There Are Many Types of Yoga - Which Have you Tried?

The Manchester Evening news has reported that one of Oldham’s oldest and greatest fitness fanatics has sadly passed away. Gladys Morris was the world’s oldest yoga teacher and had been practicing yoga for almost 50 years.

The 90 year old ran four yoga classes a week at the Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre and her pupils put her forward to the Guinness Book Of Records as the world’s oldest yoga teacher.

Gladys suffered a heart attack and died as a result – just four days before the news came through that her entry had been successful.

She stayed in shape by performing a series of exercises every single day. In her interview with the Manchester Evening News she said “The doctors said it was my muscles and not my bones which were holding me together. I would recommend yoga to everyone."

Gladys originally took up yoga when she was 49 accompanying a friends to the class, but Gladys carried on going. Gladys donated all the money that she made from her yoga classes to charity.

In 2007 she was diagnosed with Osteoporosis but credited yoga with keeping her healthy and active at such a late stage of her life.

If your looking for a relaxing and rewarding way to get fit and get in shape then yoga may be for you.

Research has shown that yoga helps improve concentration, decrease stress, and relax muscles.

The great thing about yoga is it really doesn’t take long before you start experiencing the "feel good" benefits of yoga. But don’t be fooled as yoga isn’t necessarily a walk in the park, but you don’t really break into a vigorous sweat either. So if you want to tone up and improve your cardiovascular fitness as well, then we recommend you hit the cross trainer for just 15 minutes before your yoga session so you get the best of both worlds.

Getting physically fit is about more than just burning calories and yoga is a great place to start. 

Move over Davina McCall and Jane Fonda there is a new chart leader of the celebrity workout DVD's, in the unlikely form of Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs.

The United winger released his DVD Giggs Fitness: Power & Strength Through Yoga last week and it has already become a top seller in the DVD charts.

The DVD offers a refreshing change from many other celebrities’ workout DVD’s, offering expert advice and guidance to thorough and demanding workout routines to aid fitness levels.

The workouts place particular emphasis on yoga and yoga inspired exercises, which improve flexibility and suppleness to help prevent injury.

Giggs credits yoga as a part of helping to maintain high fitness and performance levels throughout his carrier stating, 'There is a very good reason as to why I have managed to maintain my level of fitness and continue playing at premiership level for so long'.

The DVD itself is suitable for any fitness level. 
The DVD features a number of training circuits, focusing on the main musculo-skeletal issues predominant in football and running sports, combined with yoga-inspired exercises, used to develop flexibility, maintain stamina, core stability and speed and prevent injury.