RollingSands Harmony Blog

Following are just two lower body strength training exercises that you can do with Soft-Weighted Toning Balls.  If you’d feel more comfortable doing lunges on a non-slip surface, consider using a Yoga Mat as your base.

Squats & Lunges with Toning Balls

Squats with Toning Balls

Begin standing with feet parallel, shoulder-width apart.  Hold a Soft Weighted Ball in each hand down to your sides.  Keep abdominals tight while you bed hips and knees to perform a squat.  Repeat.

Lunges with Toning Balls

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.  Hold a Soft Weighted Ball in each hand down to your sides.  Lift right knee high and take a large step forward.  Bend right knee to ninety degrees without the left knee touching the floor.  Step back into starting position.  Repeat by alternating legs.

If you are interested in reading more exercises using Toning Balls, just look to the right-side column on your screen and click on “Toning Balls” under our How-To Section.  This is the fifth article provided by Natural Fitness.  The product shown is an eco-friendly, phthalate-free Toning Ball.  These soft-weighted exercise balls are also called Pilates Balls, because you can incorporate them into your Pilates floor routines just as easily.

In this video, you’ll learn how to use a small, inflatable exercise ball in the Pilates exercise called Lower and Lift.

We have two different sizes of these small exercise balls:  a 7″ Mini Exercise Ball and a 9″ Mini Exercise Ball for you to choose from.  You’ll see in this video that they perform this exercise with the ball somewhat deflated.  This is recommended when using these mini-balls during exercises.  If you want to use the ball for massage therapy or myofacial release, inflating them more will work better.  These Mini Exercise Therapy Balls have many uses.

Legs up the Wall Pose is also known as Viparita Kirani in Sanskrit. I’ve mentioned this pose before in another blog post, but for some of us, watching a video is easier than reading step-by-step instructions.  This actress also incorporates a yoga blanket under the spine, which is nice for someone who wants the softness under their spine, wants to use the blanket to open their heart center more, or someone who wants to reduce the backbend in this pose.

The yoga props used in this video are a Yoga Bolster, a Mexican Yoga Blanket, and a wall (or a chair as a substitute – but most of us should have an open wall in our house that could accommodate us in this pose).

This is our third of four Restorative Yoga videos.  Please check last week’s video on how to fold a yoga blanket if you missed it.

Following are some exercises that you can perform on the Balance Board (or also known as a wobble board). These exercises are listed from easiest (#1) to hardest (#10). We’d strongly recommend that beginners start with #1 and progress down the list as their strength, balance, and reaction times improve. Doing so with a chair or wall near by is helpful too. As you improve, you’ll use these props less and less, but it’s nice to have them near you if you need the extra support!  Once you feel strong enough and comfortable enough, then challenge yourself without a wall or chair…starting from the beginning.

We carry a wood Balance Board by TKO. They look simple enough, but can be quite challenging (especially for beginners). They are great for athletes who depend on agility and need to perform quick turns on their feet (basketball players and soccer players, for example). Balance boards will strengthen the ankles and lower legs in addition to training proprioceptors, which are sensors in our bodies that warn us that our ankles are turning over. This is why they are also used in rehab therapy for people who have twisted or injured their ankles.  It’s a good tool for anyone looking to improve strength and balance.

Exercises to do on a Balance Board:

1.  Sitting on the floor, place the balance board under the feet and slowly rotate it a number of times in each direction.

2.  Stand on the balance board, feet shoulder-width apart.  Hold on to a chair for support if needed and rock the board forwards and backwards, then side to side.  Do this for 2 to 3 minutes.

3.  Stand on the balance board, feet shoulder-width apart.  Rotate the balance board round so that the edge of the board is in contact with the floor at all times.  Do this for 2 to 3 minutes.

4.  Stand on the balance board, feet shoulder-width apart.  Rock the board front to back for one minute then side to side for one minute.

5.  Balance on the balance board for as long as you can without the edges touching the floor.  Aim for over 2 minutes without touching the floor.

6.  Rotate the balance board in a circle, but do not allow the edge of the board to touch the floor.  Aim for 2 minutes.

7.  Stand on the balance board with one leg.  Rock the board from front to back for 1 minute and then side to side for 1 minute.

8.  Stand on the balance board with one leg.  Rotate the board in a circular motion in one direction for 1 minute then repeat in the other direction.

9.  Stand on the balance board with one leg.  Try to stay balanced.  How long can you hold it?

10.  When you have mastered all of the above you should have strong, stable ankles and be an expert.   Want to challenge yourself further?  Try these exercises with your eyes closed!

Here’s an advanced Pilates exercise called the “V-Out” and Susan shows how to do it with a Stability Ball. The video is under one minute, and explains how to execute this exercise properly. Listen to her breath cues.

Last week’s Restorative Yoga Video gave us some ideas on how to use yoga props (such as a bolster, blanket, and blocks). This week’s short video reviews the different ways to fold a yoga blanket. As you’ll see, there are several ways to fold a blanket depending on what pose you’ll be doing and how you’ll be using this prop.

Mexican Yoga Blankets can be used for many different reasons:

• Fold the blanket to sit on to raise the hips in cross-legged positions or during seated forward folds.  Fold once, twice, or three times – depending on your personal needs that day.
• Folding or rolling lengthwise to place under your spine in supine positions.  This helps to open the chest & heart center when lying down.  Feels great.
• Lay the blanket open either underneath or on top of you in supine poses.  Cushions and warms so you can relax more deeply.

This video shows several different ways to fold a yoga blanket, which she’ll refer to in our upcoming videos showing specific restorative poses.

Sahasrara/The Crown Chakra: Located at the top of the head. The crown chakra is linked to understanding, cosmic consciousness, and ability to eventually achieve enlightenment.   For a quick overview of the Chakras.

Enjoy the following two-minute video on clearing the 7th Chakra, the Crown Chakra:

Following are just three arm strength training exercises that you can do with Soft-Weighted Toning Balls. For an added challenge you can add a Stability Ball with the Triceps Kickback (as shown).

Curls and Triceps Kickback & Extension

Curls

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a Soft Weighted Ball in each hand down to your sides.  Keeping upper arms tight to your sides, bend elbows and curl Soft Weighted balls up to chest height.  Lower Soft Weighted Balls slowly to start position.

Triceps Kickback

Start by placing left hand on top of Burst-Resistant Exercise Ball while holding Soft Weighted Ball in right hand.  With feet shoulder-width apart, bend knees slightly and distribute weight evenly between left hand and feet.  Keeping right elbow close to your side and upper arm parallel to the floor, press Soft Weighted Ball back until your arm is completely extended behind you.  Slowly bend elbow and repeat.  Alternate arms after one set.

Triceps Extension

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart hold the Soft Weighted Ball above your head with arms straight.  Bend elbows and lower Soft Weighted Ball slowly behind your head.  Straighten arms into starting position.  Repeat.

This information was provided by Natural Fitness, an eco-friendly yoga and fitness manufacturer.  We offer many Natural Fitness products, including these phthalate-free PVC products, hemp yoga straps, and more.

The following video is a series of excerpts showing the multitude of ways you can incorporate a Pilates Ring into your floor routine.  You’ll see ways to use the “magic circle” with your legs and arms.  A great way to add variety to your routine and add another level of challenge.

We carry two kinds of Pilates Rings: The Pilates Fitness Circle Pro by JFit and the Pilates Toning Ring with Cushioned Grips by Hugger Mugger.  In the video, she uses the cushions on the inside of the ring quite a bit, so the Toning Ring by Hugger Mugger might be more comfortable for you if you find you like those types of exercises.

For the next four Tuesdays, we’re going to share with you some videos on using props in Restorative Yoga Poses. This first video shows an example of setting up a yoga bolster, a yoga blanket, and some yoga blocks. It’s a short video (<2min) so it is not all encompassing, but hopefully will give you an idea on how to incorporate the variety of yoga props on the market.

Yoga props can be used in many ways – to provide support and stability or to enhance a stretch in some poses. Yoga blocks, for instance, can be used to bring the floor closer to you in a standing pose, so you can focus on the proper alignment and still have stability in your pose. A yoga block can also be placed under your hip in Half Reclining Hero Pose to intensify the stretch in your quadricep. But yoga props are really fantastic in Restorative Poses because they help comfort and support you in any posture so that you can totally surrender into a pose for a longer period of time.

So, take two minutes to watch this video (and join us again in the upcoming weeks) to start getting ideas on how to use yoga props in some nice relaxation poses.