How To Avoid Exercise Injuries

I bet there were times in your life when you actually felt worse after taking a yoga or exercise class.  I know I have

👉This week I go over How to avoid exercise injuries👈

In case you're new to me or are just wondering who the heck I am, let me (re)introduce myself and where I'm coming from.

I'm Jen James of Celestial Yoga, LLC, and a certified yoga and meditation teacher for over 18 years now and am a health and wellness coach too. 

👉This week I go over How to avoid exercise injuries👈

My specialty is to help empathetic women manage chronic pain and stress through a holistic approach with gentle yoga exercises, mindfulness and self-care techniques.

👉This week I go over How to avoid exercise injuries👈

❤️ I chose today's topic because I have a feeling you too have actually felt worse after participating in a yoga class. I have seen first hand many yoga teachers unknowingly teach yoga postures that are actually doing more harm than good because they are focusing on over stretching and over lengthening muscles that are already over stretched and over lengthened.

👉Shortly, I’m going to talk about some practical tips that have worked for many of my students that I taught in person for many years👈

My mentor and teacher Lee Albert, an Integrated Positional Therapist, designed his training after working with physical therapists, and is trained in orthopedic massage, myofascial release and neuromuscular therapy.

His belief system is that in order to relieve the present condition it is vital that the body be brought back into balance and alignment.

Lee Albert says, we should aim to lengthen a contracted, tight muscle and strengthen the weak muscles.  Plus, increase the range of motion of a restricted joint.

I was taught by Lee Albert, Muscle Re-Balancing, and I’m excited to bring his work to the yoga community. 

I’ve been teaching Muscle Re-Balancing for about 5 years now and it’s changed the way I teach yoga.

If you now think about the legs and hips as areas that can either be tight or weak depending on what is going on in your body.  You can start to analysis and be your own detective.

👉Stay with me, I promise, I’m going to go over some practical tips that you can use right away👈

First, I want to share with you a testimonial from Sue Dumont, one of my students that I taught one-on-one in person for many years.

“I have been doing private yoga sessions with Jen …. 

I had a total knee replacement almost 5 years ago and had decreased strength and flexibility and turned to yoga to help regain it. 

I have improved immensely. 

Jen developed a plan to help me meet my goals. 

She is knowledgeable , patient , encouraging and fun! 

I have seen continued improvement in my strength and flexibility since working with her. 

I would highly recommend Jen for yoga especially if you have medical issues, she researched exercises that would help my specific problem areas.  

I really look forward to my time with her, I feel great after our classes!”

Honestly, not to toot my own horn, I wished there was someone like me guiding me a few years back.  

👉Read below where I give you some tips and exercises that I'm sure you will love👈

When my student comes to me with knee issues I like to see what their range of motion actually is and where they feel tightness or pain.

What I see most of the time is that the upper thigh area, the hip flexor (front hip area that connects to the thigh) and calf muscles are short and tight.

Then what is common is the back of the thigh, and buttocks areas are overly stretched while the hips unnaturally tilt.   

Usually it is because of an injury but also overuse.

Whether you sit or stand too much.

But also how you relax, work or perform repetitive movements that can cause your body to come out of alignment. 

This can all be a recipe for knee and hip pain.

Know that this is a process and not an overnight sensation.

There is no such thing as a magic pill or quick fix.

What I have found is relaxing, strengthening and stretching certain muscles are key to the journey towards the healing process and help prevent injuries when exercising.

In my Private Facebook Group I go over these exercises that are proven to help counteract the repetitive movements we are doing to keep us safe when we exercise.

1. We start off with warming up our lower body muscles doing Hip Circles (with straight leg and then bent leg) 
2. We then move on to stretching the hips and buttocks area doing the Captain Morgan exercise (what my mentor playfully nicknamed) utilizing stairs or a step stool; and then
3. Dancer's pose to stretch the hip flexor and upper thigh areas, again using the stairs or a step stool.  

IF YOU ARE INTRIGUED BY WHAT I’M SAYING HERE BUT NOT SURE WHERE TO START

OR 

YOU ARE SOMEWHAT AWARE OF THESE TIPS AND ARE LOOKING FOR MORE INSPIRATION AND SUPPORT 

👉THEN I GOT YOU COVERED! 👈

I hear all the time how intimidating holistic living can seem to be and how hard it is too squeeze into your busy life. 

I have a weekly blog and private group where I cover holistic living and almost every week go live covering yoga, mediation, breathing exercises, and/or self-care.  

This blog and community are filled with simple and approachable tips, techniques and practical holistic living advice. 

Share your experience with me in the comments below, or send me a private message and let me know how you feel after you try out the tips and techniques I share weekly here.  ❤️

Have a beautiful day and Namaste,

Jen James

Celestial Yoga, LLC 

p.s.  ❤️ Feel free to reply back or send me a DM/PM if you have any questions or comments.  I'm here to listen.