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Being apart of Yoga Syz, we get to travel to different yoga conferences, and on my first Yoga Journal conference in San Francisco we were able to see (and be apart of 
) Acro Yoga. ”AcroYoga blends the spiritual wisdom of yoga, the loving kindness of Thai massage, and the dynamic power of Acrobatics” (www.acroyoga.org). I wanted to put it up on the blog because it was one of the most awesome experiences I have ever had with Yoga and I wanted to share it with you. Locally they have studios in Carlsbad and San Diego, but worldwide they have 500 places to study Acro Yoga (http://www.acroyoga.org/regions.cfm). Pretty amazing!
Yoga is the ultimate wellness exercise. It is the most well-rounded, all-around exercise you can imagine. Unlike other high intensity workouts, yoga is not just an exercise for the body. Yoga is as much a workout of the mind and spirit as it is the body. The combination of precise movements, elongated poses, and breathing techniques combines to create a sense of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being in the yoga practitioner.
If there is something missing from your life, yoga may be just the answer you’re looking for. Many of us find ourselves so busy with work (especially jobs that require frequent travel) that we just can’t find the time to exercise. Exercise, however, should be something that we find time for no matter what. Inadequate exercise results in poor physical health that spills over into our mental and emotional lives as well.
Let Yoga-Syz help you restore balance in your life with the healing power of yoga. Take advantage of the balancing power of yoga–even when you’re far from home–with our instructional videos and yoga accessories. Those of you who travel a lot will truly benefit from our exciting new product, Yoga-Paws. Yoga-Paws replace traditional yoga mats that are often too large and awkward to carry with us when we travel.
Yoga-Paws allow you to enjoy a yoga workout anywhere–in your hotel room, conference room, office, at the beach, everywhere. Simply slip the Yoga-Paws on your hands and feet and anywhere you place your hands and feet you’ll be rewarded by the stability and cushion of this amazingly portable alternative to large yoga mats. You can email info@yogasyz.com for more information or order yours today with a FREE instructional video.
There’s an old saying that the clothes make the man (or woman!), and nowhere is this more true than in yoga. In order to experience the full benefits of a yoga workout, you need to wear the right clothes. The “right” clothes are those that make you feel comfortable and do not interfere with your workout.
The first thing you’ll want to do is ditch those shoes. No matter how cute your new sneakers are, they do not belong in a yoga workout. Yoga is meant to be done barefoot. Some shoes can get in the way of ankle and foot stretches. Wearing socks is also not advisable as they can reduce your traction, causing you to slip and possibly injure yourself.
Beyond that, there is no set uniform or standard for yoga. Yoga clothes should comfortable and allow a complete range of motion. If you wear clothes that are too tight, you will be uncomfortable and will not be able to stretch completely. Clothes that are too baggy, on the other hand, can cause you to get tangled up and will get in the way of some poses. Yoga clothes should be fitted but not too tight and should be breathable for maximum comfort.
Some of our favorite Yoga Clothes:
As we age, maintaining flexibility is one of the most important things we can do to keep fit and active. Strong bones and lean, flexible muscles can do more to prevent injury than just about anything else. Always make sure to stretch well before any workout and devote extra effort to increasing flexibility and muscle tone. 
As an ancient art that seeks to promote balance, energy, vitality, harmony, and well-being through its flexibility-increasing poses, yoga is the ideal stretching exercise. Poses/postures are choreographed into a series of slow, methodical movements that stretch and tone all the muscle groups in the body.
While performing yoga or any stretches, it is important to listen to your body. Your movements should be slow and not forced. While stretching in yoga poses, you should feel a pull, but do not go too far. Stop if you feel pain. Yoga is low impact and while it should be strenuous, it should not be painful. Make sure to use correct form in every pose to avoid unnecessary injury. Yoga-Paws do promote a safe workout environment, but good technique and common sense are equally important.
Also, remember that flexibility takes time, if you continue to stretch on a regular basis you will maintain and further your flexibility leading to more intense and deep practices as well as an overall feeling of flexibility and strength.
We can’t all be Kermit
The key to yoga is practice. Like any challenging discipline, you will need to practice your yoga positions frequently–as much as once a day if possible. In the beginning, you will find many of the positions difficult. Do not overexert yourself. Take the time to concentrate on proper form and stretch just a little bit farther each time. Gradually, you will notice that the positions become easier as you become more flexible.
- Always begin with warm-up poses. Good warm-up poses stretch the neck, shoulders, and face. Bidalasana, or the Cat, is an excellent warm up pose because it focuses on movement from your core and synchronizes breathing.
- Alternating standing and seated positions stretches muscles from many of the major groups.
- The Triangle position provides an invigorating stretch all the way from your foot, up the leg, through your sides, shoulders, back, and arms.
- The Seated Forward Bend is another great position that is actually much more challenging than it appears.
- Try all the standing and seated positions you want, but again, do not overexert yourself. Yoga should be peaceful, not painful!
- Because many of us spend hour after hour every day sitting at a desk or in other unnatural positions, backbends become extremely important. They help us relieve tension that is carried in the spine and promote energy flow through the body. Don’t forget, though, to balance out backbends with counter stretches like the Child’s Pose.
- Relaxation poses are just as important as any other.
One final note–while holding all poses, it is absolutely critical that you continue the smooth, rhythmic breathing that is the heart of yoga.
Some good websites for Yoga Poses:
Yoga videos are a valuable fitness accessory. They enable you to participate in and enjoy intense yoga workouts when you can’t make it to the gym or studio. Yoga videos produced by certified instructors can help you lose weight and maintain fitness right from the comfort and convenience of your own home, office, or hotel room.
Yoga-Syz offers a few of our favorite yoga DVD workouts, such as Kundalini Yoga Naval Power and our own video by the company founder and yoga instructor, Gail Getzwiller. Gail applied her 30-plus years of yoga experience toward creating two condensed workouts for busy people. Each workout can be done in about 20 minutes and provides excellent stretching and toning for your entire body.
You can order these videos alone or with our incredible new Yoga-Paws (Currently the video is free if you order a pair of our new Yoga Paws! ). Yoga-Paws are used throughout the video both are a great compliment to any business trip or vacation. Rather than carting around an awkward mat, you can slip Yoga-Paws easily into your purse, pocket, briefcase, or practically any small bag. They even come with their own free mesh carrying case for greater portability.
Yoga is one of the best ways to improve overall health and well-being. It is an essential part of any fitness program because it tones and strengthens muscles while increasing flexibility. This helps you lose weight while protecting you against injuries that may be caused by exercise. It also reduces stress and has a calming yet invigorating effect.
Yoga is also a sophisticated and precise art that must be done properly. Here are some helpful hints that will enable you to gain maximum benefit and enjoyment from your yoga workout.
- Don’t forget to breathe: This sounds simple, but the biggest problem people new to yoga experience is improper breathing. Breathe in through your nose, expanding the shoulders and inflating the lungs with the help of your abdominal muscles. Exhale through the mouth as you contract the abdominal muscles, bringing them in toward the spine to fully deflate the lungs.
- A helpful tip for beginners is never do more than is comfortable: You may find many of the poses challenging at first. Do not think you have to master them on the first day. Extend only as far as you can without causing pain, hold it there, and try to extend just a little further the next time. Gradually, you will find the poses become easier as your flexibility increases with regular practice.
- A final tip is for yoga practitioners of all levels–do not skip yoga workouts: Yoga must be practiced regularly for maximum benefit. Do not skip workouts just because you are traveling for business or pleasure and can’t fit a yoga mat in your luggage.
Hey Everyone
This is Yoga Syz (also known as Yoga Paws) Through our blog, we are hoping to bring you some interesting insight into Yoga including poses, nutrition, and o so much more We are always updating our website so we would love to hear some of your tips and insights as well as comments
Well I thought i’d start our first blog by telling you a little bit about what we do (Probably help because there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of us unless you’re an avid yogi). We have created a product, what we like to call “yoga paws” that take place of a yoga mat. The company has been up and running for about 7 years now (pretty amazing if you ask me) and we are continually updating our product, and also learning about new products to put on our site. The yoga paws include two hands and two feet which are designed with a couple of unique features.
- They are created with two yoga mats, which are fuzed together to create optimal support and comfort for your hands and feet (also Eco-Friendly… you know we can all afford a little green)
- The inside lining (which you can see in orange) is a material much like yogi toes, which absorbs seven times it’s weight in moisture! (Can you believe it!?) Basically the more you sweat the more you’re going to stick, meaning less slippage, more control and better postures (and hopefully more concentration on your intention, rather than staying in place )
They are especially great for travel because they are small and convienant in comparison to a mat, also they are great for those of us who sweat when doing yoga (ie-most people), who need a little extra to hold positions and truly get the full benefit of yoga 
