Whether you are on the road, in a campground, or just stuck at home during quarantine, you can always exercise. I’ve been dancing since I was a young child, so I have a very strong bias for dance as a way of exercising, but I also like to change it up with other types of exercise. It turns out that we have a lot of options, even when we can’t access the gym. Chair Pose (Utkatasana in Sanskrit) is a great example of an at-home, equipment-free exercise which can strengthen a variety of muscles in very little time. You don’t have to spend forever and a day in Chair Pose to reap its benefits. This makes it a perfect fit for our busy lives.
Get Updates on the Latest Blog Posts
If you’ve been participating in our ongoing Posture 1-2-3 Challenge for alumni, chances are you’ve seen my longtime student, Joan Baez, who regularly joins in. At age 79, she’s sturdy and beautiful, with shapely legs, toned arms, and a peachy, perky butt. Although we’ve all enjoyed her bodacious pipes for many decades, she hasn’t always been such a well-rounded posture student. In her 20s and 30s, her boombox was highly functional, but her booty was lacking. Learn how a posture upgrade helped Joan develop her glutes, and how you can develop yours, too -- regardless of age!
My mom had beautiful posture when she was young, as you can see in the photo above. Healthy posture has helped her age well. After working with some Gokhale Method techniques, her pain has subsided. She now sleeps better and has more energy. I recently took the opportunity to teach her a new technique to help with her housework. One is never too old to learn a few Gokhale Method tricks. And we never know what changes are possible until we try!
How are you faring? Here in California, we’re still squarely in shelter-in-place mode, settling into “normal-for-now.” Some people, whose professions allow it, are still acclimating to the experience of working from home. How can we optimize our home work environments? I recently had a discussion with a full-time writer. Steve decided to have a new writing desk built to specs, and was curious to get my take on how to make sure his new desk, and home working environment more generally, is supportive of healthy posture. Read on to learn more!
Everyone in this 1957 photograph reflects effortless elegance and poise. Their shoulders rest toward the back of their torsos, and their necks and backs are elongated. My mom and dad are on the left.
Despite recent complaints of leg and knee pain at night, my mom resisted Gokhale Method instruction. At 95 years old, she said she was too old to change.
However, I could see that certain activities increased her pain. In the end, she consented to instruction — and subsequently reported diminished leg pain and increased stability in walking.
NYC-area Gokhale Method teacher Deepa Jain, based in Yonkers, is no stranger to relying on her body to get through the day. She teaches dance as well as the Gokhale Method. Public transportation and her feet shuttle her from one task or errand to the next.
I recently learned of Deepa’s specific posture-based responses to the COVID era and was inspired to share her good results. They are helpful reminders of how healthy posture is a practical tool we can take with us in any circumstance, including the uncertain times we are now living through.
Anissa Morgan is 46 years old and was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. In her own words, her relationship with her body has “always been a little messed up.” She didn’t like how she looked
Back, neck, and joint pain may be flaring up for many of us, especially those who have come to depend on palliative interventions such as massage, chiropractic, and physical therapy.
Does it seem to
Coronavirus is a quickly-developing story, and one we’re doing our utmost to address.
We’ve all had a rough week. The spread of coronavirus has led to major disruptions in our existing routines