3 Ways To De-stress With Yoga

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Archive for August, 2016

3 Ways To De-stress With Yoga

Posted on: August 27th, 2016

When juggling many things like family, work and school it can cause anxiety and stress. Yoga helps to create greater emotional well-being by releasing tension and dissolving the emotional blocks that hold us back from living a happy, healthy life. At Universal Spa Training Academy, the practice of mind, body and spirit is used in everyday life. Yoga also offers natural therapy for stress, because it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of our nervous system responsible for relaxation and rejuvenation. Below are 3 positions that you can do to de-stress.

  1. Dhyana Pose

    Calming Heart Meditation (Dhyana) This pose can be practiced whenever you start to feel overwhelmed or anxious. Breathe deeply and slowly to maintain a calm, meditative state.

  2. Childs Pose (Balasana) Kneel on the floor, touch your toes, lay your torso down between your legs, put your forehead down on the floor and stretch your arms, hands and fingers. Breathe deep and exhale to release any tension. This is a more restful pose and helps to calm the mind and body. Stay in this pose anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes.
  3. Fire Log Pose (Agnistambhasana) Sit indian style on the floor, but pull your right foot on top of your left leg and set it on top of your left knee. Flex your foot so the sole is perpendicular to the floor. This pose stretches the hips and groin where we tend to hold a lot of tightness and tension. Switch legs when you feel fully stretches and relaxed.

Yoga builds greater inner calm, enabling you to deal with pressures and tension in a more constructive way. For many, it has resulted in less stress and a more focused state of mind in the classroom. That is why we offer free access to our yoga studio and classes for our students. So whether you are a part of our aesthetic school or our massage therapy school, take advantage of everything USTA has to offer!

6 Massage Techniques and How They Are Different

Posted on: August 19th, 2016

When looking to get a massage, knowing the different techniques will help you decide which one is best for you! At our massage therapy school we teach all 6 techniques featured in this post as well as many others. In this article, we want to share with you 6 different massage techniques and compare how they are different.

  • Young woman having a hot stone massage therapy

    Young woman having a hot stone massage therapy

    Hot Stone Massage – This technique has been around for centuries and is widely used among massage clinics. Heated flat rocks are placed on parts of the body, mainly the back. The heat dispensed from the hot stones helps to relax the muscles, making it easier for the therapist to perform the massage and gives the client a more relaxing experience.

  • Cupping – Cupping is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which the therapist puts special cups on the skin to create suction. Cupping is known to help with inflammation, pain, detoxing the body and enhance a deep tissue massage.
  • Deep Tissue Massage – Deep tissue massage is similar to a Swedish massage but the differences are in the pressure the therapist uses to get into the deep layers of the muscle tissue.
  • Pregnancy and Prenatal Massage – The name gives away this type of massage! Pregnancy massage helps with the discomforts that pregnancy brings such as low back pain, leg cramps, headaches and edema or swelling.
  • Swedish Massage – This massage technique tends to be the most popular among spas today and hails its name from the Western concepts of anatomy and physiology. When you think of a massage, most likely you are thinking of a Swedish massage or a ‘Classic Massage’ as they call it in Sweden!
  • Sports Massage – If you missed our previous post about sports massage and how it can help athletes check it out!

Massage isn’t an extreme luxury, but a beneficial way to take care of your mind, body and spirit. We believe that incorporating a massage regularly into your lifestyle will increase your overall mind and body health. To learn more about our massage therapy school and the different techniques, click to see our curriculum here at USTA!

Transition Your Skin From Summer To Fall

Posted on: August 14th, 2016

fall skinAs the summer months are quickly coming to a close, transitioning your skin from summer to fall is crucial in keeping your skin looking and feeling its best! A change in season can drastically change how the skin behaves. When it turns cooler in temperature, less oil is produced by the skin creating a change in your skincare routine. Below are some tips on how to transition your skin from summer to fall.

  • Change your cleansing routine. Choosing a cleanser that is more mild yet offers incredible hydration is the best choice for fall. A good rule is to choose a cleanser that is non-drying and sulfate-free.
  • Choose a heavier day time moisturizer. During the summer months using a light daytime moisturizer is ok because the skin produces more oil. When it is cooler outside, our skin tends to dry out. Choosing a heavier day time moisturizer will help prevent moisture loss.
  • Continue using SPF. During the fall months the UVA rays (the ones that cause skin cancer and premature wrinkles) are just as strong. Choosing a moisturizer that has an SPF is key to help protect your skin!
  • Exfoliate. To brighten and repair the skin during the fall months, exfoliation is imperative. This removes dead skin cells that trap oil. In return, exfoliating helps with acne and the overall appearance of skin.
  • Return to Retinol. Use a serum retinol or retinol moisturizer in your skincare routine. This helps reduce the appearance of brown spots and wrinkles caused by the summer sun.
  • Use an alcohol free toner. This step is usually overlooked when it comes to a skincare routine. After cleansing, use a toner to wipe the skin clean and immediately follow with a serum and moisturizer. This will help keep the skin moisturized and well cleansed!

Here at USTA we teach all about the right skincare routine and products in our Aesthetics School. If you enjoyed this article, share it on Social Media using the hashtag #USTAblog

 

The Benefits of Sports Massage For Athletes

Posted on: August 6th, 2016

In honor of the Olympics opening ceremony in Rio yesterday, we now have sports on the brain. According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), massage acts to improve performance, reduce pain, prevent injury, encourage focus and shorten recovery time. Taking care of your body and muscles while playing a sport is crucial to not only performance but overall well being and health. Sports massage keeps the body in better condition, prevent injuries and loss of mobility, cure and restore mobility to injured muscle tissue, boost performance and extend the overall life of a sporting career.

sports massageBenefits of Sports Massage for athletes

  1. Break down of scar tissue. Scar tissue can build up from a previous injury and effect muscle, tendons and ligaments. Breaking down the scar tissue will help keep your muscles flexible to prevent injury and pain.
  2. Increases blood flow. Massage increases blood flow to muscle and tissue. It dilates the blood vessels so that nutrients and blood can move freely to feed the body for performance.
  3. Increases range of motion. Massage increases the bodies natural lubricants between the connective tissues. Some forms of massage like Neuromuscular Therapy can help heal scar tissue as well as tendon, ligament, and muscle tears. This creates more flexibility and higher range of motion.
  4. Stretching. Muscles are stretches lengthwise as well as sideways. The fascia that surrounds these muscles, release any tension or pressure build up.
  5. Decreases muscle stiffness after exercise. Tension and waste products can build up inside muscle tissue to cause pain. Massage helps break up waste such as lactic acid and encourage the muscles to take up oxygen and nutrients which help them recover quicker. *Tip: Make sure to drink plenty of water after a massage!

At USTA, our 9 month day or 11 month evening massage therapy programs offer a balanced study of anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology, Eastern energies, Western techniques and professional development. Our nationally accredited school offers a top notch curriculum. Call for more information at (630) 968-6800.