Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yoga practitioner looking to add challenge and variety to your workouts, adding yoga blocks can really expand your options. Blocks can serve many purposes. Among the benefits are improved balance and stability, added support and an increased range of motion. Here are a few common ways to add blocks to your yoga routine:

Range of motion-

Yoga blocks can be used to increase the range of motion on certain positions by elevating you off the ground. Some examples would be placing a block beneath your foot Read the rest of this entry »

Yoga is one of the best all around exercises you can do – In addition to strengthen leg and arm muscles, yoga strengthens core and back muscles, which often helps relieve back pain. The non-impact workout yoga provides is easy on joints while helping to build strong bones and improve flexibility. The only question about doing yoga is how to adjust your schedule for yoga.
Another great thing about yoga is it can be done in your spare Read the rest of this entry »

The Hundred is one of the most basic Pilates moves, but it’s popular in nearly every Pilates class thanks to it’s effectiveness and that it serves as a warm up for the lungs and abdominal muscles. It’s a great way to start and end a Pilates routine and you’ll see results quickly.

The basic move requires you to lay on the floor with your legs just slightly off the ground. You use your abs to slowly bring your head, shoulders, and spine Read the rest of this entry »

Do you spend your days researching and filling out spreadsheets and looking into internet providers and you long to get away from the computer screen? Yoga is a great way to relax and unwind and you don’t have to be intimidated if you’re new to the sport. Here are a few tips for first time yogis:
Pick the Right Studio: Call around to see who offers a truly “beginner” class and who’s really welcoming to new students. Read the rest of this entry »

Want to practice yoga in your spare time? Allow 30 minutes a day. There are many ways to learn about yoga techniques. The internet is full of information. Health channels on TV have regularly scheduled yoga programs, also books and CDs are great tools to learn. However, for a first-timer, attend a class with an instructor you can ask questions. Proper breathing, called pranoyama, is a very important technique and it affects the benefits of yoga.

What will you need in equipment? There are special yoga pants, Read the rest of this entry »

These days people are more concerned than ever about their health, and many are becoming passionate about health care and fitness. Yoga is a great time tested way to increase one’s fitness level, and decrease stress.

Those who find themselves enthusiastic about the benefits of yoga might want to consider obtaining a certificate or an advanced degree in yoga. training begins with yoga Sopan which can be grasped in a wekk or so, and then moves into Yoga Pravesh which normally takes just over a Read the rest of this entry »

Internet Yoga classes have yet to catch on as strongly as yoga DVDs have. Many of these DVDs are available at excellent prices from major online stores like Amazon.com. If you’re interested in trying out yoga to see if it’s the right fit for you, the DVDs listed below are a great place to start. Prices listed below are subject to change.1. Yoga for Beginners 3-DVD Box Set (39.99 list, 20.49 Amazon): This set includes the following three titles:

• Yoga for Stress Relief, teaching how to use yoga to overcome obstacles in everyday life
• AM/PM Yoga for Beginners, demonstrating how yoga can serve to both wake your body up and prepare it for a night of rest,
• Essential Yoga for Inflexible People, for those who think they’ll “never be able to do that”

The routines were filmed at Half-Moon Bay, Antigua, providing a beautiful introduction to a lifelong appreciation of yoga.2. Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown (14.98 list, 9.49 Amazon): The star trainer from The Biggest Loser and Losing It With Jillian turns her eye to yoga in this inexpensive but packed video. She demonstrates two 30-minute workouts, including a warm-up and cool-down for both. This is a great lead-in for frequent exercisers who want to incorporate yoga poses into their workout. However, those expecting a classic yoga demonstration should look elsewhere.3. Shiva Rea: Daily Energy Vinyasa Flow Yoga (19.99 list, 13.99 Amazon): Vinyasa yoga is based on the technique of “connecting postures,” and is the most widely-practiced Western style. Shiva Rea demonstrates seven 20-minute routines (one for each day of the week!) that show you how to incorporate yoga into your daily schedule. The routines are each designed for different goals, whether it’s relaxation or building stamina, so you can choose a workout based on how you’re feeling on that particular day.There are many other yoga videos on the marketthese are just a small sampling. If you find a different one that works for you, great. Never be afraid to try something new, though.

Congratulations. You’ve signed up for a yoga class and made a commitment to improving your physical and emotional health. But what’s appropriate attire? Many people will tell you many different things. Some may suggest hemp clothing because it’s all natural. However, this material is prone to wrinkles during stretching, and may cause itching on some skin types. Nylon should be avoided as well, since it keeps in heat. The best materials are cotton or wick absorbent, and should be preshrunk since it will be washed often.For hot yoga, in which people work out in a room heated to over 100 degrees, less clothing will obviously be better. Women should wear sleeveless tops or bra tops while men should wear sleeveless tees or none at all. In most other yoga situations, fitted tops are preferable so that the instructor can see how the body is moving. Read the rest of this entry »

Seals discovered dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300-11700 B.C.E.) show figures in meditative postures, which researchers believe represent the earliest forms of yoga. Archaeologist Gregory Possehl looked at 16 different “yogi glyptics” and deduced that they may represent both human and divine figures. Later, the practices of yoga appeared in the Brahmanas (900-500 B.C.E.), commentaries on the Vedas, Hinduism’s oldest scriptures. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re not from San Francisco, and don’t follow the yoga scene, you may not be familiar with Judith Lasater. Mrs. Lasater is a professional yoga instructor with a doctorate in East-West psychology who has been teaching yoga since 1971. In 1974, she cofounded the California Yoga Teachers Association and currently serves as President, and cofounded Yoga Journal in 1975. You don’t need to travel to San Francisco to get a lesson from Lasater, though. You just need to pick up one of her books. The following list represents just a selection of her titles: Read the rest of this entry »