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By Shahid Mishra Is Yoga for weight loss possible? Practicing Yoga postures on a regular basis will help you to strengthen and tone your entire body. A regular Yoga practice will also increase muscle mass, which will in turn increase your metabolism. Engaging in a Yoga practice that flows from one pose to the next through a series of postures based on the Sun Salutation will really get your blood pumping and leave you feeling exhilarated, strong and light as a feather. In the West, this type of Yoga practice is known as Power Yoga. Incorporating arm balancing postures into your Yoga practice will further tone your arms, back and torso. Challenging arm balancing postures will also increase your heart rate and metabolism further supporting your weight loss efforts.

The sitting postures of Hatha Yoga are important as ideal postures for a correct practice of Pranayama and meditation, apart from limbering legs and hips, strengthening the back and improving the posture. They are the most efficient postures of the body to allow psychophysical energy to flow freely with maximum relief of tension.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed The practice of the physical postures of Yoga is a wonderful tool for increasing our awareness of the way we move in the world. When we are practicing Yoga postures, the subtle nuances of how we move our bodies, our habitual thought patterns and a commitment or lack of commitment to the postures becomes strikingly evident. With an increase in self-awareness, it is much easier understand how the obstacles we are encountering in our life are generated by our habitual ways thinking and moving in the world.

By Kimaya Singh Yoga can be a wonderful tool for supporting you in your weight loss efforts. Many of the standing Yoga poses are very strengthening and vigorous. When you learn how to enter more deeply into the postures, in correct alignment, you will greatly increase the beneficial effects of the practice. Yogic standing postures increase balance, coordination, flexibility and strength. Each Yoga posture targets different areas of the body. Engaging in a regular practice of standing Yoga postures that are linked together by a series of Sun Salutations will enliven and invigorate you. It will also strengthen all of the major muscle groups in your body, keep your spine strong and flexible, and enhance the circulation of fresh blood and nutrients throughout your entire being.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can we make the public aware of the reasons for improving posture? Yoga teachers have found many opportunities for teaching positions within the corporate sector. In office Yoga training sessions, and corporate fitness centers, the need is based around holistic health, and proper posture plays a major role in maintaining good health.

By Kimaya Singh To understand the essence of yoga, it's vital for those who practice the art to know the importance of yoga posture sequences. In order to develop a sense of physical, mental, and spiritual well being, yoga postures must be done correctly in order to have a healthy mind and body. By using various breathing techniques as well as meditation, those who practice yoga are able to incorporate it into their daily lives, where it helps the person transcend the problems of everyday life and find a sense of enlightenment few others ever experience.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed A very effective way of improving Yoga student safety during a class is by modifying the postures and using appropriate props when needed. By modifying Yoga postures and using props when necessary, you will help your students to move in and out of poses that are challenging, in a safe and effective manner. Using well-placed props and modifying postures will also allow you to teach challenging multi-level Yoga classes in a safe manner.

By Rachel Holmes There are many types of yoga schools, teachers and styles available today, but most of them focus on physical techniques. Additionally, most styles are a variation of Hatha, which emphasizes physical mastery through posture (asana) and yogic breathing (pranayama). Above all else, the student will probably focus on asana and the alignment of postures during the first years of training. For this reason, let's discuss the physical and mental importance of asana alignment for yoga teachers and students.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Everybody knows that Yoga relaxes the body and increases flexibility, but is it enough to keep the body fit? According to some Yogis, the answer is: "yes." Strength can be developed by holding postures for 20 seconds or longer. Yoga styles that hold postures for minutes, will develop strength levels in their students, without an increase in body weight. In contrast, flowing styles, such as Vinyasa Yoga, develop flexibility and strength through repetitive movement.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Often practiced in gyms, Power Yoga is a general term used to refer to a practice that is more physically challenging than many other physical styles. In order to elevate heart rate, and encourage weight loss, this form of Yoga pushes through a fast-flowing series of postures. Sometimes, the postures are held for longer than is typical, in order to build strength and muscle. Deeper stretches and flexibility are encouraged through the synchronization of breath with movement. A variety of Yogic practices can be adapted to this faster-flowing, and physically-challenging form of Yoga; it is important that practitioners take certain precautions to avoid injury.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 What is the importance of warm ups in Yoga Classes? Yoga asana practice, like all other physical activities, requires the practitioner to challenge and stretch the muscles, while creating safe space in the joints. Since an integral part of most physical Yogic practices includes meditation and breathing exercises, many practitioners feel that Yogic exercise provides a "gentle workout" and skip the vital warm up session to tackle more challenging postures as soon as possible. This can be very dangerous, since warming up the body before attempting these more challenging postures can prevent injury.

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 500 What are ski postures? After a challenging day on the slopes, it is important to stretch out your muscles and ligaments. Yoga poses that help to elongate and release tension in the muscles and ligaments are critical to preventing injury and stiffness after an exhilarating day of skiing. Your level of skiing ability does not impact the necessity of keeping your muscles, joints and ligaments flexible and pliable. Our bodies work hard to provide us with a perfect run down a favorite bump run or a fast time through the gates on a GS race course. Practicing Yoga asanas that stretch out the hamstrings, quadriceps, lower back and shoulders will help to keep you feeling loose and flexible.

Yoga,Yoga Poses,Yoga Benefits,Yoga for Beginners,Meditation,Yoga Posture

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Choosing effective themes for teaching Yoga classes is one of the subtle nuances of teaching that will help to keep your classes fresh and engaging. Sequencing a series of physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation techniques that nurtures your students' well being, in a balanced and effective manner, is similar to a stringing a handful of loose pearls together. Choosing effective and appropriate themes for your classes is the very glue that holds together the individual postures and gives the class itself a deeper and more profound meaning than the simple practice of individual asanas and pranayama exercises.

The main issue, that prevents people from trying Yoga postures, is a lack of flexibility. Many Yoga poses (asanas) appear difficult; and...

There is so much that is good about establishing a routine Hatha Yoga practice. Yoga posture safety must be considered at all time. Any form of Yoga...

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Throughout the ages, there have been innumerable stories of individuals who faced their fears and surmounted unbelievable odds, in order to achieve their ultimate goals. These goals are far ranging. Some examples of courageous individuals who achieved their goals with courage and persistence are the first blind man to climb Mt. Everest and a veteran who is a certified Bikram Yoga instructor, even though he is a double amputee. In fact, Iyengar, who is credited with being one of the very first teachers to bring the practice to the west, healed himself of a disabling physical condition, through the rigorous and dedicated practice of Yoga postures.

By Faye Martins Teaching yoga is an art. Your techniques will set you apart from others. You can endear yourself to your students with small details like your selection of music or the use of fragrant aromatherapy sprays or essential oils. However, your ability and the techniques used to engage students into improved postures is a way to create better classroom relationships.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed Many of the same physical and emotional benefits of a regular practice of postures and breathing exercises can also be found in the practice of Chair Yoga. If you are Yoga student who is living with a chronic health condition that necessitates the use of props in order to safely practice asanas, by participating in chair classes, you will gain many of the benefits of a traditional class, while still maintaining your safety. If you are teacher, offering Chair Yoga classes to those students who need to practice a modified set of postures with the support of a chair will greatly increase your marketability and adaptability in a variety of different teaching environments.

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 500 What are ski postures? After a challenging day on the slopes, it is important to stretch out your muscles and ligaments. Yoga poses that help to elongate and release tension in the muscles and ligaments are critical to preventing injury and stiffness after an exhilarating day of skiing. Your level of skiing ability does not impact the necessity of keeping your muscles, joints and ligaments flexible and pliable. Our bodies work hard to provide us with a perfect run down a favorite bump run or a fast time through the gates on a GS race course. Practicing Yoga asanas that stretch out the hamstrings, quadriceps, lower back and shoulders will help to keep you feeling loose and flexible.