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Yoga TipsRead these 359 Yoga Tips in 32 categories ranging from Ashtanga Yoga to Yoga Practice. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Yoga tips and hundreds of other topics. Become a Guru or Become an Advertiser. Enhance Your Teacher Training With ApprenticeshipAn apprenticeship is a valuable part of yoga teacher training and is a requirement in some certification programs. Here's how it usually works: -The trainee instructor attends a series of classes taught by his or her mentor instructor. -The trainee begins by leading the class in the first few minutes of warming-up poses, and then the regular instructor teaches most of the class. -Over a period of several classes, the trainee gradually teaches more and more of the class until he or she finally teaches an entire class. This process allows the fledgling instructor to learn how it feels to direct a class and helps them to modify their technique. The regular instructor observes the apprentice while he or she is leading the class and observes whether the class understands the directions and follows the apprentice's guidance. The instructor then gives the apprentice feedback, such as whether they need to speak louder, or slower, or whether they asked the class to hold a pose too long, or not long enough. Remember that once you are certified as a yoga instructor, you need not stop with a single certification for yoga instruction. You can expand your qualifications and become certified to teach several specific areas, such as prenatal yoga. jobs by
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Yoga For Two: Pregnancy Yoga Is Good For YouWomen need not abandon their yoga practices when they become pregnant. In fact, studies have shown that women who exercise (moderately and safely, of course) during pregnancy may feel better during preganancy, labor, and delivery compared with sedentary women. But be sure to tell your obstetrician that you practice yoga and that you would like to continue a modified practice while you are pregnant. If you practiced yoga regularly before your pregnancy, you may be able to continue with your regular classes during the first trimester if you don't have any complications (and if you feel up to it). Yoga during pregnancy, particularly after the first trimester, does require some special considerations. You should look for a “pregnancy yoga” or prenatal yoga class that is taught by someone who has actually been pregnant; she will have a real-world understanding of the limitations and changes in your body. As you get bigger, use more props such as blocks and straps, to help you work through poses, and use a wall or a chair to help you keep your balance when you're doing balancing poses such as tree pose. If you can't find a convenient prenatal yoga class, you can choose a "pregnancy yoga" DVD, such as the “Simple Steps to a Balanced, Natural Pregnancy” from Gaiam's collection of wellness DVDs. Know The Right Sequences For Successful Yoga TeachingSome yoga poses are invigorating and some are calming. The invigorating moves, including standing poses such as the warrior series, and balancing poses such as the standing big toe pose and half moon pose, are done earlier in the class, while seated poses and twists are done towards the end of a class. The right yoga instruction will train instructors to teach poses in an appropriate order to prevent injury and maximize the benefits from each pose. The warrior series (virabhadrasana) is an example of how poses follow a progressive order according to difficulty. The warrior series works all the major muscle groups: legs, back, shoulders, and arms, but it is especially good for opening the hips. Even beginner classes will likely introduce warrior I, and advanced classes will include warrior II and warrior III. Keep these points in mind when warriors are part of your yoga teaching: Warrior I: Square the hips forward and try to keep them even. It helps to think of your hip bones as the headlights on a car. Warrior II: When you open out sideways into warrior II, concentrate on keeping the hips level and centered. Don't lean too far forward or too far back. Warrior III: Focus on the external rotation of the hip of the raised leg, keeping both of the arms raised and the standing legs as straight as possible. Inverted Ashtanga Poses: Up And AwayMost ashtanga yoga classes end with a series of finishing poses, which are designed to help cool the body down after a period of intense physical activity and transition to the final relaxation pose at the end of the class. Headstand and shoulder stand are two inversion poses in this category that are accessible to most yoga practitioners. Both of these poses are meant to be held for at least 10 breaths. If that is too much, hold the poses for as long as you can remain comfortable. You'll get stronger with practice. Shoulder Stand: Lie on your back with your palms pressing into the floor and firm the muscles in your legs. Flex your feet and start to roll your shoulder blades into your back while lifting your legs, hips and torso. As you lift up, bend your elbows and place your hands in the middle of your back. You should NOT turn your head to either side while you are holding in a shoulder stand; you can cause serious injury to your neck. Your shoulders should be supporting most of your body weight. If you feel any discomfort in your neck, roll carefully out of the pose. Headstand: Start by kneeling on your mat with your forearms on the floor and your hands clasped. Your elbows should be about shoulder-width apart. Place the crown of your head between your hands. Start to lift your knees off the floor and pull your navel towards your spine so you can engage the core body muscles to help you lift your legs. To exit a headstand, keep your legs straight and flex your feet, then bend at the waist and lower your feet gently to the floor, then release your head and sit up. If you are new to headstands, or you are still working on your balance, you can do this pose along a wall. Yoga Class EtiquetteWhether you attend yoga class in a yoga studio or in a gym, respect these basic points of yoga etiquette to make the class more pleasant for everyone: -Respect the yoga space. Place your shoes, socks, bags, and other clothing in lockers if possible, or off to the side on the edges of the class space. Keeping your personal things away from the class space not only cuts down on the things you have to distract you, but it reduces the risk that someone will trip over an errant shoe or purse strap while jumping or stepping back into a pose. -Follow directions. It almost goes without saying, but each instructor is different. Follow your instructors' preferences for how he or she wants to align the mats or stagger them so participants won't bump into each other. -Don't chat. Once the yoga class begins, don't chat with your neighbors. There will be time to socialize when the class is over. -Turn off your personal electronics. That means turn off your cell phone, pager, or any other device that may make noise and cause a distraction during your class. -Be sensible about scents. Be kind to your classmates and avoid wearing heavy fragrances such as perfumes or aftershaves to a yoga class. Hatha Yoga Is Preventive MedicineA regular yoga practice has many benefits, and some of them are the ones you don't see. The benefits of hatha yoga include the injuries not suffered because your muscles are balanced, the blood pressure that didn't rise because you are managing stress, and the emotional arguments that didn't occur with family members, friends, and co-workers because you have cultivated a sense of inner calm. Any discipline of hatha yoga will, to varying extents, strengthen the muscles, reduce stress, and focus the mind and emotions. In addition, certain hatha yoga postures are associated with specific health benefits. For example, forward bends are thought to improve digestion, as well as stretch the spine and hamstrings, and inversions such as headstands and shoulder stands promote circulation as well as build shoulder strength and core body strength. Yoga Books, DVDs, and MoreEven in the age of the Internet, don't underestimate the value of yoga books. Yoga books provide a background for beginners and more information for advanced yoga students and instructors. Whether you practice yoga at home or attend a class, or both, looking at photos and reading descriptions in a book can help improve your understanding of a pose when your instructor explains it. And you can keep the book open on the floor while honing your at-home practice. You can find a wide selection of yoga books that cover general yoga basics or specific types of yoga, such as yoga for pregnancy or yoga for kids. There are also yoga videos or yoga DVDs to match any medical issue or special interest. You can find an instructional yoga book, yoga video, or yoga DVD that focuses on specific health or medical issues, including yoga for asthma, yoga for arthritis, yoga for back pain, and even yoga for fertility. Of course, you can find many choices for yoga videos yoga DVDs for a basic yoga practice to suit any ability level, too. Check out Gaiam's featured instructors, such as Seane Corn, whose Vinyasa Flow Yoga 2-DVD set includes both beginner and advanced moves. Review the choices, try a few, and you'll find the ones that work for you. Yoga Contributes To Weight LossDifferent types of yoga burn different amounts of calories. If you are looking towards yoga for weight loss, choose a power yoga or Ashtanga yoga class that is a more demanding workout than an Iyengar class, which moves at a slower pace. Remember that although you'll be sweating, yoga doesn't get your heart rate going as much as running, aerobics, elliptical trainers, or other cardiovascular workouts. But if you cut your calories and add yoga classes several times a week, yoga can contribute towards a sensible weight loss program. A caveat: Some people think that “hot yoga” classes in which the room temperature is purposely kept high, will promote weight loss, but if you weigh yourself after class and you are suddenly 2 pounds lighter, remember that it is mostly water weight. For sensible weight loss, watch your calories and exercise regularly including yoga. But the field of weight loss is complex, and muscle weighs more than fat. You may find that regular yoga leaves you with a leaner, slimmer silhouette, even if the numbers on the scale remain the same. Pilates Props Enhance ExercisesMany Pilates exercises may be enhanced by using props such as bolsters, balls, or large, stretchy pilates bands. A pilates move using a stretchy band that resembles yoga's reclining big toe pose is the single leg circle. In pilates, using the exercise band serves a similar purpose as the belt or strap in yoga. To do the one leg circle with a band, lie on your back with your legs in front of you. Wrap the stretchy band around the ball of the left leg and hold one end of the band in each hand. Pull on the band just enough to provide some resistance, and start by making small circles with the foot, pressing into the band as you do so. As with many pilates poses, the benefits are similar to the yoga pose it resembles (reclining big toe pose). You will stretch and strengthen the hips and hamstrings. The bottom line is, whether you choose yoga or pilates, you can find props to help you get the most out of each movement. Yoga vs. Pilates: Do BothGiven the similarities between yoga and pilates, combination “yoga pilates” classes are cropping up at many gyms. Pilates has a slightly greater emphasis on core strength, and some people may find that they can build strength in Pilates that translates to an ability to reach more advances poses in yoga. Like yoga, Pilates is gentle enough on the joints to do every day if you wish, but be sure you vary the specific exercises so you don't suffer an overuse injury. As in yoga, it is possible to injure yourself while doing Pilates if you push yourself beyond your limits. |
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