Maitri yoga friends

Maitri Yoga push-up team

Hello dear yoga friends - many of you have stated strength building as one objective of doing yoga.  We do build strength in many of our poses and flows such as Surya Namaskar.  As one home strength  practice tool, I also recommend planking and gradually lengthening the time we plank (e.g. half a minute, minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes). 

For those who wish, another great way is to do push-ups. Canadian Mental Health Association has launched a campaign challenge to complete a heap of push-ups between February 11-28, 2025 to push for better mental health outcomes in Canada. (They are calling for 2000 push ups, I certainly will not do that many but maybe as a group?)

The 2000 push ups represent lives lost to suicide in Canada each year. During my time in Finland, I lost three friends and colleagues to suicide in BC. 

For me this challenge is also a way to mark their lives and recognize the pain and hurt they experienced.  This is for you S, J and K.  If you have been impacted by suicide, you can dedicate your work to the people you knew and their close ones. 

I have donated $20 - the price of one yoga lesson, and  I have selected the CMHA Vancouver-Fraser as the beneficiary of our team donations. 

But please note, it is not required to donate to be part of this initiative. You can just do push ups or sit ups or whatever strength building you like and be part of this. Push ups on your elbows, knees on the floor, all count. Lean push-ups against the kitchen counter, anyone? We can go over push-up styles in class too - bring your variation!!

The truth is that our upper body strength is almost always below par unless we go to the gym or do strength work with weights. So here is your chance to kick into gear and try some body weight exercising in a team for a short period. This challenge is both long enough to yield results and short enough to be manageable. 

And  for me, when I do upper body strength work I find it super empowering. It really feels great to start feeling the effects.

That's it! Welcome to the team. Anything you can do will be a great help - and I guarantee you will feel the effects if you practice every day. 

I can only invite 10 people, and you are one!

xo 

Laura

En février, notre équipe participe au Défi push-up. Nous nous lançons le défi de faire une tonne de push-ups entre le 11 et le 28 février 2025 pour sensibiliser le public aux troubles de santé mentale au Canada.

Tous les dons sont versés à l’Association canadienne pour la santé mentale afin de soutenir le rétablissement des personnes ayant un trouble de santé mentale et d’améliorer les résultats en matière de santé mentale d’un océan à l’autre.