Yoga Versus Pilates - Which Should I Do?

Many have heard of yoga and Pilates. But, not everyone realizes that there are several differences between these two types of exercising regimens. In fact, yoga is hardly classified as just an exercise program. Each of these methods are quite powerful tools to allow you to feel and look better. But, they are also very different. In order to help you to make a choice between yoga and Pilates, let's...

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HOT, HOT, HOT ... Bikram Yoga

Jolene Schwartz

As people search for curative and restorative effects to combat the impact of a chaotic world, Yoga has become very popular in our culture. Yoga is for everyone and can be done by every body. Yoga is the only exercise from which you gain energy instead of burning it and it doesn't matter how well you do each of the postures, only that you do it the right way. Traditional cardio exercise works on 3-10% of the body, Yoga exercises 100% of the body, from bone to the skin, from head to the toes, and to every organ, gland, tissue and cell.

Bikram Yoga is practiced in a 105 degree heated room and consists of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises ... "So what does the heat do," you wonder? 105 degrees enhances Vasodilatation, and the capillaries surrounding the muscles respond to heat by dilating and the greater volume of blood brings more oxygen, helping in the removal of waste carbon dioxide and lactic acid. When blood passes through warm muscles, oxygen releases more easily from the hemoglobin, blood passing through cold muscles releases much less oxygen.

Warmer muscle tissue temperatures produce a fluid-like stretch that allows greater elasticity and range of motion. Cold muscles don't absorb shock or impact as well, so they tend to be injured more easily.

Heat speeds up the breakdown of fatty acids and glucose, and burns fat faster and more easily. The stress of intense exercise drops a deluge of fatty acids into the bloodstream. If you exercise with cold muscles they can't use the fatty acids as efficiently and they end up in places they aren't wanted ... such as in the lining of the arteries.

Muscles are not the only beneficiaries of heat, higher temperatures improve the nervous system function, meaning messages are carried more rapidly to and from the brain by the spinal cord and other neural transmitters and receptors.

Day by day as Yoga gains popularity, people sweat, strain, laugh and do more for their body, health, and well being than they could ever have imagined with Bikram Hot Yoga.

©2005 Jolene Schwartz

About the author:
Jolene Schwartz is a grooming specialist for over 20 years; as a master barber and licensed cosmetologist in her own men's salon. She launched http://appearancesformen.com e-com site; writing monthly columns about men's products, lifestyle, and offering the finest in men's grooming products.


Communication Skills for Yoga Teachers

Here is an oxymoron for you: Some of the best Yoga teachers are great listeners. This is a general guideline for Yoga students who aspire to teach some day. Listening skills, in Yoga, start when you take your first class, as you learn by hearing, watching, and doing. The Yoga student who learns predominantly by listening will be able to verbally communicate the finer techniques to others in the future. This is not to say that other methods of learning have less value, but a skilled Yoga teacher must be a communicator and be able to reach into each individual student's mind. Therefore, not...

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The latest information and news on Yoga Articles:

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'Gentle' yoga can benefit elderly or infirm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Audrey Moss insists that yoga is for everyone -- even for the elderly or infirm.
Yoga instructor attends training (Lawrence Journal-World)
Lisa Giroux, an instructor at the Yoga Center of Lawrence, 920 Mass., recently attended two weekend teacher-training intensives with senior Iyengar teachers Mary Obendorfer and Eddy Marks. Both teachers are assessors for the National Board for Iyengar Teacher Certification of the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the U.S.
Lovepeaceyoga.com Announces Its New Website and Facebook Page, LP Yoga (PRWeb)
Lovepeaceyoga.com proudly opens its online doors and Facebook page, LP Yoga. Customers can custom design Yoga Sling TM Mat Bags and Totes, selecting from hip, retro limited run fabrics. (PRWeb Oct 12, 2008) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/10/prweb1456234.htm
Lovepeaceyoga.com Announces Its New Website and Facebook Page, LP Yoga (PRWeb...
Lovepeaceyoga.com proudly opens its online doors and Facebook page, LP Yoga. Customers can custom design Yoga Sling TM Mat Bags and Totes, selecting from hip, retro limited run fabrics.
Yoga in Turkey: Don't overstretch yourself (Guardian Unlimited)
A yoga retreat that pleases his partner, five-year-old daughter and bank manager ... Kevin Rushby is in heaven
Misunderstanding with yoga guru Ramdev over: Ramadoss (The Times of India)
NEW DELHI: Burying the hatchet with Baba Ramdev, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Saturday said the ?misunderstanding" of the past was "over" as the yoga guru had validated his theory that yoga could cure many diseases, including AIDS.
Tara Stiles: If Sarah Palin Did Yoga... (VIDEO) (HuffingtonPost)
I don't know if Sarah would be into trying yoga. It can be a fairly meditative practice that involves self-observation. Also, I'm pretty sure it's...
Friendship Yoga offering free classes (The Iowa City Press-Citizen)
Friendship Yoga, 1231 Gilbert Court, is offering a free introductory class from 3 to 4:30 pm. Sunday and from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 19. Class size is limited, and reservations are preferred.
Misunderstanding with yoga guru Ramdev over: Ramadoss (New Kerala)
New Delhi, Oct 11: Burying the hatchet with Baba Ramdev, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Saturday said the misunderstanding of the past was over as the yoga guru had validated his theory that yoga could cure many diseases, including AIDS.
Ramadoss endorses yoga for school children (New Kerala)
New Delhi, Oct 11 : Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today said that yoga should be made compulsory for school students.

Beginning Yoga Breathing - All You Need To Know

In yoga, breathing is everything. Breathing is more than just an intake of oxygen. It is also a way of cleansing the body and restoring equilibrium. But, in order to gain high quality results from the breathing that you do, you must do them correctly. There is no quick way to learn the right technique, but here are a few pointers to bear in mind while starting out with yoga breathing. Kapalabhati- basic yoga breathing. In this method, you learn to breathe in order to purify the body. It is one of the six different Kriyas practices. Your breath is short, strong and fast. The lung acts as a pump...

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