Meditation Certification & Teacher Training - 5 (Five) Meditation Tips

There are many types around the world. Now we will go deeper about knowing some of the meditation time which consists of the minimum and the maximum duration time for each type.

1. Zen or as known as Zazen

The minimum limit time of Zen that concentrates on self knowledge and calmness are 20 minutes, and the maximum time is 40 minutes for intermediate level and an hour for the advance level.

2. Trataka

The range of Trataka that offered concentration improvement is 5 until 20 minutes. You can practice it in the longer duration time. But, it is uncommon if you do this until an hour.

3. Smiling Buddha

It required Sa Ta Na Ma mantra and help us to find happiness, joy and compassion, has it normal duration for 3 until 31 minutes. Do not work too hard for this Smiling Buddha, because for me in the tenth minute of the duration, I already happy inside out.

4. So Hum Mantra

So Hum Mantra that used with So Hum mantra that helps you to relaxation and stress reduction will work well for 10 up to 20 minutes.

5. Doei Ashtapad Jap

Doei Ashtapad Jap that the mixture of kundalini yoga, pranayama breathing and mantra are start from 1 minute a day, and you can build this until 3, 11, 31, then 62 minutes a day. This is the one powerful meditations to heal and cure others.

That it is for now, see you soon to your enlightenment progress.

To your success and spiritual growth,
Choi Rowling

You can learn more about Meditation Teacher Training and get 5 Parts Meditation Mini Course For Free at meditationcertification.blogspot.com Meditation Certification Website

If the link doesn't work, you can copy & paste this link to your web browser meditationcertification.blogspot.com MeditationCertification.blogspot.com/

Cross Training For Runners and Walkers - Why and How?

I'd like to talk about cross training a bit because it can help you get in your needed exercise while dealing with all the challenges to your time, even when running isn't possible.

Cross training, for runners, refers to exercises that are different than running. For walkers, this means changing to another activity besides walking. This could be almost any form of conditioning that gets your heart pumping at a minimum level and duration. So, if you walk instead of run, you are cross training. If you swim, you are cross training. If you do yoga, you are cross training. At its simplest it just means doing an alternate activity to the one you prefer to do the most.

The caveat here is that the activity needs to be done at a minimum heart rate level of 60% with continuous movement for at least 20 minutes at that 60% level or you are not replacing one activity with another type of fitness training. You must have an equal or greater level of intensity to the exercise in order to replace one exercise with another for equal cardiovascular maintenance. Other than that, the sky's the limit. Anything goes. Any activity will do.

This Coach's Definition of Cross Training for Runners and Walkers

Cross training, specific to runners, refers to exercise that compliments, but does not include, outdoor/distance running, AND increases the heart rate to 60% or more of maximum heart rate* for 20 minutes or longer. The word walk can be exchanged for run IF it is power walking or "heart pumping hard walking".

Another factor to consider is that you will not start out at a 60% rate. Your heart begins exercise somewhere significantly below it. When I'm on the elliptical machine at the gym it usually takes about 10 minutes to get up to my 60% rate. So, give yourself a minimum of 5 minutes to warm up and another 5 minutes to cool down at the end.

Your total workout will be a minimum of 30 minutes. This is why, in track workouts, we always warm up a bit before getting into the meat of the workout. This is not to say that activities like gentle yoga or easy walking lack merit. That is not the case. They are forms of movement that stretch and strengthen different muscle groups, but they are not increasing cardiovascular strength or capacity.

Stretching activities and other exercise, even if not rigorous, are important to us for balance as we tend to have major muscle groups that get no attention while other groups (our quadriceps, for example) get REALLY STRONG from walking or running. I'm differentiating here to clarify my definition. More on cross training, stretching, and other exercise in future issues. I hope this was a good beginning for you.

Want to know how to calculate your MHR Minimum Heart Rate (also Base Heart Rate). Look for my next article.

Stephanie Atwood, M.A. is coach of a women's fitness team in the Bay Area. A teacher and trainer at heart, she is currently certified as a personal trainer with AAAI/ISM and consults on sports nutrition. Stephanie's undergraduate degree was in "experiential education" and her M.A.in cross cultural business communications. Atwood is completing a book on women's fitness. Presently, Ms. Atwood is a Master's Runner and runs or walks almost every day. When we're moving, we're getting fit. It doesn't matter how fast we're doing it!"

Ms. Atwood is author of the weekly fitness E-zine The Weekly Pep Talk at TheWeeklyPepTalk.com TheWeeklyPepTalk.com and hosts the blog altbgo.blogspot.com altbgo.blogspot.com This article, and many more are available for free reproduction if author is credited and links to the websites are kept intact. Thank you!

Weight Loss With Yoga

Can you really use yoga for weight loss? Yes. Most people write off yoga as simply being stretching. If you walk into a class at your gym, though, you will probably walk out with a very different perception of this type of exercise. In fact, a typical class can burn approximately the same number of calories as doing any other form of moderate cardio activity.

When you are doing yoga, you are actually doing resistance exercise as well. Think weight lifting when you hear resistance training. The weight you are lifting is your own body weight, and this can be extremely effective. This type of activity will strengthen your muscles just like any other resistance exercise would.

It is easy to find variations on exercises you would typically use in training. Yoga is full of types of lunges, squats, push-ups, etc. The reason yoga is more fun is because you are not thinking of these poses as exercises in the traditional sense. Yoga seems more like an art. You see your beautiful body reflected back to you from the mirror, and you start to appreciate it more fully.

One of the more subtle reasons yoga is effective for weight loss is that it helps you mentally as well as physically. When you begin finding a level of peace in your day, you decrease your need for less effective coping strategies. By this I mean 'emotional eating'. Most people think they don't do this-but anytime you eat for reasons other than hunger, there is something going on for you.

Obviously decreasing non-hunger eating will decrease your overall intake. This would result in weight reduction by itself. Yoga can help you get 'out of your head' for a while. When you get good at this during yoga, you begin to improve this ability during your everyday life as well.

If you can commit to doing yoga 3-5 days a week, you will certainly begin to see some weight loss results. Yoga promotes some really beautiful physical results. It can take you by surprise because it does not seem like the kind of exercise that would change your body. Sometimes you get stuck in the mentality that you have to hate the exercise for it to be beneficial. No pain, no gain, right? No, that is not true. You don't have to torture your body into submission. You can actually be really kind to it, and you will be very pleased with how it responds.

Jennifer Pereira, RD, LD, CSCS is a Registered/Licensed Dietitian, and Certified Strength/Conditioning Specialist. She works in her private practice in Arlington, Texas. If you would like to learn more about yoga for weight loss, please visit her frequently updated blog yogabender.com yogabender.com . For further information on finding balance with a healthy lifestyle, you can visit healthylifestylebalance.com healthylifestylebalance.com .

Fitness Tips For Healthy Aging

They say that life starts at 40 and it is true, provided you take good care of yourself. The secret to healthy aging is to maintain your shape by working out regularly and growing your muscle mass. You do not have to become a bodybuilder, but the more muscle you have, the better your body will perform and the fewer age related illnesses you will encounter.

Why is muscle health important while aging? Your muscle mass determines how elastic your joints are. However, as you grow older, not only do your joints become less flexible, you also begin losing muscle mass, leading to the common problem of creaky joints. Resistance training helps you avoid this issue by letting you grow back the muscle mass that you lose with age, letting you stay energetic and flexible for much longer.

Of course, fitness is key to healthy aging but that does not mean you should aim to become a professional bodybuilder in your 50s. In fact, the key to healthy aging is to accept that there are certain things you were able to do when you were 30 that you can no longer do at 40. Luckily, you do not have to do them in order to continue growing your muscle mass and even more moderate forms of fitness exercise can go a long way toward aging gracefully and healthfully.

What kind of exercise can you do to grow your muscle mass? First of all, leave the 100lb. dumbbells on the floor. You can use moderate forms of fitness exercise such as walking, cycling or swimming. Low-impact exercise like elliptical trainers, swimming and yoga are also extremely popular.

In fact, if you are truly committed to healthy aging, then it is important to combine resistance training and aerobic fitness exercise for maximum effect on your body. Try to separate your strength training days with evenings of aerobics, either going for a walk or spending some time on an elliptical trainer. Whatever schedule you choose, it is important to allow at least one day a week for your body to rest and recuperate. Remember that the key to using fitness as a tool of healthy aging is moderation.

One of the most important elements of healthy aging is changing your lifestyle. As we grow older, our lifestyle becomes increasingly passive and if you do not change that, sore and creaky joints are sure to follow. It is important to fit as many physical activities into your daily life as you can for example, try to set aside some time to go for a walk in the evening or visit a swimming pool several times a week. If you are serious about healthy aging, some form of physical activity must become a daily part of your life. Also, remember to stretch. Limber tendons and muscles prevent any number of ailments.

Sometimes it can be very difficult to motivate oneself to leave the comfort of your house and go for a walk or a swim. A cure for this is finding a buddy who is as interested in healthy aging as you are. Your buddy will push and nag you when you do not feel like working out, giving you all the motivation you need to commit some time to your fitness activities.

Ultimately, fitness is indispensable for healthy aging. It can sometimes be difficult to get started and force yourself into a more physically active routine, but you will find that, after a while, the going will get easier and you will start looking forward to getting out of the office and going for a short walk or swim. When that happens, you know that you are well on your way to healthy aging success.

Reuben John, is the author of the book on Staying Healthy And Fit As You Age. He has trained thousands in Fitness, Exercise, Diet and Nutrition. Discover more little known secrets to staying youthful and energetic at [healthwealthtreasury.com]

Yoga For Beginners? Common Myths

Common Mistakes And Misunderstandings About Yoga?

Yoga is a very popular form of exercising and spiritual balancing, but it is also very often understood by a lot of people. This is almost inevitable when you consider the incredible popularity of Yoga as a discipline and the many different strands that Yoga has. Quite often people have experience with one type of Yoga but not another, and as such they will base their overall impression of Yoga on what they have seen. It is like people basing their impression on Germans on the most famous German they know - Adolf Hitler, or more recently the portrayal of George Bush internationally as the only example of an American anyone knows. The truth is that Yoga can be very different depending on who you learn it from and how they perceive Yoga. This article looks at learning yoga for beginners and some of the common misconceptions therein.

Misconception Number One: Yoga is a form of exercise.

Well yes it is, but so is walking. I can walk from my couch to my table and I can hardly claim to have done my exercise for the day. The truth is that exercise is just the beginning of what yoga is. It's closer to a combination of exercise, physiotherapy, psychology and spirituality all rolled into one. As you come to master Yoga you will need to become more and more mentally strong, and most importantly disciplined. If you can discipline yourself to do regular Yoga sessions, and maintain your discipline to do each pose for the prescribed time, and do it properly, then you will naturally become a very disciplined and organised person. For some people this transcends to a spiritual level because they are so efficient and clearing their thoughts while meditating.

Misconception Number Two: Yoga is for Hippies.

As previously mentioned Yoga can be a very spiritual experience if you become good enough at clearing your thoughts and concentrating whilst performing the exercises. But you certainly do not have to begin with any spiritual belief. Yoga believes in aligning the body and the mind and the spirit through achieving inner balance. What that means to you is probably going to depend entirely on what your beliefs already are. For some people it will be a spiritually freeing experience, for others it will be an effective way of distressing and achieving a level of calmness of thought. Still others will claim that these things are one and the same.

Misconception Number Three: Yoga is a fad.

Recently there have been some very hyped up Yoga courses making big claims about what Yoga can achieve. These are easy to associate with other 'fad' exercise crazes. However Yoga is not something new and is based in documents that are hundreds of years old which describe exercises and poses that were probably being performed for generations before that. An individual style of Yoga may come and go, but as long as people are still stretching before a game of football then Yoga will still be being used.

Misconception Number Four: Yoga is too slow to help me lose weight/gain tone etc.

This one is way off the mark, but we have been somewhat trained by the weight loss industry that weight loss, and toning our body is all about hours in the gym and fast high impact exercise. That's simply not true. Yoga can help with weight loss and in particularly toning for a number of reasons. Firstly the exercises, while low impact and performed either statically or slowly - are still exercises. While you use them you are using your muscles, and in many cases you are using muscles and muscle groups that regular exercise programs ignore. The second way that Yoga can be of benefit in a weight loss program is that it will increase your mental strength and allow you to be more disciplined with your food consumption. When it comes down to it excess weight is a result of excess eating and not enough physical exercise to burn off those calories. Have you ever noticed how some people can eat donut after donut and not put on any weight at all? It seems unfair, but it's a natural result of the state of their body. Usually these people will be quite 'sinewy' and this muscle allows them the metabolise food faster. That's the third benefit of Yoga in weight loss, as your muscles develop your body will actually become more efficient at consuming foods and processing them into nutrients and waste.

Hopefully we have now gone some way to explaining away the various myths associated with Yoga. When you learn yoga, for beginners and experienced alike, it is very much a case of Yoga being what you make of it.

Jeff Dempsey is a student of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. He Studied and frequented the Kundalini Solstice celebrations in New Mexico and Florida for 7 years and is currently working on Qi Gong practice, and ancient yogic pranayam.

You can find more information about extensive yogic training from home, please click on the link below.
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Teaching Hatha Yoga - Methods for Happiness

Let's take a systematic approach toward happiness, by using Yoga principles, and applying them to life. Here are a few more methods to help anyone find happiness at any time.

Just by visiting a local Yoga class, you will find yourself surrounded by positive energy. Yet, this same principle applies to going anywhere like-minded people exist. Always surround yourself with optimists.

Look within, and you will find good qualities. Be aware of your strong points and stop worrying about your short comings. We are all human, so do not be the last one to forgive yourself for a mistake. One of the worst mistakes you can make is not forgiving yourself.

Stay away from sinking into a self-pity slump. The future is often what we anticipate. With that said, there is a real need to anticipate success. You have nothing to lose by maintaining a positive outlook on life.

Learn to laugh often, and learn to laugh at yourself - it is good for your health. This is why Laughter Yoga has become so popular. When you start to take life too seriously, observe it and smile.

Life is too short to worry all the time. In fact, worrying is a complete waste of time. Finding solutions is not worrying. If you focus on solutions, you may just solve those worries away.

Believe that you deserve success and happiness. To think otherwise, invites disaster. If we think we deserve failure, we begin to attract pessimists. The last thing any of us needs is to find ourselves in the company of critics.

Be thankful for your health, family, friends, home, and your good qualities. Focus on the good things in life, which you already have. Yoga practice starts when you roll up the mat and learn to put the methods into practice.

© 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

Hatha Yoga - The Path to Focus and Concentration

Some surveys claim that two thirds of the adult population, in North America, has never practiced any form of Yoga. Although Yoga is globally more popular than ever, it is still hard to get the vast majority of adults, to understand the many deeper benefits of steady practice.

Outside of India, the vast majority of public exposure to Yoga is in health clubs. Due to the exposure of Yoga as a "fitness system," the main emphasis becomes a low impact form of weight loss. It is true that the flowing forms of Yoga can be boiled down to a low impact workout, but what a shame to miss the many deeper benefits, which the longest existing holistic health maintenance system has to offer.

Many physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits, occur when practicing Yoga. To list a few of the subtle benefits - it does not take long for a Yoga practitioner to realize improvements in self-esteem, happiness, concentration, stress management, anger management, memory, learning ability, and well being.

The list could go on, but let's bring our attention to the benefits of focus and concentration. We live in a society of attention deficits. At every turn, something new is competing with something else, in the attempt to capture your attention.

Here is a paradox of our society: Competition breeds success. Competition does achieve goals, but competition also creates unreasonable deadlines, which lead to excessive stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, heart problems, and premature death.

Hence, the term "rat race" is quite fitting, when competition takes total control of our lives. One of the ironies of heavy competition is that, competitors fight with each other so much, that reality has changed and the main objective can be forgotten. This competitive mind-set can occur in organizations, where departments struggle with each other; and they often forget they are "on the same team."

However, focused thought, revealed in meditation and higher forms of Yoga, also achieves success. Meditation sessions are seen as useless by the overly competitive personality. Yet, time taken to meditate, causes us to mentally regroup and look at situations from a new vantage point.

The focused mind does not forget the main objective. Meditation allows the mind the time to rid itself of all distractions from reality. Within the higher forms of Yoga, any student who invests time in steady practice comes to a point where the power of concentration is harnessed.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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

Relieve Back Pain Core Strength Training

There are several methods that can relieve back pains. The most beneficial method to both general health and back pain alike is core strength training. Since core strength training involves physical activity, it is a natural way to improve the way your body carries itself. Back pain problems are usually the cause of improper posture which in turn disrupts the alignment of the spinal bones.

Core strength training as its name implies involves specific training that strengthens the core of the human body that is the muscles that are responsible for holding the body upright. The core is that area of the body that starts from the limbs and ends below the chest. This includes mainly the glutei and abdominal muscles.

Having strong abdominal muscles is a key element in the support of the back structure as it holds the back in a way that it assumes a better posture. This benefit mainly derives from the fact that strong abdominal muscles prevent excessive pressure from becoming the sole responsibility of the back muscle and nerves. Consequently, instead of succumbing to the enormous pressure caused by a weak core system, the back muscles will be better equipped to erect the body in a comfortable position without damaging the spine, thereby preventing back pains. Exercising the gluteus area will ensure the core system of the body is stable. Therefore, exercising this area is necessary for a fully functioning core system. This article is not written by or checked for accuracy by a medical doctor. Please consult with your physician for treatment options.

There are various core strength training techniques that a person suffering from back pain can easily adapt to their lifestyles. These include, sits ups, crunches, Pilates and yoga among others. A few seconds of knee to chest exercises a day are one of the simplest exercises that people can do from home. Lying on the floor pull your knee towards your chest, hold for 5 seconds and release. Do the same on the other knee. Repeat for a number of times. This exercise helps to relax the spine disc and thus releases the nerves of the back from the unnecessary pressure which is caused by the closing of the spine disc.

Core strength training is a proven efficient method that generates long term benefits as opposed to temporary back pain relieve when treating the pain with over the counter painkiller medicine. Moreover, core strength training is a cheap equipment free therapy as it mostly depends on using the weight of your body.

This article is not written by or checked for accuracy by a medical doctor. Please consult with your physician for treatment options.

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Can You Really Do Strength Training Without Weights?

Why is it important to do strength training? Well, it's because your core is responsible for a lot of things. It is responsible for your posture and how strong your back muscles are. Those with a weak core risk injury. This is why individuals who have back injuries must go through core strengthening exercise to make their back better. When they strengthen their core, they are able to heal faster.

So what sort of strength training can you do without weights? Here are some ideas:

o Push-ups, dips, and muscle building exercises that use your bodyweight are great exercises to strengthen your core.

o Yoga is also a great way to get strong. It involves stretching and focusing. It is an amazing exercise program because it involves getting in touch with yourself in addition to focusing on your physical well being.

o Pilates is another great building exercise. Pilates was once used as a way to train ballet dancers and rehabilitate them after an injury.

Being able to do strength training without weights is an affordable way for you to get results. You don't have to invest in weights, nor do you really need to invest in classes. There are plenty of resources available for you to learn what it is you need to do to be able to do this sort of training without an incredible investment. Strength training is also very healthy for you. It is great for you inside and outside. You'll be in great physical shape, which means you're also adding years onto your life and losing the weight all over your body.

Samantha Green shares her passion for weight loss and strength training. Be sure to check out her motivational articles on buy-treadmills.com/smooth-treadmill.html treadmill exercises and losing weight.

Exercise Tips For Arthritis Sufferers

Exercises do relieve arthritis joint pain, if done properly and with the required approval from your doctor. Exercise may sound like something you are completely unwilling to do, especially with the amount of pain you may be experiencing. However, there are several reasons why exercise may be the best solution for your pain.

Exercising can:

*Improve the strength of your muscles around your joints, reducing pain

*Improve your self-image and help improve your well being

*Give you added strength to accomplish your daily goals

*Give you more energy throughout the day

*Helps to maintain bone strength, decreasing the right of broken bones

Now some individuals may be in a situation where additional exercise and movement of the joints will increase the pain they feel. With your doctor's approval, consider the following exercises for arthritis joint pain relief.

Aerobic Exercise: Aerobic exercise helps to improve overall fitness abilities. It will help improve your stamina and give you the ability to lose weight, if you need to. Try bike riding, swimming and even just a 30 minute walk every day, to get started.

Range of Motion Exercise: Many individuals suffering from joint pain from arthritis suffer from a loss of range of motion, or the ways in which they can move their joints. These exercises can improve your stiffness and give you more movement. Move your joints through the full range of motion possible. For example, raise your arm over your head and roll the shoulders both forward and backward. Do this with any joints.

Strength Training Exercise: To get the best results for your hard work, do incorporate some strength training exercise. Strength training has a design to make muscles stronger. When you increase a muscle's strength, you also improve your ability to avoid injury. Giving your muscles more strength also can help to reduce the strain place on joints. Choose muscle strengthening exercises like light weight training. Be sure you take a day off in between these workouts to allow your muscles to heal.

Yoga: If you are hoping for another type of exercise that is less demanding, think about yoga. Yoga can help you to increases flexibility and improve your overall range of motion. It is best to work with a trainer or to take a yoga class before trying yoga on your own. Another similar option is Tai chi; this can help to improve your balance so you can avoid falling.

These exercises do improve arthritis joint pain. It may seem like a lot of work to get to that point, but you will notice overall health improvement by increasing your body's ability to function. In addition, you will feel good about yourself when you are exercising. Many individuals with joint pain from arthritis feel limited or depressed. Exercises for joint pain can actually improve your condition and help you to feel good about yourself.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you really want to beat arthritis you need a plan. Research has shown that exercise and raising the body's pH level alone can begin working to reverse arthritis in as little as 7 days. You can stop the scourge of arthritis and live a normal pain-free life.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you really want to beat arthritis you need a plan. Research has shown that exercise and raising the body's pH level alone can begin working to reverse arthritis in as little as 7 days. You can stop the scourge of arthritis and live a normal pain-free life.

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What Exactly is Involved in Golf Fitness Training?

Golf fitness training is a set of exercises that targets the muscles most used during a game of golf. You don't have to pump weights at the gym 7 days a week to keep your fitness levels up, but obviously the more you put into your fitness levels during the off season, the sooner you can perform at your best fitness level when the season rolls around again. So, what exactly is involved in Golf fitness training?

? Aerobic exercise

Health and fitness levels can only benefit when you are competing at your best aerobic capacity. There is an awful lot of walking that is done during a game of golf, regardless of whether you have a golf cart or not. This is particularly true when you are playing on undulating courses and also during hot days. You are going to need to keep your aerobic fitness up to scratch so that you can face the season with your best foot forward. One way to do this is to have a walking or jogging schedule for during the week.

? Strength training

Regardless of what lightweight, state of the art moon rock formula your club is made of, you can be sure that there is a lot of force behind it that swings that baby and hits the ball mile high. In order to keep your muscle fitness for times like those, you should try some weight training at the gym. It doesn't need to be excessive, you need to maintain the muscles that you will need to call on for the seasons start.

? Flexibility

Now don't laugh and think that when I say the word "yoga" I'm talking about contemplating your belly button and repeating "Ohmmm" over and over. Yoga is hard work. Surprisingly, most of us think that it is a set of really gentle exercises, that are more about becoming one with the universe rather than delivering a great workout. Yoga can improve your flexibility and one look at how the pro's can bend and twist through their midsection, will have you signing up for the next Yoga class too.

If you're looking for some exercises to compliment your Golf fitness training, then take a look at improvegolfswingover40.com improvegolfswingover40.com/ You can find a series of articles and reviews on the most effective way to keep your golf fitness training at an optimum.

Jason Haas is a writer and researcher on products for households such as golf fitness training. Save time and money by getting a FREE in depth review of this product and many others including discounts and best prices at Jason's blog: improvegolfswingover40.com improvegolfswingover40.com

7 Highly Effective Habits In Ballet Training

A key area of dancing for females is pointe work, and a key area for males is jumping. In early training, regardless of age, there are 7 highly effective habits that will contribute to excellence in both these areas. This analysis can apply to other areas of dance in the same way also, I'm choosing this one for the sake of discussion.

***First, education as to specific physical attributes and shortcomings. Every dancer would like to have long and stretchy Achilles tendons, and flexible ankles. These 2 advantages provide the biggest movement between the bottom of a demi-plie and the take-off point of a releve or jump. One of the dancers in my class at the National Ballet School of Canada had a very shallow demi-plie. Yet, she had very flexible ankles and a high arch, and this gave her the thrust to jump very high.

***Second, technical education. Regardless of physical advantages, understanding of the ideal movements and resulting positions can be obtained from an educated teacher, books, and the many DVD's available to all through internet stores. There is no restriction on our access to information.

***Third, a teacher who not only has decent credentials, but who has the required habit of demanding correctness in class. This is a variable, and inexperienced teachers do not realize how often they are going to repeat the same old correction over the years of training, to the same students.... in a million different imaginative ways, and with appreciation for your own uniqueness too.

***Fourth, knowing that there is cross-training that will help you compensate for your physical shortcomings. If you are less flexible than you would like to be, there is Pilates, massage, or Yoga. If you are flexible but weak in some areas, Pilates, and weight training will help.

***Fifth, knowing where more details count - if your habit is curiosity, that's a huge asset. If it's not, adopt it. Studying anatomy and kinesiology is a plus. (I know you already have homework or a job, or family obligations, but hey, if you are serious about dance, all this is just more fun, right?)

***Sixth, coordinating your knowledge of your physiology, and how you might be compensating detrimentally to get the deepest demi-plie and best take-off that you can, and instead compensate more with cross-training and less with bad habits. It's only a life-long process, don't get discouraged.

***Seven, a truly habitual appreciation of your own uniqueness, talents, intelligence, and determination. There will always be an invitation to doubt yourself, envy others' real or imagined superiority, and waste time thinking negative thoughts.

Proper rest and good nutrition have a lot to do with #7. Body and brain fatigue, and nutritional deficiencies are directly related to mood. Please be curious and get the information you need.

These ballet tips mention topics that need much exploration. They are a great guide to go with until you develop your own uniqueness in training priorities. You can learn volumes more from a dancer's guide (for girls and boys too) which will help you review your progress in ballet training and help you establish balletpointeshoes.info highly effective habits.

What is Yoga?

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a science of health and spirituality that originated many thousands of years ago in India. The ancient yogis sought to harmonize the body, mind and soul in an effort to achieve health, long life, and ultimately, enlightenment. Thus, the Sanskrit word yoga means union with or to join. This union with the divine is achieved through the disciplined practice of specific exercises, meditation and breath work.

Yoga is essentially a lifestyle, dealing with all the aspects of our being. The physical postures, or asanas that are widely perceived as yoga, are just one aspect of a very profound science of life. The Eight Limbs of Yoga, articulated by C.E. Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra, describe the eight aspects of a yogic lifestyle. These aspects guide the yogi on a path self-development to harmonize the body, mind and spirit and attain enlightenment.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

The first limb, yama, focuses on one's behavior in the world and attitude towards those around him or her. The five yamas are: ahimsa or nonviolence, satya or truthfulness, asteya or non-stealing, bramacharya or non-lust, aparigraha or non-possessiveness.

The second limb, niyama, refers to one's behavior and attitude towards oneself. There are five niyamas: sauca or cleanliness, santosha or contentment, tapas or austerity, svadhyaya or study of the sacred text and of oneself, and isvarapranidhama or living with an awareness of the divine.

Asanas or physical poses are the third limb. Asanas are designed to bring strength, vitality and relaxation to every bodily system.

Pranayama, or breathing exercises, encompass the fourth limb. Through disciplined regulation of the breath-the duration of inhalation, retention and exhalation, one strengthens and cleanses the nervous system. The result is increased life-force and a calmer mind.

The fifth limb is prathayara or withdrawal of the senses. One's focus goes inward, losing awareness of what is going on outside of oneself.

Dharana, or concentration is the sixth limb. One trains the mind to focus without distractions.

Dhyana, or meditation is the seventh limb. In meditation one practices constant observation of the mind, stilling the mind in order to heighten one's awareness and oneness with the universe.

The final limb, the ultimate goal of yoga, is samadhi or enlightenment. It is the achievement of oneness with the universe in which one experiences a state of peace, utter contentment and completion.

Yoga as it was designed and practices by the ancient yogis encompasses all these aspects of the self and of life. It is a spiritual path and a lifestyle meant to lead the student towards health, self-knowledge, and union with the divine.

The ancient yogis sought to harmonize the body, mind and soul in an effort to
achieve health, long life, and ultimately, enlightenment. Visit WayofYoga.com
to find out how you too can do the same. wayofyoga.com Yoga
is a lifestyle choice and health
decision

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Do it Outdoors - Get Out of the Gym and Take on the World

Our beautiful country has a lot to offer, with plenty of stunning beaches, gorgeous parks and spectacular bushland. So why do so many of us still exercise indoors? The outdoors has some of the best quality natural training equipment at convenient locations.

If you are thinking about breaking the gym habit and getting outside, there are 4 essentials for overall physical fitness, aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, core stability and flexibility.

Whether you create your own program or get the assistance of a Personal Trainer, having all 4 essentials can help you promote fitness that will last for a life time.

Aerobic fitness is anything that causes you to breathe deeper and faster which maximises the amount of oxygen in your blood. The better your aerobic fitness, the more efficient your heart and lungs are. So if the treadmill just doesn't cut it anymore switch to some outdoor activities like walking, jogging, bike riding, swimming, water aerobics, stair or hill climbing, and roller-blading.

Muscular fitness is strength (resistance) type exercises. Strength training is any movement that places tension on a muscle that stimulates the laying down of more muscle fibres (myofibrils) therefore increasing the size of the muscle fibres. Strength training burns kilojoules more efficiently and increases the stability and strength of your joints. Outdoor examples include push ups and dips on a park bench, chin ups or pull-ups on bars at the park, and deep squats and lunges on the beach.

Core stability is having strength of the abdominal region (known as your core muscles) that stabilizes the pelvis to prevent injury of the lower back. Sit ups and crunches are not an effective means to train the abdominal region as they do not burn fat or stabilize the lower back.  Outdoor examples include strength training exercises (see above examples) while contracting your abdominals at the same time. Draw your belly button in and brace your abdominals (like someone is about to punch you in the stomach). Also try some basic plank exercises on your hands or elbows to get you used to drawing that area in.

Flexibility training is a static maximum range of movement available around a joint. Stretching increases your flexibility, promotes better posture, and may help prevent injury. Set aside some time after each workout to do some stretching to maintain flexibility. Outdoor examples include yoga and tai chi at the park or beach and stationary stretching of muscles used during your workout. Use park benches and stairs for assistance. Hold all stretches for at least 20 seconds. Breathe deeply and feel yourself relax, take in some of that outdoor fresh air

Aim for a different outdoor location to mix up your routine. Outdoor activities allow you to progress the level of difficulty easily and change exercises when you want to. Create a circuit style regime such as this; 10 push ups, run up and down stairs, 10 lunges, run fast for 100 m, 10 dips, 10 squats, walk back and repeat.

Turn your car into a mobile gym. Have at the ready some dumbbells, a medicine ball, skipping rope, and a Swiss ball so you can stop at the park and do your own workout.

Chris Bakens is a Master Trainer and presenter with her company Healthy Executives. They assist businesses to impliment healthy initiatives in the workplace like group exercise, healthy living seminars, and healthy lifestyle expos. Chris's knowledge spans more than 2 decades working with the busy executive and their companies.

healthyexecutives.com.au healthyexecutives.com.au

Yoga For Diabetes - Proper Breathing For Stress Reduction and Glucose Control

Can you remember as a child going to the doctor and having him place his cold stethoscope on your chest? "Now take a big inhale breath". If you are like me I recall expanding my chest, lifting my shoulders and pulling my shoulder blades back. Right? Wrong! As a culture the way we sit, drive, stand and a lack of knowledge in the proper mechanics of breathing has created a health crisis. In addition to this, the vanity factor of pulling our belly in tight and not allowing it to flow with the breath has compounded this chronic condition of hypoventilation.

As a result of this hypoventilation the average person uses only 10% of their lung capacity. This shallow breathing pattern is associated with the "fight or flight' syndrome. This syndrome drives blood glucose levels high and also inhibits the body from producing insulin. The result is a type 2 diabetes train wreck! To compound the problem, without proper breathing the body becomes a toxic waste dump and an easy target for a variety of other diseases.

The mechanism of breathing though normally automatic can be consciously controlled as well. Proper techniques of conscious breathing can eliminate stress and the high blood glucose levels caused by the fight or flight syndrome. In yoga these techniques are referred to as pranayama, the third action in my yoga method to manage diabetes.

Action 3 Pranayama

Yoga breathing techniques

Pranayama teaches you to use the other 90% of your lungs and to neutralize the stress that contributes to high blood sugars associated with diabetes. It also provides a deep cleansing of the body's tissues and helps treat such problems as high blood pressure, irritability and disturbed sleep. Pranayama breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic response calms the body and neutralizes the stress and anxiety triggered by an overactive sympathetic nervous system.

There are a wide variety of techniques in pranayama for both energizing and healing the body. However the first lesson of pranayama is to master the proper flow of breath itself.

An overview of the mechanism of breath

The primary muscle of respiration is the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome shaped muscle that sits in the center of the torso separating the chest and abdominal cavities.

When you inhale the diaphragm pushes down to create a larger space in the chest and in turn drawing more breath into the lungs. To take full advantage of this process and draw a full breath you must allow the belly to become soft and expand as the diaphragm pushes down. This is simply how we are designed. As you exhale the diaphragm relaxes and pulls back up towards the chest and the belly contracts.

The secondary muscles of respiration are the intercostals, (these are the muscles between the ribs), and the abdominals. For the sake of developing proper breathing begin to focus on these secondary muscles and consciously draw your belly in a bit tighter on the exhale breath to help further empty the lungs. This action will also have the counter action of triggering a more complete inhale on the next breath drawn. Now let's put the proper mechanics of breath to work with a pranayama technique.

Stress response pranayama technique

This simple little technique can be used at any time to reel yourself back in and keep your blood sugars in check. Try this a few times at home first to get the rhythm right and then you will be able to comfortably use it anywhere you go.

Step One: Breathe in through the nose for a brisk 4 count. (Remember let your belly be soft and allow it to expand on the inhale breath).

Step Two: Hold the breath for a brisk 4 count.

Step Three: Breathe out through the nose for a brisk 8 count. (As you exhale the breath pull the belly in tight to squeeze all of the air out).

The whole cycle should only take about 10 seconds. If for any reason you find it difficult to hold your breath or if you find yourself a little dizzy, shorten the hold and the exhale by 2 counts each.

That's it! Just practice this prescription for eight or ten cycles any time you find yourself "ready to blow" and repeat as necessary. It works like a charm and the refills are unlimited!

Bradley Kapture, author, "The Sounds of Silence" and lecturer, is the founder of yoga4diabetes". Kapture is an expert in asana, mantra and meditation practices. In 2004 a turn in life circumstances forced him to close his yoga studios, leave his yoga practice and go to work in the world of corporate sales. After just 3 years he found himself overweight, filled with anxiety and with type 2 diabetes. He refused standard drug treatment and instead returned to yoga and developed a yoga method to address the causes of type 2 diabetes and to heal his body.

Within just three months his blood sugars had returned to normal levels. His doctor responded, "I agree with you on your diabetes control; the HGA1C is well below target at 6.5 so keep doing what you're doing. It's really a tremendous achievement to go from 7.7 to 6.5 in such a short time period without medication." These results inspired him to share his yoga method and help others with diabetes reduce or eliminate dependence on medication and help those with pre-diabetes from developing the disease. For more information go to yoga4diabetes.com yoga4diabetes.com/

Yoga Teacher Training - 6 Steps To Set Up A Profitable One To One Yoga Service

Outcome: Start giving one to one yoga sessions from your home

Purpose: Make an extra ?2,000 or more a year from your yoga

Step 1: Go to Google and type in one to one yoga. Click on at least 3 websites. Open up Microsoft Word and take notes on what you liked about each site and create your own one to one package. Make sure you offer a package (e.g. 5 or 10 sessions).

Step 2: Turn the word document into an eye-catching flyer.

Step 3: Print a bunch of copies and hand a copy to every student in your yoga class.

Step 4: Make sure you print plenty of spare handouts and give a copy to every new student when they arrive for their first class.

Step 5: When you have a chat with a new student (on the phone, just before class or just after class) recommend your One To One package. Don't be shy. If you want to make a decent living as a yoga teacher and want to help change people's lives, you have to get used to promoting all the services you offer.

Step 6: Send a One To One package offer by email to your students.

Email Template

Hi Bev,

Many thanks for your email. We are pretty full, but there's always room for more. No need to register. We have lots of yoga mats in case you don't have one. If you have a blanket, bring it along for the relaxation at the end of the class. And bring a bottle of water so you don't get dehydrated.

Some of the new students like to combine their yoga classes with a package of 5 or 10 one to one yoga sessions. This is a good option if you have any specific issues (e.g. back pain or arthritis) and want to create a yoga practice that suits your body and personality. If that sounds interesting please call me on (your number here).

See you on Monday.

George Watts is a former business consultant and full time yoga teacher based in Mid Wales, UK. To help his fellow yoga teachers become magnificent at managing their yoga business, he has created the World's largest collection of business resources for yoga teachers. Take a peek here: georgewatts.org/yogateacherkit georgewatts.org/yogateacherkit

Jab the Flab - Learn the Weight Loss Secrets of Great Boxers

Boxers have to make the weight. One pound over, and they don't even get to compete. The same goes for kickboxing, MMA and wrestling. Other than Jockeys, there's not many other athletes where the weight matters so much.

After more than 15 years of teaching Authentic Fitness Boxing, cornering for elite boxers and competing in martial arts, I've picked up a few secrets about making our fighting weight. You will notice there are no gimmicks, no quick fixes - just simple, back to basics strategies. These tips can help you make your fighting weight.

Boxers Weight Loss Secret #1 - Tame the Trails

Elite boxers do their road work. I know a lot of people can't stand jogging, but it really does burn the fat. You don't have to jog on the road - instead, find a track or trail in the woods. I run a couple of times a week - hardly ever on the road or pavements. I prefer trails. I feel like I can run all day on forest trails, whereas the road wears me out. If you still don't want to run, try mountain biking.

Boxers Weight Loss Secret #2 - Run Up That Hill

Ok it doesn't sound like much fun, but running up a hill or a flight of stairs gives you an awesome leg workout and an intense cardio workout. When I competed in martial arts I found a hill that took me 2 minutes to run up, the same length as martial arts rounds.

Running up a hill is harder than the flat, which means you don't have to do as much of it. Start easy and build up for a great workout. Hill training is hard, fast, and then it's over.

Boxers Weight Loss Secret #3 - Check into Training Camp

Elite Boxers spend weeks in Camp. They gather their team, head for the hills and hike, run or even chop wood for weeks at a time. Being away from smog and distractions takes their fitness to a new level. Now most of us can't check into camp for 6 weeks -- but one week, or even a weekend of sport or focused activity can break our pattern and kickstart our fitness. Is there a weekend hike, a running or bike camp, yoga retreat or paddling group you can join?

Boxers Weight Loss Secret #4 - Find a Sparring Partner to Make Training Fun

We've all heard of the "Power of One" but when it comes to getting fit it takes two. All Pro Boxers have a Coach. While we may not have the luxury of our own coach we can team up with a friend who can be our "sparring partner." We workout together each week. If one of us feels down, the other can lift us. I have had many training partners over the years who hold the punch mitts and kick pads for me, or just get me out of bed on a cold morning. I wouldn't do it by myself. If you can't find a friend to workout with, join a fitness group.

Boxers Weight Loss Secret #5 - Shock Your Body into Shape with Cross Training

More elite boxers are now cross training. The daily grind of road work and being stuck inside a sweaty boxing gym can make them stale. If you get stale from your usual routine of pounding the pavement or treadmill -- spice it up and try something new. Who knows, you might have a hidden talent for indoor rock climbing, ocean swimming, kayaking or swing dancing. Give it a go. Not only will it keep you excited, it will keep your body guessing. And the best part is you will lose weight without even thinking about it.

Lose Weight and get Fighting Fit right now, at home. JabtheFlab.com JabtheFlab.com
Patrick Moore is an author, coach, martial arts and boxing expert. He has spent the last 15 years helping people get fighting fit in their own homes, without the gym - using authentic Boxout boxing workouts, on Mp3 and video.

YOGA For Mental Health, Mind and Body

Yoga is a system of mental and physical exercises which were originally developed in India over thousands of years.

Yoga comes in many forms specifically designed to suit different types of people. As a result, some forms of yoga have gained significant popularity outside India, particularly in the West during the past century.

Today there are many different styles with many different goals. Yoga is not a religion. It doesn't require that you fast or abstain.

The Basics.

Yoga is basically the practice of stretching for one hour. Stretching should only take five minutes, other peoples would rather spend the extra fifty- five minutes playing in an actual sport or spending time with their families and friends. Yoga is not just physical fitness training. It is an authentic holistic tradition inclusive of contemplation and meditation. Yoga injuries are unheard of. The meditation techniques are a comprehensive combination of concentration, sublimation and ideation.

Reduce Stress and Anxiety.

Yoga is an effective method to reduce stress and anxiety. See how to get started. Yoga is a union of the organ systems in the body with the consciousness in the mind. Philosophically, yoga produces a union of body, mind, and energy (or soul or spirit) to bring about a state of equanimity (calmness). Yoga is most effective in dealing with psychosomatic problems. If practiced diligently on a long-term basis it can have a significant effect on a person's health both on a preventive basis and to control and cure existing problems.

Benefits of Yoga.

Yoga has tons of benefits. It can improve flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. Yoga is all about breathing correctly about integrating that breath into your being. Conscious Yoga doesn't call for you to force or strain your never or sinew. Yoga Slackers are a group of yoga practitioners who practice their asanas not on a mat, but suspended on a piece of 1" flat, stretchy tubular webbing (like rock climbers use) tensioned between two anchor points above the ground.

A Great help for Expectant Mother.

Yoga is an excellent way to "train" for the marathon of labor and motherhood. Practicing Yoga in pregnancy helps to strengthen and stretch muscles, release tension and maintain good posture. Yoga is more than just a form of exercise, but part of a well-rounded philosophy that dates back over 5,000 years. The practice of Yoga can help you to live a healthy, integrated life. Yoga can help liberate your true nature. Please don't use yoga to suppress it.

Is Yoga a Religion?

Yoga is not a religion, it fits with any lifestyle, and in fact yoga is one of the most valuable tools you can learn! It will improve your lifestyle! Yoga is not a competitive sport. Yoga, including postures, breathing exercises and meditation is the science of positive mental health. Practice Yoga regularly and it will strip away the obstacles that separate you from your source. Yoga practice can be invaluable in this process, as it can alleviate tension from and clear energy blocks in the body and mind. So speak to a teacher about developing a practice to suit your needs.

Hands on Process.

Yoga teaching is, to a large degree, a hands-on process. A gentle guiding touch can definitely help you fine-tune your practice. Yoga is a way of life, an art of righteous living or an integrated system for the benefit of the body, mind and inner spirit. This art originated, was perfected and practiced in India thousands of years ago. Yoga, Meditation, and other stress reducing wellness practices are critically important in today's world. By making these healing arts easily accessible, people will attain greater health, balance, and harmony in their lives.

Yoga for Kids.

Yoga for kids is an excellent way for a child to exercise and has many other benefits for a child's health. Not every type of yoga can be used as yoga for children though. Yoga is an ancient science of personal self -development that has evolved into an integrated lifestyle program. The practice of Hatha Yoga will release the physical tensions and stress so that you feel energized calm and peaceful.

This article is the original work of:

Mike Paul

Copyright C 2008

How to Get Rich Building a Lazy Downline.

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What Should a Hatha Yoga Teacher Know? - Part 5

Competent Yoga teachers should have enough knowledge to work with special populations; this includes handicapped students, seniors, and many more specialized groups with physical limitations. The reason is that Hatha Yoga is a health maintenance system, but some people only look at the superficial aspects.

If a Yoga teacher is only capable of instructing elite athletes, who are 16 to 25 years of age, that's wonderful. However, such a Yoga teacher should accept the title of "Yoga coach," as this is a limited method for teaching Yoga students.

As Yoga teachers, we always remember the students who can turn their bodies into pretzels, but that is not all there is to Hatha Yoga. If Yoga were a physical competition, we could invite some top gymnasts to teach classes and retire from teaching Yoga, as we were too old to perform feats that impress a crowd.

This is not meant to imply disrespect to gymnasts, martial artists, dancers, or any other highly trained athlete. There is a tremendous amount of knowledge, effort, work, and time that is involved in their specific training. Therefore, the same can be said for Yoga, since teaching Yoga requires in-depth knowledge and training.

Some of the children I have trained, around 10 years of age, are capable of performing amazing asanas with fantastic form. Should they be teaching Hatha Yoga to the rest of us? By now, I hope you understand my point.

Many Yoga teachers work with special populations because it challenges the mind. You have to research ailments, consult with other Yoga teachers, and find solutions to problems. This might be frustrating to a Yoga teacher, who wants to show what he or she can do physically.

Therefore, a Yoga teacher who has not matured much past "showing off," should not be teaching Yoga to special populations. As long as he or she doesn't hurt any elite athletes, everything should be fine. Some Yoga teachers are capable of working with the young and the old Yoga students, within the course of a week, but this is not usually the case.

The key ingredients for teaching Yoga to special populations are compassion, patience, understanding, and maturity. When Yoga teachers work with these groups, we always remember the fantastic comebacks Yoga students made from a stroke, heart attack, ailment, disease, trauma, or a special condition.

To be in the presence of a positively charged human spirit is an amazing feeling. This is what usually happens when Yoga students, who the world might have given up on, make a comeback from a near death experience. These very special Yoga students will never be forgotten due to their indomitable spirit.

© 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

The Yoga Way to Health and Well Being

Yoga is not a recent practice. It is a practice which through time, has developed and increased in significance and appeal worldwide. The rationale behind the appeal is greatly to do with the physical and psychological benefits experienced when integrating yoga into one's daily schedule. Yoga can be viewed as a breath of fresh air in this fast paced lifestyle that we live in.

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit language and means "to integrate". Yoga promotes a harmonious working together of the body's components leading to both physical and mental training. Despite the fact that there are numerous forms of yoga; Hatha Yoga is still presently seen as one of the more commonly practiced yoga styles. Hatha Yoga consists of non strenuous physical exercise which aids in strengthening, stretching and balancing the body's joints. Regular breathing is performed at the same time which aids in providing oxygen to the muscles, and in turn positively affects bodily structures and organs. The awareness required during yoga practice, ensures that mind and body have to work together to create a mind-body harmony which in turn promotes healing.

Yoga will not be a quick fix for all your aches, worries and pains. However, with regular yoga practice your body will rebalance slowly and steadily, leaving you discovering the results for yourself. Physical benefits which you can anticipate are improved efficiency of the lungs, better use of your respiratory muscles, improved flexibility of the joints, improved coordination and muscle tone, maintenance of bone density, reduced risk of injury as well as the prevention of weight gain. Psychological benefits can also include an increase in self-confidence, decreased cravings for tobacco and food, better sleep, an increased ability to relax, improved concentration as well as a reduced likelihood of depression. Yoga differentiates itself from other exercises as it draws on the entire person as a whole.

Half an hour of yoga a day, or 15 minutes of yoga twice a day, can easily be incorporated into any daily schedule. Some breathing techniques can even be practiced while working or driving home after a long day. A short routine for those of you spending hours staring at a computer screen is to take a few moments every day to glance at a distant object. This allows your eyes a moments rest from glare and a change of focus. Look left and right, up and down at least 5 times, blink at least 8 times to moisten your eyes and if it is at all possible, rest your elbows on a comfortable surface and close your eyes whilst covering them with the palm of your hands. If you can incorporate this with or without some breathing exercises, you will already be on the way to a healthier and possibly more focused lifestyle.

Baby steps everyone ... no one expects you to transform overnight.

For more information on health related topics please visit: healthspaguru.com Spas at Health Spa Guru

Look Good and Feel Good Inside Out Through Yoga

It's not for women only. It's not a religion. And it's not something you should leave out of your fitness program. More than 20 million in the United States now practice yoga and it's considered one of the top ten commonly used complementary-alternative medicine therapies. Americans spend more than $2.95 billion on yoga classes and related yoga products and with good reason-it leads to a hosts of fitness benefits from increase flexibility to better strength and stamina.

Even more, yoga's best kept secret is what is does to your physiology and mental well-being. Have you ever wondered why people still struggle with body image after weight loss or why successful bodybuilders still think that they are small? Yoga picks up where traditional fitness programs lack-creating a sense of mindfulness and mental well-being. While lifting weights can create bigger biceps, yoga can give you bigger biceps and help you become mindful of your life outside of the gym: your eating habits, how you respond to stress and what emotional baggage you carry and how to unload it in a positive manner. It's the best of both worlds!

Getting started in yoga is easy. It requires no fancy equipment and it's a practice that can be done anywhere and at anytime. Invest in a quality ?" yoga mat which cushions the joints and body and prevents slipping in poses.

A Complete Yoga Practice:

Sun Salutation: The 12-position series increases circulation, takes the muscles and joints through a full range of motion and tones the entire body. Beginners should start with 2-3 rounds and work up to 10-12 rounds. Stand tall like a mountain with the hands in prayer position at the chest. Take this time to set your intent and become fully focused on your breathing for 2-3 minutes
Inhale. Bring the arms up, palms facing as they reach toward the sky
Exhale. Bend forward at the hips, bending the knees slightly while bringing the hands flat to the ground
Inhale. Flatten the back, bringing the fingertips to the floor or legs
Exhale. Position the hands flat on the ground, stepping the legs into a high push-up position
Inhale. Recreate the mountain pose, balancing on the hands and toes. Modify, if needed, by balancing on the knees instead of the toes
Exhale. Lower the body down into a low push-up position, drawing the elbows back toward the feet
Inhale. Lift the upper torso away from the ground like a snake, pressing the legs into the ground
Exhale. Walk the feet flat and lift the hips to the sky, keeping the hands on the ground and drawing the chest toward the legs. Hold 30 seconds.
Inhale. Bend the knees and walk both feet to the hands, extending the chest away from the legs (picture 9).
Exhale. Bend forward at the hips, bending the knees slightly while bringing the hands flat to the ground
Inhale. Bring the arms out to the side and come to standing with the palms facing as they reach toward the sky.
Exhale. Draw the hands back to the heart, standing tall like a mountain with the hands in prayer position at the chest.
Boat Pose: Firms the abs and back muscles while improving posture. Start in a seated position with the feet resting on the mat. With the knees bent, lift the feet from the earth. Optional extend the lower legs parallel to the earth or fully extend the legs. Hold 30 seconds and repeat.
Chair Pose: Tones the thighs and butt. From standing drops the hips back over the heels bending the knees. Swing the arms forward and up to the sky. Hold 30 seconds and repeat.
Sitting Meditation and Breathing: Increases mental clarity, emotional well-being and compassion. Assume a comfortable sitting position. Become still, focus on your breath and draw your awareness inward. Thoughts may come and go but do not attach to them. Continue to observe the breath for 3-10 minutes.
Corpse Pose: Rebalances the nervous system, reduces stress hormone production and rejuvenates the body. Lie in a relaxed position on the back and elevate the legs for back support optionally with a blanket or pillow. Allow the entire body to become fully relaxed. Hold for 3-10 minutes. Corpse pose is considered by yogis the most important pose of all. That's right! Doing nothing, as it seems, helps restore the body and reduce stress hormones that cause abdominal fat and immune disorders!Practice Tips:

Practice 3-5 times per week and try different styles of yoga, meditative and very active to remain balanced and prevent injury
Take your yoga outdoors if possible. People who exercise outdoors are more likely to adhere to exercise programs, get a free dose of Vitamin D and have enhanced mental well-being
Avoid self-imposed barriers like not starting a yoga program until you lose weight or become more flexibleEssentially, in yoga you learn to be more mindful, and the increased awareness translates into better nutrition and lifestyle choices, increased focused in your exercise program and enhanced mental and emotional balance so that you feel good about yourself inside and out.

Perform this routine 3-5 times per week. For optimal results, supplement your yoga program with cardiovascular exercise such as walking for beginners or high intensity interval training for existing exercisers.

Darryl Olive, MBA, MHA, CSCS, E-RYT, LMT is a 500 hour certified and registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance. He teaches yoga classes, practices yoga therapy and leads happinesslifetime.com yoga teacher training for KCFitnessLink. For more information, about Kansas City yoga classes, Ayurvedic lifestyle consulting and happinesslifetime.com yoga instructor certification.

Darryl Olive, MBA, MHA, CSCS, E-RYT 500 is a 500 hour certified and registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance. He leads yoga teacher training workshops and is the director of programs for KCFitnessLink. For more information, visit kcfitnesslink.com/yoga_teacher_training.html kcfitnesslink.com/yoga_teacher_training.html, e-mail

Selecting a Yoga Center and Yoga Apparel

If you are interested in yoga classes, selecting a center for yoga and yoga apparel are important for getting started. Below you will find helpful tips for helping you select the best center for yoga and yoga apparel for you.

Choosing a center for yoga can be a difficult choice to make. For most physical fitness regimens, including yoga, experts recommend choosing a center for yoga or gym that is convenient enough to ensure that you will attend regularly. After all, fighting traffic to get to the gym could be just discouraging enough to skip it all together.

In addition there are other factors you may want to consider when selecting a yoga center, including the following:

Does the center offer a ladies day or other option for women who want to practice yoga without concern over the opposite sex?
What are the center's hours during the week and on the weekend? Will the hours work for your schedule?
What is the cost? Are there cancellation fees or contracts involved?


After choosing a yoga center, you'll want to find some great yoga apparel that will help you look good and remain comfortable during your workouts. Here are a few tips for selecting yoga apparel.

Your yoga clothing should allow you to move freely.
Yoga workout clothes should be loose fitting enough to be comfortable, but form fitting enough to allow your instructor to see your form during poses.
Yoga workout clothes should help you feel good about yourself. Great-looking yoga apparel will boost your confidence in those first awkward classes at your center for yoga.

Jay Freeman is a professional freelance author who covers various topics. He writes many articles for The Yoga Institute at [the-yoga-institute.com]

Yoga, Pranayama, and Type 2 Diabetes!

The ancient exercise system of yoga and the controlled breathing technique known as pranayama are popular around the world as verifiable, although controversial, methods of maintaining health naturally. The May 2010 edition of the Indian Journal of Medical Research reports the latest information about using these techniques in Type 2 diabetes.

One of the most common but least treated problems in Type 2 diabetes is a kind of "brain fog". When blood sugar levels are uncontrolled, the biochemical control mechanisms that keep blood vessels open don't work well. The brain, in particular, is affected by poor circulation.

Many long-term Type 2 diabetics develop a slowing of evoked potential, which is a technical way of saying their thought processes take longer because their brain has difficulty obtaining the right amount of oxygen to use all the sugar delivered by their bloodstreams. Researchers at the University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Dehli set out to see if 45 days of yoga might help Type 2 diabetics recover normal cognitive function.

The Indian doctors didn't ask diabetics to become yogis in 45 days. They only asked the participants in the study to do simple poses for a few minutes a day, and to add 15 seconds of a more difficult pose once a week. They also learned pranayama, a simple technique of controlling inhalation and exhalation of breath.

The study volunteers became increasingly proficient in yoga, but they were not expected to become masters. After 5 days of training, the diabetics in the study were allowed to practice on their own schedule, meeting their yoga teacher once a week.

At the end of 45 days these diabetics were invited into the lab for measurements of how fast their brains responded to various kinds of sensory information. The volunteers were given a test to measure how fast and how strong the neurons in their brains reacted to an "oddball" or unexpected stimulus. As the researchers expected, brainpower was uniformly increased after yoga practice. The diabetics who practiced yoga, even beginning yoga, had faster and stronger responses to electrical stimuli. But that wasn't all.

The Type 2 diabetics at the beginning of this study had blood sugar levels that Type 2 diabetics around the world usually have in real life, an average of about 172 mg/dL (9.5 mmol/L) when fasting and about 260 mg/dL (14.4 mmol/L) after eating a meal. After just six weeks of yoga practice, however, with no change in diet or medication, the average fasting blood sugar had fallen to 133 mg/dL (7.4 mmol/L) and the average post-prandial blood sugar had fallen to 198 mg/dL (11 mmol/L). This is a better result than is obtained by using any diabetes medication except insulin.

The Indian researchers attributed these results to reduction in stress. The daily practice of yoga relaxed both the brain and the central nervous system, lowering the production of cortisol, the stress hormone that stimulates the liver to release sugar. Yoga, the researchers found, works in much the same way as metformin, with the additional benefit of increasing brainpower.

Would you like more information about alternative ways to handle your type 2 diabetes?

To download your free copy of my E-Book, click here now: drugfreetype2diabetes.com/faq.html Answers to Your Questions... its based on questions many diabetics have asked me over recent months.

Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your type 2 diabetes.
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