Yoga is a lot more intense and difficult than those who have not done it before believe. Don't believe us? Whip out a sticky mat and try this five minute yoga flow for yourself to discover how much muscular intensity goes into flowing and holding each position.
Have you ever wanted to be your own means of transportation? No, we're not talking about walking, but rather contorting your body into a wheel. Sound painful? It is, to be sure, but it looks pretty darn cool!
The Dolphin Plank yoga exercise is a test of endurance and strength, focusing on your shoulders and upper back and challenging your balance. The Dolphin Plank is a great move to lead you into the Wheel pose, a deep back bend that requires you to open the hip flexors and shoulders.
In this Fitness video tutorial you will learn how to do a yoga handstand correctly. Bend forward and place both your hands on the ground. The fingers should be pointing forward and the palms should be flat on the ground. The shoulders should be naturally in to the body. They must not be stretched. Keep both the legs bent at the knees. Now lift one leg and practice kicking slowly with the other leg and pulling the navel in towards the spine. And eventually the full body will lift up and go bac...
Unlike Popeye arms, which bulge in all the wrong places, yoga arms don't really bulge at all, but rather undulate smoothely like the way a chataranga melds into a down dog.
As women, we're naturally prone to complaining about our bodies. Either our pores are too big or our boobs are too small or our abs are not small enough. There's really no limit to what we bash ourselves about, and it varies from day to day (thanks, societal beauty standards).
We love yoga: it prepares us for the day ahead and stretches out any residual tension in our shoulders and back. But waking up at 6 AM in the morning and doing that first down dog can be...rough. That's why it's so important to stretch before you start your morning yoga routine.
As a yoga practitioner you must be unafraid to bend your body like a German pretzel into all matter of formations, forgoing that bitter mistress named gravity and find your own center of balance instead. Once you're an advanced yogi you can do such crazy poses as balancing your entire body at a 45 degree incline on just your two hands.
We'rea already in the thick of beach season, so you've probably already hit the surf and sand at least a few times now (especially if you live near the coast) and have relished in the pretty waves, warm sun, and hot lifeguards.
Core strength is often associated with the practice of pilates, but having a strong midsection is just as important in pilates' sister practice, yoga. With all the flow between down dogs and vinyasas, it's important to keep your body steady and your core engaged.
Most people don't commit to an exercise program because it seems too strenuous to do either before work (which means in the wee hours of the morning) or after work (when you've had a dull pain gnawing at the back of your head the entire day and had a shitty day at work and commute home).
When you begin practicing intermediate to advanced yoga, you have to challenge yourself with harder poses like the handstand, which requires a strong core and ripped arms. Though after practice the handstand gets easier to do, we know you're only human and have some off days.
Yoginis have the best balance, able to balance an organic fruit basket on their heads while juggling hammers and riding a unicycle. Absorb this zen-centered bliss by watching this yoga routine.
We all know that at thend of a looooonng workday, there's nothing better than faceplanting your bed and blocking it all out until it starts all over again tomorrow.
If you're planning to become a veteran yogini, you'd better start practicing and loving the up dog pose now, because you'll be spending the greater part of your yoga flow doing up dogs and down dogs.
During pregnancy the natural curves of the spine become exaggerated causing the lower back to sway as well as the upper back and shoulders to round. This rolling forward of the shoulders causes the ribcage to collapse down compressing the lungs and diaphragm which results in a breathless feeling along with feeling like there is very little space left for the baby. Another unfortunate result of the ribcage compressing the stomach area is the stomach acid gets pushed up the esophagus resulting ...
This yoga how-to video tutorial demonstrates prenatal yoga poses to help open the hips. Prenatal yoga hip opening poses help to facilitate the opening of the pelvis to prepare for the baby to descend through the birth canal. They increase flexibility in the muscles that attach to the pelvis that will need to be elastic during labor and delivery. When the hips are more open it allows for the sacrum and pelvic to be better aligned. This will make daily activities like walking, sitting, standing...
Back pain is a common discomfort that women experience during and after pregnancy. Though a short, effective standing and seated series, this yoga how to video concentrates on alleviating some of these common aches and pains. Side bending poses help release lower back pain by stretching the latissimus dorsi (lower back) muscles. Forward bend and hip openers release and extend the lower back, hip and hamstring muscles. Twisting poses help stretch and release the back and shoulder muscles, crea...
This video is for people who are interested in yoga but have trouble doing the most basic positions. Often these people just give up, when in fact they need asana practice more than anyone else!
In this video Kumiko and Patrick show you why it's so important to stretch from your hips. You'll see an immediate difference in the quality of your stretches by getting these basics down cold.
Sadie Nardini teaches you how to improve your yoga fan pose stretch for release in the legs, hips, and lower back.
Sadie Nardini teaches you a multi-variation yoga handstand for stengthening your core.
Sadie Nardini gives instruction on how to breathe in yoga practice for optimal, strength, balance and detox.
Sadie Nardini teaches a yoga for weight loss sequence for toning and stretching your entire body and burning calories.
Watch this video to learn to do power yoga. In Ashtanga yoga, also known as power yoga, the yoga postures flow with an emphasis on strength and agility. In this video clip learn step by step yoga moves that will help you unite your body, mind and breath. And remember each pose can be modified to suit the practitioner's level of skill.
In yoga the Bound Forward Fold involves twisting the body and clasping the hands together. Learn a new yoga pose in this video yoga lesson. Take action: place feet wider than hips, root into feet, bend knees to lock, and focus on breathing. Cindy Mastry, the instructor of this how-to video, has practiced yoga since the age of eight, and also has a background in Jazz and Ballet. Active in the fitness industry for nearly twenty years, she teaches aerobics, kickboxing, and yoga at many fitness c...
The Dancing Dog Pose starts as the popular Downward Dog Pose. Learn a new yoga pose in this video yoga lesson. Take action: start in Downward Dog, extend leg and open hip, allow foot to fall, and lengthen the spine. Cindy Mastry, the instructor of this how-to video, has practiced yoga since the age of eight, and also has a background in Jazz and Ballet. Active in the fitness industry for nearly twenty years, she teaches aerobics, kickboxing, and yoga at many fitness centers in the Tampa Bay a...
Yoga is a great way to strengthen your body and increase flexibility. This how to video teaches a yoga pose for arm balance, Vasisthasana or the side plank yoga pose. Yoga instructor Christine Navarro demonstrates the Vasisthasana or the side plank yoga pose and provides instruction on getting into the posture. Strength building exercises are also provided.
Yoga is a great way to strengthen your body and increase flexibility. This how to video teaches a yoga pose for arm balance, Pinchu Mayurasana or Forearm Balance yoga pose. Yoga instructor Christine Navarro demonstrates the Pinchu Mayurasana or Forearm Balance yoga pose and provides instruction on how to get into the postures.
Despite common misconception, yoga is extremely intensive and a challenge for core stability and muscle stability, especially when you encounter poses like handstands. Not easily done by even the most experienced yoga experts, handstands are a true test of your yoga prowess and ability to say "ohm" with two feet up in the air, arms aching and trembling.
The Firefly Pose is an advanced balance pose. Learn a new yoga pose in this video yoga lesson. Take action: let go of fear, engage core, find counter balance, walk hands back behind legs, and move energy forward. Cindy Mastry, the instructor in this how-to video, has practiced yoga since the age of eight, and also has a background in Jazz and Ballet. Active in the fitness industry for nearly twenty years, she teaches aerobics, kickboxing, and yoga at many fitness centers in the Tampa Bay area...
Open the chest and shoulders with the Warrior Pose. Learn how to do the Warrior Pose in this yoga video lesson. Take action: build strength and stamina, start from Warrior Two, reach one arm up, and squeeze thighs and breathe. Cindy Mastry, the instructor of this how-to video, has practiced yoga since the age of eight, and also has a background in Jazz and Ballet. Active in the fitness industry for nearly twenty years, she teaches aerobics, kickboxing, and yoga at many fitness centers in the ...
Breath of Fire is a great way to work the diaphragm and abs. Learn how to do diaphragm exercises in Hatha yoga in this fitness video. Take action: sit comfortably, tap on third eye, focus on exhalations, pump belly, and make sound with breath. Cindy Mastry, the instructor of this how-to video, has practiced yoga since the age of eight, and also has a background in Jazz and Ballet. Active in the fitness industry for nearly twenty years, she teaches aerobics, kickboxing, and yoga at many fitnes...
In this free video yoga lesson, you'll learn how to integrate a headstand exercise into your yoga routine. With yoga, as with any physical fitness system, a basic mastery of proper technique is essential for both maximizing the effectiveness of your workouts and avoiding accidental injury. For more information, and to get started using this yoga exercise yourself, watch this handy home-fitness how-to.
Yoga is a great way to strengthen your body and increase flexibility. This how to video teaches a yoga pose for arm balance, Visvamitrasana. Yoga instructor Christine Navarro demonstrates the Visvamitrasana and provides instruction on how to get into the yoga posture.
The Cobra Pose is a great way to stretch the back. Learn how to do the Cobra Pose in this yoga video lesson. Take action: lie on abs, bring chest off ground, lift up and stretch spine and breathe properly. Cindy Mastry, the instructor of this how-to video, has practiced yoga since the age of eight, and also has a background in Jazz and Ballet. Active in the fitness industry for nearly twenty years, she teaches aerobics, kickboxing, and yoga at many fitness centers in the Tampa Bay area. Cindy...
Yoga is a great way to strengthen your body and increase flexibility. This how to video teaches a yoga pose for arm balance, the Astavakrasana or scissors pose. Yoga instructor Christine Navarro demonstrates the Astavakrasana and provides instruction on how to get into the scissor posture.
Yoga is a great way to strengthen your body and increase flexibility. This is a yoga tutorial for arm balance or Firefly pose. Yoga instructor Christine Navarro demonstrates the Tittibhasana or Firefly pose and provides instruction on the asana or pose.
Yoga is for everyone, not just yoga lovers. It helps relieve stress and tension. This how-to video has yoga poses to relieve lower back pain. Watch and learn how a few bends and twists can help get rid of nagging back pain.
Sadie Nardini teaches a basic core strength sequence for beginning yoga practitioners who want to strengthen their core.