Today Lou Silagan is joining me on my Yoga segment. Lou has been at COIL Yoga for over almost two years now. He started off in the YOGA FOR STIFF GUYS class and quickly graduated into the regular classes at COIL Yoga.

He has had quite a battle with a bad knee and a torn rotator cuff, two very painful and potentially disabling injuries. Lou has come out way ahead of his injuries, and Yoga has played a huge role in his recovery. I am extremely proud of his tenaciousness and dedication to himself and his Yoga practice. If all men could approach their health and well being in this way we’d have a lot less STIFF GUYS in the world…

Lou and I will be demonstrating some shoulder and knee strengthening postures and also some postures for both flexibility and strength of the shoulder.

Please read Lou’s story below. I hope it will inspire you to join us. Our next YOGA FOR STIFF GUYS class begins Thursday Oct 9th at 7:15 pm.

Namaste-
Katie Flinn

Lou's Story:
I originally came to COIL at the demand of my wife as an alternative to taking pain medications that had caused some serious health concerns and precipitated a variety of other problems. I had just had knee surgery for one injury and with the additional disability of a pending shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum, my generally active lifestyle was at a halt for over a year. The result was a large weight gain, a loss of flexibility, constant distracting pain and all the other unpleasant side effects of being a sedentary middle aged guy. I started working with Katie at COIL in advance of the surgery and I honestly believe that the relaxation and breathing techniques coupled with a "this is the way it is now" pragmatism that put a positive but realistic spin on a long recovery.

I went into the surgery mindful of my breath and was back in relaxation class in about five weeks and was able to cut the time allotted to me for rehab and was released early by the rehab therapist, his parting words were "dude... you're wasting my time ". My surgeon released me and was happy to hear I was continuing with your yoga for stiff guy’s class. The benefit to me from the Coil yoga community has gone beyond rehabbing a body part, and become a way of being contentedly present in the body that changes minute by minute. Bottom line... I'm good (at least a heck of lot better off than I was a year and half ago).