Heartfulness International Yoga Academy

Yoga and Fitness

Neck Pain From Yoga?

Misalignment and lack of awareness during practice or even everyday activities can lead to neck pain, which is very frequent. These include routine daily motions that require repetitive forward movements, bad posture, or the propensity to hold your head still. The likelihood of developing discomfort in this region of your body is common, and it is simple for that pain to spread to your shoulders and back. Headaches and even injuries can result from neck pain.. Yogic Warm-Up You should start your practice with Sukshma Vyayam or other subtle exercises. When practicing yoga, you should warm up by gently rotating your hips, arms, wrists, head, and neck as well as mobilizing your ankles to gradually warm up the joints. Walk quickly around the area to stretch and relax your muscles. By doing this, you'll get your body ready for practice and lower your risk of being hurt. Make sure your body is fully warmed up before attempting any poses that require you to bend your back, such as Camel Pose and Snake Pose. Take a Core Test After elevating your feet, tuck your legs into your chest for a full five seconds before lifting them all the way up to ensure you have the appropriate core strength. Locate a comfortable place to rest your head. Rest the base of your palm at the top of your nose and extend your middle finger to the top of your head to determine where you should place your head on the floor. This area enables your Practice Inversions Safely Rotate your forearms and elbows toward the floor while performing a headstand. Verify that you are not experiencing any pressure or sensation in your head. When you are in the stance, keep your head still at all times. Also, use a spotter if possible. Stretch Regularly It is advisable to do yoga and regular stretching in the morning to combat this. This may help with issues including discomfort or stiffness in the shoulders and neck. Use these yoga practices in your practice at least three times per week. Yoga Asanas To prevent neck pain, there are a few poses that call for particular caution. There are many steps you can take to ensure that you are performing yoga in a way that is suitable for your body, level of ability, and desired objectives. Bird Dog, A Variation of Marjariasana The transverse abdominals and the back can both benefit from more strength training with this yoga position. While on all fours and using double mats for enhanced knee protection and cushioning, extend one arm and the opposing leg. After pausing to take a breath, switch sides. 5 times on each side of the repetition Helpful for supporting the back and abs. Enhances spinal health Fosters mental focus Ustrasana (Camel Pose) - Gently crouch down on the yoga mat or on a soft surface. Hands should be placed on hips. Next, gradually begin to arch your back. When the arms are straight, slide your palms over your ankles. Don't put any stress on your neck by leaving it in a neutral position. After exhaling, slowly return to the starting position. Sarpasana (Snake Pose) Lie on your stomach with your hands clasped behind your back; Take a big breath in and hold it for a few seconds (this is known as Kumbakh); Raise your head, shoulders, and chest as high as you can; Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground; Hold the position for ten breaths. Limit Your Digital Usage We wind up using digital gadgets like smartphones, computers, and tablets for the majority of our waking hours as a result of our current lifestyles. According to recently completed research, people are thought to use their smartphones for an average of 4 hours every day. This can total an incredible 1,400 hours per year, which is completely unnecessary. Long periods of sitting and all these unhealthy practices can cause bad posture and stiffness in the neck and shoulder regions. The amount of stress that has been bottled up may be a major contributing factor to stiffness in the neck, shoulder, and back. The stored nervous energy that is present in the neck and shoulder area while you are under stress causes a great deal of pain. You can relax your muscles with the aid of gentle yoga asanas, breathing techniques, and meditation. Spend a few minutes each day and notice how your stress levels change. (Himalayan Siddha Akshar is the founder of Akshar Yoga Institutions, Himalaya Yoga Ashrama, and World Yoga Organisation) Read more►Health Benefits of Half-Moon Yoga Posture
Yoga and Fitness

Health Benefits of Half-Moon Yoga Posture

New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANSlife) As much as the sun is fiery and all about passion and high-octane energy, the moon on the opposite side is cooling, calming, and very creative in nature. Ardha Chandrasana as the name says particularly this posture brings serenity, and tranquility to the moon. It brings the shine and hue of light from within. Lunar energy helps you develop empathy, compassion, creativity, and connect with hearts. Talents are the sign of representation of moon subtleties and grace. The push and pulls of life stretch people to sit for late hours at work, till the sun rises. Long hours of sitting continuously lead to tight gluteus, quads, and hamstrings muscles. Ardha Chandrasana also known as Half Moon pose is a perfect posture for those. Because every asana is about geometry, our inner geometry corresponds to the geometry of the outside world, the Universe. This must also be flawless in terms of symmetry. So, when it comes to angles, make sure that you have deep relaxation in your body and mind and achieve the appropriate posture with the right alignment of your palms to shoulders and hands above, the leg that is down absolutely stable and deeply anchored for you to get anchored in your own self as well. The beauty of Ardha Chandrasana is the combination of being anchored and soaring in this posture. It's standing and a challenging posture. Like the moon goes through phases to reach the full moon. To achieve the perfect posture we also need to practice preparatory postures. Make sure your sensibilities, your senses, and your awareness are all conjured up together, and with absolute grace and softness of being you hold this posture and don't use aggression anywhere, because aggression doesn't allow you to balance, it will tip the balance. It may also cause injuries. So, one needs to warm up well before getting into the actual pose. You can do compound movements or any individual muscle group movements for warm-ups with gentle breath in and out, stretching every body part, especially your shoulders, back, lower back, gluteus, and hamstrings which are going to play in this posture. How to Do: Stand with Legs apart, Bend in Trikonasana, Breathe in slowly raise your leg up and try to balance on one foot and one arm. Try holding as much as comfortable. Repeat on another side. Focusing your attention on the upward movement of the hand and the alignment, being perpendicular to the ground is so important that leads to stability of the mind which we call "Sthirtha" in Yoga. The Benefits: Strengthening Core Muscles: Strengthening your core muscles translates into strengthening confidence. Improves Body Balance: Practicing it on both sides keeps you well co-ordinate and deeply anchored into your being and mentally stable. Ardha Chandrasana in particular also helps you to bring equanimity to the fore, calmness, and serenity, once again Chandra representing the moon is all about coolness being collected, getting integrated, and balanced. Strengthens Your Legs: When you strengthen your legs, it helps to maintain your energy throughout the day precisive with clarity. Good Body Stretch: Stretching on other hand expands spaces on your own being and helps you move your fluids and air-ether element better. When an air-ether element is stable your movement and mental state also become stable. Cellular Regeneration: When done together, all kinds of stretches and bends contract most of our toxins in organs. When we stretch fresh nutrients and oxygen-laden blood gets into our organs. So, rejuvenating our organs and cellular regeneration is very good. Holding postures for an extended time helps us improve concentration, focus, determination, and Sankalp. With Sankalp, we can achieve anything. All Yoga postures translate into a stable, strong, confident personality. People who master Ardha Chandrasana are disciplined, they are very focused, determined, and most important they are visionary people. (Dr. Mickey Mehta is a Global leading holistic health guru/corporate life) Read more►5 Healthy Ingredients for Fitness Enthusiasts
Yoga and Fitness

Yoga And Pranayama Help Ease

An increase in the body's normal reaction to stress, fear, or excitement is what causes panic attacks. The body, the psyche, and one's general health can all be impacted by the symptoms of panic attacks. Negative thoughts and uncomfortable physical sensations, such as rapid heartbeat, perspiration, and heavy breathing, are frequently present during panic attacks. A person's quality of life can be negatively impacted by panic attacks, even if some people are more prone to them than others. Despite the difficulties caused by panic attacks, there are strategies to control the symptoms and lessen worry. Yoga is a centuries-old discipline that can aid in reducing anxiety and controlling panic attack symptoms. Additionally, yoga can improve mindfulness, lessen anxiety, and help with stress management. How Yoga Can Help with Panic Disorder? There are various symptoms associated with anxiety and panic like tightness, feelings of tension and pain sensitivity. Yoga asanas can help ease the physical discomfort that comes with anxiety and panic attacks. The practice works to lengthen, stretch and balance the muscles of the body. The asanas also assist in releasing stiffness and built-up muscle tension throughout the body. Additionally, by gradually modifying the posture of the body, asanas can also bring about a change in the mentality of a person. Yoga allows people to get to know their bodies. Therefore, if the teacher tells a student to "release the shoulder", for example, he/she becomes aware of the posture and gradually learns to release the tension from their body. As a result, they also become less anxious and panicked in their day-to-day lives as they become aware of the tensions and how to let them go. Another form of supplementary medicine for the mind-body system that has been around for centuries is meditation, which can help calm the mind and induce deep relaxation. A person can concentrate their attention and clear their mind of disorganised thoughts that may be stressing them out. As a result, both physical and emotional health are improved. Pranayama Effect on Stress and Anxiety One of the essential elements of yoga practise is pranayama, or the art of controlling breath. The breathing exercises and patterns known as pranayama involve deliberately timing one's inhalations, exhalations, and breath holds. According to research, pranayama might enhance the stress response by soothing the neurological system. People breathe too quickly when they are nervous. Fast breathing causes the blood to have an excessive amount of oxygen and less relative carbon dioxide, which affects the blood's pH level. This may result in nauseousness, twitching muscles, irritation, dizziness, anxiety, and stress. The blood's pH level, however, returns to normal with calm, controlled breathing. This slows down the heart rate and calms the body and mind. Yoga and Pranayama to Combat Panic and Anxiety BaddhaKonasana How To Do: Sit on the floor with your legs stretched to the sides Exhale while you bring the bottoms of your feet together Pull the feet toward the pelvis Drop your knees to the sides Continue to press your heels together while you take deep breaths Dhanurasana How To Do: Lie face down on your mat with the arms by the sides Keep your knees hip-width apart as you bring your heels as close to your glutes as possible Grasp your ankles with the hands Inhale while simultaneously lifting the thighs, heels, head, and sternum away from the floor Pull your shoulders away from the ears and keep your shoulder blades against the back Hold the pose for 20 to 30 seconds Padangusthasana How To Do: Stand on the floor with your feet 6 inches apart Flex your quadriceps (front thigh muscles) to lift the kneecaps Exhale and fold from your waist Keep your back, neck, and head in a straight line Grab your big toes with your hands While inhaling, straighten the arms and raise the torso to release the hamstrings While exhaling, fold back down into the forward bend Continue this for several breaths NadiShodhan Pranayama How To Do: Sit comfortably with your legs crossed Place your left hand on the left knee Exhale and then use your right thumb to close the right nostril Inhale through the left nostril and then close the left nostril with your fingers Open the right nostril and exhale Inhale through the right nostril and then close Open the left nostril and exhale through the left side Consider this as one cycle Continue for up to 5 minutes Always complete your practice by finishing with an exhalation on the left side Because we humans do not know how to release tension, it builds up in our bodies and causes discomfort on both a physical and emotional level. We can create a more balanced mental state and reduce stress, panic, and anxiety in our lives by engaging in the ancient practise of yoga, which consists of asanas, meditation, and pranayama. (Dr. Rajeev Rajesh, Chief Yoga Officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute)
Yoga and Fitness

Major Workout Routines for New Mothers

Becoming a mother is an act of infinite optimism. Every mark left behind from having a child signifies the mother's status as a superhero, as children grow to perceive them as some of the strongest, kindest and wisest souls. The following postpartum signifies a period of revivification, and the hormonal turbulence can be fatiguing for the body. In such a state, it becomes even more important for new moms to plan ahead to secure health and well-being for themselves, given the responsibilities they're faced with. Thanks to the age of information, the journey of postpartum needs little demystification, and a plan with ample conviction and steady dedication can go a long way for new moms. The benefits of physical exercise on the mind and body are no longer a thing of speculation, evident from its empirical impact on people from across the world. The task to choose the right routine for oneself, a routine that balances convenience and efficacy, is what the new mom needs. Getting back to fitness can be hard, and the type of pregnancy and delivery determine when is a good time to start, and a consultation with the doctor is imperative. Let's take a look at two workout routines that can help new moms adapt to the growing responsibilities of motherhood while ensuring that they stay healthy to tend to their little ones. Postpartum Functional Training, the postpartum period requires new moms to focus on movement and feel good. Functional training is one of the most common exercises, practiced by amateurs and athletes alike, and can aid the recovery from pregnancy in an immensely effective manner. A combination of strength training, cardio, and low-intensity aerobic exercises can help new moms strengthen their muscles, boost energy, promote better sleep, relieve stress, and help them lose the extra weight from pregnancy. A combination of exercises mentioned below can form a routine that helps moms strengthen their core, achieve states of relaxation and revive energy levels to take the responsibility of motherhood head-on: Pelvic Floor Exercises Core strength can be greatly affected due to pregnancy, and it becomes more important for mothers to focus on building the strength back to return to the fitness levels before conceiving. Pelvic floor exercises such as planks, side-planks leg-lifts, Cat-Cow table tops, glute bridges, and other exercises are some of the options that can be done easily at home, without equipment. Walking Walking is a simple, refreshing, and effective way to stay active, increase energy, and improve blood-oxygenation levels, and can be done anywhere at any time. This form of low-intensity steady-state cardio can help increase stamina and make new moms proactive, and mindful, and alleviate stress levels, affected by the topsy-turvy hormonal bodily state. Postnatal Yoga, the myriad asanas, breathing techniques, and transcendental meditation are another elaborate system that new moms can access in order to take control of the period of recovery following delivery. Depending on the nature of the delivery, new moms can start yoga within a few days or weeks from childbirth. Postnatal yoga is a modified, low-intensity yoga practice that increases calmness, reduces irritability and anger, lowers blood pressure, reduces tension in the muscles, and can even benefit moms experiencing depression and anxiety. Pranayam 'Prana' in Pranayam is defined as the 'life-force', and control over the breath is one of the main ways in which the practice of yoga helps individuals achieve states of awareness and calmness. The postpartum period for mothers can be full of severe mood swings, insomnia, anxiety, and a range of other psychological problems that bear negative effects on the baby and the mother as a whole. Remaining calm and relaxed becomes imperative in the company of infants, as the propensity for fear is greater for a newborn. The various breathing exercises from yoga can help mothers to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression to achieve and in return impart the feeling of calmness and serenity that a baby needs. Asanas Yoga asanas can help greatly with building back strength, remaining active, and attaining rest and relaxation in the postpartum period. Some common poses from Yoga include the cat-cow pose, child's pose, legs-up-the-wall, and the corpse pose (sravasana). Being mindful of the body postpartum is as crucial as remaining mindful during the time of being pregnancy. New moms should prepare in advance, and consult a doctor to know when the right time to exercise begins. Exercising can be fruitful but oftentimes needs supervision. Trained professionals can help new moms choose the right programs that aid the mother in their postnatal journey of healing and being healed. (Meenakshi Mohanty is a Fitness Expert)
Yoga and Fitness

A Routine to Follow When You're in No Mood to Workout

Consistency is among the most underappreciated aspects of fitness. We frequently place a lot of emphasis on the most efficient kind of exercise or what's popular right now, but consistency-building is typically given less attention. The best fitness programme in the world won't help you if you don't stick to it. Because of this, adherence is regarded as the most important component of any workout programme. A number of aspects, including nutrition, the correct activity programming, and motivation, go into making progress; if any one of these factors fails, it will have a domino effect that will cause you to fail or stagnate. To maintain the proper frame of mind and sufficient drive, one must adhere to and be consistent with their actions. With fitness goals, consistency helps to motivate people and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Consistency maintenance becomes crucial because of this. This implies that not every session will be fantastic, but what counts is that you showed up, made an effort to move toward your objective, and maintained the momentum. Everybody experiences days when exercising or working out is completely out of the question, and it's these days that can make or break the momentum. We must make sure that these days are worthwhile. This does not imply that you should work out intensely. Simply put, this means that at the conclusion of days like this, we need to know that we exerted every effort to engage in activities and that we made progress toward our goal. In order to keep up with our routine on days when we lack motivation, we must engage in enjoyable or simple activities. Here, there are a few straightforward things that can be done. Some of the easiest things to keep up momentum when you are having a rough day are as follows: Step Count This is a seamless way to ensure that activity gets done without dedicating a separate time to work out. On busy days or days of poor motivation having a step target of something like 10k steps helps you get some activity done without hitting the gym. This can be spread across the day and can be done at your own pace Walk/Jog You do not need an intense workout all the time to reach your goals. Some days backing off and going on a nice long walk can serve as an activity to make sure that you keep up your consistency while also ensuring you clear your mind from a tough day's work. It is very important to not have a black-or-white mindset with exercise and understand that not all days have to be intense. Home Workout Not all days have to be intense gym workouts with plenty of machines and weights. Home workouts are a simple and effective way to get done with the activity of the day while still getting in an effective session. The following is a quick and simple way to do a super simple home workout Warm-up Upper body warm-up (e.g. arm swings or Shoulder rotations) - 10 reps Lower body warm-up (e.g. leg swings or High knees) - 10 reps Primary Workout circuit (Repeat them one after another for 5 rounds) Exercise 1 - Core (Eg, Crunches or Tall plank sh taps) - 15 reps Lower-body exercise 1 (Eg, Bodyweight Squats or lunges) - 15 reps Upper body exercise 1 (Eg Wall push-ups or push-ups) - 10 reps High-intensity exercise 1 (Eg Inchworms or burpees) - 10 reps Cool down Shoulder stretch - 30 seconds/side Hamstring stretch - 30 seconds/side The above is just an example and please be sure to consult your doctor before starting any physical activity or exercise routine. Casual Sports These days there are so many apps that can help us to quickly be a part of nearby sports and game activities like football, cricket, badminton, tennis, etc. This is a great way to keep it interesting while getting a good high-intensity session in. The great part is that you'll be able to socialize and gain some new friends too in the process. These are a few strategies you can use to maintain your momentum when things get challenging or when you're lacking motivation. Always keep in mind that any improvement is better than none at all. Read More► The importance of a workout regime to check diabetes
Yoga and Fitness

Yoga to Cope with Depression,

An alarming fact of the 21st century is the growing prevalence of detrimental mental conditions amongst individuals across age groups. Stress has become an unavoidable part of day-to-day existence, with people facing new challenges regularly, be it in their personal lives, or professional environments. Stressful conditions often lead to the development of anxious disorders, and over time, depression. These states are accompanied by feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, a loss of interest in activities, fatigue, restlessness, insomnia or excessive sleeping, loss of appetite, and a number of other issues. Hence, it has become increasingly important for individuals to find new ways to manage stress, anxiety and depression. While psychotherapy, nutrition and other forms of methods already exist that are used to treat depression, anxiety, and stress, another effective and clinically tested way to treat such conditions has been yoga. Yoga provides a systematic method, along with a structured approach towards managing and treating mental conditions to provide relief to individuals over time. The benefits of yoga are many. The myriad asanas and breathing exercises help in improving bodily functioning, while also strengthening the individual's mind. Yoga can be a useful means to supplement psychotherapeutic treatment for depression, anxiety and stress. Here are 5 asanas that can be easily incorporated in daily schedules to manage and combat the ill effects of these dire mental conditions, and start the journey to recovery: Balasana (Child Pose) Balasana is a comfortable pose that stretches the upper-body and back muscles, relaxing the body and mind. It relieves tension from muscles, leading to improved posture, blood circulation, and alleviation of stress. Performing the Balasana is easy and comforting. Kneel and sit on your heels onto a yoga mat, touching the big toes together. Spread your knees hip-width apart and place your palms on your knees. Now, bend your torso forward and between your divided thighs, and touch your forehead to the mat. Bring your arms forward and place them on the mat, stretched out in front of you. Hold the position for a few minutes, and return to the initial position slowly. The Balasana induces a state of calmness, relieving stress and anxiety effectively, helping in dealing with bouts of depression with better preparedness. Sethu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) The Sethu Bandhasana is a powerful inversion that opens up the chest cavity, improving cardiovascular health and increasing clarity and focus. This pose is also a great way to open up and strengthen the back, hips and hamstrings, working wonders for the tensed rear musculature. To perform the Sethu Bandhasana, lie down on the mat on your back. Place your palms facing down by either side of the body, and fold the knees to bring the heels closer to your hips. Keep the feet a few inches apart. Now, gently elevate your hips and back from the floor and hold the position for a few minutes. Relax and return to the initial position, exhaling as you do so. Savasana (Corpse Pose) A thoroughly rejuvenating and relaxing pose, the Savasana is a great way to calm the body and mind, alleviating tension from the muscles and causing relief from the effects of stress and anxiety. It provides a scope for healing and relaxing for individuals. Savasana is performed by simply lying down on a yoga mat facing the ceiling. Keep your legs and feet a few inches apart, letting them fall sideways. Place your hands on either side of the body with the palms facing upward, while relaxing the body in this position for a few minutes. Now close your eyes, and allow your body and mind to relax. Uttansana (Standing Forward Fold) Uttanasana is a great way to stretch the legs, back, shoulders and neck. It improves blood circulation and the overall functioning of the nervous system. It produces calming effects and reduces stress and anxiety effectively. In order to perform the Uttanasana, stand straight with your arms by your side. Bend forward at the hips, trying to go as low as possible, till your chest touches your thighs and your head reaches your knees. Hold this position for a few breath before gently releasing it and resuming the initial position. Halasana (Plow Pose) Halasana is an effective pose that stretches the entire back, improving posture. This asana has a relieving effect for the brain, and provides a great stretch for the entire body. The effects of this asana also help in managing symptoms of insomnia, relieving fatigue and anxiety. Halasana is performed by lying down on your back, with your arms by your side and feet joined together. Lift your legs up in a 90 degree angle, and hold your hips with the help of your hands to support the elevation. Now, bring the feet back and down to the floor, extending behind the head. Ensure that the thighs remain straight and avoid touching them to your head. Hold this position for a few breaths, and release the position while exhaling to resume the initial lying down pose. These yoga asanas among others can be a useful means to manage the damage caused to the mind from conditions like depression, stress and anxiety. Yoga can be a great means to resume your faculties and stay in the moment, which can be difficult when dealing with depression and anxiety. However, if done regularly and appropriately, combining with other forms of therapeutic treatment, yoga can become a great way to manage everyday stress, anxiety and depression effectively. (Meenakshi Mohanty, Fitness Expert) Read More► Restore Your Heart With Meditation