Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, RN, EdD

Warm-up to Yoga Buns:

1. Stand with legs together raise arms up above your head until palms touch, while breathing in good positive energy. Bring your arms down to side of legs, exhaling deeply. Repeat 3 times.

2. Stand with legs a few feet apart. Wrap your arms around each other, palms together, right elbow resting over the inside of the left elbow. Keeping arms in position, reach up to the right, stretching your arms up, opening up your back (Eagle pose). Slowly come down, round back and open the back muscles, until elbow touches your right knee. Come back up like an eagles soaring, reaching up toward the sky. Switch arms, wind them around each other the other way, with palms together. Reach your arms and body up, stretching up and to the left, opening up the back, then slowly keeping your arms in position, round back and let elbow touch your left knee. Hold arm positions and breathe, then slowly stand up and lift up higher---higher. Release your arms, enjoy the sensations.

3.Slowly rotate one shoulder and then the other back. Five times each side.

4. Do the backstroke as long as it feels relaxing.

Yoga Buns:

1. Arms straight out in front, palms together, pretend you're sitting as if in a chair (chair pose), sitting back, weight on your heels. Bend your knees and sit a little lower, then straighten your knees an inch or two, then sit lower again. Repeat 5-20 times, feeling it in your buns.

2. From chair pose position, stand, extend right leg and both arms straight out behind you. Tighten buttocks.

3. Return to sitting in chair pose with arms in front, knees bent, palms together.

4. Stand and extend left leg and both arms straight out behind you. Tighten buttocks.

5. Return to sitting in chair pose with arms in front, palms together. Repeat up to 5 times each side.

6. Standing up straight, arms extended out in front and palms together, hold right leg extended out behind you so your leg and arms and right leg are in a straight line. Place a chair in front of you to balance if you need to, otherwise extend arms out in front, palms together. Keeping hands together out in front of you and right leg extended out behind you, bring right leg down until toe touches the floor behind you. Extend it back up to hip level, squeezing the buttocks. Repeat up to 10 times. Repeat with other leg up to 10 times.

7. Standing up straight, arms extended and palms touching, bend your right leg and then straighten it in front of you, then bend the knee and extend the leg behind you. Repeat up to 10 times. Repeat, extending the left leg in front and back of you.

Cool Down from Yoga Buns

1. Stand up straight, feet 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart. Arms straight out to the sides. Bend your right knee and stretch to the right, and then bending the left knee, stretch to the left, feeling the stretch in your inner thighs. Repeat up to 5 times each leg.

2. Stand up straight, feet together, take in a nice cleansing breath, bend the knees slightly, then extend your arms up and above head, palms toughing. Exhale, bringing arms back to your sides. Repeat up to 10 times.

3. Repeat Eagle Pose above, both sides.

4. Bend right arm up with palm facing you. Give yourself a pat on the back with your right hand and say, "Good job!" Repeat with left arm.

This article is for information purposes only. For treatment and advice about exercise that suits your condition, consult your health care practitioner.

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