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Stretch, Build Muscle & Relax Add Yoga to Your Fitness Plan
By Tom Bonanti
According to fitness professional and
yoga instructor, Kerci Stroud, the aim of yoga is to create
harmony between the mind and body. This low impact workout won’t
just give you inner peace – it will also give you great muscles.
After a few sessions, many folks feel stronger, more flexible
and less stressed. Yoga also improves balance and posture,
sharpens concentration and makes you feel centered. Yoga workouts run the gamut from slow
and serene to fast and sweaty. Whether you want to improve
muscle tone and lose fat or heighten your inner awareness, or
all of the above, you can choose a workout to meet your fitness
goals. Beginners start with Hatha Yoga, which
teaches the basic poses in a relaxed manner. Lyengar Yoga is
more precise and involves focusing on proper muscle alignment by
holding poses for extended periods of time. Ashtanga Yoga will
kick your butt with its athletic routine of moving through a
series of killer positions in rapid succession. A popular form
of yoga is Bikram or “hot” yoga. This 26 pose routine will make
you sweat since it is practiced in a room that is around 100
degrees Fahrenheit. You can find classes in all of the
above yoga styles at yoga studios and many gyms. Classes can be
private or in a group and usually last an hour to 90 minutes.
Yoga instructors insist upon certain etiquette: no shoes or cell
phones! Many experts suggest that yoga is best on an empty
stomach. If you’re a little squeamish about
twisting around like a pretzel in public, you can try yoga at
home with one of the many books, DVD’s or on-line tutorials
available. This way you can work freely at your own pace. The
down side is that you won’t have a seasoned guru on hand to help
you correct and perfect your poses. What you wear to your yoga class is
important, unless of course your bag is naked yoga. In that
case, arrive tidy, groomed and fresh. Otherwise wear clothes
that are comfy and unrestrictive. To create a dynamite fitness plan, you
can compliment your weekly yoga sessions with cardio workouts.
The muscles you build in yoga class will enhance your cardio and
your cardio will build up your endurance for yoga. For seasoned
body builders who just can’t give up the iron, some low impact
yoga will make you more flexible – and greater flexibility
translates into fewer injuries and better workouts.
 TOM BONANTI IS A CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER AND OWNER OF PUMP’N INC GYM AT 1271 NE 9TH AVENUE FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33304, www.pumpnincgym.com. |
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If
you’re looking for a fitness routine that will tone your body
and soothe your mind, you may want to try yoga. This 5,000 year
old workout involves moving in and out of a series of positions
and postures while focusing upon relaxing breathing techniques.
Yoga will improve flexibility and strengthen core muscles while
relieving stress and tension. Whether you’re a couch potato, a
muscle bound body builder, or a seasoned gymnast, there’s a yoga
workout just for you.