#// Injuries on top of that are taxing which just further brings that pain to the forefront

[todoslosdiasdemivida]

"when y'say your pain's 'four outta ten', that's a NORMAL person's 'eight outta ten' — i'm takin ya to th'med bay."

[ @quick-drawn​ ]

“It’s nothing–– Nothing that they can help with,” he answers after a moment to catch his breath that the last spike of pain had stolen away from him.

It’s exhausting sometimes. 

Most days, it’s a non-issue. There’s a baseline and it’s easy to ignore, because it’s been there in the background for longer than he cares to remember. But then there are some days, days like today when he had sustained injuries on top of his baseline.

It’s harder to deal with the usual when more gets added to it.

“All they’ll do is tell me that exactly, and then they’ll either instruct me to stay for observation on something they know they can’t do anything about just for the sake of covering their asses, or they’ll send me home after an hour or more of wasted time. I don’t really feel like rolling the dice on which it is. I want to go home. Now. Not tomorrow or in a few hours.”

“You want to help? Help with that.”

[pkg4mumtown]

Signs of Attachment - Ch. 1

Summary: Having an auditory processing disorder never slowed you down, but it mean you were confined to the Temple when the Clone Wars started. Will the frustration of not understanding people at times make for a rather lonely existence?

Pairing: Obi-Wan/Reader (Gender Neutral)

Rating: G (for now)

Warnings: Hard of Hearing Reader, Fluff, Gender Neutral Reader

A/N: Hi everyone! This is my first Star Wars fic, so have mercy on me. This request was for my friend, Jaime, who gave me all sorts of information and I’m forever indebted to them for it. The timeline is probably very off, but…oh well!

To clarify before we start:

“Text.” Means someone is speaking.

“Text.” Means someone is speaking and signing.

Text, Means someone is signing.

Chapter 1 - Effort

I slid the last tool into place and closed its drawer, the Halls of Healing finally back in order after the last rush of injured Jedi passed through. I thought bitterly about the war that I was barred from, except for the occasional medic deployment to forward operating bases. My saber hung uselessly at my side despite every test I passed to prove my worthiness to the Council.  It’s not that they didn’t have faith in me, they just saw me as a liability, which is probably just as bad. Despite how hard I tried to explain it, they were convinced that I could never be focused enough to be on the front lines. Yet, I passed every test while purposely being fully deafened and even being both deafened and blinded, which was somehow easier than the former.

Being assigned to the Halls of Healing seemed almost harder than combat, considering I had been far better at fighting than healing throughout my entire knighthood. Semi-dangerous solo missions before the wars? The Council saw no problems. A full scale war with plenty of droids as target practice? A big problem, apparently.

I was so consumed in my thoughts that I had barely registered someone, no two someones, or rather their force signatures, entering the Halls.

Swoosh

I didn’t even have a chance to decipher any of what they were saying as their words and voices started to blend together immediately due to their arguing.

“Sop.”

“Yaioyu satowep beeineg doifficultat.”

“Lletat muoe gaorn.”

“No."

“Atnakin, ei doon'tat noeead tolorn beoe heneroe.”

I glanced over at my Droid for help, but its signing was a mess as both voices talked over each other. I eventually stopped looking at it and took a deep, calming breath. I tried to pick apart the voices and focus on one but both faded in and out, making it nearly impossible.

Shove. Scuffle.

“You do…”

“Eeim f—ine”

Slap.

“Yu figelol otan muoe.”

“Ei tolrippead.”

“Muaster, poleasoe tolelol heniem.”

Silence.

“Muaster?”

More silence.

“Muaster…?”

Oh. The closeness of the strongest signature was behind me now, poised and ready to—

Tap.

I turned and faced the two, rather loud, intruders to this calming place. My Droid wasn’t yet in place behind them, so I couldn’t quite get everything but I got enough. I had never gotten quite good at lip reading with Master Plo as a teacher, so he had learned Basic Sign Language to help supplement what was missed in speaking. I relied on my droid to sign to me quite heavily when dealing with patients to understand what was wrong with them, but it was only helpful if one person was speaking at a time. Definitely not whatever this train wreck of a duo was.

“Master?” the spikey-haired Padawan asked, staring straight at me.

“Forgive my Padawan, he toakess atfteer muwy Muasteer,” the older Jedi rolled his eyes, noticeably leaning on his Padawan and clutching his side.

“I do not.”

Feeling another round of arguing bubbling up, I held my palm up, “Both of you stop, please, and start from the top.” My Droid finally stepped in place behind them so I could see the signs over their shoulders.

“We just landed back at the temple, everything was fine—"

“Things are fine,” the Master snapped.

“—and he just collapsed on me. He wouldn’t let me check over him—," the Padawan continued.

“There’s nothing to check, Anakin.”

Ah, yes, the infamous Master Kenobi and his Padawan, Anakin.

“Obviously theroe iss.”

“Eim fignoe.”

“Stop,” I sighed and closed my eyes and opened them after centering myself. “Padawan Skywalker, please leave us.”

“B—”

“Now, please,” I urged, not bothering to give him an explanation. Not that I needed to give him one.

The Padawan made a face of displeasure before bowing to both of us and leaving the room.

“—overreacting—,” Kenobi sighed.

I blinked at him, then glanced at my droid, who filled me in on the whole sentence.

Anakin is overreacting, really.

“Master Kenobi, please sit and take off your tunics and tabards,” I ask and look away, not that it was going to matter because I was going to see him shirtless regardless.

I tried to ignore the broad expanse of his chest, littered with scars and copper hair. My eyes lingered a little too long while raking over and looking for injuries. I was just being thorough.

When I saw the wound that caused this whole ordeal I sucked in a breath quickly. The skin on his side was badly burned and the wound was at least a few days old, so naturally it had infected because he neglected to take care of it.

“It’s infected,” I shook my head almost hurriedly grabbed the large tub of bacta we kept on hand.

“It’s not that bad, is it?” He brushed off my comment, obediently lifting his arm when I nudged it.

“Have you looked at it recently?” I scoffed as I further inspected the wound.

He was silent for a moment, making me look at my droid confused as if I had missed something but the Droid confirmed that I hadn’t.

“Master Kenobi?”

“The less I acknowledged it, the easier it was to manage the pain,” he grumbled back. “And surely, you can call me Obi-Wan, we were in the crèche together.”

“That hardly constitutes a first name basis,” I squinted at him. “I don’t even recall speaking to you. They were troubling times for me, it was easier to keep to myself. Less to…process.”

“Oh, believe me, that message was loud and clear,” Obi-Wan chuckled, making me roll my eyes in an attempt to not focus on the way it lit his face up or brightened his eyes. “I also seem to remember that you were one of the best saber wielders out of all us.”

“A lot of good that did me,” I gestured to the sterile room.

“You still have the honor of humiliating an advanced saber instructor in class while being completely shut off to auditory and optical input.”

A blush rose to my cheeks, “Ho—”

“Every Padawan in the temple knew about it…”

“Well, it couldn’t have been that impressive if it wasn’t enough for the frontlines,” I slipped bitterly.

“They’re not all fun, unfortunately,” he murmured.

“I’m a guardian trapped as a healer, Obi-Wan, anything is better than this.” I took a deep breath, “Anyway, you might feel some discomfort.”

I closed my eyes and hovered my hand over the wound and focused on purging the infection first, feeling it attacking the cells around it as I finally attuned with said infection. I pulled the infection away from his body, pleased when there was no resistance and it begun to trickle away. I tilted my head as I sensed another pain but in his leg, so I investigated without breaking the healing I was already doing. The pain visualized as five red dots, the cause hard to place while my mind was otherwise occupied.

Then, it dawned on me that he was gripping his own leg so tightly as a distraction to the pain in his side that even I could feel it. Blindly, I found his knee and then his hand clenching his thigh. His hand relaxed slightly as mine touched his, allowing my hand to worm under his for him to squeeze instead. With the infection released into the force, I focused on knitting the wound back together. In response, Obi-Wan’s hand squeezed mine even tighter. If I could have sent something calming to him, I would have, but didn’t want to break my concentration when I was almost done. Instead, I let my thumb brush back and forth over his knuckles.

Finally, the wound was completely covered with new skin so I let the force healing trickle away. I blinked my eyes open, a little woozy but nothing I wasn’t used to, especially after a long day of healing.

“—that—pleasant,” I vaguely heard through the humming in my ears. It always took a while for the force to stop thrumming in my head after force healing, only amplified by my condition.

I knitted my brows at him, knowing it was anything but pleasant and then looked over at my droid.

Stars, that was not very pleasant.

“Oh, well, yes I suspect the day it becomes pleasant will be the day that Jedi actually seek out treatment, rather than avoid it,” I stressed the end just for him.

“Sorry, I should have waited until you opened your eyes.”

“It’s fine,” and really it was, I was used to it by now.

“I’m sure it gets tiring having to have a conversation with someone over their shoulder,” I didn’t get to appreciate the sincerity in his eyes because I had to glance at my droid again, only proving his point.

“Well, it was a little hard to learn to lip read growing up with Master Plo…,” my mouth turned up into a smirk, clearly trying not to laugh.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, didn’t hold back and snorted; laughing immediately after, “Sorry, sorry…”

“But, he did learn and teach me BSL, so at least I have something. Even if no one else here knows it, the droid helps. Though, in the field I don’t bring it, so I just tell everyone to shut up at let me work.”

“That’s…unfortunate.”

“It gets taxing, if only because I don’t always catch everything so conversations are hard to carry without the droid. Especially if someone starts talking to me without getting my attention first.”

Obi-Wan tilted his head like he was deep in thought, “Maker knows we learn enough languages here, they should teach BSL, too,” Obi-Wan squeezed my hand, making me realize I’d never actually let go of his hand. Though, with his hand now squeezing mine, I’d have to rip my hand away and to be honest? I didn’t want to.

“I don’t think we have anyone fluent enough to teach besides myself and Master Plo…”

“Hmm, I’d still like to present it to the Council. Someone has to be able to teach it,” he smiled gently.

I had no words to express how grateful even the thought of presenting it to the Council meant to me. So I didn’t speak. Instead, I sent my feelings of gratitude through the force and our joined hands. I took the time to read the genuine twinkle in his eyes as I hadn’t been able to this whole time, and the subtle way his eyebrows relaxed as he realized what I was doing. My eyes drifted lower to the way the corners of his eyes and cheek wrinkled just slightly with the upturn of the corner of his mouth, a subtle smile for me. Lower still, to the coppery mustache and beard on his face, with flecks of gray from the war. Or his Padawan…probably his Padawan. I let my eyes drift over the endearing way his mullet curled just behind his ears and rested against his shoulders.

He was right about one thing; I had taken for granted just looking someone in the eyes as they spoke to me. It was something that was necessary for BSL, and while Master Plo didn’t have the most expressive face, it gave me back a semblance of normalcy to be able to carry on a conversation face to face. It helped bridge the gaps between any words I had missed and ensured I had the whole picture, even going so far as to express words or ideas I was having trouble expressing with speech.

I cleared my throat, realizing I was staring far longer than I should have been, “Sorry, um, here…”

I reluctantly untangled our hands and grabbed the container of bacta, scooping a generous amount on to my fingers. I applied the cool gel to the new, pink, raw skin, which looked far better than the angry, red and purple open wound he had come in with. He jumped at the first contact, whether it was because of the cold or not, I didn’t know, but his sigh of relief after was a good sign.

I wiped my hand of and grabbed a new travel bottle of bacta for him, before pausing and grabbing two more, “Here, try not to lose these…”

He took them gratefully, knowing we normally didn’t give that much to just one Jedi, “Thank you, I—I didn’t lose mine. I gave it to my men, they needed it more.”

His men, his clones, whose health he put above his own.

“I’m not surprised,” I shook my head, “but do try to take care of yourself. They need you to lead them as much as you need them to succeed.”

“Of course, Y/N.”

My brain halted for a moment, my eyes widening slightly. This was the first real conversation I’d had with him and yet he knew my first name without hesitation.

“You shouldn’t be all the surprised, our masters were good friends after all. Master Koon, talked about you a lot with Master Jinn. He just never brought you along, I suppose,” Obi-Wan shrugged.

I hummed, “He was quite protective of me and tried to overwhelm me as little as possible…”

“I wish he had brought you, though. You would have gotten along well with Qui-Gon,” Obi-Wan had a far away look in his eyes that I almost missed.

“I’m sorry, about…”

“Nonsense,” Obi-Wan shook his head and smiled. “Now, I should get out of your hair lest my Padawan get into trouble.”

I stepped back to allow him to stand and handed him his discarded clothes from earlier, before turning and giving him privacy.

“Thank you,” he murmured, casually watching the droid out of the corner of his eye as it automatically translated into sign language.

When I turned back around, he was fully dressed again and stowing away the bacta in his belt, “Have a good rest of your day, Obi-Wan.” I bowed my head slightly to him.

“And you, Y/N,” he smiled, waiting for me to meet his eyes.

Thank you, he signed with a small smile adorning his face.

He bowed his head and took a a couple steps backwards and exited the room, offering a wave just before the doors closed behind him. My stomach flipped as I replayed the scene over in my head, realizing he had mimicked the droid in order to sign.

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 2

[maplecornia]

chapter 22

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱: 4.36K

𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔯𝔢: romance | slice of life | fluff | angst | bts x female!reader | ot7

𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: You watched them from the sidelines ever since you were a young teenage girl. Now you’re grown up, they’ve returned after 2 long years and everything has changed. What happens when you pull back the mask and find the darkness within? What happens when you see that they’re broken?

𝔞/𝔫: our first full introduction to all of BTS! I hope you're all excited ^^

𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰: cliffhangers | angst | fluff | slight mentions of self hatred | depression | mental health illness | self harm | occurs in the year 2024 | set in a timeline where BTS went to the military together | slight language

tags: @kookaine | @fangirl125reader | @kookiebbyxx | @taradevonne | @rae-bear |@mangminnie | @pixiekooo

Why did there have to be a meeting today of all days?

Yoongi scowls in the back of the car, trying his best to work on the small music app he’s downloaded for free on his phone. Letting out a small growl, he throws the phone aside, frustrated and annoyed.

“Absolute trash.” He snarls, staring ahead with nothing but malice in his eyes. The driver flinches a bit at the dark aura emanating from the back seat, and slowly rolls up the little partition glass that separates the two.

You know...just in case.

Yoongi notices the small act of distance and rolls his eyes, scoffing. He doesn't have to apologize. He can have a bad attitude if he wants. His schedule was supposed to be completely free today, a day where he could work on the album quietly. It was supposed to be a productive day, one where he could hole himself up in his studio and work and work until he made music that was perfect for their comeback.

Perfect for BTS.

Narrowing his eyes, he mutters a string of curse words under his breath for the 7th time that morning.

Then he got the call. That there was an urgent meeting for BTS to attend. A meeting that would affect the future of the company.

Running his hands through his hair, he tries to refrain himself from punching the car window out.

"What the hell is that even supposed to mean?!" He screams in aggravation, causing the driver on the other side of the partition to jump, startled. Not paying any mind to the driver currently struggling to restart his heart, Yoongi sighs, positioning himself on the seat so that he's comfortably lying down. Looking up at the ceiling with his soft, sparkling eyes, he tries to calm down. See things in a brighter light, try not to care so much. It's just...things are so frustrating to him.

All.

The.

Time.

Raising his hand to cover his eyes, he tries to remember a time when things had been so hard. He remembers training, debut, remembers the struggles of rising to the top, remembers injuries, exhaustion, remembers quarantine and tireless motivation…

Each moment seemed worse than the last. Every time they conquered a new struggle, another presented itself. As though they were walking down a road filled with multiple storms. A road that was destined to tear them apart, scatter them and leave them for dead.

Suga didn't think it would be so hard to leave. They were only gone for 2 years and yet by the time they got back it was almost as though the world had either forgotten about them, replaced them, or turned against them. Smiling bitterly, he raises his dark eyes to the ceiling once more, his hand curling into a fist at his side.

"You really fooled us didn't you...?" He mutters, his voice soft, but cold. Shivering with forgotten remorse. His hand rests itself safely over his eyes, shielding himself from the world. Trying so hard not to lose himself, he fights back the tears, barely able to struggle out the one word he's been holding back for so long.

"ARMY…"

Closing his eyes, he fails to catch one solo tear that falls, trailing a lonesome streak of wet painful memories across his soft ivory cheek.

He doesn’t remember the rest of the drive to the studio, choosing instead to block everything out and focus on releasing the dark cloud shrouding his mind. He’s learned how to deal with the pain, how to erase it, ease it safely and securely back into the inner corners of his mind...his heart. It's an endless procedure, falling and picking the pieces back up again. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times he may lock them away...they always come back, stronger and worse than before.

At least he’s learned to keep it inside.

At least he can safely hide.

And pretend everything is alright.

As the car pulls to a stop, Yoongi seriously considers skipping the meeting and staying home. Maybe then he wouldn’t feel like crap. Maybe then he’ll be able to forget...at least for a while. However, as soon as the car pulls up, the driver immediately opens the door and cuts the ignition. Yoongi groans from the back seat, glaring up at the ceiling just as his driver opens his door, and nervously waits for him to exit.

Muttering under his breath about how some people are such pussies nowadays, Yoongi reluctantly sits up, gathers his things and exits the car. Paying no mind to the nervous driver, he stares up at his company building. His face hidden in a shadow, he bites his bottom lip, his hand clenching around the strap to his backpack.

Since when has he regretted coming here?

Since when was he afraid to see what may lie on the other side?

Shaking his head free of such thoughts, he groans, the dark cloud surrounding him only growing. Today’s just a bad day, he really needs to pull himself together. Sighing, he rubs his hand over his face before heading towards the building. Each step seems to weigh him down, blur the world around him, bring him further and further into his mind.

A dark mess of music notes and compositions.

Of torrents of pain and broken promises.

Of hidden fears and memories.

The mind of a man past his breaking point.

But then he hears the voice.

“Yoongi!”

Just as he’s opening the door to the building, it calls out from right behind him. That one voice...that one sweet cacophony holding brotherhood and love, is enough to draw him back to reality. It’s enough to break the hold the darkness had had on him. Smiling softly to himself, he turns and meets his eyes with a soft steady look of his own.

“Hoseok.”

Jhope smiles broadly at the mention of his name, and finishes running across the distance to his hyung. Clapping his hand around his shoulder he chuckles a bit as they walk together inside. Yoongi smiles at him a bit, but looks away before Jhope could notice.

If he was being honest, any one of his members have the same effect on him. Every one of them...the hidden parts to the family they have struggled so hard to build...they make everything okay. They make everything worth it.

If Yoongi were to suffer…

Then it would be okay.

As long as it was all for them.

“Hyung, why do you think PD-nim wanted us here this early?” Hoseok asks, breaking his hold on his friend in order to stretch as he yawns. Yoongi doesn’t answer, brooding a bit over how his work got interrupted once more. First it was Namjoon, over a stupid assistant, now its Bang Sihyuk?

“Whatever it is, I hope he has a good reason for interrupting me.” Yoongi mutters darkly under his breath, startling Jhope a bit. Jhope flinches, and noticing the change in Yoongi’s mood, steps away a small distance, chuckling nervously.

“Were you working on something important?” he asks as they walk inside the elevator, headed to the office on the top floor. Yoongi scoffs as he presses the button and the elevator doors close.

“I sure hope it was. It was for our new album, which is due no less than a few months from now! Namjoon and I still haven’t even gotten the beat down for the title track...and now this?! What could possibly be more important?” Yoongi sighs, collapsing against the cool metal walls against the elevator. Cold and indifferent, he stares at his warped expression in them, wondering if that’s enough to protect himself.

But...

What does he need to protect himself from?

Jhope regards Suga with a soft look, almost pitiful. He’s found that when he gets like this, sometimes it’s just best to leave him be, to let him work it out on his own. But right now…

Is this really the best way to solve things?

The look on Yoongi’s face is familiar, and yet different from all those times before.

Hoseok finds that he can't read it, he doesn’t recognize it. Something about that…

Scares him.

As the elevator dings, and Yoongi immediately steps out into the hallway, it takes Jhope a moment to follow suit. Silent, he watches the back of Yoongi, trying hard to understand him, figure out what’s going on with him. It frustrates him that right now, when he needs him most is when Jhope has no idea how to help him.

Can he help him?

Biting the inside of his cheek, he looks at his feet as they make their way to the meeting room. He knows that ever since they were separated, ever since the military enlistment, no one has been the same. Once beloved by the world, they found themselves facing the fear of being forgotten. Of entering a world where no one cares about who you are...only how strong you can be. An honorable service, but a taxing one, something that would change a person.

And so it has changed Bangtan.

For Yoongi, it drove him further into himself. Into the depression of darkness he had tried so hard to avoid. Without his sources of light, without that grasp on hope he had before...he found everything fading away. He found himself fading away.

How easy is it to find yourself again?

How easy is it to turn everything back to how it was before?

For anyone who knows...it’s near impossible.

So he’s trying, he’s trying his hardest to turn it into something that he can live with. Into a strength he can look back on and say he grew from. Another obstacle that he has defeated in his pathetic excuse he calls a life…

But what can he do right now?

Except fall deeper and deeper into the darkness which becomes so alluring to him. He finds himself longing for it, he finds himself wishing to end it...because what is he fighting for anyway? He already reached the top...and now he has to make his way back up again? What is that supposed to mean to him? How is he supposed to deal with that?

They said they would stay with them.

They said they would wait for them.

But they lied.

They moved on, they forgot.

Was everything they ever did…

Did everything mean nothing to them?

Entering the meeting room the pair of them are greeted by noise. The familiar noise of joy and laughter Bangtan carries with them everywhere, just happy being with the other...no matter how many hardships they may face nor how much the darkness may cloud each of their minds...as long as they're together, nothing else matters. Yoongi can’t help it…

He smiles.

It happens on its own accord, without warning. It's just...seeing them, seeing how happy they are despite everything makes him feel a bit of happiness, a little ray of joy, a little speck of pride and amongst them all he finds what he’s been looking for all along.

Hope.

The one thing stronger than his fear.

“Yoongi! And Hobi hyung! You guys made it!” Jimin practically barrels into Yoongi as Jhope closes the door behind the two of them. Laughing like a maniac, Jimin squeezes Suga so tightly that it's hard for him to pry him off.

“Seriously Jimin, you saw me just yesterday, you act as though it’s been years.” Suga sighs, placing his backpack in one of the many chairs in the meeting room as Jimin pouts. Jhope chuckles at his expression, rubbing his hair affectionately before following suit.

“It feels like it’s been years! Have you forgotten that we only got back a few weeks ago? I’ve missed our hugs--” Yoongi places his hand expertly on Jimin’s face, stopping him as he moves in for another hug. Growling, Jimin gives him a glare and Suga raises his eyebrow.

“What was our deal about hugs?” Jimin pulls away at the ultimatum and dramatically deflates into the chair next to Yoongi as he sarcastically recites the “deal”, deepening his voice and flattening it as much as he can in order to match Suga’s.

“One free hug a day...any other extra will cost you.” While Suga rolls his eyes, he can’t help but crack a smile as everyone else in the room laughs along and Jimin sits up in the chair, chuckling to himself at his great impersonation. Well...great in his eyes. Shaking his head, Yoongi looks around at the room, smiling at the familiar faces he finds meeting his own.

There’s Jin, who hasn’t stopped laughing, his unique laughter carrying through the room, half hurting everyone’s ears, and half bringing them joy and happiness. Yoongi always forgets that it’s actually possible to miss that strange windshield laugh.

There’s Taehyung who sits next to Jin and rolls his eyes a bit at how hard he’s laughing, before chuckling softly to himself in quiet happiness. Yoongi still can’t believe that there was ever a time he didn’t cherish Tae as much as he does now.

There’s Hobi who has just settled into a chair right next to Yoongi and laughs that contagious laugh that strikes hope and joy into even the darkest of hearts. Suga still remembers when that laugh first entered his life.

There’s Jimin who has just tackled Suga into another hug before dancing away and laughing almost manically. Yoongi lets him off the hook, smiling softly to himself because if he were being really honest...he would want those hugs every day of his life.

Then there’s Namjoon, the one who watches over them all, a small but distant smile present on his face. As Yoongi raises his eyes to him, he can’t help but feel a bit of nostalgia.

His first friend.

His best friend.

Perhaps the only one who could understand him and yet…

He always seems so far away.

Namjoon, as though feeling Suga’s gaze on him, slowly flickers his eyes over to him and is startled by what he finds.

He sees the darkness shrouding his dear friend's mind. He sees the cry for help. His heart pounding with worry and trepidation, he bravely meets Suga’s deep conflicted eyes and tries to pick them apart, solve them as though they were a problem only he could untangle. He hasn’t seen this face for so long, he hasn’t seen this kind of fear in his friend before. His chest constricting, he almost wants to hold onto Yoongi and hold him tight in his arms until he makes everything better.

As though it were his job to make everything better.

His brow crinkling with concern, he opens his mouth in order to address him, but an outburst from Taehyung who is looking out into the hallway cuts him off and the connection is broken. Yoongi almost immediately looks away, leaving Namjoon to continue to stare at him, in deep thought.

"Where's Jungkookie? Why is he so late?" Tae is asking as he leans back in his chair to stare out the see-through glass that encases them inside the meeting room. Jimin, coming up behind Tae, almost makes him fall as he pushes the chair down so that Tae meets his eye.

"Wha…" Taehyung begins but Jimin cuts him off.

"That's rich coming from you Mr. MickeyD." Jimin snorts at the reference to the soaked bags Tae brought as a peace offering yesterday, before letting go of his chair and leaving Taehyung to teeter slowly to a stop. Jin, picking up on the let's tease Taehyung memo nods and leans forward in his chair as though invested in the conversation.

"Yeah, where were you yesterday? You took an hour to get here TaeTae…" he coos, reaching forward to touch his hand but Tae pulls away grimacing. Jin laughs before pulling away and Namjoon rolls his eyes, ignoring the small smirk growing on his face.

"Stop it guys, he was helping Yen, my new assistant manager." Namjoon explains as he pulls out his phone to check any new notifications. "She fell during the afternoon rush in the lobby yesterday and hurt her ankle. Tae was helping her to the hospital. That's why she's not coming in today."

At that comment, Jimin's face goes a bit cold, and he glances at Tae in the corner of his eye. Tae nods frantically in agreement to Namjoon's statement almost as if he were clearing his name, and Jimin can't help but feel a pang of disappointment.

Tae used to tell him everything…

So why does Namjoon know this and he doesn't?

It wasn't that hard to explain...he would have understood...so why?

Why couldn't Taehyung talk to him instead of having to turn to RM?

Tae swallows hard to see if they all believe him, his heart pounding a bit fiercely in his chest. That was partly the truth...but Namjoon doesn't know the whole story. Nervously glancing at Namjoon in the corner of his eye, he can't help but fidget a bit.

The only way he was able to keep Yen home was to get the all clear from RM. And in order to do that...he had to tell him that you were hurt. And so that's exactly what he did...it just wasn't entirely the truth.

Looking down at his hands, he holds them tightly, faintly remembering how your hands felt in them. If he told Namjoon about what happened, who knows what he would have thought? Besides, Taehyung doesn’t want to tell anyone about that day. He doesn’t know why, he has nothing to hide but…

It's almost as if he mentions it to someone else…

It’ll become theirs and not his.

“In any case, we’ve been waiting long enough...where’s BangPD anyway?” Suga wonders quietly, not bothering to hide the frustration in his tone.

“Good morning to you too, Yoongi.” At the voice, the 6 of them freeze, and slowly turn toward the door, which was closed once before, but now occupies three significant figures. Suga tries hard not to wince, but as he meets BangPD’s dark eyes, he can’t help it. The other members seem to shrink due to the tension rising in the room as the door closes behind the newcomers. This isn’t exactly a situation they would like to be present for.

“Jungkook!” Jhope cries as he scans the three faces, and sure enough there he is standing attentively behind BangPD. He smiles a bit as Jhope calls his name, and waves to them but when BangPD walks into the room, Jungkook follows closely behind. The third figure, a tall and slender woman, closes the door behind them.

Namjoon glances towards her a bit curiously, trying to place where he may have seen her before. As she sits in a chair near to the door, a reasonable distance from the rest of the others, she glances towards him as well. As their eyes meet, Namjoon barely has time to notice the small flecks of gold circling in her brown eyes before she looks quickly away. Raising his eyebrow, he shrugs before turning to BangPD who is setting down a few papers and documents in the head chair of the meeting room.

“Sir, what exactly is going on? Why did you ask Jungkook to text us all to meet here? Is it something to do with the album?” BangPD smiles at Namjoon’s quick wit as the rest of the members glance at each other a bit confused. He’s the only one who figured out that BangPD was the one behind that strange text last night. Sitting down, BangPD meets Namjoon’s stern but curious eyes, trying to pick apart the complexity hidden behind their depths.

“The reason is simple. We needed to confer with you 7 as shareholders in the company.” Taehyung sits up from his once relaxed position at the sentence, turning attentively towards BangPD-nim. He glances toward Jungkook to try and read his expression, but Jungkoook avoids his gaze. What exactly are the two of them planning?

BangPD nods to the woman sitting attentively in the back and she nods back, pulling out a computer and walking to the head of the table. She opens it and begins connecting it to the stereo system. Yoongi crinkles his brow at the curious setup. Once the woman is finished, she nods toward BangPD before heading back to her seat next to the door.

“Before we can do that however...there’s something you need to hear.”

With that, BangPD presses play and once more...your voice fills the room.

It instills a hush over each of them. Each one of them, even the woman in the back, is visibly affected by the emotion in your voice. The soulful pain that you carry through each note you sing takes them to a world which only they can see; drives them to emotions they have never felt before.

Jin goes completely still, trying his hardest to hold back the tears which are threatening to spill over and wet his cheeks. He wants to hurt whoever made you feel this way. Whoever made you sing like this...as though you were crying out for help.

Jhope’s expression is blank, completely out of character for him. But he can't help it. At the sound of your voice, he is unable to keep the mask up for any longer. It falls, shows everything underneath, shows what he really hides behind his smile. He can hardly feel it as the single tear runs down his cheek.

It takes all Jimin has not to break down into tears right then and there. He stares at the computer as though that would help him reach you. Help him to erase the pain that has affected you deep inside. As though he could erase in you what he could never erase in himself.

Yoongi has closed his eyes, leaning his head back in the chair he sits in. As though if he were to open them, the voice would disappear and the beauty he sees behind his eyes would go with it. As though it's the only anchor keeping him from completely fading away.

Namjoon finds himself searching through his mind, trying to figure out where he’s heard this voice before. Where he’s felt this kind of pain, this deep level of sadness and insecurity. Trying to remember why he can find some familiarity in it. Why he feels as though he’s home and safe.

Taehyung is petrified. He’s heard this voice before. He has it saved safely in his pocket at this very moment. He helped the owner of this voice home the other day. He can still feel her touch on his skin.

Frantically, he glances toward Jungkook once more. How was he able to get this recording? Was he there? And if he was…

Then was that moment Taehyung shared, that one break in time where he could only see you, that one moment where he knew, he just knew that you were perhaps the only one who could truly understand him…

When he couldn’t understand himself…

Did it mean nothing at all?

Jungkook smiles to himself now as he sees the room which is alight with your voice. As he sees the way they change, the way they are affected, how it seems as though they have been healed with the sound, the beautiful world which your voice brings to each one of them. When he sees the way your voice alights in them a new fire, a new flame unable to be doused, he sees the true purpose behind your voice behind you.

A light that was meant to be shared.

As the song ends, though he’s sad to see it go, this time he’s sure that he’ll hear it again.

That he’ll hear you again.

In the silence, the ones who remain have a hard time coming back to themselves. It's as though they are wandering in the dark, now that the world they were able to see has disappeared. Almost as though they had forgotten how to live, how to breathe without that utopia in their mind.

But the main thing is that suddenly, all at once…

They felt as though they had been healed.

Even if it was only for a moment.

“Her name is Yen.” BangPD’s voice breaks through the fragile silence, catching everyone’s attention, including Jungkook. Clearing his throat, Bang Sihyuk opens your file, passing it forward on the table. Everyone is able to see your ID picture, where you were born, your current number, your family members, your current address...even your social security number. It’s all there, for each of them to see and to immediately know…

“She has recently been hired as Namjoon’s assistant in Jaejin’s absence.” BangPD explains, but this is something they already know. They share a look with each other, recognizing that this is the same girl who brought a smile on their face yesterday.

“Now that you have heard her voice, let’s get down to business.”

The same girl who was hours late for her first day.

“The real reason I called you all here is because we need to make a decision.”

The same girl who turned Namjoon into a frantic mess.

“A choice that may make or break this company.”

The same girl who turned Jungkook into a dumbstruck teenage boy.

“A choice that involves this voice, that involves Yen.”

The same girl who helped Taehyung find himself...even for a little while.

“As shareholders for this company this affects each and every one of you.”

Though the rest may not have met you...they all saw the picture.

“I called you here today to ask you…”

They saw in you the same charming girl that everyone else had seen throughout the day.

“If the 7 of you would agree to signing this girl on as a trainee for our company.”

The one behind this voice.

Is the same girl who tried to stuff an entire bowl of salad in her face.

𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔢: crazy crazy

chapter 23 here

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[whumpflumpthump]

MacGyver Fic

Continuation of this.

I’m back!! So, I guess this is my first writing in the new year.  That’s weird to think about... Anyways, here is a continuation of my first MacGyver fic.  I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you enjoy!!

Warnings: This contains graphic depictions of violence, with a lot of torture.  If this triggers you, please be safe.

...

“After all, a lot can happen in an hour.”

Mac shuddered, and a look of fear flitted across his features, but was quickly replaced by hatred and defiance.  He would not let Murdoc see how terrified he was, he couldn’t.  He didn’t need to give Murdoc anything else to use against him.

If he had noticed Mac’s fear, Murdoc didn’t remark on it.  He stood in front of Mac for a few seconds, seemingly contemplating something, and then turned and walked behind him, out of view.  

“I’ll be right back Boy Scout, I just need to grab something, and then we can get started.”

Well that can’t be good.

Due to the strap across Mac’s chest, he wasn’t able to turn his head to look, so he was forced to wait while Murdoc was doing whatever the heck he was doing.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he here’s footsteps coming up from behind him.

As Murdoc rounded his chair, Mac braced himself to see what he was holding.  Mac had no doubt that whatever was in his hands would be used to torture him, Murdoc wouldn’t just sit and stare at him forever.  Mac’s suspicions were proved correct when he saw what Murdoc was holding, a relatively small knife, about the size of the blade in his Swiss Army Knife.  

“That’s it?” Mac asked, “I have to say, I thought you would come up with something more, I don’t know...creative.”

Mac was just stalling for time.  He knew Murdoc could come up with many creative ways to use that knife.  Desperately, he hoped for his team to come and rescue him.  

You know they’re not going to get here in time.

They probably don’t even know you’re gone yet.

Mac knew his mind was probably correct, Murdoc had taken him on his way home from Phoenix, there was no reason to believe anything had happened to him for at least another hour, like Murdoc had said, when he was supposed to meet Jack for dinner.  And, based on the restraints Murdoc had used, and his constant staring, there was very little hope that he would escape by himself.

“Oh Boy Scout, you and I both know I don’t need anything more than this knife to hurt you,” Murdoc said, snapping Mac out of his thoughts, “and I do intend to hurt you, MacGyver,” he added, his eyes darkening.

With that, he started to walk towards Mac, flipping the knife between his fingers absentmindedly as he did so.  Mac instinctively started struggling against his bonds, but to no avail, they held fast. Murdoc crouched down so he was on the same level as MacGyver, and then brought the knife up to trace along the skin underneath his eyes, not quite touching.

Mac kept his head as still as possible, but this time couldn’t contain the fear that came with Murdoc’s action.

Murdoc laughed darkly and pulled the knife away, leaving it to hover over Mac’s leg. “Don’t worry Angus, I would never harm that pretty face of yours, and I want to be able to see that delicious fear in your eyes.”

Well, that’s reassuring.

Before Mac could even register what was happening, Murdoc had moved the knife from above his leg to his exposed right forearm, where his sleeve was rolled up.  He sliced a thin line across Mac’s skin, drawing a line of blood and eliciting a small hiss of pain from Mac, who tried to jerk away, again not getting anywhere.

“Now now Boy Scout, we’ve barely even started,” Murdoc tutted, patting Mac’s face.

Murdoc moved again, this time bringing the knife to Mac’s collarbone.  He sliced a little deeper this time, driving the knife from the top of the bone to almost the hollow of his throat. Mac held in his gasp this time, managing to only glare at Murdoc as the madman smiled, almost gleefully.

“Let’s see how long that glare can last for, hm? After all, we still have about,” he paused, thinking, “forty-five minutes, give or take a few.”

Mac tried not to let the disappointment show on his face.

It’s only been fifteen minutes?

It’s going to be a long hour.

Mac was again pulled out of his thoughts, this time by Murdoc cutting through the fabric of his henley, exposing his chest.  When Murdoc was done, the fabric of his shirt was hanging open from his shoulders.  This gave him a clear view of all of Mac’s many scars that littered his chest.

“Wow MacGyver, I expected some, they come with the job, but this, this is a lot.  I am more than happy to add a few of my own though, I am a bit jealous though.  Well, that’s no problem, we can remedy that right now,” he paused, “Only I should leave scars on you.”

Mac tried to move to cover up his chest, his cheeks reddening.  Murdoc was approaching again.  This time he first put a hand on Mac’s chest, holding him still.

“Hold still Boy Scout, I can’t have you wiggling so much, wouldn’t want to hit anything vital, now do we?”

“Go to hell, Murdoc,” Mac growled, still struggling against Murdoc, and the strap across his chest.

This seemed to set Murdoc off, something in him seemed to snap. He moved his hand from Mac’s chest, and a second later, he was behind Mac, his hand in his hair.  He pulled Mac’s head back, which caused Mac to yelp in surprise, and placed the blade of the knife at the base of his throat. Mac stilled instantly.

“I wouldn’t test me MacGyver.  I may not want to kill you yet, but I will.  As much as I enjoy this game we play, I would still love to plunge this knife into your chest and watch as you bleed out,” he moved the knife so it was hovering teasingly over his heart, “As you gasp for breath as your lungs stop working, and then as your heart stops beating and the light leaves your eyes,” he stopped, then, keeping his grip on Mac’s hair, removed the knife from above Mac’s heart, and placed it back at his side, “Don’t give me a reason to do that.  You have made my life interesting MacGyver, I would hate to end our relationship so soon.”

Murdoc released his hold on Mac’s hair, and shoved his head back forwards as he walked back to stand in front of him.  He had his knife back out, and his face was back to its usual mask, his moment of rage gone.  Without even speaking, he brought the knife up to Mac’s chest and cut into it, deeper than the others.  This time, Mac could barely contain the moan that threatened to escape his lips.  Barely giving him any respite, Murdoc sliced his chest again, going even deeper, but still not enough to kill him, just leave scars.

Scars. That’s exactly what he wanted.

After that cut, Murdoc stopped. He raised the knife up to the light, causing the blood on it to glisten.  He chuckled darkly as he lowered the knife back down. 

Mac glared at he brought the knife up and set it on Mac’s knee, just out of reach of his restrained hands.  He glared at Murdoc, causing the man to feign sadness.

“No need to look so angry Angus, soon enough that perfect face of yours will be filled with agony.  Let’s do a little experiment, for science.  Tell me, Boy Scout, how long do you think it will be before you start screaming?”

Without further warning, Murdoc continued his rapid slicing, some cuts going deep, causing streams of blood to run down his chest, and some barely breaking the skin, just enough to sting.  After about a minute, tears were running down his cheeks, and after two minutes, Mac could no longer hold back the screams. They just seemed to encourage Murdoc, and he continued for five more minutes like that.  

When Murdoc finally stopped, Mac was gasping as he sagged in his restraints.  His whole chest was covered in blood, and it was dripping onto the floor around him.

“That was a great performance, MacGyver, truly.  It was everything I hoped it would be.”

“Go to-,” Mac started, gritting his teeth as he spoke, but before he could finish, Murdoc had placed the tip of the knife once again under Mac’s chin, effectively silencing him.

“Ah, ah, ah, Angus.  What did I say about testing me?”

Mac stayed silent, and that seemed to be a good enough answer for Murdoc, as he lowered the knife, this time placing it near his shoulder, running the tip down his arm.

“I think it’s time we move on, don’t you think?  How about your hands?” he said, drawing the knife along Mac’s forearm, down to rest between his index and middle finger.  “It would be a lot harder to build your little, contraptions, if you couldn’t use your hands.”

Mac’s tear-stained eyes widened as Murdoc continued to move the knife around his hand, and he tried to jerk it away, but with no luck.

“After all, what is Angus MacGyver, without his hands?”

Mac continued to try and jerk away, but all he accomplished was rubbing his already raw wrists even more.  He was starting to panic.  Not his hands.  Anything but his hands.

Murdoc dug in slightly in the next cut, causing a thin line of blood to form, bubbling up from the cut.  He repositioned the knife, and was getting ready to cut in again when Mac spoke up.

“Please, don’t,” he said quietly.

“I’m sorry, what did you say, I didn’t seem to catch that.”

“I said,” Mac continued, louder, “please, don’t.  Anything but my hands, I need them, I don’t know what I’d do...” he trailed off, new tears forming in his eyes.  His injuries were quickly catching up to him, his vision was getting blurry, and not from the tears, as he spoke.

Murdoc put down his knife.  “You really thought I would permanently injure the architects of your genius.  You must think I’m a monster.  No, where would be the fun in that, you’ll keep your hands.  But, oh Angus, you’re so lovely when you’re begging.  That could be addicting, you’ll have to do that more often.”

Murdoc stepped forward again, and placed the knife on his arm once more.  Mac’s body was so taxed, that he almost didn’t feel it when Murdoc sliced another cut into his arm, from the elbow to his shoulder.  Murdoc continued like this, whistling as he went, until the sleeve of his shirt was in shreds.  Mac stopped trying to hold in the screams as he moved to the other arm, and then his legs.  There was blood everywhere, but Murdoc was careful.  He never vut deep enough to kill, and always missed vital organs and blood vessels.

Mac almost wished Murdoc would just kill him.  His whole body felt like it was on fire.  The original aching in his head had completely vanished behind the searing pain of the many cuts strewn across his body. 

Eventually, when Mac was barely conscious, Murdoc stopped. 

“Well, it seems our hour is almost up, my dear Angus.  It has been fun, but I really must be going before your guard dog and the rest of your goons show up.  But, before I go, I must give you are parting present.”

Before Mac’s pain-dimmed mind could make sense of what Murdoc had said, he cried out as he felt the knife tear through his skin as Murdoc stabbed it through his thigh.

“Be seeing you, MacGyver,” was the last thing Mac heard before the darkness overtook him. 

...

I’ll probably add a rescue and comfort scene at some point, I just really need sleep :p.  Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!!  Oh, and Happy New Year!!!

[loveislattes]

Patience Is Key (Darkiplier/Fem!Reader) Chapter 1

Commission prompt:  Reader only knows that sex is pain, so Dark shows her otherwise...?

Caution! This story does contain mentions of past borderline-abusive relationship and there is one scene that slightly delves into the situation, but it never goes further than pushing and forced kissing.

This chapter is SFW other than some cursing. The next chapter will be the oh so lovely smutty bit. ^^ Chapter 2 will be out next week! 

“Ah, damn it!” 

The curse left my lips the second I finally registered that I had dropped the extremely large box of pots and pans on my toe, and not on the flat floor as intended. Jerking back, I fell into the rickety wooden chair behind me and pulled my injured foot up into my lap with a wince.

“Why am I such a fucking klutz?!” I wheezed through the pulses of pain. 

It took a few minutes of babying my poor toe but eventually, I managed to soothe away the pain and get back onto my feet. Why was it that toe injuries always felt so much worse than other injuries? As I debated that question, as well as the existential existence of pain at all, I got moving about the sparse kitchen once more. The boxes weren’t going to empty themselves after all and I only had the two days until I started my new job to get it all done. 

“Lord knows if I had to take one more extra day off, it’d be the end of the world,” I muttered under my breath.

Working retail had to be one of the worst career choices in the world. Sadly, it was all I could find for the time being and this new house mortgage, low as it was, wouldn’t pay itself; Not to mention that my savings were meager at best and wouldn’t last long if I had to rely on them, thanks to my problematic ex. 

This house was a blessing in disguise and I definitely couldn’t afford to lose it. A beautiful victorian-style two-story home at only four hundred fifty a month, with no real damage other than cosmetic updates needed? Yeah. It was practically impossible. My first thought was that it had a sordid past, whether drug crime or murder related, but that didn’t seem to be the case thankfully. The owners had inherited it and we’re willing to sell it for a steal just to get rid of it so they didn’t have to pay taxes and insurance. Their loss, my gain, apparently. 

I had gotten so lost in my thoughts about work and the house that I was done moving the last of the boxes before too long. Score one for daydreaming! 

I set about organizing my cabinets next, emptying the boxes one by one until they were all barren and tossed to the back of the room.

“That’s a problem for future-me,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair with a huff, “I guess dinner is next on the list. Never a better time to find out what take out they have around here!”

I meandered into the living room and plopped down on the worn couch, pulling my laptop into my lap. While waiting for the screen to wake up, I grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table and turned it on as well, needing the background noise with how silent the old home was. I’d definitely have to keep an eye on that or else I’d find myself creeped out even without anything happening. A random cartoon filled the large screen and jaunty music spilled from the speakers as the characters conversed. Shrugging, I tossed the remote back down on the table and returned to my laptop.

After logging in, a quick google search led me to a page full of restaurants both familiar and new to me. Moving to a big city definitely had its perks! 

“Now the question is which one,” I sighed. 

It took a few minutes of debating but I finally settled on ordering from a highly rated Chinese restaurant across town. I was promised my food in about twenty-five minutes and a delivery tracker popped up on the screen right after.

“That’s nifty!”

Setting the laptop back onto the table with the dimmed screen facing my direction, I let myself be pulled into the ridiculous antics of the cartoon characters on TV until a commercial came on. My eyes instinctively drifted over to the laptop to check on the tracker. The red line was about halfway across, indicating they would be leaving the store soon. Nice! Unfortunately, I also caught my reflection on the screen and couldn’t help but take a moment to fix my hair out of reflex. As I adjusted my top to look less wrinkled, I suddenly noticed a black shape in the background, near what would be the corner of the room behind the couch. I froze, heart pounding in my throat as my eyes widened.

“No way,” I whispered. 

Leaning in closer, I focused on the shadow. Too afraid to actually turn around and look, I hoped I could debunk it from this angle alone. I was just about convinced it was actually a part of the LCD going out in that one spot- when suddenly it moved!

“FUCK!”

An uncontrollable screech left my lips as I leaped up from the couch. Spinning to face the shadow, I reflexively snagged up the throw pillow on the couch and tossed it full force in that direction while trying to move away. Unfortunately, I forgot exactly where I was standing in the new layout and the fact that the table was behind me. I was reminded painfully of that fact as my calf muscle slammed hard into the solid wood and I went careening backward. I frantically tried to catch myself but only succeeded in slamming my elbow into the edge of the table and whacking my fingers against the floor in a way that made me see stars.  

Tears pricked behind my eyelids as I hissed through the urge to cry. I was about to lie in a puddle of agonizing defeat until I remembered the whole reason I fell. With a curse, I rolled over to my hands and knees, panting as I looked toward the offending part of the room. There was nothing there. No shadow and no reason I should have ever seen one there; no coat rack, no bookshelf, nothing. Just a bare wall. 

“What the hell was that?!” I groaned.

Now that there was no impending, visible, threat, I spent a good few minutes taking all my injuries into account. Sore calf, elbow, and fingers. Bruises were likely in each spot, unfortunately. Thankfully it didn’t get any worse than that. With my luck, I was surprised I didn’t crack my head open on the floor instead. It was with a heavy, defeated sigh, that I succumbed to the need to lay flat on the floor and catch my breath. 

“I’m losing it. That has to be it. All the stress of the move and being alone just got to me,” I assured myself quietly. 

I wasn’t sure how long I wallowed there in self-pity, but it couldn���t have been as long as it felt because I was soon roused by the sound of someone knocking at the door.

“Foooood!” 

Collecting my fallen pride and battle wounds, I scrambled up off the floor and rushed to the front door, snagging my wallet from my purse on the way. The delivery driver was nice enough and we made small talk as we exchanged food and money. I thanked him after he mentioned their loyalty program then shut the door before hesitantly making my way back into the living room. As I scanned the rather empty space, I was relieved to find it just as it was before; no shadows in sight. 

“I’m probably gonna have nightmares from that shit too,” I muttered, plopping onto the couch and popping open the box.

With a little shake of my head to clear my thoughts, I returned to the show and let the thoughts from the day slowly melt away with every mouth full of delicious food. 

…

It took two months of living in the new house to finally feel more at home. Most everything was put away and decorations filled the walls, warming up the once empty and creepy place. I no longer felt like an uncomfortably unwelcome stranger. The thought of that shadow did, unfortunately, still linger in the back of my mind every night though. I’d be fine all day until it was nighttime and dark in the house. Once the sun was down, it was like my gorgeous home was a totally different place. I didn’t see that moving shadow anymore, but I swore I saw things out of the corner of my eye and it constantly felt like I wasn’t alone. 

One particularly rough night left me searching the entire house for hidden cameras and trapped doors because I could have sworn I was being watched. Of course, I found nothing of the sort, but it didn’t lessen the fear by much. I even started making myself go to bed earlier than usual just to avoid being alone with my paranoid thoughts. Something had to give before I went crazy! 

I was even to the point of considering making new friends; Something to break up the monotony and constant feeling of being alone. Maybe inviting another person into the house would make the eerie feeling go away? One could hope! I wasn’t in the habit of bringing home people, due to my ex, but it was getting to the point where it might be necessary. A person could only take so much alone time!

A rapid knocking on my door tore me out of my lonely thoughts and back to reality with a jolt.

“Who could that be?” I muttered under my breath.

I hadn’t ordered any food and I was pretty sure I hadn’t ordered anything off Amazon recently. Uncurling from my nest of blankets, I hastened to the front door when the visitor knocked again. Impatient buggers weren’t they?

“I’m coming!”

Without thinking to check the peephole first, I pulled the door open and instantly recognized the horrible mistake I had made. I tried slamming the door shut before he could enter but already I was too weak with fear; simply seeing his menacing face leaving me powerless. He was easily able to catch the wood and shove his way in as if I weren’t even there. 

“Heeeey baby.”

I wasn’t even given a breath’s moment to respond. Instantly his hands were on my shoulders and I was slammed into the wall. Pain exploded through my skull and my knees weakened dangerously as I struggled through frustration and fear. 

“You thought ya could just move away and I wouldn’t find ya, baby? Ya outta know better’n that.”

The familiar sensation of bile rose in my throat when his lips smacked against mine. It took all of my resolves to hold it down. It would only add insult to my injury because he wouldn't give a damn and I’d be left worse for wear.

“Aw, come on. Play nice with me, won’t cha? It’s been far too long since I’ve seen ya.”

All I could manage was a timid shake of my head.

Fuck, it was like this any time he was around! Just being in his presence made the littlest of movements hard, like my body just instinctively gave up to avoid more trouble even though my heart told me to fight. If I could fight back, he’d probably back off after a while but I just couldn’t. Flashes of the times he tried to force himself on me, drunk and belligerent, held me back from it. Giving in was just easier, safer, in the long run.

I felt the numbing sensation of acceptance slide through my muscles when his mouth pressed on mine again. Disgust and hatred bubbled in my gut; not only for him but also for myself. So weak, pathetic.

Out of nowhere, the deafening sound of doors slamming rang through the air, causing us both to jump apart. With a Yelp, I clapped my hands over my ears to block out the painful noise as I looked around in shock for the source. To my utter disbelief, I found the cause to my cabinet doors, opening and shutting at breakneck speed. It only lasted for about half a minute before suddenly they stopped, just as abruptly as they had started. My astonishment was cut short by a cry from across the room. 

Having abandoned his pursuit, my ex now stood frozen near the door, ashen white and shaking. Upon closer inspection, I thought I could see a faint shadow around his throat but my line of vision was disrupted when he turned and rocketed out the door. Once the entryway was clear, the door shut calmly behind him. 

It was deadly quiet in the aftermath of whatever the hell happened. The sounds of my heavy breath were the only noises in the air. Scared, but thankful, I hesitantly surveyed the kitchen and the living room for any sign of what had caused the disruption. There was nothing, of course. Not even a hint of the shadow I had spotted months ago. 

Letting out a nervous sigh, I ran a hand through my hair and said, “Thank you… whoever you are."

I didn’t wait for a response before high tailing it to my room and diving under my fluffy comforter, torn between calling my mom or crying until I fell asleep. My body made the decision for me before I could contemplate it for long, shutting down and passing out quicker than anticipated. 

When I woke, it was dark in the room. The radio clock beside my bed read an irritating one thirty am. Despite having slept for six hours, I felt like I hadn’t slept a wink; nightmares resounding in my head like sirens the entire time. 

Rather than trying to force myself back to sleep, I slipped out of the bed, determined to get some hot tea or cocoa to help soothe my inner demons. Unfortunately, I spotted my reflection in my vanity mirror on the way by and I felt compelled to stop. My usually glowing skin looked pallor and lifeless and the bags under my eyes gave the same sentiment.

“Fucking hell,” I muttered, pulling at my bedhead locks in frustration, “I’m not gonna recover from this.”

My outside reflection was only a sliver of the mess that was inside my mind though. And I knew I would get over it in the long run but it always felt so impossible at the start. I just had to turn the sadness into anger. My thoughts were derailed by the sudden feeling of eyes on my back; That familiar itching sensation of being watched sending shivers down my spine. I didn’t see anything in the room around me but when I finally turned back to the mirror I spotted it; an eerily familiar shadow. It was only moments before there was a man suddenly standing behind me in the reflection. 

Although my mouth moved, trying to scream or make any sort of sound, nothing would come out. Scads of questions bombarded my already frazzled sense of sanity as I tried to scream until eventually a worrying sense of calm washed over me in place of the stilted panic.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he assured me as if reading my mind.

The low timbre of his voice made the rational part of my brain melt but the way it reverberated around the room sent my hairs standing on end. My body instinctively went stiff and still as his arms reached around my sides. Cool fingers rested on my forearms and slowly rubbed the goosebumps away in a soothing manner while he stepped closer. I could hardly meet his eyes in the reflection without feeling as if I were staring a predator head-on.

“How did you get in here?” I finally managed to ask. 

An absolutely devastatingly handsome smirk curled up his lips before he flashed large, sharp, pearly whites down at me. 

Oooh fuck, those were some pointy fangs. 

“I’ve been here the entire time, darling. You’re the one who barged in rather abruptly when you decided to move in.”

I began to question my sanity once more as his form slowly lost color and brightness in the mirror, becoming a barely distinguishable shadow behind me. Though his touch on my skin never diminished, to the eye he was nearly invisible. Just as gradually, he filtered back into view. 

His reasoning was lost to me as I tried to figure out just what was going on until eventually, it clicked.

“You’re the mother fucking shadow that has been driving me insane, aren’t you?!” I shouted, jerking out of his reach and spinning to face him, “Just how in the hell did you do that? Why have you been scaring me? What-”

His hand came up swiftly and I froze immediately, only able to watch as he cupped my jaw. A whimper reflexively slipped out as his thumb pressed against my lips. 

“To answer your questions in order: Yes, I am. Shifting is just one of my many abilities. I have not meant to scare you, well, not these last few weeks anyhow. I’ve become- let’s call it- fascinated. Most would have left by now and yet here you stand, heels dug in like a stubborn mule. You’re intriguing.”

The moment he released his hold, I found myself asking, “What are you?”

“What do you think I am?” he retorted, stepping back and slipping his hands into his pockets.

I simply shrugged. How should I know? Before now, I didn’t believe in anything supernatural, but now I was questioning that stance.  

“A demon? A ghost?” I replied.

He hummed momentarily before cocking his head to the side, eyes narrowing as they burned into mine. 

“Does that scare you?”

So many freaking questions! I scrubbed a hand over my face wearily before slapping my palms against my thighs and mentally admitting defeat.

“Unless you’re going to kill me, no. You were terrifying in that shadow form but now that I’ve seen you face to face, I’m not so scared. Don’t get me wrong, I have a healthy respect for you but it’s also comforting to see that you’re not some decayed-looking ghost who is going to warp my face by looking me in the eyes,” I hesitated as another realization hit me hard then carefully added, “Not to mention, I’m pretty sure you’re what saved my ass earlier… right?”

There was a flurry of emotions across his face as his brows knitted together before he seemed to relax some and amusement showed at last. 

“You are just full of surprises, aren’t you?”

I shrugged in response before finally slipping past him to sit on the bed, the shakiness of my legs becoming too much to bear. I could put on a brave face but my body could give way any second. I had been through too much in the last twenty-four hours. Once seated and more comfortable, I met his gaze again. 

“Am I right? Were you the one that scared him away?”

He hummed and tilted his head once in a positive indication before adding, “Luckily for him, he’s as cowardly and self-concerned as most of you humans. Had that not have worked, I would have been forced to take further measures.”

The way his echo deepened and his fangs flashed in an animalistic snarl sent more goosebumps up my arms and neck. Fucking hell. My emotions were having a hard time keeping up through it all; enamored by his good looks, terrified by his powerful aura, curious about his existence. He was, simply put, overwhelming. 

If it wasn’t for his discoloration, echoing voice, and the fangs, he’d seem like any ordinary human. A very attractive human at that… I had to stop that train of thought right there! I’d be just like me and my horrible taste in men to get a crush on the ghost- demon- thing.

“So, um, you said you were here before me. Are you stuck here, like a ghost or something?” I managed to ask while rubbing my goosebumps away. 

“No. This is merely a residence of convenience. Your closet holds a portal to my realm and it’s the simplest way in and out for me. I choose to stay here when I must remain in the human world for any amount of time. You’re the first person to live here in decades.”

I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest in bewilderment when he suddenly moved towards the bed at an inhuman speed. A reflexive flinch had me jerking away when he reached out for me but he was quicker, hand snagging my chin to keep my gaze solely on him.

“Your turn to answer a question for me,” he stated without giving any room for argument, “Who was that man from before, and what is his concern with you?”

Eyeing him warily, I chewed on my lip then answered honestly, “My ex. I wouldn’t say he’s necessarily concerned about me. More so he’s concerned about losing his control over me. He was borderline obsessive and abusive.”

“Do you foresee him being a problem in the future?”

That was a hell of a question. Would he be back? I didn’t even really consider that after how fast he’d run away before but it was always a possibility.

“I honestly don’t know. I guess I should invest in some ADT or something, huh?” I half-assed joked, forcing on a weak smile.

The flat line of his lips told me that he didn’t find my statement as funny as I did. However he did, at last, relinquish his hold on me. 

“I will not stand for a brain dead ape damaging my property. If he comes back, he will be taken care of once and for all.”

Some little devious part of my mind dared to question if he was actually talking about the house, or if he was subtly making a claim over me. The domineering air around him made it seem like a slight possibility. I felt the heat flare over my cheeks before I could stop it and quickly wrapped my arms around my chest defensively before sinking back further onto the bed.

As if a private moment were suddenly disrupted, he cleared his throat loudly and stepped back while adjusting his suit jacket.

“I need to be going. It was nice to officially meet you. If it sits well with you, I will be more prominent around the house since I no longer need to avoid you.”

I nodded and awkwardly replied, “Yeah, er, that’s fine. I mean, it’s more your home than mine anyway, right?”

He made a noise of agreement then turned toward the closet, but stopped with his hand on the doorknob. There was an indescribable expression on his face when he turned back; the whites of his eyes darker than before. 

A smirk that could only be read as cruel crossed his lips and he said, “You may call me Dark. If he comes back when I’m not here, simply ask for me and I’ll be here.”

[talpup]

Summary: Yami Sukehiro just wanted to join the Magic Knights and make his mentor proud.  He knew there would be trails.  He knew trouble would come his way.  Knew he would be faced with discrimination for being a foreigner and a peasant.  What he didn’t know.  Didn’t expect.  Was that literal Chaos would come his way.  That he and his mentor’s sister would be at the center of world ending trouble.  Or that he would fall in love with his mentor’s sister and face more than discrimination; but the jealously of Nozel Silva who loved the same woman he did.

Please remember this fic is rated mature and has warnings of violence, abuse, sexual tension, eventual sexual behavior, and other possible triggers.  For a full list of story tags please check the fics AO3 (link to that at the top of my tumblrs homepage).

Important notes below the cut before chapter72 begins.  PLEASE READ.

***SORRY!***  I forgot to tell you all. A few days before last weeks vacay I did a smutty Julius one shot that I guess you could say is tied to this fic. While there’s not much plot to that one shot, I am planning a Masquerade Ball for the fall around Yami and Teris’ 19yr b.day. So I might have the events of ‘A Night With the Stag’ happen then and have Julius' disappearance noticed. Anyway, you can find ‘A Night With the Stag’ on the main dash of my ao3.

***FIC UPDATE***  Got some not so good news yesterday. Thanks to one of my 3-big chronic illness bad's munching away at my joints the Surgeon said he’d normally recommend joint replacement for my hands. But thanks to another of my big chronic baddies he wouldn't recommend it for me as it would cause further problems and pain in the long run.  For now I’m left with an up tick in my infusions ‘poison juice’ to hopefully stave off further damage. And therapy, bracing, and pain meds to help cope with the pain. What that means for this fic isn’t much at the moment since I’m so far ahead in writing. But with my typing having steadily slowed and the suggestive order not to tax my hands there may come a time when posting has caught up to where I am in writing. Which would mean this fic will become like my BNHA fics which is 'posting as I write', and you all will left waiting for updates. If that happens I’m really SORRY!

Chapter 72

Angry and impatient, Nozel entered Silva Castle.  The kingdom was still in disorder with bandits and thieves continuing to fight for supremacy within the Common and Forsaken Realms.  Even the Noble Realm was dealing with more criminal activity than usual.

“Father.” Nozel stopped to stand behind the man.

Directing a team of servants on the placement of several new acquisitions he had gotten for their palace home, Nathyn turned to his son.  “Nozel. Didn’t expect you so early.  I must admit I’m looking forward to the day we have a proper Lady Silva running our homes once again. Nebra is too self involved to be good at these types of things.”

Nathyn sighed thinking of his eldest daughter.  She would be fifteen soon. Nebra’s grimoire Acceptance Ceremony set not long after her birthday.  Come next Entrance Exams, in little under twelve months time, she would be joining Nozel as a Magic Knight in the Silver Eagles.  With Nebra residing at the Silver Eagles base, she would be Nozel’s responsibility and Nathyn would have one less thing to look after.

“Father, please.”

“What is it?”  Nathyn questioned shortly, his thoughts interrupted.

“Must we really go on with this?  The war has only just ended.”  Nozel said.

“Four days ago.”  Nathyn stated, as if that was long enough for everything to be righted.

“All the squads have a back log of missions and with--”

“That’s the Magic Knights problem.”  Nathyn said, dismissed his sons words.

“I am a Magic Knight.  Teris and I both.  And Julius is a Captain.”

Nathyn fully focused on his son and reminded.  “You are royalty first. This is more than just celebrating your Intended’s birthday.  Not that you shouldn’t insist we continue with that.  But there are Peace Parties to attend.  The people are happy this war was short and is over.  They wish to celebrate you for securing that peace.  The King wishes to honor you.”  He looked proudly at his heir.  “You did good, and should take these next few days to relax and enjoy the fruits of your success.”  His face sharpened.  “I insist.”

Knowing this was a battle he couldn’t win Nozel inclined his head and submitted.  “I’m glad to have pleased you, Father.”

“As am I.  Now go make ready.  The Nova’s will be arriving within the hour.”

72.2

Julius looked mournfully at his sister.  “Teris, I can’t.  I’m sorry.”

Trepidation growing, Teris realized that Julius was serious.  He was sending her off to Silva Castle to spend three days with them and Fyntch, and he wasn’t coming.  “You’re really going to make me go there alone? Without you?”

“The Vermilion's will be in residence at Vermillion Castle across the lawn.  You can seek refuge there.”  Julius offered.

Teris stared at him in disbelief.  “Three days, Julius.  You’re going to leave me alone in Silva Castle with Fyntch and the Silva’s for three whole days.”

“It’s no worse than spending the time with them at Nova House or Silva Manor.”  Julius reasoned.

“Yes it is!  You truly know nothing do you?  You’ve had it so easy being a man and the eldest at that.”

“I’ve had my share of familial duties and expectations forced upon me.” Julius rebutted, thinking she was being unfair and bratty.

“That you threw off.”  Teris countered.

“Watch it.”  Julius warned, expression turning from supplicating to stern.

Teris growled and spun away.  “Fine.  Leave me to those wolves.  But don’t come down on me when I make a mess and make matters worse.”

“You’ll only be making matters worse for yourself.  Can’t you see that? I’m trying to protect you.  That’s all I’ve ever tried to do with this mess.”

Teris turned back to him, eyes pleading.  “If that were true you’d come.”

Julius looked sympathetically at her. “I would if I could. You know what it’s been like.  There’s so much work to do.  I’m so overtired I don’t think I could drift off to sleep if I tried.”

“Then tell Fyntch that.  Tell him I can’t go for the same reason.  All the Black Bulls are still going on mission after mission trying to bring peace and order back to the kingdom.  It’s not right that I leave them to go off on some stupid three day leave.”

Julius shook his head.  “I tried that.  I told you I tried that.”

“Try again.”  Teris begged.

“Teris.” Julius sighed, reaching out to her.

Teris stepped back from him.

Julius sighed again and he lowered his hands.  “You are going.”  He said, simply.

Teris glared at him.  “I--”

“If you tell me you hate me I won’t even make an attempt of showing.”  Julius said, cutting her off.  Whether she meant it or not, such words always stung.

Teris gave one last try to convince him.  “Julius, I don’t want to go.”

“We all do things we don’t want to all the time.  You think I want to spend half the day in meetings and the other half doing paperwork till I can’t see straight and everything looks the same?  You think I wanted to go to war?  Or want to be having this conversation?”

“Go away.”  Teris frowned.

“Go to Silva Castle.  Don’t make Fyntch fetch you.  Do you really want him coming here, seeing how and who you live with?  He’ll pull you out of the Magic Knights so fast and have you locked up at Nova House before the day is done.  You know I’m right.”

Teris glowered.  “Fine.”

Julius exhaled and muttered to himself.  “I should’ve led with that.” He pointed at his sister.  “Silva Castle.  Twenty minutes.”

She kicked the toe of her boot into the foot of her bed.

“Teris.” Julius rumbled.

“I heard you!  Go away already.”

Julius turned and left her bedroom.  He found Yami waiting on the second level landing.  Glancing back up the stairs, he grimaced at the sounds of things being thrown about.  Looking at Yami, Julius warned.  “Don’t think it’d be too wise to go up there right now. She’s mad as hell.”

Yami smirked at his mentor.  “She’s not mad at me.”

Temper frayed and short, Julius frowned.  “You really can be a little shit sometimes, you know.”

Yami chuckled.  “Just figuring that one out?”

“Shouldn’t you be resting, eating, or heading out on a mission?”

“In a bit.  Tobin and Iban are waiting downstairs for me.”

Julius tried not to make a face at the mention of Iban’s name.

Yami caught the expression anyway.  “All hands on deck and all that.  At least Olsen's been teamed with the Bloody Creep for the most part. After what happened with Teris, he isn’t allowed on missions with any of the girls.”

Julius recalled the mission with Teris, Yami, and Iban where the Blood Mage had used his magic against Teris causing quite a bit of injury including several broken ribs.  Though the incident had happened almost a year ago, it still angered.

“They waiting in the great room?”  Julius asked.

Yami nodded, looking up the stairs.

“I think I’ll take the servants stairs and exit out back.”  Julius said, not wanting to see the man who had put his sister in such a state.

Yami waited till Julius had disappeared down the hall that led away from the boys rooms before climbing the stairs.  Standing in the open doorway of Teris’ room, he watched her tear the place apart looking for something.  She pulled out some sort of adornment from a trunk and turned around throwing it.

Yami leaned to the side, tilting his head as the thing flew by.

Teris gasped, hand covering her mouth.  “Sorry!  I didn’t know you were there.”

Yami entered the room.  “I’d hope not.  Would make me wonder if you were mad at me.”

“Tobin and Iban?”  She questioned, aware that Yami was leaving for a mission soon.  She looked at him thinking about last year when she had gone to Nova House for her birthday.

“They’re waiting downstairs.”  Yami saw her expression, knowing that she was thinking about last year when they had parted on a high desirous note only for her to return shortly after her birthday to find him angry and refusing to speak to her.  He stepped toward her, pulling her the rest of the way.  “Come here, Princess.”

Teris shook her head.  “Don’t call me that.  Not when I’m going to Silva castle.”

Yami caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.  “I don’t care what you are to them.  You’re my, Princess.”

She huffed, smirking up at him.  “Always got to have it your way, don’t you.”

His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.  “I thought you liked it when I got my way.”

Teris laughed, lowering her head and pushing at his chest through not really trying to push him away.  “Yami. You got to go and I got to get ready to go.”

“What? Don’t want me to have my way any more?  I owe you.”

“Owe me?”  Teris lifted her head.

Yami smirked, getting exactly what he wanted, her eyes on him.  He stared at her, his desire openly clear in his gaze.  “For your birthday. I owe you a gift.”

“No.” Teris shook her head.  “We agreed no gifts. Remember.”

Yami lowered to whisper in her ear.  “Oh, I remember vividly.”

He stepped back, Teris falling a step forward.  That should leave him in the foremost of her mind till she returned to him, Yami thought.

Teris blushed at the memory of having offered herself as Yami’s birthday gift and what had ensued.  “W—we agreed we needed to be--”

“Good? Better behaved?  More restrained?” Yami smiled, looking her over.

Teris swallowed, legs squeezing together.  She could feel the pulled of his gaze as it raked over her body.

“Depends on how good, behaved, and restrained you are while suffering those humorless royals these next few days.  I don’t want you getting into trouble over there and putting an end to the trouble we get up to together over here.”  Yami’s devilish grin was cut short by Tobin’s echoing holler.

“Yami!”

Yami backed out of the room.  “Gotta go, Princess.  I’ll treat you to your gift when you return.”

Teris sunk onto the bed as soon as he was out of sight.  How could mere words leave her breathless with wanting?  While they hadn’t done anything close to what they had been up to before the war.  Teris hadn’t been frightened or uncomfortable ever since Yami had promised to be patient and work with her.  Instead she found herself eager and desirous as Yami always seemed to leave her frustrated and wanting more.  She got the distinct feeling he enjoyed this new little game of his that left her grasping and falling forward after him.

Standing, she shook her head clear of the dreamy feeling Yami left her with.  She only had one pair of court appropriate shoes here at base.  She only had one court appropriate gown here as well; but that she had found easily enough.  It was the matching shoe she had to find.

Renewing her search in the trunk that held her things, she hoped Fyntch had thought to order a few proper outfits packed and taken to Silva Castle else she would need to borrow something from Mereoleona’s closet. She certainly wasn’t asking Nebra for such a favor; not that she would wear any of Nozel’s sisters outfits anyway.  They were all pink, purple, and lavender.  Colors Teris wouldn’t be caught dead in.

“Found you!”  Teris said victoriously, pulling out the missing shoe.

72.3

Lunch at Silva Castle was made better and livelier by the presence of the Vermilion's.  Nozel and Fuegoleon called themselves rivals.  And occasionally acted as such. But in truth they got on well enough for everyone to know them as friends they were.  Their father's on the other hand were far from friends.

The rivalry between Nathyn Silva and Leonidas Vermillion had begun at a young age and had only grown over the years.  Sadly it wasn’t only their station that often brought the two patriarchs together.  Before Acier’s death, she and Marcellina, Fuegoleon’s mother, had been close friends.  The women had often planned dinners and outings together for the two royal families.  Even after Acier’s passing, Nathyn tolerated Leonidas’ company just so he could interact with Marcellina. It made Nathyn happy to be around someone who had loved Acier nearly as much as he had and could reminisce about her with him.

Seated to her husbands left, Marcellina lightly scolded.  “You should be ashamed of yourself, Fyntch.  Not bringing proper court clothes for your sister.”

“Men don’t think of such things, my dear.”  Leonidas told his wife.

Marcellina turned to her daughter.  “Mereoleona.  After we’ve finished lunch, you must take Teris out shopping.”

Mereoleona sighed.  “Really, Mother.”

“Aunt Lina, please.  I could simply borrow a gown or two from Leona’s wardrobe.”  Teris said.

“Works for me.”  Mereoleona said.

Marcellina looked horrified.  “Absolutely not.  Your coloring's are not at all similar.  The color scheme of her wardrobe will not look well on you.  Besides, your forms are much too dissimilar.  Leona’s gowns won’t fit you properly.”

“She’s only an inch or two shorter than me.”  Mereoleona told her mother. She look at Teris.  “Don’t you go growing anymore.  I won’t stand for you being taller that me.”

“Your torso is longer than hers and your legs are shorter.”  Marcellina said, not mentioning their difference in bust with men present.

“Fine. I’ll go if Leon comes.”  Mereoleona bargained.

“Why?” Fuegoleon complained, wondering how his sister always managed to force him into things their mother wanted her to do.

“Come now, Leon.  You like shopping.”  Mereoleona grinned.

Fuegoleon couldn’t argue with that.  Not to mention that someone had to guide his sister and cousin on what was proper, in fashion, and looked well on Teris. “Fine.”

“Oh Fyntch, don’t look so stern.  We’ll pay.  Consider it our birthday gift to our favorite niece.”  Marcellina told, upon seeing the mans sour expression.

“No need to mention money at the table, Lina, my dear.”  Leonidas said.

“I’m not concerned about the cost.”  Fyntch said.

“Of course you’re not.”  Leonidas said.

“I simply do not care for the time such an excursion will take from this annual gathering.”  Fyntch went on.

“Then have Nozel, Nebra, and Solid join them.”  Marcellina smiled, brightly.  “The children can go shopping while we all visit.  No doubt they’ll have more fun doing that than sitting around listening to us.”

“Please, Father.  There were these gloves I saw when we passed through and would so like to get a better look at them.”  Nebra said, looking down the table at her father.

Nathyn smiled at his eldest daughter, the thought of reminiscing about his beloved wife with Marcellina putting him in a good mood.  “Very well.  Nozel.  Look after your siblings and Intended.”

“Yes, Father.”  Nozel said, not needing to look at Teris to know her expression had hardened at the way his father had referred to her.

“Can I go, Mother?”  Leopold asked.

Marcellina looked fondly down at her youngest son.  “Dear little Leo.  You still have your magic training with Ms Theresa.”

“That’s right!”  Leopold said, becoming excited.  He looked to his brother. “I’m going to become just as strong as you, Leon.”

“I am sure you will.”  Fuegoleon smiled.

“It’s a shame Noelle isn’t here.  She and Leo could have trained together.”  Marcellina said, looking at Nathyn.

There was little Nathyn could say that wouldn’t disparage Noelle and therefore the family so he opted to suggested.  “Shall we move to the tea room?”

“I’ll take a coffee.”  Leonidas told a servant.

Marcellina glanced at her husband.  She didn’t like him drinking the beverage, it made him irritable.

The men stood, Fyntch leaving the handling of his sister to Nozel as he stepped away from the table.  Much as Teris didn’t like accepting such courtly attention from Nozel, she’d much rather take his hand of assistance than her brothers.

“You kids behave.”  Leonidas told them, making his way out of the lunch room.

“Be back in time to properly prepare for dinner.”  Nathyn instructed, eyes on Nozel.

Nozel inclined his head.

Their elders gone, they all looked at each other.

Mereoleona finally broke the silence.  “Where should we go first?”

“I still can’t believe you’re here.”  Teris muttered.

“Thanks for that.  You really know how to make someone welcomed.” Mereoleona told, sarcastically.

“Sorry. It’s only Julius said he couldn’t be here because he had so much left to do.”  Teris all but rolled her eyes thinking she was going to kill him.

“I’m sure he does.  You forget he was overseeing the southwest forces during the war.”  Mereoleona said.

Teris blinked never having considered that.  She suddenly felt bad for giving her brother such a hard time.

“The Fine Cloth.”  Nozel said, answering Mereoleona’s earlier question.  The last time he had been in there, before the Nine Day War, there had been a gown he had admired for Teris.  Never had he imagined that he would actually get a chance to see her in it.

Mereoleona slapped the table.  “The Fine Cloth it is.”

“But the gloves I wanted to look at were on the other side Dressers Lane.”  Nebra complained.

“We’re going so that Lady Teris will suitably attired for the following days events.  Not so you can purchase yet another pair of gloves.” Nozel told.

Nebra turned away from her brother sticking her nose in the air.

Nozel sighed, wondering why Nebra and Solid had to accompany them in the first place.

Teris’ brows furrowed.  “You’re making this sound as if it'll take all afternoon.  I just need two, maybe three dresses.”

“You will need two evening dresses, a ball gown, a court gown, garden gown, two day dresses, and riding attire.”  Nozel said, thinking of the itinerary for the following couple of days.

Teris scoffed.  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“As well as shoes and accessories for each.”  Fuegoleon added.

“What!” Teris shook her head.  “The shoes I’m wearing are fine.  No one will even see them anyway.”

“Yes, they will.  Ladies look at such things while you’re climbing or descending steps.”  Nebra told.

“As do the men.”  Solid smirked, always looking in hope of glimpsing a bit of leg.

Nozel turned to his brother.  Solid shrunk back.

“Really?” Teris questioned, in disbelief.  She never looked at anyone's shoes. Looking to Fuegoleon she argued.  “Even so.  What does that matter?  I don’t--”

“You’re getting shoes.  Mana!  Do you always have to be so difficult?” Fuegoleon complained.

“Do you?”  Teris shot back.

Mereoleona smiled at the two of them.  “Ah!  This brings back memories.  Kind of makes me wish you could spend a night over at Vermillion Castle with us.”

Teris spun to her.  “Can I?”

“No.” Mereoleona and Nozel said.

Teris refused to look at Nozel instead giving Mereoleona the glared meant for him.

Mereoleona step to Teris, tossing an arm around her shoulder.  “Let’s go.  I have a feeling that between Leon and Nozel the two of us can sit back and let them see you perfectly outfitted.”

72.4

Seated in the tea room, Marcellina said.  “It’s a shame Fyntch had business to take care of and couldn’t stay.  You men.  Always working so hard to see your families cared for and supported.”

Leonidas gazed lovingly at his wife.  “Just as you ladies work so diligently to see our family and homes looked after and well ordered.”

“It’s the least we can do.”  Marcellina smiled back, the couple sharing a moment.

Nathyn turned away.  Such open affection was unseemly in his eyes.  Things and talk like that were meant for private moments and even then sparingly so, least they become like the commoners who readily gave into their more feral natures any time they wished with no sign of restraint.

Marcellina turned to Nathyn.  “The boys appear to be getting along.  Then again unlike the two of you, they’ve never had much of a problem in that regard.”

Nathyn looked at Lady Vermillion who gave him one of her kind but playful smiles.

“I tease, my Lord.”  Marcellina said.

“No matter how truthful it is.”  Leonidas said giving the Silva a sideways before focusing back his wife.  “My dear, would you mind checking on Leopold so Nathyn and I can speak alone?”

Marcellina set down her cup and saucer.  Both men rose from their seats. Leonidas offered his hand and helped his wife from her seat.

Nathyn gave a slight bow.  “My Lady.  As always your presence has been a pleasure that is visited upon me too infrequently.”

Marcellina blushed ever so slightly.  “My Lord Silva.  With prose such as that I shall endeavor to have my husband and I rectify this rarity.”

She placed her hand in Nathyn’s outstretched one, smiling shyly as he lifted it to his lips to graze her knuckle with a kiss.

Leonidas watched his wife walk away.  If he didn’t enjoy the sight of her swaying backside and swishing skirts so much he might have never allowed Marcellina to leave his presence.  He turned to Nathyn who stared a moment longer at the closed door.

“You still have it.”  Leonidas declared.

Nathyn’s blue eyes turned the man.  “Still have what?”

Leonidas huffed.  He retook his seat, Nathyn doing the same.  Even when they were younger the cold fool never knew the effect his fine words had on the opposite sex.  As if Nathyn Silva’s handsome face and high rank hadn’t been enough to attract every female.  Eligible or otherwise.

Leonidas recalled a time back in their youth when Nathyn had come to him asking for advice.  A rarity given that they had never gotten along and were only ever together when circumstance demanded.  Back then the young, unmarried Silva had unwittingly piqued the interest of Lady Annsan Denwulf.  An older royal wed to a nobleman's son and heir.  Nathyn had been at a loss at what to do to put an end to the married lady’s persistent attentions.  Especially since Nathyn had been on the same squad as the Lady’s son, Dorien.

Leonidas smiled at the memory of one of the few occasions he had ever seen Nathyn Silva flustered and lacking in confidence.

“Our sons did well completing the Kings request.”  Leonidas said, changing the subject to something the Silva would find less aggravating.  “You should be proud of your boy.  It is he who will get all of the honor and credit tomorrow.”

“As is only fitting since he would have born all of the shame and blame if they had failed.”  Nathyn said.

“I wasn’t complaining, Silva.”

“It’s difficult to tell at times, Vermillion.”

The two men stared at each other.  Leonidas blinked first, not too proud to do so for the sake of peace.  “Nozel deserves all the praise he will get tomorrow.  Commanding my niece alone is a fete that couldn’t have been easy.”

“I’ll admit they both require practice in that arena.”  Nathyn said, speaking of Teris and his son.  “Though I have full faith that Nozel will command her with as firm a hand as required to get Lady Teris to submit.”

“But no firmer than necessary I would hope.  We are speaking of my favored niece.  A child as dear to me as if she were one of my own.” Leonidas said.

Nathyn arched a questioning brow.  “Is that what this is about?  You wish to take the position as the girls father figure?  If so, then get her to behave like a proper young lady.  At the very least stop her from cavorting with that foreign boy from her squad.”

Thinking of the reports he had heard of Teris and the foreigner out on the lawn during his daughters Lava Springs party, Leonidas sighed.  “I admit I was rather displeased and disappointed to hear of that.  Even my Mereoleona, free and unorthodox as she is, wouldn’t entertain a young man so openly.  Still, it seems Teris has either learned her lesson or someone has instructed her on decent, if not proper, romantic decorum.  I haven’t heard anymore murmurings of such instances.  Have you?”

Nathyn scowled.  “That hardly means such things aren’t still being done in private.”

Leonidas rolled his eyes.  “As if you went into your marriage having never felt another's lips.  Teris may be a little too much like my Leona, but she would never give herself fully outside of marriage.  Of that I’m certain.  It’s simply a line the girl would never cross.”

“She belongs to my son.”

“No.” Leonidas countered.  “She will one day belong to your son.  Right now the only claim you and Nozel have on her is that Teris is meant for him.”  He relaxed back into his seat.  “The boy loves her. That much is obvious.  So long as things with the foreigner don’t go too far, Nozel will forgive her this male diversion.  So why not let it be?  It makes her happy.  The poor child has had such little happiness in her life.  And let’s face it, I doubt Teris will experience much joy when finally wed into your family.”

Nathyn took in a steadying breath, calming his rising mana.  Looking across the coffee table, he challenged.  “You would have a problem with this if it were your sons Intended we were discussing.”

“Any Intended meant for my son wouldn’t have to seek out joyful diversions in dread of the day she became a member of my House.” Leonidas said, light tone carrying an dangerous undercurrent.  His forced smile tight, he went on.  “Let us hope that you are not fully successful in turning Nozel into you.  Else I truly will feel for my niece.”

“He’s too soft.”  Nathyn declared.

“I agree he has a lot to learn.  Both our boys do.  At least they are working with and learning together.  Explains their quick rise within the Magic Knights.  Where as you and I often battled to our detriment within the order.”

Nathyn huffed, the usual slight down turn of his lips leveling to a thin line.

“I mean it Nathyn.  Leave the girl and foreign boy be.  I’m watching the matter closely to see that nothing of any sort gets out of hand.”

Nathyn’s eyes narrowed, his lips pulling downward.  As much as he didn’t like the Vermillion telling him what to do, it was Leonidas’ last sentence that was upsetting, if not concerning.  Just how closely was Leonidas watching?  Was he aware of the failed attempt on Yami’s life during the Nine Day War?  Or the money left without word by the Black Bulls Vice Captain?  How long had Leonidas being watching?  Did the Vermillion know of the two previous attempts before this latest debacle?

Leonidas smiled at the Silva’s expression.  “I truly hope we understand each other.  Given this honor your son has won for your House it would be a shame if a controlling, prideful patriarch turned that esteem to not.”

72.5

While the Sales Assistant had needed to adjust to not showing the offerings of fine fashionable gowns to the two disinterested royal women and instead try to please the two royal men, it had been an easy adjustment to make.  These weren’t the first high bred customers that had entered where the man had a mind of how he wanted his woman to look and knew what style best pleased him on her frame.  Given what she had heard she was rather surprised Lady Nova was amenable to allowing her Intended to dress her.  She wondered if the two royals had finally submitted to their families intention to see them wed. Such a shame that would be she thought, watching Nozel closely as he tried to decide between two of the remaining riding dresses he and Lord Fuegoleon Vermillion had narrowed it down to.

The Sales Assistant sighed dreamily, wishing that it was her His Highness was outfitting.  A smile crossed her face as she took in Nozel’s form.  Better yet, they could move on the the back of the store and he could outfit her in the lingerie they offered.  She would gladly try it on for him.

She glanced at the bored Lady Nova who occasionally sighed heavily as if it was such a tiresome inconvenience to have two of the highest ranking young royals, both of whom would make any girl stop and stare at their handsome face and figure, picking out such fine dresses for her to wear.  Some girls had all the luck and didn’t even realize or appreciate it, she thought bitterly.

“This one will look better.”  Nozel said.

“And she’ll be able to move about easier in the other.”  Fuegoleon said.  He crossed his arms and looked at the Silva.  “It’s a riding dress.  Comfort and maneuverability are more important than mere appearance.”

“If this wasn’t for a court gathering I might agree with you.  But it is and I’m picking this one.”  Nozel told.

“Since this is a birthday gift from the Vermillion's, what you pick has little bearing.”  Fuegoleon said, tersely.

“Teris.” Nozel called over his shoulder.

“Are we done?”  Teris called back, sitting up.

Lounging beside her, eyes closed, Mereoleona muttered.  “I hope so.  Pretty sure it’s almost time to head back and get ready for dinner.”

“Almost.” Fuegoleon assured.  “Come here, please.”

Without looking at the Sales Assistant, Nozel ordered.  “Hold the dress up to her.”

“I’m bored.”  Teris complained, making her way over to them.  She had never liked shopping.  Shopping for fancy clothes that were meant for her were definitely off her list of enjoyable activities.  She pulled away when a sales girl held something before her.

“Stand still.  Fuegoleon snapped.

“And straight.”  Nozel added, looking her over appraisingly.

Teris made a face, but did as the two men bid.

Nozel’s eyes slid to Fuegoleon, brow raised.

Fuegoleon look Teris over a moment then nodded.  “You’re right.”

“I know.”  Nozel said, turning away.  He took it as an insult that the Vermillion had doubted his knowing what looked best on his Intended.

“Is that it?”  Teris asked, wanting to go back and sit, or better yet return to Silva Castle.

Nozel nodded as the Assistant took up the boots and accessories that he had picked to go with the outfit.

“If I can have my Lady’s measurements I will have these altered and boxed within the hour.”  The Sales Assistant said pulling a quill and paper out for Teris to write her numbers on.

Teris blinked at the woman.  “I haven’t a clue.”

Nozel sighed.  Before he could stop himself had rattled off Teris’ measurements.  The Sales Assistant caught herself staring.  She quickly turned around, jotting the numbers down and busied herself with boxing the accessories.

Fuegoleon’s expression held a mixture of displeasure and amusement.

Nozel cleared his throat and added lamely.  “I would guess.”

Teris felt both angry and embarrassment.  She felt exposed.  Examined.  She felt like a thing.  She wanted to walk out and not look back.  She wanted to head to the back and have the store clerk take her measurements, sickly interested in how accurate Nozel’s guess was. Mana.  She hoped it was a guess.  It had to have been a guess, she told herself.  How else would he have gotten a hold of her measurements?  It wasn’t that she was embarrassed about the numbers.  It was that Nozel somehow knew something so personal.  More than that, he had spoken the numbers with such confidence and ease as if he were already her husband.  Which she had made clear, time and again, he would never be.

Teris saw a tape measure on the counter and grabbed it.  Lashing it like a whip, she spun on a heel and marched to the changing room.  Nozel mindful to keep his eyes averted from her.

Fuegoleon smirked at his cousins behavior.  He turned a stern eye on Nozel.  “I had a few choice words for you.  But I think Teris will have more than enough so I’ll save my breath.  What were you thinking?  How do you even know a thing like that?”

“I have a good eye.”  Nozel said simply.  He looked Fuegoleon over and rattled off the Vermillion’s measurements.

“Impressive. I’d be quick to mention that and prove it when she comes back. Not that it’ll spare you from much.”  Fuegoleon told.

It wasn’t long before Teris exited the changing room.  Her shoulder rammed into Nozel as she passed making her way for the door. Mereoleona got to her feet.

“Teris?” She called after her cousin.  The Crimson Lions Captain looked over at Nozel and her brother wondering what they had done to upset her this time.

Fuegoleon watched his sister follow Teris out.  He looked at Nozel and shook his head in sympathetic amusement.  Stepping to the counter, he signed the bill of sale and instructed the Clerk on when and where he wanted everything delivered.

Mereoleona stepped beside Teris who had stopped at a nearby fountain.  “What’s the matter, Little One?”

Picking at a hangnail, Teris mumbled.  “Nozel knew my measurements.”

Mereoleona shrugged.   “That’s not surprising.  Lord Silva has a mathematical eye.  It’s somewhat expected one of his children would inherent the same.”  She smiled and told.  “My Mother once said that when they were younger Lord Silva’s favorite party trick was to guess how many mixed nuts were in a bowel.  She said that he was never off by more than two and that was only when he had a few too many drinks.  Father told me that Lord Nathyn helped him in sizing Mother’s betrothal ring and when it came time to put it on her finger it fit perfectly.  Said that as happy as he was to have it fit, to this day he doesn’t like it when Mother wears her betrothal ring because it reminds him of Lord Silva’s help.”

Teris relaxed somewhat at that.  Maybe that’s all it was.  It was something similar to how she could remember the words to every song she had ever heard, even if only once.  Or how she could sometimes guess the next few words from a versus or chores she hand never heard.  As useless as it was, it was occasionally a fun gift to have. If Nozel was indeed like his father, his gift would be a whole lot more useful.  Knowing that about him actually explained a lot.  Like how Nozel was able to step back and surmise the weakest point of cell for Fuegoleon, Randall, Zara, and him to focus on.  Or how he had known just what pace to set to get them to the next camp point.

Mereoleona looked over at her.  “You’re no vain girl that would be upset about something like that.  What’s really bugging you?”

“I only have two more years left.”  Teris said, the weight of it causing her shoulders to slump.

“And?”

Teris’ head snapped up.  “And!”

“That troublesome brute of yours will follow you anywhere.”  Mereoleona said with a shrug.

“I don’t want to go anywhere.  The Clover Kingdom isn’t perfect but it’s better than most.  It’s my home.  I love it.”

“Then let that muscly mess of a man fight Fyntch to free you from your family and duty.”  Mereoleona said, simply.

“Who says it’ll be Fyntch?  If Julius--”

“Julius will never fight Yami.  He’s put too much work and effort into that kid to kill him.  Besides, Julius would never do anything to force you into a future you didn’t want.”  Mereoleona pinched Teris’ cheek.  “He adores you too much for that.”

Teris pulled her face away.

Mereoleona dropped her hand.  “Julius will work something out.  You can count on that.  Your little Lord of Destruction won’t have to face him.”

“I don’t want Yami to have to face anyone.”  Teris said.

Mereoleona didn’t know if her cousin was stating what her perfect world looked like, or if Teris was still that young, foolish, and hopeful.  “I know it’s you birthday in a couple days, Little One.  But you can’t have all the things.”

“I don’t want all the things.”  Teris said, fiercely.  “I’m ready and willing to lose my name, title, and all that comes with it when it’s time.”

“Even us?”  Mereoleona asked.

“That’s the only thing I’ll miss.”  Teris said, finding it difficult to keep the other woman’s gaze.

Mereoleona clasped Teris’ shoulder.  “Don’t worry.  You won’t lose me. Well you will once Leon’s ready to become Captain, but so will everyone else cause I’m getting out of here.”

“Where are you going?”

“We’re talking about you here.”  Mereoleona put her other hand on Teris’ other shoulder, holding both of them.  “Now I need you to listen and heed what I tell you cause it’s important.”

“Alright.” Teris said, uncertainly.

“No.” Mereoleona shook her head.  “No tentative, alright's.  I said this was important.”

“Okay. I’m listening.”

Mereoleona looked at the younger girl lifting her eyebrows.  “And heeding.  I need you to really listen and take in what I have to say.”

Teris gave a nervous smile.  “Leona.  You’re starting to scare me.”

“Good. Cause this is so important it is scary.  Are you listening?”

Teris nodded.

“You got of stop worrying about this stuff.  Whether you leave or stay. If that big lug fights on your behalf or not.  There’s nothing you can do about any of that right now.  Not with two year left to go. So don’t think about it.  Put it out of your head and enjoy the here and now.  With all that’s going on who knows what will happen between then and now.  Hell, Fyntch or Lord Nathyn could die.  You or Yami could die.  Nozel could--”

“Please stop saying ‘die’.”  Teris begged.

“You get my point.”  Mereoleona went on.  “Enjoy these next few days and the ones after.  Relish your ranking friends and family.  Well, maybe not Fyntch.  He is a bit of a prat.  But I do include Nozel in that.  If—when you get what you want.  Even if you don’t get it exactly as you want.  All of this changes, if it doesn’t go away forever.  Even if and when you become Knights Commander.  Which I am as certain you’ll achieve as I am of Julius becoming Wizard King.” She looked at her cousin affectionately.  “The relationships.  The close friendship you have with those two boys back in that store will never be the same.  There will be strain and tension and hurt feelings.  And that strain, anger, and hurt will always be there on some level no matter how much time passes or how well those feelings are hidden.”

Teris lowered her head fighting back the hurt, anger, and fear her cousins words brought to the surface.

Mereoleona chucked a finger under Teris’ chin.  “Don’t look so down.  You still got two years left to have a lifetime of fun and laughs with those two boys.  I’m telling you this so you don’t waste it. Consider it my birthday gift to you.”

72.6

Mereoleona knocked on her father's study door.

“Enter.” Leonidas Vermillion called.  “Ah, Leona, my dear.  What are you doing up so late?”

“Just because I’m here doesn’t mean work doesn’t follow.” Mereoleona said, speaking of her duties as the Crimson Lions Captain. She sat before her father's desk.  “What about you?”

“The Magic Knights aren’t the only ones dealing with extra work. Drink?”  Leonidas offered, getting up and moving to the bureau behind his desk that bore several decanted spirits.

Having more work to see to, Mereoleona shook her head.  “No, thanks.  You shouldn’t either.  Mother will smell it on you and scold.”

“I can handle your Mother.”  Leonidas said, pouring himself a fingers worth instead of the two he had planned before his daughters words.

“Did you speak to Lord Silva?”  Mereoleona asked.

Leonidas returned to the chair, sighing as he sat.  “I told you I would. However did you learn Nathyn hired men to kill Teris’ young friend?”

Mereoleona recalled Bronn telling her the truth of things after Yami was found unharmed after he had been taken by a dimensional spell.  She had almost gone to confront Nathyn Silva herself; and likely would have if she hadn’t been fighting in a war.  Yami had been under her command at the time.  She had been responsible for him.  More than that, Yami was a Magic Knight.  As much as the squads might bicker and fight, they were one unit.  One family.  If anyone from the outside threatened one them they may as well have threatened every Magic Knight.  Their lives were dangerous enough as if was.  They didn’t need anyone getting ideas to make it more so.  Thanks to the war, Mereoleona had been forced to wait.  The passing time had calmed her enough to think with a clearer head which had led her to the decision of going to her father.

“I’d rather not say.”  Mereoleona told her father.  She didn’t see how telling him would get Bronn in trouble.  But she also didn’t see how telling her father would make a difference.

Having his fair share of secrets, Leonidas didn’t press.  “Well, Nathyn won’t be sending people after that boy again.  Not if he knows what’s good for his family’s image or has any hope of Nozel and Teris making their marriage work.”

Mereoleona looked sadly at her father.  “She’s not going to marry him, Papa. How many times do I have to tell you that?”

Leonidas shook his head.  “I refuse to believe she won’t.  The thought of having to turn away from that girl wounds me too much.”

“You don’t have to.  I won’t be.”

“Don’t tell me your future plans to ignore my instructions.  And you know full well that I must and will if Teris indeed refuses to follow her family’s commands.  I don’t live for my needs and desires, Leona. I have a duty to this family.  To House Vermillion.  To the King and this kingdom.”

Mereoleona sat forward and inquired.  “Then why speak to Silva at all?  Why not let him do as he wishes and rid this kingdom of a dirty foreigner who’s messing around with a royal girl far above his station?”

Taking a sip of his drink, Leonidas drawled.  “Sometimes I can’t tell if you’re having fun or truly being adversarial.”

“It’s no wonder when sometimes I can’t tell myself.”  Mereoleona admitted, sitting back.

“Let us say Teris does as she’s told and weds Nozel.  She doesn’t love him and while she might learn to, it will be a rough few first years for her as Lady Silva.  If Nozel is incapable of bringing her to heel I have no doubt that Nathyn will step in and his methods will be far less tender and caring.”

“And you’re okay with that?”  Mereoleona asked.  “A girl you claim to love like your own daughter--”

“But Teris isn’t my daughter.”  Leonidas interjected.  “I may be the third highest man of this land but even I have limits on what I’m able to do.  Especially when faced against the second ranking man of the kingdom.”

While Leonidas didn’t have major issue admitting the truth of his limitations as His Royal Highness Lord Vermillion to Mereoleona, he didn’t like seeing the look of disappointment in his daughters eyes.  Apparently his children thought him able of any and everything he wished and were crestfallen every time he told them that it wasn’t true.  At least Fuegoleon as his heir, was beginning to understand his limitations, and hardly ever looked at him as Mereoleona did now.

“Teris deserves some happiness.”  Leonidas said, telling her the same thing he had told Nathyn.  “Whether she submits and weds Nozel.  Or refuses and deals with whatever consequences that decision brings her way.  It will still be a tough adjustment for her.  So yes.  After what you told me, I spoke with Silva to ensure she has a couple joyful years before this mess comes to a head.  Besides,” he shook his head in disgust, “hiring gangs to kill that foreign boy.  Nasty business that.  Nathyn should be ashamed of himself.  He had no right attempting such a thing.  He over stepped his bounds.”

“I’m not so sure he’d agree.”

“I don’t give a damn if Nathyn Silva agrees.”  Leonidas stormed. “Teris is his sons Intended.  That is all.  Her behavior and going on's are not for him to sway or tamper with.  If there’s something he doesn’t like he should speak with Fyntch, or Julius.  Hell, even speak with me.  But to try to have that young man killed, not once but twice that you’re aware of, simply because he doesn’t approve of Teris’ dealings with him.  This Yami Sukehiro is a Third Class Senior Magic Knight for mana’s sake!”

“And soon to be co-Vice Captain of the Black Bulls.”  Mereoleona added.

Leonidas raised an eyebrow.  “Truly.”

She nodded, happy that her effort to distract and calm her father had worked so easily.  “From what I understand Yami and Teris are to become co-Vice Captain's once the current Black Bulls Vice Captain retires to marry.”

Leonidas chuckled, heartily.  “Silva certainly won’t like that.  But maybe between my words and this Yami’s new rank, Nathyn will cease these tasteless attempts.”

72.6.2

Fuegoleon hadn’t meant to eavesdrop.  He had only gotten up to get a glass of warm milk after trying and failing to get to sleep for over an hour and a half.  But after what he’d just heard he didn’t think anything would help him sleep.

From down the hall he had seen light coming from his father’s half opened study door and decided that instead of fetching some milk he would offer his assistance with whatever his father was working on. As training for one day becoming the head of the royal House Vermillion his father often sent him work to do.  Fuegoleon was even charged with overseeing three of their pieces of land.  But with the war, his father had stopped sending him work and had taken over managing those properties in Fuegoleon’s place.

This morning his father had told his responsibilities for the three properties would continue once the festivities were over and he returned to the Crimson Lions base.  Even though his duties as a Magic Knight would still demand more time and attention then usual until the gangs and such could be beaten back into place, Fuegoleon had been glad to have his familial duties returned.

After hearing his father and sister, Fuegoleon walked swiftly back to his quarters.  He quietly closed and locked both the outer and inner doors of his chambers.  Running a shaky hand over his forehead, he tried to comprehend what he had just heard.  Lord Silva had hired people to kill Yami.  And not just once but twice.

He didn’t like his cousin’s close relationship with Yami, or the liberties he knew Teris allowed the man.  But that was far from a reason to kill him.  His father had been right in his tempered outrage.  Nathyn Silva had no right to attempt such a thing.  Teris was Nozel’s Intended, nothing more.  Until the two were properly betrothed neither Nozel or his father had any claim or authority over her.  Even after they were betrothed the Silva’s say wouldn’t be much.  Certainly not enough to permanently remove a person from Teris’ life by hiring people to kill.  Who would even considered such a thing?  Let alone followed through with it.  What kind of person hired people to take another's life?

Fuegoleon felt himself go cold.  Was this what it meant to a patriarch of a royal House?  He knew his father held the lives and well-being of countless people in his hand.  But he had never thought his father viewed those lives as expendable.  Sure people had died in their service to him or the family.  But Lord Leonidas Vermillion had always seen that the surviving family were given a large sum and well looked after.  Fuegoleon couldn’t imagine his father capable of ordering someones death.  Their Imprisonment and execution maybe. But those were open, lawful things.  Hiring some gang to murder someone was something completely different.  Something he had never imagined a royal doing.  Such deeds were what thugs did.

No. Fuegoleon corrected himself.  Such deeds were what thugs were hired to do.  But who did the hiring?  The thought that is was people like Lord Silva and his father troubled him.  The fact that he was lumping his father in with Lord Silva’s terrible deed simply because the two were both patriarchs and close in rank disturbed him further still.  But if Silva had done such a thing for something as simple as not liking Yami’s close connection with Teris, when Yami was a high ranking Magic Knight, it was almost certainly sure that Nozel’s father had hired such gangs for other reasons in the past.  And if that were so, what was to say that his own father hadn’t done likewise.  Fuegoleon couldn’t fathom a reason that would cause a man as honorable and caring as Leonidas Vermillion to do such a thing.  He knew his father had killed before.  His father had once been a Magic Knight where death and killing was sadly a somewhat regular occurrence.  Even so, Fuegoleon couldn’t picture it.  For some reason, despite knowing otherwise, he didn’t think his father the type of man capable of taking a life.  Then again he thought the same about Nozel even though he had seen different with his own eyes more than once on the battlefield.

Nozel! Fuegoleon jolted, his hands and face becoming clammy.  Did Nozel know of Lord Silva’s attempts?  If so, when had Nozel known?  He knew Nozel wanted to see Yami dead.  That his threat of one day overseeing Yami’s execution was far from an empty one.  What if Nozel had had enough of Yami’s teasing and inciting his anger? What if Nozel had had enough imagining what Teris and Yami got up to? Imagining what allowances she afforded Yami when she wouldn’t even accept a single kiss from Nozel.  Could it be that Nozel had been the one to make the suggestion to Lord Nathyn?  Fuegoleon didn’t think so; but up until a few moments ago he didn’t think Nathyn Silva, an upstanding royal and next in line for the throne, the type to hire assassins.

Writing isn’t just a love.  It’s my only real outlet.  And being able to connect with other people, bringing someone enjoyment through what little I can actually do has been a HUGE brightspot for me.  So THANK YOU to everyone who has ever commented, reblogged, or left an ask.

Next chapter snippet:

Yami’s jaw clenched at that.  He wasn’t sure he believed all this primordial forces business but he knew Alowishus and his Agents of Crazies did.  All Yami was willing to admit at the moment was there was something more to all of this than rare, strong magic.

[ohmytheon]

#65 and #96 With kacchako? I already had an idea, but I wanted to hear yours 😊

Uuuuh, I don’t know if I met the standards for this. The prompts were “It’s not you, it’s me” and “Scars”. I highly doubt I did anything like what you had in mind. This is close to domestic fluff with a tinge of angst.

Katsuki had one more hour before he had to get ready for his shift and he planned on using every last minute of it in bed with Ochako. They weren’t afforded the time very often to be lazy like this. To be honest, he very rarely allowed it to happen even when they did have it. He didn’t understand the concept of not doing something, forcing himself to go at one hundred at all times, if not more. She liked to joke that he even power slept somehow, although once he was out, there was next to no chance in getting him to move.

He had woken up before his alarm clock went off though and had decided to take advantage of the extra time. Ochako might not have appreciated being woken up at first, but once he’d nibbling on her ear and slid his warm hands under her shirt, she hadn’t complained. Unlike normal, he had taken his time with her, knowing exactly how much time he had, until she was sighing breathlessly next to him and tucked against him, her breath hot against his bare chest. She didn’t have work today and he had no doubt that she’d go back to sleep once he left. He couldn’t get mad about that. He’d only done his job after all.

Running his thumb over a scar just below her right elbow, Katsuki asked, “Where did you get this?”

“Fell out of a tree when I was six,” Ochako told him, nuzzling further into him.

Katsuki snorted. “You can float yourself.”

“I floated myself up the tree,” Ochako admonished. “I’d never used it on myself before, so I puked and fell. I hadn’t known my quirk was much more taxing when I used it like that.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“You can’t tell me that you never hurt yourself with your quirk when you were young.”

He ran his palm over the smooth skin of her arm, raising goosebumps in the wake of his touch. She could feel the calluses on his palms, the results of hardening his skin after using his quirk repeatedly. The rest of his skin was smooth, but his hands were something different. “A few times, I guess.”

“‘A few times,’ he says,” Ochako half-mocked. “It’s bound to happen when figuring our quirks out.”

Katsuki picked out a different scar, one on the side of her ribcage. “This one?”

Ochako pulled her head away from his chest, laying it on her pillow, and hummed thoughtfully as she tried to recall. “Second year at U.A. during a hero training class. Deku threw a huge concrete block at you and you exploded it before it could hit you. I was struck by the debris.”

That one threw him for a loop and he propped himself up on his elbow, staring down at her with an incredulous look. “What?” He furrowed his brow. “I didn’t know you got hurt.”

“It wasn’t that bad.” Ochako frowned at him, as if she didn’t understand why he was so upset. He wasn’t, but… He would’ve liked to have known that he left a permanent mark on her. That had been four years ago and he was just now finding out that he’d injured her enough to leave a scar to remember him by. “We couldn’t go to Recovery Girl’s office every time we got a minor injury. It was just a little scratch.”

“Yeah, a scratch that scarred you,” Katsuki shot back. He paused, thinking over her words. Every time they got a minor injury – which implied that there had been other times that she had forgone going to Recovery Girl’s office. “Are there other ones?”

“Other scars?”

“Yeah,” Katsuki ground out, “made by me.”

Sighing to herself, as if she was already tired of the conversation, Ochako pushed herself up into the sitting position and Katsuki mirrored her. She pulled their sheet up, tucking it under her arms, so that her chest wasn’t exposed. Not that he had never seen it before. She had a strange sense of modesty sometimes the second they were out of the moment. He stared at her hard as she looked like she was trying to figure out where to start.

“Here,” Ochako said, sliding her left leg out from underneath the sheet and pointing at a mark on her left calf. “You let off a massive explosion. I floated myself out of most of the blast, but not entirely. It was in our third year.” As if that wasn’t enough, she showed off her left wrist. Unlike the others, this one he could tell was still new and his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. “This was a few months ago when we teamed up. Your hand was still super hot and when you grabbed me to launch me at the villain, it burned through my costume.”

“Fuck, Ochako.” Katsuki leaned away from her and ran his fingers through his already messy hair. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know if there was anything he could say. Being a pro hero meant that their lives were written in scars. He hadn’t cared about that. What he did care about was the fact that half the scars that decorated her body had been created by him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Ochako folded her arms across her chest over top the sheet. “It wasn’t like you did them on purpose. Accidents happen.”

“I hurt you,” Katsuki stressed. “All those times people told you that I’d do nothing but bring you pain… It pissed me the hell off and you always laughed at them and shut them down.” Very few things had angered him more than people insinuating that he would hurt her when the two of them had finally got together in their third year. As if he would ever do that. She’d try to kick his ass if he ever tried. He was an asshole, but he wasn’t that. “But I did those things. I scarred you and didn’t even realize it. How self-absorbed can I get?”

Had they been right? Had he been unhealthy for her this whole time?

“You helped me,” Ochako countered hotly, glaring at him. “Each of these scars represents a moment when I grew and improved. Don’t you dare take that away from me.” Katsuki choked on any words he had left. She was good at taking them right out of his mouth. She leaned forward to cup his face and pressed a hard kiss against his lips. “This one’s on me. I should’ve told you, but I never thought badly of them. They’re a part of who I am and what makes me a hero.”

And damn if that didn’t set him right off again. She was really good at that too.

[looptheloup]

Title: ‘Ambush’

Chapter: Chapter 8 of ‘my thoughts are the cold kind’

Fandom: Harry Potter

Characters: Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Severus Snape

Warnings: Referenced Abuse, Physical Violence, Referenced Beating, Referenced Torture, PTSD, Referenced Magical Torture, Non-consensual Touching

*

Ambush

The day was hellish. When he was injured, he was always overly aware of the people around him and today there seemed to be people everywhere, and every one of them too close to his back and his ribs. He had to field questions on where’d he been and why he’d missed practice, and hear that Snape had set them a three-foot-long composition on the Imperius Curse. Draco had laughed sharply, darkly, when he’d heard, and his friends had shot him a confused, worried look. Draco had already completed a practical on the Cruciatus Curse. An essay on the Imperius didn’t seem so bad.

It was the last class of the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and he’d felt Potter’s eyes on his back. Ten minutes from the end, with his ribs throbbing something awful and his head aching from the rigidity with which he was holding himself upright, he finally turned to shoot Potter a hateful glare, sick of feeling the Gryffindor watching him. But Potter just looked right back at him with his stupidly wide eyes and it was Draco who eventually gritted his jaw and turned back to the front. His burnt hand added its own sparks of pain to the litany of the rest of his injuries and he glared down at it as he struggled to use it after being forced to take notes all day.

“Draco!” he heard as he walked quickly out of the class, trying to slip away from Potter. He seemed to manage it as he hurried away.

He felt sweaty from the pain, disgusting and exhausted, and he slipped into a bathroom, dropping his too-heavy bag on the grimy floor tiles before he bent down gingerly to splash his face with water, trying to bring himself out of the haze of pain he’d fallen into.

He heard footsteps behind him and ignored them, keeping his head down, but a hand touched his arm and he spun around in shock to find Potter staring back at him. The sudden movement taxed his ribs but he hid the pain behind a mask of irritation. The hell was Potter doing, ambushing him?

“Where were you yesterday?” Potter demanded. His gaze flickered over Draco’s face and Potter’s frown deepened, “You look awful,” he said quietly.

Draco forced a sneer even as ice-and-fire pain was crawling over his back and unease gathered in his stomach, “You always look awful, Potter,” he snapped and tried to move past the shorter student. “Get out of my way.”

“No,” Potter said sharply, before he glanced around, but the bathroom was empty now, “Not until you tell me what the bloody hell is going on with you,” he hissed.

Draco, scared and angry, raised his fisted hand, snarling, ready to hit Potter if it would make the Gryffindor leave him alone.

Potter cringed away, releasing Draco’s arm and Draco froze, staring at Potter’s wary expression as water dripped quietly in the background. Was that what Draco looked like when his father lifted his cane? Draco swallowed, lowered his arm and tried again to walk away, only for Potter to put his hand out in front of Draco’s chest, halting him.

Draco knocked Potter’s hand away weakly, “Move,” he ordered.

He tried again to get around Potter but the Gryffindor grabbed his shoulder, right on top of a scab and a bruise, and Draco cried out sharply in pain and at the shock of it. His voice was painfully loud in the small, echoing bathroom, and he recoiled from Potter like he’d been burnt, until his hip hit the sink and he stopped.

Potter stared at him, “You’re hurt,” he said.

“I’m fine,” Draco all but shouted and when Potter took a hesitant step towards him, Draco backhanded him across the face with a slap that reverberated off the stone walls of the bathroom. Draco stilled, but Potter, briefly stunned, shook the shock off faster than Draco did and lunged forwards to grab a handful of Draco’s robes before Draco could stop him. Then there was a wand in Draco’s face and Draco felt cold, awful terror seize him. He stiffened. Potter glanced both ways around the bathroom, checking again that it was empty.

Shield charm, Draco thought desperately, but he couldn’t- “Petrificus Totalus,” Potter hissed and Draco whimpered as his entire body was immobilised, every joint locking up. He couldn’t move, or talk but only move his eyes to stare at Potter. He knew he was going to fall and, his back twinging, he used the tiny amount of movement he had left to push himself forwards. He would rather fall on his face than his back right now, even as actually finding himself tilting forwards, and being unable to do so much as put his hands out was terrifying.

Then Potter’s arms closed around him and Draco would have hissed at the pain in his back and ribs but he couldn’t make a sound. Holding him tight, Potter lowered him to the floor with surprising care, laying Draco on his front, for which he was gladder than he could say. Lying on his back would have been excruciating, and he wouldn’t even have been able to plead with Potter.

“Remember doing this to me on the train?” Potter murmured. His face turned sideways, Draco glanced desperately around with his eyes but there was no-one about. Did Potter want revenge, was that it? Draco remembered stomping his foot down on Potter’s stiff face. ‘For my father’, he’d said, because his father had been so furious, and Draco had received the brunt of it. Draco recalled finding blood from Potter’s bloody nose on his sock that night and feeling sick. He’d felt powerful when he did it, just for a few seconds, but it had faded into self-loathing and guilt. “It’s not fun, is it?” Potter said. Draco tried to move his hands to reach his wand but couldn’t so much as twitch.

Potter crouched down beside him and Draco looked up at him warily. The Chosen One would never use an Unforgiveable Curse, would he?

Then Potter tucked his wand into his pocket and Draco relaxed minutely, before Potter’s hands were abruptly touching his robes, tugging at them. Draco inwardly flinched with a hiss of pain, but on the outside he was silent. What the hell was Potter doing? A cold terror like a stone settled in his stomach as Potter kept pulling, pulling his robes up.

“You’re hurt, I know you are,” Potter mumbled as he pushed Draco’s robes up so they were bunched up on his shoulders. “What is it?” Potter muttered as Draco panicked and silent tears dripped down his face, going unseen by Potter. “A dark mark brand?” Potter said as he untucked Draco’s shirt, “Some sort of dark-magic tattoo, or a ritual spell- oh.”

The air was cool on Draco’s ruined back where the skin was exposed entirely for Potter’s gaze. Fuck, fuck, fuck, Draco thought brokenly. But what in hell could he do? What in hell-

Potter cursed quietly, “Who did this, who-” Potter had shifted to look at Draco’s face and Draco hated the shock and pity he saw there, and Potter’s expression only crumpled further when he saw Draco’s face. “Oh dammit,” Potter whispered, “I’m sor-, come on,” he gently covered Draco’s back again with his shirt and then his robes, “Finite incantatem,” he said softly and Draco dragged in a huge, painful breath, his ribs protesting sharply. He scrabbled to get up off his stomach and shoved Potter away from him weakly when he tried to help.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” he snarled and Potter drew back like he’d been stung. Draco staggered to his feet and Potter got quickly to his.

“Draco-” Potter said.

“Stay away from me,” Draco said, trying for threatening, but his voice broke and he was still crying. He scrubbed angrily at his face.

“Who did that?” Potter demanded, desperation on his face.

“Why?” Draco snapped as he was turning away, grabbing his bag. His back protested at the twist, but Draco just needed to get away. “Want to shake their hand?”

There was a beat of silence before Potter was coming up to him and Draco flinched away, didn’t even try to hide it anymore. Potter stared at him. His expression would have been comic in any other situation.

“You’ve got to go to Madam Pomfrey,” Potter said, keeping pace with Draco as Draco left the damn bathroom but, thankfully, not trying to touch him anymore, “Draco, you’ve got to.” Draco ignored him, “She can fix it, it could get infected, Draco! Listen to me!” Draco clenched his jaw as Potter pleaded with him, the stupid idiot, “Whoever did this, they need to be punished, this is wrong! Whoever it is-”

“Fuck off, Potter,” Draco muttered, keeping his voice low and his head down as a couple of first-years walked past. “You just want to- to humiliate me.”

Draco heard Potter inhale sharply, “I do not,” Potter snapped and Draco shot him a wary glance. Potter stopped abruptly and Draco kept walking. Would that be the end of it? At least for today?

“If you won’t go to Madam Pomfrey,” Potter said, suddenly firm, “I’ll tell Professor McGonagall.”

Draco looked warily around for listeners but the first-years had passed by and they were alone in the corridor.

“You won’t,” he snapped, but the threat scared him. His father was too powerful. No-one would believe Draco even if he did tell he truth. And if, by some miracle, they did believe him? Draco would have no home, no family, no honour. He’d just be some tell-tale prat who couldn’t take a stern talking-to. People would look at him with pity, but they’d think him weak and Draco wasn’t fucking weak.

“I will,” Potter said icily. “Madam Pomfrey won’t tell anyone, she’ll help-”

“No!” Draco said fiercely, desperately, “I won’t go, okay? I won’t.” Please back down, he thought, please say you were only bluffing.

Potter chewed his lip and stared at Draco, “Come and see Hermione then,” he said finally and Draco stared at him incredulously, but Potter nodded like it was decided. “She’ll know how to heal you. She won’t tell anyone, I swear.”

“No,” Draco said, but he could fast feel everything spinning out of control around him. Potter knew, he bloody knew.

Potter set his jaw as he came over to stand in front of Draco, “You’re coming,” he said, “or I will tell McGonagall. This is wrong Draco, you’re hurt.”

“So what?” Draco snapped, and then forced himself to lower his voice, “So what?” he repeated, “What do you care? We hate each other, remember?” He prodded a finger at Potter’s chest, “You did just as much damage with that curse when we fought in the bathroom last term, remember that?”

Potter looked guilt-stricken but didn’t deny it, “I know,” he said quietly. “I never would have done it if I’d known. But you were going to crucio me,” he said.

Draco swallowed. Potter was right. If he hadn’t hit Draco with that god-awful curse - Draco had never found out what it was - then Draco would have put the Cruciatus Curse on Potter. And he knew now that Potter didn’t deserve that kind of pain, felt sick at the idea of pointing his wand at anyone and saying that word.

“Exactly,” Draco said and glared tiredly. “You shouldn’t give two shits about me. Go away, Potter.”

“No,” Potter said, but it was soft this time. His hand moved towards Draco slowly and Draco watched it take hold of his wrist, “Come on,” Potter said, “Hermione will fix it. Please.”

Draco gave up. He found himself thinking that maybe Hermione could stop it hurting- but he shouldn’t be thinking like that. He deserved this, didn’t he?

“Come on,” Potter said and Draco let himself be led. He was damned whatever he did.

Updates Monday and Thursday. Full fic on AO3

(if anyone wants to be tagged each update, drop me a comment)

[almajonesnjna]

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

The above video (Water Series – A)  is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1) Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and..

http://bit.ly/2ilEN0G

[joshuabradleyn]

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

The above video (Water Series – A)  is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1) Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and..

http://bit.ly/2ilEN0G

[albertcaldwellne]

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

The above video (Water Series – A)  is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1) Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and..

http://bit.ly/2ilEN0G

[ruthellisneda]

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

The above video (Water Series – A)  is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1) Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and..

http://bit.ly/2ilEN0G

[neilmillerne]

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

The above video (Water Series – A)  is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1) Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and..

http://bit.ly/2ilEN0G

[johnclapperne]

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

The above video (Water Series – A)  is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1) Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and..

http://bit.ly/2ilEN0G

[lindafrancois]

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

The above video (Water Series – A)  is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1)

Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and head to where you are comfortable. Be sure to keep your hips and thighs pushing down to the floor, even if that means you can only raise your chest a little.

Low Lunge

Low Lunge is a variation of Lunge that is a building block for several more advanced poses. It’s most commonly thought of a Lunge with your knee on the ground.

This pose will primarily stretch and strengthen the groin, hamstrings, and hips.

Often, you’ll get into a lunge by starting in a Forward Fold and slowly stepping one of your legs back behind you. If you need to, you can scoot your foot back several times until you are able to have your front knee directly over your front ankle.

As you bring your leg back, drop your back knee to rest on the ground. This will help support some of your weight, but the majority of your weight should stay pushing forward through your front knee and hips.

Bend your torso over your front knee and lengthen your spine forward. Your weight should be pressing down through your heels.

To scale down, you can use blocks on each side to balance yourself more without having to reach all the way down to the floor.

Knee Hug

This pose is used to compress and tighten your body. It’s often used right before Corpse Pose at the end of sessions to reset.

Start this pose by lying on your back with your arms and legs straight out. Take a deep breath and slowly bring your legs together and your knees lifted toward your chest.

As your knee comes up, wrap your arms around them and clasp your hands together. If you can’t quite wrap your arms you can reach down each hand and gently pull in your kneecaps.

Gently squeeze your knees into your chest, keeping your back flat on the ground and dropping your shoulders down. You can focus your eyes down the center of your body.

If for any reason you have trouble doing this, simply raise your knees towards your chest as far as they will go. Hold for a few seconds and release back down.

Corpse Pose

Everyone’s favorite yoga pose, and often a way to end a complete session! And while at first, it can seem like just lying on the ground, there’s more to it than that.

This poses is fantastic for calming the mind, relieving stress, and relaxing the body back into a neutral position.

You’ll have a desire towards the end of a session to skip over Corpse Pose and move on.

Don’t! Spend a few minutes coming back down and resetting your body in each session.

Start by laying on your back. Your arms should stretch down comfortable to each side, slightly away from your body. Both your legs stretched out and with a little space, as well.

Do your best to “release” your shoulders and neck and let them fall neutral as well (even when on our backs we tend to engage our necks).

Focus on your breathing and on relaxing any tight or sore areas of your body.

If you need to, turn onto your side and bend your knees (laying on your side completely). Wiggle your toes, ankles, hands, or wrists as needed.

8 BASIC YOGA POSES (LEVEL 2)

Downward Dog

This pose primarily focuses on stretching the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves.

The first few times you get into Downward Dog, you’ll want to start on your hands and knees (what we call Table Top), but with your arms a little bit forward of your head. Pushing into your hands and toes, slowly lift your knees off the ground.

If you can, slowly straighten your knees (don’t lock them) as you gently stretch your heels down to the ground. Once comfortable, you can work your shoulders back toward your tailbone.

To scale this down, you can lift your heels further off the ground and/or bend your knees for easy modification. You can also use blocks to elevate your arms as another alternative.

Crescent Moon

Crescent Moon is a variation of Low Lunge where we stretch upright towards the ceiling.

This pose primarily stretches and strengthens the groin, hips, chest, spine, and shoulders.

To start this pose, you’ll want to get into a comfortable Low Lunge. Usually, this means stepping on leg forward from Downward Dog or stepping one leg back from Forward Fold, and then dropping your back knee down rooted on the ground.

As you take a deep breath, bring your torso up from lunge to upright and stretch both hands straight up toward the ceiling.

Instead of arching your back, draw your hips down and forward and lean your shoulder back (keeping it straight and engaged).

To scale this pose down, you can just stay in Low Lunge and work on stretching without extending upward.

Bridge

Bridge is a backbend pose that primarily stretches and strengthens the back and spine, but also the chest, shoulders, and neck.

Start by laying flat on your back. Bring your feet flat on the ground as close to your butt as they comfortable sit. Arms should be flat and down to your sides.

Pushing down through your feet and arms, slowly lift your butt off the floor and into Low Bridge (around when your spine is straight with your legs).

If you are comfortable, you can bring your hands together under yourself. Continue to slowly push your hips and butt towards the ceiling, making sure to keep your knees over top of your ankles. Work towards parallel with the ground for full Bridge pose.

To scale this down, stop in Low Bridge if going further is uncomfortable. If Low Bridge is difficult, just practice moving your hips slightly off the ground from the starting position. As you gain more flexibility, you’ll work to hold in Low Bridge.

Half Splits

This pose primarily stretches your hamstrings, hips, and lower back.

To start this pose, get into a Low Lunge. Your back knee should be firmly rooted on the ground.

Slowly shift your weight as you move your hips and torso over your back knee. As you do this your front leg will go from bent at the knee to fully extended straight in a line.

If you need them, you can use blocks or a supporting prop on each side now to support your weight (if you can’t reach the ground here).

Slowly fold forward over the top of your extended front leg, with your hips staying rooted back and over top of your knee that’s on the floor.

To scale this down, use blocks on each side as suggested above. You can also stay upright (instead of folding towards the end). Stop in the progression whenever you lose comfort.

Lunge

The Lunge is a major building block for all sorts of yoga poses. Many poses are variations of or come in and out of the Lunge.

This pose will primarily stretch and strengthen the groin, hamstrings, hips, and knees.

Often you will get into lunges starting in a Forward Fold and slowly stepping one of your legs back behind you. If you need to, you can scoot your foot back several times until you are able to have your from knee directly over your front ankle.

Bend your torso over your front knee and lengthen your spine forward. Your weight should be pressing down through your heels and your back knee should be active with your knee straight throughout.

To scale down, you can use blocks on each side to balance yourself more without having to reach all the way down to the floor. At any time, you can also drop the back knee down to the ground coming into Low Lunge instead.

Ninja

One of the most fun poses to make sound effects while doing, Ninja is actually a series of movements rather than a single pose. You might also have heard it called a Side Lunge, but this is Nerd Fitness, so we’re going with Ninja.

This pose helps strengthen the entire lower body and stretch out the hamstrings.

Start by lowering yourself into a half squat (Frog Prep).

Choose a foot and turn your toes out a little wider. Walk your hands over to your foot. Bend deep into that side’s knee as you lift up onto the heel of your opposite foot. Point or flex that foot up towards the ceiling.

Bring your hands to prayer in front of your chest. Extend both arms out in an upward facing arc and look towards your extended leg. Hold the pose and keep your leg muscles engaged.

Slowly come back up to Frog Prep (body in the middle) and slide over to the other side repeating the steps above.

Seated Side Fold

Seated Side Fold is a good, simple combination of a fold and a side stretch in one pose. Sometimes referred to this as “Half Dragonfly” as a nickname.

This pose primarily stretches your spine, lower back, hamstrings, and groin.

Start in a seated position, with your legs outspread wide in a V shape in front of you. About a 90-degree angle between your legs.

Bring one of your feet over to your other thigh, so that the bottom of your foot rests tucked in and touching your thing just above the knee.

Keeping your hips rooted down and your spine extended tall and towards the ceiling, you can gently fold over and use your arms to walk down your chest towards the ground next to the thigh and knee of your fully extended leg.

You should be slightly off center, in line with your straightened leg (rather than a traditional fold which would come straight to the center).

To scale down this pose, you can stay in the original seated position with both legs out in front of you in a V. Gently fold forward a little to each side and you warm up.

3 INTERMEDIATE YOGA POSES (LEVEL 3)

Chair Pose

Chair pose is the basis for many of the more advanced moves found in yoga. It primarily stretches the chest and shoulders, while helping to strengthen your core and legs.

Start in Standing with your arms out in front of you. Slowly bend your knees, moving them gradually more forward away from your toes. At the same time, drop your hips and butt back as you try to achieve a 90 degree angle with your thighs and calves.

As you sit down, your arms will come straight above your head (next to your ears), pointing up with palms facing in.

To scale this down, you’ll find it a little easier to keep your arms out in front of you – or coming towards your chest forming a “ball of energy.” Like in Dragonball. Drop your hips only as low as you can comfortably maintain for a stable hold.

Warrior 2

This pose primarily strengthens your shoulders, arm, thighs and opens up your chest and shoulders.

Starting in Standing, exhale as you step one foot back. Align your back heel behind the other heel and then turn your back foot out 90 degrees.

Turn your hips out and align your forward thigh with your forward knee. Slowly raise your arm, one forward and one back, both parallel to the ground.

As you exhale, bend the right knee forward until it lines up straight over your right heel. Press your heels into the floor.

To scale this pose down, you can bring your legs slightly in closer together. You also have the option to bend forward a little less or bring your hands back down onto your hips.

Extended Side Angle

Extended Side Angle is one of our broader Warrior-sequence poses, often done together in pairs or sets with other poses from the same group.

This primarily stretches your groin, back, and torso. It also strengthens your thighs, hips, and legs.

Starting in Standing, spread your legs slightly apart with hips facing forward. Choose one side and rotate that foot outward about 45 degrees.

Bend the knee over the rotated foot and shift your weight to that side. Keep your stretched out back leg in place and keep pushing down through that foot.

Bring your elbow (same chosen side as bent knee), down to rest on your bent knee. You hand and arm coming out in front of you. Your opposite arm now extends high into the air straight overhead.

To scale this pose down, you can narrow your stance a little bit more and bring your hips a little higher in the air. Move deeper down as you get more comfortable.

If you are comfortable enough here to scale up, you can switch your eyes to look at your arm overhead and gently stretch that arm to the side (so it falls in line with your torso and spine).

This will deepen the stretch even further.

Rebel Warrior

Rebel Warrior is another pose in our Warrior-sequences that are often used in pairs or sets as transitions to one another. You’ll sometimes hear it referred to as “Peaceful Warrior,” but, you know…

This pose primarily stretches the groin, hips, check, and shoulders.

Start in Warrior 2. Bring the rear hand down to the back leg, palm facing down. Turn the front palm facing upwards towards the sky.

On an inhale, extend the front arm up towards the sky, palm facing towards the back of the room. Keep your hips open, but reach your heart up towards the sky. Keep the back of your neck long and your eye gaze pointing in the same direction as your heart.

Keep bending deeply into your front knee; try to keep the weight evenly distributed on your front foot.

To scale this pose, bring your legs in a little closer together to shorten the depth of the stretch. As you get comfortable you can ease back down into the full pose.

YOGA STRETCHES FOR DESK WORKERS

Work a desk job? Consider these two additional videos:

Wrist Mobility

Wrists are an often overlooked area of stiffness and soreness for many people. Whether you type on a keyboard daily or are looking to improve front squats and handstands you’ll benefit from this 6 minute yoga session:

Proper Posture

Hours hunched over a computer, stuffed into a car, or playing various games can cause some pretty awkward posture habits. This 6 minute yoga session will help you reset and improve your posture as you go through your day:

When you’re able to escape from your desk for a few, these short sequences are perfect to help stretch out your body and help prevent injury.

If you do find yourself stuck at a computer for most of the day, with seemingly no time to workout, we can help! We offer a 1-on-1 private coaching program to help busy people just like you level up their lives.

We will get to know you, your goals, and your lifestyle, and develop a workout plan that’s specific to not only your body, but also to your schedule and life. We can design workouts for at your desk, or a quick session before dinnertime. If you want to learn more about the program, click on the big image below:

TRY A YOGA POSE TODAY

If this baby can do Yoga, so can you!

I don’t care if you’re at home, in a cubicle or office, I want you to use 3 minutes of courage to hold a few of the poses above!

Which ones? Find a quiet place and go through:

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Lunge

Downward Dog

Even if you’re not interested in checking out NF Yoga and never attend a yoga class, try these four movements right now. Like, this very moment.

A big reason Nerd Fitness and the Rebellion are successful in getting people healthy is that we encourage people to take action immediately. Not tomorrow, not after breakfast, RIGHT NOW!

Try to hold each of the following positions for 30 seconds. Yes, even if you’ve never done yoga before and have no intentions on doing it again… I’m challenging you to give this a shot right now!

I personally get up every 15-20 minutes and go through a few movements (Downward Dog is my favorite) to stay limber.

Crushed those four poses? Take it to the next level and run through our full sequence from the Water Series. It’ll take you a little over 20 minutes.

Alright, your turn.

I’d love to hear from you: did you REALLY complete the 4-movement yoga routine above? And where did you do it? An office? In your cubicle?

Remember, who cares if your coworkers think you’re weird – getting judged for doing something healthy is a badge of honor you should be proud of!

…and Downward Dog!

-Steve

PS: Here’s that link again to Nerd Fitness Yoga!

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[12]

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

Check out that hilarious and controversial article right here.

Check out that Vox article here, and the referenced study on body awareness here.

Check out this article on from HuffPost on the subject

Look at this study on yoga and flexibility right here

Science Daily has a great article on the subject right here

Read that study right here

The American Chiropractic Association has a great article on it

Check out this report on yoga and backpain

Check out these studies on improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity

There’s this study on awareness and this one on anxiety

Results may vary.

Photo Sources: Nevada the sprinkler dog, downward, Baby Yoga , puebla 04.jpg,Laptop. Meditation,

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

[denisalvney]

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines

WTF is a “downward dog” anyways?

Is there a downward cat?

Do I have to shop at Lululemon now?

When somebody mentions they practice yoga, these might be some of the questions that enter your mind. I know it’s what I thought about!

Although I was initially afraid of getting on the mat for years, I now freaking love it and flow through some yoga poses whenever I can. It’s my favorite solution for improving mobility and flexibility, staying injury-free when strength training, and even quieting my overactive mind.

And I want you in on it.

We have 21 yoga poses outlined below so you can start your yoga journey. We’ll begin with a complete video routine from our Nerd Fitness Yoga course, so you can see how they work. We’ll then go over the yoga poses in detail. And we’ll end with a couple videos going over some key stretches designed for desk workers.

All because I like you so much.

Our yoga poses are broken out into three levels, for you to progress in difficulty. What can I say, we love leveling up here at Nerd Fitness. Most of our poses are basic, Level One, in case you are completely new to yoga. However, we’ll include a few more advanced poses for further advancement.

We’ll start by discussing a little Yoga 101, in case you are totally lost right now and don’t know yoga from yogurt. If you wanna skip to your desired video or pose, just click on it.

Super Sweet Sequence Covering Basic Yoga Poses

Complete video routine from Nerd Fitness Yoga

Basic Yoga Poses (Level 1)

Seated Cross Legged

Table Top Cat-Cow

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Standing

Standing Mountain

Cobra

Low Lunge

Knee Hug

Corpse Pose

Beginner Yoga Poses (Level 2)

Downward Dog

Crescent Moon

Bridge

Half Splits

Lunge

Ninja

Seated Side Fold

Intermediate Yoga Poses (Level 3)

Chair Pose

Warrior 2

Extended Side Angle

Rebel Warrior

Yoga Stretches for Desk Workers

Wrist Mobility Video

Proper Posture Video

Roll out the matt! Let’s do some yoga.

WHAT IS YOGA EXACTLY?

Yoga means lots of different things to different people… like Windfarm Yoga apparently, to the woman in the photo above. As one commenter from Cracked pointed out:

“The only thing I know for sure about yoga is that whatever you’re doing when you practice it, you’ll be assured by someone that it isn’t “real yoga.”[1]

I’m not interested in that particular aspect of the yoga debate: people need things to argue about and get offended over because Internet. What’s important to me is getting more people interested in trying yoga out because it’s damn fun and can really improve your life.

After all, as Vox explains:

“Yoga seems to help alleviate lower back pain, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce inflammation in the body — which, in turn, can help stave off chronic disease and death.

Emerging research suggests yoga can increase body awareness, or attention to the sensations and things going on inside you. That’s no small matter: Researchers think heightened body awareness can improve how well people take care of themselves.”[2]

Science is essentially telling us: Yoga can help you become more flexible like Black Widow, improve your strength like the Hulk, extend your life like the elves of Rivendell, and give you mental awareness like Yoda.

The jury is still out as to whether or not it grants us telekinetic powers.

When I approached yoga years ago as an attempt to improve my flexibility and to combat poor posture, I was initially worried about looking foolish or finding some aspect of the exercise that didn’t sit right with me.

Instead I found a complimentary, enjoyable activity that helped improve my flexibility and mobility, alleviated my lower back pain, opened up my hips to combat a lifetime of sitting, and even helped me quiet my overactive mind! Plus, it was like a power-up for my strength workouts.

It’s now an activity I do with regularity throughout my week, incorporating yoga stretches during the day in between desk sessions, after working out, and attending the occasional class to level up.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOGA?

If you read Nerd Fitness, you’re probably a skeptic. After all, one of the Rules of the Rebellion is to question everything!

So you might be thinking: “Steve, you’re not going to ask me to start speaking in mantras, chanting OMMMMMM, and work on improving my spiritual chi.”

As somebody who started yoga with the exact same reservations, I sit before you a changed man. For starters, if you decide the spiritual aspects of the practice aren’t for you, you’re not alone: research into yoga’s history can lead down an internet rabbit hole of controversy that is bottomless.[3]

So we’re not going to jump in that fight. Instead, what you will find when it comes to yoga is study after study showing that this form of exercise is incredibly beneficial:

1) A body prepared to handle anything: at Nerd Fitness, we are huge fans of strength training, and yoga is its perfect compliment. it elongates your muscles, improves your flexibility, can release tension in your neck and shoulders, and helps you do things like touch your toes![4] It can help you build stronger muscles, improve balance and stability (especially for our older rebels[5]), and make you more “antifragile” (one of my favorite terms).

As one study points out, “yoga subjects exhibited increased deadlift strength, substantially increased lower back/hamstring flexibility, increased shoulder flexibility, and modestly decreased body fat compared with control group.”[6]

2) Yoga is great for lower back pain: If you’re one of the 31+ million people like myself who struggle with lower back pain, yoga can help.[7] Yoga really helps those of us stuck at a computer all day long as well.[8]

3) Yoga can help meet weight loss goals when combined with a healthy diet. Look, we all know our diet is responsible for 80-90% of our success when it comes to weight loss. The other 10-20% of the equation is participating in physical activities that push your body outside of their comfort zone.

Yoga is a great way to burn a few extra calories and keep your brain focused on “I am doing healthy things and thus I should be eating healthy foods!” It can help improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.[9] It’s also a great rest day activity to keep you on track when you’re not doing your other workouts.

4) Speaking of which…yoga can be done every single day, and can be done anywhere. No gym required, no equipment required – no excuses! On top of that, because it’s a low-impact activity and doesn’t overly tax your muscles like a powerlifting session, you can do yoga every single day, anywhere you can find a soft place to sit down: your living room, a park, a beach, your bedroom, on the moon, etc.

5) Yoga can quiet an overactive mind: We live in a world with a distraction around every corner; we read Facebook or our favorite blog while checking email and texts… while trying to work a day job. If you’re anything like me, your mind races a million miles an hour, and trying to develop a sense of control and calm over your mind is like herding cats. We’ve already explained the benefits of Meditation for Nerds; yoga can be tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of our bodies and help with reducing stress and anxiety.[10]

Lastly, if yoga is good enough for badass Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, it’s good enough for me:

Alright, I’m going to assume at this point you are on board with yoga. If being able to completely demolish a car with your bare hands doesn’t convince you, nothing will.[11]

So let’s go over some yoga poses and routines.

A YOGA ROUTINE FOR BEGINNERS YOU CAN DO AT HOME

We’ll start out our explanation of different yoga poses by showing you what the end result can look like.

Here’s a complete routine covering some basic yoga poses:

The above video (Water Series – A)  is taken from our course, Nerd Fitness Yoga. If you like it, I’d encourage you to go browse the page and check it out.

Nerd Fitness Yoga is a course you can follow along within the comfort of your own home, and it’s built specifically for members of the Rebellion: easy to follow instructions, an inviting attitude, and as you can tell… some corny jokes from yours truly.

This course will work for men and women of all shapes, ages, and sizes, giving anybody the confidence to get started IMMEDIATELY. Follow it regularly and you can expect the benefits of the dozens of studies I linked above when it comes to yoga practice.

In addition to a HUGE pose library and step-by-step instructions, it also contains all of the following full-length yoga sessions filmed in HD:

Water sessions: Two beginner yoga videos (25 minutes each, first one was above)

Fire sessions: Two intermediate yoga videos (30 minutes each)

Star sessions: Two advanced yoga videos (40 minutes each)

Deep stretching routine (40 minutes)

6 supplemental mobility videos (that will help with lower back mobility, how to finally touch your toes, and so on. Two of which are below.)

All of these videos can be streamed or downloaded to any device as many times as you’d like so you can practice yoga wherever, whenever.

I’m proud as hell of this product. We don’t have many things for sale at Nerd Fitness, so you know that when we do put something out, it’s worth checking out.

Alright, if you found yourself lost in that above video, let’s explain the poses in depth.

10 BEGINNER YOGA POSES (LEVEL 1)

Seated Cross Legged

One of the most popular yoga poses is simply Seated Cross Legged.

A seated position helps relax, reset, and open your hips up a bit.

Bring yourself down to a seat on the floor, whatever is most comfortable. Cross one ankle of the other in front of you and sit cross-legged.

Take a big breath in and straighten your spine as if there was a string pulling your head and neck up to the ceiling. Breathe out, but keep that upright posture.

Hands can rest on your knees, but shouldn’t push out or pressure your legs.

Table Top Cat-Cow

This is actually a series of a few poses (Table Top, Cat, & Cow) that is used in almost every yoga session to help reset your spines and warm up your back.

Start in Table Top, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel with the floor to start.

Exhale and slowly press into your hands as you abs up towards your spine. Round your spine to the ceiling as you bring your chin towards your chest. Gently push out your shoulders.

Inhale and relax your abs while you bring your hips back down. Lengthen your torso as you head comes up and looks towards the ceiling. Your chest should come forward slightly and your lower back should push into your pelvis.

Relax and return back to a neutral Table Top position.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is considered a resting position. This means that any time you feel overwhelmed, overheated, or stressed about a particular pose or variation while doing yoga, STOP what you are doing and come slowly into a Child’s Pose to rest.

This pose helps lower stress, refocus your mind, and lightly stretch primarily your lower back, hips, and thighs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching behind you. Widen your knees so they are just a little wider than your hips. Gently lower your body between your knees and hips.

Your arms will stretch out lightly in front of you and you can drop your shoulders to the sides and down.

A variation you can use (which may be easier or harder for you) is to tuck your toes under your feet, instead of having the tops or side of your feet against the ground. Do whichever variation is most comfortable and natural for your body.

Forward Fold

Forward Fold is another one of our most popular yoga poses. It’s primarily focused on stretching the lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Start standing and gently bend forward as you lengthen your torso and spine. As you fold towards the ground, keep your knees straight (but not locked out). If you can, grab the back of your calves and gently pull yourself deeper into the fold.

As you breathe in, you can lift slightly and extend your torso and spine forwards. As you exhale, you can fold forward again into the stretch.

To scale this down, you may use blocks to help raise the floor. Keep your knees straight and your spine long, and fold as far as you can comfortably go.

Standing

Standing pose is a resting and centering pose in yoga, but don’t take it for granted.

Even when we are standing in between poses, be sure to stay strong, active, and rooted through your feet. Your feet should also be flat and not rolled in or bowed out.

Activate your hips to prevent locking out your knees and keep your posture and spine tall and elevated.

Finally, your shoulder should be open and your chest broad. Neck in line with your spine (not hunched forward). Stretch tall from your hips through your head.

Standing Mountain

Standing Mountain is a great pose to warm up our shoulder and spine.

Start by staying strong and rooted through your feet (which are flat on the ground). Legs active, but not locked out. Shoulders open and neck in line with spine.

As you take a deep breath, bring both arms straight out in front of you and up overhead towards the ceiling. Make sure your shoulders aren’t hunched and close to your ears, but rather relaxed and released down.

Rooting through your shoulder blades, pull your spine and arms towards the ceiling.

Cobra

Cobra is a popular pose which almost always follows Plank as a transitional sequence in many yoga sessions.

This pose primarily stretches the shoulders, chest, spine, and stomach.

Start by laying flat on the ground on your belly, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders (much like you would imagine starting a pushup).

Slowly push down through your hands and straighten your arms to lift your chest up off the floor, but unlike a push-up, keep your hips, thighs, and tops of feet rooted and pushing down towards the ground.

Move your shoulder blades back, lift your chest, and look forward and slightly up. Hold for several seconds and then slowly release down.

To scale this pose down, only raise your chest and head to where you are comfortable. Be sure to keep your hips and thighs pushing down to the floor, even if that means you can only raise your chest a little.

Low Lunge

Low Lunge is a variation of Lunge that is a building block for several more advanced poses. It’s most commonly thought of a Lunge with your knee on the ground.

This pose will primarily stretch and strengthen the groin, hamstrings, and hips.

Often, you’ll get into a lunge by starting in a Forward Fold and slowly stepping one of your legs back behind you. If you need to, you can scoot your foot back several times until you are able to have your front knee directly over your front ankle.

As you bring your leg back, drop your back knee to rest on the ground. This will help support some of your weight, but the majority of your weight should stay pushing forward through your front knee and hips.

Bend your torso over your front knee and lengthen your spine forward. Your weight should be pressing down through your heels.

To scale down, you can use blocks on each side to balance yourself more without having to reach all the way down to the floor.

Knee Hug

This pose is used to compress and tighten your body. It’s often used right before Corpse Pose at the end of sessions to reset.

Start this pose by lying on your back with your arms and legs straight out. Take a deep breath and slowly bring your legs together and your knees lifted toward your chest.

As your knee comes up, wrap your arms around them and clasp your hands together. If you can’t quite wrap your arms you can reach down each hand and gently pull in your kneecaps.

Gently squeeze your knees into your chest, keeping your back flat on the ground and dropping your shoulders down. You can focus your eyes down the center of your body.

If for any reason you have trouble doing this, simply raise your knees towards your chest as far as they will go. Hold for a few seconds and release back down.

Corpse Pose

Everyone’s favorite yoga pose, and often a way to end a complete session! And while at first, it can seem like just lying on the ground, there’s more to it than that.

This poses is fantastic for calming the mind, relieving stress, and relaxing the body back into a neutral position.

You’ll have a desire towards the end of a session to skip over Corpse Pose and move on.

Don’t! Spend a few minutes coming back down and resetting your body in each session.

Start by laying on your back. Your arms should stretch down comfortable to each side, slightly away from your body. Both your legs stretched out and with a little space, as well.

Do your best to “release” your shoulders and neck and let them fall neutral as well (even when on our backs we tend to engage our necks).

Focus on your breathing and on relaxing any tight or sore areas of your body.

If you need to, turn onto your side and bend your knees (laying on your side completely). Wiggle your toes, ankles, hands, or wrists as needed.

8 BASIC YOGA POSES (LEVEL 2)

Downward Dog

This pose primarily focuses on stretching the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves.

The first few times you get into Downward Dog, you’ll want to start on your hands and knees (what we call Table Top), but with your arms a little bit forward of your head. Pushing into your hands and toes, slowly lift your knees off the ground.

If you can, slowly straighten your knees (don’t lock them) as you gently stretch your heels down to the ground. Once comfortable, you can work your shoulders back toward your tailbone.

To scale this down, you can lift your heels further off the ground and/or bend your knees for easy modification. You can also use blocks to elevate your arms as another alternative.

Crescent Moon

Crescent Moon is a variation of Low Lunge where we stretch upright towards the ceiling.

This pose primarily stretches and strengthens the groin, hips, chest, spine, and shoulders.

To start this pose, you’ll want to get into a comfortable Low Lunge. Usually, this means stepping on leg forward from Downward Dog or stepping one leg back from Forward Fold, and then dropping your back knee down rooted on the ground.

As you take a deep breath, bring your torso up from lunge to upright and stretch both hands straight up toward the ceiling.

Instead of arching your back, draw your hips down and forward and lean your shoulder back (keeping it straight and engaged).

To scale this pose down, you can just stay in Low Lunge and work on stretching without extending upward.

Bridge

Bridge is a backbend pose that primarily stretches and strengthens the back and spine, but also the chest, shoulders, and neck.

Start by laying flat on your back. Bring your feet flat on the ground as close to your butt as they comfortable sit. Arms should be flat and down to your sides.

Pushing down through your feet and arms, slowly lift your butt off the floor and into Low Bridge (around when your spine is straight with your legs).

If you are comfortable, you can bring your hands together under yourself. Continue to slowly push your hips and butt towards the ceiling, making sure to keep your knees over top of your ankles. Work towards parallel with the ground for full Bridge pose.

To scale this down, stop in Low Bridge if going further is uncomfortable. If Low Bridge is difficult, just practice moving your hips slightly off the ground from the starting position. As you gain more flexibility, you’ll work to hold in Low Bridge.

Half Splits

This pose primarily stretches your hamstrings, hips, and lower back.

To start this pose, get into a Low Lunge. Your back knee should be firmly rooted on the ground.

Slowly shift your weight as you move your hips and torso over your back knee. As you do this your front leg will go from bent at the knee to fully extended straight in a line.

If you need them, you can use blocks or a supporting prop on each side now to support your weight (if you can’t reach the ground here).

Slowly fold forward over the top of your extended front leg, with your hips staying rooted back and over top of your knee that’s on the floor.

To scale this down, use blocks on each side as suggested above. You can also stay upright (instead of folding towards the end). Stop in the progression whenever you lose comfort.

Lunge

The Lunge is a major building block for all sorts of yoga poses. Many poses are variations of or come in and out of the Lunge.

This pose will primarily stretch and strengthen the groin, hamstrings, hips, and knees.

Often you will get into lunges starting in a Forward Fold and slowly stepping one of your legs back behind you. If you need to, you can scoot your foot back several times until you are able to have your from knee directly over your front ankle.

Bend your torso over your front knee and lengthen your spine forward. Your weight should be pressing down through your heels and your back knee should be active with your knee straight throughout.

To scale down, you can use blocks on each side to balance yourself more without having to reach all the way down to the floor. At any time, you can also drop the back knee down to the ground coming into Low Lunge instead.

Ninja

One of the most fun poses to make sound effects while doing, Ninja is actually a series of movements rather than a single pose. You might also have heard it called a Side Lunge, but this is Nerd Fitness, so we’re going with Ninja.

This pose helps strengthen the entire lower body and stretch out the hamstrings.

Start by lowering yourself into a half squat (Frog Prep).

Choose a foot and turn your toes out a little wider. Walk your hands over to your foot. Bend deep into that side’s knee as you lift up onto the heel of your opposite foot. Point or flex that foot up towards the ceiling.

Bring your hands to prayer in front of your chest. Extend both arms out in an upward facing arc and look towards your extended leg. Hold the pose and keep your leg muscles engaged.

Slowly come back up to Frog Prep (body in the middle) and slide over to the other side repeating the steps above.

Seated Side Fold

Seated Side Fold is a good, simple combination of a fold and a side stretch in one pose. Sometimes referred to this as “Half Dragonfly” as a nickname.

This pose primarily stretches your spine, lower back, hamstrings, and groin.

Start in a seated position, with your legs outspread wide in a V shape in front of you. About a 90-degree angle between your legs.

Bring one of your feet over to your other thigh, so that the bottom of your foot rests tucked in and touching your thing just above the knee.

Keeping your hips rooted down and your spine extended tall and towards the ceiling, you can gently fold over and use your arms to walk down your chest towards the ground next to the thigh and knee of your fully extended leg.

You should be slightly off center, in line with your straightened leg (rather than a traditional fold which would come straight to the center).

To scale down this pose, you can stay in the original seated position with both legs out in front of you in a V. Gently fold forward a little to each side and you warm up.

3 INTERMEDIATE YOGA POSES (LEVEL 3)

Chair Pose

Chair pose is the basis for many of the more advanced moves found in yoga. It primarily stretches the chest and shoulders, while helping to strengthen your core and legs.

Start in Standing with your arms out in front of you. Slowly bend your knees, moving them gradually more forward away from your toes. At the same time, drop your hips and butt back as you try to achieve a 90 degree angle with your thighs and calves.

As you sit down, your arms will come straight above your head (next to your ears), pointing up with palms facing in.

To scale this down, you’ll find it a little easier to keep your arms out in front of you – or coming towards your chest forming a “ball of energy.” Like in Dragonball. Drop your hips only as low as you can comfortably maintain for a stable hold.

Warrior 2

This pose primarily strengthens your shoulders, arm, thighs and opens up your chest and shoulders.

Starting in Standing, exhale as you step one foot back. Align your back heel behind the other heel and then turn your back foot out 90 degrees.

Turn your hips out and align your forward thigh with your forward knee. Slowly raise your arm, one forward and one back, both parallel to the ground.

As you exhale, bend the right knee forward until it lines up straight over your right heel. Press your heels into the floor.

To scale this pose down, you can bring your legs slightly in closer together. You also have the option to bend forward a little less or bring your hands back down onto your hips.

Extended Side Angle

Extended Side Angle is one of our broader Warrior-sequence poses, often done together in pairs or sets with other poses from the same group.

This primarily stretches your groin, back, and torso. It also strengthens your thighs, hips, and legs.

Starting in Standing, spread your legs slightly apart with hips facing forward. Choose one side and rotate that foot outward about 45 degrees.

Bend the knee over the rotated foot and shift your weight to that side. Keep your stretched out back leg in place and keep pushing down through that foot.

Bring your elbow (same chosen side as bent knee), down to rest on your bent knee. You hand and arm coming out in front of you. Your opposite arm now extends high into the air straight overhead.

To scale this pose down, you can narrow your stance a little bit more and bring your hips a little higher in the air. Move deeper down as you get more comfortable.

If you are comfortable enough here to scale up, you can switch your eyes to look at your arm overhead and gently stretch that arm to the side (so it falls in line with your torso and spine).

This will deepen the stretch even further.

Rebel Warrior

Rebel Warrior is another pose in our Warrior-sequences that are often used in pairs or sets as transitions to one another. You’ll sometimes hear it referred to as “Peaceful Warrior,” but, you know…

This pose primarily stretches the groin, hips, check, and shoulders.

Start in Warrior 2. Bring the rear hand down to the back leg, palm facing down. Turn the front palm facing upwards towards the sky.

On an inhale, extend the front arm up towards the sky, palm facing towards the back of the room. Keep your hips open, but reach your heart up towards the sky. Keep the back of your neck long and your eye gaze pointing in the same direction as your heart.

Keep bending deeply into your front knee; try to keep the weight evenly distributed on your front foot.

To scale this pose, bring your legs in a little closer together to shorten the depth of the stretch. As you get comfortable you can ease back down into the full pose.

YOGA STRETCHES FOR DESK WORKERS

Work a desk job? Consider these two additional videos:

Wrist Mobility

Wrists are an often overlooked area of stiffness and soreness for many people. Whether you type on a keyboard daily or are looking to improve front squats and handstands you’ll benefit from this 6 minute yoga session:

Proper Posture

Hours hunched over a computer, stuffed into a car, or playing various games can cause some pretty awkward posture habits. This 6 minute yoga session will help you reset and improve your posture as you go through your day:

When you’re able to escape from your desk for a few, these short sequences are perfect to help stretch out your body and help prevent injury.

If you do find yourself stuck at a computer for most of the day, with seemingly no time to workout, we can help! We offer a 1-on-1 private coaching program to help busy people just like you level up their lives.

We will get to know you, your goals, and your lifestyle, and develop a workout plan that’s specific to not only your body, but also to your schedule and life. We can design workouts for at your desk, or a quick session before dinnertime. If you want to learn more about the program, click on the big image below:

TRY A YOGA POSE TODAY

If this baby can do Yoga, so can you!

I don’t care if you’re at home, in a cubicle or office, I want you to use 3 minutes of courage to hold a few of the poses above!

Which ones? Find a quiet place and go through:

Child’s Pose

Forward Fold

Lunge

Downward Dog

Even if you’re not interested in checking out NF Yoga and never attend a yoga class, try these four movements right now. Like, this very moment.

A big reason Nerd Fitness and the Rebellion are successful in getting people healthy is that we encourage people to take action immediately. Not tomorrow, not after breakfast, RIGHT NOW!

Try to hold each of the following positions for 30 seconds. Yes, even if you’ve never done yoga before and have no intentions on doing it again… I’m challenging you to give this a shot right now!

I personally get up every 15-20 minutes and go through a few movements (Downward Dog is my favorite) to stay limber.

Crushed those four poses? Take it to the next level and run through our full sequence from the Water Series. It’ll take you a little over 20 minutes.

Alright, your turn.

I’d love to hear from you: did you REALLY complete the 4-movement yoga routine above? And where did you do it? An office? In your cubicle?

Remember, who cares if your coworkers think you’re weird – getting judged for doing something healthy is a badge of honor you should be proud of!

…and Downward Dog!

-Steve

PS: Here’s that link again to Nerd Fitness Yoga!

###

All photo sources can be found right here.[12]

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

Check out that hilarious and controversial article right here.

Check out that Vox article here, and the referenced study on body awareness here.

Check out this article on from HuffPost on the subject

Look at this study on yoga and flexibility right here

Science Daily has a great article on the subject right here

Read that study right here

The American Chiropractic Association has a great article on it

Check out this report on yoga and backpain

Check out these studies on improve our fight against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity

There’s this study on awareness and this one on anxiety

Results may vary.

Photo Sources: Nevada the sprinkler dog, downward, Baby Yoga , puebla 04.jpg,Laptop. Meditation,

21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Plus Videos of Complete Routines published first on https://www.nerdfitness.com