Monday, January 7, 2008

Are You Willing To Follow Eight Yoga Exercises For the Lower Back?

exercises FOR BACK RELIEF

Many people believe that rest is best for a painful back, but actually, what your back really needs when it’s hurt is exercise. Regular exercise relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the spine and helps to prevent future injury. This is a use it or lose it situation: the more you rest, the weaker your back gets, even if it is hurt. Studies have actually shown that you can heal your back pain faster and get back to your regular activities with just two days of rest. This article will focus on yoga exercises. Remember to contact your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

yoga exercises FOR YOUR BACK

A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain. However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain, so it is important to know which poses will be most helpful in relieving back pain. It is best to do these exercises under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor, and if you encounter any problems with these poses, you should consult an expert. Even just one or two sessions with a yoga instructor can help, as an instructor will help you with your form and posture during poses. Here are some of the best yoga poses for relieving back pain. Each pose should be held from five to ten seconds, depending upon your level of comfort, and should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.

CORPSE: Lie flat on your back in a relaxed position, arms resting at your sides, palms down, and legs lying naturally, with knees turned out slightly. If it hurts your back to have your knees turned outward, do this pose with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Breathe in and out for a few seconds while allowing any tension to leave the body.

CAT stretch: Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips. Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.

WIND-RELEASING pose: Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose. As you inhale, bend your knee, place your hands right below the knee, and draw your leg towards your chest. Your left leg should remain flat on the floor. Exhale and bring your forehead up to touch your knee. Inhale, and then as you exhale, return to your original position. Repeat with the other leg.

SAGE TWIST: Warning for this pose—it involves twisting your back, so you should take particular care not to twist too far or you risk aggravating any existing back pain. This should be a gentle stretch; twist just as far as is comfortable. Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee. sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee. Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder. This is where you need to be careful not to twist too far. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat on the opposite side.

PALM TREE: stand with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight distributed evenly on both feet. Raise both arms over your head, interlock your fingers, and turn your hands so that your palms are facing upward. Next, place your palms on your head and turn your head so that you are looking slightly upward. stretch your arms upwards, and at the same time, come up onto your toes if you can do so without pain. stretch your entire body upward and hold, if you can. Some people have difficulty balancing during this pose, so just do the stretching part if you need to.

FISH POSE: Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your side. Arch your back as far as you comfortably can and raise it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. If you can, tilt your head backwards and rest the crown of your head on the floor. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and hold pose for one minute if you can.

LOCUST: Lie face down with arms at the side, palms down, and elbows slightly bent with fingers pointing towards the feet. Raise your legs and thighs as high off the ground as possible without causing your back any pain. Hold for one second and repeat up to twelve times. This can be a vigorous exercise so you must take care to strain already injured muscles.

BENDING FORWARD posture: stand up straight with feet together and arms hanging loosely along your sides. Breathe in deeply and raise your arms straight above your head. While breathing out, bend forward and touch your toes if you can. If you can’t reach your toes, grab hold of your ankles or calves. To complete the pose, you should touch your head to your knees, but this may be too difficult for many who suffer from lower back pain. Your movements during this pose should be smooth, not jerky.

Written by Shelley Hitz, Licensed Physical Therapist and Certified NASM Personal trainer. Sign up for her free Exercise Advice journal at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.html or read more about yoga poses at her website http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/free-yoga-exercises-online.html. Get your free unbelievable abs ball workout here!

Jam Pilates Yoga Playa Del Rey

Mountain Climbing Isn't For Everyone But It Is Addictive

Mountaineering (mountain climbing) is a classic sport, which has been done for countless years. Combining rock, snow, and ice climbing with hiking and sometimes camping, and it is understandable why it is such a timeless sport.

Mountaineering has one goal: to reach the next summit, or the top. There are many mountains, all with different heights and obstacles and so it is easy to accommodate anyone's level of experience, beginner to expert. Many start out learning how to mountain climb by essentially hiking up hill. It is a good place to start because it is far less intimidating to ease your way into the sport.

mountain climbing experiences are unpredictable. Because of this, it not only physically stimulates you, but mentally as well. environment can range from freezing to sweltering hot (even in the same day!) as altitude, weather and sub angles change. These changes challenge your mental ability to plan in advance, improve, problem solve, and navigate, while physically challenging your physical conditioning and climbing skills.

You must be well prepared in regards to the experience you have and the equipment you bring along. To start, you can get by with basic hiking equipment such as rations, tents and sleeping bags. As difficulty increases, however, so does the amount of stuff you need. This is where the ropes and other equipment and gear used for climbing and survival become necessary.

If you think mountaineering may be something that you are interested in, there are a few things to do to start pursuing the sport. first and foremost, note that mountain climbing, regardless of level, requires a certain amount of time, money, and fitness. If you can accommodate that, the next to do is figure out which type of mountain climbing is best for you.

Some things to consider, as you are trying to decide the best type of climbing for you, are if you enjoy hiking or climbing more, your preferred type of weather to be active in, and how much work you want to put into the sport. If you're unsure, try a few beginners' trails in different areas and decide what you like about each and dislike.

It may be a good idea to hire a mountain guide if you are a beginner. mountain guides are professionals who can help you up a mountain safely, as they are generally adept climbers and/or skiers, who know the terrain. They can fill you with useful advice and help you learn skills. This goes for those wanting to take on a highly advanced mountain, or a self taught mountaineer, as mountain guides, especially certified ones have usually done numerous trainings and has seemingly countless hours of personal experience for you to learn from.

Many people have come to love mountain climbing from complete obsession to fun hobby. If you are interested in mountain climbing, it is definitely something people everywhere will tell you is worth pursuing!

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre florida. Find more about this as well as Mountain Climbing Gear at http://www.belayandrappel.com

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