Happy New Year and New Year Yoga Challenge

Hello readers! 

I'm sorry for being MIA for a few weeks. Work and the holidays were both a tad hectic. But happy new year! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful celebration with your families and friends.

Now, speaking of the new year, it is also a great time for people to do some re-purposing and identify areas in their fitness regimen that they want to work on or improve. I have heard so many resolutions about getting healthier and fitter. Here is something that may help you if you are in that boat. The yoga website that I love so much - Do Yoga With Me - is having a 14 day yoga refresher online. You do 1 video each day for 14 days. It gets you in the habit of doing yoga daily, and it helps get you body and mind on track for the year. Check it out. It did start yesterday, but you can always join in and finish a day later :)

There also are a lot of yoga and fitness challenges on Instagram that can help push you. @yogahermit has a #StartYourYoga challenge, @fitmrsfats has a 7 day cleanse, and so on. Get into a challenge as it helps you connect with others as well!

Do you have fitness resolutions? Are you looking to start the year right? Share them with us :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Yoga: Nigerian Yogis 2015 Yoga Core Strength Challenge

The Nigerian Yogis are back with another Instagram challenge! This time, we thought we'd help start your year off right with some yoga poses that help build core strength. Whether you are looking to tone your abs or get stronger or both, these will help you begin the journey in the new year.

This challenge lasts 15 days starting today, and one of the three of us will post a core strengthening yoga pose or routine daily. We would love you to participate by following 3 of us on Instagram, leaving us comments about what you would like to see, and posting your own photos using the hashtag. 

One participant who posts his/her own photos will be selected at the end of the month to get an Amazon gift voucher for a yoga mat. You could be that winner! Please repost and share with your friends as we continue to try to support Nigerian fitness in the new year.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

July Yoga Newbies Challenge

Looking to get into yoga? Not sure where to start? Two of my friends and I have partnered up to host the July Yoga Newbies challenge this month. Each day, we will show you a basic yoga pose, and describe in detail how to get into it and what muscles it works. This challenge is on Instagram so please check us out and follow @eightsnweights, @adura_o, and @bellajoya. You can also follow on Twitter because we repost there as well.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

New to Yoga Series: Cow and Cat Pose

A major area of concern with me is my back, especially when it comes to flexibility. I carry a lot of tension in my neck, shoulders, and back, and so I do a lot of back stretches during my yoga sessions to ease out some of that tension. Two of the poses I tend to do a lot are the cow and cat poses.

New to Yoga Series: Sun Salutations Part 1 - The Extended Mountain Pose and the Forward Fold

The sun salutation is a series of poses combined with breaths that yogis usually do to warm up during a yoga session. The theory behind the name is that 'light' is seen as good in every culture, and the sun is the first and ultimate source of light. I interpret this to mean this salutation celebrates light and all things good.

It really is a perfect series for warming up the body because it involves the use of the whole body. For the next few days, I want to walk you through the different poses in the series, and then I'll show you how they flow into each other. Just remember, the high poses involve a deep breath in, and the low poses involve a deep breath out. Breathing deeply helps guide you from one pose to another.

New to Yoga Series: Core Strength

People tend not to realize how much core strength goes into yoga. There are a lot of planks and push-ups involved, and so a great way to build your core and upper body strength is to do these planks over and over again with the right posture. 

New to Yoga Series: Breathing

You have probably heard about deep breathing in yoga. There are actually some forms of yoga that focus solely on the breathing. But generally, breathing is very very important in yoga. You're probably wondering why. Well, I like to tell you these things :)

New to Yoga Series: What is Yoga?

There is a lot of misconception about what yoga is and what it is not, so I want to address this today. I have had people tell me that yoga is demonic, and although I truly believe everyone has a right to believe what they want to, I also want people who are interested in learning more not to be scared off by these personal beliefs.

New to Yoga? Join me in November to Learn the Basics!

You've heard a lot about yoga. You've seen people do all sorts of poses. You've thought to yourself: How can I get that flexible and that strong? Well, you have the opportunity to learn! In November, I will be hosting a "New to Yoga" series. I know we have challenges each month, but this would be less of a challenge, and more of a teaching series. 

July 31st Yoga Challenge

We have come to the end of July! Although I loved the Yogangsters challenge, I am excited for a new month. Because today is the last day, the creators of the challenge thought it would be a great idea to take the opportunity to meditate and rest in our pose. So of course we are doing the 'Lotus'. 

Everyone's pose looks a tad different with the lotus because of flexibility and the differences in the lengths of our limbs. So don't over-extend yourself or worry that you are not doing it right.

Stay tuned for our challenge for next month, and a chance to win an Eights & Weights t-shirt :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!

July 30th Yoga Challenge

I can't believe July is almost over. One more day for the Yogangsters challenge! Today is the Garland (a.k.a. the Prayer Squat). Squat as low as you can with your heels still on the ground, bring your palms together into a prayer stance, and use your elbows to push your knees out wider for an extended stretch. 

This is one of my favorites even though it is pretty painful.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

July 29th Yoga Challenge

So the challenge for today is another upside-down "on your elbows" type challenge. Sorry... I didn't make these up. The Yogangsters challenge today is a variation of the forearm stand. I know... I know... but the more you challenge your body, the more it would thank you. Try this pose bending one leg behind you, and having the other straight out in front of you.

With today's challenge, I'd like us to actually do some reflection. If you are going through one thing or the other in life, try to channel that into your workout. Let it help you calm your mind a little and realize that life is okay and you can get through anything.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

July 28th Yoga Challenge

The Yogangsters challenge for today is a variation of the bow pose. Hold one foot with the opposite palm, and either pull the foot towards you, or use your upper body to pull the foot away from you. I prefer the second option as I usually feel more of a stretch in my butt when I do it this way. Then lift your upper body a little off the ground and stretch your other arm forward.

Cheers Eights and Weights!

July 27th Yoga Challenge

The Yogangsters challenge for today is the standing forehead to knee bend. Stand, hold one foot and extend that leg straight forward while keeping the other foot straight. Once you are comfortable and have got your balance, slowly bring your forehead to the knee that is raised. Both legs should be as straight as possible at this point for a great stretch through your legs, your neck, and your arms. Repeat on both sides. Here is an illustration.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

July 26th Yoga Challenge

Today was difficult for me with the yoga challenge. My muscles are so sore that I think I need a massage or some more yoga to get them loose. The Yogangsters challenge for today is the Baby Visvamitrasana (also sometimes called the Baby Flying Warrior pose in English). There is also another pose sometimes called the flying warrior so it's easy to mix them up. Anyway, here is the pose. Make sure you warm up your entire body before you try this.

Try to get your hips to lean more forward than I am doing above. And try to twist your upper body a little more so you are facing the ceiling.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

July 25 Challenge

Fast Paced: I like to follow Tumblr fitness blogs, and so I came across this today. Try it!

July 24th Challenge

Fast Paced: TribeSports released another great round of high intensity exercises. How many of these can you do?

July 23rd Challenge

Fast Paced: Today, we're focusing on the legs, so here is a great overall workout for your bottom half. Do it as many times as you can.

July 20, 21, and 22 Challenges

The weekend's gone, and our challenges with it. Sunday was a rest day for the fast-paced challenge, but we did have the yoga challenge every day. For more up-to-date posts and updates, please check out the Instagram page "@eightsnweights".

Fast Paced: Since we have not been very consistent with the posts for the fast-paced challenge, feel free to mix it up as you like. This was the challenge for Saturday, July 20th.

July 19th Yoga Challenge

Today's yogangsters challenge is the wide legged forward bend. You can do this touching the mat, but if you can't quite reach as far down, intertwine your fingers behind you to get a great stretch through your shoulders. Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds to get the flexibility benefits.

Cheers Eights & Weights!