Let?s face it, Yoga teachers who live in Northern climates have been looking forward to a break from the ?winter chill.? Your Yoga students have also been looking forward to the warm weather and they want to take a vacation. What can Yoga teachers and Yoga studios do to compensate for the ?Sumer Slow Down??
You have taught your Yoga students about empowerment all year, but some students may not return to your regular classes, without a reminder. Many North Americans take a couple of weeks off in July and some summer vacations will be planned for August. Most of my friends in Europe take August off, therefore, Yoga teachers are looking at a minimum of one month during the summer that is predominantly slow, depending on your exact location and culture.
Some Yoga teachers in the Southern United States will experience a slow down, if the temperatures rise too much and too soon. Yoga classes can become sparse, especially if the temperatures jump to the 90?s Fahrenheit during late spring or early summer. So, what action can Yoga teachers take to deal with this vacation season?
How about special classes? Did you ever think about teaching Yoga classes in a pool? What about testing Yoga classes that you had not considered during a busy season? What about an ?Introduction to Hot Yoga? or a Vinyasa style Yoga class that is a little warmer than usual? What about testing a short-term Pranayama class or Yoga meditation workshop as a ?pilot class? for the busy season?
Once again, I ask you to enlarge your vision and ?think outside the box.? Do enough ground work and research to become an innovator, rather than ?follow the crowd.? Even if your Yoga classes do slow down a bit, you can cater to your ?regular students,? who are with you ?through thick and thin.? Ask your Yoga students for feedback.
One last major point to bring up: Make sure you are working on ?reminders? to your Yoga students who regularly attend classes during cooler weather. It is best to use this time to get a list of all of your Yoga students and prepare for a mailing in late August, or early September.
This is the time when children go back to school, and family plans are made for the fall schedule. If you teach Yoga for a living, your first priority is to thank your students for their past participation and remind them that you still teach Yoga.
It is very easy for anyone to forget their priorities, and Yoga students are no exception. Yoga teachers contribute to the well being of their student?s mental, physical, and spiritual health. When you see inactive Yoga students around town, they often thank you for what they have learned from you.
Therefore, do not take a summer slow down personally. This is a season that you should make the most of by taking action and testing new ideas for your Yoga classes.
? 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: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Showing posts with label Hot Yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hot Yoga. Show all posts
March 1, 2009
Hot Yoga Therapy
Hailed in the US as one of the most popular yoga styles among movie stars, Bikram yoga has now found its way to Thailand. The instructor is Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, a former investment banker who learnt Bikram yoga while working in Hong Kong.
Benjaporn, 31, followed a training course and received certification as a Bikram yoga instructor in New York earlier this year.
Introduced to the Western world for the first time in Los Angeles in 1974 by Bikram Choudhury, this form of yoga immediately differentiated itself from other schools.
Bikram yoga does not require the numerous and complex asanas (postures). A 90-minute session is composed of just 26 simple postures and is carried out in a room heated to about 34 degrees Celsius. Thus, it comes as no surprise to hear that many people have nicknamed Bikram yoga the ?hot yoga”.
“That’s the main way in which Bikram differs from other types of yoga. I personally feel it?s a perfect combination of yoga, a work out and meditation. And that makes it even better! You get to stretch, meditate and sweat a lot. It gets rid of all the pain and aches in your muscles and also clears your mind,” says Benjaporn.
Its inventor drew up new postures and drew upon some basic yoga poses to help strengthen his muscles after a severe childhood injury crippled him. Benjaporn says that all the 26 poses of Bikram yoga are easy yet offer maximum muscle strengthening.
“You won’t find any compromising poses in Bikram yoga. That’s because Bikram himself wanted to create yoga poses that were easy for him at that time, but I assure you that all enable the same maximum muscle build-up, stretching and strengthening effect. And during the 90 minutes of our class, we want to make sure that you can complete all 26 poses without skipping or compromising any particular one to make it easier on yourself. It?s simple and I’m sure everyone will be able to follow it. Here, we encourage you to work at your own pace and stay within your own limits. But we also make sure that you don?t short-change yourself,” says Benjaporn.
Benjaporn recommends Bikram yoga to anyone in good health aged 10 and above. She also stresses that beginners should come to classes regularly ? she suggests three or four times a week ? to see and feel the improvements in their well-being.
“Most people will experience an improvement in the knee and back area. Many also say that they’ve shed some unwanted kilos. During and after class, I encourage my students to drinks a lot of fluids so they won’t dehydrate.”
Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, the Managing Director, founder and owner of Absolute Yoga Bangkok (http://www.absoluteyogabangkok.com) has trained to become the first bikram hot yoga teacher in Bangkok. After the first year, Absolute Yoga Bangkok branched out to offer other traditions of yoga and opened more locations to distinguish ourselves as Bangkok’s dedicated yoga place. Our future plans are to continue to expand both in locations and in what is most beneficial to the practioners of Thailand.
Benjaporn, 31, followed a training course and received certification as a Bikram yoga instructor in New York earlier this year.
Introduced to the Western world for the first time in Los Angeles in 1974 by Bikram Choudhury, this form of yoga immediately differentiated itself from other schools.
Bikram yoga does not require the numerous and complex asanas (postures). A 90-minute session is composed of just 26 simple postures and is carried out in a room heated to about 34 degrees Celsius. Thus, it comes as no surprise to hear that many people have nicknamed Bikram yoga the ?hot yoga”.
“That’s the main way in which Bikram differs from other types of yoga. I personally feel it?s a perfect combination of yoga, a work out and meditation. And that makes it even better! You get to stretch, meditate and sweat a lot. It gets rid of all the pain and aches in your muscles and also clears your mind,” says Benjaporn.
Its inventor drew up new postures and drew upon some basic yoga poses to help strengthen his muscles after a severe childhood injury crippled him. Benjaporn says that all the 26 poses of Bikram yoga are easy yet offer maximum muscle strengthening.
“You won’t find any compromising poses in Bikram yoga. That’s because Bikram himself wanted to create yoga poses that were easy for him at that time, but I assure you that all enable the same maximum muscle build-up, stretching and strengthening effect. And during the 90 minutes of our class, we want to make sure that you can complete all 26 poses without skipping or compromising any particular one to make it easier on yourself. It?s simple and I’m sure everyone will be able to follow it. Here, we encourage you to work at your own pace and stay within your own limits. But we also make sure that you don?t short-change yourself,” says Benjaporn.
Benjaporn recommends Bikram yoga to anyone in good health aged 10 and above. She also stresses that beginners should come to classes regularly ? she suggests three or four times a week ? to see and feel the improvements in their well-being.
“Most people will experience an improvement in the knee and back area. Many also say that they’ve shed some unwanted kilos. During and after class, I encourage my students to drinks a lot of fluids so they won’t dehydrate.”
Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, the Managing Director, founder and owner of Absolute Yoga Bangkok (http://www.absoluteyogabangkok.com) has trained to become the first bikram hot yoga teacher in Bangkok. After the first year, Absolute Yoga Bangkok branched out to offer other traditions of yoga and opened more locations to distinguish ourselves as Bangkok’s dedicated yoga place. Our future plans are to continue to expand both in locations and in what is most beneficial to the practioners of Thailand.
Yoga, The Hot New Trend?
Yoga, as most of us know, is the ancient practice of breathing, meditation and a performing of certain postures. Practicing yoga has gained popularity in recent years and is now starting to gain a lot of attention from the material world. This has its serious practitioners concerned that the reason behind it’s use will be lost in the grab for cash. Many people that practice yoga, or are attempting to learn it, are people that are well educated and are usually found to be doing above average financially. They are also the types of people willing to spend more money on things that are perceived to be better for the environment. Yoga is now becoming an ‘in’ thing to do. Because of this a good many people are jumping on the bandwagon and have started to sell all of the ‘extras’ that are used to enjoy yoga. Entrepreneurs are pursuing this market with a vengeance. These include: books, videos, music, clothes and even the toe socks are making a comeback. A lot of entrepreneurs are happy that they are able to adhere to yoga’s natural healing principles while also turning a great profit. And a lot of investors are now being attracted to this trend as a means to make some serious cash.
Americans alone spend over $2.95 billion a year on yoga classes, clothing, videos, equipment, yoga holidays and more. Aging baby boomers have found it to be a less aggressive way to stay fit.
A study found that approximately 16.5 million people are now practicing yoga in the United States in gyms, in studios, or at home, this is up a whopping 43 percent from a study done in 2002.
In Vancouver, British Columbia, the company Lululemon Athletica has found there to be a rise in sales of yoga apparel to $100 million since they opened in 1998. People are snapping up the trendy pants and tops to wear to yoga class and they are becoming more and more popular for wearing to the grocery store or even to wear out to dinner.
Spas are finding that combining yoga classes with massage, facials and alternative treatments such as acupuncture, are a way to utilize a whole mind and body renewal process.
While spas are enjoying the money to be made by using yoga as a part of their product package, many consumers are now coming to enjoy it’s many benefits and to realize that there are less stressful ways to stay fit and healthy.
Even some schools are now starting to teach yoga. They are realizing that it is the essence of what’s missing in the lives of many modern teens: a connection between their mind and body. An ancient art that has been used for centuries to learn and enjoy a peaceful time, while reducing stress and to cultivate an enthusiasm for exercise. This could not have been rediscovered at a better time. After all, it is not news to anyone that has seen the stories on television that kids and teens are fatter and less active than ever these days.
According to a study done in 2002 by the National Center for Health Statistics it was found that 16% of young people ages 6-19 are overweight. The figures are probably much higher today and we all know just by walking around town that more and more adults are overweight too.
In a time when everything is rush rush and we are all eating more fast food than ever, while leading more and more stressful lives; maybe we all just need to take a little time to relax. Enjoy some yoga and de-stress.
Ahhhh, it makes a body feel good.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
Americans alone spend over $2.95 billion a year on yoga classes, clothing, videos, equipment, yoga holidays and more. Aging baby boomers have found it to be a less aggressive way to stay fit.
A study found that approximately 16.5 million people are now practicing yoga in the United States in gyms, in studios, or at home, this is up a whopping 43 percent from a study done in 2002.
In Vancouver, British Columbia, the company Lululemon Athletica has found there to be a rise in sales of yoga apparel to $100 million since they opened in 1998. People are snapping up the trendy pants and tops to wear to yoga class and they are becoming more and more popular for wearing to the grocery store or even to wear out to dinner.
Spas are finding that combining yoga classes with massage, facials and alternative treatments such as acupuncture, are a way to utilize a whole mind and body renewal process.
While spas are enjoying the money to be made by using yoga as a part of their product package, many consumers are now coming to enjoy it’s many benefits and to realize that there are less stressful ways to stay fit and healthy.
Even some schools are now starting to teach yoga. They are realizing that it is the essence of what’s missing in the lives of many modern teens: a connection between their mind and body. An ancient art that has been used for centuries to learn and enjoy a peaceful time, while reducing stress and to cultivate an enthusiasm for exercise. This could not have been rediscovered at a better time. After all, it is not news to anyone that has seen the stories on television that kids and teens are fatter and less active than ever these days.
According to a study done in 2002 by the National Center for Health Statistics it was found that 16% of young people ages 6-19 are overweight. The figures are probably much higher today and we all know just by walking around town that more and more adults are overweight too.
In a time when everything is rush rush and we are all eating more fast food than ever, while leading more and more stressful lives; maybe we all just need to take a little time to relax. Enjoy some yoga and de-stress.
Ahhhh, it makes a body feel good.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
The 8 Physical and Mental Types of Yoga
There are a lot of different types of yoga today, so if you are starting out and feeling confused, you are normal.
It is best to start with a type of yoga that is appropriate for your own level of fitness, physical and spiritual goals and health condition.
The 8 most common types of yoga are described in this article and briefly explained to help guide you in choosing the best type of yoga that you can start with.
Physical-Focused Types of Yoga
Iyengar Yoga: Iyengar yoga is focused solely on body alignment and executing precise movements. Yoga accessories such as blocks and straps are normally used by beginners who are not as flexible as the experts.
Yoga accessories help assist all sorts of people to be able to do the poses comfortably.
Because of its attention to details and the flexible modification of poses, Iyengar yoga is often considered a good form of exercise for people with neck or back pain, as they are likely to benefit from the random movement in the poses.
Practicing Iyengar yoga will give you a good knowledge on the classics in yoga poses so that whatever other style you eventually practice, you will have the basic fundamentals on how to do each position.
In Iyengar yoga the teacher focuses more on alignment and inner awareness. This awareness starts with the body and expands to other parts of the self as one continues to practice regularly
Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga yoga is commonly called “power yoga” because it is focused on a powerful flowing movement.
The movements include pushups and lunges, which deals with strength and stamina. Ashtanga yoga is best for people who have a strong back, or have successfully overcome back injuries and are looking for more challenging practice.
Athletic people such as runners, cyclists and gynmasts who wish to add more balance and concentration to their routines are also fans of Ashtanga yoga.
Bikram Yoga: Bikram yoga is also known as the “hot yoga” because it is done in a very warm room. Bikram yoga is an excellent tool to increase flexibility because the heat helps you to stretch.
Keep in mind that Bikram yoga is not safe for anyone who has developed cardio vascular diseases, because vigorously exercising in the heat places strain placed on the body.
Mental-Focused Types of Yoga
Bhakti yoga: or commonly known as devotional yoga. Bhakti yoga focus on self surrender in the face of the divine, if you know what that means.
Mantra yoga: Mantra yoga is known as the “yoga of potent sound”. Mantra yoga aims at liberation through the verbal or mental repetition of empowered sounds, such as “om,” “hum,” and “ram.”
Viniyoga: Viniyoga yoga links breathe and movement in flowing exercises that are modified to each individual. Viniyoga is a good form of yoga for those with back problems or neck injuries because it can be easily adapted by everyone.
Raja Yoga: Raja yoga aims for liberation through meditation. Raja yoga is meant for those people who are capable of intense concentration.
As you can see, there are many types of yoga to choose from. It is a good idea to discuss the type of yoga practiced before engaging in any yoga class. In particular, learn which philosophy the teacher uses, so you’ll know if it will be a gentle, passive yoga, or a bone crunching form.
Both you and the teacher will be glad you knew what you were getting into, before the class begins.
About The Author
Jack Sinclair is an avid yoga devotee.
Learn everything about yoga for free at http://www.types-of-yoga.com
It is best to start with a type of yoga that is appropriate for your own level of fitness, physical and spiritual goals and health condition.
The 8 most common types of yoga are described in this article and briefly explained to help guide you in choosing the best type of yoga that you can start with.
Physical-Focused Types of Yoga
Iyengar Yoga: Iyengar yoga is focused solely on body alignment and executing precise movements. Yoga accessories such as blocks and straps are normally used by beginners who are not as flexible as the experts.
Yoga accessories help assist all sorts of people to be able to do the poses comfortably.
Because of its attention to details and the flexible modification of poses, Iyengar yoga is often considered a good form of exercise for people with neck or back pain, as they are likely to benefit from the random movement in the poses.
Practicing Iyengar yoga will give you a good knowledge on the classics in yoga poses so that whatever other style you eventually practice, you will have the basic fundamentals on how to do each position.
In Iyengar yoga the teacher focuses more on alignment and inner awareness. This awareness starts with the body and expands to other parts of the self as one continues to practice regularly
Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga yoga is commonly called “power yoga” because it is focused on a powerful flowing movement.
The movements include pushups and lunges, which deals with strength and stamina. Ashtanga yoga is best for people who have a strong back, or have successfully overcome back injuries and are looking for more challenging practice.
Athletic people such as runners, cyclists and gynmasts who wish to add more balance and concentration to their routines are also fans of Ashtanga yoga.
Bikram Yoga: Bikram yoga is also known as the “hot yoga” because it is done in a very warm room. Bikram yoga is an excellent tool to increase flexibility because the heat helps you to stretch.
Keep in mind that Bikram yoga is not safe for anyone who has developed cardio vascular diseases, because vigorously exercising in the heat places strain placed on the body.
Mental-Focused Types of Yoga
Bhakti yoga: or commonly known as devotional yoga. Bhakti yoga focus on self surrender in the face of the divine, if you know what that means.
Mantra yoga: Mantra yoga is known as the “yoga of potent sound”. Mantra yoga aims at liberation through the verbal or mental repetition of empowered sounds, such as “om,” “hum,” and “ram.”
Viniyoga: Viniyoga yoga links breathe and movement in flowing exercises that are modified to each individual. Viniyoga is a good form of yoga for those with back problems or neck injuries because it can be easily adapted by everyone.
Raja Yoga: Raja yoga aims for liberation through meditation. Raja yoga is meant for those people who are capable of intense concentration.
As you can see, there are many types of yoga to choose from. It is a good idea to discuss the type of yoga practiced before engaging in any yoga class. In particular, learn which philosophy the teacher uses, so you’ll know if it will be a gentle, passive yoga, or a bone crunching form.
Both you and the teacher will be glad you knew what you were getting into, before the class begins.
About The Author
Jack Sinclair is an avid yoga devotee.
Learn everything about yoga for free at http://www.types-of-yoga.com
Sweatin’ with the Yogis
I’d say one of the successes of Bikram yoga is this immediate result. I’ve never sweated so much in my life. Before even starting the postures sweat was pouring off my body. This may sound awful, but the heat quickly escapes your mind as your focus is redirected to maintaining the 60-second poses. A 60 second hold is quite difficult because it involves balancing and holding your own body weight, resulting in a serious workout that reaches muscles never worked before.
Fortunately, Bikram yoga is easier than other yoga programs. It isn’t usually necessary to skip postures because you are unable to do them. Each posture is performed in sets of three so it’s no trouble to learn and perfect them faster. Bikram yoga requires two sided mirrors, and detailed, repetitive instructions so it isn’t necessary to look at the instructor. I was able to adjust my own posture and correct myself, providing an added benefit to yoga ? self-confidence.
What if I’m not flexible? Yoga isn’t all about flexibility. The aim of Bikram yoga is not to twist the body into bizarre pretzel shapes, but to strengthen the body’s natural range of motion, to restore flow throughout all bodily systems. The heated environment ensures a safe stretch as you loosen up over time. It isn’t necessary to reach all these positions in order to do yoga. All that matters is to attempt to go to your personal ‘edge’. As Khun Karoonkornsakul said, “Don’t expect so much. Yoga is not competitive. You have to let your ego go.”
How did yoga become so popular?It always helps when you know someone ‘in the business’ ? that is, the entertainment business. Bikram Choudhury has Hollywood swearing by his program; some of his more famous followers including Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Candice Bergen, and Brooke Shields.
It all started in 1972 when Richard Nixon visited the South Pacific. According to CBS, the former President suffered from phlebitis and summoned Choudhury for his special hot yoga. Nixon was supposedly so impressed with the treatment that he gave Bikram an open invitation to come and live in the U.S.
Choudhury has recently been granted copyright protection for his Bikram yoga sequence. In order to guarantee the teaching quality standard, only certified Bikram yoga teachers who have graduated from the 600-hour intensive training course at Bikram Yoga College of India in L.A. are allowed to teach or obtain a franchise to open a studio. As a result, up until now only two Bikram studios existed in Asia, namely in Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Putting Bangkok in the forefront of the Asian yoga movement Thailand has now become the third milestone of yoga in Asia by the introduction of Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, an ex-investment banker who’s been attracted to the Bikram yoga circle since her first Bikram hot yoga experience in Hong Kong. Wanting to stay fit during her travels, Koon Karoonkornsakul agreed to take a Bikram yoga class recommended by a friend.
Having no idea it was going to take place in a hot room, Benjaporn was surprised to find herself sweating profusely. As she said, it’s difficult for Asians to sweat, herself in particular, so this one time adventure was highly rewarding. So much so that she decided to enroll in Bikram’s training course and has now been practicing yoga for 25 years. This interest has brought her hometown, Bangkok, the first certified Bikram yoga facility, Absolute Yoga.
For Benjaporn, yoga is a serious workout without the dangers that tend to limit the range of other fitness programs. With running one usually tends to turn on a music channel and say, ?just give me five songs then I’m done.” Many people like yoga for the same reasons as Benjaporn: a 90 minute yoga workout entails a lot of stretching and focus ? you can’t look around or let your mind wander, you just do it and you’re done. 90 minutes have never gone by faster for me, nor have they been, when it comes to exercise, as mentally and physically rewarding.
So, what do they mean by asanas or poses?
Awkward Pose: What a suitable name. A seated, or better yet, squatting pose with knees bent and buttocks near the heels. To add difficulty, all this is done on the balls of your feet with arms held straight out in front. By the second repetition my thighs and upper arm muscles felt hotter than the room.
Toe Stand Pose: It looks more awkward than the awkward pose. This time squatting on the ball of one foot, the other leg rests on top of the thigh. Arms are in a prayer position, which is a good idea, because by this point I was praying to hold this pose as my muscles struggled to balance my body weight.
Camel Pose: Another one on my list to master, it’s almost like an inverted Bow Pose. Perched on the lower legs and bent over backward in order to place your head between your ankles, the lower back gets a further workout.
Bow Pose: Not even a locust could reach this state. Ideally the Full Locust Pose is taken to its ultimate limits. Upper body and arms reach up to meet raised legs behind you. Absolutely impossible for me at the time, but like yoga tends to be for most people, I’m destined to come back for more.
Full Locust Pose: The locust in flight. Now the upper body should be lifted with arms spread up and back, but that wasn’t about to happen for me. There was no way my ribs were going to get off the floor. Clearly my upper back and shoulder muscles are really out-of-shape.
Locust Pose: Named after an Oriental straight-winged grasshopper with legs and thighs so powerful that it can leap to heights two hundred times the length of its body. In this pose, one lays face down with arms to the side. The legs are lifted up, similar to a grasshopper, providing an intense workout of the buttocks, lower back, and back of the thighs.
Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, the Managing Director, founder and owner of Absolute Yoga Bangkok (http://www.absoluteyogabangkok.com) has trained to become the first bikram hot yoga teacher in Bangkok. After the first year, Absolute Yoga Bangkok branched out to offer other traditions of yoga and opened more locations to distinguish ourselves as Bangkok’s dedicated yoga place. Our future plans are to continue to expand both in locations and in what is most beneficial to the practioners of Thailand.
Fortunately, Bikram yoga is easier than other yoga programs. It isn’t usually necessary to skip postures because you are unable to do them. Each posture is performed in sets of three so it’s no trouble to learn and perfect them faster. Bikram yoga requires two sided mirrors, and detailed, repetitive instructions so it isn’t necessary to look at the instructor. I was able to adjust my own posture and correct myself, providing an added benefit to yoga ? self-confidence.
What if I’m not flexible? Yoga isn’t all about flexibility. The aim of Bikram yoga is not to twist the body into bizarre pretzel shapes, but to strengthen the body’s natural range of motion, to restore flow throughout all bodily systems. The heated environment ensures a safe stretch as you loosen up over time. It isn’t necessary to reach all these positions in order to do yoga. All that matters is to attempt to go to your personal ‘edge’. As Khun Karoonkornsakul said, “Don’t expect so much. Yoga is not competitive. You have to let your ego go.”
How did yoga become so popular?It always helps when you know someone ‘in the business’ ? that is, the entertainment business. Bikram Choudhury has Hollywood swearing by his program; some of his more famous followers including Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Candice Bergen, and Brooke Shields.
It all started in 1972 when Richard Nixon visited the South Pacific. According to CBS, the former President suffered from phlebitis and summoned Choudhury for his special hot yoga. Nixon was supposedly so impressed with the treatment that he gave Bikram an open invitation to come and live in the U.S.
Choudhury has recently been granted copyright protection for his Bikram yoga sequence. In order to guarantee the teaching quality standard, only certified Bikram yoga teachers who have graduated from the 600-hour intensive training course at Bikram Yoga College of India in L.A. are allowed to teach or obtain a franchise to open a studio. As a result, up until now only two Bikram studios existed in Asia, namely in Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Putting Bangkok in the forefront of the Asian yoga movement Thailand has now become the third milestone of yoga in Asia by the introduction of Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, an ex-investment banker who’s been attracted to the Bikram yoga circle since her first Bikram hot yoga experience in Hong Kong. Wanting to stay fit during her travels, Koon Karoonkornsakul agreed to take a Bikram yoga class recommended by a friend.
Having no idea it was going to take place in a hot room, Benjaporn was surprised to find herself sweating profusely. As she said, it’s difficult for Asians to sweat, herself in particular, so this one time adventure was highly rewarding. So much so that she decided to enroll in Bikram’s training course and has now been practicing yoga for 25 years. This interest has brought her hometown, Bangkok, the first certified Bikram yoga facility, Absolute Yoga.
For Benjaporn, yoga is a serious workout without the dangers that tend to limit the range of other fitness programs. With running one usually tends to turn on a music channel and say, ?just give me five songs then I’m done.” Many people like yoga for the same reasons as Benjaporn: a 90 minute yoga workout entails a lot of stretching and focus ? you can’t look around or let your mind wander, you just do it and you’re done. 90 minutes have never gone by faster for me, nor have they been, when it comes to exercise, as mentally and physically rewarding.
So, what do they mean by asanas or poses?
Awkward Pose: What a suitable name. A seated, or better yet, squatting pose with knees bent and buttocks near the heels. To add difficulty, all this is done on the balls of your feet with arms held straight out in front. By the second repetition my thighs and upper arm muscles felt hotter than the room.
Toe Stand Pose: It looks more awkward than the awkward pose. This time squatting on the ball of one foot, the other leg rests on top of the thigh. Arms are in a prayer position, which is a good idea, because by this point I was praying to hold this pose as my muscles struggled to balance my body weight.
Camel Pose: Another one on my list to master, it’s almost like an inverted Bow Pose. Perched on the lower legs and bent over backward in order to place your head between your ankles, the lower back gets a further workout.
Bow Pose: Not even a locust could reach this state. Ideally the Full Locust Pose is taken to its ultimate limits. Upper body and arms reach up to meet raised legs behind you. Absolutely impossible for me at the time, but like yoga tends to be for most people, I’m destined to come back for more.
Full Locust Pose: The locust in flight. Now the upper body should be lifted with arms spread up and back, but that wasn’t about to happen for me. There was no way my ribs were going to get off the floor. Clearly my upper back and shoulder muscles are really out-of-shape.
Locust Pose: Named after an Oriental straight-winged grasshopper with legs and thighs so powerful that it can leap to heights two hundred times the length of its body. In this pose, one lays face down with arms to the side. The legs are lifted up, similar to a grasshopper, providing an intense workout of the buttocks, lower back, and back of the thighs.
Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul, the Managing Director, founder and owner of Absolute Yoga Bangkok (http://www.absoluteyogabangkok.com) has trained to become the first bikram hot yoga teacher in Bangkok. After the first year, Absolute Yoga Bangkok branched out to offer other traditions of yoga and opened more locations to distinguish ourselves as Bangkok’s dedicated yoga place. Our future plans are to continue to expand both in locations and in what is most beneficial to the practioners of Thailand.
Yoga, Something for Everyone
There is no such thing as one kind of yoga. On the contrary, yoga encompasses spiritual techniques and putting these into practice to achieve a “state of enlightenment”.
Usually, the kind of yoga practiced in the US is Hatha yoga. Ha translates to sun and tha translates to moon. The goal of Hatha yoga is to attain unity of the mind, body and spirit through practicing asana (yoga postures), pranayama (yoga breathing), mudra (body gestures) and shatkarma (internal cleansings). Modern Hatha yoga focuses mostly on the yoga postures and does not emphasize many of the other facets.
Yoga’s history can be traced to the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in northern India over 5,000 years ago. Probably the most famous writing on yoga is the Bhagavad-G?t?, which was written around 500 BCE. Unfortunately, most of the history and philosophy of yoga was transmitted orally and if it was written down, it was written on palm leaves that were easily damaged or destroyed. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, yoga begins to make its way to the West. Slowly the yoga masters began to attract attention and taught those who wanted to learn. It wasn’t until 1947 when Indra Devi opened a yoga studio in Hollywood that yoga finally began to slowly become more mainstream. Since then, the popularity of yoga has become greater. There are now many different schools or styles of Hatha yoga and they all focus of the many different ways to practice yoga.
There are several types of yoga. Ashtanga yoga is athletic and moves very fast. This type is not recommended for beginners. Bikram or Hot yoga is athletic as well, but is practiced in a room with a temperature of 100 degrees. Iyengar is a good choice for a beginner, since it focuses on alignment and goes slower than others. Kripalu is gentle and also a good choice for a beginner. Kundalini is energizing and tries to awaken the spiritual energy that lives at the base of the spine. Sivananda mostly teaches advanced poses, which is probably not the best choice for a beginner. Viniyoga is a good choice of those with injuries or disabilities.
There are many benefits of practicing Hatha yoga. Not only does yoga develop flexibility through stretching, it can also release muscle tension and generally make a person more calm and focused. If done correctly, yoga energizes and renews your body instead of wearing it out as in some traditional methods of exercising. Yoga is more of spiritual practice that does not require any specific belief system and its philosophies can be used within the limits of any belief system. The idea that mind, body and spirit are all one entity and cannot be separated is central to the main philosophy of yoga. Another idea central to the philosophy of yoga is that of the laws of karma. There is good karma and bad karma, but achieving either is not necessarily desirable. Overall, the goal is to lessen the karma in your life. According to the philosophy of yoga, acting selflessly, without a desire for reward and without involving your ego is the only way to not achieve karma. The yogis tell us that any reduction in karma will make your life better, with more well-being and overall happiness.
Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced student, there are many philosophies and schools of thought involving yoga. You will never lack for a choice in the field of yoga.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
Usually, the kind of yoga practiced in the US is Hatha yoga. Ha translates to sun and tha translates to moon. The goal of Hatha yoga is to attain unity of the mind, body and spirit through practicing asana (yoga postures), pranayama (yoga breathing), mudra (body gestures) and shatkarma (internal cleansings). Modern Hatha yoga focuses mostly on the yoga postures and does not emphasize many of the other facets.
Yoga’s history can be traced to the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in northern India over 5,000 years ago. Probably the most famous writing on yoga is the Bhagavad-G?t?, which was written around 500 BCE. Unfortunately, most of the history and philosophy of yoga was transmitted orally and if it was written down, it was written on palm leaves that were easily damaged or destroyed. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, yoga begins to make its way to the West. Slowly the yoga masters began to attract attention and taught those who wanted to learn. It wasn’t until 1947 when Indra Devi opened a yoga studio in Hollywood that yoga finally began to slowly become more mainstream. Since then, the popularity of yoga has become greater. There are now many different schools or styles of Hatha yoga and they all focus of the many different ways to practice yoga.
There are several types of yoga. Ashtanga yoga is athletic and moves very fast. This type is not recommended for beginners. Bikram or Hot yoga is athletic as well, but is practiced in a room with a temperature of 100 degrees. Iyengar is a good choice for a beginner, since it focuses on alignment and goes slower than others. Kripalu is gentle and also a good choice for a beginner. Kundalini is energizing and tries to awaken the spiritual energy that lives at the base of the spine. Sivananda mostly teaches advanced poses, which is probably not the best choice for a beginner. Viniyoga is a good choice of those with injuries or disabilities.
There are many benefits of practicing Hatha yoga. Not only does yoga develop flexibility through stretching, it can also release muscle tension and generally make a person more calm and focused. If done correctly, yoga energizes and renews your body instead of wearing it out as in some traditional methods of exercising. Yoga is more of spiritual practice that does not require any specific belief system and its philosophies can be used within the limits of any belief system. The idea that mind, body and spirit are all one entity and cannot be separated is central to the main philosophy of yoga. Another idea central to the philosophy of yoga is that of the laws of karma. There is good karma and bad karma, but achieving either is not necessarily desirable. Overall, the goal is to lessen the karma in your life. According to the philosophy of yoga, acting selflessly, without a desire for reward and without involving your ego is the only way to not achieve karma. The yogis tell us that any reduction in karma will make your life better, with more well-being and overall happiness.
Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced student, there are many philosophies and schools of thought involving yoga. You will never lack for a choice in the field of yoga.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga
Yoga Clothing - Dressing Down To Dress Up
Does it matter what clothing is to be worn when practising Yoga, well of course it does - yoga exercises are about comforting the mind so why not go the whole hog and have the lot - comfort on the body also.
There are no certain identities as to what Yoga Clothing to wear - but common sense will prevail and point you in the right direction if you want comfort while working out.
Your Yoga clothing should give you room to manoeuvre because of all the different types of yoga moves performed which may entail twists, turns and stretching. By dressing in slack or baggy clothing you will be more content doing your yoga - stretchable elastic materials is also practical clothing for these exercises. Perspiration and how heavy you sweat needs taking into consideration when selecting your yoga clothing. Certain materials can make matters worse.
Think vacation when choosing garments - holiday clothes are ideally suited for yoga. We all relax on vacation and pack the right clothes for the trip so why not for the trip down to the local yoga club. Shorts and light tops are apt but if you prefer leotards or a swimming costume then that is fine along with tights or leggings.
If your choice of yoga clothing is stiff and tight fitting then this can hamper some of your yoga moves and poses. This can also have an affect on your concentration levels due to the stress of discomfort.
The ideal yoga clothing most suitable to wear when working on a routine in an air conditioned room is to wear long sleeves or elbow length. Air conditioned rooms can be a lot colder than you imagine so wrap up if your yoga exercise at the time is not a strenuous one.
In the cooler months Yoga clothing that is most popular is the track or jogging suit
Clothes will differ for different types of exercise. Take the Bikram Yoga which is widely known as hot yoga. It is an exercise that you would expect to wear shorts and light tops.
Your own personal taste and style is acceptable at all times - the only reason for this guidance checklist on yoga clothing is in your best interest. The main objective to directing you in dressing wisely is for comfort thus leaving you to enjoy your yoga routines.
Take time to enhance the dish so as to speak with added dressy bits and bobs. Colour can be added by wearing coloured wrist or headbands, even a bandana if preferred can spruce up any yoga clothing. How good is this Yoga lark where you dress down to dress up?
100% fit in mind body and soul is what healthy living is all about. With yoga you claim what is rightfully yours control. http://www.want2yoga.com Find the new you and move on with your life http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com.
There are no certain identities as to what Yoga Clothing to wear - but common sense will prevail and point you in the right direction if you want comfort while working out.
Your Yoga clothing should give you room to manoeuvre because of all the different types of yoga moves performed which may entail twists, turns and stretching. By dressing in slack or baggy clothing you will be more content doing your yoga - stretchable elastic materials is also practical clothing for these exercises. Perspiration and how heavy you sweat needs taking into consideration when selecting your yoga clothing. Certain materials can make matters worse.
Think vacation when choosing garments - holiday clothes are ideally suited for yoga. We all relax on vacation and pack the right clothes for the trip so why not for the trip down to the local yoga club. Shorts and light tops are apt but if you prefer leotards or a swimming costume then that is fine along with tights or leggings.
If your choice of yoga clothing is stiff and tight fitting then this can hamper some of your yoga moves and poses. This can also have an affect on your concentration levels due to the stress of discomfort.
The ideal yoga clothing most suitable to wear when working on a routine in an air conditioned room is to wear long sleeves or elbow length. Air conditioned rooms can be a lot colder than you imagine so wrap up if your yoga exercise at the time is not a strenuous one.
In the cooler months Yoga clothing that is most popular is the track or jogging suit
Clothes will differ for different types of exercise. Take the Bikram Yoga which is widely known as hot yoga. It is an exercise that you would expect to wear shorts and light tops.
Your own personal taste and style is acceptable at all times - the only reason for this guidance checklist on yoga clothing is in your best interest. The main objective to directing you in dressing wisely is for comfort thus leaving you to enjoy your yoga routines.
Take time to enhance the dish so as to speak with added dressy bits and bobs. Colour can be added by wearing coloured wrist or headbands, even a bandana if preferred can spruce up any yoga clothing. How good is this Yoga lark where you dress down to dress up?
100% fit in mind body and soul is what healthy living is all about. With yoga you claim what is rightfully yours control. http://www.want2yoga.com Find the new you and move on with your life http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com.
February 26, 2009
My Beginning Yoga Experience
As I walked out of the Bikram Yoga studio toward my car after my first class, I found myself declaring, “If I can actually do this yoga, it will totally change my whole life.” I had only been able to attempt half the postures, with the rest of the time lying down, just dealing with the heated, humid room. But it was a revelation as to the sorry state of my body’s condition, and the pathetic condition of my mind-body connection.
I had already made the firm decision to do yoga class every day for two months, after reading Bikram Choudhury’s introductory yoga book. He says, “Give us two months. We will change you.” After living with years of back pain due to compressed lumbar discs and a sedentary lifestyle, I was ready for that change–so ready, in fact, I was willing to subject my de-conditioned body to 90 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity in 105? heat and 60% humidity (making the “apparent temperature” somewhere around 145?). But the prospective discipline of it appealed to me, and soon I was actually enjoying the gentle torture of it, as I began to move muscles, bones and cartilage that hadn’t been moved in years.
Beyond the rewards of seeing my body stretch and reach new ranges of motion in class, it was after and between classes where the payoffs truly lay. Bending over to pick up something no longer hurt, standing up after sitting for a while no longer involved pain and stiffness, and I began noticing how good I felt instead of how bad.
Of course, getting to these improvements took a while; and although I had committed to two months of daily practice, it has now been nearly eight months, and I can now say yoga is an indispensable part of my life. This path has blatantly announced to me how I had incrementally reduced my own range of motion with each tiny discomfort, each injury, each bout of stiffness, in an attempt to protect myself from future pain. It is a common life strategy, but a very wrongheaded one. The body needs to increase its range of motion over time, and each discomfort or injury points the way. As the World’s Stiffest Person at 50, I was on the fast track to being a crippled old man by 60.
I drew a valuable conclusion from this, that all the little aches and pains and microconditions we had as twentysomethings, if not dealt with in a broad and holistic way, are the exact pains and conditions that amplify over time leading us to our ultimate demise. From this perspective, what is commonly referred to as “aging,” is actually more like an excuse for not answering the body’s calls for help early on. I’m just not buying the “I’m just getting too old for this” refrain I hear from my friends. Time, friction, and gravity will take their respective tolls, but only with permission from you. If I end up dying at 94, I would rather have gotten there vital, active and pain-free, instead of feeble, crippled, and tormented.
The main thing I’ve learned from my beginning yoga experience is that it takes MUCH MORE WORK than I thought to reverse my past slothfulness, and much more diligence on the day-to-day to maintain what gains I have acheived. Bikram refers to the “body’s bank account.” You invest into the account with yoga, and then spend the account when not doing yoga. Of course, I found I was sorely and deplorably in DEBT, and am only now seeing the light at the end of that tunnel, striving for the day I can touch my forehead to my toes, rest my leg on my shoulder, and nap on my back with my head on my feet.
SEVEN MORE THINGS I’VE LEARNED IN BIKRAM YOGA
# 1. If yoga turns it on, yoga will turn it off. I’ve had many classes where a muscle or joint will “release” (I used to wrongly identify it as “strain”), causing pain and stiffness or soreness after class. By the end of the next class, invariably, that soreness and pain disappears.
# 2. Your body is stronger than you think it is, and you have more energy than you think you do. One day in class I decided to completely ignore my thoughts as to what I could or couldn’t do in class, and was surprised to find a whole new range of motion, and a whole new area of energy and strength. The body obeys the limitations imposed upon it by the mind. Because Bikram Yoga is one of the most strenuous forms of hatha yoga, it is easy to claim to myself that I MUST be tired after all that exertion. Letting myself engage in this way, certainly obtained the result. The REALITY of yoga class is that it CREATES energy. Although it is natural to feel weakness or exhaustion, that feeling is actually RECOVERY, and in a few minutes, I claim to myself that I am refreshed and energetically ready for life. And, magically, I am.
# 3. Trust your body to know what it needs to do. Patience. As obedient as the body is to the limitations of the mind, it has also retained the awareness of the sequence of how those limitations were imposed, and knows how to undo them. The deeper problem with this is that many times there seem to be opposing limitations and confused commands operating within the body. These were put there by the mind, resulting in the wrong muscles being used to do certain motions. The trick, of course, is to get the mind out of the way, and it WILL resolve.
# 4. How you do yoga is how you do your life. The corollary to this is what happens during yoga practice is a microcosm of what happens to you in life. Paying attention to this is the road to revelation–as well as some inner grins.
# 5. Flexibility and core strength are the keys to health. Nutrition is important, drinking lots of water is important, getting proper amounts of sleep is important–all things I had been doing throughout my life. Unfortunately, I had overlooked the two most important things. Exercise is inadequate (and I dare say useless) without flexibility and core strength training. Again, it has taken much more than I thought to keep my body’s bank account from going into the red, and the quickest way into the black is with flexibility and core strength training. (By “core strength” I mean the deepest core muscles that create movement in the body, such as abdominal and back muscles.) With a high degree of flexibility, all the enzymes, minerals, blood flow, and myriad other rejuvenating substances the body creates to heal and build itself can get to those areas that need it. Without flexibility, there is withering and dying. I also noticed that I didn’t engage my abdominal muscles when I should, such as when bending over, lifting, carrying, walking, standing up. This set up bad habits of motion, and the obvious developing flacidity and inappropriate muscle recruitment.
# 6. Breathe. Combine this command with how you do yoga is how you do your life, and you’ll quickly see where you cut off your life force in daily living. I would stop breathing when I felt weak, for example. Ooops.
# 7. Use your mind to guide and expand. This is a corollary to Number 3 above. I noticed that by setting and visualizing goals on each posture, as well as for the entire class, and by refusing to entertain any other thoughts–such as how hot it is in the room, what hurts, what I’m afraid of, etcetera, etcetera–lo and behold progress gets made. The body wants to feel better. Help it out by concentrating on improving each posture, and when not doing that, concentrating on breathing. I’m saving myself a lot of unnecessary torture by applying this point in my practice, and in my life.
EMOTIONAL/SPIRITUAL CHANGES
These are life’s small potatoes…The most impressive effect underlying all the physical changes has been my greatly increased ability to confront life in the proper perspective–what I’ll call the “Small Potatoes Effect.” This is where one does something so monumentally difficult that the rest of life’s daily conflicts, conundrums, irritations and niggly stresses seem to all pale in importance. Or, more accurately, they begin to assume the quality of merely the backdrop texture accompanying my personal goals and purposes. They become the tiny, swirling dust devils stirred up by my atmospheric movements of intention. These are no longer “stresses”–they are revealing acknowledgements that life is changing according to my desires.
As the practice advances, I’m wondering if perhaps it is not so much that it is “monumentally difficult” to do this yoga, but that certain firmly embedded toxic conditions residing for decades deep within organs, muscle and bone are at last being purged–and that translates as a monumental achievement on some subliminal cellular or auric level.
Whatever it is, it has restored my sense of humor, allowed me to rediscover my enjoyment of living, and added an aura of leisure in everyday activities, even as I find myself accomplishing more.
And so I continue on with my daily practice of Bikram Yoga with an inner smile, remembering that Bikram says, “You gotta go through hell to get to heaven,” and remembering that the only reason the “hell” is there was my own doing. But with yoga, my days of redemption are at hand.
Boyd Martin is a well-known writer and musician (drummer) in the Portland, Oregon, area, having toured the U.S. and Europe with national-level musical acts. He is an avid, daily Bikram Yoga student, with a keen interest in metaphysics, natural health, and alternative healing methods.
I had already made the firm decision to do yoga class every day for two months, after reading Bikram Choudhury’s introductory yoga book. He says, “Give us two months. We will change you.” After living with years of back pain due to compressed lumbar discs and a sedentary lifestyle, I was ready for that change–so ready, in fact, I was willing to subject my de-conditioned body to 90 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity in 105? heat and 60% humidity (making the “apparent temperature” somewhere around 145?). But the prospective discipline of it appealed to me, and soon I was actually enjoying the gentle torture of it, as I began to move muscles, bones and cartilage that hadn’t been moved in years.
Beyond the rewards of seeing my body stretch and reach new ranges of motion in class, it was after and between classes where the payoffs truly lay. Bending over to pick up something no longer hurt, standing up after sitting for a while no longer involved pain and stiffness, and I began noticing how good I felt instead of how bad.
Of course, getting to these improvements took a while; and although I had committed to two months of daily practice, it has now been nearly eight months, and I can now say yoga is an indispensable part of my life. This path has blatantly announced to me how I had incrementally reduced my own range of motion with each tiny discomfort, each injury, each bout of stiffness, in an attempt to protect myself from future pain. It is a common life strategy, but a very wrongheaded one. The body needs to increase its range of motion over time, and each discomfort or injury points the way. As the World’s Stiffest Person at 50, I was on the fast track to being a crippled old man by 60.
I drew a valuable conclusion from this, that all the little aches and pains and microconditions we had as twentysomethings, if not dealt with in a broad and holistic way, are the exact pains and conditions that amplify over time leading us to our ultimate demise. From this perspective, what is commonly referred to as “aging,” is actually more like an excuse for not answering the body’s calls for help early on. I’m just not buying the “I’m just getting too old for this” refrain I hear from my friends. Time, friction, and gravity will take their respective tolls, but only with permission from you. If I end up dying at 94, I would rather have gotten there vital, active and pain-free, instead of feeble, crippled, and tormented.
The main thing I’ve learned from my beginning yoga experience is that it takes MUCH MORE WORK than I thought to reverse my past slothfulness, and much more diligence on the day-to-day to maintain what gains I have acheived. Bikram refers to the “body’s bank account.” You invest into the account with yoga, and then spend the account when not doing yoga. Of course, I found I was sorely and deplorably in DEBT, and am only now seeing the light at the end of that tunnel, striving for the day I can touch my forehead to my toes, rest my leg on my shoulder, and nap on my back with my head on my feet.
SEVEN MORE THINGS I’VE LEARNED IN BIKRAM YOGA
# 1. If yoga turns it on, yoga will turn it off. I’ve had many classes where a muscle or joint will “release” (I used to wrongly identify it as “strain”), causing pain and stiffness or soreness after class. By the end of the next class, invariably, that soreness and pain disappears.
# 2. Your body is stronger than you think it is, and you have more energy than you think you do. One day in class I decided to completely ignore my thoughts as to what I could or couldn’t do in class, and was surprised to find a whole new range of motion, and a whole new area of energy and strength. The body obeys the limitations imposed upon it by the mind. Because Bikram Yoga is one of the most strenuous forms of hatha yoga, it is easy to claim to myself that I MUST be tired after all that exertion. Letting myself engage in this way, certainly obtained the result. The REALITY of yoga class is that it CREATES energy. Although it is natural to feel weakness or exhaustion, that feeling is actually RECOVERY, and in a few minutes, I claim to myself that I am refreshed and energetically ready for life. And, magically, I am.
# 3. Trust your body to know what it needs to do. Patience. As obedient as the body is to the limitations of the mind, it has also retained the awareness of the sequence of how those limitations were imposed, and knows how to undo them. The deeper problem with this is that many times there seem to be opposing limitations and confused commands operating within the body. These were put there by the mind, resulting in the wrong muscles being used to do certain motions. The trick, of course, is to get the mind out of the way, and it WILL resolve.
# 4. How you do yoga is how you do your life. The corollary to this is what happens during yoga practice is a microcosm of what happens to you in life. Paying attention to this is the road to revelation–as well as some inner grins.
# 5. Flexibility and core strength are the keys to health. Nutrition is important, drinking lots of water is important, getting proper amounts of sleep is important–all things I had been doing throughout my life. Unfortunately, I had overlooked the two most important things. Exercise is inadequate (and I dare say useless) without flexibility and core strength training. Again, it has taken much more than I thought to keep my body’s bank account from going into the red, and the quickest way into the black is with flexibility and core strength training. (By “core strength” I mean the deepest core muscles that create movement in the body, such as abdominal and back muscles.) With a high degree of flexibility, all the enzymes, minerals, blood flow, and myriad other rejuvenating substances the body creates to heal and build itself can get to those areas that need it. Without flexibility, there is withering and dying. I also noticed that I didn’t engage my abdominal muscles when I should, such as when bending over, lifting, carrying, walking, standing up. This set up bad habits of motion, and the obvious developing flacidity and inappropriate muscle recruitment.
# 6. Breathe. Combine this command with how you do yoga is how you do your life, and you’ll quickly see where you cut off your life force in daily living. I would stop breathing when I felt weak, for example. Ooops.
# 7. Use your mind to guide and expand. This is a corollary to Number 3 above. I noticed that by setting and visualizing goals on each posture, as well as for the entire class, and by refusing to entertain any other thoughts–such as how hot it is in the room, what hurts, what I’m afraid of, etcetera, etcetera–lo and behold progress gets made. The body wants to feel better. Help it out by concentrating on improving each posture, and when not doing that, concentrating on breathing. I’m saving myself a lot of unnecessary torture by applying this point in my practice, and in my life.
EMOTIONAL/SPIRITUAL CHANGES
These are life’s small potatoes…The most impressive effect underlying all the physical changes has been my greatly increased ability to confront life in the proper perspective–what I’ll call the “Small Potatoes Effect.” This is where one does something so monumentally difficult that the rest of life’s daily conflicts, conundrums, irritations and niggly stresses seem to all pale in importance. Or, more accurately, they begin to assume the quality of merely the backdrop texture accompanying my personal goals and purposes. They become the tiny, swirling dust devils stirred up by my atmospheric movements of intention. These are no longer “stresses”–they are revealing acknowledgements that life is changing according to my desires.
As the practice advances, I’m wondering if perhaps it is not so much that it is “monumentally difficult” to do this yoga, but that certain firmly embedded toxic conditions residing for decades deep within organs, muscle and bone are at last being purged–and that translates as a monumental achievement on some subliminal cellular or auric level.
Whatever it is, it has restored my sense of humor, allowed me to rediscover my enjoyment of living, and added an aura of leisure in everyday activities, even as I find myself accomplishing more.
And so I continue on with my daily practice of Bikram Yoga with an inner smile, remembering that Bikram says, “You gotta go through hell to get to heaven,” and remembering that the only reason the “hell” is there was my own doing. But with yoga, my days of redemption are at hand.
Boyd Martin is a well-known writer and musician (drummer) in the Portland, Oregon, area, having toured the U.S. and Europe with national-level musical acts. He is an avid, daily Bikram Yoga student, with a keen interest in metaphysics, natural health, and alternative healing methods.
February 25, 2009
The Truth About Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa is a Sanskrit word, which refers to breath and movement. For example each Yoga posture is matched by one breath. This is what you do when you perform Sun or Moon salutations, and these are also a form of Vinyasa Yoga.
So, any sequences of postures that are synchronized, with your breath are classified as Vinyasa. There are many forms of Vinyasa and even the gentle ones are vigorous. The postures are not held in a fixed position for long and classes flow with rhythm, similar to music.
The energy used in flowing from one movement, to the next, continues throughout a typical Vinyasa Yoga class. This type of Yoga class will challenge aerobic endurance, enhance flexibility, and build overall strength.
There are many variations of Vinyasa Yoga classes. Some are related to or offshoots of Ashtanga Yoga, some are very gentle, and others are variations of extended Sun or Moon sequences. The variety of Vinyasa classes is further expanded when you consider different sequences, pace of the class, and the temperature of the room.
What about heated Yoga classes; is this hot Yoga? The temperature can vary depending upon the policy of the Yoga studio.
At our wellness center in North Providence, RI, the temperature can be near 80 Fahrenheit during winter months. During the summer months, we keep the temperature in the low 70?s. That is a far cry from a 105-degree hot Yoga or Bikram classes.
Most of the heat generated in a typical Vinyasa class is internal body heat. As a result of all this internal heat, you will most likely sweat. Therefore, bring a towel and a bottle of good quality water.
When used for personal health maintenance, Vinyasa Yoga is the ultimate cross training system, with low impact movement, aerobic, and muscle toning benefits. Your body will go through an incredible transformation, but it does require determination. This explains why Vinyasa Yoga attracts so many type A personalities.
Even if you don?t have a type A personality, it will rub off. As a ?by product? of Vinyasa practice, your self-esteem will be improved. You will manage stress and develop a much more calm personality.
Now, where do you start? Find a local school with at least two levels of Vinyasa practice. If you have been on the couch for a while, it will be best to take some gentle Yoga classes first.
However, if you are very active, you may want to jump right in. You should have an honest talk with your Yoga teacher, before starting Vinyasa practice. It?s always best to be honest with yourself, about your level of fitness. Have fun, but do not push yourself, when you are in unfamiliar territory.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
So, any sequences of postures that are synchronized, with your breath are classified as Vinyasa. There are many forms of Vinyasa and even the gentle ones are vigorous. The postures are not held in a fixed position for long and classes flow with rhythm, similar to music.
The energy used in flowing from one movement, to the next, continues throughout a typical Vinyasa Yoga class. This type of Yoga class will challenge aerobic endurance, enhance flexibility, and build overall strength.
There are many variations of Vinyasa Yoga classes. Some are related to or offshoots of Ashtanga Yoga, some are very gentle, and others are variations of extended Sun or Moon sequences. The variety of Vinyasa classes is further expanded when you consider different sequences, pace of the class, and the temperature of the room.
What about heated Yoga classes; is this hot Yoga? The temperature can vary depending upon the policy of the Yoga studio.
At our wellness center in North Providence, RI, the temperature can be near 80 Fahrenheit during winter months. During the summer months, we keep the temperature in the low 70?s. That is a far cry from a 105-degree hot Yoga or Bikram classes.
Most of the heat generated in a typical Vinyasa class is internal body heat. As a result of all this internal heat, you will most likely sweat. Therefore, bring a towel and a bottle of good quality water.
When used for personal health maintenance, Vinyasa Yoga is the ultimate cross training system, with low impact movement, aerobic, and muscle toning benefits. Your body will go through an incredible transformation, but it does require determination. This explains why Vinyasa Yoga attracts so many type A personalities.
Even if you don?t have a type A personality, it will rub off. As a ?by product? of Vinyasa practice, your self-esteem will be improved. You will manage stress and develop a much more calm personality.
Now, where do you start? Find a local school with at least two levels of Vinyasa practice. If you have been on the couch for a while, it will be best to take some gentle Yoga classes first.
However, if you are very active, you may want to jump right in. You should have an honest talk with your Yoga teacher, before starting Vinyasa practice. It?s always best to be honest with yourself, about your level of fitness. Have fun, but do not push yourself, when you are in unfamiliar territory.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
February 24, 2009
Hot Off The Press - How Hot Is Hot Yoga
The beginning of yoga goes back 2,500 years and was introduced by Patanjali of who we owe a debt of gratitude for helping us all in our quest to maintain stability in mind spirit and soul. Most importantly it is the healthy outlook on life. (mentally/physically) it gives. Hot of the press, word has it this form of exercise has taken the world by storm and still continues to do so and will for a long time to come.
Believe it or not hot yoga is a type of exercise people are practicing on such a high scale that it is becoming a craze. Hot yoga is a combination of different poses carried out in a special heated room of which the temperature is normally between 95-100 degrees.
Think sauna - think perspiration when this routine is performed. Having a towel handy is a good idea to wipe your brow or other parts of the body that needs attention in absorbing sweat loss.
Light clothing like shorts to practice hot yoga will make your experience a more comfortable one, no winter wollies please they are not needed.
Involving your self in hot yoga is a fabulous way of cleansing the body and ridding any waste toxins on the inside.
Be sure to drink plenty of fluid (water) during lessons. Bring your own thermos or bottled mineral water, by doing this you can quench your thirst thus stemming off dehydration. Before taking part in hot yoga remember that it is not advisable to consume food at least two hours before. The reason being is you have nominated your body to take part in a strenuous workout.
Cholesterol and fat levels are lowered through sweat loss, so if slimming is on the agenda then it is certainly worth checking out the Bikram yoga method.
Moves and bodily posture movements differ greatly so choosing which class is for you could prove to be a problem. Do a little research or talk to a guru in the field of yoga who can advise you on what is best for your needs, whether it is a health matter, slim down or just to claim peace of mind.
Before enrolling in a hot yoga class make sure to delve more intimately into what it entails as it may not be your cup of tea unlike it is for others. Hot yoga can be exhausting but it does have its perks giving results. Your health is so very important thus making yoga a number one priority to be taken seriously to take claim of a fit mind body and soul.
Feeling good about your self is a step forward in leading a better life. Consult your doctor on any health concerns you may have before he points you in the right direction of easing your symptoms with a dose of yoga.
100% fit mind and body is what healthy living is all about. Yoga helps you claim what is rightfully yours. A content mind the natural way. http://www.want2yoga.com Move on with your life http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com
Believe it or not hot yoga is a type of exercise people are practicing on such a high scale that it is becoming a craze. Hot yoga is a combination of different poses carried out in a special heated room of which the temperature is normally between 95-100 degrees.
Think sauna - think perspiration when this routine is performed. Having a towel handy is a good idea to wipe your brow or other parts of the body that needs attention in absorbing sweat loss.
Light clothing like shorts to practice hot yoga will make your experience a more comfortable one, no winter wollies please they are not needed.
Involving your self in hot yoga is a fabulous way of cleansing the body and ridding any waste toxins on the inside.
Be sure to drink plenty of fluid (water) during lessons. Bring your own thermos or bottled mineral water, by doing this you can quench your thirst thus stemming off dehydration. Before taking part in hot yoga remember that it is not advisable to consume food at least two hours before. The reason being is you have nominated your body to take part in a strenuous workout.
Cholesterol and fat levels are lowered through sweat loss, so if slimming is on the agenda then it is certainly worth checking out the Bikram yoga method.
Moves and bodily posture movements differ greatly so choosing which class is for you could prove to be a problem. Do a little research or talk to a guru in the field of yoga who can advise you on what is best for your needs, whether it is a health matter, slim down or just to claim peace of mind.
Before enrolling in a hot yoga class make sure to delve more intimately into what it entails as it may not be your cup of tea unlike it is for others. Hot yoga can be exhausting but it does have its perks giving results. Your health is so very important thus making yoga a number one priority to be taken seriously to take claim of a fit mind body and soul.
Feeling good about your self is a step forward in leading a better life. Consult your doctor on any health concerns you may have before he points you in the right direction of easing your symptoms with a dose of yoga.
100% fit mind and body is what healthy living is all about. Yoga helps you claim what is rightfully yours. A content mind the natural way. http://www.want2yoga.com Move on with your life http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com
Yoga in Practice: In Search of the Perfect Yoga - Part 1
What is the perfect Yoga? Is it hot Yoga, based on correct alignment; Vinyasa Yoga, only to be performed with props; or do props take something away from Yoga practice? What about Yoga styles which are not from the Hatha Yoga tree? So - what exactly is the right Yoga for you?
Below, I will cover some of the statements I have heard over the years. Some of these statements are straight from the ego, self righteous, and a bit intolerant of other styles of Yoga. Please don?t be offended, and please try to understand ? we are not all the same.
?Yoga should be hot; otherwise you?re getting nothing out of it.?
Interesting - I heard Bikram make similar claims on the television show, ?60 minutes.? I am in admiration of Bikram, and his wife, Rajashree. They have trained many good Yoga teachers, Yogis, and Yoginis.
However, there are many Yoga practitioners who practice at moderate temperatures and receive fantastic health benefits from their daily practice. When people make statements such as: ?Yoga should be hot; otherwise you?re getting nothing out of it.? They scare off those potential Yoga practitioners who believe them.
This could be a person who would have improved their life through the practice of Yoga. Let?s stop the ?my way or the highway? mentality. If you truly care about people, tell them the whole truth and give them options. If I can?t please someone with the Restorative and Vinyasa styles in our wellness center, I will find someone who can meet my student?s expectations of Yoga.
Lastly, I do personally like the heat. However, in New England, I know many people who don?t. Even at moderate temperatures, many students get quite warm in a Vinyasa class.
?If your alignment is not perfect, why bother to practice Yoga??
Without a doubt, alignment is very important, but some of us really need to use props to find the best alignment for our bodies. Yoga teachers need to encourage all of their students to practice more often and accept some limitations that come with each body.
Yoga teachers should be careful not to discourage those students who have limited range of motion. Again, props can be used by any Yoga practitioners, and with the careful guidance of a compassionate Yoga teacher, progress is made.
One last note on this point: No two bodies are alike, so let?s be more understanding of ourselves and those around us. This applies to Yoga and life.
? 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. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Below, I will cover some of the statements I have heard over the years. Some of these statements are straight from the ego, self righteous, and a bit intolerant of other styles of Yoga. Please don?t be offended, and please try to understand ? we are not all the same.
?Yoga should be hot; otherwise you?re getting nothing out of it.?
Interesting - I heard Bikram make similar claims on the television show, ?60 minutes.? I am in admiration of Bikram, and his wife, Rajashree. They have trained many good Yoga teachers, Yogis, and Yoginis.
However, there are many Yoga practitioners who practice at moderate temperatures and receive fantastic health benefits from their daily practice. When people make statements such as: ?Yoga should be hot; otherwise you?re getting nothing out of it.? They scare off those potential Yoga practitioners who believe them.
This could be a person who would have improved their life through the practice of Yoga. Let?s stop the ?my way or the highway? mentality. If you truly care about people, tell them the whole truth and give them options. If I can?t please someone with the Restorative and Vinyasa styles in our wellness center, I will find someone who can meet my student?s expectations of Yoga.
Lastly, I do personally like the heat. However, in New England, I know many people who don?t. Even at moderate temperatures, many students get quite warm in a Vinyasa class.
?If your alignment is not perfect, why bother to practice Yoga??
Without a doubt, alignment is very important, but some of us really need to use props to find the best alignment for our bodies. Yoga teachers need to encourage all of their students to practice more often and accept some limitations that come with each body.
Yoga teachers should be careful not to discourage those students who have limited range of motion. Again, props can be used by any Yoga practitioners, and with the careful guidance of a compassionate Yoga teacher, progress is made.
One last note on this point: No two bodies are alike, so let?s be more understanding of ourselves and those around us. This applies to Yoga and life.
? 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. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
February 23, 2009
Hot Yoga?
There are a lot of yoga types and one of them is the famous hot yoga. The hot yoga
is characterized by a series of yoga poses which is done in a heated room. The room
where you perform the exercise is conserved at a temperature of 95-100 degrees.
This kind of exercise gives off a lot of perspiration during a session.
Hot yoga is advantageous because it cleanses your body and gets rid of the toxins
inside your body. Since is makes your body warm, the more flexible it gets.
When doing the hot yoga, you should have some accessories like your yoga mat and towel. Since you will be sweating severely, you should have something to wipe up
your sweat every other time.
Some people who practice hot yoga do not wear very thick clothes because it causes
them to sweat more.
If you are going to practice hot yoga, you should be ready with your clothing. The
clothes you should wear should be appropriate. You can wear shorts during the
session.
Wearing of shorts allows your skin to breathe and give off heat. Students are the
ones who usually wear shorts. They tend to wear small clothes because they are still
vigorous and they sweat too much. If you are taking hot yoga sessions, make sure
that you drink a lot of water. If you are in the class, you can also bring along your
own bottle of water so that you can drink anytime you want. It is important to bring
along a bottle of water so that you will not get dehydrated and so that the skin will
produce more sweat. Before having a hot yoga session, you should take note that it
is not advisable to eat two hours before the class starts. This is because your body
is opt for a heavy exercise.
Bikram?s method is such a good yoga style. People who want to be slim can practice
this type of yoga because their fats and cholesterol will be burned through sweat.
Although it burns your fats, you should not be burning all of it because you still
need some. Yoga started about 2500 years ago which was founded by Patanjali.
After it?s discovery, it was then practiced and spread around the world. Picture
yourself doing Yoga when you are suffering from illness like Fever where your body
temperature is at 105 deg. Fahrenheit! I bet you couldn?t stand this kind of heat. If
ever you will, you have over fatigued yourself.
At the compassion of the disagreement is Choudhury?s wish to put off anybody
teaching yoga in a heated room from calling their class ?Bikram Yoga?. He would like
to put to one side this title only for those teachers who are qualified by his Yoga
College of India and who stick to his arranged process precisely. This has been
handled upon because there are a lot of people who imitate his teachings.
Now that you have learned the difference of hot yoga among all other styles, think
again if it satisfies your desired to release your sweat and excess toxins. Remember
that in doing hot yoga, all your energy is taken away. If your body has not a single
energy to waste, then hot yoga is not the ?perfect? yoga style for you.
? Copyright Melvin Chua, All Rights Reserved.
Melvin has dozens more related articles and tips on doing yoga at his site: doing yoga, check them
out today!
is characterized by a series of yoga poses which is done in a heated room. The room
where you perform the exercise is conserved at a temperature of 95-100 degrees.
This kind of exercise gives off a lot of perspiration during a session.
Hot yoga is advantageous because it cleanses your body and gets rid of the toxins
inside your body. Since is makes your body warm, the more flexible it gets.
When doing the hot yoga, you should have some accessories like your yoga mat and towel. Since you will be sweating severely, you should have something to wipe up
your sweat every other time.
Some people who practice hot yoga do not wear very thick clothes because it causes
them to sweat more.
If you are going to practice hot yoga, you should be ready with your clothing. The
clothes you should wear should be appropriate. You can wear shorts during the
session.
Wearing of shorts allows your skin to breathe and give off heat. Students are the
ones who usually wear shorts. They tend to wear small clothes because they are still
vigorous and they sweat too much. If you are taking hot yoga sessions, make sure
that you drink a lot of water. If you are in the class, you can also bring along your
own bottle of water so that you can drink anytime you want. It is important to bring
along a bottle of water so that you will not get dehydrated and so that the skin will
produce more sweat. Before having a hot yoga session, you should take note that it
is not advisable to eat two hours before the class starts. This is because your body
is opt for a heavy exercise.
Bikram?s method is such a good yoga style. People who want to be slim can practice
this type of yoga because their fats and cholesterol will be burned through sweat.
Although it burns your fats, you should not be burning all of it because you still
need some. Yoga started about 2500 years ago which was founded by Patanjali.
After it?s discovery, it was then practiced and spread around the world. Picture
yourself doing Yoga when you are suffering from illness like Fever where your body
temperature is at 105 deg. Fahrenheit! I bet you couldn?t stand this kind of heat. If
ever you will, you have over fatigued yourself.
At the compassion of the disagreement is Choudhury?s wish to put off anybody
teaching yoga in a heated room from calling their class ?Bikram Yoga?. He would like
to put to one side this title only for those teachers who are qualified by his Yoga
College of India and who stick to his arranged process precisely. This has been
handled upon because there are a lot of people who imitate his teachings.
Now that you have learned the difference of hot yoga among all other styles, think
again if it satisfies your desired to release your sweat and excess toxins. Remember
that in doing hot yoga, all your energy is taken away. If your body has not a single
energy to waste, then hot yoga is not the ?perfect? yoga style for you.
? Copyright Melvin Chua, All Rights Reserved.
Melvin has dozens more related articles and tips on doing yoga at his site: doing yoga, check them
out today!
Don’t Focus on Failure
Internal defeat is a state of mind, where you begin to believe that most new ideas will fail. You might think -?After all, what I tried in last week’s Yoga class, failed.?
You will always learn from mistakes. When you see them clearly as a test, examine the results, and study them closely for the reason why they went wrong.
Whether it is a lesson plan, trying mantras, Hot Yoga, Gentle Yoga, a pro shop, or trying anything new, it is better to make mistakes than do nothing at all.
Some of the most successful Yoga teachers, I know, deal with mistakes as part of the learning curve. They turn all of their defeats into learning experiences. This is extremely powerful when you consider the cost of learning anything of value.
After all, what did you spend on your education, so far? Did you think you would stop learning at a certain point in life? Did you learn from your past mistakes? Of course you did, and now you are stronger due to the corrective adjustments, you have made.
When a child learns to ride a bicycle, there are plenty of falls along the way, and then the falling stops. However, even skilled adults fall off bicycles, sometimes.
So, don?t take past failures personally. Put them behind you and learn from each one.
Henry Ford and the Wright Brothers had failures, but nobody seems to remember that. Just like them, you are not a failure, but you may have failed in the past, just like they did. When you get down on yourself, look back at what you have accomplished.
When you take on your next project, do the research first, assemble a team, make a full commitment to succeed, and never mentally quit before you start.
Lastly, whenever it is possible, learn from the mistakes of others. This is why Yoga businesses approach me for consulting services: To save money by avoiding known mistakes, pitfalls, and traps.
Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org
You will always learn from mistakes. When you see them clearly as a test, examine the results, and study them closely for the reason why they went wrong.
Whether it is a lesson plan, trying mantras, Hot Yoga, Gentle Yoga, a pro shop, or trying anything new, it is better to make mistakes than do nothing at all.
Some of the most successful Yoga teachers, I know, deal with mistakes as part of the learning curve. They turn all of their defeats into learning experiences. This is extremely powerful when you consider the cost of learning anything of value.
After all, what did you spend on your education, so far? Did you think you would stop learning at a certain point in life? Did you learn from your past mistakes? Of course you did, and now you are stronger due to the corrective adjustments, you have made.
When a child learns to ride a bicycle, there are plenty of falls along the way, and then the falling stops. However, even skilled adults fall off bicycles, sometimes.
So, don?t take past failures personally. Put them behind you and learn from each one.
Henry Ford and the Wright Brothers had failures, but nobody seems to remember that. Just like them, you are not a failure, but you may have failed in the past, just like they did. When you get down on yourself, look back at what you have accomplished.
When you take on your next project, do the research first, assemble a team, make a full commitment to succeed, and never mentally quit before you start.
Lastly, whenever it is possible, learn from the mistakes of others. This is why Yoga businesses approach me for consulting services: To save money by avoiding known mistakes, pitfalls, and traps.
Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org
Yoga Teachers, Prepare for the New Year’s Rush - Part 2
Let?s continue with more ideas for workshops and some specialty classes that may fit in as part of your regular class schedule. You don?t have to use all of these ideas, but you may find one, or two, that fit with your clientele and your Yoga studio.
Prenatal Yoga: Again, this is much better suited for the female Yoga instructor, but this teacher should be trained specifically in Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga. There are too many complications for the average Yoga teacher; this is for a Yoga specialist.
Modifications and contraindications change for pregnant Yoga students each trimester. Jane Mackarness has written such a course, and we carry it at our web site. This field requires much more research than the standard 200-hour training, but can lead to networking with medical professionals and hospitals.
Kids Yoga: Specialized training might be needed, but patience is a key element for Yoga instructors who want to embark on this path. I teach children myself, and a Kids Yoga class has to be fun and include games. Vinyasa will be very popular with children, since they get restless with nervous energy.
Children can learn a lot, but Yoga teachers, who spend time with them, realize they are not little adults. Sometimes, the Yoga teacher?s lesson plan will not be finished due to questions, answers, and kids just having fun being kids.
Hot Yoga: Most Hot Yoga classes originated from Bikram?s style. Be careful not to use his sequences; he has patented them. Also, the Yoga teacher who wants to pursue this path should be familiar with how she or he will perform under conditions of serious heat. Hot Yoga is good, but it is not for everyone. Hot Yoga classes are usually held at a temperature of 105 Degrees Fahrenheit.
108 Sun Salutations: Many Yoga studios and ashrams have these workshops at the beginning of a season. This is good bonding time for the more physical Yoga students within your facility. You could always go out to your favorite restaurant afterwards.
Yoga with Weights: Sherri Baptiste just released a book on this subject. Bodybuilders have practiced combining weight resistance principles, with Yoga, for years, but Sherri may be on to something here. Yoga purists aside - the contracting of muscles during weight resistance training, and the stretching of muscles when practicing Hatha Yoga, can be a harmonious relationship.
? Copyright 2005 ? 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. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Prenatal Yoga: Again, this is much better suited for the female Yoga instructor, but this teacher should be trained specifically in Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga. There are too many complications for the average Yoga teacher; this is for a Yoga specialist.
Modifications and contraindications change for pregnant Yoga students each trimester. Jane Mackarness has written such a course, and we carry it at our web site. This field requires much more research than the standard 200-hour training, but can lead to networking with medical professionals and hospitals.
Kids Yoga: Specialized training might be needed, but patience is a key element for Yoga instructors who want to embark on this path. I teach children myself, and a Kids Yoga class has to be fun and include games. Vinyasa will be very popular with children, since they get restless with nervous energy.
Children can learn a lot, but Yoga teachers, who spend time with them, realize they are not little adults. Sometimes, the Yoga teacher?s lesson plan will not be finished due to questions, answers, and kids just having fun being kids.
Hot Yoga: Most Hot Yoga classes originated from Bikram?s style. Be careful not to use his sequences; he has patented them. Also, the Yoga teacher who wants to pursue this path should be familiar with how she or he will perform under conditions of serious heat. Hot Yoga is good, but it is not for everyone. Hot Yoga classes are usually held at a temperature of 105 Degrees Fahrenheit.
108 Sun Salutations: Many Yoga studios and ashrams have these workshops at the beginning of a season. This is good bonding time for the more physical Yoga students within your facility. You could always go out to your favorite restaurant afterwards.
Yoga with Weights: Sherri Baptiste just released a book on this subject. Bodybuilders have practiced combining weight resistance principles, with Yoga, for years, but Sherri may be on to something here. Yoga purists aside - the contracting of muscles during weight resistance training, and the stretching of muscles when practicing Hatha Yoga, can be a harmonious relationship.
? Copyright 2005 ? 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. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
February 22, 2009
Yoga Clothes for Comfort, Functionality - and Let’s Not Leave Out Fun!
Yoga clothes should be comfortable and functional. They should allow you to move freely and not distract you from your practice. They should feel good against your skin so they don?t cause any irritation.
Ideally, the clothing should be absorbent so that it wicks sweat away from your body. There are few things that feel as uncomfortable as a sticky, clammy body that is moist from perspiration.
I also think they should be attractive and fun to wear. When I do yoga alone in my home, I am willing to wear an old tee shirt and sweats or baggy shorts. When I practice in a class, I am more discriminating in what I choose to wear.
I admit it. I work very hard to keep my body in shape, and when I am with others, I want to show off the efforts of my hard work. I usually choose form fitting pants and a fitted tee shirt. This allows me to see the outline of my body in the mirror so I can maintain good form, and it lets me move without having to fuss with my clothes. They are also flattering to my body, so when I wear them I feel good.
Here are some of the things that you should look for in yoga clothing so that they work well for you and make you feel good about yourself and your practice.
Yoga Pants
There are many types of yoga pants. Some are long and go down to your ankles; others stop just below your knees. Often they are relatively form fitting. These types of pants have the benefit of allowing your instructor to see your alignment so she can make any necessary adjustments to your form.
If you aren?t comfortable in pants that are so revealing, you might enjoy wearing loose, cotton trousers. They offer freedom of movement without being too tight.
Whatever pants you choose, make sure that you can bend and move freely in them. Also be sure that there are no bulky ties at the waist that might be uncomfortable when you are lying in a prone position.
Yoga Shorts
Yoga shorts are a very good choice if you practice Bikram or hot yoga, because the room is heated to such a high temperature. They are a good bet in the warm summer months when long pants might be too warm. They also help you more easily check the proper alignment of your lower body because you can see your knees and ankles.
The yoga shorts should be long enough to cover your derriere and they should not ride up. Form fitting shorts usually don?t move too much, so they may be just right for you.
Yoga Tops
Yoga tops should allow you to move freely without having them fall in your face. Tee shirts should be short enough so that your lower body is not hidden, so you can more easily check your alignment. Some women like to wear sports bras (especially those who practice Bikram yoga). If you choose to wear one, make sure that it holds you securely and that nothing falls out when you are bending or stretching. You don?t want to wear something that is going to cause you to worry about what you might be showing to the rest of the class.
Yoga tops come in many bright and attractive colors. You might also have fun wearing shirts with characters such as Yoga girl on them.
Yoga Shoes
Most people do not wear shoes during their practice. However, they might be useful if you practice outside in a park, on a beach, or some place where you would not want to take off your shoes and socks. Yoga shoes look very similar to other athletic footwear, except that the soles allow for considerable flexibility in your foot and the tops of the shoes are very lightweight. Some popular brands include Puma yoga shoes and Adidas shoes for yoga.
Jacket
Many people might not think that a jacket is an important part of yoga clothing, but I beg to disagree. I think it is absolutely critical to take a jacket with you to your yoga class. I have been in many classes where the temperature has been quite cool (some are downright freezing). While the temperature often doesn?t matter too much while I am moving during the poses, it becomes quite a different story when the time comes to meditate.
I don?t know about you, but I find it difficult if not impossible, to relax when I am cold. Bringing a jacket with you gives you an option of covering up during the relaxation period if you are feeling chilly. Feeling warm and comfortable allows you the pleasure of letting your body relax fully.
So yoga clothes should be functional, comfortable, and give you the freedom to totally enjoy your practice. Have fun with them and enjoy wearing the ones that make you feel good!
Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.
Ideally, the clothing should be absorbent so that it wicks sweat away from your body. There are few things that feel as uncomfortable as a sticky, clammy body that is moist from perspiration.
I also think they should be attractive and fun to wear. When I do yoga alone in my home, I am willing to wear an old tee shirt and sweats or baggy shorts. When I practice in a class, I am more discriminating in what I choose to wear.
I admit it. I work very hard to keep my body in shape, and when I am with others, I want to show off the efforts of my hard work. I usually choose form fitting pants and a fitted tee shirt. This allows me to see the outline of my body in the mirror so I can maintain good form, and it lets me move without having to fuss with my clothes. They are also flattering to my body, so when I wear them I feel good.
Here are some of the things that you should look for in yoga clothing so that they work well for you and make you feel good about yourself and your practice.
Yoga Pants
There are many types of yoga pants. Some are long and go down to your ankles; others stop just below your knees. Often they are relatively form fitting. These types of pants have the benefit of allowing your instructor to see your alignment so she can make any necessary adjustments to your form.
If you aren?t comfortable in pants that are so revealing, you might enjoy wearing loose, cotton trousers. They offer freedom of movement without being too tight.
Whatever pants you choose, make sure that you can bend and move freely in them. Also be sure that there are no bulky ties at the waist that might be uncomfortable when you are lying in a prone position.
Yoga Shorts
Yoga shorts are a very good choice if you practice Bikram or hot yoga, because the room is heated to such a high temperature. They are a good bet in the warm summer months when long pants might be too warm. They also help you more easily check the proper alignment of your lower body because you can see your knees and ankles.
The yoga shorts should be long enough to cover your derriere and they should not ride up. Form fitting shorts usually don?t move too much, so they may be just right for you.
Yoga Tops
Yoga tops should allow you to move freely without having them fall in your face. Tee shirts should be short enough so that your lower body is not hidden, so you can more easily check your alignment. Some women like to wear sports bras (especially those who practice Bikram yoga). If you choose to wear one, make sure that it holds you securely and that nothing falls out when you are bending or stretching. You don?t want to wear something that is going to cause you to worry about what you might be showing to the rest of the class.
Yoga tops come in many bright and attractive colors. You might also have fun wearing shirts with characters such as Yoga girl on them.
Yoga Shoes
Most people do not wear shoes during their practice. However, they might be useful if you practice outside in a park, on a beach, or some place where you would not want to take off your shoes and socks. Yoga shoes look very similar to other athletic footwear, except that the soles allow for considerable flexibility in your foot and the tops of the shoes are very lightweight. Some popular brands include Puma yoga shoes and Adidas shoes for yoga.
Jacket
Many people might not think that a jacket is an important part of yoga clothing, but I beg to disagree. I think it is absolutely critical to take a jacket with you to your yoga class. I have been in many classes where the temperature has been quite cool (some are downright freezing). While the temperature often doesn?t matter too much while I am moving during the poses, it becomes quite a different story when the time comes to meditate.
I don?t know about you, but I find it difficult if not impossible, to relax when I am cold. Bringing a jacket with you gives you an option of covering up during the relaxation period if you are feeling chilly. Feeling warm and comfortable allows you the pleasure of letting your body relax fully.
So yoga clothes should be functional, comfortable, and give you the freedom to totally enjoy your practice. Have fun with them and enjoy wearing the ones that make you feel good!
Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.
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