The following article is from one of our community gardeners, Ann Shepphird. It was originally posted on her website, GardensToTables.com, which she started when she got her community garden in 2008.
As the seasons change and we spend more time in our gardens, it's good to remember to take care of our backs. These yoga stretches for gardeners were first posted here in 2009 courtesy of the Ubuntu restaurant and yoga space in Napa. Ubuntu has sadly since closed but I think we can all agree that the tips themselves are timeless. Happy gardening!
If there is one thing that all gardeners share, it's a need to save their backs from all the lifting and bending that goes along with tending their gardens. Here are some tips from Ubuntu Yoga Instructor Courtney Willis on how to create a strong and flexible back through some Yoga Flow for Gardeners.
- Standing on your feet, reach the arms out and up and bring the palms together way above the head, saluting the sun.
- Slowly, bend the knees and bring your hands to the Earth, relax the head and breath here, working on extending the hips upward.
- Lie on your back and bend the legs. Lift the hips and wiggle your shoulders under the back until you can clasp the hands. For a therapeutic variation. you can bring the hands to the hips, fingers facing outward.
- This pose is an important counter pose for all the forward bending you do in the garden.
- From here, release the spine to the Earth, create a 'T' with your arms and slowly drop your legs to one side and bring you gaze to the opposite arm.
- Repeat on the other side.
This gentle sequence is accessible to every BODY and can be done before AND after a day in the garden.