The Power of Yoga - Being YogaFit As is within, so is without! Finding peace within yourself along with your outer self is often easier said than done; but it can be accomplished with dramatic benefits as your reward through our topic of the day. Yoga's omnipotent powers are not to be taken lightly, ladies, as the secrets it holds will grant you inner peace along with heavenly curves. So what is yoga, really? Why is everyone so crazy about it, and what's in it for me? Well, I see you're not one for wasting any time, so let us delve in, my dear. Yoga is a 5000-year-old practice consisting of a series of poses known as "asanas," originating in India. Yoga manifested as an ancient discipline, it sought to instill inner peace through what was known as the "eight-limbed path," eight rules to follow in order to find one's self. Be careful, though, as yoga does have its side effects: weight loss, a sculpted body, reduced stress, enhanced self awareness, increased patience/discipline, enhanced moods, dramatically increased flexibility, better sex life, and so much more. Wait a minute! Those are great side effects (you with me?). Yoga was not created for aesthetics; it sought to establish balance in mind through body. The reason yoga is so popular is due to those side effects I listed, sculpting the very essence of your figure while providing a wonderful mental escape. Yoga's powers stem from using your own body weight as the resistance so that you sculpt long, lean, gorgeous muscle without the fear of bulk (I read somewhere that women hate bulking up, go figure). When holding an asana, you are reaching every tiny muscle involved in that pose (which typically you would not on your own with typical methods), leaving you with that long sought after sculpted look. Yoga is engaging because it forces you to be aware of your body at all times, which I believe is crucial. While holding an asana in yoga, you are asked to focus in on the muscles you are currently using so as to maintain proper form (crucial!). Beth Shaw, founder of YogaFit, is our yoga guru and carries a wonderful approach in her DVD line, as she truly holds your hand throughout the process, all the while making you sweat and sculpt.
Well, yoga is a wonderful way of life and a powerful tool that truly challenges you to take the time to know yourself better through body awareness. Yoga sculpts by dripping fat off your body due to the calorie burn from the challenging asanas, the rise in internal temperature, and the wonderful muscle reconstruction process after you're done, "the after burn." I simply cannot say enough about yoga, as it releases so much stress, which benefits you in countless ways. The intense sweating is very therapeutic as a detoxifier; the increased muscle endurance is great for day-to-day life, as well as a much better sex life (future article to come), not to mention the dramatically increased flexibility you will acquire, helping you to prevent injury, as well as so many other facets of your life. The fact that you are using your entire body helps to aesthetically sculpt you evenly so as to save time and frustration with other workouts. The fact that this discipline takes patience will truly teach you to be kinder to yourself and more patient with yourself, which I know we all need. I challenge one and all to take a taste of yoga with Beth Shaw (www.yogafit.com) and meditate on it. Take notice of the changes in your mind and body after a month. The results will astound you. Just remember, though, be kind to yourself, and be patient. Written by Anthony Heredia Watch a brief warmup demonstration from the "Pure Power" video by Yogafit's Beth Shaw. |
Form is very important in yoga, so I highly recommend finding a good instructor when looking to incorporate yoga into your regimen. I recently tried YogaFit's "Pure Power" yoga DVD, and I was humbled by the great workout. The DVD was great in the way it guides you in watching your form as it explains exactly what you are doing as well as why with fantastic results. This video is a bit advanced for most, but Beth Shaw has a line of DVDs, so grab another to begin with; but do grab a few, as they will more than meet anyone's yoga needs. You can read more about our power woman in the Fall 2007 issue of Agenda. 
