Be-you-tifully Aligned

Let’s level up a bit, shall we I’ve been introducing some small moves to help with hand, wrist & elbow pain. Sometimes it helps to go big! If you’ve had persistent wrist or elbow pain for a long time & you have never tried hanging it’s possible it could help.... Find a bar that is of a height that you can easily hold on while still bearing weight in you legs. First step see if you can hold the bar pain free. Slowly start to bend your knees transferring the weight from your legs to your arms allow the shoulders to be passive at first. If it feels safe take your feet off the floor. Can you hang comfortably for a short time? Slowly work up to longer holds. Could you make the hang more active by pulling yourself up towards the bar by pulling the shoulders down? Can you repeat that a few times? Could you hold in the elevated position? Take it easy, go slow, let me know how it goes #realignmentyoga #restorativeexercise #hangingforshoulderhealth #gripstrength #activeaging

Let’s be really clear, Realignment Yoga is awesome but Realignment Yoga didn’t fix Billie. Billie has been showing up every week for years, doing the work consistently to create change. I can’t remember her exact age... probably shouldn’t share it if I did but Billie is an absolute inspiration getting stronger, smarter & a little bit younger every year. ... #somewhereinherseventies #realignmentyoga #restorativeexercise #theegoscuemethod #activeaging #consistencyiskey

This is sooooo hard! Trying to reach out and tap the pencil with my big toe takes a lot of concentration. I can get it with my right foot, not so much with the left. Wanna prevent bunions? Start working on communication with the big toes & let me know how it goes

How’s it going? If you’ve ever been in my class, you will have heard me say maybe next week. I’m not a naturally gifted athlete, for me movement takes practice. I make gains very slowly. ... It’s why my word for 2020 was consistent. My word for 2021 is deliberate. Definition: careful & unhurried; fully considered, not impulsive. For me, as applied to my movement/strength goals this is of utmost importance, if I try and hurry the process the debilitating back pain I experienced in my early 30’s comes back to remind me to slow down and decrease the load. Change takes time, but as long as we are breathing we are capable of change. What are you working towards? What can you do now that you couldn’t do when you started? #realignmentyoga #smallstepsbigchanges #activeaging #strongerthanyesterday #painfreeliving

If you have to pick one exercise, walking is it... well walking and Realignment Yoga "Walking is systemic," said Sally Stewart, who has been teaching exercise science at UBC Okanagan's school of health for more than 30 years. "It gets everything. It gets all your physiology and it also gets your mental well-being as well." Stewart says people who often live to 100 haven't necessarily done so with intense exercise as part of their daily lives but have had lots of movement, s...uch as walking. She and others say walking as a main exercise routine could be particularly helpful for people now as there is continuing uncertainty around how to keep fit safely during the pandemic. https://apple.news/AIq520s5DR96QEEMzDeTYRQ

I love this. I heard it for the first time years ago at a Michael Stone yoga workshop. Michael was a teacher that had a tremendous impact on who I am as a teacher & yoga practitioner. He was brilliant. And even though he did all the right things he lost his battle with mental illness. It broke my heart when he passed.... Mental Health impacts everyone. A person with this much access & privilege still could not get the help he needed. We need to do better, for everyone. Many of Michael’s teachings are still available on the Awake in the World Podcast, if you are interested you should check it out. #bellletstalk #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters

Remember, consistency is the key to creating lasting change. See you on zoom

Another fun movement break for happy hands For this one you’ll need a smaller ball. (Get out your jacks!) Roll the ball between your palms. Then spread out your fingers & flatten your palms then place the ball between two fingers & squeeze. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Do all fingers & thumb. Switch hands.... Notice the difference between hands. Notice how you aren’t just using your hands, the forearms help out too. Give it a try let me know how it goes

Hey mister, if you're gonna walk on water Oh, could you drop a line my way? ~ Counting Crows Nothing like 5km on a frozen lake. It might be flat and level, but you sure use a lot of different muscles adjusting to the variety of textures.... And the sound the ice makes is so eerie #realignmentyoga #restorativeexercise #nutritiousmovement #walking #movementvariety #movemore #activeaging #getoutside

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? I choose a word for the year. For me 2020 was the year of Consistency. The only way to create any kind of lasting change is to be consistent, choose small actionable steps and do them over and over again until they are a habit.... This Facebook page is all about movement, and when it comes to creating change in the way we move or the way moving feels consistency is key. If we want to be stronger we need to be consistent. If we want to be pain free we need to be consistent. If we want to age actively we need to be consistent. Check out the fun colouring page I used to help me stay consistent this year! #realignmentyoga #activeaging #newyearsresolution #newyearsword #consistencyiskey

What was your first movement love? Do you still do it? Maybe it’s time to revisit it?? https://youtu.be/-mL-YMfLHeY

Reminder: Drop in Yoga @ the DCC Wednesday 12-1 Just like old times Reminder: Drop in Yoga @ the DCC Wednesday 12-1 Just like old times

Only one spot left! The Hips, Core & Pelvic Floor Course goes live tonight at 7pm. $75 for two live webinar classes (replay available) as well as access to all the content 8 more classes on the Be-you-tifully Aligned Teachable Online School.... After today the course will be $99. Register now www.jillgaumont.com

Whenever I tell people what I do for a living, I often get the response I’d love to do yoga but I’m not flexible enough. 9 years ago, I was very flexible. And I was in a lot of pain. In my early 30’s I started experience persistent debilitating pain in my low back, I was very flexible and quite strong because of a regular Ashtanga Yoga practice. I had imagining done and as expected there was already signs of arthritis and a herniated disc. I was regularly going to the chiro...practor and was told this was just a fact of aging, I was doing all the right things and should just keep moving. It was about this time my mentor Joan Randolf introduced me to the Egoscue Method. And it completely changed my life, and my movement practice. As you can see in the pictures below, nine years later I am less flexible, and I experience much less pain. You’ll notice I didn’t say I’m 100 percent pain free... I still experience low back pain and stiffness from time to time, but The Egoscue Method gave me the tools to feel more confident and strong and get to a place where I can do all the things I love even though I’m aging. Is the Egoscue Method for you? Maybe maybe not. (I’m such a good sales person ) My message is never my method will fix you, the message I hope to share is just keep moving, keep learning, keep trying new things. We are resilient and be-you-tifully made and there is always room to grow and get better no matter your age. What are some practices that have helped you move better? I’d love to hear

When was the last time you walked up a hill? Walking hills is great for your hips, it uses your calf, bum and thigh muscles in a way you can’t get on flat level ground (stairs aren’t the same either ) Start with low hills, and go slow. Then... add more variety!... Walking off cement paths on uneven terrain challenges the muscles of the hips, thighs and calves even more. Did you know walking hills is going to be great for your hips, core & pelvic floor! Gus & Bill love it too

Registration is open for in person City of Fort Saskatchewan Yoga Classes! You will now find me live at The Dow Centennial Centre every Wednesday beginning September 23. 9am Realignment Yoga (75 minutes)... 12pm Drop in Hatha (60 minutes) 5:30pm Realignment Yoga (75 minutes) 6:45pm Hatha Strength (75 minutes) Classes will be held in the main gymnasium to facilitate social distancing. Please bring your own blocks and straps as sanitizing props is a challenge. I suspect temperatures will fluctuate so dress in layers and bring a blanket. I look forward to seeing you! (Bill & Gus won’t be joining us, much to their dismay) https://recreation.fortsask.ca/CFS/public

Better breathing for everything from pelvic floor function to weight loss. https://youtu.be/THbpunw-x5U

Lots of sitting can leave your hips and hamstrings feeling tight, and tight hamstrings can have an impact on pelvic floor function. Here’s a one minute movement break for happy hips! The Hip Slide and Glide... 1 Stand with feet wider than pelvis width apart. Shift your weight back a bit into your heels. 2 Shift your pelvis straight side to side keeping your knees straight. You might notice your inner legs (adductor muscles) feel tight. Possibly more on one side than the other, don’t worry this is common and will change over time. 3 Draw a circle with your pelvis, try not to bend your knees. Notice if the circle feels smooth and even or a little bit stilted. 4 Settle your ribs down over your pelvis, add a hip hinge to your slide & glide. Again try and keep your knees straight(ish) while maintaining a small arch in your low back. Think of lifting you tail up as you tip forward. If you notice a big difference in your right and left side, or you have a hard time hinging without rounding your back and you have persistent hip, low back or pain send me a message. You might benefit from The Hips, Core & Pelvic Floor Workshop coming up on September 21. And don’t forget about Hatha Strength class tonight 6:30pm MST. Register now www.jillgaumont.com

***SOLD OUT*** I love working with Bender Balls! They are so versatile for self massage and strength/stability training. However, it seems the age of communal props may have passed So I’m selling my stock of Bender Balls and $10 is a steal of a deal. ... Please message me if you are interested, limit 2 per person. Porch pick up only.

Good Morning! Did you know there is Realignment at 9:15am today? Join us! www.jillgaumont.com

I’m learning a lot these days about how your vision and vestibular system effect balance, flexibility and strength. Ive these elements to all the classes I teach and my own personal practice because it’s quite remarkable the difference it can make. Take 3 minutes and try the exercises in this clip from one of our Hatha Strength Zoom classes. See if the mini infinity walk changes your lunge. Let me know how it goes ... And if you find this interesting, join us every Thursday evening 6:30pm for Hatha Strength in your own home via Zoom. Register at www.jillgaumont.com

Don’t forget there are 3 more weeks of Hatha Strength 9:15am on Wednesday’sDon’t forget there are 3 more weeks of Hatha Strength 9:15am on Wednesday’s

Does good posture matter when it comes to the hips, core & pelvic floor? Yes, it can. It is a very common postural habit to stand with the hips bailed forward. There are a lot of reasons why we might be most comfortable standing this way, if this is your go to way of holding yourself up all day long your posture might be adding to persistent low back or hip pain and it might be creating the conditions for pelvic floor dysfunction.... Static Extension is a quick way to reset your posture and begin letting go of dysfunctional holding patterns in your hips and low back. There are three different variations you can try. On elbows, on hands an knees, and knees elevated. Each option offers different challenges but the key in each is to focus on the shoulder blades relaxing together and the pelvis hinging forward which creates passive extension of the spine and re-educates the shoulders and pelvis so we can let go of head forward posture and hip bailing. The correct distance between hands and knees is important, make sure the shoulder is directly over the wrist(elbow) and the hips are slightly forward of the knees. Static Extension can be really helpful for hip, low back and shoulder pain. Give it a try, let me know how it goes. If you have questions, please ask! #realignmentyoga #egoscue #staticextension #hipscorepelvicfloor #activeaging #spinehealth #lowbackpainrelief #hippainrelief

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For the next few weeks building up to the launch of The Hips, Core & Pelvic Floor workshop I’ll be sharing tips and exercises to get things moving down there so you can get back to living your best life pain free.

Looking forward to fall Online classes via zoom continue, seems many of us are enjoying the short commute to class and always getting our favourite spot Register now www.jillgaumont.com... Big news! In person classes begin again Wednesday, September 23 at the Dow Centennial Centre. Registration begins September 8 www.fortsask.ca See you in class

this! I love seeing everyone’s pets

Hey there runners! This sounds fun

Here’s the recording of my talk with Mindy Osepchuk from Confident and Free, check it out for lots of great information about pelvic floor health

This is gonna be fun! Make sure you join Mindy and I for some small talk about pelvic floor health