By Angelena Craig

Learning to practice Yoga while sitting in a chair has a multitude of benefits for anyone of any age, shape, size or and fitness level. Chair Yoga is sometimes called Office Yoga. It is a wonderful alternative for anyone who sits at a desk long hours and needs a way to stretch those tired muscles, particularly the back, neck, shoulders and hips, without leaving the office station… and you get all the benefits of regular yoga without ever having to change your clothes or get up or down off of the floor.

Taking a Chair Yoga break, even a five minute break, can increase efficiency and effectiveness while at work and clear the mind. If you can do this several time during the day, even for a few minutes, you will be happier in your body and your mind will defog.

Here are a few easy seated yoga stretches for the back:

1. Push or roll your chair away from the desk so that you are back as far as you can go with your arms straight and your hands resting on the edge of the desk. Your head is between your arms and you drop your shoulders down away from the ears.
Press your hips back and your chest forward a bit more to make space between the vertebrae.
Hold for several deep breaths and then look up and lift the torso up to sitting.

2. Come forward to the front of the chair, with your feet firmly planted. Reach you arms back to the back of the chair and hold on. Press the front of your torso forward. Look up, but keep the shoulders down neck comfortable in this back bend. Hold for a few deep breaths.

3. Again, come forward to the front of the chair, separating you feet wider than your hips. Place your elbows on your thighs. Press the elbows and the hips back toward the back wall and look straight ahead for a lengthened spine. Then tuck your chin and look down between the legs of the chair as you release the neck. Come up slowly, one hand on one thigh and then the other to draw you up.

Sit back in your chair and let those stretches settle in.

Chair Yoga DVDs may be purchased which then can be slipped into your computer to help guide you. Some of them are segmented so that you can focus on the particular body part you need to stretch, such as the shoulders, the neck or the wrists.

Chair Yoga for Boomers, Practice Yoga While Sitting, Chair Yoga, Office Yoga, Easy Seated Stretches for the Back,Promote efficiency and effectiveness at work and clear the mind, Chair Yoga DVDs.

Chair Yoga for The Office
by
Angelena Craig

Angelena Craig

Angelena Craig is a professional level Kripalu Yoga Instructor with fifteen years of teaching experience. She was the founder of Beacon Light Yoga Center of Boston and has trained thousands of beginning and more experienced yoga students.

As a teaching consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Housing of Finance she created her Chair Yoga program primarily for seniors. She then produced Chair Yoga DVD, “Angelena’s Yoga Using a Chair” to make this easy to follow program more accessible to anyone of any size, shape or fitness level in a format that can be used in the comfort of the home or the office.

In 2008 Angelena opened her new business The New Aging Movement, how to stay young while growing older. She offers private and group Yoga classes and Wellness workshops in Sarasota Florida and in the Boston area and each winter leads a yoga retreat to Jamaica, WI.

She may be reached at http://theNewAgingMovement.com

Article Source: Chair Yoga For the Office

A beginner to yoga is well advised to take yoga classes. While it is possible to learn the basics through a book or yoga videos, a qualified teacher will make sure that you are doing the exercises correctly. Injuries can occur in yoga if you haven’t done your research first or don’t have a qualified teacher to make corrections to your stance, posture or breathing. Certain items are important for yoga and a quick search online of what you will need is a first step.

Some yoga studios will require the use of certain props, though generally speaking there is not much required in order to practice yoga postures and positions. You may be required to wear appropriate clothing and to bring in your own yoga mat. Some gyms will provide mats for those who don’t have one, yet most people will want their own personal mat for hygienic reasons. There are lots of options out there, and you can usually find cheap deals with a bit of research.

Almost all classes, whether it’s a yoga beginners or advanced class, will begin with a warm up. A beginner’s class will then usually cover the yoga basic poses, that usually involve a mix of sitting and standing postures, as well as different exercises that utilize stretches and twists. You can practice these types of poses at home, by looking up the techniques on the internet, or by buying a book or DVD. Once you have started your classes, your teacher will make any required corrections to your techniques.

Yoga classes present different forms and styles, yet most of them end with a meditative approach. Meditation has been used for centuries by monks and in Asian cultures, and it is a very powerful means of slowing down the body and brain to bring about total relaxation. The yoga positions may take some time to learn, but meditation is a skill which also takes time to learn. It is very difficult to not only focus upon your breathing but also to clear your mind of random thoughts. One way to do this is to focus totally upon your breathing, or your instructor will provide you with a word or mantra, or scene to focus on, as is practiced in Kundalini yoga. Meditation brings about great relaxation and it is useful if you have problems falling asleep at night.

Many beginners will just assume that they can learn everything about yoga through a book, information on the internet or through the purchase of a DVD. However, yoga classes for beginners are very important. Knowing what to wear, what type of mat works for you, and having a teacher to correct your poses, posture and stances are all necessary to prevent injuries and to keep you motivated. The yoga basics taught by an instructor may take time to learn, but they generally hand out diagrams so that you can practice at home in front of a mirror. All the components of a class are built into it for a purpose. Relaxation and meditation are a major part of yoga, and while it is possible to do this at home, learning the basics in a classroom environment will enable you to follow through on your own.

Yoga DVDs are a great way to get the benefits of yoga without having to leave your house and go to a class. To find the best workout for your personal situation, click here to read yoga DVD reviews of some of the best workouts on video.

Today’s market features dozens of companies manufacturing the Yoga Industry. A Yoga Mat is probably one of the most popular products. This seemingly basic piece of synthetic or natural rubber can end up pulling over $100. Do you think you are ready to invest so much money into a Yoga Mat? This article will discuss the most important aspects of choosing your mat, whether you desire an inexpensive but disposable alternative, something more durable, or simply to use one at your studio.

Your Practice Level:

Most Yoga studios have their own inventory of mats for their students. Studios usually purchase thick, durable mats that perform quite well for many people. To keep the inventory expenses down, studio mats are generally well-maintained, replaced and cleaned on a regular basis (something we can’t say about our personal mats, in most cases). I suggest the beginner students to try using the mats provided by their studio, to minimize the hassle of picking your own mat and the risk of being stuck with a mat and no desire to practice.

If you practice yoga once a week or more and plan to do so, consider purchasing your own mat. You will feel much more comfortable in it. Coming to class with your mat has many benefits. First of all, you will get used to practicing on the exact same mat with exact same characteristics (impossible if you keep borrowing one from your studio). Eventually you will form a bond, and your mat will begin accumulating your energy, keeping your comfortable and stable, once you get used to its characteristics, including smell and color. A higher quality mat than one in your studio will noticeably enhance your performance, especially after your practice becomes regular.

Advanced practitioners usually choose a mat based on personal preferences for durability and appearance. Having enough experience, they will pick a mat based on their professional judgment.

Choosing the size:

Most yoga mats are about 24 inches wide. The lengths vary. Most mats are between 60″ and 75″ in length. Choosing a shorter mat is appropriate for kids and smaller people. A longer mat, however, may be easier to use, as some poses require moving around. An average length is between 70″ and 72″. If you are getting started, a longer, wider mat would make your practice more comfortable.

Material Composition:

The ensure stability and comfort during practice, it is important to make sure your mat is made of proper material. Look at the following issues when choosing:

* Traction – A good mat will provide enough traction to support your poses, but it will not be so sticky you can’t peel it off the floor. Extremely sticky mats are usually cheap, and they provide too much grip when it is not needed. As with everything in Yoga, there must be a balance between grip and slip. Another important factor to consider is how well the mat holds when wet. Some cheaper mats completely loose traction when a little sweat is applied. This may not be apparent when you purchase the mat, but becomes a significant problem during class. Natural rubber is usually the best material, though it is costly.

* Composition – What Your Mat is Made Of. This is important and your mat’s performance depends directly on the material composition. Most yoga mats are made of either PVC, natural rubber, natural material (jute) or a combination of all three. PVC is the cheapest option, it comes in a few varieties, recently earth-friendly and recyclable. Most PVC mats smell awful during the few weeks of their “break-in” period. The environmentally-friendly version are better, but their durability is questionable. Natural latex or rubber is the material best Yoga mats are made of today. It is heavy, sticky and porous enough to provide the ultimate combination of stability, durability and comfort. Organic jute mats, when combined with rubber are lighter, but harder and tend to shed their fibers a lot.

* Durability – How long is your mat going to last? The more your pay – the longer it will serve you. This rule is applicable to yoga mats, with some exceptions – all-natural jute and cotton mats break down pretty quick. All-rubber mats will last a lifetime, wearing off only slightly if taken care of properly.

Your Mat’s price

Your mat’s price is usually directly proportional to its quality, the more your pay, the better your mat will be in all aspects, except may for weight. There are options to buy less expensive mats, but prepare to dispose of them quicker. Some may even prefer to replace their mats by tossing them after a short period of time. This works well, especially if you can’t clean your yoga mat properly.

Reviews and ratings of top-selling yoga mats are available at Ken’s website – http://yogamatreviews.net. Check out the Reviews of Top 10 Yoga Mats of 2010, the best in cheap, middle and premium categories.

Yoga for flat stomach poses don’t have to be outrageously backbreaking because surely, anyone can do yoga at any point in their lives. The main objective here is not to boast your flexibility but to condition the body as best as you can. Aside from being an effective activity for weight management, yoga can also help you instill discipline in yourself and unwind after a hard day’s work.

Here are the 3 most effective yoga exercises you can do to achieve all that and more:

Prishth Naukasana (The Reverse Boat Pose)

For these yoga for flat stomach poses, a yoga mat could make things more relaxed for you. First thing you need to do is to lay face down. This initial position is also referred to as Advasana or the Reverse Corpse Position. Your next move would require you to simultaneously stretch out your arms and legs so that your abdominal area is the only part of your body that is touching the ground. Maintain that position for as long as you can.

The Reverse Boat Pose will put just the right amount of pressure on your abdominal muscles to keep it taut throughout the duration of the exercise and eventually tone the area as you progress. Furthermore, this yoga for flat stomach pose is also good for nearby organs like your liver and pancreas. This only means normalized blood sugar levels, improved digestion, and better looking abs.

Marjariasana (The Cat Pose)

You’ve probably seen or heard of this yoga pose before. First off, move down to your yoga mat on all four limbs. Inhale. Pull in your ab muscles, butt, and tailbone as you exhale. Make sure that as you pull in, you push down on your hands to gain more stability and force. Coiling your back will also help you get to the position more effortlessly.

With this yoga for flat stomach pose, you get to tone all involved muscles, increase blood circulation and flexibility, toughen adjacent joints and ligaments, massage your internal organs, and develop your abs and arms all together.

Supta Udarakarshanasana (The Lying Abdominal Twist Pose)

It sounds complicated, I know, but give it a try anyway. This pose is actually quite undemanding. Simply lie flat on your back, put your palms down, and rest your arms on each side. Touch your left sole to your right thigh as you take a breath of air. As you breathe out, twist your right leg toward the direction of your left hip, push it down to the floor with your left hand, and then twist your head to the right. Inhale and exhale at a regular pace while keeping that position. Repeat this a few times and then move on to the other leg.

Aside from burning fat in and around your hips, legs, and abdominal area, you will also experience increased metabolism, good posture, and proper digestion.

Together with a good diet and an active lifestyle, these simple yet effective yoga for flat stomach poses will help you get that sexy tummy in no time.

You can definitely pick up plenty beneficial leads by reading this Truth About Abs review. With healthy food eating and a consistent workout plan, as described in this Get six Pack Abs Fast article, you can be sure to experience total fitness that makes you look good and feel good at the same time.

Yoga can be about more than just achieving better spiritual health and having a healthier glow. You can use yoga to help you lose weight. Of course, you probably already have noticed that yoga can help a person to achieve a tone and lean body. But it can also be of great help when you are trying to get rid of some extra pounds.

When you start performing yoga, you will soon notice that you will be
improving flexibility through the various yoga positions. You will also start to tone your muscles and can even begin to build more muscle mass. Your body will start to look more toned and fit even before you drop any pounds. As you begin to build more muscle tone, your metabolism will begin burning even more calories which can help you lose weight.

The deep breathing associated with yoga moves will improve the flow of blood and oxygen in your body. As your circulation improves, you will find that you start to feel more energetic. This extra energy can be used to fuel more activity throughout your day. As you become even more active, you will be well on your way to a thinner you.

When you live a life that is full of stress, it can result in weight gain and a general state of being unhealthy. It is not always easy to find enjoyable outlets to release some stress. Fortunately, yoga can be a good way to get rid of stress. If you start to feel less stressed out, it will be easier for your body to work at its best and to help you burn off calories and achieve a healthier weight.

Many types of yoga are designed more for inner body strength. They will not be enough to get your heart pumping a lot or to have you break out in a sweat. This is why you might want to look for yoga courses that are more vigorous to help you lose weight. You can also add some aerobic exercises and even strength training to your routine several times a week to help you lose weight.

Yoga is a good addition to your weight loss plan. It can help you to improve your mental and spiritual health. You will be able to achieve a healthier and more tone body. And yoga can help you directly or indirectly to drop excess pounds.

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If you have been looking out for distinct exercise workouts for you, this is exactly what you want, a yoga or Pilates exercise. Yoga and Pilates exercise are different forms of exercise, at the same time have fairly similar workouts and thus make them connect with each other and form a new program that is used.

One cannot expect to get bulkier with this exercise regime but this regime works on making the person look leaner, longer along with keeping your mind and body connected that could help the individual deal with all kinds of stress in his day to day life. Yoga Pilates exercise can be the right exercise regime you would be missing in your workouts for the perfect looks.

What exactly is yoga and Pilates exercise?

Since these two programs are different, many do yoga on one day and pilates on another. Some people combine portions of these programs to make their own work out regiment. A pilates yoga exercise program could incorporate positions from yoga with workouts from pilates to work on specific areas and strengthen core muscles.

A good example can be given to flatten that excess fat on the tummy, incorporate the yoga form of warrior position and 100′s from the Pilates exercise. These positions give the tummy muscles a precise and controlled movement to tighten the muscles. A person in the warrior position must stand and place one leg forward by four feet, parallel extension of hands to the ground. Now you have to turn the foot in the right a little, and place the left foot at an angle of 90 degree. Now you have to exhale and the right knee should be bent, the right knee should be over the ankle, left leg should be pressed straight, hold for 30 seconds.

In the 100′s position, you need to lye down on the back and then pull your legs from the ground very slowly. Pressing your hands upwards and downwards and continue counting five and then inhale and then count another five to exhale. Repeat this till you finish 100 counts

This type of pilates yoga exercise allows for a person to work with both disciplines of exercise and creates a balance of yoga and pilates that is unique and specialized for an individual.

For students who have worked with both types of programs it can be a simple matter of putting together movements that share a common flow. Pilates yoga exercise is a great way to get a full mind and body workout.

For more useful information on yoga and types of yoga to boost your fitness levels. Eco yoga mat will make the yoga routine a pleasant one.

This is the third and final part to the Yoga for Beginners series.  If you missed parts one or two, you can find them here:
Yoga For Beginners – Part 1
Yoga For Beginners – Part 2

Now, without further ado, here is part three:

We hope you enjoyed the series.  We’re sure to have videos from Yogadic again in the future, so please tell us what you thought, and if you’d like to see something specific, in the comments below.

Namaste

Yesterday we posted Yoga For Beginners – Pt 1.  Hopefully that video helped get you off to a good start.

Here is the second part to the series from Yogadic.

We’ll have the third and final part of this series tomorrow, so be sure to come back.  And don’t forget to leave your comments in the space below.

It is important for when you are first starting out with your yoga practice that you get proper instruction and start in the right place to build up a good foundation for your future practice.

The following video, Yoga For Beginners – Pt 1, is the first in a series of videos designed to help you build this solid foundation for your ongoing practice.  It’s only 10 minutes long, so sit back, watch the video, and maybe even follow along.

Watch here for part 2, coming tomorrow.  And be sure to tell us what you think in the comment section below.

Getting into yoga is one of the exciting ways of getting into spiritual and new physical world. None of the other exercise forms can get you in close contact with your mind and body the way yoga does. In the western world this form of exercise is called as yoga which actually has various kinds in India. The country in which it originated, Hatha yoga which is the physical aspect of yoga is just one of the divisions of this great ancient discipline.

An individual who is learning the postures of yoga usually also gets into practice of Meditation . Be it practicing both meditation and yoga or just performing Hatha yoga for strengthening the body there are certain things that is required for starting off with the yoga practice.

Equipment

People might find it strange when there is a talk about having some equipment while starting the yoga practice, but there are some basic things that beginners need for starting yoga. The first and foremost thing that is required is a mat for performing your yoga asana. There are various kinds of mats that are available for performing yoga and based on your liking you can pick up any of the mat as the type of mat does not make any difference.

One of the important aspects about Yoga mats are that they should be tear proof and should protect you if the floor is cold. It should be easy to maintain that means very handy to clean. Yoga mats are also non slip as some beginners prefer that for practicing. Some other mats are also eco friendly giving you the opportunity to do your bit for the environment.

The kind of clothes that is worn during the yoga sessions is also very important for beginners. Ensure that you wear only those clothes that are not too tight or restrictive and enables easy movement. You can go in for clothes that have specially made for doing yoga, but there is no compulsion on this front and you can also wear clothes that you usually wear for any of your workout sessions.

The Basics

Giving important to breathe control is one among the important fundamentals that will be learnt in yoga. When you are starting with your beginners class for yoga the foremost thing that you will learn is proper breathing. These classes will show you that your breathing pattern is wrong which might completely surprise you.

It is not a point of concern if your guide spends a lot of time during your beginners class teaching you the right breathing pattern. It is of utmost importance that the yoga poses are combined with appropriate breathing pattern. The right kind of breathing pattern will help in making your exercise more intense along with cleansing your body. Practice the yoga poses at your home you will feel the amazing advantages of yoga.

You want to know how to do yoga correctly? You need to learn some basic info about beginner yoga class before you start.