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Don’t be afraid of yoga!

yoga_Jan27_APerhaps because of the images of pretzel-shaped poses or the connection with more mindful inner workings, yoga, despite its massive popularity, can intimidate many would-be beneficiaries. If you are afraid of yoga then it is probably because you don’t understand what it is about and just how fantastic it is!

What do you think of yoga?

Despite attracting legions of avid fitness fans, yoga is often seen as being for a certain type of person only: a woman who doesn’t really want to keep fit but likes a more leisurely approach to exercise. It is also often seen as being ‘hippy’ or even ‘far-out’ because of some of the meditative breathing exercises and the fact that yoga is about making mind-body connections. Yoga is often viewed as being too difficult to enjoy or benefit from and an exercise for the super-bendy! The fact is that none of these ideas are true!

So what’s the truth about yoga in a nutshell?

Yoga attracts all types of people, of all ages and fitness levels. It is as popular with the corporate crowd looking for after-work fitness as it is with those looking for a more integrated mind-body workout. Yoga is challenging yet accessible and while it often lacks the cardio-power of such training as high intensity interval training (HIIT) it can be a perfect complement.

Yoga is in fact a perfect way to strengthen your core and to improve flexibility and inspire stability. This can help guard against injuries in other activities, explaining why yoga is so popular amongst top athletes.

With an ever growing focus on the negative impact on health of stress, there is nothing ‘hippy’ about addressing a very real threat to our wellbeing. Exercise can reduce stress levels and yoga is one of the best ways to clear the mind and inspire greater clarity. This cleansing effect is felt physically too, as yoga helps with the process of eliminating toxins from the body and the release of feel-good hormones.

Don’t shy away from yoga because you are:

  • Frightened of making a fool out of yourself – Yoga is focused on being non-judgemental which means it is perfect for those looking to get back into fitness.
  • Not flexible – Being flexible is not a sign that you are unfit. In many respects we all have a certain level of flexibility to begin with and yoga helps you improve that. Haven’t you ever met someone who is really bendy and yet does no exercise at all?
  • Worried about exposing your inner vulnerabilities – It is true that yoga can be incredibly transformative but this is about your own inner development and does not have to leave you feeling exposed. Yes, yoga may change some of your ideas and attitudes, as well as how you live your life, but yoga is about positive change and development is a natural process. Yoga is inspirational and you are likely to feel elated from the way that yoga helps relieve any mental tension.

The best way to face your fear of yoga is to try a class. Contact us if you are not already benefitting from the joy of yoga.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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Why yoga is perfect for 2015!

yoga_Dec26_AIt is always an exciting time of expectation at the start of New Year; with plans to make positive change. If you are planning to make a difference with your health and your fitness levels, then yoga could be the practice you are looking for in 2015. Yoga might have been around for what seems like forever, well thousands of years, but it is still as popular and as relevant as ever; making it into the top 10 of the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2015 fitness trends, an annual worldwide survey of industry professionals.

So, what’s so perfect about yoga for beyond New Year and into 2015?

Yoga embraces new beginnings and change – Yoga is a non-competitive exercise program that is deeply personal. You progress at your own pace and when you start your practice there is a feeling of being at the start of a wonderful journey. This fits with New Year, where you are looking ahead at new chapters unfolding and alternative fitness routes to follow.

The breathing techniques and meditative elements of yoga are connected with the idea of letting go and living mindfully; aware and present in the here and now. New Year too is about saying goodbye to the past and looking forward; of starting from this point onward.

Yoga is a great entry level exercise program – This time of year, many people who have long been out of the habit of regular exercise or even activities, are propelled to make a difference. However, if you are not used to working out, the world of health and fitness can be a little overwhelming to say the least. You want to feel motivated and not humiliated or out of your depth and yoga is one of the best exercise programs to do this.

Even beginners with little or no experience, and those who have led a sedentary life as of late at least, can feel comfortable with yoga and progress without any pressure.

Yoga destresses you after the holiday season – The festive holidays can be great fun for some but also a source of stress for many. There is often a real feeling of internal stress building up in individuals, while relationships and socializing can intensify, not to mention the general hubbub about this time of year, which can put strain on anyone.

After a frenetic or simply an indulgent holiday, you really need to reduce your stress levels. Yoga is a calming and soothing practice that lets you escape your everyday world and suspend your mind in its own time and space; a perfect exercise antidote that helps you energize and revitalize.

Yoga inspires lifestyle changes – Yoga is a holistic practice and which really encourages greater mind-body connection and awareness. Of course, there are also many poses which are aimed at one part of the body, say to strengthen or stretch, but the overall idea behind yoga is about general wellness.

This wider approach, along with an enjoyable practice, often extends into other areas of life, such as nutrition, patterns of behavior, and relationships. Health is about much more than fitness after all.

Yoga grounds and creates balance and stability – Many yoga poses are concerned with strengthening muscles so that the spine is well supported and there is a sense of equilibrium, both mentally and physically. Breathing, correct posture and awareness of your body has a wonderful effect of making you feel strong and in control and gives you a grounded feeling.

Yoga focuses on wellbeing in general – Because yoga is all-encompassing and about your whole being, it is ideal to get involved with for New Year and beyond. In January your focus is on this wider health and fitness philosophy too.

Yoga is perfect for 2015, so get in touch with us and make some moves towards a healthier and happier fitness journey for the year ahead.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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How to do a shoulder stand

yoga_Dec17_AThe shoulder stand is really an iconic pose in yoga; it not only looks dramatic but the benefits practitioners purport this pose brings are many and varied too. Anyone who is serious about really understanding and experience the real power of yoga can really find that sense of integration through the shoulder stand pose; one of the most wonderfully satisfying yoga inversions.

While we looked at how challenging some inversions can be in yoga, where the head is lower than the heart, the shoulder stand can look more daunting that it actually is. However, you do have to take care with this pose and it is best to try this with a trained yoga practitioner. Women who are pregnant or have their menstruation should avoid this pose, as well as anyone with an underlying health issue such as high blood pressure or neck problems. Check first.

How to do a shoulder stand

To get in the right position, you can follow these steps:

  • Start lying flat on your mat.
  • With the legs together and keeping your arms and palms flat on your mat, bring the legs up and over your head into the Plow Pose as you inhale.
  • Your head, neck and shoulders should be on the mat, along with your arms. Your toes should be touching the mat behind you, with your legs straight.
  • Be careful not to jolt into this position or swing into it too intensely. Instead, let the spine gently bend and bring up your hips to give some momentum.
  • Next, bend your arms, placing your palms on your waist at the back. Your elbows should be pointing out slightly and not overly wide or too tucked in. Your hands should fit snugly and comfortably in this position.
  • The next step is really the tricky part. Keeping your arms strong, bring your legs up so they are straight up. It is best if you bring one up at a time, rather than both together. Don’t bend them and keep the toes pointed upwards. It is easy here to lose your balance.
  • Remember, you are using your hands to support your back and to benefit from the pose you want to lengthen and stretch the body, so tuck your pelvis in and straighten the line from the mat upwards but do not tighten up the glutes. Keep the neck still and move the chest to the neck and not vice versa.
  • To add more support you can place a folded blanket between your shoulders, but your head and neck should not be on this.

If you find this pose too challenging then you can vary it with a Half Shoulder Stand, where you begin lying down with bent legs. Bring the legs into your chest and then extend upwards. As you do so, place your hands on your lower back and lift lower body off the ground so that a 45 degree angle or more is created by your hips. You will find less balance issues in this pose.

Make sure you come out of either pose slowly, lowering your hips in a smooth movement, bending the legs down and finally bringing them down to your mat to rest.

Learn some powerful yoga poses with us. If you are not already benefiting from yoga then get in touch and start a new journey for the body and the mind today.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

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Yoga strength with inversions!

yoga_Nov19_ASometimes you need to shake things up to get a fresh perspective on life and you can also do the same with yoga exercises. Creating a different approach to movement with yoga inversions can have some really beneficial effects on your mind and body, such as strengthening your core and so much more. Is it time you turned your fitness moves upside down?

A yoga inversion pose is basically a pose where your heart is higher than your head. If you think about your everyday life, when you walk, run or go about your chore and work, you are usually upright or at least you are not walking on your hands or doing a headstand. Inversions can really test you physically as they involve positions which seem to go against your natural way of moving. However, if a shoulder stand sounds a little advanced, there are many inversions, such as downward dog which are perhaps easier positions to get into.

What are the benefits of yoga inversions?

Yoga inversions get your body moving in a new direction and for this reason, it is always good to check with a doctor and your yoga tutor about any health issues you might have before you start turning your body upside down. Once you do start doing some inversions you will probably start to really enjoy them. Some of the benefits of yoga inversions include:

  • Improved circulation – When you invert you are effectively reversing the blood flow and as oxygen-rich is sent to the brain you are really giving your body a circulatory refresh. This can help boost concentration and focus and leave you feeling mentally alert. Many people swear a headstand in the morning gets their brain working for the rest of the day!
  • Increased core strength – With inversions you are often relying on your upper body to help you stay in position, such as with a forearm stand. You are keeping in position against gravity by engaging your core muscles and even without moving, yoga inversions are a great way to strengthen this part of your body. You only have to get into an inversion for a short time to really feel how powerful these yoga positions are, and how effective.
  • Relaxation – Supported-inversions and certain types of restorative inversions have more of a calming influence on the body, such as lying down with your legs up a wall. This relieves tension and stress in the body and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
  • Boosting energy – More challenging inversions create a real rush of blood to the head which has a stimulating and invigorating effect on the whole body. This has the effect of giving your body a powerful energy boost which makes you feel motivated and ready for an active life. Inversions really do shake you up in a good way!
  • Increase stability and balance – For many inversions, you need to ensure that you keep your body in a balanced position. You may be upside down and balancing on one arm and two legs or one leg and two arms, or even just your shoulders. Part of the practice of inversions is to promote balance, especially since these are resistance exercises which need strong physical stability to be achieved.
  • Helps detox process – Many inversions increase the flow of lymph which helps clear the body of toxins, which are eliminated by the lymph nodes. The flow of fluids can help lymph travel into the lungs where toxins and mucus are found. The result is a real boost to the lymphatic system and in turn to your immunity response.

Next week, we will look at some great inversions for you to try. Meanwhile, join us in some great yoga moves.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.