Vinyasa Yoga Alliance|Yoga Teacher Training|Yoga Instructor Training: 2013-05-12

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Burning Fat Without Leaving Your House

Gym trainers know that the best way to lose all those fat is by doing cardiovascular and aerobic exercises. Sadly, this is what majority of the people fail to recognize. For them, this is just a warm-up routine that needs little attention. If you really want to lose weight then take these exercises seriously. An advantage of this is you can do this at the comfort of your own home. You don't need to go out or enroll at the gym. If you really want to be fit and healthy then read on for exercises at home.

One aerobic exercise you can do is yoga. A lot of people have tried it and are happy with the results. Not only do they lose excess weight but meditation also relieves them of the stress they are under - such a calming experience that does not only burn calories, but improves your overall well-being as well.

If you really want to slim down then climb stairs. Be it at your workplace, at home, or at department stores. If you really want it so bad then you will have no problem doing this. You don't have to take the whole 20 floors, just five would suffice. No matter how slow it would be, doing that everyday will ensure that you get results. A quick walk up the stairs will still get your heart rate up and your calories burning.

Unlike yoga, Pilates is still new in the fitness world. This exercise focuses on the postural muscles that help us balance our body. Every day we push our bodies to its limits and there may come a time where it just doesn't want to work anymore. This is where Pilates comes in, by training how to properly support your posture, balance, and breathing, your body won't give up easily, therefore, allowing you to burn more calories than before.

Weight training is as important as aerobic and warm-up exercises. This is essential because this is where you build up the strength you need to go that extra mile. When you lift weights, not only do you burn calories but you exercise the muscles as well. Remember a toned muscle is a healthy muscle. There are many exercises from which you may choose from. You could do bicep curls or triceps press, it's your choice.

You can do these basic exercises at home so you could shed off that excess weight without going to the gym. Remember not to overdo yourself. Excessive training could result to injury and you don't want that to happen. Keep doing these routines and you're very well on your way to that body you always desired.

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Working Out the Right Way - Choose Good Fitness Equipment

Many people don't like to use public fitness or they aren't capable to go out their houses. You need good self-discipline and a room to equip your personal fitness at home, because expensive equipment won't give you the motivation to do your exercises.

To start planning first estimate the goal of the fitness, the available free space and of course the budget you need. The most fitness equipment for home usage is for cardio and force trainings. That includes devices for routine exercises which may be performed inside the house.

Estimate the free available space

For your home fitness, you may choose from any free space that you have in your house. Here are some advices that you should consider before choosing a room:

- height: the height of the room you want to use must be higher than the height of your highest device with the height of the person which will use it;

- space: the best rooms with enough space are the living-rooms, bedrooms and the basement but in the living-room and in the bedroom your training may be interrupted by other members of the family, so that makes the basement the perfect place. Despite that the final decision is yours.

Estimate the needed equipment

Before choosing your equipment you must determine the goal of your work-out, the available space you've got and the resources you're ready to invest. After deciding the goal of your trainings you and your personal instructor or doctor may choose the best fitness devices for that. There are two basic types for this kind of equipment and these are equipment for cardio and for force trainings as I mentioned above. I have listed some basic equipment down below.

Cardio devices:

- Exercise bike - the products range from ordinary static bike to modern machines, which offer simulations of cycling in standing position and climbing stairs;

- Trainer - you may choose from compact folding trainer to latest trainers which have detectors for hearth and muscle loading;

- Elliptical trainer - it's a trainer with bigger abilities. You may exercise your feet as well as your hands unlike the ordinary trainer;

- Equipment for boxing - boxing gloves, boxing pears, protectors and so on...

- Equipment for kick boxing;

- Fitness devices that simulate rowing.

Force fitness devices:

- Ball - very useful device against pains low in the back especially for pregnant women.

- Yoga carpet - this little artificial carpet keeps your body away from injuries while performing exercises on the ground;

- Weight - dumb-bells that are very useful for numerous exercises just think about what muscle group you want to train and pick up the right ones that will fit you best;

- Bench - you can use the bench to load either the upper or the lower part of your body consequently and for fully training combined with the dumb-bells.

If you need some more articlesnatch.com/Article/Exercise-Equipment---Shopping-Guideline/1426337 shopping guidelines for buying fitness equipment, read this article. To see what articlesbase.com/health-articles/fitness-accessories-3932759.html fitness accessories you might need, go here.

Fitness and Menopause

Fitness is crucial to having a fabulous menopause. There are numerous opinions on how best to deal with menopause and aging, and while some of the advice is excellent, some of it is horribly biased or erroneous. One guarantee is that exercising is absolutely essential to staying as healthy as possible and feeling and looking great; I cannot emphasize this enough.

Answer Yes or No to the Following:

o Do you want to lessen your chance of getting breast cancer?

o Do you want to maintain your bones so they do not fracture when you are older?

o Do you want to look great?

o Do you want to lose weight, or maintain your current size?

o Do you want to lessen your chances of getting diabetes?

o Do you want your periods to be lighter?

o To you want to lessen your chance of getting heart disease?

o Would you like to have fewer and milder menopausal symptoms?

If you answered yes to one or more of the above, then I recommend that you put energy into your fitness. The Canadian Menopausal Society recommends thirty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise on most days.

MOTIVATION FOR FITNESS

If we really understand that fitness, both cardiovascular and muscle conditioning, are so important to help us through the premenopausal years and beyond, why in the world is 60% of the population sedentary?

If we really get it that exercise will prevent horrific diseases with life-altering consequences (even premature death) such as cancer, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, obesity, strokes and heart disease, why are we neglecting our exercise regimes for another episode of "Bachelor?"

Some of you may be offended by what I just said and reply, "Why does she think I have time to watch TV when I am holding down a full-time job, have childcare issues, and I am taking care of my aging parents?" Well, setting boundaries in midlife is another topic. For now, my reasoning is that you will be a better caregiver if you are strong and healthy.

REASONS WHY WE DO NOT EXERCISE

I decided to call the following excuses reasons because I know they are very real for you (and me). However, whenever I hear one or more of these justifications for my laziness creep up in my brain, I talk myself out of them with the following rationale:

REASON #1 -- I do not have enough time.

This is simply a matter of mathematics. Count the number of extra years you will live (and feel and look great) and deduct the hours you spend exercising and you will come up with a positive answer. In other words, you will be adding time by exercising.

If you tell me, "But that is in the future, and my weekly schedule is too busy," my response is, trust me you will sleep better when you exercise, so you will be spending less time in bed. Also, you may have to delegate some of your work, or set appropriate boundaries on requests from others.

REASON #2 -- I cannot afford it

I do not know what your financial situation is like, but there are many low cost ways to exercise. If you tend to eat take-out, then cook at home (it is healthier and cheaper) and spend the savings on a fitness DVD. Garage sales are a great place to buy DVD's for a dollar or two. Or, you can watch any one of the regularly scheduled exercise shows. You can work out in the comfort of your home, and you will not need fancy clothes or a gym membership.

Or, if you prefer, you can always go for a walk. Slowly but surely increase your speed and duration. Memberships at your local gym are fairly reasonably priced. These fitness centers are subsidized, so they have good enough equipment, and fully trained fitness instructors. The washrooms are not always fabulous, and they typically do not have saunas and hot tubs that the more expensive gyms have, but you can still enjoy and benefit from the fitness activity.

REASON #3 -- I do not enjoy exercising

There are so many different types of exercise like walking, dancing(salsa, ballroom, highland, tap, hip hop etc) tai chi, horse back riding, running, yoga, pilates, circuit training, weight training, step classes, spinning, biking, hiking, sports teams (tennis, soccer, baseball, badminton, volleyball etc) swimming, acqua fit classes and the list goes on. Find something that interests you.

You may have to adjust your routine once you discover that it is no longer working for you, or you are starting to feel boredom creeping in. If your muscles and heart are accustomed to a certain activity, your level will plateau and you will no longer fully benefit from that activity. So, mix it up!

REASON #4 -- I am too sore

It really depends on why you are sore. If you have serious physical limitations or injuries you may need to have an adjusted routine. A family physician, physiotherapist, and/or chiropractor may give you some advice.

If you are sore because you are not exercising, then I suggest you start and progress slowly. Remember, if you do not use it, you will lose it because the body does not bother putting energy where it is not needed.

Conclusion

If you do not want to bother with all the recommendations on how to have a fabulous menopause, you do not even want to moisturize your skin or remove unwanted facial hair, fine, go for it-but do not neglect your exercise routine.

Glenda de Vries is the author and editor of nursingmenopause.com nursingmenopause.com/ a website dedicated to guiding women to have a fabulous menopause and beyond.

Yoga Therapy

What exactly is Yoga therapy, and what are its origins? Should a Yoga teacher consider becoming a Yoga therapist? Where will Yogic therapy go in the future?

If we look at a simplistic definition of what Yoga therapy is, it might be described as: A Yogic practice, which uses breathing techniques (pranayama), postures (asanas), hygienic duties (kriyas), proper diet, meditation, and many more methods, which treat mental, emotional, and physical ailments.

The origin of Yoga is, at least, 5,000 years old, but a contemporary school of therapy can be traced to Sri Tirumala Krishnamacharya, who is often regarded as a teacher of master teachers. Among his students were T.K.V. Desikachar, T.K. Sribhashyam, K. Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar, Indra Devi, and more.

If a Yoga teacher considers becoming a therapist, there are a number of requirements to become competent. One priority is to develop in-depth knowledge of anatomy. This will require extra training and study. Some physical therapists, and physicians, are also Yoga teachers, so the jump to Yoga therapy is a logical one.

However, the average instructor does not have a medical background. Continuing education becomes the next logical step in this case. Another point to mention is that therapy, of any kind, requires compassion.

If compassion is not a natural ingredient built into the personality of an instructor, why pursue teaching Yoga as therapy? The truth is: A personality without compassion should not be teaching classes in any subject. There are a rare few people, who derive pleasure from pushing others into pain. They should not be working with the public in any type of care-giving capacity.

Where will Yoga therapy go in the future? It is only a matter of time for Yoga to be integrated into standard medical therapies. Being cost efficient, and without negative side effects, has made a very strong case for proponents of Yoga therapy. As studies continue to reveal the results of a holistic and pro-active approach to health, standard medicine will evolve.

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 a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

30 Second Interval TV Workout

Whether you are trying to kick start a new fitness program or supplement your current one, 30 Second Interval TV Workout is something for you to try.

Maximize your time, burn extra calories, build strength and relieve tension and stress all from the comfort of your family room, living room, bedroom or even your hotel room.

I hear too often the lame excuse, "I don't have time to workout". Well if you have time to watch a one-hour television program, you indeed have time to get a quality and beneficial workout.

First, change into some comfortable clothing, grab a towel, a glass of water, a pair of hand weights (dumbbells) or resistance band and even your mate (the family that exercises together, stays together). Now pick a one-hour television program and let's start moving in a healthier direction.

Here's how it works, during every commercial break we are going to complete three 30-second exercise intervals. OK, I don't want to hear the wise guy comment, "I have Tivo or a DVR and fast forward through the commercials," well in that case put the remote down and let's get serious.

Since the average TV commercial is between 30 and 60 seconds. The average show will have approx 10-15 commercial breaks between the start and the end of a show, there could be as many as 5-8 commercials per break so this will give us plenty of time to complete our three exercise cycles and leave us enough time to get back to the comfy chair before the show starts again.

* 1st Commercial Break; During the first commercial complete 10 push-ups (within 30 seconds). At the second commercial, complete 15 basic crunches. At the third commercial, complete 10 more push-ups. (If you have trouble doing a regular push-up, try a modified push-up with your knees on the ground)

During additional commercials time, use this extra time to do some light stretching and then settle back in for the start of the show.

* 2nd Commercial Break; During this commercial break complete one round of jumping jacks- (two minutes approx. 4 commercials) This should get your heart pumping. Catch your breath and it's back to the show. If you find this difficult, stick with it, it will become easier. Try not to stop. If you find it easy increase the time or pace.

* 3rd Commercial Break: During the first commercial grab your hand weights or resistance band and let's rock 15-20 Bicep curls. Next it's 12-15 Over-Head Shoulder Presses. Start with the weights around your ears, push straight up into an "A" and repeat. For both exercises be mindful of your core and keep it engaged. Complete another set of Bicep curls and relax. Each exercise should take approx 30 seconds.

* 4th Commercial Break: During this commercial break it's time for some body weight Squats. Complete as many as you can do within 30 seconds, don't lag keep the pace fairly high. Feet are shoulder length apart, toes point straight, core is engaged and sit back like your sitting into a chair, don't let your knees come over you toes. Rest one commercial (approx 30 seconds), then repeat - push out another strong set of Squats. You should feel the burn, stretch your legs out a bit, back to the show.

* 5th Commercial Break: During this commercial break jump an imaginary jump rope. Rotate your arms/wrists as if you had a real jump rope in hand. (if you have the space use a real jump rope) Jump for two commercials without stopping (approx 1 minute), rest for one commercial and repeat the cycle. Catch your breath and it's back to the show.

* 6th Commercial Break: Hit the floor for some Core work. If you have a yoga or exercise mat use it, a towel will do as well. Lying on your back extend your arms over your head (if you have a hand weight, a heavy book etc use it) - feet on flat on the floor, knees bent facing the ceiling. Bring the weight over your head and come up into a crunch position touching the weight to your knees, slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position. Don't use your arms to swing up, focusing on using just your core muscles to raise your body up. Complete one cycle (one commercial/30 seconds), rest for one commercial - repeat for another commercial. You should be doing at least 15-20 reps per set.

* 7th Commercial Break: During the first commercial break it's back to push-ups. Complete as many as you can do, in a 30-second commercial. (complete at least 10, 25 would be awesome) Rest one commercial and repeat.

* 8th Commercial Break: During this commercial break we are going to complete

a series of front and side lateral raises. Grab for hand weight or resistance band. We start with a basic front lateral raise for the first commercial. Start with your hands out front resting on your thighs (palms facing you), keeping your arms straight- raise your arms out and up to shoulder height parallel to the floor. Within the 30-second commercial you should complete at least 12-15 reps. Rest for one commercial (30-seconds) now place your arm to your side (palms facing in) for the Side Lateral Raise. Raise straight up til arms are parallel to the floor. Again you goal is 12-15 reps. Rest one commercial and complete one more set of Front and Side Lateral Raises with no rest in between.

* 9th Commercial Break: Home stretch folks. We have 30-second (one commercial) worth of Front Lunges (alternate lead legs). Make sure your lead leg knee doesn't come over your toes, keep a nice flat back and drop straight down as you lunge, not forward. Rest for the next commercial followed by another 30-second set. You should be able to do at least 15 reps per set.

* 10th and Final Commercial Break: We finish the workout with a classic yoga plank. If you find this difficult a modified plank can be used. For the first commercial we will be holding the plank position for one entire commercial (approx 30 second), Keep you core engaged and use your breath to release tension and strain. Rest one commercial and repeat twice. Hit the comfy chair, slide into chill mode and enjoy the rest of your show knowing you just did something great for you.

Great job folks, you've just completed the 30-Second Interval TV Workout. You will be amazed at the extra calories you burned all while watching TV.

Do the 30-Second Interval Workout- three to four times a week and enjoy the physical and mental changes that will take place.

** If you have problems and don't fully understand the exercises, please feel free to drop me an email. I would be more than happy to send you a video link and some additional detailed instruction (free)!

Remember good health is the greatest gift we are given in life, one we should remain mindful of everyday, always be grateful for, and never taken for granted!

Cheers to moving in a healthier direction! GET FIT.

Markus Boesch is the Co-Founder of The Fitness Underground-Los Angeles. He has drawn off his years of experience as a Certified Personal Trainer, A Professional Athlete and an accomplished Martial Artist to help create with his partner Texas (an Elite Yoga Instructor & Certified Personal Trainer) a "New and Innovative" approach to Health, Fitness and Well Being that not only Enhances the Body but also Enriches the Mind. With an ever increasing following in the Los Angeles area, his powerful message of "Good Health, Clean Living and the importance of Exercise", Markus is changing people's lives.

Markus has a strong belief that good health, fitness and wellness is the greatest gift we are given in life. One that we should, always remain mindful of, forever be grateful for and never take for granted.

His passion and personal goal of educating people about this "New Way" of living ("The Zen of Artful Living") is a task Markus takes very seriously. Markus considers himself blessed to have the opportunity to help his clients make important lifestyle changes, and in some cases life saving changes.

Come join Markus and experience the difference first hand. Start enjoying and living a healthier, happier and more rewarding life.

Life is too short not to listen to his powerful message!

Visit Markus at The Fitness Underground-Los Angels:
thefitnessunderground.com thefitnessunderground.com

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Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Answers

Hatha yoga is one of the most common forms of yoga practiced today. The discipline itself is extremely vast, encompassing aspects of meditation (dhyana), breathing exercises (pranayama), postures and poses (asanas and mudras) and procedures for purification (shatkriyas or neti kriyas). This leads to a complete system of holistic healing for the body and the mind. The sheer number of things which are involved in Hatha yoga is mind boggling, and it is extremely difficult to master them all on your own. Yes, there are educational videos etc. that you can use but nothing beats having a trained instructor right there to guide you through the processes.

It is important to remember that yoga is a process of continual learning that can take a lifetime. Formal Hatha yoga teacher training is just the first step on that journey and by partaking in a Yoga Alliance certified institution course you will be enabled by common recognition to easily teach something that you're passionate about. Choosing said institution from which to take a course can be slightly tricky though, due to the many varieties and subcategories that are flooding the market. In fact, popular modes of yoga like Bikram, Iyengar and Ashtanga are derivatives of Hatha in one form or another.

The overall organization of the institution, its location and fees will also play a role in your selection of a training program. One of the biggest factors though is the instructor from whom one actually gets the training. Unlike Bikram or Iyengar, which has a fixed set of postures and established conditions, under which they may be performed, Hatha is fairly flexible, as long as the basic concepts, morals and theories are adhered to. This leaves a lot of flexibility for the instructor to choose how he wants to approach the discipline and offer more room for a good instructor to best help their students. Some instructors prefer a meditation-intensive or pranayama-intensive approach, while others opt for a more vigorous physical route.

Hatha yoga teacher training can be an intense experience, both physically and mentally. Standard courses are either 200 or 500 hours in duration, and the class hours may be spread out over a time period ranging from two months to two years. Some students may opt for daily and rigorous class schedules, while others prefer weekend classes or more infrequent class sessions. It really is up to how much you're comfortable with so take this into consideration when you're choosing a training program. This choice should be made on the basis of practical convenience, as well as one's aptitude.

A comprehensive training should give you, the trainee, a thorough grounding in the theories, philosophies and practices that went into the creation of the path. The founding 15th century text, Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Yogi Swatmarama and the works of Patanjali on Ashtanga yoga, if studied in great detail, will be most beneficial. The contribution of subsequent stalwarts like Sivananda, Satyananda, Satchidananda, BKS Iyengar, Swami Sundaranand (the last of the great Himalayan Yogis) and others is also worth becoming familiar with. The order in which these are emphasized may vary according to the beliefs and allegiances of the training institution.

There are many reasons to pursue Hatha yoga teacher training. Perhaps you'd like to make being an instructor into a career. Maybe you'd just like the chance to pass on knowledge which has brought you a great deal of peace and happiness. Either way, training from a certified institution is a necessity. Though by no means exhaustive, it provides a deep insight into the methodology that not only enables one to become a better teacher of yoga, but also a better student. After all, the practice of yoga is a process of learning and unlearning that never actually stops.

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

Friday, May 17, 2013

Yoga Intensive Training For Self-Development

Most people take Yoga teacher training courses to learn how to teach classes. Over the past few years, there have been a number of Yoga teacher interns who had no desire to teach classes. Instead, their purpose for attending a hands-on intensive, or taking an online course, has been self-development.

What is self-development? In many ways, Yoga is a form of personal-development, which is - to take personal responsibility for one's health, education, and lifestyle. Through assessing one's progress in life, we develop systems to improve and be the best we can be.

Recently, I was attending a conference where one of the speakers said, "Most people have blamed their parents enough and need to take control over their lives as adults." Silence filled the room. The audience was thinking about where blame should be placed. There was no applause to the speech or audible reaction - just silence, until the next speaker went to the podium.

The truth is: Parents have much to do with shaping the direction of a child's life. On the other hand, many parents are being blamed for all that has gone wrong in the world today. The solution is self-development. Regardless of where we place blame, we need solutions for this world to progress.

The need for personal growth and Yoga goes far beyond what we see today. A person who is concerned with solutions will take action after assessment and reflection. Sometimes, the need to react is time sensitive. Without going into mistakes of the past and present, we need to develop systems, within governments, schools, and businesses, which are pro-active.

Yoga and self-development go hand-in-hand because they train the mind to work through the problem, by addressing the priorities. In the case of people, who are taking courses, but do not want to become a Yoga teacher, the common reason is that they want to apply Yogic principles toward problem solving.

Teachers, Social Workers, Psychotherapists, and Medical Professionals seem to lead the pack toward personal development. You would think that the business sector would have equal representation, but the current economy may be holding back employee self-development.

With that said - there is a growing need to continue self-development programs, so that the world's population is prepared for any type of situation it encounters. Yoga self-development courses offer people, from all walks of life, a chance to enhance their education and train their minds toward finding solutions.

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.org/index.html Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. 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/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Yoga to Lose Weight Over 40 - Tone Your Body With Yoga Exercises

Are you over 40? Would you like to have an attractive, toned body? How would you like to lose weight while doing relaxing exercises? Then yoga is for you.

Yoga does not only give you greater flexibility and improves the mobility of your joints- particularly important for the age group over 40 when bodies become tighter and tense. It has many more benefits:

Yoga will improve your posture. You'll automatically be more attractive. Others will unconsciously see you as confident and capable because your hold your body upright and you are standing tall. The exercises work out muscles you normally not use that much so you'll get an overall toned body. All these exercises use only your own body weight, so you do not need any equipment making them perfect for a "workout at home".

Some yoga exercises will get your heart rate up quickly, so you'll burn fat and lose weight. Important: You should not put pressure on yourself doing them. It's meant to be a stress-releasing, relaxing experience. You'll learn to exercise while you relax yourself and enjoy your body.

If you need to compensate for a desk-bound job, these exercises will be of great relief. They strengthen your back muscles too, helping prevent back pain and headaches. When you have a break from work, yoga exercises relax and energize you quickly. You'll learn to breathe consciously what helps greatly in stressful situations.

A good exercise program should include 3 components: strength training, cardiovascular training and flexibility training. Yoga provides all 3 of them while giving you a stress-releasing relaxing experience. Especially over 40 we tend to lose flexibility and our bodies start to get tighter. Yoga exercises assist you in balancing the effects of being over 40 while helping you to lose weight permanently.

Are you a woman over 40? I've created a free, personalized program for women over 40 who want to loseweightpermanently.com/Steps_To_Lose_Weight_Permanently/pages/WomenWeightLossOver40.jsf lose weight permanently. How would you like to get excellent, lasting weight loss results- be attractive, healthy, energetic, youthful? This program adjusts to your specific situation and keeps you motivated while you enjoy healthy eating and exercise.

Sign up for your free, personalized "Lose Weight Permanently" program at loseweightpermanently.com/Steps_To_Lose_Weight_Permanently/pages/WomenWeightLossOver40.jsf loseweightpermanently.com/Steps_To_Lose_Weight_Permanently/pages/WomenWeightLossOver40.jsf

Perry Permann

Low Impact Exercises Are Fun and Healthy

Not everyone is made for high-level exercising. But you can become fit without bouncing around in a leotard, battering your joints. Forget all the huffing, puffing, lugging, lifting, and straining. Movement therapy is a gentle - yet effective - group of sports that include yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. Just don't be fooled by their mild manner. These activities can whip you into shape without breaking a sweat.

All three have ancient Eastern roots and are merely different interpretations of the same principle: keeping your body and mind in harmony naturally leads to better health.

It wasn't until recently that modern science confirmed the many physical benefits of yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. With them, you can improve your balance, flexibility, and strength - no matter what your age, weight, or fitness level.

No Pain - but great gain

Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates are gentle enough for anyone to try. If you consider yourself in bad health or disabled in some way, you're a perfect candidate for these movement therapies. You can ease into the programs slowly and set your own pace. It's easy to stick with them and you'll see improvement quickly.

Here are just some of the benefits you will get from these soothing approaches to fitness.

When you were a child, tripping and falling meant just another minor scrape. But as you get older, taking a tumble can have serious and crippling effects. If your sense of balance is as bad as Humpty Dumpty's, these are the safest forms of exercise for you.

Just like the trick to growing tomatoes is to keep the main stalk strong, the trick to great balance is

to keep your core muscles strong. The bands of muscle in your abdomen, lower back, and buttocks

are the center of strength and control for the rest of your body.

All three examples of movement therapy are relatively stationary, but because they strengthen

your core muscles, your balance will improve quickly - preventing falls - and you'll develop greater

flexibility and strength. Soon you will be moving with confidence again.

Tai chi and yoga are especially recommended for people with arthritis.Gentle yoga can improve

arthritis in your hands, for example, and tai chi's precise, flowing movements help keep your

joints limber, relieve your pain, and keep you active.

The dance-like stretches, poses, and maneuvers within each of these movement therapies will gently

strengthen and tone your body. Pilates is especially good as a strength-training workout.

Add yoga or Pilates to your exercise regimen if you need to improve your heart health.

In today's hectic world, it may be hard to squeeze an extra 30 minutes of exercise into your

schedule - at least without feeling even more stress. The beautiful thing about movement therapy is

that it combines stress relief with exercise, so you kill two birds with one stone.

All the activities - tai chi, yoga, and Pilates - are done slowly, with intense focus on proper breathing

and posture. They all relax your body and calm your mind.

As you can see, you can boost your overall health with these joyful, health-giving movements.

Things to know before you give it a go

Just to be safe, make sure that you take these precautions before starting any new exercise program.

Get your doctor's approval on your fitness plan, especially if you've badly injured your back, neck,

knees, or shoulders in the past.

The stretches, poses, and movements of these therapies should not hurt. If you feel pain, stop and

check your technique before continuing.

Pilates is the most intense of the three exercise forms. You may want to try one of the less strenuous

programs first if you are out of shape.

Be forewarned, you might get addicted to these calming sports.

Raymond Lee is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is the Founder of Bodyfixes.com specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. Visit bodyfixes.com bodyfixes.com for more information.

How I Started Training

When I started really working out I was about 19 years old, I didn't know a thing about working out so I went through the motions. I did some running, push ups, crunches, lunges pretty much anything I've ever seen I was trying to do. This worked very little for me but I was a young kid who didn't have a lot of money to get a trainer or buy the equipment I thought I needed. Time continued and I still saw very minimal results so I kinda gave up at this point. I gained maybe 30lbs of fat and weighed 180lbs which isn't very heavy for me and I could feel it. I was no longer good at being active and I started smoking cigarettes and drinking excessively, partying and not focusing on anything but trouble.

A few years went by I continued my poor ways and I really felt like I hit rock bottom. I kept falling into and out of depression school was the least of my priorities and continued my destructive ways by drinking and partying til all hours of the morning every single day. Then one day a friend of mine asked me If I wanted to go try a strength and conditioning program. It was at The College of New Jersey and was being conducted by a student who was completing his thesis. This intrigued me a lot so I jumped on this opportunity seeing that I had just got back into my routine wanted to really see results and was looking for a positive way to redirect my energy.

The program went great I learned skills like proper dead lift and squat, how to bench press and dumbbell press, I learned about explosive training and I learned about proper program design. This completely changed my life. After the program I went into over drive, I enrolled in Okinawan Kenpo and started working out at a gym on my own. It went great I was getting stronger my squats went from a measly 155lbs to over 300lbs in a matter of 3 months and I exceeded all my Instructors expectations on athleticism in martial arts so at this point I knew I needed to follow further with exercise science because it had become my passion.

I enrolled in the Exercise Science program at mercer county community college and completed it, I then went on to achieve my NSCA-certified personal trainer certification along with my NHE-CPT, on top of that my martial arts had taken me to black belt level and I am currently studying nutrition and exercise science further trying to work on my bachelors degree. I am studying for my NASM-CPT and hopefully will begin my corrective exercise specialty shortly after I achieve this cert. I have now started my own personal training business with the F.I.T (Functional integrated training) being the foundation of my beliefs. F.I.T is taking everything in the gym, medicine balls, bands, Olympic weightlifting techniques, Kettle Bells, tabata training, meditation, Traditional body building, calisthenics, plyometrics, yoga, martial arts and agility training,nutrition and energy flow bringing all of these styles together in my opinion makes for total balance and keeps the routines fresh and fun.

In conclusion that 10 year span got me from 180lbs of chubby to 180lbs of muscle a new outlook on life and a career that I will be involved with until the day I die. Everyone I just want you to know that you can achieve anything in this world. The key is to work hard and live life with an open mind. Don't limit yourself because the road less taken might be the road to your dreams.

Can You Sweat Away Your Flubber? The Truth About Heat Training Revealed Here!

For years now I've been hearing that training in the heat is great for fast weight loss.

I've listened to vision-filled stories of lean, glistening bodies, achieved after only a few weeks of heat training.

One guy I knew even used to take an exercise bike into the sauna and pedal furiously for 30 minutes each day! And you know what? He definitely did come out looking pretty ripped after each session. But was that a short-term sweat loss reaction, or was he actually losing body fat?

Either way, I started buying into the idea myself. I used to do 60-90 minute cardio sessions with about 3 (thick) layers of fleece covering me from top to toe. Plus a beanie of course. And scarf. And gloves. And no, it wasn't Winter. Give me a break, I was only 19! Sweat, baby, sweat. Oh yeah. I loved feeling the perspiration. It made me feel clean, fit, and definitely smaller around the waist.

I still love training in the heat. I still feel fantastic after 90 minutes in 38 degree room (hot Yoga these days - my addiction!). And I still finish a heat session a good 6-7 pounds lighter than what I started.

But here's the catch. While it would be nice to keep that weight off every time, I just haven't managed to figure out a way to go without water. Especially after 90 minutes of solid, dripping sweat!

So if the immediate weight loss is nothing more than fluid, what are the overall or long-term effects of heat training? Can it help you to lose weight faster?

Let's take a look at the facts.

o Training in heat will elevate your heart rate faster than room temperature, and will definitely give you an increased perceived exertion level (how hard you feel you are working). It will also make you sweat faster, and in greater quantity. Here's the catch: it's highly likely you'll actually work at less, not more, than your usual potential. Until you're well conditioned to the added temperature, the heat will slow you down, and could also make you feel dizzy, flat or sick. Guess what? Slower training does not equal more weight loss (I don't care what the traditional mid-HR Zone for fat-loss junkies say) - even if your heart is pumping nineteen to the dozen.

o If you don't take the effects of heat training seriously, it could actually cause you to GAIN weight! By 'take seriously', I mean ensure that you replace every lost drop of fluid, as well as lost electrolytes. Electrolytes are the minerals - such as magnesium and sodium - that make your sweat salty. The best way to replace them is with natural, organic sea salt. I like to add it to my water. Without replacing this vital lost energy, you will actually slow your metabolism down - your body knows it can't function well without these minerals.

o Most people do not last for their normal session length in the heat. This is another reason that heat training is not great for weight loss. Less time - less fat burnt (but not always, as you'll know if you've read my article 'The Best Way to Train Weights for INCREDIBLE Fat Loss!').

o Many people take that good feeling of having lost 6-7 pounds of sweat, and think that it means they can indulge for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, this leads to a very strong feeling of regret the next morning, as they tend to wake up with all the lost fluid gained, and a few extra food pounds to boot.

So that's the case against heat training. Does this mean that increased temperature can't assist you to lose weight?

Here's the good news. No, it does not mean that.

It's important to remember that lost sweat does not equal lost fat. But where heat training can help you, is as a detoxification and balancing process, and this in turn can result in weight loss.

o Detoxification

You sweat out toxins in great quantity when training in the heat. This assists your liver to 'clean up' your system more efficiently, and thereby improve all metabolic functions, including fat burning ability. THE CATCH! If you don't shower off the sweat immediately, you will re-absorb those toxins. Yuck! It is also crucial to replace all lost fluid with quality water and salt, for the reasons discussed above.

o Hormonal balance

Training in heat, particularly in the form of specific yoga postures, can stimulate the master hormone gland, which is the pineal gland. This can help your entire hormonal system to balance, going so far as to balance and improve appetite, digestion, energy, and overall wellbeing. Pretty powerful! Certain Yoga postures are also designed to stimulate your thyroid gland. This has to do with the hormones that balance your metabolism. Again, it is crucial to replace all lost fluid, or you will not benefit from the heat. As mentioned above, it could be counter-productive to your weight loss goals if you go too long without replacing lost fluid.

So there you have it, folks. The case both for and against. As I stated earlier, I'm a big fan of heat training - but that doesn't mean I'm rushing out for a pizza with the lot after sweating out a few pounds. Now as to whether you want to take your exercise bike into the sauna, I'd have to say that's between you and your gym (and their insurance!)

Kat Eden
Personal Trainer; Holistic Health Practitioner; BioSignature Modulation Practitioner Melbourne, Australia
Visit my blog: bodyincredible.com bodyincredible.com

Hatha Yoga For Training the Mind

We often see pictures of Hatha Yoga practitioners performing physical feats, but we cannot see pictures of a trained mind. There is a Chinese proverb, which states, "A picture's meaning can express ten thousand words." It seems to have been loosely translated into English as: "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Nevertheless, we are moved by pictures and movies that stimulate thoughts with incredible feats, action, and special effects. Meanwhile, training the mind through meditation, Yoga, or self-study is often ignored because it does not sell as many copies.

Yet, we live in the real world. After we are released from the virtual world, when a game or movie is over, we must use our minds for work and studies. The power of the mind can be wasted when we fail to take action on our own behalf. A good example of this is health prevention and awareness of what we can control.

How often do you see someone carry a child, purse, package, or laptop out of balance? Do you realize what will happen to the spine over time? This person will likely be in chronic pain, if he or she carries anything out of balance over an extended period of time.

We see the same thing happen with eating habits. Unconscious eating has already caught up to less active young adults. Take a look at the size of graduates at a local university near you. This is a bad omen, because these young people are in their physical prime.

The window of opportunity for good health is not equal for all of us. You can be born into poverty, with a genetic defect, or three months too early. What a shame it is for young people, in the best years of their lives, to take their good health for granted. Luckily, all is not lost - Yoga has grown in popularity.

Yoga, in its many forms, allows one to become aware of daily habits in posture, eating, and breathing, by constantly training the mind. All forms of Yoga require self-discipline. We become aware of many situations that can throw the body out of balance.

How do we sit, stand, walk, eat, and drink, during the course of a day? While some may say: "Who cares?" It is wise to observe oneself and make corrections. It is easy to criticize others, but we have more control over our own health. To ridicule others, over bad habits, is usually a waste of energy and time.

To become an example of a trained mind, and good health habits, is the best a Yoga practitioner can do. If we are successful, others will follow.

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

Thursday, May 16, 2013

How to Practice Sexual Fitness

Sexual fitness is an innovative construct applied to men, women, and couples. Single, married, dating, gay, or heterosexual adults can learn how to practice and attain sexual fitness. Becoming sexually fit has nothing to do with a person's sexual orientation or relationship status. Even age has no bearing on this practice. Thoughts, feelings, actions, and perceptions are all involved in this exciting concept. Sexual fitness is a state of mind combined with actions of the body. If practiced correctly, the art of sexual fitness impacts science as extensive clinical studies have proven the physiological benefits related to a healthy sex life.

Similar to physical fitness, sexuality has everything to do with attitude and nothing to do with capacity. A perfect metaphor is "like riding a bike." The initial stages of learning to ride a bike requires effort, persistence, physical and mental focus, and determination. Once achieved, a person never loses this ability and merely needs to refresh their skill set even after time has elapsed from riding. Sexual fitness is based on the exact same concepts. The ultimate decision is deciding what benefits are sought in the pursuit of sexual fitness. Using the metaphor above, the choice becomes whether to engage in leisure weekend bike rides through the park or become the proverbial next "Lance Armstrong." The definition and practice of sexual fitness will help make this decision.

Sexual fitness is defined as a threshold a person reaches after they have applied consistent effort, practice, and determination in the realm of optimal sexual health. The endeavor to reach a state of sexual mastery requires psychological motivation, education, and implementation of specific physical skills. An athlete becomes proficient at his/her sport by engaging in physical and mental practice leading to dexterity and mastery of his/her sport activity. A bodybuilder consistently studies weightlifting methods, exercise technology, and nutritional requirements to optimize his/her results. Reaching the state of sexual fitness follows the same dynamics required for physical fitness.

Once this state of fitness is reached, the goal becomes sustaining this threshold throughout the lifespan or until choosing otherwise. Sexual fitness is made up of two complimentary concepts. The first concept is defined as general fitness. General sexual fitness is a state achieved after engaging in the persistent pursuit of becoming aware then instituting the art and science of healthy sexuality. People who exercise correctly reach physical fitness far quicker. For example, proper low impact happinesslifetime.com yoga training will yield the same physiological results as high impact physical training.

This style of fitness is achieved by correctly learning and practicing sexual techniques which will arouse one self and the opposing partner. If a partner is not involved, the goal becomes learning and consistently practicing sexual techniques necessary to arouse one self. The methods required for reaching this state of fitness involves the second concept called specific fitness. This fitness concept is the initiation of behaviors and tasks oriented towards the increased probability to reaching and maintaining sexual fitness. Physical fitness is typically achieved through exercise, proper nutrition, adequate rest, and a motivated demeanor. Sexual fitness is achieved in the exact same fashion.

Endeavors implemented by people seeking defined physical attributes or dexterity in a particular sport requires motivation fueled by a belief of necessity. These motivating beliefs are the same for attaining sexual fitness. A belief of necessity for sexual mastery becomes the modus operandi. Optimal sexual living is a necessity of life is the belief structure and the motivating force for attainment of this belief is the inspiration. Without this belief for need reduces the chances a person will be successful in their fitness regimen. Successful athletes, bodybuilders, and sports enthusiasts have all communicated the virtues of becoming motivated using a belief of necessity as their psychological fuel. Advanced levels of aptitude acquired by men and women in their chosen field of sport have all been achieved via a belief of necessity.

Fitness, whether sexual or physical, is defined as a measure of efficient functioning. A person who is sexually fit is efficient in their capacity to think, feel, and behave in a sexual manner without shame, embarrassment, or hidden agendas of falsely boosting their ego or self-esteem. People who reach and practice this style of fitness are more likely to function efficiently in all aspects of their perceptual world. These fortunate individuals are more confident, physically ill less often, and manage stressful events more successfully. Sexual fitness is an achieved state of being allowing people to perform better in every action they engage in. Having this capability affords person to feel confident in all situations whether a partner is involved or not.

Men and women can attain sexual fitness through participating in psychological, physical, and educational exercises. The first step is recognizing and fully accepting this fitness as one of the most important facets of achieving a healthy lifestyle. For a man, fully accepting sexual fitness as a way of life is concluding he is not born and/or genetically endowed to be a sexual master. Men accept their sexual mastery exercise program by realizing they have plenty to learn and their genital region is not the center of the universe. Women reach the first step of sexual fitness by giving themselves permission to think about and practice sexual pursuits. Confusing women in most cultures is what has been termed the "Madonna Whore" complex. Women are socialized and encouraged to behave sexually uninhibited behind closed doors and docile, virginal subjects in public at the same time. It is an unfortunate standard set forth by living in a patriarchal society. For women, they need to first identify this double standard exists. Second, initiating efficient this fitness starts by placing societal distortions in the archived files of outdated history.

Once a man or woman is psychologically motivated to engage in this concept of fitness program, the immediate next step becomes the task of obstacle identification. Preparation for inevitable obstacles is vital to sexual fitness attainment. Obstacles and stressful life events are guaranteed to present as impediments to proper sexual fitness functioning. The pressure, stress, and anxieties of daily living can easily de-escalate a person's motivation to prioritize sexual fitness. Events which dissuade men and women from engaging in tasks directed at achieving sexual fitness can occur quickly or slow and gradual without the person being aware they have become derailed from their fitness regimen. Stressful life events and environmental obstacles are potential impediments for all goal attainment. Accepting obstacles exist and creating techniques to insulate one self becomes the goal.

A simple tip to lessen the probability of losing sight of this type of fitness is a daily reminder plan. Since most women shower or take baths every day, making a conscious effort to spend a couple minutes while bathing is a prime opportunity to practice cognitive sexual fitness. During this brief period of privacy, think about a sexual fantasy. If self stimulation ensues is fine, but not required. The point of this exercise is a cognitive one aimed at stimulating a thought process. An easy to remember technique for creating a stimulating sexual fantasy is using the "5 W's" used by journalists and media when creating interesting stories. Who, What, When, Where, and How is the trick of their trade. Formulate a sexual fantasy having these 5 elements involved. Practicing this method makes the sexual fantasy both stimulating and enjoyable at the same time.

The daily reminder plan tip can be practiced by men but a chosen daily environment may need to be altered. A significant percentage of men are not as fastidious in showering or bathing daily as women are. For men who do not bath daily, a tip is to think about sexual fitness while in transit traveling to work, school, or any other responsibilities part of the daily structure. Women are recommended to think about sexual fantasies daily, but men are recommended to think about the complete opposite during this cognitive sexual exercise. Men are advised to think about technically sexual matters. During this daily cognitive exercise, men can think about the components of arousal, intimacy skills, and ways of effectively communicating his passion to his partner. If not dating or in a relationship, men can still think about these subjects adding the future tense about a day when dating or in a significant relationship. Men and women who spend several minutes daily on sexual areas described above have a higher probability of continuing to practice this fitness.

Cardiovascular activity and regular physical exercise supports the growth of heart muscles, thereby increasing the speed and volume of blood bringing nutrients to the rest of the body. A physically fit person maintains body system nutrient absorption at an optimal level. The result of optimal nutrient absorption translates into stronger anatomical systems and quicker curative processes. Health and fitness of the body can be determined by regularly evaluating nutritional habits, patterns of lifestyle, types of food consumed, and frequency of physical exercise. A monitored physical fitness exercise plan is essential for keeping the body fine tuned despite lifestyle, age or physical abilities. Physical fitness helps people maintain and sustain a focused frame of mind by boosting mental sharpness, perceptual clarity, and greater concentration. In relationship to sexual mastery, the same need for active monitoring and consistent focus applies. All the physical and psychological benefits of being physically fit parallel sexual oriented fitness. The only differences between these two realms are regions of the body focused upon and areas stimulated within the brain. To practice sexual fitness means giving the sensual self equal time and attention as delegated to physical health.

Once a man or woman has made sexual oriented fitness a priority and consistently practicing daily cognitive sexual exercises reducing the potential of losing focus, the next step is active practice and education. The education and practice of sexual fitness is multifaceted and sexual exercising the mind and body has many avenues. The goal of education is spending time engaged in academic pursuits learning about sexual anatomy, non-genital sexual stimulation, communication skills building, nutritional foods and supplements optimizing sexual prowess, physical exercises which boost sexual functioning, and any subjects related to the art and science of sex.

The goal of education is consistently accessing all forms of study in the pursuit of becoming adept at knowing the sexual self and the other gender when warranted. For women, subjects for study should include how society sends mixed messages to women regarding being a sexual being, the impact of past traumatic experiences on sexuality, sexual fulfillment techniques, and benefits of living as a sexual creature. For men, subjects of study should include arousal skills building, non-genital sexual stimulation techniques, communication skills building, and any subjects related to how sex is not sole mission for conquest. Education is crucial to sexual fitness. Radio talk shows, relationship expert seminars, internet surfing, and many other formats for education are available for consumptions. At the same time as engaging in education, the sexually fit adult practices physical sexual exercises.

Self stimulation is one exercise which men and women can engage in whether single, dating, or in a relationship. If religious and/or moral reasons prevent someone from direct genital stimulation, than indirect sexual stimulation by not touching their genital region is just as effective. The active practice of self stimulation, whether direct or indirect, serves the goal of developing self-awareness in the realm of learning to identify regions of the body which initiate arousal. During these sexual exercises, it is paramount for success to practice self stimulation void of being preoccupied by life stressors or thoughts of time management restrictions. If making this type of fitness a priority, then time management should rarely be a reason to not practice exercises. The frequency of self stimulation is not the objective, but the consistent conscious effort to do so is of greater value. The combination of a conscious effort to schedule self stimulation along with consistent frequency is the best formula. It is not the quantity of self stimulation episodes, but the quality and benefits gained from each event.

For men and women dating, in relationships, or married, practicing sexual fitness adds an exciting additional dimension. This dimension is the potential luxury one experiences when a loved one becomes as an active participant in sexual fitness training. Just as physical fitness and sports are far more enjoyable and invigorating when there is the social element of others involved; the same principle applies to couples. Having a partner to agree in prioritizing sexual oriented fitness is the ultimate tandem team activity. The team approach has a vast array of positive benefits. The team approach to sexual fitness offers crucial dynamics not afforded to the solo participant. One benefit is the potential for deeper intimate connections.

As mentioned before, sexual fitness can be achieved as a sole individual and does not require others to be active participants. Although this fact is true, the primary instincts residing in the human condition is the need for social attachments. In a relationship, both the instinctual needs for social connection and practice of sexual exercises culminate to become an extraordinary aspect of quality living. The guidelines in relationships are exactly the same as individual goals when seeking to achieve and sustain sexual oriented fitness. The advantage being part of a team approach involves the perceived satisfaction of two people endeavoring together working to attain sexual fitness. When embarking in becoming sexually fit, there are three prime advantages increasing the potential for achievement. First, the pair in tandem makes the decision together to prioritize their regimen. Second, they act as encouraging coaches for each other when stressful and distracting environmental events present as obstacles to succeeding. Third and most rewarding, they have a plethora of sexual activities to engage in ranging from sexual exercises to long discussions on sexual topics.

Sexual fitness is both a state of being and a series of tasks and behaviors practiced on a consistent basis to remain within the state of sexual fitness. To be sexually fit means a person is psychologically secure about thinking about sexual topics, having sexual desires, and confident about their sexual prowess. Once at and past the threshold of this fitness, a person enters this state of being experiencing a higher quality of life. People who are sexually fit tend to have fewer psychological problems, less medical complications, healthier relationships, and a greater overall sense of self. This goal walks hand in hand with physical fitness. Regular exercise, proper nutrition, adequate rest, and regular physical activity considerably increase the potential for reaching this fitness. The converse is also just as applicable. Men and women who are engaged in sexual oriented fitness have a higher probability of engaging in tasks leading to physical fitness

Dr. Michael Nuccitelli is a New York State licensed psychologist and certified forensic consultant. Dr. Nuccitelli completed his doctoral degree in clinical psychology in 1994 from the Adler School of Professional Psychology located in Chicago, Illinois. In 2006, he received a Diplomat by the American Board of Psychological Specialties and Certified Forensic Consultant, C.F.C., designation from the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute. Dr. Nuccitelli is a New York state resident residing in the Hudson Valley 65 miles North of Manhattan.

Over the last 25 years, Dr. Nuccitelli has worked in the mental health field in a variety of capacities with various clinical populations. Concurrent with his employment in mental health, Dr. Nuccitelli was in private practice for 10 years and worked in the area of forensic psychology conducting forensic evaluations and consulting services for attorneys and court systems. Presently, he is a consultant providing his expertise to the community, legal system, and media. In addition to his work with the community, Dr. Nuccitelli is also an educational and compliance consultant for Goliath Labs Inc.; a New York based Sports Nutrition Company. At their two online sports nutrition websites, goliathlabs.com goliathlabs.com/ and herberex.com herberex.com/, he investigates a multitude of topics and translates them into informational articles for website visitors. He also performs compliance consulting services ensuring the company follows all standards and regulations outlines by the FDA.

Dr. Nuccitelli has many career and academic experiences. His areas of expertise include dietary supplement compliance procedures, sports nutrition, human sexuality, forensic psychology, heath/fitness, and psychiatric/psychological issues. He also is an avid follower of current news and enjoys interfacing with the media regarding national news. Dr. Nuccitelli can be reached at 845-592-0120 or via email at BlogThis!Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest

Mantra, Japa, and Yogic Affirmation Methods for Anxiety Relief

Lets look at practicing Yoga "off the mat," in order to establish control of your thoughts. Anxiety is a strong feeling of apprehension, which needs constant supervision by you. At the same time, anxiety is, most often, not reality.

Our feelings and fears cannot be allowed to take charge of our minds. Since anxiety stems from within the mind, Yoga is a valuable practice for centering ourselves. Allowing anxiety to take control will leave us paralyzed by the negative powers within our imaginations.

How do we establish control of the "monkey mind" during a "wave" of anxiety? When anxious thoughts begin to exaggerate inherent fears, we have lost control of our minds. The mind is your greatest ally or your worst enemy, but you must choose which path to follow.

During an anxiety attack, some people try to establish control by saying to themselves, "Mustn't think bad thoughts." This method can work, but has limited success. Why? If you want to divert your thinking, why not create an inspirational positive thought in the form of mantra, Japa, or affirmation.

Consider these words by French psychologist Emile Coue, "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." In truth, mantra, Japa, or positive affirmations are easier to remember when they are not complex. In the case of the monkey mind running wild, we might just say "My thoughts are under my control."

If you prefer something in Sanskrit, "Om Namah Shivaya," or something else, will do, but consult with your Yoga teacher because you should understand what you are saying. In the case of Om Namah Shivaya, this means "God dwells in every heart." If you wanted to create a slightly different positive affirmation in English, "The Lord lives in my heart," will do just fine.

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

5 Ways to Lose 20 Pounds by Christmas

Ready to transform your life with a safe, healthy approach to weight loss? The key word being healthy. We're not talking about a distorted perception of health by motivating you to be so skinny that it leads to dangerous consequences. Barbie was idolized and twiggy was considered stylized beauty. If you were built like Barbie, your back would be so weak that it wouldn't support your upper body, and your waist would be so narrow that it would only contain 1/2 your liver and a few centimeters of bowel. Doesn't sound too pleasant now does it? A real women built that way would suffer from chronic diarrhea and eventually die from malnutrition. Now that's a diet for you.

Having worked with 100's of celebrity's over the years, I have personally seen how their images are prepped and airbrushed to unrealistic perfection. You don't need to strive for perfection. Just strive to be at a weight where you are functional - I remember being so heavy - I was 60 pounds overweight that I couldn't play with my child or even clean my bath tub without having to stop because I was so out of breath. Actually I couldn't even reach the tub. And touch my toes? Forget about it - I couldn't even see them. I finally got the weight off and have kept it off for 12 years. I'll tell you how you can get great results by losing weight and keeping it for good later. First I'm going to give you some pointers to turn you into a fat burning machine.

1. Muscle is Lighter on Your Joints

Did you know that fat bulges 18% more than muscle, pound for pound. Simply put, lean muscle equals looser clothes. Less weight also equals less pain. Would you voluntarily walk around carrying a 100 pound bag of cement? When you walk, you place a force equal to 3X your body weight on your knees and hips and that force grows to 5X your body weight when going down stairs. So if you're just 20 pounds overweight, your joints can feel like they are carrying around an extra 100 pounds." If you really want to give your joints a break, start losing weight, no pun intended.

2. Why Muscle Burns More Fat

Have you ever gone on a diet with your husband and noticed they lose weight much faster, even though you're eating sticks and grass and they are munching away on steak! Men have more muscle and more muscle equals a faster metabolism. Pound for pound, muscle burns fat at a faster pace than fat. A person with more muscle burns more fat even in his sleep! So pick up the weights, incorporate 2 days a week of strength training into your routine and rev up your fat burning engine.

3. Watch Your Portion Size.

To lose weight, you need to burn off more than you take in. A simple way to check your portion size is to fill your plate ½ with vegetables, (steamed, baked or microwave without butter) fill ¼ of your plate with a starch and the other ¼ with a lean baked, grilled, or broiled meat. If this is hard to imagine, get yourself a paper plate that is already divided and your measuring work is done!

4. Turn Stress into a Small Size Dress

We all face those moments that feel almost insurmountable, day in and day out, at home, at work, in our car and in social situations. So what do you do about it? Think about how you handle stress. Do you eat? You're not alone. 80% of the people who take my class along with people who email me tell me that this one tip I'm about to share with you, helped them not only get the weight off, but keep it off. The first thing you do when stressed is stay away from foods that begin with the letter 'C' - Cake, cookies, chocolate, chips, candy.

5. Breath away Stress

A yoga client of mine, (who is also a working mom living with diabetes) Kelly, lost 4 dress sizes, incorporating this technique into her daily weight loss routine. You can practice this anywhere, in your office, even in the bathroom. First recognize that you are in a stressful situation and take a moment for yourself.

Yoga is so much more than just exercise. When yoga movements are incorporated with meditation, yoga becomes a healthy lifestyle, reaping positive rewards for your mind, body, and spirit. This meditation is simple and yet has far reaching effects in allowing you to become aware of your inner strength to handle outer stress. Begin seated on a chair with your feet firmly planted on the ground or on the floor - whatever is most comfortable for you.

A.) Inhale through your nose as if you're smelling flowers and expand your belly followed by expanding your chest.

B.) Exhale as if you're blowing out your birthday candles. Make sure you take twice as long to exhale.

Do one set of 3 and not only will you decrease stress; you will also increase oxygen and speed up your metabolism. You may have heard this technique being touted as an independent weight loss tool and that is nonsense. This is one very important tool, but, as a health care practitioner I feel obliged to inform you that you can't just breathe this way and lose weight. You must practice this with regular yoga exercise, cardio, and 2 days of strength training to quickly say goodbye to your pounds and hello to the healthiest body you ever will have!

Suzanne Andrews, PBS Functional Fitness Expert, specializes in helping plus size and people over 40 regain their health. She lost over 60 pounds herself using the techniques in her latest DVD's. Instantly download Beginners Dynamic Yoga for Stress Release and Weight Loss DVD. Get started today!

Download available for only $1.99 at amazon.com/Beginners-Dynamic-Stress-Release-Weight/dp/B001P7CACI amazon.com/Beginners-Dynamic-Stress-Release-Weight/dp/B001P7CACI

Practice Yoga to Develop Patience

When you look at the list of virtues that Yoga embraces - patience is one of many. Yet, the development of patience, through the practice of Yoga, could change the quality of your life right away. Traffic jams, delays, extra paperwork, and last-second changes, cause many of us to be irritable - but just how important are they?

Here is an example: You have an appointment with your doctor, but you are running a few minutes late. You fight through traffic, avoiding drivers and pedestrians, while breaking the speed limit. Then you run into office to sit in the "waiting room." After 15 minutes of waiting, you are admitted to an exam room to wait for another 20 minutes.

The end result is that you put your life at risk to wait 35 minutes. If the doctor you went to visit was a surgeon, you might have waited hours - if he or she was called into the hospital for an emergency. So, you have accomplished nothing by raising your blood pressure, putting your life at risk, and driving to endanger others.

Yoga teaches us to enjoy the present moment - regardless of the situation. Plan and prepare for delays by starting earlier or by making good use of time you spend waiting.

An experienced Yoga practitioner would practice Pranayama (Yogic breathing techniques) or mentally perform mantra anywhere. These Yogic methods do not require you to carry anything with you.

Yet, you could also practice Jnana Yoga (Union though knowledge) by carrying audio books, a lap top computer, or a book. Any of these methods would make delays much more bearable, and you would learn to practice or cultivate patience, while you wait.

Fireworks after Yoga Day USA

There is an interesting press release from Medical News Today. The article is titled, "Yoga Day USA and The Distortion of Yoga in America."

Within this article, the "Top 10 Reasons to Try Yoga," come under fire. The reasons stated are, "stress relief, pain relief, better breathing, flexibility, increased strength, weight management, improved circulation, cardiovascular conditioning, better body alignment, and focus on the present - for health reasons."

However, the author mentions that these are not the authentic reasons for Yoga. It is mentioned early, within this statement that, "union between Atman and Brahman, Jivatman and Paramatman, and Shiva and Shakti, or the realization of Purusha standing alone as separate from Prakriti," are some of the authentic reasons for Yoga.

While this is true, and Yoga's purpose is for physical, mental, and spiritual health - many Yoga students in the United States do not hear of it, unless they attend a happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training workshop. If most Yoga students in the United States wanted to learn about union of the Jiva and Brahman, then Bhakti Yoga would have flourished on the American Continents, instead of Hatha Yoga.

However, Americans have a completely different culture from India. For some Christians, the concept of union with the self and God is blasphemy. Some Christians, Jews, and Moslems will not participate in mantras, for religious reasons. Therefore, Yoga outside of India, is interpreted much differently.

In defense of the Yoga Alliance, who is the sponsor of Yoga Day USA, they have to walk a fine line within multi-cultural societies in the West. Within the United States, there are groups who work to have the word, "God" removed from U.S. currency, the Bible removed from our courtrooms, and Christmas trees removed from the premises of government buildings.

For the sake of argument, if the promotions of Yoga Day USA stated, "the roots of Yoga come from the ancient tradition of Sanatana Dharma, out of which has grown Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other traditions;" this would be exactly what the Western religious fundamentalists leaders want. That is to claim Yoga is a "front" for exporting Eastern religions.

Instead of criticizing Yoga Day USA, why not accept the fact that the physical aspects of Yoga are easier for most people to grasp. If Yoga students want to seek a deeper connection to God, they will eventually find it. It would be wise for all for us to genuinely practice a little more non-judgment and tolerance.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Meditation and the Monkey Mind?

Some find the term, "monkey mind", upsetting, derogatory, and insulting. This is a shame, as the point is lost, the ego is involved, and a natural human defense goes up. After all, we are supposed to be the "king of the primates," aren't we?

The first time I heard the expression, "monkey mind," in regard to meditation, I thought of Swayambhunath Stupa, in Kathmandu, Nepal. Sometimes, this is named, the "monkey temple," and it made me laugh inside, as monkeys need supervision in human settings. The picture of unsupervised monkeys got into my head, and I was suppressing laughter during a serious conversation.

Monkeys can be nuisances, when allowed to roam without some guidance, and it is the same with the untrained mind that runs from topic to topic, without getting much accomplished. So please don't waste time being offended by the term, and try to look at the comical side.

When you allow yourself to enjoy life, and try not to take anything too seriously, you can see that monkeys don't have it so bad after all. Very often, the human mind spends too much time defending, worrying, posturing, influencing, fearing, and feeling embarrassed, to enjoy life to its fullest potential.

In fact, you are not your mind. You are responsible for your actions, but many things happen in the thought process before you do take action. For example: when you think, images and options are created. As a result of those images, you get a physical feeling somewhere around your heart.

Whether the feeling is, good or bad, you process it into action, or treat it as a fleeting thought that passes and may be forgotten. So if you have a fleeting evil thought and it passes - should you waste time feeling guilty about it? The natural safeguard for ethical behavior is your heart or "gut feeling." This is the best indicator of wrong or right.

Mankind has the ability to influence the universe, and create different realities, but separating what is sacred, from what is evil, has been a dilemma for thousands of years. The disconnection from your inner self, nature, and God, has led to excessive confusion.

Thank God for meditation; it allows you to harness the power of the mind, settle down, and focus, on one subject at a time. If you take the time for a daily meditation practice, your decision-making process will be much more controlled and clear. The end result will be to look at the monkey with much more respect, appreciation, and a bit of humor.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Top 10 Tips for Getting the Body You Want

Always assume that your real calorie intake is higher

Always assume that your real calorie intake is higher than your calculations. There are two reasons for this. First, even if you measure everything you eat there will always be inaccuracy about +-500 Kcal per day. You just never know how much food is in that package. There can be a huge difference between the actual calories and the ones the company claims to be in.

Always try to lift more

Always try to lift more than you did last time.It could be one extra set or 1 kilogram. Even this is a big step forward. Most of the muscle growth is caused by progressive resistance training. The only thing that can have faster and bigger effect are drugs. So don't concern yourself with crap you here in the gym about night proteins, 6 meals per day etc. What do you think, do you train hard enough or you could do more?

Set at least one day off

Set at least one day off the gym and any other sport activity (Ideally two). Week has seven days, that's a surprise huh? No really, five days is a maximum you don't need to train every day. Give your body some time for recovery. You will feel energized instead of tired. You will prevent injuries and you'll also progress more quickly. How do you relax? Do you do some meditation or yoga?

Set goals

Set goals for your physique in three months, one year and in five years. Than write how are planning to achieve them. Setting goals will help you know what are you achieving. Where to put your focus.

And the deadline will give it a feeling of scarcity and urgency.

Just think, what was your goal two years ago? Did you achieve it?

Model others

Find somebody who has a similar body type and has the body shape you want to achieve. Model what is he doing. But find somebody who looks the way you wanted to look like. Because that person will try to make you look like him and he will do it the same way as he did with himself. So think about that first. So, do you know somebody from your surroundings who would helped you? Many times you would be suprised how much people enjoy givving advice. Just make sure that they don't tell you some bs from fitness magazine.

Take photos

Take photos ofhow you look now and then after few months. This is the best measurement technique ever. Why? Because your weight isn't accurate, you don't know how much is fat, how much are muscles, organs etc. Better is to take measurements of your chest, shoulders etc. But in this case you can later convince yourself that you've probably made a mistake. This is something you cannot do if you are looking at your photos. But I highly recommend doing both anyway (taking photos and body parts measurements).

Track down your progress

Make an excel file, write down exercises you are doing and keep writing your sets, reps and weights every time you get home from the gym. After few month you will see how big is your improvement. This will motivate you for the upcoming workouts. If you are not making any progress, than don't feel sorry for yourself, that is not going to help you. Instead analyze what you could be doing wrong and find a way how to correct it.

Find somebody you can learn from

There are always people that are much more experienced than you, don't be afraid of asking them. You should seek some information about how to train and how to eat (If you are interested in building muscles only focus just on the training). Be aware that most of the information out there are just fitness myths, that are not going to help you or at least will make your life difficult. I recommend looking into some researches it will give you further understanding. You will find a lot of interesting staff in there. But remember 20% should be learning and 80% should be practicing.

Don't by useless supplements

The only supplement that has ever been proven to work with muscle building is creatine monohydrate. And if you would like to add something else, you can add some protein, that won't probably harm you either.

Finally stop reading and go to the gym!

Many times people just get caught into "I need to learn everything that is available first and than I'll do it." You might be wondering why is it so bad, that somebody wants to learn and improve the performance. Problem with this is that people often just keep learning and don't take action. And longer they stick with the learning than it's harder to do something. So they are stuck and in most cases they don't even realize it. I know it because I've been there. Always act first and than learn new things, this simple process should prevent you from the situation above.

Conclusion

Have you ever wanted to get complimented on your looks by others every single day? Having girls making excuses to touching you? Or just being more confident in your own skin? How about building a specific look that is the most attractive? I spent a good few years researching muscle growth and physical attraction and the results were just stunning. In my workouts, I'll let you in on some secrets to building an irresistible body that women just can't keep their hands of.

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These tips are sure to improve your physical look.

Exercise Wherever You Are

During the winter months it is difficult to even think about going outside to consider a midwest exercise routine. The upper Midwest of the United States is often times cold, windy, icy, and just plain miserable to even think about exercising outdoors. Even trying to get to the gym can be a daunting task. Instead, try some of the many portable training options. Portable personal training devises can be a very affordable and convenient option to the outdoors or nearby gym.

Some of the newest trends include downloading (MP3) exercise audio files or video clips that can be uploaded to an Ipod or smartphone. You can find just about any exercise method such as yoga, strength training, Pilates, cardio, or anything else you would like to try. There are even some that have a monthly charge for their programs. This can all be quite a bit less than a personal trainer. One popular company offers more than 130 workout programs and all can be played from a portable VCR or DVD player. If you have a laptop computer it also serves as a means to display your workouts. "Portable" fitness training is affordable and can be used anytime, anywhere.

Midwest exercise can be more enjoyable indoors and with the use of these portable gadgets and pre-recorded workouts can also be very rewarding during those "cabin fever" months.

You can have your body ready for the outdoors by training just a few minutes each day and right in front of your own tv! Just be sure that the exercise instruction has been developed by certified trainers or fitness experts. Portable personal training is an affordable convenient option for midwest exercise.

The author Marty Hughes is a P90X graduate and Team Beachbody Coach. [freebeachbodycoach.com]

Intense Workouts at Home For Fat Loss

Body weight workouts are one of the best, most fun ways of working out at home. Well, at least more fun than traditional long, boring home gym workouts. The home gym workouts they try to promote to you on infomercials and fitness catalogs might actually work, but are they as fun as body weight training?

I've actually purchased one such infomercial product. It's now sitting in my garage collecting dust. The workouts they provided were boring, and completely useless. The moment I switched to 100% body weight workouts, the fat started melting off at an alarming rate.

Long, boring Aerobic and Home Gym workouts just take up your time and waste your money. Body weight workouts actually save time. You can easily construct a body weight workout that lasts just 10 minutes. Start off by choosing an exercise and perform it at a high intensity level for 20 seconds.

Rest for 10 seconds then repeat this for another 19 times. That's 20 total rounds, or 10 minutes of complete training. Trust me, after you perform this workout you'll realize that training with your body weight is unlike anything else you'll ever experience.

So now that you know how to create intense body weight workouts, it's time to talk about the exercises. The biggest mistake people make is sticking to basic pushups, pullups , and body weight squats. Instead, try to diversify as much as possible. I personally like to incorporate body weight movements from dance, gymnastics, and yoga.

This is one of the best ways of introducing brand new body weight exercises and spicing up your workouts. If you have no exposure to dance, gymnastics, or yoga, there is nothing to worry. There are a lot of resources out there including TV, websites, books, and ebooks.

You know what, speaking of body weight workouts, there's a great 3-phase fat loss system you need to check out called the Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss. You can find out more information about this incredible bodyweight fat loss program on my site, workoutwithoutweights.net WorkoutWithoutWeights.Net.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Yoga - A Meditative Way of Life

Yoga has been around for thousands of years. Yoga helps one to become very grounded a stable both mentally and physically. As a physical routine it helps the body become very strong, very stable. It helps to anchor the mind into the body by using the breath as a link between mind and body. Many people struggle to keep their mind under control. Yoga does this in a very scientific and standardized way. Really yoga is a scientific way to become more peaceful and joyous.

As we practice yoga we become more aware of how our minds constantly drag us away from the present moment. We start to realize how little we are actually allowing the moment to be as it is without any judgment or desire. As we move in yoga and focus on the breath and body, we see thoughts and emotions rise up and though the practice we are able to let them go. The constant act of letting thoughts and emotions ago allows us to dive into the present moment again and again. When practiced with consistency and earnestness in the physical yoga practice, this habit spills over into everyday life.

Yoga is a brilliant system because it starts on the easiest level to work with, the physical, and progressively deepens to effect all areas of life. A solid physical routine of yoga, practiced with consistency and devotion will effect not only the body but the mind and spirit also.

Yoga and meditation are synonymous in Indian culture. It is only here in the western world that the distinction has arisen. Yoga here means hatha yoga in the East. Hatha yoga is the physical "asanas" that we call yoga here in the West. Yoga truly means union. Union with whatever is happening at this moment. Yoga means having no boundaries between the internal and external. Yoga is a scientific way to achieve oneness with whatever situation is happening.

Meditation is the practice of letting things go. It is sitting in silence and listening to yourself. Meditation is about being centered and at peace no matter where you go or what happens. There are many different practices of meditation. Easiest of which simply involves sitting and focusing on your breath while letting thoughts and feelings come and go without becoming attached to them. It might be convenient to think inhale as you are inhaling and exhale and you are exhaling. This helps to focus the mind on what is happening in the moment. It is quite normal for the mind to wonder away from the breath, as soon as you notice this simply refocus your attention and start thinking inhale and exhale again.

Doing this in conjunction with physical poses helps to train the mind to be in the present and can help you to work though the thought patterns that are holding you back from progress.

If you are just beginning meditation there are many guided meditations in the site below that can help you get started.

John LeMire has been practicing meditation for over 5 years. He has been trained as a yoga teacher and teaches meditation. John was a raw food vegan for over a year and a half and still incorporates a ton of fresh, live foods in his diet. John owns and operates a whatwouldayogido.com meditation and yoga blog. Where he posts his experiences and knowledge on the subjects of raw food, yoga, meditation and healthy lifestyle habits. Check out the many whatwouldayogido.com/meditations high quality guided meditations he has put together.

Yoga For Beginners - What to Expect When Beginning Yoga

Are you interested in trying in yoga? Here is a general overview of what you can expect in yoga for beginners. Yoga is an exercise where a person performs a series of poses that improve flexibility and strength. There are many different types of yoga each with their own style and emphasis on different poses, but the basic premise is the same across the board.

You should wear loose or form fitting clothing. The main emphasis of yoga is improving flexibility and building strength. Form fitting and loose clothing will help to facilitate your yoga needs perfectly.

As a beginner, you will want to find a studio or gym to start practicing yoga. Almost all major gyms offer classes in power yoga. Power yoga is a style that focuses on cardiovascular training. Do not be afraid to take the first step. Enroll in a class of yoga for beginners

If you cannot afford or find the time to travel to a gym, you may want to look into attending a yoga ashram. Ashrams are retreats where you can learn the basic skills and philosophy of yoga. After attending an ashram, you will be able to properly practice yoga from the comfort of your home.

You will also need a mat and possibly a bag for carrying your mat. When purchasing a mat, you will want to make sure the mat is thick enough for to suit your comfort level. It is also important to make sure the mat is long enough for your height. Each mat is different, so you should do some shopping around and find the one that is best for you.

Yoga is often a great way to ease back into working out. It is by no means an easy exercise, but it is a great starting point to begin getting back into shape. It is not just about exercise and working out. It is about relieving stress and syncing the body and the mind.

Many classes simultaneously teach yoga and lead meditation. Often yoga is only viewed as an exercise and a means of getting into shape. Meditation and yoga go hand in hand, and it is much more fulfilling when practiced along with meditation. Meditation puts the mind at ease and prepares the body for yoga. When the body and mind coincide it is a beautiful thing.

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Yoga And Inner Change To Alter Daily Reactions

Yoga has been around for thousands of years and has made it to the west in recent years. Many people are making trips to India to seek authentic teachers that can train them in meditation, forms of breathing and physical poses. Although most Americans enjoy the gym, many people are seeking also something that will help them to achieve balance and peacefulness amidst the daily challenges that arise.

Most yoga classes have instructions in both breathing and meditation. These are practices that one is urged to also incorporate outside of the class time in order to reap the benefits during the rest of one's week. The idea is to be able to have more stillness in one's life, be able to be less rigid in responses to tough situations and also look inside and go deeper than the ordinary satisfactions that are temporary.

We neglect our mind and spirit often and focus too much on the body. In yoga classes, the teacher will often make important points using examples of common experiences to help us bridge the gaps in our lives. By relaxing the muscles we also have the benefit of improving our health, blood pressure level and lowering the possibilities of strains.

If you feel you are out of shape, don't let that be an excuse to not try a class. Yoga is wonderful for senior citizens and people who do very little daily exercising as well. The beauty of it is that whatever level you are at is where you can start. In fact, many athletes do very little stretching so they may be at a beginner level in flexibility. In addition, for those struggling with depression or changes of life, the classes can put things in perspective.

In elementary school and high school we take physical education courses, but there often is no instruction in ways to use the mind and breath to help with tense daily situations. Try a yoga class to learn these new skills and find new ways to change a negative state of mind into a positive one.

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