Thursday, August 29, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Review of Energy Systems & How They Work
Energy Systems
There are two distinct types of metabolism: Aerobic with (or in the presence of) oxygen and Anaerobic without the presence of oxygen. Even sitting and reading a book is considered to be aerobic activity because aerobic simply means any activity where the oxygen supply is equal to the demand. Anaerobic activity is without oxygen and can only be maintained for a short period of time.
There are three energy systems that contribute to the total energy needs of the body during physical activity:
Phosphagen System - high intensity, very short duration activities for only about 10 seconds of all out exertion.
Anaerobic Glycolysis System high intensity, short duration activities between 1-3 minutes of intense activity beyond the phosphagen system.
Aerobic System lower intensity, longer duration and steady state activities
There are three energy systems that contribute to the total energy needs of the body during physical activity:
Phosphagen System - high intensity, very short duration activities for only about 10 seconds of all out exertion.
Anaerobic Glycolysis System high intensity, short duration activities between 1-3 minutes of intense activity beyond the phosphagen system.
Aerobic System lower intensity, longer duration and steady state activities
ATP
Carbohydrates serve as the major food fuel for the metabolic production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and is stored as glycogen in both the muscle and the liver. Why is ATP important? When a muscle fiber contracts, the energy used to drive the contraction comes primarily from a substance within the cell called ATP. ATP is utilized by all muscle fibers (Muscle Fiber Types) as well as in both aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways. (Energy Systems & Greater Muscle Mass = Higher Metabolism)
Glucose is both readily available in your body as blood glucose or in storage from as glycogen. Glucose trapped in one muscle group cannot be removed to help meet the energy needs in another depleted muscle group. So, energy stores may be abundant in your upper body muscles, but they cannot help out your lower body muscles during a challenging lower body workout. However, you can build up your glycogen storage and thus improve exercise performance by being consistent in your workouts and the types of workouts you perform (such as high intensity interval training).
An article from the March 2012 issue of IDEA Fitness Journal discusses why the body prefers carbohydrates as exercise intensity increases:
As exercise intensity increases from rest to near-maximal levels, the body gradually shifts to using glucose and glycogen as the predominant sources of ATP (Kraemer, Fleck & Deschenes 2012). From a metabolic standpoint, in the mitochondria more ATP can be produced aerobically from the breakdown of carbohydrate as opposed to fat. Most important, however, is the fact that as exercise intensity increases, many more fast-twitch muscle fibers are recruited, and (because of their enzymes) these fibers are much more suited to using carbohydrates for the needed ATP production. In addition, higher-intensity exercise stimulates epinephrine production, which also enhances carbohydrate metabolism (Kraemer, Fleck & Deschenes 2012).
Glucose is both readily available in your body as blood glucose or in storage from as glycogen. Glucose trapped in one muscle group cannot be removed to help meet the energy needs in another depleted muscle group. So, energy stores may be abundant in your upper body muscles, but they cannot help out your lower body muscles during a challenging lower body workout. However, you can build up your glycogen storage and thus improve exercise performance by being consistent in your workouts and the types of workouts you perform (such as high intensity interval training).
An article from the March 2012 issue of IDEA Fitness Journal discusses why the body prefers carbohydrates as exercise intensity increases:
As exercise intensity increases from rest to near-maximal levels, the body gradually shifts to using glucose and glycogen as the predominant sources of ATP (Kraemer, Fleck & Deschenes 2012). From a metabolic standpoint, in the mitochondria more ATP can be produced aerobically from the breakdown of carbohydrate as opposed to fat. Most important, however, is the fact that as exercise intensity increases, many more fast-twitch muscle fibers are recruited, and (because of their enzymes) these fibers are much more suited to using carbohydrates for the needed ATP production. In addition, higher-intensity exercise stimulates epinephrine production, which also enhances carbohydrate metabolism (Kraemer, Fleck & Deschenes 2012).
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
You Are Worth The Effort....
The only thing worse than starting over is giving up!
Sure starting over on anything stinks regardless of what it is. I know from first hand experience too that starting over on clean eating and working out stinks major because you feel like it is pointless and why does it have to be so hard and why can't I just get the results without so much sacrifice??? Why indeed??? Well.....It's the effort you put in to achieving the results you want that make the results last!!!! The effort is simply living correctly, so it's not really punishment or sacrifice....it just feels that way because the world we live in today is lazy, superficial, and all about convenience but that's not really living! Don't quit yourself before you have even truly invested in yourself!!! Sure we can all come up with "reasons" things don't work out or won't work out, but that is all just lies we tell ourselves and others to quit trying. Every little bit you do in the direction of supportive eating and moving your body is a success on your journey and one you can be proud to own! Move forward because you are worth the effort!!! Let go of how many false starts or do overs.....you didn't learn to swim the first time you tried either...."just keep swimming" and you'll get to your destinations!!!!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Detox & Cleanse
from http://www.naturalnews.com/026910_apple_vinegar_cider.html Detox and Cleanse With Raw Apple Cider Vinegar:
"The cleansing properties of apple cider vinegar have been utilized for centuries. Eastern medicine teaches us that apple cider vinegar can help stimulate circulation and aid detoxification in the liver. Ancient cultures often used apple cider vinegar to purify the blood. Today we are exposed to more toxins than ever before, so it's become even more important that we take care of our bodies by detoxing with natural medicinal foods like apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar is rich in natural minerals, vitamins and enzymes. Supplying these nutrients to the body is crucial during a time of detoxification, when all the systems in the body go into overdrive to purge out toxic material. The unique acids in apple cider vinegar can bind to toxins and help the body eliminate them more effectively. They are also equip to fight bacteria, fungus and Candida.
Another way apple cider vinegar aids detoxification is by breaking up mucus throughout the body and cleansing the lymph nodes to allow for better lymph circulation. A healthy lymphatic system can remove toxins from the cells in the body while improving immune system response.
Taking apple cider vinegar before meals aids digestion and improves gastric health, helping the body remove toxic waste more efficiently. When foods are digested thoroughly and waste eliminated quickly, the body is nourished and toxins are removed before they have time to do damage.
Remember, to get real results you must choose a real product. The ideal apple cider vinegar is in raw liquid form. It should be unprocessed and unfiltered, with plenty of "mother" in it. Any other kind of apple cider vinegar will be far less effective and may provide no benefits at all. In fact, some cheap imitations are simply white distilled vinegar with caramel coloring added!
Take apple cider vinegar in small doses throughout the day. Many people like to take 1-3 teaspoons in a glass of water before meals to aid digestion. Others enjoy adding it to hot water with honey to drink as a tea. You can also use apple cider vinegar to make tasty and nutritious sauces and salad dressings.
A hot bath prepared with a cup of apple cider vinegar and a cup of Epsom salts will draw toxins out through the skin and help jumpstart the cleansing process. This can also help relieve joint pain as well as skin conditions like eczema and acne.
While apple cider vinegar can play an important role in detoxification, it will be far more effective when combined with a naturally healthy lifestyle that includes these habits:
- Eat a balanced diet that consists of unprocessed, natural foods that will provide the body with the nutrition it needs to purify itself.
- Include some raw, uncooked foods in your diet since these supply important enzymes that will help you detox.
- Choose organic foods to help reduce your exposure to toxins. Keep in mind processed foods of all kinds should be avoided, even if they are labeled organic.
- Exercise regularly to improve the health of the circulatory and lymphatic systems, both of which work to cleanse and purify the body.
- Reduce toxin exposure by using natural household cleaners and beauty products.
- Drink only filtered water to avoid potential toxin exposure. Getting plenty of pure water will also aid natural detoxification processes."
"The cleansing properties of apple cider vinegar have been utilized for centuries. Eastern medicine teaches us that apple cider vinegar can help stimulate circulation and aid detoxification in the liver. Ancient cultures often used apple cider vinegar to purify the blood. Today we are exposed to more toxins than ever before, so it's become even more important that we take care of our bodies by detoxing with natural medicinal foods like apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar is rich in natural minerals, vitamins and enzymes. Supplying these nutrients to the body is crucial during a time of detoxification, when all the systems in the body go into overdrive to purge out toxic material. The unique acids in apple cider vinegar can bind to toxins and help the body eliminate them more effectively. They are also equip to fight bacteria, fungus and Candida.
Another way apple cider vinegar aids detoxification is by breaking up mucus throughout the body and cleansing the lymph nodes to allow for better lymph circulation. A healthy lymphatic system can remove toxins from the cells in the body while improving immune system response.
Taking apple cider vinegar before meals aids digestion and improves gastric health, helping the body remove toxic waste more efficiently. When foods are digested thoroughly and waste eliminated quickly, the body is nourished and toxins are removed before they have time to do damage.
Remember, to get real results you must choose a real product. The ideal apple cider vinegar is in raw liquid form. It should be unprocessed and unfiltered, with plenty of "mother" in it. Any other kind of apple cider vinegar will be far less effective and may provide no benefits at all. In fact, some cheap imitations are simply white distilled vinegar with caramel coloring added!
Take apple cider vinegar in small doses throughout the day. Many people like to take 1-3 teaspoons in a glass of water before meals to aid digestion. Others enjoy adding it to hot water with honey to drink as a tea. You can also use apple cider vinegar to make tasty and nutritious sauces and salad dressings.
A hot bath prepared with a cup of apple cider vinegar and a cup of Epsom salts will draw toxins out through the skin and help jumpstart the cleansing process. This can also help relieve joint pain as well as skin conditions like eczema and acne.
While apple cider vinegar can play an important role in detoxification, it will be far more effective when combined with a naturally healthy lifestyle that includes these habits:
- Eat a balanced diet that consists of unprocessed, natural foods that will provide the body with the nutrition it needs to purify itself.
- Include some raw, uncooked foods in your diet since these supply important enzymes that will help you detox.
- Choose organic foods to help reduce your exposure to toxins. Keep in mind processed foods of all kinds should be avoided, even if they are labeled organic.
- Exercise regularly to improve the health of the circulatory and lymphatic systems, both of which work to cleanse and purify the body.
- Reduce toxin exposure by using natural household cleaners and beauty products.
- Drink only filtered water to avoid potential toxin exposure. Getting plenty of pure water will also aid natural detoxification processes."
Friday, August 23, 2013
Review On Muscles, Metabolism, Training
Muscle Fiber Types
There are two main types of muscle fibers: slow-twitch fibers and fast-twitch fibers. Within the fast-twitch fibers there are two sub-types: Type IIx and Type IIa. Below are the difference and what you need to know about each.
Type I Slow-Twitch Fibers
*Slow Oxidative (or aerobic)
*Resistant to fatigue and capable of sustaining aerobic metabolism (endurance fibers)
*Smaller than fast-twitch fibers
*Contract more slowly than fast-twitch fibers
Type IIx Fast-Twitch Fibers
*Limited capacity for aerobic metabolism
*Have high number of glycolytic enzymes which provides a considerable anaerobic capacity
*Fatigue more easily than slow-twitch fibers & cannot sustain their efforts for more than a few
seconds (under two minutes at most)
*Largest and fastest muscle fibers and capable of the most force
Type IIa Fast-Twitch Fibers
*Intermediate or fast-oxidative glycolytic fibers
*Possess speed fatigue and force-production capabilities somewhere between slow-twitch and Type
IIx fast-twitch fibers (up to three minutes)
*Used for strength and power activities
*Are highly adaptable and are capable of increasing their oxidative capacity to levels similar to
those in slow-twitch fibers
"A muscle's fiber-type composition is typically an equal mixture of both fast- and slow-twitch fibers, though some muscle groups are known to be made up of primarily fast- or slow-twitch fibers. The percentage of specific fiber types contained in skeletal muscle may be influenced by genetics, hormones, and the activity and exercise habits of the individual." (ACE's Essentials of Exercise Science for Fitness Professionals)
Even though people respond to specific exercise programs based on their own individual genetic composition, studies have shown that a combination of high-intensity resistance training and short-interval speed work can cause the conversion of Type I fibers into Type IIa fibers (Anderson et al., 2000; Staron et al., 1990) Therefore, muscle-fiber composition is only one variable that determines success in overall physical performance.
Type I Slow-Twitch Fibers
*Slow Oxidative (or aerobic)
*Resistant to fatigue and capable of sustaining aerobic metabolism (endurance fibers)
*Smaller than fast-twitch fibers
*Contract more slowly than fast-twitch fibers
Type IIx Fast-Twitch Fibers
*Limited capacity for aerobic metabolism
*Have high number of glycolytic enzymes which provides a considerable anaerobic capacity
*Fatigue more easily than slow-twitch fibers & cannot sustain their efforts for more than a few
seconds (under two minutes at most)
*Largest and fastest muscle fibers and capable of the most force
Type IIa Fast-Twitch Fibers
*Intermediate or fast-oxidative glycolytic fibers
*Possess speed fatigue and force-production capabilities somewhere between slow-twitch and Type
IIx fast-twitch fibers (up to three minutes)
*Used for strength and power activities
*Are highly adaptable and are capable of increasing their oxidative capacity to levels similar to
those in slow-twitch fibers
"A muscle's fiber-type composition is typically an equal mixture of both fast- and slow-twitch fibers, though some muscle groups are known to be made up of primarily fast- or slow-twitch fibers. The percentage of specific fiber types contained in skeletal muscle may be influenced by genetics, hormones, and the activity and exercise habits of the individual." (ACE's Essentials of Exercise Science for Fitness Professionals)
Even though people respond to specific exercise programs based on their own individual genetic composition, studies have shown that a combination of high-intensity resistance training and short-interval speed work can cause the conversion of Type I fibers into Type IIa fibers (Anderson et al., 2000; Staron et al., 1990) Therefore, muscle-fiber composition is only one variable that determines success in overall physical performance.
Greater Muscle Mass = Higher Metabolism
First, what is metabolism? Metabolism is the process by which the body generates the energy it needs for maintenance, repair, growth of tissues, and for muscles contraction and movement. The energy is obtained from the foods we eat. However, the chemical energy stored in the food that we eat is not directly used to fuel our bodies, but rather it is used to generate adenosine triphosphate ("ATP"). Only a small amount of ATP is stored in the muscle cells. The body must regenerate ATP once it is used through the process of metabolism.
Muscle is very active tissue and requires continuous energy supplies for ongoing cellular processes such as protein synthesis, maintenance, and building. It is estimated that a pound of muscle uses between 30-50 calories a day at rest to meet its metabolic requirements. That's one pound a day at rest. How many pounds of skeletal muscle do you have? How active are you? Exactly! When muscle mass is increased so too is your metabolic rate increased, both during activity and at rest. Conversely, when muscle mass is decreased, your metabolic rate is decreased as well at activity and at rest. If you are not performing regular strength exercise, muscle mass decreases with age at about one-half pound of muscle every year of inactivity after the age of 25. It is this reduction in muscle mass that research reveals that resting metabolism decreases approximately half a percent every year after age 25. Endurance exercises increase metabolic rate only during the activity session and shortly following; however, strength exercises increase metabolic rate during and for a relatively long period following the workout. No worries if inactivity has been your life thus far, as strength gains have shown to be made even in your 90s...so get moving!
Make sense why Eating Supportively is so important?
Training Guidelines
Muscle is very active tissue and requires continuous energy supplies for ongoing cellular processes such as protein synthesis, maintenance, and building. It is estimated that a pound of muscle uses between 30-50 calories a day at rest to meet its metabolic requirements. That's one pound a day at rest. How many pounds of skeletal muscle do you have? How active are you? Exactly! When muscle mass is increased so too is your metabolic rate increased, both during activity and at rest. Conversely, when muscle mass is decreased, your metabolic rate is decreased as well at activity and at rest. If you are not performing regular strength exercise, muscle mass decreases with age at about one-half pound of muscle every year of inactivity after the age of 25. It is this reduction in muscle mass that research reveals that resting metabolism decreases approximately half a percent every year after age 25. Endurance exercises increase metabolic rate only during the activity session and shortly following; however, strength exercises increase metabolic rate during and for a relatively long period following the workout. No worries if inactivity has been your life thus far, as strength gains have shown to be made even in your 90s...so get moving!
Make sense why Eating Supportively is so important?
Training Guidelines
Below are some general guidelines from the ACE Fourth Edition Personal Trainer Manual.
Recommended Training Volumes
General Muscle Fitness: 1-2 sets of 8-15 reps
Muscular Endurance: 2-3 sets of greater than or equal to 12 reps
Muscular Hypertrophy: 3-6 sets of 6-12 reps
Muscular Strength: 2-6 sets of less than or equal to 6 reps
Power:
Single-Effort Events: 3-5 sets of 1-2 reps
Multiple-Effort Events: 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps
Rest Intervals Between Sets
General Fitness: 30-90 seconds
Muscular Endurance: less than or equal to 30 seconds
Muscle Hypertrophy: 30-90 seconds
Muscular Strength: 2-5 minutes
Power:
Single-Effort Events: 2-5 minutes
Multiple-Effort Events: 2-5 minutes
*A high-effort set of resistance exercise reduces the muscle's internal energy stores of creatine phosphate (phosphagen energy system). Replenishment of these local energy substrates is relatively rapid, with 50% renewal within the first 30 seconds, 75% renewal within the first minute, and 95% renewal within the first two minutes. For most practical purposes and general muscular conditioning, one-minute rest intervals between successive exercise sets are sufficient.
Recommended Training Volumes
General Muscle Fitness: 1-2 sets of 8-15 reps
Muscular Endurance: 2-3 sets of greater than or equal to 12 reps
Muscular Hypertrophy: 3-6 sets of 6-12 reps
Muscular Strength: 2-6 sets of less than or equal to 6 reps
Power:
Single-Effort Events: 3-5 sets of 1-2 reps
Multiple-Effort Events: 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps
Rest Intervals Between Sets
General Fitness: 30-90 seconds
Muscular Endurance: less than or equal to 30 seconds
Muscle Hypertrophy: 30-90 seconds
Muscular Strength: 2-5 minutes
Power:
Single-Effort Events: 2-5 minutes
Multiple-Effort Events: 2-5 minutes
*A high-effort set of resistance exercise reduces the muscle's internal energy stores of creatine phosphate (phosphagen energy system). Replenishment of these local energy substrates is relatively rapid, with 50% renewal within the first 30 seconds, 75% renewal within the first minute, and 95% renewal within the first two minutes. For most practical purposes and general muscular conditioning, one-minute rest intervals between successive exercise sets are sufficient.
Note that we will review energy systems next week......
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Discerning Good From Bad Fad
from my 5/3/13 post on Discerning Good From Bad Fad:
It is no small wonder that anyone succeeds at actual balance, healthful living, functional fitness, fat loss, etc. Bookstores are filled to the brim, shelves upon shelves, of contradicting information. And not just there, but magazines, television, internet...all filled with fads and fabulously tantalizing quick fixes. Regardless of what the latest Hollywood hottie does or the "next best" 30 days to all your dreams coming true trend is, being fit and healthy is a day in/day out lifestyle. There is no one-size-fits all program and there are no quick fixes that actually work (short or long-term)! Not all bodies are the same and neither does any one program work for all people. Success is dependent upon consistency regardless of what you are doing. Consistently eating well, consistently moving and stretching your body, consistently sleeping well, and consistently putting you on the list of to-dos=SUCCESS! That's it...simple, consistency. We are not talking about penalizing yourself from parties, family fun, food depravation or punishing workouts. We are not talking about excuses for hormones, prescriptions, or age because none of those have anything to do with getting fit and healthy the correct way.--Sure they hinder you if you go the "fad" route, but not if you are consistently feeding your body supportively and moving functionally. You can get fit and healthy at any age and every age regardless!!! We are not talking about investing tons of time or money as getting fit and healthy does not require either of those! Video: Shocking Before and After Transformation Photos In 5 Hours
The benefit of a certified personal trainer is that they can assess you and determine what possible impingement(s) and what functional movement patterns need to be corrected and can CUSTOMIZE a workout program for you, the individual. Not everyone can afford a personal trainer and that is why I provide the information I do on this site...it is the next best thing to meeting with me one-on-one...and it's free.
Keys to discerning the good information and a good program (and trainer) from a bad fad:
The benefit of a certified personal trainer is that they can assess you and determine what possible impingement(s) and what functional movement patterns need to be corrected and can CUSTOMIZE a workout program for you, the individual. Not everyone can afford a personal trainer and that is why I provide the information I do on this site...it is the next best thing to meeting with me one-on-one...and it's free.
Keys to discerning the good information and a good program (and trainer) from a bad fad:
- Always go with a personal trainer who has a certification from a nationally accredited agency. The top four NCCA certified personal trainer certifications are: American Council on Exercise (ACE), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). I am certified through ACE and will additionally be certified through ACSM in 2014. There are numerous "trainers" out there who did not study or "test out" through a NCCA approved agency but paid some money online and received a piece of paper "certifying" them to train folks. The harm here is the lack of education on the body (physiology and kinesiology) and programming. Beyond that, make sure they keep up with continuing education to know the latest research and breakthroughs. Make sure the information you read and/or the trainer you utilize is properly educated. Knowledge is power, but bad information is truly harmful!
- If a program is offering up "quick fixes" and fad solutions, then skip it and find something that is sound and balanced. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- A good program should educate you on the facts of weight/resistance training so that you know muscle equals metabolism and has nothing to do with gender. Weight/resistance training isn't just for bodybuilding men...Women are not going to bulk up just because they utilize dumbbells and kettlebells larger than 10 lbs. -- they will however lose their fat and trim to that size they want to maintain! If a program is taking up a ton of time with workouts making you feel that rest is for the weak, then it is a lie and you'd be better finding a program that helps you build your muscle, protect your joints, and rest your body in a balanced doable way!!!
- A good program should educate you on the facts of nutrition and supportive eating--Eat often and for your body! It should not recommend no fat foods, no carbs, no to low protein, low calorie, liquid only fasts, hunger is your friend, timing fasts, etc., fad garbage!
- If a program touts that it has to be expensive to work then walk far away! Neither fitness nor nutrition nor workouts or trainers or programs need to be costly to be effective...in fact quite the opposite is true!
You don't just clean your house once in a lifetime and it always stays clean! Being fit and healthy is not a once and done process!!!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Principle of Specificity
from my 7/11/12 post on the Principle of Specificity:
"The principle of specificity explains the outcome of a given type of training program such that the exercise response is specific to the mode and intensity of training. In other words, only the physiological systems emphasized during a training program will improve. For example, a program of long-distance endurance running will improve an exerciser's aerobic capacity, but it will do nothing to enhance the exerciser's performance on a heavy bench press." ACE's Essentials of Exercise Science for Fitness Professionals
Balance in resistance, cardio, and flexibility training is vital to being physically fit and healthy! Focusing on only one area is not going to fully benefit you and in fact will have a point of diminishing return regarding benefit. Incorporating resistance and strength training along with cardio and flexibility training is the only way to assure you are physically fit.
Balance in resistance, cardio, and flexibility training is vital to being physically fit and healthy! Focusing on only one area is not going to fully benefit you and in fact will have a point of diminishing return regarding benefit. Incorporating resistance and strength training along with cardio and flexibility training is the only way to assure you are physically fit.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
The Real Price of Potato Chips
from Men's Health November 2012 issue:
You're not just burying your abs when you eat junk food. An unhealthy diet may cost more than a healthy one, according to USDA economics researchers. They studied about 4,400 foods through three cost-analysis measures (price per calorie, price per edible gram, and price per portion), and discovered that healthy foods are cheaper than unhealthy ones and contain more nutrients for your buck.
You're not just burying your abs when you eat junk food. An unhealthy diet may cost more than a healthy one, according to USDA economics researchers. They studied about 4,400 foods through three cost-analysis measures (price per calorie, price per edible gram, and price per portion), and discovered that healthy foods are cheaper than unhealthy ones and contain more nutrients for your buck.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Happy Place
Those participating in the Current Fitness Challenge, how is it going? Give up on Push Ups? or 8-10 Servings of Produce? or Yoga? How are your workouts coming along? Even with struggles, it shouldn't be an all or nothing proposition here....Life is not perfect and neither will anything you do in life (especially not your fitness journey) be perfect, so get over it and move forward!!!! Celebrate your victories, learn from your setbacks, and move forward into your future!!!!!! "Tomorrow" is always a new day and a fresh start....but so is the very next breath you take.......use that new, fresh start to overcome your obstacles, tackle your challenges, and be who you are meant to be! Use today to reflect on what changes you need to make in your life to make your life easier. Sometimes the smallest change in your behavior, outlook, interaction, to-do list, day, whatever it is, produces the biggest turn around in your journey.
Do this, close your eyes and think of your happiest, most peaceful moment. Whether it be a moment with a person, a perfect day in your life, a vacation, whatever it is.....Now, what about that "happy place" was so happy? What about that event was your bliss? Let's face it, vacations are few and far between for most of us, and perfect days maybe fewer and farther between....Figuring out how to bring our 'happy places' into our daily lives is key to living well, happy, nurtured, and balanced! Need help with this exercise?
Example of what I am talking about. My truest and happiest self (and quite frankly as a result, most productive self) is when I am alone with nature and my Bible in the early morning hours. Outside with a cup of hot tea in the crisp morning air just before sunrise listening to the birds chirping while communing with God in His Word is the best and happiest I ever am in life! What about family, or the beach, or whatever???...Well to me, that time enhances the flavor and moments in all of the rest of my life. If I start my day outside in God's Word, I then savor the moments all the more with my family, am more productive in my day, and negativity doesn't reach my center. Everyone has to find what makes that for them, and all the rest will be in balance!
Find your happy place and find your balance!
Do this, close your eyes and think of your happiest, most peaceful moment. Whether it be a moment with a person, a perfect day in your life, a vacation, whatever it is.....Now, what about that "happy place" was so happy? What about that event was your bliss? Let's face it, vacations are few and far between for most of us, and perfect days maybe fewer and farther between....Figuring out how to bring our 'happy places' into our daily lives is key to living well, happy, nurtured, and balanced! Need help with this exercise?
Example of what I am talking about. My truest and happiest self (and quite frankly as a result, most productive self) is when I am alone with nature and my Bible in the early morning hours. Outside with a cup of hot tea in the crisp morning air just before sunrise listening to the birds chirping while communing with God in His Word is the best and happiest I ever am in life! What about family, or the beach, or whatever???...Well to me, that time enhances the flavor and moments in all of the rest of my life. If I start my day outside in God's Word, I then savor the moments all the more with my family, am more productive in my day, and negativity doesn't reach my center. Everyone has to find what makes that for them, and all the rest will be in balance!
Find your happy place and find your balance!
Friday, August 16, 2013
Try A New Yoga Style Today
from 3/28/13 Post on Yoga Styles:
According to Yoga Journal there are as many as 280 different styles of yoga. Finding the right style to fit both your body and personality takes just a bit of time to examine an explanation as to each style and some experimentation with the few of your choosing. Know too that just as anything in life, there are good teachers and bad teachers...so, if you are really interested in a style but didn't care for an experience you had, maybe try a different teacher and/or studio. Below you will find a brief explanation from Yoga Journal as to a few of the more popular styles. If you are interested in taking a short quiz which will help you learn what style might best fit your individual self, go to: http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/quizzes_and_tools/stylequiz Namaste!
Below is from http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/165:
To get started on your individual yoga quest, it's helpful to begin with a list that clearly prioritizes what needs you want to fulfill: Are you looking to sweat your way into a lean form, or does a gentler, more meditative approach sound more appealing?
"Not all practices fit into nice little cubby holes," warns Bender Birch. "There's a great deal of crossover among the various yoga schools, and there's even a diversity in teaching approaches within each discipline."
Try attending a few different types of classes, and you'll quickly discover the right match to suit your needs. Below you'll find brief descriptions of some of the hatha yoga disciplines that are being practiced in the United States.
The system is based on six series of asanas which increase in difficulty, allowing students to work at their own pace. In class, you'll be led nonstop through one or more of the series. There's no time for adjustments—you'll be encouraged to breathe as you move from pose to pose. Be prepared to sweat. For more information, visit Ashtanga teacher Richard Freeman's website, yogaworkshop.com.
"Most people wouldn't take a class called Ashtanga Yoga, because they had no idea what it meant. Power Yoga, on the other hand, was something Americans could relate to and know that they'd get a good workout," says Bender Birch.
Power Yoga's popularity has spread to health clubs across the country and has taken on a broad range of applications. The common thread is a rigorous workout that develops strength and flexibility while keeping students on the move. For specifics, consult individual instructors before signing up for a class. For more information visit Thom Birch and Beryl Bender Birch's website, power-yoga.com or Bryan Kest's website poweryoga.com.
Each week, more than 2,000 people visit the Jivamukti Yoga Center in New York City. Its popularity lies in the teaching approach of cofounders David Life and Sharon Gannon, who opened their first studio in 1986, combining an Ashtanga background with a variety of ancient and modern spiritual teachings. In addition to vinyasa-style asanas, classes include chanting, meditation, readings, music, and affirmations. This spiritual resource center also offers specialized courses in Sanskrit and the sacred yoga texts.
"Over the course of time, students will get a broad yoga education," Life promises. "One week, a class may focus on a particular asana, while the next week's theme may discuss more metaphysical issues."
Beginner classes start by emphasizing standing poses, followed by instruction on forward bends, backbends, and inversions. These classes also introduce chants. For more information on class schedules or to find a certified instructor in your area, visit jivamuktiyoga.com.
The first level is a slow, relaxing, and rejuvenating practice. The class, often accompanied by music, focuses on natural alignment and breath within the flow, and ends with meditation. A union of asana (postures), pranayama (breathwork), and mudra (seals), this practice is deeply meditative, promoting relaxation and inner peace. For more information visit kaliraytriyoga.com.
In an Iyengar class, poses (especially standing postures) are typically held much longer than in other schools of yoga, so that practitioners can pay close attention to the precise muscular and skeletal alignment this system demands. Also specific to Iyengar, which is probably the most popular type of yoga practiced in the United States, is the use of props, including belts, chairs, blocks, and blankets, to help accommodate any special needs such as injuries or structural imbalances.
"In forward bends, for example, if someone's hamstrings aren't flexible, he or she can use a prop to help extend the spine. The wall is often used for support in a variety of poses," explains Janet MacLeod, who teaches at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco. "Using props gives the student support, allowing them more freedom to breathe deeply into the pose." For more information, visit iyisf.org.
Two-week IYT intensives are offered worldwide, training health-care professionals, yoga teachers, and bodyworkers to adapt gentle postures, guided imagery, and breathing techniques for treating specific health issues such as heart disease, psychiatric disorders, and AIDS.
"Healing happens through connection with the deepest part of who we are," says Le Page. "The program emphasizes the healing process in detail by addressing all levels of the patient—physical, emotional, and spiritual. An example of this therapeutic application is to teach patients with heart disease to become more aware of themselves and their condition at all levels, using yogic lifestyle changes, breathing techniques, asanas suitable for their condition, guided imagery for the circulatory system, and meditation with a focus on healing the heart." For more information, visit iytyogatherapy.com.
In this gentle practice, created by T.K.V. Desikachar, poses are synchronized with the breath in sequences determined by the needs of the practitioner. According to Gary Kraftsow, owner and teacher at The American Viniyoga Institute on the Hawaiian island Maui, Viniyoga is a methodology for developing an integrated practice for each person's needs as they grow and change.
"As children, our practice should support balanced growth and development of the body and mind. As adults, it should protect our health and promote our ability to be productive in the world. And as seniors, it should help us maintain health and inspire a deeper quest for self-realization," says Kraftsow. For more information, visit viniyoga.com.
Svaroopa Yoga was developed by Rama Berch, who founded and directs the Master Yoga Academy and created the yoga program for Dr. Deepak Chopra's Center for Well Being, both located in La Jolla, California. Berch says teaching asanas became increasingly frustrating, because the students seemed to be trying to "impose the pose upon their body rather than unfolding it from within." She began looking for ways to guide her students to the deeper effects of each asana, speaking of them as "angles that provide opening, rather than poses to be learned." New students find this a very approachable style, often beginning in chair poses that are comfortable and have a deep healing effect in the spine. For more information or to find out if there is a teacher in your area, visit masteryoga.org.
Why the sauna-like effect? "Because sweat helps move the toxins out of your body," explains Radha Garcia, owner of Bikram's Yoga College of India in Boulder, Colorado. "Your body is like a sponge. To cleanse it, you need to wring it out to allow fresh blood and oxygen to circulate and keep your immune system running smoothly."
This method of staying healthy from the inside out was designed by Bikram Choudhury, who sequenced a series of 26 traditional hatha postures to address the proper functioning of every bodily system.
Choudhury first visited the United States from India in 1971 on a trip sponsored by the American Medical Association to demonstrate his work using yoga to treat chronically ill patients. Today Choudhury continues teaching students of all ages and abilities from his studio in Los Angeles where he also conducts a certified teacher's training program. For more information, visit bikramyoga.com.
There are more than 80 centers worldwide, as well as ashrams and teacher-training programs, all of which follow a hatha yoga practice emphasizing 12 basic postures to increase strength and flexibility of the spine. Chanting, pranayama, and meditation are also included, helping students to release stress and blocked energy. For more information, visit sivananda.org.
"Integral Yoga uses classical hatha postures, which are meant to be performed as a meditation, balancing physical effort and relaxation," says Swami Ramananda, president of the New York Integral Yoga Institute in Manhattan. In addition to a gentle asana practice, classes also incorporate guided relaxation, breathing practices, sound vibration (repetition of mantra or chant), and silent meditation. For more information, visit integralyogaofnewyork.org.
In a typical class, instructors guide their students through a series of gentle hatha postures designed to move energy upward to the brain, preparing the body for meditation. Classes also focus on proper alignment, easeful posture transitions, and controlled breathing exercises (pranayama) to facilitate an exploration into the inner dimensions of yoga and self-awareness. For more information, visit expandinglight.org.
The practice of Kundalini Yoga incorporates postures, dynamic breathing techniques, and chanting and meditating on mantras such as "Sat Nam" (meaning "I am truth"). Practitioners concentrate on awakening the energy at the base of the spine and drawing it upward through each of the seven chakras. For more information, visit 3HO.org.
"The sequence of postures is designed to help students integrate their individual sensations with a life energy force that's beyond sensing and perceiving," says Los Angeles-based ISHTA instructor Rod Stryker. "It's a tool for visualization and a way to become more fully oneself."
A typical ISHTA class mixes flowing Ashtanga-style asanas with the precise method of Iyengar, while including pranayama and meditation exercises as well. Instructors begin classes with warm-up poses, then gradually build to a more challenging practice. For more information, visit beyoga.com.
During the 1970s, while studying under Indian guru Kripaluvananda, Amrit felt his body begin to move in a spontaneous flow of postures without the direction of his mind. This deep release of prana (life's energy force) brought about a profound transformation in Amrit, so he developed these movements into three stages of practice which he could then teach to others.
The three stages of Kripalu yoga include: willful practice (a focus on alignment, breath, and the presence of consciousness); willful surrender (a conscious holding of the postures to the level of tolerance and beyond, deepening concentration and focus of internal thoughts and emotions); and meditation in motion (the body's complete release of internal tensions and a complete trust in the body's wisdom to perform the postures and movements needed to release physical and mental tensions and enter deep meditation). For more information, visit kripalu.org.
Attitude: The practitioner balances an opening to grace with an aspiration for awakening to his or her true nature.
Alignment: Each pose is performed with an integrated awareness of all the different parts of the body.
Action: Each pose is performed as an artistic expression of the heart in which muscular stability is balanced with an expansive inner freedom. For more information, visit anusara.com.
Tibetan Buddhist monk Tarthang Tulku adapted another ancient movement practice for the modern West called Kum Nye. More contemplative in nature than the vigorous Five Tibetans, Kum Nye strives to integrate body and mind and means "interaction with the subtle body." For more information, see Tulku's Kum Nye Relaxation or visit nyingma.org.
Below is from http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/165:
To get started on your individual yoga quest, it's helpful to begin with a list that clearly prioritizes what needs you want to fulfill: Are you looking to sweat your way into a lean form, or does a gentler, more meditative approach sound more appealing?
"Not all practices fit into nice little cubby holes," warns Bender Birch. "There's a great deal of crossover among the various yoga schools, and there's even a diversity in teaching approaches within each discipline."
Try attending a few different types of classes, and you'll quickly discover the right match to suit your needs. Below you'll find brief descriptions of some of the hatha yoga disciplines that are being practiced in the United States.
Vigorous Vinyasas
Vinyasa-style yoga combines a series of flowing postures with rhythmic breathing for an intense body-mind workout. Here are a few different types:Ashtanga
The practice of Ashtanga that's getting mainstream attention today is a fast-paced series of sequential postures practiced by yoga master K. Pattabhi Jois, who lives in Mysore, India. Today, yogis continue to spread Jois's teachings worldwide, making it one of the most popular schools of yoga around.The system is based on six series of asanas which increase in difficulty, allowing students to work at their own pace. In class, you'll be led nonstop through one or more of the series. There's no time for adjustments—you'll be encouraged to breathe as you move from pose to pose. Be prepared to sweat. For more information, visit Ashtanga teacher Richard Freeman's website, yogaworkshop.com.
Power Yoga
In 1995, Bender Birch set out to challenge Americans' understanding of what it really means to be fit with her book Power Yoga. Bender Birch's intention was to give a Western spin to the practice of Ashtanga Yoga, a challenging and disciplined series of poses designed to create heat and energy flow."Most people wouldn't take a class called Ashtanga Yoga, because they had no idea what it meant. Power Yoga, on the other hand, was something Americans could relate to and know that they'd get a good workout," says Bender Birch.
Power Yoga's popularity has spread to health clubs across the country and has taken on a broad range of applications. The common thread is a rigorous workout that develops strength and flexibility while keeping students on the move. For specifics, consult individual instructors before signing up for a class. For more information visit Thom Birch and Beryl Bender Birch's website, power-yoga.com or Bryan Kest's website poweryoga.com.
Jivamukti
Looking for a highly meditative but physically challenging form of yoga? Try Jivamukti. You won't be alone.Each week, more than 2,000 people visit the Jivamukti Yoga Center in New York City. Its popularity lies in the teaching approach of cofounders David Life and Sharon Gannon, who opened their first studio in 1986, combining an Ashtanga background with a variety of ancient and modern spiritual teachings. In addition to vinyasa-style asanas, classes include chanting, meditation, readings, music, and affirmations. This spiritual resource center also offers specialized courses in Sanskrit and the sacred yoga texts.
"Over the course of time, students will get a broad yoga education," Life promises. "One week, a class may focus on a particular asana, while the next week's theme may discuss more metaphysical issues."
Beginner classes start by emphasizing standing poses, followed by instruction on forward bends, backbends, and inversions. These classes also introduce chants. For more information on class schedules or to find a certified instructor in your area, visit jivamuktiyoga.com.
Kali Ray TriYoga
A series of flowing, dancelike movements intuitively came to Kali Ray (Kaliji) while leading a group meditation in 1980. In 1986, after developing these movements into seven distinct levels, Kaliji established the TriYoga Center in Santa Cruz, California, offering a system of yoga that is taught in a meditative environment.The first level is a slow, relaxing, and rejuvenating practice. The class, often accompanied by music, focuses on natural alignment and breath within the flow, and ends with meditation. A union of asana (postures), pranayama (breathwork), and mudra (seals), this practice is deeply meditative, promoting relaxation and inner peace. For more information visit kaliraytriyoga.com.
White Lotus
White Lotus Yoga is the collaborative effort of Ganga White and Tracey Rich, who meld two eclectic backgrounds and years of experience into a nondogmatic teaching approach dedicated to helping students develop a well-balanced personal practice. At their 40-acre retreat in the Santa Ynez Mountains of Santa Barbara, California, this husband and wife team offers a complete yoga-immersion experience with programs ranging from weekend and weeklong getaways to 16-day teacher training programs. White Lotus Yoga is a flowing vinyasa practice which ranges from gentle to vigorous depending on your ability or comfort level. In addition, class formats incorporate alignment, breath, and the theoretical understanding of yoga. For more information, visit whitelotus.org.Attention to Detail
Iyengar
From his home in Pune, India, B.K.S. Iyengar reigns as one of the most influential yogis of his time. At 80 years old, he continues to teach thousands of students from all over the world, encouraging them to penetrate deeper into the experience of each pose. This is the trademark of Iyengar Yoga—an intense focus on the subtleties of each posture.In an Iyengar class, poses (especially standing postures) are typically held much longer than in other schools of yoga, so that practitioners can pay close attention to the precise muscular and skeletal alignment this system demands. Also specific to Iyengar, which is probably the most popular type of yoga practiced in the United States, is the use of props, including belts, chairs, blocks, and blankets, to help accommodate any special needs such as injuries or structural imbalances.
"In forward bends, for example, if someone's hamstrings aren't flexible, he or she can use a prop to help extend the spine. The wall is often used for support in a variety of poses," explains Janet MacLeod, who teaches at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco. "Using props gives the student support, allowing them more freedom to breathe deeply into the pose." For more information, visit iyisf.org.
Healing
Integrative Yoga Therapy
In 1993, Joseph Le Page, M.A., founded Integrative Yoga Therapy (IYT) in San Francisco. Le Page developed a yoga teacher-training program designed specifically for medical and mainstream wellness settings, including hospitals and rehabilitation centers.Two-week IYT intensives are offered worldwide, training health-care professionals, yoga teachers, and bodyworkers to adapt gentle postures, guided imagery, and breathing techniques for treating specific health issues such as heart disease, psychiatric disorders, and AIDS.
"Healing happens through connection with the deepest part of who we are," says Le Page. "The program emphasizes the healing process in detail by addressing all levels of the patient—physical, emotional, and spiritual. An example of this therapeutic application is to teach patients with heart disease to become more aware of themselves and their condition at all levels, using yogic lifestyle changes, breathing techniques, asanas suitable for their condition, guided imagery for the circulatory system, and meditation with a focus on healing the heart." For more information, visit iytyogatherapy.com.
Viniyoga
As we travel through life, it's no mystery that we are constantly evolving on all levels—physically, emotionally, and intellectually. So why not tailor a yoga routine that will help address and integrate these transitions? Viniyoga, in fact, is an empowering and transformative practice designed to do just that.In this gentle practice, created by T.K.V. Desikachar, poses are synchronized with the breath in sequences determined by the needs of the practitioner. According to Gary Kraftsow, owner and teacher at The American Viniyoga Institute on the Hawaiian island Maui, Viniyoga is a methodology for developing an integrated practice for each person's needs as they grow and change.
"As children, our practice should support balanced growth and development of the body and mind. As adults, it should protect our health and promote our ability to be productive in the world. And as seniors, it should help us maintain health and inspire a deeper quest for self-realization," says Kraftsow. For more information, visit viniyoga.com.
Svaroopa
This style of yoga teaches different ways of doing familiar poses, emphasizing the opening of the spine by beginning at the tailbone and progressing through each spinal area. Every pose integrates the foundational principles of asana, anatomy, and yoga philosophy, and emphasizes the development of transcendent inner experience, which is called svaroopa by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra. This is a consciousness-oriented yoga that also promotes healing and transformation.Svaroopa Yoga was developed by Rama Berch, who founded and directs the Master Yoga Academy and created the yoga program for Dr. Deepak Chopra's Center for Well Being, both located in La Jolla, California. Berch says teaching asanas became increasingly frustrating, because the students seemed to be trying to "impose the pose upon their body rather than unfolding it from within." She began looking for ways to guide her students to the deeper effects of each asana, speaking of them as "angles that provide opening, rather than poses to be learned." New students find this a very approachable style, often beginning in chair poses that are comfortable and have a deep healing effect in the spine. For more information or to find out if there is a teacher in your area, visit masteryoga.org.
Bikram
When you take a Bikram yoga class, expect to sweat. Each studio is designed to replicate yoga's birthplace climate, with temperatures pushing 100 degrees Fahrenheit.Why the sauna-like effect? "Because sweat helps move the toxins out of your body," explains Radha Garcia, owner of Bikram's Yoga College of India in Boulder, Colorado. "Your body is like a sponge. To cleanse it, you need to wring it out to allow fresh blood and oxygen to circulate and keep your immune system running smoothly."
This method of staying healthy from the inside out was designed by Bikram Choudhury, who sequenced a series of 26 traditional hatha postures to address the proper functioning of every bodily system.
Choudhury first visited the United States from India in 1971 on a trip sponsored by the American Medical Association to demonstrate his work using yoga to treat chronically ill patients. Today Choudhury continues teaching students of all ages and abilities from his studio in Los Angeles where he also conducts a certified teacher's training program. For more information, visit bikramyoga.com.
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy is a combination of classical yoga and elements of contemporary client-centered and body-mind psychology. It can facilitate a powerful release of physical tensions and emotional blocks. Through assisted yoga postures, guided breathing, and nondirective dialogue, you can experience the connection of your physical and emotional selves, encouraging release, personal growth, and the healing of body, mind, and spirit. For more information, visit pryt.com.Ease Into Enlightenment
Sivananda
At its core, Sivananda Yoga is geared toward helping students answer the age-old question "Who am I?" This yoga practice is based on the philosophy of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, India, who taught disciples to "serve, love, give, purify, meditate, realize." In order to achieve this goal, Sivananda advocated a path that would recognize and synthesize each level of the human experience including the intellect, heart, body, and mind. In 1957, his disciple Swami Vishnu-devananda introduced these teachings to an American audience. A few years later, Vishnu-devananda founded the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers, summarizing Sivananda's system into five main principles: proper exercise (asanas); proper breathing (pranayama); proper relaxation (Savasana); proper diet (vegetarian); and positive thinking (Vedanta) and meditation (dhyana).There are more than 80 centers worldwide, as well as ashrams and teacher-training programs, all of which follow a hatha yoga practice emphasizing 12 basic postures to increase strength and flexibility of the spine. Chanting, pranayama, and meditation are also included, helping students to release stress and blocked energy. For more information, visit sivananda.org.
Integral
In 1966, the Reverend Sri Swami Satchidananda introduced an entire generation of young people to his yogic philosophy: "an easeful body, a peaceful mind, and a useful life." His goal was to help people integrate yoga's teachings into their everyday work and relationships, which he hoped would promote greater peace and tolerance worldwide."Integral Yoga uses classical hatha postures, which are meant to be performed as a meditation, balancing physical effort and relaxation," says Swami Ramananda, president of the New York Integral Yoga Institute in Manhattan. In addition to a gentle asana practice, classes also incorporate guided relaxation, breathing practices, sound vibration (repetition of mantra or chant), and silent meditation. For more information, visit integralyogaofnewyork.org.
Ananda
For those who aspire to loftier goals than simply building a hard body, Ananda Yoga provides a tool for spiritual growth while releasing unwanted tensions. During the 1960s, Swami Kriyananda developed Ananda as a particular style of yoga after returning to California following a period of intense yoga training under Guru Paramhansa Yogananda (author of Autobiography of a Yogi). "The most unique part of this system is the use of silent affirmations while holding a pose," says Rich McCord, director of Ananda Yoga's teacher-training program at The Expanding Light retreat center in Nevada City, California. McCord explains that the affirmations are intended to help deepen and enhance the subtle benefits of each asana, providing a technique for aligning body, energy, and mind.In a typical class, instructors guide their students through a series of gentle hatha postures designed to move energy upward to the brain, preparing the body for meditation. Classes also focus on proper alignment, easeful posture transitions, and controlled breathing exercises (pranayama) to facilitate an exploration into the inner dimensions of yoga and self-awareness. For more information, visit expandinglight.org.
Kundalini
Kundalini Yoga, stemming from the tantra yoga path, at one time remained a closely guarded secret practiced only by a select few. In 1969, however, Yogi Bhajan decided to change this tradition by bringing Kundalini to the West. Yogi Bhajan's reasoning was based on the philosophy that it's everybody's birthright to be "healthy, happy and holy," and he believed Kundalini would help spiritual seekers from all religious paths tap into their greater potential.The practice of Kundalini Yoga incorporates postures, dynamic breathing techniques, and chanting and meditating on mantras such as "Sat Nam" (meaning "I am truth"). Practitioners concentrate on awakening the energy at the base of the spine and drawing it upward through each of the seven chakras. For more information, visit 3HO.org.
ISHTA
ISHTA, an acronym for the Integrated Science of Hatha, Tantra, and Ayurveda, is the yoga brainchild of South African native Alan Finger, who currently runs workshops at his yoga studio in Irvington, New York. Finger blends 37 years of teaching experience with his eclectic studies under Sivananda and the tantric hermit Barati, helping students of all ages and abilities to get in touch with life's boundless energy."The sequence of postures is designed to help students integrate their individual sensations with a life energy force that's beyond sensing and perceiving," says Los Angeles-based ISHTA instructor Rod Stryker. "It's a tool for visualization and a way to become more fully oneself."
A typical ISHTA class mixes flowing Ashtanga-style asanas with the precise method of Iyengar, while including pranayama and meditation exercises as well. Instructors begin classes with warm-up poses, then gradually build to a more challenging practice. For more information, visit beyoga.com.
Kripalu
Located in the Berkshire region of Western Massachusetts, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health has helped guide thousands of people along their path of self-discovery by teaching a system of yoga developed over a 20-year period by yogi Amrit Desai and the Kripalu staff.During the 1970s, while studying under Indian guru Kripaluvananda, Amrit felt his body begin to move in a spontaneous flow of postures without the direction of his mind. This deep release of prana (life's energy force) brought about a profound transformation in Amrit, so he developed these movements into three stages of practice which he could then teach to others.
The three stages of Kripalu yoga include: willful practice (a focus on alignment, breath, and the presence of consciousness); willful surrender (a conscious holding of the postures to the level of tolerance and beyond, deepening concentration and focus of internal thoughts and emotions); and meditation in motion (the body's complete release of internal tensions and a complete trust in the body's wisdom to perform the postures and movements needed to release physical and mental tensions and enter deep meditation). For more information, visit kripalu.org.
Anusara
Anusara means "to step into the current of divine will." Anusara Yoga is an integrated approach to hatha yoga in which the human spirit blends with the precise science of biomechanics. It is a new system of hatha yoga that can be both spiritually inspiring and yet grounded in a deep knowledge of outer and inner body alignment. It can be therapeutically effective and physically transformative. The central philosophy of this yoga is that each person is equally divine in every part—body, mind, and spirit. Each student's various abilities and limitations are respected and honored. Anusara Yoga differentiates itself from other hatha yoga systems with three key areas of practice:Attitude: The practitioner balances an opening to grace with an aspiration for awakening to his or her true nature.
Alignment: Each pose is performed with an integrated awareness of all the different parts of the body.
Action: Each pose is performed as an artistic expression of the heart in which muscular stability is balanced with an expansive inner freedom. For more information, visit anusara.com.
Tibetan
Tibetan Yoga is a term used among Buddhists to describe a range of tantric meditation and pranayama practices. Though little is known in the West about the physical practices of Tibetan Yoga, in 1939, Peter Kelder published Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth, describing a sequence of postures of Tibetan origin called "The Five Rites of Rejuvenation." In 1994, yoga teacher Christopher Kilham published a modern version of these exercises called The Five Tibetans: Five Dynamic Exercises for Health, Energy, and Personal Power (Inner Traditions). Composed of five flowing movements, this active workout keeps students on the move. Beginners start with 10 or 12 repetitions and progressively work their way up to the 21 repetitions of the full routine. Classes may be difficult to find.Tibetan Buddhist monk Tarthang Tulku adapted another ancient movement practice for the modern West called Kum Nye. More contemplative in nature than the vigorous Five Tibetans, Kum Nye strives to integrate body and mind and means "interaction with the subtle body." For more information, see Tulku's Kum Nye Relaxation or visit nyingma.org.
Hatha
If you are browsing through a yoga studio's brochure of classes and the yoga offered is simply described as "hatha," chances are the teacher is offering an eclectic blend of two or more of the styles described above. It's a good idea to ask the teacher or director of the studio where he or she was trained and if the poses are held for a length of time or if you will be expected to move quickly from one pose to the next, and if meditation or chanting is included. This will give you a better idea if the class is vigorous or more meditative.Thursday, August 15, 2013
Enjoy & Move On
Life is about balance. Eating is about balance. Healthful eating habits are not about deprivation. Food is fuel but it is also enjoyable. Eat clean and balanced 80-90% and enjoy 3-4 "cheats", "indulgences" whatever you want to call your not so awesome cravings each week to keep you in check. Being healthy is not an all or nothing proposition.... Eating Supportively
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
FREE Workout & Reasons To Just Do It ;-)
Be sure to join me August 17th at Trinity (info at Free Monthly Workouts) for a free exercise moves workshop and make sure your form is spot on to avoid injury....New to working out, then definitely come get the information you need to stay joint safe!!!
Free Monthly Workouts
Join me for a FREE Monthly Workout
each 3rd Saturday every Month
at 8 am at Trinity Lutheran Church
One hour bodyweight workout (see below for this month's workout)
5 minute warm up
30 minute resistance training workout
15 minute interval training workout
10 minute cool down stretch
Bring only a mat and water
For Beginner, Intermediate, Advance Levels
2013 CALENDAR
January 19 26 April 20 July NONE October 19
February 16 May 18 August 17 November 16
March canceled June 15 September 21 December 21
August 2013 Workout
Superset Workout: 3-4 Sets, 10-12 Reps
*Slide Reverse Lunges (or DB Reverse Lunges)
*Diamond Push Ups
*Hip Bridge Hold Chest Flys
*SB Leg Curls (one or two leg)
*SB Step Offs
* SB Plank Hold (30-50 sec)
Intervals 40x20 for 15 Rounds
*Burpees (see how many you can do in total...Challenge On)
For Beginner & Intermediate/Advance Workouts:
Free Workouts All Levels
Post Links with Bonus Workouts:
~You should see your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program. You should have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you are over 35 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietician.~
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Get Your Run On Comfortably
from 12/5/12 Post on Running Shoe Lacing Techniques
Interesting tidbit from katierunsthis.com
Running Shoe Lacing Techniques
When most runners purchase their running shoes from a specialty running store (You are not still shopping at those big box sporting goods stores, are you?) they are already cross-laced and ready to go. Or are they? Did you know there are different ways that you can lace your shoes to make them more comfortable or to help customize your shoes for your feet? Here are some of the more common shoe lacing patterns that help combat some common shoe issues. I tried to find the brightest shoe laces on the brightest pair of shoes I own so that you could see easier.
First, let’s cover the LOOP LACING LOCK. This technique can be used in a number of different lacing patterns to insure a tight and snug fit anywhere along the eye row of your shoe, depending on where your laces seem to be slipping.
In this example, I have put the loop lacing lock at the top of the shoe. The shoe was cross-laced as usual to the top of the shoe. To accomplish the loop lacing lock, put each lace end back into the same hole it just exited, leaving a small loop on each side.
Then thread each loose end through the loop on the opposite side of the shoe.
Pull tight to make loops smaller. Then tie shoe as usual.
PROBLEM: High Instep
Near the toe of the shoe, start lacing with the cross-lacing technique. Once you get to the middle of the shoe, thread the laces up the sides of the eye row, leaving room. Continue cross-lacing at the top of the shoe and tie at the top as usual. This will give your foot room in the midfoot area and help keep the shoe from feeling to tight across the arch of the foot.
PROBLEM: Wide Forefoot
From the bottom of the eye row, lace up the sides of the shoe. Once you get to the middle of the shoe (midfoot), start the cross-lacing technique and continue on to the top of the shoe. Tie shoe at the top, as usual. This will give your foot plenty of room to spread or allow your toes to splay while running.
PROBLEM: Narrow Foot
To help a shoe fit more snugly on a narrow foot, you might want to try adding a loop lacing lock in the middle of the eye row. To accomplish this, cross-lace the shoe as normal up to the midfoot, add a loop lacing lock, and then continue cross-lacing the shoe to the top. Tie the shoe at the top, as usual. Doing this will double the amount of laces across your midfoot, ensuring a snug fit.
PROBLEM: Heel Slipping
There are two good ways of keeping a shoe from slipping on the heel. The first way is to put a loop lacing lock at the top of the shoe (shown in the beginning of the post) and tie shoe as usual. Another way is to use a modified loop lacing lock, called a “runner’s tie.” To accomplish the runner’s tie, cross-lace the shoe until the second to last top hole and then lace up each side of the eye row. Take each loose lace end and thread it back under the side lace of the opposite side. Tie the shoe at the top, as usual.
PROBLEM: Shoe Feels Too Tight
To give your shoe an overall roomier feel, try the parallel lacing technique. To start, lace the first tow eyelets near the toe of the shoe. On one side, pull the lace up through the first eyelet and then straight across the shoe and into the eyelet directly across from it. On the other side, skip the first eyelet and pull the lace up through the second eyelet and then lace it into the eyelet straight across from it. Repeat this skipping an eyelet and lacing across pattern until the shoe is laced to the top. This lacing technique is a little tricky, so here is a link to a video that might help.
PROBLEM: Black Toenails
To accomplish this threading technique, start by threading one end of the shoe lace through the eyelet at the top of the shoe on the opposite side of your big toe. Leave enough lace length to tie the shoe. Lace the rest of the shoe lace through the eyelet closest to your big toe, creating a diagonal lace down the length of the shoe. Lace this long length of shoe lace straight across toward the outside of the shoe and then diagonally up toward the inside of the shoe. Repeat this lacing pattern until the shoe is laced to the top. Tie the shoe, as usual. Lacing the shoe this way allows the material above your big toe to be pulled up and off of the nail when the outside lace is tugged and tied tightly.
These are just a few alternative lacing techniques that may help solve some common runner’s shoe fit issues. I hope this has been helpful for you!
First, let’s cover the LOOP LACING LOCK. This technique can be used in a number of different lacing patterns to insure a tight and snug fit anywhere along the eye row of your shoe, depending on where your laces seem to be slipping.
In this example, I have put the loop lacing lock at the top of the shoe. The shoe was cross-laced as usual to the top of the shoe. To accomplish the loop lacing lock, put each lace end back into the same hole it just exited, leaving a small loop on each side.
Then thread each loose end through the loop on the opposite side of the shoe.
Pull tight to make loops smaller. Then tie shoe as usual.
PROBLEM: High Instep
Near the toe of the shoe, start lacing with the cross-lacing technique. Once you get to the middle of the shoe, thread the laces up the sides of the eye row, leaving room. Continue cross-lacing at the top of the shoe and tie at the top as usual. This will give your foot room in the midfoot area and help keep the shoe from feeling to tight across the arch of the foot.
PROBLEM: Wide Forefoot
From the bottom of the eye row, lace up the sides of the shoe. Once you get to the middle of the shoe (midfoot), start the cross-lacing technique and continue on to the top of the shoe. Tie shoe at the top, as usual. This will give your foot plenty of room to spread or allow your toes to splay while running.
PROBLEM: Narrow Foot
To help a shoe fit more snugly on a narrow foot, you might want to try adding a loop lacing lock in the middle of the eye row. To accomplish this, cross-lace the shoe as normal up to the midfoot, add a loop lacing lock, and then continue cross-lacing the shoe to the top. Tie the shoe at the top, as usual. Doing this will double the amount of laces across your midfoot, ensuring a snug fit.
PROBLEM: Heel Slipping
There are two good ways of keeping a shoe from slipping on the heel. The first way is to put a loop lacing lock at the top of the shoe (shown in the beginning of the post) and tie shoe as usual. Another way is to use a modified loop lacing lock, called a “runner’s tie.” To accomplish the runner’s tie, cross-lace the shoe until the second to last top hole and then lace up each side of the eye row. Take each loose lace end and thread it back under the side lace of the opposite side. Tie the shoe at the top, as usual.
PROBLEM: Shoe Feels Too Tight
To give your shoe an overall roomier feel, try the parallel lacing technique. To start, lace the first tow eyelets near the toe of the shoe. On one side, pull the lace up through the first eyelet and then straight across the shoe and into the eyelet directly across from it. On the other side, skip the first eyelet and pull the lace up through the second eyelet and then lace it into the eyelet straight across from it. Repeat this skipping an eyelet and lacing across pattern until the shoe is laced to the top. This lacing technique is a little tricky, so here is a link to a video that might help.
PROBLEM: Black Toenails
To accomplish this threading technique, start by threading one end of the shoe lace through the eyelet at the top of the shoe on the opposite side of your big toe. Leave enough lace length to tie the shoe. Lace the rest of the shoe lace through the eyelet closest to your big toe, creating a diagonal lace down the length of the shoe. Lace this long length of shoe lace straight across toward the outside of the shoe and then diagonally up toward the inside of the shoe. Repeat this lacing pattern until the shoe is laced to the top. Tie the shoe, as usual. Lacing the shoe this way allows the material above your big toe to be pulled up and off of the nail when the outside lace is tugged and tied tightly.
These are just a few alternative lacing techniques that may help solve some common runner’s shoe fit issues. I hope this has been helpful for you!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Consistency
from 3/21/12 Post:
Consistency
Consistency
Whether it is nutrition or workouts, your results are not based upon a few grandiose workouts and nutrition days. Your results are based upon your consistent efforts day in, day out, week in, week out. Plan your workouts, plan your meals, plan your indulgences, forgive your failures, repeat!!! It's that simple!
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