A Simple and Practical Road Map to Overcoming Anxiety

All of us encounter a variety of worries and stresses every day. Top off our individual 'normal' daily tensions with the condition of world politics, wars, economies in crises around the globe and work unemployment throughout the U.S. and, well, need I say more? Anxiety has become a familiar state of being for nearly everyone these days. This kind of anxiety can easily become yet another daily stress by itself. If you seem to be burdened with too much anxiety, you have to know that there's a means of overcoming anxiety, no matter how unlikely that might seem. Listed here is a virtual guide you may use to ensure success in overcoming anxiety.

Anxiety is the body's normal response to stressful conditions. It is a way your body protects you. For example, if you're walking down the street during the night and a dubious character approaches you, you become anxious, caused by adrenalin rush. Instead of freezing at that moment, you run to the opposite direction.

However, it's also true that anxiety can be a result of intangible threats, like worry over your kids, finances or perhaps a spat with your boss. The body doesn't distinguish between real and intangible, or even imaginary threats. That rush of adrenalin comes on just as powerful. The problem now becomes different. As it is said, you're all dressed up with nowhere to go. At this stage; instead of a brief spurt of anxiety and a subsequent corrective action like fleeing the suspicious character that adrenalin just keeps on going, along with the anxiety continuing apace. This is the time you will need some practical aid in overcoming anxiety.

When your anxiety starts causing you some real discomfort, the best things you can do to get it under control is to do something physical, with vigor. That racing feeling will soon go away when you engage in some chores. Scrub the daylights from the kitchen floor. If the weather's nice, go for a brisk walk or ride a bike in your neighborhood. Grab the vacuum out and pretend your mother-in-law is coming for dinner. The more physical vitality you expend, the better you'll feel.

Should you have the full blown anxiety encounter, overcoming anxiety may seem impossible. Anxiety attacks may create several quite uncomfortable symptoms. Your heart may beat frighteningly fast; you may go through the feeling of choking or not being able to breathe, with painful tension in your muscles as well as in the chest. This usually leads to hyperventilating. You may have heard that breathing in a paper bag will stop hyperventilating in its tracks. Good news is it's true. Just squeeze the neck of any brown paper bag until it's only wide enough for the mouth. Breathe in and out, as gently as possible. The symptoms will subside.

If the anxiety takes place on an daily basis, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. Remember that food allergies and food preservatives, preservatives and substances like caffeine may contribute significantly to elevated anxiety. Look at these possibilities during your appointment. Your physician might also prescribe prescription drugs to help you in overcoming anxiety. Such medications may be taken on a temporary basis, until you can get at the bottom of the conditions causing the anxiety.

Yoga, meditation techniques and prayer can even be very useful in conquering anxiety. to take control a your anxiety, you must also make some time to relax, no matter how tight on time. It's your wellbeing we're talking about here. Try all of these methods. All of them work. Put emphasis on those that work most effective for you. One of my personal favorites, not yet mentioned, involves a nice hot tub and a great read!

Yogafit has a lot of very informative advice in all aspects of yogafit.com yoga poses, training, and everything else. She also has a number of yogafit.com yoga conference meetups several times a year and is known yoga guru and mogul around the world.

Why It Is Imperative To Be A Certified Personal Trainer

Before you start a career as a personal trainer, it is essential for you to get certification from the right organization. The certificate is confirmation that you are a legit professional personal trainer and that you have been through education and instruction to qualify for the certificate. There are a variety of different organizations that give certification so that, depending on precisely what you want to do, you must select the right organization. It is most important that the organization you choose is accredited which means that an independent third-party such as the NCAA has confirmed the processes and the training protocol and found them fit for certification.

Certification does cost money and you should therefore be careful to make sure you get the biggest bang for your buck. For instance, if you're looking for a job in a particular club, it's a smart choice to figure out what kind of certification will be acceptable to them. Otherwise, do some research prior to choosing your preferred certification organization to ensure that the certificate is acknowledged all over the United States and acceptable for all sorts of possible employers. You aren't normally required to have a college degree in order to obtain certification but, normally speaking, you must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED.

For instance, the NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) offers a certificate that is almost universally acceptable and is in fact the preferred certificate for the majority of clubs and fitness centers. You can choose to also get a specialty certification to get concentrated knowledge in a particular field. This also permits you to charge additional money for services due to your expertise. You can select between a variety of fields such as nutrition, yoga and weight loss.

The accreditation process doesn't stop when you obtain the certificate. You ought to make a conscious effort to stay current with the most recent developments in the fitness industry through continued education. This will allow you to maintain and to improve upon the certification. The continued education is offered in the form of lectures and classes which also gives you the opportunity to meet and interact with your fellow personal trainers.

To find out more about personaltrainerschool.org accredited personal training school available for personal fitness trainers, think about visiting NPTI Colorado. Their teachers are knowledgeable and this personal fitness training school is fully able to assist you with your schooling while providing you the best opportunity to accomplish multiple personal training certifications. You may also like this internet site if you are wanting to learn more about personaltrainereducation.org personal training education.

Yoga Myths Dispelled

To better understand why you should have a yoga practice, we need to look at the myths surrounding what yoga is, and what may be preventing you from getting started.

MYTH #1

You have to be young, thin, and extremely flexible to do yoga.

THE TRUTH

Those pictured in the magazines or on commercials are most likely either professional models, ex-gymnasts, or they are advanced yogis demonstrating poses that only 15 to 20 % of all yoga practitioners could possibly execute, at least in this lifetime.

In fact, those of us doing yoga are of all ages, sizes, shapes and fitness levels and twisting our bodies into pretzel-like shapes is never, ever required. You can, of course, depending on your body type and dedication, advance in yoga and work at a very high level.

MYTH #2

Yoga is too far out, they'll make you chant or do something weird. And it is probably too hard for me.

THE TRUTH.

In our modern, westernized world yoga is made to be mainstream. You won't be out of your element in a yoga class, as long as you find the right one for YOU.

Yes, some classes include chanting, but know every teacher is different, every style varies, the intensity of the physicality can be any where from highly athletic to very gentle or restorative, and for those who can not easily get up and down off the floor, yoga may be practiced while sitting in a chair.

You have to find the right class not only for your physical level and your temperament, but also if you resonate well with the teacher, it will be a positive experience, one that will keep bringing you back.

MYTH #3

It's too hard to find a class that is the right fit for me.

THE TRUTH

Of course this depends on where you live, but most towns offer some choices. Finding the right class and teacher for you requires you do the research. Interview a potential teacher and ask them questions about their training and experience. Describe your needs and interests and ask if they think their class is right for you. Ask how large is the class and how much individual attention you will receive.

If you are a beginner, try to find a class that does start at the beginning, or take a few individual private classes if that is possible. It is very difficult to jump into a group class that may move quickly, a class where you are not being taught yoga, but rather required to just follow along.

If you can't find a class close to your home then another idea is to purchase a Yoga DVD, but make sure it is one that you can easily follow and that will keep you safe.

MYTH #4

Yoga is a religion which may be in conflict with my own religious affiliation.

THE TRUTH

Yoga is not a religion; there is no church, no preaching (well maybe a little) or doctrines or creeds. That said, your practice may become a part of your own spiritual path, if you choose to walk it. Yoga opens the body, which might be thought of as the vessel through which the divine works in our lives. Many practitioners find they just naturally want to further explore spirituality, developing this side of their nature which may have been dormant.

For the most part Yoga is simply the way to have a good work out and at the same time learn the tools of healthful living, including the practice of deep and conscious breathing, and calming the mind through relaxation techniques. Whatever reason you find to go to a class, you will leave feeling very peaceful, yet fully energized and happy to have found what works for you.

Angelena Craig is a professional level Kripalu Yoga Instructor with fifteen years of teaching experience. She was the founder of Beacon Light Yoga Center of Boston and has trained thousands of beginning and more experienced yoga students.

As a teaching consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Housing of Finance she created her Chair Yoga program primarily for seniors. She then produced Chair Yoga DVD, "Angelena's Yoga Using a Chair" to make this easy to follow program more accessible to anyone of any size, shape or fitness level in a format that can be used in the comfort of the home or the office.

In 2008 Angelena opened her new business The New Aging Movement, how to stay young while growing older. She offers private and group Yoga classes and Wellness workshops in Sarasota Florida and in the Boston area. She also offers in the summer Yoga on the Beach on Plum Island, MA and each winter leads a yoga/adventure retreat to Jamaica, WI.

She may be reached at theNewAgingMovement.com theNewAgingMovement.com

Facts About Martial Arts for Kids (Part 3)

"Martial Arts or Karate may not be a good fit for my daughter."

We are living in the 21st century, and I still hear this one. This kind of thinking is what has been holding women back for centuries. This statement is not only made by fathers, but by mothers, too. If your daughter wants to try martial arts, let her have a chance. Martial arts classes for girls, or women, are very rewarding.

Over the years, I have coached successful female martial arts competitors who were every bit as good as their male counterparts. In the past, our kids' karate demonstration team had female captains. At one point, we had more girls on the demonstration team than boys.

Lately, we have hit the opposite cycle, with more boys than girls, as the kids from our kids' Karate demonstration team perform around the Providence, Rhode Island area. However, girls learn faster, understand precision, can easily grasp complicated techniques, and are usually better kickers.

Some grappling arts, such as Jujitsu, are not as popular with girls, but I have coached good female grapplers, as well. There is no reason to stop your daughter from learning martial arts, if she shows an interest. All of the life skill benefits such as, goal setting, self esteem, self discipline, success, and self defense, make martial arts training as important for girls as it is for boys.

"How can I justify the cost of Karate?"

When you consider that many Karate schools charge less than a babysitter, martial arts training for children is a "bargain." Consider this formula based upon a fairly high priced Karate studio. Most martial arts studios, in the United States, average around $70 per month to train a child. Granted, some are more and some are less, but let's look at your price per hour, if you paid $100 per month.

That comes to just $25 per week, and many Karate studios have a three class limit per week for children. That comes to $8.33 per session for your child to learn life skills, self defense, and play with good kids in a safe environment. Martial arts, for children, are a formula for success, and the cost is really, "peanuts."

Most well behaved children are allowed to take more Karate classes. The children who "run the staff ragged" will be reminded of the weekly limit. So, the truth is the real cost may be less than peanuts, since there are plenty of martial arts schools, including our center in North Providence, Rhode Island, that charge far less than $100 per month.

Using the formula mentioned above, the cost of Karate per class for a martial arts school, charging the national average of $70 per month, comes to $5.83 per session. Did I say martial arts training is a bargain? Maybe I should have said martial arts training is a steal.

The alternative to plug kids into the television, and put a joystick in their hands, is a big mistake. It's not any cheaper, when you consider the cost of games and the ever changing video game formats.

On top of that, here's what video games do for kids: Create anxiety, destroy social skills, teach them a lot about violence, and waste most of their time. All you need to do is throw a Big Mac in their lap every night, and within a year, you should have a child who is a nervous wreck, with poor communication skills, and an obesity problem.

Over the long-term, the wrong after school activities result in very expensive health and psychological care. Therefore, look at martial arts as preventative medicine, and as a bonus, your child is staying out of trouble.

Lastly, if cost is really an issue and you still can't justify paying less than you would pay for a babysitter at $5.83 per session, you can still shop around and talk until you find the right karate studio.

A martial arts studio, that is "packed to the rafters" with kids, may not be as negotiable as a Karate studio that is an upstart, or a martial arts center that has plenty of room in their kids Karate classes.

Paul Jerard is a retired martial arts teacher. He has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. aurawellnesscenter.com aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Free Yoga Classes: A Lesson for Yoga Teachers

There is a philosophy, which claims: If you give something away, and people find a value in it - they will react positively to your kindness, with repeat business.

This is all well, and good, but the major fast food chains seem to be the only businesses to profit from it. Maybe that is why we call it "junk food."

The public cannot establish a perceived value of Yoga, when you initially give away a week or month. The word "Free" is often associated with "junk" or "stuff."

If you want to give something away free, develop a comprehensive handbook for your Yoga students, give them a music CD, or a Yoga mat, as a bonus for signing up.

If enough Yoga teachers give away free classes, we will depreciate the value of Yoga lessons - then, asking you to teach Yoga for free will become second nature for the average Yoga student.

Think about this: When was the last time you could go to a deli and ask for a "free introductory package?" What do you think you would get for an answer?

After all, you just want to try them out, see if you like it, and maybe you will come back. If you see no value in them, you could go to another deli, and try them out, until they get tired of serving you "free lunch."

Although Yoga instructors do not make sandwiches for a living - this is one good lesson for any Yoga teacher to learn. Yoga teachers can learn from parallel comparisons to similar fields.

Let's look at some mistakes, which the fitness industry has made and learn from them; before any Yoga teachers experience similar financial ruin. Fitness is preventative health maintenance, and good health is very valuable. Anyone who is in good health should "count their lucky stars." If you are not in good health - your poor state of health is all you can think about.

Yet, I just heard a radio commercial that offers the rest of 2006 free, if you sign up for a 2007 membership. The fitness club owner is "prostituting" his or her business. More than likely, the fitness club's third party billing service thought up this "gimmick."

What is the average life of a member in the fitness industry? What can a health club do if a member defaults on a contract? When you consider these options, it makes no sense to give members months of service for free.

This week, I noticed a fitness club that offers memberships for $9.95 per month. How can that fitness club stay open? The overhead costs must be incredible, when you consider paying for all of the equipment, insurance, utilities, and rent.

Do you think that fitness club owner sleeps well? Do you think he or she is drawing a salary? I guarantee the owner regrets the day he or she opened that health club.

Let's get back to teaching Yoga classes. You put your time in as a Yoga student, went through happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training, and now you keep your credentials up to date. So, why should you "sell yourself short?"

Each style of Yoga has mental, physical, and spiritual health benefits, to offer the public. That is why we continue to practice and teach Yoga. Therefore, we must educate the public about the value of Yoga, before the junk food kills them.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. riyoga.com riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Prenatal Yoga

Is yoga safe to do when you are pregnant? This is a question yoga teachers are often asked. The answer is that it is safe as long as both you and the yoga teacher work together to make sure you are always comfortable. Some yoga teachers have undergone extra training in Prenatal Yoga and they are always safe people to work with as they understand the particular changes your body is going through and how to adapt postures to make them achievable for you. It is always a good idea to ask your yoga teacher if they have this extra training when you tell them about your pregnancy - which you must do as soon as you know.

However, even if they haven't had this additional professional development training the two of you can still work together successfully throughout your pregnancy. The important thing to happen in this case is that you remain very aware of your body and what feels comfortable and easy as you do it. For example, in an advanced pregnancy it is uncomfortable to do forward bends and also to do postures where you have to lie on your stomach such as Bow. Check out with your yoga teacher as you go through the class and she will quickly be able to tell you if a posture will work or not. She (or he) will also be able to show you how to adapt it or suggest an alternative.

Yoga teachers who are familiar with Restorative Yoga will also be able to help your prenatal yoga practice to be safe and enjoyable. The focus with Restorative is on comfort and allowing the body to relax into a supported position which then enables the body to find its own alignment. There is never any strain in this style of Yoga and your body will always be supported by props which give you the most comfort and ease. During pregnancy is a good time to be resting and relaxing your body as it is so busy creating life inside and uses a lot of energy in doing so. For you this is a time to be soaking up rest and nourishing your body for the birth and the time afterwards when you will need to call on reserves of strength and energy.

Don't expect to keep up your old yoga practice - your needs have changed - but if you carry on doing Yoga with Prenatal-friendly postures, or doing Restorative Yoga, during your pregnancy you will be able to resume your old yoga practice soon after the birth and you body will be fit and ready for that. Enjoy.

Restorative Yoga Workshops and more information about how to use this form of self healing can be found on restorative-yoga.net Restorative Yoga and yin-yoga.net Yin Yoga. The Fifty, Fit and Fabulous programme provides a step by step approach to wellbeing through holistic care and is outlined on these sites.

Fat Loss Success - Through Interval Training, Workouts and Proper Nutrition

There is possibly nothing more we could want for ourselves than losing the fat and keeping fit. Many of us would also like to be one of those success stories featured on TV about how we have not only gained a gorgeous body, but how we continue to keep it that way. Many would also like to be the one to provide advice, but not be the one on the receiving end of it. All of this may seem all fine and dandy, were it not for the seemingly tiresome advice we receive about how simply eating properly and getting exercise will accomplish all that. At least it's not as bad as those all out, starve yourself diets that seem from outer space and bent on making us miserable. Of which many could be life threatening or completely mess up our health and put us way off the ultimate fat loss goals.

One Excellent Method: Interval Training

One thing is certain, if you hear of some strange sounding fad that works like a miracle or some supplements that do all the work for you, run away fast. These, for certain, will not work in the short term or the long term. Additionally, they may prove dangerous to your health, to your goals, and may even lead to death or disease. On the bright side, there are a few simple solutions which can be followed for great, healthy results. These do not have to include boring sessions of repetitious cardio, or lame aerobics dance tapes. There is a better solution for permanent fat loss. One of these is interval training. This may prove to be a better option since you can then alternate intense sessions of cardio activities with long periods of recovery.

Other important idea to keep in mind is to opt for total body work outs that keep you engaged. Ignore those expensive gym memberships and fancy machines, complete body workouts do not even need to include hand weights or free weights. You can implement pushups, squats, lunges, band workouts, ball workouts, yoga, swimming, and other muscle exerting activities that use your whole body every session. These build lean muscle mass which burns up fat faster that your diet can replace it.

Nutrition is another permanent fat loss tip that, when undertaken properly, can lead to lasting and energizing results. Pre-planning your meal options and dietary please do's will help curb the appetite and the desire to give up and give in, especially when it comes to meals out or weekends. Improper planning will definitely lead to ruination of lasting results. You may even find your efforts futile as the inches creep on long with unwanted fat. Pre-planning ahead and sticking to that plan by making it your normal routing means eating regular, healthy, thought out meals at regular intervals to fully fuel your body and speed up its metabolism.

If speedy fat loss is what you seek, you will not need to look much further than these simple tips above. Additionally you can consider a few other changes into your lifestyle. If you want fat loss in the fast lane, then you can try time saving workouts, and pre-prepared meals that will help you keep on track and succeed faster. You should be amazed, if you stick to the lifestyle changes, at how much more energy you have and how much fat you do not have.

If you provide your brain with the needed routines, these changes will soon become like second nature and habitual. Your body would like nothing better than to be able to plan for the road ahead and will reward you with less flab and more pep while your brain will no longer cry out for its past habits.

Roy Chan provides easy and workable weight loss advice. To download a fat loss report, check out our website freefatlossreports.com freefatlossreports.com for more free advice.

Yoga Benefits - Control the Body to Control the Mind

Often many of us are so physically and mentally worn out due to stress that even the simplest daily tasks become difficult to properly complete. A great answer to this growing epidemic is Yoga. Yoga along with meditation is a powerful method of training your body and mind to focus through relaxation.

If speaking of strictly physical benefits, then yoga has been very effective in reducing toxin levels as well as preventing disease and illness. It is also a great way to build muscle and slim down. Another healthy benefit of yoga is increased flexibility. Yoga will loosen joints, ligaments, and tendons that many other exercise or workout programs do not reach.

It is a recognized fact, many health experts agree yoga helps to work and massage rarely stimulated deep internal organs that help prevent disease and act as first signs of illness. Regular yoga practice will greatly increase blood circulation which detoxifies the entire body.

You will find apart from the obvious physical aspects of yoga there is an emotional relief benefit which helps to decrease stress and put your mind at ease. Yoga and meditation should be viewed one in the same, together they help unify your body and mind. The body cannot function without the mind. The same example can be considered in your everyday life. Without peace of mind there is little control of the body and this makes it nearly impossible to maintain a happy existence.

The combination of yoga and meditation is a "best practice" to naturally relieve stress. Yoga will channel your excess energy and help you gain control of your body. Meditation will help you understand how to live in the present moment, accept life as it comes, and learn to leave the past behind. Most importantly, I believe yoga will help everyone find these life changing benefits with emotional control and a more positive outlook.

Discover the secrets of more natural ways to be healthy.

seyoga.net/Seyoga-blog-blue.html Natural Health Techniques

"Satori"is a Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor and a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher; she is trained in Reiki and Shamanic healing, and the founder of the seyoga.net Seyoga Illustrated Products, which has enabled her to positively transform the lives of many.

Her unique balanced approach to life has allowed her to joyfully share the knowledge of Physical, Mental and Spiritual transformation. She has a Passion to encourage her students to let go and embrace the "I AM" Divinity within. She is the author of several books on stress relief yoga, children illustrated yoga, and natural lifestyle change.

Dancing For Your Whole Life - Yogic Advice From the Vijnanabhairava Tantra

"Wander or dance to exhaustion in utter spontaneity. Then, suddenly, drop to the ground and in this fall be total. There absolute essence is revealed."

~ Vijnanabhairava Tantra, verse 111

Each of has the desire (yes?) to become ~ with each breath we take, with each step of our lives ~ more fully alive ... And yet there is the paradox that each breath we take, each step of our lives, brings us one step, one breath closer to our death. So how do we work with this? Is there a "solution" to this paradox?

The traditions of Buddhism as well as Kashmir Shaivism see (the appearance of) this life of ours as training-ground for (the appearance of) that moment of our death. They resolve the paradox through the understanding that only by training ~ in every moment ~ in the art of being fully alive, fully present here and now, in this moment, in this moment, in this moment ~ only through a practice such as this are we able then to be fully present (fully alive!) at the moment of our "death."

The quotation above, from the Vijnanabhairava Tantra (a text written by the Shaivite School of Kashmir around the first century A.D.), points to such a resolution. Let's take a closer look ...

"Wander or dance to exhaustion in utter spontaneity." Have you ever danced, or performed any other activity, so completely, with such total abandon, such love and absorption, that the point of "exhaustion" (what distance runners call "the wall") opens into a whole new realm of experience, puts you in touch with a whole new flow of energy/inspiration? It's the moment when years of training (our accumulated "expertise") is allowed to open, to fall away into a "mindless" spontaneity ... when movement becomes both divinely precise and effortless (Michael Jordan, Baryshnikov, & Jet Li come to mind here) ... when "I" am no longer doing anything, yet all things are still manifesting, radiantly, perfectly. In the language of Taoism this state of effortless doing is called Wu Wei.

"Then, suddenly, drop to the ground and in this fall be total." Have you ever gone out on a warm summer night, laid on your back on a grassy hillside, and let your mind & heart & vision travel out into the starry sky, with its countless galaxies? When we surrender, we surrender completely ... no holding back. We let the whole thing dissolve. We die into the present moment. In the language of Tibetan Buddhism, this is called the Completion Stage.

"There absolute essence is revealed." What if the essence of life and the essence of death were one and the same? What if both our "wandering" and our "dancing" were expressions of that one essence, and equally wise? What if we could touch ~ with each breath, each step, each of our "awakened" daily activities ~ the sweetness & power that is this essence?

And now, please feel free .... to Dance!

Elizabeth Reninger, M.S. (Oriental Medicine) has been exploring Yoga/Qigong - in its Daoist, Buddhist and Hindu varieties - for upwards of twenty-five years. She maintains a private acupuncture practice in Boulder, Colorado, and is a published poet. For more of Elizabeth's writing, on related topics, please visit taoism.about.com taoism.about.com

How To Sponsor More Distributors In MLM

Sponsoring new distributors is the most crucial thing to your mlm business. Without the ability to sponsor, you will have a serious limitation on your income. So what is the most important thing when it comes to sponsoring a new distributor?

Your confidence. Hands down, end of story. The psychology behind network marketing success is absolutely critical to your ability to sponsor. So here are the basics you need to understand...

Prospects sense your confidence, belief level, and emotional involvement in the conversation. If they can sense any "un-desirable" feelings about you...it will work against you.

What that means is this. If you feel desperate, like you NEED someone to join your business...you will push that prospect away. No one wants to feel pressure, or like the person they are joining is desperate. That is a big no no.

On the contrary...if they feel you are strong, confident, and knowledgeable...they will say "THIS is the type of person I want to work with". It's really that simple.

When you have mastered your own posture and your own "inner game"...you will sign people up so much simpler then if you haven't. It's like night and day. It just becomes so simple to say to a prospect, "so what do you need to get started? Well, let's get you going!"

So here is how you DO THAT. Work on yourself every day. Build your own value. Build your belief, your confidence, and your self worth. Do it by reading, writing, spending time in nature, going for walks, working out, doing yoga, meditating, going to discussion groups, journeying within, going to therapy, talking with successful people...ANYTHING that builds your value.

Anything that causes you to grow as a person is going to be EXCELLENT when it comes to your network marketing business. It will boost your self esteem, therefore your posture and cause you to sign people up automatically. Of course...it helps if you have an endless amount of prospects to introduce your business too, but that is another article!

Learn these secret online strategies to build a massive network marketing organization at: [OnlineMLMSecrets.com]

The Truth About Stretching

A three year old study about stretching is being cited in many articles today, and the conclusions reached by some writers may be harmful to the muscle, ligaments and joints of your athletes.

Is stretching before practice harmful?

Stretching before athletic training and general fitness improvement exercise is being made out to be a time-waster, not needed, and even harmful. This is not true. In fact, there's a recent study that evaluates all the research on stretching, and the study concludes:

Due to the paucity (small number), heterogeneity (dissimilar study subjects) and poor quality of the available studies no definitive conclusions can be drawn as to the value of stretching for reducing the risk of exercise-related injury (The efficacy of stretching for prevention of exercise-related injury: a systematic review of the literature, 2003, Weldon).

Essentially, the researchers are saying that there are not enough quality studies to draw conclusions about this issue.

Study in question

The study that is generating all the hoopla was performed by the Kapooka Health Centre, New South Wales, Australia on 1,538 army recruits. It's a creditable study designed to show the occurrence lower limb injury on a group of young army recruits. Despite what you may have heard about stretching before training, this is what the researchers actually reported:

A typical muscle stretching protocol performed during pre-exercise warm-ups does not produce clinically meaningful reductions in risk of exercise-related injury in army recruits. Fitness may be an important, modifiable risk factor (A randomized trial of preexercise stretching for prevention of lower-limb injury, 2000, Pope).

The statement, "Fitness may be an important, modifiable risk factor" is very important. It simply means that age, weight, and conditioning of the study subjects may be an important factor in preventing or facilitating the injuries experienced in this study.

Three years after the Kapooka study, another study involving military recruits was conducted and the researchers in this study show that pre-training static stretching can PREVENT injury involving muscle but not joint or bone injury. The researchers report, "Static stretching decreased the incidence of muscle-related injuries but did not prevent bone or joint injuries," (Effect of static stretching on prevention of injuries for military recruits, 2003, Amako).

Appropriate conclusions

Based on the way some have written about this study, it's okay to run a 100 meter sprint full speed without stretching beforehand. Now, this may be possible for a small number of lean, young army recruits. However, does anyone believe that a powerful, muscled-up athlete or a middle-aged and older adult can go out and run a sprint - cold with no warm-up - without increased risk of injury? Don't think so...

Use Common Sense

...and the full body of research

Think about it; if an out-of-shape, untrained young army recruit performs high-intensity exercise, he may get injured, pre-stretched or not. And this is why researchers evaluating all the research on stretching conclude, "No definitive conclusions can be drawn..."

In short, there needs to be a body of research based on age, weight, conditioning, and the study needs to be performed functionally for the specific sport and type of exercise before life-changing conclusions are drawn.

The truth about stretching

New research shows that stretching can aid in the prevention of injury of stress factures that plague distance runners. Researchers conclude,

Prevention of stress fractures is most effectively accomplished by increasing the level of exercise slowly, adequately warming up and stretching before exercise, and using cushioned insoles and appropriate footwear" (Common stress fractures, 2003, Sanderlin).

Stretching offers many benefits. Researchers show that prolonged stretching (in the form of yoga) with moderate aerobic exercise and diet control will reduce cholesterol and significantly reverse hardening of the arteries (20 percent regression) in adults with proven coronary atherosclerotic disease.

After one year in a yoga program, participants lost weight, reduced cholesterol, and improved their exercise capacity, (Retardation of coronary atherosclerosis with yoga lifestyle intervention, 2000, Manchanda).

Stretching offers many benefits, but there is an issue about the type of stretching and the timing of stretching before athletic competitions.

Use dynamic stretching before games and key practice sessions

There are two main types of stretching, static (holding a stretching exercise in one position without movement) and dynamic stretching, which means moving while stretching (arm swings, knee rotations, neck circles).

Researchers show that athletes should not perform prolonged static stretching before the big game or a key practice session because this slows muscle activation for around an hour afterwards, (Reduced strength after passive stretch of the human plantar flexors, 2000, Fowles). Using dynamic stretching is a wise pre-competition strategy.

Static stretching builds flexibility and should be performed regularly, just not immediately before a big game or a key practice session.

Warming up prior to a high-intensity, ballistic, athletic event is an absolute rule - never to be broken, and stretching can be combined (multi-tasked) as part of the warm-up. The goal of the warm-up is to get the blood flowing and raise body temperature (one degree) prior to athletic competitions and high-intensity training. It's desirable to have the athlete's muscle, ligaments, and joints experience the functional range of motion required of the sport during the warm-up.

Do static stretching with 30-second stretch-holds

away from practice

Gains in flexibility are dependent on the "duration" of stretch-hold position, and researchers show the best "stretch-hold position" (for time-spent) to increase flexibility is 30 seconds (The effect of time on static stretch on the flexibility of the hamstring muscles, 1994, Bandy). "Best" means optimal results for time-spent. You can get positive results with 2 minute stretch-holds, but 30 seconds yields equal results.

This type of stretching is positive for athletes and adults of all ages. Researchers show in one study that longer hold stretching positions are of great benefit for adults over age 65,

Longer hold times during stretching of the hamstring muscles resulted in a greater rate of gains in range of motion (ROM) and a more sustained increase in ROM in elderly subjects (The effect of duration of stretching of the hamstring muscle group for increasing range of motion in people aged 65 years or older, 2001, Feland).

Adults ages 21 to 45 with tight hamstrings also get the best results from static stretching with 30-second stretch-hold positions. Researchers report that static stretching is two times more effective than dynamic range of motion (DROM) for this group of non-competitive athletes. Researchers report,

The results of this study suggest that, although both static stretch and DROM (dynamic stretching) will increase hamstring flexibility, a 30-second static stretch was more effective than the newer technique, DROM, for enhancing flexibility (The effect of static stretch and dynamic range of motion training on the flexibility of the hamstring muscles, 2001, Bandy).

Keep in mind there are important lessons in these studies, but the studies apply to a specific age group (over 65, and ages 21 - 45,) and a specific physical condition (tight hamstrings). If we apply the results of a study with these variables to young athletes, we may be wrong.

While it's reasonable to conclude (as I have for training purposes) that static stretching away from practice is an effective strategic for athletes with tight hamstrings, this study doesn't specifically prove that point. It's clearly a mistake to take the findings of one study and create an absolute fact. Look at the whole body of research about a topic before making a life-changing training decision.

The take home about stretching

1. Use dynamic stretching and static stretching at the correct times in the training plan.

2. Dynamic stretching (arm swings, hip rotations, knee rotations) will aid in the pre-competition, pre-practice warm-up process by increasing flexion in the joints and increasing body temperature. This method is preferred before athletic competition.

3. Static stretching can be used as part of a warm-up for training. However, static stretching will slightly slow down athletes for an hour afterwards so examine training goals. Early in the season, static stretching before practice may be a wise strategy.

The best way to improve overall flexibility is static stretching with 30-second stretch-holds performed away from events requiring peak performance. Personally, I recommend to athletes attending my Speed Camp to use a 10-minute static stretching routine targeting hamstrings, Achilles, hip flexors and quads four days a week.

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Phil Campbell. M.S., M.A., FACHE is the author of

Ready, Set, Go! Synergy Fitness

readysetgofitness.com readysetgofitness.com

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National Institutes of Health research cited:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12909434&dopt=Abstract ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12909434&dopt=Abstract

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14596439 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14596439

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10694106&dopt=Abstract ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10694106&dopt=Abstract

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11273502&dopt=Abstract ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11273502&dopt=Abstract

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10956367&dopt=Abstract ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10956367&dopt=Abstract

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8066111&dopt=Abstract ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8066111&dopt=Abstract

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12834132 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12834132

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11319936 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11319936

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9549713 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9549713

The New Yoga

There is a new thought about how Yoga should be taught and practiced brewing. Mark Singleton discusses in his book Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice. Michaelle Edwards is also adamant about this subject and is creating a small movement, all devoted to getting the word out that "yoga, as it is practiced today, is causing a number of injuries because many of its positions are not natural positions." Michaelle is the founder of YogAlign and students from around the world are coming to her Kaua`i Yoga School at the Mana Yoga Center, on the North Shore of Kaua`i Hawaii, everyday to practice and learn more about her new concept.

Many believe that the physical practice of yoga today to be thousands of years old, when in fact it is less than 100 years old. The yoga practiced today, throughout most of the civilized world, is an adaptation of the original yoga. "This modern yoga includes intense styles which are physically grueling and not designed to allow the body to be in alignment without requiring the practitioner to contort in a number of uncomfortable and un-natural positions," Michaelle says.

An accredited Yoga teacher by Yoga Alliance, a national education and support organization for yoga in the U.S. and a licensed massage therapist, Edwards practiced yoga for over twenty years before deciding to obtain the necessary training to become an instructor, some twenty years ago. YogAlign is her response to yoga injuries she experienced. In search for a yoga practice and positions which did not require uncomfortable and un-natural positioning, she began to study anatomy and how muscles are controlled by the brain, in addition to closely observing how babies and young children move.

Her studies helped her determine that a lot of yoga systems put the body into positions that have nothing to do with functional movement. So she decided to design a system that relied on natural breathing and natural spine alignment so that the body would intrinsically be at ease. YogAlign eliminates any position that looks like you are sitting in a chair. Edwards explains the chair gives us dysfunctional positions because it places the legs at right angles to the trunk and the body is not designed to do this and does not want to do this.

Your body is the teacher, she continues and it knows more than I do. It has its own built in system designed to help itself so with YogAlign you start to fine tune your alignment by asking your body, "does this feel right?" It is all about the proper alignment and stretching of the psoas (pronounced so-az) muscles. The psoas muscles are the most important muscles of the body.

The psoas is the two guide wire muscles that attach at the base of the diaphragm, lumbar spinal vertebrae, and discs. They descend down through the groin to attach to the inside of the upper leg bones, she says. They are known mostly as a hip flexor, but they do much more as they connect your spine to your legs and provide a shelf for your internal organs. They are breathing muscles that support your organs and hold your emotions. If they are dysfunctional, your body is dysfunctional, she added.

Get your psoas in shape and you will learn how to move from the center of the body, which will keep you pain and injury free. YogAlign lengthens and tones the psoas, reversing the shortening effects that happen too many of us from sitting in chairs and /or doing controlled exercises that shorten and tighten this muscle group.

In her new book, The YogAlign Method: Pain-free Yoga from Your Inner Core, she describes the theories of the YogAlign method, discusses the importance of training the brain functional movement and self-massage and also includes case histories and experiential exercises. Due out around Christmas 2010, you can learn more about its release and YogAlign by visiting her web site at manayoga.com.

She has numerous stories by people who claim the YogAlign method has helped them heal when years of all other available therapies have failed. There is emotion in the muscles, and issues in the tissues, YogAlign brings them out through yoga, without pain method, that really works. I am sure you will be hearing more about the YogAlign, pain free yoga movement real soon.

Yoga is an holisticalternativemedicine.co.cc/frequently-asked-questions-about-alternative-medicine-therapy.html Alternative medicine therapy that works. Learn how to use it and other holisticalternativemedicine.co.cc/introduction-to-holistic-alternative-medicine.html holistic alternative medicine to therapies to improve your health. Sign up for the free e-course at holisticalternativemedicine.co.cc

A Runner's Cross-Training

Ask any marathon runner, and they will tell you that cross training is essential to accomplishing running goals. Changing up the work out routine is just as important as stretching. In every legitimate running schedule, there will be at least one day that recommends working out different muscles and muscle groups. If you find the right combination of running and cross training, you may see your running times drastically improve.

Ways to Cross-Train

There are many exercises that can be used to vary a work-out. A mixture of cardio work and strength training is ideal for a healthy routine. Biking, rowing, swimming, and the elliptical machine can all be used to keep the heart rate up while giving running muscles a rest. Strength training can not only help prevent injury, but can also make a runner faster and more efficient. Some runners incorporate yoga as a way to both strengthen and stretch muscles. Pilates, kick boxing, and zumba are all fun ways to work out that have all the benefits of a long bike ride.

Benefits of Cross-Training

There are both physical and mental benefits to incorporating different kinds of exercises into a routine. One of the greatest benefits is that cross-training can help prevent injury. Running does not always work stomach muscles or arm muscles, but strengthening these muscles can help prevent back injuries as well as increase running efficiency. Changing up the type of exercise you do can also help prevent burn-out. Even the most passionate runners may experience burn-out at some point in their lives. Getting back on the road or trail after being on the bike all day will feel great and can inspire you to keep going.

If you are looking for ways to vary your workout, visit the website of the the b4healthandfitness.com Chicago physical fitness center B4 Health and Fitness today.

James Witherspoon

Yoga Exercise As An Alternative Medicine

The exercise is conceived to relax the central nervous system and stabilize the entire body, mind, and spirit. It's thought by its enthusiasts to avoid specific conditions. Doing this kind of exercise frequently help to make the body's defence mechanism strong assisting our body to be able to deal with a number of illnesses such as headache, exhaustion and so on. The healing rate of an injury or simply a wound is also enhanced. Additionally, yoga exercise has been utilized to lessen hypertension levels, reduce stress, and increase coordination, flexibility, focus, sleep, and food digestion. Medical professionals together with scientists are exploring latest the benefits of yoga regularly. Studies show it could possibly lessen the symptoms of various popular and sometimes life-threatening ailments including arthritis, arteriosclerosis, severe fatigue, diabetes, AIDS, asthma attack and weight problems.

With curing ailments, yoga exercise is now one of the alternatives for medications. With yoga exercises including of a mixture of physical exercises, breathing exercises, and meditation, it turns into a particularly effective form of physical exercise for those who have certain health issues. For those who have cardiovascular illnesses, studies have shown yoga exercise to help people old and young. Specifically, the exercise seems to improve heart condition in several ways, which includes controlling high blood pressure levels and increasing resistance to psychological stress. Scientific studies made at yoga establishments in India have documented impressive success in bettering asthma. It has also been shown that asthma conditions can usually be prevented by means of yoga programs without having turning to medicinal drugs. Yoga is also believed to reduce pain by aiding the brain`s pain center control the gate-controlling system located in the spinal cord and the release of natural painkillers in your body. Breathing exercises used in yoga also can minimize pain. Given that muscles tend to relax when you breathe out, lengthening time of exhalation might help provide relaxation reducing tension. Understanding breathing really helps to obtain calmer, less quickly respiration and aid in relaxation and pain management. Yoga also has the possibility to buffer against the harmful effects of bodily self-objectification and also to develop embodiment and well-being.

Moreover, the exercise has been extensively studied as a means in lowering (and sometimes eradicate) many diabetes risks. Many of these side effects include reduced blood circulation, renal system failure, urinary failure, and blindness. Many researchers think that practicing yoga and using daily aid products on a regular basis can help to stimulate blood flow and massage organs, which often can provide long-lasting physical benefits to people battling with diabetes. Additionally, the exercise of yoga can offer long-term benefits for people with diabetes for it has been determined to reduce glucose levels, having a good effect on every type of diabetes, including Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Yoga exercise is really the best medicine for all kind of health conditions and a very good refresher of human brain, body and spirit. It helps to make someone physically and mentally productive. Therefore everyone should begin doing yoga exercise regularly to stay fit and healthy for whole life.

Yogafit has a lot of very informative advice in all aspects of yogafit.com yoga poses, training, and everything else. She also has a number of yogafit.com yoga conference meetups several times a year and is known yoga guru and mogul around the world.

Goal Setting For Fat Burning and Muscle Building Part 4

Our fictional middle-aged guy has six months to get into shape for his high school reunion. He did the research and found that it's best to lose no more than two pounds a week. This will keep his muscles in and his fat flowing out.

He also found out that he has to first get strong before pumping iron; which called for progressive bodyweight exercises for the first six weeks. This will give him the strength he needs to handle weights properly and safely.

It's time to put our hero's program to work. He will be performing five muscle challenging exercises three times a week. He wants to work his full body but vary the workouts and the intensity.

The in-between week days will be cardio for no more than 20 minutes. Excessive cardio breaks down muscle growth. Two day's rest will allow for maximum recovery of his muscles for the next round of torture. He will give himself six weeks to get strong enough to pass his milestone strength test. After that he'll hit the gym and pump iron.

He's taken his body measurements and recorded them in his training journal. Here's the six week plan to get fit and get strong:

Day One:

Yoga warm up:

These yoga postures will stretch the entire body and warm the muscles in preparation for strength training.

Start with Downward Facing Dog posture (hold for 30 seconds) 4 reps

Upward Facing Dog posture (hold for 30 seconds) 4 reps

Proud Warrior posture (hold for 30 seconds)

Strength training:

Push ups 10 reps 2 sets (do knee push ups if you need to).

60 seconds rest

Assisted Pull ups 10 reps 2 sets

60 seconds rest

Squats (no weights) - 10 reps 4 sets

60 seconds rest

Plank

30 seconds - 4 sets

The cardio routine:

The jump rope routine - 10 minutes

Day Two:

The cardio routine - The jump rope routine 20 minutes. Alternate between jump rope and low-impact movement.

Day Three

He continues to follow the yoga stretch routine

Squats (no weights) - 10 reps 4 sets

60 seconds rest

Lunges (no weights) - 10 reps 4 sets

60 seconds rest

Crunches - 25 reps 2 sets

The cardio routine - The jump rope routine - 10 minutes

At this point, our guy follows this simple routine and masters these basic exercises for the next six weeks. His test of ability comes at the end of the six week period. He will have gradually increased his ability to perform pull ups, push ups, lunges and squats.

The yoga routine stretches his body and offers strength improvements without stressing his muscles. Cardio is provided by one of the most awesome and underutilized training methods known to man. The jump rope can get your heart pumping faster than a roller coaster ride.

You can give this workout a try. Do a little research and find the correct training information for each procedure. The six week challenge can build up your body and cut your fat percentage.

You can lose the fat and gain your strength and endurance if you follow these simple rules. Get my free manual on trimming the fat and feeling great and getting fit. Go to => fatburningworkoutafter40.com fatburningworkoutafter40.com

The Abs - More Important Than You Think

What comes to your mind when I say the word "abs"? Do you think of the infomercials advertising "6 second abs" or the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue? Most people focus on training their abs to look thinner or sexier. But, do you realize the importance of your abs in everyday activities? Most yoga instructors do. And that's why one of the focuses of yoga is to build your core abdominal strength.

Important for posture

Your abs attach to your spine and pelvis, helping balance your back in good posture. Often times, when your back is not supported in the correct posture by your abdominals and back muscles, back pain occurs. Did you know that back pain accounts for approximately 50 billion dollars in health care costs each year. This is not something to be taken lightly -- so remember -- one of the best ways to prevent back pain is to strengthen your abs.

It often takes a conscious effort to sit in good posture. But, even if you get into a good sitting posture, you will need the abdominal and back endurance to maintain it! How are you sitting at your computer right now? I would bet most of you are sitting in a slumped posture....some more than others. To sit in good posture, you should have a slight inward curve in your back with your ears directly over your shoulders.

One way to strengthen your abs while working on your computer is to use an exercise ball as your chair. Yes, you heard me right! In fact, I am sitting on my exercise ball as I write this article.

Important for balance

Without abdominal strength, you will have difficulty sitting, standing and walking. Your center of gravity is located at your sacrum or roughly just below your belly button. Therefore, your abs play an important part in keeping you balanced at your center of gravity.

Think about someone who is a quadriplegic or paralyzed from the neck down. They are not able to sit by themselves because their back and abdominal muscles are paralyzed. In other words, they are no longer able to balance themselves. In contrast, a paraplegic, someone paralyzed from the waist down, is able to balance and sit by themselves because only their legs are paralyzed leaving their abdominal and back muscles intact. This proves that our abdominals are important for our balance.

If you are now sitting on your exercise ball, you can practice some balance exercises and strengthen your abs simply by rolling your hips forward, backward and side to side. Make sure to pull your stomach inward during these motions.

Exercise your abs

Now that you know the importance of your abs, you need to integrate abdominal strengthening into your regular strength training. Abs should be trained like any other muscle - 8 to 12 repetitions, 3 times per week.

Here is where I suggest you start: The Best Abs Exercises: abs-exercise-advice.com/best-ab-exercises.html abs-exercise-advice.com/best-ab-exercises.html

Remember the abs! They are more important that you think!

Read more articles at Abs-Exercise-Advice.com. Get your abs-exercise-advice.com/free-fitness-ball-exercise.html free fitness ball exercise routine!

Yoga Poses: Techniques for Beginners to Veterans

In philosophical terms yoga means a refined rejuvenative reunion with 'self,' a journey of self-discovery. The intimate practice of yoga offers a diverse range of poses and postures for physical, mental and spiritual growth. The yoga poses are essential forms of meditation, used for calming the mind, strengthening the body and assisting in improvement of blood circulation. No matter what level of expertise, each pose delivers different benefits to the mind, body and soul of the individual.

Poses for yoga beginners

When first practicing yoga, it is important to start off slow as it is likely you will not have the flexibility of someone who has been practicing for years. Basic poses will be introduced, mainly for stretching purposes and to establish the body into the yoga mind frame. You must remember that yoga is not a competition and everyone has different abilities. For some, the poses and postures may occur naturally whilst others will have to work at achieving them.

The various basic poses for beginners include standing poses, to help align ones body and maintain good posture, as well at seating poses, for hip and back strength. Forward and backward bends are performed for an increase in balance, flexibility and to help release tension in the body. Balance plays a large role in yoga poses and it is necessary to establish and maintain this before engaging in further positions.

Listen to your body and do what it is capable of, do not push yourself so hard that you experience pain. When your body says no more, it means no more! Advanced poses will come naturally depending on the amount of time you practice. It is important to establish a routine that your body will become used to over time. These basic poses can be learnt with guidance from professionals at yoga schools or retreats; however alternatively you are able to practice them by yourself in the comfort of your home.

Poses for the veterans

When practiced traditionally, yoga is a 6 day a week exercise. Once introduced to the yoga, many find it inescapable and integrate it as a regular activity in their daily lives. Those who practise yoga regularly will experience increased flexibility and toning of muscles. This allows for more advanced poses to be undertaken.

Advanced poses often involve contorting the body to resemble animals, stances, objects or natural formations. For these demanding poses, the mind must work in conjunction with body movements. It is essential for accomplished yoga individuals to have a strong ability to control and balance the body as is required by the majority of these difficult poses. Here, yoga allows for the creation of peace as well as mental and spiritual awareness, escapism and deep levels of meditation.

Yoga veterans would find it beneficial to attend specified workshops or yoga retreats to further develop their skills. These learning forums allow yoga experts to interact, share and develop challenging, new poses which can be added to their daily routines. Accredited and fully trained professionals will assist you in taking your yoga practice to inspiring heights and profound depths.

Sheridan Hammond is founder of Samudra Surf & Yoga Retreats [samudra.com.au/page13.aspx]. A Samudra yoga retreat is all about experiencing a different culture, eating healthy foods and engaging in the intimate practice of yoga with new friends. For more information on Sheridan, Samudra or yoga poses [samudra.com.au/page13.aspx], please visit the website at samudra.com.au samudra.com.au

Yoga and Positive Thinking Methods for Anxiety Relief

What do Yoga and positive thinking have to do with each other? Think no further than the Yogic practice of meditation. Meditation, for positive thought, is a foundational component of Yoga. Without meditation, we are only practicing a part of Yoga.

In the Yoga Sutras, written by Maharishi Patanjali, he describes the "Eight Limbs of Yoga." Some Gurus and Yoga teachers look at these limbs as steps, but the final four stages, limbs, or steps, concern meditation. To look for solutions, within yourself, will empower you to help those around you and make the world a better place.

When you look into a body of water, you cannot see more than a foot below the surface if the surface is in turmoil. About an hour's drive away from my wellness center, on Cape Cod, there are a number of sand bars, from Chatham to Provincetown. You can easily see them from the cliffs, on a clear summer day.

Unfortunately, for sailors of the past, there have been over 1000 ship wrecks off that stretch of coastline because of poor visibility and rough waters. The storms and high surf would cause an average of two ship wrecks per month in the early 1800's.

The brain waves in your mind are much similar to the turmoil of the ocean, but with training in meditation you can learn to harness the power of your mind from within. During a meditation session, you can focus on an external object or on yourself.

Whatever you do, when you practice meditation, your thoughts must be positive, and you must make the time. The focused mind is productive, can make a difference, and does not have anxiety.

How long will this state of mind last? It is only temporary, but with continued meditation practice, the mind becomes stable, and "peace of mind" becomes a habit. The end result is you will find happiness, mental focus, and direction.

With this formula, you are free from anxiety at any time you wish to meditate. On top of this, meditation has no mental or physical side effects. Some people practice walking meditation, which is a relief to the mind and body. There are many forms of meditation, but all of them lead to a state of bliss.

The time you spend in meditation is as valuable as any form of hygiene. In fact, meditation is mental hygiene. None of us can afford to let anxiety run our lives.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. riyoga.com riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Finding and Buying a Bikram Yoga DVD

Although it is easy to buy a Bikram yoga dvd  from most popular stores, and this may give you a great introduction, it would probably be better to join a class. The benefits of joining one of the Bikram yoga classes is there will be people to interact with and even make friends with, also if you have any problems there will be an instructor on hand to help you with any problems.  You will probably only need a mat, water bottle and good loose clothing when participating in a class.

What to Look For In A DVD:

A good Bikram yoga DVD will explain what Bikram yoga is all about, you'll find it is different from the other styles. It should explain how to heat the room to around 95-100 degrees without it costing you a small fortune on your utility bills. The reason for the high temperature is that the poses and exercises have to be done in a heated room, this is one of the main differences to other styles.

It should also explain in a clear manner, that there are 26 poses to practice and learn. It is also important to be shown the proper technique for each pose, this will help to lessen the risk of an individual injuring themselves during an exercise. Additionally a good Bikram yoga DVD should make allowances for beginners and give some easier alternative poses, whilst also offering the opportunity for more experienced practitioners to practice the most difficult poses.

A good quality Bikram yoga DVD should also give both instructions of the various poses but also shown some different workouts so a practitioner can choose the ones that suit them best. A class is usually around an hour and a half in length, therefore the DVD will normally offer a short version workout plus a longer version that is more in line with a class workout time.

Probably it will be better for an individual to go to Bikram yoga classes before practicing with their Bikram yoga DVD.  The mean reason for this last statement is that unlike a DVD the class will have a trained instructor who will be able to make sure an individual is learning and doing the positions in the correct way, before doing them at home on their own. This will also reduced the risk of any injuries. Please Also Note! This style not be practiced by pregnant women, since it can raise the core body temperature.

Malcolm has been interested in yoga for many years and feels that Yoga is a fantastic way to begin your day and for keeping fit and relaxed, for more great tips about a yoganrelax.com Bikram yoga dvd and yoganrelax.com/tips/index.htm yoga classes, please go to his web site and blog.

Unravel Your Creativity With A Writing Retreat

If you find solace in solitude, peace in nature and fulfillment in words, then a writing retreat is what you need. Writing helps you to be the real "you", allowing you to look inside and empty your thoughts. You can reach out to the world with your words. Writing can rejuvenate you, it can re-instate your creative side and enliven your thought process. However, good writing comes when the mind is uncluttered, when there is no traffic (human or emotional) around you. It comes when you are with your 'being,' away from the crowd and have time to reflect, to look within. You can write well when your emotions are not charged, when you experience calmness outside and inside.

A creative writing retreat understands the intricacies of a creative mind. This program is designed to give you time, space and structure to work creatively. It is like a vacation to bring the best out of you. Creative writing and yoga encourage your imagination to go a step beyond and explore the untouched territories of your thoughts. This program is not like the stereotyped classroom training. This writing retreat frees you from the closed classroom environment. It liberates you and allows you to be close to nature, in its raw form. The location is just perfect to let your creative juices flow. And if that is not enough, there is a chef on board who cooks homemade food for the team. The retreat size is quite small, which is intentional. This program has some amazing features. It is not just a writer's retreat - it is a holistic vacation.

Holistic Retreat

Location: Each retreat is in a different location. Some of the locations include Italy, Mexico and Tobago. The location for writing retreat is usually on a traditional farm, sustainable beach side, a forested organic estate or in the mountains. It is close to nature and allows you to wake up every morning with bird songs.

Manuscript Guidance: These writing retreats offer one-on-one manuscript guidance. It can help you get a breakthrough on the most daunting creative project. It empowers you to think differently, with a new perception.

Group Critiques: Your work will be evaluated and critiqued by fellow writers to give you deeper insights about the reader's psychology. Such activity helps you to look at your work with an eagle eye.

Yoga and Pranayam: Yoga is also a part of this writing retreat; it is a complete wellness retreat that includes hatha yoga, pranayam breathwork and creative writing yoga.

Discussion and Exercise: This program offers a platform for discussion and creative exercises. It helps you to bring out the best and eliminate any chances of creative mistakes.

Healthy Food: Your holistic vacation also focuses on your food. They serve healthy meals three times a day prepared by an in-house chef. You'll be eating the best homemade food.

This program is a combination of yoga and writing. Yoga is known to improve concentration and it helps you immerse in yourself. Indeed, it is the best way of enlivening your creative side. A writing retreat is a perfect way to explore your untapped potential. Two weeks of your life will change the way you look at creativity. It will help you unravel the hidden treasures of your creative side.

This summerwritingretreat.com Writing retreat is a writer's getaway into the world of solitude. This holistic vacation will help you unravel your creative side and explore the hidden territories of your mind. It is a combination of summerwritingretreat.com summer yoga and writing in a natural environment.

Treadmill Training and a Healthy Pregnancy

So you have always been fit and then you got pregnant and you are wondering if treadmill training is safe.

No one can answer this question better than your doctor. So you must consult your doctor before you begin any exercise program

Understand that mild exercise is good for you and your baby and that is why prenatal yoga has taken such a popularity boost lately. But make no mistake when pregnant you can run or walk outdoors and on the treadmill. The baby jogger stroller is pure evidence that exercising vigorously is indeed acceptable when pregnant.

As a general rule unless you feel tired or are getting contractions you can continue your treadmill workouts. In any healthy pregnancy walking on a treadmill is not only safe; it is healthy and beneficial to your pregnancy.

It has also been shown in studies that a mother who exercises before a pregnancy and during it usually ends up with a healthy pregnancy and child.

If you do continue to exercise on a treadmill while pregnant you should know when to stop and these tips will guide you.

Clues to stop treadmill training include swelling or getting out of breath. A good rule of thumb is never to allow your heart rate to exceed 139 beats per minute.

Another thing to watch out for is body temperature, make sure your core body temperature does not increase more than 3 degrees above normal temperature-this is because your baby is not used to higher body temperatures

To ensure proper treadmill training, keep the incline on the treadmill low and always hold on to the sides of the treadmill as you do not want to lose balance whiles exercising on the treadmill.

The ideal frequency for treadmill training while pregnant is two to three times a week. Twenty to thirty minutes will do lots to keep you and your baby healthy!

If you ever feel out of sorts, stop exercising and consult a doctor.

In summary walking or running on a treadmill while pregnant is healthy for you-provided you have been given permission by your doctor. Just remember to keep it simple, easy and never overexert yourself.

Discover how to use effective lose-weight-treadmill.info Treadmill Training to get the body of your dreams.

Practicing Yoga Can Help You Lose Weight

Do you eat when you're nervous, anxious or upset? Are you an emotional eater? This does not have to be your fate. This is not who you are. Imagine eliminating all of your food cravings. Imagine being able to have one bite of ice cream without eating the whole carton. Imagine yourself as skinny, youthful and beautiful as ever without a care in the world. All of this is possible by training the mind with yoga!

The reason that yoga helps you to lose weight is because it is dedicated to helping your body eliminate toxins. Even though you might not feel you're working hard enough, beauty truly does begin from within; and what yoga does to your body on the inside helps you look and feel better on the outside. Yoga helps you go to the root of your weight loss problem and helps you to make positive changes in your life and lifestyle.

Not only do you eliminate toxins through the various poses but, since yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity, your body can then switch into fat-burning mode and burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat.

Your mind is the most powerful determinant that controls whether or not you give into that cheeseburger and milkshake craving. The more you practice yoga, the more you learn to sit still, meditate, and breathe and the more you will train your body and your mind.

Imagine being able to quiet that little devil up there telling you to be bad and eat the processed-full-of-dairy-and-sugar-chocolate-chip-cookie-pie. Imagine that you don't even hear him anymore or ever again.

Natural Sexy Skinny is an organic all-natural weight-loss system proven to get you results. Natural Sexy Skinny teaches you what the media is hiding from you, why it's not your fault you're fat, and exactly how to turn your Natural Sexy Skinny dreams into a reality.

To get your free Natural Sexy Skinny Weight-Loss E-course, go to naturalsexyskinny.com naturalsexyskinny.com and learn how to never diet again. For more tips and secrets you can visit my blog at naturalsexyskinny.wordpress.com naturalsexyskinny.wordpress.com

How To Cure A Dry Mouth

If you speak a lot during the day, you may find that your mouth becomes dry, even if you drink plenty of water. Here are some things that have worked for me:

1. ADD A LITTLE LEMON JUICE TO YOUR WATER

The tartness stimulates the flow of saliva. And remember to drink at least 8 (or more!) glasses of water a day. Keep sipping that water throughout the day. Air conditioning and heating systems are dehydrating and you may need even more water than you think! Keep a humidifier near you while you work so your body can absorb even more humidity. It's great for voice.

2. TRY CHEWING SOME GUM IN BETWEEN PHONE CALLS

Gum stimulates saliva flow. Use sugarless to prevent tooth decay. Just remember to take it out of your mouth before you speak!

3. AVOID SALTY FOODS

Even though you may not add additional salt to your food, there is a lot of hidden sodium in the average American diet, especially in fast foods, Chinese foods, cold cuts and processed foods. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Bring your lunch to work and read the labels of the food you buy. There are many low sodium alternatives and many cookbooks on the market that focus on low salt/high taste.

4. DRY MOUTH COULD BE A SIDE EFFECT OF CERTAIN MEDICATIONS

Antihistamines are a real culprit. Explain the problem to your doctor or pharmacist and see if anything you are taking is exacerbating the problem. Perhaps they can provide an alternative. Mention the problem to your dentist as well. Chronic dry mouth can contribute to tooth decay and gum disease, so make sure you get regular check ups.

5. STRESS MAKES DRY MOUTH WORSE

Make a mental systems check. Is your level of work-related stress higher than it should be? Yoga, exercise and daily meditation work great for me. There are many relaxation tapes and videos on the market.

6. BITE YOUR TONGUE

No kidding! Slide your tongue over to one side and *gently* bite down between your top and bottom molars. Careful, don't hurt yourself. You don't need to bite hard. This stimulates the flow of saliva and moistens your mouth. Comes in handy when you don't have access to water.

7. TRY A THROAT SPRAY CALLED "ENTERTAINER'S SECRET"

It's a lubricating spray specifically for dry throat and hoarse voice and contains all natural ingredients like glycerin and aloe vera. It's not a medication and can be used safely throughout the day. I've tried it and it works! You can order it at greatvoice.com.

Susan Berkely is owner and writer of greatvoiceco.com greatvoiceco.com which is providing professional voice recording and professional voice over service for call centers. We are also providing greatvoiceco.com telephone business, voice training, and many more voice services.

Four Easy Steps to Becoming a Higher Paid Yoga Teacher

1. Know what you really want to do as a yoga teacher and write it down everyday. Step one is figuring out what you want. After you write down all the things you want to achieve as a yoga teacher, write down 3 things you can do each day to move closer to that goal. A Harvard study on goals revealed that those who have goals and write them down, make 10 times the amount of those who don't!

For example: I want to write a best selling yoga book that reaches millions of people and helps change those peoples lives for the better.

3 Ways I can get moving on that today:

1. Brainstorm niche ideas that I know a lot about.

2. Practice by submitting an article to ezine.

3. Begin reading a new yoga book today.

2. Learn how to advertise with no to little money. As a yoga teacher you must get yourself out there and get known to the public if you are going to become a higher paid yoga teacher. Experiment with face book, twitter, my space, Craig list, you tube, Google video, Google AdWords, super pages and other sources of free to inexpensive advertising. You should always have a note book with you to take your students email addresses down on. Even if you can't use the email addresses right away, in the future they will be your greatest asset to reaching those who know you and may be interested in your yoga retreat or teacher training or new yoga product. You should also regularly submit press releases to your local news paper announcing anything new or special that you are doing as a yoga teacher.

3. Create a yoga product and turn it into passive income. Create a meditation cd or a low budget DVD to sell to your students. You can easily do either of these if you have a camera and a Mac computer. If you don't have the know how, no worries, you have a service you can barter with someone who does have the know how to help you create your yoga product. I have done this. You give them yoga lessons; they produce a CD or DVD for you! You should then eventually barter with someone to help you sell that product online and turn it into easy passive income.

4. Get private clients and then get their referrals. At every group yoga class you teach, mention that you are available for privates and have some flyers or brochures that state all the different issues you could address in a private session, don't go on an on about how great you are, go on and on about how great you will make someone feel with your special brand of yoga. Once you get a private client, say to them after their second or third session with you, "If you are happy with the work we are doing, I would greatly appreciate it if you could refer me to your friends. I am working hard at building up my own yoga business and I could use some help. Here is my card if you think of anyone that could also benefit from private yoga lessons with me." These lines work, I promise! If you could get just a few privates a week at $50-$75 this will greatly increase your monthly income and your private clientele will only grow and grow until you no longer have to teach group classes.

Jane Foody is a professional, experienced registered yoga teacher (ERYT, recognized by Yoga Alliance). She directs a yoga teacher training in Orlando, Florida where she certifies people to teach yoga. Jane is also a professional hypnotist. Jane has written and released a hypnosis CD for yoga teachers. The CD motivates, inspires and guides yoga teachers to make more money and be the best yoga teachers they can be. Go to lucrativeyogabusiness.com lucrativeyogabusiness.com/ for yoga business help or yogajanetraining.com yogajanetraining.com/ to learn how to become a certified yoga teacher.

Hatha Yoga in Practice - Is Shirshasana (Headstand) Dangerous?

On March 22, 2001, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study about the connection between specific Yoga postures (asanas) and a particular type of stroke called, "arterial dissection." It seems that sudden neck movements, or any Yoga posture that places extreme pressure on your neck, can put you at risk.

Am I trying to scare you about the dangers involved in practicing a posture, such as: Shirshasana? No, but you should be aware of the potential for injuries in any posture. The chances of experiencing arterial dissection, as a result of Shirshasana practice, are quite rare; but this is only the tip of the iceberg, when we consider developing a safe Yoga practice.

For example, your cervical vertebrae are quite thin, in comparison to your lumbar vertebrae, for a reason: Your lumbar vertebrae are large in comparison to cervical vertebrae. The surrounding muscular tissue in your back, shoulders, and neck, were designed to support your spine and the weight of your skull.

When you turn everything upside down, you put pressure on the thin and delicate cervical vertebrae. Additionally, do you know for sure that you do not have arthritis or osteoporosis? Unless you are thoroughly warmed up, have practiced preparatory postures, and have your doctor's consent, why would you take unnecessary risks with your health?

Maybe you think you are too young to have "bone problems." Children are injured performing headstands in supervised gym classes and on front lawns. Unfortunately, I have worked with "retired" gymnasts who were diagnosed with arthritis in their early 20's. In their cases, arthritis occurred because of repetitive torque and motion. Do not avoid a doctor's consultation because of your ego.

Speaking of ego, we often hear an asana referred to as advanced. Everyone wants to be promoted to the head of the class. If we can perform Shirshasana, with a heavy chair on our feet, and sip a coffee through a straw at the same time, are we advanced Yogis?

Consider this: To perform any asana, with complete presence, is Hatha Yoga; but to perform a posture without a clear intention, and full awareness, is a mindless form of exercise. Hatha Yoga is not a physical exercise alone, and it requires that you be mentally present for practice.

If you are a student, please seek out a competent Yoga teacher, and learn foundational techniques, before practicing challenging postures or under taking risky techniques. Get your doctor's blessing. Warm up and perform preparatory Yoga postures before practicing advanced techniques.

If you are a Yoga teacher, there is no room for ego or arrogance. No matter what style you were certified in, putting your ego "in the back seat" should have been addressed in your foundational happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training. Never take chances with your student's livelihood.

© Copyright 2009 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. aurawellnesscenter.com aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html

Fitness Fanatic? 3 Secrets to Creating and Marketing a New Workout Program

Remember Jane Fonda's 20-minute workout routine? What about the Wedding Workout Plan? And who can forget "Sweat and Shout" with impish Richard Simmons? You get the picture. Have you ever wondered if you could create a new workout program the fitness world would latch onto as the next big thing?  

Take the advice of Anthony Aurelius, who has done exactly that. While he's been called the poster boy for vegans, Aurelius prefers to be known as the Jamie Oliver of the fitness world because of his development of a new mind and body workout routine aimed at improving the health and fitness in adults and young people.   While his "Choi-Bo" routine sounds a bit like something you might order at an Asian fusion restaurant, in fact this is a fun, non-combative martial arts-inspired workout set to music, and brings together the best aspects of yoga, pilates, meditation and cardio vascular training.  

Here are three important steps Aurelius took to create his workout regime. You may wish consider these when putting together your plan.  

1. Break Your Workout Program Into Sections

Developing a fitness program doesn't happen overnight. If you have a routine you've developed, break down your programme down into sections, so folks get a step-by-step sense of beginning, middle and end of your routine.    

For example, the Choi-Bo workout breaks its program into 7 sections, making it easy for participants to prepare for:  

1. Meditations & Mental Preparation Time

2. Dynamic Stretches to Warm the Whole Body

3. Spine and Joint Rotational Exercises

4. Conditioning: Resistance & Strength Training Exercises

5. Aerobic Workout using Unique 'Sequential Motion' techniques

6. Anaerobic Push and Cool Down: Shoulder & Back Massage

7. The Whole Body Unique Yoga-based Stretch  

Tip: Suggest some unique cool-down activity, if possible. For example, Choi-Bo incorporates a fully-dressed shoulder and back massage that plays an integral part in the regime's 7-part system. That element alone makes the program unique.  

2. Prepare A Reason Why You Created Your Program

Aurelius decided to create his program when he realized that many people considered traditional gym exercises to be boring. Aurelius took his 20 years of martial arts training and 10 years of fitness coaching experience to develop a routine that combines the best of everything he learned over the years.If you've been a trainer, coach or simply an exercise junkie for any length of time, use that experience to bring credibility to the program you develop. People want to know your 'system" or program is based on real world expertise and experience.Suggest how and why your workout routine is unique or different. People always want the next big thing.    

3. Create a Workout Name That Intrigues

Whatever workout you decide to develop, it's important to create a memorable name for your program or regime. Think of the names you remember most: "Shred Ten Pounds in Ten Days Workout." "The Celebrity Butt Workout." "The Killer Ab Workout." Put your name in front of your workout name, and you've got the makings of a brand.   When you describe your program in a way that resonates well with your target audience, so much the better. You can't beat Jane Fonda's "The 20-Minute Workout" for selling power and long-term branding.   For example, Aurelius called his routine Choi-Bo for a reason, based on his years as a martial arts instructor. The name Choi-Bo, comes from "Choi", which means "highest" and "Bo" which is short for Bow, as in Bow and Arrow. In his marketing, Aurelius describes Choi-Bo workouts as designed to be of the highest quality and aim to hit the mark like an arrow hitting the bulls-eye target from a skilled archer. Makes great marketing sense.  

Finally, once you've developed a program, you must make an effort to market your workout. Often this means bringing out a book, DVD and online videos with your program.   Good luck. Now back to the gym to work on your "Bump and Grind the Behind."  

Want to know more about health and fitness and how to develop a fitness programme? Visit keepingyourjointshealthy.com keepingyourjointshealthy.com to sign up to hear a FREE live interview with Anthony Aurelius on May 28. After that date the interview will be available for free at the website.

About the Author
Mark Fodchuk is a business author, advertising copywriter and article writing specialist. He is also creative director for The Marketing Chefs, a Toronto-based agency that helps small businesses promote and market their products and services online and offline.

Are You Considering Yoga Teacher Training?

Once you start practicing yoga, there are very few people who don't develop a love for it. It's difficult not to, after all you're likely to experience not only a boost in your overall health but also an increased level of relaxation as well. In these fast paced times, this sense of peace is highly prized. If your affinity for yoga gets powerful enough, you might even start thinking about taking it up as a career. There is a lot of merit in doing something that you love, so if you really feel strongly about it then there's no reason why you should not go after it. The one thing that you will need to be careful of is finding effective yoga teacher training.

Before you start teaching yoga, you need to know exactly what the role of a yoga instructor really is. Is it to just show people some exercises? Is it to tell them about a few meditation techniques and leave it at that? If this is what you think then yoga teacher training may not be for you. As a yoga instructor, your students will look to you for guidance on how to reduce their stress level, increase their flexibility and give them greater health and strength. If you can't do that then your foray into teaching will never be satisfying. That's why it's important to get as much yoga training as possible and that in North America mean you will need to be certified. It is very important to note that you are not considered qualified to teach yoga by most employers unless you have received your certification.

You may think that you already know what style of yoga you'd like to learn, because you've only been exposed to one and you like it. The problem with this is there are so many different styles in existence that it may not be in your best interest to limit yourself. Take as many different classes as you can. This will expose you not only to different types of yoga but also different teaching styles, which you may be able to make your own. While most training programs will incorporate a component of proper communication, no one can tell you how to become a teacher. You're going to be investing a lot of time and money in yoga teacher training so you really need to ensure that you pursue something you're comfortable with.

Once you have made up your mind as to what type of yoga you're interested in learning, it's time for you to find a teacher. Remember that not everyone who gives classes is certified to train instructors. Yoga has become increasingly popular over the years and there have been a record number of schools popping up promising you the credentials you require. You're going to have to do your research to find a reputable yoga teacher training program. Luckily there are institutions, such as the Yoga Alliance, which keep a public database of organizations meeting their criteria for yoga instructor training programs. An effective program must incorporate at least 200 hours of study so this is big hint if you find a place which offers 'short courses' leading to certification.

Some people may wonder why they should bother. Surely a three week course can cover the same material? There's a reason why guidelines for yoga instructor training programs were developed in the first place: to protect the students. Of course what you have uppermost in your mind is the well being of your potential students, right? You cannot expect to teach if you yourself have not been properly trained. Another point to consider if you really want to become a yoga instructor is that most places will not hire someone who has not completed a yoga training program and gotten their certification.

Yes, training to become a yoga instructor is hard work and it is going to take up a significant amount of your time. You will need to patient and dedicated. If you cannot do this then you will not be able to pass these traits down to your students and you will not be an effective teacher. If you can then you will be rewarded by seeing your students grow and become better functioning individuals, knowing that the proper attitude toward yoga has been passed down to them.

Sherry Holistan is a Hatha, Vinyasa and Bakti Yoga Practitioner. For more great tips on yogatraininganswers.com/selecting-a-yoga-teacher-training-program Yoga Teacher Training please visit yogatraininganswers.com yogatraininganswers.com/

Rest and Recovery From Training - The Often Overlooked Performance Enhancer

You train day after day after day, but you just can't seem to get more muscular, leaner, faster or stronger. "How is that possible?" you say to yourself, "I train all of the time!"

Congratulations! If you are one of these people, you just answered your own question! You don't rest and recover properly! OR enough. You may be over trained and possibly undernourished. Quantity of food and proper nourishment do not necessarily correlate. This is not a matter of weight, rather a matter of lacking the important vitamins, minerals and nutrients that our body needs to heal. So, let's take a look, are you getting the proper recovery?

First of all, let me explain to you what happens every time you go to the gym or do your endurance workouts. You are tearing your muscle fibers, thereby damaging them. The more stress you put on them, the more damage. Don't worry! It's not a bad thing! But you do need to fuel them properly in between workouts in order for your muscles to build back up and be stronger. Usually this is the purpose of training. So the harder you train, the more rest and recovery you need.

So, what do you do to help repair the tissues you have damaged? There are several things to help you recover, so we will cover a handful now.

Sleep. If you are always on the go and your body is always tired, it will not repair itself, and this will interfere with your strength gains. There are NO SET amount of hours that anyone needs to sleep. The key is that you wake up feeling RESTED. What does rested feel like? You do not feel groggy when you wake up. You slept through the night. You did not NEED an alarm to wake you up, you were just awake (this may require going to bed earlier). You feel ready to take on the day.

There are many physiological benefits of sleep. The following are two of the most important to your health; a strong immune system and Human Growth Hormone.

When you sleep your body is recovering and generating a lot of white blood cells which improve the strength of your immune system. They help to keep you from getting sick by fighting off the "bad guys" such as viruses and bacteria. Therefore you do not have to stop training and lose your fitness because you are in bed trying to get over a cold or flu. Rather you keep your immune system strong with a good night's sleep and proper nutrition.

The other important reason to sleep that I mentioned above is because of its effect on your Growth Hormone levels. I will keep this short and simple as this is big topic, but here are the basics. Growth Hormone helps proliferation of myoblasts (precursor of muscle) and stimulates the uptake of amino acids (which make up a protein) and protein synthesis in muscle and other tissues. It helps utilization of fat by stimulating triglyceride use. Growth Hormone helps with carbohydrate metabolism by playing a role in maintaining blood sugar levels. How does this fit in with sleep? In children and adults, basal concentrations of Growth Hormone in blood are very low. The most intense period of growth release is shortly after the onset of deep sleep. So your body needs to produce Growth Hormone for muscle recovery and to build Growth Hormone we need a good night's sleep.

The next big factor in your recovery is digestion of the food you eat. CHEW YOUR FOOD. Digestion starts in the mouth, and if you do not digest, what is the point of paying so much attention to healthy food? Good digestion equals better nutrient absorption. This is what truly matters.

There are enzymes in your mouth that start the breakdown of carbohydrates (amylase). Therefore by simply chewing your food into smaller pieces you have improved digestion in the stomach and intestines, as well improving your body's ability to absorb nutrients. Don't simply throw food down the hatchet. CHEW it. Take your time. It will pay off.

The timing of when we eat is important as well. When we have done strenuous exercise we should eat within 30-60 minutes. I suggest eating a carbohydrate source that is easy to digest and high glycemic in nature. The purpose of this is to top up your glycogen (stored carbohydrate) stores which you have depleted during exercise. You can eat a full meal an hour after your snack or whenever feels right to you, but be sure to eat within that 30-60 minute window as it is proven that physiologically the body can uptake more carbohydrate during this time. An enzyme named glucose synthase is most present in the bloodstream 30-60 minutes after intense exercise. Glucose synthase is an enzyme involved in converting glucose to glycogen. Take advantage of this window to boost recovery from training.

Next, try eating live foods. Eat foods with natural live enzymes which help break digestion of the food so that your body can better use it as energy. These foods include mostly fruits, vegetables (starchy ones as well, such as squash and potatoes), whole grains and sprouts. Live foods are full of vitamins and minerals that will help your muscles repair and your body to work optimally. They are "nutrient dense foods." By this I mean that per calorie they have many nutrients to offer. Versus say a chocolate bar that has many calories but few nutrients. Live foods = Nutrient Dense foods.

Along similar lines, eat natural foods that are not refined or processed. Most refined foods have been robbed of their vitamins and minerals and contain a lot of chemicals. We should try to avoid sugar in its refined form and eat live sources such as non pasteurized organic honey, date sugar, or other organic sugar sources.

Eat good quality food, grown in organic soil without pesticides or fertilizers. Your local farm market and many grocery stores now sell fruits and vegetables from rich soil. These soils are rich in vitamins and minerals, as are the foods that grow in them. Soils with pesticides and fertilizers are not as rich in vitamins and minerals, nor are the foods that grow in them. On top of the lack of rich nutrients you are ingesting the chemicals used in the soils. So try to stick with fresh grown, organic fruits and veggies.

Eat 3 meals a day and snacks. You want to keep your body fueled with energy. Eating once a day causes blood sugar fluctuations and muscle breakdown.

Don't drink a lot with your meals. Drinking a lot with food can dilute your body's digestive enzymes and you will not benefit as much from all of that healthy food you are eating! Try drinking within half an hour before or after meals. Sipping to clear your throat during a meal is okay. Most people who chew their food and eat slowly don't find the need to drink with meals.

Eat protein, depending on your size there are many recommendations, the general one being to eat.8g per kg of body weight. This varies depending on your size, activity level and goals. Protein contains amino acids which help rebuild that damaged muscle tissue that I referred to earlier. Remember that complete proteins are only found in meat and dairy. You CAN make complete proteins from combinations of legumes, grains, nuts and seeds if you are a vegetarian. Some combinations include beans and rice, cereals and milk, nuts and grains or whole grain breads and legumes. Yes you can still be a superb athlete without meat.

Take digestive enzymes. If you have been eating a lot of processed food for years it is likely that your digestive system has become lazy. Digestive enzymes help to break down your food so that your body can use it as energy. If you are a big meat eater the enzymes are especially helpful with tough proteins such as steak.

If possible, don't eat within 2-3 hours before sleeping. The benefit of this is that your body can recover while you sleep rather than focus on digestion, which requires a lot of energy from the body. If you have to eat late eat fruit as it digests quickly, usually within 20 minutes. The body only likes to do one thing at a time. When you sleep you detoxify your body, and this is very important to recovery. Don't interrupt that quality sleep with a big meal.

Drink lots of water. Water is the means that nutrients are transported throughout your body for use. Water helps to detoxify your body and helps to clean your liver. The rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds and divide it by 2, this is how many ounces of water you should drink a day. Divide that by 8, this will give you how many 8 ounce glasses per day. Everyone is a different size; everyone does not drink the same amount of water. If you exercise very strenuously, consider that you should increase the amount of water you drink. You can get up to a liter of water into your body from eating fruits and veggies! Water makes up 60% of your muscles and is important to their recovery. A hydrated muscle is stronger muscle. A hydrated muscle is said to be more resilient to lactic acid build up.

STTRRREEETTTCCCHH! There is much controversy over whether stretching helps you recover. My opinion is, yes it does. When you work out and contract your muscles you are shortening them every time they contract. They stay shortened for hours after you workout. By stretching you can bring your muscles back to a lengthened state. There are physiological and psychological reasons why this is important. Physiologically a long muscle is a strong muscle. If you take an elastic band and stretch it as far apart as you can and then let it go...you get a fast strong SNAP!!! Now take it again and only stretch it half way, look at the difference in strength in that elastic popping back into original form. Your muscles work the same way. So keep your muscles long and strong. Stretching, especially yoga, also promotes circulation. Good circulation is very important to recovery because blood supply has oxygen and nutrients, promotes healing and transports toxins from metabolism away from the body. Psychologically, if stretching makes you feel better, well that is half the battle. Feeling good, you work out harder, bottom line! The mind is a powerful tool.

Lastly, try a massage. Massage therapy helps to move a lot of toxins in your body out through the lymphatic system. Post massage drink lots of water to flush your body of toxins and get rid of them! Massage also helps to relax the muscles that are always in a contracted state. Active release massage therapy helps to stretch your muscle fascia which can twist, shorten and contract and inhibit circulatory and nerve processes. This can be very good for recovery. Massage also helps to get blood flow to the muscles so that your muscles are brought the important nutrients and oxygen they need to recover.

These are some of the tools you can use to help with your recovery. Surely you have found some of your own over the years that already help you feel better and stronger, so keep on with what you already know works too!

Until next time, put your legs up and let that hard work settle in while you REST WELL.

Written By: Anne Guzman.