Yoga For Physical And Mental Well Being. Posture Flexibility

My Yoga Affiliate Posts

By Michael | June 3, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Yoga Equipment Shopping For The Best Deals

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Yoga has become an increasing way of life for many people. It is a great form of exercise that promotes almost every muscle in your body. This promotes your flexibility and the oxygen flowing to your different muscle groups.

It has been to help with arthritis, back pain, sleep disorders, mental and physical ailments. Having the right equipment and wearing the right clothing not only makes you comfortable in your practices but eventually yoga will become a part of your life.

Yoga along and meditation dates back centuries. Within the past eight years it has become a part of treating certain physical and mental medical, within the profession. The popularity of videos, the amazing outfits and the equipment you should incorporate into this practice has gained significant popularity.

Improper way’s of doing yoga can bring negative effects to mind and body. Hence proper equipment and accessories are necessary to do tough poses in a comfortable manner. Here, we have listed out the important yoga equipment and accessories for studios and learners.

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A yoga mat: this needs to be stretchy, comfortable but also reasonably sticky so you don’t slip while stretching (if you sweat more, opt for an open cell yoga mat);
A yoga mat bag: for carrying your mat around without it losing shape;
A water flask (you will get thirsty during your workouts and it’s essential to stay hydrated), ideal for keeping your supply of fresh water or even lemon water on hand;
A yoga towel: no matter the type of yoga you practice or how peaceful it looks from afar, yoga is still a workout and I can promise you will sweat, especially if you sign up for hot yoga;
A yoga strap: this is a piece of equipment you will use for wrapping yourself up tightly in order to deepen the effect of some of the stretches, or you will use it as a prop for certain exercises in order to make them a bit more challenging and so on.

Extras to consider:

A yoga DVD: if you’re not attending classes on the regular (though, as a beginner, you definitely should do that), a DVD can help you practice yoga at home instead of missing sessions because you can’t make it to class;
A yoga blanket: it’s not mandatory but it will help you relax better towards the end of your training sessions;
A yoga brick or yoga block: especially useful for home practice but not only, a good block can help yogis better position themselv
es during asanas, and also provides better comfort and relaxation during the less challenging parts of your yoga workout.

This is what you will need to be equipped for yoga classes:

A pair of yoga pants (these need to be tight but comfortable, to allow you to push the limits of your flexibility further) – I like Gap and Lotus Leggings, as far as brands go;
A yoga tank top (and, depending on your bust size if you’re a lady, also a sturdy sports bra): I like Gaiam tops and Yoga Rebel bras;
A pair of comfy sneakers that you should only keep for indoor use and that should have really light and flexible soles: I like Allbirds wool sneakers for their ideal balance of warmth and airiness.

If you just started out doing yoga and don’t want to go broke buying everything you need at once, I suggest you wear some other comfortable shoes or sneakers for a while. You don’t absolutely need specialized yoga sneakers, but you do need special clothing for yogis, so you should make that your priority if you need to choose.

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As we all know if we want to achieve the best results we should use the best equipment to make our goals a little bit easier and with less effort to be the best we can be. Please visit, GAIAM. Thank you, be safe and enjoy healthy lifestyles.

Yoga Outfit

Using Yoga Blocks

Yoga Collection for Kids

Yoga Equipment Videos

Comments are always welcome.

Thank you,

Michael

Mind Body Yoga

By Michael | April 4, 2019 | Comments 6 comments

What is Mind Body Yoga all about?

Definition of Yoga, (Asanas)

Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India.

Yoga poses (also called asanas) are at the heart of the physical practice of yoga.

There different of types yoga: HATHA YOGA: Hatha Yoga makes the spine more flexible. KUNDALINI YOGA: Kundalini yoga gives unique consideration to the role of the spine and the endocrine system. MANTRA YOGA: Mantra yoga meditation involves chanting a word or phrase. JNANA YOGA: Jnana-Yoga is the path of Self-realization.

Yoga For Strength

Vinyasa Yoga:

Get your flow on in this dynamic practice that links movement and breath together in a dance-like way. Each pose and the pace can be quick, so be prepared for your heart rate to rise.

Ideal for: Weight loss.

This fairly fast-paced style, sometimes called power yoga, requires you to move continuously. The most well-known vinyasa sequence is the sun salutation, a flowing series of lunging, bending, and stretching asanas. Expect to do standing and seated poses that develop strength, flexibility, and balance. You’ll also spend some time on inversions, such as a shoulder stand or a headstand, in which the feet are raised above the head.

Intense exercisers might enjoy Vinyasa because of its faster pace. Runners and endurance athletes are also drawn to Vinyasa class because of the continuous movement.

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GAIAM Yoga Essentials

Iyengar Yoga: Please Click For Video

Here you’ll get nit-picky about precision and detail, as well as your body’s alignment in each pose. Props, from yoga blocks and blankets to straps or a ropes wall, will become your new best friend, helping you to work within a range of motion that is safe and effective. Unlike in Vinyasa, each posture is held for a certain period.

Ideal for: Anyone with neck or back problems.

Iyengar can also be practiced at any age and is great for those with injuries (though you should consult with a doctor first)

Ashtanga Yoga: Click For Video

Consisting of six series of specifically sequenced yoga poses, you’ll flow and breathe through each pose to build internal heat. The catch is that you’ll perform the same poses in the exact same order in each class. Ashtanga requires strength and endurance, so you’ll get the most out of it if you practice regularly.

If you’re a perfectionist, you’ll like Ashtanga’s routine and strict guidelines.

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Yoga Outlet

Kundalini Yoga: Please Click For Video

This physically and mentally challenging practice looks very different from your typical yoga . You’ll perform kriyas — repetitive physical exercises coupled with intense breath work — while also chanting, singing and meditating. The goal? To break through your internal barriers, releasing the untapped energy residing within you and bringing you a higher level of self-awareness.

This form of yoga was developed to calm the mind and energize the body through movement, the chanting of mantras, and breathing. Usually 50 percent exercise, 20 percent breath work, 20 percent meditation, and 10 percent relaxation. The goal is to release the energy that kundalini devotees believe is stored at the base of the spine.

Good to know: Consider this style the most “out there.” If chanting is not for you, simply repeat the mantras in your head.

Best for: People looking for a spiritual practice.

Those who are seeking something more than a workout may enjoy Kundalini due to its emphasis on the internal aspects of yoga, including breath work, meditation and spiritual energy. This physically challenging style consists of an unvarying sequence of poses. “Typically, you execute 70 poses in one 90-minute to two-hour session. These will include 10 sun salutations, back bends, and inversions.

Yin Yoga: Please Click for Video

To calm and balance your body and mind, this is where you’ll find your zen. The opposite of a faster moving practice like Ashtanga, Yin yoga poses are held for several minutes at a time. This meditative practice is designed to target your deeper connective tissues and fascia, restoring length and elasticity. You’ll use props so your body can release into the posture instead of actively flexing or engaging the muscles. Like meditation, its restorative powers might have you hooked.

Best for: People who need to stretch and unwind.

Yin yoga is not recommended for people who are super flexible, (you might overdo it in some poses) or anyone who has a connective tissue disorder.

Hatha: Please Click For Video

Ideal for: Beginners.

Hatha refers to any practice that combines poses, or asanas, with breathing techniques, or pranayamas. The goal of a basic hatha class is to develop flexibility and balance and to integrate breath into every movement, so it is generally relaxing and restorative.

Bikram:

Absolute Hot Yoga.

Watch this video on YouTube.

Ideal for: Building flexibility.

Founder Bikram Choudhury, popularized this style of “hot yoga” in the 1970s. To mimic the climate in Choudhury’s hometown in northern India. Usually done in rooms heated to a sauna like temperatures of a 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with a 40 percent humidity level. “The heat loosens your muscles, increasing your ability to stretch.

It is recommended to avoid eating for at least two hours, you may want to have plenty of water on hand.

Please Always Consult Your Doctor First Before Performing Any of These Exercises

Ashtanga Yoga

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Comments are welcome

Thank you,

Michael

Benefits of Yoga

By Michael | January 27, 2019 | Comments 4 comments

Welcome To Yoga

Introduction:

Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India. Yoga is one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophical traditions. There is a broad variety of yoga schools, practices, and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Wikipedia

“The purpose of yoga is to build strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body,” explains Natalie Nevins, DO, a board-certified osteopathic family physician and certified Kundalini Yoga instructor in Hollywood, California.

While there are more than 100 different types, or schools, of yoga, most sessions typically include breathing exercises, meditation, and assuming postures (sometimes called asana or poses) that stretch and flex various muscle groups.

Physical benefits of yoga include:

Increased flexibility.
Increased muscle strength and tone.
Improved respiration, energy and vitality.
Maintaining a balanced metabolism.
Weight reduction.
Cardio and circulatory health.
Improved athletic performance.
Protection from injury.
Stabilize your spine
Improve your posture
Reduce or avoid back pain.

Mental benefits:

Aside from the physical benefits, one of the best benefits of yoga is how it helps a person manage stress, which is known to have devastating effects on the body and mind. “Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can be very effective in developing coping skills and reaching a more positive outlook on life.”

Yoga’s incorporation of meditation and breathing can help improve a person’s mental well-being. “Regular yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relieves chronic stress patterns; relaxes the mind; centers attention; and sharpens concentration,” says Dr. Nevins. Body- and self-awareness are particularly beneficial, she adds, “because they can help with early detection of physical problems and allow for early preventive action.”

“The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome,” explains Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can also lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia.

There are so many aspects of yoga, I would love to share with you. The nature of this practice incorporates so many aspects of life, it would be impossible to for me to cover them all. The benefits are endless.

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On a personal note:

I suffer from severe back pain, depression, anxiety and until I started taking baby steps in getting involved in Yoga, I was not living. The meditation, to reduce my anxiety and depression, the yoga exercises to improve my flexibility to improve my back pain has compelled me to share the benefits of this wonderful practice. The side effects of the medications I was taking, to say the least were extremely nasty. I do encourage you to give it a chance, even if you do not have any ailments. Yoga is also preventative medicine

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Lunge

Cat cow

Step your right foot forward next to your right hand, coming into a low lunge. You may want to drop your back knee down to the floor at first for a nice stretch in both hips. Keep the back leg straight if you want to begin to work into your hamstrings, which run along the back side of your thighs. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths. Move directly into the straight-leg lunge

Continue warming up the back with 5 to 10 cat-cow stretches. If the movement feels familiar, it’s because the pelvis is moving in essentially the same way as in the pelvic tilt. The cat-to-cow stretch extends that movement along the entire spine, helping to awaken and invigorate your whole body.

Be sure to pay attention to your breath as you move between these poses. Inhale when you arch the back and exhale when you round the spine. Initiate each movement from your tail bone and let it ripple up the spine, moving your head last of all. Continue the movements for 5 rounds.

Unfortunately that is all I can show you for now. If, are just getting into yoga it is a good start.

Stabilization abdominal exercises are something that not many people know about, however they are very important, since they target the core work more muscles, which in result burn more calories.

Side Plank:

Yoga Side Plank

First, lay on your left side. Then direct your elbow below your shoulder. Your forearm should be placed perpendicular to your body.

Place your feet one in front of the other.

Contract your abs and lift your hips off the floor until your body makes a diagonal line from your shoulder to your feet.

Try to hold this position for at least of 30 to 45 seconds.

Now simply repeat by switching the sides.

Reverse Crunch:

Yoga Reverse Crunch

Get into a seated position with your knees bent. Knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle (feet flat)

Reach your both arms forward while palms facing each other.

Exhale one time while pulling your belly button toward your spine.

Get into the position on your tailbone into A, C shape.

When you are done, you can inhale and return to the starting position. Repeat this ab exercise, 15-20 reps.

Plank Crawl Out:

Yoga Plank Crawlout

Start with a ‘standing tall with your feet’ position. Make sure your core is engaged.

Try to touch the floor while your hips are bent. When floors are reached, walk your hands out until you reach a push up position.

Go back to the starting position while inching your hands backwards and piking you hip up to the ceiling.

When your feet are flat on the floor, bend at the hips again and lift yourself back up to the standing position.

Boat Pose:

Yoga Boat Pose

Sit upright, bent your knees and put your feet flat on the floor.

Lift your legs while leaned back.

Form a V shape by extending your arms out straight, palms up.

Hold this position for 30-40 seconds. Then repeat.

Conclusion:

Please before you do any exercises make sure you feel physically comfortable. These are mild exercises incorporating yoga to get you feeling fit. Yoga has been around for centuries. It covers the mind and body and it uses all your muscles. I will be covering other yoga exercises covering muscle groups. Stay tuned and feel good about yourself.

Always consult your Doctor first!

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Namaste

Your Comments Are Welcome

Michael

Yoga Equipment

By Michael | October 16, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Yoga Equipment – For Beginners

Yoga is very effective at providing physical exercise without impact, and can be used by many groups of people, including those with injuries and disabilities. Of course, if you’re going to practice yoga and you have a prior condition, you should talk to your doctor first.

Some reported benefits of yoga include greater strength and flexibility, stress and anxiety relief, and regulation of health problems. It can help people who have heart disease, high blood pressure, back problems, and even asthma. Yoga has also said to help people who are suffering harmful effects of self-objectification.

If you would like to practice yoga, and experience the health benefits of this practice, it can help to use the right equipment. Using the best yoga equipment possible will make your yoga practice easier and help you get a better workout.

Remember to wear comfortable clothing to practice yoga. Natural fibers are ideal, since they breathe well and will prevent our bodies from over heating. Restrictive clothing can make it a lot harder to perform the necessary yoga positions. You won’t need shoes to practice yoga – generally, it’s done barefoot on a mat. A good yoga mat helps you define the space in which you’re going to practice. It also helps you get traction, preventing slipping in difficult yoga positions.

While you can rent a yoga mat from the studio, there’s some risk of contracting fungi or other conditions from it. Buying your own is not expensive, and means that you won’t be exposed to the danger of other people’s contagious conditions. Avoid cheap mats, however. The foam out of which they’re made may not hold up as well, and can contain pthalates.(click for defination)

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THE YOGA OUTLET

Other optional yoga equipment includes blankets and blocks, which can assist you in assuming difficult positions. If you’d like to practice yoga, having the right equipment can make it a lot easier.

Practicing with low quality equipment, or in clothing that restricts your movement can make yoga more difficult. So, if you’re thinking of starting a yoga class, take a few moments to make sure that you have the right clothes and a high quality mat.

It has been my experience that for the best results it is a requirement to have the proper tools and proper attire makes you comfortable to perform at a higher level. It is a plus that with yoga most of the equipment required is your body and mind.

A Personal Note:

I work as a licensed automotive technician and without my tools there is very little I can accomplish, also I have to wear the proper safe equipment to perform these tasks to the best of my knowledge.

I am sure, the Doctor, the Nurse, the Chef and so on require the right tools to be able to work in an efficient manner.

Why Yoga Tools and Equipment along with Comfortable Apparel:

It is for the same reason, the technician, doctor the nurse and the chef requires these components to perform to their best abilities.

I am not going to bore you with the pros and cons of having the right tools to achieve the greatest rewards in the shortest time and your journey. becomes so much easier and enjoyable.

How much Equipment do you Need:

I have just listed the basics, but there are so many tools that you may acquire to guarantee you the most positive results in the shortest period of time.

Blocks
Foam Wedges
Straps
Foam Bags
Plus many more

Yoga Mat

Yoga Equipment

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Michael

Yoga Health Articles

By Michael | September 26, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Yoga poses and how the practice benefits you.

Benefits of Doing Yoga:

1) Yoga is believed to reduce menopausal hot flashes.

2) Yoga improves your balance.

3) Yoga makes your moves more graceful.

4) Yoga can actually prevent you from having migraine head aches.

5) Yoga delays aging by stimulating Detoxification in the body.

6) Yoga can relieve constipation.

7) Yoga can alleviate allergy symptoms.

9) Yoga can increase your pain tolerance.

10) Yoga reduces blood pressure and pulse rate.

11) Yoga helps prevent disease by massaging,

your internal organs

12) Yoga can help improve your immune systems.

13) Yoga can heal the body and prevent injuries

14) Yoga improves your posture.

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Using brain scans, scientists can now prove that yoga actually changes your brain chemistry. And that’s a good thing. Just like practicing tai chi moves, using yoga as a form of exercise and meditation can help naturally treat a range of health issues, particularly ones rooted in the brain. While natural therapies, including yoga, don’t have a ton of funding for major studies compared to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, we are starting to see some compelling science emerge. Some of the best science to date showing how yoga changes your brain involves yoga’s impact on anxiety, depression and pain tolerance.

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Did you know yoga is a natural remedy for anxiety?

That’s because yoga impacts our brain’s GABA levels. GABA is short for gamma-aminobutryic acid, sometimes referred to as your body’s “chill out” neurotransmitter. GABA is crucial for suppressing neural activity. Your GABA neurotransmitters produce a calming effect similar to of drinking alcohol (without the harmful side effects). And, of course, alcohol’s calming effects are only temporary, with anxiety often rising once the buzz wears off. Yoga bumps up your brain’s natural GABA production without traditional anti-anxiety drugs designed to help your body release GABA. (Getting off benzodiazepine drugs can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms.) Yoga sounds much better than insomnia, seizures and, ironically, more anxiety linked with drug withdrawal.

Bring on the asanas! While walking to lose weight really works, it may not be your best defense against anxiety. Practicing yoga unleashes more anxiety-quelling GABA in the brain’s thalamus than walking, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Compared to pleasure reading for an hour, a 60-minute yoga session increases GABA levels by 27 percent. Because of its combination of breathing, meditation and movement, yoga could be one of the best exercises to combat anxiety.

Cat Pose

Cow Pose

Down Doge Pose

The links between Tai-chi and Yoga:

Tai chi and yoga are like fitness cousins.

What is Tai-chi?

Both tai-chi and Yoga go very, very deep but you have to be willing to take the practice seriously. If you want to do it half-baked, then that’s the level of success you will have. If you want to feel like you’ve had a bit of a workout right away, you’ll get that from yoga. tai-chi can provide a lot of physical training but approaches it differently.

At a yoga class, you’ll most likely sweat and feel like you’ve done something physical in your first lesson – with tai-chi, it will start a bit more subtle. I have looked at many of the other answers here and elsewhere and it seems everyone is forgetting that tai-chi is a martial art, yoga is not.

When both of these practices are incorporated into each they supplement each other.

Though tai-chi is focused more toward the martial arts, having the knowledge of yoga and the flexibility it provides helps these two forms compliment each other.

Once tai chi and yoga are broken down individually, it’s safe to say, they’re almost identical in benefits and components. The main difference is in execution. Yoga involves holding poses and postures. Tai chi is performed in a dance-like, martial arts form.

Beginners tai-chi: video

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