Late-Onset Scoliosis is Common in Older Adults

by Nina

Reclining Nude, back by Henri Matisse

A recent New Times article Scoliosis Can Hit Well Past Adolescence by Jane Brody confirmed something I have been observing in the yoga community: late-onset scoliosis is quite common in older people. I developed the problem myself in my fifties, so I’m quite aware of the condition, and I’ve noticed a large number of other older yoga practitioners with the same problem. Here’s what Jane Brody said about this:

"Although scoliosis is generally thought of as a problem of adolescents, who often require bracing or surgery to correct the curvature, the condition is actually far more prevalent in older adults. In a study by orthopedists at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn of 75 healthy volunteers older than age 60, fully 68 percent had spinal deformities that met the definition of scoliosis: a curvature deviating from the vertical by more than 10 degrees."

Even a mild version of scoliosis can result in chronic pain of different types. While your pain could be in your back, it might also be in your hip (because scoliosis can make your hips uneven) or even your leg and/or knee (because scoliosis can make one leg “virtually” shorter than the because that hip is higher).

Baxter, who teachers Yoga for Back Care, has already written about scoliosis (see Friday Q&A: Scoliosis). But I decided to write about it today because I think it’s important for us all—students and teachers alike—to realize what a common problem this is. And if you (or a student of yours) are having mysterious back pain, hip pain, or leg pain, it’s worth being checked out to see if this is causing the problem. Some people just don’t think of it! I personally know of two cases of women with pain who didn’t realize they had scoliosis. In one case, the yoga student’s teacher casually mentioned, well, of course, you have scoliosis, because it was visible to his sharp eyes. She had no idea! And in another case, it was I myself who noticed it while I was assisting a fellow student doing a backbend. I just asked her, “Do you have scoliosis?” She was surprised I had asked, but we when talked afterward, it turned out she was having quite a lot of pain, including in her hip. So I encouraged her to get checked out by a health professional, and sure enough, she did have scoliosis.

Getting checked out is not necessarily a big deal. A health professional can do a visual test that is quite simple (he or she will watch your spine as you come bend into a forward bend), although in same cases, if your scoliosis is very mild, you may need an X-ray to detect it. But it is worth knowing the source of your physical problems because, yes, yoga can help. Even Jane Brody had a yoga pose recommended to help her:

Determined to minimize further shrinkage and to avoid pain and nerve damage, I consulted a physiatrist who, after reviewing X-rays of my misshapen spine, said the muscles on my right side, where the spinal protrusion is, were overdeveloped relative to the left. He prescribed a yoga exercise — a side plank — to strengthen the muscles on the left and exert enough of a tug on my spine to keep it from protruding farther to the right. He suggested that the exercise might even straighten the curve somewhat.

That pose sounds like Vasisthasana (aka Side Plank pose) to me! And there are whole lot of other yoga poses you can do to strengthen your back and balance your curve. So if you’ve been diagnosed with this condition, seek out a yoga for back care teacher who understands scoliosis, take a Yoga for Scoliosis workshop, or check out Elise Browning Miller’s web site (she’s a long-time yoga teacher who uses yoga to manage her own scoliosis) for info on her books and DVD and other resources.

Subscribe to YOGA FOR HEALTHY AGING by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook 

Read More

Sleep, Alzheimer's Disease and Yoga

by Nina

Sun Behind Clouds by Melina Meza

One of the worst fears I think we all share about getting older is of developing dementia. Just recently I had a long phone conversation with a woman who is trying to deal with a mother in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, and it was just so sad. I had some advice for her, but no solutions, of course. Then I heard a news piece on NPR “Brains Sweep Themselves Clean of Toxins During Sleep”  that gave me  glimmer of hope.

Scientists have been trying to figure out the purpose of sleep for a very long time. A recent study “Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain”  published in Science Magazine, proposed a fascinating new theory. The team of researchers from the University of Rochester discovered that while the brain sleeps it clears out harmful toxins, a process that may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. According to the NPR interview, during sleep, the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain increases dramatically, washing away harmful waste proteins that build up between brain cells during waking hours. Professor of Neurosurgery and an author of the study, Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, said, "It's like a dishwasher."

The waste proteins getting washed away during sleep are toxic to brain cells, which could explain why we don't think clearly after a sleepless night and why a prolonged lack of sleep can actually kill an animal or a person. The results appear to offer the best explanation yet of why animals and people need sleep.

“Thus, the restorative function of sleep may be a consequence of the enhanced removal of potentially neurotoxic waste products that accumulate in the awake central nervous system.” Lulu Xie, et al.

Alzheimer's Disease researchers say this research could help explain a number of recent findings related to sleep and AD. Dr. Randall Bateman, Professor of Neurology  at Washington University said this about beta amyloid, which is the main component of certain deposits found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

"Beta amyloid concentrations continue to increase while a person is awake. And then after people go to sleep that concentration of beta amyloid decreases. This report provides a beautiful mechanism by which this may be happening.”

The team of scientists discovered the cleaning process while studying the brains of sleeping mice. Dr. Nedergaard said that during sleep the system that circulates cerebrospinal fluid through the brain and nervous system was "pumping fluid into the brain and removing fluid from the brain in a very rapid pace.” When the mice went to sleep, their brain cells actually shrank, making it easier for the fluid to circulate. But when the mice woke up, their brain cells enlarged again and the flow between cells slowed dramatically.

The researchers speculated that the reason the brain doesn’t do this cleaning all the time is because the cleaning uses a lot of energy, and it’s probably not possible for the brain both to clean itself and at the same time be aware of its surroundings, talk, move, and so on. So getting enough sleep—which we already know is vital for our physical and mental health—may be one key to preventing Alzheimer’s Disease as you age.

But what does all this have to do with yoga? Well, if you’re having trouble sleeping, yoga can help with that. Because insomnia is so often related to stress, yoga’s stress management techniques can help you quiet your nervous system so you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly. For  information on how yoga can help you sleep better, see Yoga for Insomnia, Part 1, Day to Night: Yoga for Better Sleep, and Five Tips for Better Sleep. The Supported Inverted poses I wrote about recently (see All About Supported Inversions) are poses that I've found particularly helpful.

We’re so careful here at YFHA not to make any false promises and of course as this research is new, we can’t promise that getting enough sleep will definitely make a difference for you. But encouraging you to get a good night’s sleep can’t be harmful in any way, and if this gives you more motivation to practice stress management techniques, which are helpful for preventing a whole host of health problems, we’re doing you a favor. And if you'd like to add an additional practices to encourage brain health, start meditating on a regular basis (see Meditation and Brain Strength) and keep practicing your yoga asanas (see Yoga for Brain Health?). 

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook ° Join this site with Google Friend Connect

Read More

Home Practice: Is There an Optimal Length?

by Baxter

Hours of Operation by Melina Meza

This past August I was back in Ocean Springs, Mississippi at River Rock Yoga, leading a weekend workshop. One of the students, who has been a regular in class with me there over the years, brought in a few pointed questions for me that he hoped I could address on YFHA. He has been a regular reader since we started, and practices yoga on his own as well as attending classes regularly. In his search for the perfect home practice, he was very curious if I thought that there was a recommended minimum time for a home practice, realizing that some yoga is better than none!

In his own attempt to answer the question, he cited an April, 2013 article in an issue of Prevention Magazine which claimed, referring to a study done in postmenopausal women, that 42 minutes of vigorous exercise over 3 days (that means 14 minutes a day) maintains telomeres. As regular readers of this blog will know, telomeres are little “caps” or tails on the end of DNA stands that may have a relationship to longevity of certain cells in the body. Recent yoga studies have shown a positive relationship between yoga and telomere length. However, I don’t think the yoga practices in these yoga studies were only 14 minutes long, and likely would not fall into the category of “vigorous exercise.” However, this is an intriguing idea, and I’d say if you could hit the 14-minute mark in your home practice, that is a good start—more on that in a minute.

My student also cited “100 New Scientific Discoveries” issue of Time magazine, where he came across this:

“Researchers [in Stockholm] say that even a single 20 minute workout can lead to epigenetic changes that help make muscles work better.” 

For those not familiar with the field of study known as “epigenetics,” I offer this Wikipedia definition:

“epigenetics is the study of mitotically or meiotically heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype, caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence—hence the name epi- (Greek: επί- over, above, outer) -genetics.” 

In this case, exercise is influencing how the genes of muscles express themselves leading to improved muscle function. I’ll take it! And 20 minutes sounds even better to me than 14 minutes for a home yoga practice.

And real life examples of the power of a regular practice are equally compelling to me as scientific studies. Recently, a long-time student of mine who has chronic back pain experienced a distinct change in his daily health. In the past, he had come to my back care yoga class regularly, but eventually found that some of the poses we did would actually flare his chronic back pain. So we met privately and developed a home practice he could do for 15-25 minutes daily, if he so chose. He found that he would do the practice 2-3 times a week, and it helped his overall back pain nicely. 

But then two months ago, he asked if we could audio record a practice that lasted about 40 minutes. He explained that his partner had become interested in doing some yoga at home and wanted something they could do together in the morning before work. We came up with a balanced routine that included poses beneficial for back health, but also breathing practices and a good Savasana at the end. When he returned for a follow-up recently, it was not the lower back symptoms he reported on, but that the chronic loose bowel movements he has suffered with every morning for years had diminished and stopped, replaced by a normal movement each am. He was thrilled and felt it was a direct effect of his new daily morning practice. And for him, 40 minutes a day works just fine.

We know from the work of cardiologist Herbert Benson, that 10 minutes of meditation is the time frame for the body to shift to the Relaxation Response (the Rest and Digest side of the autonomic nervous system), and by 20 minutes the effects are even more profound. And, of course, there are many other variables to consider when you design your home practice, as you can see from the 24 posts we have done to date that address the topic of home practice. We know, for example, that one study showed that it was regular home practice, more than attending classes over time or regularly, that seems to relate to long term health benefits of yoga (see Does Home Yoga Practice Make You Healthier? and Home Practice: The Best Way to Improve Your Health and Well-Being).

But like most issues we have discussed here over the years, the answer to this question of the optimal minimum time for home practice is really “It depends!” But, given what my astute student has uncovered, as well as research findings on the benefits of regular practice, my observations of my students and my own practice, I’d feel comfortable recommending that you try to hit that 20 minute mark, and on days when you feel like going longer, there is nothing to stop you! 

Read More

Pratyahara, the Sense of Sound and Hearing

by Ram 

In a Tunnel by Melina Meza

"Deafness separates us from people" —Helen Keller

In my last post Pratyahara and Healthy Aging, I introduced the topic of pratyahara and defined the term as “Using our our senses with total/complete awareness.” It is through the five senses that we bring in impressions into our mind and body thereby absorbing the world around us. Thus, we are what we eat, smell, see, hear and touch. Since our five senses serve as portals or gateways into our body, mind and consciousness, it becomes very important to be aware of what we are drawing in through the five senses. If we absorb harmonious impressions, we will in turn be healthier. If we take in that which is unhealthy, the mind and body suffer. Thus, physical and mental instability can arise if we bring on low-quality sensory impressions.

The sense of sound is perceived by the ears and through these sense organs we bring in the sounds of the environment. Sounds can have profound effects on our physiology. Ask a person who is living in a war zone and being exposed continuously to high decibel sounds of machine guns or bombers flying overhead. Compare that to the sounds of your breath during a yoga session or to soft sounds of nature. While the former can result in a pathological condition including profound hearing loss, the latter uplifts our mind and spirits.

Hearing loss is a major public health issue and is the third most common physical condition after arthritis and heart disease. Approximately 20 percent of adults in the United States experience some degree of hearing loss, with aging and chronic exposure to loud noise being the two most common causes. There exists a strong relationship between age and hearing loss. Age-associated hearing loss (aka presbycusis) is characterized by changes in the inner ear, which deteriorates as the individual gets older. While the loss may be mild or severe, it is permanent and irreversible.

Other causes of hearing loss include ear-trauma, damage/injury to the ear, infection, common cold, or earwax buildup. Furthermore, hearing loss is often accompanied with severe ringing in the ears (tinnitus) that in itself is very discomforting. In addition, degeneration or loss of function in the vestibular system (the part of the inner ear that is responsible for movement and sense of balance) can lead to balance deficits. Abnormalities in balance function can result in vertigo (sensation of spinning) or disequilibrium (sensation of being off balance and resulting in frequent falls). When balance is impaired, an individual has difficulty maintaining an upright orientation.

Since sound is a form of energy wave and we are all affected by what we hear, we need to be aware of the nature and kind of sounds and create a harmonious auditory environment around us. Other preventative measures to keep the ears healthy include yoga and pranayama, which provide immense benefit to the ears and sense of hearing.

Many traditional yoga poses are focused on balancing the body and the mind. When looking for beneficial yoga poses for the ears, we need to focus on asanas designed to increase balance, including but not limited to standing balancing poses like Tree pose (Vrkshasana), Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe pose (Utthita Hasta Padangustasana), and the Warrior poses, especially Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana 3). If you have a hearing loss that is associated with spells of dizziness, you need to modify your yoga practice and also avoid holding the poses very long.

In his recent post Dizziness and Yoga Baxter provided tips regarding do’s and don’ts of specific poses to relieve vertigo. If the hearing loss is due to an acute infection, poses such as Downward-Facing Dog offer relief by releasing pressure from the ears. Plow pose (Halasana) aslo offers a host of health benefits, including potentially relieving sinus pressure. Notice that in these poses the heart is higher than the head; as a result these poses increase the blood flow to the head which can help restore ear health. For beginners or for people with existing ear issues like pain or pressure, I would suggest doing the above with suitable props. Check Nina’s extremely informative post All About Supported Inverted Poses on supported inversions where she discussed the above-mentioned asanas and other poses using suitable support .

Additionally, pranayama (deep breathing exercises) can help alleviate pain or ringing in the ears associated with tinnitus. In his recent posts Tim McCall described Bhramari pranayama and  Anuloma-Viloma/Aternate nostril breathing. In addition to its immense benefits on the heart and toning down the agitated mind, the role of these pranayama techniques is described in classical texts for in relieving problems associated with the ear and the sense of hearing. Pranayama can be done in conjunction with the yoga poses mentioned above., however, I prefer doing pranyama at the end of a yoga session to achieve greater benefits and relaxation.

Whatever options you choose to keep your ears and sense of sound intact, remember that the power of choice and the power to control our environment that surrounds us lies within us. Let us use this power and surround ourselves with a healthy auditory environment. I am reminded of notable German physicist G.C. Lichtenberg’s famous quote:

"What a blessing it would be if we could open and shut our ears...."

Read More

Friday Q&A: Yoga for a Sprained Ankle

Q: Nina—how bout yoga for a sprained ankle...got some ideas?

A: Why, yes, thank you so much for asking! Last year Baxter did a three-part series on the ankle that is worth revisiting or visiting for the first time if you’ve never read these posts. So check out Getting to Know Your Ankles, Ankle Sprains, and Recovering from Ankle Injuries.

In part 2, Baxter says that a typical recommendation from your doc is to elevate your foot and leg above the level of your heart, and because there are lots of yoga poses that are done lying on your back with the legs elevated, these poses could assist in the healing process. So in the acute phase of injury, try supported inverted poses such as Legs Up the Wall pose, Chair Shoulderstand, and Easy Inverted pose. See All About Supported Inversions for some other possibilities, and links to instructions for them.

Naturally, while you are recovering and need to keep the weight off your ankle, you will need to avoid standing poses. But there are so many other poses you can still do, including seated and reclined poses. If I were in your situation, I’d continue to practice what I could to maintain my flexibility while my ankle was healing. So try some seated poses, such as hip openers, twists, and forward bends, while keeping your ankle in a neutral, pain-free position. Of course, you’ll want to avoid poses that put pressure on the ankle, such as any variation of Hero pose (Virasana) or Half Lotus (Arda Padmasana). Also, many of our office yoga poses, which you can do seated in a chair, will be suitable for you. Reclined poses, including passive backbends as well as restorative poses, can be very effective at opening your body without putting any stress on your ankle. Again, just be sure to keep your ankle in a neutral, pain-free position. It’s kind of an interesting to challenge to figure out how to practice when you need to avoid aggravating an injury (right now I have a plain old skinned knee, so I need to avoid kneeling—it turns out that comes up more frequently in practice that you might imagine).

If the pain and inconvenience of having a sprained ankle is causing you to stress out—which I imagine it would—add in some stress reduction practices, such as meditation, yoga nidra (see the Relaxation Tracks tab at the top of our page), breath awareness or pranayama, or even just a nice long Savasana. Check the index on the right side of our blog for posts on all these topics.

Once the acute phase symptoms have diminished, Baxter says that you can turn your attention to a more typical asana practice, adding in his seated ankle rolls and alphabet spelling exercises (see Ankle Circles). At this point, you can focus on the strengthening aspects of the poses for the ankle and foot area, so add special attention to activating as many of the muscles surrounding your ankles and feet as you do your standing poses.

—Nina

Subscribe to YOGA FOR HEALTHY AGING by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook

Read More

Restorative Yoga Better Than Stretching for Reducing Subcutaneous Fat in Overweight Women

by Nina

Just a quick announcement today about some research findings I think you’ll all enjoy hearing about. Baxter and I read about a recent study, designed by Maria G. Araneta, PhD, MPH, of the University of California, San Diego, to determine whether obese women would see a loss of fat from less intense exercise instead of aerobic activity. Although not a huge study, the group sizes were larger than most of those we see in recent studies, with the yoga group of 88 having a mean age of 55 years with an average BMI of 36 kg/m2 and the stretch group of 83 having a mean age of 54 years with an average BMI of 32.5 kg/m2.

Along with her co-authors Matthew A. Allison, MD, MPH, Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, MD, and Alka M. Kanaya, MD, Dr. Araneta presented the results at the 73rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in Chicago (June 21-25). And their findings showed that the restorative yoga practitioners lost significantly more subcutaneous fat over the initial six months of the study period, and kept losing it during a maintenance period with less direct supervision! This is important because all the women participating in study had metabolic syndrome, which the Mayo Clinic defines as:

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels — that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Metabolic syndrome affects 44% of the U.S. population older than age 50. And reducing abdominal fat may help reverse the syndrome.

Although the team is still reviewing the data, they’ve speculated that one explanation for the difference between the effects found with restorative yoga and stretching may be that restorative yoga reduces levels of cortisol. As Timothy wrote in his background post Stress, Your Health and Yoga, cortisol levels rise during times of stress and is known to increase abdominal fat. And in Baxter’s post Cortisol and Good Health Baxter wrote about the dangers of prolonged periods of stress and high levels of cortisol. I wrote specifically about the relationship between stress, cortisol and weight management in my post Yoga, Stress and Weight Management. So we'll be very interested to see the follow-up studies.

In Baxter's post on cortisol, he actually recommended restorative yoga along with yoga nidra as stress reduction—and cortisol-lowering—solutions. However, meditation (see Starting a Meditation Practice) and supported inversion poses (see All About Supported Inverted Poses) are also helpful. For a complete overview of how to use yoga to switch your nervous system from the Stress Response (Fight or Flight) to the Relaxation Response (Rest and Digest), see The Relaxation Response and Yoga.

In her presentation, Dr. Araneta did not recommend restorative yoga as a replacement for aerobic activity; instead, she said this “complementary” practice could provide a means of gentle movement for those severely obese patients for whom other activity is not practical. But as I wrote in Restorative Yoga: An Introduction, restorative yoga is a complementary practice that benefits all of us.

If you haven't already, check out Baxter's video of the classic restorative pose, Reclined Cobbler's pose! 

Read More

Balancing Your Nervous System with Alternate Nostril Breathing

by Timothy

Mountain, Sky, Clouds by Melina Meza

In my last post Pranayama for Everyone: Bhramari Breath I wrote about the importance of pranayama (yogic breathing practices) and introduced one of my favorites, Bhramari, the buzzing bee breath. Today, I'm going to tackle the pranayama I consider the most important: alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana or Anuloma Viloma).

It turns out that almost all of us breathe primarily through one nostril for parts of the day, and then switch to breathing primarily through the other nostril at other times. The ancient yogis knew wrote about this and modern science has confirmed it (see p. 62 of my book Yoga as Medicine for details). Research has confirmed that breathing through the right nostril is linked to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), whereas left nostril breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This is pretty much exactly what's described in ancient yogic texts, albeit using metaphoric language. The left channel ida [pronounced ee DAH] is the feminine, lunar, cooling side, the texts say, whereas the right channel pingala [pronounced peen gah LAH] is the masculine, solar, heating side.

Many people in the modern world have an imbalance in their nervous systems, usually too much activation of the SNS, the flight or fight response. Others, such as some people with chronic fatigue syndrome, have too much parasympathetic tone. In either case, alternate nostril breathing can be useful. In Ayurveda, Nadi Shodhana is felt to be good for people of all constitutional types. I have found it particularly useful for students with an increase in the vata dosha (see Autumn, Healthy Aging and the Ayurvedic Dosha Vata), which is especially common now as we move into the cooler weather of the fall season.

If you have never tried alternate nostril breathing, you may have seen pictures of yogis using their fingers to alternately close of one nostril, then the other. Typically the thumb of the right hand is used to close off the right nostril and the fourth finger (or sometimes the fourth and fifth together) is used to block the left nostril. This "digital pranayama" is a wonderful practice that I've done daily for many years. But not everyone can do it.

For example, some people with arthritis find it too cumbersome or painful to use the fingers this way. If you've got a deviated septum or nasal congestion, digital alternate nostril breathing similarly may not work well due to the obstruction to air flow. In these instances, mental alternate nostril breathing, where you simply imagine to air going into one side and out the other is a great option. And the practice is so simple and safe that I often teach it to beginners.

To practice mental alternate nostril breathing, sit as you would for meditation, relaxed but perched high enough that your lower back can have its healthy inward curve. With your eyes closed, slowly breath in and out a couple of times. Then imagine you are inhaling through the left nostril and that you are exhaling through the right nostril. Next imagine inhaling through the right nostril, and exhaling through the left. Continue this pattern:

1. Inhale left
2. Exhale right
3. Inhale right
4. Exhale left

If you're new to pranayama, try this practice for just a minute or so. If it feels comfortable, you can continue for five minutes or longer. Since you began by inhaling on the left, end your session after an exhalation out the left nostril. Did you notice that your breath followed your intention?

If you are comfortable, I'd suggest you sit quietly for a few minutes after you finish or, if time allows, do a meditation practice. The ancient yogis taught that the balancing effects of Nadi Shodhana make it the perfect prelude to meditation, helping your meditation be calmer and more focused.

If you are an asana practitioner who tends to skip both pranayama and meditation, I have a challenge for you. For the next two weeks, try to do two minutes of mental Nadi Shodhana, followed by three minutes of sitting every morning before eating (or another time that suits you), and let us know how it goes. I suspect you'll be pleasantly surprised by the results.

Subscribe to YOGA FOR HEALTHY AGING by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook

Read More

Yoga and Mild Asthma

by Baxter

Ball and Wire, by Melina Meza

I got this inquiry recently, and again was surprised to find that I have not written about asthma in any detail, as it is a very common condition and one that many of my students present to class with. Here’s what one of our readers asked:

“What advice do you have for those with mild asthma that does not interfere with daily activities? Do you have any suggestions on what to do to strengthen the lungs/ bronchial/breath? Any warnings?”

As always, it’s good to start off with defining what asthma is, so we are all on the same page. According to the folks at the Mayo Clinic website, asthma is “a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.” There are different degrees to which people will experience bouts of asthma flares or “attacks”, from very mild asthma, which our reader is interested in, to those with frequent bouts of asthma-induced shortness of breath. And there are those more rare instances where the condition can be so severe as to run the risk of death. This is a condition that requires some support from your lung specialist doctor, either an allergist or a pulmonologist, even if you don’t require much in the way of medication to help with flares. Even my students with mild asthma usually keep an inhaled medication handy that can be used in the event of unexpected asthma attack.

As far as someone with mild asthma that does not interfere with daily activities participating in yoga, for the most part there should be no problem. In fact, certain benefits gained from a regular yoga practice could positively influence the student’s asthma course. In general, both the physical asana practices and pranayama breathing practices can lead to an overall improvement in strength of the muscles of the body that assist in moving the air in and out of the lungs, including the main muscle of breathing, the respiratory diaphragm. And the stretching of the muscles of the chest region, along with breath practices that lengthen the inhale and exhale can improve your “vital capacity” or the volume of air breathed out after the deepest inhalation. You may only need to use this amount of air movement during truly demanding physical activity.

In addition, two of the triggers of asthma attacks are strong emotions and stress.  As we have highlighted in numerous posts in the past, yoga can be an excellent tool to combat stress and to temper strong emotional swings. Applying those tools that support improved control over stress and emotional lability, especially relaxation techniques and guided meditations, should have positive benefits for those with even mild asthma. 

There are a lot of the other triggers for asthma attacks, according to the Mayo Clinic:

• Airborne allergens, such as pollen, animal dander, mold, cockroaches and dust mites
• Allergic reactions to some foods, such as peanuts or shellfish
• Respiratory infections, such as the common cold
• Physical activity (exercise-induced asthma)
• Cold air
• Air pollutants and irritants, such as smoke
• Certain medications, including beta blockers, aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc) and naproxen (Aleve)
• Strong emotions and stress
• Sulfites and preservatives added to some types of foods and beverages
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which stomach acids back up into your throat
• Menstrual cycle in some women

If any of these triggers are something you’ve experienced, you‘d want to take this into account as it relates to your yoga practice. I’d highlight a few of the above as examples. Exercise-induced asthma is fairly common form of asthma, and I have students who only complain of shortness of breath with physical practices - this might lead to increased work for the heart or lungs. That could include more physically demanding forms of yoga and may mean that you would want to work with an experienced teacher to design a practice that would benefit your overall health without triggering your asthma symptoms.

Another common trigger for my students is the wool blankets that some of the studios where I teach have available as props.  You may have to bring your own cotton blanket or request the studio have a few available for you to use. If reflux or GERD is one of your triggers, you’d need to avoid any kind of inversion and maybe even lying flat on the ground if it causes GERD symptoms, which can lead to asthma attacks. I have students in this camp do things like half Dog at the Wall instead of regular down dog. And if we are doing supine warm ups, you can create a ramp-like lift for the chest and head with blankets. If any of the triggers above are bothering your breathing, default to a quieter, gentler practice for a few days until your breathing returns to normal and then gradually re-introduce all of your normal activities, not just yoga. 

And not all breathing practices are great for asthma suffers. My colleague and friend Barbara Benagh developed a more serious form of asthma as an adult and found that pranayama practices that emphasized lengthening the inhalation or holding the breath after inhaling actually triggered or worsened her asthma.  She went on a personal search to look for better ways to breathe and her findings are quite interesting. I highly recommend you check out her web site to learn more about her recommendations.

I suspect we will return to this topic again down the road, but hopefully the information here will allow you to breathe easy as you work with yoga for asthma!

Studies on Yoga and Asthma: Most have been done in India or other countries, but do point out the benefits of yoga for asthma. On my quick search for recent studies, this study was the first listing, cataloged on the NIH website. Check out the references at the end of the study for more places to look for scientific studies on the subject.

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook ° Join this site with Google Friend Connect

Read More

Goodbye, Lotus Pose

by Nina

Trees in the Ocean by Brad Gibson

Today in my weekly yoga class, my teacher asked me to demonstrate a pose—Marichyasana 2—that I used to be able to do. But because the arthritis in my right hip prevents me from taking Half Lotus position (which I used to do with ease), I had to turn him down. It got me thinking. Naturally, not being able to get into Half Lotus on one side also means that Full Lotus is also unavailable to me. Even if one day I get a hip replacement (I’m hoping that won’t be necessary because so far I’m not getting any worse, thanks in part to yoga), I still won’t be able to do Lotus. So, well, that’s it for me, folks! 

As some of you may know by now, I’ve been working on non-holding (see Non-Holdiing (Aparigrapha)) by getting rid of objects that I have no use for but to which I have an emotional attachment. So I decided today that I should just let go of Lotus pose (and all its variations, such as, Arda Padma Paschimottansana) in the same spirit. And I said to myself, “Goodbye, Lotus pose.”

For most of us long-time yoga practitioners, some poses that we used to be able to do will become inaccessible to us as we grow older. And in a culture that tends to value the ability to do showy and athletic yoga poses, this can be hard. I recently wrote a special post for a reader who felt terrible sadness about what she saw as the loss of her practice (see Practicing with Pain). People who start yoga later in life may just need to rule out certain types of poses entirely. Yet the ability to do these kinds of poses has no relationship to the rewards we can reap from the practice.

A few days ago, a long-time friend who is in his late seventies was telling me about how he had to give up tennis, which he loved, because it was so hard on his joints. But the thing about yoga is that even as I let go of certain showy poses, I’ll never have to give up the practice. The rich repertoire of poses, modifications, and props ensures that people of any ability will benefit from the practice, even those who are profoundly disabled. If you can breathe, you can do yoga.

And the practice of letting go of poses we can no longer do or poses we will never be able to do—of non-holding—may help strengthen us to weather the other losses that life inevitably holds in store for us with equanimity and grace.

Subscribe to YOGA FOR HEALTHY AGING by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook

Read More

How Tom Platz Built Those Legs

How Tom Platz Built Those Legs
Article from Musclemag International

Just starting out, I trained with Olympic lifters who taught me a reverence for the squat. They taught me that this is where life and death passes before your eyes, that this is the altar of weight lifting. But when I first came to Gold's in Venice the squat rack was cluttered and shoved in the back, an nobody used it. Sure, Arnold and Ed Corney used it in Pumping Iron, but that was more for show. When I started squatting a lot, people said I shouldn't because it would throw off my balance and symmetry. I did it anyway.

Because it was so taxing, I squatted only twice a month. It was like you were attempting something superhuman. To prepare for it, I'd get up at 5 a.m. and mentally talk to myself as encouragement and that helped make it easy in my mind. It never turned out that way, of course. It was always brutal, to the point where I'd go, "I think I felt the muscle tear off the bone. I think we should stop, Tony (Martinez)." And he's say, "You'll be okay. Rub it a little bit and you'll be fine." But I was good at talking myself into the idea of squatting, even though I knew the reality."

I'd put on my lifting shoes - I wore Adidas weightlifting shoes with a higher heel that tapered down to a thin sole - and they were part of my experience, physically and psychologically. I mean, would you go ice-skating without blades? Lifting shoes were that for me: an important piece of the puzzle that made my workout the experience that it was.

So I'd put on my shoes, grab my gear and drive from Malibu to Venice in my 1960 Corvette. As I pulled out of the garage the throaty rumble of the powerful engine would blend  into my psyche and become part of my preparation as I drove. I'd purposely drive by the ocean to watch the waves smash powerfully against the rocks. If I thought about the workout too much, I'd get sweaty palms on the way to the gym and couldn't grip the steering wheel. Watching the ocean helped distract, and prepare me.

I'd pull into Gold's in Venice. It wasn't busy like it is today. There were only a few of us there, especially that early. And, of course, Tony would be there waiting for me, ready for the workout.

We'd go to the squat rack and I remember always stretching in front of the rack. I'd take the hurdler's position on the floor - one leg bent, the other straight - then lower my nose to my knee. As I stretched out I'd try to ease my mind, convince myself I was there to have fun, to just do one or two sets and call it quits. Sometimes we'd even cover the mirror with newspaper because I didn't want to see myself squat. I just wanted to feel it and experience it within my own being.

Of course this pre-workout time wasn't only about the stretching; it was also about emotionally and physically preparing for what was about to come. I'd touch the weights, the rack, the bar, and I'd have this almost religious reverence for them. I liked to use an old battered bar, slightly bent just enough so that it didn't roll off my shoulders when I was standing erect. I'd marked it with a plate, banged the plate on the collar so that I could remember which one it was, and I always wrapped a towel around the bar before I started my sets.

Done stretching, I'd put on my lifting belt - a little loose so that I could breathe - and Tony and I would warm up real slow. A set at 135 for 10 easy reps. Add another plate, nice and easy. Then we'd listen to Motown and we'd start progressing with the weight. Now 315. I'd leave space between the plates on purpose so when I came up from the squat, a real quick rep, the plates would jingle. The sound was very important to me. The music, the Motown and the plates jingling against one another - big, thick, 45-pound iron plates. That sound helped me time the reps and my movement. I liked to come up quickly with such speed that the bar would bend over my shoulders and the plates would crash together, and I relished that sensation! I'd do a quick 20 reps with 315 with all my senses focused.

One more 45 per side and Tony would put the collars on, knowing the exact space to get that sound. Tony would count off my reps . . . 10 . . . 20 . . . 30 - let's see how far we can go! When I'd get to the point where I couldn't do any more reps, Tony would say something like, "You OWN this exercise!" or "Go after it and GET IT!" He would conjure up six, eight, 10, 20 more reps out of me. Then I'd literally fall into the squat rack and jing! The plates would rattle and I'd fall to the floor. I'd take the belt off and all of a sudden I was gasping for air and I couldn't breathe. It felt like someone was driving knives into my legs, and my heart rate went through the roof. I couldn't see, I was sweating profusely, but eventually I'd come back.

Sometimes it took me 20 minutes, but I always came back. When I could see properly again I'd go outside and breathe some fresh air, then come back in and say, "Okay, Tony, one more set!" And we'd go again.

On those days when I left the gym I was high. I thought, "I lived through this. I got through this. I can do anything in life." I'd keep my belt on loosely and walk to the car, thinking victory. I was one with my spirit and with God.

I trained legs every week, but the squats were so exhausting that I couldn't walk afterward and doing another exercise was simply out of the question. So I squatted twice a month and did other 'accessory' machine movements like leg extensions, leg curls, and hack squats on alternate weeks.

Leg Extensions

Back in the mid-80s this guy named Magic, who lived in a yellow school bus behind Gold's gym, made me a  special lifting belt to strap myself into place onto the old leg extension at Gold's - the original one Joe Gold had made that Arnold, Draper, Zane, Corney and all of my mentor figures had used. I'd hurt my arm - I tore the biceps tendon off the bone - and although it had been repaired, hanging onto the leg extension machine put a lot of stress on my arm. The old machine was just a seat with no back and a bicycle chain attached to the weight stack. It was antiquated, even at that time, but I liked it because I felt Draper's fingerprints on it. A lot of people had no idea how to use the machine because it didn't have a back on it, but I knew. All I had to do was look at that machine and my legs grew.

I'd lock myself into the machine (using the belt Magic made), and hook my feet under the pad. I'd warm up with some light weight, like half a stack for a set of 10. Then I had this old, bent, beat-up pin that I'd put underneath the whole stack and hand a 100-pound plate off. Tony's job was to make sure that plate didn't fall of while I was doing my reps! Then I'd start: I'd pull this weight stack with the 100-pound plate as forcefully as I could up in the air, accelerating through the whole movement. Because the machine had to back, I'd lean forward, grab the back of the machine and at this point I was almost parallel to the floor! Then I'd lower the stack and plate back to the start, controlling its descent as I sat back up. A jackknife. Rep after rep, I'd feel the tension accumulating in my muscles. And when I dropped the weight at the bottom it'd bounce on the springs of the machine. I'd lift it again and my legs would light on fire. The intensity and the tension were indicative that growth was imminent. Separation, clarity, distinction, quality -- all the freaky stuff I lived for would be forthcoming.

I'd get 8-10 reps for the first 5 sets, then maybe 2-5 reps for the next 5. When I say 8-10 or 2-5,that's reps done on my own; I'm not counting the 15-20 forced reps -- baby reps, partial reps, negatives -- that Tony would assist me with. I'd raise the machine arm as high as I possibly could so that my quads were fully contracted. Then Tony would push down, in pulses almost, on the machine arm and I'd resist his pressure. He'd repeatedly push down,then let go, and I would bring it back up as high as I could. The weight would slowly get lower and lower because I was getting fatigued,and finally about 6 to 7 minutes later the set would be done. It was like a long, extended negative set with little pushes and pulls throughout. And that was just one set.

When the set was over I'd be in extreme pain, writhing around. And it was like an operation to get me out of that machine as a few guys unbuckled me and took the chains and straps off. Then I'd get up and hang onto the machine and gasp for air. But after a minute or two, Tony would look at me and say, "You ready? Let's go." And he'd lock me back into place again and I'd do 6-10 more sets.

Lying Leg Curls

I'd always do lying leg curls at the completion or our workout. We used the old Nautilus leg curl machine -- the one with a bicycle chain that made a ton of noise -- of course! Again, a very antiquated machine but the most effective one of all time, I believe. It's long gone but I still remember how it used to feel.

Because we did leg curls at the end of the workout, I was pretty tired and could only do like 1-4 sets, but I'd change it up to achieve failure. Sometimes I'd do 50 reps with moderate weight, or I'd use tons of weight for only 3 reps. The workouts depended on my mood and my level of exhaustion.

For the curls I'd do a number of reps on my own, then I'd have Tony grab my ankles and push down very, very slowly. I'd fight back the whole time and the negative part of the set might last a whole minute. Two sets like that and I was finished.

Hack Squats

Hack squats were very, very meaningful in terms of bringing out the sweep in my quads. Initially when I was developing my training protocol I tried to do hacks after my barbell squats. But because I could barely walk after squatting I had no strength to do them, so I did the hacks on alternate weeks, too.

In the machine, I was taught to put my heels together and point my toes out. That way you primarily squat on the lateral edge of your foot, putting tension on the vastus lateralis, which gives the thighs a sweep.

I'd do a warmup set with a few plates on each side to get my head on right -- of course leaving some space between the plates so they'd jingle and give me that sound I loved -- then I'd do hack squats until I couldn't do any more. Sometimes I'd have four 45-pound plates on each side for 8-10 reps. Other times I'd have a quarter or a dime on their for 50 reps. The weight didn't matter. I'd go for that mental connection to my body and my legs. I wanted to feel and grow that tension to the point where I knew it was going to be effective in the muscles becoming larger, more striated or more substantial.

I'd do several reps on my own, then I'd have Tony push down on the machine while I'd do partial reps. Or sometimes I'd have Tony sit on the machine, hang onto it and pull, and I'd do baby reps, partial reps, isometrics and negatives. Whatever it took to completely exhaust the muscles to the point of absolute failure -- then go beyond that into the red zone. We'd do a total of about 6-10 sets of hack squats.

------------------------------------------

Want to know my most trusted supplement resource?

The book below is Vic's Bible!

CLICK HERE TO BUY. 
That would be your greatest investment!
I am an affiliate of examine.com. If you buy the book I get a little
commission. This allows me to bring you more great FREE articles.
Science delivered to your doorstep from someone who does the research in the exercise/ nutrition lab, who lifts and understands your needs.

------------------------------------------

Join us for discussions on our facebook group
Free advice & daily bodybuilding talk
Your #1 Bodybuilding destination in Mauritius 

BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS

_________________________________________________________________________

©,2013, Veeraj Goyaram, Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media is prohibited.

Disclaimer: The Content on this site is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. BODYBUILDING MAURITIUS is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. We disclaim all responsibility for the professional qualifications and licensing of, and services provided by, any physician or other health providers posting on or otherwise referred to on this Site and/or any Third Party Site. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties.  Correspondence: vicgoyaram@gmail.com

________________________________________________________________________________

Read More

Varieties of Deadlifting by John Grimek (1962)

Old School Training Series

Varieties of Deadlifting

by John Grimek (1962)

 In spite of some opposition to the deadlift by a few authorities in the past, the deadlift is still one of the finest exercises for any barbell man to include in his training. But the name "deadlift" has a strange, ominous ring to all who are not familiar with weight training, although many comedians have kicked it around here and there and gotten some laughs with it. In spite of its name being the butt of an occasional joke there are many varieties of this exercise that exert tremendous influence upon the body when employed regularly, either as a muscle and strength developer or a remedial exercise.

Art Weige, who was a very good deadlifter for a tall man, 

lifting a heavy weight in the old York gym.

For some reason the importance of this exercise over the years has been overlooked, and today only a small proportion of all weight lifters include this movement regularly in their training. The few who employ it do so primarily as a back strengthener and conditioner. Many bodybuilders have the impression that it has no particular value for them. This conclusion is wholly unjustified. Those who share this conclusion are foolishly depriving themselves of a fine exercise. However, when this exercise, the regular deadlift, is used faithfully it has exceptional merits in keeping the back strong and the spine flexible . . . something we all need.

Steve Reeves, with his long arms and wide shoulders

doing one of his favorite forms of deadlifting

holding the rim of each plate.

Actually the deadlift is one of the oldest exercises known in body culture. At one time this exercise appeared in all training courses, most of which proclaimed it to be the finest all-round exercise for the body, putting greater emphasis on it as a back conditioner and overall power builder. And even today among the better informed this opinion still exists; only actual lifting movements are comparable. When this exercise is worked regularly it serves to develop those two cable-like muscles, the erector spinea, that run along each side of the spine (from the head down to the hips) better than any other exercise except, and I repeat, the quick lifting movements. All these movements and exercises, such as the deadlift, serve to develop and strengthen the entire back. This is important since this is the region where weakness is first felt by most persons. Yet this region can be kept strong and flexible throughout life with proper training, and especially with some of the exercises mentioned here.

Tommy Kono illustrates the isometric deadlift on the power rack.

The real truth of the matter is that very few people give their backs any consideration. It is only when they get "laid up" with a backache that they begin to realize the necessity of keeping the back strong and flexible. Exercise is always thought of by the uninitiated as a means to fight off accumulated weight to which most of us are so easily susceptible in this society, but exercise is just as important in keeping the muscles toned up and strong so they can oppose the pull of gravity upon the body. Once the muscles lose their tonicity they are subjected to many injuries, and the muscles of the back seem to be the most prone to injury when we choose to allow them to weaken. This weakness is reflected in the numerous cases of ruptured disks we so frequently hear about these days. But if the muscles along the spine and sides were kept strong such back conditions would be much less frequent. And when there is weakness in the lower back the pressure between the vertebrae is increased, thus breaking down the disks and resulting in what is commonly known as a "ruptured disk." Confinement with traction usually follows, augmented by heat, massage and medication. When improvement fails, surgery is often called for, with varying results.

Ron Lacy, Mr. America 1957, shown doing the stiff legged deadlift from the floor. 

Most people are unaware that the spinal column is made up of approximately 33 vertebrae and arranged in such a way as to provide maximum bending movement in all these segments except the coccyx region. Each vertebra is bound and kept in place by strong ligaments. Through this column passes the spinal cord, the nervous system of the body, with nerves passing through this column to every section of the body. Any subluxation of the spine can cause pain, making any movement very uncomfortable. Strengthening the muscles in and around this area will help to keep the back in better condition and thus prevent future backache. As pointed out earlier this can be accomplished with the deadlift variations given herein, all of which work these muscles and will safeguard you from back miseries.

140 pounder, Art Neiss, lifting 460 at Muscle Beach, Santa Monica, California.

Naturally the question of body proportions and structure governs anyone's ability to perform a commendable deadlift. A fellow with proportionately long arms, regardless of height, will always outlift the shorter armed fellow if both are of approximately the same strength (and determination). His longer arms allow him to get into a better position to pull on the weight; neither does he have to lift the weight as high, but just barely above the knees. For a time many were of the opinion that fellows with shorter legs and longer upper bodies would make the ideal deadlifters. I always doubted this. Instead I felt that a man with longer legs and a shorter back would be better suited for lifting heavier poundages in this lift. My reason for this conclusion, and you'll probably agree with me if you analyze the movement, is that most of the lifting is done with the legs, and a shorter back with longer legs permits a better position to be assumed for making a heavy deadlift. And because the torso is shorter less strain is placed on the back in straightening up. A fine example of this was the featherweight lifter John Terry. At a bodyweight of slightly over 130 pounds  he deadlifted around 600. Terry wasn't a tall man by any means - around 5'2" - but his legs were long for his height, as were his arms. His arm span equaled that of the average 5'10" man, and when he completed the deadlift the weight was only an inch or two above his knees.

In fact, most men with longer backs are more flexible than those who are shorter in this region. This explains why so many longer legged fellows are unable to touch their toes (unless they have unusually long arms) as the shorter men can do. Many long legged men are unable to lower the weight past their toes in the stiff legged deadlift, while those with longer torsos can do this without too much trouble. Consequently, body mechanics do help to make it easier for one individual to do the stiff legged deadlift, while another finds the regular style of deadlifting easier and more appropriate. 

Left: Harry Johnson, Mr. America 1959, uses a high bench for stiff legged deadlifts.
Right: George Shandor does the exercise with a low bench. 

Some bodybuilding authorities in the past had the opinion that too much stretching and stiff legged deadlifting help to overstretch the spine and the ligaments that bind the vertebrae. Personally, I don't think this is a serious as it may sound. Actually, all the muscles, tendons, and ligaments become stronger with use, and if this is ever overdone an injury is likely to result, not merely an overstretching of these parts. Nevertheless, there is no point in overdoing any exercise. The object of regulated training should be towards the improvement of the body, and not to injure or debilitate it!

O.B. Smith of Kansas City

regular deadlifting for power with over 550 pounds.

Let us analyze some of the methods of deadlifting exercises and learn which muscles such exercises activate.

Regular Deadlift: in this lift the back, legs and hips bear the brunt of the movement. Also activated are the shoulders, trapezius, biceps, abdomen and the grip.

Stiff Legged Deadlift: All the muscles mentioned in the previous lift, plus the buttocks and all the muscles located on the rear of the legs from the buttocks down to the heels.

Bendover or Good Morning Exercise: This one is similar to the stiff legged variety so far as similar muscles are concerned, but less weight is used to accomplish this. Because the weight is held on the shoulders behind the neck the leverage is vastly increased. Certain individuals prefer this variety to the stiff legged deadlift. Both are good developing exercises.

Deadlift by Holding Rims of Plates: A fine novelty of the regular deadlift that requires strong fingers and an exceptional arm span. Affects almost the same muscles as the regular deadlift, though the latissimus dorsi is involved somewhat. Grip and arm span remain a big factor in this lift.

Straddle Deadlift: Some men can do more in this variety than in the regular deadlift. You begin in exactly the same way as you would in doing the straddle (Jefferson) lift, except the weight is lowered until it touches the floor and the back is rounded. Although the upper and lower sections are strongly involved, the legs and trapezius are vigorously involved.

Isometric Deadlift: All muscles as described above in all varieties.

  

Now, which exercises among this group should you do? That's entirely up to you and what you wish to accomplish. You may have noticed that most lifters use either the regular deadlift, the straddle type of deadlift, and isometric pulls for power building. Bodybuilders, on the other hand, favor the stiff legged variety because it reacts favorably upon the muscles and is an excellent conditioner. In any case, if you want to keep your back strong, flexible and free from annoying misery, now and in the future, this is the time to start and continue to exercise your back regularly.

Gene Neil, first man in North Carolina to deadlift 700 pounds.

It's always a good idea to finish off your deadlifting with an extra strong pull on the power rack, or to handle a weight that is near your limit. However, and I want to emphasize this point, always warm up your back before attempting anything that is near your limit. The powerful muscles of the back respond best, for bodybuilding purposes, when 8-10 repetitions are used, even more in some cases. But for strengthening purposes and building overall power, 1 to 5 reps with limit poundages and repeated for 3 or more sets should be used.

------------------------------------------

Want to know my most trusted supplement resource?

The book below is Vic's Bible!

CLICK HERE TO BUY. 
That would be your greatest investment!
I am an affiliate of examine.com. If you buy the book I get a little
commission. This allows me to bring you more great FREE articles.
Science delivered to your doorstep from someone who does the research in the exercise/ nutrition lab, who lifts and understands your needs.

------------------------------------------

Read More