Do Sun Salutation Poses in Vinyasa Yoga

A sun salutation is a great way to start the day. It helps the body limber up and shake off any stiffness and puts you in a positive mental state. It is also a great warm up for more vigorous exercise.

Do Yin Yoga Poses

Yin yoga is an ancient form of yoga that strengthens the body. Yin yoga develops the body so you can comfortably hold positions for a longer time. The connective tissue is stretched due to the length of time you hold the poses. The yin practice includes seated meditation with twists, forward bends, back bends and hip openers. Some examples are the dragon pose, seal pose and saddle pose.

Cleanse Mind and Spirit With Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga yoga is a great tool for both exercise and meditation. Learning the complex stretches associated with this ancient art can be challenging for many practitioners. One of the most important aspects of Asthanga yoga is the cleansing of the mind and spirit.

Do a Floor Hip Roll in Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is a slow and gentle form of yoga which provides among many other health benefits, relief from stress and relaxation of muscles. Different Hatha Yoga movements work different muscles of the body. Here are the steps for performing a Hatha Yoga floor hip roll which will help stretch out your back, abdomen, and hips.

Do a Yoga Headstand With Inversion Chair

If you’re not capable of putting any sort of weight on your neck or spine, the use of an inversion stool can really help you get into and enjoy the benefits of an inverted yoga pose. Much like other inversion postures, the headstand with an inversion chair will relieve any tension in the lower back, eliminate toxins, improve circulation, increase strength and enhance balance.

Shrink Your Spleen

The spleen can become enlarged for a majority of reasons, including bacterial infections, blood clots, liver disease and can even cause the organ to become permanently damaged, resulting in serious injury. Because the spleen's main role is to assist in your immune function by killing old red blood cells, storing healthy blood and assisting to detoxify the body, having an enlarged spleen can be very dangerous. Here are some quick tips on how to shrink your spleen, if it has in fact become enlarged.

Do the Standing Side Stretch Prenatal Yoga Pose

Yoga is a wonderfully relaxing exercise for pregnant women. Standing poses are recommended in the first trimester of pregnancy to strengthen the legs and help circulation. Follow these easy steps to practice the standing side stretch.

Protect Your Shoulders in the Trikonasana Yoga Pose

Trikonasana, or Triangle Pose, requires flexibility in the hamstrings and upper back muscles. It builds leg strength and helps create greater lung capacity by stretching the lungs gently. It is important to stabilize the shoulder joints to practice it safely.

Do the Gomukhasana Yoga Pose

In yoga, the Gomukhasana pose (also known as Cow Face) is so named because it supposedly resembles the lips and ears of a cow. Although the name may require some imagination, its benefits do not. This pose serves as valuable exercise for stretching the hips, arms, and knees.

Do Chest Exercises in Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is a style of yoga that combines deep diaphragmatic breathing with yoga asanas, or postures. Below are some simple postures that can help to open and stretch the chest.

Do Yoga Animal Poses

Yoga animal poses (or asanas yoga) were developed through the observance of animals. It was believed that by imitating animal poses, humans would become spiritually enlightened.The animal poses stretch the upper arms, buttocks, back, thighs and spine. It also promotes balance and stamina. These exercises relieve stress and keep the body flexible. However, the best thing about yoga animal poses is that almost anyone can do them. This form of exercise is all about starting with what you can do and progressing at your own pace.

Have Beautiful Yoga Feet

When I first started practicing yoga I lived in New York City and began to realize how abused my feet were from lots of walking in heels and uncomfortable shoes. I began a relaxing and cleansing foot practice that is grounding and pure bliss - from head to toe! Does this Spark an idea?

Learn Yoga Breathing

Yoga breathing is also known as Pranayama, a Sanskrit word meaning "restraint of the prana." Prana is believed to be the connecting force between mind and body, and yoga breathing activates this vital life force through controlled breathing exercises. Yoga breathing replenishes oxygen to the blood and the brain, strengthens the respiratory system and helps with stress management, according to the Mayo Clinic. A regular practice of yoga breathing also leads to a reduction in anxiety, reports NursingDegree.net. Learn how to practice the complete breath, which is the beginning step to mastering more advanced yoga breathing.

Do the Yoga Lion Pose With a Chair

The yoga lion pose is a unique posture that focuses on the strength and flexibility of the muscles of the face and neck, helping to firm the facial muscles for a more youthful appearance. However, the yoga lion pose is traditionally performed in a kneeling position which can be quite challenging for those with knee injuries. Instead of kneeling, pull up a chair for this yoga pose.

Stretch Shoulder Blade Muscles

The shoulder blade muscle (also referred to as the rhomboid) is prone to tension and stress because of its location. By stretching this area, you can relieve the effects of daily stress. Also, by regularly stretching the shoulder blade muscle you can increase your muscle mass. This is especially beneficial for swimmers, wrestlers and others who use their upper body strength often. Regardless of why you want to stretch the shoulder blade area, there are many simple techniques to utilize.

Do Sahaja Yoga for Schizophrenia

Sahaja Yoga is a method of meditation that is used by many to help alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia. The term "sahaja," meaning natural or simple and "yoga," meaning union or spiritual absorption, reflects a self realization and clarity that generally very difficult for a schizophrenic to attain under normal circumstances. The information here will assist you in finding a better understanding and method of managing some of the issues surrounding the very intriguing disorder.

Make Yoga Pants Look Fashionable

Yoga pants are very comfortable and stylish, too! These go-everywhere pants may be dressed up or down. They look great with sneakers and a t-shirt and they also look fabulous with glittery sandals and a dressier top. Yoga pants are versatile. They come in standard and capri lengths. Does this Spark an idea?

Ustrasana Pose in Yoga

Ustrasana, or Camel Pose is an intermediate backbend that is best done once you have a regular yoga practice. It is a great remedy for people who work hunched over their computers during the day.

Knit Yoga Mat Straps

If you don't have the money--or desire--to purchase a swanky storebought yoga mat bag or set of straps, why not create your own? If you can cast on, bind off and do the knit stitch, you can complete this project in one evening. For a different look, you could do the same project in stockinette stitch, or adapt the pattern to use with a crochet stitch.

Perform the Eye of Needle Yoga Pose

Yoga is a form of exercise that deepens meditation and self-awareness, hones balance and attunes the mind. In addition to the energetic benefits of yoga, it can also help to strengthen the body and reduce pain. The eye of the needle yoga pose is a great way to strengthen the muscles of the lower back, and in the long run, reduce pain and tension.

Do Pada Hastasana in Yoga

Pada Hastasana, a Hands to Feet Pose, helps to strengthen the legs, improve flexibility in the spine and helps with digestion. This pose is a variation of the Mountain Pose. Following the steps in this article will guide you to doing the Pada Hastasana. Before starting any new physical activity, check with your doctor first.

Do Office Yoga Shoulder Exercises

Working at a desk all day and leaning over a computer or other work can lead to stiff neck and shoulders. If done for prolonged periods of time, you may find yourself with chronic neck and shoulder pain. If these muscles remain tight, they can often trigger headaches as well. Since it is not always possible to leave your desk, you can try the following yoga exercises to give yourself a quick break and release the tension in your muscles.

Perform the Vajrasana Pose in Full Spectrum Yoga

The goal of Full Spectrum Yoga is more westernized and fitness oriented than Hindu Yoga was originally meant to be. The Vajrasana is a sitting pose which is designated as one of the meditation asanas as it is conducive to clear thought. Also the sitting pose requires that your legs be folded in such a way which has been suggested as being good for circulation to the lower extremities. People with nerve problems in their legs, as well as diabetics with poor blood flow to the feet can benefit from regular assumption of the Vajrasana pose.

do the Neck Release Pose in Yoga

Neck release is an important beginner yoga pose and is often used at the beginning and end of a routine to help you warm up and cool down. A lot of tension is carried in the neck and upper back, which will cause injury, headaches and can inhibit the success of your other poses. The neck release is a simple pose that will keep your neck tension free.

Do Prasarita Padottanasana D in Yoga

The Prasarita Padottanasana D pose is part of the Prasarita Padottanasana series. It is a type of Ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga yoga is usually fast-paced and intense. It is also light on meditations. The Prasarita Padottanasana is just as intense and capitalizes on you getting the maximum elongation. It is perfect for lengthening the spine.

Do Ubhaya Padangusthasana With a Strap in Ashtanga Yoga

Ubhaya Padangusthasana, or Both Big Toe Pose, tones abdominal muscles, stretches hamstrings, and warms up the spine for other yoga poses.It can be a somewhat challenging pose for beginners, especially those with limited flexibility. Using an aid such as a strap, belt, or exercise band will help you accomplish the pose without compromising correct form.

Lose Weight in Leg Muscles

Although you cannot technically "lose" leg muscles, you can make your legs long and lean. Leg muscles can become bulky in the thigh and calf areas through regular, short-distance running and high-resistance exercises such as using heavy-weight machines that focus on the legs or running on a treadmill with a steep incline. To reduce muscle mass in the legs and to burn fat, do a variety of exercises that sculpt and tone. To see results within three to four weeks, practice the recommended exercises at least three times a week and to reduce muscle-building resistance exercises as much as possible.

Do Floor Leg Raises in Hatha Yoga

You can strengthen your abdominal muscles and your lower back muscles when you do floor leg raises in Hatha yoga. Two floor leg raises are outlined below--single leg raises and double leg raises, both of which will also help trim your waist and strengthen your thighs. Read on to learn how to do floor leg raises in Hatha yoga.

Sew Low Rise Fold Yoga Pants

Comfortable yoga pants are a great way to practice sewing knits. Whether you wear them to work out or just lounge about, easy-to-wear and flattering low-rise yoga pants are an ideal addition to any woman's wardrobe. Make your lounge wear even easier to wear by replacing the traditional elastic waist with a flattering wide fold over band. Before you know it, you will have a pair of pants that look like they came from an expensive store in the mall for a reasonable price and in just a few hours.

Increase Your Height at 27

If you are 27 years of age, there is little chance your bone and structural frame will grow anymore. According to the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers University, both men and women start to lose bone mass beyond the age of 25. However, if you are in your late 20s and are not satisfied with your height, rigorous exercises, including yoga, that help stretch muscle and existing bone mass can make you appear, feel and perhaps grow taller.

Assume the Half Lotus Pose in Yoga

The half lotus, or Ardha Padmasana, is considered an intermediate seated pose in yoga. Though it appears simple, the stress that half lotus places on your knees makes it a posture to be employed by somewhat seasoned enthusiasts of yoga. When the pose is fully realized, Ardha Padmasana can truly open the hips and lengthen the hip flexors for practitioners. And much like the more popular lotus pose, half lotus calms the brain while stimulating the areas of the pelvis, spine and abdomen. For women, this is also a great tool to ease the discomfort commonly experienced during menstruation and is believed to help with childbirth when practiced consistently throughout most of the pregnancy. Read on to learn how to assume the half lotus pose in yoga.

Do Pre-Natal Yoga in the Third-Trimester

In the third trimester of your pregnancy, probably the last thing on your mind is trying to get exercise. There are so many things to get done before the baby arrives, and so much on your mind. Actually, this is all the more reason to practice yoga during this time. Besides keeping you active and healthy, maintaining a regular yoga practice can make sure you take time out of your day to relax and focus on your own wellbeing.

Do Yoga Balancing Cat Poses

Yoga balancing cat posture may at first seem like a simple pose, but it takes a bit of core strength to control the posture and to hold you balance. While most balancing postures are done from a standing position, this posture done on the floor can challenge your balance in a different way. The instructions below will illustrate a basic version as well as a more advanced version as you balance and strength improve.

Do Yoga Lateral Angle Pose

The yoga lateral angle pose is a wonderful posture especially for those that find the triangle pose to be too deep of a stretch. Like triangle pose, lateral angle pose can help to stretch the inner thighs while opening the chest and shoulders. The lateral angle pose is gentle on the body because it positions the forearm on the thigh. You can still experience a deep stretch without compromising your posture or placing unnecessary strain on the back or hips. Practicing this posture on a regular basis can help you work up to doing the triangle pose.

Use Yoga to Relieve Upper Back Tightness

Many people suffer from upper back pain which is caused by tension or tightness, which builds up in the muscles of the upper body. Yoga is an excellent tool to release these muscles. It's important to focus not only on the upper back, but also on the neck and shoulders when working to release this tension.

Use the Universal Principles of Alignment in Anusara Yoga

Anusara Yoga, with its origins in Tantric philosophy, uses the Universal Principles of Alignment to further yoga's intention to realize the True Self. There are five principles of alignment that a yogin applies in sequence. Opening to Grace, Muscular Energy, Inner Spiral, Outer Spiral, and Organic Energy are the five primary alignment principles, with secondary principles that also apply. Every principle is applied sequentially to every asana.

Do a Yoga Prayer Squat

Yoga Prayer Squat is an intermediate level deep bending posture that helps to stretch and open the hips and inner thigh. It can also feel very good as this position takes pressure off of the back. It does require some balance and it is not a good posture for those with knee sensitivities. Below are the instructions to get into this posture. Each step takes you into the pose a little deeper, so stop at whatever step feels appropriate for you. With continued practice you will eventually be able to go deeper.

Apply the Outer Spiral Principle in Anusara Yoga

Anyone who practices Anusara yoga will soon become familiar with some of its principals. Outer spiral is one of them and no, it does not mean twirling around on your front porch. It means using the pull of your calf muscles to help with stability. You can apply the outer spiral principal in Anusara yoga with the following tips.

Order Yoga Pants

There are numerous on-line shops that sell the ever-popular yoga pant. Yoga pants are perfect to wear when actually doing yoga, or other exercises, and to wear on Saturday morning errands or to just lounge around the house. No matter how, or where, you wear them, the choices are endless when you order yoga pants on-line. Does this Spark an idea?

Choose Yoga Poses for Heart Health

Today doctors are learning more and more about the health benefits of Yoga. One of the areas where Yoga is especially beneficial is in the treatment and care of heart disease. There are several poses and breathing techniques that you can easily learn that can help not only treat heart disease, but increase metabolism and give you more energy.

Do the Dandasana Pose in Yoga

Dandasana or Staff Pose is a seated pose in yoga. It is the most basic seated pose and it is from Dandasana that all the others originate. If you are familiar with yoga, you might think of Dandasana as the seated version of Tadasana or Mountain Pose. If while performing the Dandasana Pose you feel like you are just sitting on the floor, then you are doing it incorrectly. Though it is a relatively simple pose, it does require the body to be fully contracted and engaged, using the muscles and joints in each part of the body. Dandasana works to strengthen the legs and improve the bodies overall alignment.

Use Crescent Yoga Poses to Shape Hips

Although much of the grace and beauty of practicing yoga lies in its ability to move us through a sequence of postures in a dance-like fashion, working and breathing in every pose, there are also strong muscle toning benefits, too.Vinyasa yoga is characterized by linking several poses together in an intelligent way to challenge the body and deepen the breath to form a kind of moving meditation.Crescent pose is a challenging pose that is done with one foot forward planted flat and the other foot with the back heel lifted in a wide stance. Arms are extended straight up and can be apart or with palms touching. Doing a strong balance pose shapes and can help firm up the back of the hips. Gluteus maximus are the largest muscles at the back of the hips and what many people focus on to create a trim bottom line.Yogis practice for many reasons, whether for stress management or as a spiritual practice. Working in these poses always makes us stronger and more able to withstand the rigors of our workaday schedules. Below are preparation poses that lead into Crescent Pose, which powerfully shapes the glutes and teaches us how to lift up out of the low back to create height and poise.

Do Floor Stretches in Hatha Yoga

Yoga floor stretches are easy to learn and to perform. All you need to do is learn some basic asanas. One of the most important elements of yoga is moving with the breath. It's also important to create a balanced sequence. For example, you should alternate forward bends with backbends, and twists to the left with twists to the right.

Assume the Balancing Stick Pose in Bikram Yoga

The balancing stick pose, or Tuladandasana, is the seventh posture in the sequence for Bikram Yoga. It is believed to increase your circulation while unclogging the arteries of the body and preventing cardiac troubles in the future. The balancing stick pose is a great posture to strengthen the legs and relieve stress from the spine. Much like other Bikram postures, the balancing stick can be integrated into almost any yoga practice.

Do The Knee and Thigh Stretch In Yoga

The knee and thigh stretch can firm your thighs without the expensive health club price tag. Follow these steps to master the position.

Do Therapeutic Yoga

Do you have problems with digestion or painful trapped gas? Therapeutic yoga, which helps digestion and flatulence. These simple yoga positions are easy on the stomach and most of all, relaxing. All you need is a few minutes a day to help ease indigestion and relax your worries away!

Assume the Gate Pose in Yoga

Though it is performed in a kneeling position, the Gate Pose, or Parighasana in Sanskrit, is considered one of the traditional standing postures in yoga. As you move into the form, you should feel not only a stretch at the sides of your body, but also to the hamstrings and spine. Much like a number of the standard yoga posture in practice today, Gate stimulates the organs of your abdominal region. Sequencing this pose into your daily practice can be quite easy as you can naturally and effortlessly move from Downward Facing Dog, Hero, Bound Angle, and Reclining Big Toe.

Do Low Back Exercises With a Yoga Ball for Back Extensions

A strong, flexible lower back is an important part of whole-body fitness. On Spine-health.com, Dr. Peter F. Ullrich, Jr. says the extensor back muscles that help support the spine are a key aspect of body movement and stability. Weak back muscles can lead to lower back pain and limit abdominal strength and overall body movement. Strengthen your lower back and back extensor muscles using a yoga ball (also known as a stability ball) and these back muscle-building moves.

Improve Posture With Purvottanasana Yoga Pose

Many people find yoga as a way to relieve pain or as a tool for stress management. Yoga can also help prevent or rehabilitate postural issues that create pain.Standing straight with shoulders pulled back and arms rigid and chest puffed is almost a military stance of being “at attention.” Civilians, on the other hand, do not need to assume this stance.There are many yoga asanas, or poses, that can help you improve your posture. Poses that widen the chest and broaden the upper back as well as stretching the front of the shoulders (deltoids) while keeping the length of the upper mid-thoraic.Purvattanasana, builds strength in the large muscles of the upper back, trapezius and latissimus. By doing that, the chest will not hunch forward, collapsing towards the belly. Many year of slouching this way would create a rounded upper back that could become kyphosis: a painful “hunch back” shape to the upper back that compresses the neck bones and nerves.

Sequence Ashtanga Yoga Poses

Ashtanga yoga means "8 limbed yoga" and combines the following 8 practices: Yama (moral codes), Niyama (self-purification and study), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (sense control), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (contemplation). There are many different sequences in Ashtanga yoga, and this article will show you how to sequence one of the most popular and well-known, Surya Namaskara, otherwise known as the Sun Salutation. Keep in mind to breathe in and out during this exercise and focus on controlling your breathing.

Grow 4 Inches Taller

Some specific strategies and exercises can help you grow four inches taller. Did you know that if you lie down, you are longer from head to toe than when standing up? When you stand, your spine is compressing somewhat so you actually look shorter than you really are. Through exercises and a proper health regimen you can add inches to your stature. If you are still in your adolescence, you can grow inches by incorporating specific exercises into your regimen.

Use Integral Yoga Relaxation Techniques

Integral yoga is a system of physical poses (asanas), breathing, meditation and mantra recitations. Integral yoga is designed to integrate the whole being, relying upon raja yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga and Hatha yoga.

Use Yoga to Detox

Any yoga pose can be detoxifying for your body. Yoga stimulates the adrenal system, which helps remove waste and toxins from your body. Hot yoga is especially detoxifying because sweat also releases many toxins from your body. Practicing yoga postures (asanas) in a hot room,can have powerful detoxifying effects. One lesser known method of detoxification is special breathing. Breath of Fire and Kapalabhati breathing are two yogic breathing techniques that can flood the system with oxygen and promote the release of toxins.

Do Primary Poses in Ashtanga Yoga

The primary poses of Ashtanga Yoga are the initiating poses and, therefore, considered to be the most rigorous of Ashtanga discipline. Breath (Vinyasa) and movement (Tristhana) intertwine to purify and strengthen.

Do Backward Bends in Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar's back bends energize and invigorate the body by opening the chest. They build strength in the wrists, arms, legs, buttocks and spine and stretch the abdomen, hips, thighs, shoulders and chest.

Do the Yoga Wheel Pose

The Wheel pose, a type of back bend, represents a more advanced progression of the Bridge pose. The Wheel can be done with a slight back bend or a more extreme bend depending on how advanced your yoga skill is. It is an advanced pose, so don't push yourself too far without supervision.

Do the Chest Opener with Yoga Blocks

If you’re slumped over for a good part of the day--whether it’s at work over a desk or at home over the sink--your posture is suffering, and so is your breath. Do the chest opener with yoga blocks to stretch the chest area, making it easier for your lungs to breathe as deep and as long as they should.

Attend a Baby Yoga Class

Move over, Mommy and Me. Baby yoga is the newest trend in mom and baby activities--and with good reason. Baby yoga classes are a great way to meet other moms, stimulate your baby and get back in shape. You can focus on relaxing play with your little one while still enjoying the benefits of yoga. Here's how to attend a baby yoga class.

Change Your Body Shape by Exercise

Every person has a particular body shape. You may be bottom-heavy, or you may be thicker in the middle, for example. It is possible to change your body shape somewhat by exercising so you lose fat and build muscle in the right areas. One of the most common body shapes for women is the pear shape. Pear shapes have a smaller upper body in comparison to the lower body. To transform your body shape, reduce fat in your lower body and build strength and mass in the upper body.

Do the Yoga Cycle Stretches for Back Pain

Millions of us suffer from back pain, which can be caused by any number of things, including nerve problems, disc problems, muscular problems and osteoarthritis. Unless otherwise instructed by a doctor, do the yoga cycle stretches for back pain to help relieve and treat it.

Adapt Yoga to Baby Boomer Needs and Restrictions

There is something enlightening and liberating, as well as frightening, about turning 50. You may well be an empty nester for the first time and no longer have the 24/7 responsibility of parenting. You may be considering retirement or, conversely, going full-speed ahead in your chosen career, freed up to pursue your goals with a vengeance because you’re no longer dividing your time and energy between work and your children. But it’s also a time to take into serious consideration your health and how you’re going to maintain it. Practicing yoga, even if for the first time, is a very viable option for Baby Boomers. Granted, you’re probably not going to have the flexibility that a 20-year-old has but it doesn’t matter. If you are 50 years old, or older, and not as sprightly as you once were, you can still learn how to comfortably practice this ancient form of exercise by following the steps below and, as a result, see your flexibility return.

Do Forearm Yoga for Carpal Tunnel

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disease that affects the carpal bones of the wrist. Symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, and loss of strength in the hands can be alleviated by performing simple, forearm yoga exercises.

Lower Blood Pressure With Yoga

High blood pressure is a condition where the rate of blood flow is consistently greater than normal. A blood pressure reading greater than 140/90 is considered high blood pressure. When combined with standard medical intervention, yoga is a gentle and effective way to help lower blood pressure. The following sequence of forward bends and supine poses is designed to induce a calm state and can be practiced in the evening before bed. As with any exercise, consult your doctor before incorporating yoga into your blood pressure management routine.

Perform Child's Pose in Yoga

Yoga can help reduce stress and strengthen the body. The "Child's Pose" is a relaxing pose that offers time away from visual distractions. You can use it to settle down or balance after performing a strenuous exercise.

Do the Warrior to Wall Yoga Position in Late Pregnancy

The Warrior to Wall pose brings intense energy. This pose will not only help you to draw strength, but it will also increase your awareness of breathing. Directing this energy will also help you to release the pelvic muscles, which will be of great benefit in labor. This pose is also known as the Adapted Virabhadrasana. Here are the steps to doing it correctly.

Assume the Crocodile Pose in Yoga

Next to corpse, the crocodile pose may just be the easiest, most relaxing pose in yoga. It is said to bring about mental peace in all who employ its form. Most of the focus is placed on the neck and lower back but does have some effect on the upper back, the abdominals and the digestive system. As you sequence this posture into your practice, try implementing it after some of your more challenging and strenuous yoga poses since it has some of the same benefits as corpse or child. It is also a good posture in which you can work on your breathing, both natural and active, before and after your practice.

Do Floor Exercises in Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga focuses on connecting the breath to movement to help achieve a balanced state of health. The breathing method taught is a deep diaphragmatic breath that takes concentration. By focusing the attention on the breath and the movement the student can reduce stress and relaxation while optimizing the results from the postures. Hatha yoga can be gentle or vigorous. Read on to learn how to do floor exercises in Hatha yoga.

Do Kurmasana Yoga

The Kurmasana, otherwise known as the tortoise posture in Ashtanga Yoga is a posture that lengthens your back muscles and helps to release tightness in the sacrum and lumbar region. It is said that allowing energy to flow freely through the spine by performing Kurmasana will help improve your respiratory and digestive systems. Follow the steps below to perform the Kurmasana.

Improve Back Issues with Gentle Yoga Exercises

Whether you sit at a computer all day or are stuck in traffic, chronic back pain is a common complaint. These gentle yoga exercises will help stretch the mid-back, lower back and spine and help ease pain and discomfort from sitting all day. These yoga exercises will also help strengthen the back and spine as well.

Become a Vinyasa Yoga Instructor in Portland, OR

While some gyms and studios will hire untrained yoga instructors, it is best to secure Yoga Alliance certified training before beginning to teach yoga. By obtaining your certification from the national education and support organization, you will be eligible to earn a higher income, teach in more studios, and secure less expensive insurance. Portland, Oregon, has a variety of Yoga Alliance approved certifications, and you can travel outside of the area if you do not find one you like.

Use Mantras in Kundalini Yoga

A mantra is a syllable, word or phrase in one of the sacred languages (like Sanskrit and Ghurmeki) or in English that elevates or modifies consciousness through its meaning, which is the sound itself, rhythm, tone and even the reflexology of the tongue on the palate. Next to breathing, the use of mantra is the most important aspect of the practice of Kundalini yoga.

Sequence Bikram Yoga Poses

Bikram yoga is a form of yoga that concentrates on a few different sequences that guide your entire body through a full yoga workout. There are 26 poses in all, but they can't just be performed in any random order. There are specific sequences that are designed to ensure your body gets all the proper healing benefits. This article will show you how to sequence bikram yoga poses

Get Shape In Bikram Yoga

Yoga is one of the most popular work-outs in the world because of its ease in getting started and its focus on relaxation and going at your own pace. There are several different variations, one of these is Bikram Yoga. Bikram yoga focuses on 26 poses done in a room set to 105 degrees and 40 percent humidity.

Do Yoga Poses for Senior

As we get older, the belly grows, and women tend to grow shorter and the dowager's hump begins to form. Deterioration will continue unless you engage in some form of exercise. Many seniors have discovered yoga as a way to regain their youth. Join your wise peers by reading on to learn how to do yoga poses for seniors.

Assume the Awkward Pose in Bikram Yoga

The awkward pose is the third posture in a sequence of 26 poses for Bikram Yoga. One of the chief benefits of this pose is its ability to improve a person’s overall strength, but that isn’t its only reward. The awkward pose is also said to align your skeletal system while opening the pelvis and toning the muscles of the legs. For women, its form can also alleviate cramping due to menstruation. If you’re currently practicing Bikram Yoga, you can include the awkward pose in your daily yoga practice.

Compare Pilates to Yoga

Pilates or yoga? Someone must have suggested either to you as a simple way to strengthen your core and improve your fitness without having to get a gym membership or be in "gym" shape. This is true, but there are some distinct differences between the two forms of excercise. This step will help you determine which will be better for you by comparing key aspects of Pilates and yoga.

Reduce Weight Through Yoga

Yoga is both a physical and a mental activity that teaches control and unity of body and mind. Along with improving your mental state, yoga can be used to reduce weight and improve physical health. While certain techniques strengthen your muscles, internal organs and endocrine glands, one of the best aspects of yoga is how it tones and affects the body in a slow, uniform manner. In this way, anyone, no matter what age, can practice yoga and see, firsthand, the results in their physical and mental health.

Do Yoga Poses in a Chair

In Iyengar yoga, using a folding chair can facilitate many different yoga asanas (postures) to help a beginner learn or to provide a restorative experience. Learn a basic way to use a standard folding chair to do things such as a simple seated twist, a variation of downward-facing dog and a variation of shoulder stand.

Activate Innate Healing Ability With Internal Yoga

Internal Yoga is a yoga practice that was designed specifically for the Western lifestyle. It utilizes a combination of gentle stretching exercises, meditation and visualization techniques. Practitioners of Internal Yoga find an increase in flexibility and toning, as well as better sleep and relaxtion.Internal Yoga can also boost your body's innate healing ability by stimulating the immune system and programming the mind to engage in healthy habits.

Build Muscle With a Yoga Swing

Yoga has many health benefits. Improved strength and muscle development are only two of the benefits of yoga. Some people use yoga swings to aid in some of the more difficult yoga poses; the lightweight fabric allows you to move and bend into different stretches without falling. When you incorporate yoga into your strength-building routine, your body is the object providing resistance instead of a weight machine. When your body provides the resistance, lean muscle is strengthened.

Avoid Kundalini Syndrome

Kundalini is the innate energy at the base of the spine. Kundalini Syndrome occurs when this energy is channeled into the body a met by negative energy. Symptoms are unaffectionately described as a combination of sensory, motor, and mental changes. Kundalini syndrome is different from a Kundalini episode in that the syndrome develops gradually over several months or years. Symptoms of the syndrome are not easily put into words, but have been described as a feeling of heat or energy rushing up the spine. This may be accompanied by cranial pressures, perceptions of inner sounds and lights, a "funny" tickling in the lower back, rapid heart rate, trance states, changes in breathing, spontaneous body movements, inner heat and cooling feelings, itching under the skin, and localized body pain. The resulting symptoms are feelings of fear, anxiety, and depersonalization. Proper meditation and yoga can avoid these symptoms. The following steps can help you take steps to avoiding Kundalini Syndrome.

Make a Yoga Mat Carrier

According to a 2008 study by Yoga Journal, more than 15.8 million people practice yoga, spending upwards of $5.7 billion a year on yoga-related products collectively. Despite these facts, practicing yoga does not have to be costly, and there are many essential items that you can make yourself. A yoga mat carrier can be made in less than an hour if you have sewing experience, and it can be more cost-effective and fun than simply buying one at the store. Does this Spark an idea?

do Yoga Plank Pose With Leg Lifts

The yoga plank pose is a great exercise to help build upper body strength. It is a challenging exercise, especially for women who tend to have weaker upper bodies. Postures such as the plank pose are also very beneficial for those with or at risk for osteoporosis. This is because they involve weight-bearing on your hands, arms and wrists, which helps to make the bones stronger. This is important as the wrists are common areas that break when those with osteoporosis fall. Adding a leg lift to this posture will add an extra benefit of placing additional stress on the arm bones as well as toning the buttocks muscles.

How Can I Obtain My Yoga Certification in Houston Texas?

Earning your yoga teaching certification is a big commitment. It is demanding not only financially (courses typically cost over $2500) but physically: training is often held on weekends over the course of a few months. With such a large investment, it is important to do your research to be sure you're making the right decision when picking a course. Once you decide it is right for you, there are a few steps you need to take in order to obtain a yoga certification in Houston, Texas.

Choose the Correct Size Exercise Ball

Exercise balls are available in different sizes. The different sizes accommodate the needs and body type of the user. Some use exercise balls for yoga and Pilates, while others may find them therapeutic for rehabilitation purposes. Still, many replace their office chairs with an exercise ball to maintain correct posture and balance. No matter how you use an exercise ball, you will need to find the correct size for you. You can obtain the maximum benefits and prevent injury merely by finding the right sized ball.

Prevent Post-Workout Neck Soreness

If you've ever been to the gym and pushed yourself a little too far, you are familiar with the aches and pains that come the next day. This type of pain is called delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and is one of the most common ailments that people suffer from their fitness routines. Here is how to prevent and reduce sore muscles and neck pain.

Become a Kundalini Yoga Teacher

Kundalini yoga was brought to the West in 1969 by Master Yogi Brahan. Brahan started the Healthy, Happy Holy Organization to bring his teachings to the mainstream population. Kundalini is often associated with a coiled snake, because so much of the teaching is based on the reservoir of energy at the base of the spine. There are three manifestations of kundalini; universal energy, energizing the body-mind complex and the ability to sublimate the consciousness. Kundalini yoga is the concept of awareness in an individual, through the practice of kriya and naad. The basics of kriya, or yoga sets, are movements or sequences using the nervous and glandular system to balance the body and the chakras, or the body's energy centers. This includes sound; mudras, or hand gestures; pranayam. or warm-up; concentration and meditation. Naad refers to vibrations or sounds.

Use Exercise Balls During Pregnancy & Labor

Using an exercise or "pregnancy" ball during pregnancy can help to loosen up the pelvic joints and muscles in preparation for delivery. During labor, sitting on an exercise ball can relax the pelvic wall and make the spasms of childbirth less pronounced and more bearable.

Assume the Standing Head to Knee Pose in Bikram Yoga

The standing head to knee is the fifth posture in the Bikram sequence of yoga poses. As you move into this posture, you should experience a nice stretch of the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings while strengthening the thighs and ankles. Most people will feel a calming of the brain and release of stress as they hold the pose. Though it is part of the Bikram sequence of postures, the standing head to knee, or Dandayamana Janushirsasana, can be worked into any yoga practice.

Strengthen Abs With Yoga

The abdominal muscles are the most difficult muscle groups to tone and strengthen. However, there are certain poses (asanas) in yoga that really target and tone this muscle group.These following yoga poses can be practiced on your yoga mat or while watching TV. With continued practice 3-5 times a week, you'll get that sleek stomach you want.

Execute the Half Lotus in Yoga

Many yoga postures begin in a sitting position. The standard way to sit in yoga is the full lotus position or the half lotus if you cannot execute the full version. Don’t despair if you can’t do the full lotus. Some people are never able to achieve it. The posture requires flexibility in the hip joints and in the knees.

Sequence Power Yoga Poses

Create a sequenced power yoga workout by linking 3 poses to form a more fluid routine. You can choose any standing posture as your starting point. From the first pose, you should be able to move smoothly and fluidly into the next pose and so on into the third position. There are literally hundreds of poses that can be worked into a sequence. Use only 3 poses for each sequence. Try the following Power Yoga sequence to get you started.

Do Supta Baddha Konasana Yoga Poses

Sitting for a long time in your car, or at your computer, can tighten your hip flexors, muscles on the sides of your hips. Tight hip flexors can contribute to low back pain. Supta Baddha Konasana, or Reclined Bound Angle Pose, is a restorative pose that can help relieve that stiffness.

Avoid Common Ashtanga Yoga Injuries

Ashtanga yoga focuses on building inner heat in order to increase flexibility and to detoxify the entire body. While many believe that yoga is a form of exercise that you can jump right into, without proper preparation, you can do more harm then good. However, with awareness, you can take several steps to prevent common ashtanga yoga injuries.

Do the Ear Pressure Yoga Pose

Karnapidasana, or the ear pressure pose, is a natural extension of the plow pose. A deep inversion pose, the ear pressure pose is a great release for the shoulder and hips and a deep stretch for the entire spine. Because this is a deep bend, it is important that you master the plow as well as forward bends before moving into this pose.

Lean Out Bulk Muscle

Fitness goals can change over time. When a person is younger, or when he competes in a sport like football, it may seem important to create bulk and extremely large muscles. However, there might come a time in an athlete's and fitness enthusiast's life when he realizes the benefit to a body equipped with long, lean muscles rather than sheer bulk. By modifying a workout, it is possible to convert large muscles to longer, leaner muscles.

Learn the Tristhana in AshTanga Yoga

Learning how to properly perform tristhana in AshTanga yoga can be the most difficult part of your practice, as it includes three distinct components that require your complete focus. Striving to perform tristhana perfectly in your yoga practice should never end, as a yogi knows well that, despite your level, you can always learn to improve tristhana.

make yoga props out of recycled materials

Handmade yoga props make great gifts, and they add a personal touch to any yoga practice. Yoga props can be expensive to buy, and are not always eco-friendly. Make your own yoga supplies out of repurposed materials and natural fillers. Use interesting fabric designs to create visually unique props. Embroider or applique yoga-themed images like lotus flowers, om symbols or mandalas onto the props for additional flair.

Do Yoga to Lose Weight From the Stomach

Fat cells located in the abdominal area function differently than the fat cells anywhere else in your body. They have a higher concentration of cortisol receptors, which during stress can lead to the storage of sugar and carbohydrates. Yoga is a low-impact workout that allows you to meditate while participating. Meditation allows you to relax and center yourself, which reduces cortisol production. Many of the poses and breathing exercises can be accomplished by novice exercisers.

Sew a Yoga Bag

Yoga mats are awkward to carry and difficult to store. They tend to come unrolled, taking up extra space in your car or closet. A yoga bag, made to fit your mat, solves both of these problems. Yoga bags have a cute shape, like a quiver for arrows. The bag's long strap enables you to sling it across your back, like a quiver, so you hardly notice you are carrying it. Sew your own yoga bag using canvas or rip-stop nylon.

Do the Yoga Bow Pose

The yoga bow pose, or dhanura-asana in sanskrit, helps to increase the strength and flexibility of the spine and literally mimics a bow and arrow. Performing this pose regularly can help to relieve tension of the lower back, increase upper body strength and alleviate stained and tired legs. When combined with abdominal stretches, the bow pose can increase circulation in the stomach, relieving intestinal or digestive disorders as well.

Live a Vegetarian Yogic Lifestyle

Adopting a lifestyle that incorporates yoga and a vegetarian diet can have many rewarding benefits. Although meat has served as a staple in the diet of many Americans for years, obtaining protein can be done in other ways. With the right knowledge, it is possible to learn how to get adequate protein from simple foods such as beans and legumes. Yoga has many health benefits including stress management and managing even chronic health conditions, according to Mayo Clinic.

Find Niche Yoga Books

It turns out yoga is for everyone. From kid and family yoga to special needs and even asthma yoga, yoga books abound to suit one's every need. Are you female? Over 50? Don't worry; there's a yoga book for you as well. Even little tiny babies get their own yoga resource.

Assume the Toe Stand Pose in Bikram Yoga

Bikram Yoga consists of 26 basic postures that are practiced in a specific order to fully optimize the exercise of each muscle, tendon and bone in a person’s body. The twelfth posture, or asana, in this form of yoga is the toe stand pose, or Padangustasana. For those just starting out with the practice of Bikram Yoga, toe stand can be a very difficult to achieve. But as you become more familiar with the process, it gets easier and easier to come into and out of the pose. It is said that this posture not only strengthens the abdominals, hips, knees, ankles and toes, but also does wonders for the mind, creating balance and focus that can translate into your daily life. Though this pose is typically performed in relation to Bikram Yoga, it is completely feasible to add this to your daily practice, no matter what form of yoga you observe.

Use Yoga to Stretch the Sciatica Area

One of the most under stretched parts of the body is the sciatica area. For athethletes, especially runners and cyclists, who often overuse and under-stretch the piriformis muscle, it's important to properly stretch this body area to avoid conditions like sciatica, which is when a herniated disk in the spinal column that presses on the roots of the sciatica nerve, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Sciatica is often felt in the lower back, hip and leg. However, many yoga poses can be used to stretch this area.

Do Yoga as an Un-Flexible Person

There is a common misconception that yoga can only be practiced by flexible people who can contort themselves into human pretzels. This is inaccurate: Yoga comes in many forms, and people of all ages and flexibility levels can practice it, if they stay within their physical ability.B.K.S. Iyengar, who designed a yoga system bearing his name, Iyengar yoga, uses props such as yoga belts, yoga blocks, ordinary folding chairs and thick woolen blankets to help students create a practice appropriate for their individual needs. Attending an Iyengar yoga class, you'll be offered a yoga block in certain poses if you cannot bend at the waist and touch your toes.Below are instructions for practicing Paschimottanasana (intense western-facing pose) and Utthita Trikonasana (triangle pose), using appropriate props.

Do Yoga Exercises for the Lower Back & Knees

Lower back pain is a chronic condition that hits a large part of the population. Performing various yoga poses can be quite therapeutic in treating this condition. Some poses actually lend handily to sore knees as well. If pain isn't an issue, then these poses can help maintain a strong lower back and knees.

Enrich Yoga Practice With Food

Yoga is a healthy exercise for the mind, body and soul. Just as the exercises you practice during yoga are good for the internal organs and external appearance, eating the appropriate foods will enhance the benefits of yoga. This article does not encourage calorie-counting or restricting certain foods. It is meant to help yoga practitioners choose foods that will enhance the exercises. In yoga, it is vital to eat foods that are nutrient-rich in their natural state as opposed to processed and high-fat foods.

Find Good Yoga DVDs

Looking for that perfect yoga DVD can sometimes be difficult and waste valuable time--especially if you're not sure what to look for. Focus instead on your exercise or meditation needs when looking for a yoga video. Find good yoga DVDs with a few key steps and start practicing yoga in a flash.

Improve your Health with Laughter Yoga

Once we leave childhood behind, we replace laughter with work, chores and worry, laughing 15 times a day rather than our pre-adulthood 400 times. It's a shame, say proponents of "laughter yoga" since laughter is not only fun, but also has a number of health benefits, including reducing stress, boosting the immune system, strengthening the heart, and improving circulation. It's easy to improve your health with laughter yoga (also called hasya yoga) by following some simple steps.

Embellish Yoga Pants for Belly Dancing

Making your own tribal belly dance costume is one way to have a distinctive costume. Even without a lot of crafting experience, you can make a beautiful costume for performances or practice by embellishing a pair of yoga pants. Just adding trim around the waist can give your yoga pants a personal touch.

do Half Wheel Pose in Yoga

Backbends are an excellent way to open up the heart center and chest. The Half Wheel Pose, called Setu Bandha Sarvangasana in Sanskrit, stretches the spine, back of the neck and shoulders. It is a pose that builds strength and flexibility for the Full Wheel pose and energizes the body and mind.

Do Chataranga Dandasana Jumpback in Ashtanga Yoga

Vinyasa, or “flow” yoga styles originate from Surya Namaskarya A, or Sun Salutations in Ashtanga Yoga. Vinyasa can be loosely translated as movement on the breath as pranayama, or breathwork helps create internal heat, tapas, that helps in detoxification. Sun salutations include eight distinct asanas and one of them is Chataranga Dandasana, when the body is lowered close to the floor from Plank Pose (what looks like the top of a classic push-up position). For intermediate to advanced practitioners, jumping back to Chataranga is a way to create additional heat. It requires upper body and lower abdominal strength to jump back safely. Beginners, please continue to step back until you have at least six months of regular practice under your belt.

Assume the Locust Pose in Yoga

The locust pose, or Salabhasana in Sanskrit, is an energizing pose that strengthens the abdominal muscles.

Execute the Fish Pose in Yoga

The fish pose in yoga is not a beginning posture. However, it can be altered somewhat so that it’s more doable and less strenuous. As always, when doing yoga, approach each move with caution, moving slowly and gently. Never overextend yourself, especially if you’re unaware of your limitations. If you experience discomfort—you’ll learn, in time, to distinguish between “good” pain and something that is definitely not good—back off. Follow these steps to execute the fish pose.

Understand Hot Yoga or Bikram Yoga

There are two types of "hot" yoga: Bikram Yoga and individualized yoga routines performed in a heated room. This article deals with Bikram Yoga, a specialized yoga routine developed by Bikram Choudhury.

Do Yoga Stretches to Relieve Low Back Pain

If your low back is tight or you have chronic back pain, your physician may recommended a period of physical therapy and gentle exercise to help. If you are in pain, exercise may be the last thing you want to do, but if your pain is due to tight or de-conditioned muscles, the right exercise program may be able to help your condition. Before you begin any physical regimen, have your back pain diagnosed, as some exercises may be contraindicated for your conditions and may make it worse. There are some yoga stretches that can help to loosen and strengthen the muscles of the lower back.

Assume the Malasana Squat for Prenatal Yoga

There are a number of postures in yoga that can be very beneficial for the expectant mother but one of the most valuable may just be the Malasana Squat. The Malasana Squat is a great way on toning your thighs and increasing your hip flexibility while relaxing your pelvic floor all in preparation for the labor and birth of your child. Once in labor, the Malasana Squat can shorten your birth canal and employ the use of gravity to aid in delivery. This can translate into a much easier birthing process, and reduce the stress for both the mother and the child.

Treat High Blood Pressure with Yoga

High blood pressure is a common condition where your arteries cannot handle the force of blood flow, according to Mayo Clinic. The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension and often has no symptoms. Yoga, a system of holistic health, treats hypertension by regulating blood flow over consistent practice of specific poses. Yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar recommends reclining hero pose, or supta virasana, for treating hypertension. Hypertension can lead to serious health conditions such as heart disease, so consult your doctor first.

Modify Wii Fit Yoga Poses

Nintendo's Wii Fit is an electronic trainer and motivator. (What could be more motivating than stepping on a talking scale?) But the yoga poses demonstrated by the electronic trainer do not provide modifications or safety tips if you can't get into the full expression of each pose. Here are a few tips to help you protect yourself and still get a workout with your Wii Fit.

Warm Up for Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga practice involves the whole physical form. Kundalini warm up not only prepares the physical form, but prepares the energy centers for Kundalini practice. Namaste.

Pump Up a Stability Ball

A stability ball is a piece of equipment that was originally used for patients needing physical therapy. It is also an effective tool to use for exercise and can be used in different ways. Stability balls are not only good for an overall workout, but they improve your balance, posture and the muscles throughout your entire body. When obtaining a stability ball, it does not come pre-inflated, so you will have to pump it up yourself.

Perform the Hip Opener Yoga Pose

From professional athletes to office professionals, all people carry stress in various parts of their body that yoga can help release. One common problem area, particularly in women, runners and other athletes, is the hip area. Tension in the hips will cause low back pain and tightness as well. A simple hip opening stretch will help to improve your balance and reduce stress in your hips.

Relieve Jaw and Neck Tension

Your neck is bound to be tense -- after all, it spends all day holding up your head. Jaws, too, are frequently locations of tension and muscle pain. Most often, people aren't aware that they're carrying tension in these areas until the pain becomes intolerable or their range of motion restricted. Mindfulness is the foundation for dealing neck and jaw pain. According to "Yoga Journal," muscle tension can lead to headaches and other health problems. Regular stretching and massage can soothe tense muscles.

Do Yoga Meditation

Yoga meditation is a centuries-old practice that can reduce stress, improve memory and awareness, and stimulate the immune system. It is a discipline that requires determination and patience, but the efforts are worth the rewards.

Utilize All 26 Bikram Yoga Poses

Bikram yoga is also known as "hot" yoga, where you are put into a room heated to about 105 degrees F and 26 yoga poses are held during a 90-minute session. Utilizing all 26 Bikram poses is difficult at first, but with a persistence and consistency, the ease of utilizing the poses will be obtainable.

Do Low Back Exercises With Yoga Ball

Low back pain is often a result of sitting at a desk or in your car and allowing the low back to round. Doing yoga with a yoga ball can stretch the low back muscles and also strengthen the abdominal muscles to support the low back.
Doing exercises with a yoga ball to lengthen long muscles on the back and create traction along the spine promotes soothing decompression.
Training lower belly muscles to support the low back keeps it out of that rounded slouch that results in low back pain.

Use Props in Ivengar Yoga

Although many people are unfamiliar with Iyengar yoga, those who do know it might associate the school with the use of a lot of props. Iyengar yoga is a very versatile style. While many practitioners are quite advanced, even they may use props at times to work on new poses. On the other hand, Iyengar teachers are very skilled at adapting yoga poses so that they can be performed by almost anyone, and especially for beginners, this adaptation often involves the use of props like yoga bricks, straps and cushions.

Sew a Yoga Mat Bag

Sewing a bag for your yoga mat will keep the mat clean and protected between your yoga classes. This bag is simple in design, with a tube-like bag for the mat itself, a drawstring to keep the bag closed and a strap to carry your bag. Personalize your bag with pretty fabric or lace or keep it simple and plain. Whatever you decide to do, you'll be glad to have this handy tote while you're on the run.

Do Nidra Yoga

Yoga nidra is also known as the "sleep of the yogis." It is more of a set of relaxation techniques that are to be used in combination with meditation to help bring about a feeling of intense calm and restfulness. People that teach this technique believe that a half hour of yoga nidra is as relaxing as 3 hours of sleep, though it does not provide the required rest for the body. Yoga nidra works as a consciousness cleanser and is designed to bring peace to the practitioner.

Do the Garland Pose in Yoga

The Garland Pose or Malasana in yoga is a simple pose that helps to build up the bodies inner strength. Focusing on a position that the majority of people in the world use in their everyday work environments, the Garland Pose has a beneficial effect on deepening the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, while helping to strengthen the ankles, provide a healing stretch for the lower back, legs and neck, while offering the body a moment of relaxation. The Malasana Pose is also used in the middle of a yoga session to provide a bit of rest from the more intense and advanced poses. Here’s how to perform the Garland or Malasana pose in yoga.

Make Yoga a Habit

Yoga is a fantastic way to exercise that most people can do despite age, strength, or physique. Many people want to make yoga a habit in their routines, but do not know where, when, or how to start. Follow these easy steps to make yoga a regular part of your life.

Do a Warrior 3 Yoga Pose

The warrior 3 yoga pose is a pose that requires you to be conscious of your body, and to keep it in a straight line. It is an advanced pose, and there are variations that you can start with, if you cannot reach this pose in the beginning of your yoga practice.

Use Yoga to Improve Running

Yoga is a valuable form of exercise for runners to add to their routines. It stretches and loosens your muscles, helping you to avoid pain and injury. While you may choose to take a yoga class, you can also add yoga poses to your warm-up and cool-down routines to take advantage of their benefits.

Do the King Dancer Yoga Pose

The King Dancer is a standing pose, meant to challenge and improve the balance, strengthen and tone the legs, and stretch out the shoulders, which are a prime tension spot for stress.The pose should be eased into through the steps outlined below to optimize the benefits of strengthening your body and relaxing your mind. Start with the first step and stop wherever you feel comfortable, although, with practice and pacing, even a beginner should be able to eventually reach the most advanced step of the King Dancer pose, improving both balance and flexibility in the process.

Do Yoga Poses for Menstrual Cramps

Any woman will tell you that menstrual cramps can be excruciating. Even if one takes medicine, the wait for relief to kick in can be stomach wrenching. Luckily many yoga poses can relax the mind and body at this painful time of month. Read on to learn how to do yoga poses for menstrual cramps.

Teach a Child Yoga

Teaching a child yoga has many positive benefits. The yoga practices teaches self-discipline and calming techniques while helping kids stay fit. Follow these simple steps to teach a child yoga.

Execute the Full Twist in Yoga

The full twist in yoga looks as though it would be better suited for a contortionist rather than the average woman on the street. But it’s doable and it’s beneficial to your health.

Do a Yoga Cooldown After Running

Everyone knows that running is great for the cardiovascular system; however, it's also a fact that it dramatically tightens certain muscle groups while doing nothing for others. This post-run power yoga program can solve that problem.

Use Utkatasana Yoga Pose to Build Leg Strength

Practicing the physical poses, or asana, of yoga can create many health benefits. Although yoga is traditionally not used for exercise, yoga does build leg strength in all standing poses, and this stamina serves us all.In the Ashtanga yoga system as designed by Sri Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India, the sun salutations prepare yogis for the rigors of standing poses. By practicing these poses six days a week, you can improve balance and poise to temper the pure physical strength. Learn how to practice Utkatasana, Chair or Heron pose, to build the large muscles of the front of the thigh, the quadriceps. Utkatasana also strengthens the back of the thighs, the hamstrings.

Promote Chakra Healing With Kundalini Yoga

According to Eastern medicine, chakras are the 7 main energy centers of the body. When the chakras fall out of alignment and energy becomes imbalanced or blocked, it's possible to open them and restore energy flow with Kundalini yoga.

Open Your Heart Chakra With Yoga

Yoga has grown in popularity, largely because of the physical fitness benefits of the practice. Yet yoga's appeal doesn't simply lie in what it can do for your body --- the mind-body connection is central to what yoga is all about. Yoga can be used to relax the mind, balance the spirit, and open one's chakras. The heart chakra is located in the middle of your chest and practitioners believe that an imbalanced heart chakra can lead to severe health problems as well as emotional unhappiness. Luckily, the heart chakra can be opened with some fairly basic yoga postures.

Sequence Pre-Natal Yoga Poses

Even though you're pregnant you can still exercise to keep yourself in shape and keep your baby happy and healthy as well. Pre-natal yoga is perfect because it's safe, relaxing and works your body. Here is your pre-natal yoga sequence.

Target the Diaphragm With Yoga

Because yoga focuses on deep, steady breathing, just the act of practicing yoga targets the diaphragm. However, anyone with shallow breathing, singers or athletes who want to improve endurance can use yoga poses to open the chest and target the diaphragm.

Do Urdhva Dhanurasana Ashtanga Yoga Poses

The Urdhava Dhanurasana, otherwise known as the upward bow posture is an Ashtanga Yoga asana that stretches the back, abdomen hips and thighs while strengthening the hands and wrists. It is the Tantric twist to your modern day back bend that refreshes the nervous system while relieving feelings of fear and anxiety.

Keep My Yoga Mat From Slipping

A slippery yoga mat can increase the risk of getting injured during a yoga session and interfere with your workout. You can purchase nonslip mats or use specialty items to keep your yoga mat from slipping while you use it; you can also prevent slipping by keeping your mat as clean as possible.

Alternate Nose Breathing in Yoga

Alternative nostril breathing has been practiced for centuries. It helps purify the body and calm the mind and it has been know to have a balancing effect for the left and right hemispheres of the brain, too.

Do the Yoga Child Pose

In yoga, the Child Pose is a resting pose that you can assume after any pose, but it's mainly used to stretch out the spine after bending it backwards. It also stretches the hips, thighs and ankles, relieves stress and relaxes the brain.

Design a Mat for Yoga

Mass-produced yoga mats are readily available these days, thanks to B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the founders of modern yoga, who popularized the use of props. But some practitioners prefer to make or customize their own mats. Whether you have specific physical requirements---tall, broad-shouldered, a need for extra cushioning, wish to economize, or simply want a unique mat to match a personal practice, this guide will outline what you need to do.

Target the Shoulders With Yoga

The time-honored practice of yoga can enhance your calm and your flexibility. Some activities require that you have added mobility and strength in your shoulders. If you target your shoulders with yoga, you'll have a better tennis serve and knock them out in the batting cage.

Stomach Lift In Yoga

The stomach lift (Uddyiana Bandha) cleanses and tones your body while massaging your internal digestive organs.

Teach Yoga to Pregnant Women

Yoga is a great form of exercise for pregnant women. It helps loosen the muscles and teaches students to relax which helps prepare them for the difficulties of labor. Prenatal yoga can also help mothers stay in shape, by limiting excess weight gain, increasing flexibility, and strengthening important muscles. When teaching a prenatal yoga class, there are a few things to consider to ensure the safety of your clients and their unborn children.

Treat Hypertension With Yoga

The true goal of yoga practice is to clear the mind and find a state of relaxation; this is achieved through a series of poses. Anyone with hypertension can treat it with yoga once they get their doctor's approval. Treating hypertension with yoga is drug-free and natural, among its many benefits.

Teach a Yoga Class With a Theme

Teaching a yoga class with a theme is what separates you from other yoga teachers. Once you have been teaching yoga for awhile and feel comfortable taking your teaching to the next level, using a central theme will provide you with a new challenge and your students with a key focus.

Boost Your Thymus Gland

The thymus gland is located in the center of the chest underneath the breast bone and plays a vital part in the immune system. It is a two-lobed organ that stores T-cells, which are the white blood cells, until they are mature and then releases them into the bloodstream. T-cells are important for producing antibodies that fight bacterial and viral infections. During the time the T-cells are stored in the thymus, they will not attack foreign bodies because they are not yet mature enough. Once released from the thymus, they travel to other organs where they wait to fight invading organisms.

Use Supported Backbends in Yoga to Relieve Minor Headaches

Minor headaches from working at your computer all day or from poor sleep or other reasons can often be relieved by using supported back bending poses in yoga. Supported backbends opens the chest passively to allow the lungs to expand and stretch intercostals muscles in between the ribs to encourage more oxygen into the body. When the body is in a reclining position, this mimics the position for sleep and signals the central nervous system to become calm. Blood moving to the head also can reduce minor headaches.

Sequence Integral Yoga Poses

Integral yoga is a special type of yoga which integrates asanas, meditation, breathing and relaxation. The mind and body become one in this practice of yoga. It focuses more on the mind than the body and encourages students to be peaceful both inside and outside of the classroom. Integral yoga is very popular, and there is even an Integral Yoga Institute in New York, yet some people are unsure what to expect when attending an Integral yoga class. This article will explain how Integral yoga is sequenced, so you will feel comfortable when you attend your first Integral yoga class.

Do Neck Yoga Exercises

Chronic neck pain or stiffness can be brought on by maintaining the same posture for long periods, often when working at a computer or talking on the phone. Here are some basic yoga stretches that can help keep your neck healthy.

Target the Lungs With Yoga

For anyone with asthma, recovering from a cold or simply looking to increase lung capacity, yoga may offer a way to improve breathing. Practicing yoga and yogic breathing work out the lungs and numerous poses target the chest and lungs.

Do a Diamond Pose in Yoga

The diamond pose allows a yoga practitioner to rest, meditate or easily move into a more complex pose. Also referred to as the thunderbolt pose, the diamond pose is formally called the Vajra-asana posture, and is said to allow the yogi to tap into psychic powers. Whatever reason you have to take this pose, you'll find that it is one of the easier positions to attain.

Do Power Yoga Poses

For all you yoga enthusiasts out there, power yoga takes some skill and breath work. By being mindful of a few key ingredients to working your power yoga poses, you'll not only feel stronger but more vibrant as well.

Find Music for a Kids' Yoga Class

Whether it's the chimes of an Indonesian gamelan ensemble or the steady beat of reggae, music naturally energizes people while they exercise. In a children's yoga class, music can help kids remain focused and motivated, although it also can be disruptive. When selecting music for your kids' yoga class, try to choose songs that will enhance your students' performance and enjoyment. There are several ways you can search for an appropriate classroom soundtrack.

Perform a Yoga Sun Salutation

The yoga sun salutation is a sequence of asanas (poses) commonly used as a warm-up for yoga sessions. Invigorating in their ability to stretch the body and mind, the poses of the sun salutation flow gracefully from one to the next, with your breathing as their rhythmic accompaniment. These asanas, which gained their name from ancient prostrations that were performed before the sun god, open one's entire being to the energizing sun.

use Yoga for Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief

One of the main causes of sciatic nerve pain is compression of the sciatic nerve by muscles. Sciatica is not only painful, but it can keep you from performing simple daily tasks. To relieve sciatic nerve pain and prevent it from happening in the future, stretch and strengthen the muscles in the pelvis, upper thigh and lower stomach. Yoga poses, such as the locust and the cobra pose, target those exact areas.

Do a High Lunge Pose in Yoga

The high lunge or utthita ashwa sanchalanasana is a yoga pose that brings a lot of beneficial contributions to the body--it increases the strength of the lower body structures, opens up the hips which improves circulation around the area, stretches the thigh, groin and the deep muscles of the pelvis (psoas muscles) and elongates the spine. The position of the chest increases lung capacity and the placement of the abdomen enhances essential stimulations on the abdominal muscles.

Choose Yoga Poses for Osteoporosis

If you have osteoporosis, your bone tissue can deteriorate or become fragile, which can increase the risk of fractures and other injuries. Recently physicians have found that certain yoga poses may strengthen bones and possibly reverse the damage done by osteoporosis.

Use Tea Lights in Yoga Practice

Tea lights are an easy way to augment your yoga practice. Some tea lights are scented, providing olfactory stimulation. Alternately, tea lights can be used as a softer form of lighting than the lighting found in most modern homes. Finally, tea lights can be used as a focal point for dharana and dhyana yoga. No matter what reason you decide to use tea lights, integrating them into your yogic practice is easy.

Design a Yoga Certificate of Achievement

Two hundred hours. This is how long a student must train with a registered yoga school to achieve a yoga teaching certificate. These days there are many different kinds of trainings, courses and programs offered through various yoga schools. When these programs are successfully completed, the yoga school will commonly present the students with a certificate of completion or certificate of achievement. This is important for the student taking his course, as this certificate will be what he presents to future employers to prove he has completed specific training which qualifies him to work in that field.

Do Easy Yoga Poses

If you are looking for a way to increase your fitness level, health, stamina and peace, then yoga may be exactly what you need. Yoga is a combination of exercise, breathing techniques, and meditation that are all combined to enhance fitness and and reduce stress. Learn how to do some easy poses to begin to strengthen yourself and reduce fatigue. Once you familiarize yourself with some basic poses you can go on to more challenging ones to see if yoga will improve your health and well-being.

Do the Triangle Lift Tripod Yoga Headstand

The triangle lift tripod headstand is one of many variation of the traditional headstand in yoga. This pose is fun way to add a little variety to your yoga practice.

Do a Yoga Back Stretch

The yoga back stretch (called Paschimottanasana in Sanskrit) has an immediate relaxing effect on the mind and soothes the digestive system. This asana eases menstruation pain in women, improves kidney function and strengthens the hamstrings and the spine. Here's how to do it.

Cleanse Spiritual Channels With Kundalini Yoga

Chakras are what make up each individual's spiritual network. The chakra system makes up the psychic channels that affect your progress as you move towards enlightenment. You can cleanse spiritual channels with kundalini yoga. An imbalance in spiritual channels causes imbalance and problems for your body and your personality. When you work to cleanse spiritual channels with kundalini yoga it will result in immaculate balance.

Make a Yoga Eye Pillow

Extend the relaxing effects of your yoga sessions by following them up with some relaxing time spent under a yoga eye pillow. The gentle weight of the pillow, combined with the relaxing lavender scent infused into the pillow's filling, will continue to melt the stress away once you are finished doing your different yoga poses. Make your own yoga pillow with a few inexpensive supplies in less than 30 minutes.

Do Yoga Standing Chest Stretches

There’s more than one way to stretch the chest with yoga poses. However, few are as simple and convenient to do as yoga standing chest stretches. Whether you make it a regular part of your daily yoga routine, or it’s something you do on your lunch break at work, yoga standing chest stretches are a great way to open up the lungs to deeper breathing and rejuvenation.

Set Up a Yoga Store

Maybe you were teaching classes at the local rec center or gym, but have made a decision to open your own yoga studio. Setting up your shop will be exciting and intimidating. Follow the framework as you prepare for this venture.

Choose Yoga Poses for Headaches

Whether it's a pounding migraine or a cranial throbbing caused by stress, a headache can really ruin your day and prevent you from focusing on the things that are important to you. In addition to boosting general health in other ways, practicing yoga can help relieve headaches.

Build Arm Strength With Crane Yoga Pose

The crane pose in yoga is a challenging arm balance pose. The pose builds upper body and arm strength. It also helps tones the abdominal muscles and strengthens the back and spine. The crane pose is a powerful yoga position that helps you achieve better balance and overall arm strength. This pose tones biceps and triceps.

Organize Yoga Facility Equipment

A yoga studio should be a haven for calm, inward reflection and spiritual development---all of which are hard to come by if there are piles of props crashing to the floor. Organizing equipment in a yoga facility is a step-by-step process that will focus your practice and usher in positive change. Just think of it as a therapeutic posture sequence for your gear.

Do a Yoga Quad Stretch

Keeping the body flexible and limber is important if you want to reduce the risk of injuries. This is especially true even if you're not an athlete. People suffer back sprains or muscle spasms even while performing the most routine, everyday activities. Reduce the risks of injuries by exercising regularly. If you don't have the time to do a rigorous workout routine, there are quick stretching exercises you can perform that will take only a few minutes. The yoga quad stretch loosens your hip flexors and quadriceps and helps flexes your body.

Do the Saddle Pose in Yin Yoga

Yoga is gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional exercise classes. The Saddle pose in Yin Yoga opens the sacral lumbar arch and stretches the quadriceps and hip flexors. The pose stimulates digestion, the meridians of the stomach, spleen, gall bladder and legs.

Make a Camping Pad

Camping pads are used to provide cushion from the hard, lumpy ground and to provide extra warmth for the sleeper. They also prevent your sleeping bag from getting damp and dirty--yes, a sleeping bag can get damp and grungy even inside a tent. Unlike cots or inflatable air mattresses, a good camping pad is lightweight, portable and doesn't require intense labor (or batteries) to inflate.
If your camping budget doesn't allow for a store-bought camping pad you can "repurpose" some items from home to make a decent substitute for a camping pad.

Stretch Legs With Iyengar Yoga

While Iyengar yoga is a unique school of yoga with its own traditions and specialties, many of the basic poses are the same as those performed in other types of yoga. There are a variety of poses accessible to all levels of yoga student that focus on stretching the legs. Since Iyengar yoga encourages appropriate use of props while learning new poses, many of these stretches can be deepened by using a yoga strap or non-stretchy scarf, and some can be practiced with a pillow or cushion for a deeper level of relaxation.

Knit a Yoga Mat Holder

Knitting a yoga mat holder can be simple or complex. At its very core, a yoga mat holder is simply a rectangle sewn into a drawstring style bag with a strap attached. It is suited in range from beginner to advanced, depending on the stitch pattern and embellishments added. Instructions are given for a basic, beginning knitter's pattern, with ideas for more advanced projects.

Do Yoga Bandha Poses

While there are several bandha poses in yoga, the most common are the mula bandha, uddiyana bandha and jalandhara bandha. You can perform these poses together to induce a calm, meditative state and balance energy.

Do Seated Straddle Splits in Yoga

When you visualize a yoga practitioner doing the seated straddle splits, it might conjure up an image of a cheerleader jumping high, legs extended out to each side. In this instance, you’re sitting on the floor, but if you were lifted up into the air while assuming the seated straddle split pose, a superlative, high-jumping cheerleader you would be. Rah! Rah! The seated straddle split will elongate your hamstrings and stretch your lower back. The posture is beneficial to your health, in that it boosts your blood circulation in the pelvic region and can fire up the reproductive organs.

Plank Pose in Vinyasa Yoga

In vinyasa yoga (also known as power yoga), the Plank Pose serves to build strength in the arms, wrists and spine. The Plank Pose happens to strongly resemble another widely-practiced exercise, except that the Plank Pose is done with more care and focus.

Knit a Yoga Mat Bag

A yoga mat bag is a relatively simple knitting project consisting of a stretchy tube and a strap. As yoga mats can get sweaty, mat bags are typically knit from machine-washable yarn in cotton, acrylic or a blend of the two fibers. You can easily knit this bag with yarn of any gauge, but a bulky yarn will make the project a quick one.

Modify Yoga Poses for an Injured Back

When you have a back injury, in many cases there's no need to stop doing yoga. Even if you've never done yoga before, it can help you to reduce pain and assist in the healing process. Yoga exercises help to gently stretch and tone the muscles supporting the spine to relieve pressure. Here are some tips for modifying yoga poses to help ease pain while recovering from a back injury.

Paint Your Yoga Mat

Many yoga mats are sold with artistic designs printed on them in various styles. However, it is not uncommon for an avid practitioner of yoga to want to paint her own mat to personalize it. While no paint can withstand the constant wear that a yoga mat endures, acrylic craft paint will last for a substantial amount of time. To prevent a layer of paint chipping off every time you use your yoga mat, purchase a mat in the base color you desire so that you must only paint on the details. With 15 minutes of spare time, you can paint and customize your yoga mat.

Use Yoga Balls in the Classroom

Originally used in treatment programs for newborns and infants, the yoga ball, interchangeably called the exercise or "Swiss" ball, was developed in 1963 by Aquilino Cosani. Today, these balls are found everywhere from yoga studios to gymnasiums and fitness centers, and a number of studies have proven them to be effective for toning the abdominal and back muscle groups. Recently, elementary and primary schools in Europe and North America have begun exploring the benefits of integrating these balls in a classroom setting.

Treat Anxiety With Yoga

Anxiety is a mental health condition that can cause feelings of panic or shortness of breath. There are several diagnosable categories of anxiety, but treating anxiety with an alternative healing method, such as yoga, may be effective, according to B.K.S. Iyengar, author of "Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health." Yoga can calm the nervous system, ease the mind and lower your heart rate -- all beneficial when dealing with anxiety. As with any new exercise routine, consult your doctor first.

Do Yoga Supine Outer Hip Stretch

The yoga supine outer hip stretch targets the upper part of the outer thigh. This can be a hard area to target. This stretch is great for those with chronic hip and back pain. While most people try to protect areas of the body when they are painful, it is actually more beneficial to do gentle stretches and range of motion exercises. By gently stretching the area you can loosen tight muscles which is turn will take pressure off the joints and relieve chronic pain. While this exercise is best done on a hard surface for support, you can also use it first thing in the morning before getting out of bed to help loosen the hips and back.

Recycle a Yoga Mat

Yoga mats do not last forever and eventually become flat. Once the mat is flat, the item no longer supports your weight and may work against you when you are performing various yoga positions. Like other exercise equipment, there are various ways of recycling your yoga mat and giving the object a second life. Recycling your yoga mat helps keep it out of a landfill and can even helps other people, if you donate the mat to a charity or other group.

Do Arm Stretching Yoga Exercises

Arm stretching Yoga exercises will open you up and flex you out. It allows your body to stretch from head to toe while improving strength and endurance. Keep reading to find out how to perform arm stretching yoga moves.

Achieve Homeostasis

Homeostasis is the body’s ability to maintain a normal physiological state when external conditions change. When external conditions like extreme changes in the weather have an effect on the body, the body can become stressed because it has to work harder to keep all systems running smoothly. To help the body maintain a healthy state, measures should be taken to assist the body in attaining balance on the emotional and physical level. When the systems in the body work together harmoniously and are balanced, homeostasis is achieved. There are many ways you can achieve a state of homeostasis.

Practice Yoga for a Healthy Back

Child's pose, cow pose and cat pose are three yoga positions that strengthen and stretch the lower back. The poses can be done individually or strung together to create a vinyasa. Vinyasa is the sanskrit word for putting down, and each pose is threaded to the next through the breath. Do the poses several times a week for optimum results. This vinyasa can take as little as five minutes.

Organize Yoga Store Supplies

Organization is like "ohm"---a positive mantra for success-minded yoga store owners. A well-designed shop provides order and calm, sets the tone for your brand and puts your customers in the proper mind-set for buying the supplies they'll need for meditation and enlightenment. Getting organized can help you set a serene vibe for your store and help your clients easily find just what they need.

Create a Custom Yoga Mat

Creating a customized yoga mat can be a fun way to make yoga studio logo mats -- make a little extra money online -- or simply inspire yourself to do more yoga. You can add inspiring or humorous words, photos of your dog and kids or graphics, like your yoga studio logo. Since you can choose a custom color for the mat material, you can tie your custom yoga mat into any décor.

Stretch With a Yoga Ball

Stretching comes naturally to us. After a long car ride or airplane flight, we all want to stretch our legs. But creating a focus time for stretching can improve your overall health. Stretching increases circulation, reduces tension and reduces the chance of injury. A yoga ball is ideal for a variety of stretches.

Do Hand Yoga Exercises

Strengthening the joints in your hands now can help you avoid arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome in the future. Try these hand yoga exercises, which not only strengthen the joints in the hands but also help you develop a firmer grip.

Boost Dopamine Levels

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and plays a crucial part in controlling mental and motor functions, regulating attention, mood, memory, learning and movement. When normal levels of dopamine are present, a person can feel pleasure, attachment, love and altruism and it is possible to integrate thoughts and feelings. Sex, money, food and work rewards motivate humans, but when dopamine is low, you are less likely to experience happiness from one of these "rewards." Low levels result in a lack of pleasure and remorse, an inability to feel love and attachment, and a decline in memory, attention, focus and problem solving.

Take an Ashtanga Yoga Class

Ashtanga Yoga is a powerful sequence of swiftly performed yoga poses practiced continually along with breathing and muscle contractions that help attain strength, flexibility and stamina. To take a class in Ashtanga yoga, it's best to do a little preparation first. Here's how to take a class in Ashtanga yoga.

Use Yoga to Release Tightness in the Upper Back

Sitting at a desk or in your car, it is easy to let your shoulders move forward so that the upper back is rounded. This encourages the head to pitch forward. After even a few hours, this “forward head, forward shoulder” hunchback shape can create stiffness and tightness in the upper back. Over many years, that can become Dowager’s Hump, in which the upper mid-thoraic remains in a “candy-cane” shape.Yoga poses can dramatically release this tightness and stiffness if they are practiced regularly and with sensitivity. Start with these three: Cat’s Stretch, Dolphin Pose and Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

Do Yoga Exercises for Shoulders

The shoulders are an area of the body that can become tight and sore. The following yoga movements can help to stretch this area and reduce muscular tension. Combining deep diaphragmatic yoga breathing along with these movements will help the body relax and be more receptive to the yoga stretches. The stretches in section one and two can be done in a chair, or at the office when working on a computer for extended periods.

Become a Qualified Yoga Instructor

For the yoga devotee, moving from student to teacher provides an opportunity not only to demonstrate a skill but to model a way of life. A qualified, successful teacher studies all aspects of yoga from postures to principles of non-violence. You will research human anatomy and physiology and learn how to communicate in class. Much of this initial education is wrapped up in yoga teacher training: intensive coursework that ends in professional certification and prepares you for both the business and spiritual aspects of yoga as a career.

Use Yoga to Stretch Hands

When arthritis strikes, it can do a real number on your hands. Your hands may swell, get stiff and achy and, in a worse case scenario, become disfigured and dysfunctional due to rheumatoid arthritis.There are yoga postures that you can do to stretch your hands, which will help you deal with the hand pain and stiffness caused by arthritis and age.

Use Worship Poses In Bikram Yoga

The complete way to use worship poses in Bikram Yoga is to proceed through a total of 26 poses, twice each, in a time period of 90 minutes. There is a 20-second relaxation between each exercise. They should be done in a very warm room that will keep muscles warm in order to minimize next day stiffness and the risk of injury. Because it is conducted in a warm room, it is sometimes called “hot yoga.”

Do Yoga for Seniors

Yoga is a great form of exercise for seniors because it is gentle and easy on the bones and joints. Yoga is usually recommended for seniors who suffer from depression or cannot do any other type of exercise because they are either weak or disabled. Finally, yoga has also been known to lower blood pressure and improve the symptoms of arthritis. Read on to learn how to do yoga for seniors.

Teach Yoga to a Special Needs Child

Yoga benefits every type of person, but can be especially beneficial to a special needs or emotionally disturbed child. As a teacher, learn to focus on basic asanas, breathing and heart rate. To use an old-fashioned term, this is about biofeedback. The goal as a student is becoming self-aware--aware of one's own internalized biological mechanisms. As a teacher, your aim is for students eventually to learn to modulate and control the emotional states that the biological mechanisms signal. At the same time, the teacher needs to be aware of each student's individual limitations. Read on to learn how to teach yoga to a special needs child.

Clean Foam Blocks

Foam is an extremely porous and flexible material. It can be used to make pillows, mattress covers, yoga cubes, and blocks for children to play with. If you have are using foam blocks, you will need to know how to clean them. Does this Spark an idea?

Lose Weight After a C Section

Most moms are eager to return to their pre-pregnancy weight after giving birth. This can be difficult for any mom to achieve, but women who give birth via C-section are faced with additional obstacles and must follow specific rules in order to lose their pregnancy weight safely and successfully. Since a Cesarean section requires making an incision in the lower abdomen, it can be six to eight weeks before the incision is fully healed and an exercise program can even begin.

Do the Cobra Breathing Exercise

The cobra breath is a tantric breathing exercise. In essence, it is an energy-building breath. One uses breath to move kundalini energy up from the root chakra, at the base of the spine, to the crown chakra which lies at the crown of the head.The particular form cobra breath outlined below is used to expand consciousness, and it can lead to states of bliss and joy. Moving kundalini energy through the body is also rejuvenating for organs and aiding cellular processes. Follow the steps below to experience the cobra breath.

Do Knee Yoga Exercises

If you are experiencing pain, discomfort or stiffness in the knees it is important to do exercises that will both strengthen and stretch the muscles that surround the joint. The most effective way to strengthen the muscles is with resistance exercises. These are exercises that move the joint and muscle through their full range of motion against some kind of resistance. While there are some yoga postures that can help to strengthen the muscles the results you will get are minimal. However there are some yoga postures which can help to stretch the muscles around the knee. So to really manage your symptoms it is best to combine the yoga postures below with a solid strength training program two to three times per week. Read on to learn how to do knee yoga exercises.

Heal Depression Through Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga is a low impact form of yoga that focuses deeply on the healing powers of both movements and meditation. Kundalini has specific exercises to increase mental stability and overall happiness. Kundalini is generally taught in a room setting with several students and one instructor guiding the flow of the session. The instructor will often take walks around the room to give specialized attention to the students while repeating the mantras, or individual lessons, of that specific session.

Do a Shoulder Release in Yoga

A shoulder release can relieve stress and strain in your shoulders, upper back and neck. With just a few short breaths, you can use this yoga pose to relieve tension throughout your upper body.

Give Effective Yoga Exercise for Uterine Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors commonly found in women 30 to 40 years old. According to MayoClinic.org, as many as three out of four women of childbearing age may develop fibroids in their uterus. Although doctors don't know the specific cause of fibroids, research points to the hormone estrogen as a possible trigger. Fibroids vary in size from microscopic to the size of a bowling ball. Some women have no symptoms, while others may experience pressure in the abdomen, constipation, heavy bleeding or cramping. Gentle yoga exercises and belly breathing can help increase circulation to the pelvic area and reduce sensations of heaviness and pressure.

Stretch the Spine in Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga teaches many postures that can help to stretch your spine. A common statement in yoga is that “You are as young as your spine is flexible.” Keeping your back muscles flexible will help you to prevent and manage chronic back pain. Below are a few of the more common spine stretches taught in Hatha yoga. If possible do these stretches on a hard surface such as a floor. Stretching while lying on a bed does not provide the same support to your back. Read on to learn how to stretch the spine in hatha yoga.

Flow Yoga Poses Together

In practicing and forming your own yoga routines at home, it is important to find a natural rhythm in which the poses seem to move easily from one to the other. Organizing a yoga routine takes a bit of planning; however, with a few tips you can get the poses of your home yoga routine flowing.

Do Yoga Ball Exercises for the Legs

Yoga balls are giant inflatable balls used in physical fitness. These large balls provide a base for performing stretches and exercises. Also called stability or fitness balls, yoga balls allow the user to engage various muscles all at once as the body works to balance on the yoga ball. Yoga ball exercises for the legs effectively work to strengthen and tone while benefiting nearby muscles with an added workout. Yoga ball leg exercises work the hamstrings (backs of thighs) and quadriceps (fronts of thighs) as well as the calves and buttocks muscles.

Practice Tantra Yoga

Tantra Yoga concerns itself with the manifestation of physical desires. It surrounds itself with the belief that as long as individuals are slaves to their instincts they will repeatedly experience feelings of dissatisfaction, selfishness, loneliness, and anxiety. By physical and ritual cleansing, Tantra Yoga offers individuals the opportunity to free one self from such negativity.

Start a Yoga Class

Starting a yoga class may be something you have dreamt about for a while. You are likely to have practiced yoga for a considerable time, and to have gained appropriate qualifications and experience. It is still quite a leap to actually teaching it though, and it natural to feel some trepidation. However, teaching yoga can be both profitable and satisfying. Many practitioners feel passionate about the benefits of yoga and it is rewarding to pass this knowledge on to others. Yoga is also very popular. According to FabJob.com 7.5 percent of U.S. adults already practice yoga, and many others express an interest in learning it in the future.

Buy Ashtanga Yoga Videos

Ashtanga yoga, also known as power yoga, is a fast-paced, challenging form of yoga preferred by those who are more interested in developing strength and stamina than meditating. Students of Ashtanga yoga move quickly from one pose to another in an effort to become stronger and more flexible. Learning Ashtanga yoga through videos is possible if you know how to purchase the right ones. Here's how to buy Ashtanga yoga videos.

Use Yoga for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Many carpal tunnel patients are searching for alternative treatments because of the expense and invasiveness of injections and surgeries. Vitamin supplements and certain diets are part of a long-term treatment plan. You can even use yoga for carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive strain injuries. Read on to learn how to use yoga for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Pratice Pranayama in Sivananda Yoga

Many people who begin studying yoga may not realize that asanas, or poses, are only one branch of the yogic disciplines. Another important yoga practice is pranayama, or breathing exercises. Breathing exercises help to calm the mind and balance the body's energy, and many yogis like to practice them at the beginning of each yoga session for these reasons. According to Sivananda yoga, there are two pranayama exercises that should be practiced daily, called kapalabhati and anuloma viloma.

Do Power Yoga Headstands

To properly do a power yoga headstand you should get personal instruction. This position can cause injury to your neck or back if done incorrectly. These steps are meant simply as an outline and check list after you know what a proper headstand feels like as taught by a professional.

Do a Hindi Squat Yoga Pose

Yoga is a dynamic form of exercise which helps to elongate the muscles, tone and strengthen the body, calm the mind and improve bodily function. The Hindi squat is one example of a yoga pose which incorporates a number of these benefits, strengthening the legs, opening the hips, increasing balance, and even helping to improve circulation to the pelvis.

Assume the Lotus Pose in Yoga

The lotus pose, or Padmasana in Sanskrit, is a restful yet energizing pose that's ideal for meditation.

Become a Registered Yoga Teacher

Earning yoga teacher certification is a way for yoga lovers to open new job opportunities for themselves, add expertise to their resume or expand their knowledge base of physical fitness. In the United States, Yoga Alliance has created a Yoga Teachers' Registry to keep track of and promote those individuals who have gained teacher certification according to the alliance's minimum requirements. Many studios and training centers around the nation offer teacher training based on Yoga Alliance's requirements.

Make Athletic Legs Thinner

Some athletic people, especially females, complain about their legs being too large and/or muscular and want to reduce the size of their legs. Several types of exercise help elongate muscles and reduce body mass, yet it is important to keep in mind that all bodies are shaped differently, and genetics play a role in determining your body's shape even if you follow a regimen designed to reduce the size of your legs.

Sculpt Arms in Yoga Plank Position

The yoga plank position helps to sculpt both the upper body and the arms. When practiced on a regular basis, the yoga plank position can sculpt and define the biceps and triceps. It also helps sculpt and tone the shoulders, chest, and core muscles. The yoga plank position is one of the most popular poses in the Sun Salutation and is a great strength workout. There are also challenging variations of the yoga plank position that can further increase arm and upper body strength.

Relieve Tension With Yoga Neck Releases

Learning to relax the muscles of the neck is a great way to relieve tension from stress, work or anything. These neck releases can easily be incorporated into your yoga practice or your daily routine. Use them between poses or even sitting at your desk. They're extremely simple to do and can be used by anyone at any fitness level.

Do a Low Plank in Yoga

Plank position is a cornerstone of both yoga and Pilates. Plank strengthens the arms and spine and tones the abdomen. Despite the benefits of the pose, plank can be painful or difficult for people with recurring wrist pain. Low plank pose, which is plank pose performed on your forearms, will spare your wrists while deepening your abdominal stretch.

Become a Yoga Instructor through the Yoga Alliance

Yoga is a popular form of exercise. It can be used to increase flexibility, strength, and recover from injury. Becoming a yoga instructor takes time, discipline, and a passion for yoga and all that it can do for others.

Lose 10 Pounds by Doing Yoga

Yoga is a great form of exercise that uses a variety of poses to build lean muscle. Although it is not a high-impact exercise like running, yoga is still a good way to burn calories so you lose weight. A regular yoga routine will help you meet your weight-loss goals, whether you wish to tone your body or lose 10 pounds.

Learn Thai Yoga

Thai yoga, as the name implies, is a yoga style that originated in Thailand. Unlike other yoga styles, Thai yoga is also considered a type of massage therapy. The therapist helps the patient or individual learning Thai yoga move his body into the appropriate poses. Thai yoga also has regular individual yoga poses without the aid of someone else. It uses yoga movement and stretch as part of its technique. Learning Thai yoga takes time and patience, but it has many health benefits.

Learn Meditation & Yoga Online

Both meditation and yoga are natural, therapeutic ways of eliminating stress and tension through relaxation techniques. Though there are places where you can take a yoga instruction class or a class on how to meditate, the Internet is a great source for learning how to do both from the comfort of your own home. Use the yoga and meditation techniques you learn online to rejuvenate yourself both spiritually and physically.

Do a Headstand Yoga-Style

A headstand strengthens the arms, warms the body, improves digestion, assists with sleeping and brings up plenty of fear to be faced. As such, the headstand is one of the most beneficial poses in yoga. A headstand can also be dangerous, since weight the weight of the body is coming down on the head. Learn how to prepare for and practice a headstand without injury.

Sequence Yoga Exercises for Instructors

Learning how to sequence yoga exercises takes time and practice, especially when you are building a class for a diverse array of students. You have to know your students' limitations and needs as well as your own. As with any other workout, the class should begin with a warm-up before progressing into more challenging poses, and then after completing the most challenging exercises, ease back into a cool-down or deep relaxation phase.

Practice Pranayama in Yoga

Pranayama is one of the 8 limbs of the path of yoga described by the sage Patanjali in the Yoga-Sutras. It is the practice of control of energy (prana), usually through conscious meditative breathing.

Do Viloma Breathing in Yoga

Viloma breathing is a specific breathing exercise that is best learned under the careful guidance of a yoga teacher. It can be practiced safely at home if you do not force the breath and work slowly. This breathing exercise is done with different bandhas, or "locks," in the body that help distribute the prana that is being moved through the body. Pranayama is a general term for all yoga breathing exercises. "Prana" means life force, and "yama" means to direct it.