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Vinyasa: The Link Between Poses

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Yoga is all about connecting your breath with your body, and vinyasas help that happen. Vinyasas link static yoga poses together, so your practice becomes more of a deliberate, fluid dance instead of just a bunch of random poses thrown together. Vinyasa is a series of 5 movements, kind of like a shortened Sun Salutation. You do a vinyasa between different poses and between the right and left sides of poses as well. Vinyasas are like the glue that holds yoga poses together.

Check out this video to see the flow of the 5 movements.

How did it get its name? To find out,

read more "Vinyasa" is a Sanskrit word that literally means "uniting breath with movement." Each of the 5 movements in a vinyasa is synchronized to an inhale or exhale, and those movements help to make the connection between your breath and your body even deeper. This helps to make yoga more of a moving meditation, by increasing your awareness and ability to focus. Vinyasas also make yoga more challenging, because those 5 movements really work your upper body and core. Vinyasas also enable you to maintain heat, which opens your muscles and allows you to get deeper into poses. Doing a vinyasa between each pose brings the body back to a neutral pose, so you're like a clean slate - ready for the next pose. Here's a simple description of a vinyasa and how the breath is connected to each of the 5 movements:

Inhale - LIFT your feet and hips off the ground.
Exhale - 4-Limbed Staff (Chaturanga) pose.
Inhale - Upward Facing Dog.
Exhale - Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale - Jump your feet through your legs and get ready for the next pose.

Now here's a more descriptive explanation:

Inhale - From a seated position (whichever pose you are doing), plant your palms firmly next to your hips and bend your knees up to your chest. Cross your right leg in front of your left just below the knees (not at the ankles), engage your abdominal muscles and LIFT your feet and hips off the ground.
Exhale - If you can, keep the lift and don't even let your feet touch the ground as you kick them back to Chaturanga. Since that's really tough, try at least to do the LIFT for a moment, then touch your feet to the ground and kick back to Chaturanga.
Inhale - Scoop your chest forward between your arms and come into Upward Facing Dog.
Exhale - Press into your hands and lift your hips up to the ceiling coming into Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale - Look between your hands, bend your knees, jump off the balls of your feet and come into a seated position, ready for the next pose. If you can, you want to try and jump your feet through your hands and land softly on your bum. If that's not happening, take 2 jumps instead of 1. Jump your feet to your hands, then jump your legs in front of you and land on your bum.

You'll do this vinyasa in Ashtanga yoga classes and in other yoga classes too, such as Jivamukti. There's even a style of yoga called "Vinyasa" (also called "Flow"), that involves doing vinyasas between poses, and that's how it got its name. Check out this video of a guy doing the LIFT back to Chaturanga without even touching the ground. Those are some serious core muscles!

A New Exercise Movement: NIA

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Sick and tired of the same old treadmill routine?

NIA (pronounced NEE-ah) stands for neuromuscular integrative action, and it's one of the many ways you can breathe life into your stale workout routine. NIA is an interesting blend of the fluidity of Tai Chi, the flexibility of yoga, the randomness of modern dance and the energy of martial arts. NIA is done barefoot to music and delivers cardiovascular and whole-body conditioning. It starts off slow and explodes with energy over the course of the class which is typically an hour. Want to know one of my favorite things about NIA? It supports the Pleasure Principle of if it feels good, keep doing it, if it hurts, stop! The class is gently lead by an instructor, so if you don't do well with having an instructor barking orders at you, NIA may be a perfect fit. Think of it like this: If boot camp is like your older brother that went to military school, then NIA is much more like your somewhat peppy hippie sister who wore flowers in her hair and protested the war.

To find a teacher near you and to try it out, check out NiaNow.com. If you try it, be sure to let me know what you think!

Applied Kinesiology: It's All About Your Muscles

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:45:00 PDT

The other day my friend said "My chiropractor used applied kinesiology to discover that I had too much mercury in my body. They did some tests on my muscles to find out." Huh? This was news to me and I was intrigued, so I went home and hopped on the beloved internet to find out more about it.

Applied Kinesiology is a newcomer to the field of healing, but its roots can be traced back through centuries of ancient Chinese medicine. It involves studying a person's movements as a way to examine how his or her body is functioning (or not functioning).

Using muscle testing, they assess your posture, your gait (the pattern of how a person walks), and test your body's range of motion. If they find a muscle that is unbalanced, they'll work to figure out why it's not functioning properly.

This information is analyzed along with standard methods of diagnosis such as your clinical history and laboratory tests. The hope is that by studying the WHOLE person, the doctor can then determine the best form of treatment for you.

Treatments include joint manipulation or mobilization, various myofascial therapies (this involves gentle sustained pressure to injured or inflamed muscle tissues), cranial techniques, meridian therapy (like acupuncture and reflexology), evaluation of environmental factors, and nutrition.

This is definitely considered an alternative approach to healing. Only people trained in applied kinesiology are allowed to perform it. Many chiropractors, naturopaths, medical doctors, dentists, nutritionists, physical therapists, massage therapists, and nurse practitioners are becoming trained to complement their current practices, so if you are interested in having a session, ask around to find out who is the most qualified.

I'd like to think that since your muscles are part of your body, there has got to be some truth to studying them in order to encourage healing. Of course, many people think applied kinesiology is just a bunch of pseudoscience garbage, but it's worth a shot, right?

Love Your Laptop: 8 Tips For Keeping it Healthy and Happy

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:23:02 PST

Valentine's Day doesn't just have to be about giving affection to your significant other. It can be about showing your appreciation for the people and things that make your life awesome. Take your laptop, for example. Your window to the vast Internet, your laptop works really hard for you without asking much in return. Give your laptop a little TLC this Valentine's Day with these tips that will keep it happy and healthy all year long.

Clean it up - Giving your laptop (or desktop) a thorough cleaning is essential to extending its life. Back up any data you may already have stored (on an external hard drive or a portable flash drive), organize your desktop icons, empty your computer's trash on a regular basis, and clear out any programs you don't use. This will help free up space and keep you on the fast track to productivity.
Practice proper shutdown habits - Shutting down all open programs and putting your laptop to sleep instead of just closing the lid will help your computer stay cool and safe while in transport. But if you've had your laptop in a cold environment, let it warm up to room temps slowly before turning it on. This will keep condensation and dew at bay, which can ruin your computer's sensitive guts.
Protect your investment - If you're going to be lugging a laptop around, make sure it's protected in a padded case!

See the rest of my tips after the jump.

6 Ways To Be Your Own Best Valentine

YourTango — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:00:17 PST

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

Once again, February 14th is right around the corner. And this year, for whatever reason, you don't have a Valentine to call your own. You may be single or separated, divorced or widowed. Unfortunately, so many of us who find ourselves in this situation fall into feelings of deep inadequacy and despair. We tell ourselves: "I'm not good enough; something's wrong with me; I'll never find someone." The reasons why we're "alone" don't matter. What matters is learning how to address these feelings so that you embrace Valentine's Day 2012, feeling the fullness of love rather than the black hole of emptiness and lack.

Here are six proven ways for you to be your own best Valentine this year:

Avoid the black hole! You may be tempted to judge or blame yourself because you are alone. Don't do it! Say to yourself, as often as necessary, what your deepest wisdom knows to be true: "I am lovable and connected to everyone, forever." You don't have to believe it for this to work! Cherish the daily miracles that might easily be missed - the smile of a stranger, the movement of a child, a lovely connection with a service person.
Buy yourself the most beautiful Valentine's Day Card several days before the "big day." Then spend some time writing a heartfelt note to yourself and literally mail it to your own address. When the card arrives in your mailbox, enjoy opening it and reading it on Valentine's Day. Inhale your message, feeling its beauty in your heart. Then let that radiate to your whole body.

Get the other ideas when you finish reading the rest of the story on YourTango: 6 Ways To Be Your Own Best Valentine

Written by Dr. Lynda Klau for YourTango.

Lela Rose Fall 2012

Hannah Weil — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:41:29 PST

Color-emboldened graphic prints and architectural evening dresses dotted Lela Rose's ladylike Fall collection. Drawing inspiration from Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the looks ranged from daytime dressing in graphic plaid to evening wear with more obvious nods to the movement of Calatrava's work. The first half of the collection unfolded with a '60-inspired palette; rust, gray, and amber hues washed over knits and printed skirts until the line gave way to prettier fare. Rose finished with a finale of sequin embellishment, sculpted details, femme fit-and-flare dresses, and full-length gowns. Read on for the highlights, then click through to see the whole collection.

Trends: Ladylike silhouettes, architectural details, graphic prints.
Colors: Gray, rust, amber, white, black, and silver.
Key Piece: The sheer and embellished evening looks; the creamy white collared sheath.
Accessories: Ankle-strap heels and socks.
Who Would Wear It: Polished ladylike types.

A Whole Lotta Lil in This Week's Links

Rebecca M Gruber — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:26:33 PST

Need valentines for school? Don't miss these great finds - most of which can be printed right from your own computer!
Do you breastfeed in public? These celeb moms do!
Create a fun Valentine's Day hairstyle for your tot!
Building your maternity wardrobe? We'll show you where to splurge and where to save!
We spoke with the founder of NurturMe baby food about foods for kids.
Are you a French maman? A new parenting movement is causing quite a stir!
We created our own free, downloadable valentine for the lil boy in your life!
Celebrate your newly potty-trained lil one with a potty training party!
Got milk? We've found 9 surprising ways to increase your milk supply.
One dad shared his fun way of documenting his baby news with family and friends.

What Your Music Says About Your Personality

TresSugar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 PST

This Sunday is the Grammy Awards, and while some may think music is just entertainment, it may say more about who you are than you think. One glimpse at the top-25 tracks in your iTunes can tell a lot about you. Introversion and extroversion are perhaps the two characteristics that most affect what music people tune into. Though both temperaments will roll - or rock - with their moods and activities, extroverts are more likely to reach for upbeat music that's heavy on vocals while introverts gravitate toward slower tunes with complex movements.

One surprise is that there's no connection between the abrasive lyrics common in rap and heavy metal and aggressive or sexual behavior. Listeners of heavy metal, particularly, have shown to be sensitive and gentle souls. In fact, they have a lot in common with classical music lovers. They're both creative, easy-going, and introverted.

Whether you listen to pop and rap or indie and classical, see what it says about you.

Source: Flickr User -Alina-

From the Fit Community: Leave Your Phone at Home When You Work Out

Fit Community — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:25:08 PST

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wants you to know: you're hurting your workout when you bring your cell phone into the equation. She shared her three reasons you should stay cell phone-free at the gym in our 10 Pounds Down! community group.

1. It’s hurting your workout (and could cause you to get hurt)

If you can text or talk on the phone during any part of your workout, you aren’t working hard enough. Exercise requires a mind/body connection (yes, even the time you spend on the treadmill) and your cell phone seriously disrupts the communication signals between your mind and your body.

Even if you think you are the most talented texter, or multitasker to ever walk the earth, don’t kid yourself - many studies have shown cell phone distraction as even worse than being drunk – so if you wouldn’t run that mile, take that spin class or do Pilates totally wasted, then your phone shouldn’t be out during your workout. Not paying attention during exercise is dangerous and can cause you to hurt yourself - in a big way. Not to mention, it slows you down! Even if you stop to text in between exercises, you are slowing down your flow - and your heart rate. Not a good way to get results.

Read more reasons for keeping your cell phone at home after the break.

Nikon D800 Flaunts the Future of Digital Video

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:31:11 PST

Vintage photographs may be the trend right now, but when it comes to video we want cutting-edge high definition. Announced this week, the Nikon D800 HD-SLR video camera has the professional-grade imaging capabilities of a camera twice its price.

Available in late March for $3,000, the D800 is still an investment piece, but for working photographers and videographers, it makes sure to pack impressive technical specifications within one device. A jaw-dropping 36.3MP CMOS sensor resolution puts the single digit megapixel cameras of the past to shame, and an ISO range of 100–6400 and HD 1080p video capture still images and video in nearly every condition.

Nikon partnered with filmmaker Sandro Miller to create Joy Ride, a five-minute short filmed entirely on the D800. We think the quality is stunning, emphasizing its work in low-light resolution and fast movements, though it's not for the squeamish as it does include a scene of childbirth. Watch what the D800 is capable of after the break.