Tips for Yoga Beginners
May 11, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Yoga Poses Beginner
If you are impressed with the many benefits of yoga and plan to include it in your exercise routine, then you are definitely on the road to leading a healthier and fuller life. However, often yoga beginners in their enthusiasm forget to consider a few facts that are essential to reap its benefits. This often leads an individual to lose interest and give up. So, if you are a yoga beginner, here are a few points that can help you easily move into a regular yoga routine and begin to reap its many benefits.
Choose a good instructor to gain the benefits of yoga
It is advisable for a yoga beginner to learn it under the guidance of a good and qualified instructor. A good instructor will understand the needs as well as the limitations of your body and accordingly suggest the poses that are appropriate for you. A good way of choosing the right instructor is to ask your friends, colleagues, or relatives who practice yoga regularly. Find out about how long the instructor has been practicing yoga and how long has he/she been teaching it. Choosing the right instructor can make it easier for a yoga beginner to enjoy the benefits of yoga and sticking to a regular schedule.
Practice yoga on an empty stomach
As a yoga beginner one thing that you should consider is the time of your session. The best time to practice yoga is early in the morning on an empty stomach. If not, yoga should be practiced at least 2 hours after a meal.
Wear loose clothes for your yoga session
Yoga beginners should pay special attention to the clothing that they wear during their session. Clothes should be comfortable and loose. They should neither be too tight nor too baggy.
Choose a good quality mat
Most yoga poses are done while sitting, kneeling, or standing. Performing it on a hard surface or a too soft surface is not advisable. Invest in a good quality yoga mat which can be easily found in the market.
Warm up before attempting yoga poses
A yoga beginner should always warm up before going into the more advanced poses. Although being a little sore after your first class is normal, excessive strains or aches after a yoga session means that you haven’t been warming up properly. Also make sure that poses progress from easy movements to more difficult ones. This will reduce the chances of injuries and also help you gain more benefits from yoga.
Focus on your yoga poses
Yoga is as much for the mind as for the body. So, focusing on the poses is very important. You should always try and get rid of any extraneous thoughts while going into a pose, holding it, or releasing it. Furthermore, distraction can lead you to overstretch your body and injure yourself. Click Here to take survey
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The Benefits of Different Types of Yoga Pose
May 11, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Yoga Poses Beginner
The practice of yoga is aimed at developing a harmonious relationship between mind, body, and spirit through different types of yoga poses or asanas. A combination of different types of yoga poses in one session helps the individual attain flexible joints, toned muscles, and increased strength. Here are the different types of yoga poses and their benefits. 
Standing Yoga Poses
Some yoga poses are done in the standing position. These standing yoga poses such as the triangular pose or trikonasana help in promoting the strength and flexibility of the body and in its proper alignment. Since they promote the strength and endurance of the body, they work wonderfully for improving posture and thus help build the confidence of the individual.
Sitting Yoga Poses
Some sitting yoga poses are used for the practice of breathing exercises (pranayama) and for practicing meditation. However, sitting poses such as the lotus pose or the padmasana are not only good for meditation, but they also strengthen your legs, ankles, and hips. They help in elongating the spine and strengthening it. This promotes a good sitting posture.
Twisting Yoga Poses
The half-spinal twist or the Ardha Matsyendrasana is an example of the twisting yoga poses. These poses exercise the spine a little differently than the other asanas. They gently stretch the back and thereby strengthen it. And this is not the only benefit that you can expect from these asanas. They also gently massage the abdominal organs and improve digestion. They relieve the tension in the muscles and joints. These poses require special attention and the movements should be slow and fluid in order to avoid injuries.
Inverted Yoga Poses
Any kind of inverted yoga pose does wonders for your facial skin, your hair, and your brain. The upside down position of poses such as the headstand or Shirsasana promotes circulation of blood throughout the body and helps detoxify it. A fresh supply of oxygen to the brain reduces lethargy and depression and improves concentration and memory.
Relaxation Yoga Poses
Yoga poses such as the corpse position or Shavasana are not just aimed at relaxing the body, but also at relaxing the mind. It relieves stress and anxiety. It calms the body and the mind. When the body and mind are calm, the immunity of an individual is strengthened and it prevents the frequent occurrence of illnesses.
Bending Yoga Poses
These yoga poses can either be forward bending or backward bending. Forward bending poses help promote the flexibility of the back and relieve tension and stiffness. Backward bending poses are often used to counterbalance the forward bending yoga poses. They are good for the nervous system and prevent hunching which is common with age.
It is believed that there are around 84,000 yoga poses know to man. For a yoga beginner, it is essential that the right kind of yoga poses are learnt from a qualified instructor and practiced daily at a regular time. A complete yoga session should ideally include the different types of yoga poses. This will help an individual reap the numerous benefits of yoga for a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Click Here to take survey
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Review: Yoga for Weight Loss for Beginners and Essential Yoga for Inflexible People
May 11, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Yoga Poses Beginner
“Yoga For Weight Loss for Beginners
Maggie Rhoades is a certified Yoga and Pilates instructor and her DVD “Yoga For Weight Loss for Beginners” (Amazon affiliate link)
Maggie Rhoades begins the DVD with an introduction to yoga and how it can help attain harmony and balance in your life. The video offers routines for yoga beginners. The viewer can choose a routine according to his/her interests and requirements. The basic poses are demonstrated in a step-by-step manner. The instructions clearly specify how each pose is to be done along with the benefits of each pose.
There are basically three sections in the DVD. And each section has multiple workout routines.
- The first section is specifically meant for yoga beginners. The poses in this section involve slow and continuous movements and flow from one to the other. Clear instructions about when to breathe in and out make it easier for a beginner to understand the importance of proper breathing in a yoga session. The pace of the workout is neither too slow nor too fast. The poses included work wonderfully well in shedding extra pounds and promoting flexibility, balance, and strength.
- The second section of the video gets more challenging. This section also includes poses that flow from one to the other, but they are of varying length and the focus also keeps shifting from one part of the body to the other. The workouts in this section are ideal to lose extra pounds and provide a good workout for the muscles.
- The third section gets more interesting. The workouts in this section combine yoga poses with the use of light weights and resistance band. It’s a unique approach to yoga and is ideal for more strength training. You get all the benefits of yoga with some extra toning for your muscles.
Clear instructions, poses that promote strength and flexibility, and routines designed to easily lose weight even for yoga beginners makes this DVD a worthy buy. Combined with the beautiful landscape and the relaxing sounds, the workout routines in the video not only promote weight loss and muscle toning, but also leave you more relaxed and more energetic at the end of it. So, if you are looking at losing weight with some yoga, this Maggie Rhoades DVD is highly recommended.
Another DVD by Maggie Rhoades which is highly recommended for yoga beginners who are really inflexible is “Essential Yoga For Inflexible People (Amazon affiliate link) “
If you have tried a few videos which claimed to use simple yoga poses, but found them to be too fast paced and too difficult, this DVD is just right for you. The years of yoga experience that Maggie Rhoades has can be seen in the clear instructions and her understanding about the body of highly inflexible individuals.
- It is, therefore, perfect for yoga beginners who have a low level of physical strength and endurance and who want to improve their flexibility.
- The video is slow paced and allows a yoga beginner to progress at his/her own pace. The pace of the video allows the viewer enough time to move slowly into the pose and get the proper alignment of the body.
- Maggie Rhoades provides clear instructions about how to perform a pose and also provides information about its purpose and benefits.
The video is divided into three sections and each section is more challenging than the previous one. Different routines are provided in the various sections.
- Some routines are as short as 6 minutes, whereas a full routine can be as long as 90 minutes. So, you can pick up a routine depending on the time available with you.
- The shorter routines often focus on one type of yoga poses (for example, sitting poses or standing poses) or one body part.
- The full routines provide a complete workout for each and every part of the body and include different types of yoga poses.
The instructor also uses props such as a chair and a blanket while performing the yoga poses. This makes it easier for an inflexible yoga beginner to move into a pose easily and at the same time aids in stability.
In summary, if you never tried yoga or gave up on it because you found it too difficult, this Maggie Rhoades DVD is perfect for you. The Yoga Poses Beginner workouts are slow-paced. Clear instructions make it easy to move in and out of the different yoga poses. You can pick a routine depending on how flexible you are and how much time you have available. Combined with beautiful scenery and the soothing voice of the instructor, the routines in this video will leave you relaxed and energetic. Click Here to take survey
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21 Simple Steps to Improving Your Fitness Lifestyle Now!
April 8, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Featured
1. Make a Decision NOW to Start (Re-fresh, Re-new, Re-Start) your daily fitness commitment. Have you achieved your 2009 Fitness goals? If not, today is the perfect time to spring into action.
2. Keep It Simple. Don’t wait and don’t complicate. Simple lifestyle changes will quickly add up to a healthier life. Commit to increasing your daily metabolism with more activity. Make exercise a daily routine. If you have time to watch any hour of TV, commit to being more active during every commercial. Voila, 15-17 minutes of activity by the end of your show.
3. Assess yourself. Be Honest and Realistic. What is the biggest benefit you will receive from committing to a regular fitness lifestyle? What resources do you already possess that will support your goals? Taking time to have this self-talk will guide your next steps.
4. Consult with your doctor before starting a new fitness plan. Especially if you are severely overweight, obese, diabetic, suffer from asthma, heart or lung related illness. Call your doctor’s office today and set an appointment!
5. Start Slow and gradually build up will prevent soreness, burnout and injury. Remember this is a lifestyle change. 10 minutes every day is healthier than any once a week marathon session. The point is to do something every day and build up to longer sessions.
6. Write down your goals for immediate (today, this week), short term 30-60-90 days, and long term 1 year from now. Post these goals. I put them on the inside cabinet with my coffee filter. So every morning, they are the first thing I read.
7. Schedule your exercise on your calendar. I have weekly recurrences on my calendar, so I don’t schedule conflicts. My fitness plan is part of my routine. Set yourself up for success, not failure. Look at each day of the week and schedule the appropriate activity. Do you have more concentrated blocks during the weekend, like to balance your busy Monday with a cardio session, need a yoga session for mid-week.
8. Start a daily log, journal or make notations on your calendar. My gym sends me a monthly progress report. It provides a reality check. When I reviewed my progress report for the month of January, I discovered I had plenty of cardio, yet I hadn’t lifted a single weight. So, I re-introduced myself to the machines in February – 3,000 lbs and created a habit by March – 35,000 lbs during 12 evenly sessions.
9. Select Activities to do at Home; with Buddies; and with Groups. A couple of years ago, I decided to replace many of my “food-centric visits” with my friends with “activity visits”. Since then, I have met friends at parks, done several charity walks (Race for Cure, etc), visited with my dog walking friends and viewed new scenery.
10. Identify the biggest obstacle to exercising. If you are short on time or money, then think creatively. You can fill a water bottle with sand and you don’t need a gym to do pushups. If you can’t afford a personal trainer, read #12. I watch and listen to the trainers with their paid customers and put in to practice their tips.
11. Identify three ways to raise your metabolism while doing daily activities. My computer is on a higher shelf, so I can stand, not sit most of the time. Can you do squats while brushing your teeth? How can you not be a couch potato? Arm exercises during TV time?
12. Locate online support. Make a list of websites that you can visit weekly for tips and information. You Tube has informative videos from trainers about proper forms and exercise routines. Many gyms and yoga studios post their schedule online.
13. Investigate one new activity. Schedule a session with a personal trainer to fine-tune your routine, sign up for a new fitness class, visit a new gym.
14. Select one (or more) exercise buddies – canine or human. I work from home and enjoy the camaraderie and variety of my gym friends. One of my best friends rescued a dog specifically to be her walking companion. (She successfully lost over 100 pounds).
15. Hydrate during the day. You need to drink more water. Find ways to add water to your morning and afternoon.
16. Designate one day a week as Weigh-In Day, then forget about the scale the other six days. Put your weigh in day on your calendar.
17. Choose 3 different activities that you enjoy. What do you enjoy? Variety will prevent boredom and burnout. Also, it is good to have a fall back exercise for days when weather, work, or will power prevent your normal activity.
18. Entertain and Distract Yourself! Load a new playlist, check your voicemail, plug in your earplugs for the treadmill. What will make the time more enjoyable and pass quickly. I read romance novels from the library while I am on the gym bicycle. Many people walk the dog, watch CNN or decorating shows. The point is if you are able to combine exercising with something you enjoy, then you will want to repeat the experience often. (Note- The opposite is also true, don’t combine activities you dislike, you won’t want to repeat the experience.)
19. Gather your gear. Locate your gym bag yoga mat, running/walking shoes and socks, sports bra, exercise videos etc… Give your gear a home. Make it easy to get active.
20. Assemble Your Support Team – Identify those who support your efforts and Minimize time (or at least conversation) with fitness Saboteurs who demean your efforts!
21. Congratulate yourself for your commitment; look at how much progress you have made. Seriously, look in the mirror and tell yourself out loud – CONGRATULATIONS TO ME!!! Don’t beat yourself up for anything not checked off. This is not a competition or race; it is your long term commitment to your health and lifestyle. Your healthy lifestyle is not about perfection, it is about progress.
Popularity: 13% [?]
Burn More Fat and Exercise Less
March 24, 2009 by Gail Grannum
Filed under Metabolism
Exercise will help you lose weight, get a trim body, increase your energy level and boost your overall feelings of well-being. But let’s face it – many of us don’t enjoy exercising. We may find the routines boring or just don’t want to make time in our day to sweat.
Fortunately there are so many different types of exercise that with enough searching and trial most people will find something they enjoy enough to stick with for long periods of time. For the most part these exercises are generally cardiovascular in nature. This means that they get your heart rate up but don’t require that you work your muscles against weight resistance.
Exercises such as running, rowing, volleyball, tennis, walking, jogging, horseback riding or cardio machines all fit into this category. There is nothing wrong with cardiovascular workouts – except that you have to do them for long periods of time to see results.
But if the goal is to workout less and see greater fat burning, what is a person to do? It may feel like working out at a cardio activity for longer periods of time will only burn more and more calories but in fact the opposite is actually true. Recent research has found that muscles and your metabolism will accommodate to the consistent workload that you impose each time you get on the treadmill for 30 mintues.
Instead researchers recommend that you confuse your muscles. Confused?
Basically they are advocating the same routines that high school and college coaches have been teaching for years – except they called it interval training.
Using interval training the body alternates between moderate and intense, long and short cardio workouts rather than indulging in one long cardiovascular session. And you’ll find that interval training is actually more fun than doing the same routine, at the same pace, for the same amount of time on the same days of the week, week in and week out.
You can change the actual routine that you use or you can incorporate weight work a couple of days a week to confuse your muscles even more. This muscle confusion leads to more weight loss, greater calorie burn and more toned muscles. Using interval training you’ll also find that your body continues to burn calories for another 24 hours after you’ve completed the workout. And for ultra-busy people that added benefit means that you can workout 3 times a week instead of five and receive the same benefits.
Another important factor, especially for women is that intensive workouts like weight lifting is not just for men; even women can do them. You think that you will have a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger if you do weight lifting? The opposite is really true. Building that kind of body requires more than intense workouts and different hormone levels than are usually present in a woman’s body.
Don’t complicate this! Keep it simple and basic and you will see how fast you burn fat and get your fat belly replaced with a flat belly!
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