The Quad Challenge!

This week during chair and floor yoga classes, I will challenge participants to
 1.  use their quadriceps with yoga postures during the upcoming weeks 
2. notice when they use the quadriceps muscles during daily activities
and report back either in class, on Facebook or on this blog. 
    
 What are "quadriceps" ? 
Quadriceps  or "quads" are a group of muscles on the front of your thigh.  Quadriceps help us walk, run, squat, and kick.  The quadriceps work to extend your knee which means when your knee is bent the quadriceps straighten your leg.  Try sitting in a chair with legs bent, feet on the floor.  Now extend (straighten) your leg and then flex (bend) your knee a few times.  See if you can feel your muscles on the top of your thighs contracting.  
  
What are some yoga postures that use our quadriceps? 
We have practiced "goddess pose" during class and is a great quadriceps stretch. 
More standing poses: Dancer Pose, Warrior I and Warrior II, Chair Pose
Sitting Poses: Knee Lift and extend, Knee lift and swing to side
What other poses can you think of? 
What have you done this week?  During what activities did you use your quads?
(Hint: Did you vacuum? Did you work in the garden? Did you pick stuff or cat up off the floor? Did you walk/jump/run?)
Please let me know how the Quad Challenge went for you.
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Note: Click on the green highlighted poses above for a description.

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