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Yoga Lays the Foundation for Other Types of Fitness

By Guest Author on Thursday, June 24th, 2010 | No Comments

If you’ve never done yoga, you may have some preconceived notions about people who endorse the practice.  You may feel that it requires some sort of spiritual enlightenment or the flexibility of a contortionist to perform.  You might think that you have to be “new age” or a “hippie” to engage in yoga, or that it is a stand-alone exercise that has nothing to do with “real” workouts.  In fact, none of these things are true.  Yoga is for anyone and everyone, at all levels of fitness.  It is an extremely malleable form of exercise that can be tailored to the individual’s needs and abilities, and as such, it is also an excellent supplement to other types of physical training.  Yoga, in its many forms, can help you prepare for, or allow you to advance in, all other forms of exercise.

To begin with, yoga strengthens your body.  Whether you’re working a flow or holding a static pose, your muscles are responding to your demands and becoming stronger through both dynamic movement and isometrics.  The nice thing about yoga is that it requires no weights, instead using the weight of your own body to help you become stronger.  Additionally, most of the exercises promote a strengthening of the core muscles (back and abs) that will help to improve toning, posture, and balance, making it easier to increase strength in other areas.

It’s also great for improving flexibility and range of motion.  When we enter this world, our bodies seem almost infinitely flexible.  Babies and small children can bend and flex in ways that adults marvel at.  Well, the only reason you can’t do it anymore is that you’re out of practice!  Since we don’t all spend our lives training like gymnasts or ballerinas, we lose the flexibility that we’re born with (standing and sitting at work all day don’t help in this arena).  But yoga can facilitate gaining back what you’ve lost, through targeted stretching that not only elongates tight muscles, but also opens your body to enhance range of motion.  This can spell benefits for any other type of exercise routine, such as running, swimming, martial arts, or even weight-training.  Have you ever had to skip a day of exercise because muscles were too sore and tight, or felt a pinch in your shoulder blade after some heavy lifting?  Yoga can help to reduce and, over time, eliminate these aches and pains through the release of muscle tension and the creation of space in areas that we tend to compress or tense up (shoulders, ribcage, hip flexors, etc.).

Finally, there are certain types of yoga that provide an excellent cardio exercise.  If you are interested in losing weight or improving lung function and heart health, but think that slow motions and static poses are all wrong for you, then you are sadly mistaken.  Once you get the basic movements and poses down, you can begin to move more quickly through a flowing series that will allow you to enjoy the benefits listed above, all the while increasing your heart rate and breathing, just like aerobic exercise.

In short, yoga is a great all-around exercise that can supplement any other workout routine or provide a foundation to begin conditioning.  And in addition to all of the physical benefits, it also allows you to link your breath to movement, which provides for a mind-body experience that will leave you feeling relaxed and focused, something that anyone interested in health is sure to appreciate.

Martin Longreen is a fitness buff and writer for the popular self defense website Hertao.

Interior Decorating: What is Your Focal Point?

By Alison Wood on Saturday, June 19th, 2010 | No Comments

This is not a lesson on concentration. A focal point is the place where the eye naturally gravitates within a room. When decorating, it is important to choose a focal point for your room before you start thinking about anything else.

Popular Focal Points

The first thought for a focal point is an architectural structure. It could be a fireplace or a built-in bookcase. In the case of the family room, you might consider a fireplace/television alcove combination.

When determining the focal point of any room, you’ll want to start big. When entering a room, people’s eyes begin high and steadily move downward. The largest thing in your room may be the fireplace. In that case, use it as the focus of your room.

Focal points can also be created. In homes with rooms that have no distinguishing architectural features, you can choose what you want as the focal point. Add a bookshelf, a large piece of artwork or a big screen television.

When all of the walls look alike, use paint to distinguish your focal point. Paint one wall in a similar, but lighter shade than the other three. That single wall becomes the focal point for your room.

Always use something big. Small items in the room can be engulfed by other features and not be seen as a focus for anything, if they even catch the eye of your visitor at all.

Enhancing Your Focal Point

Why is it important? Having one outstanding feature in each room, makes that room interesting. It gives the room character so to speak. It also gives you a place to begin when deciding how to adorn the rest of the room. For instance, the furniture can be gathered around the focal point.

For some, it is not the center of the room but it is a main feature. Leave room in front of the fireplace or the bookshelf for admiring by visitors and friends. The furniture can then be centered in front of the television on a shorter wall.

Use accents to spruce up your focal point. Family pictures can be hung on the wall around the fireplace (using this as an example). Flowers, antiques and other items that are precious to you add to the eye-catching nature of this element in your room. Resist the urge to junk it up. Less is always more especially when it comes to accessorizing around the rooms of your home.

Having a focal point in a room makes the room easier to decorate and even more lovable. You can work everything else in the room around that one feature. Make your visitors’ attention immediately go to the focal point in the center or simply dress your focal point up to make it stand out. If you don’t have a natural focal point, use furniture such as bookshelves, television stands, etc. to create a focus for the room.

The 5 Elements of Feng Shui

By Alison Wood on Friday, June 11th, 2010 | No Comments

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese philosophy for creating positive energy in any space. The system is dominated by eight areas of each space and five elements. Here, you will learn about the five elements that define feng shui and give rise to the colors and organization of your space to create an atmosphere of prosperity and health.

The Five Elements

There are five main elements in feng shui theory. They are wood, fire, water, earth and metal. Each element plays a crucial role within the space that you occupy, whether it is your home or your office. After you have used a compass and your home’s floor plan to create the bagua (energy map) the next step is to look at the elements that control each of the eight areas.

Each element has a particular life area that it influences. Knowing what areas those are helps with creating the design of your home and the use of furniture and accents that demonstrate that specific element.

Fire – As you can imagine, anything that has to do with fire inspires a passion that burns deep within. The fire element also adds a high amount of energy to anything that you do. This includes your work (career), your leisure activities and for couples, your sex life.

Water – Water is a refreshing element. Water flows freely bring with it an abundance of good fortune. In ancient rituals of many cultures, water was used as a purifying agent. Using the water element in your home adds purity, abundance of energy and a fresh feeling.

Earth – Have you ever heard of someone who is “down to Earth?” The Earth element brings a feeling of stability and security to your home. Mother Earth nurtures all who live on it and within it. The same goes for the earth element in your home – it nourishes each family member.

Metal – You may be wondering why metal is an element. It seems so hard and impersonal. Actually, metal is used to represent efficiency and clarity of mind and purpose. Your work will have both a well-defined purpose and good qualities when the metal element is present.

Wood – Think of trees. They provide oxygen for all living creatures that need it. The wood element equals health to the body. Healing cures using feng shui include the wood element in their composition. Prosperity in your home is also governed by the wood element.

Each feng shui element serves a different purpose in the home. The associated colors and areas that work best with each element help you to build positive energy throughout your home. Each area will be strong in a particular element and give you a certain feeling when you enter that room.

FitFlop Review: Fit Hit or Big Flop

By Alison Wood on Saturday, June 5th, 2010 | No Comments

Today I want to talk about FitFlops, mainly because the title of the post was a whole heap of fun to write.  Ok, that isn’t the main reason but it did make me smile.

There is a lot of talk lately about shoes that add to your fitness just through walking alone, namely Reebok Easy Tone, MBTs et al. Now I haven’t tried these shoes yet, but suffice to say they are on my shopping list. However, in the meantime over the Summer, I wanted something that was a bit lighter and open-toed, as the others more resemble trainers.

The answer lay in FitFlops. Basically these are what they sound like, flip-flops that aid you in getting fit. The premise being that the sole is a mini wobble board, which helps to tone you as you walk. The other big plus is that they are meant to be extremely confortable, especially for those with any joint or back issues.

Well, all this sounds great, added to the fact that they now have some quite funky designs, which should see me through the Summer. I therefore invested in the Bronze Roma sandal, which you can see below. I have had them about 2 weeks so far and obviously it is too early to report on any toning action, but what I can say is that their  promise of being extremely comfortable is right on the money. I have done some serious walking in these and they have never rubbed or made my feet ache, in fact is it like walking on air, if such a thing were to be possible. This pair also has the added bonus of  being more like a sandal in that they are held on your feet securely by straps and don’t have toe-posts, which I know some people have trouble with.

After a few more weeks I will report back on how I am finding their toning properties, stayed tuned for that, but for now in the comfort stakes I can say that they are a big  Fit Hit.

The Secret to Longevity: Stay Active at Any Age

By Alison Wood on Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 | No Comments

With the health issues of overweight Americans crowding the headlines, our country is in desperate need of an exercise overhaul.  Most people think it’s easier to stay active when you’re young.  You have all that time and energy, not to mention prescribed exercise through physical education.  But this is just an excuse.  To these people I say, talk to Michelle Obama.  Clearly our kids are in crisis due to a lack of nutrition and exercise.  So this applies to children, too.  In truth, staying active at any age can be as easy or as hard as you make it.  But if you keep it up, it will get easier (and probably more enjoyable).  And a healthy level of activity is the key to staying young, both mentally and physically.

The trick is to find something you can stick with.  If you’re one of those people who can go to the gym every day and knock out an hour of cardio, two sets of this and three sets of that, then more power to you.  Personally, I find the gym rather dull, and I’d rather be anywhere else than waiting in line for the singular joy of torturing myself on a treadmill.  That said, I am also not very coordinated, so sports are out.  If you’re like me, you may have to search for a solution to your exercise needs.  This could be anything from jogging to hiking to swimming.  If you’re not sure what you’ll like, try taking a class at your gym or a local community college (can I just say, yoga is great for the uncoordinated…it helps with balance, both body and mind).  And if you’re older or facing physical problems, start slow by walking or riding a bike.  Just remember that eventually, you’re going to have to ratchet it up a bit if you want to see improvement.

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t be doing this just to stay skinny or impress your friends (although anything that gets you out the door is a good enough reason to start).  The real point of all this is your health.  When your body is fit and working for you, you’re going to feel better not just physically, but mentally as well.  You’ll enjoy a sense of accomplishment and pride when you finish a workout or feel your body performing at its peak.  And let’s not forget the endorphins released by exercise.  A great workout will leave you feeling happy and satisfied throughout the day (and will most likely help you sleep better…that is if you don’t take advantage of your increased libido, another great side effect of exercise and weight loss).  And if you’re having trouble with motivation, consider exercising with a friend.  It’s just more fun and you will no doubt push each other to improve.  Staying active and engaged is a good way to ensure physical and mental well-being throughout our lives, so don’t overlook it…at any age.

Guest Post by Bob of Australia Forum where you can find information about living in Australia and buying a business in Australia.

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