Men's 30 Day Free Yoga Challenge 男人的 30天挑戰

 30 Day Yoga Challenge for Men: What is It?

Week 1 - Men's Challenge

1. Day 1 – Welcome to the Men’s 30 Day Yoga Challenge (18 min)
2. Day 2 – Yoga for Core Strength (10 min)
3. Day 3 – Yoga to Ease Back Pain (10 min)
4. Day 4 – Animal Strength for your Legs(12 min)
5. Day 5 – Deep Twist Yoga (11 min)
6. Day 6 – Yoga to Transform Yourself (11 min)
7. Day 7 – Yoga for Open Hips (11 min)

Week 2 - Men's Challenge

1. Day 8 – Full Body Animal Strength Yoga(12 min)
2. Day 9 – Yoga for a Strong Back and Abs(13 min)
3. Day 10 – Building Balance Through Strength (12 min)
4. Day 11 – Learn to Fly with Crow Pose (14 min)
5. Day 12 – Learning Yoga Back Bends (13 min)
6. Day 13 – Yoga for Strength And Grace(13 min)
7. Day 14 – Awesome Yoga Wake Up Flow(13 min)

Week 3 - Men's Challenge

1. Day 15 – Open Hips & Open Heart (13 min)
2. Day 16 – Yoga for the Spine (12 min)
3. Day 17 – A Quick Burst Of Yoga Energy(13 min)
4. Day 18 – Yoga for Strong Legs (12 min)
5. Day 19 – Balance, Breath & Motion (12 min)
6. Day 20 – Long Strong Yoga Burn (13 min)
7. Day 21 – Yoga to Energize the Spine (13 min)

Week 4 - Men's Challenge

1. Day 22 – Yoga to Unlock the Shoulders(13 min)
2. Day 23 – Flying High (13 min)
3. Day 24 – Yoga to Build Trust (13 min)
4. Day 25 – Flower Power Yoga for Dudes(14 min)
5. Day 26 – Hang, Breathe, and Burn (14 min)
6. Day 27 – Energize Your Day (12 min)
7. Day 28 – Yoga Burpee Extreme (10 min)

Week 5 - Men's Challenge

1. Day 29 – Overall Core Strength Workout(11 min)
2. Day 30 – Full Body Yoga Fitness (13 min)

Yoga for Men Part 2: 男人的 瑜伽練習 練習二

‘Too fat to fight’: thousands of British soldiers overweight 胖到不能打仗：數萬名英國軍人超重

British soldiers ride bicycles over Arnhem Bridge, in Arneham, Netherlands on Sept. 19.
英國軍人九月十九日在荷蘭阿納姆騎單車穿越阿納姆橋。

Photo: EPA
照片：歐新社

The British army has a global reputation for efficiency and performance, but new figures published on June 22 suggest that its soldiers might be getting a little soft.

More than 32,000 soldiers failed a basic fitness test at some point in the past three years, and more than 22,000 were found to be overweight and at risk of health problems, according to Ministry of Defense figures.

All soldiers in the British army are required to complete a personal fitness assessment twice a year, and those who fail must retake the test within seven days. Multiple failures could result in being discharged.

Men under the age of 29 must complete 44 press-ups in two minutes, followed by 50 sit-ups in two minutes, and a 2.4km run within 10.5 minutes.



Women have a slightly easier test, with 21 press-ups, 50 sit-ups and 13 minutes in which to complete the run.

According to the figures obtained by The Sunday Times newspaper, 29,600 men and 2,819 women failed their fitness tests between April 2011 and March this year.

“This figure represents 11 percent of the army serving in that period and many of those who failed will have subsequently passed their fitness test,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The Sunday Times also revealed that more than 22,000 troops were found to be at increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease because they were so unfit.

(AFP)

英國軍人的效率與表現全球知名，但六月二十二日公布的新數據顯示英軍或許有點弱。

超過三萬兩千名軍人在過去三年中的某個時刻，其基本體能測驗未過，逾兩萬兩千人被判定過重，而且有健康問題上的風險，根據國防部的數據。

英國所有軍人規定一年內要完成兩次個人體能評估，未過關者必須在七天內重考。多次失敗恐導致退役。

二十九歲以下的男性軍人必須在兩分鐘內完成四十四下伏地挺身，接著兩分鐘完成五十下仰臥起坐，以及在十分半內跑完二點四公里路程。

女兵的測驗稍微輕鬆一點，分別是二十一下伏地挺身、五十下仰臥起坐，以及十三分鐘內完成路跑。

根據《週日泰晤士報》取得的數據，二０一一年四月今年三月間，有兩萬九千六百名男性軍人與兩千八百一十九名女兵未能通過體能測驗。

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. retake v. 重考；重學；再取 

例: The allies retook the city after severe fighting.

(經過激戰後，盟軍重奪該城。)

2. press-up, push- up n. 伏地挺身 

例: He’s good at doing one-arm press-ups.

(他擅長做單臂伏地挺身。)

3. sit-up n. 仰臥起坐 

例: How many sit-ups can you do in one minute?

(你一分鐘可做幾下仰臥起坐？)

Yoga for Men Part 1: 男人的 瑜伽練習 練習一

Holding doors open for men threatens their masculinity 幫男人開門　威脅他們的男子氣概

A sure-fire way to ruin the self-esteem of a cocky colleague is to hold the door open for him, say psychologists.

Such a gesture could be taken to imply that the recipient looks needy and vulnerable.

This is likely to clash with their masculine identity and leave them deflated, professors Janice Kelly and Megan McCarty of Purdue University in Indiana suggested.

Their study, published in the journal Social Influence, found no evidence that women were effected in a similar way when men held doors for them.

The authors said even fleeting examples of unexpected help can have significant impact if they work against typical gender roles.

Men who had the door held for them by another man reported lower feelings of self-esteem and self-belief than men who did not have the door held for them.

No differences were seen in women, regardless of whether a door was held open for them or not.

(Liberty Times)

絕對能摧毀臭屁同事自尊的方法，就是幫他開門，心理學家說。

這可能與他們的男性認同有所衝突，並且讓他們很洩氣，印地安納州普渡大學博士凱利與麥卡尼強調。

他們的研究，刊登在期刊「社會影響」上，沒有發現證據顯示，女性在當男性幫忙開門時有受到同樣影響。

作者說，即使時間短暫的、突如其來的幫助有顯著的影響，若他們這些動作有違典型的性別角色。

被男人幫忙開門的男人，據稱其自尊心與自信心比沒有被幫忙開門的男人來得低落。

但在女性身上並沒有不一樣，無論她們是否被提供開門的服務。

（自由時報／翻譯：詹立群）

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. sure-fire adj. 必定能的 

例: This is a sure-fire way to get publicity.

(這麼做必定能引人矚目。

2. cocky adj. 驕傲自大的 

例: Don’t get cocky just because you’ve achieved some amount of success.

(別小有成績就把尾巴翹起來。)

3. clash with v. phr. 與…衝突 

例: The color of the curtains clashes with the color of the wall.

(窗簾顏色與牆壁顏色不協調。)

YOGA FOR MEN ROUTINES

High Blood Pressure 高血壓

The risks of resistant high blood pressure 頑固性高血壓　日吃三次藥仍中風

 

Neurosurgeon Liao Pen-li points out a 6 cm blood clot that caused hemorrhaging in the left side of a male stroke victim’s brain.
神經外科醫師廖本立指這名中風男子左腦出血的血塊直徑六公分。

Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者蔡淑媛

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. cold snap n. ph 寒流 

例: This is just a cold snap. It should not last very long.

(這只是個寒流，不會持續太久。)

2. soar v 飆高 

例: Prices of vegetables often soar following a typhoon.

(蔬菜價格在颱風後常會飆高。)

3. plummet v. 驟降;墜地 

例: Both engines failed, and the airplane plummeted to the ground.

(飛機因為兩個引擎都失效了而墜地。)

Sufferers of high blood pressure often ask, “I am already on three kinds of medication. Why is it that I still had a stroke due to high blood pressure?” Doctors point out that people with resistant high blood pressure are 20 percent more likely to get a stroke than those with regular high blood pressure, and if they do not control their blood pressure or pay attention to changes in the air temperature, they are vulnerable to having a stroke.

There was a 66-year-old man, not yet retired, who had high blood pressure. Although he took three different types of medication every day to keep his blood pressure under control, he didn’t visit the clinic on a regular basis, and neither did he keep an eye on changes in his blood pressure. The result was that when a cold snap came, one cold night, he lost the strength in his arm and leg on the left side of his body and he found he had trouble walking. After he was sent to the hospital, he was diagnosed as having had a stroke brought on by soaring blood pressure. He gradually recovered after being treated in hospital.

Doctors say that 60 percent of people in Taiwan over 65 years old have high blood pressure, and some of these people take three or more kinds of hypotensive medication, but are still unable to control their blood pressure properly, or have to take as many as four types of hypotensive drug before they can control their blood pressure to within the target range. This is when they are said to have resistant high blood pressure.

When the temperature plummets it is important to keep warm in order to minimize the risk of a stroke.

(Liberty Times, translated by Paul Cooper)

我已經吃三種降血壓藥了，為什麼還會因為高血壓而腦中風？」常有高血壓患者有這個疑問。醫師指出，頑固性高血壓老年患者原本就比一般患者多了二成的腦中風機率，如果沒有好好控制血壓及注意氣溫變化，一不小心就可能中風。

有一名六十六歲仍未退休的高血壓患者，平日服用三種降血壓藥，以控制血壓，但並未定期回診和注意血壓變化。結果一波寒流來襲，他在寒冷深夜出現左手、左腳無力、步態不穩等症狀，送醫急救後，確診為血壓飆高引起的腦中風，住院治療後才慢慢恢復。

醫師說，國人六十五歲以上的高血壓盛行率超過六成，其中有部分患者使用了三種以上的降血壓藥仍無法正常控制血壓，或是要使用多達四種降血壓藥才能把血壓控制在目標範圍內，這種患者就是頑固性高血壓患者。

在氣溫驟降時，要特別注意保暖，才能把發生腦中風的風險降到最低。

(自由時報記者蔡孟尚)

Stop treating children’s allergies as colds 兒童過敏別再當感冒

A doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to a child breathe in Hsinchu County on Oct. 8 last year.

一位醫師去年十月八日於新竹縣用聽診器聽小孩呼吸。

Photo: Tsai Chang-sheng, Liberty Times

照片：自由時報記者蔡彰盛

During a volunteer clinic for children that was organized by the Pediatric Department at Feng Yuan Hospital in April, they found that 40 percent of the children suffered from allergies. Hay fever accounted for the majority. It was also discovered that sneezing and runny noses are often treated as common colds. Doctors say that allergies are hereditary and that learning which allergens are causing allergies is the only way to effectively control them.

Ma Chih-hao, head of pediatrics at Feng Yuan Hospital, says that asthma, hay fever and eczema are the most common allergic conditions he treats, which are all closely related to a person being predisposed to allergies, he says, adding that different allergies exhibit different symptoms. For example, allergic conjunctivitis makes the eyes turn red, hay fever usually makes people sneeze, have runny and itchy noses in the morning or when the seasons are changing, rashes are particularly noticeable on the head, face, neck, and joint areas with eczema, while shortness of breath and wheezing are often associated with asthma.

Ma says that between 50 and 70 percent of people with both asthma and hay fever typically suffer from inflammation of the sinuses. If the inflammation persists, the asthma usually gets worse and can cause a child to feel low and sleepy during the day, and have difficulty paying attention, which can affect everyday life and cause learning disorders.

Ma says that the common cold is usually better within three to five days, while runny noses, coughing or asthma brought on by allergies can persist for one to two weeks. Asthmatic coughing is typically at its worst during the middle of the night or when sudden temperature changes occur between seasons, he says, adding that hay fever is usually worst right after getting out of bed in the morning. He suggests seeing a specialist to determine which allergens are affecting you and find a solution to control the problem. The most common causes of allergic reactions in Taiwan are dust mites, cockroaches, cats, dogs and mold, all of which can be controlled by keeping your living environment clean, Ma says.

Nostril cleaning works for colds and allergies

TODAY’S WORDS 今日單字

1. disorder n. 障礙；失調；不適 

(例: Brent has been suffering from a mild stomach disorder. (布倫特患輕度胃病。)

2. specialist n. 專家；專科醫生 

例: Sarah is a podiatrist, or foot specialist. (莎拉是一位足科醫師，亦稱為腳專家。)

3. mold n. 黴菌；霉 

例: There’s mold all over the bread. Don’t it eat. (麵包都發霉了。不要吃。)

Yoga for Scoliosis and Posture 脊柱側彎瑜珈課

Heavy school bags, bad posture can lead to scoliosis

A student at New Taipei City’s Jhong-shan Junior High School surnamed Kao poses for a photograph with her mother in New Taipei City on June 19. Kao suffers from scoliosis and wears a corrective brace 17 hours a day as prescribed by her doctor.

A heavy school bag and bad posture could lead to scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, and the progression rate is especially fast during childhood and adolescence. Doctors say that girls are more likely to develop scoliosis than boys because girls grow faster. Besides a sore waist and an aching back, scoliosis could have a negative effect on cardiopulmonary function. In cases of severe scoliosis, surgery is necessary.

Lo Hao-ju, a doctor in the orthopedics department of Taipei City Hospital’s Renai branch, says that the causes of scoliosis have yet to be discovered, but bad posture and carrying an overweight school bag are possible contributory factors. X-rays are usually taken to assess the degrees of spinal curvature: less than 20° is considered mild; between 20° to 45° is considered moderate; and greater than 45° is considered severe.

Scoliosis can lead to humpback or uneven shoulders. Given that scoliosis causes long-term imbalance in muscle development, children with scoliosis often complain of back pain, and when they reach old age, they are likely to fall victim to sciatica. In severe scoliosis, the deformities may put pressure on a patient’s lungs and heart, thus affecting their respiratory and cardiovascular systems or even disrupt the patient’s ability to move and affect their quality of life.

Wu Chun-chieh, a doctor in the physical rehabilitation department at Taipei City Hospital’s Zhongxing branch, says that most scoliosis cases are S-shaped, with one half of the curve to the left, and the other half to the right. Simply correcting one’s everyday posture is usually sufficient for people with mild scoliosis. People with moderate curvature are required to do rehabilitation exercises to improve muscle strength or to wear a brace to correct the deformity. Severe scoliosis requires surgery — a major operation with potential risks involved — to correct the disorder. If the curve progresses by 5° or more per year, surgery is recommended.

Kao Mu-jung, head of the rehabilitation department of Taipei City Hospital, says that an average of 10 percent of school-aged children could potentially develop scoliosis. As they enter adolescence, the curvature may progress more rapidly to show symptoms. A comprehensive health exam at school could help alert parents to the condition in their children at an early stage. If scoliosis is suspected, people can go to a hospital for a professional follow-up and rehabilitation exercises to improve the condition.

(Liberty Times, Translated by Lin Ya-ti)

TODAY’S WORDS 今日單字

1. posture n. 姿勢 

例: You can tell that she is a ballet dancer by simply looking at her standing posture.

(從她的站姿即可看出她是一位芭蕾舞者。)

2. sore adj.痛的 

例: Lactic acid buildup can cause sore muscles.(乳酸積聚可導致肌肉痠痛。)

3. imbalance n. 不均衡

例: Dietary imbalances can lead to many chronic illnesses. (飲食不均衡可導致許多慢性病。)

書包太重、姿勢不良都可能造成脊椎側彎，尤其是兒童與青少年，惡化速度更快。醫師提醒，女生因為成長速度較男生快，側彎比例也較高。脊椎側彎不但導致腰痠背痛，還可能壓迫心肺功能，嚴重者須開刀治療。

北市聯合醫院仁愛院區骨科醫師羅浩儒說，目前尚無法確知脊椎側彎發生原因，但姿勢不良或背太重書包都是惡化因子；判斷脊椎側彎是透過X光檢查，彎曲角度二十度以內是輕微側彎，二十至四十五度是中度，四十五度以上則是重度。

羅浩儒說，脊椎側彎可能導致駝背，或讓肩膀看起來一高一低，長期身體兩側肌肉發展不平衡，小朋友常腰痠背痛，直到老年更是坐骨神經痛；嚴重還可能擠壓到心臟與肺臟，呼吸與心臟系統受影響，更進一步影響運動或生活功能。

聯合醫院中興院區復健科主任醫師武俊傑表示，大部分的脊椎側彎是彎成S型，一半往左彎、一半往右彎，輕度側彎僅需調整平日身體姿勢，中度須靠復健訓練肌肉，或穿背架矯正，重度則需開刀，算是有風險的大手術，建議若每年側彎角度增加五度以上，最好開刀處理。

聯合醫院復健部主任高木榮醫師說，平均有百分之十學童有潛在脊椎側彎的可能，隨青春期的到來，可能快速變壞、外顯出脊椎側彎問題。學校全面的健檢可提供家長及學童及早發現脊椎側彎問題，也可透過醫院的追蹤與專業的復健，給予特殊復健運動指導等，進行改善。

（自由時報記者張傳佳、郭安家）

Easter Sunrise Yoga 復活節瑜珈

In yoga you often will come across a teacher encouraging us to have a "beginner's mind". This means not judging yourself, your teacher, other people's progress or practice and as Christians say, "to become like a child". If you are a non-believer and have preconceived notions about Easter, Christianity or Jesus, this is for you. If you are a Christian and think you shouldn't practice yoga, than this is for you too. If you already practice yoga and want to connect with that Sun/Son energy than again come to the mat with a beginner's mind and be renewed. It is my hope that we can connect with heaven because heaven already came down as one of us.

Meditations and Poses:

On Easter Sunday you can wake with the sunrise do some Sun Salutations or do any of these heart opening poses with these scriptures in mind. A rockin' Easter playlist might include George Harrison's Give me Love, My Sweet Lord, the Beatles' All You Need is Love, Wilco's Jesus, etc, and Andrew Loyd Webber's Everything's Alright from Jesus Christ Superstar.

Unlike what many of us were taught, I believe God is a generous God. He loves all the world, blessed all creation and is constantly willing to bless us. We were made to be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Since he did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won’t he also surely give us everything else? 他連自己的兒子都捨得，為我們眾人把他交出來，難道不也把萬有和他一同白白地賜給我們嗎？ (Romans 

罗马书8:32 )

We already know who the thief is. Its anything that would steal our peace and joy, those accusing thoughts that we are not worthy of love, acceptance, victory, health and the abundant life. Jesus finished work on the cross means we can have the abundant life now.

10 A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 10 賊來了，不過是要偷竊、殺害、毀壞；我來了，是要使羊得生命，並且得的更豐盛。11 我是好牧人，好牧人為羊捨命。(John 约翰福音10:10-11)

Jesus' Crucifixion means He died as our representative, bearing every curse, like disease, death, poverty, addiction, so that we can have health, peace, blessings, now.

But he was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace; he was lashed—and we were healed!哪 知 他 為 我 們 的 過 犯 受 害 ， 為 我 們 的 罪 孽 壓 傷 。 因 他 受 的 刑 罰 ， 我 們 得 平 安 ； 因 他 受 的 鞭 傷 ， 我 們 得 醫 治 。 (Isaiah以 賽 亞 書53:5)