Erica Blitz is an author and internationally renowned yoga instructor who hosts classes at Yoga Soup in downtown Santa Barbara. She also curates programming for wellness retreats; facilitates yoga teacher training sessions in the United States, Canada, and Dubai; and wrote and starred in Seasons 3 and 4 of the television series Namaste Yoga, available on Amazon. ericablitz.com
Marie Grujicic-Delage studied theater, dance, and art in her native France. Upon moving stateside, she danced professionally and worked as a creative director for Cirque du Soleil; appeared as a body-double for famous blondes including Heidi Klum and Charlize Theron; and cultivated an interest in yoga practice. She now teaches yoga at various locations in Los Angeles. mariegrujicic-delage.com
• View the 2019 Vitality Issue on our Health & Wellness page.
The extended side-angle posture works to tone the ankles, reset the soles, and draw out the leg muscles, spine, and arms. Form a long, diagonal line from the back foot to the fingertips while breathing deeply through the nose and gazing at the palm of your outstretched hand. — Marie Grujicic-Delage
Parker medium-impact bra and Streamline legging; Gatten medium-impact bra and Streamline legging.
Improve your balance and focus with the tree pose, an asana that helps to ground the being and promotes mental clarity. Acknowledge and push through any small internal movements (whether physical or mental) to achieve stillness. If you balance easily in this position, challenge yourself by closing your eyes. — M.G.D.
Karla medium-impact bra and Lucky legging; Java bra and Titika heart mesh legging.
“Your mind is a mirror: kind of dirty. Yoga, with the breathwork, helps you clean the mirror and get back to a clear perspective.”
— Marie Grujicic-Delage
The triangle pose opens the hips, shoulders, chest, and hamstrings with a supportive lower-body stance that expands through the upper body. Breathe deeply as you extend into the pose. An attention to breath keeps you grounded in the present moment, which helps the mind move toward stillness. — E.B.
Lattice crop top and Kimora legging; Nyla training tee and Myla legging.
This advanced variation of the half-moon pose, with a binding of the back ankle, requires a lot of balance and flexibility. By externally rotating the top arm, the back leg is able to move a bit higher, allowing for a slight backbend in the spine. — M.G.D.
Felicity bra and cycle short; Myla medium-impact bra and Rylee legging.
“The desert in general is the perfect landscape to do yoga. Here, you’re not distracted by all the honking and sirens — it’s just the sounds of nature, which could be a meditation in and of itself.”
— Erica Blitz
Handstands not only build strength but also patience, as it can take a long time (maybe even a lifetime!) to balance freely in the pose. Use a friend or a wall for support, keep your hands shoulder-distance apart, your arms straight, and your hips above your shoulders, then begin to bring the legs together. Meanwhile, your partner’s upward hand pose (shown here with a slight backbend) is like a big yawn for the entire body that elongates the spine and supports good posture. — E.B.
Titika Active Couture Eve medium-impact bra and Kimora legging; Nyla training tee and Peyton legging.