Some Wonderful Tips to Warm-Up Your Body Before Weight Training

To shed extra fat from your body, weight lifting makes a wonderful activity to incorporate in your daily exercise routine. Not only it strengthens and transforms your entire body, but tones and shapes your muscles as well. Moreover, weight lifting offers you with numerous health benefits, both mentally and physically. If you perform gym exercises on the regular basis, they can help you to avoid many diseases like cardiovascular problems, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes and even cancer. A muscular and toned physique also adds to your confidence and you feel a pride in yourself.

Before starting the body building exercises, it is very important that you warm up your body. Cardio exercises such as running, rope jumping, stationary bicycle riding and jogging on a treadmill are some of the best activities to prepare before a weight workout. 10-15 minutes of a cardio exercise is sufficient to increase the blood flow throughout your body. This not only warms your body, but also makes your muscles much more functional and injury resistant.

Similarly, Push-ups, Pull-ups, Dips and Squats make some wonderful exercises to warm your body. It is important to get an advice from your personal fitness trainer so that he or she will suggest you a right combination of warm-up exercises to ensure that your strength training sessions are as productive as possible.

Light stretching is another great way to warm your body and increase your range of motion. Not only stretching enhances your flexibility, but it also increases the flow of blood to your muscles. Make sure that you incorporate a full-body stretching routine before starting the weight lifting sessions. You can also perform yoga exercises before a weight lifting session to prepare your muscles for a heavy workout.

It is also a great idea to warm-up your body with lifting light weights for 10-15 minutes. This not only prepares your muscles for the heavy weight-lifting, but also eliminates stiffness and tight spots in your muscles. Moreover, it encourages muscles' pumping and improves blood flow to your muscles.

When a cardio exercise is combined with the light stretching and Push-ups, one can get maximum benefits from it. It not only will warm one's body in a few minutes, but will also improve the circulation of blood to his or her muscles. After a heavy weight lifting workout, you can also relax your muscles with swimming or showering. As your body gets heated up after doing heavy workouts, it is advisable that you allow your body a sufficient amount of time to cool down before taking a shower.

Guy Long runs stkildafitnesstrainer.com.au/fitness-trainer-prahran Bootcamp in Prahran and is a stkildafitnesstrainer.com.au/fitness-trainer-caulfield Fitness Trainer in Caulfield where he specializes in resistance training, body transformation, weight control, and overall muscular strength for local residents.

Permanent Weight Loss - Exercise Is A Key Factor

You are of course aware that health and fitness, a healthy eating plan and weight loss all go hand in hand.

If your goal is to shed just a few pounds or 50lbs, and you want it to be permanent weight loss; you will need to exercise along with eating healthy food.

So what exercises should I do?

Well, much will depend on your time available and your physical ability. If you are new to regular exercise then you would be well advised to begin slowly and steadily and also to begin with exercises that you enjoy. Of course some people may think that having the words exercise and enjoy in the same sentence just does not sound right!

Well, there are many ways that you can move your butt and shake your booty without it being a miserable time.

Jogging is a great cardiovascular exercise which simply means that it exercises your heart and lungs, raising the heart rate and breathing; this is great for heart and lung health and for burning calories too. Of course not everyone enjoys jogging and it does happen to be very hard on the joints, particularly knees and ankles.

Exercise machines can help with this.

Elliptical trainers allow your body to go through similar motions to jogging but greatly reduce the stress on the limbs and joints.

Exercise bikes or cycling machines allow you to get very good cardio workouts and you do not have to face the dangers of being in traffic.

There is a whole range of exercise equipment that will help you with your exercising for permanent weight loss and if you decide to join the local gym then your instructor will be able to give you a good weight loss program to suit your weight and abilities.

Swimming is excellent. It offers all round body exercise with no strain on limbs and joints and gives a great workout for everybody regardless of size and weight.

Squash, badminton, racquetball, tennis, all offer great opportunities to reap the benefits of cardio exercise with the added bonus of you perhaps being able to team up with someone who has similar weight loss aims. This will give you the opportunity to support and encourage each other.

Strength training with weights is a great way to lose weight. Muscle burns more calories than fat. Every pound of muscle burns up to 500 calories per week in normal use, 1lb of fat burns only 14 calories per week, so if you increase your muscle mass then your metabolism will increase and you will burn calories. This does not mean that you have to become the next Schwarzenegger, but pushing weight will increase your muscle mass enough to make a difference. It is especially relevant in more mature people as muscle mass declines as we get older. Strength training with weights or even just body weight can combat this: push-ups, chin-ups, parallel-bar dips and squat thrusts will all help increase muscle mass.

Yoga is a marvelous discipline for weight loss and for general health, calmness of mind and flexibility and suppleness of the spine. Yoga is not competitive and so whatever weight you are, it will not affect your ability to be able to do yoga. Everybody works to their own capabilities with yoga and you will soon begin to feel the benefits. There should be a local class near you.

Dancing can work wonders. Just put your favourite music on and dance around your living room for half an hour, couldn't be simpler, right?

Make the time for exercise and movement. Try to use the car less often. Go for a walk in the evening instead of just vegging in front of the TV all night. The same thing applies at weekends, if you are off work be sure to be active and not just a couch potato for two days.

Stay away from elevators and escalators and use the stairs as much as possible.

There are so many ways in which we can improve our overall exercise rates with just a little thought and adjustment of attitude.

Exercise stimulates endorphins in the brain which makes you feel good.

Making exercise a regular part of your life will dramatically improve your chances of achieving permanent weight loss and feeling great as well.

The old maxim of 'a healthy body is a healthy mind,' is absolutely true.

I am an ex-overweight person who was fortunate enough, many years ago, to find a healthy eating plan that helped me to lose a life-changing amount of weight. I have since maintained that weight loss. I have studied diet and nutrition for many years and I have a passion for health and fitness. I have studied yoga in England and India. I have a diploma to teach yoga from the B.S.Y. and also from the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Ashram in Majurai, Southern India. For further weight loss advice and tips click here => howcanistopeating.com howcanistopeating.com.

Yoga Meditation Technique - Discover the All-Encompassing Science & Art of Inner Self-Exploration!

The essence of Yoga meditation techniques lies in accepting, viewing, training and understanding the various aspects that form our being. It involves a careful and uninterrupted observation of our senses, breath, body and mind.

By the process of this constant awareness and watchfulness, the meditator becomes aware of the distractions of the mind in various activities such as that of the smell, touch, taste, hearing and sight.

Intricacies of Yoga Meditation Technique

Heightened awareness of the self can be achieved with great ease and effectiveness by the regular practice of yoga postures and performing them with a high degree of concentration and awareness.

While beginning breathing practices as a part of meditation-techniques-guide.com yoga meditation technique, you should spend some time in observation, while the breathing becomes very slow and fine. The unevenness and jerkiness in breathing gradually goes away.

As your breathing becomes slower and deeper, it will be easier to observe the thoughts arising in the mind, sensations arising in the body and emotions arising in the heart. This helps to bring tranquility in the body and great silence in the mind.

Once you get past through the early frustration that is associated with quietening the conscious mind, you realize that the mind is indeed an amazing instrument. You witness the many cross-currents and aspects of the mind.

The meditator gradually realizes his aloofness and separation from the mind and thoughts. The false association of being one with the mind gradually breaks. This gradual and gentle examination of the thoughts, emotions and their patterns gradually leads towards the center of consciousness and self-realization.

Vijay Kumar Raisinghani is an avid proponent of the use of easy and simple meditation techniques for a healthier stress-free living. Besides being an Active meditator, his interests include Spirituality, Meditation, Buddhism and Zen.

Visit his website meditation-techniques-guide.com meditation-techniques-guide.com for in-depth information on the most effective techniques of meditation and their amazing benefits.

Ayurvedic Medicine and Treatments

Ayurveda, known as 'the science of life', is a traditional medical system practiced in India. The Ayurveda medical treatment and practices which stresses mainly on prevention of diseases, rejuvenation of body and longevity is wholly different from Western Medical Practices.

The fundamentals and applied principles of Ayurvedic Medical System got organized eons ago around 1500 BC. Ayurveda doesn't consider our mind and body as two different parts but they are one and each person considered as a unique mind-body constitution.

Anything that enters to our body can put forth three possible effects- it can act as food that nourish the organism or can act as a medicine which can bring balance in the organism or thirdly it can act as poison that disturbs the organism. Therefore, it is important to know that what is good to your body and what is not good to your body. Ayurveda covers all these. It is not the way of curing some diseases but in fact is a way of life one can follow.

According to Ayurveda, the human body is a part of nature- a microcosm of the universe. There is a self regulating or an innate self-healing system that work in our body which will always try to make us healthy. Our immune system is capable enough to deal with almost all problems but stress, inadequate nutrition, viruses, bacteria weaken our immune system and this lead one from disease to disease.

The modern working culture and food habits increase the possibility of getting sick in every moment. So, it is high time we took remedies for being a healthy person and leading a life. It doesn't matter how aged you are or what desires you have because ayurveda is not a way of changing your aspirations but a way keeping people physically and mentally fit in the way you are. In India there are hundreds of ayurvedic training and treatment centers that can truly guide you in this regard.

Dr. Rajesh Deven is the director of ayurvedaschool.in School of Ayurveda and Panchakarma, an ayurveda training and treatment centre based in Kerala India. The center offers various ayurveda courses, distance learning programs, panchakarma training, ayurvedic and panchakarma treatments well suited for people come from different parts of the world. At our treatment and training center we also prepare ayurvedic medicines and products such as body massage oil, herbal body scrub, fumigation pot, yoga mat and massage table etc for international and domestic market.

Benefits of Baby Yoga

Many brand-new mothers look for a gentle exercise class that will not only help them ease their post-pregnancy bodies back into shape, but will also improve their posture and flexibility while giving them back some pre-baby physical confidence. But finding quality childcare while they waltz off to the gym for an hour or two is not always feasible - either practically or financially.

Baby yoga classes are a fun way for both baby and parent to interact.

Wouldn't it be great to find a class where both mother and baby are welcome, one that actually encourages the child to participate and thus facilitates parent-child bonding at the same time? Well, mother and baby yoga classes are designed to do just that. In fact, studies have shown that the more a tiny baby is touched, the more secure and loved he or she feels. And the more a woman gets back to her pre-baby shape after giving birth, the better she feels as well.

Baby yoga, therefore, can be a win-win situation for everyone. But if the thought of attending any class that begins with the words "Mommy and Me" makes you want to retch, look away now. However, if you have the stomach for a Mommy and Me baby yoga class - and most new moms have big tummies indeed - then this could be the perfect exercise course for you.

Baby Yoga Basics

Forcing two-month-old Arabella or tiny Tristan to do complicated yoga poses might put you off, so think again. Baby yoga is designed with both child and mom in mind, and aims to have both perform safe, gentle exercises that are calming, relaxing and stress-free. Neither parent nor child has to do anything that is too difficult or beyond their abilities: the goal is to go at a gentle, soothing pace, with lots of breaks for feeding, sleeping or screaming.

Classes concentrate on breathing, meditation, stretching and achieving basic yoga postures, which are designed to give new moms inner balance and help them build up their strength after they have given birth. Often the muscles used in childbirth are the ones concentrated on the most, such as the pelvic floor area, the shoulders and the upper back.

The idea is to prepare women for more intense yoga classes once their children are a bit older - and to help the baby not only sleep and eat better, but to feel better overall. Holding your child as you perform the yoga exercises will help the time go by quicker - and helping him or her to do some basic postures, such as the knees to chest pose, can make them feel more comfortable and calm as well.

What to Expect

Baby yoga classes usually take babies from age six to eight weeks until they begin to crawl, depending on the class. Very young infants are usually incorporated into the exercises themselves, with the adults holding them or exercising over them. The key is to follow your baby's lead: often smaller babies sleep while the mother exercises; when they get a bit older they can actually begin to participate.

Yoga is good for new mothers for a variety of reasons. It not only increases flexibility, movement and the heart rate, all of which are important for shedding that pesky baby weight, but it also restores the alignment of the body, helping to put muscles, tendons and ligaments back into place following the previous nine months of pregnancy. Finally, it helps reduce stress, which any new mother knows is an integral part of new motherhood.

Yoga followers say that even tiny children can perform basic yoga postures (see above), which can help them sleep better, digest their food better and be happier overall. "Physically, one short yoga session is the equivalent of being carried and touched all day. At the end of the day your baby will sleep more deeply and healthfully," the It's a Mom's World website proclaims.

"Developmentally, your baby's internal organs will be stimulated, improving the function of the nervous and digestive systems. Psychologically, the baby learns to cope better with stress and enhances the mother-child bond which increases communication between them.

"Yoga is a perfect way to spend quality time with your baby. Babies' in-born love and physical need for movement and touch are combined naturally in the practice of yoga movements, positions and stretches. The pace is slow and concentrated, which is perfect for the baby's ability to integrate and absorb. Go yoga - and have fun with your baby!"

What to Bring

To get the most of your yoga session, make sure you have the following on hand:

Yoga mat. Real yoga mats are best and they are fairy cheap - get one at a good sporting goods store.

Comfortable clothes for you and your baby. This is not a time to dress up little Tiffany Marie to show off to all the other moms, nor is it the right place to squeeze yourself into tight-fitting Spandex workout gear that you last fit into way back in 1988. Wear something that you can move around in - without worrying if it will split!

Drinks for both you and the baby. Don't ruin the moment by allowing you or Junior to get dehydrated. Make sure you have food - or a breast - on hand as well if Junior is likely to need a feed during the yoga session.

Baby massage items. Baby yoga classes often incorporate a bit of baby massage into the class. You will need a cloth or blanket to lie the baby on and some massage oil - olive oil works best.

Diapers. Unless your little genius is toilet-trained by six months, take a few more with than you normally would. If you expose Junior to the open air during a massage, he may wet himself - and you don't want to be caught short.

Blankets. Sometimes babies fall asleep during yoga, which gives their mothers time to have a work-out without any interference. Make sure you bring either a blanket or something equally comfortable to lie your baby down on should he or she actually fall asleep. Don't waste the moment!

Baby yoga benefits both mother and child, with exercises designed to help the adult become more flexible and better balanced, while helping the baby digest food easier and sleep better. The classes also help new moms bond better with their babies, feel more confident as a mother and even make new friends. Be warned: your little one might like the experience so much that you'll soon find yourself signing up for toddler yoga next...

Sarah Matthews is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a Healer at local.yodle.com/articles Yodle Local or more local.yodle.com/articles/topics/health-medicine Health & Medicine articles at Yodle Consumer Guide.

Kids Yoga & T'ai Chi - Playing Like Animals

How would you like to give your child(ren) the most precious gift imaginable?

A gift that would keep giving and giving to them their entire lifetime!

A gift of physical health!

A gift of mental health!

A gift of emotional health!

Imagine what your child might accomplish with these gifts as a foundation for their life.

The great sage, Dennis the Menace, said:

"The best thing you can do is to get very good at being you!"

Every child has unique talents.

Your child has unique talents.

Imagine what a gift it would be if every child knew what their unique talents were and could then develop them.

Would you love to give your child this gift too?

Dennis the Menace might say, "The best thing you can do for your child is to help them get very good at being THEM-WHATEVER that is!"

And Mark Twain said, "Inherently, each one of us has the substance within to achieve whatever our goals and dreams define. What is missing from each of us is the training, education, knowledge, and insight to utilize what we already have."

You can gift your children with a significant portion of this training, education, knowledge, and insight very easily by showing them how to imitate eagles, bears, dragons, gorillas, tigers, deer, and monkeys through t'ai chi and yogic movements and positions.

Imitating animals was the first form of qigong ever created--long before t'ai chi or yoga.

Imitating animals is a safe, fun, and effective way for children to maintain excellent physical and mental health that they will carry into adulthood and help them master whatever else they love to do, now and in the future.

They will get better at whatever they love-computers, athletics, art, singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, science, inventing, investigating, and even studying.

A third grader said, "T'ai chi cleanses my body and helps me with my work."

Studies show that children practicing various t'ai chi and yoga programs do better in school and become more proficient in basic learning skills.

A third grade teacher in America said, "I feel the deep breathing, flexibility, balance and coordination they experienced while doing t'ai chi increased their physical and mental well-being, and enhanced their learning! They came back to class positive, confident and focused."

A 5th grade student, failing math for his inability to focus, said, "Well, I do just what you said when I don't remember the answer to the math test. I sit very still, focus on the energy ball in my abdomen, take 5 breaths, and then I know the answer."

As your children master the various movements and poses of their favorite animal, they are gaining an unshakeable sense of confidence and accomplishment.

These are profound gifts they can carry into the world one day as they too become parents, doctors, singers, business professionals, adventurers, farmers, police, clowns, pilots, astronauts, or whatever else they choose.

While having fun pretending to be their favorite animal, your children are naturally and easily developing their minds and bodies, learning social and behavioral skills, connecting their inner world with the outer world, and absorbing values and habits that will serve them throughout their life.

As they mimic animals, your children are embodying the playfulness, courage, strength, love, and internal power of the animals. They are embracing the agility, balance, patience, focus, and freedom with which their furry friends frolic. They are effortlessly taking on the animals' gracefulness, alertness, calmness, and natural, robust health.

Imitating and moving like animals in these special yogic and t'ai chi ways can help your children discover and develop their own unique imagination and creative abilities.

Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is everything- more important than knowledge.It is the preview of life's coming attractions."

Imagination, attention span, power of concentration, and memory will become stronger and stronger as your child increases and stabilizes their own internal energy or chi.

Frolicking like animals helps integrate the mind and body, balance the left and right sides of the brain, increasing your child's capacity to handle stress.

Kids are the embodiment of change, and change can be very stressful.

The proven stress relieving qualities of frolicking like animals creates a wonderful sanctuary amidst the hectic schedules of play dates, school, and extra-curricular activities, as well as the many fearful encounters children face.

Zac, a 5th grader, says "I enjoy tai chi. It is relaxing and fun."

Frolicking helps kids become calmer and more aware of what's going on inside them. Kids learn to listen to the messages their bodies are sending them.

A third grader says, "T'ai chi relaxes and stretches both sides of the body. It makes your body nice and calm."

Playing and pretending to be a powerful animal builds self confidence and teaches your child(ren) that real strength comes from an awareness of themselves and their surroundings.

Children are inundated with images of aggression-television, movies, wrestling, news, video games, cartoons and so much more. Instead of teaching your children how to fight, animal frolicking shows them how to be in control of their body and mind, stay away from harmful situations, and how not to get hurt by giving way.

Children learn that they can flow around obstacles like water in a stream and still be as powerful as a mighty flood. That they can experience the relaxation of a cat while remaining alert and capable of super fast reactions.

Pretending to be an eagle, deer, tiger, monkey, gorilla, dragon, and bear instills real values of inner peace versus hurry and worry, assertiveness versus aggression, humility versus arrogance, and playfulness versus perfection.

The calmness, concentration, and focus arising from animal frolicking also makes this unique program a wonderful adjunct therapy for treating Attention Deficit Disorder.

Medical doctors Edward Hallowell and John Ratey, experts on the management of ADD wrote, "Exercise is positively one of the best treatments for ADD. It helps work off excess energy and aggression in a positive way, it allows for noise-reduction within the mind, it stimulates the hormonal and neurochemical systems in a most therapeutic way, and it soothes and calms the body."

Animal playing like these special t'ai chi and yoga animals helps your children harness and focus their vibrant but often scattered energies.

Second grader Abbey agrees when she says, "T'ai chi quietly calms my body down."

And 9-year-old Rebekah confirmed this too saying she felt only "calm and relaxed" after frolicking like animals.

Albert Einstein also said, "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science."

It is my experience that animal frolicking holds many mysterious and incredible gifts for you and your children to discover and unwrap for years to come.

In addition to some of the benefits set forth above, animal frolicking can generate feelings like the thousands of tiny bubbles that arise when a bottle of champagne or 7 up is popped open are bursting in every cell of the body.

Remember what those fizzling bubbles feel like when they're sliding down your throat? Now, imagine that feeling going on and on, nonstop, in every cell of your body simultaneously.

Sometimes, those feelings may get much stronger--like you're a rocket ship on a launch pad in those moments between ignition and lift off.

Moving like a t'ai chi or yoga animal can also leave your mind almost completely free of unproductive thoughts too. Free to savor the remarkable feelings pulsating in your body. Free to experience yourself as one with others, nature, and the Source of all Life.

Some of these benefits can be experienced right away. And, with many years of practice, they become our normal, everyday, waking experience. But, just like the most luscious dessert, you can only savor and relish the unlimited treasures of frolicking like a magnificent animal by digging in.

Frolicking will naturally nurture a child's body, mind, and spirit like sunshine, soil, and water magically nurture a rose bud. They make people glow from the inside, generating a smile that arises from a heart full of gratitude and compassion.

Frolicking helps people of all ages stay physically healthy and mentally happy.

Fear, pain, anger, addictions, anxiety, depression, procrastination, and greed run away from people who do animal frolicking.

A consistent practice of playing like these special t'ai chi and yoga animals can help your children, you, and your entire family feel better than you ever imagined possible.

Galileo said, "You cannot teach people anything. You can only help them discover it within themselves."

Gifting your child(ren) with the time and skills to play at t'ai chi and yoga like a powerful and graceful animal can truly help them discover and attain their full potential in all areas of life.

Ganeshananda has been developing children's educational programs for over 20 years. He is the creator of Power Animal Frolics dvd-T'ai Chi/Yoga/Qigong for Children--and the author of over 44 Fairy Tales of the Heart for Children of all Ages. He is an AVESA Quantum Energy Master and Medical Intuitive; Usui Reiki, T'ai Chi/Qigong, Meditation Master; Ordained TOSA and Science of Mind Minister; and Certified Quantum Clairvoyant.

For more information, please visit 1. poweranimalfrolics.org poweranimalfrolics.org and

2. blissbearybear.org blissbearybear.org

Home Personal Training - Is it Right For You?

For those with more specialized wellness needs, home personal training might be the best option. The personalized instruction that can be offered is beneficial to people with special needs or very specific goals. It also offers the considerable benefit and convenience of working out in the comfort of your own home, and avoiding the expense of a gym membership.

There are many reasons one might consider home personal training to meet their specific needs. For people with very specific goals in mind, like strength training, rehabilitation, wellness education, weight loss, and toning, a one on one at home session might be the best way to achieve those goals. There are trainers that specify in certain areas such as prenatal workouts, yoga, endurance training, and more. They can also offer instruction and training in the area of nutrition to enhance your overall wellbeing.

For some clients, the ability to avoid the expense of a gym membership is enough to encourage them to seek out a home personal trainer. Others might prefer the privacy of working out at home versus in public. Another great benefit comes to those with children at home. The ability to work out at home means you don't have to find and pay for childcare while you work out. It's clear why so many people are choosing a Certified Personal Trainer to help them meet their fitness goals.

From wellness coaching to nutrition education to strength training, a home personal trainer can help you with many fitness-related needs. With one on one sessions, you might find it easier to meet your goals. For some, the ability to work out at home makes it more likely for them to stay on track to their fitness goals. Whatever your personal goals are, see if this might be right for you.

Learn more about fitbell.com/what-can-i-achieve-with-personal-training-at-home home personal training and read lots of related articles at our fitbell.com fitness tips website.

Yoga Teacher Training - What to Consider Before You Apply

So now you've got the yoga bug. You find yourself going to class, or at least wanting to, every day of the week. You wish you had more time with the teachers or could afford private lessons so you could deepen your knowledge of yoga! Then one day, while in your final shavasana, your teacher says, "We're offering a 200 hour level Teacher Training course next month." Eureka! The answer to what feels like all of life's questions ironically comes to you in corpse pose. But the answer of "Yoga Training Training" only leads to more questions. I will attempt to answer some of these questions for you.

Before you apply to a teacher training course, there are a few things you need to consider. "Why do I want to take a yoga teacher training course?" This question is important as it may effect where you decide to take your course. You may be looking to improve your personal practice, deepen your general knowledge of yoga, or actually become a teacher.

If you are looking to teach, a good idea may be to talk to teachers whose classes you've taken and appreciated. Finding out where they trained and what the program entailed may give you a good idea as to what you need to look for in a training course.

You may, however, want to focus on teaching a particular style or segment of the populous. For example, there are yoga studios that specialize in working with children, senior citizens, pregnant women, post traumatic stress disorder victims, etc. Most schools offer a discounted first class or a "community" class that is usually less expensive than normal. I recommend taking advantage of these opportunities and trying out a few different studios to see if any of the studios or styles are more appealing to you. Doing the research online and getting feedback from past teacher training students is also a good idea.

Depending on your lifestyle and obligations, you may want to take an intensive program that meets more often over a shorter period of time. This may be convenient for you if you have summers off, taking a semester off from school, or in between jobs. If that doesn't suit you there are also long format training that may meet every other weekend for longer sessions and can last anywhere from 4-6 months.

Whether long format or intensive, yoga teacher trainings usually require a serious personal commitment. There will be lectures, yoga classes, projects, essays, books to read, and karma yoga. It can seem overwhelming, but is usually more enjoyable and enlightening then you'd think and well worth the process. Just think about why it is that you want to undergo the process, and let your intention guide you through your decision. After you have taken time to consider these things, you will be ready to apply to a ishtayoga.com/teacher_training yoga teacher training program.

Roque L. Rodriguez III is a poet and yoga instructor in New York, NY. He is currently taking the 300-hour ishtayoga.com/teacher_training yoga teacher training course at ISHTA Yoga NYC.

7 Reasons To Add Stability Ball Training To Your Home Gym

If you haven't bought a stability ball for your home gym yet you need to. Adding stability ball training to your exercise routines is an excellent choice.

Everybody from physical therapists to exercise coaches rave about them. Stability balls are not a fad that will fade away like so many other exercise gadgets out there. They are here to stay and for good reason.

What is a Stability Ball?

A stability ball is an inflatable rubber ball made of soft elastic PVC. They are inflated with air to a diameter of approximately 14 to 36 inches. The larger ones look a little like a beach ball. Size is about the only difference between them.

I happen to use the term "stability-ball" when talking about this ball but there are many other names it goes by:

abs-ball, balance-ball, body-ball, exercise-ball, fitness-ball, gym-ball, physioball, pilates-ball, Pezzi-ball, Pezzi Gymnastikball, sports-ball, Swiss-ball, therapy-ball, workout-ball, or Yoga-ball

Don't confuse stability ball with medicine ball. A medicine ball is closer to the size of a basketball and heavier than a stability-ball.

A Brief History of the Stability Ball

-- Designed in Italy in the 1960?s by Aquilino Cosani, a plastics engineer. The ball was called a Gymnastik and originally sold as a toy to children.

-- European physical therapists repurposed the ball from a toy to a therapy tool to aid in rehabilitation.

-- American physical therapists discovered the benefits of the balls while visiting physical therapy clinics in Switzerland. They brought their new-found knowledge home and dubbed the balls "Swiss Balls".

-- In the 1990?s the American fitness industry heard about the physical therapy benefits of stability-balls and repurposed the balls to be used in all manner of fitness and strength training routines.

-- Today everybody and his brother sells stability-balls, books and training dvd's.

Get the Correct Size

The correct size ball is determined by your height.

Here's a size guide to help you figure out which ball will work best for you.

4'8" and under: 45 centimeter

4'8" to 5'3": 55 centimeter

5'3" to 6'0": 65 centimeter

6'0" and taller: 75 centimeter

If you have family members of varying heights who want to do stability-ball workouts then you may have to purchase more than one ball. A ball that is too small or too large makes exercising awkward and at times dangerous.

7 Reasons To Add Stability-Ball Training To Your Home Gym

1. Improves core strength: The hot topic these days is core strength. Nothing improves core strength faster or better than stability balls.

2. Improves balance: Any exercise you perform on a balance ball requires the use of more muscles to maintain balance. This is especially good as we age because we tend to lose our balancing skills over the years.

3. Improves coordination: It takes more coordination to do dumbbell presses on a stability ball than on a flat bench.

4. Improves exercise comfort: Fitness balls are more comfortable than exercising on the flat floor.

5. Enhances your exercises: Stability balls produce instability which doubles the benefits of your workout because of all the balancing muscles that are activated.

6. Improves workout fun: Because of its bounciness it makes exercising more fun.

7. Workout bench substitute: A stability-ball works very well as an inexpensive substitute for a flat bench.

Conclusion

Whether your fitness goals are modest, to get a little stronger and more toned up, or if your goal is to get massively muscular, adding stability ball training to your home gym workout routines is a smart choice.

About the Author:

Mark A Hanson specializes in fitness and weight loss. Sign up for his "10 Fitness Mistakes" eCourse and learn how to avoid the mistakes that keep you fat and miserable at thebasementgym.com TheBasementGym.com/. Learn more about thebasementgym.com/stability-ball-training stability ball training and how to lose weight safely and keep it off permanently.

Yoga and Corporate Management - Are They Meant to Gel?

Every single employee would consider that the best privilege that he could ever get in his company is a comfortable and pleasing working environment. In such an environment workers can contribute to their maximum potential which in turn would translate into higher profits for the company. This kind of an environment is further accentuated when recreational facilities are provided to beat the stress of long working hours.

Especially in case of the corporate sector, employees usually face a lot of pressure which invariably leads to stress. Stress is a normal result of ambition. This ambition could be to achieve corporate aims and objectives and simultaneously a good personal reputation which would ensure satisfaction, enhance self worth and professional growth. All this stress would lead to numerous physical as well as mental problems.

Most corporate sector workers would rate their high pressure jobs as the most important cause for stress and tension in their lives. Stress in corporate management is linked to various health issues which are generally known as the "Diseases of Civilization." These problems include neck, shoulder and back pains, insomnia, fatigue, headaches, hypertension, diabetes, heart ailments and strokes to mention just a few. Any kind of stress plays on the person's mind and keeps an individual permanently in the vicious circle of flight or fight. The body thus carries within it the tension of a number of perceived as well as actual work stress connected emotional issues.

The corporate management has realized that the need to de-stress is extremely important. Therefore many multi-national companies, corporate houses as well as employee friendly companies have come up with ideas of bringing about de-stressing techniques for the workers. A corporate sponsored Yoga Program happens to be the best stress buster for corporate sector workers.

Yoga a union of the soul, mind and body helps to balance condition and harmonize the three. Although stress is inevitable in our daily life, the problem arises when one is unable to handle stress and that inability manifests itself in the form of physical as well as psychosomatic problems. Office yoga has numerous benefits. The best thing is that it can be practiced by all from the junior most employees to the CEO of the company. All that is required is a large quiet room or even a large garden, yoga mats and comfortable clothes.

Practicing yoga together in the office is a great morale booster. It enhances positive thinking and positive vibes among the workers. It helps to reduce muscle pains, tension caused due to long hours of sedentary work and above all improves general health of the employees. This in turn converts into employees taking less leave due to illnesses, low morale and low levels of efficiency as also frequent job hopping.

The increased energy levels better mood and stamina of the employees is another great benefit. It creates a positive attitude, enhances team bonding as also a sense of harmony in the work place. Practicing yoga together in the office also serves to increase respect the juniors have for the senior management of the company.

A combination of Yoga, Pranayama and meditation would help to harmonize the soul, mind and body. It increases flexibility of the body, revitalizes every cell and improves blood circulation and also trains the mind to concentrate better.

For more information about sixsigmatrainingguide.com/8/six-sigma-%E2%80%93-how-to-get-certified Six Sigma Certification, visit sixsigmatrainingguide.com sixsigmatrainingguide.com.

Yoga and Fitness

If it is important for you to develop your body into optimal condition for athletic performance, you likely already incorporate weight training, cardio/aerobic exercise, and resistance exercise in your fitness regime. Because of its perceived gentle nature, yoga is often overlooked as an extremely effective complement to a regular exercise/ work-out routine.

The addition of yoga can benefit almost all areas of your work out and athletic performance.

CORE STRENGTH

Yoga's slow, focused movements demand a strong midsection, which creates a perfect foundation for strength training and bodybuilding. The isometric contractions that are part of many of the yoga positions tap into a new level of resistance training that cannot be accomplished with exercise equipment alone.

RANGE OF MOTION AND FLEXIBILITY

Yoga training will help improve performance and prevent injuries during workouts and athletics by gently increasing your range of motion and flexibility.

BALANCE

Most athletic training and weight training programs will be very effective in developing certain specified muscle groups while ignoring others, thus causing an imbalance in the mechanics and muscular system within the body. Yoga training can help bring your body into balance by addressing these underdeveloped areas.

EFFECTIVE BREATHING

Breathing supplies your body and muscle centers with essential oxygen. During athletic events and work out routines, it is very easy to neglect taking in full adequate breaths to deliver proper oxygen levels to all required areas. Yoga helps to train your body how to effectively take deep full breaths. Additionally, the breaths that you take will be more relaxed, which in turn will reduce any performance anxiety, deliver essential hormones to your system, and improve overall concentration.

DOWNTIME EXERCISE

Too much exercise can harm your body. There are many yoga styles that are relaxed and less intense to offer the ability to exercise during downtime, injury, etc. Also, many of the positions can be practiced throughout the day while sitting in front of the television, lying in bed, or hanging out around the house.

Always be sure to consult a professional before attempting any exercise, no matter how mild, when you are recovering from an injury, dealing with illness, or suffering from any other medically fragile condition. Adding yoga to your workout routine will add a whole new dimension to your total fitness that will serve you well for a lifetime. There are so many styles and intensities that you are sure to find one that is perfect for you and your fitness goals.

To your fitness!

Kriss Bonin is an avid yoga supporter. He operates Yoga-for-Gay Blog at yoga-for-gay.blogspot.com yoga-for-gay.blogspot.com and [gaymenyoga.com/]

Why You Need a Yoga Certification

In many parts of the world happinesslifetime.com Yoga certification is a new phenomenon. In the past, Yoga teachers had very small groups of loyal students and Yoga was not a mainstream activity. However, Yoga is gaining tremendous media attention of late. It was recently the subject of full episode of the Oprah Show. There was also a 10 page feature in Time magazine which pointed out, among other things, the fact that a large portion of health clubs are offering Yoga classes.

As Yoga has become more popular the need for certification has become clear. In a nutshell, Yoga teachers should be certified for their own protection. With liability law suits being so popular these days, it would be prudent to have a Yoga teacher's certificate on your wall. While Yoga is not considered to be as dangerous as some of the other activities in health clubs, some Yoga classes can be surprisingly vigorous, to say the least. Many health clubs are increasingly making it a point to hire Yoga teachers with certification.

happinesslifetime.com Yoga Certification makes acquiring liability insurance much easier for your Yoga business. Depending upon the activities within a studio, the liability insurance policy chosen could be for Yoga only or a sports liability policy similar to what a health club would carry. While Yoga is a relatively safe pursuit, it's all about liability and you shouldn't leave yourself uninsured.

The popularity of Yoga has some new students jumping off the couch and heading straight into the nearest Yoga class. They may be there from a doctor's referral, workplace incentive or a media story. A certified Yoga teacher would be trained to assess health conditions, ailments, history and fitness level. In addition, the teacher would also be able to design special programs such as pre-natal and those for seniors or children.

For these and other reasons, there have been some recent changes within the certifying bodies who train Yoga teachers. For example, a minimum standard of 200 hours of study has become an international standard for happinesslifetime.com Yoga certification. Since Yoga teaching credentials are a relatively new concept, many "seasoned" Yoga teachers have suddenly found themselves in need of credentials. In such cases, they should contact a certifying body to inquire about recognition or credit for past experience.

Click Here [getyogacertification.com], To Discover How You Can Get Yoga Certification [getyogacertification.com].

Must Have Yoga Supplies And Equipment

No yoga enthusiast wants to be left behind when it comes to yoga supplies and yoga equipment. From bags to mats, this article reveals the top 3 necessities for practitioners of yoga.

The Mat

When it comes to yoga supplies and yoga equipment, the yoga mat is far and away the most important item you'll need for practicing yoga. Mats come in a variety of styles and prices. A particularly popular style is known as a "sticky mat" that holds a firm grip to the floor to ensure proper balance and safety.

The Bag

After choosing your yoga mat, you'll be wishing for something stylish to carry it in. The second "must-have" in yoga supplies and yoga equipment is the yoga bag. Choose a bag that is durable enough to toss in the backseat of the car, yet stylish enough to carry with you anywhere. One popular style of yoga bag has separate compartments for personal belongings, a cell phone and your yoga mat.

The Blocks

Yoga blocks, foam wedges for increasing reach and improving form, are essential items when it comes to yoga supplies and yoga equipment. The best yoga blocks are durable enough to withstand long workouts, but light enough to toss in a bag and carry with ease.

As you shop for yoga accessories, find the best quality items that suit your budget. Remember to look beyond appearances when selecting yoga supplies and yoga equipment, as safety and comfort should be your first priorities.

Please check back for further information about participating in, choosing and understanding yoga. Our site also provides recommendations on the best yoga supplies and equipment.

Find more information on yoga at The Yoga Institute website at [the-yoga-institute.com]

Jay Freeman is a professional freelance author who covers various topics. He writes many articles for The Yoga Institute.

Achieve Overall Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is one of the most important aspects of life. Of all the other areas of personal development, physical fitness would top the list.

Without physical fitness, can you imagine playing with your child, going for a trek, traveling, performing your office work, or even enjoying sex ? Undoubtedly, to enjoy many simple pleasures of life, you need to be physically fit.

Physical fitness is also important because it has something to do with your overall being. The casing in which "real you" resides right from your birth till death, is undoubtedly your own body. Unlike other inanimate casings of goods, your body is constantly in a state of change.

Unless you regulate this change for the better by achieving physical fitness, your body will shape itself by default which may not necessarily resulted to physical fitness.

The beauty of physical fitness is that once you are physically fit, you also possess a healthy mind. This results into your overall well being.

The Three Ss of Physical Fitness To achieve overall physical fitness, you need to work on these three areas:

Strength
Stamina
Suppleness

Strength: Strength implies your ability to lift things up. For e. g. lifting a child, a bucket full of water, or lifting a bit heavy luggage and to perform such common tasks with considerable ease. Strength, therefore, has greatly to do with your muscular strength. For the improving strength and you need to undertake systematic weight training schedule on a regular basis.

Stamina: Your ability to climb the tall building using staircase without much huffing and puffing, your ability to run, jog, swim for a longer time and are indications of having great stamina. Performing these tasks without feeling out of breath, implies stamina. After performing such tasks, your breath should return to normalcy within a short period of time. Improvement of your stamina is connected with the improvement of the capacity of your lungs to take in more air. Step in a can be improved by undertaking aerobic home of exercises such as cycling, running, aerobic dancing, swimming etc.

Suppleness: How flexible are you? Can you perform sex in various positions with ease? Can you easily bend down to tie or untie your shoelace. Can you bend backwards? Can you easily stretch yourself to take out the book you want to read from a higher place in the shelf above, without feeling any pain. Your body's suppleness is flexibility. Flexibility helps you greatly in moving swiftly and in responding to situations with improved reflexes. Training in yoga, and performing various yoga postures can help greatly improve your suppleness. Yoga will also eventually have an overall positive effect on your life.

Focusing on only one of the three Ss will result in an imbalance. To achieve optimal physical fitness you need to balance all the three Ss: Strength, Stamina and Suppleness. You need to undertake certain tasks from each area and to strike a balance.

For achieving maximum physical fitness in all the three areas above, it is a good idea to refer to various books written by experts on the subjects or to seek guidance from a qualified trainer.

Nahush Khubalkar is a Lawyer based in India. He loves learning and sharing success principles, skills for presonal development and applying them to his life. He runs a blog at successmantras.blogspot.com successmantras.blogspot.com

What Does it Take to Achieve Advanced Yoga Poses?

When my friend came home from her yoga class in pain I knew that something had gone wrong, after all yoga is supposed to be helpful and relaxing. It turns out she was being put through the advanced yoga poses well before she was ready. How can you make sure the same thing doesn't happen to you and that you get the most from your yoga classes?

• First and foremost, make sure that you don't try the advanced yoga poses before you have some training under your belt. Yoga takes practice and you need to have solid core strength and balance before you can benefit from the more advanced asanas.

• Remember that the basic standing yoga poses will probably be the easiest for you to achieve, so find a class and instructor that will teach you how to master those before working you into the more advanced yoga poses.

• Find a yoga studio that will offer you at least one or two free classes. Yoga styles vary. Some are very vigorous while others are relaxing and meditative. Free trial classes are a great way to see if a particular studio or instructor is a good match for your personal yoga needs.

• Remember, there are a variety of ways to become certified as a yoga instructor and not all yoga instructors are created equal. Find one that has been doing yoga for quite a few years. Experienced instructors are better able to help you with your own yoga needs.

• If you don't have any yoga experience at all, consider investing in a few private yoga lessons. This will allow you to learn the basics of yoga without having to worry about keeping up with the rest of your class. Once you have the basics under your belt you can work with the rest of the class towards achieving advanced yoga poses.

• When you do start working with a particular yoga instructor, make sure you tell him or her if you feel they are pushing you too hard. Everyone's bodies are different and communication is the key to letting your instructor know which poses you are ready for, and which ones you aren't.

It's important to remember that advanced yoga poses take time to achieve. You can't expect to go to one or two classes and be ready for advanced yoga asanas. By finding the right yoga instructor and a class that fits your needs you will be able to train your body into the advanced poses over time, but it is important to remember that it is not a process that happens overnight.

Carla Faulkner is a writer and researcher on products for households such as a guide to yogapositionsover40.com/uncategorized/are-you-ready-for-advanced-yoga-poses advanced yoga poses. Save time and money by getting a FREE in depth review of this product and many others including discounts and best prices at Carla's blog: yogapositionsover40.com yogapositionsover40.com

Are You Allergic to Happiness

Many of us blame a lingering, or frequently occurring feeling of unhappiness on things outside ourselves. Our thinking asserts that, where we live, our job, our appearance, and innumerable other things are the absolute causative factors. And, in many instances, these considerations play a role. But, oftentimes, the problem can be traced to your thinking process, or, let's say, how you discriminate in the use of a mechanism we mistakenly call mind. Realizing this, there may be a medicament stored in your internal medicine cabinet that can be a helpful remedy for this particular allergy. This remedy is attitude. Attitude, being akin to feeling or emotion, is an important integral of thought.

Most people feel that attitude is derived from what we generally perceive as a mind. However, there is no mind, as such, only thoughts floating across an internal screen. Actually, so-called 'mind' is an accumulation of impressions that we derive from society. These impressions influence the thoughts that continually roam our screening room, or mental scope. This thought process can be a problem, as well as a remedy.

Humankind does not have absolute power, in this case, will power, to immediately change external conditions that you feel cause unhappy situations. You can't perform magic. But, you can change the way you look at conditions, and, in time, you may bring about actual change by consciously creating or altering circumstances. The only real will power you have is the ability to use your will to choose your thoughts, and to color their demeanor. This ability supplies the remedy. The need is to step back and assert your will to choose thoughts that will determine a new attitude.

When you let external factors, society, or the collective consciousness of mankind determine your fate or conditions, you are not thinking for yourself. You are subjecting yourself to outside influences, and letting this false mind do the thinking for you. The 'intimate you' needs to consciously choose your own thoughts. Thought is the essence of everything in existence. Nothing happens before thought formulates it. With patience, you can start to change your thought process, and your world, Silence yourself, think what you will, and with dynamic emotional attitude begin to cure your happiness allergy.

Harrison Ennis is considered to be a true renaissance man of the 21st century. A published author and freelance writer, as well as owning several design patents. A votary of shag dance. Serious researcher on the science of life for over a quarter century. A Kundalini adept. Lifelong involvement in physical culture; to include martial arts, yoga, traditional exercise, and various obscure modalities. Tracker of cutting edge health products and practices. Fitness / Wellness researcher and coach, esoteric educator, and life science counselor. Past general manager for one of the largest health and fitness club facilities in a major metropolitan area. Proffers his Yoga by Ennis - Yoga Life Science Regimen yogabyennis.hleproductions.com yogabyennis.hleproductions.com as a personal trainer for individuals and groups, and gives seminar sessions by request and special arrangement. His current products and services directory may be viewed at hleproductions.com hleproductions.com.

Yoga: General Principles in Yogic Practice

Yoga is the name given to the science or method of training, which is followed by spiritual aspirants. It has existed for thousands of years and is still revered in India and in Indian culture where the knowledge has been carefully preserved through a sacred traditional, unbroken channel between teacher and pupil. The system offers both health and spiritual understanding through the rewards of self-discipline and through the individual's direct inner experiences or realizations.

The practitioner of Yoga is known as a "yogi" or sometimes in the feminine case, "yogini" and is a term of reverence for one who not only follows the practical techniques and embraces the yogic philosophy but is a title bestowed upon one who represents the spiritual quality essential in the ideal human character.

Yoga was once always practised in the traditional manner either within the home or ashram or in a place of natural beauty near water or stream, to enjoy quietude and shelter and to allow the student to feel in touch with nature. Earnest pupils had few or no possessions, or placed little value on material goods and were expected to follow the traditional austerities and the prevailing attitude of self-sacrifice. Renunciation was a part of their training. Serious aspirants were prepared to leave family, friends, material comforts and to accept the simple life in order to find answers to their spiritual needs.

However, in a different process, the general knowledge of Yoga has now become common knowledge throughout in the more materialistic western world where it is proving to be used as a popular aid in several areas of self culture - physical, psychological and spiritual.

The most well known and popular yogic path in modern times is Hatha Yoga. This demands self control over the body, physical cultivation of strength and flexibility through exercise and development of a fine degree of health and stamina through personal efforts in self discipline. In the process of applying the traditional physical disciplines involving nutrition, exercise, breathing exercises, postural controls and relaxation the yogi comes to better health and to understand his body.

The same may be said with Bhakta Yoga, which demands self-control over the emotions, the cultivation of contentment, love and peace and the rejection of emotional habits that produce stress. In the process of applying the entailing disciplines involved in gaining emotional control and cultivating positive moods, the yogi not only comes to better understand his feelings, but begins to find increased happiness and well-being.

Through Raja Yoga, disciplines centre upon the individual's thoughts as he learns to assume greater awareness and conscious control over his thoughts, to cultivate his mental faculties and natural talents and to still the turbulence of transitory thoughts and impressions. This last provides the appropriate state of calm in which he can find inner peace and enjoy the climate in which creative thought can flourish. And even more importantly, then his mind is capable of reflecting thoughts beyond his usual limitations to experience what we call inspiration.

Throughout the training of a yogi, the factor, which is all-important, is that he holds his personal self image clear and strong so that he can direct his personal growth towards his own concept of the human ideal. He aspires to perfect himself in all ways and knows that this undertaking is difficult, long but extremely rewarding as he realises his personal responsibility in directing his life and his future.

By the teachings of Karma Yoga, the path of right action, all that is acquired by the yogi becomes integrated in his nature and directed towards positive outcomes in his life of action. towards better health, loving relationships, greater knowledge and skills. His capacity to help others increases accordingly. No reward, whether of better health, joy, knowledge or inspirational thought is for his own possession alone but is seen as an energy over which he has responsibility to utilize in the practical world and in his association with others around him,

The over-riding general realization which is experienced by those who practise yoga is that behind all life's diversity is an integral unit and brotherhood of being in which all living creatures and kingdoms, although seemingly separate, are in essence interdependent not only in order to be life-sustaining but in order that life on our beautiful planet may progress towards the 'better world' of which mankind dreams.

So the practice of meditation assumes a prominent role in allowing conscious experiencing of the subtler worlds beyond the obvious material one - the world of emotions, abstract thought and the soul and spirit worlds beyond. Meditation, brings the yogi ever nearer to that higher consciousness, that illuminates his being and in stages allows his expansion of consciousness to comprehend something of the vast cosmic life of which we are a part.

The ultimate experience of Yoga equates with what is called 'the mystical marriage' of the Christian - or the ecstatic blending of individual with the supernal in an uplifted state evidencing beyond all doubt, the fact that in essence all life is one.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to yoga.tips-and-gear.com Yoga

Yoga After An Illness

After an illness, your doctor often will suggest tips to stay well which include both dietary and exercise ideas. Yoga is a nice option as it has gentle poses that can benefit someone without being too difficult for beginners. It also is excellent to relieve stress. Breathing helps the body both to relax and to expand it's lung capacity. The mind gets trained to let go and this gets applied to daily situations. Many physical conditions are worsened by stress and these include high blood pressure and problems with respiration.

Flexibility is improved by yoga and this enables one to have more balance in daily life. This is also important because having a greater range of motion can help to prevent strains and muscular issues. Becoming more flexibile is also very empowering. When you are able to turn your head an additional inch or so while looking to the side during driving, it is a wonderful feeling of expansion. Also being able to reach a bit higher in one's kitchen is a very rewarding feeling that often results after stretching for a period of time.

Increased energy is something many people speak about needing when recovering from an illness. Yoga helps increase energy by breathing exercises and the visualizations that enable one to stop carrying emotional weight each day. We often get our energy depleted because we review painful situations over and over again or live in the future rather than the present.

Some of the yoga poses work on strengthening the back. When one does this it can help alleviate back pain because of new alignments and balances. Another advantage is that this can help one have an improved sleep pattern. By working on the body's tendons and ligaments, joint pain can be reduced and the body will also become more toned.

Yoga, after an illness, also helps in improving your endurance level. Exercises such as Power Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Bikram Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga keep the body in constant movement often based on variations of the sun salutation. This can be beneficial, though one may want to start with restorative or gentle yoga after dealing with an illness. Some studies also say that yoga helps women who are nearing menopause as it improves the bone density. Adults and children who have ADHD or ADD can benefit from Yoga immensely by learning to control their breathing and practicing focusing. This leads to better concentration at work and school. It can also help kids release excess energy and help reduce impulsive behavior issues.

Always perform yoga under a trained instructor. Learn how to do the poses properly. If one is unable to attend a class, there are dvds that one can do at home which include chair or sitting yoga. This avoids the problems of sitting on the floor that may be difficult with those challenged by physical problems.

Learn more about the becomeayogainstructor.org/benefits-of-yoga.html Benefits Of Yoga and becomeayogainstructor.org/what-is-chair-yoga.html Chair Yoga Instruction.

How to Lose Your Belly Fat

This has been a question everybody wants answered. We all strive to lose our belly fat. Diet, exercise and lowering our stress levels are ways to lose your belly fat.

Our diets usually consist of fast foods, sugar, processed foods and foods high in fat. In addition, we tend to eat more than we need to. When we consume so much food with high calories, and are unable to burn the calories through our daily physical activity, the excess food is turned into fat and stored in our belly.

By increasing the number of meals we eat throughout the day to 5-6 times per day and decreasing the size of the meals, we can help our bodies burn body fat especially when we match our food intake with our physical energy activities.

When we increase our overall physical activity and we decrease our food consumption, we allow our body to better utilize the fat on our body to fuel the activities we do. This results in the belly fat being burned as fuel.

Resistance training exercises increase our overall lean body mass, which increases our metabolism. The increased metabolic activity will use the excess belly fat as fuel.

Managing our stress is also another factor we need to control because when we have increased stress in our lives, the hormone Cortisol is released, which stores fat in our belly to prepare us for an emergency situation.

We can utilize various exercises and activities that will help us decrease our stress levels. Activities such as tai chi, deep breathing and meditation have all been useful in reducing stress.

Diet, exercise and lowering our stress levels are simple ways as to how you can lose your belly fat. By committing to change how we eat, exercise, and decreasing the amount of stress in our lives, you will be better able to lose your belly fat.

If you want to burn fat and fix joints the right way, please visit abstrengthguide.com abstrengthguide.com.

Hatha Yoga Teacher Training

Hatha yoga teacher training is one of the best ways to deepen one's knowledge of yoga. The primary aim, of a good training program, is to help the participants acquire the necessary skills which are required to teach poses or asanas, breathing techniques and meditation to the potential students. It also aims at strengthening the foundation and experience of the candidates in fostering self awareness and self-confidence, which is a must while teaching yoga to the students. The best part of any reputed spiritual training program is that, its teachings can be applied to all aspects of life and is not just limited to the teaching of body poses to other students.

A good training program will primarily aim to increase the yogic knowledge of the trainees to enable them to teach or instruct about hatha or posture styles to fresh students that will motivate and inspire those students, which implies that the classes are helping the participants to grow and blossom individually. The learning must be both practical and inspirational.

A well rounded hatha yoga teacher training program might include teachings on anatomy and physiology, asanas, nadis and chakras, ayurveda, bhakti, jnana, meditation, mantra and japa, raja and kriyas. It would also include teachings on pranayama or the breathing techniques, karma and reincarnation and more generic topics like right diet.

The study of such solid methods is a golden opportunity for a student to deepen their understanding of the discipline. A good training program also guides the students to implement adjustments during the practice of yoga postures in a safe and effective way to those they themselves are instructing. Training programs are generally open to all students who have involved themselves in regular yoga practice and are eager to acquire thorough understanding of the more advanced aspects of offering postures and asanas to others. Traditionally, it has generally been advised to select a hatha yoga teacher training program which requires one to stay in an ashram or in close vicinity of the teacher or guru as it allowed the participant to completely and fully immerse him or herself in the experience of the training. This is not practical in the west and other systems have developed that suit the needs of the local North American culture and life style. Ideally it would be nice to study in an ashram but the replication of the eastern system has not occurred in the west and the west has developed its own system of training partially based on the training of the east.

Sherry Holistan is a Hatha, Vinyasa and Bakti Yoga Practitioner. For more insights into yogatraininganswers.com/hatha-yoga-training Hatha Yoga Training and a free 10 part mini course please visit yogatraininganswers.com yogatraininganswers.com/

Universal Yogic Principles - What is Yoga?

What is Yoga? Many times, Yoga is explained away as a Sanskrit word which means, union. In fact, Yoga means many things to many people. Yoga has been called a Hindu discipline, an exercise, a science of life, a self-improvement system, a gateway to God, and many more explanations.

There are some who will argue that Yoga is all of these things or none of these things. Is Yoga good or evil? If you look at the foundation of Yoga, it is Yama and Niyama. There is no evil in moral codes of conduct or moral observances.

Yet, someone will inevitably claim there is something evil in Yoga. Is training the mind for spiritual insight, growth, and tranquility, evil? Yoga is difficult to define. If Yoga falls into a category, which cannot be defined, then it is suspected by the "narrow minded" as a vehicle to undermine religions.

We know that Yoga will improve mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. As a result, Yoga practitioners will enhance their physical and mental wellbeing. Yoga teaches us many things. Within Yama and Niyama, one is taught to love his or her enemies, to find peaceful resolutions, to seek purity, to enjoy solitary moments, and to embrace self-denial.

It is worth noting, that every major religion, also shares these universal beliefs. Humankind suffers from limited thinking. Instead of cherishing cultural diversity, humans are too busy arguing about their differences. Yoga offers everyone, of every religion, a chance to see the good in each other.

© 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

Increase Muscle And Lose Fat By Doing Pilates

Pilates is a body fitness system that was developed in the twentieth century by J Pilates. He named the method The Art of Contrology, which references the way the motions promotes the use of the mind to control the muscles. It is an exercise system that centres on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine.

Pilates can aid in losing weight by toning your body and conditioning your muscles. Large people that need to lose weight may find it to be a great alternative to regular conditioning classes at the local gym.

There are 2 ways of doing pilates. Either on a mat on the floor or you can use the reformer machine. Both techniques requires trained pilates instructors to teach you individually or as part of a larger group.

This type of pilates exercise is great for older people as well as improving balance and flexibility and also great if you have arthritis or any other joint immobility problems.

In pilates exercises a totally new awareness is discovered while using the body mind connection to be able to perform the movement properly. The movements focus on strengthening the powerhouse muscle groups: your lower back, abdomen and buttocks and help you tone and lose weight in these areas as well.

The best part of all is that whatever your current fitness level or your muscle strength, any normal person can do pilates. It is a very safe method of exercise. The movements are based upon dance and yoga exercises and emphasises body alignment as well as body awareness the same way dance exercises do.

To keep your muscles flexible is of great importance if you are overweight. The more lean muscle mass of your total body composition you have, the more fat mass you will burn on a daily basis. If you don't have the discipline to workout by yourself and lift weights to keep your muscle mass from disappearing completely, pilates is a great alternative.

If money is the option, mixing both might be what would fit your budget and your schedule to tone and shape your body effectively. Pilates is not for anybody who is trying to build size or increase muscle mass in any larger volume. Pilates is usually performed over hour long sessions.

Article by John Glover of [information-on-pilates.com] ( The Pilates physical exercise information resource )

Questions about Yoga Teacher Training via Correspondence

Recently, I spoke to a Yoga teacher intern about Yoga teacher training correspondence courses. He had six years of formal training with a master Yoga teacher (Guru), and currently, lives outside of North America. This interview will help to put some light on Yoga teacher training by correspondence.

Q: Will a Yoga teacher training correspondence package make me competent enough to teach Yoga? This is bearing in mind that, at this time, I do not have access to a local Yoga instructor, who can supervise my Yoga teacher training?

A: Yes, your past experience will help, but the Yoga teacher training course must be entirely complete, and if you wanted to send an early pre-exam video, or DVD, to monitor your progress the director of Yoga teacher training should review for free, or for a small fee.

A mirror, camera, and audio recorder also make great learning tools for monitoring your progress, while you prepare to become a Yoga teacher.

Do not judge yourself too harshly. This is a common reaction, when we record anything we do. When you can get by our own self-criticism; you will be on the path to become a Yoga teacher.

Within your Yoga teacher training course, there should be step-by-step instructions, numerous Yoga resources, and you should also be guided in the direction of additional Yoga teaching resources.

In fact, any time you have a question, you should be able to send an email and receive a timely reply. It is also good if you can get answers over the phone.

Q: On receipt of Yoga correspondence course material how do I proceed with my Yoga teacher training? What do I need to have in order to fully benefit from the Yoga instructor training material?

A: Upon receipt of your Yoga training course material, you should receive step-by-step instructions - however, let's go over the highlights of a typical Yoga teacher certification course.

1) You would want to focus on your written exam first. If you had a 900 page Yoga book to read, for the written exam; set a goal of reading a realistic amount of pages each day. For example: if you were to read 10 pages per day - within 3 months - you should have your written exam complete.

2) You should have developed a complete lesson plan for your Yoga class within the material of your written exam. As harsh as this may sound: Essay exams will teach you more.

Multiple choice or true / false exams are a "process of elimination," and over the long-term, the facts you learn may be easily forgotten. A Yoga teacher written exam should be a measurement of what a Yoga teacher should know.

3) There might also be, at least, one essay. For example: You might pick a health topic to write about for your essay (3 pages - typed). It could be an overview of Yoga, and its relationship to health, or it could be Yoga and its relationship to a specific ailment.

4) Once you have your Yoga lesson plan template, you can start to refine it for your practical exam (video or DVD). As far as VCD's, or DVD's, make sure the examiner can read any format - from any part of the world.

5) In your Yoga course, there should also be a number of continuing education resources, for Yoga teachers.

You should not get side tracked by these during the Yoga certification process. Therefore, focus on your Yoga teacher written exam, the essay, and the practical exam first - and in that order.

Q: What Yoga teacher training level should I start from, and how do I proceed to the next Yoga teacher levels?

A: You should start with a Level 1, 200-hour minimum, Yoga teacher training course.

Q: Are there additional costs in correspondence Yoga teacher courses, which I need to be aware before I start the training, so that I can factor them in?

For International Yoga teacher interns, the only additional cost should be, shipping, and if customs charges an Import Fee, on educational materials. However, you should always ask about extra fees; just to be sure.

Q: I have developed a strong awareness of the benefits of Yoga. There are no Yoga teachers in my locality. Can my Yoga training develop my awareness into a life long career, as a Yoga instructor?

A: To be honest - Yoga teacher certification is only the first step in the journey of teaching Yoga. As you progress - you will either do independent research or take more Yoga courses.

This is the way it is for all Yoga teachers. Most of the time, we tend to focus on finding answers and helping our Yoga students, who have ailments. As a result, you will most likely research Yoga techniques for helping your students.

When it is possible to train with other Yoga teachers again; take advantage of the opportunity. You will much better off by networking with the nearest Yoga teachers, who teach a similar Yoga style.

You should also maintain contact with your Guru, even if the only method of contact is by post. Life is as short as an "eye blink" and your Guru would be proud to know you have chosen this path.

© 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

Eastern Techniques to Improve Concentration Power

Having a high degree of concentration isn't something that most people are born with. In fact, it's more natural for various priorities to constantly compete for mental attention, resulting in a good deal of distraction at any given time. Eastern religion and traditions, however, have spent centuries training followers to become more focused. In general, this is thought to be a spiritual issue, as it's hard to be in tune with deity without clearing the mind. However, even those who have no religious tradition, or one quite different than a Hindu or Buddhist faith, can benefit from the eastern techniques to improve concentration power.

Yoga

Most people utilize the discipline as yoga as a form of exercise. It is, in fact, a very effective way to work your body. Yoga is a mind-body type of movement, providing a strong mental focus, coupled with challenging physical expression. As a result, concentration is necessary to properly perform yoga moves. To those looking on, yoga seems ridiculously easy; it isn't until you attempt the moves yourself that you begin to realize how challenging the art is. Yoga brings balance to the physical and mental aspects of your concentration, increasing focus and training your brain to balance the mental and physical. You might be surprised at how well this translates into better memory and concentration power.

Meditate on It

Think of any eastern culture and one picture will certainly come to the front of your mind: someone sitting cross-legged, holding their fingers together, with their eyes closed. Meditation is a major part of eastern health. Meditation is designed to clear the mind and bring a hyper-awareness to the present moment. Concentration is a huge part of the meditation process, so it makes sense that practicing this discipline would train your mind for targeted focus. Meditation is an art that is closely connected with eastern spirituality. It is integrated into worship and self-awareness rituals of eastern faiths. As someone who resides in the west, you can gain many of the same benefits, even if you don't share the faith behind the practice. Two types of mediation are particularly useful for improving concentration power. The first is a type of meditation that focuses on breathing. This draws your concentration to an internal point-of-focus, bringing clarity of thought. Proponents claim that meditating on breathing helps with self-discovery. Another common meditation technique focuses on an object or environment to hone in concentration. This also helps the brain become more aware of a single thought or object, increasing the capacity for concentration.

Oriental Herbology

As a complementary health discipline, herbs have always been integrated into eastern culture. In fact, many of the most effective herbs come from oriental cultures. This includes well-known plants such as gingko biloba and ginseng. Surprisingly, both of these substances have been studied in relation to brain function, memory and concentration. While few medical doctors will openly admit that these are effective for concentration, you might be surprised at how many professionals use herbs themselves to gain a boost. Eastern techniques have been used for centuries to improveconcentration.net improve concentration power. While each person is different, there are many people who find herbs, yoga and meditation to be a huge help in boosting their ability to function daily. As someone who needs a bit of a pick-up, it certainly wouldn't hurt to try these eastern techniques to boost concentration power.

Toshi O. is a retired amateur Muay Thai fighter who also consults with some of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Website Affiliations include: improveconcentration.net Improve Concentration Power - A Guide to Improving Concentration

Yoga Primer 101

Recently, I joined the gym (make that re-joined the gym!). Part of the sign up procedure (a.k.a. marketing funnel) is to offer a free session with a personal trainer. Always eager to improve my knowledge of resistance training, I signed up for a session. I was surprised to learn that my daily yoga practice will shorten my recovery time when training. In fact, my trainer mentioned that he himself (a champion Extreme Fighter) would be adding yoga to his training routine.

Yoga supports a holistic approach to medicine, and thereby fitness. Yoga is one of the few practices that looks at the big picture of your overall health and allows you to take care of your entire mental and physical wellbeing. Yoga practioners not only experience improvement in flexibility, strength and in some cases, cardio vascular conditioning, but also relieves stress and gain improvements in their mental health and emotional well-being.

Yoga is a whole body exercise and can be practiced as such. There are 8 branches of Yoga:

1. Yamas: This is basically your attitude to life and those around you. There are 5 Yamas:

------ Ahimsa or non-violence:

------ Satya being truthful

------ Asteya or non-stealing

------ Bramacharya or moderation

------ Aparigraha, meaning not taking advantage of others

2. Niyamas: This is all about self examination and how you treat yourself

3. Asana or physical poses

4. Pranayama or breathing exercises

5. Prathayara or withdrawal of the senses-this is part of meditation

6. Dharana or Concentration

7. Dhyana or Meditation

8. Samadhi or Enlightenment-the final peak of your disciplines

As you can see, practice of each branch of Yoga encompasses facets of your entire health and even your way of life. This makes it an ideal naturalistic and holistic way to improve and maintain your health. The most commonly known and practiced branch of yoga is Asana, or the flow of positions. There are many positions that can be practiced by beginners right up to advanced levels.

There are many websites with instructional materials, and supplies for yoga. As well as the traditional Yoga discipline there are now some modern day variations that are interesting to try. So go ahead and enjoy learning about this ancient discipline and improving your health the fun way.

Deborah Carraro is an avid nutrition, health & fitness enthusiast with a passion for sharing knowledge and experiences. As VP Operations for a successful online Natural Health business she has worked with the best nutritionists, fitness professionals and health experts.

You can find her online at [MondayNiteRaw.com]

Core Fitness - Get in Your Best Shape by Using Your Torso

Everywhere you look, there are stories popping up all over the place about fitness training and which type of training people will receive the most benefits from. Most fitness and exercise routines point people towards working every zone of their body in order to achieve the maximum workout. For example, if a person wanted to tone their legs and their abdominal section, then they would run to work on their legs and do crunches for their abs. However, the latest niche in fitness training is core fitness and this new method of working out is something that I predicted would become huge in a very short time.

Core fitness is taking the exercise world by such a storm that even major news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal has reported on its benefits. This type of training has also been shown on television news programs and is constantly being talked about by some of the top trained experts in the fitness industry.

To get a better understanding of how working your torso should be implemented into your routine and why I thought it would be an exercise program that would catch on relatively quickly, let's take a look at the key points of core fitness:

The muscles being worked in core fitness routines are found in the torso area between the upper thigh and the shoulders. This area includes a person's Pectoralis Major, Rectus Abdominus and Abdominal Oblique muscles just to name a few.
By working the core muscles between the neck and the thigh, a person achieves a greater balance, posture and flexibility.
Exercises concentrate on stretching and balancing exercises and routines.
Core fitness can be achieved through Pilates, Yoga and Dance routines, but these types of exercises are usually popular with women. It has been found that even men with rigorous fitness routines don't participate in exercises that improve their whole torso area.
I am glad to see that core fitness is getting integrated into workout routines because there are several positive benefits that can be realized by doing so. It is thought that core fitness exercises are going to become a staple for improving muscular skeletal pain due to the fact that the torso supports the neck, back and legs. Training can be done at home, in the gym or with a personal fitness trainer. One of the best things about core fitness training is that you don't need a ton of expensive and bulky exercise equipment in order to achieve your desired result. All you really need is an exercise mat, a few dumb bells and an exercise ball. Therefore, you will be receiving a ton of health benefits and keeping money in your wallet at the same time.

Another benefit of core fitness is that sometimes people will load too much muscle on the front of their torsos or too much on the back. This means that there could be too much muscle weight and the muscles are not even throughout the front and back of the torso region. This can cause stress and pain in the area that is weaker than other areas of the torso. Core fitness training will help you achieve muscle balance and eliminate pain and discomfort.

As noted, a personal trainer is not needed but it can be helpful. Most people who have never done core exercises before do not know the proper positions to be in and that can be counter-productive to the routine and results. To help combat this problem, a series of videos have been developed in order to help people find out more about the theinternettimemachine.com/beta/site/viewpost.php?id=the-future-of-fitness-a-wii-and-on-demand-fitness core fitness niche and how to properly perform the exercises.

To find out more about core fitness and how to make your abs work for you, visit theinternettimemachine.com/beta/site/viewpost.php?id=the-future-of-fitness-a-wii-and-on-demand-fitness theinternettimemachine.com.

Fast Training Techniques For Bodybuilders on the Run

Forgive the crunch pun, but is the best way to describe these tips on how to get some quick exercise training in when you have little time to do it. We all have busy lives but for some of us who have made it a priority to stay in top shape, with little or no time to spare, here are some ways that you can continue looking and feeling great throughout the day with little to no effort.

Quick Pull Ups

It is recommended that somewhere in your home in a place where you will not mind having installing and having a pull up bar such as a closet or the entrance to a private bathroom, that you do this for easy quick access to a few sets a day. Making sure you are positioned right and the bar is even, doing about 3 to 4 sets per day will give you that upper body workout that you need to maintain what you have already worked hard on.

Squatting

When doing squats it is essential to make sure that you do not allow your knees to come in on the ascent. Not using proper technique when doing a squat will result in knee problems eventually. Doing about 3 to 4 sets of these will give you the lower back and leg strengthening you need for each day.

Simple Stretching

A lot of times we can forget that simply stretching our bodies can also work out our muscle groups and this is basically the essence to yoga. Some people are not a fan of the art of yoga and that is perfectly fine but doing stretches not only wakes your muscle up to handle the workout for the day it still keeps tone intact. Side stretches and floor stretches should easily provide what each muscle group needs to get awake and ready.

Some simple less time consuming floor stretches are as follows:

Sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, slowly you will posture yourself to sit straight up and reach slowly as high as you can and hold the position for 5 seconds then slowly descend to reach and touch the tip of your toes. Be careful not to hyper-extend your feet. Hold this position for 15 seconds and then slowly return to the upright position. You will benefit most by doing this 5 times.

Staying in the current position, spread your legs apart just to the point of feeling the stretch in your upper thighs. Stretching your arms up and holding the position just as in the first floor exercise and holding the position for 5 seconds and then slowly ascending to the floor and making your way to position your head as close to the floor as you can. Be sure not to arch your back too much, trying to keep the same straight posture as you were when you were sitting straight up. Over arching your back can cause lower back pain that could last for hours.

Doing these simple exercises once or twice per day will keep your body in check between lifting and workouts.

Dane Fletcher is THE Training Authority - Originally from London, he has trained in gyms all over the world and has picked up knowledge all along the way from some of the industry's most recognized personas. Dane writes exclusively for GetAnabolics, a leading provider of getanabolics.com Bodybuilding Supplements and alternatives to Steroids. For more information, please visit getanabolics.com getanabolics.com.

Dane writes exclusively for GetAnabolics, a leading provider of Bodybuilding Supplements and alternatives to Steroids. Please visit GetAnabolics for more info.

How to Pick a Yoga Teacher Training Program in New York City

Being in New York City we are fortunate to have the opportunity to choose from all of these great studios. What you want to get out of your teacher training and also what particular style you practice can be the determining factor for what studio you choose to be a part of.

-Chose the style that resonates with you and the style you'd like to eventually teach

-Do your due diligence: check out a variety of studios. Yoga City NYC is a great resource that lists many studios and styles that are New York-specific.

-Make sure they are Yoga Alliance Accredited studio

-Chose the style and studio that resonates with who you are as a person. If you're not comfortable there, the training won't be worthwhile.

-Don't rush: There are a lot of options in New York. Take your time to explore them all before committing or you might miss what would've been your perfect fit.

-If your torn between two New York City studios, consider choosing the one that's closest to where you live or work. You'll be spending a lot of time there...an easier commute will make your entire experience more pleasurable.

-Talk to former trainees - Many New York studios have fancy websites and a lot of marketing money...only by talking to their actual trainees will you know what the experience was really like.

-In New York, teacher trainings are still not regulated by the government. You can fight to keep it that way by getting involved or donating to the Yoga for New York Advocacy Fund, otherwise many smaller, privately owned studios will be forced to shut their teacher trainings down due to the financial burden it would cause.

When I was considering where to do my happinesslifetime.com yoga teacher training, I shopped around at various studios. Most of them told me I would come out of the training with a solid knowledge of alignment and sequencing. Then I happened upon the studio where I eventually trained, which gave me much more than just the knowledge of the poses and alignment and sequencing. I also learned about the subtle body and the energetic principles of yoga; yogic philosophy, meditation, pranayama, and kriya techniques. Since these aspects appealed to me, I knew I had found the right studio for me. But I had searched New York far and wide for months to have the knowledge base to know that this was the right fit.

Yoga Lover and Teacher! I did the Ishta ishtayoga.com/teacher_training Yoga Teacher Training in New York City, but there are training programs throughout America and abroad!