Yoga changes the construction of the body from the inside out, from bones to skin and from fingertips to toes. So before you change it, you have to heat it up to soften it, because a warm body is a flexible body. Hatha Yoga flushes away the waste products, the toxins of all the glands and organs of your body. It provides a natural irrigation of the body through the circulatory system with the help of the respiratory system. It brings nourishment's to every cell of your body so that each one can perform its function and keep your body healthy. Hot Yoga also employs humidity to further that cleaning process: When you sweat, impurities are flushed out of the body through the skin. Practising yoga not only increases our supplies of oxygen, but it also teaches us how to use that oxygen properly. We learn to control the breath through pranayama.
This yoga has been designed as a daily practice. The more often you come to class, the quicker you will see results and benefits. We recommend at least 3-4 times per week. If you practice every day for 60 days, you will have a new body, new mind and a new life!
It is not about doing the postures perfectly. No one is going to judge you or criticize you. Your fellow students are working much too hard to notice you! As long as you give your best effort and attempt all of the postures correctly, you will receive the same therapeutic benefits as someone who is able to do a posture with a high degree of flexibility, balance and strength. Your instructor may occasionally offer suggestions or adjustments that will carry you deeper into a pose. As you continue to come to class, you will become more and more comfortable with yourself and your yoga practice.
Yoga will enhance their physical flexibility, refines their balance and co-ordination. It will help to develop their focus and concentration, boost their self-esteem and confidence and strengthens the mind-body coordination.
Yin Yoga works the deeper levels of the body/heart/mind, the connective tissues of the ligaments, fascia, joints and bones and the energetic channels of the meridians, nerves and blood system.
Drinking 2 to 3 litres throughout the day is ideal. You will undoubtedly sweat more when you practice hot yoga than in most other forms of exercise, so it’s very easy to become dehydrated. It is extremely important that you drink plenty of water BEFORE, DURING and AFTER your practice. Everyone is encouraged to drink at least eight glasses of fluids per day in general. When you exercise, this amount should increase by two to three cups. If you raise your core temperature or partake in a hot yoga class, I would also recommend including a small dose of salt prior to the class. Or have a natural sports drink that will replenish the sodium you lose when sweating.
When a student is having a hard time in general, this can be a sign of dehydration and/or loss of electrolytes. Signs are: tiredness, dizziness, they’re not sweating enough, and /or their muscles are cramping. If you are properly hydrated, and have an empty stomach (not especially full of toxins that day), the class should not be a huge struggle. Many people need to take a few classes for their bodies to acclimate to the heat, but if every class continues to be hard, talk to one of your teachers. Together you can trouble shoot and find out what's going on. Usually it's a simple solution. What would you recommend to a hot yoga student in terms of replenishment if they are only hydrating with water during a summer practice? If you’re practicing hot yoga, you cannot properly hydrate with just water, especially in the summer. Electrolytes are charged molecules (positive or negative) that become active in water. They conduct electricity in the body and are instrumental for transmitting signals. They regulate, among other things: muscle contraction, heart rate, balance of body fluid, and pH levels. They affect all organs and systems in the body. The body needs the right balance of water AND electrolytes for communication signals to be sent throughout the body. For example, if you are depleted in sodium or potassium, the signal from the nervous system cannot reach the muscle cell. This results in muscle cramping. I recommend COCONUT WATER. It's the best way to replenish your body if water is not helping you enough.
Everyone can practice yoga. Yoga will help you feel more limber and energetic. The end result of practicing yoga includes overall muscle toning. In fact, some forms of yoga such as Vinyasa, Power Yoga or Hot Yoga can even help you to shed some kilos. AND no, you don't need to be flexible to practice yoga. You want to be flexible that's why you should practice yoga. Aside the fact that it has so many benefits and let's face it, it's fun!
Practicing yoga is a great way to prevent and stop menstrual cramps. It relaxes and rejuvenates the mind to take the edge off any mood swings you may experience. Centering and breathing exercises as well as practicing grounding poses are recommended. It is advisable to avoid postures, which require inversions during your menstrual period as it will tax your overall system.Just take it easy and don't forget to breathe.
One should always take note of any pre-existing medical or physical conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure or old injuries before taking up any form of exercise, including yoga. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, consult your doctor first before embarking on any exercise programme. Before the start of a class, inform the instructor of any existing ailment or medical condition that you may have, for instance, a stiff neck from sleeping awkwardly the night before. This alerts the instructor to pay more attention to you during the class. If you are unable to assume the full posture of a particular yoga move, ask the instructor for a variation to the pose. In general, instructors will highlight the poses to avoid for individuals with certain medical conditions eg. neck, lower back, knee problems. Yoga is not a competition and you should listen to your body. You should be aware of your own bodies and not over strain themselves while doing yoga.
To find out which style of yoga will best complement your lifestyle and fitness level, it is best to try out the different types of classes before deciding. The benefits will vary from different types of Yoga and the types of postures that are executed. Whether you are looking to lose weight, or also for relaxation and de-stressing - experiencing a class first hand and meeting personally with the instructor will give you a clearer picture of which practice suits you best.
Hatha and Hatha flow are Yang practices. They engage a lot more of your muscular energy and use alignment principles to get the body in to positions that primarily strengthen the body via their use of muscle. During a Yin practice, you disengage muscle and get more into the bones, joints and connective tissue. Yin yoga really promotes flexibility more than strength. In the Yin practice, you want to release the muscles so that you can feel the compression of joints and bones. That’s the physical, skeletal benefit of Yin. Other benefits from compression of the bones and subsequent release of that compression? Osteopenia, osteoporosis are really prevalent now. Bones grow stronger along the lines of stress. So with that increased compression, bones get healthier, stronger. And similar to the Yang practices, much of the Yin practice is internal. The compression of internal organs is quite beneficial to their health.
The greatest benefits of yoga manifest when we include yoga in daily life. Come once a week for maintenance, twice a week for improvement and 3 or more times a week for a great transformation!