Dahn Yoga Washington

Instructor provides tips for new Seattle yoga class students

Phil — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:14:05 +0000

Now that we're well into spring and looking forward to summer, people may be more mindful about their fitness regimens in the warm weather. A Seattle yoga class may sound appealing, particularly because of this physical activity's reputation as a great source of stress relief.

Instructor Isabelle Casey shared some etiquette tips with The Seattle Times that newbies may find useful.

- In order to be considerate of hygiene, bring your own water and towel so you don't have to rent studio equipment.

- "You could try yoga socks that help prevent slipping, but practicing barefoot is highly encouraged," Casey told the newspaper.

- For maximum comfort while posing, wear clothes that do not have zippers, buttons or pockets on the back or abdomen. Clothing material should be able to breathe comfortably.

- Out of consideration for your fellow students, go easy on the perfume or cologne.

- Be respectful of other students' meditation by not talking too much.

- Listen carefully to your instructor.

- As a matter of safety and respect, arrive on time for warm-ups.

Follow these tips, and you will maximize the Dahn Yoga benefits!

Want to maximize the benefits of yoga during pregnancy? Avoid these conditions!

Phil — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:18:08 +0000

Women who are pregnant go through an awful lot – tired joints, achy back, swelling, mood swings and so on. Medical experts often suggest that physical activities can help alleviate some of these symptoms. Expectant mothers who want a more well-rounded regimen can take holistic healing courses that specialize in teaching the benefits of yoga during pregnancy.

But what happens when you can't find a class that is designed for pregnant women? A regular yoga class will suffice, but health blog FitSugar offers some advice about what to avoid.

- Because forward bends may compress the blood vessels that feed the uterus, try keeping a wide space between your legs. Deep twists can have the same effect, so do not pivot deeply across the knee, but rather maintain an open position.

- Try not to do any poses that require you to lie on your back during the second or third trimester. This can interfere with circulation and compound back pain, hypertension and heartburn.

- Save the poses that work on your abs and obliques for after the baby is born.

- Whatever you do, don't overexert yourself. So those extreme classes that require you to work out in a hot room and contort yourself through inversions and extreme backbends? Forget about it!

Try finding a Dahn Yoga community to join. Not only are the exercises relaxing and gentle, but the knowledgeable teachers will be happy to show you how to make adjustments in pregnancy.

Researchers reveal benefits of yoga for kids in high school

Phil — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:34:26 +0000

Life can be tough when you are in high school: puberty, midterms, parents – sometimes it feels like there's no end to the stress! Thankfully, scientists studied the benefits of yoga for kids in high school, and found positive results.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital conducted an experiment on 51 high school students. Two-thirds of these subjects were assigned to take yoga classes that taught poses, breathing, meditation and relaxation. The rest of the students took regular PE classes.

Before and after the trial, the study participants filled out surveys to assess their mental health.

Results showed that when it came to scores measuring mood problems and anxiety, the group that took yoga experienced more improvements.

"Yoga may serve a preventive role in adolescent mental health," the researchers said.

Fortunately, this holistic-healing technique is taught all over the country. So if you know any teenagers who can use some help, tell them to look up their local Dahn Yoga community! The exercises taught in these classes can promote mental clarity before a test, a big athletic competition or even just in those moments throughout the school day when it's important to take a deep breath.

Program teaches benefits of yoga breathing to recovering addicts

Phil — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:28:11 +0000

Drug addiction can wreak havoc upon the lives of individuals. Those who are fortunate enough to reach a moment of clarity may be at a loss for how they can deal with the stress and depression associated with their disease. One 12-step program in Alaska is teaching the benefits of yoga breathing as a way for people in recovery to turn inward.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to give this gift of yoga to people that are going through a major transition in life," instructor Kelsey Cusack told the Peninsula Clarion. "This can be a great way to step out of that, to just take time to relax and focus on how they're feeling."

The Alaska Peace Officers Association is supporting Cusack's work with recovering individuals, which is considered a welcome interaction in light of the more negative run-ins these people may have had with the law in the past.

Cusack's yoga exercises are intended to focus on relaxation and stress management rather than physical exertion. She explained to the news source that yoga can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which can restore balance within the body by lowering heart rate and blood pressure while boosting the immune system. This can also sharpen focus during other traditional aspects of therapy.

The beauty of yoga is that its benefits are available to people from all walks of life. If you visit your local Dahn Yoga community, you are sure to be welcomed with open arms.

Low-impact exercise is one of the benefits of yoga poses

Phil — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:40:44 +0000

Most baby boomers are more active than previous generations of seniors, due in part to increased awareness of the importance of physical fitness. However, one unintended consequence is that people may hurt themselves doing certain exercises. Fortunately, one of the benefits of yoga poses is their low impact!

"I find that the routines I go through at 50 aren't the same as at 20 because it isn't always joint-friendly," fitness enthusiast Read Harris told KXLY. "I decided I needed to change my exercise habits to age well. I hooked up with a personal trainer, told her I wanted to be lean, strong and develop an exercise routine I can grow old with."

So when Harris' orthopedic surgeon told him he needed to switch from running to an exercise that would not wear down his joints, where did he turn? To yoga, of course!

Fitness trainer Rick Rick III explained to the news source that one other thing that baby boomers should keep in mind is that the key to exercise is progression. In order to avoid overdoing it, it is important to take things slow and change up one's regimen with new activities every four to six weeks.

So if you're interested in what yoga can do for you, check out your local Dahn Yoga community. Our low-impact exercises may be easy on your joints, but they'll also improve your flexibility and stress management!

What are the benefits of yoga for MLB players? Flexibility, for one thing!

Phil — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:52:09 +0000

Years ago, in the days of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds, Major League Baseball players may have asked themselves, What are the benefits of yoga? These days, as athletes are realizing that power comes with muscle flexibility, fewer players are scoffing at the thought of the mind-body regimen.

Just ask Tim Lincecum, Brian Wilson, Alex Rodriguez, Jimmy Rollins, Aubrey Huff, Jim Thorpe and Evan Longoria – all of whom are adding flexibility to their workout routines.

"We have students who are bodybuilders, and they come in thinking they're incredibly strong, but as soon as you get them doing yoga, they're shaking like a leaf," yoga instructor Roni Sloman told MLB.com. "They begin to realize very quickly that their body, foundationally, can be quite weak. Once they realize that, it becomes a priority."

Whereas athletes used to believe that bulking up was key to strength, players are becoming increasingly aware that loading a muscle with the maximum amount of force depends on flexibility and range of motion.

Furthermore, yoga, can improve balance and support injury prevention. And, as Longoria told the news source, the holistic healing exercises help maintain a clear head.

So if any athletes are interested, they should feel free to check out a Seattle yoga class. They may run into a Mariner or two. And even if they don't, they can at least say they do what the pros do!

Arthritis patients may enjoy benefits of yoga poses

Phil — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:45:37 +0000

The joints of the skeleton are the connecting points between bones. Like any other moving machinery, joints are vulnerable to wear and tear, which can lead to arthritis. One way to alleviate the pain from this condition is to keep the muscles around the joints active and strong so they can help provide bone support. As one patient attested, arthritis relief is one of the potential benefits of yoga poses.

"I had no mobility in my arm at all," said holistic enthusiast Cielo English, as quoted by Metro Vancouver. She was diagnosed with arthritis in her shoulder 18 years ago.

"I was told the only way [my mobility] was going to improve was to have shoulder-replacement surgery."

However, she turned to the holistic healing techniques of yoga and was able to remain pain free without surgery for the last 16 years. She is now a yoga instructor herself, sharing the regimen that changed her life with other people.

Recently, English participated in the Power of Movement, a yoga-based charity event that raised more than $9,000 for the Arthritis Research Foundation.

People who are seeking relief from joint pain will be happy to know that these techniques are also available through Washington yoga classes. Besides exercise, weight maintenance will also help keep the pressure of arthritic joints, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Running enthusiast writes about benefits of yoga poses

Phil — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:27:04 +0000

Endurance activities such as running or bicycling can be beneficial for the cardiovascular system. However, holding the body in any one position for too long can create problems for the joints and muscles. Thankfully, one running enthusiast realized the benefits of yoga poses for these athletes and decided to share them.

Runners and cyclists may exhibit signs of tightness in the hip external rotators as well as weakness in the hip adductors and deep abdominals, Kym Klass wrote in the Montgomery Advertiser. People may also develop issues with the sacroiliac joints, hamstrings and knees.

"I think the accountability of coming to a yoga class and having a teacher guide you through [stretches] takes time. It takes 30 seconds to get your muscle fibers to relax," yoga instructor Heather Hagan told Klass. "In my classes, we'll hold a stretch for almost two minutes. And most people don't have the patience on their own to hold the stretches, and so they are not benefiting being on their own."

Thankfully, these problems are both reversible and preventable with the help of yoga!

Running and bicycling enthusiasts may want to look into Washington yoga classes to supplement their regimens. They would be in good company, after all – a study published in the Yoga Journal stated that 15.8 million Americans were practicing the mind-body regimen as of 2008!

Babies can experience the benefits of yoga for kids

Phil — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:19:10 +0000

All parents know that both the bodies and minds of babies are going through rapid development. Mommies and daddies may try to encourage this development with baby fitness classes. An aerobics instructor is encouraging one exercise in particular. Could it be…you guessed it – yoga!

In a Yahoo! Sports article detailing the benefits of yoga for kids and babies, Heather Johnson-Emerson explains that certain poses, performed with the help of parents and guardians, can do wonders for an infant's development. These exercises promote balance and strength, which are skills that are needed for crawling and walking. Furthermore, yoga can help relieve gas, constipation and colic.

Certain benefits may even spill over to parents.

"Whether you are the mom or dad, helping your baby with yoga poses will create not only a more fit and healthier baby, but will also create a stronger and tighter bond with you and your baby. Yoga can also offer parents the benefit of learning to calm their baby more quickly, promoting relaxation," Johnson-Emerson wrote in the news source.

Parents who are interested in learning more about how yoga can help their babies should check out Washington yoga classes. Tips may also be available through internet videos.

Who knows – these baby enthusiasts may grow up to continue this mind-body regimen. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, more than 1.5 million children were practicing yoga as of 2006.

Business taps into benefits of yoga for kids for birthday parties

Phil — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:29:36 +0000

Whenever parents think of what to do for their little ones on their birthdays, they may kick a few ideas around. Bouncy house? Trip to the amusement park? Magician-clown hybrid? Well, how about a class that teaches the benefits of yoga for kids? It's certainly original – and according to one instructor, it's fun for children, too!

"I try to make yoga fun for kids, so really every pose can make the kids laugh," said teacher Jamie Anderson, as quoted by INFORUM.

She first got the idea of offering yoga parties for kids when she volunteered in South Africa, and discovered that children can't help but laugh and have fun when practicing the mind-body regimen.

To make the activity more engaging, Anderson incorporates games and storytelling into her exercises. For example, when children pose like cows or cats, she encourages them to moo and meow.

Anderson also believes that yoga isn't just fun for kids. It can actually help them focus, build flexibility, become self-aware and build self-esteem.

Any parents who are interested in the health benefits of yoga for their children should check out their Seattle yoga studio. The kids would certainly be in good company. As of 2007, more than 1.5 million American children had taken up the holistic healing technique, as reported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health.

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