Twisting Thursday. Modified parsva dandasana or twisted leg behind the head arm balance. As some of you may know, especially those who have experienced and sustained an injury, a yoga practice isn’t a straight line. Lately, I have experienced some tightness and discomfort in parts of my body that I think, by practicing yoga, they should be more relaxed and flexible, such as my right hip, my right hamstrings. And these have hindered some poses that were previously more accessible to me like a split, pyramid, or straight leg bird of paradise. Maybe I pushed too hard. Maybe my form and alignment were repeated improperly overtime. Maybe I didn’t strengthen those muscles and joints enough. Maybe my practice wasn’t on a regular routine due to my recent traveling schedules. Maybe it’s a combination of some or all of the above. Who knows. What happens now with my body is a good reminder though that a practice can be a twist and turn. But thankfully yoga isn’t just a physical practice. So hopefully even with a setback, I can continue my yoga practice and my body will recuperate and be ready for the challenges in the physical aspect of yoga in the near future. 🤞🏻 I still have more JM Vinyasa hours to complete! 😅 📸: @sfreneenyc . . . . . #legbehindthehead #armbalance #yogaanywhere #yogamen #yogabody #yogalife #yogastrong #yogafun #yogapractice #yogaposes #yogafit #yogajourney #yogafam #wearehumans #โยคะ #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #โยคะวันละนิด @yogaloveflow @menatyoga (at Tribecca, Manhattan) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mf498nnWo/?igshid=5s3f21c39i5x

How should I forward bend? As a person who isn’t very flexible, I never dreamed I would be able to forward bend and touch my fingers on the floor—much less my palms. Continuous practice of yoga and Pilates allows me to gain more muscle strength and flexibility so a forward bend isn’t something that’s no longer inaccessible. My spine mobility has also improved through the practice. But I have always been told to take extra precaution and care when doing a flexibility practice. That is if I do it incorrectly repeatedly, I could risk injuring my muscles and joints. Learning from my teachers, I want to share a few tips with some of you who are still working to work on the flexibility of your spine and hamstrings in the forward bend. 🧘‍♂️🧘‍♀️ ➤Bend from your hip joints. ➤Activate your core. ➤Feel for closing the gap between your abs and front thighs. ➤Engage your legs and feet. ➤Use blocks or bend your knees if needed until the hamstrings open up. If your hamstrings are super tight, take your time to forward bend. And do NOT bend with a curve spine. Always bend with a flat back. Otherwise, you could compress the intervertebral disks and cause injuries in your lower back. 😱 You could first feel out your hamstrings flexibility while being in the right form and alignment by using the blocks. Then lower the blocks or even get rid of them when your hamstrings become more flexible and your core is stronger. And very importantly, keep breathing. 😌 . . . . . #forwardfold #uttanasana #yogatips #yogatutorial #yogalife #yogastrong #yogafun #yogapractice #yogaposes #yogafit #yogajourney #โยคะ #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #โยคะวันละนิด @yogaloveflow @menatyoga (at Warrior Bridge) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1rJ5OonUo3/?igshid=1f68ljyfk6yja

Trying to find balance is challenging. And that applies to everything in life—physical, mental, emotional, personal, professional. Swipe for a playful vid. 😆 This pose, flying crow, is a good reminder of that. But once you find it, it will feel light, grounding, and peaceful. Happy Tuesday. By the way, you will notice that two sides of my body are different. That’s pretty common in many people. Actually, my cheekbones aren’t even even. 😂 But I’m working on fine-tuning my poses that require execution on both sides to align as symmetrically as possible. 🧘‍♂️ . . . . . #armbalance #yogalife #yogastrong #yogafun #yogapractice #yogaposes #yogafit #yogaanywhere #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #fitness #flyingcrow #ekapadagalavasana #crow #galavasana #โยคะ #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #โยคะวันละนิด @yogaloveflow @menatyoga (at Hudson Yards New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Y2HgpHgLQ/?igshid=1m43wu39lxdc9

Back in NYC after a week in LA. It’s been great to practice with @meliniseri in her Yoga for Runners class, especially after a long flight and a week of cold. It’s what I needed. Initially, I was also planning to practice a few additional poses and taking some photos after class but we ended up chatting instead. 😆😂 So I decided to post these pics of an arm balance taken a while back in June. This was inspired by one of @sfreneenyc’s photos of #dylanwerner doing this pose on a slope. I agreed with Renee. It wasn’t easy 😅 because you need to feel how the weight must be distributed on the inclined surface to lift your body up and maintain the balance. The hardest part though was the endurance of your hands against the hot concrete floor. 😅 The yoga community indeed is always inspiring. 🙏🏻😊💜 . . . . . #armbalance #yogalifestyle #yogastrong #yogafun #yogafit #yogaanywhere #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #fitness #yogainspired #ysyd #yogafam #โยคะ #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #ชุดเล่นโยคะ #โยคะวันละนิด @yogaloveflow @menatyoga (at Laguna Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1PxopEjwIB/?igshid=15tajf06w08em

First post after the first module of my 300-h YTT at @lighthouseyogaschool ended. Now we are on “a break”, which basically means that you won’t be sitting on the floor to learn and practice yoga for 10 hours a day for a while. 😆 However, we are required to practice our 60-90 min daily sadhana throughout the break to keep us grounded in our practice. 🧘‍♂️🧘🏻‍♀️ The break from the intense practice and learning reminds me to keep a balance. Over doing anything is not ideal. There is so much the body and mind can handle. You want to push your limit but you don’t want to break your body and certainly your mind. Thus, I’m grateful to have this break to keep my balance. When I think about balance, I think of this pose. Crow pose—one of the arm-balance poses. This photo was taken a while back by an amazing friend of mine during a class at #virlini2019 retreat. 📷: @palmbeachyogi 🙏🏻💜 And also thanks to @meliniseri for lending me her mat. 😊 . . . . #armbalance #bakasana #crowpose #yogalifestyle #yogastrong #yogafun #yogafit #yogaanywhere #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #fitness #โยคะ #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #ชุดเล่นโยคะ #โยคะวันละนิด @yogaloveflow @menatyoga @wellxplore (at Punta Cana Republica Dominicana) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Q575NH9XG/?igshid=8n56pbvh93zm

Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸🎉 #armbalance #garudasana #eaglepose #yogalifestyle #yogastrong #yogafun #yogafit #yogaanywhere #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #fitness #pride #โยคะ #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #ชุดเล่นโยคะ #โยคะวันละนิด @yogaloveflow @menatyoga (at Columbus Circle) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzhVg2dD4fq/?igshid=9635ejcob2wm

I have waited to post this photo for a while. I remember it was such a fun sunny day at @edenroccapcana during #virlini2019 yoga 🧘‍♂️🧘🏻‍♀️ and handstand 🤸🏼‍♂️🤸‍♀️ retreat. I think today, which is the 2019 World Pride weekend, is appropriate to post it, reminding me the importance of love and support within and beyond the LGBTQ+ community and reflective of how I felt at the retreat. Everyone was loving and supportive regardless of who you are or what you are. Of course, this by no means suggests that everyone is everyone’s bestie nor there are no more challenges for the LGBTQ+ community to overcome. But we have come a long way and we have so many who came before us to thank 🙏🏻 and be grateful for. And now, it’s our time and our turn to carry that torch 🔥 towards equality. 💜💙💚💛🧡❤️🌈🏳️‍🌈 Happy World Pride in NYC from a relatively quiet West Hollywood this weekend. 😆 📸: @sfreneenyc . . . . . #baddhakonasana #butterflypose #yogalifestyle #yogastrong #yogafun #yogafit #yogaanywhere #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #fitness #pride #worldpride2019 #westhollywood #โยคะ #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #ชุดเล่นโยคะ #โยคะวันละนิด @yogaloveflow @menatyoga @wellxplore (at Punta Cana, República Dominicana, Caribe) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzWVrh8nqr7/?igshid=gwtlj4usl670

Inspired by the Pacific ocean in the background and a couple of posts I saw on IG, I decided to attempt this arm balancing. Some time, when you see a pose, you know you can do it. Other time, when you see a pose, you know you can’t do it (yet). That’s when you have to envision yourself in that pose and keep practicing. In this case, for me, it’s the first scenario. Balancing on that gate column was the scariest part. 😖😨 Believe in yourself. Believe in what you can or will be able to do when you put your heart 💜 into it. . . . . . #armbalance #twist #parsvabhujadandasana #yogistaffpose #grasshopperpose #yogalifestyle #yogastrong #yogafun #yogafit #yogaanywhere #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #fitness #ysyd #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #ชุดเล่นโยคะ #โยคะวันละนิด @yogaloveflow @menatyoga (at Laguna Niguel, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzKKB4ynLXS/?igshid=oo8cu0gkhdxv

Sometimes it can be very hard for me to find what I want to say on IG. Then I looked back at what I did over the past week and I thought what challenged me the most was the backbend training. It’s still a work in progress. It’s still a journey. I want to thank all my teachers past and present who instill the discipline in me because without it, there is no way I could find any improvement in my practice—yoga and chemistry alike. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜 . . . . . #backbend #acrobatictraining #crescentmoonpose #anjaneyasan #yogalifestyle #yogastrong #yogafun #yogafit #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #health #selfcare #fitness #LA #workshop #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #ชุดเล่นโยคะ #โยคะวันละนิด (at Hollywood Boulevard) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByyxANtHGQ0/?igshid=qraaxnn52k14

Thursday is when I typically go to practice with @actionhiro at Alo the Grove. It was quite a drive with some unpredictable LA traffic 😩, and of course I was running a bit late. 😆 But thanks to an Alo staff who was so understanding and let me in the studio. I think we did a bit of everything today—back bending, hip opening, wrist strengthening, shoulder opening, hamstring and glute strengthening, as parts of a fun flow. After class and since my body was already warmed up, I had a bit of time to practice my handstands. I saw this beautiful teak tree 🌳 in the front corner of the room against the Alo mural. So I thought it would be fun to practice a Thursday tree pose handstand and share it here. 😊🤸🏼‍♂️ By the way, if you live in Thailand 🇹🇭 and have free weekends in Bangkok in June, swipe all the way to the right because Hiro will be leading a couple of workshops/trainings there. I do want to encourage you to take a class with him if you can. I can tell you he has a lot to share with his students, especially how to move your body in a fun dynamic functional way. And let me know what you think. 😊 . . . . . #vrksasana #treepose #handstand #yogalifestyle #yogastrong #yogafun #yogafit #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #health #selfcare #fitness #LA #workshop #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #ชุดเล่นโยคะ #โยคะวันละนิด (at Alo Yoga at The Grove) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByHTjdmDjuF/?igshid=1x6f6gmy85cy9

Sometimes it’s fun to just have a little playful time. In the 🤸🏼‍♂️ workshop led by @handstand_with_virgile at this past #virlini2019, we were asked to start off with some crazy handstand, meaning you could go up to a handstand anyway you want—as loosely or crazy as you wish. And then when that’s done and you got a feel of it, we followed that with a proper form and alignment for a handstand. . . . #handstand #retreat #yogalifestyle #yogafun #yogafit #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #health #fitness #California #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ (at Altadena, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxjOwRCHJWS/?igshid=z8m1b5paynyg

As a part of life, all things come to an end. It can’t be denied. The party is over. 🥺😭 But even so, this year’s #virlini2019 retreat at @edenroccapcana gave me the opportunity to learn important techniques and forms in handstand from @handstand_with_virgile and get to put them into use, to practice powerful yoga daily guided by @meliniseri , and to work with @sfreneenyc for my first professional yoga photo shoot. As important, it was beyond expectation to meet and get to know this group of amazing, inspiring, strong, and kind people. I’m so glad to have met and got to know you guys❣️ 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 for such a wonderful and lasting memorable time. . . . #armbalance #handstand #retreat #friendship #yogafriends #yogalifestyle #yogafun #yogafit #yogamen #yogagirls #yogabody #yogajourney #health #fitness #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #โยคะกับเพื่อน #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ (at Eden Roc at Cap Cana) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxC5c1MFiFn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1jm4p4eprg01l

It is a blessing when you have knowledgeable and dedicated teachers who are committed to teach, to coach, and to guide you to become better in whatever you aspire to be. I have been lucky enough to have some of those teachers in both my academic and athletic lives and I am so thankful. 🙏🏻💜 Here is one of my teachers @handstand_with_virgile showing me the value and importance of correct alignments and forms in acrobatic training, which is something that is practically new to me. I have been doing science all my life 🤓👨‍🔬 but this has been a great experience that helps me with mind-body connection. Academicians, scholars, and scientists should be able to be in good health too. 💪 . . . #mayurasana #peakcockpose #armbalance #yogalifestyle #yogafun #yogafit #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #health #fitness #workshop #practice #discipline #virlini2019 #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #โยคะวันละนิด #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ (at Eden Roc at Cap Cana) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxBkE7jFdZX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1oi0n6htgldk

My first time using the cane. So much fun and thanks 🙏🏻 to @handstand_with_virgile for being a dedicated teacher, giving me great spotting and super helpful tips on how to hold my body upside down. 📹 @concrete_yogini . . . #handstand #balance #yogalifestyle #yogafun #yogafit #breathe #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #health #fitness #workshop #practice #discipline #virlini2019 #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #โยคะวันละนิด #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ (at Eden Roc at Cap Cana) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw-NwzgFvgs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16ludeg6aqlpc

Putting drills and guided practices in @meliniseri’s class into perspective. 🤸🏼‍♂️🧘‍♂️ P.S. I used a filter to make the sky look bright and blue. 🤣 But the unfiltered sky that afternoon was also blue and beautiful. ☀️ 🏝 . . . #beachyoga #handstand #balance #backbend #yogalifestyle #yogafun #yogafit #breathe #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #health #fitness #virlini2019 #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #โยคะวันละนิด #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ (at Eden Roc at Cap Cana) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8iWt_FX7u/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1j5cb1kjqhw8u

Attempting a backbend during a yoga class led by @meliniseri at a retreat hosted by Melini, @handstand_with_virgile , and @sfreneenyc. Deep backbending asanas, including the king or full cobra pose (head to toes), require a lot of effort and practice for me. This isn’t something I do often because of a lower back injury years ago that gave me a chronic back pain for over five years. But I should practice it more often to strengthen my back. I just need to approach it with extreme care. 😅 Today we did a number of warm up drills and exercises to get the back body ready before getting into these bends. I’m still struggling. 😆🧘‍♂️ But thanks to the helpful tips and techniques during class that allowed me to try some of these poses that I would have thought of doing. . . . #bhujangasana #backbend #yogalife #yogafun #yogafit #stillness #breathe #yogamen #yogabody #yogajourney #health #fitness #โยคะ #โยคะท่ายาก #โยคะฟิต #โยคะวันละนิด #ฉันรักโยคะ #สุขภาพ #ชุดเล่นโยคะ (at Punta Cana, República Dominicana) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw5H-ljlPRy/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=qxpp7fo3jm8f