Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Certification Choices

The following is an overview of the most popular Yoga teacher training methods. These days, there are so many options for Yoga teacher certification, that it might be good to get a general idea of Yoga teacher training courses first.

Onsite Yoga Teacher Training classes are usually held at Yoga studios and can last anywhere from one month to two years, depending on the depth of the material covered. These Yoga training sessions may meet every weekend or for weeks in succession.

If you have a regular job, it is best to find a Yoga teacher training course that works around your schedule and meets on weekends or evenings. It will be hard to explain your absence to your present employer; especially if you tell the truth, which is: You want to train to become a Yoga teacher.

Training for Yoga Teachers at a Yoga ashram, or Yoga retreat, is usually complete immersion without any of life's daily distractions. Chances are there are living quarters for Yoga teacher interns and the staff. If you have no family or employer obligations, this is a great way to learn how to become a Yoga teacher. Many Ashrams function like universities, so it is a great atmosphere to study Yoga teacher training.

Luxury Vacation Yoga Teacher Training has become much more popular than most of us would have expected. You would study at a Yoga teacher training intensive in an exotic location. This is also complete immersion within the study of Yoga, but with all the "creature comforts." If you have the financial resources, this might be the Yoga teacher training course for you.

Yoga Teacher Correspondence Courses are good for Yoga students with previous experience. Independent study, to become a Yoga teacher, requires a foundation of knowledge and previous experience. It also helps if you train with a local Yoga teacher or a group of Yoga enthusiasts. Just make sure the Yoga teacher correspondence course you choose has a complete syllabus. This is a good option for Yoga teacher interns who have obligations at home or at work.

Weekend Yoga Teacher Training Intensives also require a bit more homework and should meet regularly. Do not fool yourself into thinking that you will learn to become a competent Yoga teacher in a single weekend. It just does not happen that quickly.

The study of Yoga is a continuous and never ending journey. Teaching Yoga requires that you become a perennial Yoga student for life. Whichever method you choose to reach your goal as a Yoga teacher, remember that continuing education is a key component to becoming a competent Yoga teacher.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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

Start Your Day More Gently!

The first half hour may be the most important time of your day. How you spend it may change your life.

Most of us find ourselves each morning in a scenario similar to the following: The alarm goes off with a less than pleasant sound. It takes a second or so before the noise reaches our consciousness. It then takes three to four seconds before we are halfway willing to open our eyes, just wide enough to catch a glimpse on the perpetrator. It feels, of course, far too early to get up. We hit the snooze button in a vague hope that this swift action delivers us from all evil of the day. It certainly does not. A few minutes later, the alarm goes off a second time with relentless precision. If we hit the snooze button again, we run the risk to make everything worse. And we know it.

Therefore we rush out of bed, do whatever we have to do in the bathroom, rush off to the closet to get dressed, and dash into the kitchen for coffee and cereal. If we share our living space with crying babies, moaning teenagers or furry pets, we tend to them as soon as a time gap of five seconds opens up. We do all this with a higher or lesser degree of resentment, tension in the muscles, shallow breathing, and - most of all - with deep unconsciousness.

In this mental and physical condition we leave home to drop off the kids and to rush to work. Utterly stressed out we arrive at the office.

We have successfully set the stage for another day of merciless busyness. We will eat the wrong stuff, get mad easily, and are unaware of the voice in our head that constantly urges us to do this or that quickly and that bombards us with "you should," "you ought to," and "why haven't you!"

Can it be otherwise?

Yes. Get up earlier, at least half an hour, and start your day gently.

How?

Here are a few suggestions:

Begin your day with

o Inspirational reading:

What about some poems by Rumi? According to Houston Smith, author of The Worlds' Religions, Rumi is "the most-read poet in America today." Coleman Barks, a poet himself, introduces him as one "of the world's great lovers of God's presence in humanity."

Reading poems is ideal for everyone who has only limited time.

o Inspirational listening:

Listen to relaxing music or to an audio program of your favorite spiritual teacher! Listening may require less mental activity and concentration than reading. This is an ideal start of the day for everybody who needs time in the morning to "arrive."

o Gentle yoga stretches:

Although most of us are stiffer in the morning, yoga will make you feel better. Be sure to let go of any competitiveness in your mind. Let your body tell you what it needs.

o Meditation:

If all of the above is already too much activity, just sit quietly for five to ten minutes and listen to your breath. Jack Kornfield, for example, has an excellent program for beginners.

o Autogenic Training:

Autogenic Training is a European mental self-relaxation technique so effective that is has been used by NASA, the American space agency. Visit my website to learn more.

o Journaling:

Journaling is very therapeutic. It helps you to gain insights and clarity. Don't worry about grammar and spelling while writing!

o Spending time outdoors:

Do you have a quiet patio, porch or garden? Watch the day break, listen to the morning songs of the birds, feel the cool air on your skin, and notice your sense of connection with creation grow!

You may need to experiment to find the best method that fits your personality.

Please, do not underestimate the importance of how you begin the day! Regardless of what you choose for a gentler start, you will connect to a deeper realm that lies beyond the necessities of daily life. This creates inner space. This inner spaciousness will allow you to maintain serenity and inner freedom. Not necessarily for the entire rest of the day. The effect of a gentler start may last one to two hours. This, however, will increase over time and with consistency. Of course, the alarm will still go off and its sound may still be unpleasant. Now, however, you have something to look forward to, namely half an hour just for yourself.

Monika Walter, a former chaplain and psychologist, teaches yoga, Autogenic Training, and relaxation in Southern New Mexico. She offers a Self-Study Program and an e-course for Autogenic Training on her website. Visit developserenity.com developserenity.com to learn more.

Copyright 2009 Monika Walter

Teaching Hatha Yoga - Instilling Positive Thoughts in Your Students

There are times when Yoga students are temporarily struggling with negative thoughts. This happens to many people because moods can change over the course of hours, days, or weeks.

There are also times, when some people have a natural negative default mechanism in their thinking. For Yoga students to see reality, and experience self-worth, they must develop their awareness skills. A person who is constantly negative may not even realize it.

For anyone to change, they must first be aware of the need to change. However, developing a presence, in the moment, is rare, if the mind is untrained. To train the mind toward self-realization requires daily practice and meditation.

Once awareness is established, a person must want to change. If we are comfortable thinking the sky will fall, why should we change our thinking? For some of us, negative thought becomes a habit and eventually, an addiction.

The person, who carries a "cloud of doom" around, wherever he or she goes, is comfortable with that cloud overhead. If you suggest positive thoughts, you may see a natural resistance to them. Any thought can be twisted into negative energy. It is only natural to go back to thoughts which one is conditioned to think.

So what do you do in the case of a Yoga student who appears to be a natural born pessimist? Do not waste time by lecturing him or her. Do not allow an atmosphere, where students can engage in negative conversations. All students should be discouraged from negative talk or gossip. Strangely, pessimists often attract the worst behavior from dominant personalities.

Make sure your classes are well-rounded, by practicing a variety of Yogic techniques, which will create positive energy flows throughout your class. Whether you are teaching asanas, Pranayama, mudras, mantras, bandhas, or anything else, you want to emphasize positive energy. Avoid focusing on mistakes or poor form. Praising correct technique will create a positive atmosphere.

You can create positive thought, and make a big difference in your students' lives, just by giving general praise, when most of the class is performing a technique correctly.

Most of all - make positive visualization, affirmation, Pranayama, mantra, and meditation, part of your class. It should also be noted that certain Pranayama methods seem to naturally create collective positive thought, when performed in a group setting.

A suggested list of Yogic breathing techniques for positive energy would be: Bhastrika, Kapalabhati, Ujjayi, Anulom Vilom, Bhramari, and Udgeeth Pranayama. There are many more to choose from, but these six techniques would be a very good start.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. aurawellnesscenter.com aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive 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

Runner's Yoga - The New Way to Prevent Common Running Knee Injuries

Knee injuries can be a problem for beginning runners to elite competitors. Its prevalence is why preventing common running knee injuries is so important to all runners, regardless of experience level.

Many runners focus on perfecting their running form or purchasing the right pair of shoes to keep injuries at bay. And, while using proper form and equipment when running is highly beneficial, many of today's most forward-thinking runners are turning to yoga, a form of exercise dating back centuries, to keep their knees strong.

Common Running Knee Injuries Knee injuries can include:

Patella Tendonitis-- commonly called "runner's knee" causes pain at the front of the knee
Iliotibial Band Syndrome--causing discomfort on the outer side of the knee
Injury to the Cruciate Ligament--can sometimes create acute pain on the inside of the knee
Bursitis--often caused by a fall, bursitis occurs when swelling occurs within the bursa, fluid-filled sacks within the knee

For runners, yoga is especially helpful not only to prevent but to heal knee injuries. Yoga helps runners improve their balance, thus avoiding falls. Additionally, yoga builds strength and flexibility, factors believed to be important in knee injury prevention. Finally, yoga has been shown to improve overall posture and can help insure alignment of the knee with adjacent areas of the body that support it.

Is Runner's Yoga for You?

If you want to improve your endurance, protect and strengthen your body and become a more focused runner, the answer is a definite and enthusiastic "yes". By incorporating the regular practice of yoga into your training routine, you can not only benefit from its well-established health and wellness benefits, you can also help ensure that your knees will keep you comfortably in motion for years to come.

Yoga can be practiced at a studio, and luckily studios can now be found in nearly every community. Most runners will find that practicing yoga is most effective when done approximately three times per week. For this reason, you may find it easier and more convenient to do your training at home. At-home training programs such as squidoo.com/bestyogaforrunners Runner's Yoga have been developed to meet the special needs of runners.

I am an accomplished health and fitness professional with more than 20 years experience in the industry. I am passionate about helping others on their journey to a healthy life.
squidoo.com/bestyogaforrunners squidoo.com/bestyogaforrunners

You Can Do It

These are 9 things every man should set a goal for. Look up the word "fit" in the dictionary. Does is say anywhere how much a man should be able to lift or how fast her should be able to run? No. So we can't find a real definition of what fit means. Use this as your dictionary and get fit with us. Before you call yourself "in shape" try these rules. Any man can follow in the and if you can't go all the way at first we'll give you what you need to make it there. We say a fit man can bench press 1 1/2 of his body weight. Upper body strength for more then just the actually exercise. You'll look good in a tank top, when that guy at the bar hits on your lady you'll be able to throw his weight around.

You'll never have to worry about him again. Lye down flat on a bench press machine, keeping your feet flat to the ground the entire time. Divide the heaviest weight you've lifted times your body weight.

Score: Less than 1.0: a little weak but we can fix this. 1.0-1.49: Ordinary, you're not that bad off. 1.5 or more: You definitely know what's going on.

You want to strengthen a muscle?

The key is to lift fats. Follow these for a few weeks and you'll see how much you've improved.

*Take a weight that's about 40% of what you can lift at one time. Do nine sets of three reps. Don't forget to rest about 50-60 seconds between sets. Lower and raise the bar as fast as you can, changine your grip every three sets. Example :start at 16-20 then 20-24 inches apart.

*About three to four days after do three sets of flat, incline or decline barbell presses with the heaviest weight you can lift (six times).

*Press you head into the bench as you are lifting. Doing this will ensure that your spine is perfectly straight. Pushing your head into the bench activates neck extensors.

A man in shape can run a mile and a half in 11 minutes. Your body's ability to give oxygen to your working muscles shows that you're in peak performance. Doing exercises regularly (running) lowers your cholesterol and keeps your body fat to a minimum. This is good for prevention of heart disease. Run a mile and a half as fast as you can (try to keep on the flat surfaces) If you're trying to achieve aerobic capacity you need to be able to run long and fast.Follow these tips for 6-10 weeks and you'll improve your endurance up to 30%.

*If you need to walk that's okay. Every Sunday take a 40-60 minute run. Make sure that you never feel winded at any time. Like I said you can walk.

*On Tuesday do 4-6 half mile intervals at your won pace. Set a goal. If your goal is to run this in 10 minutes, each interval should be 3 minutes and 20 seconds.Don't forget to rest in-between.

*Thursday do 4-6 up hill runs. Run at a good pace. Take two minutes to rest in-between intervals. For the last interval jog for about 10-15 minutes.

*Split the distance into four 600-yard intervals and run them at a pace that's 10 percent faster than your 11/2-mile pace, resting 1 minute after each.

A man in shape can be able to give a good leap forward. This shows lower body strength and speed. This is good for when you're trying to steal base etc...A man that's in shape should score high for a vertical jump. Grab a piece of chalk when doing this, chalk you fingers and stand flat footed against a wall, Put your chalked fingers as high as you can up the wall and mark it. Without taking a step, dip your knees and swing your arms and jump. The distance between the two marks is your vertical distance. Score:20 inches or less: You're not jumping far enough to lift off the ground. Between 20 and 26 inches: Not too bad but you have room for improvement. Higher than 26 inches: Great job.

*If you want to jump higher you'll have to practice it.

*Stand on something that's about 12" off the ground and step off the box. The minute your feet touch the ground jump as high as you can. Keep repeating this about 5 times.

*Do four more sets, rest 30 seconds between sets.

*Never use your first jump to score. You're just getting started. When it comes to strength, your lower half is your better half. Your butt and leg muscles are the root of your body.You need your lower half for almost everything. Get in position in the leg press machine, lower the weight until your legs are bent about 90 degrees then push the weight back up. To figure out your score divide the highest amount of weight you've lifted times your body weight. Score: Less than 1.8: Not very sturdy. 1.8 to 2.2: Not too bad but you can do much better. More than 2.2: Nice leg power, keep it up. Want stronger legs in three weeks? Try this.

* Use a weight that's about 95 percent of the amount you lifted when you first tried. Do 10 sets of one rep, rest for 80 seconds after each set.

*This should be done at least two times a week, and every time you do it take away 10 seconds out of your resting period. period . When your rest period is down to 30 seconds, retake the test and use more weight.

* Before you take the test do a leg press with 20% more weight than what you think you can lift. Lower the weight only halfway before pushing it back up. When doing this your muscles will be expecting a heavier weight. It'll seem a lot easier and you'll be able to lift more.

Swimming is a great workout. It needs aerobic capacity and upper body muscle. Swim as much as you can in 12 minutes. Your total distance in yards will be your score. Less than 500 yards: You're drowning. 500-700 yards: Good but room for improvement. More than 700 yards: Go fishy! There's only about 2 out of 100 people that can swim a quarter mile without stopping. Thats probably because they have poor form and this can greatly affect the way you're swimming.

*Always keep your head straight with your body. *When breathing, I know this sounds weird but breath from your belly button and roll. Don't change the position of your head. You'll float better and use less energy. This way you'll be able to swim more. * Swim 25 yards to practice your form. Begin swimming a total of 200 yards every time you practice. Eight 25 yard intervals. yards Each week add 50 yards until you're swimming at least 500 yards. Bring on 25 more intervals every two weeks, until you can to swim the entire distance without stopping.

How does 40 push ups sound? Tough? Pushups measure upper-body strength .Do you think you can drop right now and do 40 push ups? Try it and see how you do. If you can do this when you really need your upper body strength you'll have it. Get you body on the floor and make sure your arms are parallel to the floor and you shoulders. Start to push yourself up and do this as many times as your body will let you. Score 25 or fewer: not tough enough bud. 26-39: Not too bad but also not too good. 40 or more: Nice bod keep up the good work.

Building an upper body. * Do sets of half the number of pushups that you just did. Rest 60 seconds between sets. When you've done a total of 40 pushups. Example: if you did 12 pushups in the test, you'll need to do seven sets of six pushups.

* Each time you work your upper body do it every four days. Take off 5 seconds from the rest interval. After 12 sessions of this you'll be able to do 40 pushups without resting.

*Time how long it takes you to do as many pushups as you can. Then rest for the same amount of time. Repeat this two to four times. You'll improve your upper-body strength fast.

What does your belly look like?

If your belly is growing faster than your kids you have big problems. More fat you have in your belly the greater risk you're at for heart disease. We want you to be a man that's in shape you won't get heart disease. The easiest way to figure your risk level is to do a comparison of your waist and hip measurements. Get a measuring tape and measure your waist at the narrowest point. Measure the distance around the widest part of your butt and hips. Divide your waist measurement by your hip circumference to find out your risk level. Score 0.92 or higher: You're not doing too well. 0.82 to 0.91: Not bad but room for improvement. 0.81 or less: Good going Arnold.

To lose this extra weight you will have to exercise and eat good foods Which probably mean you'll have to go on a diet. Try this, take 250 calories out everyday and burn away 250 calories a day with exercise. That's 500 calories in one day. You're going to do great! 250 calories is about the same as a 355 ml can of Coke and two handfuls of chips. If you want to burn the same number of calories through exercise, try lifting weights for 30 minutes, walk 2 1/2 miles, whatever you're doing it has to get your heart rate up above normal. Only allow so much inside you. Watch your carbohydrates. Which you eat after 5 p.m. As the day goes on your body will store what you eat and turn it into fat.

Whether you're chasing a man who has robbed an elderly lady or running just because you want to see how fast you can go, every now and then a man just needs to test himself. Is it possible for you to do 300 yards in 60 seconds? If so, you have the speed you need for about anything. Run as fast as you can. Do this 6 times, for a total of 300 yards. Score More than 70 seconds: Way too slow bud. 60 to 70 seconds: Keep trying you're on the road for improvement. Less than 60 seconds: Fast as lightning.

*Run at 85% of everything you've got for 1 minute. *Then run at a lower pace, maybe 40% of everything you've got. Alternate between speeds for about 20 minutes. *Try this on a hill to get even better results.

Run as hard as you can each time you push off the line for your first three steps. Run though the middle area of each 25 yard run. Try and keep the same speed you gained from your sprint. This will help your speed alot. Beginning and stopping parts of the run are where most guys give up. Getting started is the hardest part and is much more.

We're not telling you to be a gymnast but you do need to be a bit flexible. even to tie your shows. If tying your shoes is already a problem for you listen up. Flexible muscles will help keep you moving at whatever it is your doing. Research shows from the ages 35-50, an average man's flexibility has gone down by 25 %. Without flexible muscles you can be heading into a bit of trouble. Here's some tips to help you make yourself a bit more flexible.

*Measure out 15 inches on the floor. *Sit down with your legs out in front of you and have your heels at the edge of the tape. *Place both hands on top of one another and reach towards your feet. Reach as far as you can without bending your legs. The score will be set by if you reached your feet or not.

Score Less than 15 inches: You're in need of some yoga. 15 to 17 inches: Room for improvement. More than 17 inches: You're great at this. Show me more little gymnast!

Completely relax yourself and your muscles will be more receptive to being stretched.

*Put your left leg on a step or whatever is near you that's almost as high as your waist. Have your leg straight and lean forward, as far as you can go and still being comfortable.

*Keep leaning as you're bending your knee, push the heel of your foot into the bench for 10 seconds. Relax and put your leg straight. Just from doing this every few days you'll be able to lean forward more then when you first started. than when you started. When doing this try and hold the position for 20-30 seconds.

*Do this three times. Going forward more each time.

* Always do a few little stretch before any exercise. Stand and put the heel of you foot on top of a ball. Have your leg straight and have them out in front of you. Don't move your body but try and move your foot in a circle motion. This will relax your leg muscles.

It's been told that a man that's in shape can throw a basket ball 75 feet from his knees. Here is why this is important, throwing for a certain distance measures all of your upper body strength. A man in shape should have a strong arm. Not just to throw a ball but also to kick some ass if he ever need to.

Kneel on the court and throw the basketball overhand as far and as hard as you can.

Score Less than 60 feet: I think you need a new arm. 60 to 74 feet: Need improvement but okay. More than 74 feet: You're on fire!

Tips on how to make your upper half strong. Try doing some single arm presses .This will improve upper-body speed and strength.

*Get a dumbbell with a grip on it and hold it in your left right hand.

*Stand with your feet parallel to you shoulders have your knees bent just a bit. Pull that dumbbell right up in the air and bent your knees a bit. Then get back up.

*When pulling up move the weight in an arc over your upper arm until the dumbbell rests on the top of your shoulder. Make sure your upper arm is still parallel to the floor. Bent your knees again and go. * Push the weight over your shoulders until your arm is fully straightened. Start again but switch arms.

*Do this two days week and rest for three days. Do three sets of four reps with a heavy weight in one of the workouts. Do eight sets of one repetition with a much lighter weight(30 % of the heaviest weight you can lift in the other arm.) *Try throwing the ball on a 40- 45 degree angle.

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Changing Up Your Workout

If you are interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, your doctor has probably told you the importance of keeping up with an exercise regimen. Most health experts agree that a person needs 20-30 minutes of cardio, three to five times per week, as well as strength training twice a week. While it is good to get on a regular schedule, changing up your workout can actually help your body and keep you interested in your exercise.

One major complaint of people who are trying to lose weight is that they hit a plateau. This can be very discouraging. Even for those who are not trying to lose weight, it is easy for the body to get used to a workout program, and you cease to see the results of working out. Therefore, although developing an exercise routine can be helpful for making sure that you do your required amount of cardio and weight training each week, it can also lose its potency as you continue with the program.

A great way to add some variety to your workouts can be instituting interval training. If you are an avid jogger or walker, this is any easy way to change up your routine without giving up the joy that you get from your chosen form of cardio. Interval training has actually been proven to be more beneficial for your body anyway. With this type of workout a person varies the intensity of their exercise. For example, you can warm up with a five minute walk, then jog two minutes, then sprint for one. You can repeat the jog-sprint cycle for as many times as you want, then cool down with another five minute walk. This forces your heart to change its rate according to your intensity level.

If you are bored with your chosen type of workout, there are a number of ways that you can exercise your body while still having fun. Taking fitness classes can take the pressure off of you in making up your own program. You can try kickboxing, boxing, yoga, Pilates, etc. Many people have found that having a director or personal trainer helps with devising new ways to keep you strong and in shape.

Lastly, picking up new skills and hobbies can also be joined with new forms of exercise. If you live near a lake or another body of water, you should consider learning how to waterski or wakeboard, both of which are good core, leg, and back workouts. For those of us not near the water, taking up cycling or rollerblading are other ways that we can not only learn a new skill but also work your heart.

Sometimes, it can be helpful to look online for exercise and healthy living tips.

For more information on workout ideas as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, check out the healthdirectoryforyou.com Health Directory today.

Joseph Devine

Increase Your Flexibility

Yoga can be a good way to increase your flexibility. If you want to increase flexibility, it will take time and patience. When you stretch, don't bounce, get in your stretch and hold it for 10 to 15 seconds. Stretch when you wake up, bend down as far as possible touch your toes. If you feel tightness in your hamstrings, it's fine just don't over do it. Daily, work your way as far down as you can. Touch your toes with straight legs daily until you can get your palms flat on the floor, keep doing it otherwise the muscles will tighten again. A good stretch will hurt a little while it is happening! You will definitely increase your flexibility. It may be a long process.

If you want to increase flexibility, it will take time and patience. The first thing to do is to look at yoga poses and adapt them to your routine. Start with stretching 5-10 minutes a day and build up to thirty minutes at least. Some really good stretches for the leg lift involve ballet stretches

Try these exercises, increasing them over a gradual amount of time- and keep up with it, if you don't use it, you loose it.

Spread your legs a little less then shoulder width apart, keep your back as straight as possible, arms straight out above your head, then bring them to meet your toes, trying to not bend anything. if you cant reach, no worries. go as far as you can. but always push yourself a little. hold it there for 30 seconds, repeat. gradually up the amount of time you spend holding your toes until it doesn't hurt at all and you could stand like that all day

Stand with a slight distance away from a wall. Look straight ahead, so your side is parallel to the wall. stick your leg closest to the wall straight out as much as possible so its resting against the wall, then try to lift it as high as possible, hold it there till you start feeling vibrations, build it up until your foot ends up above your head.

Sit down, legs straight out. Keep your back up straight, arms out, bring them to touch your toes again.

Sit down with your rear-end firmly on the ground, spread legs as far apart as possible, then touch each toe separately as above.

For splits, stretch your legs before the splits and they will go farther. Hold each split for thirty seconds, and push yourself until you feel a slight strain. Once you have your splits, work on holding it longer until it becomes comfortable as you adjust to a more difficult pose. Once you have mastered the pose, try leaning forward a bit, or bending your back knee and pulling your foot up. This should increase your flexibility, and better your spirals.

Tuck in your pelvis, and keep your hips square.

Use your abdominal muscles and find a point of concentration.

If you want to become more flexible simply stretch as a daily exercise and over a period of time you'll recognize that you can stretch to a further distance. When your more flexible you'll be able to avoid injuries . Being flexible increases you agility as to not being stiff. When you are flexible you can maintain good posture as well which can improve on your presence on the ice. Just stretch a lot and try different exercises to help:

There are several ways to improve your flexibility:

The ballet perspective to stretching:

When on releve, press the floor away from you and go all the way up on the ball of your foot. The weight should be on the first three toes. Turn out from your hips. Keep your shoulders down.

-Practice standing on releve

-Stand flat (non-releve) with one leg in passe (reverse legs)

-Stand in releve with one leg in passe (reverse legs)

-Stand flat (non-releve) with one leg in second (reverse legs)

-Stand in releve with one leg in second (reverse legs)

-Practice bringing one foot up from coupe to passe flat (non-releve) (reverse legs)

-Practice bringing one foot up from coupe to passe in releve (reverse legs)

-Do a plie, forced arch, releve combination, reverse

There are several types of stretches that you can practice, and it is important to know the types of stretches to perform:

Back:

Lie on the floor with you feet facing forward, flat on the ground, hip level apart, hands flat on the ground by your ears. Push up so your in a bridge position, hold for 10 counts.

Repeat with one arm on your stomach (right and left)

and with one leg up pointed towards the ceiling (right and left)

-Kneel down, hip length apart. Don't sit on your legs, keep your body up. Arms straight up over your head, shoulder length apart. Go back and try and touch your hands as close to the ground as possible.

Legs:

Sit with your legs turned out, toes pointed. Reach right for 10 counts, then center for 10 counts, then left for 10 counts. Then repeat.

-Practice the splits daily, right, left, straddle. You can use a mat or a pillow to propped one leg to give you an extra deep stretch.

Flexibility helps better prepared the muscles as you practice you elements on the ice; and helps prevent injuries. That is why it is important to stretch before and after any workout. The goal is to stretch slow and long, not short and fast. Don't bounce when you stretch. Stretching on a regular will improve flexibility. Increasing your flexibility will help you jump better, and higher.

There are different types of stretches that you can practice, and it is important to know the types of stretches in order to choose the right type of stretch to perform.

Passive - usually performed when an outside force (rubber-like, or another force) applies stretch to a relaxed joint. The stretch must be performed slowly in order to prevent injuries.

Static - can be performed alone and refers to when a muscle is slowly lengthened to maximum, held for 15-30 seconds and repeated three to five times. Slowly and gradually maximize the stretch as the tension in the muscle begins to relax.

Recommended type of stretching. According to the literature, permanent lengthening is achieved when static stretching is performed gradually, at lower force and for longer duration while the core body temperature is elevated.

Ballistic - bouncing a stretch. This is more likely to initiate the stretch reflex, which is a nerve response that tells the muscle to contract if it is stretched beyond its limit. This is the point where injuries may occur. You must be careful as to not go beyond your maximum limitations and aggravate the muscle.

Warm up before any type of workout.

Dynamic or Functional - the ability to use a range of joint movement for a particular movement within sport or physical activity. These movements are performed either slowly or rapidly. Dynamic or Functional stretching is considered a type of ballistic stretch and caution should be used when performing this type of stretch. A warm-up is recommended before stretching and then progress to static stretching before attempting any dynamic type of stretching.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Techniques-( contract/relax and contract/relax). For this type of stretching, it is important to know which muscle is being targeted. Put the targeted muscle on tension, then contract the targeted muscle during the stretch while relaxing the opposing muscle. The contraction does not have to be maximum, do what you can. Respect your limitations. Hold the contraction for a few seconds, move to the new point, and hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat the process. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching develops strength. Consult your coach in order to able to safely accomplish this type of stretching.

Breathing is important when flexing, breathe from your diaphragm, not your chest. Find a point of focus when doing any exercises, it will improve concentration. Practice will improve your flexibility, do at least half an hour every day, and after several repetitions you should already be doing much better- providing you change your routine as to not become stagnant with the same pattern.

If you want to increase flexibility, it will take time and patience. The first thing to do is look at yoga poses and adapt them. Start with stretching 5-10 minutes a day and build up to thirty minutes at least. Some really good stretches for the leg lift involve ballet stretches. Stretch daily, and go deep into your stretches, really work them. Everyday try to get lower and lower. Stretch responsibly. Respect your limitations. While it is okay to experience moderate discomfort when stretching, it should not be unbearable however.

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Home Workout Routines Without Weights at Home

For years I performed extremely high intensity workouts using pushup, pullup, and bodyweight squat variations. These high intensity workouts are great for fat loss and athletic performance, but only for a short period of time. What happened was that after training 6 days a week for 20 minute sessions, my body became tired and I was unable to recover from my workouts.

A few days later, as I was watching the Olympics with a few of my friends, I began thinking to myself - How is it that athletes are able to recover so quickly from their high intensity training sessions? What's the missing link? Well, naturally a large part of it is nutrition.

But that wasn't the answer I was looking for. I was already eating rather healthy. So, I needed to know what exactly I was doing wrong if I were to lose any more fat and improve my athletic performance. After some searching, and examining the training programs of bodyweight training athletes such as gymnasts, yogis, and dancers, I came across the answer.

The biggest mistake I was making was not varying my training intensity enough. You will never make any long term progress if you perform high intensity training all the time, and you will never make any progress if you perform low intensity training all the time.

For optimal fat loss, you need to alternate between the two intensity levels. When I stared incorporating high intensity bodyweight training and low intensity yoga, I started getting results again. And the best thing is, they results have not slowed down yet!

There is actually a great bodyweight training program out there which uses gymnastic and yoga movements to create high intensity bodyweight fat loss workouts. You can find out more information about this incredible bodyweight fat loss program on my site, WorkoutWithoutWeights.net [workoutwithoutweights.net/bodyweight-blueprint-for-fat-loss]

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

How You Might Use Yoga Fitness to Your Benefit

It is common for people who exercise to find doing the same routine boring after a while. They might have a membership at the gym, use a treadmill in their living room and participate in the odd aerobics class but still find them not interesting after a while. Sometimes the key to getting into shape is to try new things and keep your mind and body active with what it is doing. The idea behind yoga fitness has many perks to it that might have you excited about exercise again.

Once you learn the reasons behind this type of activity then you might not view it in a strange way. Typical yoga might be pared with meditation and unusual and painful poses and stretches. The truth is many forms of yoga do use breathing activities and stretches, however when you are going it and having fun, then you are not really thinking about it anymore.

If you are willing to give yoga a shot, then you have many resources to try. Places that specialize in yoga classes and teachings will be able to give you some high quality classes that are instructed by certified yoga teachers. If you are part of a gym, it might have a yoga class for you to try. When you are new to the sport, there are beginner classes for you that move up to advanced when you are ready. DVDs can be bought or rented and tried in the home if that is how you would prefer to try it.

It will take a while to master the moves involved in completing the classes. It is important to give it a try and attempt a few different classes before you rule it out. It might seem hard and difficult at first, but with a few repeat classes you just might be on your way to becoming a pro.

This workout method has a way of conditioning the body and mind. You will have more energy and be able to focus better than before. Stronger muscles can happen with the continued use of yoga throughout the week.

Yoga should be combined with other forms of exercise to see some awesome results. For a tight and fit body you can try many different kinds of fitness that will help to improve your strength and endurance. When you are able to do yoga and other activities, your body will be in great shape.

Many people who are trying to loose weight will include yoga classes as part of their routine and schedule. It has many weight loss properties that can help you get into the best shape ever.

For a low impact exercise that can be used by pregnant women and seniors, the concept of yoga fitness can help everyone who gives it a try. It is a well loved form of exercise that has a strong history for a good reason. Most people try it and find that they cannot stop, it is a fun and rewarding type of class.

As a leader in the Fitness industry, linkedin.com/companies/extreme-fitness Extreme Fitness strives to offer its members extremefitness.ca/yoga yoga Toronto. Check us out today and find out what one of the premiere gym Toronto is all about.

Looking for a Family Friendly Rewarding Career?

Are you looking for a new family friendly career? Would you like to work hours that fit in with the needs of your own family? Do you love babies? Would you love the opportunity to work with babies? Would you like a career which is generally rewarding and enhances the well being of babies and their parents? If you have answered yes to all of these questions then maybe you should think about training as a baby massage and yoga teacher.

The beauty of becoming a baby yoga and massage teacher is that you can easily fit the career around the needs of your own growing family. You can work part-time, say around 15 hours but still earn a full-time income of potentially ?20,000 a year. This sounds like the perfect job for busy mums who love being around babies and likeminded parents.

You may ask what skills are needed to train as a baby yoga and baby massage teacher. Well none to put it bluntly. You don't need any previous skills in working with mothers and babies and you don't need to be super fit. All you need is a passion in helping others share the amazing benefits that baby yoga and massage can give to parents and babies. Also you need some determination to succeed, but that can be said for any business.

The benefits of baby massage and baby yoga are recognised by the NHS, midwives and other health organisations and professionals. Baby massage and baby yoga are revolutionary new topics which have the potential to help mothers and babies all over the UK to bond and keep healthy. The techniques aid babies with neural development, balance, co-ordination and sensory motor skills. What better way to give a child a very beneficial start in life.

Once qualified you will be able to work in fitness clubs within your local community and of course working the hours that suit you and your needs. This is so important with the type of life mothers lead today. With so many commitments and responsibilities it's becoming increasingly difficult to try and juggle both a family life and a career, but it seems we are expected too. The hardest and most important job in the world is bring up children well. They are the next generation and so many children are just being palmed off to nannies who may do a good job, but there is nothing better than a nurturing motherly instinct when it comes to bringing up children. This can be achieved if you decide you want a career as a baby yoga and baby massage teacher.

MamaBabyBliss offer mamababybliss.com/training Baby Massage Training courses (Affiliate Integrated Diploma in Baby Massage and Baby Yoga). Within just 4 months you could be qualified and ready to start enjoying a family friendly career running mamababybliss.com/shop/classes/for-babies/baby-massage.php Baby Massage Classes.

The Common Fitness Techniques Of A Modern Day Pilates Workout

With Pilates becoming one of the fastest growing forms of fitness exercise it has gotten a lot of attention on TV, Radio and even from movie stars like Daisy Fuentes. Since Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates, a German National, there have been many different techniques developed such as the popular techniques of Mari Winsor, Stott Pilates and even Power Pilates.

Although there are many versions and techniques of Pilate workouts developed each version focuses on the core developed by Joseph Pilates. The goal of this article is to explore the core movements and techniques of a modernday Pilates workout.

Flexibility:

At the core of a Pilates workout is stretching and building flexibility to relieve stress in the joints and muscles. The one thing about stretching that most people do not realize is that stretching is a very good workout for building muscles as well. Also stretching helps prevent injury which is a common reason people using Pilate's report such a low incidence of injury while working out.

Body And Mind

Building a solid body and mind is another core technique of the Pilates training method. Since Pilates offers movements that build strength and muscle tone people using Pilates find a huge fitness benefit of the training. Unlike Yoga which focuses more on stretching, Pilates looks to build muscle tone with state of the art movements. In addition, breathing techniques of Pilates workouts are used to increase blood flow to the brain which ultimately circulation in the body and removes toxins.

Posture

The average workout such as sit up or push ups focuses on a certain muscle. Pilate's workouts focus on total body movements that work the whole body. This allows many people to get in a comprehensive workout, but most of all it provides a balanced approach that aligns the body. This help people who practice Pilates develop a better posture through movements that help the core of the body. Also the strength gained from a Pilate's workout help to improve body shape which ultimately improves posture.

Motions

Unlike other stretching workout Pilates workouts look to improve the motion of your body. Since Pilate's works out your body with many motions your muscles that support your joints become stronger. The stretching of these muscles allows you to become more elastic and thus the combination of these two makes your body motions smoother.

Overall Pilates is a total body workout that will provides benefits to the entire body and mind by helping relieve stress, improve posture, flexibility and muscle strength and ultimately helping with living a more balanced life.

About The Author: John Candroogle is the author and publisher of various pilates informaiton resources where you can get information on Pilates Workouts [pilatesfitnessworkout.com/] and windsorpilatesguide.blogspot.com Yoga Pilates workouts.

Couples Who Play Together, Stay Together

For years, I've been working with couples on the idea of play. I've even created a number of workshops specifically for this objective. Many people in relationships don't seem to put enough emphasis on the fun times they share together. Focus is often placed on shared responsibilities, social commitments, household budgets, family obligations, and other activities that fall within these realms. For all popular purposes, couples can quickly find themselves more like a member of a team than part of an actual relationship. Not that teamwork isn't an important facet of a loving bond; it can often make or break a relationship. But when a couple loses their identity as lovers, real issues almost immediately follow.

There's an emotional connection that is formed between two people in a committed relationship. Over time, if attention isn't paid to it, this bond can begin to lie dormant. Think back to when you first met - the excitement, the mystery, the tension, the possibility. It's all still there. Each quality that drew you to this other person is still present; you simply know them a little better. You've seen them at their worst; you've seen them at their best. But you still haven't seen them from every angle. By letting the demands of daily life get in the way, it can skew your perception of one another and force your bond into almost a state of hibernation. You just need to clear a path and wake it up, it's far from dead.

Finding time to play, be it a relaxing afternoon in the park or an intimate evening at home, can do wonders for any relationship. These shared activities help, in one way or another, to remind you what exactly brought the two of you together. Being together shouldn't be a grind, it should be fun. As with anything in life, it's all in how you approach it. By devoting a little time for one another, time to truly enjoy each other's presence, you are helping sustain, and even strengthen, your connection. Once you've done this, your lives won't seem quite as hectic as they did before because it's no longer all work - there's now play.

In the work I do with couples, I talk a lot about being present and in the moment of each other's lives. It's like the difference between hearing and listening. You can hear what your partner is saying because you have the capacity to do so, but are you actually listening to what they're saying? Listening involves devoted attention to not only the words, but also the tone and inflection of how these words are delivered. Listening is exactly like being present in a relationship. It's making an active connection between you and another person.

Continuing to play in a relationship can really keep it fun. When something is fun, we're far more interested and engaged. Makes sense, right? All we need is the time. Don't let your belief that you have none dictate your relationship. Just set aside some time to play together, you'll both be better for it.

Copyrighted 2008, Marianne Wells LLC, All rights reserved
Marianne Wells, International Yoga Presenter
Specializing in the Yoga Alliance 200 Hour RYT Teacher Training
mariannewells.com mariannewells.com

Yoga Exercise Programming For Spas

Spotlighting Yoga along with combined sport-particular workshops - Show your guests exactly how a good stretching plan and yoga class can enhance their golf and tennis games; odds are they will be hooked. Design some creative clinics which tackle the various muscle groups employed in specific sports. For instance: There are many yoga poses created for loosing the shoulder blades and creating more flexion within the spinal column. Shoulder stretching is equally important in golf, tennis as well as swimming. Various other stretches which improve golf as well as tennis performance are hip, hamstring muscle and arm stretches as well as twists and rotations. Often times, folks forget or just don't make the time to loosen up before and stretch following the game. Yoga exercise can be joined with any kind of existing activity within your fitness center - "yoga for weight training" is a favorite program in California. This particular fitness center not too long ago introduced this type of yoga to do a Teachers Training.

Tools to really make it work:

Finding an Instructor. Without a great teacher this program will not get very far. Try to obtain more than one instructor. It gives the chance to alternate and observe how the customers respond, the right instructor will soon start to stand out; 100 % classes, glowing reviews and a committed clientele. Look for a certified instructor who has some expertise. A plus is definitely an instructor that has both yoga exercise and physical fitness knowledge. Check their credentials very carefully, there are some that examine some postures from the book after which call themselves a yoga master. You'll find high quality teachers by means of local studios or health clubs. You may also want to have a visiting teacher come in for the Preliminary workshop to help you get things off to a strong start.

Space - A quiet space is suggested - perhaps an out-of-the-way racquetball court or fitness studio. Important factors incorporate the ability to dim the lights and also have adequate heating - a bright, cold place is not conducive to heavy relaxation and quieting the particular thoughts. You may also want to light safety candle lights and burn some incense for that complete body/mind feel. Creating a room in a tiny fitness health spa club can be difficult. Provide some yoga throughout prime time and see how your own customers react.

Materials - Mats, preferably Specific yogamats, fitness mats will do if totally necessary. Once the plan is ongoing the proper mats could make a big difference. Appropriate yoga mats provide a slight cushion for the body yet enough traction to have a good stretch out.

Programming as well as Times - In your initial question, you will want to have an idea of schedules that different groups are available. Starting a yoga exercise plan within a health spa, club or resort is great business, regardless of whether on a weekly basis, specific function, or on a workshop basis. As club members across the country grow older, a lot more of them are likely to desire yoga. At many clubs these days, the yoga classes are more popular as compared to the aerobic exercise courses. Keep up with the trends and provide your own guests members something that is good for your body as well as the mind plus your bottom line.

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

What Is Needed: Ab Crunches, Core Training or Stomach Firming Cream?

Still got that extra little pouch after the pregnancy is long gone? Lost weight but still have that roll or extra fold around the middle? Pilates and yoga aren't there? Tried sit ups and crunches and nothing changing? This maybe is not about weight or muscle. Maybe this is all about happinesslifetime.com aging skin. Maybe this happens because your skin is low on elastin.

Maybe a stomach firming cream can help with this problem?

Elastin is one of the key proteins that makes up skin. Elastin keeps skin tight and flexible. When you smile your facial muscles pull the skin. When you move any muscle your skin stretches. Enough elastin in your skin and it return to its original shape without wrinkling or bagging. Leftover folds, rolls or wrinkles are a result of inadequate elastin.

Science and technology has developed a combination of two ingredients to improve elastin production in the skin and reverse this visible sign of aging.

Xtend-TK
Nano-Lipobelle H EQ10

Xtend-TK is a unique form of bio-active keratin - a protein found throughout your body. It is unique because

it is not yet found in drugstore brand happinesslifetime.com skin care
it is extracted from organic New Zealand wool
it poses no health risks or side effects that over the counter brands may. Commercial elastin is harvested from cows and birds which may be a link to mad cow disease or avian flu

Xtend-TK so closely resembles the basic protein in your skin that it stimulates your own elastin to grow again. It also stimulates the regrowth of skin cells to further strengthen and tighten your skin.

Nano-Lipobelle H EQ10 is cutting edge research and development. Technology can now reduce nutrients to a tiny, tiny microscopic size called nanos. This allows nutrients to penetrate deep into skin tissues. Co enzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant responsible for skin health has been reduced to a nano-emulsion called Nano-Lipobelle H EQ10. It produces a dramatic anti-wrinkle effect. By penetrating to all seven layers of the skin, Nano-Lipobelle H EQ10 increases elastin production in your skin. It also stimulates the regrowth of skin cells to increase the strength and smoothness of your skin. This is the most effective form of Co enzyme Q10 available.

Xtend-TK and Nano-Lipobelle H EQ10 and seven other ingredients create an age defense active body lotion that acts as a stomach firming cream.

If you would like to know more about the smooth-glowing-skin.com stomach firming cream products I recommend, visit my website. There, you'll find lots more information and tips, and you can download my free 5 day course on getting a great complexion, free of blemishes and wrinkles and toned and tight. Visit smooth-glowing-skin.com smooth-glowing-skin.com/ today!

Lose Weight With Yoga and Meditation

Yoga is a series of postures meant to relax and stretch your body yes, but it also allows you to increase your flexibility, strength & balance while becoming more in-tuned & aware of your body's needs & subtle changes. It's the new found body awareness that will help you to lose weight using yoga.

If you allow it to you, yoga can help you find your own inner truth and therefore tap into the reasons why you reach for food long after you are full.

Meditation on the other hand will also help you to gain internal insight & awareness into yourself. Traditional meditation is as simple as lying in corpse pose - lying on your back as if you are sleeping, with palms open and facing skyward, legs spread slightly apart, arms outstretched 45 degrees away from your body, head facing forward, eyes closed. Another traditional for meditation pose can be to sit with your legs crossed, sitting tall with palms facing upward with the thumb and index finger touching.

With all meditation poses it is key to breathe - inhale & exhale slowly. Pay attention to your breath and notice where it moves throughout your body. Notice how it really feels to inhale & exhale. Give yourself your undivided attention. No music, no blackberry, no cell phone, no television and no books. No noise should surround be you. I know for some of you that will be the hardest challenge to not allow noise or other daily distractions to permeate around you.

Apart from these poses one can also be in a mindful meditation while walking, gardening, cleaning or even eating. How many of us truly pay attention to what we are eating? Once you are working on your meditation practice it can be expanded to all areas of your life including eating. What that means is when you put something in your mouth you must truly taste it, savour it and feel it nourishing your body. You must ask yourself some questions:

Do you eat your food so quickly that you don't even give yourself the opportunity to do that?

Do you eat while doing other activities so that you can't be more mindful of what you put in your mouth?

Are you thankful for the food that you are eating?

Can you say a small prayer of thanks for the food that you are about to eat?

Can you chew your food more to really enjoy it?

Have you looked at your food and recognized if it is or is not actually providing your body with the nutrients that it needs?

Becoming more aware of your body will allow you to become more aware of how your body feels and the food that it truly needs and desires. When you reach for that donut or cookie, start asking yourself why are you reaching for this food? As your awareness grows, you will start to eat less and eat more healthfully.

Losing weight through meditation and yoga is a slow and gradual process and not a quick fix weight loss solution. Remember that in the race between the tortoise & the hare, it is the tortoise that won. Slow & steady always wins the race especially when it comes to losing weight through yoga and meditation. You don't want to crash & burn like the hare.

Your meditation practice can start off for simply 10 minutes twice a week first thing in the morning when your home is the most silent. Then gradually work yourself up to a daily practice. Your yoga practice can start off once a week with a Hatha, Ashtanga, Moksha or Bikram class, then gradually move to twice a week. Remember that variety is the spice of life so be sure to try different yoga styles and to incorporate other activities like running, weight training, kettle bells, swimming, and spin classes to really ramp up your results. You can also start your yoga practice at home doing 3-5 Sun Salutations each morning.

Yoga & meditation can help you to lose weight by bringing your awareness to how your body truly looks, being mindful of what you put in your mouth and helping you to recognize when your stomach is full.

Just think of the tortoise and the hare and desire to be more like the tortoise in 2010.

Davelle Morrison is a certified Yoga Instructor & Personal Trainer and Co-creator of FIT, FIRM 'N FAB Fitness, Nutrition & Wellness for Women. Join the FIT, FIRM 'n FAB team for a weekend fitness getaway in January 2010 and ONLINE BODY TRANSFORMATION Program at fitfirmandfab.com fitfirmandfab.com/ where you will learn techniques to lose weight using yoga and meditation.

Yoga - The Couch Potato's Way to Health and Fitness!

Have you been called a "couch potato?"  Does the title "cream puff" fit?  Never exercise?  Then there is a simple solution to get you back into shape.  It's called Yoga. 

I know what you're thinking!  You have to stand on your head, twist yourself into a pretzel, or have incredible strength to do Yoga.  Those are myths that came about because Yoga originates in India, a place greatly misunderstood by most Americans. 

The exposure most of us have had to the ancient culture and exercise forms of India is what they see in movies and TV shows.  That view of Yoga is design to entertain people watching films and sitcoms and not to inform them about the truth. 

Many people who have seen factual information on India in a documentary don't realize that the Yogi presenting the art form was a master and doing poses that show off his prowess or excite him the most.  Also, the amount of information presented was only a small portion of what is actually available on the subject.  Thousands of books, instructional videos, and classes have been created in the more than 1,000 years since Yoga was first practiced. 

Finally, any experts touting the benefits of Yoga as an exercise form seem intimidating because they have transformed themselves into super humans with years of hard work and dedication. When these instructors show previews of their training secrets in an infomercial, they combine a wide variety of poses to excite the experienced as well as the novice.

Take away the ancient names and the poses for experienced practitioners and you have a great starting point for the average Joe or Jane.  

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, breath in while extending your arms above your head, and looking up to the sky until your back is arched.  That starts most peoples Yoga workout.  The routine continues by slowly leaning forward and exhaling until your finger tips are pointing at the ground and your face is pointing toward your legs.    

Getting the picture?  Yoga has a beginning for the novice practitioner that involves nothing more than the ability to follow simple instructions, be able to breath in and out, and a desire to improve one's fitness level.  Also, because Yoga novices need only shorts and a t-shirt to get started, anyone could get off the sofa right now and begin improving their health. 

Go to "Free Zone" in your cable on demand section and look under health and fitness.  Yoga workouts are their in a wide variety of styles.  Many of them are for beginners.

If the choices available on demand aren't palatable then look for free Yoga instruction on the internet (yogaclass.com).  It is also easy to purchase a DVD (amazon.com) or download a Yoga workout that instructs beginners (exercisetv.tv).  Some cost as little as $1.99!  

Yoga is also a great starting point for the newcomer to health and fitness because of the variety.  Many people stop exercising because of the boredom involved in doing long and repetitive workouts.  Who enjoys chugging along on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bike for an hour or more?  Not most people. 

It is estimated that Yoga forms from around the world include a total of 20,000 unique poses.  Since one hundred carefully and gently employed poses more than make up a good beginning workout it is to see how a newcomer can find stances that are easily executed and enjoyable. 

Currently a lot of fitness professionals are talking about plateau.  That simply means doing the same workout for too long causes its effectiveness to decrease over time. 

One hundred divides into 20,000 two hundred times if you create each workout from poses not used in another workout.  Start mixing your favorite poses with stances you haven't yet used and you could probably exercise everyday of the rest of your life without doing the same workout twice.

Another advantage to Yoga is its effectiveness.  Strength, flexibility, and balance are all being worked simultaneously.  Most other forms of exercise, like weight lifting, only work one aspect of fitness at a time. 

A second reason people quit exercising is the lack of results.  Why bother if no improvement is occurring?  It's a waste of time!  One of the modern world's top complaints is not enough time to get everything done.   

Avoid weight loss pills and their side effects.  Give up on those useless exercise contraptions that promise miracles.  Stay away from Doctors too willing to do complicated and dangerous procedures.  Get in far better shape with a simple, enjoyable, and effective method known as Yoga.   

Copyright Paul Weiss 2009

Sitting Fit for Everyone

Public enemy #1 for our bodies....the simple chair. Or is it how we use chairs that's the problem?

When I was a kid, my Dad asked me if I could design a chair for people whose knees bent backwards. I'm still working on that one. But since I began doing yoga, I've been working on designing a practice for those of us whose knees bend forward many hours a day. What do we do with bodies that ache because we sit, and sit, and sit? We're a society of "chair people." We sit for meals, sit for classes, sit in the car, sit at a desk, sit in meetings and movies. We sit to talk on the telephone and watch TV, sit at computers, on planes, on trains, in waiting rooms. Some of us sit due to accident or illness, weakness, or job requirements. Some of us sit because we just have a lazy life style. Do you ever feel that your life has become a series of transitions from one seated location to another?

I don't think our bodies were meant to live that way! Most chairs aren't designed to support our bodies with healthy posture. They cause us to slump, curve our spines, push our heads forward or lean us back onto our tailbones. The worst back problem I ever had came after sitting in a seminar room for three days of lectures.

Inactivity can cause stiffness, backache, weakness, constipation, poor circulation, mental dullness, nervousness, cramps, and degeneration. Depressing thoughts. Whatever the reason and wherever you sit, its possible to begin to become fit, even while sitting in your chair.

Yoga, the 5000 year old gift of body/mind balance, can be adapted to a seated stretching program that can counteract the inevitable results of too much sitting. Body awareness, better posture, relief from aches and pains, as well as increased flexibility and strengthening, and a deep sense of relaxation can be achieved right where you are....are you sitting down?

Although a consistent yoga program of standing, balancing, lying poses, and inversions is a more complete practice, yoga need not be relegated to the yoga studio or health club. The time commitment of hours per week can sometimes be difficult to fit in to a busy schedule. Doing a pose or two hourly throughout the day can give you some of the benefits of a yoga practice and help relieve the results of sitting too much. In fact, small efforts while sitting in various daily situations, can contribute greatly to our strength, flexibility, relaxation, increased circulation, stronger respiration, and clarity of mind. Yoga poses adapted to small bites may not have the same intensity as a full yoga class, but the benefits of yoga are readily available to those who nibble on yoga throughout the day.

Those who are physically challenged due to age, illness, or who just can't do poses on the floor, need not miss out on the many benefits of yoga. Invalids, those confined to wheelchairs or recovering from injury, with their physician's approval, can benefit from their own adaptation of the breathing and gentle seated poses. Seated yoga can build the strength and flexibility, needed to progress to more and more challenging poses. Breathing, stretching and strengthening can be introduced at a slow pace, gently bringing bodies to new levels of fitness, increasing circulation and bringing in healing "life force" energy.

"Sitting Fit" benefits all of us, regardless of our physical condition. Sitting needs to be balanced with moving, breathing and stretching, so try some of these simple poses for a "mini yoga break." You'll feel the difference and return your attention to your work refreshed, more relaxed and with a clearer mind.

Sitting Fit Can Be Done in a Chair ... Anytime, Anywhere

Breathing Sit up straight on the edge of your chair, feet flat on the floor directly below your knees. Let your hands rest on your thighs. Take a long, deep breath, and exhale completely. Inhale deeply again, reaching for the ceiling with the crown of your head, lengthening your spine. Continue breathing with full deep inhalations and complete exhalations for 10 to 20 breaths.

As you exhale, slide your shoulder blades down your back, dropping your shoulders away from your ears as you reach through your finger tips. Keep breathing deeply for 3 to 5 breaths. Exhale as you lower your arms.

Shoulder shrugs Inhaling, bring your shoulders up tightly toward your ears. Roll your shoulders back, pressing your shoulder blades tightly together. Exhale as you press your shoulders down toward the floor. Inhaling again, bring your shoulders up again, roll them back and press your shoulder blades together, and release down. Repeat several times and don't forget to breathe!

Forward Fold Still sitting on the edge of your chair with your feet hip width apart, inhale as you bring your arms out to your sides. Reach forward with your chin as you rotate from your hips, exhaling as you bring your chest toward your thighs. Keep your back flat. With your next exhalation, allow your self to relax, chest on your thighs, arms and head dangling, relaxed. Take 3 to 5 deep, full, relaxing breaths. Inhale as you sit up slowly with a flat back.

Knee Raises Sitting up straight, inhaling as you raise your right knee up in front of you. Grasp your leg in front of your knee with both hands. Keep your back flat as you exhale and draw your knee in toward your chest. Hold it there for 3 to 5 breaths. Release as you exhale. Repeat with your left leg.

How Important is Physical Assisting in a Hatha Yoga Class?

Opinions about the importance of physically assisting students, during Yoga posture (asana) practice, vary. Some styles, such as Iyengar, Restorative, Anusara, and Viniyoga, place much emphasis on proper alignment, props, and physical assisting. Most happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training programs focus on physical assists, which guide a student toward proper alignment.

Yet, many students attend classes where a teacher may not look at them for the entire class. Needless to say, there are no physical assists in these same classes. Why? Some teachers feel very uncomfortable physically adjusting their student's posture. Some teachers are not trained to physically assist students during asana practice.

There is also another factor to be considered: There are Yoga teachers who will not get off their mats. They do not walk around and monitor the room after demonstrating. Sometimes, we refer to this as: "working the room."

One may think of "working the room" as it is related to a social butterfly, who constantly works on public relations. Assisting is a bond between teacher and student. Physical adjustments help any student to feel where he or she should be aligned, and to be present in the moment, while practicing asana.

However, if we are in Downward Dog, with our backs to our students, how will we know if their posture is correct? It is obvious that we cannot see if our students are in good or poor alignment when we turn our backs toward our students.

Granted, some teachers have exceptional cueing skills, but when we are tempted to take our eyes off our students, that is the time to work the room. There are other issues, in regard to assisting and adjusting. Be sure you have asked for permission before adjusting anyone.

Some students do not like to be assisted. If this is the case, there is no need to ask why. They may feel that an assist is an invasion of their space. In a case where a student wants to be left alone, there is no need to push the matter further.

Recently, a Hatha Yoga teacher told me that physical adjustments were highly over rated. Curious about what was on his mind - I asked him to explain. His opinion was that while teachers "tinker" with a few students, who have improper alignment, the rest are made to suffer by holding postures for minutes at a time.

While there is a ring of truth in the above-mentioned viewpoint, there is a reward of strength in holding postures beyond 20 seconds. There is also a method to avoid having students hold postures forever.

The method is to disguise repetition, by holding a posture for five breaths, on each side, and coming back to the same, or a much similar posture, later in the class. In this way, students are getting the most out of a session.

© Copyright 2009 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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

Yoga And Universal Energy

What is Universal energy? Due to science, and our unwavering belief in scientific research, we have found that huge amounts of energy exist at the atomic and astronomic levels. Now, no one can doubt that a rock contains energy within it.

In Yoga, we refer to universal energy as Prana or life force. In Chinese medicine, and Chinese martial arts, this same energy is referred to as "Chi." In Japanese martial arts, this same force is known as "Ki." Reiki, a hands-on healing art, literally means, "Universal life force."

How could the ancients be so "in tune" with nature, without our scientific instruments? The ancient scholars took the time to observe nature and be a part of it. They observed the workings of the body and developed Yoga for complete health maintenance.

Today, we have children who barely take the time to observe birds. In fact, the virtual world of video games, iPods, and PC's, is more real to some children than physical existence itself. The virtual aspect of life creates a culture of unconscious existence. Some of us do so much unconscious eating, that we are not mindful of what we ate last night or how much.

Unplugging ourselves from the latest technical advances allows us to get back to nature and realize the existence of Prana (Universal Energy). Getting "back to nature," allows us to cultivate Prana, and literally, "recharge our batteries." Cultivation of larger amounts of Prana is much like a vacation.

So, where does Prana exist in greater quantities? The ancient and modern Yogis agree that Prana is more abundant in open spaces. We can feel it at the beach, lakes, mountains, fields, and in the desert.

Science now tells us that we need negative ions, which we will find in abundance, when we visit any body of water. There are machines that can create negative ions in your home, but to take a "Prana vacation" - you will need much more than a machine.

To cultivate Prana for a single day, you must be in harmony with nature and the universe. Just by taking a walk to an open space, being mindful of nature, and practicing Pranayama for part of the day, will easily make you feel at peace with yourself. In fact, you may sleep like a baby, when you "wind down," later in the day.

It is wise to invite friends and family for a mini-vacation, when possible. You do not even have to mention Prana, Universal Energy, or Yoga, to observe the benefits they will receive from a short "Prana Vacation."

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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

My Story - Yoga for the Face or Face-lift Through Exercise

Here I was, 52 years old and a long-time meditator. I took a good look in the mirror. To my total dismay - gravity was well at work!

Since I was 19 years old, I had eaten organic foods, taken supplements, gone through natural childbirth with my son and practiced Yoga at least three times a week. I even meditated on a regular basis. Yet, when I looked into the mirror in my early fifties, I saw deep lines in my forehead, crow's feet that testified to lots of laughter in my life (at least I could acknowledge that part!), hanging jowls, lines around my lips and rings around my neck. Help! It seemed that vanity was alive and well and thriving in me!

I confess: I found myself on a quest to "correcting" (what a great word) the ravages of time showing up as wrinkles and bags in my face and neck.

Surgery was not a consideration for me - no, no! At age 65, my beautiful mother looked permanently surprised from too many face-lifts. Besides, I'm the organic type. What to do? I was on a search to look younger - some how, some way - naturally!

First I bought the electronic gadgets. I found myself holding this one contraption to my face for an hour a day - getting little electric jolts to the muscles in my face. Well, I lasted five days. I understand staying even this long with such a device was some kind of record. No way was I going to spend so much time doing this. Besides, my arms were also getting tired holding this thing to my face. Next, (yes I did shame on me!) I bought the electronic mask! This was a 45-minute-a-day regime. Forget it. I found that I wouldn't spend the time doing this either. Besides, the results were really not forthcoming. I looked just as "baggy" and tired as ever. Sigh...

There just had to be another alternative to isometrics and electric shocks! I then discovered face exercises. Yes! To make a long story short, I ended up buying all 12 programs offered out there on the market at the time. I discovered, to my dismay, that these programs were either too long, too short, incomplete, "incompetent," or they also took 40 minutes a day. However, some of these exercises were showing results on my face.

I discovered that the old belief that touching or rubbing your face caused wrinkles was false. Actually, I had stumbled upon muscle resistance training for the face. This made sense to me. After all everybody knows that through exercising in a gym or through doing Yoga, you can firm up the body and skin. Naturally, the same could be true about the muscles and skin on the face. I was about to find out for sure.

Since I am a teacher at heart (I taught school for years) I developed my own program and I got amazing results. My wrinkles flattened out and then disappeared. The muscles in my face got bigger and created lift, giving me the appearance of youth. The papery skin under my eyes and on my neck smoothed out and became firm. The rings around my neck completely disappeared. The lines around my mouth were evaporating. I had my young, plump lips back. My upper eyelids were showing, again. In short, my exercises were working. I was regaining that youthful, dynamic look I had when I was young!

The next thing I knew, all my girlfriends wanted to know what I was doing to look so good. I told them, and my workshops were born.

Okay, okay - I knew from past experience I wasn't going to spend 40 minutes a day on this stuff, no matter how young it made me look. So I consulted my long-time family doctor, and together we developed a program that covered all 57 muscles in the face and neck in a 15-minute session.

I admit it. I have a bit of a perfectionist residing in me. It took me three years to perfect this workshop program. As I worked on the exercises, I found I got sick of counting and trying to remember everything. So, I made cassette tapes and CD's that teach, pace and count for me. Maybe I'm a lazy perfectionist? Sigh...

Then the problem came up as to when to do these exercises. All the old programs I had tried before suggested doing five exercises in the morning before your shower, five more at lunch and ten more at bedtime. Egads! Not only could I not remember what exercise I did last, I forgot to do them at all. I decided to solve this problem. After all, as strange as it may sound, I knew I had to do these exercises to have the results I wanted!

In the end, I designed 28 exercises that completely firm up the face and neck, and I fit them all into a 15-minute session. The session is also done lying down. (I am lazy!!!) Now I set my alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual in the morning, turn on my CD and my voice guides me through the exercises. No more remembering what comes next; no more counting. It's all done for me. Plus, my face is almost "addicted" to the glorious massage and Yoga antics it gets put through in the mornings. What a beautiful and relaxing way to wakeup. On top of it all, I've done all I need to do to have a younger, more youthful-looking face. I don't have to think about it again for the rest of the day!

As my program developed, I found that I had to make flashcards for my workshops. Now I've even made photo-illustrated cards so my clients can easily see how each handhold is done correctly. I have an easy-to-follow workbook and lots of other material all about beauty (I worked as a photographer and runway model when I was younger, so I have a good idea about the world of beauty). Add to this my three CD's for easy learning, and you'll understand "once a schoolteacher, always a schoolteacher." I know how people learn, so I had a big advantage, I could put together a great package for learning the exercises.

I found myself giving workshops on a regular basis. Next, my girlfriend from Hawaii called. She had read an article I'd written and wanted to do my program, but couldn't attend my workshop. My "Self-learning, Take-home Kits" were born. These are a comprehensive package with everything you need to learn the exercises on your own. It's so amazing how existence seems to keep rewarding me when I do something I love.

Now I even have a DVD demonstrating all the exercises, making the program really easy to learn! My business is growing leaps and bounds and I'm loving every minute of it.

All right, I admit it. I'm vain. My whole life devoted to meditation and here I am exercising my face to look younger. So, I am "watching/meditating" on a younger-looking face, as well. Thank you life!

Carolyn Cleaves: After graduating from university and graduate school, I taught English, Math and Science along with remedial reading for years to 7th and 8th grade students. This background has allowed me to design a Facial Fitness program that is easy to follow and use. I understand how one learns. I was able to put this skill into the creation of my course, making it very complete and comprehensive.

Beauty and fitness have always held an interest for me. I've run several businesses, including my own clothing company. I've even taught Yoga and aerobics. I've also worked as a photographer's model and a runway model. I've lived and traveled all over the world. I currently reside in the Pacific North West(near Seattle, Washington) with my husband, Sigi, a German lawyer. I'm 59 years old.

For more information please go to my website at: carolynsfacialfitness.com carolynsfacialfitness.com/

How to Lose the Last 10 Pounds: The 4 Things Holding You Back

You're doing all the right things; you're exercising and eating better than ever, yet your motivation is starting to wane as you can't quite figure out how to lose the last 10 pounds. Sound familiar? Some call it a plateau while others think it's the end of the road since their body won't ever drop below that set point. It's a common scenario that is almost inevitable on the weight loss journey.

Don't give up just yet. Oftentimes all that's needed is a little check up followed by a readjustment. What worked for your body in the beginning of your journey may not be working now. Or, perhaps what worked for your body in the beginning would still work for your body today but you're not willing to work for it (ouch, a bit of reality there but that's what I'm here for).?

When you hit a point in training where you aren't seeing progress, it's usually because of one of the following four things:

1. Intensity of training isn't high enough, frequent enough, or has not been changed in over 6 weeks

We've all seen those people who read a novel while leisurely riding a bike at the gym. Here's a fitness tip for you: If you can read while you're exercising, your intensity level is too low. One of the best ways to gauge your intensity level during a workout is to use the Level of Perceived Exertion-a scale judging how hard you feel your body is working. By combining all levels of stress, effort, and fatigue and putting this feeling on a scale of 1 - 10, this will give you your Level of Perceived Exertion. With one being no exertion at all and 10 being maximal exertion where you can not continue, you would want to be achieve levels between 6 - 9, or between hard and extremely hard. For example, you may start out your set of bicep curls at a weight that feels hard (level 6). As you continue and begin to fatigue, the level of exertion may feel between 7 - 8. By the time you get to your last 2 repetitions, your exertion level should be at a 9 and feel extremely hard. The same method can be employed for cardiovascular fitness utilizing intervals.

Frequency of workouts should be more than 4 days a week up to 6 days a week to see improvements. Anything less will generally cause you to maintain. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you get 60 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.

Finally, your workouts must be ever-changing. The body is highly efficient and able to reduce the workload as the body adapts to the same exercises. Switch your routine every 4 - 6 weeks to keep the body challenged.

2. Improper nutrition

Nutrition is more often than not is the main cause of lack of results. You say "I don't really eat that bad" but that isn't much different than admitting you don't really eat that well either. The last 10 pounds can be the most stubborn so you have to be really strict if you're serious about seeing results. I recommend keeping a food journal, watching calories, grams of protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and water intake. You may think that you're eating ok, but if you're not monitoring your intake you really have no way of knowing for sure.

There are four main components that make up every meal: lean protein, vegetables, high-fiber complex carbohydrates, and quality fat with every meal every 3-4 hours. Make sure the foods you eat are unprocessed or minimally processed- meaning whole, fresh foods like lean organic meats and fresh veggies while eliminating anything in packages like breads, pastas, crackers, cookies, granola bars, etc. You'll also need to take in 25-35 grams of fiber each day and drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. Those two little things alone could be the hiccup in your routine. Finally, eliminate as much alcohol and sugar from your diet as possible.

?3. Overtraining or not enough recovery / sleep

Overtraining is a common pitfall for those looking to lose the last 10 pounds yet, resorting to the "more is better" philosophy can actually hinder your success. It's very important that your body has enough rest and recovery because this is actually when the body is building the lean muscle. The lean muscle is the metabolically active tissue that burns calories even when you're at rest, boosting your resting metabolism. The workouts tear the muscle down, not build it up (hence soreness) so if you don't allow the body time to rebuild with rest, you will never gain that metabolism boosting lean muscle. Additionally, rest is critical as it also helps to reduce stress hormones in the body that will halt fat loss efforts.

You should sleep 8 hours a night (Yah right, I know! But that's what all the science shows time and time again). Even if you hit the sack just 30 minutes earlier each day, you'd have 3 hours of extra rest each week. Bump it up to an extra hour a night and by the end of the week you've gained almost an entire night of extra sleep! Also, you should have one day a week where you don't do a strenuous workout. A walk or gentle yoga would be fine on your "off" day, but give the muscles and joints a break from the pounding of running, jumping, and lifting.?

4. Inconsistency with exercise, nutrition, and rest combination

Inconsistency is the easiest thing to let slide when we're training. If you eat perfect four meals a day, but then blow it on the other two, then you won't get the results. If you only workout two days a week, you won't get the results. If you eat perfect and exercise perfect for two weeks, then take a week off, you won't get the results. Likewise, exercise twice a day for 30 days in a row, live on caffeine and only get 4 hours of sleep each night, you won't get the results. Consistency with all the elements is the glue that will hold it all together. It's not enough to "not eat that bad" or skip workouts on a regular basis. You have to have all the right ingredients for the right amount of time in order to see results. While you'll notice small changes along the way, it usually takes about 8 weeks of consistently exercising and eating nutritionally before you will see lasting results.

It's possible to lose the last 10 pounds. Check through the list to see if there is anything you may be missing in your routine. If you're truly doing all the right things, you may just need to give yourself a little more time.

Carrie Morgan is a nationally recognized Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach. She is the co-founder of motivFIT with her husband Jeff and together they created the original Body Blast Challenge program. Carrie was the Prenatal Nutritional Coach for the Platinum Mommies program with award-winning doctors in Las Vegas. With her medical background as an EMT, she has over 12 years experience in the health & wellness industry and specializes in women's health issues & fitness nutrition. Outside of helping others, Carrie also enjoys long distance running, cooking, and writing. For more information go to motivfit.com motivfit.com or join her blog at blog.motivfit.com blog.motivfit.com.

Tips on Choosing Yoga Classes For Beginners

In recent years, yoga is soaring in such popularity that it is easy to sport lots of people doing yoga as part of their daily life. As a result, a great number of gyms and training centers are sparing no effort to offering different level classes for people who are interested in it.

No matter what level you are, the cheapest and most convenient way to learn yoga is to find a dedicated and professional yoga studio on the internet. Compared with the highly priced yoga classes, yoga studio usually does not cost you too much or even for free. On the other hand, yoga classes often cost from $8 to $30 per session. However, it depends on your financial status. If you can afford it, it is best to have someone profession to teach you yoga.

For yoga beginners who take the first yoga class it is imperative to keep in mind that not to jump the gun and throw yourself in at the deep end with an intermediate or advanced class. Although it seems not difficult to perform some yoga postures, as a matter of fact, these postures can be quite demanding and you might get hurt without basic training knowledge. Consequently, it is important to start with a beginner class before taking any advanced level yoga class.

Luckily, one does not have to spend a huge fortunate to get involved in a yoga class. The only thing that is a must-have is a yoga mat on which you situate yourself while performing yoga activities. The yoga mat does not only offer you enough space but also protect you from slipping while carrying out some awkward and high demanding yoga poses.

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Get Rid of Bad Shots With Yoga For Golf

We have heard it before -- don't carry the past shot into the next one -- especially if it was a bad one because you'll just continue to hit bad ones when you are angry or frustrated. And don't think of the score, which was the hardest concept for players to understand in my early years teaching. Everyone was focused on their score because that was part of the game to lower your handicap, hence the goal was to get a lower score every time they played.

So the search continued and still continues. How do you become consistently good enough to lower your handicap every year?

I believe Yoga for Golf is the key. The same principles that make a successful life, make a successful golf game. There can be no double standard. The same force that solves one problem can solve others. One of the principles of yoga that transfers so easily into golf is being in the moment. In order to understand this process we actually experience it each time we come to a Yoga for Golf class and then take the discipline onto the golf course.

The beginning of every class we do what is called a centering which involves coming into the present moment. The Olympic athletes call it regrouping.

I teach a system whereby quieting your mind and emotions before starting the class helps the body move with more fluidity and ease. Golfers are taught to leave the cares and concerns at the door and not think about what they have to do when they leave, to just be in each experience as it is unfolding. I stress this is their time out, time to become aware of the mind/body connection.

Once this is understood I go on to teach that to receive the full benefits of the stretches the golfers are taught they must be fully involved in each movement. The more this idea is integrated the easier it is to see how a golfer must be totally involved in each shot they take. Every time they practice I ask them to have a beginner's mind, open and full of acceptance.

Yoga teaches it doesn't matter if you have done the stretch 30 times, you still need to look upon it with a fresh new attitude and be fully involved in the stretch. The challenge is not letting the mind wander off. Oh, and it does, but the secret is bringing it back to the moment. It is a training, but over time it gets easier and easier.

Then we take this concept onto the golf course. If you can arrive at any golf course, even if you have played it 30 times and look at it with a different mind set, with a fresh new attitude like it is your first time then instantly you drop expectations and have a more successful game which equals a happier day. One great quote to remember is: "When we learn to accept instead of expect we have fewer disappointments."

From looking at the golf course with new eyes, we break that down even smaller and look at a hole at a time then one shot at a time. Everything is unique and different each time you play, just like looking through beginner's eyes. The benefits will be noticed immediately: Each time you play, you are more relaxed and everything is smoother, from your swing to your luck.

Helping you Create Great Golf!

Margarit Brigham-Golf Goddess
Amazon Author of 'How to Become a Golf Goddess';' Embrace Sacred Play and Unlock the Hero within

website golfinggoddesses.com golfinggoddesses.com