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Yoga Bytes - August 24, 2007
Getting the Juices Flowing
The humidity has made me sluggish and brain dead. What's been helping is the warm-up exercises from class. This one really gets the juices flowing, and at the same time, you're giving yourself a pat on the back!
Bear Hug
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart where you can swing your arms freely without crashing into anything. Inhale as you throw your arms wide as though you are about to hug someone very dear to you. As you exhale, throw your arms around yourself in a big bear hug that squeezes the breath out of you.
Repeat this several times making sure that you are inhaling as your arms fly open and exhaling as they wrap around you again. Alternate which arm comes out on top during the hug portion of the movement.
The bear hug helps loosen tight shoulders, replace stale air with fresh and promotes self-esteem. To increase this last benefit you can repeat to yourself, "I love you," and "You done good."