| Yoga is completely different than pilates. Yoga is | | | | internationally aired TV series attracts a huge audience |
| about strength, flexibility and inner awareness whereas | | | | and has played a significant part in the skyrocketing |
| pilates is just about fitness. Pilates was developed as a | | | | popularity of yoga. Click here to read Wai Lana's |
| way to keep people looking fit, and it is also essentially | | | | biography. |
| a marketing strategy to sell exercise videos. Yoga has | | | | What is Pilates? |
| a long history. It is almost like a religion. If you have a | | | | Derived from ancient yoga asanas, the Pilates |
| good instructor, yoga can be very rewarding, and I | | | | exercise system was formulated by Joseph Pilates |
| believe that it is more effective than pilates. I thought | | | | over 80 years ago for more specific and limited |
| pilates was kind of boring and not very difficult since it | | | | purposes. Although Pilates is not a complete balanced |
| only uses short outbursts of energy and you don't hold | | | | or holistic exercise and health system, it is quite useful. |
| moves long enough to gain any real strength. There | | | | Pilates focuses mainly on cultivating core strength in |
| are also many different types of yoga whereas pilates | | | | the body and lengthening the spine. Practiced for |
| is rather limited. | | | | decades by dancers, Pilates has become popular in |
| What is yoga? | | | | recent years for its largely aesthetic body sculpting |
| Yoga is the best and most time-tested path to | | | | effect. Pilates can be a valuable tool for enhancing |
| physical and mental well-being known to mankind. | | | | strength, definition, and good posture in partnership with |
| While some people think of yoga simply as physical | | | | Wai Lana Yoga. Click here to explore Wai Lana's |
| exercise, it is actually a complete system for overall | | | | Pilates Yoga line of products |
| health and well-being. It includes everything from | | | | Guidelines for yoga and Pilates practice: |
| physical postures, personal hygiene, and a healthy diet | | | | Yoga postures, especially inversions and those |
| to premeditation, breathing, and relaxation techniques. | | | | that compress the abdomen, should not be done on a |
| The most advanced forms of meditation and | | | | full stomach. Listen to your body-if you practice too |
| self-realization are also a part of yoga. Wai Lana's | | | | soon after eating or drinking, certain poses will feel |
| workouts focus on yoga's physical techniques. | | | | uncomfortable. |
| Why do yoga? | | | | It's best to practice yoga asanas barefoot, using a |
| Like many forms of exercise, yoga asanas effectively | | | | yoga mat or nonslip surface for standing poses. A |
| stretch and strengthen your body. The greatest | | | | mat, rug, or folded yoga blanket will provide firm |
| benefits of yoga asanas, however, come from their | | | | padding for other asanas. |
| profound effects on the internal systems of the body. | | | | Wear comfortable clothing, something that allows |
| By bending, stretching, twisting, and flexing in the | | | | you to move freely. |
| various postures, you bathe your internal organs with | | | | Ideally, the room should be well ventilated. Have |
| oxygenated blood and prana, also known as life force | | | | enough space to extend your arms and legs in all |
| energy or chi. Yoga asanas soothe and tone your | | | | directions without hitting anything. |
| nerves and regulate the endocrine system, which is | | | | While practicing, concentrate on the feeling that the |
| responsible for the production of hormones-one of the | | | | asana is producing in your body. |
| keys to both physical and mental health. They also | | | | If you feel too weak or shaky in a pose, come out |
| improve digestion and elimination, strengthen the | | | | of it. Gradually, you will build up your strength and be |
| respiratory system, and tone the reproductive organs. | | | | able to hold the pose longer. |
| Although yoga techniques like asanas, breathing, and | | | | Don't go beyond your personal limitations, but |
| relaxation are extremely effective in relieving stress, it | | | | extend your boundaries gently. Doing the asanas |
| is Yoga Sound meditation that relieves deep-seated | | | | correctly means doing them to the best of your ability |
| stress and anxiety, enabling you to experience yoga's | | | | without straining. |
| greatest gifts: spiritual happiness and inner peace. | | | | Throughout the workout, focus on your breath, |
| Wai Lana | | | | inhaling and exhaling fully and completely through your |
| It would be difficult, if not impossible, to find anyone | | | | nose. Breathing with awareness not only feels good, |
| who has had as much influence as Wai Lana in | | | | but also balances and regulates energy flow within the |
| increasing the worldwide appreciation of the beauty | | | | body, strengthening your internal organs and boosting |
| and benefits of the ancient art of yoga. Wai Lana's | | | | your resistance to disease. |