Yoga Tips: Build Your Yoga Library

October 12th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Build Your Yoga Library
If you’ve been taking asana classes for a while, you’ve probably realized just how much there is to know about the practice of yoga. There’s yoga philosophy, yoga history, Sanskrit, and seemingly a million different modern styles and lineages. So many other things that have come together to make yoga what it is today that it’s close to impossible to know it all. And with the recent rise in yoga’s popularity, there are so many yoga books, CDs, and DVDs available that it can be overwhelming to start delving deeper into the yoga topics you yearn to know more about. Take heart: We’ve done the legwork for you.

Yoga teacher and scholar Richard Rosen has studied yoga—and collected books about yoga—for more than 20 years. He recommends that beginning students start with books such as B.K.S. Iyengar’s The Tree of Yoga to get a crash course, that intermediate students reach for the Bhagavad Gita, and that more advanced students might appreciate the first known text about yoga, the Yoga Sutra. Thankfully, there’s a book or video out there for every kind of yoga practitioner. Whether you’re just starting or you’re a seasoned practitioner, there’s always room to grow.

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Yoga Tips: Why Evander Holyfield Does Yoga

September 28th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Why Evander Holyfield Does Yoga

Well know boxer Evander Holyfield has been practicing yoga for years, to keep him focused on his games and to help him concentrate in daily life. As yoga helps to make muscles more stretched and keeps up your stamina and regulates your breathing, people performing sports professionally benefit greatly from yoga.

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Yoga Tips: How Yoga Helped Enhance Meg Ryan”s Life

September 28th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: How Yoga Helped Enhance Meg Ryan”s Life
Actress Meg Ryan practices yoga every day, at home. The actress had difficulty focusing on certain parts of her life and once her acting career took off she felt as if her life was being led for her. She took up yoga and this has helped her focus on what is important in life. Using yoga as a technique for meditation is the most important aspect of practicing yoga for her. Ryan enjoys educating others on the benefits of yoga and the impact it can have on your life

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Yoga Tips: Become a Yoga Pro Like Gwyneth Paltrow

September 28th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Become a Yoga Pro Like Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow is one of many actors and actresses who have dedicated their free time to practicing yoga. Citing the benefits of yoga everywhere she can, Paltrow has had a home studio built in her London home to practice yoga and testifies that yoga has made her a calmer and more centered woman.

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Yoga Tips: Madonna Practices Ashtanga Yoga

September 28th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Madonna Practices Ashtanga Yoga
She put yoga back on the topic list for every women”s magazine and TV show. Testifying of the benefits of yoga with the body of a 20 year old (Madonna just turned 51 years old!) and promoting a healthy lifestyle, Madonna is the new pop guru of Yoga. What type of yoga does Madonna do? Ashtanga yoga.

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Yoga Tips: Quick Tips And Helpful Information About Yoga

September 28th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Quick Tips And Helpful Information About Yoga

Yoga is one of the fastest growing exercise programs in the United States. Many people are finding yoga provides great stress and tension relief, as well as the physical benefits. Here are some yoga tips to help you get the most out of your yoga instruction.
General Yoga Tips

1. Find a yoga school that offers your preferred type of yoga instruction. It is very important that you are comfortable with your teacher and your surroundings.

2. Keep your mat clean between classes. Invest in a yoga bag and this will also help to extend the life of your mat.

3. Consider what time of day is best for you and your yoga instruction. An early morning class will start your day off right, while an afternoon class can be a great pick me up to make it through the rest of the day.

4. You should not wear any footwear during your yoga instruction. This is for safety reasons. Bare feet will help provide balance and stability.
Beginning Yoga Tips

1. If you are a beginning yoga student, be sure to speak with your teacher about their form of yoga instruction. Many teachers have very specific requirements for their classes and this can help void any misunderstandings.
2. As a beginner, one of the best yoga tips is to focus on the balance between your mind and body.
3. Remember your flexibility and your endurance will gradually increase as you continue your yoga training.
Yoga Tips for Pregnant Women

1. If you are pregnant, check with your prenatal care giver before starting any exercise program.
2. There are some yoga positions that you should not attempt while you are pregnant. Speak with your yoga teacher to see which areas of yoga instruction are best for pregnant women.
3. Do not attempt any inverted yoga poses when you are pregnant.
4. Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort.
Yoga Tips for Men

1. Be consistent. Make sure you attend your yoga instruction classes and give the classes the same commitment as the gym.
2. Be sure to shower before class. The number one complaint of women in a men”s and women”s yoga instruction class is that men often emit a body odor.
3. Buy a good yoga mat that is long enough for a man”s taller body.
Yoga Tips for Seniors

1. Check with the teacher to be sure they are familiar with yoga instruction techniques for older adults.
2. See if the teacher has any yoga tips for maximizing the benefits from class.
3. Don”t push yourself too hard. You want to exercise, yes, but don”t overdo it.

If you follow these yoga tips for your yoga instruction classes, you should be on your way to healthy yoga lifestyle. These yoga tips, however, are not meant to be a substitute for instruction from a qualified yoga instructor.

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Yoga Tips: Raising Chakra Energy With Kundalini Yoga

September 27th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Raising Chakra Energy With Kundalini Yoga
In order to understand how to raise your chakra with Kundalini yoga, you must first understand what a chakra is. Chakra translates literally to mean a wheel or disc. Many say this stands for an ever spinning force of life force energy. The ancient teaching on the subject of Chakra says that each person has seven Chakra centers. These Chakra centers are located along the human spine. They are not visible on any form of diagnostic tool such as an X-ray or MRI but have been understood in the Far East for thousands of years. These Chakra centers are thought to control bodily functions based on their location up and down the spine. They work as filters to remove bad or unsafe energy, and to force good energy through to the parts that need it.

Kundalini yoga is the practice of using breathing and poses to awaken the creative energy of the Chakra. These Kundalini yoga poses are meant to direct the movement of the body in a way that pulls s this energy out. As the Kundalini yoga poses move different areas of the spine people may experience different things. Many people believe Kundalini yoga is dangerous and not safe ecspecially for a beginning yoga student. The reason for this belief is because Kundalini yoga can bring forward emotions and past memories that many are not aware of. However, if Kundalini yoga is practiced under the supervision of a professional instructor, there should be no problem.

Experts state that the purpose of Kundalini yoga is to work through the Chakra centers and help the person work through those negative items stored within. The movements and poses of Kundalini yoga are put together in way to remove these items or bring them to the forefront. However this Kundalini yoga process should be slow and allow for processing of these negatives items and not just lead to repression once again. They should be faced in a manner than allows the participant to deal with each negative item and put it behind them.

According to Yogi Bhajan, a famous Kundalini yoga instructor, the purpose of this process is to bring forth one”s true being or self. A confident and independent being who understands self worth and doesn”t look for validation in others. He believes one cannot truly be whole until they have faced all of their negative energy and cast it out of their body. Until then everyone is doomed to walk around with the baggage of self doubt.

One technique of Kundalini yoga is to complete a forty day awakening period. During this time you will go through they process of awakening your mind and body. A period of forty days is used in many religious texts. This is believed to be a period long enough to break any unhealthy thought patterns or habits. In order to become a healthier, happier participant you must put aside the old ways of thinking and embrace a positive energy pattern.

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Yoga Tips: Learning The Right Way To Breathe When Practicing Yoga

September 27th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Learning The Right Way To Breathe When Practicing Yoga
One of the main focuses of yoga is learning to use yoga breathing techniques properly. Yoga breathing is what brings forth many of the benefits of yoga. Yoga instructors often spend more time teaching proper yoga breathing exercises than they do on the poses. You can often get a pose dead on, but if your yoga breathing technique is wrong, you might as well just stop. There are many different types of yoga breathing exercises. The best yoga instructors will go through the various yoga breathing techniques before starting a session.
How Yoga Breathing Techniques Help

Yoga breathing techniques can help increase blood flow and increase the oxygen levels to major organs. Recent studies have shown that yoga breathing can lead to the prevention of lifestyle disorders, such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

The truth is that very few people use the full capacity of their lungs; most of us use less that 80 percent. With a few small simple yoga breathing exercises, you can reprogram your body to use yoga breathing in everyday life. Many lifestyle disorders can even be reversed with dedication to yoga breathing techniques.

Many yoga instructors structure there classes around the types of breathing techniques they are teaching. These yoga instructors will focus on the three main styles of yoga breathing. These styles include abdominal, thoracic, and full yoga breathing. Your yoga instructors should teach the first two types, and then use them to incorporate into the third.
Learning the Right Techniques

To perform an abdominal breathing exercise, your yoga instructors should direct you to lie in the floor. Yoga instructors should direct you to closely observe the rate of your normal breathing, and then focus on inhaling and exhaling as far as you can. You should keep you chest still during this exercise and focus completely on your abdomen. Once this technique has been mastered over a set period of time, your yoga instructors should move on to next phase of thoracic or chest breathing. During this exercise, your yoga instructors will direct you to follow the same steps. Lie flat on your back and this time focus on your normal chest movements during breathing. You should focus on filling your lungs completely with every inhalation. During an exhale, you need to completely empty your lungs of air. In the same manner as before, use only your chest and keep your abdomen completely still.

If your yoga instructors believe you have mastered both previous breathing exercises, they will move you on to a combination exercise. This combination uses both types of breathing. You will first breathe in through your abdomen and then chest. However, when you exhale, you will use your chest first and then your abdomen. This is considered on full yoga breath. These exercises should be done without strain, however do not feel discouraged if it doesn”t go smoothly in the beginning. Your yoga instructor should explain that reversing the way you have breathed for years can not be done in a day.

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Yoga Tips: Practicing Yoga Before, During and After Pregnancy

September 27th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Practicing Yoga Before, During and After Pregnancy
If you are thinking about getting pregnant, you may want to practice yoga. Yoga is a great way to get your body in shape to help ease some of the discomforts associated with pregnancy. If you practice yoga before you get pregnant, you will be familiar with the poses and that will make a yoga pregnancy exercise program easier for you when you are expecting.

If you decide to practice yoga while you are pregnant, be sure to speak with your prenatal health care provider before you begin. They can offer advice on which pregnancy exercise program is right for you. This is a very important step to ensuring your health and the health of your baby.
Benefits of Yoga During Pregnancy

A pregnancy exercise program can consist of a cardiovascular exercise such as walking and can be coupled with a yoga program as well. There are many benefits for you from yoga during pregnancy. Exercise is great for keeping you body toned and strong. Many women also report less of a problem with labor after doing a yoga pregnancy exercise program through out the pregnancy. Exercise has been shown to increase the level of serotonin in the body, which produces a natural “high”. This can cause a decreased level in the feelings of anxiety and depression that sometimes accompany pregnancy. Exercise is also helpful in preparing the body for delivery of the baby. Many women report that when they practice yoga, it was easier to keep their breathing leveled out. This often helped them to breathe properly when they were delivering their baby. When some women practice yoga while pregnant, they have also stated they have less back pain in the last trimester.
Precautions To Take During Pregnancy Exercise

There are some poses that should not be attempted by pregnant women. The inverted poses are not good for an expecting mother. Also, if you are past your first trimester, avoid any yoga pregnancy exercise that has you lie flat on your back. This can decrease the blood flow to your uterus. Steer away from hot yoga. During the second and third trimester, do all standing poses with one foot against a wall, or holding onto a chair. Your center of balance will be much different, even if you practice yoga frequently. A fall could hurt you or your baby.

Be sure to notify your yoga instructor that you are pregnant before you continue to practice yoga. They may suggest a pregnancy exercise program for you, but you still need to follow the advice of your doctor.

After your pregnancy, exercise can be your best friend. If you practice yoga, it can help you cope with the stress of having a new baby, while helping to get your post pregnancy body back into shape. You many have some difficulty at first, and you may wonder why you practice yoga. This will pass and soon you will begin to feel like your old self again.

When you practice yoga, you will help your mind, body, and spirit to become stronger. If you practice yoga before, during, and after your pregnancy, you can reap the rewards of a very healthy, relaxed program that, if continued, can benefit you for years to come.

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Yoga Tips: Relax And Renew Your Body Mind And Soul With Restorative Yoga

September 27th, 2009 Shaka

Exercise Fitness Tips >> Yoga Tips
Yoga Tips: Relax And Renew Your Body Mind And Soul With Restorative Yoga

When searching for a yoga program to combat the daily stresses of life, restorative yoga is the way to go. Restorative yoga not only helps your body destress but can add to the healing process and help prevent illness to begin with. Restorative yoga uses props and poses to put the body into a state of reflection and rest. This yoga technique will lower blood pressure and heart rate to allow the internal body to combat any issues or problems. Restorative yoga also helps the brain to sweep away the clutter and cobwebs for a clearer mindset. These yoga techniques use blankets, wedges and even pillows to help put the participant into a restful state.
Benefits of Restorative Yoga

Restorative yoga can help with many physical problems. As with any yoga program, it can definitely help with insomnia and depression issues. The number one cause for these issues is mental clutter. By using the techniques in restorative yoga, your mind will be able to rest and rejuvenate. Many people suffering from exhaustion or chronic fatigue find that after a session of restorative yoga, they will feel rejuvenated without even sleeping. These yoga techniques use breathing, as well as mental self examination, to help understand which issues are causing the problems. Many people understand that they are depressed or exhausted but cannot put their finger on the exact cause. Through these yoga processes, the student will learn to sort away the unneeded mental junk and get to the root of the problem.

Restorative yoga can also help promote wellness and a healthy lifestyle. During the various yoga poses, the body will raise metabolism and increase immunity. By having a higher metabolism, the body will burn more calories with less effort. Fighting illness with restorative yoga can be a great benefit. This type of yoga can be great for someone recovering from an injury or illness. With very little physical yoga effort the body can begin to heal itself. These yoga techniques using wedges and props can also be great for someone who is weak and cannot complete a regular yoga routine. Many chronically ill patients find that completing these various yoga poses can help restore the strength need to continue the fight.

Many doctors now recommend patients with various mental and physical illnesses try yoga when there seems to be no other solution. The sad fact is that with the proven wellness benefits of yoga, many patients should use yoga from the beginning, not just in the end. Many illnesses can be combated with a combined effort of body and mind instead of using so many drugs. While restorative yoga may not be the cure all in the physical illness world it can be a great help, and rarely be a hurt.

Restorative yoga can truly unite the body and mind using simple techniques that anyone can do. This oneness of body and mind will prove to make for a less stressful lifestyle and a happier disposition.

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