LYT

Category: Blog Posts

  • My Journey to Get LYT

    My Journey to Get LYT

    by Kristin Williams, PT, DPT

     

    This month we’re focusing on reintroducing LYT to our community and the global audience. If you read Lara’s blog about The Story of LYT a couple of weeks ago, you know what makes this method and its effects on the body so special. Today I want to share with you what it was about LYT that drew me to it initially and how I got to where I am today.

     

    Back in 2010, I was working full-time in an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinic in Louisville, Kentucky, and treating patients with a variety of diagnoses. I started to get a whole host of referrals for injuries that occurred in yoga. Most people were coming to me with wrist, hip, back, and shoulder injuries, which we ended up attributing at least in part to what they were doing in the practice. Around this same time, my husband got a job in Princeton, New Jersey, where I would be transitioning from full-time to part-time work. It was the perfect opportunity for me to check out what in the world people were doing in yoga and why they might be getting hurt.

     

    It only took one traditional vinyasa class for me to come to recognize that at least half of the people in class were putting their bodies into compromising postures and at a high risk of injury. At the same time, however, I was drawn to the challenge I found in the practice and became a regular student. I started offering free physical therapy screens at a local studio as a way to give back to the community. It was at one of these screens that someone told me about Lara’s studio, which was just around the corner at the time…so I went to check it out.

     

    What I was first struck by was how challenging the practice was, despite not trying to contort my body into deep end-range yoga poses. I fell in love with the blueprint, specifically the RESET, which I felt prepared the body so well for what it was being asked to do in the practice. Two things I had noticed in many of the traditional vinyasa classes I took elsewhere were that people weren’t ready for what they were being asked to do and that they were trying to imitate the teacher, who was usually hyperflexible. For example, if the teacher put their leg behind their head, the student was going to try to do it too, biomechanics be damned. I found myself both cringing and holding my breath, just waiting for people to get injured throughout each and every class. So the LYT Method was a refreshing change…it wasn’t easy, but it was both safe and sustainable. 

     

    I also loved the education that students were receiving in each class. The themes were fun too, but it was the attention to moving well and how to take that good movement off the mat that spoke to me as a physical therapist. It was so reminiscent of what I was doing on a regular basis in the clinic. So I decided to go through the LYT teacher training in 2014. I remember being floored by how much anatomy Lara covered in the training (and secretly thrilled that I already knew it all like the back of my hand haha). I loved that biomechanics were heavily focused on and still creativity was applauded. When I graduated, I started teaching at the studio twice a week and the rest is history.

     

    Over the last 10 years, I’ve watched LYT go from being a local movement to a global phenomenon. The passion of the teachers we train all over the world to help people move better for life is awe-inspiring. As we say in LYT, you don’t need an advanced degree to be the expert of your own body. I have always been so thankful for my PT degree, as it is what has allowed me to treat myself when things go awry. My LYT practice has taught me to move in a variety of ways to avoid age-related injuries. My goal as a LYT teacher is to educate people about their bodies and help them to help themselves for life.

     

    On that note, I’ll see you on the mat.

     

    Xoxo,

    Kristin

  • The Story of LYT

    The Story of LYT

    Creating LYT was truly a calling, the ultimate ‘vocation’, when one feels deeply committed and motivated by a sense of purpose. From my early years of crawling and playing with my two triplet brothers, my background has been rooted in explorative movement and curiosity. With age, I continued to be drawn to the art of movement, from athletic sports to dancing, discovering the powerful impact of embodiment, where my sense of self was fortified with the experiences my body had in the world. When I suffered a serious ankle injury in high school, I lapsed into a mental and emotional stagnancy that felt unfamiliar and heavy. Craving that state of grounded energy that I had received from regular movement, I hopped on a stationary bike, following an instinct that I needed to purge some lethargy and self-pity. I later wrote my college essay application about the power of the mind-body connection, not yet realizing the path that I was setting and following as a vocation and profession. Those formative years set the stage for my pursuit in the healing arts of physical therapy, neuroscience, and yoga, the key pillars in the story of LYT. 

     

    The LYT method (Lara’s Yoga Technique) is an evolution and compilation of my work in neurodevelopmental physical therapy and my vinyasa yoga practice. After my initial years of teaching and practicing yoga, I recognized there was a gap in improving habitual movement patterns in the traditional vinyasa practice and I included more of my background and clinical work with neurologically impaired clients into my yoga practice. Intuitively, I surmised that the developmental work that I was doing with physical therapy clients would benefit all able-bodied people since we develop suboptimal postural and movement habits during our daily life. The LYT method is designed to empower practitioners through the education about their bodies and brains, enabling them to rewire brain mapping to optimize posture, movement, energy, and breath. I incorporated the neurodevelopmental techniques that I was using with my functionally impaired clients who had sustained some kind of brain injury into my yoga practice and within weeks, felt as if I had breathed new vitality into my gradually stagnating practice. I discovered deeper connections to core/postural muscles that enabled me to move more efficiently and energetically on and off the mat. I was teaching myself, re-educating my motor programming to recover and revitalize both play and precision in my movement. The reclaiming of organic movement patterns released accumulated postural tension, rebalanced my nervous system, brought me a heightened respect for challenge, and helped me rediscover the artistry of play—bringing me to the initial full cycle moment that I would find again and again with this practice. Neuroplasticity inevitably leverages the vast wealth of brain real estate that is devoted to movement and offers us an endless supply of unrealized potential in our brain-body connection. This newfound zest in my own practice translated into my teaching, where my students felt similar energetic awakenings of possibility.

     

    I codified my new findings with a blueprint, designed to reset, rewire, and reinforce more optimal brain mapping—how the brain develops controlled signals for the body. The beginning of each LYT practice goes through the developmental phases of life, where we begin on the floor and move onto all fours and then into standing. Revisiting our early movement patterns is an essential ingredient in learning how to rewire existing movement patterns that may be less optimal because of our modern-day lifestyle that often restricts our movement variability. And people love the RESET in LYT because it connects us to our core and to our personal journey in ways that we may have forgotten. The RESET reinforces the alignment of our Triple S (skull, scapulae, sacrum) and primes the deeper core muscles to awaken and activate just as they first did when we were learning to move in our early years. After Sun Sal 1, which is the final step of developmental stages with the half-kneel lunge, the sequences further organize the body, mobilize the joints, and take us through different planes of motion in more functional ways. Our beloved STREAM is where we revisit the sequences to encode stronger neural connections and possibly add more challenge while also experiencing the residual effects on the body due to the intentional staging of movement. And even though each class follows this format, the blueprint ultimately serves as a launchpad for creativity and curiosity. The brain continues to grow in complexity in response to challenge and the challenge can be introduced because of the primed brain-body pathways. LYT, like life, can adapt, evolve, and fuel the sparks that make us feel most alive.

     

    The story of LYT is both professional and personal, equally revealing and affirming. LYT has been like a tuning fork for my mind-body-heart connection. When I pluck one area, it reverberates throughout. When I strengthen my core, I create a calmer and clearer ecosystem in which my values and decisions and behaviors and breath can thrive. I feel more confident and compassionate because of my practice, which makes me feel energized and motivated and resilient, despite what might happen in life. LYT truly is the key to my adaptability and endurance. I call it the “one-stop shop” where you can get better alignment in both the physical and spiritual realms and create greater homeostasis in your movement on and off the mat. Before I arrive on the mat, I often feel an intuitive sense of what kind of practice I want to have, whether it’s slower and more focused on an area or creative movement that generates heat. The practice is like a paintbrush of artistic healing for me, and the creative juices never dry out because I explore new ways to get my brain and body challenged and balanced. Hundreds of examples of these practices can be found on the LYT daily platform taught by me and other certified LYT teachers. We have had hundreds of teachers worldwide who have completed our LYT training because of their own desire to better understand the body, biomechanics, neuroplasticity and the LYT thread line that weaves the concepts all together. There is a great saying I reference in my yoga teacher training: “copy skips understanding “.  In yoga, just like in other forms of movement, we can copy what people are doing but we might not understand the underlying mechanics. Our LYT blueprint is a functionally educational road map for improved neural firing, rooted in core strength and integrity. And the inevitable result is that good movement yields a healthier nervous system and an awakened perception and reception.

     

    What makes LYT so unique is that it is rooted in science and in spirit. My goal has always been to empower people through the neuroplasticity of the brain and the machinery of their body to realize their innate greatness. When people feel better about themselves, they are better citizens of the world. The body is the easiest pathway to wellness. In the yoga world, even though many forms of yoga involve body movement, teachers and practitioners have often not been educated about the body. In fact, most of us received little to no education about our bodies and the inner workings. We deserve to learn about our bodies and behold and nourish the body’s capacity and greatness. I have seen it over and over again—when people learn how to inhabit their body through an understanding, both intellectually and emotionally, it is transformative. I am grateful every time I step on the mat. I rarely struggle to show up; I know too well how important the physical body helps the spiritual ecosystem after witnessing numerous physical therapy patients whose physical functions have been diminished by disease or accident. I am humbled by the body’s deep well of strength and I appreciate all that my body can practice on the mat and how much that affects my mental state. That feeling of being “LYT UP” is shared by others and everyone deserves it!

     

    I truly believe that through the magical vehicle of our bodies, we will discover an infinite source of strength and resilience that can help us overcome, survive, and thrive in any situation or circumstance. And, when we combine our individual power and work toward a collective global goal of goodness and kindness for all, we will be unstoppable. So, let’s continue to be LYT UP together! Thank you for being on this journey with me, inspiring my story to continue and flourish, and for showing up for yourselves. 

     

    With gratitude and LYT love-

    Lara

  • Benefits of Yoga for Mental Health

    Benefits of Yoga for Mental Health

    May is Mental Health Awareness Month, when mental health activists and practitioners across the globe work to spread the word that mental health is something everyone should care about. While many of us are well aware of the physical benefits of LYT online yoga classes, did you know that daily yoga has been shown to have a positive effect on your mental health as well? In fact, one of the best benefits of yoga is how it can help a person manage stress.

    Impact of Daily Yoga on Mental Health

    Our bodies are hard-wired to react to stress, which can wreak havoc on our bodies and minds. When we encounter a perceived threat such as a heavy workload, managing family, or pain and illness, a small region in our brain called the hypothalamus sets off an alarm in the body. Through a combination of nerve and hormone signals, the adrenal glands release a surge of hormones, including cortisol. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone and performs several functions to prepare the body in a fight-or-flight situation, including altering the immune system and communicating with the brain areas that control mood, motivation, and fear. If a person is under prolonged stress and overexposure to cortisol, they are at risk of many different health problems, including anxiety, depression, headaches, digestive issues, muscle tension and pain, heart disease, sleep problems, and memory/concentration impairment.

    Mood Boosting

    All exercise can boost our mood by lowering levels of cortisol in the body and increasing the production of endorphins. However, yoga may have additional benefits, as it has been shown to increase levels of a brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is associated with better mood and decreased anxiety. A review of 15 studies, published in the journal Aging and Mental Health, looked at the effect of a variety of relaxation techniques on anxiety and depression in older adults, including yoga, massage therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, stress management, and listening to music. While all the techniques provided some benefit, daily yoga and listening to music were the most effective for both depression and anxiety. Yoga appeared to provide the longest-lasting effect of the two.

    Meditation with Yoga

    Yoga’s inclusion of meditation and breathing can also have positive benefits on mental health. Meditation has been shown to reduce activity in the part of the brain called the limbic system, which is dedicated to emotions. As your emotional reactivity decreases, you have a more level response when faced with stressful situations. Deep, slow breathing is associated with calming the body down, as it helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, relaxing the body after periods of stress or perceived and/or real danger. 

    Yoga and Mental Clarity

    Finally, a regular yoga practice facilitates mental clarity and calmness. The increased body awareness we create, especially with LYT Yoga, is particularly helpful with early detection of physical problems. Recognition and correction of suboptimal movement patterns relieves chronic stress patterns in the body, so we feel better physically. When we feel better physically, we are better equipped to find harmony in the mind. There is a cascade effect of self-healing and better overall health, inside and out.

     

    So find some time in your schedule for your LYT Method practice, utilizing the movement as medicine for the body and mind. Be kind and compassionate to yourself both on and off the mat. Hop online and join me, so we can take a little time for healing together.

     

    Xoxo,

    Kristin

  • Vegan Broccoli Salad

    Vegan Broccoli Salad

     

     

    With the unofficial start to summer kicking off this weekend, this 5-step vegan broccoli salad recipe is the perfect easy cookout side dish! Tangy, refreshing, and full of yummy sweet and salty flavor, it’s a lighter version of the classic recipe, made with less mayo and no sugar, meat, or dairy.
    Ingredients
    1 pound of broccoli crowns
    3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
    3 tablespoons of Avocado Oil mayonnaise
    1½ tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
    2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
    1 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey
    1 garlic clove, minced
    ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, more to taste
    ⅓ cup diced of red onions
    ⅓ cup of dried cranberriesSmoky tamari almonds:
    ½ cup of almonds
    ½ cup of pepitas
    1 tablespoon of tamari
    ½ teaspoon of maple syrup
    ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika,  more to taste
    Instructions
    1.      Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet and parchment paper
    1. Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces and any remaining stems into ¼-inch dice. Peel any woody or course parts from the stem first.
    2. In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, garlic, and salt. Add the broccoli, onions, and cranberries and toss to coat.
    3. Place the almonds and pepitas on the baking sheet, toss with the tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika and spread into a thin layer. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes (they’ll get crispier as they sit).
    4. Toss the almonds and pepitas into the salad, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Season to taste and serve.
    Pro-tip!  Chop the florets into roughly ½-inch pieces. Dice the stem into smaller ¼-inch pieces.
  • Resistance Training and Metabolism

    Resistance Training and Metabolism

    As I near the golden age of 50 in just a few short months, I find myself more and more interested in resistance training and its benefits. As a matter of fact I just joined a gym for the first time in well over a decade and the weight room is the main reason! I love that LYT has been focusing on the benefits of resistance training this month and one benefit that I’ve always heard about but never really understood the “why” behind was how it improves one’s metabolism. Knowing that menopause is right around the corner has me concerned about how my metabolism may be impacted. Full disclosure is that I’ve always been blessed with a high metabolism, but I’m concerned and expect that one day that will change. So I decided to do a little research on how resistance training and metabolism. 

     

    The first question that one could ask is what exactly is metabolism? Simply stated, it’s the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that change the food we eat into energy, which we need to move, breathe and think. Thousands of metabolic reactions are happening at the same time to keep our cells healthy and working. The resting metabolic rate is the rate at which a person’s body burns energy in the form of calories while at rest. This can be affected by a person’s genetic makeup, health issues, and by body composition, which is where resistance training comes into play. 

     

    When we exercise, we are breaking down and rebuilding muscle. Research has shown that resistance training creates a higher degree of muscle damage than aerobic training, and the muscle protein repair/synthesis process is an energy-demanding metabolic process. Estimates suggest that every pound of muscle burns roughly six calories per day at rest. While this may not seem like a lot, it’s three times as many calories as a pound of fat, which burns roughly two calories. So since lean muscle is more metabolically active than fat, a body with more muscle mass will burn more energy (calories) even at rest. This equates to an increase in the resting metabolic rate. Unfortunately for us, starting as early as age 30 the body begins to slowly lose muscle mass. Women lose up to 15% of the total body muscle per decade by the age of 50. So not only are we losing strength, but our metabolism is slowing due to the decrease in muscle as well. 

     

    In addition to changing body composition by increasing the amount of lean muscle, resistance training has been shown to increase the excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) as compared to steady-state aerobic training, like walking or jogging. Also known as oxygen debt, EPOC is the amount of oxygen required to return the body to its resting metabolic rate and explains how your body continues to burn energy after you’ve finished your workout. Similar to how a car has to cool down after it has been running, the body continues to burn calories at rest for a period of time after you exercise. Yet another metabolic perk for resistance training!  

     

    However, not all resistance training modes are created equal when it comes to metabolic benefits. Higher exercise intensities produce higher EPOC values. Performing compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, pull-ups, etc, which recruit the most amount of muscle, and doing them at higher intensities such as HIIT (or plyometric LYT classes), are all great options for higher EPOC values. The same is true for lifting weights to stimulate the most muscle growth for increased metabolism. Finding the resistance that is heavy enough for you to perform only 8-12 reps per set with proper form will increase muscle size as compared to muscular endurance. Increased muscle mass yields increased metabolism…I think we see a pattern here.

     

    I don’t know about you, but I’m properly convinced to stay on my LYT mat doing my online classes which are full of compound bodyweight resistance training movements for the long haul. I’m also convinced that maintaining muscle mass as I age is a good step towards maintaining if not increasing my metabolism as well. If you haven’t checked out our Monthly Challenge called “Get Pumped”, you should! It’s full of resistance training coupled with our traditional LYT method blueprint. A definite win-win situation!

     

    Xoxo,

    Kristin

  • The Power of Strength Training and Why It’s Essential for Your Health

    The Power of Strength Training and Why It’s Essential for Your Health

    In a world filled with fitness trends and workout fads, one cornerstone remains true: strength training. Beyond the pursuit of beautiful muscles, strength training offers many benefits that go far beyond aesthetics. From improving overall health to enhancing daily functionality, strength training is an essential ingredient for daily life and longevity. Strength training (or resistance training) is a type of exercise that causes your muscles to resist an external force; this training intentionally loads the muscles and bones and can be performed using your own body weight, and/or outside weight via dumbbells, kettlebells, weight racks, or resistance bands. Strength training is truly having its day in the media spotlight and so to get you on board, let’s look at all the reasons that we should be doing it. 


    Strength training increases muscle mass, which in turn boosts your metabolism. Unlike cardiovascular exercise, which primarily burns calories during the activity, strength training leads to an “afterburn effect” where your body continues to burn calories even after the workout is over. This impact can help you maintain a healthy body weight to move more efficiently and joyfully in all decades of life. We know how amazing a LYT online class makes us feel- during and after- both physically and mentally. Exercise has long been associated with improved mental well-being, and strength training is no exception. The release of endorphins during exercise helps alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression, leaving you feeling happier and more energized.


    Strength training also improves muscular strength and endurance. This endurance not only makes daily tasks easier but also enhances athletic performance and reduces the risk of injury during physical activity. More than merely adding resistance to your routine, smart strength training involves movements that promote joint flexibility and mobility. By strengthening the muscles surrounding your joints, you can reduce the risk of injury and improve overall joint health. Specifically, working compound movement patterns (also known as functional movement like we incorporate into our LYT practice) such as squats and lunges enhance your ability to perform daily life activities with ease and independence. Maintaining strength and mobility is essential for maintaining independence as we age, and it is never too early to prime your body for lifelong musculoskeletal health. As we age, bone density naturally decreases, leading to an increased risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Strength training stimulates bone growth and helps maintain bone density, reducing the risk of fractures and promoting overall bone health. 


    Strength training will help older adults stay active, reduce the risk of falls, and improve overall quality of life. Because strength training improves functional capacity by enhancing muscle strength, power, and endurance, we can improve performance of activities of daily living such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting objects, and maintaining balance. By improving functional ability, strength training enables older adults to remain independent and active for longer.


    With aging, especially for women who are going through or are in menopause, strength training becomes increasingly important due to factors related to aging and hormonal changes. Age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, begins as early as the fourth decade of life and accelerates after the age of 65. Strength training helps counteract this loss by stimulating muscle growth and preserving existing muscle mass. Osteoporosis, or loss of bone density, is common among older adults and increases the risk of fractures and falls. Strength training, particularly exercises that load the bones such as resistance training, can increase bone density and reduce the risk of fractures, thus promoting bone health and longevity. With falls in the elderly being a leading cause of injury and mortality, strength training proves its worth by improving balance, coordination, and proprioception, all essential ingredients for preventing falls. By strengthening muscles and improving stability, strength training reduces the risk of falls and associated injuries, thereby enhancing safety and quality of life. Additionally, strength training has been shown to be effective in managing and preventing chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, by improving insulin sensitivity, lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and promoting overall cardiovascular health.


    So I hope you are convinced of the value of incorporating strength training into your wellness routine! In addition to my daily LYT practice which offers plenty of bodyweight strengthening moves, I have started adding extra weights in smaller doses or in lighter loads for longer time to build more endurance and prevent muscle loss. For more direct loadbearing on my spine, a common area for osteopenia, I began rucking about seven months ago. Rucking involves hiking/walking with a special pack that holds weighted plates. On both of our membership platform- LYT Daily and LYT Studio- we have strength classes. The “SET with weights” is one of my favorite classes to teach and practice, so join in on the fun with me or one of the other LYT teachers.  Incorporating strength training into your workout routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you prefer lifting weights at the gym, bodyweight exercises from the convenience of your home, or resistance bands during your lunch break, the key is to find activities that you enjoy and can stick with consistently. 

  • 5 Simple Core Strengthening Exercises

    5 Simple Core Strengthening Exercises

    In the LYT Method, we stand by the motto “More Core” for a reason. Whether you’re reaching for something, balancing, getting up off the floor, or simply standing in one place, the muscles of the core are working to keep your spine and pelvis stable. Unfortunately, many people are weak in their core. Most people think only of the abdominals when they hear the term “core”, but there’s a much broader picture to consider when wanting to strengthen this area. We need to consider not only the spine, but also the girdles of the shoulders, hips, and pelvis when incorporating core strengthening exercises. 

     

    Why does core strength and stability matter and why incorporate core strengthening exercises? Movement of the body through space depends on the creation and transfer of forces between different segments of the body. For example when we bend over to pick something up off the floor, not only do we need the strength of the arms to lift the object up, but we need to stabilize and lift through the lower body and transfer force through the trunk just to make this movement occur. Failure to do so successfully can increase the risk of injury anywhere along this chain of movement. 

     

    Core stabilization exercises have been shown to reduce the risk of this type of injury, as well as decreasing pain, reducing disability, and restoring/increasing strength. When core muscles are activated, there is an increased stiffness of the spine which enhances stability, allowing for this transfer of force. We need to strengthen not only the deep postural muscles but also mover muscles, as both have been shown to be key in stability. 

     

    Here are five simple (yet challenging!) exercises to improve your core stability:

     

    1. Glute Bridge – as the largest muscle in the body, the glutes play a huge role in core stability, acting as both a mover and a stabilizer.
      •  Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
      •  Press down through the feet to lift the pelvis up off the floor, elongating in the spine (do not press up too high or the back will arch).
      •  Hold for 2-5 seconds, keeping the pelvis level. Lower down with control.
      •  Do 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
    2. Supine March – holding the spine stable while moving the lower extremities is Core Stabilization 101. 
      •  Lie on your back with your knees over the hips and shins parallel to the floor (feet off the ground).
      •  Keeping the knee bent, slowly lower the left leg to tap the toes to the floor. Do not let the back arch up or allow the ribs or pelvis to move. 
      •  Return the left knee over the hip and repeat with the right leg. That is considered 1 repetition.
      •  Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
    3. Side Bridge – this exercise targets the deep oblique abdominals as well as the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder and hip.
      •  Lie on your left side with your knees bent to 90-degree angles and your elbow underneath your shoulder.
      •  Lift your bottom hip off the ground, trying to keep your knees, hips, and upper body in one long line.
      •  Hold for 10 seconds. Try to work your way up to a 1-minute hold!
      •  Do 10 holds on each side. As you increase your hold time, decrease your repetitions.
    4. Forearm Plank – this is a 1-stop shop exercise, targeting all the layers of your abdominal wall, as well as the shoulders, upper back, thighs, and glutes.
      •  Start on your hands and knees and then lower the forearms to the ground with the elbows under the shoulders.
      •  Walk one foot back at a time, tucking the toes under and keeping the knees off the floor.
      •  Hold this position without letting the back arch or hips drop, while keeping the neck long and in line with the trunk.
      •  Hold for 10 seconds. Try to work your way up to a 1-minute hold!
      •  Do 3-5 repetitions. As you increase your hold time, decrease your repetitions.
    5. Half Kneeling Chop – another 1-stop shop exercise that combines core stability, balance and hip stability, and shoulder strength all together.
      •  Start on your hands and knees and then lift your hands off the floor coming into tall kneeling.
      •  Step the left foot forward so both knees are bent to 90-degrees. The left foot will be directly under the left knee and the right knee will be directly under the right hip.
      •  Option to hold a light weight in the hands or simply clasp the hands together.
      •  Rotate the torso towards the right leg, bringing the weight towards that hip, keeping the arms extended. This is the start position.
      •  Using your abdominals, rotate the trunk to lift weight diagonally across the body and above the left shoulder, keeping arms extended. 
      •  Reverse to the starting position. This is one repetition.
      •  Do 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions on each side.

     

    If you’re familiar with the LYT Method, all of these exercises should look familiar to you as we do these and variations of them in each and every class. More Core is not about getting six-pack abs, although that is an added benefit that many find comes with the territory. It’s about creating a readiness in the body to move well and prevent injury. It all starts with core stabilization, so give these a try! 

     

    Xoxo,

    Kristin

  • Core CliffsNotes: Unveiling the Powerhouse of Your Body

    Core CliffsNotes: Unveiling the Powerhouse of Your Body

    When it comes to fitness and overall well-being, few elements are as crucial as understanding and harnessing the power of your core. Often misconstrued as just a set of abdominal muscles, the core is ultimately a complex network of muscles that provide stability, strength, and mobility to the entire body. From maintaining proper posture to excelling in athletic endeavors, the core plays a pivotal role in every movement we make. In our LYT classes, we often say the answer to joint aches, mobility concerns, low energy, and most everything else is MORE CORE. As the powerhouse of the body, the core transmits energy from the floor and lower limbs through the pelvis and spine, which aids in efficient movement and endurance. When the core muscles work collaboratively as a team, our movement and breath feel fluid and natural because all the systems in the body are operating well. The significance of the core’s role could be an entire book, but here are some CliffsNotes to highlight the core essentials and explore why optimizing posture is key to enhancing core dynamic stability.


    What is the core and why is it so important?

    The core encompasses more than just the visible six-pack abs that are often glorified in magazines or social media. The core container, as we often reference in LYT, includes the four layers of abdominals—the rectus, obliques, and the deeper corset-like muscle known as the transverse abdominis–along with muscles of the pelvic floor, spine, diaphragm, and shoulder girdle. An easy way to picture the entire core cylinder is to imagine all the muscles around and inside the pelvis, spine, ribcage, and scapulae. Together, these muscles form a stabilizing powerhouse that connects the upper and lower body, providing a solid foundation for movement. The core muscles are often synonymous with postural muscles in terms of function since they work continuously to support the skeletal structure in a variety of positions and planes of motion.


    Strengthening the core will give support to the musculoskeletal system to maintain more optimal posture, allowing you to better control your center of mass with movement. This dynamic control conserves energy, prevents injuries, and optimizes function. With movement and load (including gravity, body weight, or other weight) the core muscles provide the stabilizing anchor for the limbs to perform. Every daily activity, from bending down to tie your shoes to reaching for a high shelf, requires core engagement. A strong core ensures that movements are coordinated and efficient, reducing the risk of strain or injury. Whether you’re lifting a heavy object, running a marathon, or simply sitting at your desk, a strong and stable core (we also say “adaptable”) is essential for optimal movement, breath capacity, and joint health. Athletes across all disciplines rely on core strength to generate power, transfer energy, and maintain balance. Whether you’re sprinting on the track, swinging a pickleball racket, or practicing LYT, a solid core is essential for peak performance.

     

    Why do we emphasize TRIPLE S (aligning the skull, scapulae, and sacrum) to optimize posture and prime us for enhanced core activation? 

     

    When the skeletal scaffolding that represents our posture or carriage is out of alignment, the resulting sub-optimal posture creates an imbalance in the muscles and neuromuscular firing (lengthened muscles or underactive core muscles may be slow to respond and shortened muscles might continually activate instead). A slouched or slumped posture is common in our modern-day life, exemplified by rounded shoulders, forward neck, and a tilted pelvis. Optimal posture starts from the core and the collaborative engagement of the muscles leads to decreased pressure on joints or overreliance on individual muscle groups.  Weak core muscles can lead to poor alignment in any version of posture, which may contribute to musculoskeletal issues, depleted energy, and a delayed response between the brain and body. As the central channel of energy transmission and exchange, the core muscles are meant to respond appropriately to differing demands on the body. One of the most effective ways to enhance core stability is by optimizing posture. Proper posture aligns the spine, activates the core muscles, and promotes efficient movement patterns. When our posture improves, this nervous system communication is finer-tuned and adaptable, which translates into navigating through life with more reliable responses to stress and challenge.  

     

    Finally, how do we best improve overall core function? 

     

    I believe that practicing LYT is one of the best ways! LYT is designed with a specific method to prime the core muscle engagement and improve postural deficits through feedback and increased support for our center of mass in the RESET. We then apply this reinforced activation in the sequences through creative moves requiring more mobility, increased demand of bodyweight and gravitational forces, and with functional movements that mimic real-life activities, such as squatting, lunging, and twisting. Finally, we encode this information through repetition and added challenge in the STREAM to update brain mapping and nervous system communication. Each class is curated in this manner to provide greater carryover into daily life so that the core stability and postural alignment becomes more and more encoded/automatic. Both on and off the LYT mat, think of growing the spine and supporting with a balanced hug that summons all the core players to engage. An easy way to practice in daily life is to first set up your Triple S, where the skull, scapulae, and sacrum touch some part of a wall that you stand up against. Connect your brain to the feeling of having to sustain that alignment as you walk away from the wall and notice if you sense an energetic hold toward the center of your body. Continue to pay attention to your body’s alignment throughout the day, whether sitting, standing, or moving. Focus on keeping the entire spine lengthened and create a corset-like sensation around and within the pelvis to maintain a neutral position. As we say in LYT (and even have printed on our tanks!), STAND TALL, engage your core, and unleash the limitless potential within. This daily awareness to core and posture leads to true transformation. 

     

    I wrote this last year and feel that it speaks to the magic of LYT and the power of the core, providing an even more condensed CliffsNotes version:

     

    Movement is multifaceted and how we move is often determined by our habits. 

    • These habits become the GPS in our brain mapping, and we often need to update the software. 
    • Creating improved global movement often requires more specific or localized input. 
    • Building movement competency or literacy necessitates sensory-rich opportunities to develop and encode new motor planning and skills.