Posts Tagged ‘Fitness’
History of Yoga
Yoga is a union of body, mind, and spirit. The history of yoga is long and steeped in tradition. Yoga is an ancient system of health and fitness which originated in India. The word yoga has its first mention in the Rig Veda, the oldest of the sacred texts. Those that study Yoga estimate it’s age to be four thousand year.
The history of Yoga can be divided into four main periods which are the pre-classical period, classical period, post-classical period and modern period. In the history of yoga, the book is called the yoga sutras. The history of yoga would not have been completed in the classical stage of yoga.
The word Yoga literally meant the Yolk that joins something together, such as an ox to a cart. The idea is that yoga unites all aspects of being into one.
What most people envision to be Yoga, those contortionist postures, is really only one small aspect of a much larger field of practices. The methods of yoga includes ethical disciplines, physical postures, breathing control and as well as meditation.
The 20th century witnessed a renaissance of yoga that caused a globalization of this ancient tradition. Modern approaches to yoga have created a clear delineation between the Hindu religion and the practice of yoga. Through the practice of yoga, an individual can gain information about physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being.
Over the long history of yoga, different schools have emerged, and there are numerous examples branches and philosophies that have spawned. Ultimately, all agree on one common element the fundamental purpose of yoga is to foster harmony in the body, mind, and environment.
Today yoga is accepted as a comprehensive exercise to promote control of the body and mind. More than just a means of being fit and trim, yoga can help you live a healthy, whole, and empowered life. In recent decades, yoga has greatly and swiftly evolved. Yoga is the most diversified spiritual practice in the world. The living tradition of yoga now recognizes no borders as it continues to spread globally.
Fitness And You’re Health
Being physically active is a vital part of being healthy for any individual. Eating a balanced healthy diet and being active in your daily life are the two best things to help keep you healthy and young. Everyone should try to get in at least three days a week where they are doing some sort of exercise, although more is better. Weight bearing exercise is important for some individuals, especially those who are suffering from bone loss, or have a history of bone loss in their family. Doing weight lifting exercises puts pressure on your bones which helps they to grow stronger. Other people who might want to do weight lifting exercises are those who want to have better definition in their muscles, or people who have sagging skin. Lifting weights will improve the overall look of your body by toning and tightening it up. Using light weights can still be effective for this, as long as you can feel some burn while you are working out. If you desire to use heavier weights there is no need for women to be afraid of becoming manly looking. It takes a long time and a lot of weights to get the look that most female body builders possess. Studies have shown that weight bearing exercise is just as beneficial to the heart as cardiovascular exercises. Weight lifting exercises should be done at least three times per week, and each body part should never be trained back to back.
Cardio exercise help you lose weight, lower your chance of heart attack, lower blood pressure, improve your mood and lower stress levels. Cardio exercise should be done about five times per week for maximum results. If you can’t do cardio five times per week, you should still try to fit it in three times per week as this will still benefit you greatly. You should chose a type of exercise that you enjoy, since if you chose something you find boring, chances are you won’t stick with it. Good ideas for cardio exercises include biking, walking, jogging, playing tennis, playing basketball, skating, inline skating, swimming, skiing and team sports. You can also use cardio as a type of functional exercise. This means instead of driving to the grocery store, try walking instead. This way you aren’t going out of you’re way to fit in exercise, but you are still reaping the benefits. You should try to do cardio for at least half an hour, and try to make sure you raise your heart rate a little.
Before engaging in any type of exercise, you should get a complete physical examination to make sure you aren’t suffering from heart disease or some other type of illness. After your doctor gives you the ok to start exercising, start out slow and work your way up. And remember, exercise should be fun and enjoyable.
Does Creatine Really Help Build Muscle?
If you are a gym rat or bodybuilder or simply interested in beginning an exercise program you have probably heard a lot about creatine and the muscle miracles it performs. Unfortunately, most people believe that creatine helps build muscle and it does in a way, but probably not the way you are thinking. The best way to describe creatine is to say that it helps the muscles help themselves build muscle. If that is not clear enough, continue reading.
Creatine does exactly what it claims to do and that is to retain water in your muscles. This is the point of creatine and it really is effective at keeping water in the muscles. Now, what happens is when your muscles are retaining water they are in an optimal state for building new muscle. As a result, when you take creatine and water is retained in your muscles then when you weight train you will get more of an effect because your muscles are better capable of building muscle. After this period you may develop more strength and increased endurance as well. So, if you are taking creatine to help you build muscle and you understand what creatine does and how it helps you build muscle then you will not be disappointed. On the other hand, if you are taking creatine and hoping it will simply grow you bodybuilder’s muscles without putting in the work then you are mistaken.
The best thing to do is begin taking creatine and working out with weights on a regular routine or even with a trainer. By taking the creatine your muscles will be poised to grow and get stronger while building endurance. However, keep in mind you have to put in all the hard work and that all creatine does for you is helps your muscles retain water in order to be in a state where building muscle is easier. Over time you will see your muscles growing and should not see any loss of definition because of the retained water in your muscles. Don’t become confused about creatine building big muscles; it just helps your muscles build themselves stronger and better when you put in the work.