Antenatal yoga is a type of yoga that is done that takes precautions for women who are pregnant. Otherwise known as prenatal yoga, it is a great way for pregnant women to be able to stretch their backs to alleviate some of the back pain they may feel from carrying the baby. It is also a great way to help them to relax and breath properly which can help them in labor, and also a great way for them to be able open their hips which can help them during labor. I am going to talk about some of the benefits, and so if you are pregnant, you may consider doing prenatal yoga after this.
Back pain is a common problem among pregnant women, because of the additional weight they are carrying, and the way that the weight is distributed. It can sometimes be unbearable for women who are pregnant, but antenatal yoga is great for stretching out your back. There are a few different exercises that are great for this. The relaxation pose where you gently lay yourself back onto a yoga pillow and stretch out your back is a great post to help your back out. Another popular one for pregnant women with back pain is the cat-cow pow. This one is done on your hands and knees, by tucking your butt in, and then making your back rounded. Breathing is a large part of yoga, so while you are arching your back you’ll want to breath in, and then when you relax to the starting position you’ll want to exhale slowly.
You can also do various yoga squatting exercises that can help to strengthen your lower body, as well as open up your hips which is great for labor. You’ll need core muscles and to know what positions open up your hips while you are in labor, to make it a little bit easier on yourself. this is why doing yoga while you are pregnant is very, very important. If you have a Nintendo Wii Fit, I would recommend getting a Wii Fit yoga mat and doing the yoga exercises on Wii Fit Plus so that you can get real time feedback on your balance and stretches.
Before I started yoga I always thought it was something done only by women or wimps. But after taking my first class more then a decade ago I realized that yoga is one of the most comprehensive full body workouts that you can get. Moreover it need not cost much. To start at home all you need is a yoga DVD or book and something like a nice cotton mat.
Better yet would be to find a good class in your area. The sort of yoga you practise also influences the workout you will get. My favorite is Ashtanga yoga, which is a very fast moving and physical yoga that really gets you to work up a sweat. It focuses on building strength and aerobic capacity. Other styles such as Iyengar are much more precise and concentrate on getting an exact position and holding it. It helps develop balance and flexibility. Another option is Hatha yoga which is smooth and flowing and far more spiritual.
The truth is, however, that all of the different sorts of yoga have more in common than you would think. The best thing to do is to try a couple and see what works for you. Men generally seem to go for Ashtanga because of its influence on strength and because it really leads to an incredible physique. Do this seriously for a year or more and you will completely transform your body and develop lean muscle.
But you should not just see yoga as only about building strength or working your body. Yoga is based on an ancient philosophy and is very much about the mind and spirit as well as the body. You need not be religious to appreciate this. Much of it is simply about making time for your mind and to clear your head of the day’s normal worries and troubles. It is about finding space for yourself and to simply empty yourself of thought to find an inner peace. For some people this is the most beneficial element of yoga. Scientists have shown how this sort of meditation can lower blood pressure and reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Slowing your breathing and relaxing your mind are every bit as important to your health as eating well and exercising regularly. Few other activities combine these quite as well as yoga.
