mario

...yoga breathing exercises are very powerful tools to increase respiratory function, breath capacity and physical energy. Both increase vitality and sense of well-being.

3. Increased Flexibility yoga and Chi Gung both increase overall flexibility, contributing to improved everyday functioning and mobility, and protection from falls. Despite popular notions, you do not need to be flexible to practice yoga. The idea is to practice at your current level with patience and compassion, gently becoming more pliable.

4. Better Posture Good posture calls upon our new strength and flexibility to keep our spine healthy and strong. Healthy body posture supports digestive and respiratory functions as well. Poor posture in combination with osteoporosis leads to stress fractures.

5. Improved Balance Balance gives older adults the confidence to move freely and to engage in physical activities. One of the most important parts of a senior fitness program is balance training. Seniors who exercise and practice balance activities, like those found in yoga and Chi Gung, can avert the devastating effects of a fall the second leading cause of accidental death for seniors. Balance is an intangible force that many people take for granted.

6. Increased Energy yoga and Chi Gung are, in essence, ancient renewal and balancing systems for our vital energy. More than the sum of their parts, these practices gently revitalize the body. The term Chi itself means energy, and Chi Gung literally means energy work.

Mind - Challenging the mind is crucial to staving off diseases like Alzheimers. Be sure to stimulate your intellectual dimension through learning new information and exploring topics that require judgment and decision-making. The physical aspects of a mind-body practice lead directly to a mental sense of roo...more

Bikram yoga

...being present" and finding stillness, and reducing the chatter in the mind. "Being present" isn't easy for most of us, and particularly when you're challenging your body into unusual postures. But, how many places in life do we get 90 minutes to practice being more present? It's also about practicing going from "maximum intensity" to "total relaxation", without drama. Several of the balancing postures require as much focused concentration as strength. Mind over body. It's often easy to "give up", but it's a useful practice to challenge the mind and body to stay engaged for those extra few seconds. It's about surrendering into a posture, finding serenity within the intensity, while allowing the body to stretch just a little more deeply. It's also about "being with yourself" in moments of failure. There are still postures I struggle with, so practicing lo...more

Keep Fit With yoga or Pilates for Maximum Spiritual and Physical Benefits

...In the wake of films like Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me" and increasingly worrying figures on the level of global obesity, the world seems to have been delivered a swift electric shock and told to get back into shape - or else. But if you think that keeping fit is all about bench-pressing and weight-lifting in soulless gyms, you might be surprised to learn that you're more suited to a comprehensive yoga or Pilates regime. A dedicated stay fit routine has to involve a lot of effort if it's going to work; but, if you choose to take up fitness regimes like yoga or Pilates, you'll be sure to have a fulfilling spiritual experience as well as a physical one.

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yoga vs Gym Workouts - Which is Better?

...ide perspective also plays a key role in developing good form - take advantage of constructive criticism by your peers. Ultimately, it comes down to being accountable for your work; make sure you find an instructor who cares when you miss a class/workout.

5. Short, High Intensity Workouts

The best supplement for yoga training is a strength and conditioning fitness program that focuses on functional movements performed at high intensity. This type of strenuous exercise is the perfect complement for a calm and relaxing practice such as yoga - implementing both into your routine will help you physically, mentally and perhaps even spiritually.

So, do you think yoga can completely replace going to the gym or just the gym you go to?

P.S. If you hate gimmicks for flat abs, treadmills, and advice without substance, then you might just love our free workout blog over at Crossfit Coastal

by Ezekiel Martinez