Teaching Yoga - Feeling Peace

Like a fish unaware of the polluted waters it lives in, we are so surrounded and infused with stress that we don't even know it's here. As yoga teachers, part of our job is to teach our students to become aware of when, where, and why they are stressed. Chronic stress, constant fatigue, and incessant stimulation are an integral part of our culture, so five cups of coffee are an unfortunate part of many people's daily routine. It's no wonder that stress has become the way they feel connected to their world. Our duty, in part, is to help our students break this popular addiction to stress and stimulation. We must remind our students that stress is not an indispensable part of life. Peace is.

During class, frequently remind your students to pause and feel what they are doing, both while they are performing a pose and immediately after. While they are doing their poses, ask your students to feel the weight of their body dropping into their heels, or feel the pressure of their fingertips pressing into the ground. The mind automatically enters a reflective state when asked to observe what is going on inside the body.

As your students pause after each pose or after each flowing series, encourage them to bring awareness into their bodies and create equanimity in their minds before proceeding. Closing the eyes creates calmness because the body responds by shifting the nervous system from its active, sympathetic state to its quiet, parasympathetic state. Opening the eyes reverses this. For example, when students have finished Balasana (Child's Pose) after Shirshansana (Headstand), I ask them to come out of Balasana with their eyes open, sit on their heels in Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose), and then close their eyes. I ask them to tune in and feel whether Shirshasana has left behind a remnant of agitation or an aura of peace. If they feel agitation, I ask them to internally resolve: "Next time, I will do this pose with a heightened awareness to create more peace. More peace." Then I ask them to open their eyes and move into the next pose.

We feel peaceful only when we feel safe. As soon as we feel fear, our primeval animal nature is roused and our sympathetic nervous system triggers the "fight or flight" response. Hence, it is our duty as teachers to make sure our students feel safe in class. When they do, their parasympathetic system comes to the fore, allowing self-exploration and healing. Self-exploration is hardly a priority for one who lives in fear. As our leaders demonstrate, with appalling regularity, fearful people are more concerned about defense and countering the aggressive force of an "enemy," even though the enemy is usually in their own mind, and often is their own mind. When a student appears to be fearful, ask yourself, "What have I done to make this student feel unsafe? What have I not done to make the student feel safe? Is the student reflecting my doubts or fears? If so, do I have enough training to teach what I am teaching? Is my egoistic desire to appear competent creating fear in my students and destroying their peacefulness? Or has this student dragged her own fears into class? If so, how can I put this student's mind at ease and help her feel safe?"

Our classes should be tranquil antidotes to the feverish fervor of modern life, giving our students time to tune in, pause, and feel. Let us not reduce our classes to just one more hectic episode in a student's day, one more unrelenting blur of intense activity. Uninspired teaching creates sweat alone. Inspired teaching creates a connection with the peace of the soul.

? 2008Aadil Palkhivala

Aadil is the author of "Fire of Love", a book for Teachers of Yoga and Students of Life.

To buy a copy- click on this link: buyfireoflove.com buyfireoflove.com

Yoga in Practice - Yogic Solutions for Fear

Yoga often helps us to carefully examine logical and illogical mind chatter. Fear can be caused by either, logical or illogical, thoughts. Sorting out our fears, and categorizing them, will give us a rational view of, an often, irrational emotion.

Logical thoughts, which strike fear into us, have been learned over time, such as: Putting our hands into a fire. We have all learned to respect extreme heat, because of our life experiences, but this is a logical reaction.

Illogical thoughts, such as phobias and unreasonable fears, which we perceive to be real, can program us for failure, or cause a state of panic. The reaction to phobias and unreasonable fears can raise the pulse rate, shorten the breath, increase perspiration, result in trembling, and in extreme cases, cause death.

If someone you know is suffering, as mentioned above, from phobias, counseling should be sought. Reactions to phobias can become an automatic conditioned response. A person who suffers with extreme reactions to phobias may no longer be able to control his or her response to it. This is why counseling will be so helpful.

In the case of Yoga being prescribed for phobias, it will help, but a doctor, therapist, or counselor, should be working in conjunction with Yoga practice. If a Yoga teacher has one of these qualifications, everything should be fine. If this is not the case, two individuals may be needed. Self-prescribing, in the case of extreme reactions to phobias, is definitely not recommended.

Yoga therapy for phobias consists of pranayama, mantra, asana, meditation, and more. The mind can be re-programmed for success, but face-to-face Yoga guidance, and professional counseling, should be sought.

Let's look at a common fear that most of us take for granted, which might be a phobia in some, but leaves its traces in many of our personalities. We might call it "fear of rejection." This is a fear we learned as children. We wanted to be accepted by our peers, give the right answer to our teacher, or make our parents proud of us.

For one reason, or another, we discovered disapproval. We buried it in our personality, and now we hesitate to take chances. We learn to "play it safe" and avoid taking risks for fear of rejection. This one fear has held back many creative personalities. Some artists stop producing beautiful pieces, because they imagine disapproval or listen to the wrong feedback.

How can Yoga help? All forms of Yoga bring about a state of inner tranquility. Within Jnana Yoga, the practitioner learns to see reality. One reality, which we should all learn at a younger age, is to see the truth. You cannot base the truth on the opinion of one person or even one country.

The truth is felt deep within your heart. In the case of an artist: If an artist is producing pieces for his, or her, own gratification, and it is appreciated by a small group, then this is a form of therapy for the artist. He or she is doing no harm to anyone, and does not need the approval of everyone.

One more truth to realize: You will not receive the approval of everyone you meet, but do not suppress the Albert Einstein, or Leonardo da Vinci, within, because of it.

Adults see far too much bad news in the newspapers and on television. As a result, it programs us to consider failure first. We can afford to take a calculated risk in 2008.

© 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

Yoga For Sport - Really?

When it comes to staying fit and healthy, and training as productively as they can, professional sportsmen can be incredibly resourceful. It is not uncommon to hear, for example, of professional boxers exercising with a garbage bag worn as a vest underneath their shirt - in order to sweat off the crucial pounds that enable them to make the weight in time for the next fight - which is resourceful if nothing else. But how many professional sportsmen would admit they do yoga as part of their fitness regime? One can imagine that it is not many.

The truth is that there are a lot of sportsmen and even entire teams who have found that the many health benefits of doing yoga are having a real effect on their training regimes. The increased flexibility and muscle control that it bestows upon a sports professional is something that you would be insane to reject. For all that it has been pigeonholed as being mystic, and indeed feminine, yoga can help anyone who plays a sport. For a linebacker who needs to get an early jump on a quarterback, to a golfer who needs to keep the right lines to hit with accuracy, yoga is simply indispensable.

If any sportsman - professional or otherwise - or sportswoman, yoga is a choice that makes so much sense. You could sit back and snicker behind your hand at the idea of a 300lb man sitting in the lotus position - but if he's been doing yoga the chances are he's more nimble than you think, so do it quietly.

More info? Visit ==> yogameditationguidance.blogspot.com yogameditationguidance.blogspot.com/

Complete Wii Balance Board Game List

I took some time to write a simple list about all the Wii games that are compatible with the Wii Balance Board (Wii Fit Board). Most of them are already released, some will be by early next year. I also included a small summery for each of the games.

1.All Star Cheer Squad - basically you have to play a cheerleader who moves up to become the head cheerleader. Start of as the rookie who has to try out for even getting accepted into the squad. The more you play the game the more advanced routines you will learn. You can play career mode or mini game mode style.

2.Academy Of Champions: Soccer - the tile says it all, a game basically for boys who love soccer. This title includes 12 mini games. Or play the story line to battle against a football academy. Try to make your team win the championship.

3. Avatar - the game to the upcoming film Avatar. The film is by James Cameron. The game is an action based adventure game, which takes place at an alien planet. Will be released at the end of November.

4. Daisy Fuentes Pilates - a great workout game not only for all the pilates lovers, but also people in general who want to improve their posture and do some more exercise without going to the gym. This game includes 10 pilates routines. There are 5 pre set routines and 5 customizable ones. The game starts at the level of beginners, but will move up in difficulty to advanced. You can play this game in English or Spanish. The commentator is Daisy Fuentes that will guide you all the way with her great tips in subjects like health and fitness.

5. DanceDance Revolution Hottest Party 3 - a sequel to the DanceDance Revolution games. You can either play with the dance pad or as the title of this article says, with the Wii Balance Board. The game can be played in workout mode, story mode, lesson mode or kids mode. This rhythmic game is the best one until now, because all the previous titles didn't include the Wii Balance Board. It includes also more than 50 tracks of music.

6. Diva Girls- Divas On Ice - a nice girlie game who want to try out as ice princesses. There is a career mode available, but also mini games. Defiantly a game for girls for the age of 8+.

7. Doctor Fizzwhizzle's Animal Rescue - a game where you have to advance in stages to rescue animals. An arcade kind of game. You have more than 180 levels to play and can rescue 60 different animals. It includes also a kids mode with quizzes about animals.

8. Don King Boxing - a boxing game where you step into the ring to fight against the greatest boxers in real venues like Madison Square Garden or Boardwalk Hall. See if you can make it to the top - in career mode. This is one of the top rated games of this year. You should try this game, even if you are not too much into boxing. This gives you the workout of a fitness game, but still makes it fun to play. Has a teen rating.

9. EA Sports Active More Workouts - This is the sequel to the EA Sports Active Personal Trainer game that was released about a year ago. One of the highest rated Wii fitness games. You can use the Wii Balance Board, the Wii remote and Nunchuk to play this game. This game adds 35 new exercises that target the whole body. More Workouts is made to be played in the winter as it focuses on warm-weather games like surfing, jet skiing and rafting. It also keeps players motivated with a 6-week-challenge that tracks the players progress.

10. EA Sports Active Personal Trainer - This was probably the most successful game for the Wii Balance Board. You can play sports like running, basket ball, volley ball, roller skating, boxing, baseball, dancing, and many other games. This game includes a rubber resistant band for muscle workouts and a pouch for jogging and running. If you want to play this game with a friend you can get the gear also separately. Sign up for the 30 day challenge with its 20 minute workouts to get into shape. This game will make your living room into a gym without the need of leaving the house.

11. Go Play Circus Star - Go try out to become the greatest circus performer. Play in career mode and play stage-by-stage or play mini games. Most of the games in this title are compatible with the Wii Balance Board. One of three games of the Go Play series.

12. Go Play City Sports - Another one of the Go Play series. Play six street games like stick ball, kickball, street hockey and soccer. In career mode you have to stand up for yourself and become the top athlete of your street. A fun and casual game for the whole family.

13. Go Play Lumberjacks - The last one of the Go Play series. This title takes you to the outdoors where you can play five different event categories. In each one of those categories you compete against three other players. One of the fun games is defiantly the water log game where you have to balance on a log.

14. Gold's Gym Cardio Workout - Another great fitness title. What makes this game unique it that when you buy it, you get a free one week trial at any Gold Gym. In the game your workout is chosen according to your own fitness level. So you don't have to worry that you will not be able to keep up. Includes boxing, running, rope jumping and many other sports.

15. Imagine Fashion Party - A game for all the girls who love to live the world of fashion. Includes office mode where you play a designer that get challenged by difficult clients. Or try to be a make-up artist and style your models before they hit the runway. You can even own your own TV show just like the one from Heidi Klum. This game also lets you share pictures through the Wii Wifi connection.

16. Imagine Party Babyz - For all of you who love the cute baby games like baby food throwing, dancing and hula hoop. There are more than 30 fun mini games to play. Or go for the career mode where you are in charge of a daycare center.

17. Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009 - Another one of the popular fitness games for the Wii. This is a boot-camp-style game that focuses on four workout types: weight loss, intervals, hill climb and strength training. Just like in real life the game starts with warm-up, keeps you in your target zone to burn calories and cool-down for stretching. It even has a competitive mode where you play against a friend to find out who can burn more calories. The game is lead by fitness guru Jillian Michaels, that not only guides you through each exercise but also offers lifestyle tips.

18. Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 - The sequel to the boot-camp style fitness game. It adds on to the other game with a resolutions mode. In this mode you can plan ahead your routines for up to six months. Just like the first game it focuses on cardio like running, bicycle, swing kicks, jumping jacks. Strength training includes exercises like lunge kicks, push-ups, back kicks, sledge swings and many more. It offers very accurate motion tracking to give you a real-life experience. This is a recommended game if you want to get into shape fast.

19. Marble Saga Kororinpa - one of my favorite fun games from all Wii games. It includes more than 100 levels for the Wii Balance Board. Don't be fooled because I called it fun games. This game will defiantly challenge you while you try to move across the mazes and collect all the orange gems. If you collect also the green gems (one per level) you can unlock more stages at the end. Not only can you choose the difficulty but also different marbles - each with their own strengths. Collect all the stomp-temple-parts and you unlock the ability to design your own mazes at the end. You will play in 7 different worlds, each one with their own characteristics. So after you played the whole game you can even connect via the Wifi to get more advance levels. Check out the leader boards via the Wifi to see you is the best in the game.

20. Mario And Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games - Compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Choose your favorite character from players like Mario, Sonic and Donkey Kong. This game targets primarily the fans of these characters. You have the option to play the game in single player, multiplayer and festival mode. Festival mode means that you go through all the Olympic events to become the greatest Olympic champion. This game includes winter themed games like skiing, hockey, bobsled and figure skating. But you also play dream events that won't happen in real life like dream snowball fight. You move your character with a combination of the Wii Balance Board, wii remote and nunchuk.

21. Mountain Sports - Another winter themed game that features six full length sports to make your gaming experience more satisfying. These include skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, tobogganing, bobsledding and curling. The goal of the game is to become the champion of the white mountain. Most of the games make use of the Wii Balance Board (5 out of six)

22. My Fitness Coach - This fitness game includes 500 exercises like cardio, flexibility and strength training. You can choose your favorite environment to suit your mood. Also customize your music with styles like Latin music, hip hop, oldies, music from the 80's,... As you progress the workouts will get more demanding. It also includes a meditation garden to practice stretching and yoga.

23. My Personal Golf Trainer - The only golf game that makes use of the Wii Balance Board. Not yet release thus not much more information available.

24. NewU: Fitness First Personal Trainer - another fitness title that was released in 2009. Just like many of the other fitness based games your own personal virtual trainer guides you through a set of exercises. This game will try to get you in better shape through fitness and healthy living without you ever having to leave the comfort of your own home.

25. Overturn - a wii ware title that you can get through the Wii Shop via the Wifi Connection.

26. Playmobil: Circus - This game combines the playmobil characters with the circus theme to attract primarily the younger players. You can unlock more than 16 circus tricks to impress the crowd. Two multiplayer modes are available: versus, where you compete against a friend and teamwork, where you work together to reach your goal. Play acts with elephants, magician, tame the lion and many more wacky games.

27. Punch Out - The sequel to the popular game of more than 15 years ago. Play against characters like Glass Joe and King Hippo. Most of the names will be familiar if you played the first game. In career mode you will have to win against 13 opponents. Each one has their own characteristics and weaknesses. Boxing games are not only fun games to play but will definitely get you into shape as you use your whole body to play. The Wii Balance Board makes the game even more realistic.

28. Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party - The only title of the Rayman Raving Rabbids series that is compatible with the Wii Balance Board. This game focuses on TV series, ads and TV classics. Play either in story mode where you will go through one week of television with unique tasks and very hilarious challenges. Or play party mode with up to 8 players, four of which can play simultaneously. In all these mini games your overall goal is to help the rabbids destroy the daily TV viewing and thus drive Rayman crazy. Two of the 65+ games are Beestie Boarding (slide down a hill filled with obstacles where the board is a wildebeest) and Garden of Weeden (get rid of all the weeds in the garden by spraying them with poison - apply pressure to the Wii Balance Board to succeed in the challenge). Overall, one of the number one party games.

29. Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip - Shaun White will instruct you to become a great snowboarder. Turn the board so you glide down the mountain just like on a real snowboard. You can enjoy the scenery with the unique camera system and beautiful graphics. Or go for the challenges to compete in snowboarding events. There are four ventures to explore: Alaska, Europe, Japan and Park City.

30. Shaun White Snowboarding World Stage - was just recently released. Is the sequel to the Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip game. This game just like the previous one has the rating 10+. Can you make it in the half-pipe to be better than everybody else? A nice game if you live far away from any snow, but still would like to know how it feels to snowboard.

31. Skate City Heroes - A skating game that takes place in a futuristic city on top of skyscrapers. You have to race between trains, hoover over cars and other crazy moves. The goal of the game is to out-race your opponent with your skills and moves. You need to free a friend and make peace in the city. All these if you can become the skateboarding master. Has a multiplayer mode for up to four players.

32. Skate It - A more realistic skating game where you can customize your own skate park with ramps, rails, benches and many more skate-able objects. The career mode lets you compete in skate venues to become the skater of the year. This is the game for you if you are into skating and the whole skate culture.

33. Ski And Shoot - A biathlon style game that includes original world cup tracks. But you can not only compete in those original sport spots but also play real time biathlon sports icons like Kati Wilhelm and Michael Rosch. Choose from 20 different tracks and more than 15 international locations. As the title says, you will focus on cross country skiing and target shooting.

34. Snowboard Riot - another Wii Ware title that you can get through the Wifi Connect Shopping channel of your wii.

35. Stratosphere Yoga - not much yet known about this title or when it will be released.

36. Super Monkey Ball: Step And Roll - Planned release is in February of 2010. This is a sequel to the popular Super Monkey Ball series. You play a monkey (several different ones to choose one each one with their own strengths) in a giant bubble that has to finish levels and collect bananas on the way.

37. The Biggest Loser - The game to the popular TV show "The Biggest Loser". Not only for those who want to loose weight but also for those who want to stay in shape and not gain weight. Trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels will guide you through exercises, motivate you and stand by you all the way. This title includes more than 88 exercises which target the upper- and lower body, the core and cardio. It also teaches you yoga poses and thus improves your posture. The Wii Balance Board can be used in over 66 exercise. Choose from 4, 8 or 12 week challenges and see if you can stay above the yellow line in weigh-in. To all those above mentioned features it also includes more than 50 healthy recipes and a daily planning calendar.

38. Vertigo - An action game where you have to control a metal ball. Try to keep it from falling off the sides just with the balance of your body. Sounds easy but is in reality very tricky. The game is set in a futuristic environment on top of skyscrapers and tall buildings. It includes 54 levels and has 4 different modes. You can even customize your own ball to give it its unique controls.

39. Walk It Out - an upcoming walking game. This game will be released in January 2010. The more you take steps and walk, the more beautiful your world will become. This game features more than 120 songs which should keep you focused and motivated. The game keeps track of your progress and burned calories with charts and graphs. You can use the Wii Balance Board, the Dance Dance Revolution controller, the wii remote and the nunchuk to play the game. This is a very popular game in Japan, where it is already released.

40. Water Sports - The game focuses on summer themed games like windsurfing, jet skiing, kite surfing and wake boarding. You have different locations to choose from like Australia and South Africa. Do tricks and combine them to get lots of points.

41. We Ski And Snowboard - Choose from 14 courses and from beginner to advanced in this great skiing game. Choose if you want to go skiing or snowboarding. You are in the Happy Ski Resort where you can focus on just casual skiing, competitions or tricks with your snowboard. Explore the surrounding area by helicopter. You can even decide at what day-time you would like to experience skiing: during day, afternoon with its warm light or night under the light of fireworks.

42. We Ski - Again you are in the Happy Ski resort. This game lets you only do skiing but you will for sure enjoy the great two mountains. You can even try black diamond slopes. Just like in the previous game, you can choose the time of the day, and which course you would like to try. Overall a fun game for the whole family.

43. Wii Fit - The most famous game for the Wii Balance Board. This is the game that got released first with the Board. Part of the title focus on your balance like the Balance Games and Yoga games. Our family's favorite are the Balance games. You start off with 5 games. The more time you spend exercising and playing the more games you can unlock. The other categories are Strength Training and Aerobics. You can even create a Wii Fit Channel - a mode where you don't have to put in the DVD to do a daily body test. Each time you do a body test you will be weighed and your balance will be tested. According to that you will get a score that is your Wii Fit Age. Don't take it too seriously if you are 10 or so years older than your real age. This should just motivate you to do daily exercises and keep in shape.

44. Wii Fit Plus - The just recently released sequel to the Wii Fit game. It combines the two games so you can play both of them from one CD. The difference is that you can now customize your workouts much easier and even decide if you want to do 20, 30 or 40 minute workouts. This game adds six new yoga activities and strength training exercises and 15 new balance games. A very fun game for the whole family not only if you are into fitness and weight loss.

45. Wii Music - Use the Balance Board to play 60+ instruments. But it does not matter if you press buttons at a certain time like in other music games. This is a very casual game, where there is no right or wrong. Just enjoy yourself while playing in a band. You can invite up to 4 people to play with you in your band. And you can even connect with friends through the Wifi connection. Choose your flavor like rock, jazz and Latin.

46. Winter Sports 2 The Ultimate Challenge - a winter themed game where you try out in 18 disciplines from 11 different winter sports. In this game you are in the center of sporting events that are broadcast all over the world. Some of the activities include snowboarding, ice skating, biathlon and ski jumping.

47. World Championship Athletics - Compete in 28 different summer themed sports games. Some of these are: high diving, hurdles and pole vault. See if you can win the gold medal and improve your own personal best.

48. Yoga - just recently released yoga game that focuses not only on yoga itself but also on its unique lifestyle. It lets you choose between story mode, where you start off as a complete yoga beginner and end up as a yoga guru. Training mode, where you can learn new poses. And Routine mode where you customize a workout that puts together several yoga poses. This game is a must if you liked the yoga exercises in the Wii Fit game.

Most of the games are just casual games that you play for fun. Some of them are excellent fitness games like Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus. And my pick for the most fun game from the whole list: Marble Saga Kororinpa. In this game you have to balance a marble through a maze and collect colored gems on the way. Might sound boring to you, but when you play it you get really addicted. You can play this game also with the Wii Remote only. (Not less fun!)

Julia has worked with computers for the last 10 years. Since she has kids she is also interested in Console Games. In her latest projects she writes about babymonitormovement.org Baby Monitor Movement Sensors and about the babymonitormovement.org/Fisher-Price-Baby-Monitor.html Fisher Price Baby Monitor.

Five Reasons Why Bodyweight Training is the Best Workout at Home For Fat Loss

I recently started training with my own bodyweight and have experienced extremely quick fat loss. Here are five reasons why bodyweight training is the best workout at home for fat loss:

#1: There are many Bodyweight Variations to Choose From

The majority of programs out there feature pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats. But in reality, there are hundreds of different bodyweight exercises to choose from. If you just start studying the movements of bodyweight athletes such as gymnasts, dancers, and yogis (people who practice yoga), you can start to create your own variations of movements.

#2: Bodyweight Training Saves you Money

Since you don't need any equipment or a gym membership with bodyweight training, you'll save tons of money. If you're looking for a guide or program that teaches you how to train with your bodyweight, you can good ones for under $100. Compare that to a $400 annual gym membership, and you can see where the money is better spent.

#3: Bodyweight Training Saves Time

I no longer need to travel for 30-45 minutes both ways to get to a gym. I can just get a great bodyweight workout in the comfort of my own home. And, since I'm now using high intensity techniques, I can get a great workout within an extremely short period of time.

#4: Bodyweight Training is more Convenient

I can literally wake up in the morning and get a great workout right there in my bedroom. I can also get a great workout anywhere I travel including my hotel room. Bodyweight exercises are some of the most convenient forms of training around!

#5: Bodyweight Training Produces Amazing Athletes

I mentioned gymnasts, dancers, and yogis earlier in this article. These athletes sport incredibly lean and powerful bodies, despite never lifting a weight! It's because they use their own bodyweight through a variety of motions. This is something that the average person can also do to develop a lean physique.

One of the best programs out there which combines dance, gymnastics, and yoga to design incredible fat loss bodyweight programs is Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss. You can read a full review of this program on my site, workoutwithoutweights.net WorkoutWithoutWeights.Net

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Does Exercise Really Help Neuropathy Condition?

By now, everyone knows that exercise is good for you.

It helps to not only lose weight but keep your weight under control... It strengthens your bones... It improves your cardiovascular health... It has even been shown to fight depression...

And if you happen to have diabetes, you know how important exercise is in managing your glucose levels.

But what do you do when your neuropathy or some other painful condition just makes it hurt to work out?

If you struggle with neuropathy, complications from diabetes, post-chemo nerve pain or any other painful medical condition, it can be really easy to just sit around and do nothing.

Because it just hurts too much to be active.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Do some exercise that doesn't need ache from your joints. Try it now but don't give yourself into so much pain just like what you feel.

Most of us would agree that it be far better to prevent suffering like this by doing the necessary amount of exercise every day. Follow this movements to start you with:

Yoga

Yoga will keep you limber and stretches the muscles in slow, easy, fluid movements. You can do it as slowly as you like. You don't have to qualify as a Cirque Du Soleil acrobat to get the benefits of a good yoga practice. Just do the postures to the best of your ability. If it has been awhile since you've exercised, don't expect to be limber overnight. Give yourself time.

Yoga stretches the muscles and increases muscle strength simply by using the body's own weight. No extra equipment, no extra weight on painful joints or swollen feet. Just what you already carry. That's tailor made for people suffering from nerve pain.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a very slow moving martial art. Each and every movement is done slowly and through a complete cycle, works every muscle group in the body. Even though it is not a strenuous exercise program, the health benefits for your bones and muscles are undeniable.

Once again, Tai Chi uses the body's own weight to strengthen the muscles. Your sore joints and swollen tissue aren't subjected to increased weight. And because the movements are slow and fluid, no added pain from sore muscles to complicate the symptoms of neuropathy that you already suffer from.

Swimming

If your joints are so painful that walking is not a good option for exercise, try swimming. Your movements are easier in water and you will put little weight or pressure on your feet. Make sure that the water is warm, not cold. Prolonged exposure to cold water will have a detrimental effect on your circulation and make a bad situation worse.

Swimming is also a wonderful way to strengthen your cardiovascular system and do so without taxing your limited strength. If you suffer from pain in your legs and feet, the buoyancy of the water takes some of the pressure off your extremities. Just being in the water can provide some relief from the pain in your nerves.

Stretching

Stretching exercises are a great way to increase muscle strength without causing your tender nerves more pain. Try to do some bending when you are in Bed and relax your body thoroughly.

This is a good stretching program that will give you a good total body stretch without ever getting on your feet. Manage an stretching exercise 6-8 times. Do not wait until it's too late before you start the stretching exercises:

- Start with your fingers and toes and gently stretch and contract them

- Next, move to your wrists and ankles and make circles with the joints

- Bend your elbows, bring your hands in to your shoulders

- Bend your knees, one at a time, toward your chest

- Bring your arms up to your ears and down, gently stretching your shoulder muscles

- Raise each leg, keep it straight, and raise it as far as you can.

None of these stretches requires a broad range of motion but will increase the circulation in your arms and legs and work your joints.

Stretching does not requires so much effort from your body. Try to be relaxed while taking time to loosen your muscle and balancing your blood circulation. When you deal with debilitating pain, just doing those two things can lead to great improvement in your overall health condition.

Start small, take it easy and do the exercise you choose at your own pace. Be gentle with yourself. If you do an exercise, it allows you to loosen the muscles and to prepare them for the daily activity that lies ahead. It is also important to spend enough time on stretch exercises because the better prepared our muscles are, the more vigorously we can train them. And that's the best way to ensure a good outcome from any medical treatment.

Dr. John Hayes, Jr. is an excellent author of "Living and Practicing by Design" and "Beating Neuropathy where you can get a free copy from his websites perfectpracticeweb.com perfectpracticeweb.com and neuropathydr.com neuropathydr.com. Visit the pages to learn more about peripheral neuropathy doctors and patients and his services.

Lacrosse Training Tips

Fitness is a huge part of success in the game of lacrosse. You must posses speed, strength and endurance in order be competitive. Arriving at the first day of practice out-of-shape, regardless of your talent, is the best way to get on your coaches bad side and fall way behind other less talented players and end up on the bench. You simply cannot play lacrosse if you are not in top condition, there is too much running, hustle and fitness involved in the game.

I always started training at least 2 months before the first practice because I didn't want to spend the first weeks trying to get into playing shape and looking bad in front of the coaches. You want to show your commitment to the team and impress the coaches quickly because many decisions about who will play are made in the first weeks of practice. Your goal must be to make sure you are at least a starter, which will give you an opportunity to have a good season - and this all starts by arriving in shape.

I suggest a routine of distance running, basketball and some sort of muscle building routine.

Distance running:

There is a ton of running in lacrosse, and you better be prepared. Your goal is to be in shape when the season starts, not be a marathon runner. In two months, you should be able to increase your cardio fitness by running approx. 3 times per week. For the first 2 weeks, I would run 1.5 miles each time you go to the track, followed by some 100 yard sprints. This should start to get your legs in shape and give you enough time to recover to prevent injury. Make sure you have a good running shoe and do some light stretching.

Around the 3rd week, you will notice 1.5 miles feels very easy and you can start to run about 3 miles each time out. I would not go much beyond that distance; that should be enough to really get you in terrific shape for the start of the season. Distance running is great for lacrosse players.

Basketball:

While distance running is great for overall endurance, basketball is great for improving your first step speed, lateral movement and your ability to backpeddle. Basketball is a game of quick bursts, jumping and sprints; all of which will greatly increase your leg strength and again, your endurance. Some lacrosse players prefer HOOPS over running because it more closely simulates the workout of a lacrosse game and is more fun.

When I was preparing for the season, I would play hoops 2-3 times per week. Since I love basketball, this was never an issue. Get a few teammates together and play other good athletes. Cover the best man on the other team and work on your latteral movement. Offensively, push the tempo of the game but share the ball. Play with a purpose. Don't just go out there and start shooting 3 pt shots and not getting back on defense. Get in the post, rebound, build your strength, defend and communicate. This is the best way to maximize your workout.

Basketball also gets you in mental shape. Each game has its own dynamic. Obviously, the goal is to help your team win the game. How can you contribute? How can you help your teammates get better? What can we do as a team to stop the other teams strength? These are exactly the same issues you will face as a leader on your lacrosse team.

Strength building:

The third area you want to work on is your physical strength. I always love weights but also added routine push-ups and sit-ups. Lacrosse is a very physical sport and if you get pushed around easily, you probably will not be very successful. You want to be strong enough to both take and give a hit; and run through stick checks.

I normally hit the weight room about 3 times per week prior to lacrosse season. I was not trying to get HUGE; I wanted to be strong, fast and flexible. I would do push-pull routines of chest/triceps, back/biceps and shoulders/hand strength work. Personally, I never did any legs in the weight room since I was running and playing basketball but squats are great for explosive strength so u should work them into your routine.

After the first few weeks, I would notice improvement in my strength and begin doing more reps. While I did use a decent amount of weight, I never wanted to feel like I was do so much I could hurt myself - an injury in the weight room can be a huge setback. I wanted to be lean and strong, fit and ready to explode at the first practice. That is the build of an athlete - look at hoop stars like Lebron James or any top lacrosse player! Lean and mean.

Weight lifting is a also great way to prevent injury.

A complete work out would also include YOGA to increase flexibility.

DIET: A diet high in protein, vegetables, fruits and low fat will remove any weight your carrying and provide you with the necessary nutrition to add muscle.

PICK A STICK! Start to break-in a few sticks so you are comfortable with your equipment. Find a stick that compliments your game. Make sure you have at least 2 sticks ready for the start of the seasons; in-case one breaks in the cold weather. LACROSSE HERO.

So arrive in shape and ready to go! Get your teammates to join you in your commitment and be a leader. It's a great start to a great season!

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