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New Jersey Yoga — No comments
11
Apr 12

Enthusiast offers tips to help optimize beginners yoga in New Jersey

Enthusiast offers tips to help optimize beginners yoga in New Jersey.

Enthusiast offers tips to help optimize beginners yoga in New Jersey.

If you are looking for a way to improve your health, chances are you've thought about taking yoga. However, if you've been reading the news, you may be intimidated by articles talking about extreme forms of yoga that involve unusually hot rooms, trapeze-like acrobatics and injury-inducing contortions that can cause spine and shoulder pain symptoms. This is NOT what beginners yoga in New Jersey is about!

"There are several disciplines of yoga, and with its rich history, the beginner can easily get lost – or worse – injured," said enthusiast and registered nurse Mary Jo Ricketson, as quoted by Chiropractic Economics.

She offered newbies seven tips on getting the most out of both their holistic health routine and everyday living:

1. Focus on your breathing in order to maximize the amount of oxygen that nourishes your body.

2. Increase strength, stability and balance by focusing on training your core muscles.

3. Use stretching to increase the flexibility of both the mind and body.

4. Get enough sleep to boost your energy levels.

5. Eat nutritious foods in moderation to achieve balance.

6. Appreciate your social connections to friends, family, worship communities and other circles.

7. If you have life goals, write them down to create a plan of action.

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New Jersey Yoga — No comments
03
Apr 12

Looking for beginners yoga in New Jersey? Here are some tips!

Looking for beginners yoga in New Jersey? Here are some tips!

Looking for beginners yoga in New Jersey? Here are some tips!

All over the U.S., people are wising up to the wonders and benefits of yoga. These exercises increase physical fitness while encouraging relaxation at the same time! But if you want to take beginners yoga in New Jersey, how do you find the class that is right for you?

AFP Relaxnews offers some valuable tips!

The easiest way to look for a class is to ask around. Talk to work colleagues, friends and family. It's a good idea to keep in mind what you're hoping to get out of your routine while seeking suggestions (and if what you want is a low-impact, meditative class, you should really look into Dahn Yoga locations).

Once you hear about a place that sparks your interest, pay the class a visit. Find out about what they charge, what supplies are needed, how large the class is and whether the teacher is certified. While you're at it, talk to the teacher to get a feel for what their approach to teaching is. The good ones will walk around class while instructing students and help them with adjustments.

Outstanding yoga instructors will also continue to train under master teachers.

While in class, exercises may prove to be challenging. However, they should never cause severe pain in the knees, lower back or neck. If you're having physical issues, discuss them with the instructor, who should be willing to suggest alternative poses.

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Inspirational Stories — No comments
28
Mar 12

MS patient uses yoga to restore life balance

MS patient uses yoga to restore life balance.

MS patient uses yoga to restore life balance.

Several studies have demonstrated that yoga can help individuals cope with the stress of diseases ranging from back pain to breast cancer. One man living with multiple sclerosis (MS) discovered that the holistic healing technique was useful for helping him deal with the various symptoms of his condition, ultimately restoring a sense of life balance.

"Whenever you get sick like that, you read everything, and yoga's one of the things they say can help," Chuck Burmeister told The Advertiser-Tribune.

He had been living with MS since 2000. This disease can affect individuals differently, causing symptoms such as vision problems, muscle weakness, pain and depression. Burmeister went through several different medications before ultimately having to go on disability.

After he read that yoga can treat some of the individual symptoms of his condition, he started out with five minutes of exercise a day. Though it was difficult at first, he persisted. Eventually, his depression subsided, and his mind-body awareness improved.

Today, he is a yoga instructor who teaches free classes to MS patients at a hospice.

Burmeister is just one of many yoga success stories. To learn more about what this mind-body regimen can do for you, visit your local New Jersey yoga studio.

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New Jersey Yoga — No comments
22
Mar 12

New Jersey yoga classes can provide springtime rejuvenation

New Jersey yoga classes can provide springtime rejuvenation.

New Jersey yoga classes can provide springtime rejuvenation.

When people think of the spring, they may think of blooming flowers, refreshing rain showers or, if they're ambitious, spring cleaning. However, according to the Hunterdon County Democrat, closets and front yard are not the only things that may be in need of tidying. The mind and body also require special attention and care. Fortunately, New Jersey yoga classes can provide those very things.

And considering some of the stresses that may be associated with this season – hay fever, getting physically fit for the summer wardrobe, taxes – who can blame people for needing a little relief? However, it is important not to fall back onto unhealthier habits.

"Life's obstacles and challenges can push our minds and bodies out of tune," hypnosis counselor Barry Wolfson told the news source. "Over time, we get ourselves out of alignment. People might respond by turning to smoking, drinking or overeating. All of these are harmful and counterproductive."

On the other hand, the benefits of yoga are both mental and physical. The holistic healing technique is known to alleviate stress, improve body composition, increase lung capacity and optimize blood pressure.

So if you're looking for a new fitness regimen this season, try scouting out the nearest Dahn Yoga locations. Once you take up these exercises, the flowers won't be the only things blossoming in your home!

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Life Balance — No comments
13
Mar 12

Prison yoga classes teach inmates about life balance

Prison yoga classes teach inmates about life balance.

Prison yoga classes teach inmates about life balance.

Many people believe that the corrections system should be more rehabilitative than punitive, teaching inmates about life balance and helping them to become more productive members of society. In Pennsylvania, the Northampton County Prison has found a way to use yoga to accomplish that very thing, as reported by WFMZ.

Volunteers come into the facility and teach free yoga classes and other counseling programs to prisoners who may struggle with substance abuse problems. Some of the inmates were initially hesitant, to say the least.

"I thought it was more of a ladies' thing or something like that, so I felt a little too manly to do it," Dave Senick told the news source. Now, he finds the exercises to be very soothing.

These programs may prove to be very beneficial for everyone involved. While the Northampton Country Prison averages a 70 percent recidivism rate, that figure is only 30 percent for inmates who were a part of the rehab and counseling programs, including yoga. Not only does this speak well of former prisoners, but it also saves taxpayers money.

Once on the outside, positive lifestyle changes need support, and old habits need to stay gone. Fortunately, Dahn Yoga locations offer classes everywhere and can help people who are interested in maintaining a healthier life.

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Life Balance — No comments
29
Feb 12

Yoga can restore and maintain life balance for endurance athletes

Yoga can restore and maintain life balance for endurance athletes.

Yoga can restore and maintain life balance for endurance athletes.

A lot of people are realizing that yoga can have several health benefits for the body, including improvements in breathing capacity, body composition and stress management. However, this exercise can also improve injury prevention by maintaining life balance for various muscles and joints. This is especially true for people who participate in running, bicycling or other endurance activities.

"Holding a pose for more than 72 seconds has an amazing ability to restore and rebuild connective tissue and the skeleton as well," yoga instructor YuMee Chung explained to Competitor.com. "Runners, cyclists and triathletes use their bodies in precise ways; they use the same muscles to do the same things. Yoga can bring awareness to the actions you're placing on the body, and, aside from the biceps, we hit just about every muscle."

Endurance athletes may feel that these exercises are too slow, but that's the point, according to experts. This holistic health technique is meant to be restorative and not exhausting. Therefore, it may be suitable for both warm-up and cool-down routines.

However, yoga instructor Sage Rountree cautions that endurance athletes should not hold any particular poses for too long. Furthermore, these exercises should be performed in a room with a mild temperature in order to prevent further stress for the body.

Any athlete interested in adding yoga to their conditioning should feel free to check out Dahn Yoga locations. They'll be glad they did!

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Shoulder Pain — No comments
21
Feb 12

Yoga can relieve shoulder pain and numbness on a plane

Yoga can relieve shoulder pain and numbness on a plane.

Yoga can relieve shoulder pain and numbness on a plane.

Airline passengers are probably familiar with the stresses encountered on a plane: shoddy food, dry cabin air, tiny bathrooms and so on. One of the more unpleasant experiences is muscle soreness brought on by sitting still for hours on end. Thankfully, yoga can provide relief from symptoms such as shoulder pain and numbness, as reported by The Mayo News.

Yoga instructor Lee Kennedy offers a tip for performing a helpful pose:

1. While sitting up straight, extend the arms in front of you with the shoulders pulled back and down away from the ears.

2. Cross the arms around each other, right under left, like you're going to hug yourself.

3. While breathing out, bring the arms toward the ceiling.

4. The left elbow should now be resting in the crook of the right arm, with the palms facing each other.

5. Take several deep breaths. As you breathe out, pull the shoulders away from the ears.

6. Try moving the elbows toward the ceiling (be mindful of your seat mates' personal space).

7. Repeat this exercise, switching the positions of the arms.

If you would like to learn more yoga exercises, try checking out your local New Jersey yoga studio. The health benefits of this mind-body regimen extend beyond airplane stress relief. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, yoga can help improve physical fitness, blood pressure and flexibility.

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Shoulder Pain — No comments
14
Feb 12

Shoulder pain causes at the gym may include improper use of machines

Shoulder pain causes at the gym may include improper use of machines.

Shoulder pain causes at the gym may include improper use of machines.

Regular visitors to the gym may become familiar with certain noises: the spinning of stationary bikes, the motivating cries of personal trainers and the clanging of weight machines. But if the exercise equipment is used incorrectly, visitors may hear another sound – "Ouch!" Improper usage of the weight machines is one of the most common shoulder pain causes at the gym, as reported by EDGE. It may also lead to injuries to the back, knees and other areas.

The pec deck is one machine that may cause injury if used improperly. Users place their forearms on padded levers, with their upper arms parallel to the ground, and push the levers together. If done incorrectly, this exercise could dislocate the shoulder or tear ligaments.

A behind-the-neck press places a loaded barbell just below the neck of the user, who pushes the weight overhead at arm's length. This machine can also dislocate the shoulder, as well as put stress on the rotator cuff tendons.

Fitness writer Kent McGroarty has some better ideas for a workout.

"Go for low impact exercises whenever possible, such as walking, biking, swimming, circuit training and yoga, to keep fit without stressing the body," he wrote in EDGE. "Exercise machines can be great additions to a workout, but be absolutely sure you are using them correctly!"

New Jersey yoga classes won't just help improve physical fitness. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, they can also support stress management. What a bonus!

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Lifelong Learning — No comments
07
Feb 12

Middle school club teaches students about life balance through yoga, technology

Middle school club teaches students about life balance through yoga, technology.

Middle school club teaches students about life balance through yoga, technology.

While adults of all ages use yoga for exercise, one artist has decided to use the mind-body regimen and other tools to teach Sparta Middle School students about life balance, as reported by the New Jersey Herald. The iClub is an after-school program dedicated to nurturing intelligence.

"[Intelligence is] the ability to live in a highly intense life without traditional stress," said club advisor Elena Zelenina, as quoted by the news source. "You can change all that without changing the position of where you are. The younger you are, the easier it is. The transformation of kids is light-speed."

In anticipation of Valentine's Day, Zelenina began teaching classes on the importance of loving and respecting oneself. As a visual aid, she built a pyramid using cups, and started to fill them starting with lone cup on top. She told students that only when one cup is filled can it share with others.

In further exercises, she gave students flip cameras so they could conduct interviews with other people about their thoughts on loving and esteeming oneself. Future classes will invite yoga teachers and acting coaches to explore topics such as fear, confidence and bullying.

Students who are interested in yoga classes outside of Sparta should feel free to check out Dahn Yoga locations. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 1.5 million youth nationwide were practicing yoga in 2006. So they'd be in good company!

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Shoulder Pain — No comments
31
Jan 12

Exercises can relieve arthritis and shoulder pain symptoms from cold weather

Exercises can relieve arthritis and shoulder pain symptoms from cold weather.

Exercises can relieve arthritis and shoulder pain symptoms from cold weather.

Some seniors may joke that they can predict a foul weather front based on their joint pain. Of course, things are only funny until the onset of arthritis and shoulder pain symptoms. No one is really sure why such weather seems to make pain symptoms worse for arthritis patients, but most experts agree the aches are real, as reported by North Jersey Media Group.

One patient advocate believes that it is one's reaction to the cold, not the weather itself, that can be responsible for aggravated symptoms.

"They shiver, they tighten up their muscles and they don't exercise as much," said Peggy Lotkowictz, vice president of Mission Delivery for the New Jersey Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, as quoted by the news source. "They stay inside and become guarded, all the while losing their range of motion. But the cold itself, in general, does not make arthritis worse."

Other experts believe that physical activity, such as yoga or aquatic workouts in a heated pool, can help alleviate pain by strengthening the muscles. So if you feel like exercising some place warm and sheltered from winter weather, consider looking for a New Jersey yoga studio.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 23 percent of American adults have arthritis, adding up to 51.9 million individuals!

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