Love Your Serratus
The Serratus Anterior is probably my favorite muscle. I love how its name describes its appearance (the zig-zag shape it makes from the scapulae to the ribs resembles a serrated knife). I love how it helps to stabilize the scapulo-thoracic joint. I love a strong, intelligent Serratus can create more support in postures like Chaturanga, Adho Mukha Svanasana, and Handstand. Being a lover of the Serratus, I (falsely) assumed that mine was rock solid. A few handstands with my palms turned out 90 degrees revealed that there’s some (ahem) room for improvement. I’ve been on a serratus-strengthening mission ever since.
The Heart Of Teaching Yoga
I meet tons of people in my classes everyday and have the privilege of guiding their practices and watching them grow. A few weeks ago I met Susan, a 68-yr old woman who came to YogaWorks on a Groupon. Susan introduced herself and announced that she has a torn rotator cuff, scoliosis, and arthritis in her knee. She has flaming red hair and wears a teal-colored Bakelite Buddha on a chain around her neck. Susan spends half of the year in New Jersey and the other half in Florida where she practices vinyasa flow (she’s been practicing yoga since the seventies, following along with Lilias Folan on TV). I could see right away that she was a diligent and devoted practitioner, so when she asked if I taught privates I happily obliged. I worked with her three times over a week and while I expected to teach her my usual ritual of alignment, I found myself sharing something much deeper.