Archive for June, 2010

Yoga at the Golden Door Spa at The Boulders

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Yoga has rapidly gained popularity in the US and at the Golden Door Spa!  It’s an excellent way to counteract stress, anxiety and to relieve the hunched posture that can come from sitting for hours in front of a computer.  Practicing yoga regularly can improve your flexibility and balance.  It’s one of those activities that you can do alone or with a group and it doesn’t require a big investment to get started.  The risks of yoga are low, which is all the more reason for giving it a try.

One of the more popular forms of yoga is Hatha yoga.  Offered at the Golden Door Spa several times per week, it focuses on the physical poses and controlled breathing.

POSES – In a typical hatha yoga class, you may learn anywhere from 10 to 30 poses.  More experienced yoga students might know many more, including more advanced poses that require advanced stretching and twisting.  Poses range from the seemingly easy, such as the corpse pose, which involves lying on the floor, completely relaxed, to the most difficult poses that take years of practice to master.

Remember, you don’t have to do every pose your instructor demonstrates.  If a pose is uncomfortable or you can’t hold it as long as the instructor requests, don’t do it.  Good instructors will understand.  Spend time sitting quietly, breathing deeply until your instructor moves the class on to another pose that’s more comfortable for you.

BREATHING – Controlling your breathing is an important part of yoga.  In yoga, breath signifies your vital energy.  Yoga teaches that controlling your breath can help you control your body and gain control of your mind.

You’ll learn to control your breathing by paying attention to it.  Your instructor may ask you to take deep, regular breaths as you concentrate on your breathing.  Other techniques involve paying attention to your breath as it moves into your body and fills your lungs, or breathing through alternate nostrils.

Overall, yoga offers a good means of relaxation and stress relief.  Its quiet, precise movements focus your mind less on your busy day and more on the moment as you move your body through poses that require balance and concentration.

To see a monthly schedule of fitness classes offered (including a variety of yoga styles) at the Golden Door Spa, please click here.  Namaste …

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The Boulders Golf Academy – Handling A Refreshing Breeze

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

One of the great things about playing summer golf in the desert foothills, is that you will find a refreshing breeze most afternoons. That brings the temperature down, which is usually 5-8 degree’s cooler than posted at the Phoenix Sky harbor airport.

So the breeze is our natural air conditioning. And remember the low humidity. I digress, this isn’t a weather report. This is a practical golf instruction blog!

Playing in a breeze: Forget the myth that a well struck ball won’t be affected by the wind. Rubbish!  As the ball looses velocity any wind will move the ball in the direction it is blowing.

Let’s visualize a left to right wind, a breeze blowing off of your left shoulder, often called a cross- wind. The wind is blowing across the fairway from left to right. You shouldn’t ignore the wind. Depending on your natural ball flight, here are some suggestions as to how to deal with it.

The Slicer: if your ball tends to slice, it will slice more on this wind. So allow for that slice. Aim down the left side, even the rough line, but align your shoulders along the same line as your feet. Make your best swing trying to square the clubface to your aim. That will start the ball where you aimed and the wind will assist you and blow the ball into the fairway. You may need some courage here as watching the ball start left over trouble can be nerve wracking. Trust your swing and the wind in this case.

The Hooker: someone who curves the ball right to left. Easy here. Aim straight down the middle of the fairway and play your natural draw. The right to left curve of the ball flight will be counteracted by the left to right wind, resulting in a straight shot!

Straight Hitter: doesn’t curve the ball one way or another. Use the wind to your advantage. Aim down the left side of the fairway, grip it and rip it! Let your drive work on the breeze helping add some distance and the ball finishing in the middle of the fairway.

Play the breeze, enjoy it, just don’t ignore it!

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