Posts Tagged ‘Best Choice’

Power Yoga CD – the advantages

A power yoga CD is probably not the best choice to start with for beginners in the practice of yoga. A better choice for a beginner would be to buy a power yoga video or to go to a power yoga class where the instructor can make corrections to the way that the students are holding the poses. Power yoga CD’s can be beneficial for those that are familiar with the practice of yoga since they already know the poses and can understand just from listening to the instructions on the power yoga CD. However, for those that are not familiar with yoga, the power yoga CD will sound like another language, with the names of the asanas making no sense to them.

What to Expect

Many who practice yoga like it for the way they learn to breathe and relax the muscles in their bodies so that they are not as tense as a whole.There are other power yoga CDs that can be used by beginners or experienced practitioners alike. Power yoga CDs are now available that will lead the students through an entire power yoga workout from beginners to experienced.These CD’s take students through some meditations and meditation techniques that can help to relieve stress in their lives and give them a quick break from reality.

One can find a variety of power yoga CDs in the market today. Its important to know for yoga beginner, is the the inside information you need to feel comfortable when you are starting a yoga practice. Before purchasing your Power Yoga CD. Find out about the yoga style,your reason for yoga ie lose weight, observe proper yoga etiquette, and avoid injury. There are some power yoga CD’s that will lead the students through an entire power yoga workout. These power yoga CD’s are great workouts for those that are more experienced in the practice of yoga and can give a quick workout at home for those that do not have the time or ability to go to a class in a studio. The instructor will give the instructions about moving from one pose to the next as well as tips to holding the pose properly.

In power yoga, the students will hold all of the poses for at least five deep breaths so that they have to hold their body weight that entire time. Power yoga CDs that lead students through a workout will require that the students have a yoga mat to prevent slipping and to also give a certain amount of padding to help with some of the poses. The students will hold all of the poses for at least five deep breaths so that they have to hold their body weight that entire time. These workouts help to produce a lean, flexible body that is relaxed and feels good. A good Power Yoga CD should help with Circulation improves and back problems are often diminished as the core is strengthened and flexibility increases.

A Quick Guide to Yoga Retreats and Yoga Holidays

You’ve been to quite a few yoga classes and probably also have done some workshops, and now you want to get even more serious about your yoga development. The decision is made, for your next vacation, you are going away on a yoga course. Here are some answers to a few questions you might ask yourself.

Yoga retreat or yoga holiday?

While the variation between yoga holidays and yoga retreats is not always lucid, from time to time, even the organizers have not thought enough about how to correctly name their course), there is quite a difference in terms of focus point and general feel or environment

Generally speaking, a yoga vacation is primarily an activity vacation. The time dedicated daily to yoga usually won’t last more than four hours, in one, or perhaps two daily classes, and you will have a lot of time for other activities or just to loosen up and take it easy. The place should show this, with a beach or other important attractions nearby.

The feeling is often unperturbed, and it is usually a great to encounter other like-minded people. On a retreat, on the other hand, the yoga agenda is likely to be more intense, possibly including some meditation, times of silence, etc.

The key focus is no longer to enjoy yourself on holiday, but to deepen your yoga practice. Again, the choice of location should reflect this, with a quiet, possibly remote location. Retreats should be fully residential, the food vegetarian, and meal times cautiously thought out to fit smoothly within the daily yoga practice. You will find more ‘hard core’ yogis and yoginis on retreats, and the overall feeling can be quite serious, with much less ‘free’ time.

Unless you are quite certain that yoga is your thing, and want to move your practice to the next level, a yoga break rather than a yoga retreat may be the best choice for your first time doing yoga away from home.

Go on your own, or bring a buddy?

Going alone is not a catch. Actually, most people going on yoga course go unaccompanied. The aspect to going on your own is that you may have to share a room with one or more absolute strangers, but at least, you will know that, like you, they have a keen interest in yoga, and great friendships are frequently formed on yoga retreats.

If you decide not to go on your own, choose your companion(s) cautiously. A few yoga centres will approve of guests who don’t do yoga, but in most cases, and definitely in the case of a retreat, yoga should be a shared interest with your prospective travel companion, so if you don’t want to go alone, a yoga buddy is a far better choice than your new boyfriend (unless, of course, you met him on a yoga weekend!)

Where and when to go?

The yoga leave market is now becoming increasingly competitive, and main stream travel agents are moving in, sometimes with disastrous results. Unlike yoga teachers and dedicated venues, they do not always understand the particular requirements of what is still very much a niche market.

Complaints about such new comers to the yoga holiday market, who often have operated successfully in other branches of the tourist trade such as the organization of seminars or other types of package holidays, are their lack of understanding of the specificity of the yoga market, particularly in relation to diet (vegetarian and vegan options are not always available) and the unsuitability of the venues chosen, which are often large, soulless resorts, sometimes shared with a crowd of rowdy drunks (as happened to me in Goa a few years ago).

All this is not very conducive to peace of mind, so it is best to avoid large operators and stick with small, dedicated venues. There are a lot of them to choose from all over the world, and new ones are sprouting up everywhere so there’s a large choice of destinations at any time of the year!

Sun destinations such as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, and the south of France tend to be most popular in the European summer while in the winter; India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mexico and the Caribbean tend to be favorites. There are also a number of other locations which don’t emphasize the ’sun’ part including Scotland, various parts of England, Ireland, Finland, Canada, Austria to name just a few.

See for example the Yoga Centres listing of the Yogaholidays.net site. Even thought they might not be right up on the beach, these venues are chosen for their quietness and are far more suited to the practice of yoga than large tourist resorts.

What style, what teacher?

Perhaps more important than the location is the teacher and the style of yoga. Remember you will be stuck with your choice for the duration of the course, so a bit of thinking may be in order.

The best, of course, is to choose a teacher you have already studied with, perhaps in the context of weekly classes or a short workshop. Second best, is to get an opinion from someone who has been on a holiday/retreat with a particular teacher before. If this is not possible, you might find some useful information on the Internet, as most established teachers now have websites.

This should at least give you an idea of who they are and of whether their style of teaching (and style of yoga) will suit you. If nothing else, don’t be afraid to ask the teacher such questions as who they studied with, how long they have been practicing and how long they have been teaching yoga. Try to ring rather than email, as you’ll get a far better idea over the phone.

Tell the teacher about your yoga experience, level of fitness and your expectation for the retreat so they can advise you properly on suitability. Usually they don’t want to be stuck with the wrong student any more that you want to be stuck with the wrong teacher, so they will advise you honestly. It is also recommended to try the style of yoga that will be taught as part of the holiday/retreat by taking a few classes in your area, just to be sure that it will suit you, before booking.

What to bring?

Check whether you’ll need a yoga mat (if you have your own, it best to bring it anyway). Bring some reading, yogic or not, and don’t forget your practice clothes!