Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Medical Aspects: yoga and heart

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Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Medical Aspects:
yoga and heart

pascal
Enthusiast

Nov 23, 2004, 2:16 PM

Post #1 of 5 (2416 views)
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yoga and heart	Can't Post

i will maybe look a bit obsessed , but Tongue

...
i always practiced a lot of sports; and i know about heart training, but yoga seems strange to me on the way it makes the heart work Shocked

...in some asanas, my heart beat quite fast, but i am in control of my breath .when i swim, i understand that my heart beat fast, and it is good because it is aerobic training. what about a heart beating fast due to asanas? can one say it is good for the heart, or not so good? Unsure

. i must admit that asking a cardiologist would be useless unless he is himself a yogi...anyone here ? Smile

Sairyssa
Novice

Jan 13, 2005, 8:33 AM

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Re: yoga and heart [In reply to]	Can't Post

A quickened heart beat may be the result of the specific asanas you're referring to. Backbends (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/upward facing dog pose, Ustrasana/camel pose, etc.) have an invigorating affect on the body which may increase your heart beat. Forward bends have the opposite affect, slowing the heart beat, and making them the ideal counter pose for backbends.

Your breathing may also be a contributing factor. If your inhalations are typically longer than your exhalations and/or there is a brief pause in your breathing cycle immediately after inhalation, that too can cause an increase in your heart beat.

If you are more accustomed to vigorous forms of fitness such as swimming or jogging, you may also be more accustomed to taking in longer/deeper inhalations to increase the oxygen flow to your muscles. During your yoga practice try to maintain even, unbroken, and comfortable breathing. Balance is important in both your breathing and your practice, unless you are instructed otherwise by a knowledgable yoga teacher for a specific reason (such as working with depression, anxiety, fatigue, etc.), and if you have a heart condition, be sure to tell your teacher.

Whether or not it's good or bad really depends on you. You should consult all of this with your teacher of course, but for the sake of an example; If you suffer from anxiety, or are generally quite hyper, using yoga to increase your heart beat may worsen these conditions. If you suffer from fatigue or depression, an increased heart beat may be helpful.

Sorry about the long-winded response :).
Amanda/Sairyssa
Iyengar yoga teacher in training

(This post was edited by Sairyssa on Jan 13, 2005, 8:44 AM)

pascal
Enthusiast

Jan 13, 2005, 8:57 AM

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Re: yoga and heart [In reply to]	Can't Post

hello and thank you for your interesting answer Smile

in fact, i had a discussion with my teacher and he was not worrying much about it because i am never out of breathe (if it gets too hard, i prefer to stop a minute in tadasana), when i keep vira 1 for a minute, my heart beat fast but i have a calm face and i breathe deeply. i suppose that most practitionners (except the high level where someone is really confotable with the asana) must have a fast heart beat in these challenging poses; and what about ashtanga or ...bikram where they practice in a sauna ambiance Crazy

.
i am intersested in knowing if yoga could be considered (i know it is not the objective) as a good workout by cardiologists . Shocked

(This post was edited by pascal on Jan 13, 2005, 8:58 AM)

Sairyssa
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Jan 13, 2005, 9:30 AM

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Re: yoga and heart [In reply to]	Can't Post

Tadasana is an excellent resting point in the midst of strenuous standing asanas.

Poses like Uthita Trikonasana can greatly increase body temperature. When I was beginning Iyengar yoga, Uthita Trikonasana would send my body temperature through the roof and I would have to come down to the floor in Balasana/child's pose to cool down. It certainly is far easier now with experience in the pose, and really quite comfortable. And, yes in the classical version of Vira I (as shown in Light on Yoga) the chest expansion results in deeper breathing. This would likely account for a faster heart beat :) naturally.

As far as yoga being a good cardiac workout, I could certainly offer my personal opinion, but I'm not a cardiologist, and I can't gaurantee that my answer would be absolutely correct or without exception. Maybe someone else can answer that for you, perhaps a certified senior yoga teacher if not a cardiologist. Take care.
Amanda/Sairyssa
Iyengar yoga teacher in training

nini
New User

Sep 26, 2006, 8:59 PM

Post #5 of 5 (1305 views)
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Re: yoga and heart [In reply to]	Can't Post

Do downward facing dog. It is the best. Your heart is below your head and hips and it does wonders. How many dogs do you know with heart problems?

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