Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, YACEP Pregnancy is a great opportunity to relax and turn your attention inwards. Hormones released during pregnancy cause dramatic changes in the body. For example: the hormone relaxin, softens the connective tissue, cartilage, and supports the joints to prepare for an easier delivery. Any asana or pranayama technique that doesn’t make you feel good should be stopped immediately.
Imagine your body as the trunk of a tree. Without the trunk, the tree would have nothing to support the branches; in the case of the body, the branches equate to the arms and legs. Your core includes your essential breathing muscle, (the diaphragm). Therefore, weak core muscles prevent you from breathing deeply. A well-developed core enables you to lift heavy objects with less incidence of injury and provides balance and stability for your body.
Would it be possible to tell me what is the difference between the following breathing techniques (Agni Sara, Kapalabhati, and Uddiyana Bandha)? They are performed in a similar way (forced abdominal contraction) and bringing the thoracic cage into neutral position while holding the breath.
Sugar originated from India. When Alexander the Great invaded India in 325 BC, he found a crude, dark brown substance called jaggery, (gur), which is still used today. Jaggery spread to Japan and China; then to the Middle East. From there, European crusaders took it to the Canary Islands, and it was from here that Christopher Columbus took sugarcane to Europe. Europeans processed all the goodness out of natural sugar, leaving only the super-sweet, artificially white crystals, which have since become popular throughout the world. Currently, Brazil has the highest per capita production of sugar.
Regular practice of yoga when running is resumed can continue to maintain this improved flexibility, which will promote muscle health while running. Yoga and meditation bring relaxation to muscles that are tense, and running can be a good cardiac exercise to combine with these alternative exercises to promote the health of the body and mind.
Power yoga is becoming extremely popular these days and it is the modern version of the traditional yoga postures. Yoga can help you to achieve physical fitness as well as mental wellness. People who want to loose weight can also try out the power yoga techniques in order to burn out the extra calories. Since ancient times, yoga has played a significant role in achieving better mind, body and health.
Teaching Yoga to children can be a challenging but an extremely rewarding experience. Yoga classes for children are often filled with a lot of laughter, plenty of fun and a little bit of frustration sprinkled here and there. If you plan on teaching Yoga to young students, there are a few things that you should be ready for.
The sitting postures of Hatha Yoga are important as ideal postures for a correct practice of Pranayama and meditation, apart from limbering legs and hips, strengthening the back and improving the posture. They are the most efficient postures of the body to allow psychophysical energy to flow freely with maximum relief of tension.
Yoga has been known to improve flexibility, strengthen muscles, and enhance balance. However, if practiced incorrectly yoga can do more damage to the body than good. Misaligned poses can lead to injuries ranging from aching joints to pulled muscles. “Yoga injuries are often a result of not knowing or realizing your body’s limitations.”
Generally speaking, most people are not used to sitting cross-legged. If you have problems with your knees, stiff hips, lower back pain you will find it easier to sit on a cushion with your legs stretched out in front of you. Alternatively, you can always practice yoga seated on a chair. If you are nervous about sitting on the floor, have a quiet word with your Yoga teacher before the class and she can advise you on different easy seated yoga postures.