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By Faye Martins On any given day, Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat might be standing on his hands with his knees tucked behind his armpits and his big toes touching. He's practicing Crow Pose, a yoga posture, as part of his rigorous training program that enables him to be a top player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Why do he and other athletes, such as Eli Manning of the New York Giants, practice yoga?

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Teaching Yoga is an evolving process, regardless of how long we have been teaching. One of the ways that Yoga teachers grow, and learn, in their profession is by finding a mentor. A mentor teacher is usually someone with a few more years of experience; someone who excels at what they do; and someone wishing to enrich the teaching skills of a younger Yoga instructor.

By Faye Martins With violence and bullying reaching epidemic proportions in both the real world and cyberspace, many people are looking for ways to reduce violent outbursts in children. Yoga is proving to be an inexpensive but effective solution to violence problems and has shown great promise. By allowing youngsters to learn control over both their physical body and emotional processes, yoga provides a much safer outlet for negative energy and thoughts than many other activities. Here is a look at why and how the practice helps children.

By Gopi Rao How are happiness and the art of yoga connected? In the search for perpetual happiness, many men and women are turning to yoga classes a few times each week. In fact, certified yoga instructors will be able to help their students gently coax their bodies into various flexible positions. When the blood flows through the muscles in just the right way, peace and serenity can be restored to both the mind and the soul. Here are three yoga poses that will leave students ready to confront anything and everything that life can throw at them.

Yoga can reduce back pain and even heal it. Studies have shown that a regular yoga practice may be the very best remedy to keep the spine flexible and strong and the energy flowing through the nerves. Yoga is the least invasive and most cost effective of any of the recommended methods including chiropractory, acupuncture, drugs, or surgery. Of course it can be used in conjunction with any of the above methods.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 The following are questions that Yoga teachers still need to answer, despite overwhelming evidence that Yoga is "the mother of all health maintenance systems." Mainstream thought is finally catching up, with the progress Yoga is making, but it has taken 5,000 years for us to get this far. Seriously, How Can Yoga Make You Lose Weight? Finally, some of the "Yoga and Weight Loss" studies have come in, and even, a little bit of Yoga is much better, than none, for weight control, but there are a number of reasons why. Yoga is a lifestyle change that includes a safe diet; exercise, adjusting posture, breathing, and a whole lot more. Most of the practitioners, I know, consume more water, eat more moderately, and take more care of their bodies, in comparison to the many who don't want to leave the couch.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Are there any difficult Yoga students? For the most part, our students are the best part of what we do. Many student / teacher relationships are friendships as well. However, at least once a week, I receive an Email about How to handle difficult Yoga students. Unfortunately, you could be the kindest and safest teacher within a 100-mile radius, but eventually you will run into a difficult student. One common reaction to being verbally assaulted by a student is to think, "Why me?"

By Faye Martins How much impact does yoga have on the recovery of cancer patients? Yoga is an art form that is greatly appreciated for its positive effects on the body. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health are each enhanced through the practice of yoga and other holistic methods. Yoga is a calm and relaxing method of strengthening the body and ridding it of toxins, making it an ideal exercise for patients who have long-term or terminal illnesses. Cancer is a disease that is growing rapidly in today's world, but few know the benefits of yoga to cancer patients.

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 Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Many Yoga teacher training interns envision classes with fit students, who want physical challenges. Hatha Yoga training is well known as a form of exercise designed to build flexibility, strength, and general fitness. What is less well known is that practicing Yoga can improve your ability to deal with stress. As many of us realize, stress is a very corrosive aspect of our modern society, and it takes an especially heavy toll on our children. Students often find themselves under severe emotional stress and have a difficult time coping with the feelings and problems this can create. Yoga training is an excellent tool to teach students how to integrate all aspects of their lives.

By Faye Martins Becoming a certified yoga instructor can help you make a career out of something that you enjoy. If you are interested in increasing your physical and mental fitness, teaching a yoga class enables you to do both in a single setting. Additionally, you can meet new people and develop friendships that can last for years. How could online yoga certification programs help you earn your spot as a yoga instructor?

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. How can Yin Yoga help cancer patients? It is quite unfortunate that the cancer rates have jumped so dramatically over the last few decades. Many experts believe that this exponential increase is due to the high levels of toxic chemicals in our food, water and air, in addition to the depleted soil that much of our food is grown in.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 When you are teaching a Yoga class for kids, it's important to be ready to interact with the parents, as well as the children. If Yoga is a new activity for some, the parents are sure to have questions and concerns about what Yoga is, how it's taught, and what they can expect their kids to experience during each class. If the parents have little experience with the practice and philosophies of Yoga, they probably have a few preconceived notions about Yoga. It is your job as a Yoga instructor to provide a positive experience for both the children and their parents.

By Faye Martins How do we start to train the mind and body? Many people practice yoga for its fitness benefits. However, this ancient system of complete health maintenance should be comprehensive when we train the mind and body. If you take specified yoga teacher courses that focus on training the mind and body, then you can help your students obtain the complete art from their practice.

By Melody Wordsworth Before starting this essay over a year ago I decided strongly that my Yoga on health topic would have to be Yoga and HIV. As we live in a society where this has unfortunately become a big health problem and a large portion of the population, especially in South Africa is affected by this life threatening disease. As a qualified Pharmacist assistant working in the health sector I see firsthand how this disease affects people. I believe that as Yoga changed my life for the better it can also change the life of those affected by this life altering disease. I believe that Yoga can present them with health benefits to ensure a longer life where the HIV can be kept under control for many years. But before continuing with this topic I have also decided since falling pregnant last year to go further in depth with Yoga during pregnancy as this assisted me in having a successful, stress free pregnancy which I got to enjoy to its full capacity. Enjoying Yoga , while creating life is astonishing.

By Bhavan Kumar How can we improve our ability to protect yoga students? As a yoga instructor, our primary duty is to ensure the continuing safety of our students. One of the easiest ways to do this is through the use of safety guidelines. These guidelines transfer the burden of student safety from being the sole responsibility of the yoga teacher to the students themselves. A well-written set of guidelines helps us protect yoga students to ensure their own safety, which in turn gives teachers peace of mind.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Ring the Bell, Pranayama is in Session How will Yoga fitness change schools? The rise of attention deficit disorder (ADD), decreasing emphasis on physical fitness, and the increasing stress levels of our children, worry us all. With this in mind, some educational programs and public schools are giving Yogic methods a chance, by allowing their students to practice from an early age.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Yoga has many facets for healing. At the top of the list is meditation. Although Yoga postures help people cope with life's daily problems, the body is being adjusted to bring about states of inner calm. Yoga meditation preserves this feeling of calm by teaching the practitioner how to control the mind. Controlling one's mind is a life saving skill.

By Dr. Rita Khanna Prolapse is a very common problem for women, but very few women are aware of the possibility of doing something about it. Apart from surgical correction, there are many Yogic techniques, which help to reintegrate the pelvic structure and which often prove more beneficial in the long run than surgical intervention. Before taking any major steps towards removing this problem, it is important that we understand what prolapse is and how it comes about.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can Yoga help pre-existing injuries? As the benefits of practicing Yoga, to cope with chronic health concerns and pre-existing injuries, becomes more well known, the need to choose an experienced instructor and appropriate class is more important that ever. Yoga is more than a physical exercise; it is a healing art that is good for the mind, body, and spirit.