Lose holiday flab with yoga

By Daisy Carrington | dcarrington@am-ny.com

January 9, 2008

Sadie Nardini demonstrates the detox inversion yoga position at the East West Yoga studio near Union Square (Amanda Rivkin / December 4, 2007)

I would complain about the throng of once-a-year gym-goers blocking my access to the now oh-so-trendy treadmills, except that I myself haven't hit the machines since Duane Reade stocked their shelves with candy corn.

Be that as it may, it's a new year, and I'm just as ready to exorcise myself of holiday chocolates and cookies as the rest of you. And what better way to purge oneself of last year's evil than by taking up some yoga?

"Yoga is a powerful detoxifier because it not only works your muscles, it cleanses your body fast through increased oxygen, heat and movement," says Sadie Nardini, a yoga instructor and director of East West Yoga in the Union Square area.

Nardini has put together the following workout to help you detox. If you want to try some extra moves, you can download more of her workouts at www.iamplify.com.

1. Fierce pose
Stand with your feet slightly apart. Bend your knees deeply and tighten your abs. Raise your arms and your chest, feeling the stretch, yet resisting the urge to overarch in your lower back. You should feel your abs working. Bring your hands to your chest, palms together, and twist, placing your left elbow on your right knee. You should feel the twist in your upper body. Hold the pose for five to 10 breaths, then move directly into the next pose. This move builds core strength and squeezes toxins from your inner body.

2. Lunge twist
From fierce pose, hold the twist and look down at the floor. Using your belly strength, slowly step your left foot behind you until your leg is extending in a straight line from your hip. Your weight should be balanced on the ball of your back foot, and your heel should be lifted. Squeeze your feet toward one another so that your hips square forward, and keep the twist in your upper body. With your abs engaged, rotate your chest toward the ceiling. Hold the pose for five breaths, then move directly into the next pose. If you're building strength, bring your back knee down on a low, folded blanket or mat. This pose builds heat to open your muscles and remove any stagnant gunk that's accumulated there because of stress and tension.

3. Standing split
From your lunge twist, reach your arms and torso up while inhaling. As you exhale, place your fingertips down on either side of your right foot as you lift your left leg into the air. Press your fingertips toward the front of your mat to deepen the stretch. Practice opening and pushing up from your toes to gain height, and then rolling your toes and your hips down so your hips become parallel to the floor. Push your chest toward your toes while keeping your back straight. Hold the pose for five breaths, then go directly into the next pose. This move is excellent for cleansing toxins and refocusing your mind.

4. Seated twist
Get into a sitting position, with your right leg bent over your left and your right foot on the floor to the left of your bottom leg. Place your left elbow on top of your right knee and lengthen your spine, stretching upward. Exhale and rotate your chest to the right. Take five to 10 breaths, then go directly into the next pose. This is move boosts your digestion and reproductive systems, and de-stresses and calms you.

5. Pigeon pose
Keep your right leg bent and swing your left leg behind you. Rest your left leg on the floor, pushing down your front thigh. Your right knee can be closer to your center if your hips are tight, or you can move it wider as you gain flexibility. If your hips are really high, place a block or phonebook under your forearms, or keep your hands down in front of you. Center your hips. When you are ready, inhale, raise your chest and exhale. Bow forward while keeping a straight back. When you've settled into the stretch, let your forearms come to the floor. Relax your head onto a block or stack your fists under your forehead. Hold the pose for one minute or more. At this point, you can repeat the above series, focusing on the opposite side of your body.