Below are the 3 most recent journal entries recorded in risingyoga's InsaneJournal:

Saturday, January 29th, 2011
3:38 am	Yoga For Stress Relief Any type of exercise helps to decrease stress, but yoga is one of the best. Likewise, many of us prefer it because it is not usually a grueling, horrible exercise routine when you are doing it but as an exercise it is almost just as effective. The main reason for this is that most varieties of yoga incorporate some form of meditation, which obviously contributes to stress relief. I used to walk around with a pretty short fuse and training at Bikram yoga NYC has helped me overcome this. Another unique property of yoga is that the practice of it will make you feel both relaxed and stimulated. The movements in the vast majority of styles are slow and controlled, which means you may feel strained in a targeted portion of your body but while that is going on your mind is entirely focused on forming that singular pose properly. It requires a focus which is calming and clears your mind by necessity. I was also surprised to discover that yoga includes a variety of breathing exercises. Even a lot of the simple poses necessitate breath control which contributes to a meditative like state when training. I can tell you first hand that this is so relaxing after a while I found myself doing a set of 5-10 movements when I got home from work each day just because it helped me to chill out and relax at the end of the day. If you feel you experience excessive stress throughout the day then you might wish to try Bikram yoga NYC to help relieve it. Of course, if you are suffering from a serious mental issue which brings on your stress you might wish to speak to a doctor instead. This isn't a clinical treatment. However, if you are just another stressed out person running around day to day with too much to do and too little time (that's pretty much all of us, by the way!) then you might be able to find a little relief in yoga. Yoga gave me an enourmous sense of relief which many other effots failed to deliver. The great thing about yoga for stress or whatever ails you is that it is cheap. All you need to pay for is the classes and maybe a mat if you want to get fancy. Most places offer free trials as well so now you have no excuse! Give yoga a try and find some relief today. (Comment on this)
3:36 am	What is Hot Yoga? Hot yoga is practiced in a climate controlled environment, but other than that is no different from any other yoga. Typically, the temperature is somewhere between 85 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit and usually the humidity will be controlled as well, most often in the range of 40-60%. Hot yoga practitioners believe that they can sweat out toxins and sink more deeply into the movements in the warmer environment. Bikram Yoga NYC is a popular hot yoga training center. Named for its founder, Bikram Choudhury, Bikram yoga has proven to be one of the most popular forms of hot yoga. His classes are based on a static set of 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises. Since they are always the same exercises, he has also been able to create a class which lasts exactly 90 minutes. This makes Bikram Yoga NYC a wonderful place to train for everyone as it is easy to fit into one's schedule and once you learn the exercises you have the advantage of being able to perform them anywhere. Nonetheless, training with a group is effective because doing so will help keep you concentrated and often makes it more enjoyable. TriBalance is another popular form of hot yoga which actually includes several different styles, including Bikram yoga. TriBalance yoga encourages a philosophy of the unity of mind, body and spirit. It also promotes self discipline. In this way, TriBalance yoga becomes more than simply an exercise but also delivers some meaning by way of its philosophy and character. There are so many choices when it comes to style of yoga and it is common for new practicitioners to test out a variety before committing to one style. Most schools offer a free class to new students and it is a good idea to take advantage of it so you can make sure you like the instructor. The trial class lets you experience a particular style before getting signed up which may include a contract or additional starter fees. Taking a few free classes will let you see some of the differences and find out whether or not you prefer one style over another. Bikram yoga is the style that has had me hooked for a long time and, although once a year or so I will try out a different style, I always come back to Bikram. I love the 90 minute classes which I can fit in at almost any time of the day and, although it does sound strange at first, training in the hot and humid room feels great. Hot yoga is naturally more intense than regular yoga, but if you are up to the challange I highly recommend it. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
3:33 am	Yoga: For Mind and Body I have been practicing yoga for several years now after a friend recommended it to me. At the time, I blew it off over and over again as only a fad because yoga schools and videos were sprouting up all over the place promising all sorts of benefits. I believed it was merely another fake miracle treatment for obese people that would hopefully go away if I ignored it long enough. At some point my friend (who happened to be a very attractive girl, mind you) persuaded me to try a class with her. I'll be the first to confess that I really only went because I wanted to watch her practice the downward facing dog in spandex pants but by the end of the class I was already addicted. Bikram yoga NYC has been like my second home since then and I can't get enough. I realize you've probably heard what I'm about to say before, but I'm going to go ahead and say it anyway. When you initially enter a yoga class and see everyone moving into these strange poses, all synchronously, it looks a little weird. You really can't help but wonder how this could possibly be beneficial, let alone to the extent which everyone claims it is. Anyway, after a few classes I was already noticing some minor improvements. It really is amazing. At first the exercises were very difficult, and there were many I would attempt only to quickly realize that my body just couldn't do it. After training a couple days a week I could finally get into all the poses after about a month or so, although I still performed many of them like a caveman. Despite all this, the health benefits were enormous and noticeable within the first month. Many people get involved with yoga for the physical benefits alone and are surprised to discover the mental benefits you acquire through practice. Physically, you will notice gains in strength and flexibility almost immediately. Your body quickly adjusts to the movements and these two benefits lead to a slew of others. In the longer term you will also benefit your respiratory system. Mentally, yoga brings about a feeling of peace and calm which I otherwise never would have attained. I am a bit too energetic for my own good and my mind is always racing. After a few months of yoga I found a sense of peace I had never experienced before. If you are in the city area I highly recommend Bikram Yoga NYC. I was hooked after my first class there and I have no plans to ever stop attending. Yoga has done things for me which I never thought possible, and although it does seem like there is a lot of hype surrounding what is really a simple set of exercises, much of it is true and it can't hurt to try a free class. (Comment on this)