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Find out everything that you have ever wanted to know about the ancient tradition of Yoga, modern system of Pilates and holistic approach to health in Wellness here:
If you have a question, first try reading through our list of frequently asked questions. If you cannot find an answer to your question after searching our site, click here to ask us your question.
Is Yoga Aerobic?
Aerobic exercise occurs when an elevated heart rate is sustained for twenty minutes or more. Aerobic activities are particularly helpful for strengthening the heart, burning excess fat, and increasing the body's metabolism.
Yoga can be a great aerobic workout, but it depends on the student and on the class they are taking. In order to sustain an elevated heart rate during practice, students should try their best to actively participate in all postures and take classes that they find challenging.
How do I schedule aerobics, weight lifting and yoga?
Some people like to do yoga first to warm up and stretch the body out, making it safer and easier to do other forms of exercise. But others find it a bit hard to switch gears from being relaxed to a high energy workout. Experiment and do what feels right for you.
You may want to explore "Hatha yoga" or Ashtanga yoga, as these are more vigorous types of yoga that create aerobic activity and also build strength, so you could get everything out of one class.
What is best for Overall Fitness?
Many physical activities that are good for your health also create serious imbalances in the body. Runners are prone to knee and back problems, tennis players often develop arthritis in their wrists and elbows, and weight lifters connective tissues soon become tight and rigid.
Yoga is one of the few physical activities that promote whole-body wellness - both physically and psychologically - without creating the imbalances that lead to injuries and complications later on in life.
Is Ashtanga yoga suitable for beginners?
The problem with Ashtanga yoga and beginning yoga students is the lack of instruction on the alignment of the postures. We would highly recommend practicing Ashtanga yoga with other styles that focus on alignment like Yoga Sukham Beginners and intermediate, Hatha Yoga. We also offer Ashtanga for beginners, in order to prepare you for complete primary and intermediate series.
Do I have to exhale through the nose or mouth?
You inhale and exhale through the nose, unless doing a specific pranayama. Please attend our Pranayama and Meditation session to know more.
How often should I practice yoga?
You can start with beginner level and then proceed to strong classes. We would suggest starting by practicing yoga 3-4 times per week, 30-60 minutes per day. It is best to start slow and gradually build up the duration per day and per week. Your body may change a lot the first year of yoga, and you need to listen and adapt/adjust your practice to work with your body. Most importantly do not push yourself, and do what feels good for your body.
I am wondering if yoga will tone my body in the same way as working out.
Yoga does tone and strengthen the body, but not in the same way as working out. To build strength in yoga focus on holding the postures longer and longer (without strain) and possibly move on to more advanced postures.
There is also a style of yoga called Hatha or Ashtanga yoga that moves very quickly between postures, which builds strength and endurance.
What are some of the effects I can expect?
Redirect the restless mind into a state of clarity and creativity
Unleash your inner power, wisdom, inner potential and improve the world around you
Turn negative situations into positive opportunities
Develop dynamic willpower, overcome habits, Transform anger, fear and anxiety into positive states of awareness
Get in touch with your spiritual nature and Live in a higher state of consciousness
BODY ISSUES:
Is it normal to experience soreness after yoga?
If you not a regular practitioner or when you stretch your muscles after a long period they normally produce some soreness following your first class and that’s normal. However, a nagging ache or intense pain is not.
Is it normal to feel tingling in the arms and legs during yoga?
Yes, a small amount of tingling is normal. If the tingling is intense, you may be holding the pose too long, or not resting sufficiently between poses. The tingling sensation usually occurs in new students and subsides with time and further practice.
Is it difficult to do yoga being overweight?
Yoga can be difficult for any body type. Being overweight is going to make it a bit more challenging on a physical level, but yoga is as challenging as you make it. Do not try to fit your body into the pose, but adapt the posture for your body. Accept where you are at and do not judge or criticize yourself because you cannot it perfectly.
Can yoga help me loose weight?
Yoga is does not burn as many calories as aerobic exercise, but can help you loose weight through balancing the bodies hormones and metabolism and by exercising and toning the body's muscles and internal organs. For a yoga practice that helps to burn more calories try Ashtanga or Power Yoga.
Can yoga help me improve my height?
Yoga can help improve your posture, which will make you feel and look taller, but it will not make you "grow" any extra inches. The bones in the body stop growing once you reach adulthood, and thus make it impossible for the body to increase it's height.
Practice the mountain posture (Tadasana) not only in your yoga practice, but all through your day, standing, sitting, driving your car, waiting in line at the supermarket. Consciously keep your awareness on your posture, keeping the spine long and straight as much as possible.
Medical Conditions:
Can I do yoga when I have a cold and a headache?
For headaches and colds a slow gentle yoga practice is best. Focus on floor postures, especially those that are focused on the spine.
Whenever I do any inverted postures (especially the Headstand) I usually get a migraine, is there a way in which I can overcome this?
Usually inversions would be a good thing to do for headaches and migraines. But it sounds like the increase in blood pressure is triggering them for you.
We would avoid all inversions where the legs are over the head (head stand, shoulder stand, hand stand) and would experiment with plow, yoga mudra, standing angle, standing forward fold, downward dog and other semi-inversions.
The other possibility is to only go into the full inversions for very short periods of time on a daily basis, and gradually lengthen the amount of time you hold the posture.
Can you recommend any yoga positions that may be beneficial for hypertension?
Yes, it has been shown that practicing yoga does lower blood pressure, mostly due to its calming and relaxing nature, but also because it is a form of exercise. There are a few postures that are contraindicated for hypertension, mainly "Savasana" (relaxation/sponge/corpse pose). Pranayama (yogic breathing) and meditation is very helpful. We would suggest you focus on gentle yoga postures, mostly doing the postures done on the floor.
I have anxiety attacks and cannot relax, can yoga help?
Try Dirga and Nadi Sodhana pranayamas, and a slow gentle yoga practice focusing on asanas that stretch out the area(s) where you hold the tension and stress in your body.
Is there a gentle pose that could help relieve some discomfort from a stiff neck/shoulder when stressed out?
Some simple stretches with the head and shoulders would be good: bringing the head forward and back, side to side and twisting over one shoulder; shrugging the shoulders, and rolling them up back and down. Having a daily or weekly yoga practice will help manage stress and help prevent the stiffness and tension.
WOMENS’ ISSUE:
Why are certain postures contraindicated during menstruation?
The postures that are contraindicated for menstruation are inversions: shoulder stand, head stand, plough, etc. These postures increase the flow of the menses, and cause a greater loss of blood which could leave to health problems. Other postures may be cautioned because they put stress or pressure in the lower abdominal region.
A slow gentle yoga practice is recommended during menstruation, focusing on postures that stretch the sides of the torso (triangle), open the hips (bound angle), forward folds and spinal twists.
Should I discontinue doing yoga during the time between ovulating and waiting to find out if I am pregnant or not?
Unless you have a history of miscarriage, I would continue with your practice. I've worked with women practicing yoga up to one week before their delivery, with out any problems. Only postures that put pressure on the belly are contraindicated after the 3rd month of pregnancy.
If you have a history of miscarriage, I would not do postures that put pressure on the belly or do a strenuous yoga practice while trying to conceive.
Most importantly, trust your intuition and do what feels right.
I am 45, in early menopause and I would like to know which styles of yoga would best help me at this stage of my life.
The best styles of yoga to balance the endocrine system and regulate the hormones are ones that hold postures for long periods of time. Please Try our Sivananda yoga session.
I am in my thirteenth week of pregnancy and would like to know if this is an appropriate time to start practicing yoga.
Now would not be the most appropriate time to start a yoga practice, it would have been better to start before or at the very beginning of pregnancy. If you are in good shape and have stayed active, starting yoga now will probably be okay. I would recommend starting very slow and being very careful. Contact us to arrange prenatal yoga session with us.
What postures are contraindicated during pregnancy?
Avoid all postures that exert pressure on the belly, especially after the 3rd month. Inverted postures are not contraindicated but are cautioned. This is mostly a concern late in the pregnancy, as the weight of the belly will compress the chest and make it difficult to breathe. It may also be just too strenuous to lift the legs and belly over the head.
In pregnancy there is a hormone secreted that makes muscles very easy to over stretch, which can cause injury if the woman pushes/pulls to hard into the pose.
Postures done on the back are cautioned due to the weight of the fetus pressing on the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava (cutting off circulation), and shavasana should not be practiced, have her lay on side in fetal pose.
YOGA POSTURES:
I would like to become more flexible, especially in the legs and hips.
The best yoga postures for increasing flexibility in the legs and hips are:
seated head to knee, Forward fold, Standing angle, frog, pigeon, bound angle, leg lunge, half circle, pyramid. Please join our Yin Yoga class.
Which positions are most effective for strengthening the abdomen?
The best postures for building abdominal strength are: Upward boat, half up boat, warrior III, triangle, boat, and locust. Please join our Yogalates, Yoga Core and Yoga Core Strength classes. You can also try few PILATES sessions and learn to activate your deep abdominal muscles.
Sometimes my legs shake when I am doing stretches, do I continue the stretch and just let it shake. Or do I stop?
Usually when the body shakes during yoga it is because the muscles are becoming fatigued and need to be strengthened to hold the posture longer. In postures where the focus is on building strength (like Plank or side plank) its okay to shake a little, if you hold too long you can strain a muscle (or just feel really sore the next day).
We are not sure why your legs would be shaking if you are only stretching the muscles and not strengthening them as in seated head to knee. You may be pulling yourself a bit too hard into the posture. You want to work on finding the balance between using efforts and relaxing into the posture. If you are tensing up the muscles they will not be able to stretch and increase their flexibility.
How do yoga positions open up the chakras?
Even though the chakras are often described using physical qualities, these are energy centers in the body. Yoga affects the energy of the body, and using yoga postures that focus on the chakra centers will stimulate them allowing the energy to flow and open.
Stress and tension (physical as well as emotions and thoughts) that accumulate in the areas of the chakras will obstruct the flow of energy, and make the chakras close down. When these areas are stretched, twisted, pressed into and lengthened (though yoga), the stress and tension in these areas are released, and the energy of the chakra can flow and open.
Is it okay to use a chair to assist me with some balancing postures?
Yes, it is fine to use a prop (chair, block, wall) to help you with balance. Try to use the lightest touch possible to support yourself, slowly lessening the pressure until you can hold yourself up without it. Most importantly, focus your gaze at one point on the wall or the floor in front of you, as this will assist you in being balance.
Are there certain postures that you might suggest to help me as I basically have little balance?
I would suggest trying some of the balancing postures on the floor: upward boat, balancing table, prayer squat, balancing bear, half warrior, and balancing bound angle. If you want to work on the standing balancing postures use a wall to help support you. In both positions, focus on building concentration by using a drishti or focal point to stare at.
What postures benefit the spinal column and back?
The postures that benefit the spine are spinal twists (knee down twist, seated twist, threading the needle), side bending poses (half moon, revolved head to knee, reverse warrior 2, warrior angle), forward bends and back bends (cat, dog, cobra, forward fold, seated/standing angle, head to knee, standing back bend). Start slowly and modify the postures so that you put no strain on your back. You will also need to work on building abdominal and core body strength.
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What is the difference between the STOTT PILATESTM Method and other Pilates techniques?
STOTT PILATESTM incorporates modern exercise principles, including contemporary thinking about spinal rehabilitation and athletic performance enhancement. For example, some approaches may promote a flat back, whereas STOTT PILATESTM exercises are designed to restore the natural curves of the spine and rebalance the muscles around the joints, placing more emphasis on scapular stabilization. As well, there are more preparatory exercises and modifications to cater to many different body types and abilities, making it applicable to everyday life.
What are the principles behind the STOTT PILATESTM Method?
STOTT PILATESTM exercise improves core strength and balances the muscles around the joints, improving the way your body functions, looks and feels. The Five Basic Principles focus on:
Breathing
Pelvic placement
Rib cage placement
Scapular movement
Head & cervical spine placement
Is STOTT PILATESTM exercise like Yoga?
In some respects Pilates is like Yoga. Both are considered mind-body type methods of movement; both emphasize deep breathing and smooth, long movements that encourage the mind-body connection. The difference is that while Yoga requires moving from one static posture to the next, Pilates flows through a series of movements that are more dynamic, systematic and anatomically-based incorporating resistance equipment. The goal with STOTT PILATESTM exercise is to strengthen the postural muscles while achieving optimal functional fitness.
I have a bad back. Will I be able to do Pilates?
Although you should always consult your physician before starting any fitness routine, a Pilates workout is gentle and controlled with no sudden jarring actions. It is therefore more important that you work with a qualified instructor to ensure that you are doing the movements correctly. An experienced instructor will be able to modify the exercises to accommodate your limitations, continually challenge you within your range and monitor your improvements. If you commit yourself to a consistent workout schedule you will certainly feel results.
Will I get the same results with a mat workout as with a Reformer or equipment workout?
Mat-based workouts are very convenient and can be done anywhere. Adding light equipment and the larger resistance equipment will place more emphasis on your outer limbs and add variety and intensity to your program.
If I'm doing Pilates, should I still do my regular workout?
STOTT PILATESTM exercise is a musculo-skeletal conditioning program. It’s ideal in combination with some kind of cardiovascular exercise (walking, running, aerobics, aqua fitness etc.), and a great complement to your weight training program.
How can STOTT PILATESTM be different than weight training or other resistance exercise?
Pilates is three-dimensional (i.e. exercises can be performed using all movement planes)
spring resistance more closely resembles muscular contraction
emphasis on concentric/eccentric contraction for injury prevention
STOTT PILATESTM exercise is customizable for special needs
in Pilates exercise, emphasis is placed on rebalancing muscles around the joints
Pilates corrects over-training and muscle imbalance that leads to injury
Pilates emphasizes balancing strength with flexibility (for injury prevention and more efficient movement)
STOTT PILATESTM exercise leads to an improvement in posture and body awareness
Weight training and STOTT PILATESTM can be combined in your fitness program and are a great compliment to each other.
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