Pain Relief Exercises

Articles about Fitness and Exercise for healthy living and pain relief.

  • Print

Breathing Exercises for a Healthy Life - Pranayama - Deep Breathing

Breathing Exercises for a Peaceful and Healthy Lifestyle

Yoga is well known as it merges the mental meditation, physical yoga practices, and breathing exercises in order to strengthen the muscles and reduce the stress. The Physical yoga practice comprises of gentle movements, long stretches, and a deep relaxation of body and mind.

Yoga and meditation are increasing their popularity due to the stress filled and health conscious among the people all over the world. When you are thinking of starting yoga routine then you need to know that yoga incorporates poses, meditation, and breathing exercises.

The Significance of Breathing Exercises in Yoga Practice

Basically, breathing is important for the human body in two ways: It helps in providing the required amount of oxygen to all parts of the body and also acts as a means of eliminating the waste products and toxins from the body.

The Sanskrit word for the breathing exercises of yoga is pranayama. It is one of the five principles of yoga, which provides good breathing. Just practicing good breathing can provide an instantaneous enhancement in your health and life.

Practicing good breathing is treated as an exercise without using energy and total relaxation without stress or pressure. In a yogic viewpoint, a good breathing is to provide more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and also to control the essential life energy.

Breathing is the sustenance of our body and a connection between the universe and deeper resources within us. Beating those resources enhances the alertness of our mind and provides a fresh new way of life.

Today, in our busy lives, breathing is a way to renovate the balance of our body, nourish our minds, and relate us to our inner source. Deep breathing is used to aid control panic, anxiety attacks, and mental stress. It is been found that there is a relationship between breathing and mental health.

So, just take some time to sit and practice breathing exercises regularly. It is best to take the time to practice deep breathing exercises, as it is the only thing that takes a little time to practice for our wellbeing.

In these days, breathing in short bursts; fast and shallow is very common. Our breathing is too shallow and too quick because we are not taking in sufficient or required amount of oxygen and are not eliminating sufficient carbon dioxide.

Today, people are in a hurry most of the time and there will be a stress of just living in today’s world. So, easily we are getting emotional, anxious, and angry towards simple things. That in turn causes to breathe shallow.

As we expend most of our time outdoors there is an increased exposure of our bodies to pollution and automatically our body breathes shallower in order to protect itself from pollution. Also, with our lack of physical activities there is an increased need for our body to take deep breaths.

Effects of Shallow Breathing

The effects of shallow breathing are several. Oxygen is the most important nutrient for our bodies and the production of energy in our body. It is essential for the integrity of our body parts. So, lack of oxygen will lead to a disability to resist diseases, as it is very essential to the health of our body cells.

The shallow breathing also have an effect on developing more and more diseases, catch more colds, and a big factor in cancer, heart disease, and strokes. So it is better to practice just a few breathing exercises to make your mind more alert when you don’t have sufficient time for a full yoga routine.

Benefits of Deep Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing exercises will provide the total relaxation of the body and mind. It also decreases the heart attack rate and the muscles get relax and regulates the brain function. That in turn, lessens the anxiety and stress.

An important part of the meditation process of yoga is Pranayama. In order to meditate well, you need to practice breathing exercise to help focus on the life force of your body.

Regularly practicing breathing exercises of yoga will make your mind prepared to enjoy the peacefulness and the presence of god or godliness. So, breathe deeply and practice breathing exercises in your way to have a more peaceful and healthy lifestyle.

About the Author

Alien writes for pregnancy yoga. He also writes for yoga class
  • Print

Exercises for Quick Relaxtion

These days when there is a lot of stress on individuals to face tough competition and a lot of problems, it is very important to go for self relaxation methods without having to waste much time.

Fortunately, there are several methods available for obtaining quick relaxation. Experts suggest some great exercises that work wonders on a tensed mind and body.

Here are some of the quick relaxation exercises you can choose from:

a) Breathing

Breathing is one of the most important quick relaxation techniques. Here we will focus on the popular two step breathing exercise.

• First, you must fill the bottom of your lungs.

• Now, add the top as you breathe through your nose.

• Breathe out slowly.

• Feel the tension flowing out.

b) Tense-Relax Muscles

These exercises are great to relax muscles that are tensed.

• Focus on and feel the tension of the spot where you feel the tightening.

• Allow the muscle to become limp and loose.

• Feel the flow of relaxation in to the muscle.

c) Body scan

• Scan every muscle in your body briefly from the tips of your toes towards the top of your head.

• When sensing a tight muscle, all you require to do is to allow it to become limp and relaxed.

d) Limp Rag Doll

In this exercise, you need to perform, the 2-step breath at least twice.

• Just imagine that you are a limp rag doll.

• This will help you feel your mind and body getting limp and relaxed.

You may also use any image that you like.

e) Mind Quieting

• Focus on your breathing in order to quiet your mind.

• When you breathe in, say in a slow manner ‘I am’ to yourself.

• When you breathe out, say ‘calm’ to yourself slowly.

• Once your mind feels calm, you may try and focus on your breathing exclusively with no thoughts in your mind at all.

f) Shoulders, arms and hands heavy and warm

• All you have to do is to put your mind into your arm, hands and shoulders.

• Now imagine and experience these becoming really heavy, warm and relaxed.

g) Relaxation of mind

As soon as your body is fully relaxed, you would see yourself at a place that provides you the ultimate peace. This place may be a beach, a lonely island or any other peaceful place.

As mentioned in this article, there are several exercises that you can easily choose to provide relaxation to your mind. All you require to do is to follow these exercises and provide strength to your mind.
About the Author
For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about PANIC ATTACKS and ANXIETY please visit PANIC ATTACKS ADVICE and DEPRESSION GUIDES
  • Print

30 minute full-body workout that can be done anywhere!

Now here's a workout for anyone who wants a quick, but effective workout in about thirty minutes. If done three to four times a week, along with two to three days of forty-five to sixty minutes of cardio, you should see AND feel a real difference in about four weeks; now that's effective results. You can do this workout in the convenience of your home with Body Bars, or at the gym with dumbbells or free weight bars. Body Bars come in different sizes and different weights. Start with one you can handle and move up in weight as you become stronger. Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day and your workouts, and eat a sensible diet.

The workout:

Push ups: two sets of as many reps as you can
Half roll downs: two sets of ten reps
Toe touch crunches: two sets of ten reps
Butt tucks: two sets of twenty reps
Speed skater lunges: two sets of twenty total reps, alternate the legs
Dead Lifts: two sets of ten reps
Shoulder circles: two sets of five reps in each direction, slowly
Biceps curls: two sets of twenty-ones
Triceps kickbacks: two sets of ten to twenty reps

You'll want to finish up the workout with about ten to twenty minutes of jumping rope, or some other aerobic activity of your choice, if you have the time. You get a lot of bang for your buck with jump roping because on average, you can burn about one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty calories in fifteen minutes; this depends on your body type and the intensity. After the workout, do some general stretching to prevent the muscles from tightening up, plus you'll feel better afterwards.

(Exercise descriptions)

Push ups: place hands about shoulder distance apart and keep body straight, either on your knees or feet for advance, lower body towards floor while bending elbows to ninety degrees or less then push up to start position. Inhale while lowering, exhale while pushing up.

Half roll downs: start with the bar resting on your knees and sitting up straight, stacking your spine as tall as possible, roll the spine down while extending your arms, pause then roll your spine back to the start position and grow taller every time you return. Exhale while rolling down and inhale rolling up.

Toe touch crunches: Lie on your back with your legs elevated towards the ceiling. You may cross your ankles or keep your legs together and locked at the knees, which forces you to contract your upper thighs. Hold bar above and reach for your feet while lifting your shoulders and upper back off the floor. Be sure to exhale and contract your core while lifting to get the maximum benefit from this exercise.

Butt tucks: Place bar across hips and start with knees slightly apart. Exhale as you lift the butt up and squeeze your knees together as if they're kissing, then lower half way down while inhaling.

Speed skater lunges: Step back and over to the outside of your body then lower your hips towards the floor while bending both knees, make sure the front knee is directly above your ankle and not in front of it. Keep your hips directly under your shoulders while executing this move so that your knee does not torque too much. Return to start position. Alternate your legs with each set until you're done. This can be done without the bar until you work up the strength to use the bar. You may opt to do the second set without the bar and much faster than the first set to generate heat in the lower half of your body. You'll increase your metabolism and continue to burn more calories even after the workout is done.

Shoulder circles: This is one exercise that will give you sexy looking shoulders, it works the front, top, and back of the shoulders. Start with holding the bar in the center, thumbs touching and hands apart. Lift the bar up to shoulder level, an upright row, then push the bar straight out at shoulder level away from your body. Slowly lower the bar down to start position. Make sure you do the same number of reps in the reverse direction as well.

Biceps curls: We're going to do seven reps curling the bar up in full range of motion, keeping your elbows by your side. Next do seven reps curling from the half way position to the top, then last do seven reps curling from the lower position to the half way mark. Start with a bar heavy enough to do all reps but not too heavy that you sway your back into the move. In no time you'll build enough strength and definition in those arms.

Triceps extensions: Hold the middle of the bar, with your elbow up and to your side. Push the bar back as you extend your arm, squeezing your tricep muscle, and return to start. You'll need to rest your other hand on your thigh or rest your leg on a weight bench to support yourself while executing this move.

A couple of key things to keep in mind; keep your form and focus on the muscle you're working. You'll achieve maximum results when you're mentally into your workouts as well as physically, not just going through the motions so to speak. If you think of contracting your abs every time you exhale, you'll get a core workout throughout the exercises as they're being performed. If you can mentally focus on core, try doing a kegel squeeze while exhaling and contracting your abs. For those of you who have no children, think of trying to stop urinating in mid stream, that's working from the "inside out". Stretch the muscle that you're working after each set and rest as little as possible. This will keep the muscles and body warm while burning maximum calories. Generally speaking, if you do your cardio after your strength training/sculpting workout, you'll burn more fat while doing the cardio work because the body is already warmed up from the exercises. Therefore, if you have the time, do as much cardio as you can afterwards and watch your body transform even faster. Just be sure you do some general stretching after the cardio and replenish your body with a healthy snack or meal within sixty minutes afterwards.


Helen Golden has over 15 years experience as a fitness expert. Helen's latest conquest is saving your skin!! Helen and/or Active Skin has been fetured on CNN, Good Things Utah, Park City TV, The Rick Sanchez Show and REAL Magazine.

http://www.activeskinformulas.com
  • Print

Using your body is Exercising!

There's really no right or wrong way to work out. Well, you could tear a muscle trying to lift too much, but that's not what I'm talking about. Just using your body every way you can every single day is the best way to strengthen your muscles and bones. Go for walks and if you feel like running then run for a little while. If you come across a playground, do some chinups on the monkey bars.

You can try doing situps for a change and even some pushups. Stretch your muscles regularly and practice full range of motion with your arms, legs and the rest of your body. It's about appreciating your mobility and not taking it for granted. The less you use your body the weaker you will become. Try to push yourself to go that extra mile because you know it will make you feel better.

That's what exercising and fitness is all about. It shouldn't be a burden to have to work out. It's a privelage to be able to run free and jump and swim, to pick things up and put them down, and pull yourself up. Don't fall into the lazy cycle. As soon as you get up and start utilizing the many abilities that you have you will become faster, stronger, better and happier!