Instant Results For This Yoga Pose...

Don't miss this great tip that will instantly improve your Reverse Warrior. If you are seriously interested in getting the most out of your yoga, check out this clip...

   Yoga expert and author, Brian Friedman demonstrates the Reverse Warrior.

In my opinion, Reverse Warrior is the evil twin sister of side angle pose. That is to say the benefits are very similar to the side angle pose: asymmetrical hip opening, leg strengthening element of warrior two combined with the side strengthening and side lengthening benefit of triangle pose, but with a higher intensity... especially if you true it up by keeping your top arm straight.

Most yogis will be humbled by this variation because of the rigorous demands of anatomical correctness. Don't let that happen to you. Take a deep breath, use good technique, and do the best you can. The rest will follow.

This is just the tip of the ice burg. If you want more (and I know you do...) I invite you to see what others are saying about Functional Yoga Instruction(tm)...

Awesome Book!
5/5 stars! "Brian Friedman's method of teaching yoga really makes sense and truly allows positive, healthy change to occur in the body. His emphasis on correct alignment and movement rather than on flexiblity makes yoga safe and accessible to everyone. This book goes step by step, and with photos and clear directions, Brian teaches you how to move in and out of the postures correctly, avoiding strain and injury and increasing strength. This is a fantastic, practical book. No matter how much experience someone has with yoga, there is so much to be gained by reading this book and following Brian's method. I highly, highly recommend it."

Must Have Book!
5/5 stars! "This is a must have book to add to your yoga collection whether you are a student or a yoga teacher. I have practiced yoga for over 10 years and taught it for over seven years and I have learned more from Functional Yoga Instruction then in all my personal yoga experience and instruction combined. It has completely changed my practice and how I teach yoga. This book is very organized and explains the techniques in a simple, clear, precise way. Functional Yoga Instruction teaches how to move on the mat in a safe, effective way which spills into proper movement off of the mat. Since I have practiced Functional Yoga Instruction and used the techniques in the book, I move better on the mat, as well as off the mat. It has increased my body awareness and I am much stronger. This book is ALL killer and no filler. I highly, highly recommend it!"

Don't get left behind. Invest in your copy now!

Secrets Revealed: Fat Loss

A special message from Brian about fat loss.

Get ready to enjoy Winter Garden Yoga’s new series of blogs: Secrets Revealed. Within these posts you will find a goldmine of information to help you with your health and fitness goals. These are the tips and tricks that I use with my private clients to get outstanding results. This stuff works. In fact, you may find that these posts disappear after a while because I may think twice about giving away such great material. If you’re ready to melt away the extra pounds, boost your energy, and feel years younger please read on…

“What’s the quickest way for me to get in shape?” This is the most popular question I am asked. The real question is: “How can I burn fat, build muscle, and look toned?” The answer is easy. In fact, it is too easy:

1. Keep a food journal.
2. Use inefficient exercises.

Think about it. If your car is running inefficiently it burns more fuel, right? It's the same thing for your choice of exercise. Believe me, the type of yoga we practice at Winter Garden Yoga is very inefficient (with the exception of Yin Yoga) because of the slow controlled movement, deep breathing, and static contractions while holding and refining the poses. That kind of stuff burns a lot of unwanted calories.

Here’s the kicker: very few of you will follow this protocol.  Why? Because it is too easy and it works.

Believe me, all of my clients (and anyone who attends my Weight Control and Healthy Living seminar) will tell you that the first thing I insist upon is a food journal. And what of those who heed my advice? They get great results. Fast.

Without exception, everyone is very surprised with their eating habits. If you want to control your body composition, you have to see what you’re eating. Simple, right?

Now here’s the thing: what do we do with something that works? We dump it. This happens time and time again with my clients. They start their food journal, they get great results, and then the food journal disappears. I wish I had an explanation for this behavior. I don’t.

I believe it comes from the mindset of “anything worth having is a struggle.” Once the struggle is over (in this case, fat loss) and something becomes easy, it gets discarded. Don’t fall into this trap. I've been keeping a food journal for approximately nine years and I am constantly refining my food intake. The result? I walk around at about 7% body fat while maintaining lean muscle and exceptionally good health. 

You can, too. 

Here are some comments I've heard from those who have stuck with it:

"My [type 2] diabetes is no longer a threat."

"I have to take my work clothes to be taken in... again."

"I no longer have that little "pudge" below my belly button."

These are just a few. Are you ready to join the others and share your success story?

Take it from me, begin keeping a food journal. Track everything that you eat and drink. Most importantly, track how what you’re eating and drinking makes you feel. Once you have your data, begin removing all of the crappy food and begin replacing it with good food. If you still don’t know the difference between crappy food and good food, set up a private session with me.

We’ll continue this topic in a future blog…

Winter Garden Yoga is a world renowned yoga studio recognized for providing a unique form of functional yoga instruction (TM) that gives you a toned, pain-free body that leaves you feeling great whether you’re currently flexible or not.

Unlike ordinary yoga studios with packed classes that over stretch and leave you feeling lost in the crowd, our services focus on strength, mobility, and nutrition all wrapped up into a caring, supportive, family-like environment you’ll call home.

Contact us or give us a call at 407-579-9889 for a free, no obligation consultation ($87 value) to find a package plan that is perfect for you.

A Blueprint for Good Technique, Reverse Triangle

This may be a new perspective on an old favorite of yogis everywhere. The name of the posture says it all, REVERSE triangle. In my opinion, the intent of this classic pose is a side bend. Be sure to watch this clip to get the most bang for your buck.

By using the hips correctly the following is achieved:

• Injury Prevention. Movement expert, Gray Cook has said that lack of symmetry can lead to injury.
• Resilience. Fitness expert, Steve Maxwell, said that lateral flexion is one of the first ranges of motion we lose as we age.
• Tone and Lengthen the Midsection. By contracting one side of the lateral chain (toning) the opposite side of the lateral chain must release (lengthen).

There you have it, a simple technique that packs quite  punch (in a kind and loving yogic way).

All the best, Brian

The doctors said I couldn't, Winter Garden Yoga said I could

As the owner and director of Winter Garden Yoga, I am truly fortunate and absolutely blessed that I can help a wide variety of people achieve a wide variety of goals. This is Sheree's story in her own words. Her eight week journey began with a painful, immobile shoulder.She was advised to quit coming to her favorite yoga class and her daily chores were a painful experience. After working together, privately, Sheree has recovered 95% and is virtually pain free. Sheree is still working to maintain and possibly improve her results. 

Here's Sheree's story...

"Last July I returned home from vacation with a sore shoulder which I blamed on carrying around a heavy day pack loaded with water bottles, camera, etc. I decided to give my shoulder a break and skipped my yoga classes for several weeks.

"I was still feeling a lot of pain and my mobility was limited, but thought I would push through it and start back anyway, but learned very quickly that power yoga was no longer an option for me, and there were some poses I could no longer maintain in the beginner yoga class. 

"My day-to-day activities were being affected also – simple chores like hanging up my clothes or drying my hair. Feeling frustrated, I sought medical help and was diagnosed with arthritis in my shoulder.

"The orthopedist explained what he was seeing, said this was common for someone over 50, recommended I quit the power yoga class, and had a physical therapist come up with a course of exercises. 

"After completing 8 weeks of the recommended [physical therapy] exercises I did notice improvement. However, my range of motion was still quite limited. That’s when Winter Garden Yoga sent out [a series of special offers] – one being an FMS package.

Sheree and Brian worked together to find a solution for Sheree's chronic shoulder pain.

"Brian and I had had a discussion earlier where I explained why arthritis couldn't be cured and no amount of exercising was going to help, and he explained why the right combination of exercises just might help. 

"I decided to give it a shot and start the New Year off right. I purchased the FMS package and met with Brian for our first session on Jan. 2. One week after our first session I had not noticed any change so he came up with another plan. Between our second session and last (which was today - Feb. 8) I have gained back 95% of my mobility and am thrilled.

"He worked out the right combination of exercises for me and now a short exercise program each morning is part of my normal routine. During the month of January I was out on travel twice, and these techniques became part of my routine in the hotel room also. 

"I am now able to fully participate in power yoga again, and as I was unloading the dishwasher before class this morning I realized that this was another pain-free chore that was a problem for me just one month ago. 

"Thanks Brian! You are the best!"

What's the Deal with FMS? Part 2

Now on to my findings. The following statistics are based on 100 screens that I have performed from March, 2012 through June, 2012. This is not a clinical study. It is an opportunity to see what the results of the FMS reveal about Winter Garden Yoga's client base. WGY's client base is very diverse as it includes male, female, young, old, athletic, non-athletic, flexible, inflexible, etc. I think you get the idea. The following information is based on averages (grand total of scores divided by number of screens).


Average total score of an FMS: 12. The professionals at FMS suggest that a minimum score of 14 (with no asymmetries) is the threshold for injury prevention. In other words, anything less than a 14 means the participant's likely hood for injury is greater than a participant who scores a 14 or higher.

Average score of the Deep Squat: 2

This is a "2" in the Deep Squat


Average score of the Hurdle Step: 1

This is a "1" in the Hurdle Step


Average score of the Inline Lunge: 2

This is a "2" in the Inline Lunge


Average score of Shoulder Mobility: 2

This is a "2" in Shoulder Mobility


Average score of the Active Straight Leg Raise: 2

This is a "2" in the Active Straight Leg Raise


Average score of the Trunk Stability Push Up: 1

This is a "1" in the Trunk Stability Push Up

Average score of Rotary Stability: 2

This is a "2" in Rotary Stability

Please check out the FMS page at WinterGardenYoga.com to see what "3s" look like for the above movement patterns. 

What's The Deal with FMS?

I became a certified FMS expert in March, 2012. FMS (Functional Movement Screen) was developed by Gray Cook and Dr. Lee Burton as a method to prevent injury by scoring seven movement patterns found in all forms of activity (athletic or otherwise). I have performed over 100 screens since my certification and have made some very interesting discoveries. My hope is to share some of those discoveries with you now. But first, let's take a step a back and review some commonly asked questions about the FMS:

What is FMS? It is a physical screen used to prevent injury. There are seven movements that are graded based on specific criteria. The score ranges from zero to three. Zero indicates that there was pain present during the movement, one indicates that the movement could not be completed, two indicates that the movement could be completed with minor compensations, and three indicates that the movement could be completed without compensations.

Five of the seven movements are unilateral, which is to say that they are performed on the left and right sides of the body. If one side performs better than the other (whether it is weakness, stiffness, or lack of coordination) it is noted an an asymmetry. Asymmetries are an indicator of dysfunction which can lead to injury.

Why use FMS? The ultimate answer is to create a path to wellness. FMS gives the trainer a baseline and a specific course to follow used to strengthen any weakness in the body's kinetic chain. For instance, someone may see me because they have tight hamstrings. After I observe how they move, and based on the FMS score, I may find that their core is not functioning optimally. Once I correct this weak link in the chain, the hamstrings will  function correctly and become less tight. Yes, most of the time it is that simple and powerful. Once the hamstring issue is resolved, we screen again to test and see if the score has remained the same, gotten higher, or gotten lower. Based on those results, we move on to the next weak link or continue working until the current issue is resolved.

According to the professionals at Functionalmovemtent.com,"Top winning teams and organizations that use the FMS system include NFL teams like the Falcons, Packers, Jets, Bears, Colts, Giants, MLB teams like the Rangers, Giants, Devil Rays, the military special forces which has decreased training injuries from 37% to under 10% and Occupational groups like Orange Co.Fire and Midwest Power and light which have significantly reduced worker's compensation costs."




More on FMS in a future blog...