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A staggering 13 million Americans practice some form of the mind-body practice known as yoga, according to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. This mind-body moving meditation type of exercise involves a distinct philosophy combined with a sequence of postures, breathing exercises and meditation. There are multiple types of yoga, varying in name and intensity levels from slow-flow to hot homegirl and hot power versions. Hatha yoga, the type commonly practiced in the US and Europe, describes the physical practices of yoga and includes the styles that you've likely heard about: Ananda, Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Kripalu and Kundalini, among others.…
Get hip -- with yoga asanas that improve both strength and stability for healthier hips. Hips are the hub where the lower body joins the torso, propels it through space and allows you to -- gracefully and painlessly -- sit, stand, sprint, bend forward and back and pop into Lotus pose for daily meditation. Injury to hip muscles restricts mobility and causes excruciating discomfort. Working hip muscles to keep them toned and in top condition means targeting extensors -- including the glutes; flexors -- including the iliopsoas; adductors and abductors that move the leg sideways; and external and internal rotators…
The best Yoga Asanas for the stomach works both the obliques and the lower back for great efficiency. Learn about the best Yoga Asanas for the stomach with help from an experienced Yoga professional in this free video clip.
Cardiovascular hot Yoga uses the heat that your own body generates when moving. Do cardiovascular hot Yoga with help from an experienced Yoga professional in this free video clip.
When doing Bikram Yoga to tone your legs, one thing that it is important to remember to do is keep your butt loose. Use Bikram Yoga for toning the legs with help from an experienced Yoga professional in this free video clip.
Let’s face it -- if you’re like most people, you spend a lot of time hunched forward, whether it be sitting at a computer, working at a counter, driving, reading or watching TV. Back-bend yoga poses counter that poor posture and help straighten out your back by opening up the chest, heart and lungs. As a result, you will feel revitalized and energized.
From Hatha to Bikram to Vinyasa, it's easy to get lost in the world of yoga. Among the many types of yoga, Kundalini focuses on blending the spiritual with the physical via a mixture of controlled movement, breathing exercises, meditation and, in some cases, the chanting of mantras. Like virtually all varieties of yoga, Kundalini owes its identity to a long and storied history, one that, in this case, stretches all the way back to the eighth century.
Bikram yoga studios are called "torture chambers" by the founder, Bikram Choudhury, because participants work in 104 degree Fahrenheit conditions. The heated environment helps with the execution of yoga poses by loosening up the muscles, according to Choudhury. Once executed properly, most of the 26 poses of Bikram yoga support toning of the lower body.
At first glance, pushups are an easy exercise. They require no equipment -- just a basic up and down motion. When done properly, however, pushups challenge most of the muscles of your arms, core and back. Begin with several modified pushup variations to build strength and gradually work your way up to the standard position exercise.
One thing that you don't want to do when picking out Yoga attire as a petite woman is wear big prints. Find out about Yoga attire for petite women with help from a fashion professional in this free video clip.
The most relaxing Yoga poses will help calm both your body and your mind. Find out about the most relaxing Yoga poses with help from a certified personal trainer, yoga instructor and holistic health practitioner in this free video clip.
Yoga isn't just about stretching, relaxing or twisting your body into a pretzel; it also can challenge your muscular strength and endurance in less obvious ways. You can improve your yoga practice by integrating these subtle muscle contractions into your poses, which will enable your body to become stronger and perform more efficiently over time.
Hatha Yoga will require you to take a few important precautions if you have high blood pressure or glaucoma or another type of illness. Learn about Hatha Yoga precautions with help from an internationally-recognized holistic health and wellness expert in this free video clip.
Hatha Yoga requires you to have a nice Yoga mat, among other items. Get instructions for Hatha Yoga with help from an internationally-recognized holistic health and wellness expert in this free video clip.
Yoga Asanas is really great for toning and strengthening the muscles in your arms. Use Yoga Asanas for the arms with help from an internationally-recognized holistic health and wellness expert in this free video clip.
If you are interested in meditation, Bikram Yoga is a great way to take your practices to the next level. Find out about Bikram Yoga and meditation with help from an internationally-recognized holistic health and wellness expert in this free video clip.
Kundalini Yoga is actually one of the more personal types of Yoga that a person can do. Perform Kundalini Yoga at home with help from an internationally-recognized holistic health and wellness expert in this free video clip.
You can stretch the Iliopsoas with Yoga through the careful use of the right type of lunge. Learn about stretching the Iliopsoas with Yoga with help from a certified yoga teacher and healer in this free video clip.
The Iliopsoas muscle (also referred to as simply the psoas) is one of the most important muscles in yoga. This two-part muscle originates in your lower back and in your pelvis. Stretching, releasing and contracting the psoas muscle during a yoga practice can help bring awareness to your body while helping you move your body into poses with ease.
Bikram is a style of yoga, derived from Hatha yoga, developed by Bikram Choudhury. During a Bikram yoga class, you will perform 26 asanas, also known as poses, in a heated room. Each pose was chosen to activate different organs, ligaments, muscles and veins. The series of 26 poses works every part of your body, including your hips.
In a hot or sweaty yoga session, your sticky mat will be your new best friend. Sticky yoga mats are designed to give you traction and they help keep you stable in difficult poses. For some types of mats, it will be obvious which side to use, but it won't be so obvious with other types.
Performed in a heated studio, Bikram yoga involves the same 26 yoga poses during every 90-minute class. The overall goal of the practice is to improve strength, flexibility, balance and mental clarity. The particular sequence of asanas is meant to target every muscle, joint, ligament, organ, nerve and gland in the body. Although Bikram yoga might be a bit intimidating for yoga newbies, the 26 poses can be easily modified to suit anyone’s abilities.
Yoga poses where the head is below the heart, also called inversions, can have numerous health benefits, as they make blood flow to the head and brain passively. Inversions can also have spiritual and emotional effects, as they offer a different perspective and are symbolic of letting the heart take the lead for a moment.
You might have seen your yoga teacher pass out a few long straps with metal buckles out to various students at the start of class. Don't be intimidated by the prop -- D-ring yoga straps are actually meant to make your yoga practice easier and more fulfilling by helping you achieve proper alignment and improving your posture. The next time your yoga teacher asks if anyone wants a strap, proudly reach for one, knowing that you're going to get a great yoga workout with the help of a nylon strap.
Bikram yoga is a style of yoga practiced in a room heated to approximately 105 degrees Fahrenheit and with 40 percent humidity. These heat conditions combined with the movements of Bikram yoga are extremely beneficial for the lymphatic system, which prevents diseases and bacteria from entering the body.
An intensive, sweat-prone exercise, Bikram yoga -- created in the 1970s by founder Bikram Choudry, offers a full-body workout. In fact, in study done by Colorado State University, people who did just eight weeks of Bikram yoga showed increased physical strength and substantial improvement in muscle flexibility.
Think back to the last time you attended a theme party. The theme probably inspired the host’s choice of menu and activities, resulting in a more interactive and enjoyable event for guests. Similarly, theme-centered yoga classes can bring focus and creativity to the sequence of asanas, or postures. For back-bending yoga sequences, a theme can help you choose which postures to perform, and it can provide motivation and guidance for your practice. Obtain instruction from a certified yoga teacher before practicing back bends at home, and do not practice back bends if you have spine health issues.
Early-morning Kundalini poses are part of Sadhana, which is a form of self-care for Kundalini yoga practitioners. The Sadhana can begin anywhere between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., according to Rachel Hill’s book “Nursing From the Inside-Out.” A typical session starts at 4:30 a.m. A two- to five-minute cold shower, or Ishnaan therapy, is taken prior to morning Sadhana to awaken the body. By engaging in the Sadhana, you develop self-discipline as well as improve your physical and spiritual health.
A Bikram yoga classroom has temperatures at or higher than 105 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels of at least 40 percent. Unlike other styles of yoga, the environment of a Bikram yoga studio is as – if not more – important than the poses, or asanas, students access. The end result, say yogis, is a cleanse unlike any other.
Ashtanga yoga originated in India as a way to help teenage boys focus their minds and energy. Brought to the U.S. in 1975 by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Ashtanga yoga has had a strong influence on the Vinyasa and Power Yoga styles practiced by novice and expert yoga practitioners alike. If you're new to Ashtanga yoga, it's a good idea to learn the basic postures before attempting a class. Vinyasa flows in Ashtanga yoga usually move quite rapidly. Stop practicing these poses if you experience pain, strain or any other troublesome symptoms.
Bikram yoga, also called hot yoga, is said to come with a host of benefits, including reducing stress, detoxifying the body, improving flexibility and healing chronic pain. Fat reduction is another positive outcome. In a study done by Colorado State University and reported in a 2013 issue of the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research," researchers reported that people who did this type of yoga for eight weeks experienced decreased body fat. While reducing abdominal fat specifically may be a personal goal for some Bikram participants, a better approach may be to work toward reducing overall body fat and simply…
Yoga has been practiced for at least 5,000 years for its numerous physical, mental and spiritual benefits. A complete yoga practice involves three main components: physical stretches and postures, also known as asanas, meditation and breathing exercises. In addition to the physical and mental benefits of stretching, the yogic practices of meditation and breathwork may help improve your overall sense of well-being and promote inner peace.
Hatha yoga is made up of a series of postures or asanas that align the muscles, bones and skin. As an extension of the spine, the neck is anatomically located in the dorsal, or back, region of the body. Hatha yoga neck stretches specifically lengthen and improve range of motion in the ligaments and muscles of the seven vertebrae of the cervical spine. Muscles that surround the cervical vertebrae are the rectus capitis posterior minor, the rectus capitis posterior major, the obliquus capitis (superior) and the obliquus capitis (inferior).
The arms -- and especially the underarm area -- are a particularly troublesome spot for many people to tone. By practicing specific yoga asanas for the arms, you can help tone flabby areas, build strength in your entire arm area and improve your overall balance and flexibility. Poses that focus on your arms primarily include vinyasas, poses to improve arm flexibility, strength-building poses and inversions. If you experience pain, increased strain or any troublesome symptoms while practicing these poses, stop and seek medical attention if necessary.
Pranayama, which is the Sanksrit term for breathing techniques, has been an integral part of yoga practice for centuries. Swami Ramdev, an Indian guru, teaches a variety of breath techniques to his followers in India and throughout the world. Although pranayama was once only practiced under the guidance of a guru, Ramdev believes that it can be practiced by anyone to improve health.
When you spend a lot of time working at your desk, watching TV or doing other stationary activities, the various muscles of your hips can really suffer. If you're feeling tightness in your hips, a few key yoga poses may loosen the hip flexor muscles and provide you some relief. A typical yoga practice often starts by warming up the spine and the rest of the body, including Cat-Cow poses on all fours, Sun Salutations that include Upward and Downward-facing Dog, and forward bends with your feet about hip-width apart. Following that, move into a sequence that can help open…
Rolling over on your toes in yoga may seem like a difficult technique to master at first. With practice, however, rolling your toes over as you transition between poses is not as hard as it looks. Rolling your toes is a step that helps you transition from a Downward-facing Plank or Four-limbed Staff pose to Upward-facing Dog. With a few tweaks in your technique, you can learn to roll your toes over and back no matter what type of yoga you practice.
When you do certain yoga asanas -- or postures -- you can feel certain groups of muscles lengthening together like a thick rubber band. Learning what muscle groups you are stretching can help you understand your body better, but memorizing each muscle group can be a pain if you aren't familiar with human anatomy. Instead of memorizing each muscle, group them together in myofascial lines, which are groups of muscles that share many nerve and connective tissue pathways, according to massage therapist Thomas Myers, author of "Anatomy Trains." When one group of muscles is lengthened or contracted, it will affect…
Yoga asanas for the ankles create flexibility in the toes, heels and muscles of the feet for increased agility. Flexibility and dexterity of the ankles also prevent sprains during athletic performances. Developing ankle strength with yoga also increases awareness of the position of the ankle when maintaining balance. Awareness also decreases the possibility of spraining the joint. Finally, many asanas can be performed individually outside of an entire yoga program to focus on foot and ankle strengthening. If you are experiencing ankle pain, however, seek the advice of a physician before attempting ankle exercises.
Hamstrings, the muscles that run up the back of your thighs, need attention to stay strong and healthy. If they become too tight from sitting at a desk hour after hour, you may be at risk for a painful pull or tear. When hamstrings are too loose -- which can be caused by hanging out in a split or stretching without strengthening -- you can unbalance your thigh by developing powerful quads and weak hamstrings. Yoga can help you strike a good balance and keep hamstring muscles in tip-top shape.
Running an effective yoga class can be rewarding but takes practice. As you develop your own style of teaching, you can make adjustments to continually improve the class. It’s common to be nervous when you first start teaching, so be prepared and arrive early. Your relaxed and confident attitude will create a better class to benefit your students.
Starting a raid group in "World of Warcraft" requires you to find at least one other person within the game's world. Find out how you start a raid group on "World of Warcraft" with help from a video game expert in this free video clip.
All conscientious moms and dads want their toddlers to eat well so they can grow into healthy and active children. The little guys, on the other hand, are less concerned with the nutrients present in the food and more worried about what tastes good and what is "yucky." The way you approach the issue of diversifying your child’s diet could have a major impact on her future eating habits -- so proceed with caution.
Toddlers are notorious for mischievous deeds, temper tantrums and having natural curiosity that can lead to trouble. One of your jobs as a parent is to guide your child's behavior so he learns what's acceptable and what's not allowed. Consistent discipline is an essential part of teaching your toddler how to behave, and appropriate punishments are a part of that plan.
The hips and shoulders Yoga sequence is a really efficient way to target a few key areas on your body. Learn about the hips and shoulders Yoga sequence with help from a reliable and passionate Yoga instructor in this free video clip.
Ashtanga Yoga introductory poses are a great way for beginners to work up to more difficult moves. Learn about Ashtanga Yoga introductory poses with help from a reliable and passionate Yoga instructor in this free video clip.
Anusara Yoga exercises need to be done in a very particular way for maximum benefits. Do Anusara Yoga exercises with help from a reliable and passionate Yoga instructor in this free video clip.
You can improve your Bikram Yoga poses by carefully adopting a number of different techniques into your routine. Improve Birkam Yoga poses with help from a reliable and passionate Yoga instructor in this free video clip.
Bikram Yoga poses don't necessarily have to involve a lot of heat. Find out about Bikram Yoga poses that don't use heat with help from a personal trainer, choreographer, dance instructor, and a yoga and Pilates instructor in this free video clip.
Yoga Asanas exercises are a great way to achieve those slim hips that you've been going after. Find out about Yoga Asanas for slim hips with help from a personal trainer, choreographer, dance instructor, and a yoga and Pilates instructor in this free video clip.
