Yoga Articles

For those interested in teaching or simply learning about trauma-sensitive yoga as a way to help survivors of abuse, accidents or war, a new book is available. Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body (North Atlantic Books, April 2011) by David Emerson, RYT, and Elizabeth Hopper, PhD, offers a mind-body healing approach written for yoga instructors, clinicians and survivors. For more information, go to www.northatlanticbooks.com

In an official statement recommending yoga for pregnant women, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) states, “The rewards of basic yoga outweigh the potential physical risks, as long as you take caution and perform the exercises in moderation, according to your individual flexibility level.” According to orthopedic surgeon Rachel Rohde, MD, “One of the best aspects of yoga is being in control of your body and having the ability to do each movement at your own pace.” The AAOS statement is significant in providing support for more healthcare practition

Yoga, Pilates and cardio kickboxing have the highest percentages of first-time participants, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association’s [SGMA’s] Sports Participation in America 2010 report. Overall numbers showed a 2.6% decline in Pilates participation between 2008 and 2009, continuing the trend first seen in the 2009 report. Core participation, however, increased 8.7%, indicating that people committed to Pilates have been sticking with the program. Overall participation was reported as 8.653 million.

The benefits of yoga go beyond more flexible hamstrings, a stronger core or relief from back pain. Yoga has the power to make you more resilient to stress. It reminds you of your inner strength. It can give you back a sense of joy and purpose in life. Many students come to yoga because they instinctively feel it will be a beneficial thing for them to do, in a holistic sense.newsletter_teaser: The benefits of yoga go beyond more flexible hamstrings, a stronger core or relief from back pain. Yoga has the power to make you more resilient to stress. It reminds you of your inner strength. It can give you back a sense of joy and purpose in life. Many students come to yoga because they instinctively feel it will be a beneficial thing for them to do, in a holistic sense. Honor this impulse by learning to design a class that will empower your students--body, mind and spirit--to go beyond hurried and canned sequences to explore the concept of self-care.

On March 9, 2010, Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell signed into law bill HB703 to exempt schools that train yoga instructors from being regulated as “higher education” institutions by the Virginia State Council for Higher Education. The bill is similar to legislation that passed in New York during the same month. Yoga teacher training will be exempt from regulation in Virginia because legislators determined that yoga is primarily a hobby and not a vocational program.

Sun salutations, often as complex as they are beautiful, can be a complete practice in themselves. Alternatively they can be used as the opening segment of any yoga practice, to set the rhythm and mood of the poses that follow. newsletter_teaser: Sun salutations, often as complex as they are beautiful, can be a complete practice in themselves. Alternatively they can be used as the opening segment of any yoga practice, to set the rhythm and mood of the poses that follow. A classic salutation is really a group of individual asanas performed as one complete and repeating series, or vinyasa. Performed correctly, the flowing movements can appear easy. However, each pose has specific alignment requirements that are essential in order to achieve the benefits of the sequence without injury or strain.

On March 24, New York Governor David Paterson signed into law a bill that exempts yoga and martial arts teacher-training schools from complying with state vocational school licensing regulations. The bill, A.8678-A/S.5701-A, sponsored by State Senator Eric Schneiderman and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, was backed by the education department, which had initially requested that yoga and martial arts studios apply for licensure if they offered teacher-training programs.

The benefits of yoga go beyond more flexible hamstrings, a stronger core or relief from back pain. Yoga has the power to make you more resilient to stress. It reminds you of your inner strength. It can give you back a sense of joy and purpose in life.

Your April 2010 issue introduces the fitness world to a new Making News segment titled “IDEA Reader’s Choice: Fitness Find or Fitness Flop?” After reading the comparison of Jamie Oliver’s TV series, Food Revolution, and the new fitness marketing device, Shake Weight™, I was a little disheartened.

Are you a runner? Would you like to prevent or heal injuries and improve performance? Many runners are discovering that yoga can provide these benefits and transform running into a moving meditation. Kelly McGonigal, PhD, who teaches yoga, group fitness and psychology at Stanford University and is the author of Yoga for Pain Relief (New Harbinger 2009), shares how yoga can help your running.