Increase your focus and help improve brain power
Yoga poses to help stimulate your mind
Mar 1, 2019, 7:55 am
Increase your focus and help improve brain power
There are so many distractions nowadays that it's so hard just to take your mind off everything and focus on one thing. I want you to try this. Really try to take a few minutes out of your day to try these four poses. Even if it is just the first one, tadasana or Prayer pose (it is harder than you think) but try it. You will be thankful to get a minute of peace, to rest your mind and focus. Considering I am still in a pretty rookie position with yoga, I brought in yoga expert Nathalie Kosman for help! For your viewing, she is doing each position pretty solid in the bottom right hand corner, as you can see I am wobblier than a poorly assembled IKEA coffee table.
1) Prayer pose or Tadasana
Tadasana is the foundational pose for all standing yoga postures and full inversions, such as headstands, handstands, etc. The purpose of the pose is to get grounded. You want to feel the ground below you, close eyes, and take a deep breath. Even though this is a beginner pose, this is a restorative and balance pose. So open your palms, rib cage, and mind. Prayer pose is considered a base pose, since prayer pose variations can be derived from this pose. Prayer pose is considered a warm up yoga pose to prepare the body for more intense yoga poses/ yoga flow.
2) Eagle Pose
You will want to watch Nathalie below in the right-hand corner for this one, as I struggled here. This posture resembles the shape of an eagle taking flight. This pose strengthens the lower body, opens the shoulders, and improves balance and concentration. Start off by setting your gaze and remember to breath and focus. Stay for 30 seconds, then unwind the legs and arms and repeat on the other side (legs and arms reversed).
3) Warrior III
Warrior III improves balance, memory and concentration, and tones and invigorates the whole body. From Mountain pose, step the right foot a foot length forward and shift all of your weight onto this leg. Inhale the arms over your head and interlace the fingers, pointing the index finger up. As you exhale, lift the left leg up and out, hinging at the hips to lower the arms and torso down towards the floor. Look down at the floor and stare at a point for balance. Reach out through the left toes and the crown and fingers making one straight line. Breathe and hold for 2-6 breaths. To release: inhale the arms up to lower the leg back to the floor and step both feet together back into Mountain pose. Hold on each side for 30 seconds to challenge your balance, and then repeat on other side
4) Supported Headstand
Finish your practice with Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) to calm your brain. For beginners, I would suggest using a wall behind, so you can practice with your feet on the wall. Come on to all fours with your heels at the wall, make sure you keep your shoulders directly over your wrists and lift up in to a shortened dog pose. Then bring one leg up at a time so your foot is in line with your hips keeping your knees bent. When you feel comfortable in position straighten both legs (think strong warrior 3 legs) to bring yourself in to the pose. Press through your feet, lengthen through your sides, engage your abdominals and lift your shoulders up away from your ears.
Check out Nathalie at The Preserve, Fit Athletic Club, and Equinox for individual or groups classes.
University of Houston Athletics are in a “Luv ya blue” mood and they don’t care who knows it — not even the NFL.
The university has announced that its football and volleyball teams will wear new Houston Blue jerseys, reminiscent of the classic colors of the Houston Oilers era. The volleyball team's uniform will debut theirs starting November 9 against Texas Tech, while the football team will debut theirs against Baylor on November 23. At the latter event, the first 20,000 fans will receive commemorative Houston Blue rally towels.
The resemblance of the new colors to the Oilers brand was not lost on the NFL. When UH Athletics started incorporating Houston Blue into their uniforms in September 2023, the NFL sent a cease-and-desist letter claiming the uniforms were an attempt to leech off the legacy of the Oilers and the intellectual property of the team now known as the Tennessee Titans. As if to prove the point, the Titans have occasionally worn Columbia blue throwback uniforms at certain games.
UH is unbothered according to vice president for intercollegiate athletics Eddie Nuñez.
“As a university deeply connected to the fabric of Houston, incorporating ‘Houston Blue’ into our uniforms is a powerful way to celebrate the city’s rich history,” he said. “From iconic blue street markers to the Houston Police Department’s signature blue police cars and helicopters, this color holds a special place in the hearts of Houstonians. We’re thrilled to share this tradition with our fans and offer them the chance to show their pride through exclusive merchandise, making it an exciting time for Cougar Nation to rally together.”
The accompanying press release for the uniforms came with a helpful history lesson showing that the Oilers adopted a color widely associated with Houston, not the other way around. The city has incorporated blue into public infrastructure, from street curbs to city vehicles, since the 1920s. The Oilers weren’t even the first Houston team to use blue in their uniforms. That honor belongs to the minor league baseball team, the Houston Buffs.
UH will be offering a wide range of merchandise to sell in the new Houston Blue colors in person and online through the University of Houston Bookstore as well as at select local retailers. These include shirts, hats, polos, jerseys, and hoodies. Get them before the NFL sends a more strongly-worded letter.
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Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Tickets are $75 for VIP and $50 for General Admission. For a limited time, we’re giving you $10 off; use code SPORTSMAP at checkout. Get your tickets now!