ChickSpeak

It’s (well into) 2008 and your top resolution is to find the perfect fitness routine.

Your workout time is limited and stress is at an all time high.

Is it unrealistic to find a program that shapes your body and soothes your soul?

Not if you make yoga your new mantra. With regular practice, hatha yoga poses move you toward a higher place . . . physically and mentally!

Time limitations
Yoga can be done anywhere, anytime. All you need is a mat and comfy clothes. Even a 15-minute commitment each day contributes to over-all flexibility and symmetrical strength. Explore video and book options to develop an at-home or on-the-road practice of classic yoga poses. On days with a little more space, sample a 90-minute class at that funky yoga studio on your way home from work, or try a beginner’s class at your favorite gym.

Stress level
Authentic yoga classes often begin with a focus on breath and end with a few moments of eyes-closed relaxation or “savasana”. Studies of the benefits of yoga include stress reduction and better management of high blood pressure. Learning how to engage breathing patterns to soothe your nervous system is helpful, especially off the mat. Picture someone cutting you off from the exit ramp to your house. Option 1 – respond in kind, horn blowing, finger flying. Option 2 – breath and regain your composure, the next exit is just two miles ahead. And at the end of each yoga class, if you stay for “savasana” to let all that hard physical effort settle in, you can always find your way om.

Shaping your body
Symmetrical muscle development is a work of art. Even if you begin a yoga practice feeling like a lump of clay, commit. Over time, even your mother will use you as the model of ideal posture and your friends will envy your “yoga butt”. Although challenging aerobic activity may be your best bet for weight loss, yoga can be used for weight control. At 155 calories burned in a typical 55 minute hatha class, yoga is like a nice long walk. More vigorous practices such as vinyasa flow, Ashtanga, or hot yoga may burn a few more calories. Whether your practice is athletic or geared toward suppleness, the strength you build in your muscles will make them more metabolically active. Once you become body aware, you naturally respect what your body needs for movement and for fuel . . . transformation!

Soothing your soul
Meditation may or may not be for you, at least not initially, but everyone can benefit from the invigorated-yet-calm feeling after a flow of well-sequenced poses. Many yoga practitioners find the spiritual aspect as important as the physical. Yoga means “to yoke” and for some it is a way of life that encompasses ethics, diet and physical exercise. If you are inquisitive, seek a qualified yoga instructor to guide you. What begins as a method of movement may morph into a spiritual path!
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