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Saturday, October 17, 2009

Signs of a Good Yoga Teacher

Yoga is an excellent way to combine exercise and meditation, as you're learning to limber up both your body and mind. It also can be beneficial to join a class, so that you can have help with learning the more challenging poses. However, just like anything else, there are just as many bad yoga instructors as there are good ones.

If you want to get the most out of your yoga instruction, then don't just sign up for any old yoga class. Whether you're looking for a yoga instructor or a meditation guide, here are a few signs of a good teacher, one who will help you expand your knowledge of yoga and meditation with patience and compassion.

Signs of a Good Teacher:

1) A good teacher will see and welcome their students before the class, appreciating them for who they are as unique and beautiful people. He or she will have a positive attitude toward the class in general.


2) Yoga can be challenging, so people with injuries, even minor ones, should be careful. Because of this, the teacher should ask at the beginning of every class if there are any injuries, strains, concerns or tensions at all in anyone's body, and what that issue is. This way, the the teacher can keep that in mind as the class goes through the poses.

3) The teacher will choose poses for the class so people with injuries get help and the people without injuries get challenged.

4) A good teacher explains and demonstrates a pose, especially challenging ones, so the students understand it from beginning to end. The teacher should make sure the whole class is on the same page and everyone is aware of the dangers and mistakes.

5) The teacher knows how to explain the poses in a variety of ways so if explaining it one way doesn’t resonate with someone, they have an arsenal of perspectives on the poses.


6) Good teachers will know how to teach. They will see subtle errors and weaknesses and know how to correct them graciously. A positive teacher will assume you are putting your all into the class and gently encourage you, working with whatever energy level you may have. The teacher will use frequent positive reinforcement when he or she checks on students, and will never, ever embarrass or bully a student.

7) At the end of the class, a good teacher asks how the students are feeling. Teachers should want to make sure that the class was helpful and challenging for everybody.

8) They should have a wealth of meditations for Savasana (Dead Man’s Pose) at the end of class. Good meditations really enhance yoga, so good teachers should know of several to help their students get the most out of the class.

9) A good teacher always thanks their students for attending. It's just common courtesy.

10) Most importantly, they practice what they preach. They treat their lives, their students, their emotions and attitudes with the grounding and peace brought forth in good yoga.

Fortunately, there are more good teachers than bad ones in the world, as the very nature of yoga promotes compassion and the pursuit of wisdom. If you're looking for a new class, keep these signs in mind and you'll find a teacher and group that you'll be able to mesh with.

Laurie Desjardins is a meditation expert and creator of the Zen Stick relaxation tool. If you want to get more out of your yoga and meditation, consider adding the Zen Stick to your relaxation repertoire. For more information about meditation, yoga and Zen Sticks, visit http://www.sleepingtiger.org.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_228791_23.html

How to Burn Fat with Exercises and Yoga

What is the best exercise to burn fat? Any physical aggression may be exercise or yoga that gets your heart rate into your targeted heart range. If you desire to lose weight, you require exercising hard enough to raise your pulse rate enough to burn fat more competently.

The exercises that get your heart rate into your targeted heart range will raise your metabolism and that's what burns fat. So if you find the best exercise to burn fat you'll lose weight automatically.

Losing weight has much more health benefits other than mere making you look attractive. By losing 10 to 15% of your body weight you can reduce your risk of heart attack, reduce your cholesterol level and get healthier overall.

So how do you initiate?

Your first obstacle that you will need to conquer is dedication. If you want to lose weight, then you have to consign to a good cardio workout routine.

This means that you will have to exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week for 1/2 to 1 hour. If you commit to 1 month of regular exercise, you will find that at the end of that month you will have more energy, be in a better mood and you will almost certainly have lost a few kilos. Commitment is one single key to find the best exercise to burn fat.

Keep your exercise routine thrilling and differ it so you will keep interest in your workout routine. Finding a work out that burns fat is not that difficult.

Any exercise can burn fat if you get your heart rate in the targeted level. This can comprise of running, walking, hiking, playing basketball, spinning, interval training or anything else that you can think of doing.

Make it fun and you will take pleasure in it and have a much better chance of gluing to it. Changing your daily routine around will help you to stay interested and dedicated. Make sure that you work your entire body for utmost results.

A full body exercise work out can comprise adding some weight training into your workout session. If you enjoy walking and jogging, then you could do one thing more in it. You should add some weight training for your arms and shoulders to make it more of a full body workout.

Or you could interchange running and jogging days with weight training days. Alternating exercise is the best way to ensure that you work your entire body.

If you can find a few exercises that you enjoy doing, then you can rotate them to make a workout routine that you will love. Always think about what you enjoy doing and then work to generate the best exercise to burn fat for your body.

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Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_477014_23.html

Using Yoga to strenthen your abs

Yoga has become a very popular form of exercise. There are different types of yoga. It reduces stress and exercises your body and mind. It is actually the body's way of healing itself. It is a mind, body connection. However, did you know you can also work your abs using yoga? The stretching exercises in yoga are good for your abdominal muscles because they make the muscles tone and firm. The best part is that you can do yoga right in your own home. Remember to start out slow and don't overdo it. Remember to warm up first and consult a physician as you would before beginning any physical workouts.

Here are a few exercises you may want to try:

1. The torso stretch - Place your hands at your sides and lift yourself up towards the ceiling while holding your breath for about 40 seconds.


2. The yoga crunch - Lay on your back and bring your knees up to your chest, hands over your head. Flex your feet towards the ceiling. Do not arch your back on the way down.

You will want slow and controlled movements when doing these exercises. You should feel the burn after several repetitions. You should also control your breathing process. This helps to stretch your abdominal muscles. one of the best forms of yoga is Pilates. This form of yoga focuses on the core/torso of the body and the rear, which control most of the body's actions throughout the day. There are movements for every fitness level. Pilates has become very popular at working the abdominal region. There is a yoga movement known as "the plank", where you basically push up your entire body on your arms and toes. It is very difficult, but very rewarding. There is also the "side plank". These are both beneficial movements, but may take a while to master.

If you take a few minutes out of your hectic day and try some yoga, it will not only benefit your abdominals, but your total body and mind as well. You will gain confidence by accomplishing the more advanced yoga movements. Along with your newfound confidence, you will also gain focus in your life.

For more information on picking a program to get that six pack abs now you can visit my six pack abs review or my article on how to build six pack abs.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_768720_27.html

Yoga Improves Your Overall Health (yoga and whey protein)

Yoga is an ancient spiritual tradition dating back 5000 years. But today, many people separate the spiritual yoga and the physical yoga, and focus primarily on the physical aspect: stretching and breathing as an exercise program. Yoga has many health benefits. It will improve your balance and posture. It will also improve your mood, memory, and your overall well-being. Specifically, yoga can improve your flexibility, build lean muscle, and reduce stress.

Flexibility—Stretching of your body will help your joints and muscles to become more flexible. Yoga especially helps your legs, back, shoulders, and hips become more flexible. Yoga is a serious of poses that stretch your muscles. As you do more yoga, you will feel yourself becoming more flexible. Not only will your muscles become more flexible, but your joints will be more flexible as well. Each time you practice the poses you will be able to reach a little farther. Yoga will loosen your tight muscles by releasing the lactic acid that builds up while weight training. Yoga is a total body stretch. It stretches not only the muscle, but the ligaments and tendons.


Building Lean Muscle—Yoga is a way of building muscle without the bulk. Yoga uses isometric resistance to help build lean muscle. Isometrics uses the body’s own weight as resistance. This happens when the muscle does not change its length. For example, when you lift a dumbbell you are shortening the muscle, and when you lower the dumbbell you are lengthening the muscle. Isometrics does not move the added weight to make it stronger. This type of training is easier on the muscle.

In addition to yoga another good way to build lean muscle is by taking whey protein. Whey protein is dairy based, so it is easy for people to digest. It offers more pure protein than soy based proteins. There are many other benefits to taking whey protein. It also aids in the keeping your immune system healthy. But mainly, it helps build lean muscle and promotes the loss of fat giving you a lean physique. When purchasing Whey Protein be sure to buy Isolate Whey Protein solutions. They contain 90 % pure protein without the fats and carbohydrates of a Whey Protein Concentrate.


Reduce Stress—Studies have shown that participating in some kind of physical activity at least three times a week will reduce stress. Exercise releases endorphins, which naturally make you happy. Yoga helps you to relax by learning how to breathe deeply and through meditation. The concentrated stretching in Yoga releases the tension that is stored because of stress. One way to reduce stress is to breathe deeply. Yoga teaches this. The more oxygen you take in the less stressed you will be. Yoga also teaches you to meditate. Meditation also relieves stress. The mental benefits of yoga offset the stress in our life. Yoga is all about relaxation.

Yoga will increase your flexibility, build lean muscles, and reduce stress. This ancient tradition has many health benefits—inside and outside the body, emotional, disease prevention, and alleviation. There are many styles and forms of yoga. It can be an intense aerobic workout or a peaceful meditation. The stretching of the muscle to create lean muscle and taking whey protein as a nutritional supplement can have a positive effect overall on your bodies health.

For more info on Whey Protein, visit MyTopForm.com
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_935904_23.html