Author: Eunice Mckinney

Yoga has become increasingly popular in recent years with studios all over the world popping up and tutorials and instructional all readily available online. An excellent form of exercise, yoga stretches both the body and the mind and many people find it incredibly relaxing too.

Making the most out the time you spend practicing yoga is essential and it’s certainly one of those forms of exercise that sees you get out what you put in.

For beginners yoga may seem a little daunting but over time you’ll find out what works for you and what styles suit you best. These tips are intended for beginners and will help get you started and on the right track.

Decide where to practice

When it comes to deciding where to practice you’ll need to consider where you feel most comfortable and whether it’s your lounge, in a gym or private studio anywhere you can relax and follow instruction is suitable.

There are a variety of different forms of yoga too, so you’ll need to know a bit about what each style entails and how vigorous it is before you select your ideal exercise location. If you opt for yoga classes that are held at a gym or studio you will need to attend the classes geared towards beginners or opt for an all levels session where newcomers are catered for.

Get the right equipment

Yoga isn’t an exercise form that you’ll need to spend vast amount of money on but one item that’s essential, whether at home or in a studio is a good mat. It is suggested that before you splash out on a decent mat you try a few classes and make sure yoga is for you, just as you’d take advantage of horse racing tips NZ before playing for real money at a casino.

A good quality mat that sticks to the floor, doesn’t slide and offers adequate protection is essential and you could even choose one that has lines on it that help keep you aligned throughout your practice.

Understand the basic names

You don’t need to become fluent in the different yoga poses overnight but gleaning  a basic understanding of what the most common ones mean and what they entail is advisable.

Similarly its essential that you have an idea as to what the different styles of yoga are and that you don’t end up in a bikram class when you hate heat or a Vinyasa class when you were looking for something slow and meditative.

Yoga is not a competition

If you are looking for a form of exercise that’s competitive, yoga is not the right choice for you. Yoga is a solitary exercise that’s very introspective and can run at your own pace and there is no element of competing with other participants in the class.

Your practice can be tailored to your strengths and it’s up to every individual to push themselves in a way they prefer. Leaving your competitive spirit at the door is suggested and staying calm and focused is all part of the challenge.

Yoga is a very mental form of exercise as well as being incredibly physical and it’s also an endless process of learning and trial and error. Perseverance is essential and you’ll find that your body works differently every day.

If you embrace this your practice will run smoothly and you’ll benefit from every yoga session you partake in.

We are all aware of the relaxation, health and strength benefits we get from practicing yoga, and those alone are enough to continue with our sun salutations.

But did you know that major athletes, NFL players, swimmers, rugby and football teams often incorporate yoga into their training routines?That’s because yoga can do so much more for you, and the coaches of the sporting giants know it.

Here’s how yoga can improve your performance regardless of your chosen sport.

Yoga helps to loosen and lengthen your muscles. Any athlete knows, the muscles that are worked the most are the ones that build the fastest. The issue with this is that it can create imbalances in our muscular structure. Yoga is an excellent sport to mitigate this.

The yoga poses work to strengthen all your muscles meaning, you get a more even tone and strength distribution. This stops certain muscles from working harder to compensate for others. In addition, it works to stretch and lengthen the muscles stopping them from creating balls of muscular tissue.

Flexibility

Yoga increases flexibility, and this is incredibly important when practicing correct form, and especially so for any sports with a swing type range of motion. If you look at your body right now, you may find your shoulders are slightly hunched, like a vulture. Pull them backward, while pulling your armpits to the floor.

You will most likely feel a slight tightness in the muscles over your chest. This ‘vulture’ posture is a product of humans sitting in front of their computers playing online betting NZ, looking down at their smartphones and spending hours in traffic, hunched over the steering wheel.

Those tight chest muscles need to be made more flexible, so that your body can relax into its natural posture. This increased flexibility also allows us to open our chests and use our lungs to their full capacity. This is invaluable on its own, and even more so for athletes who participate in any type of cardio endurance sport.

Balance and Stability

Balance does more than just keep us standing upright, but is crucial in preventing injury. It ensures we have the correct posture which means we can execute the movement required to participate in our chosen activity correctly, without favouring particular muscle groups.

Balance also improves stability. Whether this is while we are running down a steep hill or holding a complex yoga pose, it is our balance and stability that enable us to do so with out injury.

Endurance, Focus and Commitment

Yoga forces us to listen to our bodies, to concentrate and to focus on our breathing. Any extreme athlete will tell you that when it comes to finishing a race, it is as much, if not more, pure mental will.

While practicing the yoga Asanas you are forced to concentrate on your position, breathing and finally, when you get to that time in the pose, where your glutes are vibrating, and your quads are on fire, you focus and push through which teaches discipline, focus on the end goal, and commitment to reaching it.

t teaches you to endure which is beneficial to so many sports.

Yoga cannot replace all sport, but it certainly can compliment and enhance the rest of your training regime. Incorporating yoga into your routine will open another dimension to your training, and it is recommended that if yoga is your exercise of choice, that you add in some cardio training to create a balanced workout.

When people have the same fitness goals and are more or less at the same level, training with someone or in a group can be extremely helpful. It is when one person stops getting any benefit from the group training that problems can crop up. Here is a quick list of the pros and cons of training with others.

The Pros

Motivation, Advice and Fun

Motivation is the number one, biggest, bestest reason to train with other people. Think back to any team sport you were involved in, it could have been hockey or track. The point is this, other people were counting on you, or they were cheering you on, or maybe, competing with you.

It doesn’t matter which, being held accountable by others or letting down your friend makes your excuses seem weak, and forces you to take a break from online slots for real money in Canada and get moving.

No matter the sport it is always useful, though not always welcome, to have someone there that can assist you with your form and technique. This is true for everything from yoga to weight lifting, and can save you from an injury that stops you from reaching your goals.

Fun, whether its hysterical laughter about the fact that riding a bike is not actually like riding a bike, or just a chance to catch up with a friend. Fun makes even the most painful training a little easier to bear. Plus, there’s the added bonus of someone to join you for your post workout super smoothie.

The Cons

Speed, Duration and Activity of Choice

As soon as you start training with other people, those three things are going to change. You will no longer be able to set the pace without consultation, the duration will both increase and decrease (we will explain shortly), and you won’t be able to dictate the activity.

Unless you and your training partner or partners are at a similar fitness level, the speed at which you train for certain sports is going to be set by the less fit individual. Why? Because if it is set by you, you will be training alone, having left your buddy in your dust.

If you are training in something like weights you will end up sharing a piece of equipment which means your work out is going to take twice as long. You can’t press and spot at the same time.

Let’s explain the duration dilemma. Training with someone else will extend the time it takes to complete an individual activity, and potentially decrease the amount of time you are able to train based on your partners limitations.

We are assuming that you like your training partner, therefore, unless you are only focusing on one exercise you cannot dictate the activities. Because that would be mean, and nobody likes the mean kid.

The Conclusion

None of the cons are insurmountable issues and you really cannot replace the motivation and fun factor.

So, if you fairly plan what you will be doing in advance, agree to some ground rules regarding commitment, pace, and durations, you really should get all the benefits without destroying the friendship.

The biggest bonus? You and all your friends will be healthy, thin and monumentally more attractive than couch potatoes.

In the rushed and hectic modern world it can be hard to find the time or motivation to head to the gym for a good hour of exercise. But you still feel guilty when you do not spend the time doing your “required” daily exercise.

So here we show you a workout that you can do in seven minutes, to either start yourself on the journey to fitness or to keep you somewhat fit when you are unable to make it to your usual exercise class/gym. Continue reading “7 Minute Workouts” →

Your post workout recovery is just as important as the actual workout itself. Let’s have a look at what you can do to recover faster and better after a strenuous workout

Take days off In-between And Don’t Overdo It

We have all grown up with the ethos of No Pain, No Gain, but this is a mindset that has been scientifically refuted time and again. Rather than driving your body past the point of no return. You should instead pay heed to what your body tells you during exercise.

Your goal shouldn’t be to shred your muscles each and every session. Muscle growth and development can actually be hampered rather than helped from too strenuous exercise.

It is just as important to take days off between exercises as your body need this time to rest and recover. You want your body to repair as much damage as possible before you should even consider exercise again. If your body is still sore from a previous session, take the day off, as much as it irks you. Your body will thank you in the long run.

High Protein And Cherry Juice

Some lean protein like eggs, chicken, raw nuts or beans are ideal for a post workout snack. This will help your body gather the nutrients and proteins it needs to repair your tired muscles.

Studies have also shown that cherry juice is an excellent post workout recovery drink so make that part of your recovery snack.

Use Proper Routine To Cool Down

Even though we are all aware that it’s a must to cool down after exercise, just like it is a must to signup and play online casino games at https://casinositescanada.net/review/river-belle/ casino, very few people actually set out a routine of cool down. With everyone’s high stress lifestyle, it’s already a mission just to fit in 30 minute for exercise and many feel they can’t afford another 10 or 15 minutes to cool down.

Obviously stretching prevents muscle soreness and damage, but it also helps you centre yourself and get ready for the rest of the day. This cool down gets your muscles ready for recovery. A cool down can include light jogging, stretching walking and more. It depends on the person and the type of exercise you are recovering from. Some simple yoga poses can cover many bases.

Use Heating Pads And Hot Showers

Heat is excellent for muscle recovery. While many professional athletes make use of special heating pads, you don’t need to make this additional expense. A hot towel works just as well and helps prevent muscle inflammation and tightness.

This can also be substituted with a hot shower after your workout. It is still a must though to perform your cool down exercises. There is nothing more unpleasant than a muscle spasm in the shower after a workout while you have soap in your eyes.

Take Anti Inflammatory Medication

While this certainly should not be considered a regular solution, if you are suffering form sore muscles post workout it may be a good idea to take some anti inflammatory medication to help with the pain and recovery.

The best way to even avoid this step totally is to follow the first two steps. Take things easy, do not overdo your training and make sure to do a full post workout cool down.