Women's Safety Information

As a Yoga teacher, I’ve met many people who say things like, “I’d like to try Yoga but I’m not very flexible.” Maybe they think Yoga is only for people who are very limber. Or they think you must be able to do the poses perfectly to even try Yoga.

But nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, being too flexible is not always a good thing. Going right into a pose without focusing on the strength of the muscles often leads to injuries.

The wonderful thing about practicing Yoga is you can start where you are. If you are inflexible and stiff, if you have arthritis or weaknesses in the joints, or back problems, you can still do the same pose as the more flexible person. You just make simple adjustments and perhaps use Yoga props.

In my classes I use blocks, blankets, chairs and other props to assist students in the poses. The idea of using props to assist with poses was developed by B.K.S. Iyengar. This makes the poses accessible to everyone.

Using props is especially beneficial if you have limitations such as stiffness, sore back or are recovering from an injury. There is always a way to enjoy the posture and receive its benefits. You may use a prop such as putting your hand on a block in Trikonasana (Triangle pose) or using a blanket for child pose.

Eventually, with regular practice the props may no longer be needed. When you practice Yoga by starting where you are and going from there, your body will feel strong, fit and wonderful no matter what your fitness or flexibility level.

This is true Yoga when the body, mind and spirit come together. When the posture is comfortable and steady and your breath is smooth and effortless, you are practicing Yoga. Bring your attention to your breath and enjoy your body and the way it feels. It does not matter whether you are flexible or not.

When the Yoga practice is over, you will feel energized, refreshed, strong and relaxed. Yoga is for everyone regardless of fitness level or flexibility. The benefits of yoga are received in doing the right variation of each posture for you and not in achieving advanced stages.



By: Chrissy E MacDonald

About the Author:

alisawyattfitness asked:

www.alisawyatt.com A preview of the first video in Alisa Wyatt’s Classical Mat Series Beginner Pilates Workout. If you’re new to Pilates and ready to work hard for immediate results, then this video is for you! You’ll discover the deep, hidden potential in your Powerhouse—the core muscles that support your spine. Pilates will engage and work your core like nothing else, leaving you feeling leaner, taller and more agile. This DVD contains 2 complete Classical Mat programs: The SLOW workout has detailed instruction so you can achieve proper form and muscle memory (38 min). While the FLOW workout moves at a faster pace with smooth transitions to build stamina, focus and control (33 min). Either workout can finish with the bonus Standing Arm Series to sculpt and tone your arms and realign your posture (12 min).

yogineocon asked:


My specialist doctor recently told me I had to quit running and weight lifting because I have degenerative disc disease.
What yoga poses should I avoid?
Almost overnight, I’ve lost my ability to comfortably do forward bends, plow/wide-legged plow, and knees to ears.
I’ve already had surgery for a blow disc (L5-S1), but this pain appears when I run (or power walk as I do now).
I also have flat feet.
His diagnosis is killing as I derive tremendous pleasure from running.
As per the Posture Presription, I know longer sit in chairs. I only squat or kneel at a desk.
When sitting on a couch, I sit in cross legged postion with a lumbar roll.
I do a 90 minute yoga session in the a.m., and a 30 minute one in the afternoon.
As per the McKenzie Method, I do cobra/backend every two hours.
In other words, I do all I can to improve things.
Nevertheless, the pain the area of my traps appears when I walk or run.
Thank you.

blogilates asked:

www.facebook.com Cassey takes you through a Pilates workout for beginners. You will work your abs, your legs, and your arms. Principles such as proper breathing, posture, and form are explained in a very detailed manner, so this is also a great exercise video for people trying to understand Pilates basics. Official rules for Pop Pilates T-Shirt Contest: www.blogilates.com Follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com Fan me on facebook: www.facebook.com Read my blog: www.blogilates.com Shop my designs www.ogorgeous.com

yogayak asked:

Please help, donate at yogayak.com Click for DVD – bit.ly $19.95 for 2 great classes yogayak.com Join Sarah through this gentle, vinyasa based yoga flow, designed for all skill levels. This class covers many of the basic postures found in any given yoga class and is both short and thorough. Sarah leads you throw the postures with easy to follow instructions that leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. At only 42 min, this flow is perfect for a yoga class during a lunch break or any time during the day your body needs a lift. Duration: 42 min We filmed this class at Trout Lake Park in Vancouver, BC it was the first filming session for Yogayak.com and Sarahs first time on camera. Benefits: tones and lengthens the entire body, relieves stress, improves posture, increases circulation, increases well being Contraindications: this yoga flow is suitable for all levels, however, if you have any chronic pain, or are recovering from injury consult your health practitioner before beginning any yoga practice Teacher: Sarah Holmes

myyogaonline asked:

Svetlana Lysenko – www.MyYogaOnline.com Voice by Odette Slater This level two Pilates class flows though a series of more advanced Pilates exercises to create long, lean muscle tone, correct alignment, improve posture, and to cultivate the perfect balance between strength and flexibility. Build strength from the inside out with this Pilates video.

myyogaonline asked:

Svetlana Lysenko – www.MyYogaOnline.com Voice by Odette Slater This level two Pilates class flows though a series of more advanced Pilates exercises to create long, lean muscle tone, correct alignment, improve posture, and to cultivate the perfect balance between strength and flexibility. Build strength from the inside out with this Pilates video.

More and more people have wondered whether Pilates is a form of exercise that can improve their muscle fitness and increase their strength. Experts believe that Pilates can indeed reduce a person’s stress levels while increasing his or her mental awareness and body’s flexibility. But, when people are asked if Pilates is a suitable form of exercise to increase fitness levels, responses vary greatly. Some think that probably is not the best type of exercise to do the job. But, those who have tried it assert that Pilates can definitely make your body feel stronger.

If you would like to really put your daily fitness routine in overdrive and get better results than you ever have in the past, you really should consider adding Pilates exercises into your home fitness workouts. Unlike traditional weight building exercises, with Pilates your body is controlled by your breathing. Even if this sounds surprisingly simple, while you are not going to produce the bulked up muscles of some weight lifters, Pilates will certainly help you increase your muscles’ strength. In particular, some Pilates balance postures require enormous muscle control in order to prevent you from falling over. This muscle control actually helps you build and strengthen your whole body. Aerobic exercise is great for burning calories, while strength training works very well for strengthening your muscle groups, but Pilates goes far beyond either of those forms of exercise and can benefit you both physically and mentally.

In addition to all its other benefits, Pilates can help you improve muscle fitness and make you actually feel and be stronger. Whether you choose to use it as your primary means of strength training or you want it to supplement your other exercises, Pilates can help your muscles grow fit, balanced, and strong. In fact, many poses in Pilates are done very slowly or you are required to stay in a specific posture during several breaths. In fact, those who have experienced it, support that it is much more challenging to your muscles to hold a pose or repeat it slowly than it is to allow momentum to move you through an action. Particularly, by practicing Pilates you actually realign your muscles, so they become more balanced. You truly work your entire body when you practice Pilates as you do not focus on an isolated muscle or set, but actively recruit the smaller muscle groups as well. Finally, since you are not overworking any specific muscle group, you are less likely to get injured.

Concluding, Pilates is a type of exercise that has multiple benefits. Using the Pilates positions and breathing exercises one can focus inward rather than on the outward distractions of life. Pilates is considered a fitness program but also a mental exercise. Uniting mind and body through breathing, Pilates is destined to make people feel better about themselves and attain a better state of health overall.

By: Jonathon Hardcastle

About the Author:

You may be wondering just what the craze is about Pilates. This is one of the fastest trends in fitness today. So, you want to jump on the bandwagon and try out Pilates for yourself? First, you must begin with some basic warm-up exercises. They will prepare your body to safely execute more challenging exercises in the future. Here are some beginner exercises that will help you jump into the program:

Warm-up – Arm reach and pull

This Pilates exercise will help to establish shoulder stability. It will increase the awareness of scapular placement as well as movement.

Warm-up – Arms Over

This is a fundamental exercise in Pilates. It not only helps to improve posture but it increases the range of motion in the shoulders and gives the trunk more stability.

Warm-up – Angel Arms

This is a terrific exercise to perfect your understanding of how your shoulders and arms affect the back as well as the ribcage. This exercise will help to develop core stabilization awareness, helps increase the range of motion for the arms and shoulders and improves posture.

Warm-up – Imprinting

This is probably the most basic exercise in Pilates. This exercise is centering and deeply relaxing. It is great for stress reduction and a good way to center yourself before you begin any exercise routine whether it is Pilates or not.

Chest Lift

This may look like the “crunch”, but there are some major difference between the chest lift and the way people do a “crunch”. Here’s how you do this:

o Lie on your back, knees bent keeping your feet flat on the floor. You want to make sure that your legs are parallel. Now you are in a neutral spine position and have a natural curve of your lower spine. This creates a slight lift off your mat.
o Bring your hands behind your head with your shoulders down and fingertips touching each other.
o Take a few deep breaths. Check your body to make sure it is in the proper alignment. Your neck should be relaxed and your ribs should be dropped.
o Bring your head up slightly toward your chest and then drop back down again.

The Hundred

This exercise is often used as a warm-up for the abs and lungs. You must coordinate your breathing with the movement and try to be strong and graceful as well. This is a challenging exercise. Here’s the way to do it:

o Lie on your back with knees bent. Your shins and ankles should be parallel in height with the knees. Your hands should be put behind your knees for now. Inhale.
o Exhale. Your head should be brought up and your chin down. Using your abdominal muscles, curl the upper portion of your spine off the floor. Your shoulders should be engaged in the back. You should now be gazing down into the scoop of your abs. Hold this position and inhale.
o Exhale. You now want to deepen the pull of your abs while extending your legs and arms and point toward the wall that is in front of you. Your legs should be as low as you can get them without shaking. You also do not want your lower spine to jump off the mat. Extend your arms straight out low, and with your fingertips reach for the far wall. Hold this position.
o Breathe in five times and out five times. These should be short breaths. As you do this, you should be moving your arms in an up and down manner – a small pumping of your arms. Your abs should be doing the work while your shoulders and neck remain relaxed.
o This should be done for a cycle of 10 breaths. Now go back to your original position.

One Leg Circle

This is one of the best exercises in Pilates for testing your core strength. Your abs must work hard in order to keep the shoulders and pelvis stable even though there is movement of your leg in your hip socket. Here is how to do this exercise:

o Prepare – Lie flat on your back with your arms by your sides. Try balancing the weight of your shoulders and hips on each side.
o Engage your abs – Pull your abs in and anchor your shoulders and pelvis. Extend one of your legs toward the ceiling. Do not lift your hips. If your hamstrings are tight, then the knee may be slightly bent.
o Leg Circles – Inhale. Cross the extended leg toward your opposite hip. Exhale. Drop your leg a few inches. Open your leg out and sweep it around in a small circle back toward the center. You should use control and your shoulders and pelvis should be kept level.
o Breath and Movement Pattern – With each leg, do five circles in each direction. With the first set of five, inhale as you cross your body and circle down. Exhale as you open your leg and circle up. With the second set of five, you want to exhale and open your leg and circle down. Then inhale to cross your body and circle up.

These are just a few of the Pilates exercises that beginners should get to be familiar with. Remember, practice makes perfect!

By: Steven Giles

About the Author:

More and more people have wondered whether Pilates is a form of exercise that can improve their muscle fitness and increase their strength. Experts believe that Pilates can indeed reduce a person’s stress levels while increasing his or her mental awareness and body’s flexibility. But, when people are asked if Pilates is a suitable form of exercise to increase fitness levels, responses vary greatly. Some think that probably is not the best type of exercise to do the job. But, those who have tried it assert that Pilates can definitely make your body feel stronger.

If you would like to really put your daily fitness routine in overdrive and get better results than you ever have in the past, you really should consider adding Pilates exercises into your home fitness workouts. Unlike traditional weight building exercises, with Pilates your body is controlled by your breathing. Even if this sounds surprisingly simple, while you are not going to produce the bulked up muscles of some weight lifters, Pilates will certainly help you increase your muscles’ strength. In particular, some Pilates balance postures require enormous muscle control in order to prevent you from falling over. This muscle control actually helps you build and strengthen your whole body. Aerobic exercise is great for burning calories, while strength training works very well for strengthening your muscle groups, but Pilates goes far beyond either of those forms of exercise and can benefit you both physically and mentally.

In addition to all its other benefits, Pilates can help you improve muscle fitness and make you actually feel and be stronger. Whether you choose to use it as your primary means of strength training or you want it to supplement your other exercises, Pilates can help your muscles grow fit, balanced, and strong. In fact, many poses in Pilates are done very slowly or you are required to stay in a specific posture during several breaths. In fact, those who have experienced it, support that it is much more challenging to your muscles to hold a pose or repeat it slowly than it is to allow momentum to move you through an action. Particularly, by practicing Pilates you actually realign your muscles, so they become more balanced. You truly work your entire body when you practice Pilates as you do not focus on an isolated muscle or set, but actively recruit the smaller muscle groups as well. Finally, since you are not overworking any specific muscle group, you are less likely to get injured.

Concluding, Pilates is a type of exercise that has multiple benefits. Using the Pilates positions and breathing exercises one can focus inward rather than on the outward distractions of life. Pilates is considered a fitness program but also a mental exercise. Uniting mind and body through breathing, Pilates is destined to make people feel better about themselves and attain a better state of health overall.

By: Jonathon Hardcastle

About the Author: