It is time to put the snacking away and get back into shape! We need to start looking at our bodies and making sure they are in it for the long haul. Is yours? We are given one body to get us through a lifetime of events; there is no magic technology from the future that can zap us into a new body after we destroy the one that was given to us, at least not that I know of yet. So, let us take the time to make sure that the one we have is strong and healthy. Going to a yoga retreat can bring a new approach to your future; a healthy future.
While picking the yoga retreat that best suits your needs think about what it is you want to focus on while you are away. Some types to think about are: yoga for mind relaxation, yoga for detoxing, yoga for strength and fitness, yoga for weight loss? There are many types of yoga and depending what it is that you want to focus on you can make your yoga vacation plans accordingly.
One of the most common forms of yoga teaching is Ashtanga Yoga which has a set of poses done in a sequence. There are a series of poses or sets that involve difficult poses. A beginner will learn how to go through the poses so that after you had an instructor with yoga certification you can progress and do them alone at your own pace.
Why should I practice Ashtanga Yoga?
Finding a yoga retreat that focuses sessions on Ashtanga Yoga can only be beneficial to you if you have finally made a point of getting up and doing something about your health and physical fitness. Ashtanga Yoga is a very disciplined and intense form of yoga and focuses on a series of vinyasas or yoga poses done in a sequence. This helps create an energy and flow through movement within your body.
Regularly practiced Ashtanga Yoga can greatly improve your over-all sense of well being and your fitness level. Through the constant repetition and flow of the poses it will also increase you flexibility and stamina. This style of yoga will build up the muscles in your upper body and will help straighten and strengthen your posture. With the mix of Ashtanga Yoga and a healthy diet it will help you keep fit, lose unwanted weight, and be more athletic. This type of exercise combines a strong cardio workout which will help tone the body. Yoga teaching helps us get in good shape and have a healthy mind and body to live strong.
Not a piece of cake
At the yoga retreat your instructor may perform the same series of poses during each session, but do not be fooled into thinking that this style of yoga is easy. Ashtanga Yoga is a demanding type of yoga that is developed to guide the body through to align the spine, detoxify the blood, and build your strength, flexibility and stamina. The primary series should take someone nearly two hours to complete.
Figuring it out
Once you have mastered the Primary Series you may move on to the Intermediate Series, Nadi Shodana. This series is designed to focus on purifying the nervous system and all the channels of energy that flow through your body.
After the Intermediate Series, a student can move on to the first of four very advanced and a very strenuous series, Sthira Bhaga. The poses involved with this level of yoga are extremely difficult and should only be tackled if you are a very advanced student. A yoga teacher will be able to identify which level you should practice and when you are ready to move ahead.
Not Just About the Poses
At your yoga retreat the practicing of Ashtanga Yoga will also be combined with Pranayama breathing which will consist of narrowing the air passages in your throat so that you can control the flow of air in and out of your body. The practice of yoga mixed with this breathing style will increase your lung capacity while creating a sense of heat in the body which will help the muscles to warm and stretch. This will also help your body with detoxing and helping you reach a meditative state with concentration and focus.
While away at a yoga retreat an instructor will be able to help guide you and teach you how to make modifications. Always practice yoga according to your fitness level. Over time and practice you will be able to build up your stamina.
