I stumbled across an article about how Sting does yoga to emphasize the creative life and human rights. It was cool to read about how passionate they are about doing yoga. They have a house out in Tuscany where they invite friends for a week and put on yoga retreats!
It all started when Sting's guitarist recommended yoga to him. He of course invited a yoga teacher into his home to have his first private lesson when his dog peed on the yoga teacher's satchel. The yoga teacher just smiled about it and Sting instantly knew that he had a kind heart. Sting loved yoga so much that he invited the yoga teacher, Danny, to stay with them for a couple of weeks and teach them classes every morning. Sounds like a pretty sweet job!
Now, Sting does about 60-90 minutes of yoga every day before breakfast. When he was younger, he prefered more aggressive exercise such as running and thought he would get bored with yoga. however, he discovered how much physical and mental effort yoga required and became hooked. His wife, Styler focuses more on the meditation aspect of it. While she only physically practices a couple of times a week, she meditates every day when she wakes up and before she goes to sleep.
Once, Styler told her instructor that she couldn't do yoga that day because her body was stiffed. She laughed when he told her "Bad Woman! Your body isn't stiff! Your mind is stiff." That made me laugh because it is so true. Yoga is about keeping an open mind and trying new things to push your body even if they can be challenging. The times that your body is stiff are the times you need yoga the most!
http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/3006
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Served with Love
There is such a spirit of community that comes with yoga which naturally lends itself to service to others. There is even a word for it: seva which means selfless service. It was fun to read about the various ways that people are inspired to give back to their communities and how it is tied to yoga.
Mark Lilly founded a nonprofit called Street Yoga that provides free yoga lessons to at-risk youth in Oregon. He says "Yoga is a tool of transformation. With that transformed Self, you can show up for others and be of service." This is a great example of how Yoga is more than just a physical fitness tool. The mental and spiritual aspect is huge.
Another teacher, Seane Corn, said that yoga made her "feel gratitutde for the gifts yoga had given me, and I wanted to give back." She began to teach a class for adolescent prostitutes. After her first class, she left in tears. The girls were defiant and rude to her and she did not think she could help them. As the class went on, their attitudes began to change while at the same time, she began to learn new things about herself to help her grow as a person. That is the beautiful thing about service. While it is intended to help others, it almost always also helps yourself.
Seva means going outside of your own comfort zone and extending yourself to others. Corn said that while she wants to give selflessly it is impossible for her because every time she tries to give to people, she ends up getting back more than she could ever give. What an amazing heart!
I have always loved doing community service and I hadn't even though yet of the possibilities of yoga in community service. I will definitely visit the Yoga Service Council website to find out how I can help!
http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/3072
Mark Lilly founded a nonprofit called Street Yoga that provides free yoga lessons to at-risk youth in Oregon. He says "Yoga is a tool of transformation. With that transformed Self, you can show up for others and be of service." This is a great example of how Yoga is more than just a physical fitness tool. The mental and spiritual aspect is huge.
Another teacher, Seane Corn, said that yoga made her "feel gratitutde for the gifts yoga had given me, and I wanted to give back." She began to teach a class for adolescent prostitutes. After her first class, she left in tears. The girls were defiant and rude to her and she did not think she could help them. As the class went on, their attitudes began to change while at the same time, she began to learn new things about herself to help her grow as a person. That is the beautiful thing about service. While it is intended to help others, it almost always also helps yourself.
Seva means going outside of your own comfort zone and extending yourself to others. Corn said that while she wants to give selflessly it is impossible for her because every time she tries to give to people, she ends up getting back more than she could ever give. What an amazing heart!
I have always loved doing community service and I hadn't even though yet of the possibilities of yoga in community service. I will definitely visit the Yoga Service Council website to find out how I can help!
http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/3072
Yoga for NBA Players
As a basketball player, I was curious to learn how basketball meshes with yoga. It was really interesting to read about the role it is beginning to play in the NBA. I could relate a lot to several of the things the players were saying.
For one, with all the sprinting and jumping in basketball, your glutes and IT bands get really tight. I remember I had a hard time with several of the stretches because I was so tight there. Once you can loosen those areas up, you have a larger range of motion and a lower chance of injury. Also, basketball players always wear shoes with lots of ankle support and usually tape their ankles (I know I did). Yoga can help build up better balance muscles and strengthen the muscles around your ankles so you will be less likely to roll one.
One of the things the yoga instructor said was that NBA players were reluctant to do yoga because they thought it was too girly or spiritual. In order to help them get the physical benefits they needed, he made an adjusted kind of yoga that had hip hop music and even used basketballs instead of yoga blocks. I thought it was fun how he was flexible enough to break away from tradition in order to benefit other people.
It seems to be really catching on. This famous yoga coach who has been working with NBA players, Katich, has worked with about 25 percent of NBA's current players. Talk about a dream job! Players are beginning to see the impact of taking care of their bodies in this way in order to prevent injuries and help themselves stay healthy in the league for a long time. Flexibility is a key part to longevity.
This was definitely one of my favorite articles I've read because I have felt all of the benefits they were describing. It is true that basketball workouts seem to build explosive tight muscle but most teams never focus on stretching to help lengthen these muscles and gain flexibility. I was a gymnast as a child and used to be extremely flexible. After all of my years playing basketball, I have lost so much flexibility but I'm slowly starting to get some of it back! Thanks Yoga :)
http://www.ihoops.com/training-room/player-psychology/NBA-Players-Finding-Benefits-in-Yoga.htm
For one, with all the sprinting and jumping in basketball, your glutes and IT bands get really tight. I remember I had a hard time with several of the stretches because I was so tight there. Once you can loosen those areas up, you have a larger range of motion and a lower chance of injury. Also, basketball players always wear shoes with lots of ankle support and usually tape their ankles (I know I did). Yoga can help build up better balance muscles and strengthen the muscles around your ankles so you will be less likely to roll one.
One of the things the yoga instructor said was that NBA players were reluctant to do yoga because they thought it was too girly or spiritual. In order to help them get the physical benefits they needed, he made an adjusted kind of yoga that had hip hop music and even used basketballs instead of yoga blocks. I thought it was fun how he was flexible enough to break away from tradition in order to benefit other people.
It seems to be really catching on. This famous yoga coach who has been working with NBA players, Katich, has worked with about 25 percent of NBA's current players. Talk about a dream job! Players are beginning to see the impact of taking care of their bodies in this way in order to prevent injuries and help themselves stay healthy in the league for a long time. Flexibility is a key part to longevity.
This was definitely one of my favorite articles I've read because I have felt all of the benefits they were describing. It is true that basketball workouts seem to build explosive tight muscle but most teams never focus on stretching to help lengthen these muscles and gain flexibility. I was a gymnast as a child and used to be extremely flexible. After all of my years playing basketball, I have lost so much flexibility but I'm slowly starting to get some of it back! Thanks Yoga :)
http://www.ihoops.com/training-room/player-psychology/NBA-Players-Finding-Benefits-in-Yoga.htm
Monday, April 29, 2013
Yoga Food
I was surprised to learn that there is actually food principles that go along with yoga. Looking back, it would make sense that there would be eating strategies combined with the movements in order to get the most benefit for your body.
The cells that make up your body are comprised of the foods that you put in. Therefore, if you want quality materials in your body, you need to eat quality foods. Adjustments in diet have even been shown to cure and prevent some serious diseases. I was surprised to read in the article that yoga believes it is possible to even change the character of a person by a change in diet.
The old yoga texts advise the yogi to eat until his stomach is half full. It is also believed that people are herbivorous and should not eat meat. They do not believe that the human digestive system is made for meat diets and observe that the great apes do not eat flesh.
It is recommended that the yogi eat foods which are pure, agreeable, sweet, easily digested and nourishing. This includes dairy, sweets, whole grains, vegetables, herbs, and fruits. No spices are aloud because they are considered overstimulating and harmful. It was found that condiments can even produce acids that might poison the blood stream.
Foods that are sharp, sour, pungent, or bitter are prohibited. Roasted foods were also prohibited though I am not sure why. They are also urged to drink about two quarts of water each day though not at meal times.
This diet seems very clean and good for the body. However, I think it would be difficult for me to eat foods without spices or flavorings! Also, I am a fan of meat. It is definitely good though to have a focus on choosing foods that are easy to digest to aid your body.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rwy/rwy11.htm
The cells that make up your body are comprised of the foods that you put in. Therefore, if you want quality materials in your body, you need to eat quality foods. Adjustments in diet have even been shown to cure and prevent some serious diseases. I was surprised to read in the article that yoga believes it is possible to even change the character of a person by a change in diet.
The old yoga texts advise the yogi to eat until his stomach is half full. It is also believed that people are herbivorous and should not eat meat. They do not believe that the human digestive system is made for meat diets and observe that the great apes do not eat flesh.
It is recommended that the yogi eat foods which are pure, agreeable, sweet, easily digested and nourishing. This includes dairy, sweets, whole grains, vegetables, herbs, and fruits. No spices are aloud because they are considered overstimulating and harmful. It was found that condiments can even produce acids that might poison the blood stream.
Foods that are sharp, sour, pungent, or bitter are prohibited. Roasted foods were also prohibited though I am not sure why. They are also urged to drink about two quarts of water each day though not at meal times.
This diet seems very clean and good for the body. However, I think it would be difficult for me to eat foods without spices or flavorings! Also, I am a fan of meat. It is definitely good though to have a focus on choosing foods that are easy to digest to aid your body.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rwy/rwy11.htm
Yoga as Therapy
With the many health benefits of yoga, it is natural to consider how yoga can be used in a medical situation. Yoga therapy was created to provide a more natural way for people to release stress in their bodies due to diseases, pregnancy or menopause. These therapies include asana (physical poses), pPranayama (breathing), meditation and guided imagery. They sometimes even include a yoga diet!
Yoga is a more holistic way to work on your body, mind, and spirit all at once. Therefore, it can be really useful to help get relief from most ailments. They can help improve the digestive system, create psychological well-being, and improve oxygen distribution throughout the body. So much pain and disease is caused by stress and yoga is such a great tool to help relieve stress.
Yoga has also been shown to lower the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It also has expedited the recovery after bypass surgery. It has been shown to help with asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure. How amazing! This can help people put less chemicals in their bodies and even save money.
Even though yoga has been shown to help improve all of these things, it generally works slower than conventional medicine. You must learn the poses and ramp up the intensity and duration of the practice as is allowed. This process will be different for everyone
It is empowering to know that there are natural methods like this out there that can help bring healing without modern medicine, drugs, and surgeries. We can all make a very real impact on our bodies!
http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/1878
Yoga is a more holistic way to work on your body, mind, and spirit all at once. Therefore, it can be really useful to help get relief from most ailments. They can help improve the digestive system, create psychological well-being, and improve oxygen distribution throughout the body. So much pain and disease is caused by stress and yoga is such a great tool to help relieve stress.
Yoga has also been shown to lower the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It also has expedited the recovery after bypass surgery. It has been shown to help with asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure. How amazing! This can help people put less chemicals in their bodies and even save money.
Even though yoga has been shown to help improve all of these things, it generally works slower than conventional medicine. You must learn the poses and ramp up the intensity and duration of the practice as is allowed. This process will be different for everyone
It is empowering to know that there are natural methods like this out there that can help bring healing without modern medicine, drugs, and surgeries. We can all make a very real impact on our bodies!
http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/1878
Is Yoga Enough?
There are so many health benefits to yoga. However, yoga might not be enough to be your entire workout regimen. It doesn't fit the traditional way I think of working out since I have a background playing basketball. It doesn't have quite the cardio that I'm used to. While I have gotten several health benefits from yoga, I still feel pretty out of breath during my soccer games on Sunday. Is the answer more intense yoga or does it need to be supplemented with something else?
Cardiovascular fitness is very key to living a long and healthy life. Therefore, it should be a huge consideration when planning a workout routine. In order to improve the fitness of your heart, you need to focus on intensity, duration, and frequency. We should aim to stay above 65% of our maximum heart rate for at least 20 minutes, three to five times per week. However, there is more and more evidence that mixing high and low intensity workouts is beneficial.
The style of yoga plays into how much your heart rate will increase. If you are doing long holds, your heart rate will likely remain lower. If you are doing more of a Ashtanga power flow style yoga, it is more likely your heat rate will increase into the intense range. Other teachers argue that even the most intense yoga will never challenge your heart in the same way as running or swimming.
There still hasn't been that much research into the heart benefits of yoga. It will be interesting to see what people learn about it in the future. For me, I will just make sure that I am doing a variety of different kinds of workouts anyways to keep myself more engaged. I will always love playing basketball but it is also nice to gain some more strength and flexibility as well as relieve stress through yoga.
http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/3160
Cardiovascular fitness is very key to living a long and healthy life. Therefore, it should be a huge consideration when planning a workout routine. In order to improve the fitness of your heart, you need to focus on intensity, duration, and frequency. We should aim to stay above 65% of our maximum heart rate for at least 20 minutes, three to five times per week. However, there is more and more evidence that mixing high and low intensity workouts is beneficial.
The style of yoga plays into how much your heart rate will increase. If you are doing long holds, your heart rate will likely remain lower. If you are doing more of a Ashtanga power flow style yoga, it is more likely your heat rate will increase into the intense range. Other teachers argue that even the most intense yoga will never challenge your heart in the same way as running or swimming.
There still hasn't been that much research into the heart benefits of yoga. It will be interesting to see what people learn about it in the future. For me, I will just make sure that I am doing a variety of different kinds of workouts anyways to keep myself more engaged. I will always love playing basketball but it is also nice to gain some more strength and flexibility as well as relieve stress through yoga.
http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/3160
Teachin Yoga
Two of my good friends have been working on yoga teaching certification. It sounds like a really cool and in depth learning experience so I thought I would do some research to discover what it involves. Even if I were not interested in ever teaching yoga, it could be great to take the course to improve my practice.
It is recommended that you have already practiced for several years and taken some classes with a teacher who you would like to mentor you prior to taking the certification courses. The Yoga Alliance is a national organization that grants these certifications. There are two different levels: a 200-Hour and a 500-Hour. That is way more hours than I expected! Upon completion, yoga teachers can put RYT or registered yoga teacher following their name.
There are several different styles of certifications you may undertake such as Bikram, vinyasa or hatha. You can gather information about which style might fit you more from any teachers you are currently practicing with.
The costs can be up to $3,000. I did not realize how intensive it was to gather a yoga teacher certification! I'm sure it is very rewarding thought to learn so much about your mind, body, and spirituality. Perhaps someday I will take this to better my own practice! I do not think I would ever really want to teach it as a profession.
http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaenthusiast/a/teachertraining.htm
It is recommended that you have already practiced for several years and taken some classes with a teacher who you would like to mentor you prior to taking the certification courses. The Yoga Alliance is a national organization that grants these certifications. There are two different levels: a 200-Hour and a 500-Hour. That is way more hours than I expected! Upon completion, yoga teachers can put RYT or registered yoga teacher following their name.
There are several different styles of certifications you may undertake such as Bikram, vinyasa or hatha. You can gather information about which style might fit you more from any teachers you are currently practicing with.
The costs can be up to $3,000. I did not realize how intensive it was to gather a yoga teacher certification! I'm sure it is very rewarding thought to learn so much about your mind, body, and spirituality. Perhaps someday I will take this to better my own practice! I do not think I would ever really want to teach it as a profession.
http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaenthusiast/a/teachertraining.htm
Extreme Yoga!
I remember a couple of years back when I went to the body works exhibit at the Denver museum of Nature and History. The yoga instructor was the one with the most lean muscle developed throughout her body. I was amazed even then at the strength required for yoga. The benefits were so apparent.
Today, I found an article showing some of the extreme yoga poses. It was another reminder of how much athleticism yoga can create. The first pose involved a partner. One person was completely holding the other person up while they were in an extremely flexible position. It is really inspirational to see people taking their practice to these levels. It must have taken them years! My favorite poses were the King Dancer Pose and the Loop de Loop pose. I just wish there was someone near by so we could try them!
One of the coolest parts of this article was that most of the yoga poses involved partners. Yoga has such an emphasis on community and I personally love partner poses. You can do so much more interesting things with people around you than you could ever do on your own.
I enjoyed reading about the extreme aspects of yoga because I don't think people usually think of it that way. I know several middle aged people who do yoga because it can be a more calm, laid-back way to exercise. It is important to remember that it can also be just as intense and rigorous as many of the other types of physical activity.
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/yoga/poses/extreme-yoga-poses/
Today, I found an article showing some of the extreme yoga poses. It was another reminder of how much athleticism yoga can create. The first pose involved a partner. One person was completely holding the other person up while they were in an extremely flexible position. It is really inspirational to see people taking their practice to these levels. It must have taken them years! My favorite poses were the King Dancer Pose and the Loop de Loop pose. I just wish there was someone near by so we could try them!
One of the coolest parts of this article was that most of the yoga poses involved partners. Yoga has such an emphasis on community and I personally love partner poses. You can do so much more interesting things with people around you than you could ever do on your own.
I enjoyed reading about the extreme aspects of yoga because I don't think people usually think of it that way. I know several middle aged people who do yoga because it can be a more calm, laid-back way to exercise. It is important to remember that it can also be just as intense and rigorous as many of the other types of physical activity.
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/yoga/poses/extreme-yoga-poses/
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