英語趣味課堂：練瑜伽保持健康-Using Yoga to Keep Fit

Nathan: So we're talking about gyms and exercises and stuff, Jules, and I want to ask you a question. It may be a bit of advice.

Jules: OK.

Nathan: You know Madonna?

Jules: Not personally but.

Nathan: Right. Well, I heard that Madonna had like started this craze where people do gym, they do yoga in hot rooms and the benefit is that because your muscles are all warm, you can do much longer like stretches. You can stretch much further but the counter-argument is that you get dehydrated and you might damage yourself.

Jules: Yeah. To be honest, I don't know so much about it. Madonna certainly didn't start it. It's called bikram yoga.

Nathan: OK:

Jules: And it originates I think in India but they, I think the underlying idea is that because yoga originates in India that we should practice yoga in the same climactic conditions.

Nathan: Great.

Jules: Therefore you should be stretching and working out in the hot humid thirty five plus. And of course your body is much more flexible when it's warm and you get a lot, I've never done it actually because I, when I go, I can go in a sauna but only for a couple of minutes.

Nathan: Yeah.

Jules: Because I start to feel my heart beat and I get dizzy and stuff.

Nathan: Oh really?

Jules: I don't like it so the thought of working out in that kind of climate would kind of scares me a little bit.

Nathan: Mmm, maybe I don't need to try that then.

Jules: But I think you'd benefit from yoga. Everybody benefits from yoga especially someone with your back issues.

Nathan: My poor back, yeah.

Jules: Your weight training, was that on your doctor's advice or are you just trying to strengthen up so that you can protect your body?

Nathan: I have a physio and they advised me that one of the problems I have with my back is that the muscles get tired and there's like a vicious circle. So if you get tired muscles, they go hard and as they're hard they get, what would I say tense and as they get tense they get more tired more easily so you've got like a vicious circle. They're tense so they get tired and as they're tired they get more tense.

Jules: Tired, OK.

Nathan: And one of the reasons they get tired is because they're not strong and you overdo the activity. So like if you run a marathon, you know the next day your legs are really tired and they really hurt. It's the same kind of principle that if you do the same position like using a computer for a long time, the small controlling muscles get tired so if you can strengthen them, you can sit at the computer without getting tired for as long.

重點詞匯：

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

craze

I heard that Madonna started this craze where people do yoga in hot rooms.

A 'craze' is a popular fad or fashion that many people begin to do or become interested in at the same time. Notice the following:

Green products are a very positive craze.

Boots are definitely a fashion craze right now.

counter-argument

The counter-argument is that you get dehydrated and you might damage yourself.

A 'counter-argument' is one that gives reasoning why something isn't the best idea. There is usually an argument and then a counter-argument. Notice the following:

The jury was influenced by the defense's counter-arguments.

This new diet has been faced with many counter-arguments.

underlying idea

The underlying idea of yoga is that stretching is good for you.

An 'underlying idea' for something is the reasoning behind it or the idea behind it. Notice the following:

The underlying idea for all of these options is the same, but they are just different methods for achieving the same goal.

The underlying idea is to have everyone in the same area and then give her the birthday present together.

weight training

Your weight training, was that on your doctor's advice?

'Weight training' is lifting weights for exercise. Notice the following:

I am supposed to do some light weight training to strengthen my leg.

She has always liked cardio, but has recently gotten into weight training too.

vicious circle

There's like a vicious circle. The more I do, the more it hurts.

A 'vicious circle' is a connection between certain issues of events that makes it hard to stop. One thing happens and then another thing happens, which makes the first thing happen again. Notice the following:

With the economic recession in many countries, people are finding themselves in a vicious financial cycle.

For some people, weight problems and eating are kind of a vicious circle.

overdo

One of the reasons they get tired is because they're not strong and they overdo the activity.

When you 'overdo' something, you do it too much or in an extreme way. Notice the following:

She overdoes it a little on the make-up sometimes.

The doctor said that I can start to do exercise, but I should be careful not to overdo it.