Tag: yoga

The Diary of A Happy Yogi

By: Ashley Whimpey

Poised at the top of my mat, I rolled my shoulders back, and closed my eyes. Just as my instructor requested, I inhaled and I listened for the next cue. A strange sound began to fill the room and, since I was confused, I peeked just a bit to find the source. I noticed that my instructors mouth was moving, and the sounds were coming from him. My mind supplied an answer of, “He’s chanting something,” and then the class started to move into poses. Startled, I whipped my head side to side, trying to follow the smooth flow of my fellow yogis. I couldn’t understand why the teacher wasn’t speaking a language I understood He would mutter something, and the class would move, just like magic. I, however, was extremely unenchanted. After the class ended I was able to speak with the instructor.

He told me he was using Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the language of yoga. Most asanas (that’s Sanskrit for poses) have Sanskrit names. For instance crow pose is bakasana in Sanskrit, and corpse pose is savasana. He apologized for strictly speaking in the language, and told me he doesn’t usually adhere only to the Sanskrit terms. Had it been my first yoga experience, I may have never come back. It’s intimidating enough to not feel as if I’ll be able to complete a class physically, let alone when I’m worrying about deciphering the words I’m hearing.

When you don’t understand the language being used in a class attendees have a tendency to depend on the instructor demonstration. Instructors at the front of a class in other exercise classes such as cardio kickboxing or dance formats serve as great models. The instructor shares the cues while demonstrating as participants watch, and then mirror the movement. When you are upside down and twisted under your arm in a yoga class it may be a little harder to see the instructor demonstration. A good way to overcome this is to practice yoga more often. Many simple (or seemingly simple!) poses are completed in most yoga classes. Over time you’ll become comfortable with the yoga atmosphere. You’ll also develop an understanding of how your instructor organizes a class, and be able to flow smoothly between the poses.

The experience that I have shared with you is pretty rare. Aspiring yogis should not be weary of all yoga classes being taught in languages you don’t understand. Barriers such as time or skill level shouldn’t stop you either.Yoga for twenty minutes or yoga for an hour and twenty minutes are equally beneficial. Even if all you can do is start the morning with a five minute stretch to get the blood flowing, that is a great place to start.

Keep in mind that every yoga class can be taught to include beginners. Yoga is about “honoring your practice” which means to simply do your best and be proud of that alone. A yogi who can touch their toes is no better of a yogi than the one who tries. I hope that sharing my experience encourages you to honor your practice in the near future. There is no better day to start than today!

What Is Yoga?

By Ashley Whimpey

Meaning “to join together,” yoga is a combination of exercise, breathing, and meditation. Yoga joins the mind and body into one harmonious collaboration. The history of yoga can be traced back 5,000 years to ancient cave drawings and depictions found by archeologists. Sometimes confused as one of the versions of the Hindu faith, the ancient drawings provide evidence that yoga is not a religion and actually began nearly 1,000 years before the estimated start of Hinduism.

While yoga itself also has multiple branches, the most commonly practiced form began from a text named Yoga Sutras by Patanjali written in the 1st or 2nd century BC.The text explains 8-limbs of yoga. The limbs focus on eight guidelines to life:

1) Yama (restraint), persons are to refrain from violence, lying, stealing, or hoarding.

2) Niyama (observance), persons are to have purity, contentment, tolerance, study, and remembrance.

3) Asana, the physical poses in yoga.

4) Pranayama, the breathing techniques.

5) Pratyahara, mental preparation for meditation.

6) Dharana (concentration), persons hold their mind on one object for a specified time.

7) Dhyana (meditation) persons focus on one thing (or nothing) with entirety of their mind.

8) Samadhi, the realization of the essential nature of the self.

Together the eight limbs are referred to as Ashtanga yoga, and today modern Western yoga typically only focuses on the third, fourth,and fifth limbs of the practice.

The physical asanas (poses) of yoga are also the main portion of several other popular types of yoga in the West: Bikram (hot yoga), Power, Prenatal, Restorative, Rocket Yoga, and Vinyasa. Typically, a traditional Bikram, Rocket, or Vinyasa yoga class will always follow the same sequence of moves and asanas, while other yoga classes may differ slightly each time.

Yoga is great for every living creature, but for the sake of this article we’ll say it’s best for humans. Those with limited flexibility come to yoga in order to gain a bit more flexibility and thus more mobility. The stressed come to relax. The thoughtful come to think. The tendons and joints and bones come to be smoothed, gently healed, and deeply strengthened. As you may have noticed, yoga can be used as a form of intense exercise or a calming and mentally restorative exercise.

Despite being for everyone, yoga can be intimidating. Do your best to find a good yoga instructor. A good yoga instructor will guide any level of class with variations of even the most advanced poses so that their class is open to everyone.

Even after deciding to try a yoga class, the actuality of getting there and being dressed can be overwhelming. Participants are not limited to the $80 yoga pants from LeeLimes or whatever the hottest supplier is these days. A simple pair of moveable shorts and a t-shirt are fine. It’s typically preferred for participants to wear slightly more fitted clothing in order for the instructor to observe form. The instructor can then guide you through adjustments if anything is out of line, and stop you from being forced to inhale through masses of fabric. For example, relaxing in down dog is much harder when the nostrils are full of loose t-shirt. This is not to say your clothes need to hug so closely to the legs, torso, or arms of every minute crevice, bend, or follicle is seen, but they should stay close enough to allow the instructor to identify where there is potential for injury due to improper placement.

The best place to start is wherever you are (recreational facilities, independent yoga studios,etc), with whatever you have (Bikram, Ashtanga, Power, etc.), and immediately, because it’s never too early (or too late!) to start doing something nice for yourself.

References

“Types of Yoga.” Womenshealthmag.com. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

“General Yoga Information.” General Yoga Information. The American Yoga Association. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

Overcoming Fitness Fears

By: Alison Hall

People have many reasons for avoiding certain fitness activities, and one of the most common ones is fear. Read on to learn some tips to overcome common fitness fears.

Climbing/Heights

Have you ever wanted to try climbing but you were afraid of being so far off the ground? The Alpine Tower at The EDGE at Mason, which hosts an open climb the second Sunday of each month, has many different ways to climb. You can start by climbing to the first platform, which is not far off the ground. As your confidence improves, you can attempt to get to the top platform 50-feet off the ground. You are attached to a safety rope the entire time, so even if you do have trouble, there always is a safe way down. When asked about fear of climbing or heights, David Heath, The EDGE Program Manager, quoted Alexandria climber Sasha DiGiulian, “The way I overcome my fear, which I’m still overcoming, is to do exactly what scares me: falling.” The EDGE offers a safe way to face your fears.

Yoga

You may have read or heard that yoga is good for you, but it may be unnerving to walk into a class as a newcomer. Mason yoga instructor Anne Suarez encourages all newcomers to realize that everyone starts somewhere in terms of fitness and flexibility. There always are modifications that participants can make to their practice to accommodate their needs. She says that the key is to be open to the journey. Yoga is a progression, beneficial to one’s overall health and wellbeing.

Deep-Water Swimming

If you are confident in your swimming ability in shallow water but fear the deep water, Mason Master’s Swim coach Cheryl Ward suggests you take steps to build your confidence in deep water. Begin by wearing goggles so you can see the bottom of the pool and learning to tread water. You can start with a kickboard first, then swim beside a wall or lane rope so you know you have something to grab onto if you start to panic. Even better, have a friend who is confident in deep water swim beside you. Coach Ward also advises to start swimming in a shallow lane then each day move one lane over toward the deep end.

The Weight Room

If you are unfamiliar with weight training, exercising in the weight room can be intimidating. Mason personal trainer Theresa Boyd recommends you have a workout plan before you enter the weight room. Knowing the routine, how to properly do the exercise, and what the weight, sets, and reps are going to be can increase your confidence as you lift alongside members with more experience. If you are afraid of not knowing how to use the machines, you can get a free equipment orientation from Mason Fitness. If you do not want to enter the weight room alone, bring a friend along. A personal trainer also can help you use the free weights to meet your goals while using proper form. Theresa suggests our “Design Me A Workout” package as a great way to get comfortable with the weight room atmosphere.

Schedules for all of Mason Fitness classes, personal training packets, information about swim classes and Master’s swimming, and reservations for The EDGE at Mason are all available through our website at recreation.gmu.edu. Check out these resources and conquer your fears!