Yoga Get's the Best Out of Yale’s Offensive Lineman Anders Huizenga

Downward facing dog. Bird of Paradise. The cobra. Yoga poses like these appear to be difficult. For a 6-foot-5, 275-pound guy, they may even be a bit more challenging. Yale freshman offensive lineman Anders Huizenga was up for that challenge and it has proved to be beneficial.

It all began when Huizenga met Tulsa assistant coach Greg Peterson on a recruiting visit. Peterson liked

his explosion. He liked his length. He liked his energy. But he recommended yoga. It takes players to that next level, Peterson explained.

“Why not?” Huizenga thought.

Huizenga gave it a shot the summer heading into his senior year of high school, signing up with a few friends at a local yoga club in his hometown of Trophy Club, Texas.

“It was awkward at first doing some of those poses,” Huizenga said. “It felt weird and I know I look weird. But as I got into that second month and I thought, ‘I can do this.’ The third month, I got in a routine.”

Huizenga is one of many athletes — both college and professional — who practice yoga. It’s a trend that continues to grow. Athletes use it with hopes of improving flexibility, enhanced focus and injury recovery and prevention.

Professional athletes like LeBron James, Victor Cruz and the New Zealand All Black rugby team practice yoga regularly. Many professional teams have hired their own yoga instructors.

Rick Harvey is a certified chiropractor who specializes in sports medicine and yoga for back care. He says there are countless benefits for those athletes who use yoga. Coaches embrace it, using it for stretching, warm up and cool down techniques.

“What happens is, a right-handed person, the right develop a little stronger,” Harvey explains. “The body is out of balance. From spinal standpoints, bones shift from one side to other. Yoga brings balance back to whole body. Stretching the tight side and looser side to engage and balance the body.”

Yoga in Portsmouth NH  has certainly helped Huizenga, whose favorite pose is the Warrior II

His patellar tendonitis went away after doing yoga for a while. His hips became looser. He was able to bend more and play lower, both advantages for an offensive lineman. He was able to go deeper on squats and consequently adding strength. And of course, his overall health was improved.

“After the first month, I saw a lot of results,” Huizenga said. “It made a huge difference.”

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5 Things Barre Workout Newcomers Should Know

Barre workouts are nothing new, and both private studios and branded chains have gotten in on the action, with new classes springing up all over the country. However, many people have avoided barre exercise classes, believing that they aren’t graceful or coordinated enough for such a workout due to its dance background. Despite common belief, anyone (dancer or not) can do a barre workout, which is why we love them. Read on to get all your barre workout questions answered and to learn how you can join this workout movement — no dance experience required.

 The word “barre” probably conjures up a picture of your fifth grade ballet class teacher counting Barre exercise classes have actually been around since the 1940s, when European dancer Lotte Berk — whose ideas form the foundation of barre workouts — decided to combine dance moves with other conditioning exercises as a way rehabilitate her back injury. One of her students opened the first American studio in 1971, and barre workouts have remained popular ever since because of their no-nonsense fitness approach and proven results. Barre workouts target the lower body and core, although your arms will definitely get a workout as well. Moves include leg and hip lifts, plank work, and of course pliés and arabesques. Pretty much anybody can do them. Even dudes!

down pliés during warmup. However, while barre workouts are definitely inspired by ballet, they take it to the next level by combining it with other exercises, such as Pilates and sculpting.

First of all, barre exercises are very easy on the joints thanks to the low-impact moves, so they’re a good option if you have persistent joint problems or are recovering from an injury. Barre workouts are known for improving flexibility, balance and endurance, and you’ll probably find yourself standing up straighter after a couple classes, as they encourage better posture. Because of the many modifications available, people of all ages, shapes, sizes and fitness levels can do barre workouts, including guys. Barre exercises also target traditional trouble areas, such as the stomach, thighs, and derrière, and many praise them for their fast, visible results. However, while a great addition to your workout routine — since it works muscles you never knew you had — barre workouts can’t replace cardio or strength training. You WILL shake and tremble. Like, a lot.

Meditation can Reduce Migraines

Meditation can soothe a stressed soul and even shorten the duration of mind-splitting migraines. According to a new study, meditation can significantly relieve the intensity of a migraine and shorten it by three hours.

Published in the journal Headache, researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston Salem, NC and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, studied the safety and effects of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program used to treat migraines.

MBSR, which teaches mindfulness through meditation, body awareness and yoga teacher training boston, has previously been found to relieve chronic pain. The program was developed as a means for people to cope with stress, anxiety, pain and illness in a healthy and natural way. The study was the first to have proven evidence of meditation's effect on migraines.

Researchers assigned 19 people that suffer from migraines to either standard medical care

or the MSBR program that lasted for eight weeks. Those in the MBSR group were instructed to meditate for at least 30 to 45 minutes per day, five days a week and attend one instructional class a week. All participants were asked to report the frequency, severity, and duration of their migraines before the eight weeks.

The researchers found that those who meditated had 1.4 fewer migraines a month that was less severe. The findings were not statistically shocking because of the small sample size, but the participants had significantly shorter migraines that lasted three hours less than the control group.

"Secondary effects included headaches that were shorter in duration and less disabling, and participants had increases in mindfulness and self-efficacy -- a sense of personal control over their migraines," says Dr. Rebecca Erwin Wells, a lead study author and assistant professor of neurology at Wake Forest Baptist. "In addition, there were no adverse events and excellent adherence."

According to the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, migraines affect more than 10 percent of people worldwide and are three times more common in women.

Mindfulness meditation has been linked to decreasing stress, a trigger for severe headaches. "It really makes us wonder if an intervention like meditation can change the way people interpret their pain," Wells says. The findings could provide an alternative treatment for patients who wish to avoid prescription medications.

The FDA announced the first approval for a device that sends low electrical currents through the skin to prevent migraines in March of this year.

"For the approximate 36 million Americans who suffer from migraines, there is a big need for non-pharmaceutical treatment strategies, and doctors and patients should know that MBSR is a safe intervention that could potentially decrease the impact of migraines," saysWells.

Larger sample studies need to be conducted to confirm the effects of the MBSR program on migraines. In the meantime, taking some time to "woosah" could help you shorten a stress-induced migraine.

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7 Tips for Beginner Yogis

Whether you are just looking to diversify your workout routine or hoping to embrace the spiritual as yoga class MA studios to offer up some gems of advice for you.

well as physical side of yoga, there are many different styles to choose from and whole new vocabulary to learn so we asked instructors and directors at a few local

Tip 1: Just show up with an open mind.

“Remember, we all took that first class, even the teacher. Give it a chance, try 10 classes in a 2-3 week period. See how you feel then. One of my favorite teachers would often remark, ‘the secret is to enjoy the journey, and the journey begins with the first class.’ Just show up with an open mind, and have fun.” Steve Gold, Philly Power Yoga & Thrive Pilates in Center City.

Tip 2: Watch and learn from other students.

"Make sure you set up in the center of the room, so you have other students to look at no matter

which way you turn. Sometimes it's necessary to just look around to understand the posture, and there's nothing wrong with that!" Kristen Cortez, studio manager of The Yoga Garden on South Street

Tip 3: Yoga is not a competition.

“Often times people are interested in yoga but want to wait to join until they are more flexible. Remember that no one is looking at you. This is not a competition. Just be on your own mat.” Katie Conner, instructor at The Prancing Peacock in Yardley, PA

Tip 4: Familiarize yourself with different styles.

“Hatha is a good moderate style to begin with. Also lyengar level 1 really helps you with your alignment. Or if you are only interested in another style like Power Yoga then just make sure to take the beginner class in that style. No matter how athletic you are coming into the class, you need to start with a good foundation. Yoga is different than athletic ability. Breathe is very important. Some beginners make the mistake of coming into a class that is beyond their level and end up getting injured. Really listen to your teacher and you will have a better experience.” Heather Rice, director and instructor at Boston Yoga & Wellness in Fishtown.

Tip 5: Let your body guide you.

“When taking class, listen to your body and its feedback. If you are feeling uncomfortable or are experiencing pain, it is usually feedback from your body, and it is usually that you need to step back and realign.” Eliakim Warren, one of owners of Focus Barre and Yoga in Center City

Tip 6: Relax your mind AND your body.

“Yoga reduces stress which is a major cause of disease. Allow both your mind and your body to relax through the stretches, asanas, breathing practices and deep relaxations.” Darlene DePasquale, Director of Yoga Center of Haddonfield in Haddonfield, NJ

“It is all about turning your everyday mind off. Leave the to-do lists and everything that happened that day at work or at home off the yoga mat and out of the classroom. Give yourself the gift of just checking in with yourself and developing a relationship with your intuition.” Eliakim Warren, one of the owners of Focus Barre and Yoga in Center City

“Keeping a journal can enhance your experience. Yoga is much more than physical; it allows you to find a deeper connection. It is powerful and more than just going to the gym and running on the treadmill for an hour.” Heather Rice, director and instructor at Amrita Yoga & Wellness in Fishtown.

Tip 7: Dedication and practice is the key.

“Be aware that it takes a couple of classes to get comfortable and it is totally fine to take breaks when you need it.” Heather Rice, director and instructor at Amrita Yoga & Wellness in Frankford
All of the instructors and owners agree that the more you practice yoga, the more you will get out of the experience. Don’t give up too easily if the first class doesn’t go as well as you expected.

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The Barre, Not Just for Ballet

The barre, a stationary handrail traditionally used in ballet, has made its way into the fitness world.

Several barre-inspired workout studios have recently come to the Emerald Coast, including Pure Barre.

The franchise, originally started by Carrie Rezabek Dorr in 2001, was brought to 30a in 2010 by

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Ashley Singleton and has recently expanded to Destin.

According to their website, “Pure Barre is a total body workout that utilizes the ballet barre to perform small, isometric movements, which burn fat, sculpt muscles and create long, lean physiques.”

I recently had the opportunity to stop into the studio on 30a to check out a class.

Not sure what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised.


Interested in Barre in Portsmouth, NH? Try Barre and Soul

Bedford COA Yoga Classes MA

The Bedford Council on Aging is offering yoga this fall, with gentle chair yoga class MA suited for those who may have difficulty kneeling and sitting on the floor and mat yoga for those who are more mobile.

Seniors who have been coming to yoga report more comfort and ease in their bodies, sometimes as quickly as the very first class. Yoga strengthens weak muscles, lubricates the joints, brings relief from the suffering of arthritis and low back pain, strengthens the immune system and releases energy into your body. Balance improves greatly with the practice of yoga as well, strengthening feet, legs, hip flexors and core muscles. Yoga also strengthens all the breathing muscles and increases the power of each breath. People with asthma have reported significant improvement with their breathing.

Chair yoga

This class is a gentle form of yoga. You will practice sitting in a chair or standing using the chair for support. Complicated maneuvers and complex movements are not present in this class. The chair is used due to the difficulty in getting down and up off the floor. The class is one hour followed by a half hour of relaxation and meditation. Mondays and Fridays, 9:30-11 a.m.

Mat yoga

Develop body awareness, learn basic postures and proper alignment. Learn yogic forms of breathing and how to sequence breath and movements together and become familiar with the connection to your physical and energetic body. This class combines postures and movements on all fours, seated, standing and lying down. This is a multi-level class. Though ideal for someone who has already taken some yoga classes, it is also well-suited to someone who is fairly mobile but has never practiced yoga before. Class always ends with a deep relaxation and meditation. Mondays, 1-2:30 p.m.; Thursdays, 9:15-10:45 a.m.

The cost for each class is $65 for eight weeks or $120 for two classes per week.

For information and registration: 781-275-6825. 

Barre & Soul studio combines yoga, ballet and more

 Andrea Isabelle Lucas is incorporating the centering mindfulness of yoga into her classes at her new Barre & Soul studio on Court Street.

"It's a new spin to barre classes," Lucas said.

At a glance

Barre & Soul

Owner: Andrea Isabelle Lucas

Address: 163 Court St., Portsmouth

Phone: 247-0987

E-mail: nh@barresoul.com

Online:www.barresoul.com/portsmouth

Lucas did her research and found that while the Portsmouth area offered many yoga classes and other exercise options, she found that many people didn't know about barre classes.

"I've always been inspired by yoga, but missed the head-to-toe workout from a barre class," she said.

Lucas has been a barre teacher since 2006 and formerly led the mind-body fitness program at Exhale Mind Body Spa in Boston.

She founded Barre & Soul in 2012 and opened studios in Lexington and Melrose, Mass.

An Ogunquit, Maine, native, Lucas is passionate about bringing her successful method to the Seacoast. The Barre & Soul method is based on the tradition of Lotte Berk barre classes that has become one of the hottest rising trends in mainstream fitness.

Berk, a professional ballerina, combined her dance training with orthopedic exercises to rehabilitate her body after an injury. The method she created is safe, challenging and effective. In addition to her barre training, Lucas completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in Prana-Vauy yoga (a flowing yoga style) with founder David Magone. She holds a bachelor's degree in women's studies from Lesley University.

She has also traveled to Haiti to study the use of yoga to heal trauma and has studied aerial yoga and performed in the Iron Heart Circus, based in Dover.

"I follow the typical format of barre exercises, but with the grounding of yoga," Lucas said. "When students arrive,

Barre & Soul

instead of the traditional marching in place, I ask them to sit for a moment and 'land' in the space."

During the class, the instructor takes the students mindfully through the poses and exercises at their own level.

"We give positive messages throughout the class," Lucas said.

The classes use yoga props like mats, ties and blocks and incorporate the barre and small hand weights for ballet conditioning, interval cardio, Pilates and yoga.

"About half of the class is done on your feet, which is good for building bone density," Lucas said. "I am also helping participants build their arm balance by combining some of the yoga poses."

After the class, the students participate in a savasana, or yogic total body relaxation. Lucas said the grounding helps participants reduce their stress levels.

Lucas found the 850-square-foot space at 163 Court St. that is just above the new hair salon, Oomph. It has beautiful light from two walls of windows and the barres can accommodate up to 20 participants for a class.

There are currently six instructors who have been hired and trained by Lucas. Instructor Lindsey James will be the manager of the Portsmouth location.

A soft opening with classes is set for Saturday, Aug. 16, and a larger grand opening will be held in September.

"We're hoping to do the grand opening in conjunction with Oomph," Lucas said.

Barre & Soul will offer a lunchtime class from 12:10 to 1 p.m. and classes in the early morning and early evening.

A schedule can be found on the studio's Web site.

Yoga Studio looks to follow Old House Mercantile at Proctor District Location

When Old House Mercantile moves from its current location in Tacoma’s Proctor District to a new site across the street, neighbors can expect that a yoga studio will take over the former retail space.

Lisa Palace said Friday that she and her husband, Patrick, will open Yoga Palace once the space is remodeled. Although the formal papers have not been signed, Old House owner Ann Evans said Friday that she would welcome the new business.

The yoga studio will offer scheduled classes in basic to advanced meditation and Vinyasa Yoga instruction. Read more here

Barre and Soul is a Melrose Yoga Studio specializing in signature Barre and Yoga Classes.

Fluidity Studio Barre Makes Commercial Debut

It’s no secret that as more women (and men!) lift, tone and tuck at their local barre studio, it’s traditional fitness facilities who feel the burn. The Fluidity Studio Barre debuts just in time to give those fitness facilities a big advantage – in a product so functional and beautifully designed, it’s already being described by industry insiders as a “piece of art.”

The Fluidity Studio Barre debuted to instructors and personal trainers attending the IDEA World Fitness Convention in Anaheim and if first impressions are lasting impressions, the Fluidity Studio Barre is poised to become a permanent fixture in the commercial fitness space atop a category that is the fastest growing in the group fitness industry.

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For Barre training, visit Barre and Soul, Melrose & Lexington, MA and Portsmouth, NH. The Portsmouth, NH location is 163 Court St., Portsmouth, NH.

3 Good Yoga Poses for Runners

While generic portsmouth yoga classes can help with recovery, one of the best ways runners can use yoga is by applying it specifically to correct and prevent chronic issues, such as achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, IT band syndrome, knee discomfort, quad strains and hip pain.

Ask a runner about their past or present physical complaints and you can expect to hear about one or more of these conditions. So what's behind these ongoing problems?

Consider this: Running is a symmetrical activity and human beings aren't symmetrical. We all have a

dominant side. Which side of your hips is your weight resting on as you read this? How about when you drive your car? Or sit on your couch?

Consequently, spending hours doing a symmetrical activity without awareness of your asymmetrical tendencies can wreak havoc on weight distribution and muscle firing patterns, resulting in compensations that feed all the issues listed above.

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Instructors Host First Yoga Event at Detroit Zoo

Lions, tigers and yoga.

At 8 a.m. Sunday, June 29, join yoga enthusiasts from across metro Detroit for the Detroit Zoo’s first-ever yoga event.

This photo is  taken from the Detroit Zoo Polar Bear Exhibit.

The day will include relaxation, music and wildlife adventures at the zoo afterwards.

Kacee Must, owner of Royal Oak Citizen Yoga, and Gabrielle Gagnon, show coordinator for the Pontiac-based company United Shows, joined forces to develop this “Yoga Movement.”

Gagnon said, “It’s going to be a day of excitement and the first yoga event in the history of the Detroit Zoo.”

The Yoga Movement will be based on an hour-long yoga class lead by Must, and two

Gabrielle Gagnon (left) and Kacee Must, owner of Royal Oak Citizen Yoga.

Must has been practicing yoga for 20 years. Her studio, Citizen Yoga, opened nine months ago at 500 S. Washington Ave. in Royal Oak and is dedicated to providing an alignment-based, hands-on approach to its students.

Registration for The Yoga Movement is $30 and includes a Yoga Movement class, Detroit Zoo on-site parking and Detroit Zoo admission for the day.

Event sponsors for the Yoga Movement include D.A.W.N., a Michigan based private-law firm that protects women’s rights; HAP; and United Shows. Vendors include nutritional supplement manufacturer SunDaily, I use yoga, Be Free Apparel, beauty company Saphire Soul, J House Juice, KIND and LaVida Massage of Farmington Hills.

“Whether you practice yoga or not, this is an all inclusive event,” said Must. “Everyone is welcome. You don’t have to participate in the online yoga class to attend. ... Let’s get to know one another as a community.”

Yoga May Be More Beneficial Than a Gym

Many yoga enthusiasts swear by this form of exercise over going to a gym as the best way to stay in shape and lead a healthy lifestyle. Yoga has proven its benefits with weight loss, muscle definition, and keeping a healthy mind and body. For years people have endorsed cardio as the best way to lose weight and get healthy, however that may no longer be the case. Yoga may be more beneficial than a workout done at the gym.

More and more research is coming out on how yoga is actually the best fitness program for people. Yoga can improve sleep patterns, flexibility, muscle definition, and of course be a very significant aid in weight loss. A study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Nursing tested the results of yoga compared to aerobic training. The health benefits of both exercises were examined and one area that yoga was significantly stronger in was being an excellent stress reliever. In addition to relieving stress, yoga also outperformed aerobic exercise in fields like strength, flexibility, balance, and daily energy levels.

The reason yoga is dismissed as a good exercise is because people do not consider it rigorous enough as it consists of mostly stretching. However, yoga is more than just stretching and is a great way to provide meditation as well as exercise. Yoga’s benefits of reducing stress lead to better diets. Research has shown that high levels of stress cause changes in food behavior. This could mean stress can make a person reach for sugary snack, eat more, or eat less, all of which are not good for a healthy diet. Yoga provides exercise for the body and mind and will therefore help a person lead an overall healthier lifestyle in every sense. Regular yoga practice has been linked to better diets due to the awareness that yoga causes. Practicing yoga helps create more of a physical and emotional awareness, resulting in the person being more aware of his or her emotions and choosing the appropriate foods to match those. The ability to be more in tune with emotions and therefore understand what the body wants is one reason why yoga may have more health benefits than a gym.

The practice of yoga can help the mind and body in a physical and emotional way and lead to much greater strength and flexibility. Online Yoga is a mind-body exercise, and research shows mind-body workouts as better for controlling weight, reducing blood pressure, reducing stress, and improving a person’s sleep patterns. In a study that lasted three months, participants that did yoga lowered their bad cholesterol levels as well as their triglycerides. Kevin Chen, the associate professor in the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine, explained how yoga movements and positions strengthen the body and improve flexibility by moving the body in a way that allows the person to focus on his or her mind.

In addition to reducing stress, helping with weight loss, and improving sleep, yoga has a number of other health benefits as well. Practicing yoga has been proven to boost immunity. Yoga exercise causes a change in gene expression and this in turn boosts immunity in the cells. Yoga also helps to boost immunity by improving health overall. Yoga helps a person breathe better and that causes stronger circulation which helps the body’s organs function more properly.

Yoga also has been shown to help those that suffer from migraines. Studies’ results show how those who suffered from migraines and then did yoga had fewer and less painful migraines after three months of practicing yoga. Studies on yoga have also discovered that this form of exercise can improve sexual desire and performance. The moves in yoga help blood flow increase in genital areas, which is beneficial for arousal. The breathing practices as well as the controlling of the mind also have been proven to enhance performance.

Yoga has been practiced for many years in places all over the world. It is a spiritual exercise that Boston Yoga helps the mind and body find inner peace as well as the ability to lead a healthier lifestyle. The benefits of yoga may improve the quality of life more than any other workout, proving that being healthy does not necessarily mean going to a gym.
allows the person to be one with his or her body.

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Barre @ Soul is a Melrose Yoga & Barre Studio in Melrose, MA

Yoga for the Modern Lifestyle

An estimated 11,000 Yogis unrolled their mats in order to celebrate the summer solstice this weekend at free class in Times Square, while last week the Hanuman festival in Boulder saw 4,000 yoga mats thrown down over four days of yoga classes. With the known benefits of stress reduction, detoxification and mind-body awareness that yoga gives its practitioners, yoga is growing increasingly popular among Americans.

The Hanuman Festival markets itself as a yoga festival for the modern lifestyle as it

takes place within a town and not at some remote island location, allowing Yogis from all over the world easy access to come and join in a community of peaceful and mindful individuals over a weekend event filled with classes, inspirational talks and music.

The vendor village is a hub of yoga studios, clothes and healthy food merchants. Yogis play on slack-lines and hula hoops as others sit in the shady lounge tent and enjoy listening to live music. Hanuman Festival attendees can practice under the protection of tents outside with the babble of the Boulder Creek just 20 feet away from where they have set their mats. Offering world-class instructors such as Richard Freeman and Kathryn Budig, it’s no wonder that this four-year old festival is growing rapidly each year.



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Learn the Basics of Paddleboard Yoga

Paddleboard yoga is gaining popularity

Paddleboarding is hard. I don’t know from personal experience, mind you. I only assume so because I’ve seen many a fit, perfectly capable looking person fall repeatedly off a paddleboard into the ocean during the summer, while I engaged in the somewhat less strenuous activity of floating, toes up in the surf or looking for sea glass and shells with my kids.

When I think beach, I think sand, salt air, the cry of gulls overhead, the crashing of waves, and I like to imagine myself reclined, preferably with a book and a cold drink. I also do not think of yoga, though I have done that, and find it to be relaxing (at least the last 10 minutes of it when you are face down on your mat and ready to fall asleep after the workout you just survived).

But I most certainly would not think of putting the already-difficult paddleboarding and yoga together. Are there humans that can really do this? The answer is surprisingly “yes,” and it is only becoming more popular as instruction for this sport increases.

SUP (stand up paddleboard) Yoga combines paddleboarding (which originated in the Hawaiian islands in the ’30s and ’40s) with Online Yoga and creates a challenging fusion of sports that requires both a great deal of concentration and a good sense of humor. One must be willing to fall off the board, and likely often, as even the best practitioners are subject to the whims of Mother Nature. But for daring souls willing to try it, SUP Portsmouth Barre offers the body a terrific cross-training workout and the mind a new view of gorgeous New Hampshire coastline.

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Learn more about Paddleboard Yoga Here

The Ballet Barre Workout

I half expect to relive a combination of "Flashdance" and high school drill team when I head to Pure Barre one weekday morning.

Because that's likely not the case, I leave the leg warmers and bodysuit at home, which is just as well, because 20 or so women are stretching in the south Fort Collins studio, mostly wearing stretchy capris, sports tops and ankle socks.

On the especially limber of the group, long, heel-covering leggings are telling of their dancer pasts.

While Pure Barre, its competitor Bar Method and a handful of classes offered at gyms and fitness clubs around the country all tout a workout designed from dance conditioning, practiced while standing at a ballet barre, they are not dance classes and they are not created for dancers.

"That's one of the biggest misconceptions," said Stephanie Spalding, Pure Barre Fort Collins owner and former dancer for the Washington Wizards basketball team. "We've taken ballet conditioning and made it safer and more effective for fitness and the general population."

At the core of each class are a series of isometric movements — all very slight, targeting one muscle group at

a time — followed immediately by stretches, to create a "long, lean physique."

Some of those movements and stretches are reminiscent of Pilates and yoga, while others incorporate that unique dancers' practice. Hands holding the barre for support or resistance, while standing beside or sitting under it, there are a lot of small tucks and dips, lifts, squeezes and pulses.

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For more information on Barre Training in MA, visit www.BarreSoul.com.

LeBron James credits yoga class for helping alleviate cramping issues in Game 2

After debilitating leg cramps took LeBron James out of action during the final minutes of Game 1, both yoga class at the Heat’s team hotel in San Antonio. I imagine there was some surprise among the casual yogis who entered the makeshift studio to find James — a 6-8, 250-pound behemoth — knocking out a firefly pose as a warm-up.

James and the Heat were more proactive in readying his body for the rigors of Game 2. That included, among a more extensive hydration regimen, James’ decision to attend a Sunday morning

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Yoga and Flexibility

Just as strength training makes you stronger, yoga makes you more flexible. Whether holding a stretch for 2 to 4 minutes, enjoying short stretches or lightly stretching out at the end of a power North Shore yoga class, your connective tissues are being stretched a little more each time and your joint are being lubricated by synovial fluid, which allows your bones to gently move over each other.

Maintain Flexibility

Having a regular yoga practice is enough to create and maintain results, but if you are able to add more, it is recommended to practice 5 - 7 times per week. If you are practicing power yoga, always mix gentle yoga between your power practice days.

Flexibility in Day to Day Life

Greater flexibility allows for a greater range of motion throughout your body. If you sit at a desk all day, your yoga practice will help your spine lengthen and your shoulders rest below your ears, creating greater posture and alleviating back pain. If you enjoy running, yoga will create more flexibility in your hip flexors and extensors, allowing a better stride and better posture, and reducing pressure on your knees.

So, the next time you feel too inflexible to take a online yoga class or you hear someone else say they are, remember that yoga makes flexibility, rather than flexibility making yoga.

Boston Kicks Off Fitness Series at Local Parks

You know that proud feeling you get when someone asks where you’re from and you get to say, “Boston!” Well here’s another reason for you to brag: The Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series.

This three-month-long series of free exercise classes will be held in parks across Boston. Classes will be held in 18 neighborhood parks throughout the summer with offerings ranging from boston yoga to salsa dancing to Tai Chi. A full list of classes and locations can be found here.

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Yoga May Help Reduce Blood Pressure

Yoga could possibly assist in reducing blood pressure, especially with folks who already have hypertension, is what a new analysis of past studies has determined. In the past, studies have often suggested that yoga can be quite beneficial for a number of health conditions, including irregular heart rhythms and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The current reviews on yoga for hypertension is an ongoing project, it is crucial to scientifically evaluate

where it is useful and where it is not. These findings have been recently published in the American Journal of Hypertension. The results of seven studies that included over 450 patients. In each study, people having borderline high blood pressure, were assigned to practice yoga for over 7 weeks, or to get usual blood pressure care. On average, it was determined that yoga reduced systolic blood pressure by over 10 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by over 5 mm Hg, compared to usual care.
Patients with full blown hypertension, had even greater reduction in blood pressure. The National Institutes of Health states high blood pressure as 140/90 mm Hg and above, normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg, with pre-hypertension is in the middle. The review found that yoga helps patients who take blood pressure medication, but not those who use alternate drugs.

The study also has looked at Yoga's safety and determined that three adverse reactions were reported in the study , but did not specify what was involved. Other studies have often suggested that strains of the legs, neck and shoulders are common yoga injuries.

People interested in online yoga often look for a style that incorporates breathing technique and relaxation with postures and often look for a yoga teacher who has worked previously with people who turn to yoga for medical reasons.

For the most professional yoga instruction, it is recommended to look towards Barre and Soul Yoga studio for Portsmouth, Melrose and Lexington Yoga.

Students practise texting pose

Clare Duff of Norwell District Secondary School checks her cell phone during a yoga workshop MA at the Linamar Centre on Wednesday morning as part of the Meeting Challenges Inside and Out conference.
Around 140 students from throughout the Upper Grand District School Board participated in the student-organized conference.

Dwayne Morgan, a spoken word artist, writer and humanitarian was the main speaker at the event. He has

published six books and is a three-time Canadian Urban Music Award winner.

The theme of the conference was mental health and the environment. Some of the workshops looked at anxiety and stress, consumerism, the role of water in the community and various other issues related to the theme of the conference.

The yoga class was one of several workshops the students could attend during the day-long event.

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Relax and Restore 2

Are you ready to embrace feeling relaxed and rejuvenated at the same time at a Yoga Class MA? Then this class is calling to you! Relax and Restore draws on poses/practices from restorative yoga, yin yoga, hatha yoga, pranayama (breathwork), iRest (yoga nidra) and other forms of meditation which invite you to let go of stress and to build up a reservoir of inner strength to take you through the week. Each therapeutic class invites us to explore the use of supportive props, aromatherapy and other self care practices.

Relax and Restore

After a long week, come unwind and treat yourself to this slower paced, gentle class which incorporates deep stretching, slow flow, and longer held supported postures. Class will end with an extra long savasana to leave you rested and refreshed.

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Benefits of Barre

Regular practice (three to five times a week) can increase muscle density, decrease body fat, improve flexibility and posture and rev up your metabolism. The hour-long Barre Class Boston MA  is a blend of strength training with our own body weight or light hand weights, interval cardio and lots of stretching.  The ballet-inspired workout focuses on incredibly efficient, tiny movements. Take our average sit-­up. There is about a one-inch range of motion that makes up the most challenging and

beneficial part of that exercise – we’ll call it the sweet spot.  In a barre class, we’ll spend several minutes holding and working with tiny pulses in that sweet spot until our muscles not only burn but also shake with fatigue. Each muscle group is stretched immediately after it’s worked which promotes longer, leaner muscles and better recovery so we’re less sore the next day.

Don’t be fooled by its ballet roots, even though it looks graceful, it’s anything but effortless. Are you ready to return to the barre – even if your childhood experience was as embarrassing and uncoordinated as mine?

Try the Barre Training Melrose at Barre and Soul, 450 Main Street, Melrose, MA 02176