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Showing posts with label Yoga Fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yoga Fitness. Show all posts
Sunday, May 4, 2008

Yoga In The Workforce - The Health Benefits Of Practicing Yoga At Work

More and more employers are realizing the benefits of practicing Yoga in the workforce. With the increase in stress levels of employees, employers are now exploring different ways of relieving these stresses. While some are allowing employees to take naps others have decided to begin practicing yoga at work.

Some businesses have even gone so far as incorporating yoga into the daily routine of their employees and have seen an increase in productivity as well as a more content workforce.

Many employers have become aware of the fact that in addition to reducing stress they're also contributing to the overall health of their employees. As a result employees are taking fewer days off work for sickness. It just makes good business sense to encourage Yoga in the workplace as it seems to be paying dividends in the long term.

Yoga has increased in popularity with business professionals who lead a fast paced and stressful life who find that regular sessions of yoga help to reduce their stress considerably and make them more productive.

The fact that a person practicing Yoga doesn't require the use of bulky equipment simply means that Yoga can be practiced anywhere and is not restricted to a gym or even a designated room within the office. A practitioner can easily perform a series of Yoga exercises at their desk with the use of a reasonable chair in a carpeted office. This makes it convenient for the practitioner as well as economical for the employer.

Another benefit to the employer is the fact that Yoga can be practiced by employees of all ages. Even people who have never exercised in their life are able to start yoga and see results almost immediately. Practicing Yoga in the workplace can also help in relieving those aches and pains which are so common among those employees who work for hours sitting at a desk working on a computer.

Research has shown that taking short breaks during the day where basic yoga exercises are performed can relieve pain, reduce fatigue and increase safety in the workforce due to the improvements in these areas. While all employees would benefit by having Yoga in the workforce, employees whose daily tasks are repetitive such as office workers or factory workers would benefit most from practicing yoga in the workforce.

To download your FREE guide "STRESS-BUSTING STRETCHES" click on Yoga Stretches For The Office and for a limited time you'll also receive our Weekly Yoga For Exercise Or Alternative Health newsletter, jammed packed full of special offers and reviews delivered to your inbox absolutely FREE.

Yoga For Health has now partnered with one of the fastest growing healthy living companies in the country. This is great news as we are now pleased to offer Yoga Accessories like YOGA MATS, CLOTHES, STRAPS and SHOES at discounted prices. Visit us today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=B_D_Kenny http://EzineArticles.com/?Yoga-In-The-Workforce---The-Health-Benefits-Of-Practicing-Yoga-At-Work&id=1129024

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Yoga Week 1 Complete of 28 Days!

Woo Hoo!! I did it this week. I was able to complete 8 straight days of Yoga. It was tough - I just about missed it on Super Tuesday. The day was very stressful at work causing me to forget about doing any exercise - plus, I unfortunately ate a large dinner and watched the Super Tuesday results.

Suddenly, at around 9:30pm, it occurred to me that I had forgotten to do Yoga. So I just started doing some positions while watching the results. Not the best workout - but I managed to do about 20 minutes. Anything counts in my book.

I hope you're finding a way to do it as well! Keep on going.

Monday, January 14, 2008

My Personal Yoga Journey

I should start this post by noting that I haven't updated it in six weeks due to my own personal journey getting back into yoga again. After Thanksgiving I had gained yet another five pounds of body fat and was reaching my point of ultimate frustration. Part of the reason I started this blog in the first place was to not only learn about yoga - but also to motivate myself to get back into doing it as a part of my lifestyle. I really want to change my life.

My Own Yoga FitnessSo, beginning about December 1st I started a full yoga program - be it only 30 minutes a day. But, from Nov 26th to Dec 24th I was doing yoga about six days a week. At first I was very disappointed with my overall yoga fitness - my flexibility was horrible, I started to see how poorly I was breathing, and my balance was completely shot. Nevertheless, I kept at it.

By the end of December much had changed for the positive. First, I lost five pounds over the month! Second, my flexibility increased dramatically - funny story; near the end of Dec. I was at home and happened to drop some papers on the floor. When I reached down to pick them up I literally just about flipped over completely on my back. My head accelerated so fast toward the floor due to my increased flexibility that I thought I was going to knock myself out by conking my forehead. I haven't seen the floor accelerate toward me so fast!

I imagine you're wondering what kind of workout I was doing. I just started with simple Hatha Yoga positions and some breathing. Now, I didn't dig deep on the breathing side - just basic breath with positions. If you look at my October 22nd entry on Beginning Yoga you will see the kinds of positions I was doing.

I hope this gives you some charge to get started or to get back into yoga!

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Bikram Yoga is Hard, Very Hard!

I found this great article online from a student newpaper at Pomona College. You think that yoga fitness is difficult? Wait until you take a look at this!

"Bikram yoga is hard. How hard? If you can still feel all of your arm muscles after the first five minutes, you’re probably doing it wrong. For 90 minutes a day, Bikram devotees go through a series of 26 poses with names like “awkward,” “spine-twisting,” and “dead body.” " ...

Read the rest of this article at: Bikram Yoga Puts Twister to Shame

Monday, October 8, 2007

Ashtanga Yoga Demo

This amazing video shows Ashtanga Yoga poses and a level of yoga fitness that most of us would love to reach in our own lives! Enjoy - I love this video.


Thursday, July 19, 2007

Understanding the Different Types of Yoga

Yoga is becoming a more and more popular activity in the Western world today. The number of places holding Yoga classes is on the increase and there is a plethora of different types of Yoga. With a choice of Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and many more it can be easy to get confused

The article will help you to understand the difference between the most popular types of Yoga so you can choose which type is right for you.

Hatha Yoga - in Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India) “Ha” means “sun” and “tha” means “moon”. This type of Yoga is relatively slow paced, gentle type of Yoga and is a good place to start if you are completely new to Yoga and don't know any of the asanas (poses). Like all types of Yoga, Hatha Yoga aims to unite the mind, body and spirit.

Ashtanga Yoga - this is the type of Yoga that I practice on a regular basis and means “eight limbs” in Sanskrit. It's a fast moving, intense style of Yoga practice and is based on a progressive set sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. Ashtanga Yoga can be quite physically demanding as you constantly move from one asana in the sequence to the next, so you'll find that it will improve your stamina as well as your flexibility and strength..

Power Yoga - this is a western interpretation of Yoga and is based on Ashtanga Yoga. A Power Yoga class may not necessarily stick to the exact sequence of poses like Ashtanga Yoga does, but it does involve practicing a series of poses without stopping and starting.

Iyengar Yoga - This type of Yoga is based on teachings by B.K.S Igengar and concentrates on the correct alignment and form of the body. Unlike Ashtanga Yoga, there is an emphasis on holding each pose for a long period of time rather than moving constantly from one pose to the next. Iyengar Yoga uses props such as blocks and straps to help align the body into the different poses.

Vinyasa Yoga - Vinyasa means breath synchronized movement and is another fast paced type of Yoga, with an emphasis on breathing. A practice typically starts with sun salutations and moves on to more intense stretching. Throughout the practice each pose is balanced with a counter pose.

Bikram Yoga - otherwise known as “Hot Yoga”, is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, with a humidity of around 40%. Generally a sequence of 26 different poses is practiced during a Bikram Yoga class and the hot temperature helps to loosen muscles. Due to the high temperature most people sweat a lot during the class and this helps to cleanse the body of toxins.

If you're just starting out or have never done any Yoga before, I recommend trying a few different types of yoga to find out what you like best.

Remember, there's no rule that says you have to stick to one type of Yoga. I like Ashtanga Yoga best, but I also go to occasional Iyengar and Hatha Yoga classes for a bit of variety.

To find out more about the different types of Yoga visit the Free online Yoga Guide

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Morrison http://EzineArticles.com/?Understanding-the-Different-Types-of-Yoga&id=58887

Monday, July 2, 2007

Back Bends for Enhanced Well-Being

I found this at the Yoga Today video archive. The backbending positions are excellent and feel great!

Note that the videos are very high quality - but, they are very large. So, if you don't have a high bandwidth connection I wouldn't try them.

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Yoga Today's 392nd episode is an all-levels Ashtanga sequence. Adi will open our hearts and enhance well being through backbends. Back bending is a great way to improve circulation, respiration, your overall attitude toward life and yoga fitness.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Free Online Yoga

As you've probably guessed by now I'm always interested when I find a site devoted to free online yoga exercises and yoga fitness programs.

I just happened to stumbled across a site today that promotes animated Hatha Yoga lessons. It has 40 animated yoga postures, 10 animated yoga breathing techniques and 20 animated stress postures.

Take a look at Hatha Yoga Lesson when you have some time. I like this format for some quick tips and easy lessons.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Understanding Yoga Fitness

If you are brand new to practicing yoga you will probably find that understanding its historical background will give you a good context around yoga fitness and why you are doing it. By understanding that yoga is not just physical activity but also a full lifestyle approach you'll come to appreciate its complete health benefits.

No one really knows who first developed yoga except for the fact that it seemed to have originated somewhere in the Indus Valley regions of Northern India. References to yoga first appeared in both archaeological and written references about 3000 to 5000 years ago. The first compilation of yoga practices seems to have appeared about 2200 years ago with the publication of a book called the 'Yoga Sutras' by the author Patanjali.

The Yoga Sutras are a compilation of 196 yoga principles and philosophy that are meant to be memorized and incorporated into one's lifestyle. These principles have become to be known as the foundation of Raja Yoga with a primary focus on the mind taming the body and enhancing the spirit.

The Raja Yoga discipline as described in the sutras is divided into eight steps - otherwise known as the eight 'limbs'. Each step focuses on aspects around lifestyle, purity, body, breathing and meditation. Here is a high level description of each:

1. Yama - abstentions for living virtuously such as truth, non-violence and continence
2. Niyama - observances and disciplines for mind and body
3. Asana - bodily postures for meditation
4. Pranayama - regulated breath and control of the life force
5. Pratyahara - sensory withdrawal of the mind from the physical world
6. Dharana - meditative concentration on an object - knowing you are meditating
7. Dhyana - meditation with no consciousness of the act of meditation
8. Samadhi - enlightenment

As you probably noticed modern yoga, as it is typically practiced today, is heavily influenced by steps three and four - the Asana and Pranayama limbs. Most modern yoga fitness programs are related to the practices of Raja Yoga in the form of Hatha Yoga which is a system focused on physical purification to assist the later meditative effects of steps five through nine. Hatha Yoga is comprised of a large number of bodily postures designed to develop balance, poise and strength.

Today, the mainstream instruction of yoga includes many body positions and breathing exercises that have been found to be extremely beneficial to personal well being, fitness and health. Practiced over time yoga can become a path to improving anyone's lifestyle. By combining this practice with the additional Raja 'limbs', yoga can lead you an enlightened life change.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Free Yoga DVD

Many know that once you begin your journey into yoga the amazing benefits for mind and body keep you coming back for more. However, sometimes it takes a little motivation to get started. 'Yoga Online - Mind & Body' is now offering a Free Beginners Yoga DVDs - Yoga Videos to download online and propel you into a comprehensive approach to health and fitness.

This amazing free Yoga DVD is a high quality, visual instruction for yoga fitness beginners providing 20 yoga postures, repeatable routines, and enjoyable workouts for any age. Yoga Online spent around 600-700 hours to create with the intent to have a guide they wished they had when first starting out.
Here's part of a sample testimonial from the site:

"I just wanted to thank you guys for making the free beginners video available. I'm 48 yrs old. I've been very active my entire life. Currently my principal sport is long distance cycling though I also continue to weight train and run.

Prolonged periods on the bike (and I getting older I suppose) made it really clear that I was getting far out balance. Various aches and pains, running injuries, etc led me to look at Yoga just a few weeks ago. After watching the first video it was clear that Yoga will be included in my daily life. It fills a large void and nicely compliments the strength and endurance training.

I rented at least 5 different top beginner Yoga videos. Not a single one resonates with me the way that yours does. So many of the videos are sold to show a super flexible instructor who, while wonderful to watch, flows from position to position in ways that no beginner ever could....

Thank you again ! Your efforts half way across the world have had a very positive impact in my life. -Robert"

 

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