I’m a (very) amateur yogi and proud of that. Yoga is a type of fitness activity that is great not only for the body but also for the mind and soul. It opens doorways to building strength, achieving mindfulness, and getting in touch with your self and your body. There are unlimited ways to practice yoga, and there is no such thing as a right or wrong way to practice in my opinion– do what feels right for you. There are many variables that influence the way you practice yoga; from the
Our favorite gear:
- Block- this helps with poses that would otherwise require a deeper stretch than you feel comfortable with. Use a block for support and to help ease into those difficult poses. We use this one from Lululemon.
- Strap- this also helps with easing yourself into those deeper poses that require a little more flexibility. Remember to know your limits so you do not hurt yourself! We also grabbed ours at Lululemon.
- Mat- these are self-explanatory! You can get mats that are pretty inexpensive (I claimed a free one from a cereal box once!) and they work just fine. If you want something a little more durable, though, try one of these Prana mats available for purchase at Mountain Equipment Co-op.
- Towels- why would you need a towel for yoga? If you do hot yoga, you will know why. A larger towel that extends to the length of your yoga mat catches sweat and keeps your feet from sliding off the mat (yeah, you get that sweaty!). A smaller towel to wipe your face throughout class is handy too. You can get these straight from Prana.
- Clothing– yoga pants are everywhere these days, and they aren’t being worn just for yoga! Although you can find yoga clothes in pretty much any clothing store, elephant pants from One Tribe Apparel are our new favourites because they are made sustainably in a non-exploitive work environment, and they help save elephants!
Our favorite settings:
- In class. Modo Hot Yoga is our favorite yoga studios to attend, as they are super friendly and offer great classes for all skill levels. Haven’t tried it before? Karma classes are only $5 on Friday nights for beginners– what’s the karma? Your $5 goes to a local charity!
- At home. Picture this: gross weather, broke student, no time. Ten minutes in your bedroom or living room is all you need for a successful practice. Make sure to sufficiently clear your space so you don’t hurt yourself!
- Outdoors. We love yoga on the beach, where you can enjoy the sounds of crashing waves and seabirds. Or in a grassy area, on a beach, or in your local park, so if you lose your balance your fall is soft.
Our favorite poses/flows:
When I practice alone, I typically follow a YouTube video (I love this one!) or I just do the poses that I like and feel comfortable with from memory. This can be tricky– it is hard to remember poses and the safe way to accomplish them, but this comes with time. When I practice in class, my favorite is Moksha Flow.
Favourite pose? Definitely vrksasana, a.k.a. tree pose. It makes me feel so rooted (pardon the pun!) and balanced.
What poses are your favourite? What gear do you recommend? Let us know if you try anything from this article, we really love reading your responses! Or tag us on twitter, instagram, or facebook @twowildtides
Have a great week!
-char
It’s never too late or too early to rework and redefine your routine, goals, and plans. Timelines don’t need to be perfect, they don’t even need to exist in some cases. I can just work on living my best and healthiest life right now, every day. Hopefully, my fitness goals will inspire yours, and I hope you’ll share your fitness goals with me, so I can seek inspiration and incorporate your techniques in my working plan (since I can tweak and restart my plan whenever I want, right?). So here it is:
The trail starts easy as you cross over a little brook and begin to ascend. At 16 km altogether, the trail takes you in 4 km to the base of the mountain, 8 km up and around the mountain, and 4 km over the same trail back to the parking lot. The 4 km in was not easy, but not hard at all compared with what was to come. It is easy terrain with stairs, boardwalks, and smalls hills to climb up and down. There are a few benches and boulders along the way to break for water or snacks.
The climb up the gulley was really hard. I would rate myself to be of average fitness, and I had to take breaks often, even if just for a quick second. It took about an hour to get up from the base of the mountain to the peak. The terrain is really hard to negotiate as it is just large loose rocks (I believe the correct term is ‘scree’) and the sun was beating down hard, but the view was a huge motivator. It was simply breathtaking. Literally and figuratively.
It was such a feeling of relief and success when we reached the summit. I was feeling kind of weak and really exhausted because I’m not used to such intense ascents, but a Clif bar definitely helped get me back on my feet and ready for the hike down. I highly recommend you bring a high protein snack!
The views from the summit and the hike down around the back of the mountain were magnificent. They are the views of the Newfoundland and Labrador tourism commercials and they really made me stop and say “wow, I cannot believe I live here.” I am so grateful.
My biggest tips for this trail are to wear sturdy hiking boots with ankle support, bring a light snack such as an energy bar, and bring LOTS of water. You don’t want to be halfway through this hike and run out– trust me. Would I recommend this hike? Of course. It isn’t easy so don’t do it if you aren’t looking to be challenged, but it is very rewarding.
The trail is pretty much just sharp ascent and steep decline no matter which trailhead you start from. It’s definitely a killer workout for your legs– you will feel the burn. It also made me realize that no matter how much I hike, nothing is going to replace the cardio that I should be doing daily. The path takes you to Blackhead, which is the rocky bluff directly between the town of Blackhead and Cape Spear. The point offers gorgeous views of Cape Spear, which is the most Easterly point in North America, and Signal Hill, one of St. John’s most well-known landmarks.
There is nothing like walking along Newfoundland’s rocky, jagged coast. Its harshness is almost calming. I love the way the waves crash into the rocks and form the most beautiful shades of blue. The feeling that I get from spending time near the salt water is irreplaceable. Get yourself out on the East Coast Trail ASAP.
This trail runs between Outer Cove and Red Cliff and is 5.1 km altogether. The Outer Cove entrance is on Doran’s Lane, just off Marine Drive. This is the direction I decided to take this time, and I would say the trail is equally challenging either way. The trail is rated moderate, which I agree with. There is a lot of easygoing, level terrain and even some boardwalks for easy walking. Once you get a little further in, however, the stairs start coming– and there are a lot of them.
If you start in Outer Cove, you will notice a point that juts out into the ocean as soon as you break out of the woods. I highly recommend you head down there first because it’s an easy walk and you get some fantastic views. Also a great place for a picnic and whale watching!
After a pretty intense uphill hike (there are stairs most of the way and they are in good condition) you will get a welcomed downhill break. Between the two hills is Cobbler Brook, which gently runs into the ocean over the rocks. Take a break and enjoy the view because you’re in for another hard climb. At the top is the end of the trail, with another rewarding view and Red Cliff Radar Station. The radar station– well technically, what remains of it– is an old United States Air Force communications base. Pretty cool if you ask me. Walk a little way out Red Cliff Road and you’ll find the opposite trail head.
This was a pretty great start to hiking season in Newfoundland. Let us know by commenting or reaching out on social media (@twowildtides) if you have done or plan to do this hike! We love hearing from our readers. Remember to always be safe on the trail and try to have a friend with you as cell service can be spotty.
