Work It! Triangle post

Tips from Crissy Stelmaschuk (pictured), yoga instructor How to do it Step your feet wide and raise your arms parallel to the floor (shoulder height) with the palms face down. The right toes and knee turn out to the right while the left toes face forward. As you exhale, reach the right hand out, as if you're trying to touch something that is just past your body. Hinging at the hips, allow the torso to come toward the right thigh, dropping your right hand down to your shin, your block or the floor. Extend the left arm toward the sky, stacking the shoulders and opening the chest. Hold this pose for five to 10 breaths (inhale and exhale equal one breath) and increase as your body allows. Make this easier by trying this pose with your back against the wall to help with balance and alignment. Benefits Triangle Pose activates the core muscles (front and back) which can help with balance, stability and posture. It also opens the hips and shoulders to stretch the chest, hip flexors and side body. This is a great pose for anyone who sits for an extended period of time through the day. Work It! features a new exercise each week with guidance from a fitness professional at the Fitness Center at University Hospitals Avon Health Center. This eight-week series was created by Crissy Stelmaschuk, a yoga instructor who has advanced certifications in chair yoga and yoga for athletes. This series features eight poses designed to target the lower back and hips, two of most the common problem areas identified by those in Stelmaschuk's classes. "Americans tend to spend a lot of time seated which can lead to tightness and decreased mobility in those areas," she says, adding that she loves introducing people to yoga. So if you're new to the practice (and it is a practice), you're in the right place with this series. "It's a common misconception that you have to look a certain way or be super flexible to do yoga — but the truth is, if you can breathe, you can do yoga!" The physical, mental, and spiritual benefits overflow in yoga, she says. "My background in group fitness allows me to get creative with the physical movement piece, but my yoga training takes it one step further to connect the mind with the body and the movement with the breath." For more information, call Program Manager Renee Barrett at 440-988-6822