Group items tagged

By Faye Martins Fans of yoga claim that yoga is proven to provide anxiety relief. Given that an estimated 20 percent of Americans now take some sort of pill for a psychological problem, anxiety relief is a major selling point for yoga. However, is there anything more than anecdotal evidence to support this claim? The next time a yoga student asks you this question, here's how you can respond.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can teachers establish Yoga student safety guidelines? For all Yoga instructors, the number one priority in our classes is student safety. Hatha Yoga is important for the health of the mind and body, but, unfortunately, it can be unsafe if not practiced properly. In comparison to many other physical activities, Yogic methods are in the lower risk category.

By Faye Martins How much time did you spend on perfecting pranayama techniques during your yoga teacher certification course? Let's face it; most trainers emphasize asana during a yoga instructor training. We could blame the trainer for the rest of our lives, but it is our responsibility to participate in continuing education and independent research. There are too many therapeutic benefits to be gained to ignore pranayama.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed How do we go about nurturing harmony in our Yoga classes? According to BKS Iyengar, who is one of the most well loved and highly respected Yoga teachers of our time, "Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit." He goes on to state that, " When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open up." Ultimately, the goal of all Yoga practices is to know God intimately in the depths of one's own being. Along the way, of course, you may experience a stronger, lighter, more flexible body and a trained mind.

By Faye Martins How can yoga improve heart health. In recent years, yoga has become one of the most popular ways to stay fit in the modern world. Yoga originated, in India, as a form of physical and mental health maintenance, in hopes of attaining total peace. However, you do not have to be a guru to experience the many health benefits of a yoga routine.

By Rachel Holmes How will yoga in schools change the future? With the use of technology and tight school budgets, children and young adults around the world need activity. As a result of this need, certified yoga instructors are finding work as independent contractors in public, private and preschools. It is no surprise, considering the global culture of instant gratification, that the current generation of children has a hard time focusing, does not get enough exercise, and does not get enough nutrition.

By Rachel Holmes Teaching Yoga to seniors is a skill that requires constant study. A chair yoga teacher training course is an eye opener, but to go out into the world teaching students is an awakening. As a result of its promise for low impact activity that both strengthens the body and makes it more flexible, yoga is becoming ever more popular among seniors. In fact, most people past middle age acknowledge how important to their health a regular activity is, and medical research demonstrates the necessity for body weight strength exercises that build muscle and can help reverse bone loss, as well.

By Kathryn Boland Do you notice how 99 percent of the time in yoga asana practices; we seek to make right angles (90 degrees) in one to many locations in the body? Do you find yourself often cueing your students towards this structure? Just like with buildings, square structure adds stability. A main reason for this is basic physics: when something is slanted, gravity can exert greater force on it. In the body, that means greater muscular force must counteract that force - or one falls to the ground.

By Kathryn Boland Have you noticed the positive effects of students feeling a sense of community with those whom they practice? Have you thought about how you might be able to encourage that to emerge as a yoga instructor? I personally started to think about this topic more seriously as I joined a yoga studio, as a member. I had previously taken a few classes here, a few classes there - all enjoyable, but lacking in truly meaningful connections with my teachers and fellow students.

By Kathryn Boland Yoga Rx: What does it mean and where is it going? Have you noticed that yoga is coming more into our Western culture's medical "mainstream"? Do you wonder where you might factor in, as a yoga instructor, in this trend? My father practiced for several decades as an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hands and shoulders. While in my 200 hour CYT training, I forwarded him an article about keeping the wrists safe in weight-bearing yoga postures. The article also explained how the same postures, in an overall balanced asana practice, can help to alleviate many hand and arm medical complications.

Pregnancy calculator guide or how to use pregnancy calculator? There are some questions which you are curious to find the answer about these. We covered briefly this topic for you. You will get the answer here also, What are pregnancy symptoms and due date calculation procedures?

After getting married, every couple certainly wants to have a baby. So, when a wife gets pregnant, both she and the husband want to know as soon as possible when she will give birth. Usually, a married couple will go to a hospital and follow USG test to know the predicted birth date. However, you can actually calculate it by your own. You should know when your last period was started so then you are able to find a due date. Today, there is what is called pregnancy calculator. It can be used by everyone. If you are curious about it, let's pay attention to the following discussion.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. How can your students learn to apply mindful breath awareness to life? The warm, balmy months of summer easily lend themselves to teaching Yoga classes in an outdoor environment. Traditionally, Yoga postures and breathing exercises were practiced outside, or at least within the natural confines of a cave, grove of trees or on the banks of a river. Most of the traditional sadhus of India practiced Yoga in tandem with either the dawn or the dusk hours. The reason for this was that practicing Yoga in alignment with the rhythms of the dawn and dusk hours helps to facilitate a deep connection to the natural world.

By Faye Martins Yoga has been shown to alleviate stress and help relieve tension for centuries. However, it has become apparent in more recent years how beneficial yogic methods can be for eliminating problems associated with insomnia. There are a variety of reasons that yogic practices can help you sleep better. One of the most prominent reasons is related to the relaxation techniques that are a major part of yoga training sessions. These techniques help people who practice yoga to relax and let go of tension, which helps them get to sleep easier and sleep soundly for longer periods of time.

By Faye Martins How can yoga help young athletes? The American Heart Association recommends that all kids ages two and over participate in at least 30 minutes of medium-intensity physical activity every day. Children enjoy physical activity, and many get involved in competitive sports, but more and more, parents and whole families are coming to see the value of cooperative activities. Yoga helps children increase balance and body awareness, and relieves social pressure from trying to "win."

By Jenny Park It is such an accomplishment to complete your first teacher-training course. Unquestionably, making the decision where and how to become certified was no doubt a major one. You had to choose whether it would be online, local, abroad, intensive, or spread out over several months or years and cost was certainly also a factor. Therefore, at the end when you completed the education, you probably exhaled a sigh of gratitude and relief, while mentally checking the achievement off the list in your mind. Nevertheless, remember the education is never over.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 What should teacher know beyond how to run a class? At the very least, a Yoga teacher should have knowledge of the latest trends in classes, and the latest continuing education options for teachers. If something does appeal to you, there are many different continuing education options available for experienced teachers. There are a number of workshops, seminars, and camps around the world for interns and established teachers.

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 500 In the modern world, the term "yoga" has become something of a catch-all term, which encompasses a dizzying array of styles, practices, techniques and even environments. Just a few of the many types of yoga practiced today are Vinyasa, Hatha, Prenatal, Hot, Therapeutic, Restorative and Yin Yoga.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can Yoga improve the state of health for children? Hatha Yoga is an ancient series of physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques, which help to balance and rejuvenate the entire body-mind system. Practicing Yoga, on a regular basis, can tremendously support children's health, both physically and emotionally. A regular practice of Yoga, in the range of one to five times a week, has been shown to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, heighten self-esteem, and lower stress and anxiety levels that can contribute to the development of depression.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed As we enter into the heart of the summer, many Yoga practitioners are beginning to enjoy a challenging and vigorous outdoor exercise regime. Those of us who spend a lot of time indoors during the colder winter months often participate in a variety of outdoor activities during the summertime. Depending on where you live and the availability of different outdoor activities, you may choose to go backpacking, play in a tennis league, surf, or even learn how to rock climb. You may even choose to do several of these activities over the course of the summertime, in addition to your regular Yoga practice.