Bones Build Slowly

Bones build slowly.

When I first enrolled in Loren Fishman's "Yoga vs. Osteoporosis" study and learned that there were 12 poses to practice every day my first reaction was that shouldn't be a problem. I came to learn it takes commitment to not let other things get in the way of your practice. We were required to log in and report on our practice every day; the pose we did and the level which we practiced. Dr. Fishman made it clear the hope was that you would practice EVERY day.  Yes, there were days that I didn't get to my practice but I came to think of the 12 poses as my "pill" or "dose of medicine". For me having that mindset helped me step onto my mat even when I felt too tired. When you practice the same poses every day it is much easier to notice the subtle shifts in your practice.Bones build slowly.  In our world of "fix it easy and fix it fast" this can be frustrating.  But if you do the "work" I believe you will feel this profound shift. Practicing yoga for bone strength is a great way to have a reason to stay dedicated to your practice: keep your muscles long and strong, tune your balance, help keep your posture tall and become more familiar with yourself. ALL of which are important for bone loss. And, along the way, you may also experience greater bone density. The benefits come with a consistent and frequent practice. Practicing once a week is good but practicing 6-7 days a week you will experience the benefits that much faster.It can be overwhelming to think you have to roll out your mat at home and try and remember the 12 poses. Instead try incorporating 2-3 poses every day. Once those get to be routine then add a few more. The original set of 12 poses is a full and complete practice so when you commit them to memory you can practice on your own knowing that you will get a full practice.Just starting a home practice...Try committing to tree pose, triangle pose and one of the seated twists every day along with savasana. This could be your 10 minute practice.Bone strength classes provide that sense of community, an opportunity to experience alignment instruction and encouragement to hold the pose a bit longer. I teach Bone Strength classes two times a week.Tuesday at 12:30-1:45; Be the Change Yoga in IrvineWednesday at 1:30-2:40; YogaWorks in Mission ViejoHope to see you on your mat!Next month I will be shedding light onto the complexities of the bone building process.Blessings,Susan KjesboC-IAYT