Niyamas

Niyama ( is a set of behaviors codified as "the observances" in numerous scriptures including the Shandilya and Varuha Upanishads, Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Gorakshanatha, the Tirumantiram of Tirumular and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. All the above texts list ten Niyamas, with the exception of Patanjali's work, which lists only five. They comprise the "shall-do" in our dealings with the inner world, and Swami Vivekananda describes them as the second step of Raja yoga (Sanskrit: राज योग).
The niyamas are the second constituents of Ashtanga Yoga. How we interact with ourselves, our internal world. The niyamas are about self-regulation—helping us maintain a positive environment in which to grow. Their practice harnesses the energy generated from the cultivation of the earlier yamas. According to sage Yajnavalkya, there are ten niyamas and the Bhagavad Gita lists 11 constituents. But Patanjali names only five:

• Shaucha or purity,
• Santosha or contentment,
• Tapa or austerity,
• Swadhyaya or self-education and
• Ishwar-Pranidhan or meditation on the Divine

Shaucha implies both external as well as internal purity. In the words of sage Manu, water purifies the body; truthfulness the mind; true knowledge the intellect and the soul is purified by knowledge and austerity. It advocates the practices of intellectual purity, purity of speech and of the body.

The second niyama is that of contentment, which is described as not desiring more than what one has earned by his honest labor. This state of mind is about maintaining equanimity through all that life offers. Santosha involves the practice of gratitude and joyfulness—maintaining calm at all costs. This state of mind does not depend on any external causes.

Austerity, the third niyama, is described in Yoga philosophy as power to stand thirst and hunger, cold and heat, discomforts of place and postures, silent meditation and ritual fasts. It also maintains that the perfect man is he who practices both mental as well as physical austerity.

According to the commentator Vyas, self-education or swadhyaya consists of scriptural studies. The scripture being, the Vedas and Upanishads together with the recitation of the Gayatri Mantra and the Om mantra.

Commentators describe Ishwar-Pranidhan, the last of the niyamas, as the dedication of all our actions, performed either by intellect, speech or body, to the Divine. The results of all such actions are by definition, therefore, dependent upon Divine decision. The mortal mind can simply aspire to realize the Divine through dedication, purification, tranquilization and concentration of the mind. This Divine contemplation spills over to all aspects of the yogi's life.

The ten traditional Niyamas are:

1. Hri: remorse, being modest and showing shame for misdeeds;
2. Santosha: contentment; being satisfied with the resources at hand - therefore not desiring more;
3. Dana: giving, without thought of reward;
4. Astikya: faith, believing firmly in the teacher, the teachings and the path to enlightenment;
5. Ishvarapujana: worship of the Lord, the cultivation of devotion through daily worship and meditation, the return to the source;
6. Siddhanta shravana: scriptural listening, studying the teachings and listening to the wise of one's lineage;
7. Mati: cognition, developing a spiritual will and intellect with the guru's guidance;
8. Vrata: sacred vows, fulfilling religious vows, rules and observances faithfully;
9. Japa: recitation, chanting mantras daily;
10. Tapas: the endurance of the opposites; hunger and thirst, heat and cold, standing and sitting etc.


Saucha - Purity
The first of the 5 niyamas is Saucha or purity. This might manifest in your life in lots of ways.

You might be working on purifying your body. Some people fast to do this or just eat certain foods.

You might be purifying your relationships. Maybe meditating on what is pure and whole for you. Maybe letting go of some toxic people in your life to make room for something more pure.

You might be purifying the air that you are breathing. Perhaps bodies of people with breathing problems or allergies are learning the lesson of purity by reacting to impure substances in a way that makes life difficult.

And what about those "impure thoughts"?

Does the niyama of Saucha/Purity speak to you? Is this a lesson that is calling to you to work on? Or is purity not a big deal to you. Ivory soap made a a lot of money out of 99 and 44/100ths percent pure, but they never said pure what?

A yoga posture to try to facilitate saucha is the seated Ardha Matsyendrasana or the half spinal twist. This posture is like squeezing out a washcloth, releasing the old, and then making space for the new to enter our body.

Santosh - Contentment
The second niyama is called Santosh or Contentment. This one made a big impact on me. When I feel content, things just don't bother me. I feel peaceful when I am content.

In class the other day, someone said for them contentment feels like being full and not needing any more. And to someone else, they said that contentment was like being empty and not needing anything. Just the simplicity of it. So, contentment to me means being empty and being full at the same time.

How does contentment show up in your life? Is it taking a walk in nature. Is it resting in the sun? Is it petting your cat or dog? Is it eating a good meal, but not getting that full and bloated feeling? Is it holding hands with someone you love? Is it sitting here and reading a message that resonates within you?

One of the keys, I think, to Santosh, is to live in this moment. To be present. Not to focus on what you should have done or what you expect to do. Just be in the now.

Contentment isn't an easy place to find. Especially in this modern world. People are always pushing the latest and greatest new thing, trying to make us discontent with what we have. TV commercials are one of the greatest offenders to our feeling content. Maybe they are our tests?

Then again, maybe it is good to not be content and to seek something greater in life. How will be grow and learn if we just settle for contentment?

A yoga posture to try here is Virasana or the Hero posture. This is one that I find difficult. So, if I can sit in Virasana and find contentment, maybe I will understand that contentment is not always an easy place. And, can I be content, if I don't do Virasana in the picture-perfect way? Can I be content if my body prevents me from getting where I think I want to be?

So where are you with this idea of contentment?

Tapas - Austerity
Tapas is austerity or discipline. Often we think about discipline as what we should or shouldn't do for some desired outcome. For instance, if you want to quit smoking, you discipline yourself to not take a cigarette. If you want to lose weight, you discipline yourself to eat better. If you find you are tired in the morning, you might discipline yourself to go to sleep earlier. There are lots of examples where you set up rules to follow when you want a desired outcome and thereby discipline your behavior.

Here is another way to look at that kind of discipline. Discipline is remembering what we want and acting accordingingly. If what I want is a healthier body, then when I am offered food or drink that would be unhealthy, I would think "Is this what I want?". I remember what I want is that healthy body and then I no longer want that piece of chocolate. If I have decided that my body would be served by that piece of chocolate right now, I may take it.

If what you really want is a new computer and you need money for that, then Tapas reminds you to save the money that you might have squandered on something that isn't necessary, because you really want that new computer. So, remembering what you want is discipline.

When this question was put to me "What is it that you really want"? My answer was I want to love myself and release myself from negative thoughts and self judgement. This is what I want. So, my way of practicing TAPAS or discipline is when I begin to have a negative thought or when I start judging that I am not as good as I think I should be, I remember what I want. I want to release myself from this thought pattern. So remembering what I want is being kind to myself.

Discipline doesn't always have to be something harsh. It doesn't have to be something that you follow because you think you ought to act in a certain way. It is how you care for yourself. What is it that you really want? Remember it.

A yoga posture to try for Tapas is Adho Mukha Shvasana or downward facing dog. This is also called the tent posture. When doing this posture, I really focus on my body and remembering to press my hips up and my legs back. It is an active posture in that it takes strength to hold this posture.

How does Tapas show up in your life?

Swadhyaya - Study
The next Niyama is Swadhaya which means study or self study. One focus of this niyama is learning from our own lives. We are our own teachers. Lessons abound for us. There is a reason that we are here in this life now and part of that is to learn.

Since I no longer attend formal schooling, to me swadhyaya is mostly learning the lessons and studying on my own from my experiences. But, there are other ways to study. And we are at the time when people who attend school are returning to school so they see "study" as something more formal.

How does Swadhyaya show up for you in your life? What are you studying? How do you study? Who is your teacher? Is study a part of your everyday life? How do you know when you have learned it all and can move on towards a new lesson to learn?

Do you feel a pull in a certain direction to learn and study? Is study important to you (it doesn't have to be)?

I honor the teacher within me. I am my best teacher. I am my best student. Life is my classroom. But I learn from so many aspects of life. I learn from the hurts and the successes (more from the hurts and failures, though). And I learn from formal study, too. I learn a lot about me and my life from yoga and from the path that I have chosen. Still, I have so much to learn. Swadhyaya lasts a lifetime ... or all lifetimes.

A yoga posture to try for Swadhyaya is Urdhva Mukha Shvasana or upward facing dog. This, combined with downward dog, makes the "yogi push-ups".

Tell us ... share with us ... Swadhayna ....

Ishvar Pranidhana - Surrender
The final niyama is Ishvar Pradidhana which means surrender. How does surrender show up in your life? In yoga postures, the posture of yoga mudra when your head is below your heart is a symbol of surrender.

Life gives us lots of opportunity to learn about and practice surrender. Usually, it occurs later in life when we learn about this lesson :). Surrender to the universe or to the Divinity (if that fits your beliefs) and ask for guidance. Believing in the goodness of nature and the divinity in all things is an act of surrender. Believing that we have done all that we can and then trusting that things will work out is definitely surrender.

I think when we sit in meditation we are practicing surrender.

What does surrender mean to you? Can you see it as something desireable or does it appear as a weakness? Do you see surrender as love for yourself and love of the divine aspects of the Universe (or Universal oneness)?

A final yoga experience to try for Ishvar Pranidhana, the surrender Niyama, is free flow. Listen to your body. Surrender to the needs of your body. Relax into life and surrender to your own inner knowing. Or sit in silence and allow all these thoughts to integrate in your mind.

So, to develop a deeper spiritual understanding of yourself, perhaps you might choose just one of the yamas or niyamas. Choose one that is important to you. Choose one that "calls" to you. And try to incorporate it in your life. And, as Bapuji says, doing one will lead you to an understanding of all.

Yamas

A yama, literally "death", is a rule or code of conduct for living which will help bring a compassionate death to the ego or "the lower self". The yamas comprise the "shall-not" in our dealings with the external world as the [Niyamas] comprise the "shall-do" in our dealings with the inner world.

Ten Yamas are codified as "the restraints" in numerous scriptures including the Shandilya and Varaha Upanishads, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Gorakshanatha, and the Tirumantiram of Tirumular. Patañjali lists only five yamas in his Yoga Sutras.
There are many interpretations of and opinions about the yamas and niyamas. While the ancient Indian text, the Bhagavata Purana assigns 12 yogic restraints the Parashar Smriti, another text, puts forward ten. But the yamas as described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra are only five, which are also known as the great universal vows or the sarvabhauma maha vratas, because they are not limited by either class, creed, time or circumstances. They are the guidelines for how we interact with the outer world, the social disciplines to guide us in our relationships with others. These five are:

• Ahimsa (non-violence),
• Satya (truthfulness),
• Asteya (non-stealing),
• Brahmacharya (celibacy) and
• Aparigraha (non-covetousness)

According to the Yajnavalkya Samhita, ahimsa or non-violence is the awareness and practice of non-violence in thought, speech and action. It advocates the practices of compassion, love, understanding, patience, self-love, and worthiness.

Patanjali describes truthfulness as: "To be in harmony with mind, word and action, to conduct speech and mind according to truth, to express through speech and to retain it in the intellect what has been seen, understood or heard." A perfectly truthful person is he who expresses in his speech exactly what he thinks in his mind and in the end acts according to it.

Non-stealing or asteya is the third constituent of the yamas of Ashtanga Yoga. It upholds forgoing the unauthorized possession of thought, speech and action. Asteya stands against covetousness and envy. It advocates the cultivation of a sense of completeness and self-sufficiency in order to progress beyond base cravings.

The Vedas, Smritis and Puranas all glorify the fourth constituent of celibacy. It is believed to be a behavior, which brings man nearer to the Divine. This yama believes in avoiding all sensual pleasures, whether mental, vocal or physical.

The literal meaning of apigraha, the fifth yama, is the non-accumulation of worldly objects, caused by covetousness and attachment. The commentator Vyasa says that this last state of yama is attained when one remains totally detached from sensual pleasures of all kinds and so effectively refrains from committing himsa or violence of any sort.

The ten traditional yamas are:

1. Ahimsa (: Nonviolence. Abstinence from injury, harmlessness, the not causing of pain to any living creature in thought, word, or deed at any time. This is the "main" yama. The other nine are there in support of its accomplishment.
2. Satya : truthfulness, word and thought in conformity with the facts.
3. Achaurya (: non-stealing, non-coveting, non-entering into debt.
4. Brahmacharya: divine conduct, continence, celibate when single, faithful when married.
5. Kshama: patience, releasing time, functioning in the now.
6. Dhriti: steadfastness, overcoming non-perseverance, fear, and indecision; seeing each task through to completion.
7. Daya: compassion; conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings toward all beings.
8. Arjava: honesty, straightforwardness, renouncing deception and wrongdoing.
9. Mitahara: moderate appetite, neither eating too much nor too little; nor consuming meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs.
10. Shaucha : purity, avoidance of impurity in body, mind and speech. (Note: Patanjali's Yoga Sutras list Shaucha as the first of the Niyamas.)


Ahimsa - Non-Violence
The first yama is Ahimsa or non-violence. How do we practice non-violence? Towards insects perhaps...instead of killing them, taking them outside. Or towards ourselves when we treat ourselves kindly. How we might treat ourselves kindly? Check out my page on Taking Care of Ourselves for some suggestions. Or do some yoga postures in a way so we are being kind to ourselves. Perhaps being a vegetarian as a way of practicing non-violence. Or bringing peace into others lives by treating them kindly in business.

I think my challenge with non-violence is to be non-violent with myself. I don't physically abuse myself, but I am usually kinder to others and don't treat myself lovingly.

In yoga, I am less violent with myself because I don't force my body into postures that hurt me. I lovingly direct my body to do the posture as best I can and in a way that I get benefit from it.

A yoga posture for Ahimsa might be Tadasana or Mountain Posture. This is a posture of alignment and the basis for all yoga postures.

Satya - Truth
The second yama is Satya which means truthfulness. How do you live truthfulness in your life? How does truthfulness show up in your life?

The yogis do not judge you as good or bad for being truthful or not. This is an individual thing. It is something that each of us has to learn in our own way and our own time. And for some, the fastest way to learn truthfulness is through untruths.

There are some things that I personally have with truthfulness. I am always concerned about hurting other people and I worry that my blunt truthfulness might be hurtful to someone I love. I sometimes fight with myself over that. What is the best way for me personally to live my life? Is truthfulness best if it hurts someone I care about? For me, I often say no.

The way I live truthfulness in my life is to be truthful to myself and to my heart. I need to do that first before I can open the truth to everyone else. So, that is how satya shows up for me at this time in my life. Just as with ahimsa, I need to be non-violent towards myself. With Satya, I need to be truthful with myself.

A yoga posture for Satya might be Virabhadrasana 1 or Warrior 1 Posture. This is a posture of standing forward and being forward in your truth.

Asteya - Non-Stealing
The next yama (observance) is that of Asteya which translates into non- stealing. This is not exactly the same as "Thou Shalt Not Steal". It also has aspects of "Thou shalt not covet" as well.

How does "non-stealing" appear in your life? What I find is if someone has something really nice in his or her life and that person is someone who I like, I can be happy for them and not covet what they have and not want to steal it for myself. I can be at peace with the fact that they have something desireable. BUT....if it's a person who I don't like, I find it very difficult to not want the good things that they have.

I think since we are fortunate to have most (if not all) of our physical needs met, stealing isn't a big issue. Stealing in the real sense isn't worth the punishment to me.

Anyway, my work with asteya is to not want what someone who I don't like seems to own.

A yoga posture for Asteya might be Natrajasana or the Dancer Posture. This is a posture of that looks lovely when it is done perfect by the book, but is often difficult to get to that place. So, when I see someone doing this posture, it takes asteya for me to not what what someone else has or can do.

Bramacharya - Moderation
The 4th of the yamas is Brahmacharya which usually translates to mean moderation and moderation in all things. The root of the word is actually Brahma which refers to creation.

When I was first introduced to the concept of Brahmacharya, it had to do with having sex and not being indescrimanate and promiscuous. But, that has since been expanded in my definition to include moderation in all things or allowing one activity overtake your whole life.

For me, I would like to allow it to come into my life in how I eat. I would also like to practice it with what I ask of myself and to try to moderate the demands I put on myself.

A yoga posture for Brahmacharya might be the Janu Shirshasana or head to knee posture. In this posture, you might go to a moderate expression of the posture instead of forcing the posture to have your head totally on your knee.

Aparagraha - Non-Possessiveness
The last of the yamas is Aparagraha which is translated as either Non- possesiveness or non-attachement.

To me, this is a heavy-duty one. To work towards non-attachment to things or people or situations is so difficult. Look at this society and how we cherish our possessions. And even if it isn't a physical possession, look how we want to hold dearly to people or ideas. Sometimes, we need to realize that there is a purpose to someone in our lives and when that purpose is done, it is a celebration. We would want to hold dearly to that person, but it really makes more sense to let that person go.

I think this is real clear when we see children grow up. And also when we lose someone we love, perhaps not through death, but because they are ready to move on.

This is a real hard principle. I guess the good thing about aparagraha is when we let go of something or someone or some idea, we have space in our lives (or our crowded house) for others to come in and bring new experiences or ideas. We outgrow clothes or get tired of them and give them away. And then we have space in our closet or drawer for something new. We let go of some idea of how life has to be and then we can see other possibilities.

Aparagraha may be difficult, but it may also be the only way to new joys and knowledge and understandings and loves and other lessons.

I hope this isn't too preachy, but when I think of non-attachment, I get a sense of joy and excitement of what might be next.

Another thing to remember is there is a certain time for non-attachment. We don't want to detach from something or someone or some idea until we have reached the conclusion. We don't throw something away when it still serves us or when we still have need for it. We don't detach from people when we still have reasons to be together. This is a personal thing. I don't believe you can let go of something until you are ready to. You have to feel peaceful with it. You have to feel your decision is right. And you can't listen to an outside force telling you what you SHOULD do when you know the answer in your heart.

So, although I see great value in aparagraha, I also see value in possessions and attachments. There needs to be a balance here and it is a personal balance.

A yoga posture for Aparagraha might be the Ardha Mandalasana or half circle posture. From this posture, you can let go of your attachments through your outstretched arm.

Yoga

Yoga as a system of physical exercise has been in existence in India since very ancient times. According ot our ancient sages, there are eight stages of Yoga, namely Yama (Social Discipline), Niyama (Individual Discipline), Asana (Postures), Pranayama (Breath Control), Pratyahara (Mental Discipline), Dharana (Concentration), Dhyana (Meditation) and Samadhi (Self-realization). If an aspirant, after observing the disciplines of Yama and Niyama, practises Yogic exercises, his tubular channels are cleansed, he achieves excellent health and his mind becomes alert. This enables him to experience mental ecstasy.

Man has made tremendous progress in almost every walk of life. We have now achieved objects once considered impossible to be achieved. What we have achieved and accomplished today could not have been imagined in their dreams by our past generations. Modern scientists and researchers have absolutely changed our life-style. Science has beenincessantly pouring on us new materials and devices to make our physical life more happy and comfortable.

However, pollution of air, water, body and mind is also the result of science. We witness despair and disappointment on the faces of our young generation. Signs of restlessness are apparently visible in the dry and dull eyes of our young men and women. Sloping shoulders, flat chests and bulging stomachs have become their characteristics. Why?

Today, we can claim that we are modern and civilized but cannot claim that we are genuinely happy. We, today, use tranquillizers for sleep, pills for purgative and tonics for vigour. Tranquillizers and sedatives are in vogue in our modern society. Charmed by and then, addicted to intoxicative drugs, our youth is led to the path of disgrace and self-destruction.

Longing for material wealth has hardened our heart. Human values are declining. Work to time, competition and commotion have made us suffer from stress and strain. Mental tension or strain produces undesirable consequences. Stress and strain are the causes of physical as well as psychological diseases such as diabetes, cancer, acidity, ulcer, migraine and hypertension.

How can we prevent ourselves from being strained and degenerated? Should we return to the cave-life and live as the aborigines lived?

As a matter of fact, to do this is neither practical nor necessary. Yoga has the surest remedies for man's physical as well as psychological ailments. Yoga makes the organs of the body active in their functioning and has good effect on internal functioning of the human body. Yoga changes for good man's views on, and attitude to, life.

The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning to bind the yoke. It is the true union of our will with the will of God.

Our ancient sages have suggested eight stages of Yoga to secure purity of body, mind and soul and final communion with God. These eight stages are known as Ashtangayoga.

The eight stages of Yoga are as follows :

1. Yama (Social Discipline): Yama means restraint or abstention. It contains five moral practices. They are: Non-violence (Ahimsa), Truthfulness (Satya), Non-stealing (Asteya), Celibacy (Brahmacharya) and Non-acquisitiveness (Aparigraha).
2. Niyama (Individual Discipline): Rules of conduct towards oneself consist of certain disciplines which are both physical and mental. These are five in number:
Cleanliness (Shaucha), Contentment (Santosha), Austerity (Tapas), Self-Study (Svadhyaya) and Surrender to God (Ishvara Pranidhana)
3. Asana (Postures): Asana means holding the body in a particular posture to bring stability to the body and poise to the mind. The practice of asana brings purity in tubular channels, firmness to the body and vitality to the body and the mind. There are many asanas, but keeping in view a comman's health, 65 asanas have been in practice and will be soon available at this website.
4. Pranayama (Breath Control): The literal meaning of Pranayama is Breath Control. The aim of practising Pranayama is to stimulate, regulate and harmonize vital energy of the body. Just as a bath is required for purifying the body, so also Pranayama is required for purifying the body. Just as a bath is required to purifying the body, so also Pranayama is required for purifying the mind.
5. Pratyahara (Discipline of the Senses): The extroversion of the sense organs due to their hankering after worldly objects has to be restrained and directed inwards towards the source of all existence. This process of drawing the sense inwards is Pratyahara or putting the sense under restraint.
6. Dharana (Concentration): Dharana means focusing the pure mind on one's personal deity or on the individual self. The practice of Dharana helps the mind to concentrate on a particular object.
7. Dhyana (Meditation): When one sustains and maintains the focus of attention through Dharana unbound by time and space, it becomes Dhyana (Meditation). Deep concentration destroys the Rajas and Tamas Gunas of mind and develops the Satvika Gunas (qualities).
8. Samadhi (Self-Realisation): The eight and final stage of Yoga is Samadhi. At this stage, one's identity becomes both externally and internally immersed in meditation. The meditator, the act of meditation and the object meditated upon, all the three shed their individual characteristics and merge with one single vision of the entire cosmos. Supreme happiness, fee from pleasure, pain or misery, is experienced. Samadhi is the climax of Dhyana.

The group of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi is called "Samyama" (the internal Yoga) in the Science of Yoga. The first five stages - yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara - Constitute the External Yoga. If all these five stages are practised and followed in life, virtues like morality, morally sound conduct and good character are develope3d in man. Besides, there is all-round progress in human life, physically, intellectually and spiritually and man attains physical fitness and mental equanimity.

Thus, asanas are only one of the stages of Yoga. Most of the aspirants practising Yoga practise, in fact, these asanas. However, all the eight stages of Yoga are of importance. the practice of all the stages together and Pranayama bring a good deal of permanent benefits.
Benefits of Yoga

* Brings down stress and enhances powers of relaxation
* Boosts physical strength, stamina and flexibility
* Bestows greater powers of concentration and self control
* Inculcates impulse Control
* Helps in rehabilitation of old and new injuries
* Intensifies tolerance to pain and enhancing mental clarity
* Boosts functioning of the immune system
* Enhances posture and muscle tone
* Improves blood circulation
* Results in healthy, glowing skin
* Cleanses and improves overall organ functioning
* Bestows peace of mind and a more positive outlook to life
* Infuses a sense of balance and internal harmony

Best of all, Yoga is highly therapeutic. Some of the ailments proven to be relieved, reversed and even healed through the practice of Yoga are acidity , allergies, alzheimer disease, anemia, anger, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, back pain, bronchitis, cancer, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, colitis, common cold, constipation, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, eye problems, facial wrinkles, gastro-intestinal disorders, headaches, heartburn, hemorrhoids, hepatitis, high blood pressure, hypertension, immune-deficiency, impotence, menopause, menstrual cramps, migraines, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, nervous tension, obesity, osteoporosis, prostate, enlargement, sciatica, skin problems, sleep apnea, slipped disk, sterility, stiffness, stress, insomnia, intoxication, thyroid problems, kidney stones, stuttering and stammering, urinary tract disorders for women, vaginal infections and many more...

So, if Yoga has varied and immense physical benefits, what exactly is Yoga?

Yoga is a 5000 year old science whose teachings were first imparted not in a classroom or Gurukul, but on the battle field. In the epic Mahabharata, the sage, Lord Krishna is first said to have imparted the teachings of Yoga to his despondent student Arjuna. Around 1500 years later, another sage, Patanjali, went on to enunciate, for the benefit of humankind and eternity, the way to reach the summom bonum of life through a series of 195 aphorisms (sutras) in his epic treatise The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Derived from the Sanskrit root “Yujir Yogey” meaning to unite, to yoke, to join, to put together, Yoga is not about mind over body. On the other hand, Yoga is about developing harmony between them. In Yoga, you use your mind to perceive (diagnose) and guide (heal) your body. Never control, let alone force it!

Yoga is a way of life, a conscious act, not a set or series of learning principles. The dexterity, grace, and poise you cultivate, as a matter of course, is the natural outcome of regular practice. You require no major effort. In fact trying hard will turn your practices into a humdrum, painful, even injurious routine and will eventually slow down your progress. Subsequently, and interestingly, the therapeutic effect of Yoga is the direct result of involving the mind totally in inspiring (breathing) the body to awaken.

Contrary to popular – or unpopular – perception, Yoga positions are not about how far you can reach to touch your toes or how many repetitions you can perform. It is all about paying attention to how your body feels; how it moves without that excruciating pain or agony! Yoga is all about breathing correctly about integrating that breath into your being. Conscious Yoga doesn’t call for you to force or strain your never or sinew. Meaning to say, right Yoga is learning how to do things right, do less that gets you more!

Ironically, by doing less – correctly – Yoga enhances your strength, energy, vitality, flexibility and levels of endurance. Accordingly, your body and mind start to become more balanced until, eventually, you find it takes so much less energy to move through the day. Yes, any and everyone can do less…and get a lot, lot more!

Health benefits of aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise helps push the heart and circulatory system further than the easy pace of many every day activities. This stress forces the body to adapt causing many changes which benefit us in lots of ways. The health benefits we gain from aerobic exercise are important, not only does this type of exercise help control weight, it also limits the chances of developing many common illness and diseases.

1. The heart enlarges.

2. The heart increases its blood stroke volume.

3. Resting heart rate slows, less than 60 beats per minute indicates good physical fitness

4. Oxygen is used more efficiently resulting in increased fat burning during exercise

4. More available energy due to greater amounts of ATP and PC for immediate power needs

5. Increased endurance

6. Lower blood pressure

7. Reduced risks in developing diabetes and other diseases

8. Increase in good cholesterol, decrease in bad cholesterol

9. Faster recovery after exercise

10. More efficient cardiovascular system

11. A positive body composition change, more muscle less fat

12. Better chance of maintaining healthy weight later in life

13. Help in coping with all other emotional and psychological stress

The constant stress of aerobic exercise forces the heart to gradually enlarge so future exercise eventually requires less effort. A bigger heart allows us to sustain exercise for longer periods because more oxygenated blood can be carried to the working muscles. This also has the added benefit that a higher fat percentage can be used to provide the energy for exercise. Learn more here, burn fat.

Learn about target heart rate to establish the correct exercise intensity!

Most of the above aerobic benefits begin to kick in within four weeks of starting an exercise program, within three months of consistent training there should be a well-developed level of physical fitness with the more dramatic benefits taking place. The changes in the cell's energy system can start to speed up the reduction in total body fat levels. The training effects of exercise does however start to reduce after about 48 hour so its important to be consistent and make your chosen activity fun!

Perhaps no area of exercise science has been more studied than the benefits of aerobic exercise. There is a mountain of evidence to prove that regular aerobic exercise will improve your health, your fitness, and much more. Here's a partial list of the documented health benefits of aerobic exercise.
Cancer prevention

Colon cancer. Research is clear that physically active men and women have about a 30%-40% reduction in the risk of developing colon cancer compared with inactive individuals. It appears that 30-60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity is needed to decrease the risk, and there is a dose-response relationship, which means that the risk declines the more active you are. Breast cancer. There is reasonably clear evidence that physically active women have about a 20%-30% reduction in risk compared with inactive women. Like colon cancer, it appears that 30-60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity is needed to decrease the risk, and it is likely that there is a dose-response relationship as well. Prostate cancer. Research is inconsistent regarding whether physical activity plays any role in the prevention of this cancer. Lung cancer. There are relatively few studies on physical activity and lung cancer prevention. The available data suggest that physically active individuals have a lower risk of lung cancer; however, it is difficult to completely account for cigarette smoking. Other cancers. There is little information on the role of physical activity in preventing other cancers.
Cancer treatment

There's some good news for people undergoing cancer treatment. In one study, aerobic exercise performed five days per week for 30-35 minutes for six weeks at 80% of maximal heart rate reduced fatigue in women being treated for cancer. In another study, 10 weeks of aerobic exercise at 60% of maximum heart rate for 30-40 minutes, four days per week, reduced depression and anxiety in female cancer patients. Aerobic exercise isn't a panacea when it comes to cancer, but evidence suggests that it certainly can help.
Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone density which can lead to an increased risk of fracture. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually, including over 300,000 hip fractures, 700,000 vertebral fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and 300,000 fractures at other sites. The good news is that exercise may increase bone density or at least slow the rate of decrease in both men and women. It may not work for everyone, and the precise amount and type of exercise necessary to accrue benefits is unknown, but there is evidence that it can help. In children there is good news, too. It seems that active children have greater bone density than sedentary children and that this may help prevent fractures later in life.
Depression

Most of us who exercise regularly understand that exercise can elevate our mood. There have been a number of studies investigating the effects of exercise on depression. In one of the most recent studies, it was shown that three to five days per week for 12 weeks of biking or treadmill for approximately 30 minutes per workout reduced scores on a depression questionnaire by 47%! It's not a substitute for therapy in a depression that causes someone to be unable to function (in which case medication and /or psychotherapy may be necessary), but for milder forms of depression, the evidence is persuasive that it can help.
Diabetes

No study has been more conclusive about the role of lifestyle changes (diet and exercise) in preventing diabetes than the Diabetes Prevention Program. It was a study of more than 3,000 individuals at high risk for diabetes who lost 12-15 pounds and walked 150 minutes per week (five 30-minute walks per day) for three years. They reduced their risk of diabetes by 58%! That's significant considering there are 1 million new cases of diabetes diagnosed each year. Aerobic exercise can also improve insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition where the body doesn't use insulin properly, and this condition can occur in individuals who do and do not have diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that helps the cells in the body convert glucose (sugar) to energy. Many studies have shown the positive effects of exercise on insulin resistance. In one, 28 obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did aerobic exercise for 16 weeks, three times per week, for 45-60 minutes, and their insulin sensitivity improved by 20%!
Cardiovascular disease

The list of studies that show that aerobic exercise prevents or reduces the occurrence of cardiovascular disease is so long that it would take this entire article and probably five others just like it to review all of the research. One of the most important is one of the earliest. In a study of more than 13,000 men and women, it was shown that the least fit individuals had much higher rates of cardiovascular disease than fit individuals—in some cases, the risk was twice as high. Aerobic exercise works in many ways to prevent heart disease; two of the most important are by reducing blood pressure and allowing blood vessels to be more compliant (more compliant means that they become less stiff and it's less likely for fat to accumulate and clog up the vessels). Results like these have been proven over and over again.
Obesity and weight control

Aerobic exercise is believed by many scientists to be the single best predictor of weight maintenance. You can lose weight without exercise by reducing your caloric intake enough so that you burn more calories than you consume, but it takes a regular dose of exercise to keep your weight off. How much is not clear, but somewhere between 40 minutes of vigorous exercise several times per week to 75 minutes of moderate intensity exercise five or more days per week is probably about right. Your mileage will vary, and so once you get to the weight that you want to be at you'll need to experiment with different amounts of exercise until you find the one that works for you. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that overweight and obese individuals progressively increase to a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week, but for long-term weight loss, overweight and obese adults should eventually progress to 200 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity.

Aerobic exercise definitely burns lots of calories. Below is a table of minutes of continuous activity necessary to expend 300 calories based on your body weight.
What aerobic exercise does for your health

Regardless of your age, weight or athletic ability, aerobic exercise is good for you. As your body adapts to regular aerobic exercise, you'll get stronger and more efficient. Consider some of the many ways that aerobic exercise can help you feel better and enjoy life to the fullest.

Regular aerobic exercise can:

* Reduce health risks. Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain types of cancer. Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as walking, reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
* Help you manage chronic conditions. Aerobic exercise helps lower high blood pressure, control blood sugar and relieve chronic muscle pain. If you've had a heart attack, aerobic exercise can help prevent subsequent attacks.
* Keep excess pounds at bay. Combined with a healthy diet, aerobic exercise can help you lose weight — and keep it off.
* Ward off viral illnesses. Aerobic exercise activates your immune system. This leaves you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.
* Keep your arteries clear. Aerobic exercise increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") cholesterol and decreases the concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol in your blood. The potential result? Less buildup of plaques in your arteries.
* Strengthen your heart. A stronger heart doesn't need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body.
* Boost your mood. Aerobic exercise can ease the gloominess of depression and reduce the tension associated with anxiety, as well as promote relaxation.
* Increase your stamina. Aerobic exercise may make you tired in the short term. But over the long term, you'll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.
* Stay active and independent as you get older. Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older. Aerobic exercise also keeps your mind sharp. Researchers say that at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week can reduce cognitive decline in older adults.
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Speeds Up Metabolism
The more muscle you have, the more calories those muscles will burn throughout the course of the day. Keep building those muscles by performing anaerobic exercises at least 2-4 times each week and you'll get that metabolism revving!

Strengthens Bones
By properly performing your anaerobic exercises, you will increase the density and weight of your bones more than you can with any other type of exercises. While osteoporosis may not be a concern for you now, taking care of your body with the right anaerobic exercises can pay huge dividends for you and your body down the road.

Hardens Joints
It is a very simple rule: build muscle to protect joints. An example of this rule is found when you do squats. Squats are an exercise that “hardens” the knee joint and this happens by building bigger ligaments and muscles. By hardening your joints through anaerobic exercise, you are giving your body an edge against potential injuries.

Increases Your Energy
In order to understand how anaerobic exercise can boost your energy levels, just remember this: muscles store glycogen (sugar) and this energy is called into action when you are performing physically challenging exercises. When you perform your anaerobic exercises, you increase muscle size and ultimately your ability to store energy. Building bigger muscles is the natural way to increase your energy and be healthy in the process.

Increases Sports Performance
Suppose you're a tennis fanatic. Chances are you are always looking for ways to improve your serve and ground strokes. Anaerobic exercises, by working on the strength of the muscle groups in your shoulder, for instance, can have a dramatic impact on your serve and hitting. The same is true for virtually all sports: anaerobic exercises help build muscles that will ultimately help improve your game.

Lowers Blood Sugar
The primary destination for the sugar (glycogen) we consume is the muscle. For people already with an active lifestyle (and who perform anaerobic exercises weekly! -hint, hint), this sugar is either burned immediately or simply stored for future use as fuel. If you are a couch potato or have a less-active lifestyle, then this sugar is turned to fat.
Furthermore, insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, does not work as well for inactive individuals. The result may be an increase in blood sugar levels. Anaerobic exercise is vital to maintaining healthy and steady blood sugar levels.

Recaptures Youth
After we hit 40, the body can lose upwards of six pounds of muscle every ten years. Turn back the clock by acquiring and maintaining the same muscle mass you had in your early twenties. Anaerobic exercises will help you build back this muscle and increase your energy level and overall health in the process!

Improves Your Appearance
There is no better solution for the slouch-shouldered, bent-over look of middle age than an increase in muscle mass. If you're tired of "looking your age," anaerobic exercises can go a long way to help make you look younger and stronger!

Gives You Some Control of Your Life
The ability to control how you look and feel is a wonderful thing that should not be taken for granted. Anaerobic exercise is a great way to gain strength and feel better about yourself and your self-discipline. The results are gratifying and are due to you—and you alone! You are the master of your own destiny with anaerobic exercises.

Need more convincing? People who engage in regular aerobic exercise appear to live longer than those who don't.

Aerobic Exercise

What is aerobic exercise?

Aerobics is a gym class, set to music and led by a qualified instructor who will lead you through a variety of structured movements that will raise your heart rate and get blood and oxygen flowing more quickly around your body. Aerobics classes will often include some anaerobic exercises as well.

What is aerobics good for?

A good aerobics class will benefit your body in many ways. A regular workout will:

* strengthen your heart muscle and lungs by making them work harder; with regular exercise, you can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol

* stimulate the circulation of blood and lymph around your body, and so help strengthen your immune system

* help you burn calories and reduce your body fat

* raise your serotonin levels, stimulate your brain to release endorphins and so give you a natural "high" and easing any stress or anxiety

* increase your body strength so you are less prone to injury

* improve the shape and tone of your body.

Before you go

The important thing when you undertake any exercise class is that you choose the right one for your level of fitness. You'll usually find that aerobics classes are offered at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

Fitting aerobics into your day: you can timetable aerobics into your day without taking any special precautions; you can go straight back to work afterwards. Just leave yourself time to have a shower as you'll sweat a lot in the class and you'll probably find you want to wash your hair. Your make-up could take some punishment, too, so it's a good idea to take it off beforehand and allow your skin to breathe, and reapply if you want to when you leave.

What to wear: you should wear clothes that allow your skin to breathe, and you to move freely. We've all seen Jane Fonda's lycra body stockings but for us mere mortals, leggings, light tracksuit trousers and a t-shirt will be just as good. Trainers with sweat-absorbing socks are a good idea, too.

How long is it? An aerobics class usually lasts about 45 minutes to one hour.

Precautions

You should not do aerobics if:

* you have a history of heart or respiratory problems
* you have problems with your joints
* you have recently had surgery, or are prone to or recovering from injury.

You should consult your doctor if:

* you have any other medical condition, or are receiving treatment of any kind.

If you are, or think you might be pregnant, you should stick to low-impact aerobics, and can probably find a class specially for mums-to-be. A specially trained instructor will make sure you only do exercises that are appropriate.

If you feel any pain during a class or are unhappy with something you're being asked to do, for any reason, stop.

What to expect at an aerobics class

Aerobics includes a range of movements and exercises that will work on all areas of your body, from gentle jogging on the spot to star jumps, lunges, twists, stretches and tummy crunches.

A good aerobics instructor will take you through different levels of movement. You'll start with gentle low-intensity warm-up exercises including stretches as well as some light jogging, and stepping. You'll be taken gradually up to high-intensity exercises that will really help you burn calories. You will get quite out of breath and will feel your heart working.

Your instructor should then take you back down "through the gears" to gradually lower your heart rate. Borrowing something of yoga, these days some classes include a few minutes of rest or guided meditation to relax and calm you before you leave.

Be prepared for some potentially quite complicated routines and sets; some instructors may also use a lot of jargon to describe movements that you aren't familiar with. If you're not careful, you could end up with someone "grapevining" into you as you are standing there looking for the vegetation. Try not to get self-conscious if you're not doing everything in time, kicking as high, or squatting when you should be diamond-stepping. You'll soon get used to it, and you may as well try to find it hilarious getting it wrong in the meantime. Think of your serotonin levels.

Different kinds of aerobics

Apart from different classes for different levels of fitness, you can also do different kinds of aerobics classes, so you choose the one that appeals to, and suits you best!

High-impact aerobics: High-impact aerobics is a very energetic form of exercise which features lots of movements that lift you off the ground: jumping, hopping and jogging. High impact aerobics is not for the faint-hearted. It is very vigorous. It's probably a class to graduate to rather than start with as you need to be quite fit to do it. It can also be hard on your joints, so this is not a good class for anyone with weaker joints. Because it's so energetic, a high-impact class will make your body release endorphins and serotonin, which will make you feel really refreshed, energised and happy afterwards! And you'll sleep well, too. All of which can't be bad.

Low-impact aerobics: Low-impact aerobics focuses on floor-based exercises, stretches and movements, all of which involve you keeping at least one foot on the floor at all times! Whilst still giving you a good aerobic workout, a low-impact class is a more sedate form of aerobics and doesn't put so much pressure on your joints.

Because it is less vigorous, low-impact aerobics is especially good for:

* pregnant women
* older people
* anyone who is overweight
* people who have weaker joints or frailties of other kinds who are not suited to high-impact aerobic exercises
* people recovering from injury.

Low-impact aerobics for pregnant women: Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and lungs and helps maintain muscle tone. As long as you choose exercises that are low impact - meaning no high kicks and leaps, and keeping one foot on the ground at all times to minimise stress on your joints - you should be able to continue your routine throughout most of your pregnancy.

Although you could stay fit at home with the help of an exercise video, an aerobics class designed for mums-to-be is your best bet. You'll enjoy the company of other pregnant women, and the expertise of an instructor who understands how to keep you and your baby safe. Many community recreation centres offer antenatal exercise classes. If you're already signed up for a regular aerobics class, let your instructor know that you're pregnant; she can suggest ways to modify movements that may be unsafe or too strenuous for you.

You might also enjoy yoga, particularly in the later stages of your pregnancy; these classes also offer breathing techniques that you can use during labour.

Body conditioning: A body conditioning class focuses on intensive, but low-impact exercises which tone, shape and strengthen muscles. Classes may also include some light, high-repetition weight training. Body conditioning classes often focus on particular areas such as "bums and tums".

"Kickfit" or kick-aerobics: A variation on high-impact aerobics, a kick aerobics class incorporates martial-arts style kicking and other movements to the exercise-routines, but it is non-contact. The class may also include some body conditioning.

Step aerobics: Step aerobics combines low-impact and body-conditioning exercises with a raised platform or "step" to accelerate and intensify the workout to your lower body. Step aerobics is particularly beneficial for developing and strengthening the muscles in your legs, spine and hips, and also works on your co-ordination.

A recent survey has shown that step aerobics is particularly good for strengthening bones.

Spas should provide any equipment you need for an exercise class. This includes a step. Some are bigger than others; the platform height increases with your fitness and ambition!

All stages of the class - from warm up to cool down - are likely to involve the step. Your instructor will show you the right and wrong ways to use it; the "right way" includes, for example, always stepping heel-toe when going onto or off the step, and keeping your back straight.
Be prepared for the fact that the step takes a bit of getting used to. At first, it can feel a bit like rubbing your tummy and patting your head simultaneously but stick with it. Step aerobics can be pretty tough and you can "feel it working" (we're sure you know what we mean), and you should feel results quite quickly.

Dance aerobics: Dance aerobics is a mixed-impact aerobics class with a dance slant - from jazzercise to aeropop and even hiphopics (really). This is a great way to have fun and shape up at the same time.

The movements and exercises in aerobic dance classes will depend a lot on the kind of dance that has inspired it - maybe more ballet, bellydancing or bhangra. Having said this, the exercises will be dance variations on the aerobics theme, rather than the other way around. The class will involve a similar ratio of warm up, high-intensity and cool-down exercises as other classes.

Body pump: Body pump is one of a range of branded classes that are run in exactly the same way, and involve the same exercises across the UK, and in gyms across the world.

Afterwards

After a good aerobics class, you should feel energised (if a bit tired out). Don't let that lovely natural high distract you from the fact that you will also have done a lot of sweating; make sure you allow yourself time to have a shower, or go for a swim afterwards.

If you haven't done the class before you might find you're a bit achey a few days later. This is just because your body has worked some dormant muscles and it should ease off. Definition of Aerobics:

Using the same large muscle group, rhythmically, for a period of 15 to 20 minutes or longer while maintaining 60-80% of your maximum heart rate.

Think of aerobic activity as being long in duration yet low in intensity. Aerobic activities include: walking, biking, jogging, swimming, aerobic classes and cross-country skiing. Anaerobic activity is short in duration and high in intensity. Anaerobic activities include: racquetball, downhill skiing, weight lifting, sprinting, softball, soccer and football.

Aerobic means with air or oxygen. You should be able to carry on a short conversation while doing aerobic exercise. If you are gasping for air while talking, you are probably working anaerobically. When you work anaerobically, you will tire faster and are more likely to experience sore muscles after exercise is over.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Aerobic exercise conditions the heart and lungs by increasing the oxygen available to the body and by enabling the heart to use oxygen more efficiently. Exercise alone cannot prevent or cure heart disease. It is only one factor in a total program of risk reduction; examples of other factors are high blood pressure, cigarette smoking and high cholesterol level.

Additional Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

In addition to cardiovascular benefits, other benefits of aerobic exercise include:

- Control of body fat. (Aerobic exercise in conjunction with strength training and a proper diet will reduce body fat.)
- Increased resistance to fatigue and extra energy.
- Toned muscles and increased lean body mass.
- Decreased tension and aid in sleeping.
- Increased general stamina.
- Psychological benefits - exercise improves mood, reduces depression and anxiety.

Avoid the Aerobic Curve.

The aerobic curve occurs when you begin exercising, increase your intensity level, hit the high point and gradually decrease your intensity level. The goal when exercising aerobically is to hit your target heart rate and maintain it for the entire exercise session. This works the heart muscle more effectively and burns more calories. Think of riding a bike, running or swimming - you start, hit your pace (or target zone), then you maintain your pace until the cool down. As your heart becomes conditioned, you will have to work harder to reach the target zone. Less conditioned athletes will reach their target zones quickly because their heart muscle isn't used to the workload.

Aerobic Classes (step, hi/low, slide, interval etc...)

In an aerobic class, you can do moves in low intensity or high intensity. The level of intensity depends upon how high you bring your arms (not whether the class is low impact or high impact). Aerobic instructors should show class members how to do moves in high or low intensity. Participants should choose their own level of intensity dependent upon their level of fitness and how frequently they exercise.

If you are too tired to continue exercising in an aerobic class, march in place for a while until you can resume exercising. IT IS NOT OK to stop in the middle of an aerobic class because your body is sending extra blood to the muscles. Stopping suddenly can lead to muscle cramping and dizziness (this is why all aerobic classes have a cool down at the end of the aerobic section).

Exercise Frequency

Cardiovascular fitness is an ongoing process and requires consistent reinforcement. To maintain your current level of fitness you should do aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week. To increase your level of fitness, try exercising 4 to 5 times per week.

Imagine that you're exercising. You're working up a sweat, you're breathing hard, your heart is thumping, blood is coursing through your vessels to deliver oxygen to the muscles to keep you moving, and you sustain the activity for more than just a few minutes. That's aerobic exercise; any activity that you can sustain for more than just a few minutes while your heart, lungs, and muscles work overtime. In this article, I'll discuss the mechanisms of aerobic exercise; oxygen transport and consumption, the role of the heart and the muscles, the proven benefits of aerobic exercise, how much you need to do to reap the benefits, and more.

The beginning

It all starts with breathing. The average healthy adult inhales and exhales about 7 to 8 liters of air per minute. Once you fill your lungs, the oxygen in the air (air contains approximately 20% oxygen) is filtered through small branches of tubes (called bronchioles) until it reaches the alveoli. The alveoli are tiny sacs (they kind of look like bunches of grapes, and you have about 300,000,000 in each lung!) where oxygen diffuses (enters) into the blood. From there, it's a beeline direct to the heart.

Getting to the heart of it

The heart has four chambers that fill with blood and pump blood (two atria and two ventricles) and some very large and active coronary arteries. Because of all this action, the heart needs a fresh supply of oxygen, and as you just learned, the lungs provide it. Once the heart uses what it needs, it pumps the blood, the oxygen, and other nutrients out through the large left ventricle and through the circulatory system to all the organs, muscles, and tissue that need it.

A whole lot of pumping going on

Your heart beats approximately 60-80 times per minute at rest, 100,000 times a day, more than 30 million times per year, and about 2.5 billion times in a 70-year lifetime! Every beat of your heart sends a volume of blood (called stroke volume—more about that later), along with oxygen and many other life-sustaining nutrients, circulating through your body. The average healthy adult heart pumps about 5 liters of blood per minute.

Oxygen consumption and muscles

All that oxygen being pumped by the blood is important. You may be familiar with the term "oxygen consumption." In science, it's labeled VO2, or volume of oxygen consumed. It's the amount of oxygen the muscles extract, or consume from the blood, and it's expressed as ml/kg/minute (milliliters per kilogram of body weight). Muscles are like engines that run on fuel (just like an automobile that runs on fuel); only our muscles use fat and carbohydrates instead of gasoline. Oxygen is a key player because, once inside the muscle, it's used to burn fat and carbohydrate for fuel to keep our engines running. The more efficient our muscles are at consuming oxygen, the more fuel we can burn, the more fit we are, and the longer we can exercise.
How aerobically fit can we be?

The average sedentary adult will reach a level of oxygen consumption close to 35 ml/kg/min during a maximal treadmill test (where you're asked to walk as hard as you can). Translated, that means the person is consuming 35 milliliters of oxygen for every kilogram of body weight per minute. That'll get you through the day, but elite athletes can reach values as high as 90ml/kg/minute! How do they do it? Good genes for one, but they also train hard. And when they do, their bodies adapt. The good news is that the bodies of mere mortals like the rest of us adapt to training too. Here's how.

What are the fitness benefits of aerobic exercise?

How our bodies adapt

Here's what happens inside your body when you do aerobic exercise regularly:

1. Your heart gets stronger and pumps more blood with each beat (larger stroke volume). Elite athletes, as I just mentioned, can have stroke volumes more than twice as high as average individuals. But it's not just that. Conditioned hearts also have greater diameter and mass (the heart's a muscle too and gets bigger when you train it), and they pump efficiently enough to allow for greater filling time, which is a good thing because it means that more blood fills the chambers of the heart before they pump so that more blood gets pumped with each beat.

2. Greater stroke volume means the heart doesn't have to pump as fast to meet the demands of exercise. Fewer beats and more stroke volume mean greater efficiency. Think about a pump emptying water out of a flooded basement. The pump works better and lasts longer if it can pump larger volumes of water with each cycle than if it has to pump faster and strain and to get rid of the water. High stroke volume is why athletes' hearts don't pump as fast during exercise and why they have such low resting heart rates; sometimes as low as 40 beats per minute, whereas the average is 60-80 beats per minutes!

3. Downstream from the heart are your muscles, which get more efficient at consuming oxygen when you do regular aerobic exercise. This happens because of an increase in the activity and number of enzymes that transport oxygen into the muscle. Imagine 100 oxygen molecules circulating past a muscle. You're twice as fit if the muscle can consume all 100 molecules than if it can only consume 50. Another way of saying it is that you're twice as fit as someone if your VO2 max is 60ml/kg/min and theirs is 30ml/kg/min. In terms of performance in this scenario, you'll have more endurance because your muscles won't run out of oxygen as quickly.

4. Mitochondria inside the muscle increase in number and activity. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of your cells. They do all the heavy-duty work to keep you moving. They use the oxygen to burn the fat and carbohydrate that makes you go. You'd be nowhere without mitochondria! The good news is that they increase in number and activity, by as much as 50%, in just a matter of days to weeks in response to regular aerobic exercise in adults of all ages.

Burn, baby, burn

I mentioned that fat and carbohydrate are the fuels our muscles burn. The difference between them is that fat is high-test; it contains 9 calories per gram whereas carbohydrate has only 4, and so you get more energy and can go farther on a gram of fat than on a gram of carbohydrate. You want to burn fat because it's such an efficient fuel, plus it's nice to lose some of your excess fat! The catch is that you need more oxygen to burn fat because it's denser than carbohydrate. The good news is that your body gets better at using oxygen and burning fat when you do regular aerobic exercise; like I described, your heart pumps more blood, your muscles consume more oxygen, and you have more mitochondria. Regular aerobic exercise has the potential to turn you into a lean, mean, fat-burning machine!