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A Little Sanskrit Lesson: Counting

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 02:30:00 PDT

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 yoga. Here are the numbers 1-10 written out, and what kind of breath you do for each one.

1: ekam (yekum) - Inhale
2: dve (dway) - Exhale
3: trini (treeny) - Inhale
4: catvari (chatwary) - Exhale
5: panca (pancha) - Inhale
6: sat (sut) - Exhale
7: sapta (supta) - Inhale
8: astau (ashtow) - Exhale
9: nava (nawa) - Inhale
10: dasa (dasha) - Exhale

Here is Pattabhi Jois (the father of Ashtanga Yoga) teaching Second Series with 6 students following. You can here him count in Sanskrit to get in and out of poses, but he counts the 5 breaths in English during the pose. Check it out.

Fit's Tips: Second Series is very challenging, and traditionally taught after mastering Primary Series, so don't be turned off by these difficult poses. If you've never tried an Ashtanga yoga class, take Primary Series first. You'll start off slow and build your way up when your body is ready.

Ashtanga Yoga: Why Avoid Drinking Water?

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 09:30:00 PDT

If you've ever walked into an Ashtanga Yoga class, I'm sure you've noticed that it's warm in the room, but not even close to as hot as Bikram. The warmth helps your muscles to loosen up slightly, but the quick-paced and strength building vinyasas between poses is what really heats up your body. Think of it as creating an inner fire that heats your body from the inside out, which helps you loosen up tight muscles. It also makes you sweat a lot, which helps in detoxification.

Drinking water during the practice prevents that heat and puts that internal fire out. Not only that, but if you stop every 10 minutes to take a sip of water, you interrupt your breathing and the flow of the sequence, which in turn will disrupt the moving meditation you've got going on.

It is very important to drink 10-12 glasses of water throughout the day so that you are well hydrated by the time you arrive at class. If you've been drinking all day, you shouldn't need to drink during class, however, if you are feeling nauseous, overheated, or dizzy - definitely listen to your body and drink water if necessary.

Fit's Tips: Depending on the class you go to, some Ashtanga Yoga instructors are very strict about this, which I personally don't agree with. As an instructor myself, I trust that my students are better able to make decisions about their own bodies. If an instructor you take class from makes you feel uncomfortable about your need for water (or anything else for that matter), talk to them after class about it. I'm sure they'd want to know how you feel.

Source

Move it at Home: David Swenson's Ashtanga Yoga: First Series

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:00:00 PST

David Swenson is an incredibly well-known yoga instructor and practitioner. He began practicing when he was 13 and was introduced to Ashtanga at 19 by David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff (also very well known). Plus he studied with K. Pattabhi Jois, the master of Ashtanga.

His DVD, Ashtanga Yoga: First Series, available through Amazon for $24.95, is wonderful whether you are first learning or have been practicing for years.

There's a 30 minute intro explaining the foundations of the practice. Immediately following is the complete fully guided First Series, in the traditional flowing rhythm essential to Ashtanga Yoga. Ending with a guided deep relaxation, the series is about 1 1/2 hours long.

David's delivery of the basic principles is clear and down-to-earth. It's easy to follow along, and I love that he offers modifications so all levels of yogis will be able to follow along.

I definitely recommend this video if you want to learn First Series, or if you've already fallen in love with it. It's challenging both physically and mentally, yet very rewarding.

Class Act: Ashtanga Yoga's Primary Series

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 03:00:00 PST

When you go to an Ashtanga Yoga class for the first time, you'll probably be learning Primary Series. In Sanskrit it is known as "Yoga Chikitsa" which means Yoga Therapy. Its purpose is to re-align the spine, detoxify the body, build strength, and increase flexibility.

The room is about 80°F, so your muscles can easily warm up. The instructor talks you though each pose and counts the breaths, so everyone is moving together in unison. (It's pretty amazing to see and experience.) The class is the same every time and anywhere. So if you love Primary Series, you can even find a class when you're travelling.

The basic sequence is as follows:

5 Sun Salutation A
5 Sun Salutation B
Standing Postures
Seated Postures
Closing Sequence (inversions and backbends)
Savasana (10 minute relaxation)

Want to know what makes it different from other kinds of Yoga? Then

read more The poses are linked together with vinyasas, or mini-Sun Salutations. Your breath (called ujayi) is loud and throaty, kind of like Darth Vader. Each inhale and exhale is linked to a movement, so Primary Series is a moving meditation, kind of like a dance. Primary Series is excellent for runners, bikers, skiers, and riders because it involves a ton of forward bends to help loosen up your tight hips, hamstrings and the lower back. You warm up your muscles, really work them, and sweat a river. It's really difficult physically, so at the end of the 1 1/2 hour class, when you're lying in Savasana, you feel like you have taken quite a journey. Fit's Tips: So you don't feel overwhelmed, it's a good idea to check out the poses ahead of time. Many studios encourage you to watch a class first. Or you can check out these helpful guides to learn the poses, and find out more about Ashtanga Yoga in general.

Ashtanga for Type A Personalities

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:00:00 PST

If you are a Type A person, someone who can't sit still, or if you are slightly (or completely) ADD, you've got to try Ashtanga Yoga. It's fast paced and follows the same sequence every class, no joke, so you always know what's coming next.

The room is heated (not as brutally hot as Bikram), so your body feels more open and motivated to move. The mats are set up in neat little rows, kind of like your first grade class. The instructor walks around, talks you through each pose, counts the breaths, and assists. Everyone is pretty much moving and breathing at the same time. The energy of the group is really motivating, which is why I prefer going to class instead of practicing on my cold floor solo style.

Fit's tip: Since the instructor isn't demonstrating, you'll have to play "Simon Says" and follow your expert neighbor. Or look for a Beginner class at your local studio or gym. After you've taken a few Ashtanga classes, you'll have it down (dog?)

Alec Baldwin Talks His Words With Friends Dustup and Politics in the Press Room

Lindsay Miller — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:48:15 PST

Alec Baldwin made an appearance backstage in the press room at tonight's SAG Awards just after snagging the honor for outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series. True to form, the 30 Rock star wasn't shy about discussing his current political views, and he also made light of his recent in-flight Words With Friends flap. Here are the highlights:

On his opinion of the 2012 primary: "The thing about the campaign that concerns me most is, how is Gingrich going to be able to retract all the things he's said about Romney once he becomes a nominee?"

On why he feels more comfortable sharing political views today vs. when he started out: "What's changed is that, and thankfully what's evolved over time is, there are better forums to give that opinion ... when [I] started, quite frankly, entertainment journalism and these entertainment talk shows were fairly new, and they weren't omnipresent ... and during the time that they've grown, people have had to learn the lesson that that's not the best place to -that you should keep it light. CNN, The Huffington Post, are good places to air those views."

On whether he still is ever afraid to voice his opinions: "I'm still scared to speak out. I want season seven [of 30 Rock] really badly. I want us to come back for another season. When you do speak out, it does cost you. The ones that are the most successful film stars today and have the most potent careers are the ones you know virtually nothing about ... they're very smart to do that."

On whether he's still playing his favorite game: "I am still playing Words With Friends ... but now on Virgin Atlantic."

9 Popular Tax Breaks You Can No Longer Count on in 2012

Kiplinger — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

You’ll face a higher tax bill next spring if Congress doesn’t act to revive a series of tax breaks that expired Dec. 31, 2011. Among the breaks that Congress didn’t extend in all the Sturm und Drang over the payroll tax holiday are:

Alternative minimum tax patch

The AMT is a parallel tax system created more than 40 years ago to prevent excessive use of tax breaks by the very wealthy, ensuring they pay at least some tax. Taxpayers whose income exceeds the AMT exemption – in 2011, $48,450 for individuals and $74,450 for married couples filing jointly - must calculate both regular tax and AMT liability and pay the larger of the two amounts. But exemption levels have, at least tentatively, dropped to $33,750 for individuals and $45,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2012, which will expose 31 million taxpayers to the higher AMT this year, according to Tax Policy Center estimates.

Higher mass transportation benefit

This one's of particular interest to strap-hangers, van-riders, and other users of public transit. A 2009 federal stimulus provision raised the maximum an employee could receive for transit, tax-free, from $120 to $230. That matched the tax-free limit for parking. With the expiration of this break, the maximum for 2012 dropped to $125. Employees who’ve asked to have an amount higher than that withheld from their paycheck to cover their total commuting costs will see their net pay come down, as the difference is now taxed.

Read on for more.

Experts Say This Is the Most Effective At-Home Workout

Self — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:17:01 PST

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Between infomercial-style ads for Pajama Pants and Ab Rollers, perhaps you've seen advertisements for P90X DVDs. Or maybe you have a friend who suddenly looked a bit more taut and toned, who casually referenced the muscle confusion-based fitness craze.

The point is P90X is undeniably a major exercise movement. But does it work? A recent study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) says yes. And here's why.

First, it's obvious why ACE bothered to do this study. The organization loves to investigate the latest greatest fitness trends and, according to them, over three million copies of P90X were sold as of November 2010. And that was a year ago. Who even knows where that number is at now?

Everyone from famously buff Sheryl Crow to Bruce Springsteen has trained with creator Tony Horton, which lends him credibility upfront (especially if you're a Bruce fan from Jersey!). The concept behind this type of "muscle confusion" is that the body burns more fat and builds more muscle if you mix up your exercises so regularly that it never gets comfortable with any single one. For one thing, you're dodging that dreaded plateau.

"The basis of muscle confusion is to keep the body from becoming too efficient at performing individual and sets of exercises," explains Alice Burron, MS (Exercise Physiology), American Council on Exercise National Spokesperson and ACE Personal Trainer. "This type of inefficiency burns more calories because the muscles haven't yet adapted to the new workload. Overall more calories are burned, and as a percentage, then, more calories are burned from fat. That is, if a proper caloric intake is maintained in tandem with the workout."

Find out just why P90X is so effective after the break.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before My First Ashtanga Class

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:42:55 PDT

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 Touched by Strangers
Adjustments are pretty common in the ashtanga world, so expect to be touched - a lot. Instructors (or the assistants in class) use adjustments to correct your alignment or to help you get deeper into a posture. The touch-feely aspect of ashtanga can either make you say "yay," or "yikes." If you're not into being touched, politely ask not to be assisted. If you are OK with it and an assist hurts you, make sure you speak up.

Keep reading to hear four other things you'll want to know before your first ashtanga class.

Spirit Junkie: 5 Romantic Reminders From Gabrielle Bernstein

Lizzie Fuhr — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:45:24 PDT

If you haven't heard of the Spirit Junkie Gabrielle Bernstein yet, get used to hearing this girl's name a lot more. Dubbed the new Carrie Bradshaw for go-getting thirtysomethings, Gabrielle is a best-selling author, life coach, and all-around inspirational chick.

After becoming disenchanted by a world where she looked outward for all her happiness, Gabrielle made the shift to turn in and get honest. She set out on a quest for something else, something greater. She shares her personal journey of self-discovery and, as she calls it, "the keys to the kingdom" in her newest book, a September must read, Spirit Junkie: A Radical Road to Self-Love and Miracles, out today!

Gabrielle and I chatted about her journey, her new book, and her advice for women looking for a meaningful life, full of love. Here are five tips I learned about romantic relationships from Gabrielle Bernstein, the Spirit Junkie:

If you want to be treated well by others, start being kind to yourself.
"Believing in our self-worth is a full-time job. If we want to feel supported and loved by others, we've got to make sure we're supporting and loving ourselves. If we want to feel inspired by others, we've got to be inspiring ourselves. When we're working on loving ourselves more on a daily basis, then we can really get into relationships where that self-worth is being reflected back to us. You treat yourself a certain way first. Becoming hyper-conscious and looking at the ways in which you've been honoring yourself, versus the way you've been really disrespecting yourself, is a great way to start to pay attention to how you're contributing to your potential, or your lack, for self-worth."
Don't seek your romantic happiness from one source.
"Some of the best relationship advice I've ever been given is to not put all the pressure on one individual. For me, I recognized that there are romantic sparks in all my relationships and all my life experiences. There are romantic sparks in my friendships with women. There are romantic sparks in my inspiration from my career. There are tremendous sparks in my family relationships. That can really even the playing field so I'm not putting all that pressure on my romantic partner to be my primary source of happiness."
All relationships are opportunities to grow. Breakups included.
"When we're in relationships that bring up a lot of our stuff, whether it's a romantic relationship, a business relationship, or a friendship, it's always a tremendous opportunity to look inward and ask, 'What is it I need to work on that's going to heal more so I can learn more and love more and heal in a more fluid way?' Particularly in romantic relationships, the first thing we want to do is say, 'This guy screwed me.' Then, we can move on and protect ourselves. But there's huge opportunity in those situations! Rather than using fear as the acronym for F*ck Everything And Run, ask, 'What do I have to learn here? What's my part in the situation? How can I grow? Can I learn more how can I love more from this experience?'"

Looking for real love? Read two more tips from the Spirit Junkie.