ditch the comparisons and reconnect to your true self AND OTHERS

"I help current and former figure skaters and other athletes let go of unhealthy conditioning and reconnect to their authentic selves. Learn to thrive in life beyond competition."          
 -----Sarah Neal, The Skating Yogi

my Featured Blog Posts:

6 Yoga Poses for Good Balance
06.10.22

    Merriam Webster lists many different definitions of balance, but for athletic and yogic purposes, we generally refer to physical equilibrium—the ability to balance and not fall over; to mental and emotional steadiness; and to finding a happy medium between conflicting or interacting elements.
    It is widely known that one of the most common predictors of injury is muscular imbalance. Yoga combats this by constantly working towards muscular balance—every movement and posture is practiced bilaterally and is geared towards balancing effort and relaxation. 
    Don’t have time for a long practice? Begin with these 6 poses and practice them mindfully, focusing on keeping the breath full, smooth, and even for the entire practice. 

Mental and Emotional well-Being of young Athletes in Figure Skating
07.01.2022

    I have asked myself often if the institution of skating is to blame for the mental health challenges of figure skating, or if genetics and personality traits of individual athletes might also play a role.  After all, my sister always told me that I was born anxious...  
     While humans tend to revere their sports heroes for their discipline, grit, perseverance, and strength, recent studies regarding the mental health of youth athletes show that athletes are just as vulnerable to mental health struggles as members of the general population.
     Figure skating can offer a magnificent, healthy sports journey for your child, if you are certain to follow some key guidelines for maintaining a well-balanced figure skating life.
    These are my top tips for you to support your child’s skating journey AND their mental and emotional well-being.

Life Lessons for Athletes and Parents Learned on the Camino de Santiago
06.03.2022

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Way marker on the Camino de Santiago with items left behind to symbolize letting go of baggage.
    Over twenty years ago I learned that one of the best ways for me to reset my nervous system—bring it back into balance—after chronic overwhelm was to get far away from the outside influences and expectations pulling me in all directions. 
   To be clear— getting away is never an escape from your problems long-term. You must do deep work on yourself for any change to be lasting. 
   Mindful travel, however, is an opportunity to reset your nervous system out of fight or flight mode and to help you see things through a different lens.  
   Athletes and sports parents looking for a break or departure from the competitive lifestyle can find their reset on the Camino and learn a lot about life and themselves in the process.

Off-ice Exercises for Figure Skaters to improve Stamina and Breathe Easy
07.23.22

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Practicing Diaphragmatic Breathing While Standing
     What if an athlete is doing all the training typically recommended for improved aerobic capacity, but their V02 Max number and their endurance don’t improve? Sometimes improvements don’t come because of lack of training intensity, inadequate recovery between trainings, forgetting to plan for breaths within the choreography, and maybe even performance and practice anxiety.  Or, as this yogi likes to argue, maybe the athlete doesn’t know how to breathe properly? 
   Breathing exercises can develop underutilized portions of the lungs as well as strengthen the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. Besides helping us breathe more fully and efficiently, exercises that work these muscles can also help athletes relax to ride out waves of anxiety or breathing episodes.
   Here are two simple exercises you can try for yourself or suggest to someone you think might benefit.

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