Hello! Welcome to Day 2 of the 2022 First Responders Are Human event. The event hopes to encourage mental wellness in first responders through physical fitness. Participants should engage in one deliberate physical activity each day of the event. We will be sharing a daily resiliency tool that can help first responders be resilient on and off the job. While many of the stressors first responders face are systemic, it is still important that we be able to maintain our own mental health.
Today’s Tool: Yoga
Thanks to Heather Sharar for providing today’s content!
Background
Yoga day!!! Before we get started, here is a little about me: By day, I am the Executive Director of the Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania (AAP). I am also the Executive Director of the PA EMS Provider Foundation (aka the Foundation). The AAP is a statewide trade association of ambulance services and focuses on state and federal compliance issues. The Foundation honors the lives lost in the line of duty through a statewide bicycling event and EMS Memorial Service. It also raises funds for paramedic scholarships. I am also a RYT 500 (Registered Yoga Teacher) through the Yoga Alliance.
How Yoga Has Helped Me
My love of yoga stems from the beneficial aspects of a consistent practice. In 2014, a shoulder injury prevented me from practicing, as well as my other passion – cycling, for an extended period of time. Experiencing frustration with traditional pharma, I sought out chiropractic assistance until I was able to return to a gentle practice. The ability to build from a gentle yoga practice back to a dynamic vinyasa practice solidified my belief in the centuries-old philosophies and teachings of yoga related to the mind, body, and spirit.
As an avid cyclist, I believe in the benefits of cross-training with yoga to help maintain a strong core and balance for my physical body. As a yoga professional, I believe in the health of the mind through meditation as well as the asana practice for balance in other areas of life.
Introductory Yoga Practice
Private, studio classes or workshops offered: Gentle or dynamic VinYasa, Beginners workshops, Mindful Yoga, 6 weeks series, 108 Sun Salutations, or Yin Yoga. All levels are offered and welcomed. If you have never practiced yoga or think you can’t “do” yoga, let me ask you to suspend your beliefs and listen to me dive into some of these myths.
Click play below to watch a short video I recorded. I demonstrate a short practice where we connect the breath with some movement. There are two different options that each take less than 5 minutes.
Two short demonstrations of yoga you can do at home
Final Thoughts
Yoga is beneficial for both the mind and the body, and it is adaptable to any skill level. The physical practice of yoga also prepares your body for meditation, which we will explore on one of the future days of this event. Looking forward to seeing your photos!
Helpful Links & Sources:
To Do:
Follow the event on Facebook, Instagram, and join the Strava group.
Download the daily posters to use on social media.
Reflect on today’s tool and how you’ve incorporated it into your life or how you might incorporate it.
Post your reflection and physical activity on social media or the participant’s group to help spread the word and to encourage accountability and camaraderie.
Use the hashtags #movementismedicine and #firstrespondersarehuman on social media.
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