the February 13 drop for any hubbub to die down. Then I placed an order for a late dinner. When I opened the foil-lined bag, I wasn鈥檛 sure I鈥檇 gotten the right order. I was expecting the perfectly symmetrical disk shape of most . This one looked exactly like the chain鈥檚 classic fried chicken breast. That鈥檚 because the cauliflower wasn鈥檛 chopped up and reformed into a generic patty shape. Instead, you get an entire, unadulterated slice of the vegetable鈥攁 thick filet that, like the chicken, is marinated, coated in a seasoned breading, and pressure-cooked in hot oil. The filet is served on the chain鈥檚 signature buttered toasted bun with two pickle slices, so this is not only plant forward but carb forward. Not that there鈥檚 anything wrong with that.

The Experience:

I took a bite. The cauliflower was cooked just past the texture of a vegetable, but not to the point of mushiness. That means you get a bite, but not a crunch. The cauliflower falls into shreds the way an extra-tender piece of chicken might, although it鈥檚 not pretending to be meat, and frankly, I respect that.

The Taste:

The surprise was the seasoning. While this looks like Chick-fil-A鈥檚 classic sandwich with its straightforward breading, the cauliflower version has a little extra heat. It isn鈥檛 aggressive, but there鈥檚 enough of a This adds interest to the blank slate that is cauliflower.

The Question:

Who is it for? While the company describes the sandwich as 鈥渧egetarian friendly,鈥� it鈥檚 not strictly vegetarian. Because it鈥檚 fried in what may be the same peanut oil that the chicken is fried in and is made in facilities that also prep meat, they can鈥檛 guarantee that it is 100 percent vegetarian. And it鈥檚 definitely not vegan since the breading includes milk. It鈥檚 fried, so it鈥檚 not for the health-obsessed crowd.

The Verdict:

The cauliflower sandwich is good鈥攇ood flavor, good texture, just the right amount of heat. And it satisfies a craving for hot, fried fast food.

It鈥檚 not better than Chick-fil-A鈥檚 signature sandwich, however. So when I roll up to the drive-through menu, I might buy the vegetable sandwich if I want a light meal, though it would then be competing with their salads. The cauliflower just doesn鈥檛 have the heft of the chicken sandwich for anyone who has an appetite.

A Suggestion:

But I have a brilliant idea for what Chick-fil-A could do instead: Break the cauliflower into generous florets, dunk them in that spicy coating, and fry them up. Those plant-forward nuggets would make a terrific side to go with your classic sandwich.

The Chick-fil-A cauliflower sandwich will be available in Denver, Charleston, and North Carolina鈥檚 Greensboro-Triad region through May 20 or while supplies last.

The post I Tried the New Chick-fil-A Cauliflower Sandwich鈥攁nd It Surprised Me appeared first on 黑料吃瓜网 Online.

Summertime sends us outside鈥攚alking, running, hiking, biking, or standing still trying to catch a breeze. What do these activities have in common? They require us to use the power of our legs. In fact, many of our recreational and mundane activities require strong lower limbs. And while summer shorts and swimsuits put our legs on display, that doesn鈥檛 mean we need to stop at simply healthy-looking legs. We want legs with power.

Exercises for Leg Strength

Here we offer quads, hamstrings, calves, and shins. Your leg joints鈥揾ips, knees, and ankles鈥攁lso play a part in the stability of your legs,听 so you want to practice in a way that protects them as well. Strong legs to help prevent falls and injury.

Many of these standing poses are weight bearing鈥攖hey require you to rely on your legs to hold your body weight鈥攁nd that helps build strength, especially if you are practicing hands-free variations. One-legged standing poses stretch one leg while employing the strength of the other, so you balance the contraction and extension of your legs.听 The result is lean and supple legs that get you where you want to go.

Before you begin these poses, warm up by standing in Tadasana () and rooting solidly through your feet. Practice coming up on your toes to build strength in your ankles and affirm your sense of balance.

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Standing tall and pressing your legs together to create a long, strong column before coming into Chair Pose will allow you to feel the stabilizing . Then, as you bend your knees toward a sitting position, you鈥檒l feel your thighs activate to hold you up. Try squeezing a block between your legs to engage the adductor muscles in your .

1. 鈥嬧�婼tand in Tadasana. Inhale and raise your arms overhead so that your biceps are just slightly in front of your ears. Either keep the arms parallel, palms facing inward, or join the palms.
2. Exhale and bend your knees so that your thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible. Your knees will project out over your feet, and your trunk will lean slightly forward over your thighs until your front torso forms approximately a right angle with the tops of your thighs.
3. Keep your inner thighs parallel to each other and press the heads of the thigh bones down toward your heels.
   Firm your shoulder blades against your back. Direct your tailbone down toward the floor and in toward your pubis to keep your long.
4. Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come out of this pose, straighten your knees with an inhalation, lifting strongly through your arms. Exhale and release your arms to your sides into Tadasana.

Variation:听 Half Chair Pose (Standing Figure 4)听

In this asana, you鈥檙e holding your body up with one leg so that one quad is doing the work of two.

• Begin in Tadasana, bend your knees to come into Chair pose.
• Shift your weight to your left foot. Slowly lift the right foot up and cross your right ankle over your left knee so that your ankle bone is to the left of your left thigh, and your shin is perpendicular to your thigh.
• Your hands can reach your arms up, be in Anjali mudra, or be placed on your hips. Keep your lower back long.
• Stay for 30 seconds or longer. To come out of this pose, straighten your leg with an inhalation. Release your right leg to the floor and release your arms to your sides into Tadasana.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

Pyramid Pose | Intense Side Stretch Pose (Parsvottanasana)

engages your front thighs as it stretches your hamstrings. Holding yourself in the pose鈥揺specially if you aren鈥檛 supporting your weight with your hands on the mat鈥搑equires steady strength in your legs.

1. Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) at the top of the mat. Place your hands on your hips.
2. Step your right foot back 2 to 4 feet. Line up heel to heel with your back foot at approximately a 30- to 45-degree angle. Draw your left hip back and in toward your right heel. Keep your hips facing forward and both sides of your waist elongated.
3. On an inhalation, spread your arms out to the sides. On an exhalation, internally rotate your arms, bend your elbows, and bring your palms together behind your back. If this isn鈥檛 feasible, release your hands alongside your feet, on blocks, or on your shin.
4. Inhale, lengthen your spine, and engage your quadriceps. Exhale, hinge at your hips, and begin to fold forward and toward your front thigh.
5. Reach your sternum away from your navel and keep your collar bones broad to maintain openness in your front body and length in your back body. Release your forehead toward your shin.
6. Draw the heads of your and up away from the floor as you remain in the pose.
7. To exit the pose, inhale and use the strength of your legs to come up. Release your arms and step your feet together, returning to Mountain Pose. Repeat on the opposite side.

Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)

You鈥檒l feel this stretch from your to the heel of your lower leg. also engages the quads while it also stretches the back of your leg.

1. From Tadasana, press into the big toe mounds, and level your pelvis and lengthen on the two sides of the torso.
2. Firm your left leg, without hyperextending the left knee. Bend your right leg and clasp the big toe with the first two fingers of your right hand. Press your right foot forward.
3. Lift the sternum up and restore some of the curve of the lower back. Notice if the right hip is higher than the left hip.
4. Find an anterior tilt of the pelvis to deepen the work in the hamstrings.
5. Descend the right hip down and in toward the left foot in order to bring symmetry back to the torso.
6. Hold for anywhere from a few breaths to a couple of minutes, then use an exhale to recommit to the rootedness of the left foot. Release and repeat on the other side.

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

strengthens your legs, including your ankles and feet, one at a time. It also stretches your groin and inner thighs.

1. Stand in Tadasana. Spread your toes, press your feet into the mat and firm your leg muscles. Raise your front hip points toward your lower ribs to gently lift in your lower belly.
2. Inhale deeply, lifting your chest, and exhale as you draw your shoulder blades down your back. Look straight ahead at a steady gazing spot.
3. Place your hands on your hips and raise your right foot high onto your left thigh or shin. Avoid making contact with the knee.
   Press your right foot and left leg into each other.
4. Check that your pelvis is level and squared to the front.
5. When you feel steady, place your hands into Anjali Mudra at the heart or stretch your arms overhead like branches reaching into the sun. Hold for several breaths, then step back into and repeat on the other side.

High Lunge

Holding this pose requires the engagement of both legs. The thigh of your bent leg is active in holding you up, while the back hamstring is stretching. Dipping the back knee toward the floor gives your legs more challenge.

1. From Tadasana (Mountain Pose), inhale, and step your left foot back toward the back edge of your mat, with the ball of the foot on the floor.
2. Reach your arms up, direct your tailbone toward the floor and, bending your right knee, lower your torso until your knee forms a right angle.
3. Firm the left thigh and push it up toward the ceiling, holding the left knee straight. Stretch your left heel toward the floor.
4. Hold for 60 seconds or more.听 To exit , exhale and step your right foot back beside the left. Repeat on the opposite side.

Warrior III Pose (Virabhadrasana III)

The strengthens your ankles and knees, as well as your calves and thighs. You are supporting the weight of your body with the standing leg, but you are also lifting, holding, and stretching the extended leg. Ground down through the foot that you鈥檙e standing on, and don鈥檛 allow that knee to lock or hyperextend.

1. Begin in Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose I) with your right foot forward. Root down firmly with your right heel and draw the abdominals in and up.
2. Straighten your left leg. Turn your left inner thigh toward the ceiling to roll your left outer hip forward, then pivot onto your back toes so your back leg is in a neutral position.
3. Inhale to lengthen your spine. Exhale and tilt your torso forward, and reach your arms out ahead.
4. Shift your weight into your front foot, and tilt forward as you lift your left leg until it is parallel to the floor. Your upper arms frame your ears, and your head, torso, pelvis, and lifted leg to form a straight line.
5. Continue to engage your right outer hip to provide stability for your standing leg.
6. Push back with your left heel while extending forward with your arms, the crown of your head, and your sternum. Tone your lower belly, and direct your tailbone toward your left heel to provide support for your lower back.
7. Hold for 60 seconds or more, then carefully bend your right knee and step back with your left foot, returning to Virabhadrasana I, or bring the left foot to meet the right in Tadasana. Repeat on the other side.

Standing Split Pose (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)

Here鈥檚 another pose that uses a strong leg to stand on. strengthen your thighs and calves, as well as your knees and ankle joints. The back of the lifted leg gets a strong stretch from the hip to the foot. The further you reach with your lifted foot, the more stretch you will find in the back of your standing leg, and if you hold your ankle with your hands, your legs bear weight.

1. Practice Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose), right leg forward. Inhale and cartwheel your left arm up and over your head, creating a nice opening in the left ribs.
2. With an exhale, twist your torso to the right, pivoting on the ball of the left foot to lift the heel off the floor. Then lean forward, lay your front torso onto the right thigh, and set your hands on the floor on either side of the right foot (if your hands don鈥檛 rest comfortably on the floor, support each one on a block).
3. Walk your hands slightly ahead of, and shift your weight onto, the right foot. Then, inhale and slowly straighten your right leg, simultaneously lifting the left leg parallel to the floor.
4. The proper balance of external and internal rotation in each leg is important, especially for the standing leg. Lift your hip away from the floor and angle the pelvis to the right. Try to keep the front pelvis parallel to the floor by internally rotating the left thigh.
5. Pay close attention to your knee on the standing leg. Be sure to rotate the thigh outwardly and turn the knee so the kneecap faces straight ahead.
6. 听Work toward directing equal energy into both legs. You can hold the raised leg more or less parallel to the floor, or try to raise it slightly higher; ideally your torso should descend as the leg ascends. If you鈥檙e , you can grasp the back of the standing-leg ankle with your hand.
7. Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then lower the raised leg with an exhale and repeat on the other side for the same length of time.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

for more mobility.听 Strengthens your .

1. Lie on your back in the center of your mat with your knees bent, your legs and feet parallel and hip-distance apart.
2. Move your feet closer to your buttocks. Press down firmly through both of your feet and inhale to raise your hips, lifting from the pubic bone rather than the navel.
3. Clasp your hands under your back on the floor. Broaden your collarbones and get on top of your shoulders.
4. Firm the outer shins and roll your upper thighs inward. Press down firmly through your heels and lift the back of your thighs and the bottom of your buttocks even higher while keeping the thighs parallel.
5. To finish, exhale, release your hands, and lower to the floor. Allow your back to rest in a neutral state as you observe the spaciousness within your chest.

If you wish to make this pose more challenging, lift your right knee into your torso, then inhale and extend the leg perpendicular to the floor, keeping your hips lifted.听 Hold for 30 seconds, then release your foot to the floor with an exhalation.

Monkey Pose | Splits (Hanumanasana)

After all the strengthening poses, this one鈥搉amed after the deity Hanuman鈥攇ives you the opportunity to stretch both legs entirely. When performed dynamically, it is a .

1. Begin in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose). Step your right foot forward between your hands so your toes are in line with your fingertips. Drop your left knee to the mat, and point your toes. Square your hips toward the front of the mat.
2. Maintaining this alignment, shift your hips back so they stack over your left knee, then adjust your right foot forward to straighten your leg, keeping your hips over your left knee and facing straight forward.
3. Pause here with your fingertips on either side of your right knee; press into your right big toe mound, and extend straight back with your left big toe.
4. Start to slide your right foot forward while continuing to pin your right hip back and in.
5. As your legs open, release your buttocks away from your back waist, and gently tone your abdomen to find a lift in the front of your pelvis.
6. Keep descending your pelvis until the back of your right thigh and the front of your left thigh come to the floor. If your back thigh tends to externally rotate, keep lifting your inner thigh.
7. Descend your tailbone and soften your front ribs, then take your arms to the ceiling with your upper arms framing your ears.
8. Stay for 30 seconds,听 then retrace the entrance, returning to Downward-Facing Dog Pose. Repeat on the other side.

Legs up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

After a yoga session that focuses on strengthening your legs, you may enjoy this restorative pose that takes all weight off your legs.

1. Sit on the floor with your . Lean away from the wall, lowering your body to the floor until you are lying on your side.
2. Roll onto your back and swing your .听 Adjust your position by scooting your tailbone toward the wall. It doesn鈥檛 need to touch the wall.
3. Relax your legs against the wall. Position your feet hip-distance apart or whatever distance feels comfortable.听 You might feel your femurs sink into your hip sockets.
4. Find a comfortable position for your arms at your side, with palms turned up; relax your arms and shoulders. Feel the spine lengthening.
5. Settle into the pose and breathe for at least 10 minutes.
6. To come out of the pose, bend your knees and roll to your side. Remain here for a few breaths before using the strength of your arms to slowly push yourself back up to a seated position.

The post 12 Yoga Poses for Strong Legs appeared first on 黑料吃瓜网 Online.

If you work in an office or, say, drive a bus, there鈥檚 no getting around the fact that you鈥檙e more than you鈥檙e on your feet. But say adding plenty of听 movement to your day is key to good health. That鈥檚 where chair yoga poses come in.

Chair yoga鈥攑oses modified for a seated position鈥攈ave been a boon for people who have injuries, low mobility, or physical disabilities. But even the fittest person can practice asana in a chair to stretch stiff muscles, keep your joints limber, and help improve blood flow.

Almost anything you can do on your mat can be done in a chair. Below is a series of creative chair yoga poses that can help you keep active even when you鈥檙e sitting down.

13 Chair Yoga Poses

Chair yoga poses require a stable, sturdy seat. Yoga studios commonly offer a folding chair set up on a sticky mat to prevent slipping. If you are at home, a kitchen chair or any stable, armless chair will work. Find one that allows you to sit with your feet on the floor with your shins and thighs at a 90-degree angle. Putting blocks under your feet may help. For safety鈥檚 sake, avoid chairs with wheels when practicing chair yoga unless you can lock them to keep them from rolling.

Most chair yoga poses require you to sit with your back away from the back of the chair so that you are able to move freely. But the chair back can also act as a prop to give you more support and leverage, especially in twisting postures. You may also want to keep straps or blocks nearby to facilitate some of the poses.

Urdvha Hastasana (Upward Salute)

1. Sit with your back a few inches from the back of the chair. Lengthen your spine, reaching the crown of your head up and gently releasing your tailbone toward your seat. Lift your chin parallel to the floor.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor with your big toes touching and a little space between your heels. 听(If you experience , practice with your feet hip-distance apart. Place your feet on blocks if they don鈥檛 reach the floor.) Root down with your big toe mounds, your heels, and the outside edges of your feet.
3. Inhale, draw your shoulders back, , and raise your arms overhead with your hands shoulder-distance apart and palms facing each other.
4. If you鈥檙e able to keep your arms straight, reach up and touch your palms, bringing your gaze to your thumbs. If your shoulders are tight, take your arms out wider than your shoulders.
5. Take several breaths. Release your arms down.

Marjaryasana (Cat Pose)

1. Sit on your chair with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Let your hands rest on your .
3. On an exhalation听round your spine toward the back of your chair. Drop your chin toward your chest and draw your lower belly in and up.
4. Take several breaths. To release the pose, come back to your original seated position.

Bitilasana (Cow Pose)

1. Sit on your chair with your feet and knees hip-width apart. Let your hands rest on your knees.
2. Inhale and arch your back. Lengthen along the back of your neck and your lower back to create a long, even curve.
3. Lift your chin and sternum, broaden your collarbones, and allow your shoulders to fall back and away from your ears.
4. Take several breaths. Return to a neutral spine.

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

1. Sit on your chair with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Inhale and arch your back, allowing your to touch the back of your chair.
3. Lift your chin and sternum, broaden your collarbones, and allow your shoulders to fall back and away from your ears.
4. Reach your arms back to grasp the legs of the chair. Rotate your arms externally so that the inside of your elbows face out.
5. On your next inhalation, press your chest forward and up, allowing your rib cage to expand and creating a long even curve through your mid and upper back.
6. Take several breaths. To release the pose, release your hands, tuck your chin, and come back to your original seated position.

Happy Baby

1. Sit toward the front edge of the chair with your feet on the floor, a little more than hip-width apart.
2. Reach the crown of your head up and draw your tailbone down to find length in your back.
3. As you exhale, at your hips and bring your belly between your thighs. You may choose to widen your legs to create more space for your torso.
4. Inhale and reach down between your legs and grasp your outer shins, ankles, or feet.
5. Gently pull your torso down between your thighs, lowering your body toward the floor.

Take several breaths. To release the pos, let go of your grip and come back to your original seated position.

King Arthur鈥檚 Pose

1. Sit in a chair with your sit bones about midway on the seat. Shift yourself toward the right side of the seat and place your feet flat on the floor with your knees hip-width apart.
2. Keep your right thigh connected to the chair seat as you bend your right knee, lift your foot off the floor, and point your toes toward the back of the chair.
3. Reach down with your right hand and grasp your ankle. Gently lift it toward your body until you feel a strong stretch in your quadricep and the front of your shin. (If you can鈥檛 reach your ankle, loop a strap or towel around your foot.)
4. Take several breaths. Lower your foot and come back to your original seated position. Repeat on the opposite side.

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

1. Sit toward the front edge of the chair. Inhale deeply, lifting your chest, and exhale as you draw your shoulder blades down your back. Look straight ahead at a steady gazing spot.
2. Extend your left leg straight out in front of you. Flex your toward the floor.
3. Open your right leg out to the side, keeping your knee bent and your foot or toes on the floor.
4. Place your hands in Anjali Mudra at your heart or stretch your arms overhead.
5. Take several breaths. To release the pose, come back to your original seated position. Repeat the pose on the other side.

Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)

1. Sit so that your body is on the left side of the chair and your left thigh clears the seat.
2. Extend your left leg straight out to the side.听Firm your thigh and straighten your leg as much as possible.
3. Inhale and raise your arms straight out from your shoulders听and parallel to the floor. Keep your shoulder blades wide and your palms down.
4. Exhale and lean your torso to the left, bending from your . Reach your left arm out and down toward your extended leg, resting your left hand on your shin or thigh. Reach your right arm toward the ceiling.
5. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn to look either at your right hand or down at the ground.
6. Take several breaths. Inhale and reach up with your right hand as you bring your torso up. Then bring your left leg back to center. Shift your body to the right side of your chair and repeat the posture on the other side.

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

1. Sit toward the front edge of your chair so that your buttocks are supported but your knees clear the seat.
2. Open your legs wide, so that your knees point away from each other.
3. Sit tall, pressing your shoulder blades against your upper back to lift through your sternum. Reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling.
4. Keep your knees wide as you bring your feet together. Open your feet as if you were opening the pages of a book, keeping the outer edges of your feet together.
5. Place your hands on your thighs and gently press your thighs away from each other.
6. Take several breaths. Slowly release and come back to your original seated position.

High Lunge

1. Sit facing the left side of your chair so that your thighs are fully supported. Shift toward the front of the chair so that your right thigh clears the seat.
2. Keeping both hips facing forward, extend your right leg straight back. with the ball of your foot on the floor. Firm your thigh and push it up toward the ceiling to straighten your leg as much as possible.
3. Inhale and reach your arms toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders wide and your arms aligned with your ears.
4. Take several breaths. To release the pose, release your arms and bring your right leg forward.
5. Turn to face the right side of your chair and repeat the posture on the other side.

Uttita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)

1. Sit facing the left side of your chair so that your thighs are fully supported on the seat. Shift yourself to the right, near the front side of the chair, so that your right thigh clears the seat.
2. Extend your right leg back. Open your hips toward the front of the chair. Straighten your right leg and place the bottom of your right foot on the floor with your toes facing forward.
3. Lean your torso toward your left knee, hinging at your hips to bring your left arm toward the floor. Place your left fingertips on the ground or on a block, so your arm and shin are parallel.
4. Reach your right arm toward the ceiling. Extend it alongside your right ear, palm facing the floor, or bend your right elbow and reach back to grasp the back of the chair.
5. Rotate your torso to turn your chest toward your top arm. Turn your head to look toward the ceiling.
6. Take several breaths. To release the pose, press yourself up with your left hand and bring your right leg in to return to your seated position.
7. Turn to face the right side of your chair and repeat the posture on the other side.

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes)

1. Sit facing the right side of your chair so that your thighs are fully supported on the seat.
2. Cross your right leg over your left.
3. Inhale as you lengthen your spine and lift both arms toward the ceiling.
4. Exhale and twist to the right as you bring your hands down to grasp the back of the chair.
5. Turn your head to the right, looking past your right shoulder. Make sure you don鈥檛 strain your neck.
6. Take several breaths. To release the pos, inhale and reach your arms up and then exhale and unwind your body. Place both feet on the floor.
7. Turn to the left side of your chair and repeat the posture on that side.

Marichyasana 3

1. Sit with your spine supported by the back of the chair. Lengthen your spine and gently release your tailbone toward the seat.
2. Place your feet on the floor hip-width apart.
3. Lift your right knee and draw it in toward your chest. Pace your right foot on the seat of the chair as close to your right sitting bone as possible.
4. Inhale and lengthen your spine. Exhale and twist to the right. Grasp your right knee with your left hand or wrap your left elbow around your right knee.
5. Drape your right arm over the back of your chair 听and either grasp the chair back or clasp your hands together.
6. Take several breaths. Lengthen on each inhalation and gently twist a bit more with each exhalation.
7. To release the pose, lower your arms, unwind your body, and place your right foot back on the floor. Repeat on the other side.

For in-depth descriptions, variations, and tips for practicing the yoga poses you see here, visit the .

The post 13 Yoga Poses You Can Do Without Leaving Your Chair appeared first on 黑料吃瓜网 Online.