Need Power? Try Core Power Yoga

Core power yoga is an energetic yoga exercise that physically and mentally challenges you to help connect to your inner power without stopping and is accompanied by a heated, climate controlled Vinyasa. It heals, detoxifies and stimulates the body and mind through balance and intention.

Cover via AmazonPower yoga is a dynamic, challenging program that combines strength, sweat and spirituality. It recognizes power in different levels; first is physical power which develops the body’s strength and improves health; second is mental power or the will to concentrate on the practice; and last is spiritual power which is the power behind the physical and mental power.

Core power yoga is the Western version of the Indian Ashtanga Yoga. The term was was given by Beryl Bender Birch, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher. It has been brought to the west by followers of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, a renowned Sanskrit scholar who inspired Western Yogis with his Ashtanga Yoga Style and philosophies.

There are three distinct programs in power yoga. “Core Power” is designed to strengthen abdominals and back and includes both abs-focused Vinyasa power yoga poses and variations of muscle-toning moves. “Unlocking Athletic Power” will develop flexible strength with an emphasis on abs, back, hips and pelvis. “Soul of Strength” on the other hand is a fast-moving power yoga program with a distinct “mind-body” emphasis and some very challenging moves.

Power yoga sessions are done in a heated room and composed of different cardiovascular exercises intended to develop strength and flexibility, increase stamina, improves the ability to focus, release tensions and remove toxins through sweating.

Core power yoga practice also requires the execution of yoga poses. Poses are done at a fast pace, but some poses are even held longer than the required five breaths. This practice can increase physical endurance and ability to focus on any task for a long time without breaking concentration.

What is the difference between core power yoga and other exercises?

Core power yoga is a vinyasa style that has a unique program offering and focuses on core strength, balance and flow to build a solid practice based on strength and spirit. Usually the teachers of this exercise work with the students to personalize their programs and creating a sense of belonging and community

This exercise also offers great health benefits; this lengthens and stretches the muscles and at the same time it builds stamina, strength and lean muscle and mass. It also increases body heat that kills some bacteria and creates a finely tuned state of consciousness of the workings of the body. The focus of core power yoga is on the coordination of the breath movement, connecting the body, mind and spirit to the warmest level.

Core power yoga is best to those who want to improve their performance in their chosen sports like cycling, football, swimming, skiing, surfing, running/athlete, martial arts and other team sports. Some training grounds in sports practice this exercise in transition for aerobics.

Core power yoga can reshape your body and mind!

Welcome to Our New Blog Home!

For those of you who have been reading our blog on Wordpress, from now on you will find us here instead. (For some reason Wordpress kept disabling our blog, which was annoying for both us and our readers, so we've moved to a friendlier host.) You can find archives of all previous posts here, as we've moved over all the old posts from our old blog address.

Look for more posts on new fun ways to exercise, easy exercise tips, articles, ideas, videos, and resources coming soon! If you have questions or comments, we always love to hear them, so keep 'em coming!

And as always, you can find more good stuff on our website at www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.

Come back and see us soon, as we have some great articles planned for the winter months!

Meanwhile here are some to check out in the meantime:

• How to Turn Exercise Into Something You Love (dumblittleman.com)
• 5 Ways to Overcome Gym Shyness (diet-blog.com)
• Make Exercise Fun (maplewoodbootcamp.com)
• Exercise for Mom: How to Get Fit with Your Kids (brighthub.com)

Family Exercise for the Holidays

Image via WikipediaHappy Thanksgiving to all of our very dear readers!

In honor of the day, we are featuring a few quick articles on ways to enjoy the holidays while keeping your family active at the same time.

Making sure your family gets enough exercise throughout the holiday season is key to being able to get through these weeks with lower stress and good cheer, not to mention helping keep those holiday pounds at bay!  Check out these suggestions for keeping your family active throughout the holiday season, and above all, remember to enjoy yourselves and each other, and have fun!

3 Great Ways To Love Exercise Again,lose Weight And Improve Your ...
Next, try to exercise whenever you get the chance. Go on a walk with your siblings, or get up and jog in the morning. Do you have members who are young children? Play with them. Run out in the yard, toss them in the air and catch ...family
Publish Date: 11/21/2010 4:44
http://health.ezinemark.com/3-great-ways-to-love-exercise-again-lose-weight-and-improve-your-lifestyle-31b38d32530.html

Holiday Family Exercise
The holidays are upon on us which can mean more food, more family, and less time in the day to be active outside…and the kids are out of school. This adds an extra level of difficulty to the whole exercise idea. ...
Publish Date: 11/08/2010 22:13
http://empowerwellness.net/2010/11/08/holiday-family-exercise/

3 Fun Types of Family Exercise
Sports are the easiest way to combine fun and exercise. If your family has competitive spirits among the members, this is your chance to let it all hang out, while burning those extra calories in the process. It all depends on what sort ...
Publish Date: 11/04/2010 13:30
http://www.3fatchicks.com/3-fun-types-of-family-exercise/

Fun Family Exercise Ideas
There are many ways that families can spend fun time together and get fit at the same time with family activities. Here are some fun family exercise ideas: Walking – this is one of the best ways for families to spend quality time ...
Publish Date: 11/02/2010 3:37
http://www.geektheme.com/fun-family-exercise-ideas/

Fun Ways to Exercise in Winter

Now that the weather is cooling, and winter is on its way (along with the obligatory holiday feasts of the season), many of us tend to begin packing on the pounds.

It is hard to get motivated to get up and work out on these cold, dark mornings, and depending on where you live, there may not be a lot of options for outdoor activities.

But don’t despair — there are plenty of fun ways to exercise indoors, or even enjoy the outdoors on cold snowy winter days!

Videos and books can be a great source of ideas for indoor activities for all ages. (For some of my favorite recommendations for fast, fun, easy workouts, visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.)

Yoga or Pilates-based workouts can provide fun, relaxing stretching, strengthening, and toning moves for a variety of fitness levels, either with or without equipment. More aerobic dance-based workouts can also be a lot of fun, and can get the blood flowing and get you warmed up and feeling great in a hurry — it’s a great way to beat back the winter blues!

The important thing to remember is that in order to keep your fitness level up throughout the winter, you’ve got to not only get moving, but make it a habit (and if you’ve been quite active, you know it’s addictive!). But in order to make it a habit, you have to first make it a priority. You may have to push yourself a bit at first — remember it takes 21-30 days of consistent practice to form a new habit. But once you’ve gotten your body used to moving and grooving, you’ll find you won’t want to stop!

The body needs movement, and it needs it often — lots of it.

It may be hard to fit exercise into your schedule at first, but you will reap a host of benefits that will make the time invested well worth it.

Activity not only raises your body temperature (important on cold winter days!), but it also relieves stress, improves your mood, and strengthens your immune system, so you will be less likely to catch any of the winter-time bugs going around. And with all that’s going around this winter, you really can’t afford NOT to exercise!

Image via WikipediaAnd remember, you don’t have to exhaust yourself, or spend hours of boredom on a treadmill. 30 minutes per day (or sometimes less, if you’re doing the right activities) is enough to be of benefit, and you can break this into segments if you like.

However, if you’re doing something you enjoy, you’ll find the time will fly by anyway!

Besides videos or structured workout routines, here are some other ideas for fun ways to exercise in the winter:

• Swimming: Many gyms or your local “Y” have indoor pools which can be great exercise year-round

• Dance classes: You you can find numerous classes for all different types of dance, from hip-hop to belly-dancing, at many fitness centers or other local venues, often for a quite affordable price. The recent resurgence of popularity in Ballroom and Latin dancing has introduced many to this fun activity — and it’s great exercise! There are many local dance studios in most metropolitan areas, where you can find both group and private classes. (If you live in the Columbus, Ohio area, we recommend Emerald City Ballroom.)

• Depending on the climate where you live, you may also be able to find outdoor winter activities which are great exercise, and fun for the whole family, such as ice skating, or skiing (both cross-country and downhill skiing provide a GREAT workout, as well as the exhilaration of the great outdoors!)

So go ahead, try some of these ideas — mix them up however you like, to find what you enjoy the most. Once you’ve made physical activity a priority for a couple of weeks, you’ll find your body craving it daily, and your enjoyment level increasing, along with your health and well-being.

Have a great winter, be well, and above all else, have fun! (For more fun workout ideas, visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.)

Related articles on Fun Ways to Exercise:

• Playcercise: Start Playing Around and Exercise! (lifescript.com)
• Winterize Your Workout (lifescript.com)

More Ideas on Fun Ways to Exercise

Image by Cornell University Library via FlickrHere are a few great recent articles on making exercise fun, interesting, and easy. Often we get into a rut of doing the same exercises over and over, and then we start to get bored and lose motivation. With a little creativity and variety, we can get back into the groove, and get moving!

This is especially important with winter coming, and fewer outdoor activities available to many of us. Check out these recent articles for some new ideas to spice up your exercise regimen!

Exercise Tips: Creative Ways to Exercise
If you want to get more exercise but do not like jogging or going to the gym, try finding a few creative ways to exercise like these creative exercises.
Publish Date: 11/01/2010 14:40
http://www.suite101.com/content/exercise-tips-creative-ways-to-exercise-a303361

140+ Fun Ways To Exercise!
Here are tons of fun ways to exercise. Get exited and have fun exercising!
Publish Date: 10/02/2010 15:49
http://www.complete-strength-training.com/fun-ways-to-exercise.html

Exercise Tips – Five Fun Ways to Burn Calories
Exercise is key to achieving optimum and health and wellness. So whether it's spinning, swimming, pole dancing or Zumba - there's no excuse not to keep fit!
Publish Date: 10/20/2010 9:01
http://www.suite101.com/content/five-fun-ways-to-burn-those-calories-a299295

Exercise Isn't Torture; Fitness Can Be Fun - Weight Loss - Health.com
tennis-fun-exercise. Getty Images. I have a flexible definition of the word “exercise” Taking a Body Pump class or going for a 5-mile run are a couple of my favorite ways to exercise, but not all of my workouts are this “traditional. ...
Publish Date: 10/26/2010 21:00
http://weightloss.health.com/2010/10/26/stop-dreading-workouts-exercise-is-fun/

Visit our website for more ideas on new fun ways to exercise.

Video-3 Great Ab Exercises

For those interested in toning your abs, here is a quick free video you may want to check out. Some of the exercises do utilize an ab wheel or balance ball, but for those that hate crunches (and I don't blame you - so do I), these may offer some interesting options to mix it up. (Or, for my favorite ab workouts ever - Pilates and Yoga -- visit our website at http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html for some great suggestions.)

It's only a couple of minutes long, and offers some interesting exercises I have not seen before. (Please note: If video does not appear below, please click link to view.)

ab exercises
CLICK HERE for a FREE WORKOUT!! www.turbulencetraining.com Here are my 3 favorite abdominal exercises in which none involve lying on your back and curling your shoulder blades off the ground, or any type of movement that requires you to perform hundr...

Related articles on Abdominal Exercises:

• Fabulous Abdominal Slimming Exercises (justslimming.com)
• Ask Raphael: Exercises for Flat Abs (healthnews.ediets.com)
• How to Get Six Pack Abs (brighthub.com)
• Daily Ab Workout - Daniel Miller (itunes.apple.com)

Easy Stomach Exercises to Work off Those Love Handles

A major complaint of people who want to look more fit is belly fat. Specifically, a large number of people have trouble with "love handles." Far from lovely or lovable, these are deposits of fat that take up residence on the sides of one's lower torso, around the external oblique muscles.

Traditional crunches and sit-ups will not do much for this sort of chub, as they mainly work the abdominal muscles and not the obliques. The good news, however, is that there are a few stomach exercises which specifically target the obliques, helping trim love handles. As with any new physical activity, consult a professional before beginning and be sure to properly warm up to avoid injury.

Image via WikipediaAlso please note that these exercises are most effective when used in conjunction with a healthy diet, and regular physical activity. For some ideas on how to implement these aspects into your life, please visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/holisticwellness.html

Side Bend
A simple exercise, side bends are also probably the most effective method for losing love handles. Start by standing upright. Position your feet shoulder width apart and bend your knees slightly. Lower your whole torso to one side, then back to the other. Lean only side to side, not backwards or forwards.

Torso Twist
This stomach exercise is also effective at reducing love handles, and is good to do right after the side bends in your routine, as it is also done in a standing position. Again, with feet shoulder width apart, slowly twist the body to one side, then to the other. The key here is to twist from your torso, not from the hips. As much of the twisting work as possible should be done by your oblique muscles, not your hip flexors. Keep your torso upright with no bending.

Side Crunch
The next two stomach exercises require you to get off your feet and lie down, preferably on the floor or other flat surface. Use a mat or towel as a cushion if you have a particularly hard floor to work with. Lie down on one side. For simplicity, let us say you are on your right side to start. Bring your right arm across your waist so that your right hand comes to rest on your left side. Touch your ear with the fingertips of your left hand, so that your left elbows winds up pointing straight upward. Lift your shoulders up off the floor while simultaneously raising your left leg to height of about twelve inches (30 cm). Contract your obliques as you do this. Hold for a few seconds, then gently lie back down. Do this for an entire set, then switch to the right side.

Seated Knee Drop
First, position yourself on the floor so that you are resting on your hipbones (not sitting on your butt). You can put your hands on the floor behind you to keep yourself stable in this position. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Put your ankles together. Now lower your knees to the right. Your feet will roll on to their sides, but should remain on the floor. Continue this lowering move until your knees are about six inches above the floor. Hold for one second, then go back up and down to the left side. Move slowly and with control, using your stomach muscles rather than momentum to raise and lower your legs.

The Importance of Physical Fitness

One of the simplest and most effective ways to bring down  blood glucose levels, cut the risk of cardiovascular disease, and improve overall health and well-being is physical fitness and exercise. Yet, in our increasingly sedentary world, where almost every essential task can be performed online, from the driver’s seat, or with a phone call, exercising and being physically fit can be a tough case to sell.

In reality, everyone should exercise, yet surveys show that only 30% of the United States adult population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity, and 25% are not active at all.

Inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in America, because inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance and other factors that trigger other kinds of diseases.

The good news is that it is never too late to get moving, and exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling the onset of any kinds of diseases. For people who are already candidates for some serious diseases like diabetes and heart failure, exercise and physical fitness can improve the condition of many areas of health including insulin sensitivity, lower the risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss.

In 2003, the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism published an issue on the results of their study and found out that lack of exercise and physical fitness were the key factors behind obesity and other serious diseases like diabetes.

Hence, it is extremely important for a person to stay healthy and be physically fit in order to avoid such illnesses.

Getting Started
The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a “dyed-in-the-wool” couch potato, is to consult with your health care provider.

If you have cardiac factors, your doctor may want to perform a stress test to establish a safe level of exercise for you.

Certain complications of some diseases will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a risk for people with diabetic retinopathy due to the risk for further blood vessel damage and possible “retinal detachment.”

Health experts also contend that patients with severe peripheral neuropathy or PN should avoid foot-intensive weight-bearing exercises such as long-distance walking, jogging, or step aerobics and opt instead for low-impact activities like swimming, biking, and rowing.

If you have conditions that make exercise and physical fitness a challenge, your provider may refer you to an exercise physiologist who can design a fitness program for your specific needs.

If you are already active in sports or work out regularly, it will still benefit you to discuss your regular routine with your doctor.

The bottom line is that physical fitness and exercise should not have to be a difficult or exhausting activity. Your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk, walking the dog, or simply taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The important thing is that you keep on moving. Every little bit really helps a lot.

For some great ideas on fun ways to get your daily exercise, visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.

Video-Yoga for Lower Back Pain

Here is a quick video with a few simple yoga exercises to relieve pain and tension in the lower back. This series is pretty easy, but can be quite helpful for those who spend a lot of time sitting, as it will loosen and lengthen your muscles, in a gentle fashion. This would be a good set to do in the middle of your workday, if you can get away from your desk for a few minutes.

Yoga for Lower Back Pain : Cat Cow Yoga Pose for Lower Back Pain
Learn how to do the cat cow progression pose when using yoga poses for lower back pain relief in this free exercise video from a hatha yoga instructor. Expert: Elizabeth Rose Bio: Elizabeth Rose is a registered Hatha yoga teacher with a background in...



For more back pain exercises, visit our website at http://www.newholisticliving.com/painrelief.html, or go here for a FREE book on getting rid of back pain.

Stretching Exercises for Back Pain-Do They Work?

Although we all want to be more fit and healthy, sometimes pain can derail our best efforts to exercise. Back pain is one of the worst culprits, as it can leave Image by JD'na via Flickr us out of commission for weeks or even months. (I'm still recovering from my last bout, which started 4 weeks ago, and I'm just now able to resume my regular yoga workouts.)

There are a number of different exercises that can be very helpful, both to alleviate back pain and prevent future episodes. We have some recommendations on our website at http://www.newholisticliving.com/painrelief.html, but it really depends on your specific condition, as to which stretches and exercises will actually work for you.

Doing the wrong ones won't do much good, or can actually hurt more than they help, and make the problem worse. The article below offers some guidance, and also a great free resource to help those suffering with back pain.

How do you know which exercises are the right ones for your specific condition?
If it was so simple why would so many people still be in pain? The truth is, in many cases it is that simple. Unfortunately, neither your doctor, or chiropractor ever took the time to teach you how to identify the true cause of your pain. Instead, they would rather treat the symptoms.

If you were lucky, you may have met with someone that was interested in doing more than just giving you a prescription for pain killers... and they may have even recommended some generic stretches and exercise.... (To read the rest of the article, just click the link below.)
http://www.losethebackpain.com

(For other exercises and tips to reduce back pain, visit our web page on natural relief for chronic pain.)

Related articles on Exercise to Reduce Back Pain:

• Reduce Back Pain Through Exercise (brighthub.com)
• Bad Back Exercises: Can They Help Back Pain? (fitnesstipsforlife.com)
• Lower Back Exercises To Relieve Back Pain (fitnesstipsforlife.com)

Why Kids Should Play Sports

For children everywhere, it is easy to become distracted by the different technological playthings that are all around them. For some, it may seem like a struggle to tear your child away from the technology that has become so available to them. If you want to make sure that your child is receiving a well-rounded childhood, then there are options that you can consider in order to make sure that they benefit from being young.

Image by Direkteur Begeleiding via FlickrMost kids are used to having to stay indoors for school and studies, so it is often the parents’ job to show them that being outdoors can be both fun and beneficial. Playing sports will not only help them to get the activity that their body needs, but will help them to keep the idea of staying shape in mind when they are older. It is becoming more and more common for American children to grow up overweight or obese, even from the age of five. The problem is becoming so prevalent, that many children now are developing previously “adult” problems such as type two diabetes and asthma.

No matter what age your child is, they should be getting some type of physical activity every single day. It doesn’t always have to be vigorous, but should be something to get them moving and away from the easier (and sedentary) stimulation of the television or Internet. If your child is moving for at least thirty minutes a day, it will help prevent the health problems that many of today’s children will otherwise soon be facing. By playing a sports-type activity where the child is being encouraged to move around and is doing it with their peers, it will be easier to build a foundation for good physical health through activity.

If you are interested in your child staying healthy, then making sure that they play sports will give you the peace of mind that they are getting the physical activity they need for their health. It will prevent complications in their current health, such as obesity, which can develop into more severe problems down the road. Making sure that they stay physically active can also become a habit that will stay with them for the rest of their lives, reminding them of the importance of moving throughout the day, even as an adult.

Related articles on Exercise for Kids:

• Keeping Kids Active (weightloss.suite101.com)
• What physical activity is best for your kid? (brighthub.com)
• How to Prevent Childhood Obesity in Your Family (brighthub.com)
• Motivating Sedentary Youth (psychologytoday.com)

Video-Yoga For Beginners

Here is a great, easy 10-minute yoga routine, which is gentle enough for beginners, and is a good way to start familiarizing yourself with the practice of yoga. Once you have gotten used to how yoga feels and how gentle and effective it is for your body, you may want to try a more advanced yoga workout, but for getting started, this is a great and easy introduction.

(If video does not appear below, just click the link to view.)
YOGA FOR BEGINNERS Pt 1
Due to many requests, here is a sequence for everybody to start your YOGA.www.yogatic.com


(For more fun and easy workout videos, visit http://astore.amazon.com/newholliv-20?node=3&page=2 – most are also quite affordable.)

Fun Exercise Tips

While exercise may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “fun,” as you know if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, we believe it is not only possible, but even necessary to find some form of exercise you enjoy, in order to make sure you get enough of it to stay healthy.

It can be much easier than you expect, as some of the things you enjoy you may not even realize could qualify as exercise.

This article gives some ideas for ways to get your daily exercise, that can be easily incorporated into your daily routine:

HealthCoolBlog.info » Blog Archive » Fun and Easy Exercise
The good news is that there are fun and easy ways to exercise. There are daily activities you can easily integrate into your life so you won’t feel like you’re exercising at all. However you will still be getting that physical activity …
Publish Date: 10/30/2010 8:36
http://www.healthcoolblog.info/2010/10/30/fun-and-easy-exercise/


For more ideas, check out some of our previous blog posts, or visit our website at http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html.