AQUA YOGA: FLOATING FITNESS

Water is one of the five elements which come together to form our bodies and it is more than justified that we unite with it as much as we can. A new form of yoga which is called Aqua Yoga, Hydro yoga or Water Yoga is becoming popular across the globe. But why, do yoga in water when it is designed to be done on solid ground? This question tops the F.A.Q list at any Water Yoga conference or classroom.

 

As unconventional as it sounds it is slowly making serious inroads into the mainstream fitness industry because of a wide range of health benefits it brings to its practitioners. Just imagine practicing yoga in a pool of water. What do you think the differences will be? Firstly and most importantly it reduces the risk of conventional yoga related fatigue and injuries. By practicing yoga postures in water which serves as an environment acting as a perfect shock absorbers not allowing any extra pressure to trickle down to out joints and muscles. Secondly, it allows people suffering from osteoporosis and arthritis to reap the benefits of yoga without the risk of further degeneration. Water Yoga is becoming very popular among the elderly and the overweight sections of the society. By controlling the movements and postures in water these people can attain much needed strength and lose the stubborn fat respectively. Unlike yoga done on the mat and floor, Water Yoga is a boon for pregnant women, who can do it without any risk of harm to the baby and themselves. But one needs to take care that Water Yoga needs to be performed with certain precautions which are as follows:

1. Session length: an average water yoga lesion should last for about 45-55 minutes.
2. Water temperature: too hot or too cold water is not conducive for Water Yoga. Temperatures should vary between 82-86 degrees.
3. Water Type: the water in the yoga pool should be free from chlorine and at a later stage can be saturated with extra minerals and even oxygen to promote absorption of the same.
4. Non swimmers: Non swimmers can also do water yoga under specialized supervision and to begin with, in shallow pools
5. Weekly dose of original yoga: we suggest you to do conventional floor yoga at least once a week to continue understanding and reaping the true benefits of Water Yoga as well.

UNIFYING YOGA

In the rapidity of modern times we have lost an important aspect of our lives i.e. the innocence and harmony of community and its spirit. The most essential and important social weapon in our hands which has always protected and sheltered us from all adversities is our ability to bond. Unfortunately, these times do not give us the mental, physical and social space to forge bonds with the ease of the days gone by. Today the associations are either business oriented or fed by specific motives in mind.

But there is an ancient weapon that can help us demolish the walls dividing us all. This weapon is not of mass destruction but what we at www.comfortinstylemag.com call “The weapon of mass construction” and that is YOGA. It is only recently that yoga has entered into the personal spaces of our balconies and bedrooms, which is rather deflating to see because by bringing yoga to our personal spaces we are unable to reap the benefits of the many adjunct advantages that come associated with it. Since its inception Yoga has been a group activity promoting a spirit of togetherness. By performing yoga in a group, you too can inculcate certain values which are the moorings for a balanced future. It not only teaches you physical and mental balance but infuses in you a spirit of respect and ability to understand people around you. But most importantly by helping each other attain the perfect balance by being a part of the same space you not only influence others but also become more receptive towards seeking and receiving help from others, making you a socially more responsible person. Whether it is a complex series Asanas or a plain simple breathing exercise, by doing it together in a rhythm you learn to follow a pattern becoming harmonious people in this rhythm lost world.

Being fed by each others’ energies you can learn the essentials of team spirit thus becoming more confident individuals ready to accept new challenges everyday and working together with people to overcome them. This may sound too ambitious to a lot of people who would say “dear friend, life doesn’t run that way”. But our answer to them is “dear friends, take care of the small things, and the big ones will fall into place.”So we urge you all to take some time off of your busy schedules and take yoga out of your bedrooms to a more social plane in order to understand and absorb the true essence of the art.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo credits: Matt J. Olsen (www.flickr.com)

THE ALLOY OF FITNESS: YOGILATES

Gone are those days when we gathered wild berries and hunted deer in the forest to help calm a growling tummy. We have reached a stage where we can pop open a can of soda, with a nice precooked meal and have a blasting evening. Ever wondered why? It is rather simple; because we are a race of inventors. We possess exceptional mental capabilities which can be seen in the ingenuity with which we try to make our lives simpler. Just like we developed stainless steel by mixing two metals, we have also created a new fitness regime called YOGILATES or YOGALATES.

 

A perfect amalgamation of the age old practice of yoga, which was born inIndiaand the modern miracle developed by the German Joseph Pilates, Yogilates is a rage among the new age fitness freaks. Despite being criticized by the so called purist groups who believe in the sanctity of the two different forms of exercise Yogilates is fast emerging as the first choice fitness mantra. Now, what makes this a revolution and how is it different from Yoga and Pilates individually? Do not worry. The vast amount of data on the internet can be rather confusing. We bring it to you in a simple step by step point form. Here it goes:-

1. Yogilates comprises of the essential elements of yoga and Pilates, as the name suggest.
2. Using the posture techniques from the Yogi school and the muscle building techniques from the Pilates school it blends the two very similar activities together.
3. It borrows the aim of strengthening the core of the body i.e. the spine, abs, pelvic muscles and those of lower back without bulking them up.
4. It promotes muscle strength without compromising on the flexibility of the body, which it promotes through various yogic practices.
5. Since yoga does not pay much attention to specific muscle groups, yogilates uses various elements from Pilates to concentrate on specific muscle groups.
6. Most importantly , what allows this perfect fusion are the basic principles on which the two activities are grounded i.e. those of breathing and concentration
7. Both Pilates and yoga believe in the power of the mind to affect changes in and on the body.

Understanding Yoga: Part 2

Imagine you get up one morning; go to the kitchen and find no water; step outside for your morning walk and do not feel the cool breeze easing you of the burning sun; and when you finally come back home to cook something you find that there is no fire. Scary isn’t it?

Now most of you must be thinking that why did we talk about water fire and wind. Well that is because Yoga is not just an isolated entity which can come of great use without deep understanding the other pieces of the vast jigsaw puzzle.

 

After glancing through the basic historical context of Yoga in our previous article “Understanding yoga: Part 1” where we gave our readers a gist of the ancient texts -Sanskrit. Now it is the time to shift our attention to the second set of pointers to focus on. Imagine this set of articles as a tree, the first one being the understanding of the roots. We are gradually moving up towards the trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. Keeping this analogy in mind Yoga assumes the role of the fruit which ripens if the tree is healthy.

 

So to begin, it becomes very critical to understand the 4 basic elements that yoga and the entire process of union is loosely arrayed around. According to Hindu mythology and its texts, the dynamics of the earth, humans and in fact the entire universe are controlled by 4 basic elements of nature namely:

*before you begin reading the list of elements we request you to try and remember the terms in their original language for better understanding. (p.s.: it is always fun to show off a couple of words from an ancient language)

1.  1. Vaayu (air): this element is generally associated with motion and dynamics. The gusts of wind help us cool down but more importantly we live because air gives us the most important aspect of our existence i.e. oxygen. The masters believed that air and wind controlled and influenced the movements of our body. From the movement of the diaphragm to the twitching of the muscles everything is said to be controlled by “ Vaayu”
2.  2. Agni (fire): now, as an element we associate fire with destruction but forget to understand that fire is the source of all life. The sun keeps us warm, our body functions at a specific temperature. Even in destruction, there is a hidden aspect of construction or rather creation. The best example is the forest fire which burns the forest only to pave way for new life that hibernates below the surface. Heat is essential for all bodily functions from digestion to excretion
3. Jal (water): needless to say one can survive without food for 3 weeks but without water one cannot last for more than three days. If you wish to know more about the magic of water you can read our article on the same titled “Simply water”. For the record our body is 70% water.
4. Prithvi (earth): all the matter in this world is constituted from this element called earth. Modern science believes that everything in this world is made up of carbon. Ancient gurus just had a different name. We arise from this earth and end up in it too. Our hair, skin and nails are all composed of this element.

These were the 4 basic elements that the entire world is centered around but there is another element which is generally not mentioned while discussing the aforementioned components as it is not as tangible as the others. Space is the supreme part as all the above mentioned elements come together to find union in space.

Keep in mind, that yoga cannot be fully understood with a petty and typical “weight loss” or “I want to remain fit” motive. The process of exploration includes many stages, one of which is the comprehension of all important parts. The ancient masters believed that the elements discussed in the article are not just around but inside of us and understanding our relationship with the outer world was not as important as understanding our relationship with ourselves. In the coming articles we will give you secret one line mantras to explore the sweetest part of Yoga.  Come back for more!

Yoga mantra: TO BEGIN KNOW YOURSELF FROM WITHIN!!!

Read “Understanding Yoga: Part 1”

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo  credits: PaddyMurphy ( www.flickr.com)

 

UNDERSTANDING YOGA: Part 01

What makes us different from other species that exist in parallel to us is that we possess the ability to answer questions related to us and our surroundings. But this intelligence has somehow stopped us from thinking that to get the right answers, the right questions need to be asked. Today many people can answer how yoga is beneficial for the body. But interestingly most of cannot answer what yoga truly is. Ok! Lets us begin with a small set of questions:

1. Where did yoga come from?
2. What is the meaning of the word yoga?
3. Which is the text that deals with the earliest elements of yoga?
4. Which language is the text written in?
5. How old do you think is yoga as a practice?

HIP-HOP YOGA might be perfect for you

“A photographer gets people to pose for him.  A yoga instructor gets people to pose for themselves”.

~Terri Guillemets

If there is one word that has become an important part of the modern day dictionary, it is “option”. The 21^st century offers to us an unending list of choices. These options whether in the areas of business, sports or even something as trivial as social networking have evolved with scintillating pace over the last decade due to creative pioneers in every field. One of those fields that have been revamped by the very pioneers aforementioned is yoga.

With facebook replacing football, our priorities and affiliations have changed over the last decade. We see many young people fighting the same old battle of survival. What have changed are the magnitude and the rules of the game. Unlike our grandparents we do not have the time to sit and introspect and try and foresee life plans for the next ten years. Today’s life is a receptacle of extremes which can be seen from the fat salary packages to the even fatter hospital bills. What we have learnt is the art of managing these extremes by finding the calmer waters of yoga and meditation.

“YOGA” or “YOG” is not just an ancient Indian practice confined to the jungles of ancient India but one of the most cosmopolitan forms of workout routines which can be seen in the plush lanes of Manhattan. Contrary to popular interpretations yoga is not just a practice of body postures known as “asana” but an ideology in itself, which strives towards helping a person attain total mental, physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Ancient Indian gurus commonly known as “yogis” (someone who knows a lot about yoga) considered man’s journey to eternal bliss a 3 fold process. They believed that happiness had a hierarchy too with mental being at the apex followed by emotional and physical. This comes as revelation for those people who till now believed that “Yoga” or “yog” was just a physically oriented practice. But despite it spreading like wildfire to almost each and every country in the world within a very short period of time, it has started to lose its sheen. The reason for the same can be seen in the words of many young people practicing it. They often snub it as “boring”. And yes, sitting in front of an instructor badgering you with multiple instructions on how to do “surya namaskar” (greeting the sun), the right way can be physically rejuvenating but sometimes mentally tiresome. This is how a new wave of yoga called “HIP- HOP” yoga has been developed over the last 5 or 6 years. It contains all the quintessential elements of yoga as a whole but with a modern twist. This form has done away with the concept of silent absorption of instructions. On the contrary by giving yoga and its students a rhythmic structure to follow HIP-HOP yoga has eliminated the word “boring” from the yogic dictionary.

With live DJs replacing accompanying the wise old yogi to class at a nightclub at 1 Leicester square in London, HIP- HOP yoga has revolutionized the concept of yoga as a whole. Unlike its elder brother which attracted middle aged and elderly men and women, the registers of a HIP-HOP yoga center are filled with the names of young and enthusiastic dancers who leave the streets and give their talent a more definite shape. By associating a set of peppy beats with the existing values of yoga, the efficiency of the process increases. But when these two forms are combined their calorie busting powers also unite to give us some shocking results, a glimpse of which can be seen in the table below:

TYPE OF EXERCISE:                      CALORIES BURNT (PER H)

YOGA (AVG OF ALL FORMS)                         496

HIP-HOP (AVG OF ALL FORMS)                   450

HIP-HOP YOGA                                                   623

Thus this new age hybrid yoga, with a twist of modern hip-hop and the benefits of flexibility, strength, focus, expression and most importantly inner balance is nothing less than a dream car with the speed of Ferrari and the strength of an old school American muscle car. It burns calories and increases flexibility with an added element called “FUN”.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Photo credits: aquababe on flickr.

Pi Yo – The Combined Power of Pilates and Yoga

Yoga and Pilates the two of the most talked about fitness activities out there today. However, there’s always a dilemma and on going debate on which one of the two is better. While there’s no correct answer, as it’s subjective to exactly what an individual is looking for from them.

Yoga meets the needs of a person looking for a low-impact, body toning fitness exercise that improves balance and flexibility along with, the tranquility, relaxation and balance of mind, body and spirit. Yoga will definitely help you stay fit, be more energetic, happier and peaceful in your overall life. If you’re looking for a dynamic workout sans the spirituality, then Pilates is just the thing for you. With core focus on strengthening muscles, improving posture, stabilizing and lengthening the spine, Pilates is an overall vigorous workout and fitness routine.

However to get the best of both worlds you can always combine the two with the new modern blend of the two known as “PiYo”. Pilates Yoga gives you the best of both practices – the stretch from yoga, the strength from pilates, the breathing techniques from yoga with the cardio workout from pilates and finally the relaxing tranquility from yoga meditation together forms a well rounded fitness regime unlike anything else. You can really have it all!

The two practices although different in principle, have some similarities as  creator Joseph Pilates, was somewhat influenced by the ancient yoga practice. However, his techniques adopted the purely physical aspect of yoga and the postures and exercises he developed are centered around the abdominal muscles, lower back and buttocks referred to as ‘The Powerhouse’. Pilates teaches six principles – concentration, control, centering, breathing, flow and precision. They are aimed at optimizing a full body workout without putting strain on the body itself, with the help of specialized equipment.  Whereas on the other hand, yoga aims at uniting the mind, the body and the spirit through a philosophical and spiritual focus. The physical aspect of yoga, i.e the poses, stretches and  postures are only one of the 8 parts of yoga. Combining the two is a good way of getting more out of both practices.

PiYo classes are conducted in one of two ways:

• By starting the session with pilates exercises to warm up the muscles and strengthening the core in preparation for a yoga asana practice followed by a relaxing meditation session; or
• By incorporating the pilates principles for a workout in the form of modified yoga asanas and sequences. For example, scooping the abdomen inward and out before settling into Paschimottanasana, or Seated Forward Bend.

The combination of the two practices is truly a match made in heaven, as they both compliment each other perfectly. The blend of pilates and yoga is well rounded and helps bring about a balance of body, mind and spirit which most other practices can’t achieve on their own. So, if you haven’t already your local yoga studio or gym for Pilates Yoga classes, sometimes called Piyo or Pi-yo.

*Photo credits: photos by myyogaonline, FitnessOrlando on flickr

Benefits Of Yoga For Your Sex Life

It’s popular knowledge that Yoga is a great way of improving your physical self. Regular practice of yoga has proven to do the following – improve flexibility, strengthen muscle tone, improve balance, increasing stamina and physical energy. Take that all into the bedroom and it can drastically change and help your sex life. But, that’s not the only way Yoga can help int the bedroom.

To add to its already myriad host of physical, emotional and spiritual benefits, yoga is stated to be just the thing to boost or simulate your love making. How?

For one, the physical changes brought on by yoga helps instill confidence in a person. Feeling good and being in shape creates a reverence for your body that translates in the way you walk, talk and express yourself. With the leanness and muscle tone yoga brings, it’s hard not to feel sexy. Then there’s the flexibility, and you don’t need me to tell you how that can help.

Other than just the physical aspect of the act however, Yoga can help awake the sensual side in you. Yoga poses designed to stimulate the 7 Chakras, especially the Sacral chakra which governs the sexual organs in our body. Yoga asanas like Bhujangasana or the cobra pose that emphasize that region, helps open up your second chakra and energizes it. By focusing on this life force center in our body, situated below the navel near, the lower abdomen stimulates the release of your sexual hormones and helps you achieve a new sexual equilibrium. The Root Chakra in the region of the pubic bone as well as the Heart Chakra have an impact on our love lives and it’s more than just a physical act, it’s emotional as well. Hence stimulating these chakras can have an effect on our sexual life.

If that’s not enough, yoga has poses and postures to help achieve very satisfying results for both parties involved in the act. You’ve probably heard of the hundreds of sexual positions and ancient secrets in the Kama Sutra. Many of them involve asanas and poses of the other ancient practice of Yoga. Said, to help treating premature ejaculation in men and helping women reach newer levels of heightened arousal, there are positions for everything possible. You just have to be open to trying it for that extra va-va voom in the bedroom.

On an emotional level, the breathing exercises and meditative aspects of yoga can deepen the connection with your partner, improve on your communication and help you achieve balance within yourself and your loved one. The harmony of mind, body and soul will help you be better in tune with your partner’s needs as well as your own.

Just as yoga unites all aspects of your life, it can connect all aspects of your love making: the physical, emotional and spiritual, making it just great and satisfying in all ways.

*image credits: photos by Tiger Mask and kamakyri on flickr

Yoga Asanas To Avoid For Certain Medical Conditions

While yoga can help alleviate many ailments as we saw in our last post- Yoga: A Route To Health & Vitality, not all poses are advisable if you have some medical conditions or are recovering from an injury.

First of all there are common rules like, never forcing your body into a position that causes discomfort, distress, or pain in order to avoid injury. Always start gradually with yoga.  Do not neglect warm-up exercises to avoid strain. Take into consideration the characteristics of environment in which you are practicing. For eg.  if you are practicing in a hot environment (105 degrees Fahrenheit and more) your heart rate, respiration rate and blood pressure increases, muscles expand and one can stretch the body more. This may harm the muscles if you stretch them too far. Moreover, there are general principles regarding sequences of yoga asanas which are advised to be followed through. So you should consider starting yoga with good professional to learn those sequences.

Yoga can also be  practiced even while you suffer some health problems However, in this case the affected region of your medical condition, whatever it may be should be placed correctly in an asana/pose. That’s the only way you will get relief and benefit from it. If not, it may worsen the problem.

Here’s a closer look at some yoga asanas and poses to avoid if you have the following medical conditions:

• Yoga exercises like Sun Salutation, Cobra pose, Locust pose, Bow pose, Standing Forward Bend, Kapalabhati and Ashtanga yoga series (which involves jumping) are strictly not recommended if the person is diagnosed with hernia.
• It is inadvisable to do the inverted poses (headstand, shoulder stand and reverse posture) with conditions like high blood pressure, dizziness, serious eye problems, ear problems, glaucoma, head and neck injury and osteoporosis.
• Women are advised not to do yoga asanas during menstrual period though they are still allowed to do pranayama and shavasana; for more advanced students it is enough to avoid inverted poses during this period of time.
• Pranayama should be practiced with precautions if you have asthma or other breathing problems.
• Avoid standing poses and back bends if you have heart disease or high blood pressure.
• Sitting poses should be avoided when you have had a hip replacement or knee injuries.
• Avoid twists and bends if you have a prolapsed disk
• You should not start practicing yoga for the first time during pregnancy; if you were advanced before pregnancy you will still need qualified instructor to guide you.

Overall, it is always sensible to check with your physician embarking on any exercise program including yoga if you suffer from any medical conditions no matter how little or grave they may be.

*Image credits: photos by Cocoa Dream and katca_78 on flickr

For special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Yoga: A Route To Health & Vitality

Yoga definitely can help you to find your own route to health and vitality. The well-being which you get from the practice of yoga, not only  has physical benefits, but also affects your spiritual and emotional aspects.

Today many of us accept yoga as an alternative medicine. But yoga is not a used as a substitute for medical care. Although, it can be of great assistance in the treatment of many conditions,  it is better to consider yoga as a kind of preventive medicine rather than a treatment.

There are numerous health benefits you can get from practicing yoga as we’ve previously seen in our posts such as Nourishing Yoga: Body, Mind and Spirit. Besides the well known effect of boosting the immune system, yoga has proved to provide better concentration, co-ordination and sleep, to lower blood pressure and control cholesterol, improve flexibility and the digestive system. Compared to other forms of exercise, while practicing yoga asanas all the joints of body are used to a full extent and kept mobile, and yoga poses have a tremendous effect on abdominal organs and thoracic organs.

There is also evidences that yoga helps to treat medical conditions like allergies and skin problems, menopause, menstrual cramps, heart problems,  slip disc, knee and hip problems, hypertension, acidity, anemia, depression, obesity, insomnia, Alzheimer disease to name a few.

To be more specific-

• Seated postures are used to treat constipation, diabetes, arthritis, and genital diseases.
• Standing poses are beneficial for improving your posture, strengthening your muscles and opening the hips.
• Balancing poses are great for improving balance and strengthen specific body parts, for example shoulders and back.
• Back bends which shouldn’t be done unsupervised, helps people with back problems, pain or injury, improves spinal flexibility and strengthens the back. It also benefits the abdominal organs, energizes the heart and soul by opening the chest.
• Inverted yoga poses are beneficial for women to normalize their menstruation cycles as corrects the displacement of the fallopian tubes or uterus if any. It also rejuvenates pituitary and thyroid glands and stimulates the nervous centers of your brain. Inverted poses can proven an effective tool in preventing as well as treating varicose veins.
• Forward bends keep your spine strong, release tension and soothe the nervous system.
• Finally, relaxation and restorative poses are also useful when you are sick, stressed or recovering from childbirth.

Some people say they feel worse for up to two weeks after starting practicing yoga. The reason for this is elimination of toxins from your body. After this initial period of body cleansing, the way you feel will considerably improve. The change you’ll feel in terms of health and vitality will be the most fulfilling, you’ll see.

*Image credits: photos by rivieramaya26, Jason Verwey on flickr

For special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

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