Work Out – Les Mills Abs and Tony Horton 1 on 1 Yoga “Patience Little Humming Bird”

Sorry for the late update on the workout today. Both son’s had hockey games and we went to a haunted trail walk with the kids to night then off to have supper! So very busy day.

Les Mills Pump ab workout was great. My core has increased in strength very rapidly in the last 6 months. I have a better idea how to activate my abs to isolate them better! Like anything you must practice and practice and over time the ‘good’ changes start to happen! This is the point I am at right now.

The yoga work out was above average. I started out with poor focus and breathing was not where it needed to be. As the workout went along my focus was much sharper. I still have trouble with the flexibility parts of the workout. I find yoga works the muscle in such a different fashion then other workouts. Your body is in constant flow when the body is not moving the muscles are contracted in a pose. By the time your done the 35 minute workout you are feeling tired.

Tonight was the first time in roughly 4 weeks that I ate a cheat meal at Fat Burger. I was feeling sick as I was eating the meal, just not use to that type of food anymore. I was a amazed at how fast I reacted to it. At this moment I could drink a pool of water. The amount of salt was horrendous. I would take shakeology over that meal any day.

Tomorrow is Core Cardio and Balance. Other busy day as I have video session and two 1 on 1 training sessions! Time for bed!!

Teaching Yoga for Stress Management

Teaching Yoga for Stress Management

Why do most of your students come to your Yoga classes? If you conducted a student survey, you would be surprised at how many arrived to your classes for the same reason. Surveys reveal much about the needs of your students.

Granted, there are a variety of reasons why students attend Yoga training sessions, but many people participate in our classes because they are seeking solutions to stress management.
It has been estimated that 75%, and possibly more, of doctor visits, are stress related. Stress is a major culprit in illness. Worse yet, stress will make a pre-existing illness worse. If you are seriously ill, one of the last things you need is an extra serving of stress, or anxiety, to go with it.
Most Yoga teacher training courses barely scratch the surface, when considering the needs of stressed-out students. More often, attention is paid to the technical aspects of Pranayama (yogic breathing), asana (yogic posturing), student safety, teacher ethics, teaching methodology, anatomy, physiology, philosophy, and much more.

So, how, in the world, could a Yoga instructor be prepared for the needs of the anxiety-riddled masses? It all comes down to the needs of our students and our continuing education efforts.
For example: If most of our students are young, flexible, strong, alpha-type personalities – our student’s needs – will be geared toward physical prowess. In truth, this is fine, because there is a legitimate need for it.

On the other hand, if most of our students are feeling the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual effects of excessive stress and anxiety, there is a need for us to learn much more about effective Yogic stress management solutions for the sake of our students.
Now that you teach Yoga to the public, you clearly realize the need for stress management solutions, on a massive scale. Most Yoga teachers tend to go through life with an inner calm that is sometimes taken for granted.

As a result of conditioning, the Yogic lifestyle is not a stressful one; therefore, you may need to understand much more about what causes anxiety, panic, and worry, within your students. If you are suffering from a panic attack, the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual conditioning of a Yoga teacher, seems like fiction.

Stress is a chemical message to the body from the brain, which is very basic. This “fight or flight” message is very primal, and saved our ancestors lives, throughout the history of humankind. When we perceive a threat, our brain signals the adrenal glands to send, adrenaline and noradrenaline, to our heart, which increases the blood flow to the muscles.
This, in turn, gives instant power to the muscles. At the same time, the breath rate is accelerated to bring more oxygen to vital areas. In terms of survival, the mind and body are programmed to perform an efficient chemical and mechanical reaction to save our lives.
Yet, many people have this same reaction, while commuting to work, on a daily basis. Once one arrives at work, he or she may be subjected to unrealistic deadlines and office politics. This is just one scenario of many possible stressful situations, which may occur in the lives of our students.

Once you have become a Yoga teacher, you have taken a vow to help students in need. The atmosphere in your classes, studio, or ashram, should be tranquil. There is no place for a teacher without compassion. Likewise, the teacher with a personal agenda, about getting his or her best workout during class time, will fall short in helping students who suffer from excessive stress.
The reason why Yoga works for panic, stress, and anxiety control, is not complicated. Most people feel as if they are a victim of outside circumstances, which become triggers for excess stress, such as traffic jams, financial difficulties, raising children, and a variety of daily life situations.

In turn, many people become tense, and irritable, because the body reacts physically to stress. Blood pressure may rise, breathing correctly is difficult, and muscles may tense up due to excessive stress and anxiety.

Yoga works to create solutions for excessive stress, panic, and anxiety, from within. One class, or session, is the exact opposite mind and body experience, when compared to an anxiety attack. Yoga practice makes a tremendous difference in the quality of our student’s lives because students feel empowerment.

You see – tension, anxiety, and worry, are a natural part of daily life, but Yoga allows us to decipher the real from the imaginary. This is in stark contrast to someone who is creating their own form of “Hell on earth.” To be concerned over our children is logical, but creating negative images in our minds, without any sound reasoning, will cause us harm, and there is no real reason for it.

Students should understand that some forms of daily low level stress are unavoidable, and make them stronger because of the experience, but extreme stress can cause panic attacks, heart attacks, or premature death. The rewards of their practice can be felt during, and after, their first lesson. The first part of the solution is a matter of making them aware of it.
Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. He is an author of many books on the subject of Yoga and has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995.

Yoga Teacher Training

Article Source: http://physicalfitnessarticles.net

Benefits of YOGA – P90X, YOGA Booty Ballet

Yoga benefits the body, mind and spirit. In recent years, yoga has worked its way into the mainstream health and fitness programs because people have begun to understand the benefits that those who practice it gain. When practiced regularly it can make a measured difference in a person’s physical, mental and spiritual health. The physical benefits of yoga are outstanding. It’s been shown that yoga can: Increase muscle, joint and tendon flexibility Tone and strengthen muscles Increase cardiovascular efficiency Decrease blood pressure Increase respiratory functions Improve eye-hand coordination Improve posture Improve balance Increase energy levels Lower weight Increase endurance Eliminate toxins from the body Heal damaged muscles Limit the effects of diabetes, digestive orders, arthritis, asthma and heart conditions and decrease dependence on drugs for these problems Manage pain Reduce anxiety Increased stamina Slow the aging process Improve the immune system One of the most impressive physical benefits of yoga that many people report having is an increased awareness of their bodies and when their bodies aren’t performing as they should. They can actually sense when a health problem is beginning. This allows them to start treating the problem before it goes any further, preempting many serious illnesses.   Yoga not only contributes to physical health; with regular practice it also can improve mental health. Practitioners of yoga have reported the benefits for centuries, and recently the scientific community has begun to research and confirm what has always been believed. The psychological benefits of yoga can include:   Mental clarity Stress reduction Emotional groundedness Increased body awareness A relaxed mind Improved ability to pay attention, concentrate and retain information A countering effect to the feelings of depression or helplessness Increased brain activity including an improved communication between the left side of the brain and the right side of the brain Positive changes in mood Positive change sin vitality and energy An increased sex drive and a healthier view of sex Pride in taking care of the body Kinesthetic awareness A decrease in hostility and anger Increased social skills A feeling of being refreshed immediately after yoga – as if just waking from a good nap   On the spiritual level, many who practice yoga also report benefits. Some of the spiritual benefits believed to come from yoga are:   A greater awareness of nature and a person’s connection to nature A feeling of being at one with the universe An awareness of how the yoga practitioner’s life affects the lives around him A sense of peace Enjoyment of oneself Enjoyment of life Awaking of the energy within oneself A connection with the soul An awareness of the Life Force   It’s easy to see how the three areas that benefit from the practice of yoga – body, mind and spirit – can intertwine. When the three areas are working together in harmony, the benefits of yoga increase. Because of the effects that yoga has, there is much that a person can accomplish that he may not be able to if not for yoga.   For instance, many people report that practicing yoga has helped them with smoking cessation. When the body is less stressed, when there is an increased awareness of the body, when there is an emotional groundedness and when there is sense of peace, it is easier to resist the pull of a cigarette or many other addictive habits. The practice of yoga can change much in person’s life.