Words: Sibylle Dallman
We all know that efficient and successful recovery is just as important as a finely tuned training plan. So to improve your recovery times, reduce build up of lactic acid and improve your breathing, I’ve put together a three-step plan that is time efficient and has proven successful many times. Be active, have fun and keep pushing on! (As usual, before you begin any physical activity make sure you get the go ahead from your GP and/or physio.)
Kapalabhati breathing
1) Depending on your flexibility, sit on a folded blanket or on a chair, hands resting on your thighs. Close your eyes and take a few slow breaths to check in on your breathing rhythm.
2) Take a full breath in, then completely exhale. Inhale to a comfortable level and now quickly contract your lower belly, pushing a burst of air out of your lungs. Then quickly release, so the belly ‘rebounds’ to suck air into your lungs.
3) Pace yourself slowly at first. Repeat eight to 10 times at about one exhale-inhale cycle every second or two, focusing on the lower belly, pushing the air out. Make sure you finish with one long and complete exhalation, then begin at step two again.
4) Repeating for three to four cycles. As you become more adept at contracting/releasing your lower belly, you can increase your pace and the amount of cycles.
Triangle
This is a great pose for leg conditioning and optimised breathing! It helps strengthen the quads, lengthen the hamstrings as well as adductor muscles and this pose is heaven for knee and hip health. Triangle also reduces tension in the breathing muscles and increases flexibility of the shoulder joint. This pose makes a real difference to any recovery programme if practiced regularly.
1 Step your feet 3.5 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, palms facing down.
2) Turn your left foot in slightly and your right leg out to the right 90 degrees. Align the right heel with the left instep. Firm your thighs to protect the hamstrings and rotate your right thigh outward, so that the centre of the right knee cap is in line with the centre of the right ankle.
3) As you exhale, move your hips to the left and reach your torso to the right directly over the right leg, bending from the hip joint, not the waist. Release your right hand to the shin or ankle, take your left hand towards the ceiling and gaze to the left thumb. Rotate the chest towards the ceiling (or the sky if you practice outside), keeping the two sides of your torso equally long.
4) Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen the tailbone toward the back heel. Keep the left leg strong by pressing the outer heel firmly to the floor. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to one minute. Inhale to come up, strongly pressing the back heel into the floor and reaching the top arm toward the ceiling. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.
Table Top
Reaching into those areas which often get forgotten about, Table Top helps to lengthen the hip flexors and pectoralis muscles, while at the same time strengthening the wrists. For a pose that looks so easy it can really challenge your conditioning, showing you all those weak spots.
1) Sit on the floor with your hands several inches behind your hips and your fingers pointing forward. Bend your knees and place your feet hip width on the floor.
2) As you exhale, press into your feet and hands to lift your hips upwards until your torso and thighs are approximately parallel to the floor, shins and arms approximately perpendicular.
3) Look along your body and continue to project your hips and chest upwards until you cannot see your knees anymore. Try not to harden your buttocks and press your shoulder blades against the back to support your chest.
4) Without compressing the back of your neck, slowly gaze towards the wall behind you. Hold for 30 seconds, then sit back down and repeating another two times.
