Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Sweatin' with the Yogis
...nor have they been, when it comes to exercise, as mentally and physically rewarding.
So, what do they mean by asanas or poses?
Awkward Pose: What a suitable name. A seated, or better yet, squatting pose with knees bent and buttocks near the heels. To add difficulty, all this is done on the balls of your feet with arms held straight out in front. By the second repetition my thighs and upper arm muscles felt hotter than the room.
Toe Stand Pose: It looks more awkward than the awkward pose. This time squatting on the ball of one foot, the other leg rests on top of the thigh. Arms are in a prayer position, which is a good idea, because by this point I was praying to hold this pose as my muscles struggled to balance my body weight.
Camel Pose: Another one on my list to master, it's almost like an inverted Bow Pose. Perched on the lower legs and bent over backward in order to place your head between your ankles, the lower back gets a further workout.
Bow Pose: Not even a locust could reach this state. Ideally the Full Locust Pose is taken to its ultimate limits. Upper body and arms reach up to meet raised legs behind you. Absolutely impossible for me at the time, but like yoga tends to be for most people, I'm destined to come back for more.
Full Locust Pose: The locust in flight. Now the upper body should be lifted with arms spread up and back, but that wasn't about to happen for me. There was no way my ribs were going to get off the floor. Clearly my upper back and shoulder muscles are really out-of-shape.
Locust Pose: Named after an Oriental straight-winged grasshopper with legs and thighs so powerful that it can leap to heights two hundred times the length of its body. In this pose, one lays face down with arms to the side. The legs are lifted up, similar to a grasshopper, providing an intense workout of the buttocks, lower back, and back of the thighs.more
Teaching hatha Yoga - Physical benefits of Yoga Practice
... an internal awareness, which comes with Yoga practice.
On the skeletal level, we want to keep our joints intact for as long as possible. The ligaments and tendons are precious, so we work to keep them in good working condition, as well. On top of this, spinal alignment, during posture practice, helps with mobility, when we become seniors.
How many other exercise systems work so completely? This does not take away the value of cross training. By all means, walk, swim, and play your favorite games; but in comparison, Yoga, on the physical level, is the "Great Healer" of all forms of exercise.
Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publicationsmore
Turning Workplace Stress into a Simple Stretch
... body and mind, increased energy, improved concentration and increased strength and flexibility for greater stress resistance and fewer workplace injuries. Yoga exercises are simple and can be modified for different skill levels and abilities perfect for the office environment.
The popularity of workplace yoga is spreading, as companies nationwide (including IBM, Microsoft, Nike, Intel, AT&T, GE to name a few) are embracing the practice as a low cost method of stress reduction that is extremely easy to implement. But, what if your company doesnt offer an on-site yoga program or you work from home or with a small group? No problem. There are a number of simple ways to bring the benefits of yoga into your daily life right now.
To feel your best at work:
1) Take a few minutes to focus on your breath.
When were anxious and stressed our breath becomes shallow. Notice the quality of your breath and improve the quality by usi...more
Yoga Helps You Lower Blood Pressure
...Hypertension is a common disease nowadays, which, if its not treated corectly can cause many damages to the other organs of the body. People who suffer from high blood pressure need to lower blood pressure in order to neutralize the effects of hypertension on their body.
Changing their life style and sometimes taking medicines is recommended for the people who need to lower blood pressure.
It is very helpful in the treatment of hypertension the yoga lifestyle, which can really help you lower blood pressure. Yoga exercises, called asanas, involve stre...more
