Kaiser Permanente thrive » yoga

Strike a healthy pose—at home or at work—with our yoga widget

admin11kcesarz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:07 +0000

Start with a hip flexor stretch and advance through dozens of yoga poses presented with detailed instructions and photos. Pick a random pose, save a favorite, or share with a friend.

Here they are, the “best” exercises

admin11kcesarz — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:40:58 +0000

What's considered "best"—whether a football team, restaurant, movie, or the like—is always fun for a little water cooler talk or debate around the dinner table. So when it comes to exercise, which ones are the best? According to Robert Sallis, MD, what's best comes down to your personal tastes.

"It's all about what you enjoy, really," Dr. Sallis says. "The more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to do it regularly, and that's the key to exercise."

Here are his favorite exercises and why they work:

Walking

Dr. Sallis says that walking is by far the best—and easiest—thing you can do to stay (or get) in shape. No equipment is needed, and it can be done virtually anywhere. He adds that the key to walking is achieving the right level of intensity, and he has a simple method to find yours.

"You want to walk at a pace fast enough that you can't sing, but not so fast that you can't talk," he advises.

Sports

Whether it's golf, swimming, biking, or anything else, Dr. Sallis says to do what you love and do it often.

"Having fun is important," he adds. "If tennis is your thing, make the time to get out there and do it."

Weight training

Dr. Sallis says weight training is a great option, especially for the elderly and those who are not as mobile due to knee or other injuries.

"There are great cardiovascular benefits that most people don't think about," he says.

Yoga

Once thought to be more exotic than mainstream, Dr. Sallis says yoga has gained acceptance for a reason.

"It has a little bit of everything," he says. "Flexibility, strength, balance. I'd especially recommend it for older people."

Stretch this, not that

admin10kavesian — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:49:53 +0000

You know you should stretch before working out but don’t want to take the time. You’re busy and want to start exercising right away. We understand. So we’ve created a package of essential stretches that you can complete in five minutes or less. It can make the difference between a limber body that’s ready for exercise and one that is prone to injury due to tight muscles and limbs.

Latissimus muscles

15 to 30 seconds
Repeat three times

Assume a standing or sitting position with arms over your head, placing left hand on the right.

Lean to the right while keeping your torso straight, noticing the stretch on the left side of your body.
Repeat, this time with your right hand on the left and leaning to the left.

Calf muscles

15 to 30 seconds
Repeat twice

Using your hands, balance against a wall, the back of a chair, a countertop or even a tree.
Keeping your left leg straight, step back and push down with your heel.
While gently jutting your hips forward, bend your right leg and feel your left calf stretching.
Repeat on your right side.

Hamstring muscles

15 to 30 seconds
Repeat twice

Lie flat on your back and stretch out your left leg, keeping your toes pointed upward.
Bend your right knee and pull your right leg into a vertical position, while slowly straightening your knee.
Work into a gentle stretch in the back of your leg, being careful to avoid injury by overextending, and repeat with your left leg.

Want more stretches? Download our Yoga Widget with a new pose every day.

Another day, another yoga position

admin10kavesian — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:44:15 +0000

Learn a different yoga pose every day with our cool yoga widget. It’s easy to install, and guaranteed to stretch your knowledge of yoga. Get our daily yoga pose with the Yoga Widget.