If you’ve been doing yoga classes for a while now, we don’t have to convince you of the benefits of yoga. You’ve already experienced them for yourself. You’ve seen for yourself how regular yoga practice can increase strength, lower levels of stress hormones, and improve your quality of life. What you might not know, though, is why it works as well as it does. Yoga teachers have probably told you that it works by regulating the flow of prana, but what does that mean exactly? It’s true, of course, but to your average practitioner, it’s not exactly a scientific explanation.Now, if you’ve never tried a yoga class or even any yoga poses, you have never experienced the benefits of yoga for yourself. For you, hearing about how it helps to improve your prana means even less. You want to know how it helps with staying healthy and improves your mental health.That’s why we’ve created this article about the top 30 health benefits of yoga. We’re going to explain what the actual health benefits of regular yoga practice are in clear and straightforward terms. You’ll be surprised at the number of health-related topics that yoga covers.Yoga alliance practitioners have been saying for years that it can even assist in fighting cancers, like breast cancer and prostate cancer.We’re not going to be talking about prana or chakras or anything like that – we’re just going to focus on plain and simple information to start you off. Over time, naturally, you’ll want to learn more about the different types of yoga, and the potential spiritual benefits of practicing it. For now, though, our aim is simple – we want to encourage you to get into the yoga studios or start an online learning program of yoga poses. Why? Because we’ve gained so much from practicing yoga ourselves. We understand from personal experience how much you’ll benefit from regular yoga practice. We’ve experienced the complete transformation of mind and body that accompanies regular practice, and we believe that there is no better way to boost men’s health or women’s health than through yoga practice. Simply put, no other type of exercise can contribute quite as much to a healthy lifestyle and reducing stress. There are many different postures to learn, and each will contribute to your overall health and fitness. Yoga provides a complete wellness solution.Even Western medicine and medical schools now acknowledge that there are significant benefits to the practice. It’s not exactly breaking health news that yoga is good for you, but it is relatively new that Western medicine is starting to acknowledge the benefits. Just One Word Before We StartYoga has a reputation as being a very gentle form of exercise. You’re not going to be bouncing around to the latest hit music, or performing flashy dance moves. However, don’t let that fool you. Yoga is an ancient practice that has been honed over millennia to test and tone the body and mind. Depending on the type of yoga class that you join and power yogas you try, you could end up with a workout that is a lot more intense than any cardio routine you’re used to. The benefit with yoga, though, is that you can move at your own pace. Any form of physical activity is worthwhile over the long term.As you progress, you can raise the intensity level of every class so that they become more challenging. It’s a whole-body workout that will help you feel calm and centered, and leave you in the best shape of your life. Yoga’s Health Benefits 1. Better Flexibility This is one of the primary reasons to strike a yoga pose. Even if you can’t touch your toes right now, that should change quickly. The exercises are designed to smooth out and limber up your muscles and the connective tissues in your body.As you get more practice, you’ll find that you are more easily able to move, and you will become more flexible. Our sedentary lifestyle tends to result in tight muscles, particularly in the hip area, which means tighter hamstrings and the misalignment of the tibias and thighs. This, in turn, leads to bad posture and can result in chronic pain. Increased flexibility has an amazing effect on your overall health and wellness. You’ll find it easier to move, and you’ll experience less pain overall. 2. Builds Muscle StrengthThere’s no question that strong muscles are essential for good health. Your muscles help to keep your skeletal structure in place and working as it should. If you want to stave off degenerative conditions like arthritis, you need to keep your muscles strong. Here’s the thing, you don’t need to lift weights for increased strength. In fact, while there are definite advantages to weight training if you want to look like Vin Diesel, strength training can be counterproductive for most of us.Lifting weights does build muscle, but it won’t do a thing to improve your flexibility. With yoga, you’ll build strength and improve your flexibility. Your body weight is all the resistance that you need to get started. As you progress, you can always add weights into your practice, which helps to build muscle and improve bone density as well, a practice to help increase muscle and core strength can be Kettlebell yoga that both gives you muscle tone and gives you strength and flexibility. 3. You’ll Perfect Your PostureYour mom was right – you need to stop slouching. Do a quick experiment. Get yourself a weight of around ten or eleven pounds. Carry it around all day holding it out in front of you. How far did you get? How easy was it to carry it around in front of you all day? What’s that got to do with posture, you ask? Your head weighs around ten to eleven pounds. Now, unless you’re able to detach your head, you’re going to be carrying it around all day. Here’s the thing – the spine is designed to handle that weight, as long as you maintain the right posture. Most of us don’t maintain the right posture, though. We hunch over our computer screen or bend over to read our phones, which has the same effect as holding a weight out in front of your body – you get tired fast.That would be bad enough, but over time, the slumping affects the muscles. The curve of the spine starts to flatten out to compensate. It’s an unnatural position and one that leads directly to pain and possibly degenerative conditions like arthritis. Yoga helps you to stretch those muscles back into the correct position. 4. Stops Your Cartilage from DegeneratingThe exercises ensure that your joints move throughout their full range of motion. This motion helps to keep the cartilage more supple. Every time a joint is exercised, it squeezes the cartilage. This pushes all the fluid from the joint. The body then speeds new fluid and nutrients in to replace it.So, every time you exercise a joint, your cartilage is getting a fresh supply of nutrients, which helps it stay spongy and prevents it from wearing out. You’ll also love how this helps with improving flexibility.5. Your Spine is ProtectedYour spine is mainly designed to absorb the shock of impact when you walk, as well as to keep you upright. The disks in between each vertebra need to have a steady supply of nutrients to stay healthy. Spinal twists, backbends and forward bends all help to exercise the spine and keep the disks healthy and flexible. If you have a degenerative condition like Multiple Sclerosis, this protection of the spine can help to alleviate pain. It cannot cure the disease, but it can delay the progress of degeneration. 6. Improves Bone DensityWe’re told that we need to do weight-bearing exercise to strengthen our bones and improve bone density. With yoga, you are using your body weight as resistance, which is effectively a weight-bearing exercise.So, every time you practice downward dog, for example, you are placing pressure on the bones of the arm, which helps to improve bone density. Studies suggest that calcium in your bones is leeched out when you have a high level of cortisol in the blood. So, it follows that if you can reduce the levels of cortisol in the bloodstream, less calcium is leeched out. One of the benefits of yoga is that it reduces the levels of this stress hormone.7. Better CirculationDo you battle with cold hands and feet? This is a symptom that your circulation is not quite as good as it should be. That’s where the asanas that you will learn can be extremely helpful. Remember what we said about Prana? Prana refers to the body’s essential energy or life-force. There is nothing more life-giving in the body than your blood. The poses assist with circulation in two ways:The muscles are constricted and compressed and creating from asana a tourniquet effect, and this pushes blood around the body. Healthy blood flow is restored.Inverted poses use the force of gravity to move blood to different areas.When you do a headstand, for example, the blood in the legs will naturally flow back to your heart. Why is this important? Blood is pumped through the lungs to be oxygenated. The more effective your circulation is, the more oxygenated blood is circulated through your body. Oxygen is required by every cell in the body, so you’ll feel more energetic as a result. Exercise will also increase the levels of hemoglobin and will stimulate the production of red blood cells. Your body becomes even more effective at transporting oxygen. 8. Your Lymphatic System is Drained and Immunity BoostedIf there is one design flaw in the body, it might be in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system has no pump that can help to move the lymph fluid around the body. Lymph fluid moves when the muscles contract and push against the vessels that carry it. If you’re sedentary most of the time, the lymph flow becomes sluggish. This is bad news because the lymphatic system has an important function – to move toxins out of the body. The more sluggish the lymphatic system is, the longer the toxins and waste products are left in the body.The lymphatic system is an essential part of your immune system. The best way to improve immunity, therefore, is to keep this system in tip-top shape. 9. It Gets Your Heart PumpingThis might sound a little strange to you. We don’t usually associate yoga with cardio, after all. But vigorous exercise of any kind will get your heart pumping. If you try Ashtanga, Hot yoga or any other styles of yoga that raise your heartbeat, you can achieve the same level of exertion that you would with a low-intensity cardio workout. Even if you’re following a gentler set of exercises, though, you’re still increasing your heart rate. What’s more, over time, yoga helps to reduce your resting heart rate, which means that the heart doesn’t have to work as hard as it otherwise would at rest.This is good for heart health and can help stave off heart disease. You’ll significantly lower your chances of having a heart attack or heart failure by practicing yoga.What’s more, the breathing exercises that accompany the postures can further assist in aerobic conditioning. 10. Lower Blood PressureHigh blood pressure increases your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, which increases the chances of having a stroke or a heart attack. Yoga helps to reduce blood pressure in two ways:It relieves stress, which helps to lower high blood pressure.It helps to improve the circulation and lower cholesterol levels, which can help to prevent plaque building up in the veins and also keep the veins more supple. This reduces your blood pressure overall. For more reading about yoga and lower blood pressure you can read Lifestyle modification and blood pressure study (LIMBS) that if systolic blood pressure drops by 2MM Hg it can lower the risk of dying from heart disease by 7 percent and reduce the risk of dying from a stroke by 10 percent.11. Helps to Regulate the Actions of the Adrenal GlandsDo you tend to put on weight around your gut? Or do you have a jelly belly? That’s usually a result of high levels of cortisol circulating in the bloodstream. Now, ironically, the hormone cortisol serves an important function.It’s meant to help prime us for action when there’s danger. Back when we needed to fight or flight to avoid being dinner, this was a good thing. The problem is that the body doesn’t discriminate between actual physical danger and a perceived threat.So, while you might not have to fight your way out of the boardroom, your body acts as though you do. Your cortisol levels go up. If you don’t work off that extra cortisol by exercising, it wreaks havoc in the bloodstream.If it’s a one-off event, it’s not going to cause much harm. Over and over again, though, this hormone causes you to build up more fat in the abdomen, increase insulin resistance, increase blood pressure, and cause you to become more susceptible to stress and depression. Regular exercise helps to reverse this cycle. With yoga, you get a double whammy of this cortisol-busting effect. Exercise helps you to use up the hormone in your body, and you'll feel more relaxed, so you'll produce less cortisol overall. 12. Improves Your MoodAny exercise will help to improve your mood over time. Yoga, however, has been proven to increase the levels of serotonin in the bloodstream and decrease the levels of the enzyme that breaks neurotransmitters down.Here, it’s a triple whammy effect. You have more serotonin, the “happy” hormone, being produced, and your body doesn’t need as much. Add to that the cortisol-busting effects and you’re on a real roll here. 13. You’ll Naturally Become HealthierExercise helps your body cope better with stress. When you’re stressed out, it’s harder to follow a healthy diet. Yoga helps by providing you with stress relief and the exercise that you need. It also helps you to get more in touch with your body. You’ll be more aware of your body, and you’ll want to feed it healthy, nutritious food.14. Regulates Your Blood SugarAnother adverse side effect of having too much cortisol in the bloodstream is that it lowers the body’s response to insulin. The result is that you need to produce more insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Yoga helps to regulate blood sugar by reducing cortisol levels and improving your body’s sensitivity to insulin. It also helps to reduce your weight, and lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream. This, in turn, helps to reduce your risk of developing diabetes. The practice itself will encourage you to practice better eating habits, and that can be helpful with weight management as well. It is scientific fact that yoga and meditation will help reduce stress, thereby helping with diabetes control. Yoga asanas The various yoga asanas during a yoga practice help to improve the sensitivity of β-cells to glucose, thereby improving insulin secretion, and improve the blood flow to the muscle and muscle relaxation, thereby improving glucose uptake. Read more in study Therapeutic role in type 2 diabetes15. Helps You to FocusYoga helps you to calm your mind, but it also helps you to control your thoughts. You have better control over runaway emotions, and you can concentrate better. You can, therefore, focus better on what is important to you. A study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign shows that just 20 minute of hatha yoga 3 times a week boosts brain function in older adults. 16. It Helps You to RelaxThe one thing that all people taking classes can agree on is that breathing exercises help you to feel calmer. Yoga has a significant calming effect because it shifts your focus. It helps to engage the parasympathetic nervous system and this, in turns, triggers the relaxation response. This is essential in having a better quality of life. Check any symptom checker or health AZ guide, and you’ll find that stress negatively affects your health in just about any case. 17. Improve Balance Yoga helps you to develop a better sense of where your body is in space. This is known as proprioception. The body is naturally designed to understand balance well, but poor posture or lack of mobility can reduce our abilities in this area. By developing a better sense of balance, you can improve your mobility overall, especially as you start getting older. Asana like the Tree pose significantly improves balance. 18. Helps Promote a Healthy Nervous SystemEventually, with enough practice, yogis can do extraordinary things with their bodies. They learn how to control aspects of their bodies that are usually automatically controlled by the nervous system. For instance, they can slow their breathing, change their heart rate, and even direct the flow of blood. It takes years of practice to get to this level, but there are significant benefits to the nervous system when it comes to practicing yoga. You might not want to alter your heart rate, but what about inducing the relaxation response? 19. Relieves the Tension You are Holding in Your BodyOver time, repetitive actions, like clenching the phone between our shoulder and ears, or typing constantly can result in a lot of tension in the related muscles. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the results of this kind of repetitive action.Yoga will teach you how to relax all the muscles in your body. When these muscles relax, the tension in them is automatically released. 20. You’ll Sleep BetterWe live lives that continually stimulate our brains. Whether we’re watching Netflix until three in the morning, or checking our messages on our phones, our brain hardly ever gets a chance to relax. Yoga can help you learn to relax, and also give you some time free from stimulation, which makes it easier to fall asleep at night and encourages restful sleep. If you battle to fall asleep, you can practice Yoga Nidra, which is a guided relaxation, or restorative yoga. 21. Improves Immune FunctionStress has a significant negative effect on our bodies. Cortisol production suppresses the immune system. By reducing your overall levels of this hormone, your immune system gets a boost. 22. Improves Lung FunctionBreathing exercises teach you to take longer, deeper breaths, which is more efficient for your body and is also calming. It’s incredibly beneficial to your well-being because it improves the oxygen saturation levels in the bloodstream.You’ll also learn to breathe through your nose. This is important because the nose helps to filter the particles out of the air and helps to warm it. If you have asthma, this could help to reduce the number of asthma attacks you have overall. 23. Helps Your Digestive TractOur typical diet, combined with stress, is bad news for the gut. Exercise helps to increase the speed at which food moves along the digestive tract. So, yoga can help to prevent constipation and move waste through the intestines. The stress-relieving benefits of yoga can also assist in reducing digestive upsets. IBS, ulcers, and so on are all made worse by stress. 24. Helps You Achieve Peace of MindYoga is as much a mental practice as it is a physical one. You’ll learn to quiet racing thoughts and feel more at peace, which can help reduce the severity of physical conditions that are exacerbated by stress. 25. Helps Improve Your Self-EsteemWe’re constantly bombarded by media telling us how we should look, what we should buy, and how hard we should work. If you don’t have it all, buy the latest gadgets, or look like a model, you’re supposedly a failure. Intellectually, we know it’s not true, but it’s hard to dodge those subconscious doubts that keep bubbling to the surface. We end up working too hard to buy things that we don’t need and put too much pressure on ourselves to look perfect. It’s a recipe for disaster, and it’s not making any of us happier or more fulfilled. Yoga cannot completely turn that around, but it does help you feel better and healthier. The philosophy behind this practice is that we need to look inside for fulfillment and that we all have a place in the universe, which can help you to reevaluate things from a more balanced perspective and see the negative messages for what they are. Your self-esteem can only improve as a result. 26. Provides Real Pain ReliefIf you’ve been battling with chronic pain, you’ll know that your mood affects how well you’re able to cope. You’ll also realize soon enough that medication is not going to do much for you. Yoga provides pain relief from many different fronts:It helps to gently stretch your body and reduce tension in the muscles, which is helpful for pain relief.It helps to improve your mood, and so you are better able to cope.It gives you the tools you need to manage your pain better. You’ll learn to access a meditative state that enables you to move past the pain.27. Helps You Build Inner StrengthInner strength requires discipline. Yoga helps you to build inner strength by building your discipline. You’ll be better able to resist temptation and exercise your willpower, which will help you achieve your goals, even if they’ve seemed unachievable in the past. Say, for example, that you’ve tried every smoking cessation trick in the book. Getting a better sense of your body, and learning better control of it could help you to quit finally. 29. Reduces Your Dependence on DrugsWe’re not advocating that you stop taking your diabetes medication or statins right away. Over time, however, you’ll find that you will be able to rely on them less. As you become healthier your stress levels reduce, and the systems in your body start to rebalance themselves. Many of the so-called lifestyle diseases, like diabetes, can be halted, or even reversed if you adopt a healthy lifestyle. Yoga could be the first step for you. And who doesn’t want to be able to stop spending a fortune on medication and still feel healthier? 30. Helps Your Connective Tissues Stay HealthierInactivity is probably one of the most significant health risks of our age. Your body wasn’t designed to sit in a chair all day, so getting moving is essential. Yoga does more than work on your muscles, though. It helps to stretch out the fascia and other connective tissues in the body, which helps to ease tension in your body and reduce pain and stiffness. Final NotesIs yoga a one-step panacea for great health? It’s a great start, and there is no question that you’ll start to feel healthier and a lot better by taking classes. But let’s be realistic here, if you smoke like a chimney, and eat all the wrong foods, an hour of yoga a week is not going to reverse the damage. That’s like eating a huge calorie-laden meal and then thinking that an hour of cardio will set things right. If you’ve been living a relatively unhealthy lifestyle, then you’ll need to make other changes in addition to the classes to see the full benefits. The advantage of yoga over a standard exercise class, though, is that you can take things at your own pace. Start with gentler Hatha or restorative yoga poses, and then work your way up to the more intense workouts more slowly. Where yoga breaks the mold, though, is that it has a profound calming effect on the mind. You might start with just taking a class, and not making any other changes, but as you progress, you’ll find it easier to make healthier choices and adopt healthy eating plans. So those lifestyle changes that you need to make become a lot simpler to pull off. Also, there are many different traditions that you can follow. So, if you don’t feel an affinity to one particular style, there are plenty more to choose from.Are you ready to experience the benefits for yourself? Why not sign up for a class? With the internet, you don’t even have to walk out the front door to find expert instruction. There’s nothing to stop you getting started today.
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The term ‘guru’ literally translates as ‘heavy’ or ‘venerable.’ It refers to a teacher or guide, and in Hindu tradition describes an intimate spiritual teacher, ‘heavy’ with the spiritual knowledge required for spiritual awareness, and worthy of intense devotion and respect. Within yoga, a guru is an enlightened mentor from whom the practitioner grows and learns. In Western culture, a guru is considered the link between the modern world and Eastern holistic philosophy and is deemed to be crucial to the practice. Within guru yoga, the guru is often seen as a deity. Visualization elevates the guru to this higher position, and the energy of the practitioner is focused entirely on that guru during the meditation and yoga practices. This dedication will help them to absorb the wisdom the guru has to share. One must feel a genuine, deep connection and devotion to the guru. This response must be a legitimate one - merely thinking of the guru to create a sense of loyalty and faithfulness is not enough. This distinction is the difference between a guru and a simple teacher, and the split between yoga as a workout and as a spiritual practice designed to connect the individual with a higher authority. In the former, a teacher demonstrates and teaches the moves and asanas required, and the students learn from them. With a guru, there is an intense devotion which almost parallels with a sense of worship; to learn from the guru, the yogi must first truly dedicate themselves, their practice and their spiritual development to this wise expert. Gurus themselves transcend the role of mere teacher. They are the focal points for meditation and placed on a level of deities. Their wisdom is the ultimate goal, and their students desire to try and achieve this level of spiritual awakening.
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The term ‘Drishti’ comes from a Sanskrit term meaning ‘sight.’ It usually refers to the gazing technique often practiced when holding a particular yoga pose, though it can also be used during meditation to aid in the withdrawal of senses, and the improvement of focus.It is used to refer to the fifth limb of yoga, ‘pratyahara,’ as well as dharana, the sixth limb which focuses on concentration. It can work as a method of developing concentrated intention, helping the practitioner work with mantras and intentions more efficiently, as well as aiming for that higher level of concentration and consciousness.Within the practice of yoga, there are a total of nine drishtis. These usually come with a corresponding asana, such as:Nasagrai drishti: the nose tip (standing forward fold)Bhrumadhye drishti: the Ajna chakra, or between the eyebrows (fish pose)Nabi chakra drishti: the navel (downward-facing dog pose)Angusthamadhye: the thumb (upward salute pose)Hastagrai drishti: the hands (triangle pose)Parsva drishti: the right side (Bharadvaja's twist pose)Parsva drishti: the left side (All twist poses)Padayoragrai drishti: the toes (seated forward bend)Urdhva drishti: upward (warrior one pose)There are both physical and mental benefits to the practice of drishti. It can be instrumental in checking and improving alignment within the postures and helps the individual to focus more closely on achieving the shape.Perhaps more important are the mental benefits to the concept; it can help to improve clarity and focus during the practice, by encouraging the practitioner to look further, looking beyond the obvious and into a higher level of awareness and consciousness. For this reason, it can also be useful in meditation, particularly those which focus on breathing. The emphasis on sight, and what is seen and not seen, is essential in the study and practice of yoga.
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In this beginners guide to the chakra system, our goal is to get you an overview of the different main chakras. There are seven different types of chakras in the human body. Each of the seven chakras has a different type of energy. These seven chakras hold the energies in our bodies and help those energies move around our body.Though, at the same time…A person's chakras can also have a blockage, meaning that the seven chakras are not open and don't perform to serve a person well. All of the seven chakras are important to have a happy and healthy life. Before we get into what each of the seven chakras is (and what type of energy each of the seven chakras are), let us first look at what chakras are and where those chakra beliefs originated from.What Are Chakras? And Where Did Chakras Originate From?As you have learned, chakras are energy, specifically, chakras are points in the human bodies where energy is stored and where the same energy flows from. There are seven of these chakra points throughout the body. The places in the body where the chakras can be found in the body are:The Root Chakra (which is located at the base of the spine)The Sacral Chakra (which is located at the belly, just below the button)The Solar Plexus Chakra (which is located at the rib cage)The Heart Chakra (which is located at the heart)The Throat Chakra (found at the throat) The Third Eye Chakra (is found just above the eyes, in the middle of the eyes)The Crown Chakra (which is located at the forehead, in the middle)1st chakra - The Root Chakra - MuladharaThe Root Chakra is represented by red. The red is a symbol of many different things, it is a representation of Earth energy. It is also a representation of things like safety and survival. Like the color of red is a symbol of strength, the Root Chakra is also a symbol of strength.Survival instinctSecurityGrounding Root Chakra HealingWhen the root chakra is out of balance, there's an inability to feel safe. You could feel ungrounded, disconnected from feelings and a sense of worry can arise.Finding a connection with the earth, an active meditation practice and yoga are great ways to work towards healing your root chakra.2nd chakra - The Sacral Chakra - SvadhisthanaThe Sacral Chakra is a symbol of a few different things. With its location at the bottom of the spine, this chakra is a symbol of sexuality. It is also a symbol of creativity and emotions. A healthy Sacral Chakra will mean a healthy balance of emotions and also a healthy flow of emotions. It's no coincidence, therefore, that this chakra is also symbolic of the element water. Water is an element which influences our emotions. Like water, the Sacral Chakras also influence our emotions. EmotionsIntimacySexualitySacral Chakra HealingWhen our sacral chakra is out of balance, we can feel a sense of lack of creativity, and satisfaction. Water is the element of this Chakra, being close to it can be incredibly healing. Having a meditation and yoga practice (flow styles) will help the energy of this chakra flow and release.3rd chakra - The Solar Plexus Chakra - ManipuraThe Solar Plexus Chakra is another chakra which is symbolic of strength. This chakra can be seen as symbolic of the sun, and therefore a symbol of strength. Like the sun, the Solar Plexus Chakra is a symbol of power, more specifically, this chakra is a symbol of personal power. It is also responsible for your mind - so having a healthy Solar Plexus Charka, is having a healthy mind. It can also be symbolic of intelligence, academics, and willpower.EnergyVitalityDesire and PowerSolar Plexus Chakra HealingWhen our Solar Plexus Chakra is out of balance, we can feel a sense of lack of self-worth and self-esteem, also having trouble getting things done.A meditation practice using visualization techniques is a potent tool to heal your Manipura chakra. Focusing on the color yellow, allowing the images to come to us as we feel the warmth and power irradiating from our plexus area.4th chakra - The Heart Chakra - AnahataThe Heart Chakra is symbolic of love and romance. It is also a symbol of compassion and empathy. Having an open heart chakra will mean being open to love, romance, compassion, and empathy. The color of this chakra is green, which can be symbolic of the Earth, therefore connecting to the Earth and showing all of us are interconnected. Love HopeCompassionHeart Chakra HealingWhen our Heart Chakra is out of balance, we can experience a bit of trouble having self-love and self-care. The element of the Heart Chakra is air. Connecting with our breath is an instrumental technique to heal this chakra. A Pranayama practice, where we can feel and regulate our breathing can help release and open our heart Chakra.5th Chakra - The Throat Chakra - VishuddhaThe Throat Chakra is symbolic of many different things. One thing that it is symbolic of, which isn't surprising, is that this chakra is a representation of communication. It is also symbolic of a person's self-expression. And, the Throat Chakra due to its symbolic representation of self-expression, can also be a symbol of creativity and a person's creativity.HealingCreativityCommunicationThroat Chakra HealingWhen our Throat Chakra is out of balance, we might have trouble expressing ourselves and telling our truth. The element of the Throat Chakra is sound. Chanting, singing or writing down our feelings is a great way to help open up our throat chakra together with yoga and meditation.6th chakra - The Third Eye Chakra - AjnaThe Third Eye Chakra is symbolic of wisdom. Its location is right at the center of our forehead, representing the area where we think and reason - it is a representation for the wisdom that comes from within us. This chakra is about more than just representing wisdom, it also represents other things - such as our intuitive being. It is a representative of our intuition. Having an open Third Eye Chakra can help us have an open intuition and help us to become more connected to our intuition.IntuitionPsychic SensesClairvoyanceThird Eye Chakra HealingWhen our Third Eye Chakra is out of balance, we might have trouble concentrating or connection with our intuition. Meditation, healing crystals, reiki are one of the best ways to open and heal our third eye chakra. Anything that works with the energy field around us will help release any blockages around this chakra.7th chakra - The Crown Chakra - SahasraraThis is the seventh chakra that is located at the top of the head. The crown chakra allows us to access the higher states of consciousness while we open to the things past our personal visions and preoccupations. Our consciousness drives the function of the crown chakra, and this helps us to be in touch with the universe. Cosmic consciousnessUnderstandingEnlightenment Crown Chakra HealingWhen our Crown Chakra is out of balance, we might have trouble sensing some sort of connection to the spiritual world or feeling a lack of purpose. Spending time meditating to find a connection with ourselves. Prayer, it might feel strange at the beginning but talking to your God or even someone dear to us who have passed away. Helping others, it will help you appreciate what you have and who you are.Chakra ColorsAll of these are points in the body where energy comes from and is stored. These seven chakras are represented by different colors. The different colors of the chakras are there to represent different colors of the rainbow. The different colors are there as a representation of a different frequency in Yoga. Each of the colors represents a different frequency and represents different energy. The chakras will perform their own different energy frequency.Each of the colors is a symbol of different meanings.
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Hamstring Anatomy and DescriptionBefore looking at the hamstrings and their place in yoga practice, it’s worth considering thigh anatomy and the different muscles that are involved. Hamstrings refer to a group of muscles and their tendons that are located at the back of the upper leg. There are three hamstring muscles; the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. They have a three-fold function, namely to:Extend the hips (bridge pose).Flex the knee joint. Move the leg.The hamstrings are primarily employed in actions such as running and walking. Like most other muscles in the body, the hamstrings also have origins and inserts, which is where they are attached to the skeleton. The muscles in the hamstring have their origin on the ischial tuberosity of the hip (sitting bones) and the linea aspera of the femur (upper leg bone). All three of the muscles run down the back of the thigh to their various insert points. The sciatic nerve also supplies them. Biceps FemorisThe biceps femoris is located on the outer edge of the thigh. It’s a two-headed muscle and has a long head and a short head. The long head is attached at the sitting bone, and the small head is connected to the lower part of the femur. Both the long and the short heads have the inserts on the tendon of the outer knee, which is called the fibula. The biceps femoris extends the hip and bends the knee. The way you can stretch it is during forward folds where the legs are close to each other or close to the midline, such as seated forward bends, standing forward bends, pyramid pose, monkey pose, standing splits, etc.SemimembranosusLike the other hamstrings, this muscle has its origin at the sitting bones. At its origin, it is a thick and membranous tendon. This muscle inserts on the inner knee and has three primary functions, namely:To serve as the fascial anchor for the adductor Magnus, the largest inner-thigh muscle,To extend the hip.To flex the knee.SemitendinosusThe semitendinosus also originates at the sitting bones and inserts on the superior part of the medial tibia, which is the front of the knee. This muscle extends the hip as well as knee flexion. To stretch both semimembranosus and semitendinosus you need to focus on widelegged forward bends such as upavistha konasana or janu sirsasana.Why do You Need Hamstrings?Your hamstrings muscles are necessary to carry out many different basic movements, including running, jumping, and walking. At the start of each step, the hamstrings flex the knee and extend the hip. In the decelerating of knee extension, the hamstrings work against the quadriceps muscles which locks the knee. Hamstring InjuriesA hamstring injury can either be a pull, partial tear or complete tear. Since hamstrings are muscles, these injuries are graded from one to three, with one being a mild strain with a relatively quick healing time expectancy and three being a complete tear that can take weeks or months to heal. Most hamstring injuries are caused by muscle overload. If you force yourself into an intense stretch with tight hamstrings or when you extend a load-bearing muscle, you lengthen the tissue while it is busy contracting. These injuries are often called “eccentric contraction.”Risk Factors for Hamstring InjuryA muscle imbalance can increase your risk for a hamstring injury. A muscle imbalance is when a muscle group is stronger than its antagonist muscle group (opposite muscles). If your quadriceps muscles at the front of your thigh are stronger than your hamstring muscle group, the imbalance can result in hamstring muscle strain. If your muscles are tight, you may also be vulnerable to muscle strain. To prevent stress from muscle tightness, do stretching exercises or Yin Yoga for hamstrings every day.Several specific activities and athlete age groups carry an inherent risk of hamstring injury. If you are:An athlete that participates in team sports like football, basketball, or lacrosse, A runner,An adolescent athlete that hasn’t stopped growing, orA dancer, You may be at a higher risk of hamstring injury. Teenagers that go through growth spurts are particularly vulnerable to a hamstring injury as their skeletons grow at a quicker rate than their muscles. (Hamstring Injury, n.d.)Relationship Between Strength and FlexibilityIf you’re an advanced yoga practitioner, you may find that one deep stretching with forwarding folds is one of the things that is often difficult to achieve. Many yoga practitioners do some severe damage in the form of microtears to their hamstrings in their attempts to stretch and increase the length of their hamstring muscles. Although flexibility and hamstring muscle length is an objective worth working for, you don’t want extremely flexible hamstrings as it will inhibit your control over their range of motion and increase your risk of injury. On the other hand, you want a degree of flexibility to do leg stretching yoga while ensuring optimal knee, legs, and hip health. A healthy hamstring has muscle fibers that can completely expand and contract without tearing. Whether your hamstring muscles are short or long, you should do a concentric exercise called Hamstring Slides.Hamstring SlidesThere are many yoga poses for strengthening hamstrings, but this exercise is crucial for promoting your hamstring muscle health. Start by placing your yoga mat on a slippery surface and lie down with your head, back, and bottom on the mat and your legs extended on the floor. With your heels as an anchor on the ground, pull your bottom towards your feet utilizing only your hamstrings.As you pull your body to your feet, keep your knees parallel to each other and pointing upwards. When your bottom reaches your feet, straighten your legs and repeat this exercise until you are tired.If you struggle with this exercise, it’s a sign that you need to strengthen your hamstrings. Hamstring flexibility without strength can lead to shortened hip flexors, muscle imbalances and, as a result, a forward pelvic tilt and back pain. Yoga for HamstringsThere are several yoga poses to increase your hamstrings' range of motion and strength. By practicing these poses, you will increase your ability to carry out complex yoga poses for hamstrings without risk of injury while keeping control over your hamstring muscles’ range of motion. UttanasanaIf you have limited flexibility in your hamstring, this posture will stretch your lateral hamstring muscle, the biceps femoris. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Put a slight bend on your knees and hinge from your hips to fold forward, if you can not touch the ground you can place a block under your hands. Let your belly touch your thighs and stay there for at least five breaths. After that, try to straighten your legs more as you fold forward while still keeping your belly on the thighs.Now to strengthen the hamstrings transfer the body weight to your right foot and pull your left heel back without leaving the ground as if you were trying to bend your left knee. That will contract your hamstrings, bringing in the strength part of it. Take a couple of breath then switch leg.Upward Plank PoseThis pose aims to strengthen the hamstrings as well as the glutes, calves, and back muscles. Start this posture by sitting in the staff pose with your upper body upright and your legs extended in front of you.Place your palms about ten inches behind you with your fingers pointing towards your feet. Then, place the soles of your feet on the ground, and use your back-body muscles to raise your body from the floor into a reverse-incline plank position.Use your hamstrings to lift your hips and push your thighs toward each other. Try to keep this pose as long as possible. Variation of the Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe PoseWith this pose, you can determine the current length of your hamstring. Start by lying on the floor with one foot against a wall. Then, place a strap around the center of the sole of your foot, engage your core, and lift your leg by bringing your right hip into flexion. Try to keep both legs straight.While you carry out this pose, your spine should be neutral, and your pelvis should not tilt or shift. As soon as you feel your hamstrings stretch, stop pulling your leg up with the strap and take deep breaths. Wait until the stretching sensation disappears before switching sides. (Miller, 2017)ConclusionGenerally speaking, it’s best to warm up your hamstrings before doing intensive stretches. You can warm up your hamstrings by walking and doing the poses listed above. If you want to improve your yoga practice, but find that you are limited by your hamstrings, focus on doing your hamstring slides to improve hamstring health and strength and increasing hamstring length. If you’re suffering from a hamstring injury, strengthening is essential to increase blood flow and to prevent muscle tearing in the future. Other postures that you can include during asana sessions including the Warrior I, Warrior II, and bridge poses. As always, take care as you practice and let yoga teachers at your yoga studio know you have an injury before taking their class. If you can, supplement your yoga practice with walking, running, and weight training to strengthen your hamstring muscles and increase blood flow through the muscle tissue. If you Can't go for a walk or a run, try some online courses or yoga videos with a strengthening focus.When it comes to stretching, be patient. Don’t push it too far. A hamstring injury can be painful and debilitating. If you experience pain during poses and exercises, it may be a sign of microtears or muscle pulling.
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The scapula is commonly called the shoulder blade and is a flat triangular bone. Together with the clavicle and the sternum, the scapula forms part of the shoulder girdle, which attaches the appendicular skeleton (the limbs) to the axial skeleton (the trunk). The scapula is at the back of the trunk you can quickly feel it if you bend your elbow and bring your hand to your upper back, that boney part sticking out is your scapula and covers the posterior surface of ribs two to seven. A significance of the scapula is that it is a connection point for several arm and shoulder muscles. The shoulder blade is not directly attached to the axial skeleton but is, instead, connected to the thorax and vertebral column by some muscles. Because it is not directly attached to the trunk, it can actually move freely, that means, you can change the position of your scapula while keeping your torso still. The scapula does not obstruct the movement of the arm. (Britannica, n.d.)Scapula InjuriesScapula injuries are quite common in the fitness world as a result of its anatomical structure and joint mechanics. The most common causes of injury include trauma, overuse, or scapular dyskinesis.Scapular dyskinesis is when there exists an imbalance that influences the position and movement of the shoulder blade in relation to the shoulder joint. Familiar poses that can cause scapular dyskinesis are ones that involve overhead reaching (shoulder flexion), for example, the downward-facing dog, upward salute, and chair pose. Yoga postures that involve extending the arms to the sides or front can also result in scapular dyskinesis, for example, extended hand to big toe posture. The risk for scapular dyskinesis doesn’t mean that you have to refrain from doing these poses, but you should maintain a proper humeral rhythm (movement of the scapula) to ensure that your shoulder blade and the joint are safe and stable. Understanding the anatomy and biomechanical movements of the shoulder joint while you do yoga can also help. The interaction between the shoulder blade and the arm bone in the movement of the shoulder should also be taken into account to ensure scapular stability when practicing yoga and enhancing postures. Shoulder MovementScapulothoracic JointThe Scapulothoracic joint is not a true joint, it's more an articulation between the scapula and thorax. Together with the Acromioclavicular (AC) and Sternoclavicular (SC) joints, allows movement of the scapula in six different directions.Elevation and depression.Protraction and retraction.Upward and Downward Rotation.Try all these movements in Lizette's shoulder movements class - Shoulder LoveElevation and DepressionScapular depression and elevation refer to movements that involve the upward and downward movement of the shoulders. Elevation brings your shoulders up to your ears, using your upper traps to lift the scapula. Depression brings the shoulder down towards the hips, using the lower traps to pull down. Think about the upward facing dog, you depress the scapula to pull the shoulders down.Protraction and RetractionScapular retraction and elevation involve another degree of movement of the shoulder blades. When you press your shoulder blades together, it’s a retraction, and when they are apart, it’s protraction. With protraction, you can think about cat pose or plank, you want to pull the shoulder blades away from each other. For retraction think about cobra pose, lifting the chest as the shoulder blades draw in to touch.Upward and Downward RotationUpward rotation is a shoulder blade movement which is a forward rotation when you lift your arm over your head and downward rotation as you bring your arms down by your side. These two movements are repetitive during the first part of Sun Salutations, inhaling arms over the head (urdhva hastasana), exhaling arms down by your side.Joints Surrounding the ScapulGlenohumeral JointThe glenohumeral joint is a shallow, semi ball and socket joint that accommodates the head of the humerus in the socket. A cartilaginous labrum keeps the glenohumeral joint in place. Furthermore, there is muscular tissue that surrounds, supports, and stabilizes the joint, and that creates movement. Sternoclavicular JointWhere the clavicle meets the sternum at the base of the neck.Acromioclavicular JointThis joint connects the clavicle, also called the collarbone, with the shoulder blade. If you move your hand along your collarbone from your sternum to the tip of your shoulder, you will locate your acromioclavicular joint.Incorrect shoulder positioning during repetitive activities can result in tendonitis in the vicinity of this joint. Impingement and tendonitis can also be the result of downward sloping acromion that wears down the delicate connective tissues. Other common problems that can result from improper shoulder positioning and downward sloping acromion include inflammation, irritation, and tissue damage. (Sciasca, 2017)Scapular StabilityWhile many muscles stabilize the scapula, there are three major ones. Serratus anterior; this muscle attaches from the ribs to the border of the scapula. Its function is to protract your shoulder blades (move them away from each other). For example, cat pose.Rhomboids; this muscle attaches from the spine to the medial border of the scapula. Its function is to retract (pull together) your shoulder blades. For example, cobra or camel pose.Trapezius; this is a big muscle on our back, and it has three different parts. Upper fibers, elevate the scapula (shoulders to ears). Middle fibers, retract the scapula (shoulder blades in). Lower fibers depress the scapula, (shoulder down to away from the ears)Yoga for Shoulder StrengthIf you have a shoulder injury in the form of a damaged joint, you don’t have to stop practicing yoga altogether. Although building strength around the joint is a priority, you should first work to perfect your alignment. Consider your shoulder position in every pose (elevation, depression, protraction, retraction, upward and downward rotation) and start each posture by widening your collarbones to prevent yourself from rounding forward in the front of the shoulders. These precautions may feel unnatural at first, but as you perfect your alignment, you will prevent further strains, and you will open the door for further yoga practice development. Checking your alignment can be difficult if you don’t practice yoga in front of a mirror, as you won’t know the position of your shoulders. You may also be in the habit of slouching, which can be inherently risky, especially with weight-bearing asanas. A great way to know where you are in space is to film your self at home during practice. This will allow you to see where you are lacking the strength to keep your shoulders in a good position.The first step in shoulder alignment is to master basic poses like Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute.) After getting your shoulder alignment right with these poses, you can move forward with poses that involve overhead arm reaching like planking, the downward-facing dog, and Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand.)When you do basic poses, lift your shoulders to the point where they line up with the base of your neck. At the same time, pull the heads of the arm bones backward. Also, there should be a slight curve in the back of your neck. When your chest rises, refrain from pulling your scapulas together and compressing your spine. Keep the lower points of your shoulder blades pressing into your back and apart. When you do the overhead reaching poses, you should apply the same basic principles of shoulder alignment. When you do asanas that involve overhead reaching, you should rotate your arm bones externally and elevate your shoulder blades slightly. Doing so will strengthen the muscles on the back of the infraspinatus and take a load off the supraspinatus which can get pinched between the scapula and the head of the arm bone. (Keleher, n.d.)Yoga Poses for ScapulaPlank PoseThis posture will help you strengthen your serratus anterior as you protract (move away from each other) your shoulders at the top of your plank.Start on all fours, then move your knees slightly back from your hips. Wrists underneath your shoulders, push the floor away from you as you feel the scapula move out to the sides of your back. Hold that for a few breaths or lift the knees off the floor if this variation feels easy to you.Upward Plank PoseThe upward plank pose stretches the anterior deltoids, pectoralis minor, and pectoralis major and works against the effects of Chaturanga. To do this pose, sit in staff pose with your knees bent, the soles of your feet flat on the floor, and your hands about fifteen inches behind you with your palms on the floor and your fingers facing your feet. As you exhale, lift yourself into the tabletop position. Straighten each of your legs and raise your hips higher engaging your buttocks. Lift your chest as high as possible and drop your neck back. Revolved Abdomen PoseLie on your back and assume the cactus pose. Bend your knees and lift your feet until your knees are directly above your hips and your shins are parallel to the floor. Throughout the pose, keep your shoulder and arms against the floor. As you exhale, lower your knees to the right and try to have them reach the floor. As you lower your knees to the side concentrate on keeping your shoulders against the floor. While you inhale, bring your legs back to the center and repeat the process to your left. Repeat this process five to ten times on each side. This pose is safe during shoulder recovery as the floor provides sufficient support. Work citedBritannica, E. (n.d.). Scapula. Retrieved from www.britannica.com: https://www.britannica.com/science/scapulaKeleher, N. (n.d.). Scapular Awareness Exercises. Retrieved from Sensational Yoga Poses: https://www.sensational-yoga-poses.com/scapular-awareness.htmlSciascia, A. D. (2017, March). Scapular (Shoulder Blade) Disorders. Retrieved from orthoinfo.aaos.org: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/scapular-shoulder-blade-disorders
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Originating in ancient India, yoga is a group of physical, mental and spiritual practices and disciplines. Major religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism all practice yoga, and there are many practitioners outside of these religions who are focused on the spiritual benefits of the practice.The word yoga coming from Sanskrit root yuj means union. It's meaning is taken here as yuj samatvam , yuj samadhi, etcThere are different meanings and definitions of word yoga as there are different schools of yoga such as jnana yoga, bhakti yoga, karma yoga, raja yoga.According to Bhagwad Gita yoga is “samatvam.” It is having a balanced and equipoise state of mind in different situations of life.Another definition given by Bhagwad Gita is “yoga karmasu kaushlam.” It is a skill in action. Here Sri Krishna talks about following karma yoga for liberation.In Bhagwad Gita Shri Krishna talk about bhakti also that one who completely surrenders to God can also achieve liberation.According to sage Patanjali in his classic text yoga is Chitta vritti nirodha. It is a cessation of modifications of the mind. As per this text, yoga is not union it is samadhi. It is a separation of Purusha from Prakriti so that Purusha can attain liberation.In the western world, it is usual that the common man thinks of yoga as we know as the third limb of yoga: Asana.There are a variety of different types of physical yoga (Asana) Here are some examplesVinyasaA vinyasa flow moves rapidly from pose to pose, without taking time to examine the subtler points of each pose. This option offers a vigorous workout, as well as a chance to explore the mental and spiritual benefits of yoga. KundaliniKundalini is the energy which is stored in the base of the spine. Unlocking it offers a chance to access a higher consciousness, increase self-awareness, and balance chakras and energy to ensure a holistic practice. Kundalini yoga is designed to help individuals awaken the energy, and uses breathing techniques such as alternate nostril breathing, meditation, chanting and yoga postures.Iyengar Iyengar yoga is ideal for focusing and perfecting alignment. It comes from the same school as Ashtanga yoga and focuses on helping practitioners form the correct alignment. This alignment is not only essential for safety, but it also helps energy - or prana - to flow more freely through the body.Hatha yogaHatha yoga is ideal for anyone who wants to enjoy the physical side of yoga and focuses on the practice of asanas. There is less emphasis on the spiritual aspect such as meditation or chanting. This focus makes it ideal for beginners who are just getting to grips with different poses.Yin yogaYin yoga focuses on passive, seated postures, and targets the connective tissues in the hips, lower spine, and pelvis. The emphasis is on increasing flexibility and encourages a sense of release. Poses are held from one to ten minutes, making this an ideal way to practice meditation at the same time as yoga.
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Nadi is a Sanskrit word which translates as ‘tube,’ ‘channel,’ or ‘flow.’ It is used to describe the network of channels which allow energy to travel through the body. There are three principal nadis in the body which go through the spinal cord and the chakras; the energy centers of the body. Asanas, pranayama, and chanting are the most common ways to move prana around the body via these nadis.Prana is the life energy which is required to help all living things function. This energy circulates through the body, but it can only do so if the pathways, or nadis, are clear and free from blockages. Where the prana cannot flow freely, the mental and physical health of the person can be affected. There are three main nadis within the human body. They are:Ida nadi: Also called the left channel, this starts in the root chakra (muladhara). It flows to the left, in and out of the other chakras up the spine, and ends up in the left nostril. It represents mental energy.Pingala nadi. Also called the right channel, this starts in the same place - the root chakra - but instead flows to the right, up the spine and ending at the right nostril. It is the origin of prana - that precious life force. Sushumna nadi: Also called the central channel, this runs straight up the spine, through all of the chakras. Starting just below the root chakra, it heads right up to the crown chakra - the sahasrara. It is the nadi of spiritual awareness. Alternate nostril breathing, or Nadi shodhana, is a popular way to try and balance the nadis and is included at the end of the asanas in many yoga practices. By ensuring these channels are clear and balanced, you allow prana to move freely throughout the body.
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The sequence of the Bikram yoga poses sometimes referred to as the 26+2, is a system of hatha yoga poses and was created sometime in the early seventies by Bikram Choudhury. The 26 postures are picked from the classic 84 series by Bikram Choudhury's guru "Yogindra" Bishnu Ghosh brother of Paramahansa Yogananda founder of the self-realization fellowship.The series that Bikram calling Bikram's beginning yoga class is performed in a room that is heated to 40 degrees Celsius and takes around 90 min including the Shavasana. All postures are done twice with a couple of exceptions (Tree pose, Toe stand pose, and Spine twisting pose. The sequence is always practiced the same way and the certified yoga teacher is to follow certain instructions. How do I know it is a Bikram yoga class?Class always start with Pranayama deep breathingThe sequence of poses is always practiced the same way and the certified yoga teacher is to follow certain instructions. Breathing through the nose during whole classEyes open whole classThe yoga teacher is not practicing with class, only teaching by verbal instructions and no hands-on correctionsYoga class is alignment focused with a lot of verbal instructions Class always ends with KaphalabatiDown below is the correct order that postures are practiced also alignment cues you might here in class.Pranayama - Standing deep breathingFeet together toes and heels touching, knuckles to chin at all timesArdha chandrasana with Pada hastasana - Half moon pose with hands to feet poseInterlace your fingers make a nice and tight grip, straighten your arms completely Utkatasana - Awkward poseStomach in, chin up, chest up, body in the heels, sit down moreGarurasana - Eagle poseSqueece your knees together, pull your elbows downDandayamana janushirasana - Standing head to knee poseStomach in, kick heel forward, lock the kneeDandayamana dhanurasana - Standing bow pulling poseHold your foot from the inside at the ankle, kick right back an up Tuladandasana - Balancing stick poseCome down until your whole body is parallel to the floor, stretch and stretch and stretchDandayamana biphaktapada paschimotthanasana - Standing separate leg stretching posePick up your heels from outside, body weight on toes, chin away from chestTrikanasana - Triangle poseStretch up and down like a natural human tractionDandayamana biphaktapada Janushirasana - Standing separate leg head to knee poseStretch up, tuck your chin into your chest, round your spineTadasana - Tree poseStand tall, straighten spine, firm buttock, lock the kneePadangustasana - Toe stand poseFold from the hip, sit on the heel, palms together in namaskarSavasana - Dead body poseHeels together, palm open, eyes open, mouth closedPavanamuktasana - Wind removing poseTight grip, elbows in, pull knee down towards shoulderSitupFeet together, flex your toes, arms overhead, sit up double exhaleBhujangasana - Cobra poseElbows in and down, chin away from the chest, look up and lift upSalabhasana - Locust poseKiss the towel, lift both legs up, don't give upPoorna Salabhasana - Full locust poseInhale, look up, arms up and backDhanurasana - Bow poseChin away from chest, look up, kick and kickSupta vajrasana - Fixed firm poseInhale lift chest, knees togetherArdha kurmasana - Half tortoise poseActive stretch, keep stretching forward, sit down on heelsUstrasasna - Camel poseHips forward, chest up, chin up, look back, inhale go backSasangasana - Rabbit poseLittle weight on head, stomach in and hips upJanushirasana with paschimottanasana - Head to knee with stretching poseGood grip with interlaced fingers, elbows in, face closer to stomachArdha Matsyendrasana - Spine twisting poseFind length on inhale, twist on exhaleKapalabathi in vajrasana - Blowing in firm poseSpine straight, relax belly, passive inhale and active exhale through lipsWhat are the benefits of Bikram hot yoga?Some benefit could be Improves the flexibilityStimulates internal organsIncrease circulationCan reduce lower back painStimulate digestive system, Improved digestionImproves concentrationClears the mind
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IntroductionIn hatha yoga, nearly all yoga poses require some engagement in core so you keep the integrity and being safe performing the asana. Some poses require more than others. We recommend practicing core yoga poses in order to progress and always include in practice at some point. In this article we will be taking an in-depth look at the anatomy of the core, it’s significance in yoga, and the best practices for making the most of your core conditioning.What is the Core?Contrary to popular belief, the core is a complex series of muscles that includes much more than your abs. Your core consists of every muscle in your body that is not part of your arms and legs. Here is one of the most widely accepted definitions of the core:“The core is a 3-dimensional space with muscular boundaries: diaphragm (superior), abdominal and oblique muscles (anterior-lateral), paraspinal and gluteal muscles (posterior), and pelvic floor and hip girdle (inferior).” (Anderson & Huxel Bliven, 2013)Almost every movement that you carry out involves your core. Your core muscles deliver the following functions:They act as an isometric or dynamic stabilizer when you move your body,They can initiate movement, andThey can transfer force from one extremity to another.Your core has three-dimensional functionality and is movable in all three planes of motion. While many people typically only train the exterior muscles, the core also consists of the deeper muscles that, among others, include the transverse abdominals, diaphragm, pelvic floor, and multifidus.To ensure that you train for optimal core functionality, strength gain, and active core movement, keep in mind that the core is primarily a stabilizer during movement and force transfer center and, to a lesser extent, a prime mover.Instead of training your core in isolation as a prime mover by doing back extensions and crunches, you should focus on functional movements and closed chain exercises like push-ups and deadlifts. Also, you should see core strength as the ability to exercise force while maintaining core stability so that, as a result, you can control the force that you carry out.Core stability consists of five components, namely, strength, flexibility, motor control, functionality, and endurance. (Keil, 2018)The first two components that you should work on are control and function. Without these components, you will not be able to achieve strength, endurance, and flexibility.Origins and HistoryIt’s not clear who first used the term “the core,” despite being commonly referred to by athletes, dancers, yoga practitioners, and therapists.There are, however, three influential 20th-century yoga practitioners that shed some light on the concept of the core. Considering their unique perspectives may help you understand why core strengthening is such an integral element of yoga. The three people were Joseph Pilates, Ida Rolf, and Sri T. Krishnamacharya.Joseph PilatesPilates referred to the core as the “powerhouse” and developed a method for building and increasing flexibility to allow for natural functional movement. Pilates practitioners consider core muscles to be essential for optimal strength, spine stabilization, and graceful movement.Ida RolfIda Rolf created a primary integration method of bodywork that is often referred to as “Rolfing.” This method is based on the idea that the body consists of a core and a sleeve. People who study and practice Ida Rolf’s method believe that the abdominal muscles and other outer layers of the myofascial constitute the sleeve while the iliopsoas and other deeper layers of the myofascial is the core.According to Ida Rolf, the iliopsoas is critical in connecting the spine to the pelvis and strengthening the iliopsoas is crucial for adequate support to the body’s optimal structure in gravity.KrishnamacharyaAccording to Krishnamacharya, there is a connection between the core muscles and the bandha. The bandha can be loosely defined as the energetic element within a human being. This approach focuses more on control over energy and concentration and not as much on toning and conditioning.Krishnamacharya’s mula bandha description involves using the same muscles that Ida Rolf implicated in the myofascial sleeve and core relationship, and those included in Joseph Pilates’ description of the “Powerhouse.”Core strengthening yoga pose: Plankasana - Plank poseThe Core MusclesAll three influencers offered three different perspectives on what we widely regard as “the core,” and all three of them viewed the pelvis and myofascial muscles as the essence of movement in the body. They also emphasized that the spine should be strong, flexible, and rooted in the pelvis to achieve dynamic movement.When considering the areas of the body that Krishnamacharya, Joseph Pilates, and Ida Rolf describe, one can include the following muscles in the core:Erector spinaeThe internal and external obliquesTransverse abdominusRectus abdominusIliacusThe small, deeper-lying multifidus musclesPsoas majorQuadratus lumborumThe pelvic floor musclesSerratus anteriorLatissimus dorsiCore strengthening yoga pose: Lolasana - Pendant poseHow to Engage Your Core in YogaYoga for core and back is one of the most effective ways for you to develop an established relationship with your core. With yoga, you can create a well-toned abdomen, even if, as someone starting, you can’t find your abdominal muscles to do a basic pose.Almost every yoga asana (body posture) requires core strength and stability. Inversions, twists, standing postures, and balancing yoga poses do require abdominal strength, but they also enhance your core strength and condition the abdominal region for movement and stability, making them easier to carry out as you progress.When you lift and lower your legs while doing inverted poses like head, shoulder, and handstands, your core is working hard. In a seated twist, you give your oblique muscles a workout as they lift and rotate your torso. Standing postures are also excellent to strengthen your internal and external obliques and transverse abdominus as these muscles contribute toward stabilizing the torso and spine.Folding positions are equally effective in strengthening the core. When you draw your chest and thighs together or carry out sit-up movements or arm balances, you put your rectus abdominus muscle to work, which is the muscle that plays a crucial role in how your abdominal area looks.Yoga for core strength and flexibility as well as motor control, functionality, and endurance is not only limited to body postures and movements. With traditional breathwork called Pranayama, you can do exercises that will strengthen your transverse abdominus as well as your diaphragm. Although the diaphragm is not an abdominal muscle, it is a critical component of your core as it interacts dynamically with your heart, lungs, and other organs as you breathe.To optimize core strengthening from yoga, and to give your core muscles a workout from every angle, you should include inverted poses, yoga for obliques, standing postures, and folding positions in your yoga sequences. If you are a novice, you should master core strengthening yoga poses for beginners.Core strengthening pose: PurvottanasanaBenefits of Core Strengthening with YogaTogether with traditional breathwork and core warmup in Yoga, you will not only firm-up your belly, but you will also enable your abdominal muscles to support the natural curve of your spine and, therefore, improve your posture and eliminate back pain.There are countless benefits to building core strength. If the abdominal walls that hold abdominal organs are strong, it will improve your digestion and elimination. Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles that are located at the base of your core can also increase sexual fulfillment.Enhanced core strength will also allow you to access your third chakra, which is the power center above your navel, which will result in increased muscular strength and higher energy levels throughout the day.Yoga strengthening pose: Paripurna navasana - Full boat poseDoes Yoga Give You Six-pack Abs?Many people associate core strengthening and abdominal conditioning with six-pack abs. In reality, there is only one muscle that gives your abdominal area the washboard look, and that is the rectus abdominis.Apart from being the most visible muscle and responsible for flexing the spine, the rectus abdominis doesn’t have the same contribution to your health as the deeper-lying abdominal muscles and is, therefore, not as important to put to work. One of the essential core muscles to concentrate on while doing yoga is the transversus abdominis, as it is necessary as a support muscle. The transversus abdominis also helps you breathe. This muscle supports your internal organs and, together with your oblique muscles, stabilizes your torso. The short answer, then, is yes, including all the asanas in your practice can give you six-pack abs, but you should prioritize your deeper abdominal muscles. You should also twist your obliques to stretch your back muscles which can eliminate chronic tightness and alleviate back pain.Yoga strengthening pose: Virabhadrasana iii - Warrior 3Why is the Core so Important?There is a lot of emphasis on building a relationship with the core, especially in yoga practice. This is primarily because your core muscles stabilize your entire body.Also, your abdomen is a pretty specialized area of your body. It’s the only part of your body that receives no protection or support from your skeleton. Your abdominal muscles keep you upright, provide enough space for your organs to do their work, and counteract your back muscles.Your core muscles are, therefore, pivotal when it comes to posture, balance, and spinal stability. Another reason why your core is essential is that it harmonizes the movements of the upper and lower body, allowing you to carry out the different yoga poses with steadiness and grace.Core strengthening yoga pose: Chaturanga dandasana - Four limbed staff poseShould You Focus on Core Strengthening?Core strengthening is a crucial element for enhancing your posture, spinal stability, and balance. Strength should not be your only objective, however. You should also work towards improving motor control over your core as well as enhancing its functionality. Then, you can start building core strength, flexibility, and stamina.Too much core strength can be suboptimal to an extent, as it can inhibit other vital elements such as flexibility and control. Your goal should be to develop all aspects of your core instead of reaching hardness and rigidity.Many yoga teachers are aware of this yoga anatomy today and are planning their yoga sequences that will work the entire core so you will develop both strength and stability.Core strengthening yoga pose: Bakasana - Crow poseConclusionMany yoga practitioners may be forgiven for believing that since yoga is their primary form of exercise, they don’t have to engage and improve their core muscles. This is not the case, however.If you start incorporating core muscle training into your yoga routine, your yoga practice and poses will improve significantly – along with your body. The most significant difference, however, will be the way you feel. Not only will your yoga practice be more fluid, but you will also get in touch with your inner strength and experience a profound connection with your body.With yoga, you can improve your core stability by incorporating inverted poses, seated twists, standing postures, folding positions, and traditional breathwork into your yoga practice to work your core from every angle.While many people focus core training to develop six-pack abs, your objective should be to improve your spinal stability, balance, and posture by working on your deeper-lying abdominal muscles, Your inner core. This does not mean that you can’t develop six-pack abs by incorporating core training in your yoga practice, however, as long as you train your transverse abdominus in the process.You should not only train your core to enhance muscle strength. You should also do core training to improve flexibility, control, endurance, and functionality.Your core is a comprehensive and multi-functional part of your anatomy. Incorporating core training in your yoga practice will not only improve your poses and your transitioning between body postures, but it will also alleviate back pain, increase your inner strength, improve your posture, allow for better flexibility, and ensure that you stay balanced while carrying out complicated yoga poses.What’s your relationship with your core? Being aware of your core muscles while doing yoga poses can be nothing short of life-changing.Here at Yogateket, you can practice Pilates and yoga classes for a strong core and make your daily life a little bit easier. Try one of our yoga teachers online courses.Ladder fit flow with AmarantaYoga for beginner strength, strengthTEN with Lizette Pompa
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Bonnie EspinozaHi I am Bonnie Espinoza,35 years old from Sweden,working with Yogateket a online yoga site with main focus is yoga for beginners.Here I am sharing tips about it. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |