Posts Tagged ‘Shoulders’

Good Yoga Mats

There is a very wide variety of yoga mats on the market. You will find both synthetic and natural yoga mats, and they come in many different sizes and colors. Which is best?

Natural or synthetic?

There two main types of yoga mat made from natural materials. The first is mats manufactured from natural fibers such as cotton. These can be good if you are in a power yoga class such as ashtanga yoga (or astanga yoga) where you will move quickly from one pose to another. If you are sweating you may be more comfortable on natural fibers. Check that the mat has a non-slip surface on the underside if you will be placing it directly on a hard floor.

You may also see some rubber mats. Rubber is of course a natural material. These will grip well on the floor but can become slippery if your feet and hands are perspiring.

Sticky yoga mat which is made from synthetic materials is the most popular form of yoga mat today. These are designed so that the mat will not slip on the floor while also providing good grip and cushioning for your feet and hands. Sticky yoga mats are good security for stretch poses and for balances. They are also lightweight and easy to roll and carry.

Size

Yoga mats come in various sizes but you will want to be sure that it is longer than your height so that you can lie stretched out with both your head and heels on the mat. For most women a 6 ft mat will be long enough but some men will need an extra long size.

The width depends on the poses that you will do and how you use the mat. Usually if the mat is 1.5 times the width of your shoulders, that is fine. Keep in mind that a wider mat will make a longer roll and may be more awkward to carry.

If your yoga style includes a lot of sitting and lying relaxation and breathing exercises, you may want a thicker mat for comfort.

Color

The color may not seem important but it is! Feel calm and relaxed when you are practicing, having your yoga mat a colour you like will help. Always avoid very bright colours. For most people green or blue mats are best. If you always practice in the same room it is good if the color of your mat harmonizes with it. Any clash of colors will affect your mood.

Grid patterns are printed on some yoga mats. This can help you check that your feet and hands are correctly positioned in the yoga poses.

Caring for your yoga mat

A yoga mat should be easy to clean and care for. Remember that your mat is used on the floor and often in public spaces, so for hygiene you should wash it regularly. If your mat is machine washable remember to keep it at low temperatures and do not spin or tumble dry. You can simply wipe down with a mild antiseptic household cleaning product with other mats. After cleaning the mat, leave it out to dry thoroughly. When yoga mats are wet never roll or store them.

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Find Out 3 Effective Posture Improving Routines for Neck and Shoulders

You don’t hear much spoken about poor posture compared to other health ailments but it is not as harmless as it might appear to some people. It can easily lead to decrease in your height and also cause back ailments in the near future.

It can be easily improved, however, with the help of some posture exercises aimed at the neck and shoulder regions. 3 of these grow taller exercises to improve your neck and shoulder posture are described below.

Shoulder Release: Be comfortably seated on a chair with a straight back and feet flat on the ground. Your arms should be hanging by your sides, palms facing towards your body. Now inhale deeply, and as you do so, raise your shoulders up to the level of your ears. Hold this position, then exhale and release your shoulders back to their normal position.

This stretching exercise is very good for the shoulders and the region along the spine. You will immediately experience light and free along the spine as if a burden has been removed. Do this exercise for more than four times at one go.

Turkey Stretch: Like the previous exercise, sit on a chair with back erect and feet flat on the ground. Keep your eyes fixed beyond the tip of your nose, and hold a hand to your chin. Now breath in deeply, keeping the hand pressed firmly enough on your chin so that you don’t lose posture. You should feel yourself rising up as you fully inhale. This routine is also great for stretching out the back. Perform this a few times each sitting.

Turkey Stretch and Turn: This is another variant of the last one that helps the shoulders and back. Again, sitting straight up on a chair, tuck your chin down into your neck area without changing your back posture. Take a deep breath, and as you do so, turn your neck slowly to the right, maintaining the same shoulder and back posture.

Remain in that stance and breathe in deeply again. Now as you breathe out, bring the neck back to where you started. Do this again, now turning left and back to the center. Go over the procedure four times in total.

These exercises to increase height are wonderful de-stressing postures that free up your neck and shoulders. The spine too feels nice. You can do these exercises any time any place and very soon you will see the results.

The Correct Yoga Position Is Key To Reaping The Benefit Of Yoga Exercise

By Ann Marier

Marjari-asana means a cat stretch yoga position. To do this yoga exercise kneel and lean forward to place hands on floor below your shoulders, fingers facing forward, hands in line with knees. Arms and thighs should be at right angles to the floor with your knees slightly separated. Inhale deeply, raise head and drop spine so your back is concave. Fill your lungs and hold for three seconds. As you exhale, lower your head and stretch your spine upwards. At the end of the breath, pull in your buttocks, contract stomach muscles and place your head between your arms. It is recommended that you repeat this yoga exercise five times.

Parvatasana means mountain yoga position which helps to Strengthen nerves and muscles in your arms and legs, and stimulates the circulation in the upper spine. For this yoga exercise kneel on raised heels and stretch your arms forward so your forehead is on the floor. Breathe deeply and relax for a few seconds. Raise yourself on to your hands and knees, keeping your toes tucked under and your back flat.Inhale and push up onto your toes. Raise your buttocks and lower your head between your arms. Your back and legs should form two sides of a triangle. Exhale, rest your feet on the floor and try to touch the floor with the top of your head. Hold the position for 10 seconds and then relax.

Tiryaka Tadasana means the swaying palm yoga position which is an ideal yoga exercise to streamline your waist and develops balance. Stand with feet 8 inch apart and fix eyes on a point directly in front of you. Interlock fingers and turn palms outward. Inhale deeply as you raise arms over your head. As you breathe out, bend from your waist to your left side, taking care not to reach forwards or backwards. Hold for a few seconds, then inhale deeply and slowly return to the upright position. Again this yoga exercise should be repeated five times on each side.

Shashankasa means the position of the moon. Sit on your knees with palms on thighs. Close eyes and relax, but keep spine and head straight. Inhale deeply and lift arms above head, keeping them straight and shoulder-width apart. As you breathe out, bend forward from the hips, keeping arms and head in a straight line. Hands and forehead should eventually rest on the floor in front of your knees. Bend your elbows, so that arms are fully relaxed and hold for five seconds. Then breathe in and slowly raise arms and body back to the upright position. Exhale and return your palms to the top of your thighs. For maximum benefit this yoga exercise should be repeated five times.

About the Author: Ann Merier writes articles about the home and family health. Her many article topics include mothers day,diabetes,detox diet,yoga,pilates exercise
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