Wii YOGA!!!

I was having lunch with Juned and Jayvee last week at La Maison in Greenbelt 5 when Jayvee, a super techie guy who blogs about anything techie (AND did the Crane Pose in his first yoga class ever!!!) mentioned to me that the Wii Fit, the newest techie “toy” in town, includes yoga.

My thought bubble: You must be kidding! How can you ever do yoga on a skateboard-sized mat?

Well, this is what I found out about this thingamajig:

- the Balance Board, as it is called, is actually more than just a scale. It can read your movements and bring this to life on the screen. Of course, as with the other exercises that go with the Wii Fit, it allows you to set your physical properties, training goals, and history of your activity results.

- an animated yogi (or yogini, if you choose) demonstrates the poses and you are supposed to follow along while listening to a voice-over of the trainer.

- Yellow circles set the boundaries for the center of gravity. As you do a pose, the Board detects where you are putting pressure and moves the ball accordingly. You need to try to keep that ball within the yellow circle.

- At the end of each pose, how you do on the left and right side is evaluated through a numerical rating (the closer the ratings to each other, the more balanced you are). An overall grade is also given so this seems pretty useful during yoga competitions among friends.

As a practicing yogini who is also a bit techie, this gadget holds some fascination. But would I go out tomorrow and buy it? No, I don’t think so.

This is a FUN thing to do among friends and may be the only hope to get couch potatoes out of the uhhhh…couch.

But if you are a serious yoga practitioner, this won’t give you the workout that you get from the real thing. Moving around, jumping and hopping like I do during my yoga practice can never be done on this teeny-weeny electronic board. I cannot even imagine how I would do the Shoulderstand or Headstand on this contraption.

I think I will wait this one out and see what happens. Maybe I will just go a-looking for a blogger friend who has one and do some tests on it (Jayvee, call me when you get one!).

But for those of you who are dying to get your hands on this thing and are wondering how yoga is done on the Wii Fit, watch this YouTube video:

Celebrity-Designed Yoga Bags at eBay

If you have ever bought or sold any item on eBay, this news will be of interest to you.

20 celebrities participated in a benefit for The Libby Ross Foundation Om Yoga Program (aimed at supporting breast cancer survivors and patients) by hand-decorating one-of-a-kind yoga bags with Swarovski jewels. Working with Om Yoga in New York, the Foundation’s program empowers women to get in touch once again with their bodies through breathing techniques and gentle movements.

The yoga bags were donated by Global Design Concepts, Inc., a leading accessory manufacturer in New York.

This one was done by Courteney Cox:

This one was executed by Susan Sarandon:

Other celebrities included Eva Amurri, Patricia Arquette, Brooke Burke, Miley Cyrus, Tish Cyrus, Melora Hardin, Cheryl Hines, Hoda Kotb, Ali Landry, Debi Mazar, Martina McBride, Nancy O’Dell, Hayden Panetierre, Kim Raver, Leah Remini, Lisa Rinna, and Lori E. Ross.

Unfortunately, I just learned about this today and bidding closes tomorrow, May 15. But if you wish to learn more about the global auction (bidding starts at US$100), click HERE.

Who knows, you may still have a few more hours considering we in the Philippines are ahead of New York by 12 hours!

How to Care for One’s Mat

When I bought my Manduka mat Sandy (shown above and named by me due to its color), I carefully preserved all the labels and instructions on how to care for it. Firstly, it was a premium mat. Secondly, it did NOT come cheap. And third, I guess I am just OC (obsessive-compulsive).

But shortly after we got our mats (that includes yoga mates Chona and Crissy), I got a text from Crissy who was agitated by the fact that her Mom had dunk her mat (named Aqua) into soapy water and now, she could not get the soapy bubbles out of the sponge-like layers of the mat.

I quickly texted Crissy back because I knew how she felt. When I got my first imported Gaiam mat, I did the same thing and boy, no matter how much water I kept pouring on the mat, soap bubbles kept coming out its side when I’d step on it. And how do you expect to do yoga on a mat that spewed soap sediments when you step on it?

Here is a Yoga Journal article that precisely addresses this predicament and I must say that it is very close to the advice I had given Crissy who was very concerned about her Aqua:

“If your mat is lightly soiled, use a spray bottle, damp sponge, or terry cloth rag to apply a solution of two cups of water and four drops of dish soap. Rub the soiled areas. Wipe the mat with clean water; then rub with a dry terry cloth towel. Hang to air dry.

If your mat is heavily soiled, submerge it in a solution of warm water and mild detergent; use very little soap as any residue may cause the mat to become slippery during future use. Thoroughly hand wash the mat and rinse in clean water. After squeezing out the excess water, lay the mat on a dry towel and roll the mat and towel together. Stepping on the rolled up mat will squeeze more moisture out of the mat and into the towel. Then unroll and hang to air dry.”

In our tropical climate, here are other tips I would add:

- Air dry your mat but do not expose it to direct sunlight, unless you want your mat to become crispy or brittle

- Minimize sweat accumulating on it by using a yoga rug or blanket over it as often as you can in your yoga practice. There are yoga blankets that have skid-proof dots on one side for traction.

- After every practice, leave your mat open to dry out any sweat or moisture before rolling it up

Do you have your own tips on yoga mat care? Feel free to share.

Namaste.

At the Yoga Weekend of Fitness, Rockwell

Last week, I called Chona up and told her about this event. Rockwell was hosting a Weekend of Fitness at its garden area, right outside Starbucks. Major yoga studies would be there offering free classes, with Aura Athletica as a sponsor. We chatted about it, trying to decide whether we’d attend the free classes or not. We eventually decided that we’d make our Saturday productive. We would go there to “cover” the event as bloggers, meet the instructors, check out Aura Athletica and conserve our energy for a good yoga class at 7pm with Pio.

(the yoga tent)

Chona and I got there around 2:30. We met Mark Mead of Bikram Yoga who was able to give me some inputs on video. Nice to have met you, Mark!

Next, we met Tesa Celdran of Pulse Yoga and other yoginis including Jane (wow, same name!) and a warm, Swedish yogini — Madeline. Such a small world indeed because Tesa had already previously gone to my blog and I to hers. We were meeting for the first time and it always brings me this warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I finally come face to face with a blogger I only know virtually. To top it all, Chona and she were long-ago friends at AIM! Tesa, we promise to go try your class some day!

At the Yoga Manila table were B, Cherry, Connie and Kitty. Cherry floored me when she exclaimed, “Oh, you’re Here’s to Life!” (my other blog’s name, for those who didn’t know). Found out that Liana had passed on my email around to the other Yoga Manila instructors so again, here were people who I knew and who knew me virtually and here they were, in the flesh! Here’s a shout out to all of you at Yoga Manila!!!!

At some point, Chona and I were feeling the heat and decided to go into the mall to cool off and at the same time, check out Aura Athletica. We looked at their line of Lululemon outfits as well as other brands they carried like Tension. I saw some styles I liked but some did not come with the built in bra, something I always look for as I prefer not having to wear one under my shirt and definitely, would not wear a top without one!

As we were about to leave, I glanced at the shop’s display window and saw this GORGEOUS PINK yoga bag. It got me all excited and apparently, Chona had also been long on the lookout for a yoga bag. We went through the store’s inventory of styles and colors, trying to decide which bag to get. Thanks Aura staffers for being so, so patient with these 2 yoginis!

Chona ended up with a green, vertical bag with shoulder straps and lots and lots of space and pockets with a special place for a mat.

I ended up with this one! So girl, so pink. Haha!

Chona’s and my day were capped by merienda at Dulcinea — churros with hot chocolate. Enough to stave off our hunger, light enough to dissolve before our yoga classes with Pio.

Here are some highlights of that wonderful afternoon. Thanks, Chona, for a fun-filled afternoon! Let’s do that again!

I Love My Manduka!

My teacher Pio might caution me not to get too attached to a mat. But can this yogini help it if the Ferrari of all yoga mats is yours?

Yes, thanks to yogini mate Chona who lugged this all the way from the States, dragged it to Makati (hoping she could have my hubby get it — but didn’t due to a mobile signal glitch), and hauled it all the way back to my yoga center where she knew I was having classes. Chona my dear, you’re really the best! Good thing your arms are toned from all the yoga you’ve been doing! That mat is HEAVY!!! All 7 pounds of it!

I am now the proud owner of a Manduka mat!

So some may say, what the heck. A mat is a mat is a mat! Yes, that may be true. But after going through 2 generic mats and wearing out even the imported Gaiam mat that I have, this is the closest to mat heaven that I can get my hands on. First of all, it is eco-friendly (eKo brand). Manduka took 3 years to develop this mat which is made from non-amazon harvested tree rubber and is touted to decompose completely at the end of its useful life. Now THAT appeals to me a lot!

Second, while the mat feels smooth, once you plop your hands and feet on them, they have this awesome, non-skid grip that makes you want to do a headstand right on top of it (just joking!).

Third, the color I got turned out even better than its picture on the web. It says “Sand” but up close it is a deep golden brown.

Last but not least, Manduka mats are made for a lifetime. Well, that may be pushing it too far but tests have shown that this is indeed what one calls a high performance mat.

Woo-hoo! A lot of positive energy is definitely going to be soaked up by this mat.

Chona and I had a light dinner at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf after my class to chit-chat and catch up on her news. We had dumped all our stuff in my car but we had a good laugh when I changed my mind, opened the car again and took out the mat, carrying it all the way to Coffee Bean. As I told her: I don’t want anything to happen to this mat when I have not even used it yet! Yes, Pio, I remember what you say about detachment but indulge me this time, OK?

Can’t wait to try it out together with Chona (who has the moss Manduka) and Crissy (who got the aqua). Oh, and yogi buddy Jon has the lava mat. Looks like among us, we own all the available colors of eKO. Cool!

Earlier, Chona said: And it even smells like chocolate! I put it to my nose and yes, it DOES smell like chocolates! Eeks, tonight I have to store it out of reach of whatever crawls in the night looking for food!

Next, I read the instructions. That chocolate-y scent (which is actually its natural rubber scent) will go away if you leave the mat open for a week or so. Done! Plastic wrap is gone and it’s now lovingly draped over my computer chair and table.

Chona plans to leave the mat at the center. Too heavy to bring home, she says. Practical Chona! As for me, as long as I have a car, Sandy comes home with me.

Holiday Gift Ideas for your Yoga Teacher

Gosh, I hope my yoga teacher Pio does not read this or else my Christmas gift won’t be a secret anymore!

It is hard enough thinking of Christmas gifts for guys and I always am in a dilemma when it comes to thinking of gifts that they would find useful and practical (isn’t it so much easier to buy a gift for girls???). So, what do you give your yoga teacher when he/she lives a very simple life, cannot eat most of the goodies being sold during Christmas, does not drink wine, and is vegan?

Well, I did some sleuthing around the web and found ideas from several sites which I am gladly sharing with you. Here is what you can get your favorite yogi:

1. A selection of teas – you may choose a flavored, decaffeinated green tea and some other selections that do not have caffeine, like chamomile.

2. A scented eye pillow or silk eye bag – your busy yoga teacher is so focused on helping others that he will need some time for himself to relax and meditate. You could use lavender scent for relaxation or flax seeds which keep the eye area cool. An ideal eye pillow is one that comes with an outer, washable covering.

3. A bath basket you can fill with natural, mineral-based items.

4. A CD of yoga chants

5. Meditation CDs

6. A new yoga mat or yoga bag

7. A massage gift certificate – Now who would not welcome the gift of massage? I would! So gift your teacher with this. You cannot go wrong.

8. A yoga calendar – This is great, if you can find one available locally. A good one would be one that includes the moon phases as some instructors do not practice on certain moon days.

9. A yoga book or a book on the human anatomy in movement – Your teacher will probably appreciate a book on the musculoskeletal system that describes which muscles are affected by different types of movements. Or find a yoga book on the yoga masters or one which dwells on the type of yoga he teaches. Powerbooks, Fully Booked, and other bookstores would have a variety of selections to choose from.

10. Yoga wear – a great top or pair of shorts suitable for his yoga practice will always be welcome. After all, with so many classes he teaches, frequent changes can be tough on yoga clothing.

11. Green living decor – this could be anything for your instructor’s home: serene water fountains, aromatherapy candles, decor produced from things that do not harm Mother Earth, organic stuff.

I still have not set my eyes on a suitable gift but will try to make up my mind in the coming days. If you are like me, in the throes of work and have a long shopping list still to be done, I wish you good vibes and hope you do not stress out in the process of getting all your “to-do’s” done. I hope I don’t, too!

Namaste!

Does Lululemon’s VitaSea line contain seaweed or not?

There’s no question about it. Lululemon Athletica is known all over the yoga community as being one of the primary sources of yoga clothing and accessories. Pricey, yes. But very comfy and dries up almost immediately, if I go by the satisfied comments of friends who have bought Lululemon yoga attire during trips abroad.

So it was quite a shocker for me to come across a New York Times article that disputes the claim of Lululemon that its VitaSea fabric line contained seaweed.

NYT claims it commissioned a lab test of a VitaSea shirt, and reviewed the lab results of another similar test. Both tests allegedly show that “there was no significant difference in mineral levels between the VitaSea fabric and cotton T-shirts.” NYT said that the shirt it tested had a label claiming it was made of 70 percent cotton, 6 percent spandex and 24 percent of the seaweed fiber. Seaweed fiber in clothing is touted to reduce stress and provide anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hydrating and detoxifying benefits.

The article goes on to state “Seaweeds have known vitamins and minerals, and we searched specifically for those vitamins, and we didn’t see them,” said Carolyn J. Otten, director for specialized services at Chemir Analytical Services, a lab in Maryland Heights, Mo. that tested a sample of VitaSea.

A second lab test commissioned by NYT and done by “the McCrone Group, to test a blue racer-back tank top made with Lululemon’s VitaSea against a gray J. Crew T-shirt. McCrone, which is based in Westmont, Ill., likewise could not detect any seaweed-specific components. Though the labs could not absolutely rule out a trace of seaweed, they could not, using sensitive testing methods, substantiate Lululemon’s claims.”

So, is this a question of seemingly false advertising? Was Lululemon a little remiss in substantiating the claims of its suppliers of such organic materials which result in the heftier-than-normal price tags of their products? Or were the lab tests inconclusive?

The article goes on to say that Lululemon executives stated that they had not independently tested the VitaSea material. My reaction: This is a lesson learned (if Lululemon’s claim is true). If Lululemon, a public company, expects to be upheld by the yoga community as one that is honest, straightforward and intent on providing the best organic materials to its consumers, it better conduct random tests of each product line to ensure that the materials it claims are present are indeed, present.

Lululemon’s CEO, Bob Meers, issued a statement last Nov. 16, 2007 in their website stating:

“We are altering the labels on our VitaSea products in our Canadian stores, in cooperation with The Competition Bureau of Canada, to remove references to the therapeutic and performance attributes of the VitaSea technology. It is important to note that the Bureau takes no issue with the material content as described on our care and content labels. Independent testing has confirmed the presence of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in the VitaSea fabric. Separately, in order to ensure complete transparency and accuracy, we are voluntarily altering the references to the therapeutic and performance attributes on VitaSea hang tags in all markets globally. In order to ensure the integrity of our product labelling, we are conducting a review of the therapeutic attributes described on all product hang tags. We take pride in our quality, technical apparel and will continue to deliver innovative fabrics and garments to our guests.”

There is just one thing I am not comfortable with in this NYT article and that is its one-line sentence that goes: “The Times commissioned its test after an investor who is shorting Lululemon’s stock — betting that its price will fall — provided Chemir’s test results to The Times”. This shareholder’s motives, in my mind, beg the question: Was it ethical for NYT to use Chemir’s test results, provided by a shareholder who was obviously banking on Lululemon’s stock prices to fall, to be its springboard for another lab test to confirm the first test?

I guess as consumers we need to be extra careful about immediately going for products that make claims like ‘natural’, ‘organic’, ‘mineral’, ‘eco-friendly’ and the like as these terms are oftentimes used without solid proof backing up such claims. But companies like Lululemon, who have big names to protect, need to go that extra mile to ensure that all its product claims are certified, tested and 100% accurate.

What are your own thoughts on the matter?

Update (Nov. 19, 2007): In the Women’s Wear Daily site, an update article states that “The yogawear company has commissioned its own test confirming that its VitaSea product does in fact contain seaweed — contradicting tests conducted by the Times and an investor shorting Lululemon stock who tipped the paper off, which alleged that the product’s labeling falsely advertised its fabric contents.” The New York Times, however, continues to stand by its article.

Techno Yoga Mats – Too Much of a Good Thing?

Now don’t get excited yet! This is just a prototype and is not expected out in the commercial market any time soon.

I came across this article in the Yoga Journal and it seems to be making the rounds of yoga blogs as I have seen other bloggers with similar posts.

Let’s see what this gadget (designed by Hui-Zong Chen) with real tech candy has to offer:

* a metal tube, with stereo speakers at both ends, that can take in memory cards or play content from MP3 players (so you can listen to your favorite meditation music)

* mat made of an electronic paper screen (this allows you to play streaming video of yoga classes and “conference” with other yogi friends while doing a class with an instructor– all in virtual mode

Who knows? 2 decades from now, this may be an ordinary sight but now, in 2007, it sort of blows one’s mind that you can actually travel anywhere in the world and still stay in touch with your favorite yoga teacher and not miss any of your classes.

However, it makes me wonder where such types of technology will take the practice of yoga. The early yogis like Krisnamacharya, Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar lived simply and practised yoga without all sorts of fancy gadgets. At most, all they had was a simple cotton rug.

Isn’t that the primary essence of yoga? To clear one’s mind and life of clutter and live simply? So why the need for high tech gadgets? I am a techy momma and am comfortable around technology and gadgets but yoga is supposed to balance out this part of my life, not bring more technology into yoga!

Only time will tell what is to become of this prototype. Meanwhile, all I want to know is –

IS IT STICKY FOR DOWNWARD DOGS????

What do you think?