Yoga all-in-one for dummies

665 Pages·2015·18.77 MB·English

by  Larry Payne

Yoga All-in-One For Dummies®
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Copyright © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2014954660
ISBN 978-1-118- 902272-5 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118- 902275-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-
1-118- 902276-3 (ebk)
Yoga All-in-One For Dummies®
Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/yogaaio to view this
book's cheat sheet.
Table of Contents
Cover
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Book I: Getting Started with Yoga Principles
Chapter 1: Yoga 101: Building a Foundation
Understanding the True Character of Yoga
Considering Your Options: The Eight Main Branches of Yoga
Finding Your Niche: Four Basic Approaches to Yoga
Locating Your Starting Place in the World of Yoga
Chapter 2: Yoga and the Mind-Body Connection
Taming the Monkey Mind
Focusing on the Transitions
Exercising from the Inside Out
Letting Go of “I Can’t Do It”
Bringing Your Mind into the Present Moment
Chapter 3: Preparing for a Fruitful Yoga Practice
Cultivating the Right Attitude
Enjoying a Peaceful and Safe Yoga Practice
Ready, Set, Yoga: Dealing with the Practicalities
Book II: Basic Yoga Techniques and Postures
Chapter 1: The Fundamentals of Yogic Breathing
Breathing Your Way to Good Health
Starting Out with Focus Breathing
A Variety of Yoga Breathing Techniques
Seeing How Breath and Postural Movement Work Together
Chapter 2: Please Be Seated
Understanding the Philosophy of Sitting
Adding Variety to Your Sitting Postures
Chapter 3: Standing Tall
Standing Strong
Exercising Your Standing Options
Chapter 4: Steady as a Tree: Mastering Balance
Getting to the Roots of the Posture
Balancing Postures for Graceful Strength
Chapter 5: Absolutely Abs
Taking Care of the Abdomen: Your Business Center
Exercising Those Abs
Chapter 6: Looking at the World Upside-Down: Safe
Inversion Postures
Getting a Leg Up on Leg Inversions
Trying a Trio of Shoulder Stands
Chapter 7: Classic Bending Floor Postures
Bending over Backward
Bending from Side to Side
Bending Forward
Chapter 8: Several Twists on the Yoga Twist
Trying Simple Upright Twists
Twisting while Reclining
Chapter 9: Dynamic Postures: The Rejuvenation
Sequence and Sun Salutation
Warming Up for the Sun: Rejuvenating in 9 Steps
Gliding through the 7-Step Kneeling Salutation
Advancing to the 12-Step Sun Salutation
Chapter 10: Basic Preparation, Compensation, and
Rest Poses
Getting Started with Warm-ups
Selecting Your Compensation Poses
Mastering Rest Postures
Book III: Yoga for Life
Chapter 1: A Recommended Beginners’ Routine for
Men and Women
Trying out a Fun Beginner Routine
Reaching beyond the Beginning
Chapter 2: Yoga for Kids and Teens
Making Yoga Fun for Youngsters
Easing the Transition into Adulthood: Yoga for Teens
Chapter 3: It’s Never Too Late: Yoga for Midlifers and
Older Adults
Reaping the Benefits of Yoga through Midlife and Beyond
Developing User-Friendly Routines for Midlifers
Cherishing the Chair: A Safe Routine for Older Adults
Book IV: Powering Your Way to Fitness: Power Yoga
Chapter 1: Key Principles of Power Yoga
Power Yoga Breathing versus Traditional Yoga Breathing
Making the Most of Vinyasas: Mastering Movement in Power Yoga
Controlling the Gateways of Internal Power (Energy Locks)
Keeping Your Eyes on the Power Yoga Prize: Directing Your Gaze
Benefiting from Body Heat
Putting All Your Power Tools to Work
Chapter 2: Preparing with Powerful Warm-Ups
Getting Down with Warm-Ups on the Floor
Standing Up, Warming Up
Chapter 3: Taking a Walk in the Park: A Minimum
Power Routine
Talking before Walking
The Beginner’s Routine: Just a Walk in the Park
Chapter 4: Following Buddha’s Way: A Moderate
Power Routine
Progressing along Buddha’s Way
The Intermediate Routine: Buddha’s Way
Chapter 5: Staying Young: Power Yoga for Seniors
Embracing Power Yoga for All Ages
Getting Acquainted with Power Yoga Poses for Seniors
Powering Up with a Post-50 Routine
Book V: Yoga-ing Your Way to a Toned Body: Yoga with
Weights
Chapter 1: Introducing Yoga with Weights
Weighing the Benefits of Yoga with Weights
Evaluating Your Readiness
What You Need to Get Started
Mastering Posture Alignment Techniques for Yoga with Weights
Heeding the All-Important Safety Issues
Chapter 2: Warming Up for Your Yoga with Weights
Workout
Walking to Warm Up
Adding Warm-Up Exercises to Your Walk
Chapter 3: From Head to Toe: The Balanced Workout
The Mountain
Heaven and Earth
The Rag Doll
The Airplane
The Triangle
The Exalted Warrior
The Warrior II
The Camel
The Table
The Cat
The Dog
The Bridge
The Frog
The Zen
Chapter 4: Waking Up Your Mind and Body: The
Energy Workout
The Chair
The Skater
The Crow
The Runner
The Eye of the Needle
The Dog to Plank
The Twisted Triangle
The Warrior I
The Rise and Shine
Chapter 5: Exercises for Seniors
Reaping the Rewards of the Senior Workout
Candle Blowing
The Mirror
The Ticking Clock
The Wave
The Egyptian
The Pigeon
The Heart Lift
The Hacker
The Champion
The Body Builder
The Triangle
The Lift
The Seated Twist
Book VI: Ancient Practices in the Modern World: Hot Trends
in Yoga
Chapter 1: Partnering Up for Yoga
Defining Partner Yoga
Exploring 12 Ways to Pose with a Partner
Chapter 2: Yoga against the Wall
The World Is Your Yoga Studio
A Wall-Supported Yoga Workout
Chapter 3: Yoga off the Mat, in the Heat, and outside
the Box
Swinging through Yoga without Gravity
What’s SUP? Floating through Yoga on a Stand Up Paddleboard
Sweating with Hot Yoga
Book VII: Meditation, Mindfulness, and Letting Go of Stress
Chapter 1: How Your Mind Stresses You Out and What
You Can Do about It
Taking a Tour of Your Inner Terrain
The Bad News: How Your Mind Stresses You Out
The Good News: How Meditation Relieves Suffering and Stress
Chapter 2: Relaxed Like a Noodle: The Fine Art of
Letting Go of Stress
The Nature of Stress
Relaxation Techniques That Work
Yoga Nidra: Catching Up on Your Sleep Quotient with Yogic Sleep
Chapter 3: Getting Acquainted with Meditation
How Life Drives You — to Meditate
Surviving the 21st Century — with Meditation
Developing and Directing Awareness: The Keys to Meditation
Getting Started with Meditation: It’s Easier Than You Think
Chapter 4: Mindfulness Meditation: Awareness of the
Here and Now
Preparing Your Body for Meditation
Turning Your Attention Inward
Relaxing Your Body
Developing Mindfulness
Chapter 5: Meditating with Challenging Emotions
Making Friends with Your Experience
Meditating with Difficult Emotions
Unraveling Habitual Patterns with Awareness
Chapter 6: Cultivating Spirituality
Dissolving or Expanding the Self: The Point of Spiritual Practice
The Path of Devotion: In Search of Union
The Path of Insight: Discovering Who You Are
Finding a Teacher
About the Authors