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.
Do Forward Bends in Iyengar Yoga
Combined with seated leg stretching poses, standing forward bends are one of the most crucial components of any yoga session. Iyengar yoga offers a variety of variations on the basic toe touch, and these asanas are suitable and important for everyone from the beginner to the advanced yogi. Forward bends create strength and flexibility in the legs and back, help address chronic lower back pain, and encourage the free flow of energy along the spine.
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.
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.
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).