Innholdsfortegnelse for The Big guide to Yoga i Your Guide to Success

If you are one of the many who love stretching into strong and elegant yoga poses, you will find even more to enjoy here. New neuro research shows that yoga makes you happier and smarter while also reducing fear, depression, stress and anger. In recent years, cognitive psychologists worldwide have researched what happens in the brain when we practise yoga. The results are surprising because not only does yoga change the brain chemistry, but also the structure of the brain. New nerve connections appear, and some areas become more active, in other areas activity decreases. In addition, researchers found that yoga leads to changes in hormone balance and the autonomic nervous system, which results in increased focus and well-being. In 2001, Andrew Newberg of the University of Pennsylvania was one…

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN The Yoga School runs over 12 weeks and consists of four parts. Each part builds you up so that you can do some of the more difficult (and most rewarding) exercises. You can see the four final exercises below. They will give you a strong and supple body - and the best foundation to continue practising yoga. 1. L Pose (handstand) strengthens hands, arms, shoulders, neck, back and abdomen. Effective at treating neck and shoulder problems. Relieves pelvis pain, increases blood and oxygen flow to your organs. 2. Twisted Lizard pose (deep hip and thigh stretch) loosens and strengthens stiff and weak hip flexors. Flexes back and shoulder joints. Relieves low back pain. Provides good relaxation. 3. Full Bridge strengthens and aligns your back and neck, loosens…

Yoga is one of the best forms of exercise in the world. It flexes and strengthens all the muscles in your body and balances both body and mind. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find comfortable and suitable workout clothes that you can wear in a class. If you watch people in your yoga class, you'll see how some of their clothing choices make it hard to do the exercises. There's the person who spends all of their time pulling their tee-shirt down over their tummy or another who constantly pulls up their joggers as they threaten to fall down. Of course that takes their focus off the class. To find suitable yoga gear, you need to think about what you enjoy wearing. Only you know what you find comfortable,…

If you dream of standing with straight legs and reaching down to your toes or impressing your friends with a standing bridge, there's no doubt that yoga is the way to go. But did you know that the Dog, Camel and all the other poses can also make you noticeably smarter? That's primarily due to yoga's ability to create mental balance. When you're stressed, it can lead to thoughts and worries that can make it difficult to concentrate and remember. It can feel like your thoughts are taking you over. By balancing your thoughts, you take control of your brain, so you can focus on exactly what you want to do with it, instead of everything else. If you need a little kick in the pants, we highly recommend this…

Ashtanga, Iyengar, Jivamukti and Sivananda – are you “in the know”? Yes, some people have become quite familiar with the old Indian yoga names, while for the rest of us they still sound completely alien. The yoga wave has been with us for many years, and the most persistent of those who practise yoga have become experts, but this article has not written for them. It’s specifically for those of us who have never really started and may feel a little out of touch because we have very little insight into the 5,000 year-old history of yoga. Don't let that stop you from getting started. Yoga is a complete system that can adapt to any need and all physical skill levels. There are thousands of yoga poses, but common to…

Many yoga classes begin with a sun salutation often at a high intensity. Here is some help for those of you who have a hard time keeping up. You Take one pose at a time to become familiar with the exercise and practice breathing at home. Then you'll experience the benefit the next time you exercise with an instructor. As you do it, enjoy knowing that the sun salutation strengthens and loosens all the major muscle groups. It is also a great exercise to do at home when you're by yourself. Try to do it in the morning and see how it helps your body to wake up. Focus on your breathing and create a delicious inner peace. 1. TADASANA ● Stand with your feet a hip-width apart and with…

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN The Yoga School runs over 12 weeks and consists of four parts. Each part builds you up so that you can do some of the more difficult (and most rewarding) exercises. You can see the four final exercises below. They will give you a strong and supple body - and the best foundation to continue practising yoga. 1. L Pose (handstand) strengthens hands, arms, shoulders, neck, back and abdomen. Effective at treating neck and shoulder problems. Relieves pelvis pain, increases blood and oxygen flow to your organs. 2. Twisted Lizard pose (deep hip and thigh stretch) loosens and strengthens stiff and weak hip flexors. Flexes back and shoulder joints. Relieves low back pain. Provides good relaxation. 3. Full Bridge strengthens and aligns your back and neck, loosens…

MORNING WAKE YOUR BODY The morning is a perfect time to practise yoga. When you wake up feeling stiff after being in bed for hours, stretching exercises will make you more flexible. Focusing on breathing in the morning will have a positive effect on the rest of your day. It becomes easier to breathe deeply and calmly. You'll feel a growing sense of inner calm and be more energetic. 1 THE CAT (marjaryasana) Good because: the exercise warms up your back as it massages your spine and gently stretches both your back and neck. It massages your internal organs and focuses your breathing effectively as this breath-synchronised pose is beneficial for your body and mind. How to do it: ● Go down on all fours. There should be a hip-width distance…

Consider how many hours a day you spend bent over your PC, mobile phone, playing with the children, on a bike or cooking. You have a lot to gain from straightening up. Not only will you get to see more of the world – a great posture lifts you both physically and mentally. A straight spine has a slimming and rejuvenating effect. It opens up and enables your body to function at its best. Your muscles and joints work better because, in a straight body, they are perfectly aligned and have space to function. If you slouch, some muscles become too short and tight, and others too long and slack – and so they don't work at their best. A good posture, therefore, is also an important asset when it…

My back is shaking, and my head is hanging as I try to push my body into another mysterious position. Then I notice with fascination something I've never seen before: my legs are sweating! But of course, it's not a nice feeling that my legs are so hot. Together with 40 other yoga students, we are doing Bikram yoga in a 40-degree room in a yoga studio in Singapore. We've been at it for half an hour, and our hair and clothes are already soaked, and now our legs are dripping too. I wonder if it's just regular sweat? I wonder because the smell is not quite normal. I've read before that the body excretes waste products during the 90-minute session, and I like to think it is normal but…

When you stand on the yoga mat, sweating from top-to-toe, your legs shake under you, and you’re trembling like a leaf, so you grimace, tighten your jaw and hold your breath because it is hard. Why do we do it to ourselves? Step back from the yoga mat and think about how you react when you face a difficult situation. Do you flee? Do you fight a fierce battle? Do you try to understand what’s going on? Or do you take the path of least resistance? It raises the question: is there a similarity between how you behave on the yoga mat and your behaviour in daily life? There are many indications that the answer is yes. There is a connection and that your work on the mat can do…

Imagine if you had a body that did exactly what you wanted it to so that when you bend down to touch your toes, you can actually reach them. Or when you sit on a chair, you can keep your back straight for as long as you want without slouching. And imagine if you had such strong and flexible joints that you never get injured during training. It’s all achievable in 12 weeks. If you follow the Yoga School, you will end the year with an upright and fully functional body that can do everything you ask of it. The exercises in the Yoga School are based on ‘alignment’. There is a set of rules that concentrate on how you move – the best way possible. You isolate specific areas…

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN The Yoga School runs over 12 weeks and consists of four parts. Each part builds you up so that you can do some of the more difficult (and most rewarding) exercises. You can see the four final exercises below. They will give you a strong and supple body - and the best foundation to continue practising yoga. 1. L Pose (handstand)strengthens hands, arms, shoulders, neck, back and abdomen. Effective at treating neck and shoulder problems. Relieves pelvis pain, increases blood and oxygen flow to your organs. 2. Twisted Lizard pose (deep hip and thigh stretch) loosens and strengthens stiff and weak hip flexors. Flexes back and shoulder joints. Relieves low back pain. Provides good relaxation. 3. Full Bridge strengthens and aligns your back and neck, loosens hip…

5 exercises to keep stress at bay Each day you wake up in a state of calm and self-introspection, and you should take advantage of that. It's the best state possible to practise yoga and meditation. Unfortunately, few people take advantage of this unique opportunity to start the day in an energy-giving and calm way. Instead, you probably jump out of bed with a stiff lower back, gasping for breath as your rush out the door. Morning yoga does not have to be an intensive two-hour programme. It could consist of a few exercises that feel like a good morning hug for your entire nervous system, which will keep the stress at bay until the end of the day. Thus, you can meet the day's challenges with a more flexible…

Do you throw yourself into a lot of intensive workouts, but wonder why you can't get rid of the final pounds? High stress levels and body imbalances can be the reason why nothing happens as your body decides to hold fat and fluid when you are stressed. This is where yoga comes to the rescue: regular yoga training can reduce your stress levels and create balance so that the body is more receptive to letting go of the pounds. You also get a better posture from practising yoga regularly. One of the essential elements of the exercises is also that they affect the nervous system, which in turn will have a positive effect on other body systems, including the digestive system. A well-functioning digestive system is one of the most…

Do you like to run? If so, you probably know all about stiff legs, tight back muscles and an aching lower back. Running is quite a one-dimensional way to use your body, so you'll benefit a lot from supplementing your training with a few simple strength and flexibility exercises. Not only does it prevent nagging injuries, but it also helps you run faster and more gracefully. This yoga programme trains your stomach, back and thighs while strengthening and toning the big muscle groups you're used to using, namely the muscles at the front of your thighs and your buttocks. A practical side effect of the exercises is that they train balance and concentration, which gives better stability and focus when you run and makes you a more committed and confident…

5 REASONS TO PRACTISE YOGA OUTDOORS The colour green Research shows that exercising in nature has a positive effect on blood pressure and mood. Not just because of the fresh air and lush surroundings, but because the colour green has a positive effect on body and mind. So enjoy the view of all that greenery when you practise yoga in the great outdoors. A new perspective When you practise yoga, your view of the world is turned on its head as you stand in the various poses. It sets off new trains of thought that make you think about things in a new different way. Looking at the sky and sea can lead to some creative new thinking. You see the world from a new angle. More challenges The uneven…