Innholdsfortegnelse for Womens Health: Yoga Now i Women's Health South Africa

FLAT BELLY, PEACEFUL MIND, SEXY STRENGTH AND CAREER GOALS ALL COMING YOUR WAY – COURTESY OF YOGA. lf your yoga mat is collecting dust in the corner, it's about time the two of you got better acquainted. Need a little motivation? It turns out that the benefits of yoga transfer over to your job, your brain, your bedroom and even the number on the scale. Read on for the crazy-awesome perks of being a yogi. SEIZE THAT YOGA MAT AS YOUR OWN LITTLE ISLAND, WHERE YOUR MIND AND BODY CASH IN ON TONS OF BENEFITS. IT HELPS YOU GET IN THE ZONE If you’re a ball of stress before meetings, yoga could help you loosen up and nail your presentation. A study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and…

DON’T LET POPULAR YOGA MYTHS HOLD YOU BACK FROM REACHING YOUR GOALS AND LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF YOUR YOGA SESH. Say the word yoga to anyone and you’re sure to get a reaction. There are plenty of opinions and mysteries surrounding the ancient practice of yoga and we’re here to demystify them all. Whether you’re looking to mellow your mind, tone your physique, boost your energy or just try something new – or all of the above! – you'll find the answers to your questions here, straight from yoga teacher and author Kathryn Budig. Q Do I have to be flexible? “Pop culture portrays yogis as impossibly lithe super humans with ultra-toned arms and hamstrings that never end. While eventually achieving these results isn’t entirely far-fetched, you certainly don’t need…

SCORE A BELFIE-WORTHY BOOTY AND TONE THE STRONGEST MUSCLES IN YOUR BODY (THE GLUTES) WITH YOGA. There are some seriously cute and stylish yoga pants out there that can take you from mat to cocktails, but here’s the catch – they’re all pretty tight. This is ultimately a good thing because you don’t want to trip on fabric as you move from twist to fold to inversion. Tackle this sequence and your buns will be stealing the show – in whatever you’re wearing. 1 Standing forward fold Exhale as you extend forwards from your hips, straighten your legs and fold forwards to the floor. Keep your hips stacked over your heels and your shoulders lifted away from your ears. 2 Side leg lift Start with standing forward fold (1). Stack…

LIFTING WEIGHTS ISN’T THE ONLY WAY TO GET TIGHT ARMS. SEE WHAT YOGA CAN DO TO STOP THE JIGGLE. Yoga helps to calm the mind and spirit, but it also creates absolutely gorgeous arms! Many of the postures here help build strength in your upper back and shoulders without adding bulk. The result is long, lean muscles that match your body type and give you so much confidence that you’ll only ever want to wear sleeveless dresses. 1 Half-dog at wall Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart, place your palms shoulder-width apart on the wall and walk your hands down until your torso is parallel to the floor. Draw your front ribs in, lift your lower belly and lengthen your lower back to take any arch out.…

HOW YOU START YOUR MORNING CAN SET THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. POWER UP WITH THESE YOGA POSES. Excuse us for being dramatic, but: in the bowels of the morning when your eyes are heavy, your brain is a big ol’ ball of mush and the shower feels a million miles away – you need something to wake your ass up. DISCOVER A CAFFEINE-FREE WAY TO JUMPSTART YOUR MORNING AND RECHARGE YOUR MOJO. Ready to meet your secret wake-up weapon? It’s known as an activation warm-up. “As you sleep, your core temperature drops, your body becomes dehydrated and connective tissues are less flexible,” says certified strength and conditioning specialist Alex Zimmerman and creator of this revitalising sequence. “Flowing through slow, rhythmic movements improves blood circulation, increasing your…

PUT SIMPLY: MORE YOGA EQUALS MORE ENERGY AND BODY CONFIDENCE, WHICH EQUALS MORE (AND BETTER) SEX! Insomnia – that evil, sleep-stealing monster that lurks under the bed! It feeds off of stress, anxiety and what we in yoga call “the constant fluctuations of the mind,” or racing thoughts. Tonight, try this sequence to calm your mind, relax your nervous system and put those pesky sheep-counting nights behind you. Discover the magic of blissful, uninterrupted sleep! 1 Cow and cat Start on all fours with your hips stacked over your knees and your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Keep your arms straight as you inhale, drop your belly and roll your shoulders back into cow (A). Exhale, press into your palms, round your upper back and drop your tail-bone down into…

Hanging from a fabric hammock as you strike warrior II pose may seem a bit theatrical, but this trend is Cirque du So Lean. You’ll get all the benefits of yoga plus an extra-tough core workout, since being suspended means you have to work even harder to stabilise yourself. “There’s also a euphoric effect when you invert because blood flows freely to the head,” says physiologist Jacque Crockford, who notes that newbies lacking the upper-body strength for handstands on the floor can pull them off in the air. Hit up AerialYoga.co.za/Find-Us-In-Your-Area to find a boutique studio near you.…

FOLLOW THIS HEAD-TO-TOE GUIDE TO STRAIGHTENING OUT YOUR BOD – AND LIFE – FOR GOOD. You’re feeling tall and proud after a good yoga sesh. Then damn you, Netflix: hunching over a laptop for hours on end or camping out on a couch is murder on your spine and shoulders. But research shows the damage goes well beyond an aching back. Poor posture can mess with your breathing, put your hormones in flux and can cause your energy levels to tank,” says chiropractor Steven Weiniger, author of Stand Taller – Live Longer. In other words, it can make you look and feel like a hot mess. So, don't wait to get in line because saggy shoulders are more than unattractive. They can… 1 STEAL YOUR CALM Think lounging equals relaxation?…

LIKE PLANK POSE, THE MORE YOU PRACTISE MINDFULNESS, THE STRONGER YOU’LL GET. Most of us spend a lot of time either mulling over the past (If only I’d kept my mouth shut.) or worrying about the future (Will I ever finish this to-do list?). Mindfulness involves stilling that chatter and focusing on what’s happening here and now without dwelling, judging or trying to change anything, says psychologist Dr Susan Albers, a mindfulness expert. And it brings some pretty powerful benefits to many parts of your life. Unlike forms of meditation that involve totally clearing your mind, mindfulness means letting your thoughts come and go without rushing to figure out what they mean. “Mindfulness is a full awareness of precisely what is happening in the present,” says Dr Danny Penman, coauthor…

RESTORATIVE-STYLE YOGA VERSUS POWER YOGA AND FAST FLOWS: TAKE YOUR PICK, OR HAVE IT ALL. Yoga is kind of like sex (and not just because of the interesting positions). For a practice rooted in simplicity, it has become a tad bit complicated and intimidating. There are a jillion types, ranging from specific (like Bikram and Jivamukti) to general (like flow and restorative). How to navigate? With the increasing number of choices in the yoga world, new students could definitely be overwhelmed,” admits Desiree Rumbaugh, a yoga instructor in California. But the endless options mean you never have to settle for a lacklustre session or the same variety every week. After all, sometimes you want it fast, other times slow; sometimes you want a lot of talking, sometimes you want silence.…

TWO YOGA BLOCKS These come in foam, cork or bamboo. They’re often used to lie on, so test out the different textures to see what your body responds best to. Whatever you buy, make sure they’re sturdy so they can hold as much weight as you choose to place on them. USES: - Supporting bridge pose- Supporting a headstand- Opening the chest- Aiding flexibility in standing poses BOLSTERS Having one of these is like having a huge, fluffy teddy bear around. The bolster is a great companion for restorative poses and acts as a safety pillow when working on traditional poses in which your head goes towards the floor. CLOTH STRAP The traditional yoga strap is a long cloth strap with a buckle that allows it to form a small…

KEEP YOUR GAZE FORWARDS IN PLANK AND PUSH-UP. This will help you extend your chest and keep your back flat. Avoid any rounding in your upper back, which stresses out your trapezius muscles HOLD YOUR ELBOWS AGAINST YOUR RIBS IN PUSH-UP POSITION and engage your lower belly before you lower. This will help if you have lower-back pain or a hyper-flexible lower spine. LOOK UP WITH YOUR EYES (not your entire head) in cobra and upward-facing dog. This posture will help you relax the base of your neck. Also, avoid the “turtleneck” syndrome. Keep your shoulders down and away from your earlobes and let your sternum do the lifting. This position will feel much better.…

THIS PLAN CREATES AN AMAZING BODY WITH JUST FOUR POWERFUL YOGA POSES. Just five to 10 minutes of yoga can make a difference to your mind and body. The trick is to set an intention each time you roll out your mat. Before you start moving, decide how you want to feel after your practice – relaxed, energised or stronger – and then keep your intention in mind as you move. If strength is your goal, do these four poses as a quick and easy sequence two to five times a week. 1 Plank Begin on all fours with your arms straight and shoulders stacked over your wrists. Have your palms flat and shoulder-width apart. Curl your toes under and step both feet back until your legs are straight and…

QUIET YOUR MIND AND ENERGISE YOUR BODY WITH A BREATHING SECRET AND THREE AMAZING STRETCHES. A slew of studies confirms practising yoga is linked to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and higher amounts of mood-stabilising serotonin and the relaxant GABA, which may slash stress, anxiety, fatigue and even depression. “Yoga is active relaxation,” says yoga instructor and Yogalosophy author Mandy Ingber, who designed the spirit-lifting routine here. “By moving with your breath, you move pent-up energy throughout your whole body, and with that, we can change our mood.” CONSIDER THIS YOUR INSTANT FIX WHENEVER YOU'RE FEELING OFF. THE SEQUENCE BEGINS WITH A BREATHING EXERCISE TO QUIET YOUR MIND AND ENERGISE YOUR BODY, THEN FLOWS THROUGH THREE ACTIVE STRETCHES. ALTERNATE BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD POSES TWO OR THREE…

GIVE YOUR MIND REST For more peaceful sleep, try to limit your exposure to stimuli for about an hour before you want to go to sleep. Answering e-mails, surfing the web and watching TV all keep your mind firing and make it hard to unwind. TURN OUT THE LIGHTS Exposure to light slows down your ability to produce melatonin, which helps you fall asleep. If you’re sleeping in a room with too much light, invest in an eye mask. SOOTHE WITH SESAME Rub warm sesame oil on the soles of your feet and into your temples before you go to bed. Sesame is known to pacify stress-related symptoms and help you calm your mind.…

WANT YOUR WORKOUTS TO GO ALL-OUT FOR YOUR MIND AND BODY? HERE’S THE PLAN FOR YOU! The struggle is real: you crave the calorie-crushing results you get from high-intensity interval workouts, but you also love getting down with downward-facing dog. Enter lnsta-famous trainer Alexis Novak who created a solution for those “Which workout do I want?” dilemmas. YOU DON’T NEED TO LIMIT YOUR CHOICES. HIIT AND YOGA ARE SURPRISINGLY PERFECT COMPLEMENTS. Meet HllT yoga. Instead of doing 30 minutes of high-intensity interval training followed by 30 minutes of yoga, Novak guides her clients (and more than 25 000 Instagram followers) through hard cardio and strength-training bursts broken up by lengthening, relaxing cool-down-style moves. But just because there’s an upward-facing dog on the other side of those burpees and mountain climbers…

NECK To take pressure off your spine, push your chin straight back as far as you can, then imagine a string is gently tugging you up from the top of your head. FEET With knees hip-width apart, plant your feet flat on the floor, big toes pushing down. Pivot each heel inward about 3cm, which should splay your knees in a V-shape that relieves hip and leg tension. EYES Line them up with the top of your screen. CHIN Point it down at about a 35-degree angle. SHOULDERS Roll each shoulder up, back, then down. ARMS They should form a 90-degree angle, with your forearms parallel to the floor. Be sure to keep your elbows 5cm from your sides. BACK Your mid and lower back should be flat and resting…

Try to have a buffer of at least 30 minutes before your next to-do, since it's tougher to stay relaxed if you go straight from the mat to, say, a work meeting. “But regardless of your schedule, how you respond to situations is more important for stress reduction than whatever's happening around you,” says Mandy Ingber, a yoga teacher and author of Yogalosophy for Inner Strength. “Self-awareness is the ultimate point of yoga, so when tension rises, take a deep breath and think: I choose how I respond, instead of reacting automatically with frustration.”…

CONSIDER ANY CAUTIONS Fast-moving, flow-based yoga is super popular, but if you have back pain, it may not be for you, says Victoria McColm, editor of PreventYogalnjury.com. TEST THE TEACHER If you have a previous or current Injury, you should let your teacher know before class starts and the teacher should offer you alternate options for certain poses. DON'T BE A HERO Remember to strike a balance between effort and ease. Teachers don't judge you for resting or forgoing a difficult pose. Just keep showing up and you’ll keep improving. WATCH YOURSELF In the end, you’re responsible for your own health and safety. This isn’t a race and it’s your job to listen to your body. Remember that you know your body best and yoga should never be painful.…

Apparently, the trick to nabbing a strong core may just be a regular yoga practice. “Yoga is all about integration and using your centre line,” says instructor Bethany Lyons. “All of the movements come from a strong core and solid foundation.” Try adding these seven poses to your weekly workout routine. 1 Side plank curl Start in a side plank position, directing your focus to reaching your hand to the ceiling (A). Engage both legs and flex both feet. Make a fist with your top hand (B). Bend your top elbow and start to draw your top arm down and in towards your body (C). Curl underneath your rib cage as much as you can to twist your torso while engaging your obliques (D). Repeat five to 10 times. 2…

KILLER LEGS DON’T JUST LOOK SEXY – THEY POWER YOU THROUGH YOUR DAY AND HELP YOU STAY INJURY-FREE. All standing poses can bring on a major burn, depending on how long you choose to hold them. This crescent sequence works your quads and glutes, creating strong, lean legs. Try doing the poses for five breaths at a time at first. Eventually increase the hold to eight breaths and then to two minutes. Perform the moves as instructed in order, then repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side. 1 Downward-facing dog Begin on all fours with your knees hip-width apart and your hands shoulder-width apart. Stack your hips over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists. Walk your hands a few centimetres in front of your shoulders. Curl your…

ENERGISE Increase your heart rate by moving rapidly through five sun salutations. STRETCH Anytime you do downward-facing dog or forward bend, hold for five deep breaths. STRENGTHEN Another option for toning: hold lunging poses for at least 60 seconds, focusing on lowering deeper and deeper into the posture. CALM End with one to three minutes of silence and stillness; as you lie there, breathe deeply and imagine your body sinking into the floor.…

SLIP INTO THOSE SKINNY JEANS AND BEAT THAT SLUGGISH FEELING WITH A BELLY-DEFLATING FIX. You know that time of the month has snuck up on you when your jeans feel snugger than usual, even though you haven’t gorged on a big meal. Or, maybe it’s your body’s way of telling you something you did eat didn’t agree with you. Fortunately, there are plenty of therapeutic yoga poses that help to relieve bloating and calm your stomach. Twists help speed up digestion, while inversions help release trapped gas and toxins. Try this sequence to alleviate your belly blues. 1 Hero on block While standing, place a yoga block between your feet. Move to kneeling, then sit on your lower legs and feet with your knees touching. Lift your hips and move…

ROUTINE BECOMING ROUTINE? GOOD THING IT TAKES ONLY A FEW OUTSIDE-THE-STUDIO TOOLS TO GET ALL HEART-RACY AGAIN. We love yoga and Pilates for their body-shaping, stress-busting benefits. But what if they become a touch predictable? “Adding modern gym equipment to traditional mind-body exercises allows you to get more dynamic movement, whether that means a deeper stretch or greater muscle recruitment,” says trainer Ashley Borden. “Working with new props also stimulates the brain, forcing you to be more present.” The following moves will take your flow – and your physique – to the next level. Add a few (or all) to your standard routine and we promise you'll want a repeat performance. TRX IT'S NOT JUST FOR STRENGTH TRAINING. IN YOGA, SUSPENSION STRAPS ARE LIKE HAVING A TEACHER SPOT YOU THROUGH…

WHEN ATHLETES AREN’T ENGAGED IN THEIR SPORT, THEY’RE OFTEN ON THE MAT FOR RECOVERY MAGIC. Whether you’re a new runner, total gym rat or summer-only tennis fanatic, a yoga instructor can tell. That’s because workouts that emphasise running, lifting and swinging movements leave telltale signs. Tight hamstrings, quads and shoulders are the trifecta of treacherous spots in fit females. Left alone, they can lead to muscular imbalances, injuries and stalled results. To the rescue: yoga specifically designed for active people. “Yoga gives you the power to better understand your body,” says Emilie Smith, a yoga-for-athletes instructor. “You learn where you’re strong or weak, tight or flexible.” By correcting those problems, you can raise your game. That’s why so many pro athletes are devotees. Plus, it strengthens your core and builds…

HIP ACTION Long stints on your butt can shorten your hip flexors, the muscles in your pelvis that keep your hips and back in line, says Dr Eric Robertson, director at Kaiser Permanente Graduate PT Education. When you stand, those compressed muscles can tug on your spine, causing mega-aches in your hips and back. To re-lengthen them, do a daily round of deep lunges. Step forwards with your right foot and lower your hips until both knees form 90-degree angles. Hold for three seconds, then return to standing. Repeat five times, then switch legs. MIDDLE MANAGEMENT Remember, a strong core is the foundation of good posture. Robertson recommends three 30-second planks each day. Add three daily sets of 12 seated rows on a stability ball: sit on a ball, feet…

YOURULTIMATEGUIDE FROM BEGINNER TO ADVANCED It’s time to forget the idea that yoga is only for the spiritually inclined or the insanely flexible. When you say yes to yoga, you tap into its power to improve your health, help you lose weight, tone trouble zones, boost your mood, relieve tension, give you glowing skin and even make your sex life sizzle. And that’s just the beginning. This guide will get you there – no matter what your current fitness level or yoga experience. It’s packed with tons of expert tips to help you maximise your yoga routine and results, 87 supereffective poses (with step-by-step directions and photo guides), targeted workouts to help you reach all your goals – from amazing abs to solid sleep – and more!…