Showing posts with label Blood Flow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blood Flow. Show all posts

March 5, 2009

The Top 5 Pilates Exercises to Get You Started!

Breathing:

Although simple - If you breath correctly, you will find it easy to relax and provide adequete oxygene to your muscles. You will notice the difference when you breathe correctly as it will enhance your overall experience. Breathing is a major part of all pilates exercises. You simply breathe in through your nose for a count of five, and out through your mouth for a count of 5, with a shushing sound. Make the breaths into short, rhythmic bursts - in,in,in,in,in and shush,shush,shush,shush,shush. Never rush your breathing and don’t go overboard to the point that you feel light headed and fall over.

Toe Lifts:

This will help you with core balance. Core balance works in harmony with the alignment of your feet supporting your whole body. You will be amazed at how much strength your toes possess to balance your body. This movement strengthens the muscles on the top of your feet and increases the blood flow into your toes. Poor circulation to your feet can lead to stiff muscles and problems that affect the rest of your body.

This is a very simple exercise designed to improve circulation and enhance your awareness of balance.

Start standing with your feet together inlign with your body. Hold your head straight and keep your arms rested at your sides. Start simply by raising your right foot toes slowly up as far as they will go and then back down again. Do this a couple of times alternating feet.

Then lift up the toes of both feet at the same time pressing the metatarsal bones at the base of your toes strongly and evenly into the floor.

** Remember - Do not roll your feet inward or outward while performing the exercise. And do not lean back as you lift **

You should be breathing in as you lift, and breathing out as you lower your toes. Try closing your eyes as you exhale and lower your toes. Keep your eyes closed for five repetitions and you will notice an improvement in your sense of balance.

Finger Flicks:

This exercise improves the circulation in your arms and hands. The increased blood flow into the fingertips helps to flush out toxins and reduce arthritis or stiffness in the joints. It’s also a good forearm workout and is excellent for relieving aching elbows.

Start standing with your feet together inlign with your body. Hold your hands down in front of you below your waist and make loose fists by rolling up your fingers with your thumb on top. In this exercise your arms should always be fully extended as they move in a circular motion into six main positions.

1. Down and in front. Hands facing inwards.

2. Raised to shoulder height and in front. Hands facing inward

3. Stretched straight up. Hands facing inward.

4. Stretched out to the sides. Hands facing upwards.

5. Lowered to 45 degrees. Hands facing down.

6. Lowered to sides. Hands facing inward.

The idea is to strongly flick your fingers open continually throughout all the positions. Do eight flicks while you stand in position 1 and four flicks as you move to position 2. Do eight flicks while standing in position 2 and four flicks as you move into position 3. Continue this pattern.

** Remember - Keep your wrists still and your arms straight **

The Hundred:

This is a classic pilates exercise so named because it takes a count of 100 to complete. This exercise strengthens core abdominal muscles and expands the chest and ribcage.

This is a floor or mat exercise. It involves raising your legs to vertical and waving or pulsing your arms up and down in small motions.

1. Start by lying on the floor with knees bent as if you were doing sit-ups and have your arms resting palm down at your side.

2. Squeeze your abdominal muscles so that your head, neck, and shoulders raise off the floor. Keep your abdominals squeezed tight throughout the whole exercise. Stretch your arms forward toward your toes and start pulsing them up and down a distance of about 15cm. Stay is this position for a count of 20.

3. Slowly lift your legs to a 90 degree angle with your body. Continue the pumping for a further count of 20.

4. Slowly extend your legs straight up to the ceiling and keep pumping for 20 counts.

5. Begin to lower your legs at a 45 degree diagonal to your torso and keep pumping for 20 counts.

6. Keep your legs straight and lower them as close to the ground as possible without lifting your spine off the floor and keep pumping for 20 counts.

7. Lower your head to the floor. Release your arms, bend your knees, and place your feet back on the floor.

Roll-up to Diamond:

This exercise works your abdominals and improves flexibility of your spine. This is a floor or mat exercise and involves rolling up your upper body while extending your arms.

1. Lie with your legs in the diamond position. Keep your back flat on the floor and rest your arms on the floor above your head. The diamond position is when you point your toes and bring your legs into a diamond shape with your knees out to the sides.

2. Lift your arms toward the ceiling and slowly start rolling or peeling your upper body off the floor from your head down.

3. Keep peeling and extend your legs forward while keeping your toes pointed.

4. Stretch your arms and torso forward over your legs creating a C shape with your body. Keep your abdominal muscles tight and hold your arms directly around your ears.

5. Begin to roll back down to the floor pulling your legs back into the diamond position. Your arms should start to point to the ceiling again.

6. Finish in the starting position with your spine flat on the floor, your hands resting above your head and your legs in the diamond position.

** Remember - Keep the movement fluid and constant. Work with your abdominal muscles. Don’t straighten your spine while rolling. If you feel any stress or discomfort, hold on to your thighs until you are stronger. **

For more pilates exercises check out http://www.pilates-class.com

You can find more great Pilates information at Pilates - Women

March 2, 2009

Yoga: Three reasons you should not do Shoulderstand

Shoulderstand ? (Sarvangasana)

?Healthy thyroid means healthy functioning of all the organs of the body?

Yogasana the third limb of Raja Yoga also popularly understood by mass population as yoga is getting popular as never before in both eastern and western countries. The reason for Yogasana (popularly know as Yoga) to gain popularity are numerous ranging from releasing stress, flexibility to helping patient suffering from various disease. Although the initial objective of Yogasana (Yoga) in Raja Yoga was different, however the ability of yoga to help patient with various ailments is really praiseworthy.

The Shoulderstand is called the Queen of all asanas as it benefits the whole body. It is a forward-bending posture engaging all parts of the body and stretching the shoulders, neck and upper back. In the Shoulderstand the whole body is supported by the hands, arms and shoulders. As the body is inverted the blood flows to the heart without any strain by force of the gravity.

The Shoulderstand nourishes the thyroid gland which: regulates the body?s metabolism, controls the heart rate, promotes the growth and balances the digestive and nervous system. This asana tones the legs and abdomen increasing circulation to those areas. It massages the abdominal organs and it relieves stress. Because of the enriched blood flow to the brain it also relieves emotional and mental stress, headaches and it is very tranquilising.

When you are in the Shoulderstand there will be a sensation of extra pressure and tension in the neck because of the severe flexion in the neck. Your eyes, ears and face may also experience an increased sensation of pressure.

During the Shoulderstand the expansion of the chest is restricted leading to breathe at the rates of not less than eight breaths per minutes, and in many cases up to twenty breaths per minute.
During holding this posture the blood pressure in the brain will be an average of 110mmHg.

Three important reasons (out of many) you should not do Shoulderstand:

1) If you have High Blood Pressure the posture is better to avoid.

2) Anyone who has Cervical Spondylities should not attempt to practice this pose because as you hold the pose the weight of the body is taken through the neck.

3) If you have Glaucoma or Detached Retina please, avoid the Shoulderstand as it could worsen the condition.

Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.

Mr. Subodh Gupta, consultant with The Times of India group and has conducted more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels in India and London.
For reaching to Subodh Gupta website http://www.subodhgupta.com/ and for Subodh Gupta article webpage http://www.subodhgupta.com/yogaarticle.html.

March 1, 2009

I Must Thank Yoga if I Ever Do Win a Grammy

Voice lessons aside, one other thing that helps with singing or public speaking will be a feeling of looseness and flexibility in the throat. While some may rely on ?Hot tea, lemon and honey? to achieve this, there are actually some yoga poses that help ?loosen? the vocal cords and with practice actually increase the flexibility of the muscles in those areas.

Now, from personal research, a specific book titled ?Singing for the Stars? by Seth Riggs-(the vocal coach of the who-is-who of the Music Industry)-specifies that stretching to warm up not only the vocal cords but the whole body before doing vocal warm-ups are very helpful.

That considered, I specifically incorporated those poses that I know from sensation loosen the cervical region that of course contains the throat. (As an added bonus, some of these poses loosen other body parts that come in handy for my ?James Brown-Michael Jackson-Prince?-esque moves by the way?)

Now I will show you my choices and explain each one briefly.

1. The Sun Salutations.

This is more of a combination of poses, versus being an exclusive pose. Its ease and versatility comes in handy for warming up the entire body and increasing the blood flow. Moreover, with the deep breathing associated (and the corrective effect it does have on breathing in general), this unique collage of indeed very simple movements will come in handy for just about warming up to do anything.

2. The Wheel Pose:

This is a backward bending pose that owing to its execution stretches the entire body immensely. When properly executed, one?s head will be turned upside down which consequently stretches the throat and increases the blood flow to the head. When, I?m doing mid to up-tempo numbers, I love executing the wheel pose to sort of get the adrenalin pumped up and I also add the spinal twists (it?s counter pose so to speak) for an even more balanced stretch that it may offer.

3. The Lion Pose:

Think ?Scary Movie 1? here for a minute, remember when Marlon Wayans yells ?whazup? and stretches out his tongue? Well, this pose has a similar concept in execution. Moreover, I actually read that taking its name into consideration, it is often a pose recommended for overcoming shyness, as some Yogic texts claim in executing a pose, you take up the characteristic of the object or creature it is named after. Since this is the Lion Pose, it is believed that boldness and confidence is increased. For now, let?s just stick to the immense stretching of the throat that it offers.

4. The Shoulder-Stand Sequence:

Well, this sequence includes a pose known in Yoga as Savagasana (meaning it affects all body parts). It is a simple inversion pose and when executed with its counter poses: The Bridge and the Fish Poses, they adequately loosen up the whole body. If my performance or session is in the earlier parts of the day, I may simply execute just this sequence alone (with the previously mentioned sun salutations) and be fine. The fish pose especially loosens up the chest and is often recommended for respiratory disorders such as Asthma and Bronchitis.

5. The Relaxation Pose:

The name says it all. After a session or performance, it is always best to cool down the vocal muscles as this comes in handy for extensive daily use. Perhaps no other pose comes close to relaxing not only the vocal cords but the whole body like the Relaxation Pose yoga has to offer. This simple relaxation technique is something I have incorporated into my list of essentials as a vocalist and will come in handy for interested parties as well.

In addition to these poses and since singing involves a great degree of breath control, the Breathing Exercises (aka pranayama) belonging to Yoga come in very handy, as well as do some Yogic Cleaning techniques for the body such as nasal, throat and tongue cleansing?but that?s another topic altogether.

Moreover, a yogic diet -which is akin to the Mucus-free diet of the drug-free fraternity/lifestyle-helps to ensure excess mucus within is curbed and of course fasting-an advocated practice of Yoga-augments this even more. In fact this last factor is secretly why I hardly ever run out of breath while performing folks.

Perhaps if I ever end up winning a Grammy someday (hey, you never know?), I?ll be able to get up at the podium and acknowledge Yoga much more for helping me sing better, but for now, if your trade, passion or hobby demands an intense use of your vocal cords, you can surely benefit a lot from adding a little bit of yoga to making them work a lot better.

Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com For more Yoga tips and information on Yoga for beginners stop by his website today.

February 24, 2009

The Benefit of Yoga - Fight or Flight?

Medical conditions can be vastly improved through the benefit of yoga. Yoga can lessen the negative effects of such conditions as lung disease, Parkinson’s, insomnia, high blood pressure multiple sclerosis, and even joint pain. The benefit of yoga is being recognized today as a viable alternative not only by the yoga community, but by many medical doctors.

Stress is the leading cause in many illnesses today. An astonishing factor in today’s world is noted by the Surgeon General who estimates that “80 percent of the people who die of non traumatic causes actually die of stress diseases”. In this fast paced world, it is little wonder that people are turning to alternative solutions.

The use of the benefit of yoga is just one such solution. Since stress is developed in the mind, it is only natural that conditions such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, several auto-immune diseases, some types of diabetes mellitius, some cardio-vascular diseases, and irritable bowel syndrome would be at the forefront of human conditions and the quality of life today.

Outside stress is reflected in the reaction of our nervous system. The input stimuli, known as “Fight or flight” affects both our metabolism and well being. When faced with danger, whether real or imagined, the mind prepares the body for execution of one of these two conditions. Manifestation is in the form of increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and the shutting down of unnecessary bodily functions, such as digestion. All systems are focused on one of two things - either “flight” or “fight.” Breathing becomes shallow, muscles tense in anticipation of action, and blood flow to vital organs is decreased. The digestive and elimination process shuts down. This can be a good thing - our body is prepared to defend itself.

However, problems arise when this condition is long term. The “flight or fight” scenario is only meant to be a very short term event. One can see that long term exposure to this situation will have very adverse effects on the body. Yoga can change that.

In nature, the countermeasure for “fight or flight” is known as the “relaxation response” or parasympathetic nervous system. The main nerves of the parasympathetic system are the tenth cranial nerves, or the vagus nerves. They originate in the medulla oblongata. Parasympathetic stimulation causes a slowing down of the heartbeat, lowering of blood pressure, increased blood flow to the skin and viscera, and peristalsis of the GI tract - the exact opposite of “fight or Flight” symptoms. Yoga induces this response by teaching the pupil to breathe deeply and relax muscles. The benefit of yoga is clear. The body recovers faster, and the harmful effects of stress are reduced.

Yoga subscribes to the theory that by using breathing and relaxation techniques, the harmful effects of stress on the body can be eliminated, or at the very least greatly reduced. Through meditation and calming of the spirit, yoga teaches us to face the situation of “fight or flight” from a threat to a challenge. One is able through practice to focus on finding a solution, rather than creating an immediate response to the stimuli. One learns to be proactive, and take care of the stressors in their lives.

The benefit of yoga is undeniable. By utilizing the techniques of this ancient practice, anyone can achieve the balance and harmony so needed in their lives. Remember, however, that just one thing is not the solution to all of life’s problems. By combining yoga with the miracles of modern medicine and traditional healing remedies, the average person in today’s world will enjoy a longer, happier life.

Alden Smith is a published and award winning author who has built the website http://www.benefitofyoga.blogspot.com to inform and educate the person wishing to learn more about the benefit of yoga.

February 23, 2009

Yoga Clothing - What To Wear For Yoga?

The right yoga clothes will make your exercises a lot more enjoyable. The practice of yoga is a combination of various body poses. The goal is to promote a healthy and fit body. The question still remains - what should I wear?

It would help, if you knowing what you shouldn?t wear. Don?t wear anything that will restrict bodily movements. The obvious items including jeans, dress shirts will not allow the body to relax and breathe freely. As simple as it is, make sure that you take the time to use the proper clothing. Here are some things to look for in good clothing choices for yoga:

Loose-fitting is good- Form fitting clothing restricts the blood flow inhibits the correct breathing techniques. You should be able to able to perform various yoga poses. Try yoga shorts, sweat clothes, leotards or yoga pants.

Sweat absorbent- Lastly, there are some clothing options that are excellent. For example, the materials that they are made of are able to absorb sweat and keep it away from the skin. Look for specific yoga clothing selections for these.

Comfortable- You should be comfortable wearing whatever you choose. Since the objective is to relax you should never be worried about what you look like.

Yoga shoes/socks?- In some studios you are allowed to wear yoga shoes/socks. You should inquire ahead of time to be better prepared.

Just make sure your clothes fit your personal style and you?ll be able to keep your mind on what you were there to do in the first place ? Practice Yoga!

Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.yoga-made-ez.com/ On his website he provides free yoga lessons and more articles about health benefits of yoga.

Hot Yoga - Cleansing Your Mind, Body, and Soul Through Yoga

More than ever now there seems to be people with ailments and sicknesses that doctors can not cure. Even doctors claiming to be the best in their field cannot relieve their suffering.

It’s obvious today’s society is in need of a radical change.

Years ago I was very much in need of such a change. I was in terrible shape adn seemed to catch every little thing that came along. I felt miserable most of the time. And with little or no no energy I would feel my body growing weaker each and every day. I saw doctor after doctor but no one could tell me what was wrong with me.

I decided I try like many to self-heal myslef and tried everything I could get my hands on; herbs and vitamins, tonics and cleanses, massage, acupuncture, Reiki, Rolphing, Tai Chi, all promising optimum health. But it’s when a friend invited me to partake in a hot-yoga session that my health and life eventually changed!

So what is Hot Yoga you ask? Well although Yoga may be a common phrase around the households of the world, rarely do people really know what it is.

Yoga has many different types and practices, and the one that really impacted my health is ?Hot Yoga?. This is the nickname for Birkram yoga. This type of yoga was named after its creator, Bikram Choudury. The reason it is called hot yoga is because this form of yoga is practiced in hot rooms where the rooms are normally at an average temperature of 115 degrees Fahrenheit. This form of yoga focuses on balancing and stretching and is also used to create pressure in your body. This pressure is created by blocking the circulation and blood flow in your body with your stretching and then feeling the blood rush through your veins with the release of your stretch. You can feel your veins being flushed out and cleansed. This is one of the main points of hot yoga.

Hot yoga has 26 different poses for you to practice. And the reason that this is performed in a hot room is so that your entire body is warmed up which allows you to work deep into your muscles and tendons. This helps to heal and exercise your body inside and out. This type of yoga, like many others, is great for decreasing any chronic pains that you may have and even maintaining the health that you already have. With hot yoga you can reduce stress, lose weight and much more. You will find yourself in great physical and mental health by practicing hot yoga.

People tend to imagine yoga as something that is hard and painful, but you’d be surprised at how different it is to practice yoga in a hot room. The heat allows you to go deep into the yoga pose and saves your body from feeling any pain. You begin begin with the standing poses, backbends, forward bends, and then twists and once you reach the last of the 26 poses you feel like you have accomplished something amazing, which you have. Each of these poses are done twice and held for a certain amount of time. Depending on whether you are a beginner or a professional with yoga, these times will differ so that you do not injure yourself and you are familiar with the process. Each of these poses does not only work your muscles and limbs, but it also works on your organs and nervous system. Because hot yoga promotes sweat it’s the perfect way to eliminate your inner toxins!

There are a few tips that you need to be aware of before you begin your hot yoga practice. This type of yoga includes an extreme amount of sweating. This means that it would be best for you to wear as little clothing as possible and clothing that you would be comfortable sweating in. Also because of all this sweating, it is important to drink plenty of water before beginning your hot yoga session.

If you are searching for your hot yoga studio there are a few things that you should look for. There are many hot yoga studios that are not certified by Bikram himself. This means that they are not authentic and may not follow the proper procedures. Before you sign up for any classes, you need to ensure that the studio has been certified by Bikram. This will ensure that you are getting the proper instruction that you require. Hot yoga is a great alternative method of healing and can help you make that healthy connection between your body, mind and soul. Yoga of all kinds can help you achieve this connection, but hot yoga does this in a more obvious and powerful way.

If you’re already interested and curious about Yoga and are looking to start I highly recommend you try the cleansing power of Hot Yoga!

Fuel your mind, body and soul and come get the facts on your health and
wellness, nutrition and weight loss, stress and anxiety management and self
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Basic Yoga Poses (Asanas)

In most forms of Yoga there are three components to the practice; breathing, concentration and physical poses also known as asanas. The two poses below are the most common asanas used in Western Yoga practice today.

Padma-Asana: Probably the most famous and well-known pose; the Padma-asana is referred to as the Lotus Position. The root of the words to this pose mean to “bend”, and “snake”. Think of it as the maneuvering of the body into a position that requires the flexibility and smoothness of a snake.

To practice this pose, sit down and place the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh. The soles of the feet should be facing towards the sky. Next, the palms of the hands are also turned toward the sky and placed on the corresponding thigh. It is a difficult pose to retain for long periods of time if the body is not properly conditioned. It is therefore paramount to begin with short periods and work into a longer time frame.

Sirsha-Asana: The Headstand Pose. The benefits of the notorious head stand pose are to increase the physical and mental health of the person practicing it. The pose encourages balance and stability on the physical level and mental acuity on the intellectual level. Additionally, it improves blood flow throughout the body and helps to decrease tension and stress in the lower limbs.

To practice this pose, begin in a kneeling position. Lean forward to place the arms, from hands to elbows, flat on the floor, and interlock the fingers of both hands. The head should be placed between the hands, flat on the floor. Push up from the kneeling position on the tips of the toes keeping head on the floor. Slowly bring the legs into an extended, upright hand stand position, keeping the entire body aligned, straight and balanced. Special breathing techniques are also employed during this pose which enhances the overall effect of the asana.

Rachel Dayer runs and operates http://www.mustask.com, a health related portal.
 
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