Yoga Is Not A Religion
For the uninitiated Westerner, there’s a lot about yoga that may appear “religious.” Certainly, there’s a spiritual element to the practice, but it’s essential to understand that yoga itself is not a religion.
“This comes from yoga’s Indian roots where mantras and chants have been used for many years,” says Brad Ormsby of Freedom Genesis, a yoga and meditation blog. “They’re meant to bring focus and help you awaken internally, but they’re not required to practice yoga.”;
And even if you decide to join in with the mantras and chants, you’re not “converting to yoga” as if you were converting to a new religion. “There’s a spiritual element that encourages you to connect with a higher power, but it’s non-denominational, so you can do yoga as a practitioner of any religion,” says Christa Fairbrother, a 500-hour RYT and the owner of Bee Content Yoga.;;
Putting Yoga Fitness To The Test
In one of the first studies done in the United States that examines the relationship between yoga and fitness, researchers at the University of California at Davis recently tested the muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and lung function of 10 college students before and after eight weeks of yoga training. Each week, the students attended four sessions that included 10 minutes of pranayama, 15 minutes of warm-up exercises, 50 minutes of asanas, and 10 minutes of meditation.
After eight weeks, the students muscular strength had increased by as much as 31 percent, muscular endurance by 57 percent, flexibility by as much as 188 percent, and VO2max by 7 percenta very respectable increase, given the brevity of the experiment. Study coauthor Ezra A. Amsterdam, M.D., suspects that VO2max might have increased more had the study lasted longer than eight weeks. In fact, the ACSM recommends that exercise research last a minimum of 15 to 20 weeks, because it usually takes that long to see VO2max improvements.
It was very surprising that we saw these changes in VO2max in such a short time, says Amsterdam, professor of internal medicine and director of the coronary care unit at the U. C. Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. He is now considering a longer, larger study to authenticate these results.
ReadThe Key Muscles of Yoga: Scientific Keys, Volume I
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How To Build Muscle
Muscle growth occurs when the fibres inside of the muscles are broken down during resistance training
Building muscle is crucial to achieving a ripped physique once you reduce your body fat levels. When you consistently put additional stress on your muscles to deal with high levels of resistance, your muscle size will increase over time.;
Muscle growth;occurs when the fibres inside of the muscles are broken down during resistance training. The body then repairs the damaged fibres by fusing them together, which increases the mass and size of the muscles over time.
The most common forms of resistance training weight training and bodyweight training.;
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What Does Toning Your Body Mean
Toning is a phrase used to describe the strengthening and development of certain muscle groups usually your thighs, arms, or lower abdomen. Its basically a watered-down term for strength training.
But just like lifting weights alone wont put you in peak competition physique, no one single activity will tone your body into that of a prima ballerina. In order for those strengthened muscles to shine through, you also need to , which means getting your heart pumping on the regular with cardio.
Whatever your physical goals are, youll need a nutrient-dense and balanced diet if the goal is to be active and healthy overall, says Alex Silver-Fagan, ACE certified Mirror trainer and yoga instructor. Ultimately, to get a toned body, the work has to take place in the kitchen and the gym.
Fascia And Our Neurological System
I recently read a great;article; an interview with Tom Myers and it really helped me to fully realize how deeply our fascia is connected with our neurological system how not only our postural habits and environmental factors affect our form, but our thoughts, emotions and our brain chemistry too!
Fascia has been with us from the very beginning in fact its our fascia that guided our form when we were a tiny embryo in our mothers womb.
In the development of the embryo, its actually the connective tissue cells that;are organizing the brain. The brain cells of the neo-cortex are originally born in the ventricles in the middle of the brain. And they have to migrate out to the surface of the brain. Thats not very far in a little tiny little embryo, but its incredibly long, as far as the cell is concernedSo how do the cells which get born in the middle of the brain know where to go on the surface of the brain? The answer is that they put their little arms around a connective tissue fiber and ride that connective tissue fiber out to the surface of the brain and are deposited in just the right spot. Tom Myers
The central part of our nervous system is our brain. This is where our thoughts are generated and where our hormones are created. This provides incredible insight into the importance of fascia. It shows just how intimately connected it is, not only to our physical form, but also our mental and emotional form.
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The Value Of Yoga Change Your Body Change Your Behaviour
Yoga is one example of an exercise or body practice that works on our fascial network. Psychological and physiological trauma is held by our fascia and we need to approach our fascia with patience and care.
As I mentioned above, part of our fascia is made up of ground substance. This jelly-like layer is happiest when its hydrated and juicy! When we have a restriction in our body, our fascia becomes dehydrated, stiff, weak and stuck. Along with hydration and other healthy lifestyle choices, Yoga , changes our connective tissue. We can promote relaxation and restore our fascial fluidity!
So if we are working on our fascia, through bodywork and diet, what will happen?
Weights Are Best For Building Bulk
If all youre looking to do is build muscle,;weight training is the more practical approach, advises DiNubile. In fact, the American Council on Exercise defines strength training as exercising with progressively heavier resistance for the purpose of strengthening the musculoskeletal system.
Yet the key phrase here is;progressively heavier resistance. Basically, your muscles and bones must be overloaded to keep developing. With traditional weight training, as your muscles adapt to the resistance and get stronger, that weight is no longer a challenge, and you have to add more weight to achieve the same results.
With weight training, theoretically you can continue to grow the size and strength of your muscles forever as long as you continue to add weight.
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Fascia And Our Posture
When I was learning about fascia in massage, and how it affects our posture, my teacher once told me to imagine a sheet spread out on the floor. By picking up a part of the sheet and pulling on it, you can clearly see tension lines and folds that spread out from that point. This is how tension in our fascial grid affects us on a 3-dimensional level. A restriction in our feet can have a knock-on effect right up to our necks! Yin yoga, in particular, is great for helping to iron out these wrinkles, and helping to correct posture.
Browse our Yin yoga classes;and try it out.
Which Type Of Yoga Is Best For Weight Loss
Ashtanga, vinyasa, and power yoga are examples of more physical types of yoga. Vinyasa and power yoga are usually offered at hot yoga studios. These types of yoga keep you moving almost constantly, which helps you to burn calories. Practicing yoga may also help you develop muscle tone and improve your metabolism.
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Is Yoga Enough To Be Your Only Form Of Physical Exercise
When I first started my yoga practice and for many years after, I was convinced that I had found the Holy Grail of movement. Coming from a not-so-active background, I felt my whole body toning up and getting stronger. I fell in love and as love has it, idealized the hell out of it. As I became a yoga teacher myself and continually deepened my studies and understanding of the human body, the pink vapor slowly began to dissolve and I started to realize that despite its many benefits there actually are a few itches a yoga practice cant scratch.
Fit In My 40s: ‘a Month Of Daily Yoga Made Me Impossible To Live With’
The only possibility is to keep going; if you can get through the first three months, the sages say, youll do yoga for ever
Arguably, if you did anything for a month, every day, for at least an hour, you would end up understanding it so well that you couldnt help but love it. Its the arranged-marriage school of exercise. But I dont think this would have worked with, say, zumba. Hot yoga, however, is what I do now. I dont even want to try anything else, unless its as well as this.
Some people end their 30-day challenge with a whole new muscle definition; I still look the same. I wouldnt even say Id extended my yoga skill set, though I did get my feet off the floor for the first time in a crow pose, which was about the most gymnastic thing that had ever happened to me. In the mirror, I looked like I was trying to crawl underneath a shopping trolley because I had dropped my quid.
Hot yoga has a spooky, almost premonitory effect: you never strain anything , but you can feel which bits of your body are going to give out on you 20 years hence. Also, which tilt will one day freeze your neck, which of your back muscles are relying so heavily on the others that they no longer function.
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What Else Should I Know
Cost. Varies. If you already know your way around a yoga mat, you can practice for free at home. Videos and classes will cost you various amounts of money.
Good for beginners? Yes. People of all ages and fitness levels can do the most basic yoga poses and stretches.
Outdoors. Yes. You can do yoga anywhere, indoors or out.
At home. Yes. All you need is enough space for your yoga mat.
Equipment required? No. You don’t need any equipment because you’ll rely on your own body weight for resistance. But you’ll probably want to use a yoga mat to keep you from sliding around in standing poses, and to cushion you while in seated and lying positions. Other, optional equipment includes a yoga ball for balance, a yoga block or two, and straps to help you reach for your feet or link your hands behind your back.
Yoga Weightloss Before And After To Lose Weight And Stay In Shape
Yoga weight loss after and before work. This is one of the best ways to lose weight while doing yoga.
When you think about yoga weight loss before and after, what do you imagine? Do you picture the yoga instructor in a suit with a big bowl of yogurt and fruits on his or her body? Or do you picture the yogi in a plain brown shirt, white pants and matching sandals, doing yoga on an empty stomach?
What most people do not realize is that the two forms of yoga are not the same. They do have some similarities, though. Both yoga postures focus on breathing, relaxation and proper posture. If you want to lose weight, you may want to look into yoga weight loss before and after.
Yoga weightloss before and after can actually be done both at home and at a gym. There are even yoga DVD that can be rented and used at a studio or gym.
Yoga can help people who are trying to lose weight get into a routine and start losing weight. One can lose weight fast when it is a part of their daily routine. However, if you have been inactive and overweight for a long time, then yoga is not for you. You will need to find a different form of exercise.
Yoga weight loss before and after is very beneficial. You will be able to keep your body active and healthy in a way that regular exercise is not. If you are looking for a more relaxing and restful form of exercise, yoga might be the perfect option for you.
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How To Create Lasting Health Habits That Let You Rock
Harder is not better, when it comes to creating true fitness shiftsthe kind that keep you as healthy on the inside as you are outside. If you dedicate yourself to a yoga practice, then its my opinion that you also commit yourself to the lifestyle of a yogi.
The responsibility is now yours to treat yourself as well as you would any child, lover, or friend, in each moment. Its sometimes a heavy burden to bear, to walk the path, not just of workouts, but work-ins, and be that radically compassionate, fierce, and well-boundaried advocate of your own evolution.
After all, no ones going to do it for you, but you. So how can you move back or forward into your own space of self-consideration and transformation today? Its a question only you can answerand then rockrightnow.
Treat Lower Back Pain
Approximately one in six Brits suffer from chronic back pain. A regular yoga practice offers a wallet-friendly, convenient way to get some relief in fact, one study found it to be as effective as traditional physical therapy. And research by the University of California revealed that participants with chronic low back pain experienced significant decreases in pain intensity after completing a 12-week yoga programme.
: 15-04-2021
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Yoga Results For Weight Loss
What if you’re doing yoga for weight loss? Because of the wide variety of yoga styles and their varying intensities, accurate calorie burn estimates are hard to come by. For example, Harvard Health only offers an estimate for Hatha yoga, a relatively gentle style that reportedly burns between 240 and 356 calories per hour, depending on your body weight. That’s about the same rate of calorie burn as walking at 3.5 mph.
But while creating a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you take in is central to weight loss success, the weight loss journey is a complex process and doing yoga can help encourage some of the most important healthy behaviors. For example, a study published in a 2018 issue of the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that young adults who practiced yoga ate more fruits and vegetables and were generally more physically active, while also consuming less fast food and sugary beverages.
Another study, published in a 2016 issue of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, examined the weight loss journey of 20 women who had lost weight, intentionally or otherwise, by doing yoga. Although the study size is very small, it identified five key themes on the impact of yoga for weight loss, including a shift toward healthy eating and the benefit of support within the yoga community.
The Qualities Of Fascia
Fascia is made up of three things:
We have a type of fascia found just below the skin , and beneath this we have deep fascia a tougher, tighter form. Embedded in this are our muscles, blood vessels etc. A third kind of fascia lines and forms our body cavities. I see it all as one and the same, one substance that supports, stabilises and guides our body and its functions.
I worked as;a massage therapist for over 10 years and;learning about fascia was a eureka moment and changed the way that I viewed the body and its posture and form.
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How To Use Kundalini Yoga To Awaken Your Sex Life
Tap into this powerful energy-focused yoga style to align your chakras and ignite your sex life both with partners and yourself.
When you think of yoga and all its potential, you probably don’t envision next-level sex as a result of downward dog. But unlike other yoga styles that are more focused on the physical postures, Kundalini yoga a combination of breathwork, mantra, and movement aims to unleash a powerful awakening of energy known as Kundalini that can unveil amazing possibilities for your sex life. Not only can this newfound energetic connection deliver a greater orgasm, but it can also leave you in an overall healthier relationship with yourself and the people around you. Let’s dive in.
Kundalini Yoga Is All About The Energy
Dating back to as early as 1200800 B.C.E., Kundalini yoga comes from the Indian religion of Hinduism. Similar to other yoga styles, its goal is to promote overall health and well-being. What makes Kundalini unique, however, is that it seeks to do so through sets of movements called “kriyas.” Kriyas are specific exercises designed to tap into your chakras, balls of energy along the spine that affect emotional and physical health, according to scripts outlined in the ancient religious text called The Vedas. Kundalini;energy is said to rest like a coiled serpent at the base of the spine, and when your chakras are aligned, it can flow freely upward, leading to an expanded state of consciousness. Through meditation , mantra , and movement , Kundalini practices create an energy alignment throughout your chakras that lead to overall emotional and physical well-being, says Erika Polsinelli, Kundalini expert and founder of virtual wellness center Evolve by Erika.
“I think that’s how it connects to awakening that sexual energy,” she says. “You become more sensitive to energy, and that helps to bring in all those feel-good vibrations.”
And that intertwining of mind and body can absolutely affect your sex life. “Wellness in both body and spirit requires a relationship of some sort and an acceptance around sexuality,” agrees according to Caitlin V. Neal, M.P.H., resident sexologist for sexual hygiene and body care company Royal.
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