Can you believe we’re more than halfway through January? If you started the year out with the intention to expand or maintain your yoga practice, how is it going? If life has gotten busy and you over-estimated just how much time you actually have, we’re here to make it easier for you to be consistent with your yoga routine.
Don’t waste energy stressing about why you’ve not had time to practice yoga as frequently as you would like. Instead, focus on how you can fit in your yoga, even when you’re short on time. Consistency is key to feeling balanced, strong, and flexible. Quality not quantity! You don’t need an hour or ninety-minute practice to garner all the mind, body, and spiritual benefits of yoga. Even fifteen to twenty-minute classes will help you find a better mood, vibrant energy, and a stronger more supple body.
Practicing yoga several times a week is an investment in your health––both inside and out. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali referred to yoga as a process of being a gardener or farmer. Each yoga practice is planting seeds for your future health and well-being. You might not see the benefits today but you’re setting yourself up to feel your best tomorrow and beyond.
Yoga is a practical journey, and it requires practice––you can’t just think about it, you must do it. Yoga requires us to focus on our breath and tune into how we are feeling. When we increase our awareness of and connection to our thoughts and emotions, we are living more authentically. We are living in the present moment.
Even if your schedule is packed, you can squeeze in a short practice. Set the alarm twenty minutes earlier, spend half your lunch hour on the mat, or turn your phone off and use that time for yoga. You can mix it up on those days where it’s just not feasible to practice for an hour or more. Ten minutes is better than no minutes!
Check out these four new classes for your quick yoga fix!
Mid-day Stretch Break - Mary Baker
Flow on the Go 1 - Keith Allen
Hocus Focus Quickie - Jessica Oldfield
On-The-Go Detoxifying Sequence - Life Force Project
“The very heart of yoga practice is ‘abyhasa’ steady effort in the direction you want to go.” ― Sally Kempton
Has someone told you that you MUST practice yoga in the mornings or the evenings or when the moon is full or fill-in-the-blank? It’s simply not true. No hard and fast rules exist. The best time to practice is when you can step onto the mat!
In our busy lives, every day can be different and so you can adapt your practice based on your schedule. One of the greatest benefits of practicing yoga at home or on the road is you choose. There are advantages of practicing at different times. For example, Yoga Nidra first thing in the morning might make you so relaxed you want to stay in bed all day or an intense power class at 9 p.m. could make falling asleep a challenge.
Practicing yoga first thing in the morning is a great way to set a positive intention for your day, boost your metabolism and get energized, and ensures you’ll get your practice in before the busyness of your day takes over. Morning yoga can also help you start your day feeling focused and serene.
Some days it’s a challenge to squeeze in yoga. If your schedule doesn’t allow you time to practice before or after work, try taking a lunchtime yoga class. Midday is an ideal time to take a break to clear your mind and boost your energy levels. If you work behind a desk or on the computer, take the time to step away and stretch to counterbalance all the sitting.
Evening yoga is an ideal way to release the events of your day. An active Vinyasa class to sweat out your day and transition to a relaxing evening is great for tiring out your physical body. Classes at night are the perfect time for slower practices which can calm your busy mind. Restorative, yin, slow flow, gentle hatha, and Yoga Nidra are perfect for winding down and helping you sleep more deeply.
Check out this week’s classes. There’s a perfect one for whatever time of day works for you!
Sunset Slow Flow (NEW!) - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Fitness 'n' Yoga: Morning Flow (NEW!) - Ben Davis
Weekend Practice - Sarah Shannon
Lunchtime Flow (Audio) - Dawnelle Arthur
For most people, yoga represents a reprieve from everyday life. While on your mat, you can put your troubles aside and work on your strength, balance, and mobility.
However, the Yogi ideals can make life off the mats that much more fulfilling, too. Yogi ideals can have a profound impact on the way you view life and help you develop self-love and awareness during your everyday life.
The Yogi ideals can help you make better decisions, too. Following the yogi way of life can reduce the harm you cause and help you move through the world with grace, mindfulness, and love.
Yoga, which originated in Northern India 5,000 years ago, is underpinned by 10 principles. These principles were formalized by Patanjali and can be broken into 5 external practices and 5 inner observations. These include:
These ideals guide the life of a Yogi and can help you live a more fulfilling, content lifestyle. This can be a powerful change if you’re used to the hustle and bustle of modern life. Consider learning more about the 5 principles of the Yoga Sutra. Alternatively, you can increase your knowledge by watching documentaries that serve as a perfect introduction to the Yogi principles.
It’s worth pointing out that the principles of the Yogi can mean different things to different people. Discovering what Satya and Santosha mean to you can relieve your anxiety and help you lead a calmer, more fulfilling lifestyle.
The Yogi ideals aren’t just platitudes meant to be ignored when you leave the studio. Instead, you should use the Yogi principles to refine your decision-making and lead a more fulfilling, peaceful life.
The Yogi principles can be used when making everyday decisions, too. For example, if you’re buying a new car, you can use the principles of Ahimsa and Aparigraha to guide your decision-making and purchase a low-impact electric vehicle (EV). EVs are eco-friendly and typically feature animal-free interiors. As more of the grid switches to renewable sources, EVs will become increasingly carbon-efficient and, therefore, cause less harm to the environment.
You can also use Yogi principles to improve your relationships. This is particularly helpful if you’ve experienced conflict with coworkers, bosses, friends, or family. Principles like Brahmacharya transform the way you approach disagreements by helping you practice self-restraint. This is crucial when you’re experiencing heightened emotions due to a recent argument.
Yogi ideals can help you make the right choice in an emergency, too. It’s difficult to make positive, assertive decisions when fear has it in your grip. However, the Yogi ideals teach you to follow non-violence and pursue truthfulness in thought. This can be deeply empowering when your adrenaline is pumping and you need to make the right choice.
Many people practice yoga for its physical and mental benefits. Chief among these benefits is a sense of empowerment. When you're deep in a flow, you feel as though you could take on the world. You don’t have to leave these feelings behind at the studio door, either.
Instead, take your practice home with you by following empowering home workout plans. These plans will maximize your garage gym space and help you set aside time for yoga sessions that enhance your lifelong strength. Practicing at home gives you instant access to the health-boosting benefits of yoga and can be partnered with workouts that build your balance, tone your muscles, and get the whole family moving.
Creating your own home studio helps you achieve the principle of Tapas, too. Tapas teaches you to pursue your goals with tenacity and effort. By putting together a home studio, you’re making a clear intention to spend more time on the mat. This is deeply motivating and ensures you are always able to work up a sweat and hone your balance during busy weekdays.
A home studio doesn’t need to break the budget, either. You can pursue yoga in the comfort of your own home by upgrading your mat, installing some mood lighting, and switching on some Bluetooth surround sound speakers. This will allow you to practice around the clock and is sure to enhance your Brahmacharya (self-discipline and consistency) .
Yogis around the world are renowned for their calmness and self-assurance. You can unlock these ideals for yourself by embracing the principles of the Yogi in your day-to-day life. Start small, with simple gestures to improve your self-love. Increase your consistency and embrace the principle of Brahmacharya by creating your own studio space at home. This will help you remain calm under pressure and improve your relationships with your family and friends.
By Katie Brenneman
“Life is a daring adventure, without fear, be ready to enjoy the twists and turns.” ~Debasish Mridha
Like a spark of lightning or a crash of thunder, our lives can transform in a flash. We can’t control external events, but we can control our reaction to them. Think of your yoga mat as the preparation zone for the rest of your day. Life isn’t linear, it’s a winding twisting journey so why not twist it out on your mat first?
Twists are an excellent way to invite in a feeling of lightness, to release negative thoughts and emotions, to keep your spine healthy, and to benefit your internal organs. Here are 3 ways twists help.
1. Stimulates Digestion and Elimination
When you twist from your mid-section, you’re placing gentle compression on your internal organs, helping them work efficiently. By rotating your spine, you’re boosting your circulation and encouraging toxins in the liver and kidneys to depart via your lymphatic system. You can release stagnant energy weighing you down and feel more buoyant and alert.
2. Promotes Spinal Health and Prevents Back Pain
Moving our spines though all three planes of motion: front to back (sagittal plane), side to side (lateral plane), and rotation (transverse plane) is vital to maintain proper posture. Twists help create space in the muscles and connective tissue surrounding the spinal column. This helps prevent compressed or herniated vertebrae and discs and improves range of motion. To maintain healthy alignment, we need to counteract the compressing effects of sitting too much and twists play a part in the process.
3. Aids in Creating a Calm and Positive Mindset
Yoga’s greatest purpose and arguably greatest benefit is learning to direct our attention where we want it to go or to control our thoughts. When we create freedom and space in our spine through invigorating and/or soothing twists, we create quiet and calm in our minds and our hearts. If you’re feeling weighed down with your thoughts and emotions, twists are a powerful way to positively impact your mood and mindset.
This week’s classes focus on twisting postures, not simply to benefit your physical body but serve as a tool to navigate life’s twists and turns. Enjoy!
We Move In Spirals - Christen Bakken
Twists Mobility - Lila Whiting
Twists and Binds - Rob Loud
Quick Morning Twists - Cicily Carter
Consistency is a concept we discuss frequently in yoga. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1:14 states, sa tu dirghakala nairantarya satkarasevito drdhabhumih: Practice that is done for a long time, without break and with sincere devotion becomes a firmly rooted, stable, and solid foundation.
In other words, you must be consistent in your yoga practice to reap the physical, emotional, and mental benefits. A few classes here and there won’t do it. Sometimes it’s simply not feasible to practice full length classes regularly at a studio. One of the biggest benefits of online yoga with us is you can practice anytime and anywhere.
Consistency and discipline looks different for all of us. If you’re a YogaDownload yogi, you understand the importance of yoga most days. If you only have fifteen minutes, you can squeeze in a quick practice at home or when you’re traveling. On the days you have plenty of time for a longer class, great! It’s more about the commitment to settling into your breath and movement each day, no excuses.
During the holiday season, our customary routines and schedules are often tossed out the window. Whether you’re in a hotel room or sleeping in your childhood bedroom, you may have limited space and time. Also, traveling with a yoga mat isn’t always feasible so you’ll need to get creative.
Don’t worry––you can keep your practice going with our specially designed practices for small spaces. These classes focus on standing poses, which will get your blood flowing, strengthen and stretch all your muscles, clear your mind, and soften your heart. You’ll get your yoga buzz and keep yourself on track until you can return to your regular routine.
So sneak off somewhere in your Aunt Susie’s attic or stand right next to your hotel bed and take a few minutes for yourself! Pick a class and press play! Happy holidays!
Hotel Room Yoga: No Mat/No Problem - Claire Petretti Marti
Straight Up Standing Poses - Dana Hanizeski
Standing Poses - Denelle Numis
Stand Up & Stretch 2: A Yoga Break - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Whether you celebrate Hannukah, Christmas, or Kwanza, it’s that hectic yet slow time of the year. Add in that we’re in the midst of Mercury Retrograde––the time when the planet of communication is traveling backward––and you may be feeling off your game. It’s the time of year to release expectations and attachment to how the next few weeks will unfold.
According to Patanjali’s Eight Limbed-Yoga Path, the final Yama is Aparigraha which is:
A=”not”, the absence of, the freedom from Parigraha=hoarding or collecting. In other words, Aparigraha means not being greedy and not attaching too much importance to possessions, outcomes, and even relationships. Yes, this concept can be confusing.
In relation to the holidays, it can be a reminder not to worry too much about what you cannot control.
Sometimes at this time of year, we fixate on being the perfect child/parent/brother/sister/partner or we’re determined to make the holiday perfect. If you’ve ever watched Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase, you’ll recall how sometimes the more attached you are to making everything perfect, the more can go wrong. The holidays are the perfect time to release attachment to outcomes, work on being more compassionate, and be joyous for what you do have.
Carving out the time to practice yoga, even if you’re sneaking in a few Sun Salutations or only have time for a yoga quickie, can help you soothe your nervous system, balance your perspective, and appreciate the present moment. Santosha, one of the Niyamas in the Eight-Limbed path, encourages us to be content with what we do have in our life, right now. Cultivating Santosha is tied to a sense of gratitude for the present moment.
The holidays are a great time to remind yourself to be grateful and happy with yourself, just as you are. Take time for some self-care, for even a few minutes of yoga and meditation, and navigate the last few weeks of 2023 feeling great! This week’s classes can make all the difference! Enjoy!
Find Your Bliss Flow - Mary Baker
Kemetic Flow: Love & Unity - Ali Duncan
Midday Mood Booster - Jessica Oldfield
Reset Refuge: Crazy Day Decompression - Elise Fabricant
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that the holidays are one of the busiest times of the year! Despite our best intentions to maintain our healthy routines and remain balanced and grounded, we often find ourselves feeling stressed out. If you usually practice active, flowing styles of yoga, it might be the perfect time to slow down and focus more on Yin yoga to tide you over to 2024.
Yin yoga is a quieter style of yoga that soothes your nerves and relaxes your fascia, tendons, and ligaments. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced yogi, you can adapt Yin yoga to your individual abilities and needs. These classes advocate taking your time finding your edge in each posture, so you can work within your range of motion.
Yin consists of three primary principles or tattvas:
One: Find your edge or appropriate depth for you in the posture.
Two: Settle into stillness.
Three: Hold the posture for time, usually one to five minutes.
Although a Yin class contains only a handful of postures, don’t assume that it’s easy. Sometimes, holding poses for several minutes, especially ones like Sleeping Swan (Half-Pigeon in Yang yoga) or Dragon (Runner’s Lunge), is more challenging than flowing through a series. The focus on Pranayama (breath work) to stay calm and manage the emotions that arise when we remain still is a key element in Yin.
Yin yoga targets the deeper connective tissues in your body and encourages better blood flow to the joints and nourishes your kidneys, adrenals, and internal organs. Slowing down helps you create a calmness and softness inside. The holidays can bring up a myriad of emotions––positive ones and not-so-positive ones––depending on your personal situation. However you’re feeling, Yin can help you process your emotions and ensure they don’t remain stuck in your physical body.
This week’s classes emphasize slowing down in order to feel your best. Check out these fabulous practices from top YogaDownload instructors and see how good you feel!
Yin Yoga: Hips & Lower Back - Caitlin Rose Kenney
Let it Go: Yin + Sound Bowl Savasana - Elizabeth Brumfield
Yin Yoga - Finding Your Center - Kylie Larson
Yin on the Rocks Live! - Eric Paskel
“Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river.” - Lao Tzu
It may sound like a contradiction to discuss flowing and stillness as co-existing, but they actually go hand in hand. Learning to still or quiet your mind and focus on your breath flowing through your body enables you to find your zone, where you stop doing and you’re simply being. When you’re able to filter out distractions, you’re able to access a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process. Perhaps you feel in the zone when you are totally immersed in a favorite activity, like running, surfing, dancing, or gardening.
Many paths exist to find your flow. Yoga, pranayama, and meditation are some of the most powerful ways to find freedom from constant patterns of “doing” and learn to simply “be.” Yoga is a journey of peeling away the layers to access your inner light and authentic self. When you can sink into sustained attention, you are fully present and at the height of your personal power.
Vinyasa yoga is often referred to simply as flow yoga and is derived from Ashtanga Yoga. Vinyasa means to place in a special or sacred way, with attention and intention. The focus is on linking breath to movement to create a moving meditation. A state where you can quiet your thoughts and settle into your body, mind, and heart. Other styles of yoga also allow you to find your flow––the key is to find what resonates with you and allows you to sink into the rhythm of your breath.
The way we breathe impacts the way we feel. Pranayama, or breath control, is one of the most powerful modalities to create harmony within you and is an important precursor to deep meditation. A consistent yoga practice which includes pranayama and meditation can help you access your flow state whenever you want. When you’re in the flow, you’re truly living your life fully.
So if you’re ready to “be still like a mountain and flow like a great river,” try one of this week’s specially curated practices!
Inner Strength Flow 3: An Open Heart - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Seamless Flow - Lila Whiting
No Fuss Flow - Jessica Oldfield
Wild Thing Flow - Jill Pedroza
You may have heard the terms flexibility and mobility used interchangeably but although they are complementary, there are distinctions. Think of flexibility as the muscle’s ability to stretch passively. Mobility incorporates flexibility but also requires strength to actively move a joint through its full range of motion. It’s important to work on both flexibility and mobility and guess what? Yoga provides a way to improve and maintain both.
Mobility and flexibility provide a myriad of benefits to help you feel your best. The combination of both helps you move your body through your full range of motion, whether you’re swinging a golf club, picking up a heavy box, or flowing through chatarangua dandasana. When your muscles are tight or inflexible, they can create restriction of the joints and restrict range of motion.
So for healthy hips, you’d want to stretch your hip flexors and hip rotators (piriformis muscles) for flexibility and do some range-of-motion exercises to move the thigh bone in the hip socket for joint mobility. A great pose for mobility is Adho Mukha Svanasna (Downward Dog) which stretches the posterior chain of the body and improves ankle, hip, and shoulder mobility.
Improving flexibility and mobility is important to prevent injury and enhance performance. Yoga helps build strong, healthy muscles, improves blood flow and enhances coordination and athletic performance. But you don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from a focus on mobility––everyone benefits. If you want to feel your best and stay active indefinitely, it’s vital to either maintain your current level or improve upon any limitations in your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles.
When you’re moving with ease and freedom, you also experience more mental and emotional freedom. This week’s classes are specifically designed to emphasize mobility but you’ll also improve your flexibility at the same time. Get ready to get loose!
Shoulder/Neck Mobility Flow - Kristin Gibowicz
Your Hips Don't Lie: Hip Mobility Gentle Flow - Christen Bakken
A Daily Plan for All Over Mobility - Michelle Berman Marchildon
Mindful Transitions Flow - Kristin Gibowicz
Traveling is often considered an exciting experience. Unfortunately, not everyone finds the process to be entirely positive. If you live with travel anxiety, your symptoms can put a serious dent in something that should really give you great cause for joy and enrichment.
The good news is that you’re not powerless here. Some knowledge, preparation, and a few techniques can help you manage and even overcome your anxiety. This can help free your mind and body to fully drink in all the positive attributes travel has to offer.
Your first step to conquering your travel anxiety is to get a good understanding of what the root causes are. In some instances, there may be an issue that has developed from a specific incident. You might also have a variety of causes that contribute to a wider sense of fear. The more you can learn about these roots, the better you may be able to address them or prevent them.
Each person’s experience of travel anxiety tends to be individual in nature. This means that while there may be common causes, the nature and details of these may be largely unique to you. Therefore, establishing the likely causes could require some analysis. You might be able to perform this yourself. Consider what specifically unnerves you about traveling and what past experiences this relates to. Alternatively, a therapist or psychologist could be a useful tool in helping you dig deeper to unearth the deeper or more complex issues.
Preparation is often a good way to handle travel anxiety. The better you can arrange measures in advance, the more effectively you’re likely to be able to control your experiences. Not to mention that the knowledge of having preparations in place may help you to feel more comfortable with the idea of spending some time away from home.
Wherever possible, utilize the knowledge you’ve gained about the root causes of your anxiety to drive your prep efforts. You may find it useful to brainstorm potential arrangements that directly impact the difficulties you face.
For instance:
There’s no doubt that travel costs can be stressful. If this is a cause of your anxiety, you may find it helpful to prepare with measures that enable you to travel on a budget. This could include booking your travel well in advance so you can shop around for the best deals. Alternatively, you could book vacations during the off-season to take advantage of lower flight and accommodation costs. Making plans to prepare your own food during trips rather than eating out can also be financially smart.
The idea of being around a lot of people while traveling can trigger anxiety. You may find it useful to prepare by spending time around gradually larger groups of people in the weeks leading up to your trip. You could also practice relaxation techniques that enable you to be more calm when in close proximity to others. Even loading a device with music or meditation apps may be effective.
Adopting effective coping mechanisms for travel anxiety can depend on your symptoms and their severity. Some people find they have trouble sleeping prior to travel, which can also exacerbate further sensations of anxiety. Panic attacks and physical health problems, like body aches and ulcers, are also common. The key is to find activities that ease these experiences while also generating a wider sense of calm.
Some effective mechanisms include:
Remember, though, that the efficacy of your coping mechanisms may change over time. Not to mention that you may have needs that some general techniques don’t quite address entirely. Be open to experimenting with approaches and exploring new methods that are more attuned to your unique challenges.
Travel anxiety is a difficult experience, but there are tools to address it. Get to know what the causes are and adopt relevant preparation and coping strategies. That said, it’s worth also generally building anxiety-reducing methods into your wider lifestyle. This can empower you to both enjoy greater day-to-day wellness as well as preparing you to make effective adjustments when traveling.
by Katie Brenneman
Are you ready to feel energized and empowered and embark upon your day? Or do you just feel like lounging on your couch or staying in bed with the covers over your head?
If you’ve been feeling stressed out or simply lethargic, yoga is one of the most powerful ways to lift your spirits and feel better. Often, we feel depleted because we are focusing on external events, or we’ve slipped into a pattern of being sedentary. This week, take some time to rebuild your strength, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
According to several studies in Psychology Today, author Kimerer L LaMothe Ph.D shared that movement helps depression, mindset, longevity, and more:
“Movement is what humans are. And when humans move their bodily selves—whether consciously exercising or not—they stimulate whatever resources exist within them for responding to life’s challenges—whether those challenges hale from cancer, depression, death, or a math problem.” February 29, 2016, Psychology Today
We are made up of energy or prana and if we don’t move and breathe regularly, we can feel stagnant and blocked. It’s a pattern where the less you move, the less you want to move. We’ve got four classes specifically designed to revitalize and energize you. Yoga helps us to improve our thoughts and feel more comfortable in our own skin. Trust that each time you step onto the mat, you are empowering yourself by improving your health and well-being.
Whether you are in the United States and are traveling or dealing with challenging family members over the Thanksgiving holiday or you simply have found yourself working too much and not moving enough, this week’s classes are specifically designed to revitalize you. Movement is one of the best ways to feel your best and stay calm under pressure. Plus, if you are celebrating the holiday, some twisting and vigorous movement will help you digest more efficiently! So try one or all of these energizing practices and see how great you feel!
p.s. We here at YogaDownload.com are grateful for you!
Energizing Power Vinyasa - Shy Sayar
Big Energy: A Morning Flow - Erin Wimert
Energizing Twisting Flow - Kylie Larson
Invigorating Power Flow - Lesley Jackson
How do you usually begin your day? And have you noticed how different your day is depending on whether you start out with a ritual or start out running around? Mindset or perception is everything and is a vital concept in yoga philosophy. According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, humans suffer because of our perception. If we can change our viewpoint, if we can polish the lens through which we see the world, we will encounter less suffering.
Yoga Sutra 1.2 Citta Vritti Nirodaha: Yoga is the resolution of the (dysfunctional) mind states, essentially means that yoga is the ability to direct the mind without distraction or interruption and is the pillar around which the entire text is built. Learning to control and quiet the mind takes dedication and practice. What better way to start off your day than to create the intention for your day through mindful movement and breath?
Choosing to practice yoga in the morning has the power to create a positive attitude you can extend throughout your day. You’ve likely heard that we don’t have much control over external events, all we can control is our own reaction to them. When you get centered before embarking on your day, no matter what external events occur, you’ll find you have more space in your reaction time you’ll feel more calm and collected. Less reaction and more peace sounds good, right?
Stepping onto your yoga mat to start your day not only shifts your perspective, but it boosts your physical well-being too. Yoga warms your muscles, stimulates circulation, stokes digestion, and impacts the lymphatic system to help flush out toxins. It’s a great way to feel strong, centered, and ready to embrace the day as your best self. Choose to take control of your body, thoughts, and mood.
We’re always here to make it as easy as hitting the Play button and this week is no different. Check out this week’s selection of classes designed to start your day right.
Good Morning Flow 1: Here & Now - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Wake Up Slowly 4 - Keith Allen
Rise, Flow and Shine! - Pradeep Teotia
Morning Routine to Start Your Day - Robert Sidoti
“In an age of speed, I began to think, nothing could be more invigorating than going slow. In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention.” – Pico Iyer
We’ve just survived another time change! In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re moving into Winter with shorter days and much, much longer nights. Even if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere and entering summer, you’ve experienced a change in nature, as well. We’re all connected to the earth and life flows along so much more smoothly when we align with the changes in season. Transitions are excellent moments to breathe and experience the shifts.
If you usually gravitate toward intense style yoga classes because you feel like you need more work, why not try something different! We promise that a slow flow class won’t be boring or effortless. Sometimes, slowing down is actually more challenging than powering through. When you practice slower styles of yoga, you can hit the pause button on your adrenal glands, which are your “fight or flight” mode and settle into a more serene mindset.
Slow Flow and Hatha and mindfulness practices are the perfect antidote when you’re stressed out. So many of us are busy “doing” all day long and slower yoga practices help us transition to relaxation. Take a moment to contemplate how much time you have to simply watch the sunset, play with your pets, read a book…Probably not enough! Sometimes we all need the reminder that life is a beautiful dance between yin and yang, rest and work, and softness and strength.
Rest is good! When we slow down, we open up the space to settle into our deeper thoughts and dreams. Creativity thrives when we’re sitting still, not when we’re running around. Pause, stop, step back and see how much more energy you can embody!
This week’s classes will help you restore your physical energy, your emotional energy and your mental energy. Go ahead, take time to slow down and find your own sense of flow and nourish yourself––you deserve it!
Yummy Slow Flow - Claire Petretti Marti
Slow Hatha Flow - Ali Duncan
Square Breathing - Gemma Carey Clarke
Finding Peace & Stillness Flow - Mary Baker
“It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self and intelligence.” B.K.S. Iyengar
Renowned yoga teacher, B.K.S. Iyengar based his system of yoga on proper alignment. He backed up his methods with theory that resonated not just when he was alive but stands the test of time, regardless of what style of yoga you practice. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned yogi––technique matters. There is no perfect pose, but by learning what works best for your body, you can create a yoga practice that will help you feel your best, inside and out.
We all have different anatomies, starting from our bones, our joints, our muscles, and our innate ability to move. You don’t have to be naturally flexible or strong to practice yoga. Taking the time to learn proper physical alignment and technique for each asana and then adapting them to your unique body will set you on the path to your own personal best practice. Flexibility and strength come with time!
“Action is movement with Intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What the world needs is conscious movement, more action.” B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga emphasizes mindful breathing and certain styles, like Vinyasa yoga, link the breath to the movement to create a moving meditation. A good teacher will emphasize tuning inward and paying attention to how each pose feels. Listening to your body is key. If you’re experiencing mild discomfort, that’s probably just fine. But yoga should never cause any type of sharp or shooting pain. Conscious movement means moving with awareness and your awareness develops with time and commitment.
If you pay attention to technique in each pose, you’ll eventually move into the shape where you’re reaping the most benefits. Mastering the basics will free your mind to simply be present. You won’t have to think about it anymore, your body will learn all the small tweaks necessary to find the sense of “Sthira and Sukham” or “effort and ease as discussed in Patanjali’s yoga sutras.
Once you have a solid foundation, it’s simply a matter of layering your knowledge to move onto more advanced postures, like Scorpion and Headstand. Think of it like learning how to snorkel before you scuba dive or walk before you run. We’ve got tons of technique specific classes on YogaDownload, so you can safely and effectively learn just about any pose. Check out this week’s carefully curated collection!
Asana Lab: Warrior 2 - Katy Bateman
Yes! You can Crow! - Mary Baker
The Safe Path to Headstand - Shy Sayar
Qi Yoga Clinic - Hurdle - Dawnelle Arthur
Hello fellow travelers, how are you feeling this week? Have you been consistent in your practice? Are you feeling grounded yet energized, calm yet revitalized? If you’re on the road right now or just returned from a vacation or work trip, it’s possible you’ve skipped yoga and regular workouts. You’re not alone but never fear, we’re here to keep you on track and/or ignite your desire to step back onto your mat.
Part of why we created YogaDownload is for yogis who prefer to practice at home. But another part of our vision was to provide a portable platform (hello App!) so you can maintain your flexibility, mobility, and fitness when you’re on the road. And once you’ve returned home, you can press play and center yourself in familiar territory. Stepping back into your routine will have you feeling balanced in no time.
When you’re on the road, especially when you’re traveling via plane, the predominant energy is air or Vata in Ayurvedic philosophy. Excessive Vata energy manifests mentally restlessness and scattered thoughts. Physically, a Vata imbalance can cause dry skin, and dehydration, which messes with healthy digestion. It’s important to introduce grounding postures to steady and focus. A quick practice in your hotel room or wherever you’re staying will help you feel balanced and confident.
If you’ve returned home after hours of travel, you may just feel like diving onto the couch and snuggling under the blankets. But to release the stiffness in your body and the sleepiness in your mind, try a short practice first. Even a quick class to work out the kinks in your spine, the tightness in your hips, and adjust your mindset goes a long way to unwinding. This week’s classes are specifically designed to keep you feeling your best on the road and after you return. Enjoy!
Unravel from Travel - Caitlin Rose Kenney
Travel Transition Tune-up - Claire Petretti Marti
Yoga for Travelers - Celest Pereira
Unwind from Planes & Cars - Michelle Berman Marchildon
We like to stereotype teenagers when it comes to their sleep habits and brush off the idea of a tired teen as typical laziness, especially when we see this stereotype frequently in the media. But, teen sleep problems are very real.
According to the CDC, 7 out of 10 teenagers don’t get enough sleep on school nights. It’s recommended that teens should sleep 8-10 hours each night, and when that doesn’t happen, it puts them at risk of both mental and physical health issues.
Yoga can provide a lifeline for teens who are struggling to get enough sleep. Unfortunately, yoga is often another thing that tends to be stereotyped and stigmatized, especially with younger audiences. Helping your teen understand the benefits of yoga and guiding them through it can make a difference in their sleep habits and their health.
On the surface, it’s not always easy for adults to understand why teenagers might struggle with sleep issues. You might think your teen’s life is easy. They have nothing to worry about after all compared to adults, so how could they possibly have insomnia? But, they have more on your plate than you might think.
The teenage years are a time of change. Teens have to worry about things like fitting in, forming new relationships while maintaining existing ones, doing well in school, and thinking about the future.
Teenagers also go through a lot of physical changes. Hormonal shifts and body changes that happen quickly can throw off a teen’s normal sleep cycle, disrupting their circadian rhythms and making it difficult to sleep at night.
Stress, anxiety, and worry can also impact a teenager’s sleep health — unfortunately, creating a vicious cycle. The more stressed and anxious your teen is, the less likely it is that they’ll get enough sleep. The less sleep they get, the more stressed they’ll be.
Mental health issues are a common cause of sleep disturbances — at any age. Again, things like anxiety can make it difficult to get the rest you need, and not getting enough sleep can make your anxiety worse.
There are many things you can encourage your teen to do to maintain and boost their mental well-being, including:
-Staying physically active;
-Eating a balanced diet;
-Journaling;
-Meditation;
-Confiding in people they trust.
Yoga combines several of those practices. It’s a physical activity that can actually be used as a good workout. It also promotes a sort of meditative state where you’re focused on your body and your breathing instead of focusing on anxious thoughts.
Evening yoga can help to calm your teen’s anxious mind, allowing them to release the racing thoughts keeping them from a good night’s sleep.
But, if you’re not familiar with yoga yourself, and you’re not sure how to show your teen what to do, consider directing them to online videos or downloading apps they can use to follow a yoga instructor online. There are specific yoga poses that can promote better sleep, like Child’s Pose, Cat-Cow Pose, and a Standing Forward Bend. By encouraging your teen to try these relaxing poses to calm their mind and body, they can climb into bed with a lower heart rate, deeper breaths, and a calmer mind.
If your teen is still struggling with insomnia, one of the best things you can do for them is to help them establish a sleep routine. Good sleep hygiene is essential for everyone, but it’s so easy to get into habits that do more harm to our sleep cycles than we realize. Teens are especially susceptible to those unhealthy habits. They feel like they’re invincible and think they can run on very little sleep. But, teenagers who don’t get enough sleep can start to experience things like:
-Concentration problems;
-Memory impairment;
-Drifting off or daydreaming;
-Moodiness;
-Depression.
Obviously, those issues can impact their social lives and school performance. Taking active steps to help them implement a sleep routine can make a big difference in how they feel and how well they get through their day-to-day activities.
Yoga could (and should) be a part of that routine. Other tips that can make it easier for your teen to sleep include going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding blue light devices (cell phones and tablets) for at least an hour before bed, and silencing their smartphones at night to avoid disruptions.
If your teen loves tech, encourage them to download apps that are designed to help with sleep, like Sleep Cycle, Headspace, or Slumber. Some of these apps can help your teen check out their sleep data each week, which can give more insight into why they might be struggling to get enough rest.
If you know your teenager isn’t getting enough sleep, take it seriously. Yoga could be exactly what they need to fight back against anxiety and stress, and to feel healthier, overall, so they can get the right amount of sleep every night.
You know how you’re accustomed to powering off your phone or computer when it’s not working properly? You’ve tried everything else but sometimes the only thing that fixes the issue is shutting it down. Allow the screen to fade to black and hit the pause button before starting over fresh.
Well, sometimes, we need to power off our brains, our bodies, and our hearts. Between global events and our personal lives, sometimes it is simply time for a total reset. By implementing rituals like yoga, meditation, and pranayama, we can clear out the noise from the inside out and reset our systems to better handle whatever may be unfolding next in our lives.
October is the perfect time for rejuvenation. When the seasons change, so does our energy. In the Northern hemisphere, it is Autumn, the time when the leaves fall from the trees, and we shift into the colder months. In the Southern hemisphere, it’s springtime, when those same trees are returning to life once again. If we can align ourselves with nature’s patterns, it can help us feel our best and keep our energy levels high. It’s the perfect time to focus on a reset.
Maybe implementing a few simple rituals like focusing more on your breath throughout the day, going to bed thirty minutes earlier, or taking a walk outdoors is enough. But if you’re feeling heavy inside and out, the tamasic energy may require more effort to feel better.
A yoga practice specifically designed as a reset will help you lighten up. Postures like twists, forward-folds, and inversions stimulate your circulation, lymphatic flow, digestion, and elimination. When your body functions more efficiently, your mental clarity improves and your mood lifts––remember our physical, mental, and emotional bodies are inextricably linked.
If you’re feeling a need to reboot your system, we’ve got the perfect classes for you to practice right now. Check out this week’s offerings and step onto the mat, ready to reset and rejuvenate yourself from the inside out. Enjoy!
Anytime Renewal Flow - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Quick Yin Reset + Sound Bowl Savasana - Elizabeth Brumfield
Reset Refuge: Thrive and Shine - Elise Fabricant
Midday Reset - Caitlin Rose Kenney
Take a moment and recall how you felt the last time you stood up after spending hours sitting at your desk or taking a long drive. How was your posture? How did your lower back feel? This week we’re digging into how important it is to keep your hips and legs mobile and flexible.
Our lower bodies house the body’s largest muscles and our hip joints are impacted by several muscles, ligaments, and tendons. For you to move your lower body––walk, dance, run, practice yoga––the hip flexors, extensors, abductors, adductors, and rotators must be strong yet supple. The pelvis needs to be stable but also mobile. Think of your lower body as the foundation to staying physically fit.
Because in our Western culture we sit so much, a few things happen to the natural alignment of our spines and if left unchecked, can cause not just bad posture but injuries to our ankles, knees, and lower backs. Basically, sitting too much shortens the hip flexors in the front of the pelvis and tightens the hip rotators, which can shift your pelvis out of healthy alignment.
So what’s the solution? A two-pronged approach includes creating space in the hip flexors (psoas), stretching the rectus femoris and sartorius (hamstrings), and strengthening the hip stabilizers like the gluteus medius to provide pelvic stability will help.
For mobility and flexibility, try Figure-4, Half-Pigeon, and Seated Forward Folds. To ensure you are balancing the suppleness with strength, use standing poses like Warrior 2 and Tree Pose. The combination of a variety of poses will help you maintain your current alignment or assist you in bringing yourself back into balance. And because we hold onto a lot of emotional baggage in our hips, when you create physical openings, you create simultaneous emotional release as well. It’s a win-win.
Whether you’re an elite athlete looking to stay in the game or you’re simply looking to stay as strong and flexible as you can for as long as you can, we’ve got the class for you. Check out this week’s carefully designed practices from top YogaDownload instructors. Enjoy!
Yoga and Mobility for Hips - Michelle Berman Marchildon
Lower Body Mobility - Lila Whiting
Yoga for Atheletes: Lower Body Mobility & Recovery - Kylie Larson
Myofascial Release: Pelvis to Outer Hip - Gemma Celento
“To put everything in balance is good, to put everything in harmony is better.” ~ Victor Hugo
Are you ready to feel your most harmonious? One of the best ways to achieve harmony inside and out is to align with nature. We’ve recently celebrated the Summer or Winter Solstice, depending upon where you live on the planet. The word solstice comes from the Latin word sol meaning sun and sister meaning means “to stand still.” It’s the perfect time to check in and see just how balanced you are feeling, both internally and externally.
Whether you’re looking forward to longer days and more sunshine or savoring the crispness in the air as we move into Autumn, take a moment to reflect on how you are feeling. One of the beauties of practicing yoga is the ability to shift your practice on the mat to what is occurring in the world around you. Life is all about balance. Yin and Yang are opposites, just like masculine and feminine energy, light and dark, and waking and sleeping.
When we align ourselves with the transitions in the seasons, we can balance our energy more naturally. We step out of simple balance into a more harmonious, flowing state. One way to achieve this is to flow through balancing postures on the yoga mat. Balancing poses can be incorporated into mellow or strenuous classes. Balancing on one foot or on your hands requires you to quiet your mind and focus your gaze on a single focal point or you’ll fall. This intense focus calms your mind and relaxes your nervous system, creating a perfect environment for reflection and meditation.
Another way to pacify your parasympathetic (passive) nervous system is to practice Yin Yoga, which is characterized by holding a handful of postures, usually seated or supine, for several minutes apiece. Yin addresses the deeper layers of connective tissue in the body––ligaments, tendons, fascia, and benefits the internal organs. The more active practice of Yang yoga is dynamic, which is great for the sympathetic (active) nervous system. Both styles of yoga benefit your body, mind, and heart and combining the two will have you feeling blissful.
Whether you take a full Yin class, a Yin/Yang hybrid class, or a practice dedicated to mastering the art of balance, you are working with the power of Mother Earth and nature, which amplifies your internal and external rewards. It’s a great time to try one or all of this week’s classes!
Yin / Yang Balancing Flow - Claire Petretti Marti
The Art of Balance - Keith Allen
Yin Yang Yoga for the Upper Body - Elise Fabricant
Balance is a Life Skill - Kylie Larson
Want Balance? Cultivate Presence. - Kristin Gibowicz
Yin Yoga for Energy Balance - Annie Au
“The Rest is just as important as the Work” = Words to live by and why we’re offering four fabulous classes to help you wind down and get a great night’s sleep. Maybe work is hectic right now or you’re navigating some challenges in your personal life or maybe you’ve been having way too much fun! Whatever the cause, the result is you’re sacrificing sleep and aren’t feeling your most vibrant.
We get it. Life happens. But the Yin is as important as the Yang! We’ve got a few tips to help you either create or resurrect an evening ritual that will have you snoozing soundly and waking up feeling ready to embrace the day. A great evening yoga practice will relax your muscles but more importantly, will quiet your busy mind. Sometimes, even when you’re physically wiped out, your repetitive thoughts refuse to stop spinning around your head and results in occasional or chronic insomnia.
Yoga designed to help you chill out and soothe your soul can do the trick. An evening practice will help you tap into your parasympathetic nervous system, which governs relaxation, to quiet and restore the overactive mind. Forward folds and passive inversions are introspective postures that cool and calm your mind.
This week’s classes feature varied approaches to helping you drift off into dreamland. From Ben Davis’s Fitness ‘n’ Yoga, two fabulous flows from Jackie Casal Mahrou and Mary Baker, to Jessica Oldfield's Sleepy Time Yoga.
If you don’t have time for a full class, try our favorite passive inversion, Vipariti Karani (Legs up the Wall) for five to fifteen minutes. Lie down on the floor (or maybe in bed) and slide a bolster or pillow under your hips and prop your legs up against the wall. Find the position that feels effortless and supported. Maybe add an eye-pillow and some lavender.
Save these specialized classes to your favorites so when you start counting sheep, you can press play instead and catch some zzz’s.
Fitness 'n' Yoga: Evening Flow - Ben Davis
Evening Chill - Flowing into Stillness - Mary Baker
Sleepy Time Yoga - Jessica Oldfield
Candlelight Vinyasa Flow - Jackie Casal Mahrou
In yoga, we focus on the intertwined physical, mental, and emotional bodies. Yoga classes targeting your core address all three. When you become truly strong and stable in your core, you’ll have self-confidence, efficient digestion and assimilation, a healthy spine, and toned abdominals.
1. Stoke Your Self-Confidence:
Your core houses the Manipura or navel chakra, which is considered the source of your identity and the center of your ego and personal power. Self-confidence, willpower, self-discipline, and fire are all qualities associated with the third chakra or energy center.
Sometimes we fall into patterns of questioning ourselves and settling into a pattern of insecurity. Balancing your center will help you overcome insecurity and prevent excessive ego. Through targeted asana, pranayama, and guided meditation, you can stoke the fire in your belly and burn through layers of self-doubt.
2. Create Healthy Digestion and Assimilation:
More than seventy percent of your immune system resides in your gut, so it’s vital to keep it healthy. When we focus on core strength, we’re creating a support system for our internal organs which helps us to digest, assimilate, and eliminate our food efficiently. Yoga and pranayama techniques can literally stimulate your internal organs, which helps your digestive system operate at ideal capacity. In the Heart of Yoga, T.K.V. Desikachar says to operate at our optimum levels we need to burn up “the rubbish.” Through focused attention to the core, our prana or life force energy can flow freely.
3. Strengthen and Tone Your Muscles:
The benefits of focusing on your core run deeper than simple aesthetics and muscular strength. Your core is comprised of not just your abdominals but also your back and glutes. When you create a toned powerhouse, you’re building a girdle of strong supple muscles to support your spine and prevent back pain. Working your core is important because it impacts every movement you take from walking, yoga, sports, and daily activities.
Check out this week’s specialized offerings to awaken and strengthen your center––and reap the benefits to your self-confidence, your digestion, and your strong muscles!
Somatics for Strong Abs & Healthy Back - Shy Sayar
Fusion Flow: Core Focus - Annie Coyle
Awaken the Core Vinyasa - Dylan Zukowski
Quick Core - Challenging Gravity - Jack Cuneo
Yoga is not only a practice for relaxation and flexibility but can also be an effective tool for weight loss. While it may not provide the same intensity as high-impact cardio exercises, yoga offers a holistic approach to weight management. It combines physical movement, breath control, and mindfulness to promote overall well-being and support healthy weight loss.
Through a combination of asanas (poses), pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation, yoga helps create harmony between the body and mind. It cultivates self-awareness, reduces stress levels, and enhances mindfulness around eating habits. By addressing both physical and emotional factors that contribute to weight gain, yoga provides a sustainable approach to weight loss.
Yoga provides numerous benefits that can aid in weight loss and overall fitness. Here are some key advantages of incorporating yoga into your weight loss journey:
Increased calorie burn: While yoga may not burn as many calories as high-intensity workouts, it can still contribute to calorie expenditure. Certain styles of yoga, such as power yoga or vinyasa flow, involve continuous movement and can elevate heart rate, leading to increased calorie burn.
Improved muscle tone: Yoga poses engage various muscle groups, which helps to build strength and improve muscle tone. Increased muscle mass can boost metabolism, allowing the body to burn more calories even at rest.
Enhanced flexibility: Regular practice of yoga improves flexibility and mobility, making it easier to perform other exercises and activities. This can lead to increased calorie burn during other physical activities and reduce the risk of injury.
Stress reduction: Yoga incorporates relaxation techniques that help reduce stress and promote emotional well-being. By managing stress levels, individuals are less likely to engage in stress-related eating, which can contribute to weight gain.
Mindful eating: The practice of mindfulness in yoga extends beyond the mat and can be applied to eating habits. Mindful eating involves being fully present during meals, paying attention to hunger and satiety cues, and making conscious food choices. This approach can help prevent overeating and emotional eating.
By understanding the power of yoga as a weight loss tool and recognizing its benefits, individuals can incorporate yoga into their fitness routines to support their weight loss goals. Here at YogaDownload we offer specific yoga programs tailored for weight loss that can be helpful. Check out our 14-Day Yoga for Weight Loss Bootcamp and Yoga for Weight Loss Program to get started.
For those looking to incorporate yoga into their weight loss journey, practicing yoga at home can be a convenient and effective option. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced practitioner, YogaDownload has over 2,600 online classes that are designed for your at-home practice. Additionally, creating a sacred space for your yoga practice can enhance your experience and help you stay motivated.
Creating a dedicated space for your yoga practice at home can help you establish a sense of tranquility and focus. Choose an area that is free from distractions and has enough space for you to move comfortably. Clear the area of any clutter and create a clean environment that promotes relaxation and mindfulness.
Consider adding elements that promote a peaceful atmosphere, such as candles, incense, or calming artwork. You may also want to invest in a quality yoga mat and any additional props that enhance your practice, such as blocks or straps. Having these items readily available in your sacred space can help you stay motivated and committed to your weight loss journey through yoga.
Remember, the most important aspect of your yoga practice is consistency. By dedicating a specific space in your home for yoga, you are creating a physical reminder of your commitment to your well-being. For more tips on specific yoga classes for weight loss, check out our article on Yoga for Weight Loss & Core Strength.
Incorporating our online resources and creating a sacred space for your yoga practice at home can provide you with the tools and environment needed to embark on a successful weight loss journey through yoga. By embracing these practices, you can unlock your potential and achieve your fitness goals in the comfort of your own home.
Incorporating specific yoga poses into your practice can be an effective way to support your weight loss journey. These poses not only help strengthen and tone your body but also promote flexibility and mindfulness. Here are three yoga poses that are known for their benefits in weight loss:
Sun Salutations, also known as Surya Namaskar, are a series of dynamic yoga poses that create a flow of movement. They are often used as a warm-up or as a standalone practice. Sun Salutations engage multiple muscle groups, increase heart rate, and promote calorie burning. The continuous flow of poses helps improve circulation and metabolism, making it an excellent choice for weight loss.
Below is a simplified version of the Sun Salutations sequence:
Performing a few rounds of Sun Salutations can provide a well-rounded workout while energizing both the body and mind. Be sure to check out our section of classes based on Sun Salutations.
Warrior poses, or Virabhadrasana, are a group of standing asanas that help build strength and stability in the legs, core, and upper body. These poses require balance and focused concentration, making them an excellent choice for toning the muscles while improving body awareness.
There are three main Warrior poses: Warrior I, Warrior II, and Warrior III. Each pose targets different muscle groups and offers unique benefits. Warrior poses help strengthen the legs, engage the core, and open up the hips and chest.
Incorporating these poses into your yoga routine can help you build strength, improve posture, and support your weight loss goals.
Twists and forward folds are two types of yoga poses that can aid in weight loss by stimulating digestion, stretching the muscles, and enhancing spinal flexibility. These poses help massage the internal organs, promoting detoxification and improved digestion, which can contribute to weight management.
Twists such as seated spinal twists (Ardha Matsyendrasana) and standing twists like revolved triangle pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana) help massage the abdominal organs, enhancing digestion and elimination.
Forward folds, such as seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana) and standing forward bend (Uttanasana), stretch the hamstrings and lower back, while also calming the mind and relieving stress.
By incorporating twists and forward folds into your yoga practice, you can support your weight loss goals while experiencing the benefits of increased flexibility and relaxation.
Remember, consistency is key when practicing yoga for weight loss. Combine these poses with other exercises, adopt healthy eating habits, and seek guidance from YogaDownload and other online resources to create a well-rounded routine that supports your weight loss journey.
Once you've recognized the power of yoga for weight loss and have established a home practice, it's important to consider how to incorporate yoga into your routine effectively. This section will cover frequency and duration, combining yoga with other exercises, and healthy eating habits to support weight loss.
To reap the benefits of yoga for weight loss, it's recommended to practice regularly. Aim for at least three to five sessions per week to maintain consistency and see progress over time. Each session should ideally last between 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your fitness level and availability.
While daily practice is encouraged, it's important to listen to your body and avoid overexertion. Allow yourself adequate rest days to promote muscle recovery and prevent burnout. Remember, consistency is key in achieving long-term results.
While yoga alone can contribute to weight loss, combining it with other exercises can enhance the overall effectiveness. Consider incorporating cardiovascular exercises, such as brisk walking, jogging, or cycling, into your routine to increase calorie burn and boost your heart rate.
Strength training exercises, such as bodyweight exercises or weightlifting, can help build lean muscle mass and increase your metabolism. Combining these workouts with yoga creates a well-rounded fitness routine that promotes weight loss and overall wellness. Try our HIIT and Yoga with Weights classes to get an excellent well-rounded workout.
While yoga plays a significant role in weight loss, it's important to support your practice with a healthy and balanced diet. Consider these general guidelines to optimize your weight loss journey:
Portion control: Pay attention to portion sizes and avoid overeating. Focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods while avoiding excessive calories.
Whole foods: Emphasize whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. These provide essential nutrients and support overall health.
Hydration: Stay well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Adequate hydration supports digestion, metabolism, and overall bodily functions.
Mindful eating: Practice mindful eating by savoring each bite, paying attention to hunger and fullness cues, and avoiding distractions while eating. This helps foster a healthier relationship with food.
For more information and tips, read our article on 13 Small Diet Changes to Help you Lose Weight.
Remember, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized dietary guidance that aligns with your specific needs and goals.
By incorporating yoga into your routine, combining it with other exercises, and following healthy eating habits, you can maximize the benefits of yoga for weight loss. Stay consistent, listen to your body, and embrace the journey towards a healthier, fitter you.
When embarking on your weight loss journey with yoga, it's important to keep in mind a few key tips for success. These tips will not only help you stay motivated and consistent but also ensure that you practice yoga safely and effectively.
Consistency is key when it comes to any fitness or wellness routine, and yoga for weight loss is no different. To see results, it's important to practice yoga regularly. Aim for at least three to four sessions per week to experience the benefits of yoga for weight loss. Remember, progress takes time, so be patient with yourself and your body. Set realistic goals and celebrate each milestone along the way.
Yoga is a practice of self-awareness and mindfulness, and it's crucial to listen to your body throughout your weight loss journey. Every individual is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. Pay attention to how your body feels during and after each yoga session. If a pose or movement feels uncomfortable or causes pain, modify or skip it. Honor your body's limitations and gradually work towards improving your strength and flexibility. Remember, yoga is a personal journey, and the focus should be on your individual progress and well-being.
By incorporating these tips into your yoga practice, you can enhance your weight loss journey and maximize the benefits of yoga. Remember, yoga is not just about physical transformation but also about cultivating a balanced and harmonious mind-body connection. Stay consistent, listen to your body, and seek guidance when needed to unlock your potential and achieve your weight loss goals through yoga.
Check out this week's classes specifically designed to use the power of yoga for weight loss...
Yoga for Weight Loss: Sound of the Genuine - Kristin Gibowicz
Yoga Sculpt - Slow Build - Erin Wimert
HardCORE Yoga w/ Weights™ for Weight Loss - Becca Riopelle
Yoga Body Burn - Celest Pereira
When you’re choosing a yoga class, do you immediately avoid Vinyasa because you believe you must have a certain level of fitness and strength? Don’t be intimidated by Vinyasa Flow Yoga––there’s a class suited for your unique abilities. If you have physical limitations, are recovering from an injury, are new to yoga, or are approaching your golden years, there is a class for you.
The definition of Vinyasa comes from Sanskrit and means to place in a special way. This style of class usually links the asanas to the breath in a continuous flow. The focus on breathing with the movement helps you quiet your mind and settle into sensations arising inside and out. While certain classes, like Power Yoga and Ashtanga, from which Vinyasa evolved, can be quite athletic and vigorous, not all classes are.
The Father of Modern Yoga, T. Krishnamacharya is credited with creating what we know as Vinyasa yoga. One of his guiding principles was "Teach what is good for an individual." One of his most famous students, B.K.S. Iyengar, left a legacy of yoga focused on alignment and breath control. Iyengar was a child plagued with severe physical ailments, and he implemented the use of props, like blocks, straps, and chairs into the yoga practice to allow students to experience the poses they might not be able to do otherwise.
These days, you can find yoga to accommodate most physical or perceived limitations. Vinyasa can have a slower pace, omit chaturangas, and offer modifications and modifications to suit your energy level and ability. The true yoga practice is internal. Yoga is for every body and is accessible. No matter who you are, whether you are thin or heavy, tall or short, in a wheelchair or an Olympic athlete, yoga is for you.
This week’s Vinyasa classes are specifically designed to appeal to a wide range of students. We encourage everyone to give these classes a try.
Quick Slow Flow - Claire Petretti Marti
The Discipline to Heel - Christen Bakken
Flow with the Go - Dana Smith
Whether you’re looking to relieve tension or increase your upper body strength, yoga can help. Focusing on your upper body in yoga will improve your posture and help with circulatory and respiratory function so you feel stronger and more open, inside and out.
Over the last few years, there’s a new term called “tech neck” or “smartphone neck.” If you work long hours at a computer or stare down at your phone all day, your shoulders round forward and your neck grows tense and stiff from remaining in an unsupported position. This slouchy posture creates tight muscles in the front of your shoulders and chest, headaches, and restricts your ability to breathe fully and deeply. Not to mention, nobody wants to look like a turtle, right?
If you don’t manage the tightness, your posture can deteriorate permanently. When your neck is in the proper position, it weighs roughly twelve pounds. According to Caring Medical, for every inch of forward head posture, the force on the spine increases by an additional ten to twelve pounds. Over time, the cervical vertebra damage can become permanent. This improper positioning can result in chronic pain and even cognitive decline.
Many simple asanas and movements improve your posture and keep your spine healthy. Any well-rounded yoga class will include stretches for your neck, shoulders, and upper back. The four upper chakras are housed above the waist, so you’ll also balance your Anahata or heart chakra, Vishudda or throat chakra, Ajna or third eye chakra, and Sahasrara or crown chakra. These chakras relate to an open heart, authentic communication, intuition, and your connection with the divine.
Once you’ve got your posture sorted, you can focus on building your upper body strength so you can pop up into a handstand or other arm balance if you want. Any Vinyasa or Ashtanga class contains numerous chaturangas, which are similar to a triceps push-up, planks, downward dogs, and more asanas that require you to engage your muscles and work with your body weight as resistance. Standing postures like Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II) when you’re holding your arms out at shoulder height, also build muscular strength and endurance.
This week, we’ve got four targeted practices to give your upper body some extra love and attention. Check them out and clear your mind, open your heart, and let go of stress and tension.
Yin Yoga: Upper Body Relief - Caitlin Rose Kenney
Upper Body Reset - Jessica Oldfield
Upper Body - Denelle Numis
Yoga for Upper Body Strength - Desiree Rumbaugh
What’s your go-to when you need to lift your mood and shift your mindset? Call us biased but we believe yoga is one of the best ways to balance your emotions. The most powerful benefits of a regular yoga practice are intangible: a more positive mindset, a sense of lightness, and an ability to remain calm under pressure. Whether you want to feel relaxed or feel invigorated, yoga profoundly impacts your nervous system.
Asana, pranayama, and meditation can lower your blood pressure, regulate your heart rate and reduce cortisol levels, which will simply help you feel happier. In other words, asana and pranayama shifts us from fight or flight––a reactive state––to rest and digest––a receptive state. By balancing our nervous system, we can better manage our emotions and mood. When we move the prana or energy through our system with mindful breath and movement, we are releasing stagnant energy and creating space for the fresh and new.
Feeling blue or weighed down can be tied to holding onto too much Tamas, the universal element or Guna representing solidity and inertia. Dedicating some time to asana, pranayama, and meditation directed toward a more sattvic state of harmony and light will help lift the weight. Backbends are great poses to lift your mood. These heart-opening poses expand the front of the body, which increases your energy and oxygen levels.
If you’re feeling irritated or angry, that’s a sign your body is holding excess Rajas or fire. Forward folds help you soothe your parasympathetic nervous system. Pranayama techniques like Vishama Vritti or unequal breath fluctuations will help lower your blood pressure and quiet your mind. So, when you’re feeling too fired up, try six rounds of inhaling for a count of 4 and exhaling for a count of 8.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali emphasizes the three primary benefits of the physical postures or asanas, as resolving dis-ease, creating lightness of body, and stability. In the Sutras on Pranayama, breath control, II-49 through II-53 detail how the regulation of life force is regulated by the inhale and the exhale. Through our practice, we can shift our perspective not by fighting darkness but by introducing light. In other words, we introduce light through our asana and pranayama, thus uplifting our emotions.
This week’s classes will help you shift your mood, no matter which direction you need it to go!
Quick Mood Booster Flow - Mary Baker
The Yogic Way: Your Solar Nature - Annie Coyle
Cosy Sensory Hug - Lila Whiting
Gentle Yoga Flow for Inner Peace - Marie Castello