Posts Tagged ‘Hatha Yoga is’

Yoga for the Infrequent Practitioner

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Jenny Park

According to US News & World Report, baby boomers with sports injuries, mostly “weekend warriors,” or those who exercise only once a week, are now the number two group coming into doctor’s offices, behind only those with colds. Their injuries, caused by taking any exercise too far when practicing infrequently, can also be problem in Hatha Yoga classes.

Injuries caused by pushing the muscles too hard, such as tears or over extension, are more common with infrequent exercisers. Only familiarity with the muscle range allows yoga students to know how far they should push; the temptation to “take it to its limits” should be avoided. Regular practice also builds muscle memory and allows practitioners to assume the correct posture and position naturally.

Mentally, infrequent practice makes concentration more difficult. Only when the mind is focused does Yoga provide full benefits. “Yoga in the Workplace,” a book by Shameem Akhtar, stresses that regularity is more important than lengthy, infrequent practices. Yoga fights stress and muscle aches accumulated over hundreds of hours during the week- expecting a one-hour class attended irregularly to be up to the task of counteracting these issues is not reasonable.

Yoga Teachers Can Make a Difference

As an instructor, infrequent practitioners should be carefully observed and reminded to make sure appropriate modifications are made when needed. Tight hamstrings are a very common problem and affect poses like Downward-facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana, Triangle pose or Trikonasana, Reverse Triangle or Parivritta Trikonasana, and even seated poses like Staff pose or Dandasana. Office workers in particular carry a lot of tension in their neck and shoulders, which may translate into lack of flexibility in those areas.

Moving at one’s own pace should be emphasized, and the misconception that Hatha Yoga is an easy form of exercise should be dispelled. Pre-existing repetitive motion injuries may be more common in our Yoga classes, simply because people without much experience expect anything good to hurt a little. They come to classes thinking it’s easy and push past injuries without thinking. In fact, we know that Yoga should not hurt at all.

Don’t allow classes to become too crowded, as this prevents direct observation and correction of alignment if needed. There have even been cases of students in crowded classes injuring other nearby practitioners by falling over in a pose.

Encourage infrequent practitioners to spend time on restorative poses, as well as those that challenge their bodies. Yoga is not a competition, and he who forces himself into a pose or finishes first is not the winner.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Kinesiology Education for Yoga Teachers

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Kinesiology is the study of movement. It includes the study of all of the physiological mechanisms of the body. The study of kinetics is important in educational disciplines such as rehabilitation therapy, sports medicine, exercise, biomechanics, and orthopedics. Since Hatha Yoga is based on movement, it makes perfect sense that someone specializing in teaching a physical form of Yoga would be knowledgeable about the kinetics of the body.

More specifically, kinesiology is the scientific study of the body’s bones, joints, tissues, nerves, and muscles. The practice of Yoga focuses largely on moving the body into positions, which will strengthen and lengthen the joints and muscles. It seems that kinetics and Yoga go hand in hand. When you are teaching Yoga, you are teaching your students how to safely move the body into specific postures for specific results. A Yoga teacher must be knowledgeable about the way the different parts of the body work in conjunction with each other.

Imagine a scenario where you are teaching a class full of beginners how to perform Triangle pose for the first time. You will make sure that students get into a wide stance with proper alignment, and then turn the toes out to the proper degrees. Then students must focus on their hips, keeping them squared forward, and practice moving from the hips as opposed to leading with the shoulders or another body part. Once the hips are in place, students must reach with top arm upward, shoulders down and back. Finally, the Yoga instructor must convey how to reach out and down toward the front foot, while reaching up to the ceiling, opening up the chest, and cast the gaze upward.

That one pose covered nearly the whole body, from toes to head. As students learn to go into the pose, the Yoga instructor needs to be able to understand student limitations and adjust bodies accordingly. This not only requires knowledge of the pose itself, but knowledge of how the body works. If a student experiences pain or discomfort due to a pose, it is the Yoga instructor’s job to tweak the body to alleviate the discomfort. This requires knowledge of body kinetics.

Kinetic knowledge is crucial background information for Yoga instructors. Although you might not always teach your students about specific tissues or joints, it is important in forming a general understanding of how human bodies work. One of the aspects of Hatha Yoga is to become more in touch with our bodies, so it just makes sense that a Yoga teacher should know the scientific ins and outs of the body.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Teaching Yoga: Benefits of Yoga Props

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

yoga instructor courseBy Narendra Maheshri

There is an attitude that a few Yoga teachers have in regard to the use of props. This attitude is based on intolerance for new students and students with special needs. Maybe the Yoga teacher has not received in-depth training of anatomy, or a compassion chip, but arrogant yoga instructors should label their craft accordingly.

Some suggestions would be sauna stretch, extreme stretch and torture, hardcore boot camp stretching, or no pain no gain stretching. By discarding the word “yoga,” there is no deception. A new student would realize that there is as much risk of injury in a class with these yoga teachers as there is in a boxing ring.

Why Yoga Props Make Sense

Newcomers to yoga will find certain props invaluable, especially in the beginning when muscles are tight and rigid. At first, there may be a significance dependence on props that will decrease as flexibility increases. The greatest benefit to using yoga props, is they improve the quality of the pose which creates a better stretch.

Yoga Mats

A mat is probably the most useful of all yoga props. The purpose of a yoga mat is to provide a non-slip surface to stand on while performing yoga poses. A yoga mat protects feet from unwanted movement or slippage while holding a pose. This is instrumental in avoiding injury from slipping. A yoga mat may be used to cover another prop, like yoga block, to provide a non-slip surface. The importance of a yoga mat is creates a safe foundation when practicing yoga.

Yoga Blocks

Yoga block are extremely useful props, especially for beginners who don’t have much stretch and extension at first. A well-placed yoga block can extend the reach of an arm reaching to touch the floor when performing a wide leg stretch with a forward bend like in a triangle pose. Using a yoga block can create a deeper stretch without fear of injury. A yoga block can help maintain balance while posing, give support in a seated twist, or help maintain balance during a pose.

Yoga Straps

Yoga straps are indispensable when performing a seated forward stretch to the toes. Tight hamstrings may make it too difficult to reach the toes. Feeding a yoga strap around the toes and holding the ends of the strap in each hand will aid and enhance the stretch gently until the hamstrings loosen. Placing the strap around the toes anchors the yoga strap so the ends can be pulled to increase the stretch from the hips bending forward. A yoga strap aids stretching and holding yoga poses without straining. This makes it easy to push limits and improve yoga poses resulting in greatly improved flexibility.

Yoga Blankets

A yoga blanket may be used to comfort and support the body with a variety of yoga poses. The blanket can be folded and used to sit on to ease the strain of several seated poses, allowing the pose to be held longer with a deeper stretch. A yoga blanket can be folded or rolled to support the back or neck with poses that stress those areas. This is a versatile prop because it can be folded and shaped to suit almost any pose.

What are the Benefits?

Practicing asana, meditation, and pranayama without an injury is what we want for our students.  Some people cannot sit with their legs crossed on the floor.  In that case, we have to find a solution.  As Paulji often stresses, “Hatha Yoga is adapted to the needs of the individual student.”  Our students take yoga classes to have better health and props insure the experience is a good one.  Our objective is no yoga injuries at all.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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The Secret Benefits of Yoga Practice

Sunday, May 1st, 2011

yoga certification

By Sangeetha Saran

As teachers, many of us already know the benefits of Yoga practice. Yet, the global masses are just beginning to become aware of the deeper benefits of a steady practice. During Yoga teacher training, we learn many skills, but the most important skill of all is communication. From the day a new student arrives or after years of practice, it is good to explain what students of various levels of experience should realistically expect from their Yoga practice.

For centuries, Yoga has been widely considered to have major health benefits in South Asia, and has recently become incredibly popular in the United States, with thousands of Americans beginning Yoga practice each year. Hatha Yoga can clearly benefit the practitioner physically, with fitness and flexibility, but routine practice can also lead to a number of less expected benefits.

Hatha Yoga, like any physical activity, can improve physical health when practiced routinely. What many do not know, however, are the specific ways in which Yoga may be able to help in relieving certain medical issues. Yoga has been shown to improve circulation and lower one’s heart rate.

Both of these effects can lead to a decrease in blood pressure and a stronger heart. Improved circulation has also been shown to aid in lowering cholesterol and in reducing the amount of sodium in the body. According to the Online Nurse Practitioner Schools website Yoga may decrease the level of triglycerides in the bloodstream.  This would reduce the risk of heart disease.  Of course, more studies will be needed before that claim can be clinically proven.  Yoga can also improve one’s pain tolerance, making it an effective exercise regimen for those with chronic pain issues such as fibromyalgia or arthritis.

Perhaps one of the least often discussed benefits of Yoga is the effect that routine practice can have on one’s sex life. Yoga not only makes practitioners more flexible and improves dexterity, but it may also increase stamina and muscle control during sexual activity. What’s more, Yoga gives participants more self-confidence and promotes relaxation, both of which can significantly improve sexual experiences for practitioners in any age group.

Since Hatha Yoga is a physical activity, many do not consider that it may have effects on an individual’s emotional or mental health. Yoga can relieve stress and anxiety, and many also feel that it can greatly lessen the effects of depression.

Many long-time practitioners also report an improvement in memory and a drastic improvement in the ability to focus and concentrate. Overall, Yoga creates a sense of calmness and well-being, and helps to eliminate anger or hostility.

Whether one is seeking a great exercise choice to help with arthritis, diabetes, or depression, Yoga appears to be a perfect way for everyone to be more fit and happy. The wide variety of Yoga styles and programs make it ideal for practitioners of any age or level of ability. Even beginners will see the benefits of Yoga after just a few weeks of practice.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga for Women – Aging Gracefully

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Gopi Rao

Yoga for women, in all of its forms, is an incredible tool to support in aging gracefully. The practice of Hatha Yoga is well-known in its ability to create and sustain good health. The practice of other Yogic techniques such as chanting and meditation also supports a practitioner in creating and maintaining good mental health.

Another key component of aging gracefully is the ability to stay socially engaged and active. Practicing at a studio or community center gives women the opportunity to nourish friendships amongst the community of like-minded students. As a woman ages, Yoga in all of its forms is a wonderful way for a woman to support her aging process with beauty and dignity.

The physical practice of Hatha helps to keep a woman limber, strong, and toned throughout her lifetime. Yogic exercise also strengthens a woman’s ability to balance, which can be critically important when she is entering her sixties and beyond. If a woman’s yoga training routine includes some weight-bearing postures such as Warrior III and Chandranamaskar sequence, a woman will also strengthen her bones.

Practicing Yogic techniques is also a great tool for lowering stress, anxiety, and blood pressure levels as a woman ages. A balanced physical practice that incorporates some strenuous sun salutations, standing poses, balancing poses, and core abdominal work is very useful. These physical techniques will help a woman to maintain muscular strength, good circulation throughout her body, keep her joints mobile, and increase her sense of balance and coordination.

The emotional benefit of a regular Yoga practice will also serve a woman well as she ages. If a woman is able to maintain an active lifestyle through a steady practice, it will help her to counter the isolation and depression that affects so many people in the later decades of their lives.

Recently, there have been many studies done that document some of the keys to aging well and living a long, happy, and productive life. One of the key components to living well into your nineties and beyond is staying active.

Researchers found that as long as people were engaged in a hobby, volunteer or paid work, community service and so on, they lived longer and happier lives.

To simply be able to get out of the house and attend a typical Yoga, or Chair Yoga classes, breaks the backbone of isolation in our later years. In addition to warding off isolation and depression, the practice of Hatha Yoga offers a woman all of the physical benefits mentioned above. Truly, a regular practice of asanas in a community context can be a woman’s best friend throughout all the stages of her life.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher certification courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts, and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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The Popular Forms of Indian Yoga

Monday, January 10th, 2011

yoga certificationBy Gopi Rao

There are many styles of Yoga from India. Most are not nearly as well known as Hatha Yoga, but all are important and have significant relationships to each other. Although there are many styles, the article below will cover the Nine main styles from India.

A. Jnana Yoga, which is known as union by knowledge, is a practice comprised of primarily study and meditation. Jnana Yoga is an intellectual practice.

B. Bhakti Yoga, which means union by love and devotion, is a practice that centers on devotion to God or a guru. Bhakti Yoga is a practice of the heart.

C. Karma Yoga, which is union through rightful action. Karma Yoga is a practice that is defined by right action and selfless service. Karma Yoga is also giving without regard for personal gain.

D. Mantra Yoga, which is union by voice or sound, is the practice of repeating (out loud or within) certain syllables, words or phrases (mantras). Mantra Yoga is a practice, which stems from the throat.

E. Yantra Yoga, which means union though vision. Yantra is the practice of meditating or contemplating on visual objects, which have the power to bring enlightenment to the contemplator.

F. Kundalini Yoga, which is union through arousal of a latent psychic nerve force, is best practiced with a qualified Kundalini Yoga teacher and involves the use of Hatha Yoga and intense meditation to awaken the “sleeping serpent” within. This serpent power is drawn up the spine to the crown of the head to produce enlightenment. Kundalini Yoga is a practice of the unseen, but very powerful, energies that exist within us and surround us.

G. Tantra Yoga, which means union through harnessing the sexual energies is both a term to distinguish physiological systems of yoga with those that are non-physiological and a Yoga practice in which control of sexual energies and union of male and female (literally or imaginatively) play a part.

H. Hatha Yoga, which is union by bodily mastery is the best known and most widely practiced from of Yoga. Sivananda, Iyengar, Bikram, and Kripalu are just a handful of the many Hatha sub-styles. This practice consists of pranayama, meditation, and asanas. Hatha Yoga is a practice of physical and mental mastery.

I. Raja Yoga, which is union by mental mastery involves direct work with mastering consciousness and stilling thought through meditation and Hatha Yoga. Raja (royal) Yoga is said to be the highest form of Yoga.  This practice is tied to the Yoga Sutras and particularly, the eight limbs of Yoga.

That defines the main forms of Indian Yoga. The distinctions may still be unclear to you, for good cause. Though each Yoga has a unique and distinguishable emphasis, they are necessarily intertwined. It would be difficult to practice only one type of Yoga without delving into others to lesser and greater degrees.

They are not outlined here or anywhere to represent a list of choices of which a person can only choose one, but to show the doctrine that comprises a practice that has existed for many centuries and takes many forms.

© Copyright 2011 – Gopi Rao / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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