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Yoga For The Lazy

February 21, 2012 By 69 Comments
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When I competed in last year’s “Surviving The Blog” challenge, I had the pleasure of working with Ntathu Allen, a London-based yoga teacher.   In case you haven’t noticed, yoga is more popular these days than it has ever been- so I decided to give it a go.

The biggest obstacle most people face when starting a new health or fitness routine is sticking with it.  They bite off more than they can chew and get frustrated.  To that end, I have put together a guide aimed at those who want to ensure they don’t aim too high with their goal-setting.

IMPORTANT:  Before starting this, or any other exercise program, always consult with your doctor and ensure you are ready for this sort of activity.

Clothing
Always make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing.  You want to make sure you have full range of movement.

yoga

Seated Child's Pose

Preparation
It is critical that you are in a quiet place for these exercises.  I don’t mean mentally or spiritually – I mean a place that is literally quiet.  No kids running around, dogs barking, vacuum cleaners running, etc.

Pose 1:  Seated Child’s Pose

This first asana emulates the position of a child watching television.  Place your feet up on a table or ottoman, so that your legs are parallel to the ground.  Stare forward and take several deep breaths.  Once you become comfortable with this position, try crossing your legs at the ankle.

Pose 2: Lounging Dog

yoga

Lounging Dog Pose

Rest your body across a sofa or love seat, with your head resting in your left hand.  For balance, hold a light object- like a television remote- in your right hand.  Take several deep breaths and focus straight ahead on the television.  Try to imagine that you are in a giant movie theater watching the show alone – and do your best to tune out everyone and everything around you.

After 15 minutes, flip your body to the other side and switch the remote to your left hand (see illustration 3).

Be Realistic
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Don’t expect to do these perfectly on day one.  The important thing is that you are trying!  I promise you, if you dedicate an hour or so to this every day, you will become much more relaxed and comfortable.

yoga pose

Illustration 3

Once you have mastered these basic asanas, you can move on to more complicated positions, such as Reclining Road Warrior or Exhausted Cobra.

Go For It
To those of you who challenge yourself to try these new techniques, I wish you the best.  May 2012 be your most relaxed year ever.

Namaste!

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About Larry Lourcey

Plano portrait artist, Larry Lourcey, holds the designation of Master Photographer awarded by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) in 2007.  Several of Larry’s images have been selected for the prestigious PPA Loan Collection, including an image displayed at Imaging Asia in 2005. While Lourcey is most recognized for his black and white photography, the breadth of his work includes vibrant photo paintings, Polaroid transfers, and photographic collages.  He derives his inspiration from master painters like John Singer Sargent and Edgar Degas, while embracing the bold styles of more modern greats; such as Pino Daeni. In his free time, Larry enjoys trying to find free time. Follow him on Twitter as @larryphoto

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About Larry Lourcey

Plano portrait artist, Larry Lourcey, holds the designation of Master Photographer awarded by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) in 2007.  Several of Larry’s images have been selected for the prestigious PPA Loan Collection, including an image displayed at Imaging Asia in 2005. While Lourcey is most recognized for his black and white photography, the breadth of his work includes vibrant photo paintings, Polaroid transfers, and photographic collages.  He derives his inspiration from master painters like John Singer Sargent and Edgar Degas, while embracing the bold styles of more modern greats; such as Pino Daeni.

In his free time, Larry enjoys trying to find free time. Follow him on Twitter as @larryphoto

Comments

  1. Mike - Investing in says:
    April 15, 2012 at 11:18 am

    Haha, too funny. If Bikram would introduce these asana’s into his routine, I may start doing yoga again.
    Mike recently posted..Identifying Fake SilverMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Rishabh says:
    March 30, 2012 at 12:20 pm

    Really nice tips, I’ll try to work on some of these.
    Rishabh recently posted..How to get a free PS3 ?My Profile

    Reply
  3. Gaurav Manandhar
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 29, 2012 at 3:08 am

    Thanks to Ana first as she helped me to find this beautiful blog of meditation. And thanks to Larry for this post. I am a Buddhist by religion and follow meditation but yet not been able to do it comfortably. I hope your idea of meditation may help me to meditate.

    And, beside this way of meditation, what else can I try to improve my concentration? I hope you can help me with this.

    Thanks a lot :)

    Reply
  4. Miki says:
    March 23, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    couldn’t stop laughing when I did read this, Allie.

    Reply
  5. Becca says:
    March 20, 2012 at 2:54 am

    This really fits on me.. aside from being lazy doing yoga. I have no time doing it.
    thanks for the tips ;)

    Reply
  6. Allie | Ramblings of a WAHM
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 15, 2012 at 11:13 pm

    I can’t stop laughing!

    I do yoga sometimes but not very well. Maybe I should try your style. That was too funny!

    ~Allie
    Allie | Ramblings of a WAHM recently posted..Blogging Success: Failure Is SuccessMy Profile

    Reply
  7. farouk
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 13, 2012 at 4:20 am

    hahahah
    that’s amazing
    can’t believe i can do yoga while watching TV :)

    Reply
  8. Robin says:
    March 6, 2012 at 11:35 pm

    I wonder if I can have the space to do the lounging dog pose. If only I can convince our pooch to stay off the couch for some time.

    Reply
  9. Chris Roberts says:
    March 2, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    Haha I love number 2 the lounging dog. I would love to be able to do this if my dog would ever leave room on the couch lol
    Chris Roberts recently posted..5 things to know before registering a domain nameMy Profile

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  10. Alan
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 1, 2012 at 2:08 pm

    wow. I am so thankful to have found this post, Larry. I am just Shocked to learn that I have been doing this yoga stuff for years, without any instruction at all! Thank you so much!
    Alan recently posted..U+2159 OR 241543903My Profile

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  11. Abhi Balani
    Twitter:
    says:
    March 1, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    Okay! So, I will not thank you until I get it. LOL!! Kidding… Great post for lazy people like me. I’ve tried many times. :( But I could never continue… Let me try one more time.
    Abhi Balani recently posted..Good Blogger And A Good Blog: What Are The Signs?My Profile

    Reply
  12. Misley
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 29, 2012 at 11:11 am

    Great article… Especially for people like me who spends the day on a sofa.

    Reply
  13. Ileane
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 29, 2012 at 4:26 am

    Inhale – take a long slow deep breath and slowly exhale.
    Now lift the bowl of popcorn – lightly balancing with your right hand.
    Gently move it close to your mouth. As you reach your lips, open wide and pour directly into the back of your throat being careful not to smoother yourself.
    Remember the breath!
    Continue to gaze directly at the television as you slowly place the bowl directly in front of you and repeat 10 times.
    When you’re finished, softly close your eye lids, and enjoy the rest of your day.
    Ileane recently posted..My Podcasting Gear and the Ms. Ileane Speaks Podcast is Now on iTunesMy Profile

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    • Abhi Balani
      Twitter:
      says:
      March 1, 2012 at 12:36 pm

      LOL!!

      This one is better. I’m gonna do this.
      Abhi Balani recently posted..Good Blogger And A Good Blog: What Are The Signs?My Profile

      Reply
    • Holly Jahangiri
      Twitter:
      says:
      March 23, 2012 at 1:10 pm

      I did this last night – bonus points for watching the movie Gandhi with my son while practicing, right?
      Holly Jahangiri recently posted..To Lose Weight, Lay Off the Endocannabinoids!My Profile

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      • Dave says:
        March 23, 2012 at 1:30 pm

        Watching Ghandi shouldn’t count Holly because he was weaving, thinking and prognosticating–he’d have made a good blogger in another time.

        I’m pretty sure “couch yoga” as explained by Larry is where nirvana is finally achieved through inaction and null neuronal activity. Stretching and muscle development ocurrs during the process of reaching for the chip, dipping and inserting.

        Reply
        • Holly Jahangiri
          Twitter:
          says:
          March 23, 2012 at 3:55 pm

          True. But he was peaceful, calm, and resolute – there’s a certain stillness to his thoughts that one might try to emulate, even as one thinks, “No way would I just sit there and let those South Africans BEAT me!” (Of course, it was a clever, if risky, approach to “war.”)

          Anyway, Ben Kingsley was doing all the work, unless you count the effort of shaking salt over the popcorn…
          Holly Jahangiri recently posted..Aiming for Miss CongenialityMy Profile

          Reply
          • Dave says:
            March 23, 2012 at 4:31 pm

            My kids got about 20 minutes into Ghandi before giving up. I told them to think of British Troops as Imperial Storm Troopers and everything clicked:)

            Ben Kingsley was the bomb :)

          • Holly Jahangiri
            Twitter:
            says:
            March 23, 2012 at 5:35 pm

            Mine’s not giving up.

            Probably hoping if he watches the whole thing, I won’t drag him with me to The Hunger Games.

            He’d be wrong about that. ;)

            No, seriously, he’s brought up Gandhi often enough in the past that I thought this would be a good way to deepen his knowledge of the man. He doesn’t seem too tortured and has been asking good questions.
            Holly Jahangiri recently posted..All My Winning Ways Revealed!My Profile

          • Dave says:
            March 23, 2012 at 6:20 pm

            “Hunger Games”…Hollywood “story-jacks” writers again in an attempt at stimulating imagination via couch-yoga…

            So…where is everyone today? You guys follow contests and fads like gypsies follow a billfold. I could click on your included links but that never tells where the in-crowd is hanging…

          • Holly Jahangiri
            Twitter:
            says:
            March 23, 2012 at 6:39 pm

            Dave! You know that MY included links are generally meaningful. (Well, no, you’ve read all my CommentLuv-linked posts – I refer to those I include IN the posts.) I don’t follow fads. Could not care less about fads. But weirdly competitive plus cash prize = irresistible.
            Holly Jahangiri recently posted..Aiming for Miss CongenialityMy Profile

  14. Christi Johnson says:
    February 28, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    This is absolutely hilarious. Do you know…I came to read, expecting there to be real poses for “lazy” people. This is really funny. Great article…really funny!!
    Christi Johnson recently posted..Dressing For Working From HomeMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Stacy
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 28, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    Hi Larry,

    I really enjoyed this one! Thanks for the humor! Now everyone can participate in yoga daily!

    Stacy

    Reply
  16. Kristoffer Thompson
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 27, 2012 at 10:42 pm

    Larry, my favorite was pose #2. It’s so important in life to have a little fun and not take everything so seriously. Thanks for the instructions on ignoring others.

    Reply
  17. Kristen
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 27, 2012 at 10:33 pm

    Absolutely hilarious. Your living room yoga is one class that I might be able to handle. So funny. I imagine that this took many years of practice to master the techniques.
    Kristen recently posted..Expressing Gratitude: Why Being Thankful is Good For YouMy Profile

    Reply
  18. Charlene
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 26, 2012 at 4:37 pm

    This is hilarious. Thanks for the chuckle!

    Reply
  19. Community Inspire says:
    February 25, 2012 at 2:50 am

    Bahaha! You guys are a riot!

    Thanks for being the inspirational blog.
    Mike Hoang
    Community Inspire recently posted..Who is “Ordinary?”My Profile

    Reply
  20. Carlo St. Juste Jr., L.Ac
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 24, 2012 at 12:56 am

    Hi Larry and everyone else this is a very interesing post! I will put these maneuvers to work this weekend! It is always great to get some exercise in, even when being a couch potato!
    Carlo St. Juste Jr., L.Ac recently posted..Five Tips to Help Knock Out Your Back PainMy Profile

    Reply
  21. Dave Michaud says:
    February 23, 2012 at 6:54 pm

    Stretching before assuming a position seems critical. How do you deal with interruptions Larry? I find that stirring the paint bucket for my wife can be distracting.

    Reply
  22. kunal says:
    February 23, 2012 at 2:20 pm

    really a nice one… specially for people like me who sits infront of laptop for about 10hrs…
    kunal recently posted..How to Install Custom ROMs On Android DevicesMy Profile

    Reply
  23. David
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 22, 2012 at 4:25 pm

    Hi Larry, oh, this is so funny. I’ve seen people do these poses spontaneously with little to no training and I can tell you first hand, they don’t do it as well as in your pictures!
    David recently posted..Ice Skaters in GermanyMy Profile

    Reply
  24. Holly Jahangiri
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 21, 2012 at 10:18 pm

    I spent the weekend practicing these techniques, Larry! I think I’m ready for the next lesson – I’ve got these down to an art!
    Holly Jahangiri recently posted..Good Blogger And A Good Blog: What Are The Signs?My Profile

    Reply
  25. ntathu allen
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 21, 2012 at 4:51 pm

    Love it Larry. A true yogi..made me laugh.
    ntathu allen recently posted..Yoga For The LazyMy Profile

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  26. ntathu allen
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 21, 2012 at 4:30 pm

    Excellent approach to yoga Larry. I love it.
    ntathu allen recently posted..The 7 Links Challenge – A Trip Down Memory LaneMy Profile

    Reply
  27. Larry Lourcey
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 21, 2012 at 4:26 pm

    With this system you can take the gym membership money and apply it toward a larger TV! :) Best of luck!
    Larry Lourcey recently posted..Think You Know Ana Hoffman?My Profile

    Reply
  28. Hajra
    Twitter:
    says:
    February 21, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    Its like you wrote that post with me in mind!

    I recently joined a gym because I was getting too sluggish. In college I did yoga regularly and it was awesome! I just felt nicer and my weight was very well controlled!

    But its been a long time since I did that; this makes much more sense now! But, it might make me too relaxed! I am scared ;)
    Hajra recently posted..Will they call you over for a Bloggers Party?My Profile

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