Always good to remember - when life gets in the way of your yoga practice.

Many top athletes have now incorporated yoga in their training programmes. Tennis players, footballers, golfers and rowers are all finding that yoga can improve their chosen sport, and are using it to cross train. Yoga increases flexibility and mobility, giving you a greater, controlled range of motion, thus decreasing your risk of injury. Strength, balance and flexibility are key components needed in rowing and yoga poses target specifically the areas most affected by this sport: Abdominals/ core strength Lumber spine Shoulders Hamstrings Hip flexors Calf muscles … (to name but a few) Learning to find balance and control through a yoga practice can then be transferred to the boat. Breathing techniques used in yoga are steady and rhythmic; they allow you to stay calm but alert, giving you the mental edge in competitive rowing. About yoga mama Cherie Lathey (yoga mama) is an internationally qualified yoga teacher and is joint director of The Putney Clinic . She runs yoga classes and wor

With winter approaching, many skiers will be busy preparing themselves for the ski season. Although at first glance it may seem unlikely, yoga and skiing have a lot in common. Balance, flexibility and strength are essential for both activities, so it should come as no surprise that yoga can be hugely beneficial when combined with a suitable pre-ski fitness programme in order to optimize preparation. It goes without saying that a gentle yoga practice is a great way to unwind after a long hard day of physical exertion on the slopes. Physical benefits Developing all the key major muscle groups used in skiing - such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals and abdominals - by practising yoga can have a very positive effect on the body; even before you even set foot on the ski slopes. Many of the common injuries that affect skiers, in particular those who lead sedentary lifestyles, are knee-related. By practicing balancing and strengthening poses, such as the warrior sequences, you strengt

Here is an amusing account of one of my friend's experience with yoga, which she originally published on her own blog, Family Affairs. Coincidentally, the yoga teacher with the yoga logo on the side of the car and trying hard not to get stressed out by the traffic was yours truly. :o) Yesterday, I went to a yoga class with a girlfriend who is a yoga teacher. She drove and we were running really late, but because she's got her yoga logo on the side of her car so she had to try really hard not to get stressed - drivers of cars with yoga logo's on the side must not, under any circumstances succumb to road rage. I am so rubbish at yoga it's ridiculous. My friend's 19 year old daughter came too and she and I went right to the back in an effort to be ignored. You need such strength and discipline. Some of the moves involved lifting your body off the mat with your arms and swinging your legs underneath you to the back. Not a hope in hell of doing that. Then we had to do

Here is another video I have found on Youtube regarding the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India. It is taken from the BBC programme Extreme Pilgrim and provides an interesting and more than entertaining insight into the lives of the Sadhus - a term used to describe mystic, ascetic practitioners of yoga; as well as wandering Hindu monks.

Many people who study yoga think that along with the physical body, there exists a subtle energy system or energy channel. They believe that there are three main channels which are called ida, pingala and susumna, and that these run in and around the spinal column, from the crown of the head to the base of the spine. Along these channels sit the chakras, which are divided into seven main wheels or discs. Chakras are often described as prana centres and are depicted as spinning wheels of light. Each chakra has a colour associated to it and correlate to specific parts of the body; as well as to emotional and spiritual well-being. During the practice of yoga, prana is encouraged to flow through the chakras, increasing and balancing these subtle “wheels of light”, while having a positive and healing effect on the mind, body and spirit. The seven chakras are: Mulahara (red): grounding, stability, stamina, motivation, self-confidence, purpose, passion, excitement. (Base) Svadhisthana (orange

Regardless of what may happen, we are all going to age. However, it is how we age both mentally and physically that will affect our quality of life. According to yoga philosophy it is the flexibility of the spine that determines the age. You only have to look at yoga gurus - both past and present - to see that a regular yoga practice has a huge effect on the ageing process. The body is supple and mobile and the brain remains active well into old age. Many yoga teachers look more youthful than their birth age and remain “young at heart”, living active lives well into their 90's. The current trend for a quick fix under the surgeons scalpel is just that; a “quick fix” to make one look youthful on the outside, while the rest of the body is degenerating in the usual way. Yoga and a yogic lifestyle allows the body to slow the ageing process down. How? Stress is a major factor in ageing. By learning to control and use your breath (pranayama) to help control stressful situations, you are a

Many people often ask me what the difference is between yoga and pilates and if there is point practising one if they already practice the other. What is yoga? Yoga is an ancient practice and can be traced back more than 5000 years to India. The word yoga means “to yoke”; a union of mind, body and spirit, making it a spiritual tradition. Yoga aims to purify the mind and body, and the Eight Limb Path practiced in some yoga traditions offers ethical principals to follow. By following this path, it is said one can transcend the ego and awaken the spirtual energy hidden within, revealing our highest capabilities. The physical practice of yoga poses (asanas) is what many people in the West are attracted to initially. The physical effects (toning, lengthening and strengthening of the body) and the feelings of well-being brought about by practising yoga is what can often be the start of a yogic journey… A journey within. What is Pilates? Pilates is a much newer practice in comparison to yoga.

Yoga can be extremely beneficial to anyone who runs on a regular basis. There are a number of reason why this is the case. Firstly, runners often develop injuries especially when they are training for an event, increase their distance or come to running later in life; which makes finding the correct footwear essential. This is also applicable to practising yoga, as any problems in the feet (fallen arches, high insteps, etc...) will have an effect on the alignment of the body, thus affecting postures. Secondly, If you develop knee, back, ankle, hip or shin pain, it is advisable to look into your style of running early on, rather than to continue running with pain, as is sometimes suggested. Most runners pronate or supinate in varying degrees, and this can often be rectified by the use of appropriate training shoes and/or orthotics. Some of the common injuries associated with running are: Runner's knee Shin splints Achilles tendonopathy Iliotibial band syndrome (ITB) Lower back pain

It is reported that one in three of us suffer from some form of addiction. Addictions break up families, destroy communities and can take on many forms: alcohol addiction, drug addiction, eating disorders, gambling addiction, sex addiction, smoking addiction, to mention but a few. Addictions are habits that have spiralled out of control. The use of the chosen substance becomes a necessity, as the brain and the body’s chemistry changes and develops a physical and/or mental craving. Quite often the person suffering from the addiction is completely unaware that there is a problem and, even when it is pointed out to them, they will find it very difficult to acknowledge the situation is causing any problems, which is known as “denial”. Addiction is a symptom and can be treated. By uncovering the underlying causes and taking action, one can move from the darkness of addiction back into the light of recovery. All aspects – be they mental, physical or spiritual - need to be addressed. Twelve s

I would highly recommend Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith and is published by Celestial Arts . It is an amazing book focusing on the " chakra system " that should be read by anyone interested in taking up or furthering their knowledge of yoga. The author has managed to bring a very fresh approach to yoga-based, eastern chakra work; while, at the same time, ensuring that it is highly readable and provides great insight into how we (in the West) tick. Anyone looking to discover more about themselves – be it physically, mentally or spiritually - will gain a lot from reading this book.. I will leave you with a quote from John Friend , founder of Anusara yoga , regarding the book: “Eastern Body, Western Mind is the most well organised, readable description of the deep order of manifestation of supreme consciousness within the human body/mind ever written”.

As those who practice it know, golf can be a very frustrating sport at times. When a shot does not come off as well as hoped for, it can be quite difficult to move on to the next shot and continue with the game. This is where yogic breathing may be of great benefit. Taking time out to steady one's breath and focus on the present – not on what has just happened or what may happen later – may help golfers to forget previous errors and proceed as normal with their game. From a bio-mechanical point of view, the strain on the body while playing golf can also have adverse effects on players. Not to mention the fact that swinging a club and hitting the ball with great force may also increase the risk of injury. Some of the most common injuries associated with golf are: back and hip pain, shoulder injuries, wrist problems, etc... Many yoga poses can help alleviate these conditions. Poses such as the cat, the downward dog, seated twists, the cow pose (and many more) can help increase your r

As I mentioned the other day, I read an article in The Sunday Times regarding yoga. The article, titled Celebrity devotees, designer yoga mats and jumped-up teachers — where will it all end? by Nirpal Dhaliwal, is – to say the least – scornful of the holier-than-thou attitude held by many yoga instructors and students alike; celebrity “devotees” and the use of yoga as a means of showing that one is well off or trying to keep up with the Jones's. Personally, I try to avoid falling into these stereotypes, although I may be guilty of letting slip the occasional “namaste” or two. Yoga has certainly been of great benefit to me since I started practising it way back in 1994, but I think that, if care is not taken, there is definitely a danger of taking oneself too seriously. This, in turn, can lead to self-righteous and pretentious behaviour, which is just not what yoga is all about. I will leave you with Nirpal Dhaliwal's 10 yoga no-nos. I could not help but laugh when I read them:

Most of the people who follow this blog will already know what yoga is. However, I am aware that this is not always the case... To some, yoga may sound vaguely familiar, others may have some misconceptions regarding the matter; whereas some may have never heard about it before. To fully understand what yoga is, there are a wealth of resources available, with numerous books, videos and DVD's available in high street stores; and now, thanks to the internet, there are also a large number of websites that offer immediate answers at the click of a button. For time and space reasons, it is impossible for me to explain in great detail what yoga is in a single post. Therefore, I will try to cover the basic notions of yoga in the simplest way possible and hopefully, in the process, clear up and doubts and/or misconceptions that you may have about the matter. Origins... Yoga is an ancient form of physical movement which originates from Indian culture and philosophy, regarded as a divine scie

Welcome to the yoga mama blog. Yoga mama is a company set up by Cherie Lathey, an internationally qualified registered yoga teacher, that offers general yoga classes and workshops; as well as yoga classes for pregnant women and fitness for new mums in and around the Putney area in south-west London. For more information about class times and scheduled workshops, please visit the yoga mama website at www.yogamama.co.uk .