If you are looking for an easy type of exercise that anyone can do, isometric exercises may be for you. Isometric exercises are exercises in which there is no visible movement done during the exercise. Yoga, as well as many other forms of exercise, make use of isometric exercises to help strengthen the muscles of the body.
When you are learning isometric exercises it is important to acknowledge that these forms of exercises are resistance based exercises. This means that you are resisting a form of pressure, which then builds your muscles. By maintaining the same position, you are forcing your muscles to work harder. This can have the same result on your body as forced motions, such as running, walking, aerobics and many other cardiovascular exercises. The primary difference between these exercises and isometric exercises is the fact that you can do isometric exercises anywhere at any time.
In yoga, as well as some other meditation based exercises, isometric exercises are done by resisting the forces of your own body. For example, the motions of pressing your palms together, and exerting force is one of the basic isometric exercises that is used in yoga. You can enhance these isometric exercises by using body positions that make maintaining this posture more difficult. By doing so, you can exercise your entire body without moving. These isometric exercises can be done by anyone, even those with severe handicaps.
When you are learning isometric exercises it is important that you do not stress your body too much. Like other forms of exercise, it is possible to strain and injure your muscles if you are not careful. When you are performing isometric exercises, take your time and approach them cautiously. If you feel pain, you should cease the exercise. Pain is a way that your body is telling you that something is wrong. If you are in pain, you may not be performing the isometric exercises properly. However, pain is not the same as muscle strain and sore muscles. Your muscles will become sore from doing isometric exercises. What you want to avoid is the sharp pains of active injuries rather than the soreness of muscles being used.
If you have never done isometric exercises, it is possible to learn them without assistance of a teacher. However, if you are new to exercising, you should have someone spot check you while you are learning the exercises. Doing this will prevent you from learning bad habits that could cause injury to your muscles and bones.
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Tai Chi: For Fitness, Health,and Longevity
Isometric exercises are a benefit to all age groups, but as we get older we also need to keep ourselves mobile, and as well as isometrics you would really need to walk, cycle, or swim at least three times a week, or there is something you have probably never even thought of. I am talking about Tia Chi, which is an ancient form of Chinese exercise, that strengthens the body, calms the mind, and balances the bodies energy. The exercise uses slow and graceful movements, increasing ones awareness, health, and longevity, which is now practiced by people of all age groups all around the world. Although Tia Chi is perfect for our modern times, its roots go back over 1200 years, and is linked to the monasteries of the Buddhist and Taoist monks, and also the now famous Shao Lin Temple, so I think we can all be assured this system has stood the test of time. Tai Chi also has roots in Traditional Chinese medicine helping to balance the bodies energy by enhancing the flow of “chi” as it moves through pathways called meridians. Tai Chi’s benefits have been studied in China for hundreds of years. However, Western medical research is rapidly discovering what Chinese medicine has long realized. Tai Chi provides more health benefits than any other form of exercise. When practiced regularly there is wide range of benefits. It is an exercise that enables the practitioner to realize a high level of wellness by promoting physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. The slow, gentle and relaxing movements of Tai Chi are good for stress reduction by helping eliminate stress and its negative impact on the body. It has also now been proved that Tai Chi can help, improve your cardiovascular system and lower blood pressure, enhance the body’s natural healing ability, and enhance the range of motion and joint mobility, all being advantageous to the older generations.
If you would like to learn more about Tia Chi, and take advantage of all the benefits of practicing this form of exercise, I can highly recommend a good book Yang Tai Chi for Beginners, by Master Yang. Dr Yang explains how Tai Chi Chuan is a kind of moving meditation with ancient roots in Chinese martial arts. In this program, Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming teaches you the traditional Yang-style form step-by-step, while explaining the meaning of each movement. His teaching is easy to follow and will soon have you reaping the benefits in practicing Tai Chi with improved health and well being, but it is recommended that you first take a beginners class with an instructor to get you started properly with your stance and forms.