Melanie Schorr Yoga & Pilates - Pose Library

Benefits of Child's Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 13:55:15 GMT

Pose Benefits

Stretches the back
Relieves back & neck pain
Reduces stress & fatigue
Stimulates digestion

Camel Pose: How to Correctly Execute

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:11:08 GMT

Pose Benefits

Improves flexibility of the hips, shoulders and lower back
Stretches the ankles, thighs, groin & hip flexors
Stimulates abdominal organs

Modifications

Put your hands on your hips
Keep your neck wherever comfortable

Downward-Facing Dog: How to Properly Execute This Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:11:04 GMT

Pose Benefits

Energizes the body
Stretches the hands, shoulders, back, hamstrings & calves
Strengthens the arms, legs & feet
Improves the immune system & digestion
Relieves headaches, back pain, insomnia & fatigue

Modifications

Place a rolled up blanket or yoga mat under your heels
Bend your knees
Place blocks under your hands

The Benefits of Lotus Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:54 GMT

Pose Benefits

Stretches the ankles & knees
Opens the hips
Calms the mind
Relieves sciatica & menstrual discomfort

Modifications

Sit in a half lotus or with your legs crossed
Sit on a block or a rolled up blanket
Sit with your back against a wall

How-to: Extended Side Angle Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:51 GMT

Pose Benefits

Strengthens the legs, knees & ankles
Improves posture
Stretches the groin, waist, back, chest & shoulders
Relieves stress
Stimulates abdominal organs

Modifications

Place a block or blocks under your hand
If you suffer from neck pain or injury, keep your head in neutral

Ray Of Light Pose C

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:47 GMT

Pose Benefits

Strengthens the back & core
Stretches the shoulders & hips
Improves posture
Stimulates digestive organs

Modifications

If you can't clasp your hands behind your back, use a strap

Upward Plank Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:40 GMT

Pose Benefits

Strengthens the wrists, arms & legs
Stretches the shoulders, chest & ankles

Modifications

Roll the end of your mat and place your hands on top
Roll up a blanket or towel and place your hands on it

Head-to-Knee Forward Bend

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:35 GMT

Pose Benefits

Stretches the shoulders, spine, groin & hamstrings
Stimulates the liver & kidneys
Relieves anxiety, stress, headaches & menstrual discomfort
Improves digestion

Modifications

Put a yoga strap around your foot and hold the strap as close to your foot as you can
If your hips are tight, sit on a block or a rolled up blanket
Use a bolster to rest your body on

Standing Forward Bend

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:31 GMT

Pose Benefits

Relieves stress, depression & menopause symptoms
Reduces anxiety & fatigue
Stretches the hamstrings, calves & hips
Stimulates the liver, kidneys & digestive system

Modifications

Place a strap under your feet and hold it as close to your feet as you can

Triangle Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:27 GMT

Pose Benefits

Improves posture and shoulder alignment
Stretches the hips, groin, ankles, knees & thighs
Stimulates abdominal organs
Relieves back pain, sciatica & neck pain
Helps with anxiety, depression & fatigue

Modifications

If you can’t touch your toe, put your arm on your leg where you can
Use a block or blocks to rest your hand on
If you suffer from neck pain or injury, keep your head in neutral

Crow Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:19 GMT

Pose Benefits

Stretches the back
Relieves back & neck pain
Reduces stress & fatigue
Stimulates digestion

Modifications

Rest your head on a block or blocks

Heron Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:16 GMT

Pose Benefits

Stretches the thigh, ankle & shin of the bend leg
Stretches the hamstring, shin, ankle & Achilles tendon of the straight leg
Stimulates the heart & abdominal organs
Improves core strength

Modifications

Put a yoga strap around your foot and hold the strap
If you can’t sit flat, put a block or a rolled up blanket under your sit bone

Seated Angle Pose B

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:10 GMT

Pose Benefits

Calms the mind
Stretches the hamstrings, thighs & calves
Strengthens the spine
Stimulates internal organs

Modifications

Place a strap around each foot and hold each strap
Do the pose while leaning against a wall

Upward Facing Intense Stretch Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:05 GMT

Pose Benefits

Strengthens the abdomen and lower back
Stretches the hamstrings, shoulders & spine
Improves digestion & concentration
Calms the mind

Modifications

Use a strap around your feet and hold the strap
Do the pose leaning against a wall

Rooster Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:03 GMT

Pose Benefits

Strengthens the wrists, arms, elbows & shoulders
Increases balance
Improves digestion

Modifications

Put your hands on a block or blocks

Raised Lotus Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:00 GMT

Pose Benefits

Strengthens the wrists, arms, shoulders & abdomen

Modifications

Use blocks under your hands

Headstand Pose

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 03:59:06 GMT

Pose Benefits

Calms the mind & helps with concentration
Strengthens the arms, legs, abdomen & spine
Stimulates internal organs
Relieves stress, anxiety, asthma & insomnia

Modifications

Put a rolled up blanket or towel under your head
Place your legs on a chair
Do the pose against a wall

The importance of posture and alignment

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:03:23 GMT

Why is it important?

Proper posture and alignment are important because both affect the way you move and carry your body and weight. Alignment and posture both play a role in balance. Learning proper alignment and to appreciate how it affects your posture can help you on a day to day basis e.g. while sitting, standing, and walking.

Proper posture helps you to decrease the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in arthritis and keep your bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are being used properly.

Is the mind/body connection important for healing?

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:03:20 GMT

Yoga can help you physically, but it can also help you mentally. Yoga can help ease pain and tension, but also consider that there is a connection between body and mind. Your mind has a powerful effect on your body and yoga can help with calming the mind and relaxing.

How can yoga help with injuries & pain?

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:03:18 GMT

Having been involved in 2 serious accidents and suffering from pain myself. I found that yoga helped me with my pain, I realized I could help others with these issues as well.

What type of yoga do you teach and practice?

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 18:49:53 GMT

I personally enjoy Ashtanga and Hatha and that is also what I teach my students.

What Is chronic pain?

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 18:49:51 GMT

Chronic pain is pain that lasts for more than 6 months. Chronic pain can affect many facets of a person’s life. Chronic pain can lead to psychological symptoms or exacerbate existing psychological conditions.

Why don’t you do larger group sessions?

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 18:49:49 GMT

People can be at different levels even in a beginner class. Some yoga positions may be difficult for a person to do if they have chronic pain or just haven't been active for a while. In a private or small group session, your instructor will make sure that you are able to do each position properly.

Are meditation and Pranayama the same thing?

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 18:49:47 GMT

No. Pranayama (yogic breathing) is the practice of controlling breath. “Prana” refers to the vital energy/life force that nourishes us. Although they both involve breathing and concentration, meditation is the practice of cultivating awareness about our habitual thought patterns and pranayama is the practice of refining breathing ability and awareness of prana flow. It is felt that minding the breath is central to the practice of yoga. Meditation can be a component of yoga classes.

4 reasons why you should do yoga therapy

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 01:44:17 GMT

All yoga is meant to be therapeutic, but yoga therapy takes this to the next level. Yoga therapy, kind of like physical therapy, works on healing the body after an injury or after surgery. Yoga therapy also works on the mind, benefitting people that suffer from mental and emotional illnesses. It is different than a regular yoga class because it focuses specifically in these aspects, addressing your physical, mental and emotional needs.

If you are suffering physically, mentally or emotionally, here are a few reasons why you should do yoga therapy.

It's designed to help you

A regular studio yoga class can normally ease everyday aches, pains and stress, but they do not specifically target your individual needs. This is very important, especially if you have an injury, chronic pain or are healing after surgery. A private yoga therapy session is tailored to you and your needs, and often includes not only the physical aspect of yoga (asanas), but also breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation. Each session works with your physical, mental and emotional needs, and evolves week-after-week to help you heal.

It helps you heal

Or, at the very least, help you to manage your pain or illness. Each session focuses on your specific condition and ways that you can overcome it, feel better and function better. Yoga therapy works on more than just the standard yoga methods and techniques. It integrates a number of aspects to help you to deal with physical, mental and emotional problems that will allow you to improve your life. A yoga therapist is able to put a program together that will work for you and help you manage your symptoms. This includes improving your movement and improving your attitude when it comes to dealing with your health conditions. In short, it will help you lead a better life.

It's hands-on

People often get lost in a regular studio yoga class. They have no idea what is going on and there is often no hands-on help from the teacher. A yoga therapy session is very hands-on. In fact, if the instructor (or therapist) is not hands-on and directly involved in your session, then you should change teachers. The whole point of yoga therapy is to help you heal, or learn to manage your pain or illness. This can’t be done without your yoga instructor guiding you through every step and helping you along the way. The focus is, after all, on your specific needs, and a good instructor will be able to come up with ways to help you through asanas, pranayama and meditation. It’s not about teaching yoga techniques as much as it about helping you overcome your challenges and help you to gain confidence and independence.

It combines different aspects

As I've already mentioned, yoga therapy will often include different aspects to help with physical, mental and emotional needs. It can also include other aspects, like pilates. If you chose a yoga therapist that is also a pilates instructor (like myself) then both practices can be combined to help you overcome your injuries. This is especially important with physical injuries. Bringing in pilates will teach you how to isolate specific muscles and teach you how to use your core in everything that you do. Whether you have a knee injury or a back injury, combining yoga and pilates will really help you to heal from these injuries, or help you to maintain them so that you can carry on with your regular life.

5 ways yoga may be able to help you with depression

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 01:44:15 GMT

Depression is a huge problem in the world today. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) have ranked depression as being one of the top three global disease burdens on the planet. It not only takes a toll on you mentally, but also physically . This is where yoga can help. Yoga has always been accepted as a way to promote calmness and relaxation, which makes it a great way to treat depression. Here are a few reasons why yoga can be used as a treatment for depression.

It can influence neurotransmitters

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps to control the part of the brain that centres around pleasure. It regulates emotional responses, and gives the brain motivation, pleasurable feelings and energy. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that sends signals between the brain and the nerve system, controlling your mood balance. Having an imbalance of these neurotransmitters have been linked to depression, as both contribute to the feelings of happiness and pleasure. An imbalance happens when the brain is not naturally producing enough of one or both of these neurotransmitters, or the receptors aren’t able to receive enough of them to transmit to the brain.

There are studies that have been done that show that yoga has the ability to influence neurotransmitters in a similar way to anti-depressants. A combination of asanas and pranayama (breathing exercises) have been known to help with mood changes - helping to increase your Dopamine and Serotonin levels. Yoga can also affect the autonomic nervous system, which has a big influence on your mood.

It teaches awareness

In addition to having psychological benefits, yoga also teaches awareness. This is something that people who struggle with depression often lack, which can cause them to respond in anxious ways, like having a panic attack. Self-awareness helps you to notice what is going on with your mental state and your body, and being able to control it before it controls you. Yoga breathing techniques (pranayama) are a great way to learn this. They can help you to calm your breathing down and to focus. To know what is going on with your body and your mind. This is why people say that yoga helps you to be present and mindful. It teaches you how to stay in the moment and focus on the now.

It teaches acceptance

Yoga teaches you how to accept any given situation. This then helps you to deal with things much better. It does this by teaching you how to accept yourself, your body and your limitations. You may not be able to get into that pretzel yoga pose, but you accept this and focus on poses that you can do. Not every body is the same or is built the same way. You may not be able to touch your toes, but you may be able to bend backwards further than anyone else that you know. Accepting this will also help you accept other things in your life, because yoga teaches you how to notice how you feel; your body, your breath and your mind. And it teaches you to accept these feelings. Learning acceptance on the yoga mat will teach you how to accept situations in everyday life.

It gets blood flowing

Yoga promotes blood flow, which increases the delivery of oxygen and improves the circulatory system. Some yoga poses temporarily cut off the blood supply of a particular organ. Then, when coming out of the pose, the blood’s pressure and volume to that organ has reached its maximum capacity and a new flow of oxygenated blood rushes in. This establishes a good heart rate, which is not only great for overall health, but for treating depression.

There are no side effects

Unlike anti-depressants, yoga has no side effects. Well none other than feeling great, both inside and out. The only side effect to doing yoga is having sore muscles. But this is temporary. A balanced autoimmune system will make your brain work better, and we already know that yoga has a positive effect on the autonomic nervous system. Therefore, yoga is a great treatment for depression, and is a great alternative to anti-depressants. It can also be used in addition to prescribed medication to help with the treatment of depression.

5 benefits of private prenatal yoga

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 01:44:12 GMT

There are many benefits of doing yoga while pregnant. It will open up your hips, teach you how to breathe, strengthen your muscles and help combat stress. In fact, there are actual studies that prove that yoga is great to not only help you while you are pregnant, but also while giving birth.

There are numerous yoga studios that offer prenatal yoga classes in the GTA, but this doesn’t mean that these classes are the right choice for you. There are actually many reasons why they may not be, and why private prenatal yoga sessions are the better choice. Here are the benefits of doing private prenatal yoga classes.

They are designed specifically for you

In a group prenatal yoga class, the class is designed so that anyone at any level can join. They are also open to mothers at any stage in their pregnancy, so you will have people in the class in their first, second and third trimesters. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it also means that the class is not designed for you. When you do private yoga sessions they are designed specifically for you and your needs. Private classes take into consideration what stage you are in your pregnancy, and are modified each week as you progress further into your pregnancy. As well, if you have any injuries, these can be properly accommodated.

They go at your pace

If you have years of yoga experience and don’t want to do the gentle stretching and slow breathing that many prenatal yoga classes offer, private prenatal yoga is great for you. Prenatal yoga doesn’t have to be slow paced. It can be just as vigorous as it was before you were pregnant, within reason, of course. You can still continue to do much of what you did before you became pregnant, making modifications as your tummy gets bigger. The same is true if you are an absolute beginner and are doing yoga for the first time. A program will be designed for you and at the pace that you need.

You 're not locked in

Most prenatal classes are prepaid, and if you don’t show up you won’t get a refund. The problem with this is that pregnancies are unpredictable. You never know when you may have an off day. Or you may have a complication when further along that will prohibit you from doing any more yoga. When you do private prenatal yoga classes there is no commitment. You can stop whenever you need to. You can even cancel your session if you are having a bad day. This will cost you nothing, so you aren’t losing any money. You don’t have to prepay for private yoga classes. You just pay as you go.

You choose the day and time

Yoga studios that offer prenatal yoga teach on set days, at set times. Sometimes they are even taught as workshops, for example; every Saturday at 12:30 for 6 weeks. This means that there are specific days, times and even dates that the class takes place. When you do private prenatal yoga you get to choose the day and time that works for you. So if you want to do it before you go to work in the morning you can. You can practice in the evening, in the afternoon or on the weekend. It’s completely up to you.

You don't have to leave home

One of the great things about doing any kind of private yoga is that you do it in the comfort of your home. This means that you don’t have to go anywhere to enjoy the benefits of prenatal yoga. I come to you! This is a huge advantage as you get further along in your pregnancy, as you may find it uncomfortable to leave your house, get in a car and drive somewhere. I come to you with all of the equipment needed to enjoy a safe, prenatal yoga session.

Doing yoga at the office

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 01:44:11 GMT

It seems that back pain is the single leading cause of disability in the workplace worldwide. According to this article, yoga has positive effects on alleviating back pain and should be incorporated in the workplace because stretching, breathing and relaxation can reduce absences due to back pain and other such musculoskeletal conditions. The article looks at the benefits of implementing workplace yoga programmes.

This article from “Quartz at Work” looks at how yoga practice can help you better manage work-postures and provides some sample yoga poses. Staying in one position for too long can be damaging for your neck and back. It is explained that a person’s head could weigh up to 12 lbs. when a person sits in a neutral, upright position and with every degree that the head tilts forward, it becomes relatively heavier. For example, at a 45 degree angle, your head feels like a 48 lb. anchor, which is a strong strain that compresses every neck joint. Because of this weight, a person could experience headaches, stiffness, pinched nerves and shooting pain in the arms and the neck. It is also important to consider that studies show that poor posture affects mood, which affects your concentration.

How to set yourself up for a good at-home yoga practice

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 01:44:09 GMT

Practicing yoga at home has many benefits, including convenience. It is important to set up a calm, safe space for your practice.

Some tips to create a calm and mindful space include:

Choose a room you can dedicate to your yoga practice, that is clutter free and free of work/reminders of work;
Play relaxing music or create a “yoga playlist” to inspire you/motivate you;
Make it a technology-free zone: remove distracting technology such as cell phones or blackberries;
Another way to make the room peaceful is to have peaceful, soothing art or photographs on the walls
Purify the air in the room using an air purifier and using scented candles or aromatic diffusers with essential oils

5 things you should look for in a yoga instructor

info@melanieschorryoga.ca (Melanie Schorr) — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 01:44:07 GMT

Today, there are so many yoga teachers. So many, in fact, that it can be hard to decide who to take a class with, or who to invite into your home or office for personalized yoga lessons. Whether you choose to have private or semi-private yoga lessons, it’s important to find the right yoga teacher. Here are a few things to look for in a yoga teacher.

They are properly trained

The norm today is to take a 200 hour teacher training course with a group of others, where, in the end, you get a certificate. The problem with this is that 200 hours is not enough training to do to then go out into the world and teach yoga. Being properly trained not only means putting in the time or that you’ve learned everything from anatomy to body alignment, but also how to accommodate injuries. There’s so much more to being a yoga teacher then knowing a variety of poses (asanas). With proper training a teacher will learn that there is much more to yoga than this. A good yoga teacher should be able to assess what poses you are and aren’t able to do, particularly if you have suffered any injuries.

They have experience

Not only experience teaching, but also experience actually doing yoga. As mentioned above, many people just do a 200 hour teacher training course and then go out into the world and teach yoga. They can do this course regardless of how much yoga experience they actually have. You can do yoga for 2 months and then enrol in one of these courses. But do you really want someone like this teaching you? The problem is that you will have no way of knowing this without asking them. The best teacher is an experienced one. A teacher that has been practicing yoga for many years, and even years before becoming a teacher themselves, is an experienced teacher. If you suffer from or have suffered from an injury, an experienced teacher will not only have experience dealing with this injury, but will also have injuries themselves. There’s no better way to know how to heal from an injury than if you have done it yourself. This knowledge can then be passed on to others.

They are knowledgeable

A yoga instructor that is knowledgable will be able to convey this knowledge on to you. This could be knowledge in anatomy, in proper posture, in asanas and even in life. Someone who has taught people from all walks of life, people of different shapes and sizes, people of different ages and sexes, and those with injuries, have so much knowledge that they’re happy to share with everyone and anyone that wants to learn. Watching people learn, improve and/or heal is one of the biggest accomplishments of a yoga teacher. Well, at least of this yoga teacher. As Matshona Dhliwayo said “Knowledge is wealth, wisdom is treasure, understanding is riches, and ignorance is poverty”.

They can teach

A yoga teacher is a teacher, so they should be able to teach. They should take the time to explain how to do each pose, adjust you if you’re doing it wrong and make modifications if or when needed. They should also be able to gage your abilities so that they know what poses work or don’t work for you or your body. A good yoga teacher will be able to see right away what your strengths and weaknesses are, and will be able to create a session around this. They will teach you something new when they feel that you’re ready and that you can perform it without any harm to yourself, or without exacerbating any old injuries. They will help you with your yoga goals and work with you to meet them. This could be helping you heal an injury, building strength or gaining flexibility. They will teach you to push yourself as far as you can go (without injuring yourself) so that you can reach your goals.

They are there for you

You don’t want to do yoga with someone that is not paying attention to you, but instead, is just doing yoga. You want a teacher that pays very close attention to what you are doing and how you are doing it, making corrections whenever needed. If you are doing poses incorrectly, then not only are you not really doing yoga, but you can also hurt yourself. Your yoga teacher should 100% be there for you and only you. A yoga teacher should not be focusing on themselves and their own yoga practice. Their eyes should be on you 100% of the time to make sure that you continue to do the pose correctly, even while holding it. They should also encourage and motivate you every step of the way.