Virasana benefits:

1. Helps in improving concentration, considered good for meditation practice
2. Improves digestion process and kidney functioning
3. Good for knee joints, ankle joints and calf muscles.

Duration : 2 minutes duration is ideal. However, you can stay in virasana posture as long as you are comfortable.

Contra-indications:  Not recommended for people suffering from knee or ankle problems, such as arthritis or osteoporosis.

Procedure

1. Get into kneeling position on mat, if you find your knees hurting place a soft blanket under your knees for support
2. Knees together and feet apart, slowly lower the hips in between your feet.  This position will stretch ankles and may be painful for some people, if so place a soft bolster under your ankles.
3. Keep lower back straight. If you are not able to keep it straight, place a block in between your feet and sit on it. Maintain straight back and stay motion less
4. When coming out of virasana pose, raise your upper body slowly into kneeling position and take a seating position sideways. Straighten your legs and do some ankle rotations.

Variation II (easy asana)

1. Same as above
2. Same as above
3. Slowly raise right knee and place right foot flat on floor next to left knee.
4. Right elbow on right knee and right palm under chin for support. Keep left arm resting on left knee.
5. Keep back straight and close your eyes to relax.
6. Repeat on left side too.

Virasana variation II is also called as thinker’s or philospher’s pose.

Yoga free 250 pose

As the title of the app says, this yoga app has 250 poses categorized into beginner, intermediate, advanced and guru. Under each of the categories the asanas are further categorized into standing asanas, sitting asanas, lying on the stomach, lying on the back and from the table position.

The illustrations are very basic and the instructions are brief. The app is someone that can be used as reference. Other features include a calendar, programming your own yoga routine by adding asanas of your choice.  The full version has video and voice instructions.

Click here
Pranayama

This is pranayama app for breathing practice. The free version has only beginner level practice. The app tells you when to inhale and exhale, there is a music change between inhale and exhale routines for us to know when to shift from inhale to exhale and vice-versa. You can program number of breaths per minutes (very limited in free version). The app is ideal for beginner level pranayama practice and everyday practice.

Click here

Daily yoga free

This is a yoga workout app. You can choose between 20 min or 40 min or 60 min yoga session. The entire session is in video format with voice instructions (as in similar to instructions from an instructor in a yoga studio). You can also choose to view individual pose instructions. If you count total number of poses, there aren’t that many poses compared to other apps.

There are 2 workout routines, the 2^nd one is available in full version.  If you want have a feel of instructor led session, this app can come handy.

Click here

Pocket yoga free

Nice illustrations, you can switch between viewing angles to have a peek of pose from two sides. A short description of the pose and benefits listed for each asana.

In practice mode, to access the class routines you need to share the app info on Facebook to have access to the class routines. There are 2 sun salutation practices also that can programmed to perform in number of sets. The background voice is nice and you can add your own if you don’t like the default music.

Click here

The article is about my personal experience with yoga on losing weight and a bit of yoga concepts on weight loss.

Let me give you few of my observations before we get into meat of this article, I have been to lot of yoga studios for drop in classes in US, India and South America.

Observation # 1: I noticed people who practice yoga on regular basis, majority of them are lean/skinny.
Observation # 2: Walk into a yoga studio and try to find people with excess weight Vs lean/skinny people. From my experience, I say chances are quite slim to find good number of overweight people.

Should I conclude practicing yoga will build lean and nice body??

No, as a yoga teacher it would be too naïve on part of me to believe in such claims that yoga practice is a solution for weight loss. There are several reasons behind why someone is overweight, it could be a improper thyroid function, diet or some other medical reasons. Everyone is unique and we are all wired differently, however practicing yoga can help you enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

My Experience

I have been practicing yoga since I was in college, my body has always been skinny and I never attempted to gain weight or anything. I moved to US and my practice of yoga has been greatly reduced due to other commitments and I attempted to gain some weight to not look so skinny. After much difficulty I could put on 15 pounds, which isn’t much for my body yet. All I could notice was my cheeks got chubby and my waist size grew by 1 inch. Later, I went to India for a 4 week yoga teacher training, it was quite intensive and energizing. After 4 weeks, I lost all the 15 pounds I put on. It took so many months for me to gain that weight and in 4 weeks I lost all that. However, I didn’t lose anymore weight beyond that even after I kept practicing yoga. I was eating quite good all the time.
But what happened?

One of the result of my 4 week training was I got 4x flexible that I was before. All the postures I was doing everyday has stretched my muscles and tissues really good. We had to hold the posture for a minute or so and that generated heat in the body and guess what? fat meltdown all the way. I realized the weight gained before was nothing but extra fat in the body, no muscle or so. I checked my body fat percentage and it was 8%, which is in range for an athletes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage)

The common question I hear about weight loss is – are there are any particular postures for weight loss? The answer is Yes and No, because it depends on body type and also where the excess weight is i.e., abdomen or hips or neck or chest or any of the combination. A good yoga teacher will evaluate the student’s body and will make a plan on what postures she/he should practice for better results.

However, some of them cannot afford paying yoga teacher and try to find solutions over internet. Isn’t the reason you are here in first place? well, we can get some answers if not everything. Most of the excess weight tends to be  around waist, abdomen and/or hips area.

List of postures

For all postures, try to hold in the posture for atleast 30 seconds or so.
1. Tadasana I – Click here to see the posture in action
- Inhale raise the arms and push the palms towards sky. Bend sideways till you can and repeat the same on  other side, repeat 4 times on each side.
- Another variation to do along with above is to the twist and turn at the waist towards right and then left. Repeat 4 times on each side.

2. Uttanasana (standing forward bend pose) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttanasana
Place feet one foot apart and slowly exhale to bend forward. If you cant touch your feet, its alright. Just let your body hang and leave it to the gravity to work. Stay in this position for 2 minutes for this one. While coming back to standing position, don’t forget to bend knees little bit and slowly raise your body.

The above 2 postures are very good for reducing waist and abdomen fat. Do it regularly for a week or 10 days in morning and evening and you should be able to see the difference.

There are more poses to work on, but they require series of steps involved to attain the final posture. The above 2 postures are easy and doesn’t require any steps to remember.

Thanks for reading

Pic source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/3206805049/in/photostream/

Anatomy for Yoga by Paul Grilley is not a regular yoga dvd that we usually find everywhere. This yoga dvd is very conceptual, educational and useful practical information based on Paul’s personal experience as a yoga teacher. In short, this yoga dvd is a blend of anatomy, yoga and his experiences as a yoga teacher.

Who should use this yoga dvd: Yoga practitioners, yoga teachers and everyone who is interested in developing knowledge in yoga from anatomy point of view. I came across comments on this dvd that it is highly recommended for yoga teacher, but I think it is highly recommended for yoga students or practitioners too. Because as a student, I find very hard to bring myself into a particular posture while the same posture might look super simple for someone next to me. To frustrate me further, a newbie yoga student might turn himself in to a pretzel with ease. Situations like this make me wonder what is wrong with me. This is where Paul’s Anatomy of Yoga dvd answers all your questions.

About the teacher: Paul is a yoga teacher who specializes in Yin Yoga. He also learnt anatomy and studied Taoism for years. He travels around the world and conducts workshops on anatomy, chakra meditation and Yin Yoga teacher training.

Paul wrote a book ‘Yin Yoga’ and released 3 dvds so far – Anatomy for Yoga with Paul Grilley, Yin Yoga: The Foundations of a Quiet Practice and Chakra Theory and Meditation with Paul Grilley.

For more information, please visit his website at http://www.paulgrilley.com/

Review: The duration of the entire dvd is approx. 4 hrs.’ and I had to finish watching the dvd in 2 separate sessions due to time my personal time constraint. It would be naïve on our part if we assume that by watching this dvd is enough to know everything about anatomy of yoga. In my personal opinion, this anatomy dvd is a supplement in our learning.

Compression and tension is the core of this yoga dvd. Paul goes in great detail on getting basics of compression and tension.

Questions such as –

What is compression? What causes compression?

What is tension? What causes tension?

The difference between tension and compression.

Will be answered in the beginning before he goes into full anatomical explanation.

Paul takes time to explain each topic in detail with demonstrations at the end of the topic. Paul took right kind of people for demonstration to explain why certain people are more flexible and some are not. And at each topic he also mentions what kind of postures does particular joint in explanation is affected. The dvd begins with major joints of the body with live demonstrations and goes through series of major topics such as shoulder, femur etc., Paul also suggests some work around to go deep into a posture. Besides the dvd’s valuable content, what I like the most is the easiness and pace of the DVD, its calm and very easy to follow. See short clip from the dvd -

The dvd ends with Q&A session from the participants who took part in this dvd. There are few good questions and it is worth viewing this section of the dvd too.

Recommendation: Very recommended for everyone, this yoga video gives you some insights on compression, tension, flexibility and bone structures. This dvd will be very helpful if you want to deepen your yoga practice.

My friend from Thailand has been teaching yoga for years, I was fortunate to attend her class when she was in India last year. And I remember the way she explained about yoga in simple words –

“Yoga doesn’t begin when you step into this yoga hall. It BEGINS when you step out of this yoga hall”

Image: giena via Flickr

That is absolutely correct. She zipped all yoga talk in one short sentence. Let’s see –

We all pack our yoga mats, towel and bottle of water to yoga hall to do some yoga. We spend one or two hours doing some physical postures and satisfy ourselves how good it was. It’s true and there is nothing wrong or bad in it, it’s what we at least expect from it. However, the moment we step out of that yoga hall, we are back into our own world… we are back into our old patterns, everything is the way it was.

What does she meant when she said “yoga begins when you step out of the yoga hall? Does she mean we should spend our time doing yoga postures whenever it is possible? No, this is not what she meant. Before I tell you what she implies with that statement, let me give some insight into the essence of yoga.

There are hundreds or rather thousands of books on yoga and every author may have his own way of explanation on yoga, either they mention it directly or put it in a long way. Nevertheless it can be explained in few simple words. The core of the yoga lies in being in this present moment, being aware of every single moment with or around us. When we say living in present moment, what does it mean “living in present moment”? How do we live in present moment? To explain in non-yogic way to understand, how common is it for us to keep on thinking what has happened or spending tons of our time running simulations in our brain about future even when we are actively doing something. The analysis part of our brain running ifs and buts, why and why not’s and millions of random questions as we actively engaged in our job or school. It means our major part of our brain is focused either in past or in future, isn’t it why we tend to make lot of mistakes unconsciously because we aren’t focused on what we are doing now. Living in present moment means engaging ourselves completely in this moment with 100% attention on what we are doing.

The statement about yoga begins when we step out of the yoga hall – she meant that we should be aware of our actions, speech and every single moment we live. The more awareness we bring in what we are doing, the more insightful it will be. The more we live in our present moment, the less we hanker in our past or obsess with future. With awareness we bring more peace in ourselves and utilizing our brain more efficiently since we cut off those ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ from the equation. When we have beautiful moments now, will later be beautiful memories of past and future will be great anyway because our present is beautiful.

This is the essence of yoga.

Duration: The effective duration of this gaiam dvd is 20 minutes. I believe this yoga dvd is primarily targeted for people with busy schedules. If you are concerned about spending lot of time visiting gym or yoga studio, this DVD can come handy without sacrificing lot of time.

Teacher: Rodney Yee is the instructor in this video. The tone in this video is pleasant and voice is good enough to follow through.

Music: The music is nice and it won’t interfere with instructor’s voice. The composition is quite pleasant and it is not distracting in anyway. Good work here.

Pace: I wasn’t impressed with the pace. It is very fast, it is as fast as you don’t even feel the pose at some instances and it is quickly moved into next pose. However, I could follow the pace as I have been practicing yoga for quite long. But I felt beginners would feel quite uncomfortable chasing the instructions. After few sessions, It should be okay to follow the video. But I strongly feel that the pace could be bit slower.

Essence: This is the most important aspect I consider while I review yoga dvds. And this yoga dvd seriously lack the essence of yoga, let me tell you why. Breath is most important factor while practicing yoga and this yoga dvd seriously messed up this factor. The instructions to inhale and exhale are not choreographed well. The sequence of the postures begins with instructing when to inhale and exhale, and then they skip at some places, which leave you to wonder to do at that point and the next instruction tells you to exhale and you may need to inhale at the point. I would expect instructions to be full and complete in its entirety.

Advantages:

✓Good upper body workout.
✓Quick yoga workout.
✓The duration of the video is beneficial for the busy scheduled people.

Disadvantages:

✓Fast pace.
✓Instructions on breath is incomplete.

Verdict:

This is less yoga dvd and more of a workout dvd. It is recommended for the people who are into yoga already and can find it handy to do a quick yoga session in busy days. I recommend beginners to stay away away from this yoga dvd.

Image: The DVD cover image is copyright of Gaiam Inc.

The word "yoga" is believed to have its roots in the Sanskrit word "yuj", which means to control or to unite, although it has also been connected with the phrase "yujir samadhau" which can mean absorption or contemplation. A person who practices yoga or who has achieved a certain level within the practice may be called a yogi or a yogini.

The branches of yoga include Hatha yoga, Bhakti yoga, Raja yoga, Jhana yoga, Karma yoga and Tantra. Different forms of yoga are practiced in different ways and they also have different goals. There are two sides to yoga, the mental and the physical and the practice of yoga is often about seeking a balance between these. It can also be about the search for harmony with the wider universe. Yoga can mean different things to different people.

Many people take up yoga, particularly the secular forms of yoga, in order to improve their physical fitness or for the sake of stress management and relaxation. However, the goals of yoga, particularly the traditional forms, can include improving one’s health and attaining spiritual goals such as release from the cycle of reincarnation that is part of the Hindu belief system. In Hinduism, yoga is a discipline that follows the paths of action, knowledge and devotion in order to achieve tranquility and spiritual insight. Similar goals of yogic meditation pertain in the other religious forms that are found in Jainism and Buddhism and even in the forms that have been adapted by the Christian and Islamic faiths.

The practice of yoga can combine meditation, physical postures and actions, and breathing exercises. A practitioner of yoga may focus on stretching their body in different ways, working with their breathing and senses, or searching for a spiritual awareness and concentration. Some forms of yoga are gentle while others are more vigorous. Some focus on the mental or spiritual achievements, while others are more about developing the health or fitness of the body.

1. Counteract the pressure everyday life places on your spine. Many everyday activities and simple bad posture tend to bend the spine forwards. This can lead to back pain and it can force the vertebrae closer together at the front. Back bending postures can counteract this by decompressing the vertebrae at the front and brining back to the natural curve of the spine.

People spending lot of time at work in sitting posture usually has lower back pain (lumbar region) or neck pain (cervical). The vertebrae in cervical and lumbar region are compressed closer twitching the nerves causing symptoms of sharp pain and numbness. In some cases, this pain can also be felt in arms or legs. Back bending yoga postures can help to counteract the pressure from spine.

2. Strengthen your back. The back muscles are among the largest and hardest working muscles in the body, so it is important to keep them strong and healthy. Back bending yoga postures can help strengthen the back muscles, which will keep them fitter for everyday use, other forms of sport and exercise, and for lifting and carrying.

3. Stretch and expand the chest, shoulder, hips and back. Back bending postures do not only help to stretch and strengthen the back. They also use the muscles of the hips, chest and shoulders, which will therefore also enjoy the benefits of these types of postures.

4. Improve your breathing. Expanding the chest and shoulders through back bending postures can help improve your breathing and it may even be able to alleviate some of the milder symptoms of asthma by working on the muscles that play a part in breathing.

5. Relieve back pain. Exercising, stretching and strengthening the back muscles can help to alleviate the symptoms of some types of back pain, particularly the lower back pain that is so commonly caused simply by everyday life. If you suffer from serious back problems, you should be particularly careful with back bending poses and you may want to consult your doctor before trying them. Some back bending positions are also unsuitable for women who are pregnant, particularly if they are in the late stages of pregnancy, so you should consult an expert or a doctor before attempting to alleviate back pain with these yoga poses if you are expecting a child.

6. Keep the lower back long. In order to protect your back when you are performing back bending postures you should ensure that you keep your lower back long. If you are not careful, you could damage your neck or your lower back when you are practicing these poses. These are the most flexible parts of your spine and they are, therefore, at the greatest risk. Keeping your lower back long in postures such as the bridge pose by ensuring that your tailbone is pointing away from your neck, rather than allowing it to shorten, can help to protect it.

7. Position the heels correctly. Another important aspect of protecting your back during backbend poses to ensure that you avoid positioning the heels too close together or squeezing your buttocks together. You need to ensure that plenty of flexibility and room to extend is retained around your hips in order to perform the poses safely and properly. Back bending poses should involve bending at the hips and not just in the lower back. If your heels are too close together or your buttocks are squeezed together, your pelvis will not be able to move as much, which will force your back to do too much of the work.

Backbends can be very beneficial when they are practiced correctly, however, it is important to be careful and to avoid overstretching the back. It can be sensible to work up slowly to the more difficult backbend postures and to use props such as mats, blocks or chairs in order to enable yourself to start with smaller backbends and build your flexibility until you are ready to stretch further.

Image: By vsion (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

References:
Livestrong.com: Back Care Basics in Yoga Poses http://www.livestrong.com/article/102346-back-care-basics-yoga-poses/
My Yoga Online: Back Bends http://www.myyogaonline.com/poses/back-bends
Oh My Bikram: Posture Clinic- Why back-bending is good for your spine http://ombyoga.com/2010/04/28/posture-clinic-why-back-bending-is-good-for-your-spine/
Yoga Journal: Positioning the Heels in Backbend http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/664
Yoga Journal: Bend It Like This- Backbends http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1776

A yoga mat is a small rectangle of material that can provide a surface upon which to practice yoga. Yoga mats can come in a range of different styles, varying not only in color, but in thickness, texture and the material from which they are made. Most people use a yoga mat when they are practicing yoga and they can also be used with other forms of exercise and meditation.

Why We Need Yoga Mats

Yoga mats are designed to provide the perfect surface on which to perform yoga. They need to provide sufficient grip while also ensuring that there is plenty of padding. The surface needs to offer stability, traction and cushioning.

Some people choose not to use a yoga mat and it is possible to exercise without one, as long as you have a suitable surface on which to do so. If you are exercising at home on a carpet or if you are practicing yoga on a slippery or hard floor then you will probably want to use a mat to ensure that you are as comfortable and stable as possible.

Before yoga mats were readily available, it was often difficult for people to find a suitable surface on which to exercise, particularly if they wanted to practice yoga at home. A yoga mat offers both the protection of a padded surface that can help to prevent any bumps and bruises and a well gripped surface that can help the user to hold their poses without risk of slipping.

Image by :rowdykittens  || License

Types of Yoga Mats

Yoga mats can be divided into Ashtanga mats and those that are intended for more general use. Ashtanga mats are ideal for Ashtanga and Bikram yoga or other forms of exercise that are likely to lead to a lot of perspiration. As moisture build up, the traction provided by the mat will increase. These mats are typically made from tightly woven cotton or jute. They provide additional padding that is ideal for seated postures and they also provide excellent stability for standing postures.

The majority of yoga mats are designed to be universal, so they can be used for any type of yoga or for other similar types of exercise. The surface is usually sticky and textured, producing a soft, comfortable surface on which to exercise. They are generally thicker than Ashtanga mats and they are made from sticky materials such as PVC or rubber rather than cotton.

Travel mats are also available that are designed to be easy to transport, so they are typically small and they roll up to be very compact.

Choosing a Good Yoga Mat

A good mat should be weighty enough to stay in place while you are using it. It should offer you plenty of grip on its upper surface as well as gripping the floor underneath.

The material from which the mat has been made will determine its texture, stickiness, sponginess and durability. PVC, rubber and thermal plastic elastomer mats are sticky and have plenty of "give" than any yoga mat material. Cotton and jute provide grip through texture rather than stickiness, and they are firmer and less spongy.

A thicker mat will offer more cushioning and padding for seated poses, while a thinner one will offer more stability for standing poses and take up less room for transport and storage. Yoga mats usually range between 1/16 and 1/4 inch thick.

A bumpier texture can provide physical barriers to slipping, but a smoother mat can be more comfortable and texture is not always necessary on a sticky mat.

Yoga mats can come in all sorts of colors and patterns. It is even possible to find personalized mats or mats onto which useful instructions have been printed.

It can be sensible to choose a yoga mat that comes with a bag or strap for storage and transport. Some people also like to buy extra cushions out of similar padded material when they are buying their yoga mat. These cushions can assist with holding difficult poses.

Pros and Cons

The stability, grip and cushioning provided by a yoga mat can enable people to perform better and to enjoy their yoga more, but there are also some negative factors to consider when choosing a yoga mat.

Yoga mats can carry germs, so it is important to keep them clean. Mats that have been treated with antimicrobial substances are available that can help prevent germs from accumulating. The likelihood that used yoga mats will carry germs is an important reason in favor of buying your own yoga mat if you will be attending a public gym or class. You can take care of your own mat and keep it clean, rather than having to share a mat or floor space that has been used by other people.

Another factor that you may want to consider when you are choosing your yoga mat is the environmental impact of the material from which it has been made. Many yoga mats are made using PVC, which can harm the environment both during its manufacture and its disposal. Natural materials such as jute and rubber are far more environmentally friendly, as are the new mats that are made from thermal plastic elastomer, which can be recycled once they are worn out.

Some people prefer not to use a yoga mat at all when they are exercising because they feel that the mat limits them. However, it is best to use a yoga mat on most surfaces, even if you need to place multiple mats alongside one another. If a suitable surface that offers plenty of traction and stability is available, then it is possible to enjoy yoga without any mat, but in most cases a mat can help to do yoga poses easier and more comfortable.

References:

^{ABG-of-yoga.com: Yoga and Meditation Mats- Types http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yoga-props/yoga-mat.asp
Gaiam Life: How to Choose the Right Yoga Mat http://life.gaiam.com/article/how-choose-right-yoga-mat
Wall Street Journal: Looking for a Soft Spot to "Om" http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123501322951319501.html#articleTabs%3Darticle
Yoga Journal: Mat Matters http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/1615
Yoga Journal: Sticky Business http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/161}

First Things First: Attend nature’s call

This is very important thing to do depending on when you want to do your yoga. If you are intended to practice either in mornings or evenings, it is important that you need to empty your bowels. It is recommended to cleanse your internal system to maximize the benefits of doing yoga. Excretion right after getting out of bed is the best thing to do, but not everyone will be able to do this. If you are not used to go toilet in the mornings, here is the simple and effective solution. Drink at least 32 OZ/1 liter of luke warm water and do little walking for few minutes, this will help to push the waste and helps in cleaning your intestines easily. It sounds like a simple solution, but it may not work right on the first day. It takes few days for the body to actually work. The idea is that you are just flushing your internal system just like you flush a toilet. It is better if its done two hour before your yoga schedule. The difference is very clear, as you can feel much better and lighter while doing yoga.

Abhyanga (Optional):

Abhyanga means oil massage and the results are amazing. I used to do oil massage on me when I had no full time job and now with the full time job I don’t get enough time for it. If you have time, I recommend you do it. In short, the benefits are – better sleep, healthy skin, stimulates blood circulation etc.,.

Take Shower:

Taking shower in the morning before yoga will freshen you up. I personally do take shower because I like it that way, it helps me not to fall asleep while doing meditation/relaxation poses. I know people who does yoga without shower, but its fine too.

Clothing:

Wear comfortable and loose clothes that should enable you to stretch comfortably. It is better if you can wear organic cotton clothes.

Warm-ups:

A simple stretches will loosen the joints and releases the tightness in the muscles(if any). Especially during winters, it is good to get warmed up with light running or jumping jacks. Warms ups will help you in doing yoga poses comfortably and reduce chances of injury.

Relax the mind:

Be more aware of your thoughts and try to relax before you begin the yoga class. Drop all your worries, concerns and all matters that keeps your mind busy right at the parking lot. Focus on the present moment alone and breath softly.

And finally, talk to your yoga teacher about your injury(if any) or any physical condition before you start your yoga class.