What's Updog?

For the first time in 16 years I had my upper back (meeting of cervical and thoracic) spine cr-cr-cr-crack from doing a yoga pose. I've drooled over the idea for years- I've heard of people taking classes and just a few sessions in snnnnnn-ap! Crack went the back.

After Maksi's birth I've noticed a real difference in my body (I can hear the snickering and the gasp and all the mom-cliches out there in the crowd...) I get it. Watermelon through a lemon...I knew it would change- but I have a greater awareness of the teeeeeniest nuance and appreciation of my body-thats what I'm talking about.

So a week ago, I was practicing with Kurt Johnsen and a released my head betwixt my shoulders and it felt like my rib cage found more space than ever in the intercostals and I felt the pop and release of my upper back for the first time. All. At. Once.

Magic.

SafetyRope will tell you all about the knots I get all over- in my thighs, my shoulder blades, my arms...they're real crappy. I carry a TON of tension in these areas so getting some relief anywhere else is great news for him and his sore-from-rubbing-me digits.

So I thought I'd take minute to highlight the pose that did it all: the downward facing dog.

Please disregard the contraption on the wall and insert a yoga mat for grip. 

Since I carry a ton of tension in my back (and possibly thanks to genetics) I have a hard time getting my arms parallel to my ears so down-dog has been more like the above and less like the below.

See how low her head is?

Using a chair (and any flat surface, really) is so helpful- more so if you're pregnant or have sensitive wrists- props-be they blocks, chairs, tables or straps- help us get much deeper into poses than we would on our own. They help us  to lessen the guard our injuries or sensitives so we can get into the pose and RELAX.

So that did it for me, Dudes- how do you all get rid of knots and soothe bumps and bruises?