Healthy happy you.
Yoga
1 A Little Sanskrit Lesson: Animal Names
Ashtanga
2 A Little Sanskrit Lesson: Counting
Yoga
3 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before My First Ashtanga Class
Yoga
4 Yoga: What's With the Om?
Yoga
5 Choose a Yoga Class That Fits Your Personality
Yoga
6 Move it at Home: David Swenson's Ashtanga Yoga: First Series
Yoga
7 Kinds of Yoga
Ashtanga
8 A Little Sanskrit Lesson: Basics
Yoga
9 Class Act: Vinyasa, Power, Mixed. What's it All Mean?
Yoga
10 Move it at Home: David Swenson's Ashtanga Yoga - Second and Third Series
Yoga
11 Ashtanga for Type A Personalities
Yoga
12 Media Frenzy: Ashtanga
Yoga
13 What to Expect From an Ashtanga Yoga Class
Yoga
14 Darth Vader and Yoga: A Connection Through Breath
Yoga
15 Class Act: Mysore
Guess Who
16 Guess Who?
Ashtanga
17 Move it at Home: Beryl Bender Birch Power Yoga - The Practice
Yoga
18 Are You Slipping on Your Mat? Try a Rug
Ashtanga is one of my favorite forms of yoga because it's fast-paced, fluid, and each class follows the same sequence, so you always know what to expect once you have a few classes under your capris. It's also really intense, and some aspects of it can be a real turn-off to people. Before you head to your first ashtanga class, here are some things you'll be glad you know. 1. You'll Probably Be Read more
If you're a runner, cyclist, skier, rider, climber, swimmer, or have a Type A, high-energy, can't-sit-still kind of personality, sign yourself up for Ashtanga yoga. This type of yoga is challenging, quick-paced, and just the thing to open your tight hamstrings, hips, and shoulders. Before heading to your first class, here are some things you should know. It's Hot I'm not talking Bikram-yoga hot, Read more
When I tell people I teach yoga, I hear things like, "I always wanted to take yoga but it's way too hot," or, "I could never do yoga because it's way too slow." The thing is, there are so many different types of yoga that whatever your personality, one style will be right for you. If you've always wanted to try a yoga class, check out the chart below to see which kind of class you should Read more
This majestic and stable looking pose is a great way to open your shoulders, work the muscles in your feet and lower legs, and also challenges your sense of balance. Sanskrit Name: Pasasana English Translation: Noose Pose Also Called: Twisting Bound Squat This is a tough pose so to learn an easier modification read more Read more
Yoga is all about connecting your breath with your movements. It's called ujjayi pranayama (pronounced oo-jai pra-na-ya-ma). Some instructors call it "ocean breath," "victorious breath," or "Darth Vader breath." It is said that Yogis performing this breath alone can create enough heat to melt snow around them. If you walk into an Ashtanga yoga class, you will be overwhelmed with an amazing and Read more
The thing I love about Ashtanga yoga classes is that they are the same every time you go. Same poses, same order, same amount of breaths in each pose, and the class is always an hour and a half. There are no surprises, so you always know what to expect. The teacher keeps everyone at the same pace by counting out loud. Many Ashtanga yoga instructors count in Sanskrit, the original language of Read more
Saying that Ashtanga, Bikram, and Vinyasa yoga classes are sweaty is a bit of an understatement. The room is heated (in Bikram can be over 100°F), and you're moving vigorously, so your body sweats profusely to cool you down. In the first 15 minutes, my entire outfit is soaking wet and little beads of sweat start dripping from my chin. The worst part is that my palms get really sweaty Read more
When you take a yoga class (especially Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Jivamukti classes), sometimes the instructor will call out the names of the poses in their original language, Sanskrit. Here's a list of some animals in Sanskrit and the poses they're named after. Knowing these Sanskrit words really helped me to remember the names of certain yoga poses. Baka - crow, crane or wading bird, as in Read more
Sometimes you have to stick with a winner, and even though Beryl Bender BIrch's Power Yoga: The Practice DVD came out in 2002, it illustrates Ashtanga Yoga's Primary Series beautifully. Since this series of poses never changes, this DVD is timeless. It illustrates the poses of Primary Series just like David Swenson's Primary Series DVD, but what I love about this video is that the instructor Read more
When I go to certain yoga classes (especially Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Jivamukti classes), sometimes the instructors don't demonstrate the postures. They walk around assisting students, and call out the names of the poses - in SANSKRIT! Here's a little lesson so the next time you go to a yoga class like this, you can have more of an idea of what poses you're supposed to be doing. Asana - "pose," Read more
