Fit to Print Volume 24 Issue 2 June 2015 | Page 31

Cover Story

continued from page 5

Your body is controlled by your brain.
Indisputable. So if your brain is
checked out, then really your body's
saying, "the boss is out to lunch!
Woohoo!" And it really doesn't work as
efficiently or as thoroughly as it should.
It goes into that same autopilot mode.
And the body is the best energy saver
ever! So it will automatically take the
easy way out if you and your brain don't
make it do otherwise. What that means
is that your stronger muscles will take
over, and get stronger. But your weaker
muscles will sit back-- and get weaker.
It becomes a vicious cycle that
increases the imbalances in our bodies.
And imbalances create injury.
When you are mentally present and
aware of your movements and your
transitions from one exercise or pose to
the next, you are confronting your
body's natural imbalances; you're not
allowing yourself to plow through the
movement using momentum. You're
body has to start communicating and
working collectively, and so therefore
you begin to strengthen-- or at least,
decipher!-- your imbalances, bringing
the body back into balance, functioning
with fluidity.

Strike a Pose: Jourdan & Alissa

inflammation that it can cause. It also
causes the body to breakdown muscle
which is essential to the efficiency of
your metabolism. My point is your body
needs to be treated with respect, and
some rest is, in fact, not only good for
you but an essential component of
fitness. I am not saying sit around on
the couch eating a bag of potato chips,
but taking a day or two off from the
gym to allow your muscles to repair is
essential to weight loss and maintaining
a healthy body. Yoga can also provide an
outlet for a “rest day” from your usual
routine but it is truly much more than
that. It is a unique form of exercise that
marries the mind and the body and
teaches you to respect the whole
person. Try it yourself and don't be
surprised if you also emerge sweaty and
enlightened.
- Jourdan Brown

W

hat if you could turn back the
clock on the body's aging
process, walk on clouds, and
press pause on your mental To-Do List?
Believe it or not-- you can!
The immeasurable benefits of a yoga
practice can do just that for you. And
we're not talking moving to I