Maybe it’s the time of year, or maybe it’s my age, or maybe it’s my version of the 7-year itch. I’ve been missing my girlfriends something awful. We are flung across the world, all at different stages of marriage/divorce/child rearing. One just published a book, another is launching a brilliant new business, and another just did her first TED Talk. My friends are absolutely amazing. And for that, I am most grateful.

 

When I first met my husband 7 years ago, I was not on Facebook. I had a major aversion to my computer and had no interest in cluttering my mind with what I saw as nonsense and filler in the “worldwide web.” I was a yogini who spent several hours a day practicing, meditating, taking walks and teaching. He encouraged me to embrace social media…and so I did but with great reluctance.

 

My opinion was that social media cut us of from one another-kept us from real intimacy and served as a constant distraction. At the time, I could never imagine that 7 years later I would be a contributing author of 3 blogs, max out my personal FB page and grow additional FB pages https://www.facebook.com/YogaTuneUp , Twitter (https://twitter.com/yogatuneup)  and youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/yogatuneupvideos  communities.

 

One of my favorite things about Social Media is watching the growth of my friends’ brands, business and circle of influence. I love commenting, liking, sharing, reading and engaging in words of praise, humor and heartache. Reading through Twitter rants and sharing private moments in public has become a new form of intimacy between me and my girlfriends – I just never expected that I would feel so genuinely connected to all of them.

 

While taking a shower the other day, happily un-wired, I felt all of the “cyber-energy” of my dear girlfriends surrounding me and supporting me. It may sound a little woo-woo, but the actual web of community that we’ve created in cyber space was entirely real and present. It grounded me and I no longer “missed” them because in cyber-space, they’re always there.

 

Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup

 

I workout at gyms all over the world on my travels for work. One trend that I am thrilled to see is that more folks are getting down on the floor after their workouts and working out their post-exercise aches & pains with a variety of massage balls, rollers, sticks and more. I am a huge fan of self-care, it’s literally the backbone of my Yoga Tune Up® format. But I’d like to see that self-care start BEFORE you load your body with weights, complex movement patterns or speed.

 

Treat BEFORE you train.

 

Massaging out your tissues prior to training helps to awaken the body’s inner sense of itself, also known as proprioception. Your body is loaded with these specialty sensory nerve endings that helps the body to locate tissues from inside out. These proprioceptors are especially prevalent in deep joint capsules, all along the spine and in the multiple fascia soft tissues that interconnect all of the body’s structures together. 

 

You can awaken these body sensors and help them to function better by using a self-massage tool. Awakening your body-sense pre-workout means that you can make better choices about your position within a workout. Becoming more aware of your body during your workout means less injuries and movement gaffes! When you treat before you train, you’ll find you won’t need to roll out your pains post-workout because you’ve already eliminated the issues within your tissues.

 

Here is one of my FAVORITE moves from my Coregeous DVD to help pry apart tight back muscles so that your spine, ribs and deep breathing muscles can function well throughout your workout.

 

RIB ROCK

 

HOW TO:

1)  Place 2 grippy Yoga Tune Up® Therapy Balls  (can sub tennis balls) along the side of the spine in the upper back region, between the shoulder blades.

2)  Breathe slowly into the ribs and rock from side-to side and allow the balls to massage in towards the rib joints. 1-2 minutes on left side of spine, then switch sides

 

HOW IT HELPS:

Uncorks tension along the upper back and spine so that the spinal bones regain fluidity and mobility. This frees up trapezius, rhomboids, erectors and intercostal tension, mobilizes rib joints and spinal joints, posterior diaphragm rib connections and massages deep back musculature.

Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup

 

I am a chocolate addict. I have known this my whole life. Those who love me know that I will love them back even more if they give me chocolate. Good Dark Chocolate. Really, really good dark chocolate. I even tell my students that they will get extra hands-on-adjustments if they place dark chocolates on the corners of their yoga mat as a lure.

Some people seek mystic wisdom, others seek the perfect wave, give me the right melt-in your mouth taste and I hit stages of euphoria that are some of my best peak experiences. I will open my wallet to try nearly every new brand of chocolate in my unending quest to find the ultimate confectionery experience. (my current favorite bar right now is: Theo Vanilla Nib Bar https://www.theochocolate.com/product/75)

But all things in moderation, right? So I have tempered some of my fiercest cravings by making a super-rich protein and pro-biotic filled flavor explosion that curbs my afternoon jones’ AND is mega-healthy to boot. This treat has anti-oxidants, bioflavonoids (http://www.supplementfacts.com/BioflavonoidsBookS8.htm ), protein, luxurious mouth-feel and is supremely appetite curbing. And in less than 5 minutes, you’ll be eating a luscious bowl of perfect pudding!

Here is all you’ll need:

 

 

Chocolate Probiotic Pudding Parfait

In a small serving bowl place:

1 heaping teaspoon dark unsweetened cocoa powder (my favorite is Dagoba http://www.dagobachocolate.com/products/baking/#cacao-powder-baking )

1 t of agave syrup or honey

Stir together until the cocoa and agave become fudge and gooey. (If you skip this step your “pudding ” will be lumpy and the cocoa will not completely dissolve in the yogurt.

 

Now plop in:

6-8oz of plain Greek yogurt (non-fat, low fat and whole yogurt, or for dairy-free folks coconut yogurt all work GREAT in this recipe)

Stir together until well combined. Taste at this point, depending on how hard-core your chocolate craving is, you may want to add more cocoa or sweetener.

 

Add your toppings! Go Crazy!

 

Cocoa Nibs!

 

Pecans!

 

Bananas!

 

Strawberries!

 

Blueberries!

 

Dried Cranberries!

 

Granola!

 

Chocolate Chunks!

 

 Whatever you like.

 

 Gobble it up! And dream about tomorrow’s concoction.

 

 You’re welcome!

 

I no longer confine my practice to moves exclusively performed on a yoga mat. I love mixing and re-mixing props and equipment from every area of the gym. In my Yoga Tune Up® classes, I use yoga props in very unorthodox ways (see image below), it keeps my students guessing and it keeps all of our minds inspired by novelty.

 

My approach to core work is also filled with novelty and surprises at every twist, turn and segment of the “coreso.” I attempt to make constant postural improvements no matter what exercises I am experimenting with. EVERY move you perform should leave you feeling more COREganized, balanced and build greater overall body awareness. When it comes to Core work, I incorporate a massive repertoire of ways to challenge all of the tissues that build agility, stability, mobility and facility of the postural muscles. I call this Coregeous® Conditioning.

Try Weighted Warrior 3 on a Block to address all muscles of the body at once. This whole body core exercise activates nearly every single muscle to affect your entire physique. It is especially beneficial to your back muscles and gluteals.

1) Grab a pair of 3-10# hand weights and stand on a yoga block with your left leg extended behind you. Hold for 5 breaths.

2) Deeply brace all core muscles and slowly twist and raise the shoulders alongside your ears so that the palms face skyward. Maintain this new position for the shoulders through Step #3. Hold for 5 breaths.

3) Stiffen your core and stand up (keep the arms where they are) while slowly flexing the left hip so that your left knee presses into your chest. Hold for 5 breaths.

 4) Slowly hinge forward at the hips and return to position #1. Do 3 complete rounds, then switch sides.

For more moves like this, check out my Coregeous DVD : http://www.yogatuneup.com/product/quickfix-videos/Coregeous

Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup

  

For those that know me well, the way to my heart is chocolate. Dark Chocolate. I am also a massive fan of genius chefs. I love the Celebrity Chef craze right now and am very lucky to call the Best Pastry Chef on the Planet, Sherry Yard from Spago, my dear friend. Sherry doesn’t just dazzle the rich and famous at the well-known Beverly Hills restaurant, but she also spends a lot of time giving back to the community, working as many charity events as she can. One of the many reasons I love her!

So when I found out she would be the headliner at a fund raiser to generate scholarships for the prestigious C-CAP (Careers Through Culinary Arts Program) at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of California, in Santa Monica I jumped at the chance to help her out. Alongside me was a former scholarship recipient, Rob who now works in pastry at Hotel Bel Air.  The scholarships provide kids with promise but who don’t have the means to attend culinary school. He LOVES his job and working for Sherry and Spago will continue to open doors for him in the industry.

 

Sherry is known for her pink chef’s coat, so I wore my Black and Pink RYKA Desire’s so that we matched. The event was also a challenge for me personally….would my shoes hold up running back and forth to the kitchen? Would I have sore feet the next day from standing for hours at our table serving pastry? I am happy to report that my Desires passed the 8-hours test! The only thing sore then next day were my teeth and stomach form sampling so many outrageous desserts from all fo the Master Chefs who were there!

 

I hope this inspires your Thanksgiving! I will be making some chocolate pudding pies, using Sherry’s recipe, of course!

Have a Happy Holiday!

 

 

Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup

 From a very young age, I sang. I had a “pair of lungs” as my mom used to say, and I belted out songs from Annie or Cats to anyone who would listen. I started formal vocal training around 8 years old, and learned about the most important singing muscle, the respiratory diaphragm.

 Flash forward a few years later, I found yoga and fell completely in love with the art of movement, breath, and meditation. Yoga was loaded with new breathing strategies that thoroughly confused all of my breathing patterns from singing. I had to re-learn how to breathe and re-pattern myself from inside out. There was so much more to learn about this magical diaphragm muscle.

The diaphragm is shaped like muscular parachute forming a partition between the guts and the lungs. It’s attached to the inside of the rib cage and fastened like cling wrap onto the top of the body’s organs. When you inhale, it pushes downwards into the belly area causing it to balloon outward. When you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and the gut area softens in and up towards the lungs.

 

 The single most helpful exercise to get an inside-out sense of this muscle is a practice called “Uddihyana Bandha” or the “Abdominal Vacuum.” Check out this video of the exercise I made with my friend Kelly Starrett DPT. http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/06/jill-miller-diaphragm-evolution-part-3-eccentric-loading.html

Practice this daily on an empty stomach. Not only will it help your breath mechanics to improve, it also massages your internal organs and provides a much needed stretch for the inside portion of all of your abdominal layers. Ultimately, getting to know your belly from inside-out improves your overall athletic performance and COREdination.

For more detail on this, check out my Coregeous video: http://www.yogatuneup.com/product/quickfix-videos/Coregeous

Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup

 

Osteo (my well-dressed assistant in the Ryka Desire) and I had a blast last weekend at Inner Idea in Palm Springs.  This is my fourth year presenting at this intimate Mind/Body Fitness Conference.

 

The conference brings together innovative educators, program developers, instructors and enthusiasts from Pilates, Yoga, Fedenkrais, Gyrotonics, Meditation and more. Osteo and I, with the help of Yoga Tune Up® Trainer Trina Altman, led our students through 2 sessions concentrating on breath dynamics, Fascia mechanics and core integration. 

The weekend sets a tone for contemplation, introspection and fitness for the subtle energy set. From what I have seen year-after-year, the diversity of offerings, and the hunger from the fitness public for Mind/Body techniques is not even at its tipping point. The workout world is ready to be inclusive of restoration, mindfulness and platforms that repair the body and mind rather than breaking it apart and tearing it to shreds. We can be fit, finely tuned-in AND fabulous. 

Stay tuned for next week’s post when I share the INSIDE SCOOP on the most powerful way to improve your core performance!

Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup

Please don’t judge me. But there was a time during my twenties where I used to be very judgemental. You see, I was a bit of an “extreme yogini.” Super dedicated to my practice of yoga, meditation and was a bit of a yoga snob. I frowned upon other forms of exercise, because I thought they would disrupt my ability to do this:

 

 

 

What I did not realize at the time, was that my practice was progressively destabilizing my joints, I was becoming weakened by too much stretching.

 

A year after this photo was taken, I tore one of my rotator cuff muscles. Yep, I stretched myself to the point of breaking. Luckily for me, a great physical therapist set me straight, gave me a program of resistance exercises using bands and weights and altered the course of my life.

 

Once I stopped resisting resistance training I truly found my way back to balance!

 

Have you omitted some category from your workout program? Do you find yourself having a negative attitude towards speed drills? Or Pilates? Or Olympic Lifting? Or swimming? Or Yoga? Whichever movement scheme turns you off, I say GO FOR IT! You may be unknowingly avoiding the missing piece for your body and mind’s total health.

 

Let me know how it goes!

 

Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup

 

As a world traveler and yoga/fitness therapy expert, I spend A LOT of time on the road. Liza and the crew at Global TV’S Morning Show invited me in for some quick tips on keeping your body happy and healthy while on the road.

Check out the interview and stay tuned to this blog for a gazillion tips on how to live better in your body!

 

Global TV’s Interview with Jill Miller

 

 Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup

 

Do you exercise your toes?

Painting your toenails doesn’t count.

The feet and ankles are loaded with 25% of the body’s bones. Keeping the architecture of the feet strong, supple and responsive can make all the difference in the world for knees, hips and the spine that live above this complex structure. Feet that are full of locked up joints, weakened musculature and collapsed arches create a faulty tread. The whole body will pay the price for a rickety foundation “downstairs.”

Learn to play “Footsie” with yourself and then you will play much better with others.

PLAYING FOOTSIE

 HOW TO:

1)  Stand with one Yoga Tune Up® Therapy Ball under the right foot and place your hand on a wall or chair.

2) Roll the ankle from side-to-side so that the ankle massages into the plantar fascia. 10-20X

3) Then move the ball towards the heel, stopping the ball just in front of the heel. Sink the ball into the foot, slightly bend the knee to drive more force into the ball and then move ankle from side-to side. 10-20X

4) Place the ball at the base of the toes keeping the heel on the floor and allow the foot bones and toe bones to drape over the ball. Move ankle from side-to side. 10-20X

5)  Roll the ball up-and -down the foot in a rolling pin action to stretch into al of the foot muscles (many of these muscles can be traced all the way up to the knee!)

Ryka ambassador Jill Miller has more than 27 years of yoga practice and fitness expertise which weave seamlessly into her signature fitness therapy format, Yoga Tune Up®. Her compassionate nuts and bolts approach of helping students uncover and heal the root cause of physical pain and imbalances have catapulted her corrective exercise and self-care methods to the forefront of mind/body fitness. Jill can be found presenting at international fitness conferences, yoga retreat centers or teacher trainings at fitness clubs, yoga studios, clinics and CrossFit. Known as a “teachers teacher,” she certifies movement educators of every style to teach Yoga Tune Up®. Her work has been featured on the pages of Self, Shape, Whole Living, Fitness, Redbook, Prevention and Yoga Journal.  Her media programs include Gaiam’sYoga for Weight Loss, the Yoga Tune Up® At Home Program, Coregeous®, Quickfix Rx: Upper & Lower Body, Quickfix Rx: KneeHab, YTU Athletic Stretch DVD, Pranamaya’s 3 DVD set, Yoga Link: Easy Access to an Ageless Art and the YTU Therapy Ball Programs. For more about Jill, visitwww.yogatuneup.com,  Twitter @yogatuneup