Yoga: Benefits Come with Consistency

My Yoga Online - Recognizing that yoga is a life-long practice, the benefits and changes achieved with yoga require patience, respectful observance, and consistency. Without these basic elements, one’s yoga practice often strays, losses focus, and lacks holistic results. This article discusses some of principles behind these basic elements and offers tips in creating a fulfilling yoga program.

Principle of Progressive Overload

In any physical activity or exercise program, the general concept of ‘progressive overload’ should be observed. The body is highly adaptable and settles into the dominant state it is placed in. If one is sedentary and pursuing unhealthy lifestyle habits, the body readily collapses into blockages, loses healthy tissues, and shifts into states of disease.

Likewise, when one introduces yoga or other forms of healthy exercise into the body, the body (muscles, bones, organs, nervous system) will adapt to this conditioning. Progressive overload is where one mindfully introduces holistic ‘stressors’ on the musculoskeletal system. To define ‘stressors’, this is where one would apply gradual increases in intensity or duration of an exercise to encourage the musculoskeletal system to adapt and improve. These adaptations occur at the microscopic level, so one can then imagine that only slight increases are needed and should be applied to avoid over stressing the body’s systems.

How is progressive overload applied to yoga?

In our yoga practice, we aim to heal the body with our practice and not stress it to points of injury and overwhelming fatigue. We can, however, gently add slight increases in depth or holding of postures. We can incorporate slightly more challenging variations of poses or transitions. Whenever we apply this overload principle, one must shed the Ego and listen fully. Am I able to retain postural integrity, control, and fullness of breath with this increase? How does my body feel the next day-no discernable soreness, fatigue, or decrease range of motion due to stiffness?

Here are some tips to generating a consistent yoga practice that follows the progressive overload principle:

*Know your appropriate level. Starting off (or returning to) with high level practice without prior experience can shock the musculoskeletal system by going past the desired overload effects and into injury. Begin easy and move forward gradually. Many high level yoga programs are marketed as "suitable for everyone". This is not true. One would not go from being sedentary to suddenly running a marathon. If you are a beginner, practice like one-learn the fundamentals through introductory programs and monitor how your systems receive the gradual increases in practice depth.

*Apply the concept of cross training. By doing on type of yoga practice/style, the body develops memory and adapts often to a point where progression slows or ceases. With traditional exercise, one is encouraged to ‘mix up’ their program placing different exercises in one’s routine or changing the order of exercises. This systematic reorganizing does not allow the body to settle into a stagnant state and can be beneficial in preventing overuse injuries. In yoga, consider reordering the postures and flows and try different styles. Adding changes and variety will also offer inspiration and motivation that will promote better consistency.

*Modification and Rest days. When we continuously stress the body with holistic overload, we need to also schedule consistent rest periods or modify the yoga practice routines so key muscle groups and joints receive recovery time. When one stresses a particular muscle group, it is commonly accepted that this muscle group requires at least 24 hours of rest. The adaptations at the microscopic level need time to set in. Without this rest period, the tissues can develop overuse/chronic injuries, prolonged fatigue, and atrophy (muscle loss). With yoga, consider how you can schedule your daily/weekly classes so they target key structures while also giving proper rest.

*Be purposeful with your practice. Make a set schedule of your practice on a calendar. Make your yoga practice a true priority. Invite your family or friends to participate with you as this will create a great support system for consistency and growth.

*Get inspired. Look for workshops and other available programs that will introduce new, interesting concepts to your yoga practice. Yoga is about learning and growing. If your practice has been primarily hatha/physically based, consider trying more meditation and/or breathing (pranayama) programs. One is often amazed at how a simple, new technique or application can readily transform one’s motivation and exploration.

Consistency is key in one’s yoga program. Through this consistency, embrace the moment and how the whole system exists immediately. It is perfect to have stiffness and limitations. One can work around injuries and health conditions-wellness can be pursued by everyone at some level. But positive change requires regular application and patience. Time is on your side when holistic intention and harmony are brought into your yoga practice.

Related Articles:
Moving From a Beginner Yoga Practice
Benefits of Creating a Home Yoga Practice
Is Hot Yoga Right For Me?
Yoga Workout: Conflict of East Meets West

Yoga for COPD

My Yoga Online - My Yoga Online has posted a new article addressing yoga practice for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) by Vijai Sharma, PhD, psychologist, certified yoga therapist and yoga teacher.

Yoga is unique program for self-management for people with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or other chronic illnesses because yoga is one of the most comprehensive body, breath and mind systems I know.

According to Thomashaw and Walsh CO-Morbidity survey of over 3000 people with COPD on average have 6 co-morbid disorders. 60 to 80% of them take 5 to 10 medications and 15-25% people take more than 11 prescribed medication. Most commonly reported problems are high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, GERD (Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease), sinus disease, sleep apnea, weight loss, muscle weakness as well as depression and anxiety. (See footnote) Similar other surveys too point out that COPD affects the whole body and causes a wide range of negative emotions such as the sense of personal loss, hopelessness, depression, anxiety and panic attacks and anger and frustration.

Yoga can be particularly beneficial for us with COPD. We must constantly work on improving our physical health, breath function and emotional strength.

Click here to read Dr. Sharma's article and suggested yoga practice for COPD.

Food Matters: Invest in Your Health

My Yoga Online - With nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and our tendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs to treat what's wrong with our malnourished bodies, it's no wonder that modern society is getting sicker. Food Matters sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide ‘Sickness Industry' and gives people some scientifically verifiable solutions for curing disease naturally.

Become inspired to invest in your health through changing your eating habits and through empowering yourself about the truth of the food and agricultural industry. Enjoy this free movie trailer of Food Matters:

Food Matters Movie Giveaway!
Tell us how healthy food matters in your life! Share your inspiring story and tips, and be entered to win 1 of 10 free viewings. Click Here for more details and to enter.

To learn more about Food Matters, visit their website.

Superfoods - Supercharge Your Diet

My Yoga Online - Why Superfoods? Superfoods are a category of foods found in nature, they are superior sources of essential nutrients-nutrients we need but can not make ourselves. We all may be adding more salads and vegetables to our diets, but concern for the quality of foods grown on mineral depleted soils makes superfoods popular. They are nutritionally more potent then regular foods and are wonderful food sources of anti-oxidants for healthy healing. Superfoods are nutrient dense and calorie sparse.

Click to Learn More about the 5 Categories of Superfoods:
GREEN Superfoods
BEE Superfoods
SEAWEED Superfoods
HERB Superfoods
FRUIT & NUT Superfoods

Artificial Sweeteners Exposed

My Yoga Online - Inform yourself of the dangers of consuming artificial sweeteners, such as Aspartame and Saccharin, with our latest nutrition article by Joan Ullyett BA, RHN-Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Find out the history of these dangerous sugar substitutes and discover health, natural alternatives.

Many of us over the age of 30 will remember the Sweet n Low craze that seemed to reach its height in the 1970s. Messages were all around us about the evils of sugar: it caused cavities, made us gain weight, wreaked havoc on blood glucose levels and was simply unhealthy. To the innocent, media-bombarded bystander this seemed a logical enough argument and prompted millions of North Americans to jump on the artificial sweetener bandwagon.

Sweet n Low was the sugar substitute of the day and could be seen on restaurant tabletops everywhere; it tasted virtually the same as sugar with no known unhealthy downside. Thanks to modern science we thought we could finally have our cake and eat it too. Between 1903 and 2002, a handful of artificial sweeteners were introduced to the North American public, each with its own promise of low-calorie, guilt-free goodness.

Click Here to read the entire article.

Neck Safety on Your Yoga Mat

My Yoga Online - Inform yourself with this important neck safety article by Dr. Carla Cupido. Our new yoga article has teachings beneficial for those new to yoga as well as for experienced yoga practitioners. Prevent injury and improve your posture by understanding yoga anatomy and mechanics of the neck.

Have you ever panicked in the middle of a yoga pose for fear that you might be injuring yourself-many of us do not understand the objective behind most yoga postures, never mind the anatomy and biomechanics of the body. We all want to benefit from yoga, but we should also know if we are injuring ourselves instead of achieving therapeutic gains.

Click Here to read this full article.

Free Outdoor Yoga Classes in BC

My Yoga Online - Come and enjoy the last few free outdoor yoga classes with Kreg Weiss. Classes at Canada Place and English Bay will continue until mid September. To learn more and see updates on class schedules:

visit - Yoga at Canada Place Wednesdays 6-7pm
visit - Yoga at English Bay Saturdays 9-10:15 pm

Everyone is welcome-beginners to advanced!

Stress Management and Meditation Techniques

My Yoga Online - Enjoy our new yoga article by Kreg Weiss addressing stress management and meditation techniques of witnessing that will enhance your ability to reduce the negative effects of stress stimuli.

"In a culture that nourishes the Ego and materialism, the bulk of society relates value to the physical and has become disconnected to the spiritual energy within us. With this disconnection, many have become unconsciously ignorant of how chronic stress festers in the mind and body. Not until a debilitating disease or condition arises, do many people finally take notice and seek guidance in changing their lifestyle.

So how we address stress? First, it is impractical to think that one can completely ‘eliminate’ external stress from one’s life. Stressors will always be present regardless of the environment. It is how one allows the stress to internalize and act on the mind and body that is key. Second, it is important to understand and appreciate exactly what stress is and what happens when one allows it to infiltrate the mind." Read More