help! i sweat so much in yoga that i slip

"Even in non hot yoga classes, I always end up drenched by the first half of class and while it’s a bit embarrassing, my biggest issue is that I slip in down dog and similar."

From: Solutions For Heavy Sweaters
Answered by: Kinndli, lululemon Oakville.

camel pose makes me feel sick

"I was wondering why Camel pose makes me feel nauseous. I have been told it could be because it is a very vulnerable position when your heart is exposed. Is this true?"

From: Hot Yoga + Camel Pose
Answered by: Danielle, lululemon Robson St.

am i ready for teacher training?

"How do you know if you're ready to take on yoga teacher training?"

From: Am I Ready For Teacher Training?
Answered by: Kinndli, Grace, and Ted

what kind of yoga poses can pregnant people do?

"I’ve been practicing yoga for years, and I was wondering what poses are off limits during pregnancy?"

Read more from Tips for Growing Bellies
Answered by: Danielle, lululemon Robson St.

how do i get started with yoga?

"I want to start yoga but I don't know how to begin. Is there a type of yoga for beginners?"

From: How to Begin.
Answered by: Danielle, lululemon Robson St.

confused about my crow pose

"I'm having trouble with my crow pose. Do my arms go outside of my legs?"

From: Tips for Crow Pose
Answered by: Grace, lululemon Queen St.

can you get buff from only yoga?

"I have a few yoga instructors who have the most amazing bodies say that they only do yoga, no cardio."

From: Yoga + Cardio... the Perfect Mix?
Answered by: Ted, lululemon Santa Monica

why do you roll to the right from savasana?

"Why does my yoga instructor always have us lie on our right side before coming up from the final relaxation pose?"

From: Why The Right Side?
Answered by: Ted and Grace

is yoga for non-flexible people too?

"I am not flexible. Do you think I can still do yoga?"

From: Not Flexible? Don't Worry.
Answered by: Grace, lululemon Queen St.

help! i have tight hamstrings

"My hamstrings prevent me from achieving all kinds of yoga poses and it’s really frustrating. Is there anything else I can do besides stretching daily?"

From: Tight Hamstrings: Help!
Answered by: Grace, lululemon Queen St.

A big thank you to our ambassadors for sharing your words of wisdom and insight with our guests. Do you have a burning yoga or run question you need answered? Email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

you asked

Baron Baptiste’s Vinyasa Flow is amazing! I always tend to attend these styles of classes but am wondering what other styles might be similar to his power flow class? Any recommendations? Also, Moksha seems to be offered in a lot of studios. What exactly does this style emulate? - Sarah

a yogi answers

Well, as a Master Baptiste Teacher I LOVE the Baptiste flow, too! There is something exceptional about the Baptiste flow and how challenging and inspiring it is that I just can’t find anywhere else. If you can find teachers that have trained with Sean Corne, Shiva Rea, Brian Kest or Dharma Mittra, you will enjoy their style, too!

Moksha is a style of yoga based off of the Bikram series but with a strong emphasis on environmental consciousness. Just like Baptiste Yoga, Moksha is also very accessible to all levels of students and is a great way to be introduced into the world of yoga. The main difference is that Moksha is a set series of poses like Bikram and Baptiste is a Vinyasa or flow style of yoga. There are just so many styles of yoga, just like there are so many styles of music and art and dance. The important thing is to find a teacher and style of yoga that resonates with you, stimulates your inner inquiry and awakens your soul!

- Kinndli, lululemon Oakville ambassador

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

you asked

I‘ve been practicing yoga for more than a year now. But my problem is for poses that required to be balanced on one leg (like balancing half moon). During the pose my ankle hurts so much that I can’t continue. How can I solve this issue? - mania

a yogi answers

Yes, ankle and foot cramping is quite common in balancing poses. The first thing I would have you do is to really draw up through the arch of the balancing foot and ankle. If you have a lot of wobbling, this can aggravate the instability of the foot and ankle, so creating a strong base by lifting the inner arch of your foot and engaging your calve and leg muscles should take some of the pain away.

Also I would love to see you stretch your foot and calve muscles before class. To stretch out your feet, come onto hands and knees, curl your toes under, then with your hands on your knees start to shift your weight back until your bum is sitting on your heals with your toes curled under you. You will feel a deep stretch through the arch of your foot and stretch your ankle. Breath for at least 10 long breaths and relax into the sensations you feel. Then point your feet and sit back onto your heals again and stretch out the front of your ankles. Also, peddle out your legs in Downward Facing Dog to stretch out your calf muscles.
- Kinndli

Have you ever experienced ankle pain in a balancing pose? Share your tips with us!

you asked

What do you think the best solutions for heavy sweaters are? Even in non hot yoga classes, I always end up drenched by the first half of class and while it’s a bit embarrassing, my biggest issue is that I slip in down dog and similar. I’ve asked yoga instructors before but they always shrug and say “it happens”. Thoughts? erin

a yogi answers

I LOVE hot yoga, and I am asked this question almost everyday in the power yoga classes that I teach. First: a good mat is key! lululemon’s “The Mat” is a mat specifically designed to absorb sweat... yes, it really absorbs sweat! I get a lot of heavy sweating men in my classes and they all love this hot yoga mat. When you are sweating a big puddle on your mat, then put down a yogitoes towel. These special yoga towels have little plastic nibs on the back so it literally stays on your sticky mat and won’t move. They actually ONLY perform well when they are wet, so I recommend spraying them with water when they are dry to get optimal usage at the beginning of class and in non hot studios.

Lastly, so much of slippage can be avoided by rooting down into your base in a more specific manner. For example, in down dog if you are collapsing into your outer wrist, it is very hard to not slip. Whether you are grounding down through your hands or your feet it is essential to spread your weight through as broad of a base as possible by spreading your fingers and toes and rooting down through all the knuckles. One more thing... make sure you don’t have any moisturizer on your hands or feet, and don’t wash your yogitoes towels with fabric softener!

- Kinndli, lululemon Oakville ambassador

Read the blog post: "Five Things to Know About the Mat"

Learn more about Kinndli and Power Yoga Canada.

View hot yoga clothes that help you deal with sweat:

• Hot Class Bra
• Happy Heat Short
• Silverescent Hot Class Tank

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

you asked...

I’m a pretty new yogi. I have absolutely fallen in love with it! I’ve found that even after just a few months of attending classes 2-3 times a week I have noticed improvements to my yoga practice. Unfortunately, I am unable to attend classes more often due to my work schedule. Do you have any suggestions on how to go about building a home yoga practice that I can do on my off days? I want to focus more on building strength in my arms and perfecting basic poses. I just don’t know where to start off practicing on my own. - Jessica

a yogi answers

Hi Jessica, congratulations on beginning your yoga practice! Developing a home practice requires a great discipline and I applaud you for taking this action towards making your practice a regular part of your day. For my home practices I personally need the support of either an audio class or a DVD. The thing is that if you do the same one over and over you will get too familiar with it and there will no longer be any new growth. I use podcasts that are most often recorded live in yoga studios all across the world and most are FREE! You will need to have some understanding of the basic alignment of the poses and the names to be able to follow the audio podcasts, but it sounds like you do.

Podcasts are great for practicing yoga at home.

Here are a few of my favourite podcasts that you can find on iTunes:

1. Kinndli MccCollum (I teach Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga)

2. Philip Urso

3. Dave Farmar

For DVDs I recommend the Live Series by Baron Baptiste.

- Kinndli, lululemon Oakville ambassador

What are some of your tips for developing a home practice?

Learn more about Kinndli and Power Yoga Canada here.

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

ted

Ted in Exalted Warrior on the California coast

more info on ted

• ambassador at lululemon Malibu
• yoga teacher, entrepreneur, philanthropist, endurance athlete, avid traveler
• founder of Adventure Yoga Retreats
• creator of Point Dume Yoga and 5 Point Yoga, two yoga and fitness studios in Malibu, California
• on the board of directors for Casa de Milagros, an orphanage in Peru that promotes education and self reliance to 26 homeless and orphaned children
• educated in both Iyengar and Ashtanga styles of yoga
• also teaches meditation and yin/restorative yoga, specifically designed to lengthen connective tissue and help prevent injuries

kinndli

Kinndli in Dancer pose near Oakville

some facts about kinndli

• ambassador at lululemon Oakville, Ontario
• co-founder of Power Yoga Canada
• owns the first Baptiste-affiliated yoga studio in Canada, has completed the highest level of training with Baron Baptiste, and is Canada’s only Certified Master Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga Teacher
• Since 2005 has been personally apprenticing and teaching with Baron Baptiste around the world on over 40 Journey Into Power Teacher Training's and Personal Revolution Bootcamps
• ambassador of the Africa Yoga Project

grace

Grace yoga-ing in front of the Toronto skyline

all about grace

• ambassador for lululemon Queen St. in Toronto.
• recently completed her leadership training with Off The Mat, Into The World (OTM). As an OTM leader she co-facilitates “Yoga in Action” training programs in Toronto throughout the year
• co-founded Inspire Reach in 2009, which raises funds through karma yoga initiatives, dedicated to improve local and global communities
• faculty member of the yoga teacher-training program at Tula Yoga Studios since 2007
• encourages her students to explore in the safe environment she provides at Tula Yoga Studios

how to ask a question to the yoga panel

Ask your question by June 3rd by leaving a comment below, via twitter (@lululemon) or emailing askanexpert@lululemon.com. Check back on June 14th for the first set of answers from Ted, Grace and Kinndli!