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Boston Yoga

Boston Yoga — No Comments
21
Feb 12

Boston yoga classes can help marathoners switch up exercise regimens

It goes without saying that training for any marathon involves plenty of running. However, The Boston Globe's fitness writer recently spoke to another marathon enthusiast and trainer, and discovered that it may be a good idea to break up the practice runs with Boston yoga classes or other exercises.

"Muscles need time to recover and rehabilitate between runs, so I would take it down to three – or at most four – runs per week," said certified personal trainer Peter Lavelle, as quoted by the news source. Making other physical activities a part of one's regimen can lead to less injury and shorter marathon times.

Globe writer Deborah Kotz suggests that swimming and cycling can condition muscles that are complementary to running. Resistance training can also strengthen the quads, shins, arms, abs and shoulders.

Yoga videos on YouTube may also provide a much-needed break from running.

Lastly, Lavelle pointed out that rest is an important part of any exercise regimen, especially after long runs.

The benefits of yoga extend beyond physical fitness, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The holistic healing technique can also improve mood and stress management.

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Boston Yoga — No Comments
20
Jan 12

People who are curious about Boston yoga classes don’t have to fear injury

The yoga world has a major bee in its bonnet after an article from the New York Times covered a wide range of injuries connected to the practice of the mind-body regimen. Practitioners believe the story was unfair because it did not point out that injuries can be easily avoided if people know what they are doing. So if you're interested in Boston yoga classes, don't let these horror stories deter you.

Here are some tips for ensuring that your yoga experience is safe, fulfilling and productive, compiled by The Boston Globe.

1. Find your level. "The only thing you need to do as a beginner is act like a beginner," said instructor Justine Wiltshire, as quoted by the news source. "You are not meant to know everything – in fact, you'll always be a student. The joy is in the journey."

2. Find the right teacher. Things you may want to pay attention to are a teacher's sense of humor, style and use of language. You should generally look for someone who is knowledgeable and caring.

3. Listen to your body. This will be especially important in injury prevention.

4. Find a style of yoga that works for you. If you're looking for something that emphasizes calm and serenity, you may want to look into Dahn Yoga centers.

When done correctly, yoga can have a wide range of health benefits. These may include better stress management and improvements in body composition.

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28
Dec 11

Yoga helped some Bostonians remember how to balance life on Christmas day

The hustle and bustle of the holidays are enough to drive anyone out of their mind: insane shopping malls, harsh winter weather, family gatherings with relatives and so on. However, some Bostonians turned to yoga in order to remember how to balance life on Christmas day.

"The holidays, even though they're wonderful, they can be stressful," said Arlington resident Maureen Dolan, as quoted by The Boston Globe. "It's almost like yoga is more necessary at this time of year."

Dolan went on to tell the news source that Boston yoga classes helped relieve some of the tightness she was feeling in her neck, shoulders and, yes, her mood.

Elsewhere around Boston, other people were also opting to spend Christmas day partaking of more intimate activities. Some decided to go to church or avoid larger parties in favor of food and drink shared with a single companion.

More than 13 million Americans were reaping both the mental and physical benefits of yoga as of 2007, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health. These positive changes may include better stress management, blood pressure, lung capacity, body composition, flexibility and physical strength.

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9
Dec 11

Yoga teaches med school students how to balance life

It is common knowledge that medical school students are under a lot of pressure: loads of studying, difficult professors, tuition and so on. However, doctors at Boston University are using yoga to teach students not only how to balance life, but also how to impart this knowledge to their future patients.

The course "targets the unique challenges and stressors medical students face as well as offers a fairly advanced level of intellectual content appropriate for the medical students," said instructor Robert Saper, as quoted in BU Today.

One component of the class reviews the scientific literature on the physiological benefits they can reap from yoga, such as improvements in anxiety symptoms and a balance of breath and heartbeat, the news source said.

In addition to helping students relax and teaching them some of the science behind yoga, the course is also part of a research study on the effects of this mind-body exercise on the mental health of med school students. Previous studies showed that 25 percent of this population will become depressed at some point in their education, according to BU Today.

People who are interested in taking a Boston yoga class are not alone, nor are those who hope to teach one. One yoga industry organization estimated that as of 2005, there were about 70,000 certified yoga instructors around the nation, as reported by U.S. News & World Report.

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Boston Yoga — No Comments
29
Nov 11

Boston yoga classes may provide cost-efficient relief for back pain

The breakneck pace of everyday life – including work and raising a family – could cause back pain or other chronic health problems in people who struggle to find a balance. However, Boston yoga classes may be a cost-efficient way to approach such problems.

Researchers at Boston Medical Center are conducting studies to assess how well yoga can help individuals who live in poor neighborhoods. People in this population who have back pain also tend to have other conditions as well, researcher Robert Saper told The Boston Globe. These patients may also have diabetes, hypertension, depression and other problems.

In a previous study, Saper demonstrated that yoga can alleviate pain and reduce the need for medicinal treatments. He is currently conducting more studies in order to assess the optimal amount of yoga, and compare the exercise to physical therapy.

"We hypothesize that yoga classes will be as effective as physical therapy, but more cost effective," Saper told the news source, adding that positive results will hopefully persuade insurance companies to reimburse the treatment, allowing patients to balance life fitness as well as their finances.

As of 2007, more than 13 million American adults reported practicing yoga within the previous year, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health.

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24
Oct 11

Take your dog to Boston yoga classes to calm it down for Halloween festivities

Halloween is upon us, and all over the U.S., pet owners are buying costumes for their dogs so that they too can enjoy the festivities. If you are thinking about letting your own pooch have a little fun with disguises this year, why not take a moment to consider its health as well? Spending time with the family is a good way to ensure the happiness and well-being of canine companions, and so is engaging in the time-honored tradition of yoga.

The trend is taking off in many parts of the country. Known as dog yoga – or doga – the practice is a bonding opportunity for humans and four-legged friends who are learning how to live a balanced life. The Independent Online reports that during a typical class, owners will massage their pets and help them stretch.

"You want to try and calm the dog down, so just touch along either side of the spine, then the rib cage, then the belly," said doga instructor Suzette Ackermann, quoted by the news source.

Before you take your dog along with the kids for trick-or-treating this year, think about bringing it with you to Boston yoga classes. Bonding and relaxing together can ensure a smooth, fun holiday for everyone. 

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Boston Yoga — No Comments
7
Oct 11

Andover Dahn Yoga Class

The Andover Dahn Yoga center is located in the Nathan Frye Building across from “Whole Foods”. Dahn Yoga Andover has been in operation since 2006 and has been contributing to the health, happiness and peace of its attendants. The manager of the center said that they specialize in helping individuals, groups and businesses foster healthy lifestyles through exercise, meditation and healing techniques.

To learn more about Dahn Yoga Andover, a unique Korean style of yoga, you can call or sign up for a Introductory Session, which is a 40 minute private session in which the instructor will guide you through the main exercises of the class while checking your strength, flexibility, breathing and circulation.

 

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3
Oct 11

Taking classes at a Boston yoga studio can relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis

Practicing yoga may play an integral part in living a balanced lifestyle. The ancient Eastern regimen promotes meditation and deep breathing to help ease the mind, allowing enthusiasts to better manage their personal and professional responsibilities. Life can be hectic, but staying calm and collected with the help of yoga may be the key to maintaining both health and happiness. Many Massachusetts residents who attend classes at a Boston yoga studio may not only be finding inner peace, but could also be alleviating the pain and discomfort of many medical ailments.

Osteoarthritis, for example, affects millions of Americans each year, significantly reducing the quality of life for patients. According to LifeScript, engaging in the soothing stretches and rejuvenating poses of yoga may be just what these individuals need to feel better.

Recently, physician Loren Fishman and yoga instructor Ellen Saltonstall teamed up to publish a book called Yoga for Arthritis. In this resource, the authors reported on a 2008 study that was conducted among a group of women who suffered from chronic low back pain. These ladies were enrolled in a one-week intensive yoga program to help reduce the discomfort associated with osteoarthritis.

"By its very nature, yoga is good for arthritis because it relieves the disease's major disability – [reduced range of motion] – without causing further trauma to joints," Fishman told the news source.

Saltonstall added that the key to achieving a better quality of life is through regular practice of the holistic regimen. She advised that yoga practitioners complete at least one pose a day in order to experience the most significant improvements in pain and discomfort associated with the joint disease.

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30
Mar 11

Financial planner encourages clients in search of empowerment to practice yoga

Dahn Yoga breathing exercises have helped many Americans attain better health and life balance. The meditative art, which first originated in Korea, encourages practitioners to breathe deeply, perform gentle postures and look within in order to reforge the mind-body connection. By attuning the senses to every movement of the body, holistic well-being may be achieved.

Haley Bevers, who was first introduced to yoga in college, told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that the technique has since remained a passion of hers.

"Yoga found me," she said, quoted by the news source. "I still remember my first time on my mat. It felt like home. I just didn't want to leave! I was hooked from that day forward."

Bevers continued to practice yoga even after she graduated and went on to pursue a career in financial planning.

She found that many of her clients desired to have the same purposefulness and determination that helped her face the stressful challenges of her job. Most of them sought strength and empowerment in vain until Bevers suggested that they practice yoga. The exercise helped many of them achieve the peace and inner resolve that they had been searching for.

"I knew that what yoga had done for me, it could do for the whole world," Bevers told the source.

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Boston Yoga — No Comments
14
Feb 11

Soldiers, psychologists practice yoga

In times of stress and agitation, turning to the relaxation techniques of Dahn Yoga's meditation program can make all the difference for an overloaded brain. Take Boston, Massachusetts, a bustling university center dedicated to the life of the mind. When the memory cannot shake away the most upsetting of experiences, learning to focus one's attention inward may help deflate mental tension.

Several of the city's yoga centers are using meditation and breathing practices to dissolve the stresses that crowd in after difficult experiences.

Meditation has been used for thousands of years to relieve tension and revitalize the mind. To that end, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital are conducting a study to see how yoga may be used to treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

According to WBUR Boston, a team of psychologists have reported some positive preliminary findings about the effects that yoga may have on post-traumatic stress.

Of nine men taught to concentrate on their posture and breathing while focusing deeply within, all showed some improvement in symptoms, the news source said. It added that further inquiry is needed to reveal yoga's full potential for this form of stress management.

Other yoga centers in Boston offer different forms of stress management, which may involve learning to center oneself, de-clutter the mind or refresh the spirit. 

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