News release about safe yoga practice throughout the world.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Yoga: Three reasons you should not do Wheel

The Wheel – (Chakrasana also known as Urdhva-Dhanurasana)

The yoga pose Wheel is an advanced and one of the most dynamic whole-body postures in Hatha Yoga. In this asana the body is arched back and supported on the palms and soles of the feet.

Do not be discouraged if you are not able to accomplish this pose right away as it is a very challenging and difficult asana. Before fully attempting this inverted pose know the strength of your upper body and your spinal flexibility. Even attempting this pose without successful completion gives great benefits.

If you have limited strength but plenty of flexibility you can easily come up into this asana.

If you have lots of strength but limited flexibility you will be able to come up into the Wheel using the force of your strength.

If your strength and flexibility are limited the Wheel pose will be quite a challenge.

The Chakrasana has an overall tonic effect for the entire body. It tones the spine by stretching it fully. It strengthens the spine, upper back, arms, shoulders, wrists, buttocks, thighs and abdomen. It stretches the chest and the lungs.

It stimulates the cardiovascular system, thyroid and pituitary glands.

The Wheel gives a boosts of energy, great vitality and feeling of lightness. It counteracts depression.

By practicing this asana the glandular, digestive, respiratory and nervous systems are enhanced.

Although the Wheel is a very healthy and safe asana to perform for some people, the same may not hold for other people. There are many health conditions in which it is suggested that Wheel posture is not recommended.

Three important reasons (out of many) not to do Wheel:

1) Any person with weak wrists should not attempt this powerful pose.

2) In case of back injury avoid this posture.

3) During pregnancy this asana is not to be performed.

Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.

Mr Subodh Gupta, a Corporate Yoga Trainer has conducted more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels in India and London.

For reaching to Subodh Gupta Yoga website

For Subodh Gupta Yoga website
Yoga London
For corporate Training Corporate yoga

Friday, August 25, 2006

Yoga: Three reasons you should not do Fish

The Fish – (Matsyasana)

The yoga pose fish does not look like a fish but if it is performed in water it enables a person to float like a fish, hence the name. In this posture the chest is fully expanded and stretched, and the breathing becomes fuller.

The Fish pose should be practiced after the Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana) and the Plough pose (Halasana) because it gives the neck an effective counter stretch and because it opens and releases any muscular tension of the chest after performing Shoulderstand and Plough. When these postures are practiced together the activity of the thyroid gland is regulated; a hypo active gland is stimulated and a hyper active gland is pacified.

The Fish pose relieves the stiffness of the neck and shoulder muscles and corrects any tendency of having rounded shoulders.

It stretches the muscles between the ribs and the throat as well as the abdominal organs. It removes stiffness in cervical (neck), thoracic (between neck and waist) and lumbar (lower part of the back) regions increasing blood circulation in these areas. It strengthens the muscles of the upper back and the neck. It regulates emotions and it relieves stress.

Many people who have depression often have feelings of tightness or pressure in the chest. This pose performed regularly can help ease the pressure.

The Fish should be performed for at least half the amount of time of performing the Shoulderstand in order to balance the stretch.

Tip for beginners: you may place a blanket or a block under your head if the crown does not comfortably come to the floor.

Even though the Fish pose brings tremendous benefits to the practitioner, there are some health conditions where this pose should not be practiced.

Three important reasons (out of many) not to do the Fish:

1) During pregnancy this asana is to be avoided as it places enormous strain on the womb.

2) If you suffer from serious lower back or neck injury avoid this posture.

3) In case of hernia this asana must not be practiced.

Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.

Mr Subodh Gupta, a Corporate Yoga Trainer has conducted more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels in India and London.



For Subodh Gupta Yoga website Yoga London
For corporate Training Corporate yoga

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Yoga: Three reasons not to do Bow

The Bow – (Dhanurasana)

The Bow is a very invigorating and exhilarating pose raising both halves of the body at once, combining the movement of the Cobra pose (Bhujangasana) and the Locust pose (Salabhasana). In this posture the hands are used like a bow-string to pull the head, trunk and legs up, while the body rests on the abdomen. The Bow gives a full backward bend to the whole spine and muscles of the back, from the neck to the lower back. The Bow pose works all parts of the back simultaneously.

As a counter pose the Plough (Halasana) and the Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) can be practiced.

This asana maintains the elasticity of the spine, strengthens the abdominal muscles, tones and massages the abdominal organs.

Balancing the weight of the body on the abdomen reduces abdominal fat and keeps the digestive and reproductive systems healthy.

The alternating stretching and releasing of the abdominal muscles increases blood flow to this area and aids digestive disorders and discomforts.

The Rocking Bow pose gives the internal organs a powerful massage. Initially, it is easier to lift the knees with legs apart; more advanced students should aim to perform the Rocking Bow with legs together.

Regular practice of the Bow develops internal harmony and increases vitality.

However beneficial the Bow posture is, there are some health conditions in which this asana should be avoided.

Three important reasons (out of many) not to do the Bow:

1) Anyone with a history of chronic back pain or acute back pain should not do this pose.

2) During pregnancy avoid this asana as it increases pressure on the abdomen.

3) In case of hernia this asana is better to be avoided as it increases intra-abdominal pressure which can exacerbate the hernia. (If you are having pain in the upper abdomen on the left side, especially after eating, please seek medical advice).

Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.

Mr.Subodh Gupta, a Corporate Yoga Trainer has conducted more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels in India and London.

For reaching to Subodh Gupta Yoga website For Subodh Gupta Yoga website Yoga London
For corporate Training Corporate yoga

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Yoga: Three reasons you should not do Locust

Locust – (Salabhasana)

When this pose is demonstrated it resembles a locust (grasshopper) moving its rear ends up and down, hence the name.

Locust is one of the backward bend asanas usually performed in a sequence; first the Cobra is practiced, than the Locust followed by the Bow. Locust is a posture which turns the body out expanding the chest to face the world. It is a very stimulating, powerful and dynamic asana, one of the most demanding but also one of the most unnatural posture in Hatha yoga.

The Locust pose requires the muscles of the lower back, abdomen and legs to work with each other to achieve the lift in the lower body.

Before attempting the full Locust try to do the easier version (Half Locust), which involves lifting only one thigh at a time instead of both of them simultaneously.

As a beginner you may not have enough strength to make any movement of lifting the thighs up but you will still benefit from the effort.

As an intermediate student you will be able to lift your legs higher than the beginner student but it will require more strength in the arms, forearms and shoulders.

As an advanced student you have to be careful not to hurt yourself by falling out of the posture by trying to toss yourself up into the full pose before developing sufficient strength and control.

To maintain this asana the intense whole-body muscular effort is needed.

Locust serves as a counter pose to Sitting Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), Plough (Halasana) and Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana) which bend the spine forward.

This asana greatly compliments the Cobra (Bhujangasana), lifting the lower part of the body rather then the upper, but it is more difficult pose because it is less natural and more strenuous to lift the lower extremities (legs) from a prone position (lying face downwards) than to lift the head and shoulders.

Locust brings a large supply of blood to the kidneys, cleansing and regenerating them. It strengthens the shoulders, arms, pelvic organs and lower back muscles. It tones the muscles of the abdomen, tights and legs. It tones the sciatic nerves providing relief for people with backache, mild sciatica and slipped disc (as long as the condition is not serious).

However beneficial the Locust is there are some health conditions in which the Locust should be avoided.

Three important reasons (out of many) not to do Locust:

1) Person with High Blood Pressure is better to avoid this pose.

2) As the asana puts lots of pressure on the abdomen it is strongly advisable for pregnant women not to attempt this asana.

3) Anyone suffering from Peptic Ulcer should not do this posture.

Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.

Mr.Subodh Gupta, a Corporate Yoga Trainer has conducted more than 500 workshops on Yoga and Stress Management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels in India and London.

For reaching to Subodh Gupta Yoga website http://www.subodhgupta.com/ and for Subodh Gupta Corporate yoga webpage http://www.subodhgupta.com/corporateyoga.html