Mixing strength and flexibility equally is a life long goal of any Wog. Hatha yoga is probably the most well known of the yogas in western culture for this purpose. Other yoga includes: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga.
One first has to understand that a Yoga practice is a spiritual path often times practiced within the Hindu religion, but it isn't a religion by itself. For instance, Bhakti yoga is the practice of practicing loving devotion to god. However, to receive the benefit of the practice it doesn't have to be the Hindu god, or a god at all. One could easily substitute Server, or the better part of humanity or the animal kingdom. Like these other religious yogas, Hatha yoga started as a small sect of yogi's who came up with concepts of dualism, much like Taoism's yin and yang. The body it is explained is made up of equal parts feminine and masculine. Hot and cold, happy vs. sad, Xenu vs. Hubbard, ha (sun) and tha (moon), etc. Disease is caused, of course, by an imbalance of these forces, mainly the imbalance of mind and body, which if separated enough can lead to major disability. Sound like bullshit? It probably is, but they created some kick ass stretching exercises, which in fact are the basis for many western stretches used in sports medicine today. The stretches have been proven scientifically to work, that is studies have proven that the stretches are effective and they lead to numerous other benefits. Injury in a well designed yoga routine is unheard of, but of course we are going to follow the rules of moderation and begin with a very basic practice.
The benefits of Hatha yoga is first of all a flexible spinal column. The rest of the body is made pliable as well, (head to knees pliable), with daily practice. The second benefit is balance, some of the postures are hard to maintain with out a good deal of thought put toward focusing on the internal sensations that teach our minds better balance. Finally, each position requires a certain amount of isometric strength to maintain the posture for 60 to 120 seconds. There are styles of yoga that use these isometric postures to build great strength. Further research is encouraged, one you master this routine.
Before I discuss the basic practice that should become apart of your daily routine, I want to discuss some myths about flexibility and yoga.
First, there is an idea that taking time to become flexible will get in the way of strength training and vice versa. In fact the only thing that will get in the way of strength or flexibility is fat, but doing both stretching and strength training combined with a weekly program of cardiovascular fitness will take care of that.
Second, Yoga is for men and women. In our western culture, men have all but abandoned a healthy balance of strength, cardio, and flexibility training. I, like many other men today was used to only focus on weight lifting, thinking that somehow the other things like cardiovascular and flexibility would come naturally once I could bench 200. I reached that goal and beyond, but I still couldn't touch my toes, and many injuries that I sustained would have been prevented by this simple routine. Women have the opposite problem, wanting to avoid the dreaded body image of a muscular form. They especially tend to avoid all upper body exercises, afraid that the next time that they wear a tank top or other sleeveless garment their arms will look 'fat'. The strong man versus flexible woman dynamic needs to go. I am here to show you that you can be strong and flexible while having the best body structure.
Third, the myth that stretching beyond 10-15 seconds is useless. This simply is not true. It is true that stretching, when the body hasn't been warmed up, can invite injury if the muscles and tendons are pulled for longer then 10 seconds. It is also a grim fact that the body will not make gains in flexibility unless the myosin is gently pulled for more then 30-45 seconds. Yoga practices that are put together by professionals, start with a few exercises that warm the body allowing the full benefits of the hour that you will be spending. Each pose is held for 6 breaths, or 60 seconds and can be held for up to 9 breaths with still more benefit. At the same time the muscles are being used isometrically which means that practicing yoga before other exercises like running or strength training is a good preparation.
For the beginner I recommend the DVD "Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies", by Sara Ivanhoe. This video consists of 12 postures that prepare the body for the Sun Salutation. However, if you can't acquire this media, this article will also serve to explain the Sun Salutation and the dozen postures you'll need to prepare for it.
Sara's DVD is an excellent way to receive on the fly prompts while actually doing the postures however yoga is an ancient practice and the poses are definitely in the public commons. The following is a guide to the postures.
What you'll need:
A towel*
A yoga mat
A strap or belt*
A chair*
A quiet place as long as your mat and slightly wider then your mat
The Breath:
Everything in yoga is timed by the breath. The breath is steady and deep. Even when you are compacted in a compression posture or straining in an isometric posture the focus is on the rythmic, deep, and slow inhale and exhale of the breath.
1. Sit comfortably on your yoga mat with your legs under you and your back straight. If you aren't comfortable, go ahead and sit indian style. If you cannot sit indian style then sit comfortably in a chair.
2. Take 6 deep slow breaths. Each breath should pass through the back of the throat which is relaxed and creates a quiet snoring sound. This is the pace of your breath for each posture.
The daily dozen:
Cat pose
Cat pose is a warm up pose for your spine, it's very important that the upper spine is loosened before the other poses.
1. Sit comfortably coming out of the breathing practice, slowly moving your legs at first to the side, and then on your hands and knees. Your knees are below your hips, and your hands immediately below your shoulders.
2. Bring your belly up until your spine is flat. Your shoulders do not sag.
3. On the inhale, bring your shoulders back, followed by your head and neck into a gentle bend upward. Maintain a straight lower spine.
4. On the exhale, come back to neutral spine and then allow your head to fall down and inward. You should look at your belly button. Maintain a straight lower spine.
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice/cat.asp
Mountain Pose
Mountain Pose is essentially standing, but since standing is so important in day to day life it's important to know how to do it right.
1. Stand with your big toes together and heels slightly apart. Your feet should be under your feet.
2. Pull your tailbone down and gently squeeze your butt into your pelvis. This should have the effect of making your waist flat with the ground.
3. On the inhale the upper body elongates upward toward the ceiling, reach both arms upward and press your palms together at the top. Press your shoulder blades towards each other as you press your straightened arms into each other.
4. On the exhale the arms come down but your torso and legs remain fixed, like a mountain.
5. Repeat this an additional 5 times each time feel the strength of mountain pose and the effect of having legs, spine and arms pushing your mass upwards.
Standing Forward bend
The standing forward bend is a hamstring stretch as well as a head inversion. Anytime the head is below the heart, this is called an inversion and it has benefits of expanding the blood vessels in the brain.
1. Standing in mountain pose place your hands on the hips.
2. Bend your knees, then bend at your waist as far as you can go. Reach down with your fingers until they are beside your feet on the yoga mat. Some of you may not make it all the way down, and you can place your hands just below your knees while we do the stretch. You should be gently stretching your butt up into the air.
3. On the inhale, bring your shoulders back and make your spine neutral just like the beginning of cat pose. It's okay if your fingers lift off the mat. You should feel the stretch lower on the hamstrings which are the back of the thighs as you lift your butt in the air.
4. On the exhale bend forward at the waist and use your breath to 'push' your knees back, while your head and neck relax and float to the floor. You should feel a slightly high stretch.
5. This pose continues are warm up of the spine. Again repeat for 5 more breaths.
6. Come out of the posture, by placeing your hands on the thighs, come up to a neutral spine, and then slowly, vertebrae by vertebrae bring your back straight and tall. Your chin should be parallel with the floor.
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/info/standing-forward-bend.asp
The lunge (Warrior pose 1)
You have seen many athletes stretching their Quadriceps in this pose. For this pose it helps to have a folded towel or pillow to place under the knees.
1. In mountain pose at the top of your mat, bend your knees and reach down into a forward bend.
2. Kick the left foot back, see if you can reach the other end of the mat. Once you can't go any further lay your knee down on the towel, keeping the toes dug in the ground behind the knee.
3. Your other leg should now be bent like your sitting in a chair, your hips should be sinking to the ground. Place your hands just behind your right knee. Keep your toes pushing into the ground like your trying to kick the ground away from you. In fact, you will eventually.
4. On the inhale, pull your shoulders back, and push your hips forward.
5. On the exhale, bring your stomach back away from your leg, and kick your left leg away from the ground.
6. Do this for five more breaths. You should feel your Quads stretch.
7. On the last exhale bring your right leg back along side the left. From here you should be in cat pose. In cat pose step your left foot in line with your hands. If you need to pull your foot into position with one of your hands.
8. Repeat 1-6 now on this other side.
Tree Pose
The first balancing posture we will be doing is tree pose. This pose builds off mountain pose. It's important to have a good humor and patients with this pose, especially in the beginning.
1. Standing in mountain pose place your right hand on a chair.
2. Pull your left foot up to either, the inner shin, on the inside above the knee, or all the way into the crotch. You may need to grab your ankle and pull the foot into position.
3. Choose an unmoving point in your practice space, and focus your mind and your breath.
4. Let go of the chair and balance for 6 breaths. Inhale and grow tall like a tree feel your right leg 'sink roots' into the ground, exhale and press the left foot into the right leg adding strength to the pose. For an extra challenge bring both arms above the head and press the palms into each other.
5. Do 1-4 with the left side.
6. Come back into Mountain pose.
Standing Side Stretch Pose
The standing side stretch is an isometric exercise, a hip stretch, and a backward bend.
Each pose thus far has been growing in intensity. It's important to not get discouraged and remember that what isn't accomplished today may be accomplished tomorrow.
1. Stand in mountain pose facing to the left or right of the yoga mat, widen your stance so that your legs form a triangle.
2. Spread your arms out, continue to spread your legs until your hands are directly above your feet.
3. Turn your right foot to the front of the mat.
4. Bend at your right knee, trying to bring the knee directly above the right foot. DO NOT LET THE KNEE GO BEYOND YOUR TOES.
5. Put your right fore arm perpendicular and on your right thigh. Make sure that your knee and foot point in the same direction.
6. Bring your left arm above your head, with your palm facing up toward the ceiling. If you should fall, just get right back up and try again.
7. Inhale while pushing your hips down and pushing the knee back with your right arm.
8. Exhale while you push your left palm upward and forward, and making your left leg strong.
9. Do this for 5 more breaths.
10. Repeat 1-9 this time with the left leg bent.
Downward facing dog
This posture contains an inversion, a hamstring stretch, and an isometric strength building in both the legs and arms.
1. From mountain pose, put your hands on your hips, bend your knees and then reach down to the floor with your fingers.
2. Placing the hands on the floor, kick back with your right leg, followed by your right leg until your body is straight, arms out in front, like your about to do a pushup.
3. Bring your knees down on the floor and come into cat pose. Take a breath, Inhale, Exhale.
4. Your ankles should be bent and the balls of the feet and toes on the floor. Push with your legs to bring your butt in the air as high as possible. Your back should be a straight as possible.
5. If your heels do not press down to the ground, that's okay. You can increase the flexibility of your calf muscles by pressing each leg, left, right, left, right.
6. On the inhale push with your arms until your back is straight, let your neck and shoulders relax.
7. On the exhale straighten the legs, pushing the behind in the air.
8. Do this for 5 more breaths. On the exhale of the last breath bend your knees and come back into cat pose.
Cobra
1. From cat pose lay down on your belly.
2. Place your hands just under your shoulders so that the tips of the fingers of your hands are just under the tops of your shoulders. Your arms should be swept back like chicken wings, elbows against your body.
3. On the inhale, lift your head and your shoulders back allowing your chest to peel from the yoga mat. Make sure that you are not using your arms to lift your body.
4. On the exhale, lower your shoulders and head down to the mat. If you feel pressure in your lower back, again make sure your not using your arms to push.
5. Repeat 3-4 five times
6. Again, lift your head and shoulders back, keep this position for 6 breaths.
Child's pose
1. From cobra pose, raise up to cat pose. Spread your knees slightly more then your hips width, and let your body collapse onto your thighs and legs. Keep your arms outstreached aligned with your ears, and push against them.
2. Breath 6 times in this pose. You should feel your hip bones streach in the hip socket.
3. Raise up to cat and then sit with your legs crossed.
Twist
1. Sit with your legs crossed. Your back and neck should be straight; pretend that a string is pulling your head and back up.
2. Place your left hand on your right knee, and your right hand on the floor behind your butt.
3. Breath in, and let the string pull your body up
4. Breath out, and twist a few degrees to your right
5. Repeat 3 and 4 for 6 breaths
6. Repeat 1-5 this time everything reversed left to right. Also, interchange your folded legs as well.
Seated Forward bend
1. Sitting Indian style, push your left leg out in front of you.
2. Glue the bottom of your right foot to your thigh.
3. Breath in, and let your back and neck raise as high as you can.
4. Breath out, and bend forward at your waist, reaching your arms forward.
5. Repeat 3 and 4 six times.
6. Repeat 1-5 this time everything reversed left to right.
Corpse Pose
Often said to be the most important pose, the corpse pose is simply bodily relaxation.
1. Sit with your legs out in front of you, knees bent up.
2. Roll back first with your lower back, then your upper back, then your neck down on the mat.
3. While rolling your back down onto the mat let your hands flop to your side palms up.
4. Let your legs slide down and 'flop' apart naturally.
5. Focus on your breathing in and out for no less then six breaths, letting thoughts come to you. Acknowledge any thoughts or feelings, but don't focus on them. Let them fall away, continue to focus on the breath.
