Category Yoga

Men in India Originally Developed Yoga

While that may seem like a weird question at first, it is not. Think about it, even though the majority of photos we see today are of women doing yoga, or modelling yoga clothes and accessories in commercials, yoga was developed by men in ancient India. So we know that men can do yoga, and at one time not too long ago, dominated the yoga field.

So the better question frequently asked is “Why don’t more men do yoga?” The real answer is the perception of it in the male mind. Men are wired differently than women; most male sports are based on competiveness. Because yoga is non-competitive, many males view it as something not worth doing and therefore a “girly” sport.

In reality, their skewed perception couldn’t be further from the truth. For example, being the whole LA Laker basketball team does yoga, it must be something worth doing.

But in general, the real question remains: “Do men do yoga?”, especially in a mixed-gender setting.

Two misconceptions exist that prevent many men from participating in mixed gender yoga classes:

• First would they be welcome in a yoga class dominated by females?
• Second, are they flexible enough to participate in yoga?

Can Men Do Yoga in a Female Dominated Yoga Class?

With 77% of yogis being female, it can be overwhelming at first walking into a co-ed yoga class, especially if you are only one of a few, or even the only male in the whole class. But in most cases, it is not the women that is the problem – it is you.

Just remember all of you are there for the same reason – to improve both your physical and mental well-being. In most cases, gender is immaterial; the women will put out the welcome mat; you just have to graciously walk across it.

While still in the minority, male-practiced yoga is catching on; according to Yoga Journal’s own research, the number of males practicing yoga is increasing at the rate of 5% per year.

If for some reason you are uncomfortable practising in a female dominated class, search out a studio that offers all-male classes. Many of them now do.

Men Do Yoga But Flexibility is the Real Question

Because the postures or asanas were developed by men, many of them are more suited to men than women because of the upper strength needed to complete the pose; something most women lack in the beginning. But the flexibility question is real – women by nature are more flexible than men. Researchers aren’t sure why, but it is true. Also, men differ from women in that they tend to develop more muscles in some areas of their body while not in others – depending on which sports they practice. This muscle development can actually reduce flexibility.

Yoga not only loosens up developed muscles thus making them more flexible, men can increase their overall flexibility through yoga. And that is only one benefit; others include:

• Increased mental sharpness
• Less stress
• Increased blood flow
• Detoxification of the body, just to name a few

So the answer is yes, men can and should do yoga for a number of reasons. Check out a studio near you and join a class. Your body will thank you for it!

Yes, Yoga Can Definitely Help You Lose Weight

Yoga physically burns fewer calories than traditional exercising like jogging or running. But because of the internal and external changes your physical body undertakes when you consistently practice, you can find yourself losing more weight than when you perform more intense exercises over time.

Beth Lewis is an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Kinesiology in the United States (Kinesiology is basically a study of human movement, and the mechanics behind it). She has stated that regular yoga exercising tends to influence weight loss more than it directly causes it.

Yoga Can Help You Burn Some Calories

The regular weight loss you are familiar with is when you burn more calories than you consume. And to a small extent, yoga will contribute to your weight loss efforts in this way. But the spiritual and mental understanding of how your body works that comes with practicing over time is what leads to a realization of what is causing your weight gain.

This changes both your energy intake and expenditure, and has consistently been proven to contribute significantly to weight loss, until your personal healthy body weight is achieved.

So while yoga can definitely help you lose weight and get in shape, do not expect the pounds to melt off as quickly as with some other forms of exercise. Remember that yoga was developed as a spiritual and religious practice, not as a physical exercise. Since yoga teaches you to breathe properly and achieve harmony in both mind and body, you can begin to identify healthier foods and habits which can relate to losing weight and fat.

And if you are one of those people who gets comfort from eating when they feel stress, yoga can definitely help there. Significant studies have shown stress levels plummet in veteran yogis and even beginning yoga practitioners that regularly practice this ancient mind-body cleanser.

Some Poses are More Intense than Others

Additionally, remember that there are several levels of yoga. There are those asanas and sequences which are more up-tempo and intense than others. Focusing on these poses and movements can cause your heart to beat faster, cranking up your metabolism.

Since yoga is a sophisticated tradition involving metaphysical, internal and external functions and delivering physical, mental and spiritual benefits, the improvements you will receive with regular practice are numerous.

And when you perform yoga 3 to 5 times a week, you will begin to benefit from the noticeable and mental weight loss benefits it delivers. If you currently live a rather sedentary lifestyle, any physical exercise like yoga will immediately crank up your metabolism, helping you to lose weight and making you feel and look healthier and happier.

Yoga Fitness Tips for Overweight People

The great thing about yoga is it can be practiced by anyone – even if you are overweight. Yes, all the photos you see of people doing yoga are thin, fit and trim, but that for the most part is a marketing hype to sell yoga products and clothes because thin sells. However, there are stylish yet functional yoga clothes for the 36% of the people obese; sometimes you just have to look harder and do more research to find them.

Once you have the clothes you’re going to where and your mat, it’s time to join a class. The hardest part will be walking into the class for the first time. Yes, you might be the only overweight person there, but you should stand proud that you’re taking action and are at least willing to give it a try. The only one that will hold you back from doing yoga is you. The rest of your classmates could care less how you look as all of you are there for the same reason – to reap the benefits – like improved fitness, greater flexibility, reduced blood pressure, less stress, and yes weight loss and an improved self-image.

Best Type of Yoga for Overweight People

There are many different types of yoga. Because plus-size yogis may not be able to do many of the poses, or they may have to modify how they do some postures, one type of yoga is better suited for them – Iyengar. Lyengar yoga uses props like blankets, blocks, straps, harnesses and incline boards. These props make it easier to do some poses.

Helpful Tips for the Overweight Yogi

As a plus-size person, these tips will help you get the most out of yoga:

Create a good stable base. Spread your feet until they are a comfortable distance apart. While many of the standing poses recommend shoulder-width apart, if it is more stable for you to go wider, then do so.

Make yourself comfortable. You know your body better than anyone, so if a body part gets in the way while doing a pose, move it out of the way.

Use props. While you may not be able to touch your hands to your toes when doing the Standing Half Forward Bend pose, you can use a yoga strap and do the pose the modified way. If you have not used props before, ask your instructor to show you the best way to use the ones you need.

Learn to love yourself. Many overweight people have a low self-esteem. Because yoga is non-competitive, use it as an opportunity to connect with just yourself – body, mind and soul. Not only will you reap the physical benefits of yoga, but you’ll find peace with yourself and learn to accept yourself for who you are – you.

In most classes, you’ll find your classmates don’t care who you are, what you look like, or if you can’t do certain poses. All of you are there for the same thing – yoga. The only person holding you back is you. Find a class and get with it!

So What’s Yoga all About Anyway?

Before answering this question, we have to look back at the origin of the word “yoga” itself. Thought to be a derivative of “yuj” from the ancient East Indian Sanskrit language, the root word translates to yoking – as in hitching a team of oxen to a yoke. Yoking further suggests a union of two animals connected together as one.

So in essence, it is the union, or connecting together, of the mind, body and spirit. But, how does yoga connect the two non-physical elements to the physical one? Generally this is done through a series of poses or postures, breathing and meditation; although some styles also include chanting and the reading of inspirational passages.

The Physical Side

Yoga develops strength, flexibility and stamina through its poses. If done in quick succession, as with Ashtanga, Bikran and Mosha, these poses can be a mild low-impact type of exercise that builds stamina. If done more slowly, as in the styles of Anusara, Iyengar and Viniyoga, the focus is on doing the pose correctly. Because most of the styles use the same poses or postures, which style you choose depends on what physical aspect you want to get out of the practice and in large part, how your instructor was trained.

The Mental/Spiritual Side

Yoga styles, such as Jivamukti and Kunalini include call and response chanting. Other styles may include mediation, a focus on breathing or the reading of inspirational passages called aphorisms. Many that practice yoga find the performance of poses first provides an easier transition to the meditation portion of the experience.

Yoga is non-competitive and highly personal, making it a good sport for those liking individual sports and wanting to get in touch with their self. It is a way to shut out the outside world and focus on just oneself; during your yoga practice, you are disconnected from the real world. No cell phones ringing, no distractions from people, no mind wandering and losing focus. It is all about just you.

Advice for Yoga Beginners

When first starting out practicing yoga, join a class first to learn the technique of the postures and whatever else that is part of that particular style. Also, do not be afraid to try other styles as the first one you choose may not provide what you are trying to get out of it. In this fast and connected world that we live in, making time for the introspection of oneself can be difficult; practicing yoga on a regular basis is one technique to get back in touch with yourself.

Quick Guide to Ashtanga Yoga

Practicing yoga can help you live a more peaceful life. In our chaotic world even our daily schedule can get overwhelming at times.

If you need a way to decompress and to get back in touch with yourself, yoga may be your answer.

 Different Types of Yoga

There are several forms or types of yoga, including Bikram, Hatha, Iyengar, Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga to name a few of the more popular ones; in this article, we focus on the classical Ashtanga (not to be confused with Ashtanga Vinyasa or Power Yoga). This type of yoga consists of three series of poses: Primary, Intermediate and Advanced. While each series consists of a different set of poses, they all have two things in common: starting with the Sun Salutations, before moving to the first set in the series, and ending with back-bending, shoulder stand, headstand and the lotus.

The Sun Salutation

Sun Salutation series consists of eighteen poses that purify the body and restore health, along with preparing the body for the Primary series, also known as Yoga Chilkitsa or Yoga Therapy. From the Sun Salutation series, up to 75 different standing poses can be performed, depending on the routine developed by your instructor. Performing the total array takes around 1 ½ to 2 hours. The intent of the Primary Series is to prepare the body for the more difficult seated poses which follow next.

The Seated Poses

These poses require more concentration and coordination than other types of poses, if done correctly. They start out with the Dandasana pose where your legs are out in front of you. This is followed by three forward bend poses and a reverse plank. While the forward bends stretch out your back, the reverse plank stretches out the front of your body. Each series of poses are meant to build on the previous set. The workout ends with the Corpe Pose, signifying total relaxation of the body and mind.

The Need for Deep Breathing

Another element of Ashtanga is deep breathing called thoraco-diphragmatic breathing. By inhaling deeply, oxygen gets to parts of the body that are normally devoid of oxygen under normal breathing conditions. Forceful exhalation, by using the diaphragm, pulls the toxins out of the body with the outgoing air, thus detoxifying and restoring it to its original healthy state. This type of yoga not only develops your body by concentrating on aligning your spine, detoxifying and building stamina and flexibility, it also develops a healthy mind by increasing the awareness of your body.

Well, we have arrived at the end of this guide on Hatha Yoga for beginners. Hopefully, we have been able to more than stimulate your interest regarding Hatha Yoga and the Hatha Yoga poses.

As you have read in this guide, Hatha Yoga is a discipline which is anchored on gentle movements. But as gentle as the movements are, we’re very sure that you have also noticed how invigorating some of the poses could be, and that’s because your released energy has been transformed and made more pure.

The breathing exercises as shown in the Hatha Yoga for beginners guide and mentioned in some poses contribute to the purification of the energy that you release. This purer form of energy comes about when the mind gets to shed its burdens.

Meeting Your Hatha Yoga Fitness Goals

As you have experienced while doing the Hatha Yoga poses and especially after each wrap-up, your Hatha Yoga fitness goals can easily be met on three levels (physical, mental, and spiritual), provided that you are willing to go with the flow of the exercises.

It is you, yourself, as the yogi, who can attest to the way that your state of health and wellness are developing. Fitness is not a goal that is achieved in just one sitting, or by investing your passion to attain it, in only a short period. Fitness, particularly when it is pursued through Hatha Yoga, is a process that needs to be sustained and nurtured over time.

It is a fact that Hatha Yoga poses are not enough in themselves, to guarantee eternal fitness. You must be also aware of the need to stick to a proper diet that is based on your lifestyle’s needs. However, even with a proper diet, if you do not condition yourself to have the right frame of mind, then your health will still suffer.

Keep in Mind What Your Hatha Yoga Fitness Goals Are

At the end of the day, it is crucial to your well-being to remember that as far as your fitness goals are concerned – you are not just your body. You are not just flesh and blood. You are also your mind and your spirit. Therefore, you should focus on all three aspects and give them the nurturing they need.

And that’s what Hatha Yoga poses can help you to accomplish. Go now to MyFitnessNut.com and subscribe to the Newsletter and get access to a total of 77 Hatha Yoga Videos containg 70 yoga pose demonstrations to help get you started. And if you haven’t read the whole Hatha Yoga Training Guide you can go back and start at the beginning, then prepare to begin reaching your Hatha Yoga fitness goals.

Namaste is a greeting that is usually shared among students and the yoga teacher at the beginning and completion of each yoga class. It is a very special greeting which is literally saying – bow (nama) – I (as) – you (te), or in ordinary English “I bow to you.”

The “you” that’s given reverence in this greeting is not what is seen on the surface. If you, for example, happen to be a much appreciated and talented Chef de Cuisine of a popular and high-end restaurant, the yoga instructor is not being reverential to you, in your role as an accomplished Chef.

Your occupation has nothing to do with the reverence being given. Neither is the instructor being reverential to you, based on your gender. Saying Namaste has no bearing on whether you are male or female. It also has no connection to your age, whether you are a teenager, a young adult, or a senior citizen.

In other words, when a fellow yoga student or a yoga master says “Namaste” to you, human-erected and defined social-economic and cultural barriers are bypassed. It is the integral you, the inner you, the real you which is being greeted with pure respect.

Connecting with the Divine

It is amazing how such a simple phrase communicates a profound sense of respect for one another, a connection that emanates from what is acknowledged as the Divine Spark of Life. Again, if this sounds a little too metaphysical for your taste, you need to remember at this point that yoga is an ordinary fitness tool. It is not simply concerned with your physical health and well-being.

As this guide has described in various articles, yoga, particularly Hatha Yoga, is all about achieving a balance between mind, body, and spirit through workouts that incorporate meditation, breathing, and poses.

The underlying principles are simple and clear:

1. When your mind does not function well, your body and spirit are affected and as a result, they also will not function well.
2. When your body has ailments or injuries, it brings pressure on the mind and can cripple the spirit.
3. When your spirit or true inner self is troubled, your mind gets cluttered and your thought processes become awry, and as a result, the welfare of your body could become neglected.

Namaste yoga, which is an offshoot of Hatha Vinyasa yoga, seeks to address the imbalance, initially through the greeting of “I bow to you” which immediately negates the ego of either the student or teacher from sowing discord in the yoga class.

Namaste Yoga – Hands to the Heart

The typical Namaste pose involves putting the palms together, in front of where the heart is approximately located. The eyes are closed and a short bow is done. Another way is to assume again the praying position of the hands, and raise to the center of the forehead, where your “third eye” is supposed to be located, then gently moved to the heart before bowing. In Hindu belief, the third eye is the invisible sense organ that allows you to see or perceive things that are hidden from ordinary or normal vision.

Namaste Yoga for Energy Flow

The Namaste greeting figuratively clears the air before each yoga session. The greetings helps to lay the foundation for the release of positive energy. After the Namaste greeting, various Sun Salutation poses can be done. Check out the videos for more details and demonstrations about these salutation poses.

Closing the Session in Peace with Namaste Yoga

After the yoga class, it is customary to once again go through the Namaste greeting. Only, this time, instead of a welcoming sort of gesture, it is now a kind of grateful blessing conferred on you.

Saying and performing Namaste at the end of a yoga class is believed to heighten the levels of calmness, mental keenness, and physical well-being that were developed through the exercise of yoga posing. Be sure to grab access to the Namaste pose video as well as the other 69 Hatha Yoga videos when you subscribe to the the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter and start enjoying fitness the Hatha Yoga way. Lastly, we’ll wrap up this guide helping you to get started achieving your Hatha Yoga fitness goals in the final chapter.

There are numerous things that delineate the differences between the cultures of the West and the East, and among the more highly interesting ones is the dissimilarity of perspectives regarding death.

The West views death as the complete cessation of someone’s physical life. in such a belief system, life is a one-shot deal and death is the final equalizer. Meanwhile, many in the East, particularly those who are followers of Hinduism and Buddhism, believe in a cycle of death and rebirth.

This latter belief is most likely one of the reasons why many in the East do not see death as something strange and to be feared. On the contrary, for those who believe in the death and rebirth cycle, death is a mere portal, a transition from one state of being to the other, with numerous possibilities for the continuation of life, albeit in another state of existence.

Shavashana yoga internalizes the effort to open up to a world of possibilities. It is literally translated as Corpse Pose. Another name for Shavashana is Mrtasana, directly translated as ‘death pose,’ which stems from the base form of the pose and mirrors the position of one who is already dead (physically).

Qualities of the Shavashana Yoga Pose

Shavashana yoga is a form of meditation. Although considered to be the ‘easiest’ pose in yoga, there are still variants and modifications to this pose because of the understanding that not everyone understands what comfort is, in the same manner. Comfort is main factor of this pose. As a form of stress relief, Shavashana helps the body and mind to synchronize and reset itself from any internal or external form of stress.

Towards the achievement of optimum results, focus is essential in Shavashana. Integrate the same level of focus into your daily routine, to help your body become rejuvenated, before continuing on to meet the everyday stresses of your life.

Here’s a Vidoe Demonstration of the Shavashana Yoga Pose

Benefits of the Shavashana Yoga Pose

• Mental – the Shavashana Pose improves overall concentration, trains the mind to stay calm even when panic is already ensuing all around, increases your capacity to focus, lessens the incidence of anxiety attacks.
• Physical – the Shavashana Pose is able to control heart rate and respiration. It loosens tense, bunched-up muscles and lowers blood pressure.
• Spiritual – the Shavashana Pose allows the inner self to get in touch with concepts that are tied up with possibilities, or realities that are, as of yet, non-existing. By freeing the mind anxiety and stress, a whole world of pleasurable creativity is released within you.

Safety Alert

Shavashana Yoga is often so pleasurable to weary yogis seeking relief such that they sometimes fall asleep! When you’re performing this pose, try to soften your jaw and feel the heightened sense of your hearing. Initiate a heightened sense of withdrawal to get as relaxed as possible.

Avoid any wrestling of thoughts while trying to avoid sleeping, as this is one of the many distractions that you may encounter.

This pose is not recommended for people with back injuries that have not yet fully healed. Pregnant women who do this yoga exercise are also reminded to use props such as a rolled-up blanket to slightly elevate the head while lying down in order to avoid possible dizziness.

You have now learned about one of the most relaxing yoga poses there is; Shavashana Yoga. Use the demonstration video to see this pose in action, if you really want to call it action. It’s more likely you’ll have to resist falling asleep if you’re the least bit tired when you decide to practice it. Go ahead and subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter to get your hands on all 70 yoga videos. Next up, we’ll dive into “Namaste Yoga” and connect with the diving spark of life.

In the section titled Sampling Yoga Workouts for Fun, we briefly discussed the Hatha Yoga Happy Baby Pose and revealed how this yoga posture can actually make a yogi feel a contented baby’s sensations.

For a Content and Relaxed Existence

In Hatha Yoga, we have the Happy Baby Pose, or Ananda Balasana in Sanskrit (ananda = bliss, extreme happinness, bala = baby, asana = pose) to remind us as we perform it, that simple delights can be sufficient in giving us a relaxed and contented existence.

The Happy Baby Pose Sample:

Lie on your back and hug your knees right into your chest, imitating a very happy baby. This position should be familiar to anyone who has kids. Separate your knees and have each ankle straight over its respective knee, your shins should be perpendicular to the floor. Flex feet and hold on to them outside as you draw your knees downward. Roll from side to side from your sacrum and see if it feels good, but please, resist the urge to put your toes in your mouth (not that a few have attempted to do so, but the “happy baby” feeling that arose was just too good to pass up). After five breaths, stretch your legs and you’re good with your sample yoga workouts.

Qualities of the Happy Baby Pose

The Happy Baby Pose clearly assumes the body contours of a baby at play, amusing itself and finding contentment on its own volition.

Adults can often be complicated, difficult to understand and hard-pressed in giving understanding to others. A baby in contrast does not have the complexities associated with a grown-up. A baby does not mind if it does not have a brand new car as the neighbors do, a baby does not care if others are prettier, stronger, or wealthier than him or her.

In other words, a baby can appreciate simple joys of life. The Happy Baby Pose personifies such contentment and transfers it to you, the yoga practitioner.

Here’s a Video Demonstration of the Happy Baby Pose

Benefits of the Happy Baby Pose

• Mental – this yoga pose soothes the mind, removing thoughts of despair and mental fatigue.
• Physical – this yoga pose is ideal for stretching the spine and inner groins, inducing an overall feeling of relaxation. “Happy hormones” such as endorphins (pain blocker), and the neurotransmitter serotonin which is responsible for making you feel relaxed and content, are released within the body through reiterations of the pose.
• Spiritual – this yoga pose aids in giving you a sense of deep contentment, making you less aggressive towards yourself and others.

Safety Alert

The Happy Baby Pose should not be attempted by pregnant women and those with spinal or neck injuries.

With the Happy Baby pose, you too can learn to better appreciate the simple joys that life has to offer and you have access to another 69 yoga poses when you subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter. Next, will do a short review of “Shavashana Yoga” and attempt to open up a world of possibilities.

There are numerous sayings related to bridges. These refer to the nature of bridges as instruments for crossing over from one space to another, with the cross-over usually being done to avoid a break that would deter movement (as in a body of water separating two areas of land).

In Hatha Yoga, the Bridge Pose, or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana in Sanskrit ( setu = bridge, banda = lock, asana = pose) means to put your body, mind, and spirit in a position of crossing over, of moving beyond self-imposed boundaries.

Qualities of the Bridge Pose

The Bridge Pose uses the knees and the legs to raise and support the lower torso and the hips. While in this position of semi-elevation, the head and upper body are flat down on the floor. In this sense, the arc of a bridge is simulated. Temporarily modifying the natural flow of blood in this manner jump-starts the energy of the yogi, making the mind more receptive and the body more open to withstanding stress.

Demonstration of the Bridge Pose

Benefits of the Bridge Pose

• Mental – this pose is great for the relief of mild depression, fatigue, anxiety, and stress. It relaxes the thought processes sufficiently, to enable the mind to consider various options that could serve as solutions to any problem or issue that you might be worrying over.
• Physical – this pose is ideal for stimulating the thyroid, lungs, and abdominal organs, aiding in attaining better digestion and respiration. Menstrual issues and symptoms of menopause are also relieved through regular practice of this pose. The spine, the neck, and the chest are stretched, as well as the legs and the hips, which are therapeutic to have better posture and breathing. The pose is also good for relieving insomnia.
• Spiritual – through the Bridge Pose’s reduction of fatigue and anxiety, you will be more able to create opportunities for internal self-improvement, going over and beyond what you have previously perceived (and possibly accepted) as your limitations.

Safety Alert

The Bridge Pose can possibly cause a neck injury if not done well. Refer to the accompanying demonstration videos to get a fuller grasp of how to execute this Hatha Yoga pose. Be clear on your limitations and never over-extend yourself as small steps forward, favor big steps backwards.

Now that you have a grip on how the Bridge Pose is done, be sure to subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter and see how 69 other Hath Yoga poses are done. In the next article of this online Hatha Yoga guide we’ll discover the “Happy Baby Pose” along with the treasures that come with experiencing the simple joys of life.