Yoga with Weights For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness))

An easy-to-follow guide to a hot new form of yoga Yoga with Weights is the latest breakthrough in mind-body exercise, integrating the mindfulness of yoga with the physical culture of body-building. Building on the strengths of both disciplines, this friendly guide shows readers how to safely combine yoga postures while simultaneously working out with lightweight hand-held free weights. It features customizable exercises that target specific areas of the body, each illustrated with multiple photos, and provides guidelines for combining healthy eating with workouts. Sherri Baptiste (Marin County, CA) is the founder of Baptiste Power of Yoga, a nationally recognized method of yoga offered throughout the United States. She teaches yoga classes throughout the United States and hosts retreats around the world. Yoga with Weights For Dummies 5 About the Authors 7 Dedication 9 Authors’ Acknowledgments 10 Contents at a Glance 13 Table of Contents 15 Introduction 23 About This Book 23 Conventions Used in This Book 24 Foolish Assumptions 25 How This Book Is Organized 26 Icons Used in This Book 27 Where to Go from Here 28 Part I Getting Started 29 Chapter 1 Introducing Yoga with Weights 31 In the Beginning, There Was Yoga . . . 31 . . . And Now There’s Yoga with Weights 34 Weighing the Benefits of Yoga with Weights 36 Evaluating Your Readiness 42 What You Need to Get Started 46 Mastering Posture Alignment Techniques 46 Heeding the All-Important Safety Issues 48 Chapter 2 Gearing Up 51 Weighing Your Hand-and Ankle-Weight Options 52 Settling on the Right Yoga Mat 55 Assembling Your Workout Ensemble 56 Shopping for Shoes 57 Keeping Water on Hand to Stay Hydrated 58 Chapter 3 Preparing for Your First Workout 59 Finding the Time to Exercise 59 Creating Your Workout Sanctuary at Home 62 Working Out in a Group Setting 68 Part II Mastering the Basics 73 Chapter 4 A Breath of Fresh Air: Yoga Breathing Techniques 75 Exploring the Breath-Mind Connection 76 Considering the Health Benefits of Yoga Breathing 77 Practicing Yoga Breathing Techniques 78 Chapter 5 Making the Mind and Body Connection 87 Taming the Monkey Mind 87 Focusing on the Transitions 88 Exercising from the Inside Out 89 Letting Go of “ I Can’t Do It” 89 Bringing Your Mind into the Present Moment 90 Chapter 6 Warming Up and Cooling Down 95 Reaping the Benefits of Warming Up 95 Walking to Warm Up 97 Adding a Handful of Warm-Up Exercises to Your Walk 98 Knowing the Benefits of Meditation 118 Cooling Down: Ending Your Workout with Meditation 119 Chapter 7 From Head to Toe: The Balanced Workout 123 The Mountain 124 Heaven and Earth 125 The Rag Doll 127 The Airplane 128 The Triangle 129 The Exalted Warrior 131 The Warrior II 132 The Camel 133 The Table 135 The Cat 136 The Dog 138 The Bridge 139 The Frog 140 The Zen 142 Ending Meditation 143 Part III Refining Your Technique 145 Chapter 8 Waking Up Your Mind and Body: The Energy Workout 147 The Chair 148 The Skater 149 The Crow 151 The Runner 152 The Eye of the Needle 153 The Dog to Plank 155 The Twisted Triangle 156 The Warrior I 158 The Rise and Shine 159 Ending Meditation 161 Chapter 9 Taking It Easy: The Restorative Workout 163 The Child’s Pose 164 The Lion 165 The Pigeon 167 The Sphinx 168 The Big Ease 170 The Gauge 171 The Twister 173 The Plow 174 The Serenity 176 Ending Meditation 177 Chapter 10 Pumping You Up: The Strengthening Workout 179 The Lightning Bolt 180 The Crescent Moon 181 The Dog to Plank 183 The Side Plank 184 The Half Moon 186 The Swimmer 187 The Rabbit 188 The Dolphin 190 The Lift 191 Ending Meditation 192 Chapter 11 Releasing Your Athlete Within: The Endurance Workout 193 The Tree 194 The Dancer 195 The Eagle 197 The Russian Dancer 198 The Road Runner 200 The Side Bow 201 The Horse 203 The Ball 204 The Press 206 The Straddle 207 The Recharge 210 Ending Meditation 211 Chapter 12 Iron Abs: The Belly-Burner Workout 213 The Cow to Cat 214 The Flying Locust 215 The Locust 217 The Love Handler 218 The Staff 220 The Burning Boat 221 The Archer 223 The Pearl 224 The Belly Crunch 226 The Belly Dancer 227 Ending Meditation 228 Part IV Personalizing Your Program 229 Chapter 13 Eating to Enhance Your Yoga-with-Weights Workout 231 Listening to the Wisdom of Your Body 232 Improving Your Diet through Yoga with Weights 233 Following Guidelines for Healthy Eating 233 Developing Good Eating Habits 238 Chapter 14 Addressing Body Aches and Pains 241 What Causes Chronic Muscle Pain Anyway? 241 Managing the Pain in Your Neck 243 Loosening Your Stiff Shoulders 244 Relieving Back Discomfort and Pain 246 Alleviating Hip Pain 250 Lengthening Your Hamstrings with a Stretch 251 Stretching Out Your Quads 253 Chapter 15 Toning and Focusing on Different Body Areas 257 Creating Your Own Workout 258 Targeting Parts of Your Body 261 Part V Addressing Special Situations 277 Chapter 16 Improving Your Game 279 Swimming 280 Running 281 Cycling 284 Basketball 286 Volleyball 288 Power Walking ( and Power Breathing) 290 Racket Sports 293 Golf 295 Skiing 299 Football and Soccer 301 Baseball and Softball 303 Cross-Training 305 Chapter 17 Girl Talk 309 Addressing Women’s Health Issues through Yoga with Weights 309 A Special Workout for Expecting Mothers 311 Chapter 18 Exercises for Seniors 319 Reaping the Rewards of the Senior Workout 320 Candle Blowing 321 The Mirror 322 The Ticking Clock 323 The Wave 325 The Egyptian 326 The Pigeon 327 The Heart Lift 329 The Hacker 330 The Champion 331 The Body Builder 332 The Triangle 333 The Lift 334 The Seated Twist 336 Ending Meditation 337 Part VI The Part of Tens 339 Chapter 19 Ten Ways to Stay Motivated 341 Take a Deep Breath 341 Make the Commitment to Exercise 342 Take Care of Yourself 343 Celebrate the Benefits to Your Sex Life 343 Reward Yourself 344 Consider How Well You’re Sleeping 344 Set Your Sights on a Goal 345 Find a Workout Partner 345 Talk to Yourself 345 Create a Workout Routine You Enjoy 346 Chapter 20 Ten Myths about Yoga with Weights 347 You Must Be Flexible 347 You Can’t Balance While Holding Weights 348 Yoga Is a Religion 349 You Must Be a Vegetarian 349 Yoga with Weights Is for Super-Trendy Health Freaks 350 Yoga Makes You Wimpy 350 You Have to Be Very Coordinated 351 You Have to Go Away to Do It 352 You Must Have a Certain Body Type 352 You Must Be Fit and Young 352 Chapter 21 Ten Ways to Chart Your Progress 353 Monitor Your Weight 353 Keep Tabs on Your Physical Energy 354 Look in the Mirror 354 Check Your Clothes for Comfort 354 Take Notice of What People Say 355 Observe Your Mental Alertness 355 Use a Training Diary 355 Recognize Your Feelings of Gratitude and Peace of Mind 356 Reap the Benefits of Proper Breathing 357 Feel Your Increased Endurance and Stamina 357 Appendix Resources 359 Yoga-with-Weights Web Sites 359 Yoga Mats and Clothing 359 Hand and Ankle Weights 360 Yoga and Health Magazines 360 Books about Yoga, Fitness, and Diet 361 Videos about Yoga 362 Directories and Web Sites for Yoga, Health, and Fitness 362 Yoga Retreats and Spas 362 Fitness Centers That Offer Yoga Classes 363 Yoga Study Centers 363 Health, Yoga, and Fitness Organizations 364 Index 365 By adding light weights to your hands and ankles, you can accelerate the benefits of yoga - and begin toning your muscles right away. This breakthrough guide by two yoga experts shows you how to get started and features more than 100 photos that lead you safely through complete workouts. You'll look great - and feel great too!