Studies have shown that Yoga may be one of the most effective exercises for back pain relief. In fact Health-First reporter Leslie LoBue says twisting your body into those sometimes awkward positions may actually be just the thing for lower back pain.
However, as effective as Yoga may be to reduce the pain of back problems, knowing exactly what poses to use, for how long, what to offset the poses with and in what sequence to execute them, are other factors that should be taken into consideration before using it as a therapeutic relief from back pain.
I can see a reader go “Wait a minute…if I have to go through all that, then maybe I should just take some painkillers and call it a day.”
If that applies, it is hardly my intention to scare you away from Yoga for back pain, in fact I’d rather you embraced its use as an alternative to drugs-prescribed or otherwise-for your problems, however, for your success with its use, a little bit of awareness of the correct poses to use for back pain is required and will come in handy for a lasting use of this drug-free alternative.
I will go over the common, simple yet very effective poses for back pain and also give you instructions on the proper poses to offset the spinal motions when applicable. Moreover, I will discuss the factors of the duration of time needed when executing these poses as well.
Though some of these poses may best be learned under the supervision of a certified Yoga Instructor or avid expert, with the descriptions given below-and if need be, the use of image searches on related Yoga sites and search engines-
I believe you should be able to get a good concept to at least be able to practice these poses at home.
Here are some of the best poses for back ache and since the aim here is more so back pain relief versus exercising, it is not mandatory that you hold them more than 5-15 seconds, depending on your level of comfort. Moreover, a use of a yoga mat or any other soft surface is highly recommended in the execution of these asanas.
The Shoulder-stand (Savangasana)
This, folks, is a noted panacea for near any human ailment.
Don’t panic, it is extremely easy to execute, however, depending on the severity of your case, use discretion in its use.
-Spread a thick blanket on the floor and place your yoga mat on it. Lie on the back.
-Slowly raise the legs. Lift the trunk, hips and legs to a vertical position.
-Rest the elbows firmly on the floor and support the back with both hands.
-Raise the legs till they become vertical. Press the chin against the chest..
-While performing this pose, the back of the neck, the posterior part of the head and the shoulders should touch the floor. (I can assure you that you will say “Hey, I’ve done this before as a kid…this is yoga?”)
-Breathe in counts of 5-5-5 (inhalation, retention and exhalation).
-Don’t allow the body to shake.
Now for the counter poses to the Shoulder-Stand, try to incorporate the following:
Bridge Pose (Sethu Bhandasana):
From the Shoulder Stand position, stretch the legs and slowly touch the floor with the feet. It is done to bend the spine in the opposite direction.
Fish Pose (Matsyasana):
Lie on your back. Stretch the legs and keeps the hands palm down under the thighs. Raise the chest with the help of the elbows and, bending the neck as much as possible backwards, rest on the top of the head.
Suggested Duration:
Try to use the ratio below to time the execution of these three poses.
6:1:2 (meaning the fish pose is held for a third of the time spent in the shoulder stand and the bridge pose held for half the time spent in the fish pose (or a sixth of the time spent in the shoulder-stand)
Or as an alternative, you could simply forego the bridge pose and apply a 2:1 ratio (shoulder-stand to fish pose) but this is only advised if you intend to do the parent pose (the shoulder-stand) for only a few seconds.
Obviously a lot of detail has gone into the description of these poses, however, that is because my intention is for you to be well informed, but for the sake of time and space. I will briefly go over the other poses you could do well to include AFTER you try the sequence above. This is if you decide to use it by the way. If not, you could do very well to simply start from the stage to be depicted in part 2 of this article.
YOGA FOR BACK PAIN
Yoga For Back Pain Relief
As you get older, it can be a challenge to maintain ideal health. In fact, you may have heard people say that their body is beginning to creak. As people use their limbs, joints & muscles, there is definitely some wear & tear over the years. This is why it definitely pays to stay in shape. It also pays off to stretch your muscles out routinely, & acquire some kind of healthy process such as yoga. Far plenty of people misconceive yoga as a stretching practice for females & artsy men. This is not the case at all. While you may not have known it, plenty of people pick yoga for back pain & every day relaxation. Back pain can drive plenty of females & men insane as they age. With every year, that irksome back ache may gradually receive a small worse. Perhaps it is a pulled muscle, or perhaps it is sore in a specific area from doing the same thing wrong every day.So plenty of people suffer from back pains due to routines & stress they encounter every day. As you may already know, stress is a major contributor to body aches & pains. When you accumulate plenty of stress, your body reacts negatively to this psychological burden. This causes blood pressure to increase, muscles to ache & skin to break out. It is brilliant how much stress on your mind can impact your body. This is why so plenty of people turn to yoga for back pain, stress, & other issues in their every day lives. By practicing some simple yoga routines each day, you can start to improve the way your body functions.
There's limitless yoga for back pain instructors & schools to think about these days. Irrespective of the town or city you live in, there is likely to be one in your area. It is a lovely suggestion to speak with a professional regarding yoga for back pain before you get involved. Never try to practice something like yoga in the event you have sure medical conditions. You need to speak together with your physician first. In the event you are in lovely health, & need to try yoga for back pain at home, then you ought to think about one of the plenty of yoga DVDs on the market online. Plenty of of these offer beginner routines for individuals who have not practiced yoga before.
Yoga for Back Pain - The RIGHT Poses Part 2
I went over in detail the use of the shoulder stand sequence as ‘the’ Yoga exercise for back pain in part one of this article. Now let’s go over the rest of the applicable poses shall we.
FORWARD STRETCHES:
Wind Relieving Pose: (Vatayanasan)
Lie down flat. Now take a deep breath and hold it. Now fold your right leg at the knee and press the folded leg against the abdomen. Make sure to keep the alternate leg straight while doing this. Now, switch legs and to conclude this use both legs at the same time.
5-15 Seconds
Plough Pose (Halasana):
Lie flat on your back on your blanket. Keep the hands, palms down near the thighs. Without bending the knees, slowly raise the hips and the lumbar part of the back and bring down the legs till they touch the floor or go as far as you can. The key here is to get as deep a stretch for the lower back as possible.
5-15 Seconds
Forward Bend (Paschimothanasana):
Lie flat on your back on the blanket, with arms overhead on the floor. Keep the legs and thighs firmly on the floor. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and the chest and assume a sitting position. Now exhale till you are able to catch you toes, ankles or heels. You may even bury your face in between your knees.
5-15 Seconds
BACKWARD STRETCHES:
Inclined Plane Pose (Purvottanasana):
Rest on your hands on heels, keeping the body straight.
5-15 Seconds
Bow Pose: (Dhanurasana)
This pose is hailed as the best backward bending exercise. Lie Prone on the blanket. Relax the muscles. Now bend the legs over the thighs. Catch hold of the right ankle with the right hand and the left ankle with the left hand firmly. Raise the head, body and knees by tugging at the legs with the hands so the whole body rests on the abdomen.
Wheel Pose (Chakrasana)
Lie down. Bend the arms and legs. Raise the body and rest on the hands and feet. Tuck your head firmly in between your shoulders.
5-15 Seconds
Spinal Twist: (Ardha Matsendrasana):
-Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you.
-Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee.
-Sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee.
-Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder.
Since this actually involves a twisting of the back, make sure you go only as far as it is comfortable. As a matter of fact, it is advised that depending on the severity of your case, you only go as far as the poses allow you to at any time.
5-15 Seconds
Corpse Pose (Savasana):
This is the relaxation pose. From experience, after the spinal twist above, if you immediately get into this pose, there is an indescribable feeling of relief from tightness in the back. You ought to try it out for yourself.
-Lay motionless on your back with the arms and legs slightly extended.
-Breathe deeply in counts of 5 that being in a ratio of 5:5:5
(inhalation-retention-exhalation)
-Lay as such for as long as you desire and you could mentally send relaxation messages to your body parts such as “My ….. is hereby relaxed” (filling in the space with whatever body part. Remember to start from the toes working upwards.)
Other factors to keep in mind when I say try ‘yoga for back pain’ are that Yoga involves the consumption of a healthy diet. This brings to mind Hippocrates’ quote: “Let your foods be your medicine…”
That considered, do make sure your diet is primarily made up of the right stuff, raw and cooked fruits and veggies.
This will relieve constipation and this reminds me of a true experience with my father years back. He had suffered a severe back pain for weeks and an alternative health consultant told him to eat a meal of plain fruit on a given night and 2-3 hours afterwards, he was instructed to drink a laxative tea. After a really good bowel movement the next day, the pain magically subsided. That said you may want to try this tip as well.
It is my hope that all these pointers above will come in handy in your use of yoga for back pain relief-with the right poses. So go on and give it a shot today.
FORWARD STRETCHES:
Wind Relieving Pose: (Vatayanasan)
Lie down flat. Now take a deep breath and hold it. Now fold your right leg at the knee and press the folded leg against the abdomen. Make sure to keep the alternate leg straight while doing this. Now, switch legs and to conclude this use both legs at the same time.
5-15 Seconds
Plough Pose (Halasana):
Lie flat on your back on your blanket. Keep the hands, palms down near the thighs. Without bending the knees, slowly raise the hips and the lumbar part of the back and bring down the legs till they touch the floor or go as far as you can. The key here is to get as deep a stretch for the lower back as possible.
5-15 Seconds
Forward Bend (Paschimothanasana):
Lie flat on your back on the blanket, with arms overhead on the floor. Keep the legs and thighs firmly on the floor. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and the chest and assume a sitting position. Now exhale till you are able to catch you toes, ankles or heels. You may even bury your face in between your knees.
5-15 Seconds
BACKWARD STRETCHES:
Inclined Plane Pose (Purvottanasana):
Rest on your hands on heels, keeping the body straight.
5-15 Seconds
Bow Pose: (Dhanurasana)
This pose is hailed as the best backward bending exercise. Lie Prone on the blanket. Relax the muscles. Now bend the legs over the thighs. Catch hold of the right ankle with the right hand and the left ankle with the left hand firmly. Raise the head, body and knees by tugging at the legs with the hands so the whole body rests on the abdomen.
Wheel Pose (Chakrasana)
Lie down. Bend the arms and legs. Raise the body and rest on the hands and feet. Tuck your head firmly in between your shoulders.
5-15 Seconds
Spinal Twist: (Ardha Matsendrasana):
-Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you.
-Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee.
-Sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee.
-Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder.
Since this actually involves a twisting of the back, make sure you go only as far as it is comfortable. As a matter of fact, it is advised that depending on the severity of your case, you only go as far as the poses allow you to at any time.
5-15 Seconds
Corpse Pose (Savasana):
This is the relaxation pose. From experience, after the spinal twist above, if you immediately get into this pose, there is an indescribable feeling of relief from tightness in the back. You ought to try it out for yourself.
-Lay motionless on your back with the arms and legs slightly extended.
-Breathe deeply in counts of 5 that being in a ratio of 5:5:5
(inhalation-retention-exhalation)
-Lay as such for as long as you desire and you could mentally send relaxation messages to your body parts such as “My ….. is hereby relaxed” (filling in the space with whatever body part. Remember to start from the toes working upwards.)
Other factors to keep in mind when I say try ‘yoga for back pain’ are that Yoga involves the consumption of a healthy diet. This brings to mind Hippocrates’ quote: “Let your foods be your medicine…”
That considered, do make sure your diet is primarily made up of the right stuff, raw and cooked fruits and veggies.
This will relieve constipation and this reminds me of a true experience with my father years back. He had suffered a severe back pain for weeks and an alternative health consultant told him to eat a meal of plain fruit on a given night and 2-3 hours afterwards, he was instructed to drink a laxative tea. After a really good bowel movement the next day, the pain magically subsided. That said you may want to try this tip as well.
It is my hope that all these pointers above will come in handy in your use of yoga for back pain relief-with the right poses. So go on and give it a shot today.
Yoga positions for beginners
Yoga positions for beginners
Yoga poses can be overwhelming for beginners and you may be tempted to take the easier option, which is giving up. However, before you throw in the towel, it is important to be acquainted with the yoga positions for beginners that will give you a head start. As you grow in yoga, these positions will become easy and you will surprise yourself with how much you will have learnt so far. The basic thing about yoga positions for beginners is getting used to them and then growing from one to another. The body becomes accustomed to them and becomes even more flexible to accommodate positions that are more challenging.
One of the yoga positions for beginners is the neutral spine. The benefits of this position are that it makes your spine more flexible and gives your abdomen the strength it requires. To get into this position, you need to be on all fours with the wrists under your shoulders. Ensure that your knees are tucked under your hips. At this stage, you are required to visualize your spine as a straight line and thus you should maintain a straight back. The neck is supposed to be straight too in line with the spine. Cow pose is the other yoga position for beginners and you are supposed to take a deep breath while on the neutral spine position. You should then curl the toes under your feet and bring your belly down. You should then stretch your neck up to gaze at the ceiling. While executing the cow pose, it is important to make sure that the neck is the last part to move.
The cat pose is the next yoga position for beginners and you are supposed to exhale. You then uncurl your toes and release them to the floor to ease your feet. After this execution, you then round the spine and drop the head. You then tilt your head and curl it inwards to gaze at your navel. While in this position, you are supposed to repeat the cat-cow stretches and do it repeatedly inhaling and exhaling. It is important to make sure that the rhythm of your breath matches the movements you are making. Standing yoga positions for beginners include the downward facing dog (adho mukha svanasana). This type of pose includes standing, resting, and mild inversion of the body.
The benefit of this position is that it stretches the whole body thus strengthening it. It involves bending the knees to rest your belly on your thighs and then raising the sit bones high. From this position, you are supposed to sink your heels and bend your arms. The extended side angle pose (utthita parsvakonasana) is another yoga position for beginners that involve standing. Its benefits are it stretches the hamstrings, legs, and groin thereby strengthening them. It also helps in opening up the shoulders and chest. The garland pose (malasana) is another of the yoga positions for beginners that involves squatting. It is a hip opener position and helps in opening up the groin and the hips.
Yoga poses can be overwhelming for beginners and you may be tempted to take the easier option, which is giving up. However, before you throw in the towel, it is important to be acquainted with the yoga positions for beginners that will give you a head start. As you grow in yoga, these positions will become easy and you will surprise yourself with how much you will have learnt so far. The basic thing about yoga positions for beginners is getting used to them and then growing from one to another. The body becomes accustomed to them and becomes even more flexible to accommodate positions that are more challenging.
One of the yoga positions for beginners is the neutral spine. The benefits of this position are that it makes your spine more flexible and gives your abdomen the strength it requires. To get into this position, you need to be on all fours with the wrists under your shoulders. Ensure that your knees are tucked under your hips. At this stage, you are required to visualize your spine as a straight line and thus you should maintain a straight back. The neck is supposed to be straight too in line with the spine. Cow pose is the other yoga position for beginners and you are supposed to take a deep breath while on the neutral spine position. You should then curl the toes under your feet and bring your belly down. You should then stretch your neck up to gaze at the ceiling. While executing the cow pose, it is important to make sure that the neck is the last part to move.
The cat pose is the next yoga position for beginners and you are supposed to exhale. You then uncurl your toes and release them to the floor to ease your feet. After this execution, you then round the spine and drop the head. You then tilt your head and curl it inwards to gaze at your navel. While in this position, you are supposed to repeat the cat-cow stretches and do it repeatedly inhaling and exhaling. It is important to make sure that the rhythm of your breath matches the movements you are making. Standing yoga positions for beginners include the downward facing dog (adho mukha svanasana). This type of pose includes standing, resting, and mild inversion of the body.
The benefit of this position is that it stretches the whole body thus strengthening it. It involves bending the knees to rest your belly on your thighs and then raising the sit bones high. From this position, you are supposed to sink your heels and bend your arms. The extended side angle pose (utthita parsvakonasana) is another yoga position for beginners that involve standing. Its benefits are it stretches the hamstrings, legs, and groin thereby strengthening them. It also helps in opening up the shoulders and chest. The garland pose (malasana) is another of the yoga positions for beginners that involves squatting. It is a hip opener position and helps in opening up the groin and the hips.
Does is really mean Hot Yoga?
There are a lot of yoga types and one of them is the famous hot yoga. The hot yoga is characterized by a series of yoga poses which is done in a heated room. The room where you perform the exercise is preserved at a temperature of 95-100 degrees. This kind of exercise gives off a lot of perspiration during a session because you are stuck in a heated room.
Hot yoga is advantageous because it cleanses your body and gets rid of the toxins inside your body. Since is makes your body warm, the more flexible it gets.
When doing the hot yoga, you should have some accessories like your yoga mat and towel. Since you will be sweating severely, you should have something to wipe up your sweat every other time.
Some people who practice hot yoga do not wear very thick clothes because it causes them to sweat more.
If you are going to practice hot yoga, you should be ready with your clothing. The clothes you should wear should be appropriate. You can wear shorts during the session.
Wearing of shorts allows your skin to breathe and give off heat. Students are the ones who usually wear shorts. They tend to wear small clothes because they are still vigorous and they sweat too much. If you are taking hot yoga sessions, make sure that you drink a lot of water. If you are in the class, you can also bring along your own bottle of water so that you can drink anytime you want. It is important to bring along a bottle of water so that you will not get dehydrated and so that the skin will produce more sweat. Before having a hot yoga session, you should take note that it is not advisable to eat two hours before the class starts. This is because your body is opt for a heavy exercise.
Bikram’s method is such a good yoga style. People who want to be slim can practice this type of yoga because their fats and cholesterol will be burned through sweat.
Although it burns your fats, you should not be burning all of it because you still need some. Yoga started about 2500 years ago which was founded by Patanjali. After it’s discovery, it was then practiced and spread around the world. Picture yourself doing Yoga when you are suffering from illness like Fever where your body temperature is at 105 deg. Fahrenheit! I bet you couldn’t stand this kind of heat. If ever you will, you have over fatigued yourself.
At the compassion of the disagreement is Choudhury’s wish to put off anybody teaching yoga in a heated room from calling their class “Bikram Yoga.” He would like to put to one side this title only for those teachers who are qualified by his Yoga College of India and who stick to his arranged process precisely. This has been handled upon because there are a lot of people who imitate his teachings.
Now that you have learned the difference of hot yoga among all other styles, think again if it satisfies your desired to release your sweat and excess toxins. Remember that in doing hot yoga, all your energy is taken away. If your body has not a single energy to waste, then hot yoga is not the perfect yoga style for you.
Hot yoga is advantageous because it cleanses your body and gets rid of the toxins inside your body. Since is makes your body warm, the more flexible it gets.
When doing the hot yoga, you should have some accessories like your yoga mat and towel. Since you will be sweating severely, you should have something to wipe up your sweat every other time.
Some people who practice hot yoga do not wear very thick clothes because it causes them to sweat more.
If you are going to practice hot yoga, you should be ready with your clothing. The clothes you should wear should be appropriate. You can wear shorts during the session.
Wearing of shorts allows your skin to breathe and give off heat. Students are the ones who usually wear shorts. They tend to wear small clothes because they are still vigorous and they sweat too much. If you are taking hot yoga sessions, make sure that you drink a lot of water. If you are in the class, you can also bring along your own bottle of water so that you can drink anytime you want. It is important to bring along a bottle of water so that you will not get dehydrated and so that the skin will produce more sweat. Before having a hot yoga session, you should take note that it is not advisable to eat two hours before the class starts. This is because your body is opt for a heavy exercise.
Bikram’s method is such a good yoga style. People who want to be slim can practice this type of yoga because their fats and cholesterol will be burned through sweat.
Although it burns your fats, you should not be burning all of it because you still need some. Yoga started about 2500 years ago which was founded by Patanjali. After it’s discovery, it was then practiced and spread around the world. Picture yourself doing Yoga when you are suffering from illness like Fever where your body temperature is at 105 deg. Fahrenheit! I bet you couldn’t stand this kind of heat. If ever you will, you have over fatigued yourself.
At the compassion of the disagreement is Choudhury’s wish to put off anybody teaching yoga in a heated room from calling their class “Bikram Yoga.” He would like to put to one side this title only for those teachers who are qualified by his Yoga College of India and who stick to his arranged process precisely. This has been handled upon because there are a lot of people who imitate his teachings.
Now that you have learned the difference of hot yoga among all other styles, think again if it satisfies your desired to release your sweat and excess toxins. Remember that in doing hot yoga, all your energy is taken away. If your body has not a single energy to waste, then hot yoga is not the perfect yoga style for you.
Common Mistakes and Misunderstandings About Yoga?
Yoga is a very popular form of exercising and spiritual balancing, but it is also very often understood by a lot of people. This is almost inevitable when you consider the incredible popularity of Yoga as a discipline and the many different strands that Yoga has. Quite often people have experience with one type of Yoga but not another, and as such they will base their overall impression of Yoga on what they have seen. It is like people basing their impression on Germans on the most famous German they know - Adolf Hitler, or more recently the portrayal of George Bush internationally as the only example of an American anyone knows. The truth is that Yoga can be very different depending on who you learn it from and how they perceive Yoga. This article looks at some of the common misconceptions.
Misconception Number One: Yoga is a form of exercise.
Well yes it is, but so is walking. I can walk from my couch to my table and I can hardly claim to have done my exercise for the day. The truth is that exercise is just the beginning of what yoga is. It's closer to a combination of exercise, physiotherapy, psychology and spirituality all rolled into one. As you come to master Yoga you will need to become more and more mentally strong, and most importantly disciplined. If you can discipline yourself to do regular Yoga sessions, and maintain your discipline to do each pose for the prescribed time, and do it properly, then you will naturally become a very disciplined and organised person. For some people this transcends to a spiritual level because they are so efficient and clearing their thoughts while meditating.
Misconception Number Two: Yoga is for Hippies.
As previously mentioned Yoga can be a very spiritual experience if you become good enough at clearing your thoughts and concentrating whilst performing the exercises. But you certainly do not have to begin with any spiritual belief. Yoga believes in aligning the body and the mind and the spirit through achieving inner balance. What that means to you is probably going to depend entirely on what your beliefs already are. For some people it will be a spiritually freeing experience, for others it will be an effective way of distressing and achieving a level of calmness of thought. Still others will claim that these things are one and the same.
Misconception Number Three: Yoga is a fad.
Recently there have been some very hyped up Yoga courses making big claims about what Yoga can achieve. These are easy to associate with other 'fad' exercise crazes. However Yoga is not something new and is based in documents that are hundreds of years old which describe exercises and poses that were probably being performed for generations before that. An individual style of Yoga may come and go, but as long as people are still stretching before a game of football then Yoga will still be being used.
Misconception Number Four: Yoga is too slow to help me lose weight/gain tone etc.
This one is way off the mark, but we have been somewhat trained by the weight loss industry that weight loss, and toning our body is all about hours in the gym and fast high impact exercise. That's simply not true. Yoga can help with weight loss and in particularly toning for a number of reasons. Firstly the exercises, while low impact and performed either statically or slowly - are still exercises. While you use them you are using your muscles, and in many cases you are using muscles and muscle groups that regular exercise programs ignore. The second way that Yoga can be of benefit in a weight loss program is that it will increase your mental strength and allow you to be more disciplined with your food consumption. When it comes down to it excess weight is a result of excess eating and not enough physical exercise to burn off those calories. Have you ever noticed how some people can eat donut after donut and not put on any weight at all? It seems unfair, but it's a natural result of the state of their body. Usually these people will be quite 'sinewy' and this muscle allows them the metabolise food faster. That's the third benefit of Yoga in weight loss, as your muscles develop your body will actually become more efficient at consuming foods and processing them into nutrients and waste.
Hopefully we have now gone some way to explaining away the various myths associated with Yoga. It is such a broad topic that it is very much a case of Yoga being what you make of it.
Misconception Number One: Yoga is a form of exercise.
Well yes it is, but so is walking. I can walk from my couch to my table and I can hardly claim to have done my exercise for the day. The truth is that exercise is just the beginning of what yoga is. It's closer to a combination of exercise, physiotherapy, psychology and spirituality all rolled into one. As you come to master Yoga you will need to become more and more mentally strong, and most importantly disciplined. If you can discipline yourself to do regular Yoga sessions, and maintain your discipline to do each pose for the prescribed time, and do it properly, then you will naturally become a very disciplined and organised person. For some people this transcends to a spiritual level because they are so efficient and clearing their thoughts while meditating.
Misconception Number Two: Yoga is for Hippies.
As previously mentioned Yoga can be a very spiritual experience if you become good enough at clearing your thoughts and concentrating whilst performing the exercises. But you certainly do not have to begin with any spiritual belief. Yoga believes in aligning the body and the mind and the spirit through achieving inner balance. What that means to you is probably going to depend entirely on what your beliefs already are. For some people it will be a spiritually freeing experience, for others it will be an effective way of distressing and achieving a level of calmness of thought. Still others will claim that these things are one and the same.
Misconception Number Three: Yoga is a fad.
Recently there have been some very hyped up Yoga courses making big claims about what Yoga can achieve. These are easy to associate with other 'fad' exercise crazes. However Yoga is not something new and is based in documents that are hundreds of years old which describe exercises and poses that were probably being performed for generations before that. An individual style of Yoga may come and go, but as long as people are still stretching before a game of football then Yoga will still be being used.
Misconception Number Four: Yoga is too slow to help me lose weight/gain tone etc.
This one is way off the mark, but we have been somewhat trained by the weight loss industry that weight loss, and toning our body is all about hours in the gym and fast high impact exercise. That's simply not true. Yoga can help with weight loss and in particularly toning for a number of reasons. Firstly the exercises, while low impact and performed either statically or slowly - are still exercises. While you use them you are using your muscles, and in many cases you are using muscles and muscle groups that regular exercise programs ignore. The second way that Yoga can be of benefit in a weight loss program is that it will increase your mental strength and allow you to be more disciplined with your food consumption. When it comes down to it excess weight is a result of excess eating and not enough physical exercise to burn off those calories. Have you ever noticed how some people can eat donut after donut and not put on any weight at all? It seems unfair, but it's a natural result of the state of their body. Usually these people will be quite 'sinewy' and this muscle allows them the metabolise food faster. That's the third benefit of Yoga in weight loss, as your muscles develop your body will actually become more efficient at consuming foods and processing them into nutrients and waste.
Hopefully we have now gone some way to explaining away the various myths associated with Yoga. It is such a broad topic that it is very much a case of Yoga being what you make of it.
Basic Yoga Postures and their Variations
1. THE COBRA Do this in easy stages. Lie down, face prone, legs tightly together and stretched back, forehead on the floor. Put your hands, palm down, just under your shoulders. Inhale and raise your head, pressing your neck back, now use your hands to push your trunk up until you are bending in a beautiful arc from your lower spine to the back of your neck. You need go no further than this. However, if you are supple enough, you can now straighten your arms completely, bend the legs at the knees and drop your head back to touch your feet. Even if your head goes nowhere near your feet, drop it back as far as possible and hold the posture with deep breathing. Come out of the posture very slowly, returning to the face prone posture. Relax with your head to one side. Repeat.
2. THE BOW This is also an extreme version of the simple bow. It is surprising how many children can do it immediately. Take it, once again, in easy stages. Lie face prone on your mat. If you are very slim have a nice thick, padded mat for this one. Inhale and bend your knees up. Stretch back with your arms and catch hold of your ankles, keeping fingers and thumbs all together on the outside. Inhale and at the same time raise your head and chest, pulling at your ankles and lifting knees and thighs off the floor. Breathe normally, trying to kick up your legs higher and lifting your head up. You are now bent like a bow, balancing the weight of your body on your abdomen. You can stop right here but if you can still stretch further, then slide your hands down your legs, lift them higher, keep the knees together and pull back as much as you can. Hold for a few normal deep breaths, then relax back to the face-prone position, head to one side.
3. THE SHOOTING BOW In Sanskrit this is known as Akarna Dhanurasana and one leg is drawn up like a shooting bow. Sit with both legs stretched out in front and back straight. Reach forward with both hands and clasp your feet, catching the right foot with the left hand and the left foot with the right hand. Inhale, bend the left knee and pull the foot across the body, close to your chest, pointing the elbow up and twisting the body slightly to the right. The left hand stays firm and tight, holding the right foot. Hold posture with normal breathing, release slowly, and relax. Repeat on other side. In the beginning it is enough to hold the bent left leg with the right hand. When this is easy, stretch down and hold the left foot with the right hand. Continue to pull on the left foot, lifting it higher on each exhalation.
2. THE BOW This is also an extreme version of the simple bow. It is surprising how many children can do it immediately. Take it, once again, in easy stages. Lie face prone on your mat. If you are very slim have a nice thick, padded mat for this one. Inhale and bend your knees up. Stretch back with your arms and catch hold of your ankles, keeping fingers and thumbs all together on the outside. Inhale and at the same time raise your head and chest, pulling at your ankles and lifting knees and thighs off the floor. Breathe normally, trying to kick up your legs higher and lifting your head up. You are now bent like a bow, balancing the weight of your body on your abdomen. You can stop right here but if you can still stretch further, then slide your hands down your legs, lift them higher, keep the knees together and pull back as much as you can. Hold for a few normal deep breaths, then relax back to the face-prone position, head to one side.
3. THE SHOOTING BOW In Sanskrit this is known as Akarna Dhanurasana and one leg is drawn up like a shooting bow. Sit with both legs stretched out in front and back straight. Reach forward with both hands and clasp your feet, catching the right foot with the left hand and the left foot with the right hand. Inhale, bend the left knee and pull the foot across the body, close to your chest, pointing the elbow up and twisting the body slightly to the right. The left hand stays firm and tight, holding the right foot. Hold posture with normal breathing, release slowly, and relax. Repeat on other side. In the beginning it is enough to hold the bent left leg with the right hand. When this is easy, stretch down and hold the left foot with the right hand. Continue to pull on the left foot, lifting it higher on each exhalation.
3 Common Mistakes by Yoga Newcomers
Whenever we start something new we have a certain feeling of trepidation and uncertainty of the unknown and in most cases it is completely unfounded and we get on with things very quickly and easily. Sometimes it isn't and a simple little thing can cause us to have an entirely negative first impression and perhaps even never want to try that activity or passtime again. Yoga has so many health benefits, on both a physical and spiritual level, that it would be a tragedy for anyone to miss out on them because they made a silly avoidable mistake on their first day. With that in mind this article addresses the 3 most common mistakes of new Yogi, and how to make sure they don't happen to you.
Mistake One: Not knowing what you want from Yoga.
The reality is that there are numerous different styles and forms of Yoga and each has it's different attractions. Ask yourself what it was about Yoga in general that attracted you and then you can investigate a style that caters more specifically to that. You may like to set goals, be they physical, mental or spiritual. If you do then it's a good idea to discuss them with the instructor of your class before you begin. Yoga instructors are usually very approachable and happy to talk about their passion. They will be able to talk to you about your goals for the class and let you know if you are being realistic, aiming too high or too low. Make sure you goal includes a timeframe so it becomes something that is measurable.
Mistake Two: Jumping in Feet First.
Having decided that they will give this Yoga thing a try many people take a running leap and jump in to a 12 month stage by stage class. These classes are usually an upfront payment arrangement and progress from one level to the next as the weeks progress. They are a fantastic way of learning Yoga and becoming very good at it, but it's quite possibly you will choose a class that is not ideal for you.
The best way around this is to join a Yoga beginner class, also known as a drop in class. If you do these classes for a few weeks you will notice a high turnover of students as new people join and old people move on. These classes are designed to give you a very broad feel for the different types of Yoga. The level of the students in the class usually varies greatly so you can expect the instructor to keep the classes quite tame. The other key benefit of doing this is that the classes are pay as you go so there is no big financial outlay for you while you decide the type and style of yoga that best suits you. You are also not obliged to attend every class. With the longer courses you can fall behind quickly if you miss a week or two in a row. With the pay as you go classes you will find that while each class is different the level stays quite low to cater for the newer people joining in.
Mistake Three: Choosing the wrong teacher.
Traditionally a Yogi had to be an apprentice to a skilled Guru for many years before he could teach even the simplest of Yoga technique. Nowadays a 3-day course over a long weekend is considered enough by some people. There is a big difference in what you will achieve depending on the skills and abilities of the person teaching you. Yoga is starting to make a regular appearance on the sports injury list and a large reason for this is instructors who have been taught just enough to be dangerous. A qualified teacher won't necessarily be fantastic and an unqualified teacher won't necessarily be terrible - but the odds are certainly cast in that direction, so it's a good idea to check your instructors background and qualifications before you begin studying with them.
Mistake One: Not knowing what you want from Yoga.
The reality is that there are numerous different styles and forms of Yoga and each has it's different attractions. Ask yourself what it was about Yoga in general that attracted you and then you can investigate a style that caters more specifically to that. You may like to set goals, be they physical, mental or spiritual. If you do then it's a good idea to discuss them with the instructor of your class before you begin. Yoga instructors are usually very approachable and happy to talk about their passion. They will be able to talk to you about your goals for the class and let you know if you are being realistic, aiming too high or too low. Make sure you goal includes a timeframe so it becomes something that is measurable.
Mistake Two: Jumping in Feet First.
Having decided that they will give this Yoga thing a try many people take a running leap and jump in to a 12 month stage by stage class. These classes are usually an upfront payment arrangement and progress from one level to the next as the weeks progress. They are a fantastic way of learning Yoga and becoming very good at it, but it's quite possibly you will choose a class that is not ideal for you.
The best way around this is to join a Yoga beginner class, also known as a drop in class. If you do these classes for a few weeks you will notice a high turnover of students as new people join and old people move on. These classes are designed to give you a very broad feel for the different types of Yoga. The level of the students in the class usually varies greatly so you can expect the instructor to keep the classes quite tame. The other key benefit of doing this is that the classes are pay as you go so there is no big financial outlay for you while you decide the type and style of yoga that best suits you. You are also not obliged to attend every class. With the longer courses you can fall behind quickly if you miss a week or two in a row. With the pay as you go classes you will find that while each class is different the level stays quite low to cater for the newer people joining in.
Mistake Three: Choosing the wrong teacher.
Traditionally a Yogi had to be an apprentice to a skilled Guru for many years before he could teach even the simplest of Yoga technique. Nowadays a 3-day course over a long weekend is considered enough by some people. There is a big difference in what you will achieve depending on the skills and abilities of the person teaching you. Yoga is starting to make a regular appearance on the sports injury list and a large reason for this is instructors who have been taught just enough to be dangerous. A qualified teacher won't necessarily be fantastic and an unqualified teacher won't necessarily be terrible - but the odds are certainly cast in that direction, so it's a good idea to check your instructors background and qualifications before you begin studying with them.
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