About the Teacher
Jolie Bookspan is a sports medicine and injury rehabilitation specialist
that Harvard School of Medicine has named "The St. Jude of the Joints.
Her training and pain rehab methods are used by SEAL teams
and the top doctors and spine centers in the country to change traditional
moves that are common but not healthful as thought. Personal trainers and
yoga instructors come to her as patients, along with athletes and physicians.
She began yoga close to 50 years ago with her gypsy Grandmother. Her mother
is in the photo at the top of this page. Jolie is a 4th degree black belt
in karate, an undefeated full contact Muay Thai boxer, a Fellow of the Academy
of Wilderness Medicine, and certified yoga teacher above the 500 hour level
with over 5000 documented class hours. She studied and taught in India,
China, Nepal, Thailand, Japan, the Netherlands, and North Africa, and brings
you their art, medicine, music, and magic.
What
Students Say
The class
is more encouraging than others, wonderful, and fun.
Dr. Jolie Bookspan inspires me in many ways. I learned to keep trying and
smile.
- Ukari Iesaka
Jolie
teaches us ways to exercise and live daily without doing harmful things
to our bodies, not just do poses.
Take this class. It will positively affect your thinking and change your
life.
- Lily Stepnowski
The class
is very physical and the best exercise I have done. You accomplish something
that you thought you couldn't.
- Jon Aguila, architect
The class
made me think and learn to control my actions. To be able to concentrate
in a crazy world.
This class is the best thing you can do for yourself. I will take more classes.
- David Stockett
Warrior
Yoga is an "attitude" without one.
- Alane M. Salvatore
Jolie's
class is the best thing I have ever done for myself.
She knows how to encourage people to challenge themselves,
and has an infectiously positive/optimistic attitude - unlike any yoga teacher
I have ever encountered.
The class challenged me and showed me that I can push my body (gently) in
ways I never thought possible.
I was amazed at the moves/poses I was able to do. My life is better
Take this class!! If you want to push yourself a little and learn some really
great yoga and draw on Jolie's rich experiences and knowledge.
- Geoff Belforti
Dr. Jolie
truly cares for all her students, shows it in her daily life,
and knows more about the true purpose and practice of yoga
than any yoga teachers I have encountered in my long life.
- Mr. Sharma, India
This
class has been so amazing in that it has taught me a different kind of yoga.
My job is extremely physically demanding and I have previously been injured
on the job and attended physical therapy
where I learned how to heal. This class makes me feel like I learned how
to not get hurt!!
I found it impressive that I worked so hard and felt so relaxed afterward
– and it's not the typical "slow" yoga.
I can't wait for kickboxing. Dr. Bookspan's perspective is fantastic and
inspiring.
- Laura Singewald
I was
a yoga teacher more than 20 years
and told my students yoga fixes injuries. However, the yoga was causing
my own pains -
wrists, knees, neck, elbows, back...
After only a class with Jolie showed me why and I was already feeling improved.
I learned better technique of yoga and also, what she was saying:
how to use the better way of moving even outside of the class session.
- Kali Rajyana
Neutral
Spine - Here is a short mpeg video of how to change overarched
(hyperlordotic) lower spine to neutral
Neutral
Spine in 5 Seconds.
Plank,
Chaturanga lifting one arm and leg, 2 Legged Staff Pose
Abdominal
Muscle Exercise - Better, Different, Not What You Think
Prevent wrist
pain and compression during Chaturanga
Fast
Fitness - Prevent Wrist Pain During Pushups and Cooking
Transfer
healthful movement mechanics learned in class for daily life
Household
Fitness in the New Year. First photo is of Vrksasana tree pose - standing
on one foot with hands overhead
We never do
The
Stretch You Need The Least
Watch for this mistake
in ankle positioning in Sukhasana or easy sitting pose, Padmasana
or Lotus pose, and Baddha Konasana bound angle cobbler's pose
Unhealthy
Yoga Ankles
Utkatasana
- Don't overarch and overdo jutting the hips out in back when doing Utkatasana
or mighty pose, bending knees while standing until in a sitting position
Get
Better Exercise From Your Chair
Instead of
artificial, overstylized chair pose, we use simple half-squat
for good bending as a functional daily lifestyle action to strengthen
legs, stretch achilles tendon, and avoid bad forward bending that degenerates
lumbar discs
Free
Exercise and Free Back and Knee Pain Prevention - Healthy Bending
How often do we use it?
How
Often Should You Be Healthy?
Nice toe stretches
when sitting in Zeza
Healthy
Toe Stretches
Sit and rise
without your hands
Description - Quick
and Easy Strength and Balance Exercise
Movie - Fast
Fitness - Functional Agility, Flexibility, Strength
Start with an easy
Handstand or Adho Mukha Vrksasana (means Downward Facing Tree
Pose)
Description - Quick
and Fun Arm and Body Strengthener
Movie - Fast
Fitness - Easy Handstand for Balance, Upper Body Strength -The Movie
Then add ekapada, or one leg stretch Leg
Stretch that Strengthens Arms
and learn how to spot and fix the commonest mistake that stresses
the lower spine in handstand - Fast
Fitness - Fixing Your Handstand to Neutral Spine
Some information on
"dhyana" or meditations/contemplations, the seventh
limb of Ashtanga Yoga
Which
Ancient Exercise Gives Focus and Concentration?
Why we use
other stretches and not Pascimottananasana which translates as
"back extension" stretch, although anatomically it is back flexion,
or forward bending while sitting with legs straight in front
Sitting
Badly Isn't Magically Healthy by Calling it a Hamstring Stretch
Here is the explanation
of why Pascimottananasana pose injures the vertebral discs
whether it is done with straight or rounded back
Disc
Pain, Not A Mystery, Easy To Fix
