Women's Fitness Guide

We all want to look and feel our best, so our Women's Fitness series provides you with your own personal trainer in bookazine form. Each edition focuses in on one aim, using expert advice from fitness professionals and nutritionists to help you reach your goals. You could try out the Women's Guide to Running, the Best Body Bootcamp, Tone up in Ten Minutes, Get Your Body Back – and numerous other titles all dedicated to helping you feel fitter and healthier at your own pace.

WELCOME

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK • Can't wait to get fit with yoga? Read these instructions first to get maximum benefits from your guide

YOGA REVOLUTION • More than just a way to relax, this ancient system of exercise is now a favourite with athletes and exercisers alike. Here's why…

YOGA FOR THE MIND • When you're exercising, yoga can help you feel positive and focus on your goals through visualisation and breathing techniques and better concentration

HIT THE MAT • Whether you want to try a class or practise at home, here's how to find the right type of yoga for your goals

FIND A GOOD INSTRUCTOR

YOGA FOR RUNNERS • Want to go faster and recover quicker? It's time to add some yoga into your weekly schedule

GOOD YOGA POSES FOR RUNNERS

YOGA FOR CYCLISTS • It's often said that the best cyclists are the most flexible. Those with longer, more supple muscles are credited with being more powerful and suffering from fewer injuries

BEST YOGA POSES FOR CYCLISTS

THE SEQUENCES • You've learnt the basics and are ready to master the postures. Put everything together and try some yoga sequences tailored to your favourite sport. This section offers a selection of tailored yoga sessions designed to suit your goal, whether you want to run injury-free, swim for longer, or power up that hill on the bike. The sequences take between 15 and 45 minutes but you can adapt them to suit you. For maximum benefits, always start your session with some warm-up moves, and don't forget to wind down with some relaxation exercises and meditation.

RUNNER'S SEQUENCE • Maintaining strength and flexibility of the legs, pelvis and torso is essential for runners. Running predominantly uses the legs for power but power is also produced through the arms, torso and pelvis. The body then transmits this power through a strong core and it's converted into speed. This sequence can help to improve the flexibility of well-used muscles, for example the quads, hamstrings and calves, improve the range of movement in your hips, feet, ankles and shoulders, and improve stability throughout your entire body. Hold each pose for 3 to 5 breaths.

CYCLIST'S SEQUENCE • Cyclists spend a long time in the saddle. This is a forward crouch position shortening the front of the body. The muscles working in this shortened position include pecs, core, hip flexors and hamstrings. This yoga sequence aims to lengthen these shortened muscles, balance out the front and back of your body with back bends and strengthen your core, especially the oblique muscles, to assist with hill climbs. It also aims to restore and improve range of movement in your wrists and shoulders - important when you're holding handlebars for extended periods in the saddle. Hold each posture for three to five breaths.

SWIMMER'S SEQUENCE • As a swimmer, a strong core is essential to stabilise your body and provide a solid platform to pull your body through the water, especially if you're swimming crawl. This sequence will help you develop strength in your core and arms while stretching out key muscles including pecs, hips and low back.

THE POSTURES • Ready to get started? It's time to learn the foundations of your yoga practice. In this section you'll find over 30 key postures that are the building blocks of yoga. First,...