Every Day Yoga by Tara Stiles
Bikini Yoga:
Boost-the-Burn Cardio
Jun 4, 2008
All the toning in the world isn’t going to deliver the results you want if your body is bathed in flab. On your quest to look better at the beach—and have a healthier body, stress-free mind, and soaring spirit—a bit of heart-thumping activity is a good thing. Not only does a cardio session burn major calories during and after the exercise, but getting your blood pumping produces feel-good hormones and can wipe away a bad mood. So if you’ve just gotten back from that first outing to the try-on rooms to look at new bathing suits, and you’re in a funk, try this session. Then keep at it and you’ll be rewarded with a brighter outlook and leaner body.
Lunge Jumps
What it does for me: Gets my heart rate up while toning my legs, arms, and abs.
Why do it: Two words--It works!
Lunge jumps are my favorite for getting the heart rate up. Come into a Low Lunge with your fingertips on the ground.
Spring upward, switch your feet in the air, and come back in a Lunge on the opposite side. Repeat until you’ve done 10 to 20 on each side. Try to do them without making a sound is the trick! Thumping around is just going to be hard on your legs. Use your focus and control to jump lightly like a cat!
Sun Salutes
What it does for me: Sun Salutes feel really amazing and work the whole body at the same time.
Why do it: Because you know how, and it’s good for you!
Try flowing through 10 Sun Salutation variations breathing deeply. Stand with your feet together, and reach up with your arms. Fold forward into a Standing Forward Bend.
Jump or step back into Downward Facing Dog.
Come into Warrior 1 and then push back into Downward Dog. Jump forward into the Standing Forward Bend. Reach up and rest your hands in prayer. Repeat until you’ve completed 10, alternating sides.
Try to match one breath for each movement. If that’s too fast for you, stay in each pose until you can get a hold of your breath. The goal is to keep moving and train your breath so you don’t get that heavy panting that we see in gyms. You will be working really hard but not have to show it through heavy rapid breathing. Good stuff!
Plank pose
What it does for me: Holding Plank pose for longer than usual builds strength and endurance and is good for the ticker!
Why do it: You’ll get addicted to it and have fun holding Plank pose competitions soon!
Hold Plank pose for 10 breaths. Keep your tummy lifted and reach through your heels for extra inspiration. Take a quick break and repeat. Keep your breathing steady.
[photo: plankpose]
Chair
Pose
What it does for me: Holding chair pose really gets into the hips and challenges my brain to focus on anything besides the difficulty factor!
Why do it: You’ll be happy when it’s over!
Stand in Mountain pose, with your arms at your sides. Bend your knees deeply. Squeeze your inner thighs together and straighten your arms, lifting them above your head and stretching your fingertips toward the sky. Hold for 10 breaths. Then stand straight up for five breaths. Repeat five times.
Now grab your iPod and head to the beach to relax. You look great, and you’ve earned a rest!
Comments
06 Jun 2008, 16:58
10 Jun 2008, 15:35
That's so sweet! thanks so much for the compliments! I have a good time and enjoy sharing what I have learned and making people feel better and happy!
take care...
love,
Tara :)
12 Jun 2008, 18:34
I always feel good and gain more understanding and knowledge of yoga after reading your article. And for the latest one, it made me smile a lot ^O^
[QUOTE](Chair Pose) Why do it: You’ll be happy when it’s over![/QUOTE]
ha ha ha, that's absolutely RIGHT!!!
[QUOTE]Why do it: You’ll get addicted to it and have fun holding Plank pose competitions soon![/QUOTE]
Yes, I agree and usually in my case it's the competition with myself ^o^ Though our physical capability keeps changing every day, plank pose leaves sweat, endurance and strength that motivate us to keep routinely practicing to find marvelous result on our healthy body and mind.
Thank you so much for your useful and practical again. Though at the moment I can't go to the beach and it's rainy season now in Thailand, the physical result from practicing yoga especially on my leg shape is so sweet enough!! ^^
Do Take Care,
Tara's yoga student in Thailand
13 Jun 2008, 16:17
Thailand! I love Thailand! I got to go a few years ago to perform with a company I dance with and it was so amazing!
Thanks for watching/reading/practicing!
Hope the rain clears out for you soon! Maybe I'll be able to travel to Thailand again soon to teach yoga!
:)
take care,
Tara :)
14 Jun 2008, 02:57
Surely, I'd attend yours so please inform me in advance, then I can set the schedule in case your class won't be in Bangkok.
Oh! You used to perform dancing here, WOW, I'm not sure if it's in International Dancing and Music Festival, if yes, next time I won't miss it either ^o^
Love,
May
14 Jun 2008, 14:31
It's still me here...
Now I want to ask you something if that's okay;
I am 14 and want to live healthy and beautiful life - where to start or how to do some first steps? Or how did you become who you are today?
If you have any tips for me and want to share them it would be perfect!
Lots of love and have a great day!
Kadri
16 Jun 2008, 16:22
You're so sweet! 14! That's great!
Advice....ok. here goes.
and remember there isn't an "endgame". It's not like you accomplish a list of things and then you create a version of you that you like. It's all a practice.
Here are a few things that come to mind right away.
1. Practice compassion.
2. Have a practice that you do consistently, whether it's yoga (asana), or meditation, or both. Do it every day. Life is going to happen no matter what you do. You'll have your goals and work hard and accomplish things. Do a practice every day. This stops any roller coaster ups and downs of life from being so extreme. You gain perspective, awareness, health, compassion, and connectivity with practice.
3. Eat healthy. I recommend lots of vegetables and greens and some nuts. Practice compassion for the animals. The more compassion you cultivate the less you'll want to eat the animals. But if you do eat meat, just practice awareness when it comes to what you consume...and drink a lot of water.
4. Wear sunscreen!
5. Have fun!
16 Jun 2008, 17:06
and here comes the really last question from me :) :
Do you have any ideas from where to get good yoga workout ? In internet there are so many of them and I don't know which one I should start practising. Confusing :)
And because I live in Estonia which is a small country in Northern Europe, I don't have any yoga classes in my city neither.
But your advice was brilliant and thanks a lot for this!
Love,
Kadri
P.S. - I think my compassion for the animals started few years ago, so that's why I haven't ate meat for a long time and I feel really good and happy for that! And for the animals!
16 Jun 2008, 21:03
Great!
ok. for a good yoga "workout". I have a short strength building video that I think is good to start with. The poses are not necessarily difficult but holding them for the amount of time in the video and adding concentration and focus is good for your practice.
The link to the video is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKpGmYX_oIE
love,
tara stiles :)
17 Jun 2008, 03:02
Love,
Kadri
18 Jun 2008, 22:20
I first learned about you when I was browsing for yoga poses on You Tube. I watched a few of your videos and just wanted to say that I really admire your dedication to yoga and to promoting a healthy lifestyle. I think it is so positive.
I am a nurse and have just gotten into doing yoga and love it. You are in such great shape too. I have a few pounds to lose and was wondering if a combination of yoga and cardio keeps you in great shape. I am not a fan of weight lifting and was hoping yoga could work as toning for me as well as health promotion and stress relief (as my job can get stressful).
Also do you follow a vegetarian diet and would you recommend it for yogis? Thanks Tara and keep posting for us. You are lovely and an inspiration for a healthy lifestyle.
Lynn G.
18 Jun 2008, 22:32
Lynn G.
21 Jun 2008, 10:18
I used to be one of your most sedulous recruit during a period of time in which I was very obsessed with losing weight. But the results were not exactly what I expected -a miraculous express change-instead just a few lost pounds, so I soon gave up. I came to realise the results only when I started gaining weight because of my newly-adopted sedentariness. I then passed through a period of assiduosly exercising -boring, difficult, useless exercises- that made no difference.
Now I've decided to return to my good old not boring Tara youtube videos, so I have a couple of questions.
That strength building video(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKpGmYX_oIE) was really hard to trace, so I was wondering how to make it easier, at least at first. Should I hold the positions for less time, but keep them united, or rest between the poses and hold it as long as I can?
Also, I was wondering if I should do that sequence of twists after each meal, for a better digestion.
Hope to hear from you soon!
21 Jun 2008, 13:45
Here's another question and I hope you'll answer when you have the time. This may sound a little weired, but I'm obsessed with details, so I really have to ask you this. It's about the Standing Forward Bend. I'm quite good at this, because I can actually bend my arms and lower my upper body very much, but I've begun to notice that while I bend the front of my leg is getting tensed and I can actually see my knees going up. So I was wondering -with the risk of sounding nuts- if I should keep on working the front of my legs or focus on relaxing them, because I noticed it feels different.
Anxious to hear a reply, Ana.
22 Jun 2008, 12:58
So one thing in standing forward bend to remember is to make sure your weight is evenly distributed on your feet. That means bringing your hips right over your ankle bones (which may feel like you are falling forward). It is also a good idea (especially if you tend to hyperextend your knees) to bend them very slightly and if you're going to straighten you legs think of just engaging your quad muscles instead of "straightening or locking" your knees. This will protect your knees and also put your hamstrings in the proper (and humbling) position to open them up more effectively.
Let me know if this helps!
thanks for writing!
:) tara
22 Jun 2008, 19:10
Love your articles and videos. Just looking for some more advice about yoga, cardio, and weight loss. Does yoga alone keep your body in great shape or do you hit the gym and work on the elliptical and treadmills as well? Do you lift weights or is your muscle tone all from yoga? There is so much information out there, it's hard to know what works best in the most time efficient way because we all have busy lives. Any feedback you could give is appreciated. Thanks.
22 Jun 2008, 19:24
Thanks for writing! Glad you like the videos! Hopefully I'll get a book and DVD out to everyone soon! I've got a few things cookin on that front so hopefully something good to report soon!
Yoga is great for stress reduction!!! (one of the benefits I need/enjoy from yoga). Everyone needs stress relief! It's good for the body to do different kinds of physical activities. Especially if you're not able to get to a yoga class or do a practice that is challenging every day.
I do some cardio activities, a little running, boxing (this is new to me I'm training with a friend of mine and I teach him yoga!), and biking! Keeping a regular yoga practice and introducing other physical activities in I think are great for your body and are fun too!
As far as eating go, I eat a lot of greens, some nuts, fruit, and eggs. I have been mostly vegetarian for about a year but it's possible to do the "lean meats". Fish, chicken....water is a huge element. drink lots!
Pizza is my weakness! but Amy's organic is a great brand. It's fun and doesn't have any of the crap that is a lot of brands.
Eating organic and foods with low ingredient lists I think are really important. Cutting out high fructose corn syrup is a big step!!!
and being happy!!!! is a HUGE impact on how the body looks. So having fun is essential for "getting the perfect bod" thing!!! Have you seen "What the Bleep"???
:) hope this helps!
thanks,
tara
04 Jul 2008, 01:00
i am so inspired by you. you have actually made yoga so intresting and simple.
i have a very bad posture. which i am trying hard to stand straight and not to hunch. very week back muscle. suggest me some exercises to strengthen my back muscles. what is the best way to stand, bend.
04 Jul 2008, 09:06
Thanks for your reply. I enjoyed reading your tips on how you stay healthy. I do agree that being happy makes such a huge difference in one's appearance. I have experienced this in my own life. Not seen the "What the Bleep" yet but I agree that our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes shape our worlds. Looking forward to your book and or DVD in the future : ) Hope it all comes to fruition for you. Keep up the good work.
Lynn G.
31 Jul 2008, 14:36
I enjoy reading your articles. I was wondering about incorporating yoga into a fitness plan. Is yoga good for strength training and can it be a substitute for lifting weights to keep (or build) muscle tone in the body? It's so hard to find time to fit in a cardio routine, a weight training routine, and a yoga routine! Arghhh! I guess I'm asking if you think yoga and cardio alone would be good enough to keep the body in great shape and if I can skip having to do a weight training routine too! lol. Do you do strength training in addition to cardio and yoga? You are in such great shape. Thanks Tara. Hope to get a reply.
Jasmine
19 Aug 2008, 15:31
I'm Tamar from Belgium! I'm 16 years old and I love yoga! I actualy discovered yoga by your great video's. I don't go to yoga classes, I just do it at home. I do ballet and yoga really helps me to dance better.
My problem is that lately I've been kind of insecure about my body. I've always been really tall and skinny, but this year I've been growing bigger and bigger, and the fat is only going to my hips! I wouldn't mind being a little bigger, if only I was in proportion! So, that's why I wanted to ask you if you know any excercises to get rid of that fat on my hips! any advice would be great!
Hope you get a dvd soon and I hope I'll be able to buy it in Belgium or on the internet!
Tamar
I love your way how you teach yoga in internet. It's amazing because you make it amazing!
You are shiny star on Earth today, you have gave us something we didn't have before!
Love you so much!