End of Year Schedule Changes (see also Calendar)

 Quick up date for those wanting to plan:

La Mesa Library Chair Yoga

The library will not be hosting any classes for the entire month of December. We will also be off on  November 22. So we we only meet 11/8, 11/15, and 11/29. 

Then, starting in the new year on 1/4/23, this class moves to Wednesdays at 11AM (same time, new day).

Bonita Library Chair Yoga

We will not be having our Monday class the week of Thanksgiving (11/21), nor Christmas Day (12/26) or New Year's (1/2) as both Holidays are observed with library closures on Mondays. 

Class returns to meeting inside the conference room next week 11/14.

Serra Mesa Library Chair Yoga

We will not meet on: Thanksgiving (11/24), first day of December (12/1/22), the week of Christmas (12/22).

Starting in the New Year on 1/3/23, this class moves to Tuesdays at 11:30AM-12:45PM (instead of Thursdays).

Park De La Cruz Rec Center (Age Well/Therapeutic Rec)

Our last yoga session ended on 11/4. We are on a break until late January, when we will be bringing a new format to you: Fun Fitness! This new class to upbeat music will be chair based, with low impact aerobic activity, light weight training (one to five pound hand weights), coordinated movement with stretch bands, and of course, a hearty stretch at the end. Suitable for all "active adults!" Session to start 1/27/23 for eight weeks. 

Come to the demonstration on 1/13 during the Therapeutic Recreation Service special event to create aware of services for Brain Injuries @ Park de La Cruz! Check out all their services at https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/activities/trs.

YMCA (Copley-Price)

We now have not one but TWO classes on Tuesdays. At 8:30 we have a more active yoga class, and at 9:30 a more gentle class suitable for anyone that wouldn't normally want to go "up and down" during class. This is not a chair yoga class but if you are able to get on the floor (and up after class) this might be suitable for you. Both classes require YMCA membership, and pickup up a class pass at the Fitness Desk.

Water Conservation Garden

Our classes will continue to meet on Thursdays at 9:15, except we changed the location from the Butterfly Amphitheater to the Gazebo. This location is more central to the garden and has more room for people to stretch. If you need assistance getting to the gazebo, the garden is providing shuttle transport by 9:05 AM! On cold/rainy days we will meet in the Education Center; please always check in at the kiosk. We will not be meeting on the Thursday of Thanksgiving (11/24), nor Christmas (12/22).

Do You Know About AgeWell Services?

AgeWell Services’ Homepage:   https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/activities/agewellservices

Fall Scroll Newsletter https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/agewellservicesscroll-fall.pdf

Website to register: https://apm.activecommunities.com/sdparkandrec

Last Weekly Online Class Friday August 26

Yogis, it has been a wonderful two and a half years but, but at long last our pandemic-inspired online chair classes must finally come to a close. Tomorrow 8-26-22 will be our last class.

I am sorry for those that are not in San Diego that join us, but I now have three free (and many other) chair yoga classes that will be offered weekly locally and I need the extra time on Friday’s for homework, studying, and tending to Eli’s every growing extracurricular needs. 
 
I will be leaving all the recorded online classes up and occasionally adding to them, but please check out all your local resources for keeping yourselves healthy and vital! Do not hesitate to call me if you need anything, and my website will always be updated with new information as I find it.
 
For now, here’s what is going on. 
 
ONGOING
 

• Chair Yoga @Bonita/Sunnyside Library on Bonita Road 11 AM Mondays. FREE
  
  
• Chair Yoga @ Cuyamaca Water Conservation Garden 9:15-10:15AM Thursdays. Free with Membership https://thegarden.org/support/membership-2/?gclid=CjwKCAjwu5yYBhAjEiwAKXk_eBuR8a_8NTHmDEiAH33DMbcniCzTPSn8BeYb_d5aUUi4A1h0UVp8hhoCFcgQAvD_BwE
  
  
• September 13 (through Nov 29 for now) Chair Yoga  @La Mesa library on Allison Avenue. 11 AM Tuesdays. FREE – (will be listed on the Silver and Fit website as well)
  
  
• September 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29 Chair Yoga @Serra Mesa library on Aero Drive. 11:30-12:15 Thursdays. FREE
  
  
• September 16 – November 4 Chair Yoga @Park De La Cruz Rec Center. 12:45 PM Fridays. $30 for 8 classes . (register here https://apm.activecommunities.com/sdparkandrec/Home) 

 
Thank you for all your participation, feedback, and your donations that kept us all going!

So many services and classes are available now. Check into sone of these other resources check for fun activities:

1. YMCA SAN DIEGO COUNTY: RENEW ACTIVE helps PAYS FOR YOUR membership: https://www.ymcasd.org/membership/insurance-paid
2. AGEWELL SERVICES: https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/activities/agewellservices)
3. FEELING FIT SAN DIEGO: IN PERSON: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ais/health_promotions.html
4. FEELING FIT SAN DIEGO ONLINE ACCESS: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/hhsa/programs/ais/documents/How%20to%20access%20Feeling%20Fit%20Club%20videos%20at%20home.pdfSILVER AND FIT: https://www.silverandfit.com/
5. SILVER AGE YOGA IN PERSON CLASSES: https://www.silverageyoga.org/find-a-class/

Guest Article: Top Tips on How to Recharge at Any Time

 submitted by Cheryl Conklin of Wellness Central

Image courtesy of Unsplash

During the past pandemic, staying in was thrust upon us, and in the blink of an eye we all needed to alter our lifestyles to promote general health. For many, these have now become integrated in our daily lives. With that major adjustment can come a great deal of stress. And although businesses and schools have reopened, many people have chosen to spend more time at home. These resources from BYOMyoga give you some tips and tools that can get you through the days happy and healthy.

● Stress is a terrible thing, but exercise can help. Mayo Clinic suggests getting moving to manage stress.

● If you lead a business, it’s important to head off job burnout before lasting damage is done.

● There are few more rewarding experiences than owning a pet. It turns out that one of the rewards of pet ownership is an improved state of mind!

● Reduce feelings of anxiety and negativity by decluttering, cleaning, and organizing your home.

● What is CBD? For some people, it is a way to relax and recharge without risking the dangers of substance abuse.

● Consider taking up a hobby to pass the time and increase your relaxation levels.

● Among the most challenging hobbies is gaming. It’s not just for kids any more!

● Eating at home can become dull and predictable at the best of times. Turn pantry staples into full meals for something new and exciting at dinnertime.

● Speaking of dining at home, have you joined the slow cooking craze? If not, here are the best slow cookers on the market.

● Meditation is an excellent way to achieve physical and mental balance. Check out the 21 Best Meditation Podcasts for ways to maximize your experience.

Adjusting to the pandemic was tough. Bouncing back from a pandemic is not easy, either. Life might feel topsy-turvy right now, but you can turn to these resources for healthier and happier living!

Three Special Online Monday Classes 5/16, 5/23, 5/30

For those that attend the Bonita/Sunnyside Library class, the online Friday class, or who are interested in joining us for online yoga but can't attend on Fridays, we are going on line for THREE special Mondays in May.

The following THREE Mondays at 11AM PST (until 11:50) we will have online chair yoga via Zoom as a special class to to supplement the library and online classes, and hope you can join.

Monday May 16, 11 AM

Monday May 23, 11 AM

Monday May 30, 11 AM

If you'd like to be part of these classes, please send me an email at byomyoga@gmail.com so I can send you the Zoom link and get you set up to log in properly. Reminder to join the class at least 5 minutes ahead of time if you aren't accustomed to using Zoom so you can get your sound and microphone set up on your PC, tablet or phone. 

Sympathy vs. Empathy

Self-Care Yoga Retreat at The Water Conservation Garden April 24

Self Care Yoga Retreat

Sunday, April 24, 8:30 AM - 1 PM

Members $62 / Non-members $68

Welcome spring in The Garden with our first ever half-day yoga retreat. Find peaceful moments of supportive joy with yoga, mindfulness, self massage, and restorative sound healing. Join resident Garden yoga instructors Robyn Smith, Ashley Bridgewater, Jackie Gadd, and special guest Sound Healer and musical artist, Kerem Brulé of Beautiful Sounds Co.

The group will have access to The Garden prior to opening to the public. Activities are focused on self-care and include Awaken yoga series led by Robyn Smith, Mindfulness techniques with Ashley Bridgewater, guided personal foot and lower leg massage using handmade massage cream prepared for you by BYOM yoga instructor, Jackie Gadd, restorative poses with props and pillows provided, and sound healing by Beautiful Sounds Co. founder and musician, Kerem Brulé.

Moments for light socializing, shivasana, and nourshing refreshments will be integrated throughout this half day yoga retreat. All levels welcome. Please contact Jillian@thegarden.org with any questions. *Proceeds benefit water conservation education*

https://thegarden.org/product/self-care-yoga-retreat/

It needs to be said. Where is the loving kindness?

I'm making my politics known. I Believe: Black Lives Matter, No Human Is Illegal, Love is Love, Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, and Science is Real. 

1. Trans rights are human rights. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. There is no "but." The number of people across the internet saying that they don't want to see male genitalia in a women's locker room might not realize that trans women have been in there for years, and they have NEVER realized it, so their fears are unfounded. Trans people do not troll locker rooms, and if someone did, they were pretending to be trans. No law infringing on the rights of transgender people can prevent someone obscene cis person being a predator. 
2. It is horrifying that a candidate for our Supreme Court is being asked if she has a Critical Race Theory agenda, and if she thinks a Hispanic man can identify as an Asian man (the Senator from Texas asked that). The questions being asked of the candidate are blatantly racist and would have any other potential candidate for a job suing the company for a hostile workplace.
3. Women's reproductive rights are human rights. A state not supporting a legal right to reproductive health of all kinds for men and women equally is a state that is trying to control a woman's body under some patriarchal puritanical misinformation about conception. No areas with terrible educational systems, terrible support systems for low income families, complicated if not substandard health care, redlined districts, failing foster and adoption programs, high levels of domestic violence, substance abuse, and incarceration rates should NOT be restricting access for women to birth control and forcing birth especially under the guise of it being "god's will."

Back to meditation.

New Chair Yoga Class at Bonita/Sunnyside County Library starts April 4 (but...)

I'm so excited to let all the local chair yoga fans know that we are FINALLY starting a library (= free) class again, in April. We will be at a completely new location to me, the Bonita/Sunnyside Branch County Library 4375 Bonita Rd, Bonita, CA 91902. 

Now the (big) but....This class will replace our Monday online meeting. 

Our online classes began as a replacement for the six in-person classes we had around East County. I felt terrible leaving everyone high-and-dry when the stay-at-home order began, so we started with five days a week classes. 

We had huge attendance for a long while, and even occasionally some donations (thank you again). As time went by (OMIGOSH it's been two years) we found that with other activities restarting, and people either losing interest or finding other ways to fulfill their movement needs, we had dwindling attendance. That and I started taking classes myself towards my PTA program. We therefore reduced to just three days a week (M, W, F).

Mid last year,  was asked to start another in-person community class and we went down to just Mondays and Fridays.

Because my school schedule is even busier this semester, I can't add more classes, but I can "replace" like for like. Since the online class replaced an in person class, now it's a chance to bring the in person class back to replace the online class.

I know this doesn't work for EVERYONE, so I will keep Fridays for as long as my schedule allows. I am also available for private lessons at a sliding scale cost if anyone is interested in that option. There is also the library of recorded classes at the sister website BYOMOYOGAvideos.com. If you don't live locally, please check out YOUR local libraries and rec centers to see if they are offering something in person, 

I am sorry that I have to schedule things thusly, but this keeps my instruction at optimal quality (otherwise I'm stressed out trying to serve too many people). 

I hope you understand, and I hope you consider joining me at Bonita branch. No sign up need, but please be on time, bring any yoga accessories you'd normally use, and spread the word!

Last two sets (27 and 28) for the ACS 25 Pushup Challenge of 2022

Finally posting these although I completed them last week. So proud that I was able to finish the entire series, and moreover, grateful that friends & family donated $835 to the American Cancer Society! Thank you to everyone who watched a video, joined a live broadcast, did their own challenge, cheered me on, laughed, was encouraged, or otherwise helped make this thing happen energetically!

To everyone who is affected by cancer I hope this drop in the bucket and our show of love gives a little support when you need it most. We are out here rooting for you!

Without further ado:

Set 27 in my house

Set 28 at the beautiful Cuyamaca Water Conservataion Garden

Sets 21 through 26 for the ACS 25 Pushup Challenge

 Phew - a large update for all these. I can't believe I'm at 650 thing-a-ma-jigs already. Check out Set 26 - the incline pushups are getting more inclined and less unstable (I think).

21

22

23

24 & 25 (one set on each side)

26

Sets 18, 19, 20 for the 25 Pushup ACS Challenge

 Two sets for the Triceps and shoulders, and one for the chest and biceps. OH this is getting hard! But we are at 500 on day 20 so THANK YOU for everyone supporting the effort!

Dolphin Tricep Pushups

Tricep Dips

Set 20 Incline Plank (both on the toes and on the knees) - repeated the set because I felt like I hadn't "earned" it! 

Sets 13, 14, 15, 16/17 for the 25 Pushup Challenge from Facebook Live

 Next round of 125 pushups for you - I did 50 for the last video but only recorded 25 of them (had a practice run during class and FOR SURE I'M INCLUDING THOSE IN MY TALLY I'M NOT DOING THIS JUST FOR FUN).

13 Wide Knee-to-Elbow tags in Plank

Set 14 Sunbirds!

Set 15 Incline Side Plank Trunk Rotations

Set 17 (16 was off camera) - getting stronger at those incline pushups!

Click here to make a donation (or link to start your own challenge!): https://www.facebook.com/donate/468981768005845/

Set 12 for the American Cancer Society 25 Pushup Challenge

 Valentine's Day set - Mountain Climber Incline Pushups. Enjoy!

Sets 8, 9, 10, and 11 for the 25 Pushup Challenge from Facebook Live

 I recorded four of my sets on Facebook Live while I was out and about town. I am starting to call them sets because I occassionally skip a day (or half a day) and do a makeup set in the morning, or even do two sets in a row just to make sure I'm on track for completing all 700 pushups (which is 28 days worth of pushups but they allot for missed days by having the fundraiser go into March). 

You can follow my progress here: https://www.facebook.com/byomyoga

https://www.facebook.com/donate/468981768005845

Anyway, here are videos of all the days! My next post will be the new video with captions for Set 12.

Set 8

Set 9

Set 10 and 11

Day 7 of the 25 Pushup Challenge for the American Cancer Society

My left shoulder is still feeling a bit sensitive, so I wanted to do something that was a bit more supportive for those oh-so-mobile joints. Today I had my forearms flat to the ground and braced together for "shoulder pushup." You get a lot of trapezius, latissimus dorsi, leg and core work, and a little less work for stabilizing the joints themselves. 

The shape is like a downward dog but on the forearms, then you lower your nose to your thumbs (or the space in front of your thumbs) by bending more into your elbows. 

Stabilization of the arms is key to prevent mat-rash (ouch), and good body control. Neck in neutral so you don't hyperextend the cervical spine, and of course, BREATHE!

As I saw in the video - practice these against a wall, on an incline, on the knees... all good ways to strengthen through the upper body and build control! Thanks for tuning in - click the link here to make a donation https://www.facebook.com/donate/468981768005845/477002703870418/. 

Day 6 of the 25 Pushup Challenge for ACS

 Today I'm back to incline pushups but offering the modification of have a single leg raise. This adds a bit of a core stabilization challenge and a glute strengthener for some "fun." Less intense options would be to not lift the leg, to put the hands on a wall (to decrease the angle).

I didn't struggle as much as I did yesterday so hopefully that means I'm recovering and getting stronger! Thanks for watching. 

Day 5 of the 25 Pushup Challenge

I was finally able to even THINK about doing the challenge by Sunday (just took a day off) and took it down a notch to Sunbird pushups. I know I call them Sundogs in the video, so forgive me. They are actually SUNBIRD so... tomato/tomAHto, it's still a modified single leg pushup on the knees. 

Without further ado, here's the video for your practicing pleasure.

Day 4 of the 25 Pushup Challenge for ACS

This particular video left me aching all day the day after (which is why I skipped one day so the next post is on Sunday).

I recorded the first set of 25 during class, but the audio wasn't great. Then I set up to record again, but I FORGOT TO HIT RECORD.

Finally on the third try I got it right. I think. So, here you go!

Day 3 of the 25 Pushup Challenge for the ACS

 Triceps Dips! (when I dip, you dip, we dip)

On a chair, make sure you watch the angle of your elbow (no higher than your shoulders). Brace your core, hug the elbows in towards the midline.

Funny how it looks so easy on video - I was really struggling by #20. Thanks for watching!

Day 2 of the 25 Pushup Challenge for the ACS

Tag-Team Partner Style Plank Hi-Fives with Bonus 25 from Eli.

FWIW my form in this is not that great. My hips should be in line with my shoulders and heels and my body should NOT be rocking side to side (as much). 

Be that as it may, we did it. 

Donate here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/468981768005845/

Also, the YMCA of San Diego County is running their annual campaign (I wore my "Power Up" FitnessPalooza tee shirt for this challenge) so if you'd like to donate to their amazing organization, here's that link as well: https://give.classy.org/RRuiz

Day 1 of the 25 Pushup Challenge for the ACS

 Incline pushups on the knees using a chair:

Donate here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/468981768005845/

American Cancer Society 25 Pushups A Day in February 2022 Challenge

 https://www.facebook.com/donate/468981768005845

Last year it was Pushups for Veteran Support. This year it's the California 2nd Annual 25 Push-ups a Day Challenge for American Cancer Society! Please support me as I raise funds by taking on 25 push-ups to help American Cancer Society achieve their amazing mission. Every donation, big or small, counts. Cheer me on in making a difference!

Event runs from February 1, 2022 through March 7, 2022 (25 days) so get ready for a variety of seating, standing, assisted, propped, and accessible pushups to engage, inspire, entertain (heavy on the entertain BTW), and strengthen (body, mind, sense of humor as well). 

I created this fundraiser because.... it's a personal challenge and one of accessibility and service! If you appreciate what I'm doing, drop a few dollars on the fundraising page and help research into a cure. 

If you are interested in my style of practice, check out more of what I do at at the link up there at the top right (www.byomyogavideos.com) and consider dropping into one of my free yoga online yoga classes (or even joining my Patreon to help pay the bills)

Let's take a little walk down memory lane...

Day 1 of 22: a straightforward incline pushup.

Day 3 going strong with one-legged pushups (so graceful too!).

Day 6, the overhead press for a seated, non-weight-bearing option (but damn those shoulder and triceps were on FIRE).

Day 12 at 1/2 way through, we tried some mountain climbers for variety...

By Day 19 we had modified what I was calling a pushup considerably: sustained side arm balance with hip abduction - PHEW!

Day 22 took us to new heights and lengths with spinal balances: full arm and leg extensions in an inclined plank.

You can view the whole series here: https://byomyoga.blogspot.com/search/label/22pushupchallenge.