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31

More Free Power Yoga Videos Online – Elbow Platform

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Power Yoga Video

Free Online Yoga Videos

In the article Elbow Platform – Tough Power Yoga Pose, I detailed for you this unusual yoga pose, which is great for those looking to enhance their power yoga routines.  Today I will present to you a free online video of this great exercise, which should give you a clear picture and demonstration of how to practice this pose.

Although this pose comes from the school of Kundalini Yoga, I also place elbow platform in the category of power yoga exercises as it is very strength oriented and requires a great deal of energy and vigor to do.  It is not a pose suitable for beginners and some caution should be exhibited when doing this posture.  In particular, if you have lower back issues or weak hamstrings you should be particularly careful in doing this pose.  Also, like most other power yoga exercises and routines, it is good to warm-up prior to trying this exercise.

Power Yoga

In the video below I have demonstrated an advanced version of this yoga pose, and needless to say you should be fairly advanced and strong before trying that variation.

For the power yoga fans, there are some many more great free power yoga videos available on the website and you will find those in the the Free Yoga Exercise Video Series hosted here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  Some videos I particularly recommend are below.  Some are complete sets and great high energy workouts, and some videos are of single exercises which are quite unique and great for enhancing your power yoga sets.

Online Power Yoga Videos for Abs:

Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set

Yoga Workout for Ripped Six Pack Abs

Yoga for Weight Loss Video:

Yoga Set for Healthy Weight Loss

Online Yoga Video for Detoxification:

Cleanse and Detox Your Body with Powerful Yoga

Free Yoga Video for Aura:

Yoga Eagle Pose for Powerful Aura

For Yoga and Meditation Certification Students and Teachers:

To fellow yoga teachers, as I have mentioned above, this is an advanced pose so be sure you select the right class to teach it in.  The best way to modify the pose is to allow the students the luxury to rest whenever they need to and come back into the pose once they are ready.  Also, remember that Breath of Fire is excellent to do with this pose and a natural fit for it.

This pose is useful to both Yoga Teacher’s Training and Certification Program and Meditation Certification Program students, and feel free to teach it to your students as you find suitable.

Power Yoga Video – Elbow Pose Details:

  • The video gives a full demonstration of Power Yoga Elbow Platform Pose.
  • It explains how this pose works the upper and lower body simultaneously.
  • It teaches the advanced version of this exercise.
  • It discusses the benefits of this pose, along with other details about the technique.
  • Please note if you have trouble viewing the video from here, I have provided the YouTube link as well which you can use.

Free Online Power Yoga Video – Elbow Platfrom

DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK –> POWER YOGA ADVANCED ELBOW POSE

32

Excellent Thigh Workout from Yoga

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Workout for Thighs

Yoga Exercises for Thighs

A wonderful thing about yoga workouts and poses is that they work on you at many different levels at once. Not only are they great for your physical dimension, but are also often designed to work on your emotional or mental dimensions as well.

Yoga Crow Squats with Arm Raises is a great example of such a workout.  It will not just help you tone and strengthen your thighs and buttocks, but it will also help you develop emotional and mental balance. In addition, this exercise is excellent for your cardiovascular and circulatory systems as well.

Yoga Squats for Thighs Details

Later this month I will provide some exercises and poses which are great for female sexual health, and these squats will certainly be a part of that workout.  The strengthening, toning and flexibility provided by this exercise to the hips, thighs and pelvic region are excellent for female reproductive and sexual fitness.

Thigh Workout

This particular exercise also targets the entire thigh and quad region.  This includes the difficult to reach inner thigh as well, so if you are interested in having completely toned legs, then I would strongly recommend including this series into your workout.  You will note, that being able to squat deeply will give you a great stretch in the groin region, along with targeting the muscles of the inner thighs.  Be sure to be careful of your knees though and only go down as far as comfortable.
There are also a number of other excellent yoga exercises for toning and strengthening your thighs and buttocks and I have listed them below for you.
Below are illustrations on how to practice this technique. There are some variations to this exercise as well, which I have also provided.  Overall this exercise is quite fun to do, which is always nice :-).  This workout will be integrated into our free online Kundalini Yoga Exercises and Hatha Yoga Galleries on the website.
 
#1: Yoga Crow Squat Down
#2: Crow Squat Right Arm Up
#3: Yoga Crow Squat Down
#4: Crow Squat Left Arm Up
Yoga Workout for Firm Toned Thighs:
To do this exercise follow the steps below:
  • The starting position is to have your feet spread a little more than shoulder width apart, have you hands in namaste pose and to come down into a deep squat.  Exhale in this position. This is shown in Illustration #1 above.
  • Then rise up smoothly, and as you come up extend your right up at a 60 degree angle as shown. Inhale as you come up. Illustration #2.  You will feel your thigh muscles starting to work as you rise up.
  • Now come back into the deep squat and namaste pose.  The deeper you squat the more you will feel the stretch and also, the more you will target the inner thigh muscles.  Exhale.  Illustration #3.
  • Next inhale again and as you come up extend your left arm up at a 60 degree angle as shown. Illustration #4.
  • Continue this movement for the duration of the exercise.  You can start with 1 minute or less and build up from there.  You can also use the level of burn in your legs and thighs to pace yourself.  Try to get to a point where it is challenging, but without overdoing it.
  • Mantra Variation: This exercise can be done with an accompanying mantra as well. This boosts the mental and emotional benefits of the exercise. You can do “OM Namah Shiva Ya” or “SA TA NA MA” for each of the parts of the exercise.  Do the mantra mentally as you do the movements.  For example, in position 1 say SA mentally, in position 2 say TA, back in position 3 say NA and then say MA for position 4.  And repeat.
  • Arm Variation 1: A variation with the hands is to have your arms stretched overhead with the fingers interlaced with palms facing down and keep them there as you squat up and down.  This is obviously harder to do, and engages the shoulder muscles more.
  • Arm Variation 2: An easier variation with the arms is to have the fingers interlaced again, with the palms facing up and just having the arms simply hang down straight in front of you as you squat.  This variation is called Utthan Asana. 
Benefits of Yoga Crow Squats:
  • Excellent pose for toning and strengthening your thighs and buttocks.
  • Works to promote emotional and mental balance, especially when done with a mantra.
  • Increases vitality and sexual fitness, especially for women.
  • Helps develop your cardiovascular and circulatory system and strengthen the heart.
  • Promotes healthy weight loss.
  • Improves flexibility in the groin.
  • Helps strengthen the lower back and helps relieve lower back pain.
  • Strengthens the ankles and feet.
  • Works on your shoulders.
  • Helps clear your root chakra.
Cautions and Tips for Yoga Crow Squats:
  • Be careful of your knees when you do this exercise and only go as far down as comfortable. Same caution should be exercised for the ankle joints as well.
  • If you are out of shape, start by taking several breaks between repetitions and build up your strength and stamina slowly over time.
  • If you have existing back problems, then again exercise caution and proceed gently.

 More Yoga Exercises and Workout for the Thighs and Buttocks:

Here are some more excellent exercises for your lower body and legs.

Frog Pose for Toned Legs

Chair Pose for Sexual Health

Root Chakra Cleansing Crow Pose

33

Tips for Yoga Pranayama

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Tips for Yoga Breathing Exercises

One of the best parts of yoga is yogic breathing exercises or yoga pranayamas and you will find a huge collection of them in the following section, Free Online Yoga Breathing Exercises. There you will find detailed instructions as well as videos on how to do these life transforming techniques. In this article I will offer some tips on how to get the most out of these yoga pranayamas

The two pranayamas (Yoga Breathing Exercises) which I strongly recommend to all is Kapalbhati Pranayama and Anuloma Viloma (Alternate Nostril Breathing). These two breathing exercises are amongst the best and below are some helpful tips for you to get the most out of them.

Note, that the titles below are links to the specific chapters which have complete details about these wonderful techniques.

Yoga Pranayama

If you really want to feel the tremendous power of this pranayama and the peace it can bestow try the following technique. When doing the breathing, to ensure you are doing long, slow and deep breathing, do it such that you do it without making any sound. So the breathing should be done absolutely quietly. This requires some patience and discipline, but is well worth it as this pranayama can single handedly transform you.

In brief Anuloma Viloma pranayama is great for bestowing unearthly peace and for helping to balance and refine the entire system at all levels.

For health and well-being there is no better breathing exercise that Kapalbhati Pranayama. It is great for weight loss, your digestive system, your respiratory system and for purging the system of negativity.

Here are some tips to help you include this technique into your busy lives.

Kapalbhati can be easily done during daily activity, so when watching TV, taking a walk or driving, go ahead and practice this pranayama. You should initially try to build up to 400 repetitions, which should translate to about 5 minutes. Do sets of 50 (or less if just starting out), with short breaks, then slowly increasing the number of repetitions in each set. Later you can build up to 10 minutes.

Breath of Fire can be quite frustrating for those who are just beginning yoga. It is the one of the most common questions I get when it comes to pranayamas. The constant complaint is that yogis cannot maintain the rhythm for a sustained period of time and are constantly having to reset and start over.

There is essentially one reason for this. The inhalation and exhalation are not equal, and for you to do Breath of Fire Kundalini Yoga style without resetting, the inhalation and exhalation quantity of air needs to be the same. This is the key to Breath of Fire and it takes time to get this correct. So if you are new to Breath of Fire, stay with it and with practice will come mastery.

More Yoga Tips

You can get more yoga tips to help you with your yoga practice in the following articles:

5 Simple Yoga Tips to Elevate Your Practice

Clever Yoga Tips for Busy People

34

3 Powerful Yogic Breathing Exercises for Energy

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Yogic Breathing

Powerful Breathing Exercises

To boost your energy levels, both short term and long term, there is almost no better method than the regular practice of yogic breathing exercises (pranayamas).  These exercises have been developed and honed over thousands of years to bestow their powerful benefits, so if you are looking for more vitality and energy, I strongly recommend establishing a consistent, daily pranayama practice.

Yogic Breathing

To get you started, here are 3 terrific yogic breathing techniques known to power your energetic systems.  The first is a new technique that I am introducing you to and it will be added to our Free Online Yoga Breathing Exercises Collection.

 
So, you really want to get an infusion of energy?  Are you ready to upgrade your order to SUPER SIZE :-)?  Well here is a unique pranayama which is going to put together 2 techniques, which are already considered amongst the best exercises for increasing energy, into one.  The 2 techniques are Kundalini Yoga’s Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise and Hatha Yoga’s Surya Bedi Pranayama and for this exercise your are going to do Breath of Fire exclusively through the Right Nostril.
 
As I mentioned above, Breath of Fire is excellent for increasing energy and so is Surya Bedi Pranayama (Right Nostril Breathing), so you can imagine what combining these 2 would do!
 
To practice this pranayama, block your left nostril with your left thumb, then do Breath of Fire through just the Right Nostril.  Start with 15 seconds and build up to 3 minutes.  Don’t do more than that, as this exercise is too potent.  The benefits it will bestow are the combined benefits of both the pranayamas is uses.
 
 
This simple breathing exercise of pressing your hands together in Namaste Pose, and inhaling in 4 parts and exhaling in 4 parts, is a great way to fire your energy pathways and get your entire system buzzing.  It is one of the most used yogic breathing techniques for starting a yoga class, as it gets you going and ready for the rest of the routine.
 
Here is a quick list of the benefits of this exercise:
  • Rapidly oxygenates your blood, thus helping the body heal, detoxify and remove waste more effectively.
  • Increases the amount of Prana (life-force) you are bringing into your system.
  • Improves the elasticity of the lungs and increases respiratory capacity.
  • Activates the energy flows in your body.

Undoubtedly considered one of the best yoga breathing techniques for increasing energy is the Hatha Yoga version of the Breath of Fire.  It is immensely powerful and extremely effective.  Be careful not to get dizzy while doing this potent exercise.  This pranayama is also good for burning fat and promoting weight loss.

Energy Boosting Yoga Breathing Exercises Summary:

One of the earliest benefits of yoga practice is the significant boost in energy that yogis experience, and one of the key reasons for that is the yogic breathing that is practiced as part of any good yoga routine.  The above 3 techniques are good choices for acquiring such benefits and you can see how they are integrated into daily yoga routines by checking out the Free Online Yoga Classes here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.

35

Yoga Not Best for Improving Memory?

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Improving Memory with Yoga

Yoga for Memory

Just last week I had published recent research which showed that Meditation was excellent for improving those areas of the brain associated with Memory and Learning.  You can read that article here – How to Improve Your Memory and Mind.  And then, just this week I have come across some more interesting research on memory improvement, which I think is worth discussing and sharing with you all as well.  It looked at the benefits of walking for improving memory, as compared to other low impact aerobic exercises such as yoga.

Yoga for Memory

The findings from this research showed that regular walking increased the size of the hippocmapus more than the control group.  It also showed that spatial memory improved in the walkers group, more than it increased in the control groups.  The brain study used a group of walkers who walked around a track for 40 minutes, 3 times a week, for 1 year, and compared them with other groups who did less aerobic exercises, such a yoga or resistance training with bands.

Details of the study can be found here – Exercise Improves Memory.

I think the study is quite interesting and that there are several important things we can learn from it.  Below are these points.

1. Blood Flow Important for Brain Heath and Memory Improvement:

If we put the 2 studies together, the one on Meditation and this one on exercise, we start to see the broader picture with regard to improving your memory and brain in general – you need to nourish the brain with healthy blood.

Studies have shown that meditation increases blood supply to the brain and it has also shown that exercise does the same.  This is the underlying biochemical reason for the improvements been seen.  So what does this mean with regard to Yoga and memory improvement.  There are 4 points worth making in that regard.

2. Certain Yoga Poses Help Brain and Memory:

Master yogis will tell you that all yoga is not appropriate for all conditions.  You should do yoga according to the condition and goals you are trying to achieve.  That is why with yoga poses and exercises, the benefits section and cautions section is so important.  Doing Crow Pose and hoping to cut up your abs is not going to work.  So you should pick yoga poses and exercises as per your individual needs, and from that point of view, certain yoga techniques are indicated for improving the brain and memory.  Which are those?  Of course, the ones that increase blood flow to this region.  Such as….

Hatha Yoga Pose for Brain Fitness – Shoulder Stand

Yoga Plough Pose for Multi Chakra Activation

3. Power Yoga and Aerobic Yoga:

Also, with yoga it is important to understand that there are types and variations of yoga which are quite aerobic in nature and equivalent to other more aerobic exercise systems.  Kundalini Yoga, which involves quite a bit of dynamic movement and Power Yoga are examples of such types of yoga.  So it is not entirely the case that yoga is a non-aerobic activity. 

If you want an example of how dynamic yoga can be and how much it can increase your heart rate and circulation, just try the following set or even just the following exercise.  These types of exercises will certainly get the blood flowing to the brain region, and will be a big boost to the improvements in memory as seen with other forms of aerobic exercise.

Online Yoga Exercises for Healthy Weight Loss

Kundalini Yoga Pose for Toning Legs

4. Yogic Breathing Great for Brain Health and Memory:

Yoga is not just physical exercises, but also includes the sciences of mudras (body locks), mudras (hand positions) and pranayama (breathing techniques).  These breathing techniques are also excellent for brain health and nourishing your entire system with oxygen rich blood.  If there is such a set worth trying I would suggest the following:

Brain Development and Enlightenment – Vitalize Energy Set

5. Ok to Mix Yoga with Other Forms of Exercise:

I get this question from time to time, and although yoga has an incredible range of benefits and dimensions, if you need to supplement your fitness routine with other forms of exercise that is perfectly fine to do.

If you are a long distance runner or need to drastically increase your calorie burn rate, it makes sense to supplement your yoga routine with running, and in that way if you are a body builder, then resistance training is a must.  You may not be in those categories, but from time to time you may have fitness needs that are better addressed by other forms of exercise and it is perfectly fine to include those into your regiment. 

Yoga for Memory Improvement Lessons Learned:

So from the above study, we have learned that exercise, even walking regularly in great for improving your memory.  We have also learned that to address different health issues, it is important to choose different yoga techniques.  And finally, it is also fine to supplement your yoga routine with other forms of exercise when necessary.  I hope you can remember all these important points and, if not, it’s time to practice shoulder stand .

36

Yoga Pranayama Breathing for Energy Video | Surya Bedhi Pranayama

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Yoga Pranayama Free Video

Surya Bedhi Yoga Pranayama

Pranayama is a yoga breathing exercise and there are many different pranayamas for a variety of different purposes.  There are pranayamas to help calm the mind and prepare it for meditation, there are paranayamas for increasing lung capacity, there are pranayamas to promote weight loss, to name just a few.  You will find all these excellent breathing exercises is the following 2 free collections here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga – Free Online Yoga Pranayama Videos and Free Online Yoga Pranayama E-book.

In that collection there is a particular pranayama which is excellent for raising the heat in the body, fighting depression and increasing your energy.  It is called Surya Bedhi Pranayama.  Many pranayama techinques are based on Kundalini Yoga’s Seven Chakra Model and Surya Bedhi is a great example of such an exercise.

Surya Bedhi Pranayama

For this pranayama, you breathe exclusively through the Right Nostil, which is associated with the Pingala Nadi, or Sun Channel of the body.  By breathing in this manner you activate this channel, which then enfuses your system with heat, energy and power.  In the same way, if you were looking to calm your system down, you would breathe exclusively through the Left Nostil to engage the Moon Channel (Ida Nadi).

This pranayama is detailed for you in the following article Potent Yoga Breathing to Treat Depression and Increase Energy.  What has been missing thus far though is a video demonstration of this technique.  So today I am happy to present to you all the video teaching how to do Surya Bedhi Yoga Pranayama.

For Yoga Certification Program Students:

For students enrolled in the Online Yoga Instructor Certification Program, Surya Bedhi Pranayama is part of Week 6 of your program.  It is chapter 87 (page 417) in your Yoga Training Manual, and I will be including this video in the original chapter on Surya Bedhi as well, which is linked to from your e-manual.

How to Do Surya Bedhi Yoga Pranayama:

Although all the detailed steps for how to do this pranayama is in the full article discussed above, the pranayama simply requires you to close your left nostril and do long deep breathing exclusively through the right nostil.  An addition step is to hold your breath in for about 5 seconds, after every round of 10.  So this is a very simple technique, but one you should be careful not to overdo, especially if you have heat related issues.

Surya Bedhi Pranayama Video Contents:

  • The video gives a brief overview of this pranayama.
  • It gives a step-by-step instructions of how do Surya Bedhi pranayama.
  • It guides you through practicing the technique.
  • It discusses the benefits of this pranayama, along with other details and cautions.

Surya Bedhi Yoga Pranayama Video

Direct YouTube Link –>  Yoga Breathing Exercise for Energy – Surya Bedhi

37

Free Kundalini Yoga DVD for Download – Part 2

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Kundalini Yoga DVD

Free Kundalini Yoga Video

In part 1 of this series Free Yoga DVD for Beginner’s, the first 12 minutes of this Kundalini Yoga DVD was presented and the breathing exercises and yoga poses were explained in detail.  The dvd is that of a Kundalini Yoga class I conducted and in this part I will present the next 12-15 minutes of the class and explain the contents as well.

In case anyone is curious, the reason for breaking up the dvd into these chunks is due to YouTube’s limit of 15 minutes for the free videos that can be uploaded .  So below you will find the next section of the DVD.

As I mentioned in part 1, by uploading these videos of a live class, I am looking to give you a real sense for what doing Kundalini Yoga is like and of course, we also get to learn and practice these exercises together as well.

Kundalini Yoga DVD

Free Kundalini Yoga DVD – Part 2

YouTube Link:

Free Kundalini Yoga DVD for Beginners


Free Kundalini Yoga DVD Poses and Techniques:

1. Kapalbhati Yoga Pranayama:

In part 1, the DVD left off with us practicing our starting yoga breathing exercises and warm-ups, here it picks up where we left off as the class moves onto the powerful Kapalbahti Pranayama.  You will notice that I am constantly reminding the students that in Kundalini Yoga they are most welcome to pace themselves and that it is not a competitive activity.  This is quite an important lesson to keep in mind, that you should constantly be listening to your body and not over doing anything.

Kaplbhati is a great breathing exercise and is a fundamental part of Hatha Yoga as well.  It works on many of your internal systems and organs and is definitely worth integrating into your daily practice.  For full details of this pranayama, check out the following article:

How to Do Kapalbhati Pranayama for Optimum Health and Weight Loss

 

2. Yoga Bandhas (Body Locks):

This section of the DVD also includes yogic locks, as they are a key part of Kundalini Yoga and help channel our energies.  You can refer to the 2 articles below for more details:

Tantric Yoga Exercise Video to Channel Sex Energy | Triple Lock

5 Simple Yoga Tips to Elevate Your Practice

3. Spinal Warm-up for Starting Kundalini Yoga Exercises:

The DVD then moves onto the great Spinal Warm-up set, which is probably the best way to start your Kundalini Yoga exercises.  This set in and of itself is excellent for your digestive system, excretory system and for your entire back and spine.  It is wonderful for stretching and getting warmed up prior to more difficult exercises and sets.  It also gets the Shushumna Nadi, the central channel for the conduction of Kundalini Energy, ready to begin it’s work.

The Kundalini Yoga Spinal Warm-up Series is a set of several exercises and movements.  These include, Stomach Grind, Camel Ride, Cat-Cow, Spinal Twists, Shoulder Shrugs and Neck Rolls, and in this DVD the first 2 are demonstrated.  The others will be in part 3 of this video series.

Here is another good free video exclusively of the Spinal Warm Up Series and the article below that link has all the details of the exercises as well.  You can watch the video directly on YouTube or in the article link below.

YouTube Video Link —> Yoga Exercises for Lower Back Pain – Spinal Warm-ups

Spinal Warm-up Yoga Exercises (Has video and exercise details)

4. Rest Period During Kundalini Yoga Class:

Again you will notice another key aspect of Kundalini Yoga being employed in this DVD, which is the use of small rest periods from time to time to help the body recover and integrate the energy.  For complete guidelines on how to practice Kundalini Yoga and get more information on Kundalini Yoga, you can check out the following 2 articles:

10 Important Guideline so Kundalini Yoga Practice

What is Kundalini Yoga

Free Kundalini Yoga DVD Summary

As you can see, in Kundalini Yoga, quite a bit of time is spent doing the breathing exercises and warmups.  The pranayamas are really good for you and the proper warmup ensures you will not get yourself injured during the set.

The next few sections of this dvd will go into the more intense yoga exercises and poses that compose the set, so stay tuned for those in the near future.  One more avenue I am exploring is doing web based live Kundalini Yoga classes.  I will update everyone on the progress with that as it matures.

38

3 Best Yoga Techniques of 2010

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Top Yoga Exercises

Best Yoga Movements

In 2010 we added a large number of yoga poses and positions to our free online yoga galleries, and as we come to the end of the year, it is time once again to highlight the best yoga exercises for this year.  Of all the yoga techniques we added to the Free Kundalini Yoga Exercises E-book and the Free Hatha Yoga Picture Galleries, in this article I am going to highlight for you the top 3 which were the most popular and appreciated.

If you want a great list of some of all time great yoga exercises and poses, please check out the following article: Best Yoga Poses – A Free Comprehensive Guide.

yoga mat

Best 3 Yoga Techniques of 2010:

The 3 poses below were the top yoga exercises of the year.  Each title is a link to the article, which has all the details for that pose, including benefits, cautions, modifications, etc.  

Best Yoga Exercise #1:

More Free Yoga Postures – Bridge Pose for Lower Back

If you are looking to get rid of back troubles and at the same time strengthen your arms, shoulders and legs, the multi-purpose Bridge Pose is the answer for you.  One of the best aspects of this exercise is the number of variations it offers.  The modifications allow both beginners and advanced yogis to benefit from this pose.

This is a very fundamental yoga pose and it ought to an integral part of any yoga program.  Below are 3 illustrations for this pose, showing the easy, moderate and advanced versions.

Yoga Bridge Pose – Easy:

Yoga Bridge Pose

Yoga Bridge Pose – Moderate:

Bridge Pose Moderate

 

Yoga Bridge Pose – Advanced:

Bridge Pose Advanced - Best Yoga Pose 1

Best Yoga Pose for 2010 #2:

Dynamic Yoga Sit-ups for a Fast Abdominal Workout

Never underestimate the importance of abdominal work, for not just health and overall well-being, but also for emotional strength and willpower.  So making the list as the number 2 best yoga exercise for 2010 is the excellent and complete Dynamic Yoga Situps.  Frankly, I love this exercise and it is a great way to develop your core strength and abs quickly.

Please check the article on this exercise for the important safety tips.

Starting Position for Dynamic Yoga Sit-ups:

 

Best Yoga Pose #2 - Dynamic Yoga Situps

 

 

Ending Position for Dynamic Yoga Sit-ups:

Best Yoga Exercise #2 - Ending Position

Best Yoga Pose for 2010 #3:

Tiger Pose – Post Natal Weight Loss Exercise

Coming into the third spot for the best yoga exercise for the year is the wonderful Yoga Tiger Pose.  This movement is another one of those yoga exercises that, despite it’s simple design, has the ability to work on almost every part of your whole body.  It’s benefits are numerous, and although it is great for those looking to lose the extra weight after giving birth, the exercise is useful to everybody.  Not just will it help you lose weight, it will also help you get fit and flexible.

Starting Position for Tiger Pose:

Best Yoga #3 - Tiger Pose Starting Position


Ending Position for Tiger Pose:

Top Yoga Pose #3 - Ending Position

Best Yoga Summary:

So there you have the top 3 yoga exercises for 2010.  I am looking forward to bringing you more yoga and meditation techniques in 2011.  I have a whole set of new free yoga videos in the works which will be coming online early next year.  Next in this series of best yoga techniques of 2010, I will highlight the best yoga pranayamas and the best meditations from this year.

Currently I am on vacation recharging my batteries and I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a Merry Christmas as well :-).

39

5 Excellent Yoga Poses for Stress Relief

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Yoga for Stress Management

Yoga Postures for Stress and Anxiety

Yoga is quickly becoming the default prescription for those suffering from stress, tension, high blood pressure and anxiety.  Even if you were to visit your medical doctor and he diagnosed you with stress, there is a high probability that he is going to suggest you take up some yoga and meditation .  And why not?  It is well established now that yoga is excellent to relieve stress and is an excellent system for achieving physical, mental and emotional peace and harmony.

Yoga Poses

Previously I have provided several excellent yoga breathing exercises and meditation techniques to help you relax and reduce stress.  Examples of these are, Sheetali Yoga Breathing for Reducing Stress, Relaxation Meditation for Immediate Stress Reduction and the Best Relaxation Technique and Stress Relief Exercise – Corpse Pose.  Furthermore, I have given other great tips and techniques for anxiety and stress reduction in the article, Treatments for Stress and Anxiety Disorder.  But what I am going to provide today are the best yoga poses you can do for stress relief.  This set of 5 poses I call Yoga Set for Stress Relief.

Guideline for Yoga Practice:

As will all yoga practice, please follow the guidelines outlined in the 2 document below…

Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice

Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice

Also, you will find many more poses and exercises in our 2 ongoing and online e-books here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  The Free Online Hatha Yoga Book and the Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises e-book.  This particular set will become part of the Free Online Yoga Sets E-book.  This set will soon become part of a Yoga and Meditation Stress Reduction Program, which will be part of the Free Online Yoga and Meditation Classes I offer, so be on the lookout for that.

Best Yoga Poses for Stress Reduction Set: 

Please note that some of the poses in this set are a little advanced and if you are new to yoga, you should use the modifications detailed in each article.  Work your way up to the full pose and duration slowly over time.  The full article link with all the details for that particular pose is given in the instructions below.

For all the poses below you should use Yogic Breathing Technique.  This way of breathing, in and of itself, will go a long way to helping you achieve peace and tranquility.

Yoga Pose #1 – Forward Bend – Paschimothan Asana

You start the stress reduction set with the Best Hatha Yoga Pose for Healing.  This exercise is great for healing, flexibility, longevity and relaxation.

It’s important to stretch only as far forward as you can comfortable doing.  If you practice this pose consistently you will see your flexibility improve steadily for sure.  You can do 2-4 rounds of this pose, holding each time for about 1 minute.

Illustration of the Paschimothan Yoga Asana


Yoga Posture #2 – Hatha Yoga Locust Pose:

The Classical Hatha Yoga Pose – Locust Pose article will give you all the details for this excellent posture.  It will help counterbalance the previous pose and is excellent for combating stress.

To modify this pose, use the single leg variation and for this Yoga for Stress Relief Set try to do 4 rounds, holding each round for 10-15 seconds each.  Build up from there.

Locust Pose Illustration

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Yoga Pose #3 –  Yoga Spinal Twists

After completing the 2 poses above, sit up in easy pose and do the Yoga Spinal Twists.  These are not just good for promoting relaxation, but will also help you back, spine and help you tone your abs.  You will find the details for this exercise in the article, Lower Back Exercise – Yoga Spinal Twists.  

1-3 minutes of this exercise with breaks as required will be very useful.  For the purpose of this set, do the twists slowly, pausing on each side.

Picture of Yoga Spinal Twist (Twist Left)

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Picture of Yoga Spinal Twist (Twist Right)

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Yoga Pose for Stress Relief #4 – Yoga Plough Pose

The next pose is quite advanced, so please use caution when practicing it.  Do not over strain and just bring the legs over as far as comfortable.  Full details in the article Yoga Plough Pose for Multi Chakra Activation.  

Hold the pose for 15 seconds to 2 minutes.  Take breaks whenever necessary.

Picture of Yoga Plough Pose

 

 

Yoga Pose for Stress Relief #5 – Shoulder Stand

The final pose of this set is the wonderful shoulder stand.  This is a great posture for promoting mental peace, clarity and tranquility.  Full details in the article, Hatha Yoga Pose for Brain Fitness.  Please follow all the safety guidelines I have given in that article for this pose.  Start with 15 seconds and build up to 3 minutes.

Picture of Shoulder Stand

 

After completing the above 5 exercises, I suggest to relax is corpse pose (Best Relaxation Technique and Stress Relief Exercise).  After all if you are looking for stress relief, that is the number one exercise for relaxation.  Stay in that pose for as long as you like.  Research time and again has proven corpse pose to be excellent for stress and anxiety relief, so be sure to include that into your routine.  Again remember to use the Simple Yogic Breathing for all these exercises.

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Pure Yoga Technique to Train Abs

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Abdominal Training

Yoga for Abs

For training your abs, there are 2 great sets currently on the website, Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set and the Terrific Yoga Ab Exercises and Workout for Shaping Stomach, and today I will give a pure Kundalini Yoga exercise to supplement these sets and help you max out your ab workout.  At first glace, this particular technique may not appear be a great ab training tool, but if done correctly, it is quite effective in helping you tone and strengthen your stomach muscles and core.

The great part of this technique is that it is very different from your usual abdominal exercises and I have found many students, specially the ones with a creative and artistic side, really enjoy doing it.  This exercise, like Kapalbhati Pranayama, works your abs by the pumping motion it incorporates, but unlike most other exercises, it uses sound power to further accent the effect.

yoga for abs

That’s the reason I titled this article, pure yoga technique.  It is because this technique uses a mantra to help you work your core.  That’s right, a mantra for abdominal training .  This technique uses the sound “HAR” or “HARRRRR”, which rhymes with “BURRRR”, and which is considered a sound for awakening the Navel Chakra and is associated with the stomach and abdominal region.  Just go ahead and make this sound powerfully now, and immediately you will feel your abdominal muscles going to work.  I call this technique Abdominal Training with Yogic HAR.

Details of how to do this exercise are in the practice section below.  Abdominal Training with Yogic HAR will be added to our free ongoing yoga exercises e-book, which you can find here: Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises e-book.  In addition, be on the lookout for yoga sets incorporating this exercise in the near future here: Free Online Kundalini Yoga Sets.  Also, be sure to check out the Free Online Yoga Classes that we already offer on the website.  

At the bottom of this article I have provided some more pure yoga exercises for abdominal training, so be sure to check those out as well.  As always, please follow the guidelines for yoga I have laid out in the following articles…

Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice

Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice

 

Abdominal Training with HAR

Illustrations for Abdominal Training with HAR


Illustration #1 – Front View of Technique

 

 
 

 

Illustration #2 – Side View of Technique

Abdominal Training with Yogic HAR:

A. How to Do this Pure Yoga Technique: 

  • Here is an exercise which is going to work your abs, without a lot of movement .  Sit up straight with your legs crossed or sit on your heels.  You can also sit on a chair for this technique.  Just make sure your back and spine are straight.
  • Next, interlace your fingers and extend your arms straight out as I have shown in the illustrations above.
  • Now take a deep breath and chant out loud with POWER.  HAR HAR HAR HAR (Very Fast) (Pause Slightly) HAR HAR HAR HAR (Very Fast) (Pause Slightly) HARRR HARRR HARRR (slow).  So you will say out loud, with power 4 times HAR HAR HAR HAR very fast, then again after a slight pause HAR HAR HAR HAR very fast, and then after a slight pause say HARRRR HARRR HARRR 3 times, with each of these HARRRs slow and with emphasis.  In addition, with each HAR you will consciously pull your stomach wall back towards your spine (pump your stomach/suck it in). For the fast HAR HAR HAR HARs you will only be able to pump your stomach lightly, but for each of the slow 3 HARRRs pump your stomach with FORCE. You can say the HARs as loud as you want.  Don’t wake the neighbors .
  • Take deep breaths whenever you need to, and also take a break when you need to.  See how the sound HAR explodes from the ab region.
  • If you are doing it correctly you will start to feel your ab muscles burn and fatigue in due course.  Continue on for the duration of the exercise. 

B. Duration for Ab Training with HAR: 30 seconds – 11 minutes.

C. Benefits of Pure Yoga HAR Ab Exercise:

  • Good technique for training your abs and strengthening your core.
  • Balances and awakens the Navel Chakra (Manipura Chakra).
  • Build willpower and strength of character.
  • Helps the respiratory system.
  • Increases energy and gives vitality and vigor.

D. Practice Tips and Cautions for Abdominal Training with Yogic HAR:

  • For this technique to be successful some intensity is needed from your side.  So don’t be shy when practicing the chanting and really let the sound HARRR HARRR HARRR, explode from your tummy.
  • For those looking to do Third Chakra work, this is an excellent exercise for you.
  • Doing this in a group or a yoga class is a lot of fun, so be sure to try it in class if you are a teacher.
  • Kids love this exercise so do it with them too.
  • This exercise is something you can add to the end of the abdominal sets you do.

More Pure Yoga Ab Exercises:

In addition to Yogic HAR for Abdominal and Core Power, there are several other exercises from yoga which are great for ab training and below are 3 more for you to enjoy and benefit from…

Best Yoga Exercise to Get Firm Toned Abs

Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose for Core Abdominal Power

Dynamic Yoga Sit-ups for a Fast Ab Workout