Yoga for Women: A Non-Violent Approach to Exercise

Many women pile up an array of small violences against themselves from the moment they wake up - caffeine, cigarettes, abrasive exercises or no exercise at all. Lots of faddish fitness programs today have this violent approach - do 50 leg raises or pound your body jogging on the pavement or jump around to a rhythm not of your own making. Is it any wonder we don't like to exercise?

For a happier, healthier life, your approach to fitness and well-being and to life in general should be nonviolent one - working smoothly with concentration and determination at your own pace without competing with anyone else. Don't be ruthless with yourself and you won't be ruthless with other people.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yoga is a great way to start off your day on a peaceful note.
First things first, when you roll out of your bed, sit onto a mat on the floor and hug your knees to your chest. Then raise your legs in the air and stay bottoms up until your head clears. Next stand up and drop your forehead to your shins until you feel ready to tackle the toothbrush and get on with your day.

Your morning yoga routine should center on postures drawn from the 5,000-year-old technique whose name comes from the Sanskrit for sun, moon and join together. The exercises can range from deep breathing to pretzel-like stretches.

Yoga can be strenuous, but it should not be painful. It can be gentle and easy, or challenging. It helps you relax, but it can also give every inch of your body a terrific workout.

Yoga helps you maintain flexibility, build strength and muscle definition. Ideally, you could try spending 60 to 90 minutes on your yoga routine, before breakfast, five to six days a week, but as little as 10 minutes a day can really help start your day off on the right foot.

Don't space out during workouts. Use that time to tune in to your body and have a private conversation with yourself: 'How do I feel physically, mentally?' 'How is my balance and coordination today?' 'Is there something I should pay special attention to?'

Practice yoga in the early morning or early evening at least one hour after a light meal or three to four hours after a main meal. If you are hungry before practice, try tea, milk or fruit juice.

Following these basic yoga tips on a regular basis can help women obtain a more healthy and balanced life

What Are the Different Types of Yoga?

When getting started with yoga, it's a good idea to explore the different types, and what they can do for you. There are several different types of yoga and you really need to choose the one that you believe will give you the most benefits for what you are trying to achieve.

However, don't worry too much about picking the "right" type, as all forms of yoga will add benefit no matter which one you choose because the various types of yoga will always focus on creating calm and balance in the mind and body, while helping to increase strength, flexibility and overall fitness at the same time.

A yoga class. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What many people regard as the most extreme form of yoga is Bikram yoga (sometimes known as "hot yoga) where the routines are performed in heated rooms where the temperature is set at 95 degrees or more. However, for some people this can add stress to their exercises and for that reason there are some people who believe that performing under those conditions is detrimental to your health.

People who use the Bikram yoga on a regular basis believe that the increased temperatures help to relax and cleanse your body and in doing so give you more benefits over the standard forms of yoga.

The more common form of yoga that you will find in most fitness centers throughout the country is Hatha Yoga. This is probably the best form of yoga for you to choose if you haven't done any form of this exercise in the past as it will teach you all the basic types of poses that will also be applicable to various other forms of yoga if you intend to move into those other areas at a later date.

Hatha yoga is excellent for people who haven't done much exercise previously and for elderly people as all the movements are slow and relaxing and will assist in helping you to gain more flexibility without too much concern of injury.

One step up from Hatha Yoga is Vinyasa yoga which is performed at a faster pace and focuses a lot on breathing during the movements. The stretches that are involved in Vinyasa yoga are more advanced than those in Hatha and are possibly not quite as suitable for a beginner.

There are many other variations of yoga apart from these that I just mentioned but they all have the same philosophy of getting the mind and body to work as one to bring about balance in your life. We will explore some of these, as well as tips for getting the most out of your yoga practice, in the next few weeks, so be sure to stay tuned!