Archive for the ‘Yoga for Women’ Category

By Elizabeth Henshall

Yoga has a long history as a practice used by ancient sages, yogis and monks in the East to help them achieve their goal of spiritual enlightenment. However in the last 50 years it has gained considerable popularity as a way for us in the West to keep fit and healthy. Introduced to Western mainstream consciousness by such celebrities as George Harrison in his days as a Beatle – and even having a Yogi master presenting at the legendary Woodstock concert in the 60’s – yoga has gradually and powerfully infiltrated our culture. Most gyms and even small villages have their yoga classes weekly and they are always very well attended by local women who form nice friendships through the classes as well as getting fit. It is less common for men to attend yoga sessions and many women really appreciate a quiet space, just for them, with no men around for 90 minutes while they concentrate on their fitness and inner peace.

Yoga is a different way to keep fit. If you are not keen on team sports, or if running/jogging doesn’t float your boat then you may well find that yoga is a better way forward for you. It also has the advantage of being safe for your body as you are being lead through appropriate poses by a qualified teacher and they will guide you in ways to adapt the pose if you need to do it in a modified way to suit your body.

Another advantage of yoga as a fitness routine for women is that it focuses on building strength and flexibility gradually and therefore you tend to notice a big difference after a while, but it is so easy to do that you don’t exhaust yourself or feel stressed getting to that state. Men tend to prefer full on, power building fitness programmes where they quickly see results but often hurt themselves as they challenge their bodies too hard. Women’s fitness programmes, especially if you are starting this route after a period of relatively little exercise as you had a family and worked, is better tackled gently and steadily. Gym sessions where you work with weights and equipment tend to be harder on your body and also harder to keep up as you are doing them alone – and they can be very boring!

Yoga has a reputation as a good weight loss programme as well as a women’s fitness routine. It steadily shapes your body into new curves and smooths out lumps and bumps but it does it in a way that is long lasting and becomes part of your life style rather than a crash and burn approach which some of the gym based programmes tend to do. Many women find that as they enjoy the other benefit of yoga (calmness) they don’t go for food as a prop nearly as much so their weight drops as well as their dress size through the body reshaping. The secret to success with yoga as a women’s fitness and weight management programme is to keep at it and do it with a friend so that you both enjoy the camaraderie and get the peace of mind that comes with yoga practice – then the other benefits follow automatically.

Lastly, there is a great benefit to yoga as a fitness programme for women. It helps to lower your stress levels enormously at the same time as it steadily sculpts your body into a new shape as I outlined above. There are many studies showing the health benefits to yoga and how the regular practice of it reduces blood pressure, changes breathing patterns to much more beneficial levels and reduces asthma attacks. People report feeling calmer, having better decision making skills as their minds are clearer and sharper and also that they sleep much better. Although any women’s fitness programme sensibly tackled will bring many benefits there are few that are as safe and as wide in their benefits as yoga.

Next time you go to your local gym ask the yoga teacher if you can try it out and see if it is something that appeals to you. Any yoga teacher will be delighted to let you join in with the class and experiment. Enjoy.

Building Women’s Fitness Using Yoga

Restorative Yoga Workshops and more information about how to use this form of self healing can be found on Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga. The Fifty, Fit and Fabulous programme provides a step by step approach to well-being through holistic care and is outlined on these sites.

Written By Ntathu Allen

If you are a busy mum, how do you relax at the end of your day? What do you do to look after yourself and care for your body? Do you take time-out for yourself or are you so busy caring for your family that you don’t have energy or the time for “me-time?”

You may even be wondering, how can I relax and have me-time with so many demands made on your time.

With so much activity going on in your life, what can you do to relax, to find time for yourself?

Constant rushing, multi-tasking and caring for others takes its toll on your health. Over time, your ability to effectively manage your work load and meet family and other life commitments is effected. You may constantly feel tired, exhausted and stressed. Failure to rest and relax leads to stress related symptoms such as migraines, high blood pressure and in some cases depression

With so much at stake, it is vital you make time to care for yourself. In the long run, the more quality time you invest in yourself, the greater your capacity to give your best to friends and loved ones.

Five Fast and Effortless Ways To Unwind and Relax At the End Of A Busy Day

When the pressure is on try the following five easy-to do yoga relaxation exercises to help you unwind, boost your energy and relax at the end of the day.

1. Give yourself a hand and finger massage. Gently massage your fingers and thumbs. Take time to really enjoy your mini-hand massage, if you have a favourite hand cream or even warm olive oil, use it to add a bit of luxury to your evening.

2. Shake and flap your hands, vigorously for 2 – 5 minutes. This is a wonderful way to get rid of excess energy. Make a dance with your hands and shake them up in the air, behind you and below your knees.

3. Stroke down your arms and upper body, this is a loving way to release blocked energy from your body. Stroke down each arm and your chest at least 3 – 5 times.

4. Practice the yoga pose – the seated forward bend. Sit on the floor, legs straight out in front of you, back straight. Stretch your arms overhead, exhale and bend forward, place your hands on your feet, shins or thighs. Inhale, and as you exhale press your chest down towards your legs and press the backs of your knees into the floor. Take 5 – 7 rounds of deep breathing in this pose. Slowly come up and sit still for a few moments.

5. Sit comfortably, straight back. Close your eyes. Relax your facial muscles. Gently breathe in and out through your nose and whisper the word “peace.” Do this 3 to 6 times. As you say the word, feel the peace inside you as you relax and breathe.

So, next time, you come home from work, or had a long day caring for your children, spend a few minutes and practice any one or all of these simple yoga relaxation exercises. You will feel relax, calm and ready to have a restful evening.

Ntathu Allen, Yoga and Meditation Teacher works with working women to inspire and support you feel the fun and joy of living in the now. She teaches you simple yoga relaxation techniques, prayers and guided meditations which support you to live a life fully alive and energised.

To find out more go to: http://www.yogainspires.co.uk and sign up for your copy of Ntathu’s free monthly yoga Inspires enewsletter and regular Quick and Easy Yoga Solutions for Stress Relief and Relaxation.
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Email: ntathu@yogainspires.co.uk

http://www.yogainspires.co.uk