Yoga Exercises

Yoga exercises strengthen your body and make it more flexible. Yoga also calms your mind and gives you energy. In active sports or strenuous exercises, you use up energy. In yoga classes, students report that they feel tranquil after a class, yet have more energy. Slow and steady motion is the key to going into or coming out of the postures. You hold a yoga pose for several seconds or even minutes and give attention to full, quiet breath. Your yoga instructor will always encourage you to relax as the exercises are being done.

You gently place your body into yoga postures. Done correctly, there's very little chance of injury or muscle stress. A particular asana is not repeated dozens of times, nor are you ever encouraged to push yourself too much.

A yoga session is designed for balance. You stretch to the right and then to the left. You bend back and then forward. You learn to recognize when one side is stronger or more flexible than the other. Thus harmony and balance are achieved with yoga practice.

People of all ages can practice yoga exercises. They are easily modified to meet your needs and physical condition. Don't be put off by the difficult looking postures you may see in a yoga book. A skilled teacher can adapt most asanas by using chairs, cushions, even a wall or other props. A yoga practice can be tailor-made just for you. If something is really impossible for you to do, just forget it. Never compete with yourself or others. Yoga is a stress-free but powerful way to exercise.

Yoga is good for increasing your flexibility and relieving stress, but it doesn't take the place of aerobic exercise. You should still do regular, aerobic exercise, which increases your cardiovascular fitness, helps you lose weight, and, for people with non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetes at least, improves blood glucose controls.

what should be remember before doing yoga

There are various things that a person who wants to do yoga should remember. These can also be considered as rules for doing yoga. When these important points are followed, then the yoga will be more beneficial and effective.

1. Yoga should not be done on the floor directly. It is better to do the yoga on grass, rugs, or on a cloth. IT can even be done on a bed.

2. Early morning or evening is the best time to do these asanas of yoga.

3. Yoga must not be done after meals or when the stomach is full. This will make the practice of various asanas difficult and yoga will be ineffective. Instead, yoga can be done before having a meal.. Food should be eaten only after at least half an hour after yoga.

4. While doing yoga, minimal amount of clothes should be worn. This will help in free movement of the body into various positions and asanas.

5. Sometimes, it is better to start from an easy asana and then progress to a difficult one. This will help the muscles and joints of the body to get accommodated to the various positions.

6. Stretching the body to the limits of strength and endurance should not be done. This can be dangerous. Gradual increase in the timings should be done.

7. According to tradition, the sweat that comes out while doing the various asanas should not be wiped with cloth, but only with the bare hands.

8. Each asana should be done without exertion in the prescribed time. The room where the asanas are being done should have adequate windows or ventilation.

9. During the summer, there should be a reduction in the amount of asanas done.

10. The outside environment should be shut down while doing yoga to help increase the concentration levels. Increased concentration will help in increased effectiveness of yoga. Due to this fact, yoga should be practiced as much as possible from places where distractions can be present.

11. In the beginning, there can be some difficulties like pain and also laziness. This will pass over time if yoga is done regularly.

12. Adequate rest must be taken between one asana and the other. Each asana has to be practiced five times for it to be effective.

13. Women who are pregnant should not do any asanas. This is not advisable.

14. Shirasasana is an asana where the person stands upside down on the head. This should not be done by amateurs. People with medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart problems, brain or head injuries or eye problems should not do this asana.

Kapalbhati Pranayam and how to do it

Kapal in Sanskrit means FOREHEAD, and Bhati in Sanskrit means SHINING. Practicing Kapalbhati on regular basis leads to shining face with inner radiance. Kapalbhati is highly energizing abdominal breathing exercise.

What we do in Kapalbhati Pranayama

In Kapalabhati we do quick exhalation and natural inhalation. Normally exhalation takes one fourth of the time of inhalation. Quick exhalation and natural inhalation follow each other.
How to do Kapalbhati Pranayama

Step 1) Sit in comfortable crossed leg position with Back straight. Hands resting on knees in either chin or gyana mudra. Face to be relaxed.

Step 2) Inhale deeply through both nostril, expanding abdomen and exhale with the forceful contraction of abdominal muscles. (Pull the abdomen in by quickly contracting the abdominal muscles and exhale through the nose). The air is pushed out of lungs by contraction of

the diaphragm.

Step 3) After exhalation again inhalation but inhalation should not involve any effort. To inhale just relax and the lungs will automatically expand and filled with air.

One can begin with 15 respiration. After completing 15 quick exhalation and natural inhalation , inhale and exhale deeply. This is one round.One can start the practice of Kapalbhati pranayama with 3 such rounds for practice.

Benefits of Kapalabhati

1) Kapalabhati cleanses the lungs and entire respiratory system.

2) The blood is purified and body gets an increased supply of oxygen to all cells.

3) Digestion is improved.

4) Abdominal muscles are strengthened.

5) Prepare the mind for meditation.

6) Energise the mind for mental work.

Precautions:

Kapalbhati should not be practice by those

a) Suffering from heart disease

b) High blood pressure

c) Hernia

d) Should never be practiced when an asthmatic attack is in progress.

e) If pain or dizziness is experienced ,it is preferable to stop the practice till the sensation has passed. Practiced can be restarted with less force.

f) Quick exhalation should be comfortable to oneself. i.e. quick exhalation should not be too forceful.

Common Mistake:

1) Abdomen is contracted while inhaling.

2) Shoulders are contracted to push the air out when exhaling.

3) Back and shoulders move during exercise.

Point to Note:

a) Exercise should not be done if you are feeling uncomfortable at any time during the exercise.

b) Rapid breathing used in this technique should be from the abdomen and not from the chest.

c) Kapalbhati should be practice on an empty stomach only.

d) Kapalbhati should be practiced after the asanas and Relaxation (atleast 10 minutes) and before meditation

e) Chest should not move very much.

(f) It is always good and advisable that this exercise should be learned under supervision of yoga teacher after discussion with him about your health.

Yoga for Kids: Benefits and Guidelines for Safety

Yoga

has become increasingly popular over the past decade and now children are joining in. Children in America are not getting enough exercise and are showing signs of tension and stress from daily life. Yoga is a form of exercise, meditation, and breathing practice that can be a great exercise and relaxation technique. The word yoga itself means 'unity' and is designed to unite the mind, body, and spirit through practice.

Children experience many of the same physical benefits from Yoga as adults. Yoga strengthens muscles, improves circulation, stimulates the abdominal organs and improves breathing quality. In addition, yoga increases flexibility, coordination, energy and bone-density.

Yoga can help kids develop self-awareness and improve self-esteem by allowing them to gain control over their bodies and minds at an early age. The practice of yoga is not about being right or wrong, or doing a pose better than someone else;it is about doing the best your body can do right now. This non-competitive atmosphere allows children to have fun in a relaxed environment. Yoga also teaches children self-discipline. During practice, children need to learn how to hold poses, breathe and gain control of their own bodies without having external adult control. This is very empowering and motivating to children.

Yoga and weight loss:

For adults or advanced practitioners fast paced yoga, power yoga or ashtanga yoga can generate enough heat in the body to burn calories and break a sweat. Extra calorie burning for beginners and children may not be feasible but the body still benefits from toning of the muscles, increase of flexibility and range of motion in the joints.

Yoga for Kids Guidelines:

1. Find the right place and teacher for your child. Talk with the instructor so you feel comfortable with their experience.

2. It is a good idea to find out how physically demanding the class is and if it is suitable for your child. If your child is a beginner make sure to sign up for a basic course.

3. Children less than 6 years old should hold each pose for a maximum time of about 1 minute.

4. Children 6 to 10 years old should hold each pose for a maximum time of about 1 1/2 minutes.

5. Use lots of positive reinforcement to help children learn and improve. Encourage doing the pose correctly, along with the breathing, but don't force perfection.

6. Practice in a room without mirrors and put the emphasis on internal experience rather than outer performance.

7. Allow frequent little breaks in between and during session which encourages meditation and being still. Be sure to take breaks after strenuous exercises or poses.

8. Always have an instructor demonstrate the posture or exercise, rather than trying to just explain it.

9. Remember, even kids need to warm-up before doing vigorous yoga.

10. Kids should not eat a full meal 1 hour prior to class; this may be distracting and may cause nausea.

11. Never compare your child to others; remember everyone is different.

12. Trying a beginner's yoga DVD at home before going to a class will help familiarize your child to the poses and breathing techniques.

13. If your child is resistant to trying yoga have him/her join you towards the end of your yoga practice. This is one of the best ways to inspire kids to start yoga.