I'm not a practitioner of yoga. Never have been, and most likely never will be. I prefer good, old fashioned cardio, resistance training and stretching for my workout routines.
That said, some folks do yoga for reasons beyond their physical health. Many do yoga as a form of meditation and relaxation, and from what I've learned from them, there's more to yoga than what meets the eye.
First and foremost, it's important not to jump into yoga and try to do advanced programs without proper preparation. If you're straining and causing yourself discomfort, then you're not going to be relaxed, you're not going to be properly stretched, and you're not going to have a good work out.
With that in mind, it's time to figure out some yoga positions for beginners. The very first one on the list of yoga positions for beginners is called the "Cat Cow Stretch," and according to the yoga entry on about.com, it goes as follows:
1. Start on all fours, bringing the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips.
2. Think of the spine as a straight line connecting the shoulders to the hips. Try visualizing the line extending forward through the crown of the head and backwards through the tail bone.
3. Keep the neck the natural extension of the spine.
Next on the list of yoga positions for beginners is the Downward Facing Dog. Again, from About.com:
1. Come to your hands and knees with the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips.
2. Curl the toes under and push back raising the hips and straightening the legs.
3. Spread the fingers and ground down from the forearms into the fingertips.
4. Outwardly rotate the upper arms broadening the collarbones.
5. Let the head hang, move the shoulder blades away from the ears towards the hips.
6. Engage the quadriceps strongly to take the weight off the arms, making this a resting pose.
7. Rotate the thighs inward, keep the tail high and sink your heels towards the floor.
8. Check that the distance between your hands and feet is correct by coming forward to a plank position. The distance between the hands and feet should be the same in these two poses. Do not step the feet toward the hands in Down Dog in order the get the heels to the floor. This will happen eventually as the muscles lengthen.
Beginners: Try bending your knees, coming up onto the balls of your feet, bringing the belly to rest on the thighs and the sit bones up high. Then sink your heels, straightening the legs keeping the high upward rotation of the sit bones. Also try bending the arms slightly out to the side, drawing the chest towards the thighs. Then restraighten the arms.
Showing posts with label stretching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stretching. Show all posts
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Using Yoga For Back Pain
Most people will experience back pain at least once in their lives. This is something that may go quickly, but for the unfortunate, it can be something that comes and goes, and may stick around for months if not for years. There are things you can do, though surgery is not always an option, and for some types of back pain, even that is not helpful, or even possible. There are some exercises that help with some types of back pain, and yoga can be one of them. In fact, yoga for back pain can be quite helpful.
What you can do for your back pain is up to your doctor, and you should listen to what they have to say. Doing something wrong can make your problem worse, not better. If they say that yoga for back pain is something that would help you, you may want to listen. The great thing about yoga is that it can be very easy on the body, and there are many different things in yoga that you can do. You don’t have to do all of the moves that most classes have. You only need to do the ones that work well with your back.
If your doctor is recommending yoga for back pain, they probably have guidelines and recommendations. Yoga is about strength and flexibility. For the most part, this is going to be recommended for those that have muscle problems rather than some type of spinal injury. It might not be the best for bulging and crushed discs, but yoga for back pain can help when your muscles are messed up, tight, weak, or are refusing to relax. Some backs go out of place thanks to weak muscles, so doing yoga to help with back problems can be a preventative measure.
When doing yoga for back pain, you have two main choices. You can do it from home with the right instruction, or you can take a class. If you are going to do it from home, you want to go out and find the right DVD. You should also make sure you get the right mat to use on your floor, and any other accessories that will help you through your workout. If you are taking a class, call ahead to see what you would need, and stress that you need beginner’s classes.
Get the right clothing for your yoga for back pain sessions, and make sure you remember that your limits may be pushed. It might hurt a little as you work your way through, but stop if things are too painful. You don’t want to cause more damage than you already have in your back. What is going to happen is that you are going to build up the muscles that hold your spine in place, and that can do wonders for any back. If you find that yoga for back pain does not work for you, talk with your doctor about other exercise alternatives.
What you can do for your back pain is up to your doctor, and you should listen to what they have to say. Doing something wrong can make your problem worse, not better. If they say that yoga for back pain is something that would help you, you may want to listen. The great thing about yoga is that it can be very easy on the body, and there are many different things in yoga that you can do. You don’t have to do all of the moves that most classes have. You only need to do the ones that work well with your back.
If your doctor is recommending yoga for back pain, they probably have guidelines and recommendations. Yoga is about strength and flexibility. For the most part, this is going to be recommended for those that have muscle problems rather than some type of spinal injury. It might not be the best for bulging and crushed discs, but yoga for back pain can help when your muscles are messed up, tight, weak, or are refusing to relax. Some backs go out of place thanks to weak muscles, so doing yoga to help with back problems can be a preventative measure.
When doing yoga for back pain, you have two main choices. You can do it from home with the right instruction, or you can take a class. If you are going to do it from home, you want to go out and find the right DVD. You should also make sure you get the right mat to use on your floor, and any other accessories that will help you through your workout. If you are taking a class, call ahead to see what you would need, and stress that you need beginner’s classes.
Get the right clothing for your yoga for back pain sessions, and make sure you remember that your limits may be pushed. It might hurt a little as you work your way through, but stop if things are too painful. You don’t want to cause more damage than you already have in your back. What is going to happen is that you are going to build up the muscles that hold your spine in place, and that can do wonders for any back. If you find that yoga for back pain does not work for you, talk with your doctor about other exercise alternatives.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Yoga Workout Clothes
Pretty much anything that you use for your normal gym workout will work for Yoga. For the first of several months that I tried it, I would simply wear soccer shorts and a T-shirt as my yoga workout clothes. A lot of other people in the class invested more seriously in yoga workout clothing, but I didn't really see any advantage to it. My clothes were as flexible as theirs, and I had no trouble doing stretches in them – at least no trouble that stemmed from the clothing I was wearing! They were also a good deal cheaper, which I viewed as a big advantage.
After I got pretty serious about it, however, I decided to pick up a few yoga workout outfits. I had to admit that in certain ways they really helped. The thing about yoga is that it requires intense and perfect concentration to do it right. Any physical discomfort should be limited as much as possible, and everything should be done to help you relax and feel at ease. Yoga workout clothes do this by covering your body more evenly in that comfortable, stretchy material. You feel comfortably encased in a warm protective layer which wicks sweat away from your skin and keeps you at just the right temperature. Because yoga workout clothes are stretchy, they don't ride up and ride down as you're stretching, eliminating one distraction that shorts have. They also start to look pretty good on you once you get fit and in shape.
My recommendations for new yoga practitioners is to skip yoga workout clothes at first. Just use whatever you have bought to wear when you go to the gym, provided that it is flexible enough or baggy enough to let you do yoga. Once you've been at it for a couple months, however, try ordering some yoga clothes. Start with one or two outfits just to get a feel for it, then decide what you like. You may find that you do better in normal gym clothes, and that is alright. Many people, however, say that they find using yoga workout clothes more comfortable. It is all just a matter of personal preference.
You also don't have to confine yourself to workout clothes for yoga just to find something good to stretch in. Aerobics workout clothes, clothes for dancing, and anything else they can be used in physical activities that involve difficult stretching work great. The motions involved in yoga are far from unique. They are used in many different forms of physical exercise, so clothing that works for those exercises will work well for yoga as well. Still, yoga workout clothes are some of the most comfortable ones out there.
After I got pretty serious about it, however, I decided to pick up a few yoga workout outfits. I had to admit that in certain ways they really helped. The thing about yoga is that it requires intense and perfect concentration to do it right. Any physical discomfort should be limited as much as possible, and everything should be done to help you relax and feel at ease. Yoga workout clothes do this by covering your body more evenly in that comfortable, stretchy material. You feel comfortably encased in a warm protective layer which wicks sweat away from your skin and keeps you at just the right temperature. Because yoga workout clothes are stretchy, they don't ride up and ride down as you're stretching, eliminating one distraction that shorts have. They also start to look pretty good on you once you get fit and in shape.
My recommendations for new yoga practitioners is to skip yoga workout clothes at first. Just use whatever you have bought to wear when you go to the gym, provided that it is flexible enough or baggy enough to let you do yoga. Once you've been at it for a couple months, however, try ordering some yoga clothes. Start with one or two outfits just to get a feel for it, then decide what you like. You may find that you do better in normal gym clothes, and that is alright. Many people, however, say that they find using yoga workout clothes more comfortable. It is all just a matter of personal preference.
You also don't have to confine yourself to workout clothes for yoga just to find something good to stretch in. Aerobics workout clothes, clothes for dancing, and anything else they can be used in physical activities that involve difficult stretching work great. The motions involved in yoga are far from unique. They are used in many different forms of physical exercise, so clothing that works for those exercises will work well for yoga as well. Still, yoga workout clothes are some of the most comfortable ones out there.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Practicing yoga for back pain
If practicing yoga for back pain doesn't rid you of the pain, it will certainly help to reduce its intensity and frequency. Among the few options available for back pain sufferers is physical therapy. Yoga, although not primarily a therapy, is often offered as a part of the therapy regimen and has proven effective in helping a person master, if not completely alleviate, the pain. Practicing yoga for back pain may be just what you need.
Developed in the context of Hinduism, yoga was originally practiced with the goal of uniting the body and mind. In the Hindu tradition, the soul is an invisible system of power centers located along the spine, with branches leading from these to other parts of the body and a main line, connecting each power center to the one above and below it. The system carries a spiritual energy that is inhaled. In theory, practicing yoga for back pain fills your body with this healing and vital force.
In yoga, you're not only breathing in oxygen, but a spiritual energy that surrounds you. This is life energy. In a yoga breathing exercise, you breathe from your belly, tightening your sphincter muscles with each inhalation. The energy gathers in the 'power center', located about two inches below your navel. You hold the breath for a few seconds, and when you exhale, you loosen your sphincter muscle and let the your whole body exhale the wasted and noxious energy that may be the cause of your pain.
The life energy that you gather in your belly is stored there, and it flows up and down to other power centers, located at points along your spine. You have six power centers in the body and one outside, above the skull. Two power centers are located below the belly power center, called the 'burner', in the Zen tradition, one at the base of the spine and the other in the pubic area. Above the burner are three other power centers, the heart and the throat power centers, and the spiritually-charged power center, between the eyes. Each power center absorbs life energy, but power also flows from center to center through the channels that connect these.
As you breathe, you will the power that has gathered in the burner to move from power center to power center, allowing the life force to energize one center after another. If you're practicing yoga for back pain, you'll begin to notice warmth, radiating from an energized power center and then spreading into the painful area. By infusing your body with life force and concentrating it mentally in the area of the pain, you're bathing that part of your body with healing energy.
Yoga practice aims to foster the free flow of life energy among these centers and, through their branches, to the rest of the body. Yoga postures enable this. They are somewhat unnatural postures that tend to stretch the muscles and loosen them. Although some positions may be stressful, the stress will strengthen the muscles. This is one of the results you want when practicing yoga for back pain.
You can begin practicing yoga for back pain right now. Go to some web sites on yoga and learn how you can use yoga to increase your vitality and health. Through yoga, you may be able to master that back pain yet.
Developed in the context of Hinduism, yoga was originally practiced with the goal of uniting the body and mind. In the Hindu tradition, the soul is an invisible system of power centers located along the spine, with branches leading from these to other parts of the body and a main line, connecting each power center to the one above and below it. The system carries a spiritual energy that is inhaled. In theory, practicing yoga for back pain fills your body with this healing and vital force.
In yoga, you're not only breathing in oxygen, but a spiritual energy that surrounds you. This is life energy. In a yoga breathing exercise, you breathe from your belly, tightening your sphincter muscles with each inhalation. The energy gathers in the 'power center', located about two inches below your navel. You hold the breath for a few seconds, and when you exhale, you loosen your sphincter muscle and let the your whole body exhale the wasted and noxious energy that may be the cause of your pain.
The life energy that you gather in your belly is stored there, and it flows up and down to other power centers, located at points along your spine. You have six power centers in the body and one outside, above the skull. Two power centers are located below the belly power center, called the 'burner', in the Zen tradition, one at the base of the spine and the other in the pubic area. Above the burner are three other power centers, the heart and the throat power centers, and the spiritually-charged power center, between the eyes. Each power center absorbs life energy, but power also flows from center to center through the channels that connect these.
As you breathe, you will the power that has gathered in the burner to move from power center to power center, allowing the life force to energize one center after another. If you're practicing yoga for back pain, you'll begin to notice warmth, radiating from an energized power center and then spreading into the painful area. By infusing your body with life force and concentrating it mentally in the area of the pain, you're bathing that part of your body with healing energy.
Yoga practice aims to foster the free flow of life energy among these centers and, through their branches, to the rest of the body. Yoga postures enable this. They are somewhat unnatural postures that tend to stretch the muscles and loosen them. Although some positions may be stressful, the stress will strengthen the muscles. This is one of the results you want when practicing yoga for back pain.
You can begin practicing yoga for back pain right now. Go to some web sites on yoga and learn how you can use yoga to increase your vitality and health. Through yoga, you may be able to master that back pain yet.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Yoga For Back Pain
Using yoga for back pain is one of the best ways you can make yourself feel better, stay healthier, and live a longer life. I'm not exaggerating. Chronic back pain really does put a lot of stress on the whole system, causing premature aging. When you back hurts all the time, you tend to remain less active. You feel more stressed out, which also takes a toll on your body. Basically, it all comes down to this: taking care of your back is one of the best things you can do for your health in general.
Of course, before you start doing yoga for back pain, you should check with a doctor to make sure you don't have a serious condition. Although Yoga stretching helps back pain in general, a serious back injury can be exacerbated by doing certain positions. For example, if you have a slipped disk or a rupture, you should wait until it heals before you try doing any back exercises except those given to you by a physical therapist. Otherwise, you can make things much worse. Once you know that your back is not seriously injured, however, you have the chance to enjoy the full benefits of yoga for back pain. Start off slowly, and go only as far as you can but keep doing it every day. Go up from 10 or 20 minutes to half an hour, then keep going.
Just about any yoga for back pain will help, but if you know the right poses and the right way to do than you can get even better effects. There are plenty of specific yoga poses for back pain which are designed to really work the muscles that are most at risk of getting hurt. One of the best ones is the pigeon pose. By lying on your stomach with one leg bent so that your shin is under you and facing perpendicular to your body, you can really stretch out your hip muscles. Of course, cat cow pose is also a great yoga pose for back pain. It is so good, in fact, that it is often used by physical therapists to treat chronic back pain.
I'm fortunate enough to live near a good yoga studio with reasonably affordable prices, so when I have back pain problems I can take classes. When I can not go to the studio, however, I pop in a yoga video and do my exercises at home. When you are new to the practice of yoga for back pain, it is easy to forget the basic positions or do things wrong. Having a video will help you to make sure you get everything right. It will make your exercises more effective, more enjoyable, and probably safer as well.
Of course, before you start doing yoga for back pain, you should check with a doctor to make sure you don't have a serious condition. Although Yoga stretching helps back pain in general, a serious back injury can be exacerbated by doing certain positions. For example, if you have a slipped disk or a rupture, you should wait until it heals before you try doing any back exercises except those given to you by a physical therapist. Otherwise, you can make things much worse. Once you know that your back is not seriously injured, however, you have the chance to enjoy the full benefits of yoga for back pain. Start off slowly, and go only as far as you can but keep doing it every day. Go up from 10 or 20 minutes to half an hour, then keep going.
Just about any yoga for back pain will help, but if you know the right poses and the right way to do than you can get even better effects. There are plenty of specific yoga poses for back pain which are designed to really work the muscles that are most at risk of getting hurt. One of the best ones is the pigeon pose. By lying on your stomach with one leg bent so that your shin is under you and facing perpendicular to your body, you can really stretch out your hip muscles. Of course, cat cow pose is also a great yoga pose for back pain. It is so good, in fact, that it is often used by physical therapists to treat chronic back pain.
I'm fortunate enough to live near a good yoga studio with reasonably affordable prices, so when I have back pain problems I can take classes. When I can not go to the studio, however, I pop in a yoga video and do my exercises at home. When you are new to the practice of yoga for back pain, it is easy to forget the basic positions or do things wrong. Having a video will help you to make sure you get everything right. It will make your exercises more effective, more enjoyable, and probably safer as well.
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