The truth is, most yoga poses practiced in succession for a sustained period of time will increase the heart rate and work the cardiovascular system just like any other exercise. Massachusetts General Hospital, which has embraced yoga as a treatment for heart patients, states that using yoga the right way, and incorporating poses with breathing and meditation, can result in slower heart rates and lower blood pressure.

Combine these cardio benefits with other benefits that yoga offers, including reduced stress, body awareness, and increased muscle mass and flexibility, and you have yourself a pretty ideal exercise program.

To reap these benefits, do yoga for an hour or more, two to four times a week. Try these poses, combined with some time for mediation and breath work, to strengthen your heart and lungs.

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
Begin standing in a mountain pose with your feet shoulder width apart, arms relaxed at your sides. Bring up your right foot, and press your sole into the inner area of your left thigh with your toes pointing down toward the floor. Take a moment to make sure your pelvis is in a neutral position, with the top parallel to the floor and centered above your left foot. Lengthen your back by pulling your tailbone toward the floor, lift your hands, and press them together above your head. Stand in this pose for 30 to 60 seconds. Step back into mountain pose, take a breath, and then repeat with the opposite foot.

Paripurna Navasana (Boat Pose)
Sit down on the floor with legs outstretched in front of you. Rest your hands behind your hips, lift and open your chest and lean back. Next, lift your legs up and move your body into a “V” shape with your tailbone the bottom of the V. Make sure to keep your back straight.

Stretch your arms out in front of you, and rest hands near your knees, parallel to each other. Press the thighs near your bottom into the floor, while simultaneously lifting your sternum up and keeping your lower belly firm and flat. Take gentle breaths and hold this pose for 10 seconds. Increase your hold to 60 seconds over time. Exhale, and put your legs down, and sit up on an inhalation to come out of the pose.

Plank Pose
Start in a downward-facing dog pose. Inhale and move feet back until your arms are perpendicular to the floor with shoulders over wrists. You should look like you are about to do a push up. From here, press your arms firmly down into the floor, looking straight down. Press down through your heels and keep your shoulders and bottom lifted. Stay here for 30 to 60 seconds while focusing on your breath.

These tips for your first yoga class are courtesy of Christine Northcote, Owner/Director of Full Circle Yoga.

There are a TON of styles of yoga.You could try to break down the different styles, but there is SO much interpretation among studios as to how they teach those styles, that it will not be much help. For example, “Hatha” yoga is really ALL yoga, but some studios intend it to mean easier, slower, and longer holds. In essence, it could mean ANYTHING.

My advice is to start to narrow the search by:

1. First, finding yoga studios near your home – convenience is big, because it will increase the likelihood that a beginner will develop a consistent yoga practice and reap the benefits. Going to a studio that specializes in yoga is ideal, because the instructors are devoted to studying yoga and teaching it as a career. The dedication may positively affect the level of instruction and attention you receive in class.

2. Then, based on a friend’s referral or on reading websites to get to know the personality of the studio and styles of classes, you can narrow the search. Know what you are looking to achieve from your yoga practice. What is your intention? Meditation? Vigor? Pain relief? Flexibility? Spirituality? And read the descriptions of the classes to determine those directed toward your intention. Look at the levels of the classes. Most studios will clearly state the level, i.e. “Basic” and “Beginner” or “Intermediate” and “Advanced.” Or levels – 1, 2, 2/3, etc.

3. Read about the procedures and the registration policy. Find out whether you need to register in advance, what to bring, wear, what the yoga etiquette is for the studio, and the cost of classes. You can also call the studio or email them to tell them your intention, and see what classes they recommend.

4. Pick a class and be committed to trying yoga at least three times. Your first couple of classes are always going to be a bit awkward – just like ANYTHING new to you. It becomes more and more comfortable and fluid each time you go. Ask your instructor questions before and after class if you have any. Shoot for 3 x’s a week for optimal benefits. But do what you can, and realize that your goal is to work towards YOUR Personal Best. Make sure your instructors encourage that way of thinking. If not, try a different class or instructor.

Yoga is for everyone; find a style and instructor that you connect with, and watch your practice grow and your mind and body benefit.

Pilates, tai chi and yoga all focus on balance. These methods teach various techniques that correct and enhance posture while developing lean muscle through slow, flowing body movement. Such techniques help to develop body balance and improve overall physical fitness. But balance in the body is only half the battle. Creating balance within the mind promotes relaxation and reduces stress. Some people achieve this mind balance through meditation, and try to establish physical balance separately via some fitness regimen such as running, cycling and/or weight training. While this can be effective, it is certainly not as time or energy efficient as a total mind-body workout.

One thing that all of these methods share in common is an emphasis on proper breathing. If you are not breathing correctly as you exercise, you cannot receive the full benefits – physical or mental – of the workout. So, how do you know if you are breathing right? Lie down on your back and watch your torso as you breathe in and out, or place one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen to feel the movement. If your chest rises and falls with each inhalation and exhalation, you are not breathing properly. If you are breathing into the diaphragm – a muscle located below the lungs and above the stomach – you should be seeing your belly rise and fall with each breath. Practice diaphragm breathing by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth slowly several times each day until it becomes natural for you. Not only will this technique relax you, it will allow you to take in more oxygen per breath, which is vital to proper muscle development and overall bodily health.

Among the myriad of physical benefits of practicing tai chi are increased muscle strength in both upper and lower body, improved flexibility in limbs and joints, enhanced balance, and gradual aerobic conditioning. If you choose to adopt tai chi as an exercise regimen, it is recommended that you couple it with some other activity which increases heart rate, such as walking, jogging, or biking, because the aerobic benefits of tai chi are slight, due to its unhurried pace. Additionally, studies conducted observing people with medical conditions – as wide ranging as arthritis and osteoporosis, hypertension and heart disease, stroke and sleep disorders – have shown that those who combined tai chi along with standard treatment showed significant improvement over those using medication alone.

One of the most common reasons for people choosing to take up tai chi is relaxation. The slow, graceful postures have at times been referred to as moving meditation. Tai chi can be a great stress reducer because of its flowing, rhythmic motion and deep breathing. Because of the many varieties of movements throughout its several forms, anyone can do some level of tai chi, regardless of physical limitations or age. This is one of the reasons tai chi programs have been implemented by many nursing homes and retirement communities across the United States as a regular activity to benefit residents, improving not only their health, but their quality of life.

The main purpose of pilates is to obtain strength within the individual’s core. The majority of the core muscles are located in the abdomen and in the back. Pilates helps strengthen these muscles and helps give support to the movement of the spine. This helps with alleviating back pain and helps strengthen the torso.

In a high quality Pilates workout, there are six principles that are required: centering, control, flow, breath, precision, and concentration. Unlike other forms of exercise such as weightlifting that require many repetitions, pilates builds quality without the need for excessive repetition. In addition, weightlifting, as well as running and swimming, focus on the part of the body that is being trained and if not performed correctly can be strained. Pilates works from the core and trains multiple parts of the body at the same time.

Pilates is a little bit like yoga in the sense that it is performed on a floor mat. It can also be performed with some equipment pulleys and resistance ropes. The use of these ropes uses the participant’s body weight to help increase endurance.

It should be interesting to see how I enjoy doing Pilates. I’m always up to try new things so it should be good!

To fully comprehend the connotations of Namaste, one must not only look at the etymology of the term for literal meaning, but also at its mystical relevance. First, it is important to note that Namaste is more than a spoken greeting; it is accompanied by a gesture which signifies acquiescence. With palms pressed together, fingers pointing upward, thumb-side placed proximal to the heart, and head bowed, Namaste is a posture of reverence and submission. The conjunctive utterance of the term with the gesture distinguishes Namaste as much more than a mere greeting between two individuals. It is an act of submission in acknowledgment of the sameness or oneness of the divine light within each individual. It is in all ways a relinquishment of ego and a spiritual and mental expression of unconditional acceptance, devotion and respect in the knowledge that each participating individual houses and reflects the light of the Supreme Spirit.

In contrast, the Namaste greeting has been compared with the Western tradition of shaking hands. The handshake is a physical gesture which denotes (or perhaps belies) the equality of the individuals making contact. Namaste does not assume equality between the greeter and the greeted. It is a universal greeting that can be used among men, as well as between the mortal and the divine. Although the handshake has been loaned an aura of respect – having become synonymous with a bond of integrity – the gesture itself can never exemplify the spiritual respect that Namaste exudes.

Here are some examples of the different styles of Yoga. Maybe one of them will interest you?

The one that most people think of off the top of their heads is indeed Hot Yoga, or Bikram Yoga. In Bikram Yoga, one typically practices the same 26 poses in a 100-110 degree room. The purpose of this type of yoga is to loosen the tight muscles and to cause one’s self to sweat profusely. And when I say profusely, I mean profusely! Bikram Yoga is thought to be cleansing, but it definitely strengthens your muscles and increases your flexibility.

Ashtanga and Power Yoga are fast-paced and intense styles of yoga. Ashtanga practice is physically demanding because of the constant movement from one pose to the next. Power Yoga has been derived from Ashtanga, but in Power Yoga it is not necessary to do the same poses in the same order every single class.

Vinyasa, which means breath synchronized movement, is based on the series of poses called Sun Salutation. In the Sun Salutation poses movement is matched to the breath. After the Sun Salutations the class progresses into more intense stretches.

B.K.S Iyengar’s teachings are the bases of the yoga style known as Iyengar. This style of practice is most concerned with bodily alignment. In this yoga the body must be positioned correctly in each pose in order to avoid injuries and to make the most of the pose. Iyengar practice encourages the use of props, such as yoga mats and blocks, to help keep the body in alignment.

There are many more styles of yoga– these were just a short list to get you started!  Happy searching.

A weight lifting, or even running, routine will not address balance, relaxation, and flexibility like yoga does; all of which are very important aspects of a healthy body. Yoga also will help increase overall endurance, muscular strength and weight loss.

An ideal workout regimen will include weight lifting, aerobic, and yoga exercises in the entire routine.

The reason yoga has such an effect on the body is due to the unique motions and discipline ideals used during a normal session. The average body needs as much relaxation and range of flexibility as it does pounds of muscle. The different stretches and forms practiced in yoga help condition the body in many different ways. Frequent practice in yoga before a workout can also help reduce muscle tearing or severe injuries as it generally stretches vital muscles in the body.

Anyone interested in practicing yoga will find there are many different options to do so. Thousands upon thousands of books exist out there on many different exercises and forms, and, of course, there are just as many websites and online articles dedicated to the same thing. Those interested can purchase or rent yoga exercise DVDs, which actually display the forms and show correct ways to stretch.

For all you guys out there worried about looking silly, there are even some really cool poses out there; some take the form of an eagle, a bear, or even a deadly scorpion.

Yoga can even help regulate moods better. Some of the poses help reduce stress and increase overall body relaxation, almost like true meditation. Many poses and forms can provide the body with as much relief as a power nap. Of course, it goes with out saying, yoga also can increase total energy.

So, next time you’re stirring up a new workout routine, why not include a few minutes here and there of yoga? It’s been practiced for over 5,000 years, so where could you go wrong?

When we workout with another that person is there to push us, and we have a sense of peer pressure not to whine or try to avoid a certain exercise.  We also don’t have the tendency to lift lighter weights or not do the total reps.

By ourselves, there is a different story.  If we don’t feel like doing all ten reps, we do only eight.  “I really hate that exercise, I will do this one instead.”  Some of us even lift lighter weights because we don’t have a spotter there and hate asking others to stop their workout to come to us.  We allow our minds to take over.

There is a solution.  It involves pushing ourselves.  Now, I honestly believe that no matter how self-driven you are, you will never get the best results on your own.  However, we need to focus our minds on smaller pieces of the pie.

When it is our goal to run 3.2 miles, we often decide to take it easy or stop and walk when we are alone because our minds tell us our body is tired.  A trick I use is to focus on landmarks like the quarter-mile mark.  I race to that point, and once I get close I move the line to the next point.  When my mind says, “THIS SUCKS,” I reason that I am almost there.  Doing reps while lifting is the same thing.  I want 10 and am “done” at 6.  “OK, just get to eight” and so on till I hit my mark.

It takes a lot of patience and discipline to re-train our minds.  I do this in everything.  My goal is to drink at least 100 ounces of water a day.  I have a 32 ounce water bottle.  Even though I would rather have something else, I force myself to drink every drop.

What are some suggestions?

So I walked out of there almost in tears because I had no clue what was going on; this class was going to be ridiculous! However, my friend convinced me to go to a Group Fitness class at my school, and that turned my whole day sunny-side-up.

I walked into the class right after getting out of calculus. The first thing I noticed that my mud-stained Asics were no match for the white Reeboks of all of the other girls. Now, I’m not much of a person to listen to, “Ready, girls!!?!?! And one, and two, and three, feel the burn!!!!!” but going to Michelle’s Fat Burn class put me in such a good mood. I couldn’t believe that I was actually in that class and kept laughing at myself. However, the perkiness and the optimism in that room brightened my day, and I found myself actually breaking out a sweat! The workouts we did were actually pretty tough. I could feel my abs working hard or my thighs begin to shake from trying to hold myself up against the mirror in a squatting position.

I never thought that those classes were completely serious, but now I have a different opinion of them. Being around way too high of a percentage of testosterone all day (I’m an engineering major) it feels good to be around happy girls. I definitely would recommend classes such as Fat Burn, Cardio, Spinning, and more. It’s a ton of fun and a great workout!