Everyone wants to get healthy, but seldom do they know where to start. The basics of starting a healthy lifestyle program is to eat right and to exercise. You hear this over and over again, but often most people don't know how to do this. However most people don't know how to start an exercise program that can be beneficial to them and wind up spending thousands of dollars on gym memberships or exercise equipment that they never use. In the end they often are no healthier, and most time lost money in the process.
I find the best way for me to exercise is to do it in the comfort of my own home and at times that are convient for me. Doing execises in my own home allows me to start and move at my own pace, without competing with other people in my class or in the gym.
Choosing the right home exercise program is generally a matter of preference but below I will describe some of my favorites and explain some of the pros and cons of them. In this article I will be talking about Yoga, Qi Gong, Pilates and Tai Chi.
Yoga has been around for over 5000 years. It is something much more than just a way of exercising. In fact, it is a lifestyle change that many people need to take seriously. This type of program is centered on the spiritual healing of the body as well as the physical aspects. It uses a wide combination of breathing and movements to get the body back into its targeted range. Yoga is something that encompasses the entire lifestyle in ethical, spiritual and physical form. There are many different forms of Yoga I described a few
Bikram Yoga, or what is known as Hot Yoga, is a well known and modern style of Yoga, and popular now. It is a style of Yoga developed by Bikram Choudhury and has some detractors. As Yoga involves various routines and body postures, and this style is no different in that respect. There are a series of 26 poses in the normal Bikram Yoga routine. They are performed in an extremely hot room and this is thought to improve the relaxation effect of the routines and to help cleanse the body.
Another very popular style of Yoga is Hatha Yoga. This is one of the most likely forms of Yoga that you will come across if you are looking for Yoga classes. It includes many of the basic Yoga poses which are used in many of the Yoga styles. These are performed in an extremely slow way, and this style is therefore not extremely strenuous. Hatha is therefore a good Yoga style for those who are new to Yoga, or for those who are less flexible.
Another extremely well known form of Yoga is Vinyasa Yoga. This is also one of the most likely forms of Yoga that would be offered by the more common Yoga classes. It is a style founded on a series of stretches known as the Sun Salutations. As with many Yoga styles it incorporates and emphasis the importance of controlled breathing and adherents attempt to synchronise their breathing with each of the movements. It can be faster than Hatha Yoga and often requires a more advanced degree of fitness and flexibility than Hatha Yoga
Choosing a Yoga style is more by choice but I recommend to start off learning the basics and then move up to the harder routines as your body tells you you are able. There is alot of equipment out there to suplement your routines with however you only basically need a mat to keep your feet from slipping.Yoga is performed with the shoes and socks off!
The knowledge and practice of Qi Gong unveils how the body can regulate itself so you can gain the power to have control over your own weight and health. By using simple exercises on a daily basis, you can greatly improve your digestion rate, increase your metabolism and encourage weight loss. The students of Qi Gong learn to use exercises that combine the posture, gravity, breath, mind and movement together to cleanse the Qi (the vital life force). When the Qi is in balance, all the systems in the body become harmonized therefore improving digestion and metabolism and relieving any ailments. As a self-healing practice that has been widely documented in China, Qi Gong has been proven to improve digestion and the overall health of the one who practices it. The efficacy of the use of Qi Gong has also been recognized in the United States by The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the NIH and is currently doing further research to document the long term weight loss effectiveness.
Once the basic exercises ar learned, Qi Gong can be practiced anytime or anywhere, but generally is practice in the morning on an empty stomach. You need no other equipment to practice Qi Gong.
Pilates exercise is a series of breathing techniques combined with stretching and a simple machine. Pilates exercises designed to improve the body?s core. This includes the muscles in the abdomen, back, and buttocks. Some say it is better than yoga overall because it strengthens the body through improving posture strength and flexibility through stretching. The machines used in pilates, are there to challenge the body, by making it stay in certain positions while moving the other parts in differing directions, thereby training the body to endure strain, thus increasing strength.
The basic Ideology of the pilates Exercise is the use of the body?s mental ability to improve movement, efficiency and muscle control, which is also why they say that Pilate exercise somehow improves one?s mental state. Pilates also makes you aware of proper posture. Due to the exercises that you do, it also develops the muscles in the back and abdomen, further promoting good posture.
Pilate exercise also uses breathing techniques, which further increases mental focus. And probably one of the greatest focuses of pilates is flexibility strength of the muscles. It is this ideology that made pilates popular among dancers in the begining.
Pilates does require you to by the equipment to go with it, but all the equipment combined is less than the cost of a gym membership. Generally they will store easily in a closet.
Tai Chi is a slow moving martial arts form that originated in China. It is said that if practiced daily will promote health and longevity. It is built on the principles of Yin and Yang. Meaning or every movement there is a counter movement that goes with it. After practicing the routine in its entirety it is said to have exercised every muscle in your body. Learning the complete routine, and how to do precisely takes time but can have alot of healing benefits. especially for those with physical disabilities. It is best to start with a qualified Tai Chi instructor to learn this properly.
The above exercises are just a few of the exercises you can do at home. Whatever you decide, what is important is that you do something and get yourself moving. Below are links where you can find some of the items you may need to start you execise program today.
