Yoga as Fitness: You Can Lose Weight Practicing Yoga

I am a Yoga practitioner. I have been for a long time; however, I would never consider giving up weight training and cardio vascular work. Having said that some of my hardest workouts - those that left me sweating and sore (in a good way) were from my Yoga practice. Some do not think that one can be fit from doing Yoga but I know many people who are quite fit and only practice Yoga. Yoga relaxes my mind and body and not only strengthens my muscles but it strengthens my organs. Some types of Yoga stress organs more. I find Kundalini Yoga to be the type of Yoga that stresses what each asana is working inside my body. Since these asanas work our organs do not eat within one hour of your practice.

People are now more and more turning to Yoga to lose weight. I certainly won't lose weight doing a Restorative Yoga class but I certainly would in a Hot Yoga or Power Yoga class. Yoga will help you balance your metabolism. A working metabolism will burn calories. Yoga helps improve circulation and helps you be mindful.

Since I am a Yoga practitioner I am going to give you my favorite five poses for fitness keeping in mind that to me fitness includes flexibility and balance. There is a saying in Yoga: "You are only as young as your spine is flexible." Bob Harper

You are going to start out with a good mat and comfortable clothes. Your mat doesn't have to be expensive but it should be what is called a sticky mat. The sticky mat will help you maintain poses.

The classic balance post is the Tree Pose. There are many others but that is usually the first in a series. You will stand with both feet on the floor and your arms at your sides. Make sure you are in the correct alignment. My poses assume you have some knowledge of Yoga or plan to watch a DVD in the near future if you are not going to a class. I want you to think about your feet rooting into the ground. Pick a focal point a few feet ahead of you. You will be more able to get in this pose and stay here if your eyes are not moving around. This may take a lot of practice. After years and years I still wobble! Inhale and you then move one of your legs into one of three positions. The easiest is to put your heel against the ankle of the other leg. The second pose is to pull up your heel so it is just below (never on) your knee and the most difficult is putting your heel up to the inside of your thigh. You can bend the supporting leg a bit and push into that leg to steady yourself. At this point you want to take your hands and put them in prayer position with your thumbs against your heart. If you are steady raise your arms overhead staying in the prayer position. Stay her for as long as you can. It might be 1 second; it might be 1 minute. Switch sides.

Pigeon Pose is wonderful. It is a super hip opener which is an area where many of us are tight. Like many poses there are variations and modifications but there is only one way to start the pose. Start on all fours or you might be in downward facing dog and go right into this posture. Let's say that you are in the latter since this is a comment next pose. Move your right leg forward and as you do your right knee will be bending and the outside of your right shin will rest on the floor. If this is uncomfortable use a block. It can be made of foam or wood. I like foam blocks. You can buy one for about $10.00. You can find them right now at amazon for under $9.00. Your left leg is now back with the front of your thigh on the floor. The right side of your butt needs to go toward the floor. You can use a blanket if you need support. You will now do several things. You can do Proud Pigeon which means your hands will be resting on your thighs and your back will be straight and proud. You may fall over!

You may want to skip Proud Pigeon and slide your arms along the floor so they are in front of you and lower your head on the mat. Again you can use a block to rest your forehead on. Switch sides.

The Warrior Pose is powerful and a terrific way to strengthen your legs. There is one thing to remember. I didn't really learn Yoga correctly until I went to a studio. You want to tighten your upper thighs actually bringing them into your body and in this posture tighten your back leg. You will be on your mat with your legs spread more than shoulder width apart. Your right foot will be pointing forward and your left foot will be pointing to the side. You will bend your right leg making sure your knee is not farther out then your foot. Your arms are out to the side with our palms down. Keeping your hips forward (This is where you can really tighten your back leg and the bend leg) and your chest forward look toward the left arm. Hold and switch sides. You can see a video and each step of this pose here.

You will not go through a Yoga class without doing Child's Pose. This is a stretching and relaxing posture. It is also a pose that you may get into if the class is doing something you can't or don't want to do. You will have your shins on the floor with your knees bent - sitting on your legs. You can spread your knees a bit so your chest can get in that spot. That is a little easier than resting your chest on your knees. You may want to use a block unless you head easily touches the floor. I learned that my arms should be backwards toward my feet but it is perfectly alright especially if you are stretching to put your arms forward in front of your head.

You will do at least one inversion. That means that in some way shape or form your head is bent! Shoulder stands and head stands are advanced inversions. I like doing the Bridge Pose. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your heels as close to your butt as possible. Press your feet into the floor and lift your tailbone off the floor. Lift as high as you can moving little by little your shoulders so they are under your back if possible. Your chest will be lifted; your head back. If you cannot get your back up very high you can put a block under it. If you can then clasp your hands under your back. Breathe and slowly place your vertebrae on the floor one vertebrae at a time. After you do an inversion you will always do an opposite pose like the child pose. You can see this done here.

Namaste