Knee / Hip Dominant / Unilateral / Bilateral Yoga Asanas

I have been in the profession of fitness for the past 16 years. Exercise science in these years has evolved to very specific model from a generalised model. Earlier all the Body Building exercises were considered ideal for anything and everything in fitness. Be it weight loss or sports training or just fitness or rehab. Earlier equipment were made for Body Builders for their specific needs of individual muscles. Hence lot of equipment designed then only isolated muscles, which was not functional. These kind of workouts may make muscles stronger and bigger but not functional. Exercises which isolate  the muscle do not help in improving a sport specific movement or even a normal day functional movement such as lifting a heavy object from the floor and passing it. Exercise science has moved on and has become very specific and functional.
            Selection of Exercise type is become very specific to the type of activity you do in life. If you are a sportsman what type of a sports do you play? If you are looking for weight loss then Exercise type / Combination of exercise / Heart rate in the session / Current fitness level / Exercise progression  etc is essential to know.
            Now you must be thinking why i am discussin all this in a yoga based article. Well as much as Exercise science progresses it keeps moving towards what yoga has been quietly saying for thousands of years. One of the outcomes of the modern school of thought of Exercise scientists is Knee Dominant exercises and Hip dominant exercises. Gray Cook and Michael Boyle talk about the Joint by Joint approach where your joints from bottom to top are responsible alternative for stability and mobility and hence the trainings should be based on this principle. I am a great fan of NSCA and Michael Boyle. I like the scientific detailing of NSCA and the simple way of teaching of complex exercise science by Michael Boyle.
           I am simply amazed how much is always there to learn no matter how long you are working in your profession. And this hunger for learning and learning new things has also made me learn Yoga.
           I have been teaching yoga since 2000 and now 11 years down the line i have evolved my own way of teaching yoga, which is a combination of Modern Exercise Science Methods and Yogic Science. The more i keep learning i see a lot of similarity in both, Modern School of thought on Exercise and Age old Yoga.
           Modern Science talks about Knee Dominant and Hip Dominant exercises, Unilateral and Bilateral Movement, and keeping the exercises as functional as possible for maximum results. Yoga has always been Functional and the Asanas have Knee / Hip Dominant  Asanas as well as their as Unilateral and Bilateral Asanas. Below i am going to put some pictures of Asanas which are Knee Dominant and Hip Dominant.

Knee Dominant Asanas:-

1) Parshwa Konasana (Unilateral)
2) Utkat Asana (Bilateral)
3) Veer Bhadrasana (Unilateral)
4) Garud Asana (Unilateral)

Hip Dominant Asanas:-

1) Ardha Kati Chakrasana (Bilateral)
2) Pada Hastasana (Bilateral)
3) Ardha Chakrasana (Bilateral)
4) Nataraj Asana (Unilateral)
5) Setu Bandhasana (Supine Bilateral 0r Unilateral)

We are discussing only about the Knee and Hip Dominat Postures here. Other types of asanas are which have Spinal Twists, Spinal Flexion, Spina Extention, Lateral Flexion, UniLateral and Bilateral Asanas.
Pictures below are of all the above asanas in the same sequence.

Yoga for Office

In today's modern lifestyle we all spend a lot of time sitting in the office, in front of tv, in long meetings, long and delayed flights etc. The result of this is,  lot of people are suffering with pain in and around the upper back and lower back. People are developing slip discs, breathing problems, chronic back pain, spondylosis etc.
As a result of long hours of sitting, we end up tightening certain group of muscles and weakening other. These muscles are normally placed opposite to each in our body. Hence it is called either a upper cross syndrome or a lower cross syndrome. People today suffer various problems arising because of long hours of sitting.

The common problems associated with the uppercross syndrome are :

• PAIN IN NECK
• BREATHING PROBLEMS. LEADING TO SNORING AND LESS OXYGEN TO HEART AND BRAIN, DUE TO WHICH SLEEP IS OFTEN DISTURBED AND YOU END UP FEELING TIRED THE WHOLE DAY.
• PAIN IN UPPER BACK
• SLOUCHED SHOULDERS

The common problem associate with the lower cross syndrome are :

• PAIN IN LOWER BACK
• SCIATIC PAIN
• LORDOSIS, i.e. EXCESSIVE CURVE IN THE BACK DUE TO WEAK AND BIG ABDOMINAL MUSCLES

The steps that need to be taken to solve this is to first consult a Physician, Physiotherapist and a Fitness Trainer who can understand this, do a musculo skeletal assessment , do a fitness test and advise you exercises. I am going to suggest you few simple exercises to begin with. The simple thumb rule here is "STRETCH FIRST AND THEN STRENGTHEN".

So lets first understand what we need to stretch and what we need to strengthen in the 2 sydromes that we have discussed earlier. i.e upper cross and lower cross syndrome.


Exercises for Upper Cross Syndrome :-

• STRETCH your Pectorals (CHEST)
• STRETCH your NECK
• STRENGTHEN your UPPER BACK
• STRENGTHEN your THROAT MUSCLES (Sterno Clido Mastoid)

Exercises for Lower Cross Syndrome :-

• STRETCH your Hip Flexors (Muscle that helps you lift your knee or flex your torso)
• STRETCH your Erectors (Muscles along the spine on your Lower Back)
• STRETCH your Piriformis Muscle (Muscle involved when you cros your legs and sit)
• STRENTHEN your Gluteus Grroup of Muscles (Muscles around your Buttucks)
• STRENGTHEN your Abdominals Muscles (CORE MUSCLES)

SIMPLE YOGA FOR BEGINNERS TO HELP WITH THIS LIFESTYLE PROBLEM:-

• SURYA NAMASKARS (SUN SALUTATIONS)
• PADA HASTASANA
• ARDHA CHAKRASANA
• ARDHA KATI CHAKRASANA
• VAKRASANA
• JANU SHIRSANA
• BHUJANG ASANA
• SALBHASANA
• DHANUR ASANA (OPTIONAL FOR BEGINNERS IF DIFFICULTY WHILE PERFORMING)
• SETU BANDHASANA
• MATSYASANA (BEGINNERS VARIATION ONLY)

Follow this routine of yoga asanas and hold each asana for 30 seconds , progresively increasing the holding time to 1 min and breathing throughout the asana when holding. always take help of a professional to begin these exercises. This routine will 100% help you take care of your regular back pain and many other issues.
ALL THE BEST and stay in touch at rahulkarma@gmail.com

Health Club Management Proposal

SPORTS TRAINING & THERAPY

Dont Know Why You Feel Tired All The Time?

Why Do I Feel Tired All The Time ?

So many times people ask me this question and it just amazes me, how much people are not aware of what they eat. Nowdays you see people from all age groups attacking the gym. Everyday we read articles on fitness in the newspapers and magazines, we all get influenced with the fitness shows on TV. Their are several reasons why you feel tired, those are -
- Stressful Lifestyle
- Lack of Sleep
- Less Water intake
- Improper Diet
- No Exercise at all

All the inspirational stories are great to start a workout but please take a proper consultation from an fitness expert, who is certified and knows about a human body and its functions. There are two types of trainers in the fitness industry in India or the countries where fitness industry is in a infant stage.
1) Type A -Who are only trained to teach exercises
2) Type B - Fitness experts who are certified and have the knowledge of Human Body and its Functions - e.g. anatomy / physiology / nutrition / injuries etc
3) Always go for the Type B Trainers who are Certified and Knowlegeable

Now back to why you feel tired all the time -
First lets know what gives you energy. There are three basic food groups Carbohydrate, Protein and Fats. All 3 have their respective function, main Energy sources are Carbohydrates (CHO) & Fats. The primary source of Energy Metabolised by the body is from Carbohydrates. Now there are two types of Carbohydrates Complex & Simple. Complex carbs give us Energy for a long time and Simple Carbohydrates give us instant but short term energy boost. So it is very important choose the right source of energy at the right time. Fats are also a source of energy, but Fats are used as the last source of energy. You can call it the reserve of your body. Foe example if you know anything about a bike then there is a ON position for Petrol and a Reserve position, so when the petrol is full its in ON position and when it s nearing to empty its on RESERVE position.

How to maintain Optimum Energy Levels throughout the day ?

Your diet should comprise of 55% CHO 25% Protein and 20 % of Fat ( diet can change deending on your goals). Now mostly all the people who read this will say, i am working out to reduce my fats and now you ask me to eat fat, why is that so?
Just remember - to metabolise Bad Fat you need to Eat Good Fat - SIMPLE ;)
So we are going to focus on eating unsaturated omega3 and omega6 fatty acids --- so all the food types which will supply you this.

How Do You Keep Motivated Yourself All The Time ?

You can keep yourself motivated by so many different ways, there are two ways you cn achieve your goal. First decide which one you are

Type 1) Someone who walks towards a Goal keeping in Mind what he/she wants to achieve

Type 2) Someone who doesnt like his/her present state of fitness or doesnt want to become fat , so your motivation is to go away from the problem, not towards the Goal.

Both the ways are fine, as both will ultimately reach a healthy physical and mental state.
So each time you want to be motivated look towards your goal if you are type 1 or look towards what you dont want if you are type 2, to stay motivated.

Otherways which may bring in a little bit boredom is the continuous repetition of the same exercises, this is natural and this can happen to most of u, including the athletes.
So at such times, choose a fun activity such as dance class, boxing, swimming, trekking, hiking, play with your dog or simply walk with your loved ones on the beach. Do a activity which is keeping up your heart rate up and is fun.

Yoga & Sports

Yoga In Sports- Yoga plays a very important role in any competitive sports of the modern era. If Yoga is a tree then it has many branches which are used in todays sports for Mental and Physical preparation. In yoga a sportsman will find exercises to fine tune his mind and body. Yoga can be applied at various stages of a competitive sport today.

Pre Competition Phase

1) Meditation
2) Corrective Asanas
3) Balancing & Stability Asanas
4) Asanas for Improving Flexibility
5) Breathing Exercises for Concentration and Improving Lung Capacity
All these exercises are going to help prepare the athlete for the competitive phase by setting targets by visualisations, improving performance by corrective asanas which are used to reduce weaknesses, improve balance and stability, improve ROM with asanas for flexibilty and improve concentration and lung capacity wih pranayam.

Conpetitive Phase

1) Breathing Exs for removing anxiety and clarity of thought
2) Dynamic Asanas for warming up before the Game
3) Asanas for recovery after competition
4) Relaxation techniques for better recovery e.g. shavasana

Breathing exercises such as kapalbhati and nadi shddhi if done before the competition , helps in removing anxiety plus removes negative thoughts and healps a athlete reach a calmer state. Dynamic asanas for warming up, and static asanas for recovery ( 30 secs +). Instant relaxation techniques like shavasa for faster recovery after the game.

OFF Season or Post Competitive phase

Here the athlete works on the rehabilitation , recovery and preparation for the competitive phase- Application of yoga more or less is the same as the Pre Competitive Phase
Meditation and Recovery exercises should be given priority along with the corrective asanas.
Yoga is has multiple benefits and a deeper look around, in the world of sports today will give you a better insight of yoga being used and applied in every sport. The more you practice yoga the more benefits you get. Hari Aum! Rahul Patil

Sports Massage Therapy

I got interested in the field of massage for its therapeutic qualities on the mind and the body. This curiosity and hunger for knowledge lead me to Premier Global Fitness institute London UK where i did Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy and fitness certification. Massage has become an integral part of the todays athletic regimen from sports medicine clinics, to college training rooms, to professional locker rooms to Olympic training. Growing number of Fitness Professionals believe that massage can provide an extra edge to the athletes who participate in high performance sports. A complete workout routine includes not only the exercise itself, but also caring for the wear-and-tear and minor injuries that naturally occur with strenuous movement. The physiological and psychological benefits of massage make it an ideal complement to a total conditioning program.
Incorporating massage in your conditioning program has many benefits. It helps you get into good shape faster, and with less stiffness and soreness. It helps you recover faster from heavy workouts, and relieves conditions which may cause injury.
Sports Massage Techniques
Each sport and athletic event uses muscle groups in a different way. Sports massage therapists are familiar with each muscle, the muscle groups and how they are affected by the specific movements and stresses of each sport. They also are trained in the appropriate uses of hydrotherapy and cryotherapy. Postural Assessment and Physical Assessment is also a part of sports massage .
After a Subjective and Objective Assessment of the client, Sports massage therapy includes the use of one or more of the following techniques:
Deep Swedish Massage
Compression Massage
Cross-Fiber Massage - Friction techniques applied in a general manner to create a stretching and broadening effect in large muscle groups; or on site-specific muscle and connective tissue, deep transverse friction applied to reduce adhesions and to help create strong, flexible repair during the healing process.
Trigger Point/Tender Point Massage - Combined positioning and specific finger or thumb pressure into trigger/tender points in muscle and connective tissue, to reduce the hypersensitivity, muscle spasms and referred pain patterns that characterize the point. Left untreated, such trigger/tender points often lead to restricted and painful movement of entire body regions.
Lymphatic Massage - Stimulation of specialized lymphatic-drainage pathways, which improves the body¹s removal of edemas and effusion.
Trouble spots - You may also have your own unique trouble spots, perhaps from past injuries. A massage therapist can pay special attention to these areas, monitor them for developing problems, and help keep them in good condition. An experienced massage therapist can also compliment treatment received from other health care professionals for various injuries.
Three Areas of Sports Massage
Sports massage involves -
1) Prevention and maintenance programs,
2) On-site treatment before and after an athletic event, and
3) Rehabilitation programs for those who are injured during the program.

The Benefits of Sports Massage
Regular sports massage can :

1) Reduce the chance of injury, through proper stretching and event preparation, and through deep tissue massage;
2) Improve range of motion and muscle flexibility, resulting in improved power and performance;
3)Shorten recovery time between workouts;
4) Maximize the supply of nutrients and oxygen through increased blood flow;
5) Enhance elimination of metabolic by-products of exercise.