Pretty Tough Guide to Yoga

Yoga is an activity that includes mental and physical exercises which develop breathing and preserve health. The word Yoga comes from Sanskrit “yuj” meaning unity, to join, to yoke. Ultimately the purpose of yoga is to connect you with your true self in the present moment, uniting body and spirit through the breath in preparation for meditation.

The practice of yoga  promotes greater awareness, flexibility, discipline, and ease of movement. Whether done to improve posture or prevent physical ailments, yoga poses, or asanas, are a great way to align body, mind, and spirit.

If you’re curious about yoga, try visiting a yoga studio to discover what a deep connection people have to the ancient tradition. Yoga studios are great because you’ll get an instant sense of community and discipline. While its roots may go back thousands of years, the yoga most people practice today is definitely modern.

Yoga is based on its three essential components:

• Exercise – a soft workout that increase flexibility, power, equilibrium.
• Breathing – enlarges blood circulation and lung potential.
• Meditation – brings emotional and physical relaxation.

Exercises and breathing procedures set up the body and mind for meditation. Regular practice of all these procedures has as results a strong and health body, a lucid and brilliant mind.

Classes can be taken two or three times in a week. A session usually lasts 45 minutes – 90 minutes. It begins with warm-up exercises and breathing training. Then people will try a sequence of yoga postures, each of them being practiced from one to three times. After four or five different postures you usually have permission to rest, then the procedures are followed by a period of physical relaxation joint with meditation.

Yoga has a lot of benefits which include:

Improved mental lucidity;

Reduced stress and anxiety;

Increased flexibility, range of motion;

Reduced heart rate;

Improved muscle relaxation;

Increased physical endurance;

Self-confidence;

Decreased respiratory rate.

Yoga is also used for many health problems such as:

Depression;

Headaches;

Insomnia;

Heart disease;

Chronic pains;

Thyroid illness, and several more.

What’s so cool about yoga is that the deeper you get into it, the more you can explore the more spiritual and mystical traditions–tracing all the way back to the stories of Krishna and Shiva in the Bhagavad Gita. For starters, focus on the physical practice and as you become stronger and more flexible, you’ll begin to enjoy the emotional and spiritual benefits as well.

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Q & A

Q: Is yoga good for lower back pain?
A: Research shows that yoga can be used to manage lower back pain. Yoga stretches out the spine and strengthens the muscles of your back, hips and legs. Doing two of the most basic yoga postures – the Downward-Facing and Upward-Facing Dog – every day can make a big difference in your back’s flexibility. Be sure to start out slowly and gently and seek out classes or yoga teachers tuned into your special needs.

Namaste. (The light in me bows down to the light in you.)

Feel the flow – musings on the mind-body connection

It can happen on a ski slope, when the mountainside flies past in a timeless manner. It can happen on the crest of an uphill climb, as you realize you’ve stayed ahead of the other riders in the pack. It can happen on the soccer field as you unite with teammates after a magnificent play.

We’re describing how a whole athlete feels, a person whose dimensions—mind, emotions, spirit—have developed in such harmony with the physical self that you can’t imagine them as separate anymore. You can achieve this mind-body state of grace by supplementing your usual cardio and strength workouts with disciplines such as yoga and/or meditation – practices that work not only your body but all facets of your being.

Meditation

The goal of meditation is to quiet your mind. If you’re like many, however, clearing your mind enough to actually relax is tougher than it sounds. Learn to meditate and you’ll discover a host of fab benefits. The process involves focusing on one thought, chant, object, or mental image for a period of time. Once a spiritual practice, meditation is now thoroughly mainstream.

A common variation on meditation for athletes is visualization, where, say, a downhill skier envisions a successful race-course run. Practiced daily, both meditation and visualization clear the mind of distractions and focus it on the task at hand, making you better prepared to overcome any obstacle.

Guidelines

Try to meditate every day, preferably at the same time (morning is best).

Best to meditate before eating, when the stomach is empty.

Find a quiet and semi-dark place to use only for meditation.

Set aside at least 20 minutes (you may have to work up to this).

Basic Technique

There are many different types of meditation and no right technique for everybody. You need to find out what works best for you. Most types of meditation include the following basic elements:

Position

Sit in a comfortable position on the floor or in a chair.

Clasp your hands and let them rest in your lap.

Keep your spine straight and vertical, but not rigid

If you sit on the floor, choose one of these three poses:

1. Cross-legged with a cushion under your buttocks
2. Japanese fashion (on your knees, with your big toes touching and your buttocks resting on the soles of your feet) with a cushion between your feet and buttocks
3. Yoga full lotus position (not recommended for beginners)

Focus
In order to direct your thoughts:

Let your eyes relax but not shut tight.

Focus your attention on one of the following: A silent thought, word, or chant; a mental image; the sensation of each breath as you inhale and exhale;

Attitude

Do not be concerned about your goals, or whether or not you are meditating correctly. Keep the following points in mind:

As a beginner, it is natural for your attention to wander frequently.

When your attention wanders, gently redirect it back. Do not try to force your attention. Meditation should not be stressful

Breathing

Focusing on breathing in and out evenly while listening to each breath develops the capacity to concentrate better in all areas of school, sports and life.

Breathe through your nose, if possible.

Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

Focus your attention on your tummy and diaphragm rather than your nostrils and chest.

Place your hand on your tummy and feel the sensations as you inhale and exhale.

Your tummy should rise when you inhale and fall when you exhale.

Be attentive to your breathing, but stay relaxed and breathe naturally.Now, breathe in. Breathe out. There, you’ve started. Focus. Continue breathing. In. Out. In. Out….

OAKES in the Offseason

What an amazing experience being part of the inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer season has been! I’m a part of history. I’m a PRO athlete. But now it’s the offseason, and so what next?

The difficulty as a player within this first-year league is that there is very little to count on once the season ends. And with mostly year-to-year contracts, players at this point have not yet re-signed with their teams; they don’t get paid in the offseason either.

We all anticipate returning to play in the league next season, but that’s not for sure. We anticipate returning to the same city and team, but that’s not for sure either. And we seek a means to make a living for the time being, but are limited in job choices due to the fact that we’ll hopefully be leaving to begin the next WPS season within six months.

Even as we returned home in mid-August, many players still did not have clear plans for themselves. I, personally, shared the same unsettling feelings of uncertainty concerning my offseason game plan, or lack thereof. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do, or where I was going to live, or how I was going to continue my training. I just believed that I’d be able to figure it out.

It’s been almost two months since my last game with the Chicago Red Stars and this is what I’ve figured out so far:

#1:  I’ve moved into a great apartment in my hometown of LA that I’ll be subletting through February. I get my own bedroom, private bathroom, and walk-in closet, all at a reduced rate. I live with an adorable Japanese student that’s been in the US for only two years. Her accent and modest demeanor are absolutely endearing. Optimistically, I don’t foresee any roommate conflicts.

#2:  I’ve begun an incredible 6-week yoga teacher certification training program at the InFocus Wellness Institute in Santa Monica , CA . In just two weeks, I, already, have experienced revelational moments and predict this to be a transformational and life-changing experience. (More on this Yoga Naga teacher training to come!)

#3: I’ve begun running private soccer lessons and have begun working soccer clinics for the Malibu AYSO league. I love working with kids, particularly girls, whom I can also mentor and inspire as a role model. In fact, I’ve begun discussions of possible collaborations with charities to put on free soccer clinics in LA, while also taking steps to put on my own specialty camps/clinics in the future. So be on the look-out for that!

I’m feeling awesome so far!! I have been able to fit in time at the gym to maintain a strength/rehab regiment as well as a few ballwork/skills sessions per week. I am determined to not lose sight of my top priority, which is to be ready to perform next season.

I’m a firm believer in nurturing your body and allowing yourself time to rest. So my current training schedule will intensify as the next season nears. Meanwhile, I’m committed to making a difference in the lives of others through education, empowerment and compassion, so I hope to also develop a network that will allow me to utilize my knowledge and experience in order to make that difference an ongoing reality.

I’d love to hear your ideas on what the soccer community needs and/or how we, as pro soccer players, could contribute to your community in any way.  Have any ideas?

~Jill Oakes

Training: A Kick in the Class

Fitness classes cater primarily to women. Guys generally shy away from group exercise because so many of the classes involve dance moves and that intimidates them. Whatever your chromosone mix, here’s a quick guide to the best class offerings:

Pilates: a series of movements that improve strength and balance. Pros: good for abs and core strength, improves flexibility. Cons: slow calorie burn, not effective for weight loss.

Spinning: Riding a stationary bike at different speeds and resistance levels. Pros: great cardio workout and calorie burner (about 500 calories in 40 mins). Cons: little upper-body conditions.

Yoga: series of exercises that emphasize specific postures and controlled breathing. Pros: strengthens core, improves flexability, improves mind-body fitness. Cons: slow calorie burn, difficult for newbies.

Kickboxing: series of punches and kicks. Pros: works most muscles including core, improves balance, great aerobic workout. Cons: may induce false sense of security.

HipHop: exercise class using the latest trends in choreography. Pros: great calorie burn and aerobic workout, fun. Cons: self-esteem issues if you can’t get the moves.

Looking for a class or a place to workout? Check our camp, clinic and league resource for a gym near you. Know of a great place not included in our database, be sure to let us know!

Understanding the different types of yoga

Yoga is becoming a more and more popular activity in the Western world today. The number of places holding Yoga classes is on the increase and there is a plethora of different types of Yoga. With a choice of Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and many more it can be easy to get confused.

Read more

Finding the right yoga teacher

In order to find a quality yoga instructor, you need to know what to look for. Since there is no universal certification program for yoga teachers, not all of them are created equal as you can see by the following example. Read more