The Ultimate Guide To Face Yoga Method PDF

The Ultimate Guide To The Face Yoga Method C HA N G E Y O UR FACE, CH A N GE YOU R L I F E By Fumiko Takatsu  By Fumiko Takatsu http://www.faceyogamet...

The Ultimate Guide To The Face Yoga Method C HA N G E Y O UR FACE, CH A N GE YOU R L I F E By Fumiko Takatsu  By Fumiko Takatsu http://www.faceyogamethod.com/about © 2012, All Rights Reserved All contents copyright © 2012 by Face Yoga Method®. All rights reserved. No part of this document or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Limit of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher has used its best efforts in preparing this book, and the information provided herein is provided “as is.” The information contained herein is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment in any manner. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition. All information contained in “The Ultimate Guide To The Face Yoga Method®.”, or on faceyogamethod.com including but not limited to text, graphics, images, information, third party information and/or advice, food, recipes, exercises, diets, psychology, websites, links, including but not limited to any content by employees, consultants or writers and contributors, and or any other material contained herein are for informational and educational purposes only. There was a lot of work that went into putting this document together. That means that this information has value, and your friends, neighbors, and co-workers may want to share it. The information in this document is copyrighted. I would ask that you do not share this information with others- you purchased this book, and you have a right to use it on your system. Another person who has not purchased this book does not have that right. If your friends think this information is valuable enough to ask you for it, they should think it is valuable enough to purchase on their own. After all, the price is low enough that just about anyone should be able to afford it. It should go without saying that you cannot post this document or the information it contains on any electronic bulletin board, Web site, FTP site, newsgroup, or... well, you get the idea. The only place from which this document should be available is the faceyogamethod.com Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION The Accident That Left Me Looking Old Started It All 7 A New Career Is Born 7 Change Your Face, Change Your Life 8 How To Use This Ebook 9 Do The Warm Up Poses! 9 Targeting Problem Areas 9 Face First 9 No Time For The Body? No Problem! 10 Finish With The Cool Down! 10 Short On Time? 10 PART 1 CHAPTER 1 - What Is The Face Yoga Method®? 12 The Facts Of Aging 12 The FYM 12 Face Muscles – Use It Or Lose It 13 Breathing 13 Beauty From The Inside Out 13 CHAPTER 2 - How Does The Face Yoga Method® Work? 14 Skin: The Largest Organ of the Body 14 The Truth About Your Face and Wrinkles 14 Gravity and The Face 15 Simple Summary 18 CHAPTER 3 - Expected Benefits From Practicing The Face Yoga Method® 19 Mental Benefits 19 Physical Benefits 20 CHAPTER 4 - FAQs 21 CHAPTER 5 - Face Yoga Method® - Dos and Don’ts 25 FYM Dos 25 FYM Don’ts 26 CHAPTER 6 - Five Fundamental Steps for a Healthy Face Yoga Method ® Practice 27 Getting Started 29 PART 2 CHAPTER 7 - The Warm Up 30 The Torso Rotation 31 The Chest Opener 32 The Shoulder Blade Rotation 33 The Shoulder Rotation 34 The Neck Stretch 36 CHAPTER 8 - The Forehead Area 39 1-0 The Forehead Massager (with hands) 40 2-0 The Forehead Acupressure Point Push (with hands) 41 3-0 The Forehead Lift (with hands) 42 3-1 The Forehead Lift (with body) 43 4-1 The Eye Opening Binocular Pose (with hands) 44 CHAPTER 9 - The Eye Area 45 1-0 The Eye Flex (hands free) 46 1-1 The Eye Flex (with hands) 47 2-0 The Eye Bag Toner (hands free) 48 2-1 The Eye Bag Toner (with hands) 50 3-0 The Crow’s Feet Press (with hands) 52 4-0 The Under Eye Smoother (with hands) 53 4-1 The Under Eye Relaxer (with hands) 54 5-0 No More Tired Eyes (hands free) 56 CHAPTER 10 - The Mouth Area 57 1-0 The Yummy Face (hands free) 58 1-1 The Yummy Face (with hands) 59  2-0 The Smile Lifter! (hands free) 61 2-1 The Smile Lifter! (with a tool) 62 CHAPTER 11 - The Lip Area 63 1-0 The Smackeroo (hands free) 64 1-1 The Smackeroo (with hands) 65 2-0 The Lip Smoother (hands free) 67 2-1 The Lip Smoother (with hands) 68 3-0 The Lip Plumper (hands free) 69 3-1 The Lip Plumper (with hands) 70 4-0 The Bumble Bee Lip (hands free) 72 4-1 The Bumble Bee Lip (with hands) 73 CHAPTER 12 - The Nasolabial Folds Diminisher 74 1-0 The Big “O” (hands free) 75 1-1 The Big “O” (with hands) 76 2-0 The Nasolabial Folds Lift Up (hands free) 77 2-1 The Nasolabialfolds Lift Up (with hands) 78 3-0 The Nasolabial Smoother (hands free) 79 4-0 The Rolly Polly (hands free) 82 4-1 The Rolly Polly (with hands) 83 CHAPTER 13 - The Neck and Jawline Area 84 1-0 The Swan Neck (Hands Free) 85 1-1 The Swan Neck (With Hands) 86 2-0 The Neck And Jawline Shaper (Hands Free) 87 2-1 The Neck And Jawline Shaper (With Hands) 88 3-0 The Pulled Tongue (Hands Free) 91 3-1 The Pulled Tongue (With Hands) 92 4-0 The Double Chin Lift (With Hands) 93 4-1 The Double Chin Lift (With Hands) 94 CHAPTER 14 - The Cool Down 95 Tapping 96 PART 3 BONUS CHAPTER 1 - The Acupressure Push 102 BONUS CHAPTER 2 - The Face Yoga Method® in a Hurry! 109 PART 4 BONUS CHAPTER 3 - Diet 118 BONUS CHAPTER 4 - Skin Care 124 About The Author 130 Books 131 Media Appearances (From 2006 To Today) 131  Introduction 7 INTRODUCTION “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” ― John Lennon The Accident That Left Me Looking Old Started It All I first started doing face exercises in 2005. I was 36 years old and living in Tokyo, Japan. I had a great job and was enjoying living the single life in one of the most exciting cities in the world. Life seemed too good to be true! Then, everything changed very suddenly. I was involved in a serious car accident, and though I was fortunate to survive, my perspective on life was completely and forever changed. The trauma of the accident left my body posture out of alignment. Surprisingly, my face became asymmetrical, and started to look dull and aged. For the first time in my life I became aware that my face was aging. I began to regret all of my youthful sun exposure. I became obsessed with my looks. I tried various facial treatments and all of the expensive products. I had always been a believer in exercise, so I was physically fit, but my face was going downhill. A New Career Is Born Exercise was an important part of my rehabilitation after the accident. I knew exercise was healing my body and keeping it fit, so I decided to try exercises to heal my face and keep it fit as well. I began creating the face yoga poses for myself. At first I was simply interested in my own face. I just wanted to look better and younger. I was not really planning on sharing my face yoga poses with anybody, partly because I wanted to keep them as my own private beauty secret. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 8 Face Yoga Method® However, the more I did my face exercises, the more people started noticing the changes in my face. My body got back into alignment and as a result my face became more symmetrical than ever. I started feeling better and I got my confidence back. I published my first book on Face Yoga back in 2006. The book sold well in Japan and was then translated into Chinese, Korean, and Thai. I received a lot of public attention and eventually decided to leave my teaching job and pursue my face yoga career full time. This is when I developed Face Yoga Method® (FYM). Change Your Face, Change Your Life My life has changed in many ways in the last 7 years. I now have 5 certified FYM instructors in Japan and the US. In 2008, I got married and moved to California, and in 2010 I gave birth to my daughter. Seven years ago I could never imagine the life I have now. I have seen many transformations in my students; not only in their faces, but in their mental health too. Many of them are happier, calmer and more confident in themselves. I feel these positive changes in myself as well. Now in my 40’s, I feel more comfortable and happier with myself than when I was in my 20’s. I not only accept the way I look and feel, I celebrate it. The FYM is not just yoga for your face, but also for your mind and body. The FYM changed my face and changed my life. I hope you too enjoy a life changing journey with the FYM. Arigato, Fumiko Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  Introduction 9 How to Use This Ebook Do The Warm Up Poses! For best results remember that body and face are connected and work together. I highly recommend you start the face exercises with simple warming up body poses (see Part 2: Chapter 7). You will feel more energized and at the same time, more calm and focused. Targeting Problem Areas Part 2 has specific exercises based on the 6 most common areas people are most concerned with; forehead, eye, mouth, lip, nasolabial folds, neck and jawline. You can a target specific area and practice the poses on that area for a while and then move to another area. However, like any other exercise, it is better to mix the exercises and see even results. For example, when you want to get nice legs, you can work only on the legs but ideally you want to tone your whole body and get in better shape all over. The same concept applies to the face. Face First Most of the exercises have an “advanced pose” which is combined with the body posture. I recommend you try the face exercises first and then add the body for better results. Once you learn the face poses, most of them are very simple and easy, you do not need to refer to this ebook every time! One of my clients who has gotten great results told me that she does the exercises every day while she is commuting by car! Every time she gets in a car she practices the FYM. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 10 Face Yoga Method® No Time For the Body? No Problem! Most of the FYM exercises work great only doing the face poses. If you do not want to move your body, or you have some physical restrictions, do not worry! You can still practice the FYM. In fact, my oldest client was a 93 year old woman. She was in a wheel chair and did all the face poses! For the best results, try the poses with body movements and you will feel the difference. Finish With The Cool Down! To finish the exercises make sure and do the cooling down exercises. (see Chapter 14: The Cool Down). If you do the cooling down exercises at the end of the day, you will be surprised how much it can relax your mind and body. This is exactly what you need before going to bed for a better sleep, which is ultimately what you want for your skin. Short On Time? If you still cannot find time to squeeze the FYM exercises into your day, Part 3 is for you. The Acupressure push (Bonus Chapter 1) has been my life saver. I do these in front of the computer before going to bed at night and getting out of bed in the morning. It amazes me how such a short time (maybe less than 5 minutes total) can affect my whole day. If you can only spare minutes a day then “Bonus Chapter 2: The Face Yoga Method® In A Hurry” is for you! Now you are ready to start practicing the FYM. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 1 The Face Yoga Method® “God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.” -- William Shakespeare 12 Face Yoga Method® CHAPTER 1 What Is The Face Yoga Method®? The Facts Of Aging Aging of the skin is characterized by external signs; wrinkles, lines, thinning, sagging, discoloration, age spots and dullness of the complexion. The aging process begins early, but we don’t always see the physical manifestations of aging until our 30’s or 40’s. One of the contributing factors to the aging of the skin is a decreased production of collagen. Collagen is a fibrous protein that works as a supportive structure for the inner layer of the skin and as scaffolding for the body. As we age, irregularities and gaps develop in the collagen mesh and eventually that leads to wrinkles. Elastin, which helps to keep skin tight and flexible, and enables skin to snap back into place, gradually depletes as we age. When we age the skin turnover cycle slows down and dead skin cells don’t shed as quickly as before. An average healthy skin turnover is every 28 days but, as we get older, turnover slows down to 40 - 50 days and past the age of 70 it takes a couple of months for our skin to create new skin cells. Dead skin layers accumulate and leave the skin dull and rough. The FYM The FYM is a blend of yoga-like body postures and facial exercises that improve your appearance and sense of well-being. The FYM is a unique technique to turn back the clock. The FYM focuses on your facial movements and expressions and teaches you to exercise your face muscles to create a firmer, more sculpted face line. It also encourages deep breathing. Conscious breathing helps to increase skin thickness by increasing blood flow to the skin. Your expression will change and any stress lines on your face will start to smooth out. The end result is younger, radiant, glowing skin, greater self-confidence and awareness from the inside out. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 1: The Face Yoga Method 13 Face Muscles – Use It Or Lose It It is the nature of muscles; if you don’t use your muscles, you lose them. There are almost 60 muscles in the face. (research shows varying amounts up to 60). The face muscles are very busy and get a daily work out by talking, chewing, smiling, laughing, frowning and kissing. How often do you pay attention to the repetitive facial movements you make? When you use your face muscles, you want to understand how to use them so that you do not get unwanted wrinkles. The FYM makes you aware of your “bad habits” of using your face muscles to your detriment and teaches you the “proper” way to use them so that you do not need to worry about unwanted facial lines. Breathing Breathing also plays an important role in the FYM. In our daily breathing we do not fully exhale the air in our lungs. It is important to fully exhale during the FYM, replacing accumulated CO2 with fresh, oxygenated air. By focusing on your breath, you will relax and reset both your mind and body. Deep breathing promotes better blood circulation, which results in more oxygen and nutrients in the body and face. The FYM is a guide to releasing tension through conscious deep breathing and movement of the muscles in the body and face. Beauty From The Inside Out The FYM not only makes you aware of your own facial movements and expressions but also of how you view your true self. By practicing the FYM consistently, you will become more aware of yourself and the beauty within you! Some of the FYM exercises may seem incredibly silly and they may make you laugh! But that is also the beauty of the FYM. Life should be fun, right? Try it for yourself and see what it can do for you! Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 14 Face Yoga Method® CHAPTER 2 How Does the Face Yoga Method® Work? Skin: The Largest Organ of the Body The skin is the largest organ of the body and made up of multiple layers, including the epidermis, the top layer, the dermis, the sub layer, and the hypopdermis, the lower layer. The muscles support the layers above them. The epidermis protects what’s underneath and the dermis contains two important proteins; collagen and elastin. Their functions were explained earlier (see Chapter 1:The Facts About Aging). Our skin works as an expellant of waste and toxins from the body. The tone and condition of your skin reflect your inner health. As we age the production of collagen and elastin of the skin slows down and the skin doesn’t function as efficiently as it once did. Cellular growth slows down, toxins can build up, and dead skin layers give the skin a rough texture and a dull appearance. The Truth About Your Face and Wrinkles The facial muscles are delicate, small, fine and flat and they control facial expressions. We move our facial muscles unconsciously throughout the day, and as a result, move the overlying skin. When the same movement is repeated over and over, the skin begins to form a visible line/ indentation even when the face is not moving. This leads to wrinkles over time. These lines and indentations can be softened and decreased or even vanish if the facial muscles are relaxed and their movements are corrected. Botox uses this theory and “freezes” the facial muscles. It is a temporary solution since Botox injections wear off within 3 to 6 months. Botox also has reported side effects such as tight feelings of the affected areas, headaches, anxiety, and depression. Botox suppresses certain muscles and can result in uneven facial expressions and asymmetry in the face. On the other hand, conscious facial exercises in the FYM add more symmetry to your face. We see beauty in symmetry and Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  Introduction 15 symmetrical faces look more beautiful and attractive. Collagen enhanced creams are temporary treatments since they usually only penetrate the top layers of the skin. Since the skin naturally turns over and sheds every day, we lose the benefits of creams very quickly. The FYM does not directly rebuild collagen fibers nor elastin, but rather it works the muscles, which support the skin. The exercises work by building a strong foundation and strengthening the muscles under the skin. Gravity and The Face We learned about Newton’s law of gravity at school. Gravity helps us to stand. We live on earth thanks to gravity. However, gravity is one of the greatest enemies of aging. As you know, gravity pulls down all objects on earth and that includes our body parts. As we age we get shorter, breasts sag, buttocks sag and flatten out, and the stomach protrudes. Unfortunately, just like the body, facial parts are also attacked by gravity. The corners of the mouth go down, the nose gets longer, cheeks get lower, and eyelids droop. We cannot stop the aging process but we can delay age related results by taking care of ourselves. Many people exercise to maintain the body and keep it young. Why not exercise your face for the same reason? The FYM exercises your face muscles in ways you never knew existed. Take a look at yourself in a mirror and see for yourself how you will look in the future and how you looked in the past. We see our face everyday and there is no obvious device to measure changes; like a belt for the waistline or a scale for body weight. Without a measuring instrument it is harder to track the changes in our faces. Your Future Face One of my favorite tricks for taking a peek at my future face is to hold a mirror parallel to the floor and breathe in through your nose. While breathing out through your nose, move your face Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 16 Face Yoga Method® down until it is parallel to the mirror. How do you like it? Which area on your face bothers you? double chin? saggy cheeks? droopy eyelids? Your Past Face Let’s take a look at what your face used to look like. Hold a mirror parallel to the ceiling and breathe in through your nose. While breathing out through your nose, lift your face up until it becomes parallel to the mirror. This is your face in the past. Don’t you miss the way you looked? You may not be able to go back to this face, but with proper face exercises you can definitely delay the aging process. In the same way that exercise keeps your body younger it can keep your face younger. The FYM fights the signs of aging. It has been tested, refined and fine-tuned many times to meet the individual concerns of aging. If you are not happy with the way you look when you look down in the mirror, try some face exercises. You can choose the specific exercises for the areas you are concerned about. Better Circulation = Younger Looking Face Our skin metabolizes and new skin cells are produced daily. As we age, however, skin metabolism slows down, much like other parts of the body. In order to keep and increase the metabolism of the skin, good circulation is key. Don’t you feel more alive, happy and positive after a great laugh or talk with your friends? There is a mental aspect, of course, but when you laugh hard and talk a lot, you are breathing more air Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  Introduction 17 into your body and the oxygen flow gets increased. The sigh, on the other hand does not really increase your oxygen flow. More oxygen flow means more nutrients in your body and you can see the benefits of it in the skin. The same thing applies to your face. More oxygen flow to your face means more radiant, youthful looking skin. So how can you increase the oxygen flow to your face? Almost everybody knows the mental and physical benefits of body exercise. Exercise improves your mood, energy and posture. Exercise tones the body and helps your body to be strong, flexible, and lean. If you do not exercise, your body gets weaker and flabby. Exercise increases oxygen flow. The same thing applies to your face. Moving the face promotes better circulation, more oxygen flow and makes it easier for nutrients to reach the top layer of the skin. When the skin is given proper nutrients, its turn over speeds up and the result is more radiant, softer, beautiful looking skin. Here are the Before/After photos of the FYM exercises using a thermographic camera. The thermal imaging camera made it possible to show the amount of radiation sent out by the face yoga students. After 3 sets of 10 seconds of one pose, we could see the increases in temperature on their faces! See the thermal imaging camera photos here. The warm parts of the face stand out in contrast against cooler parts of the face. Before After Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 18 Face Yoga Method® 3 sets of 10 seconds of this pose will give your face better circulation. Simple Summary More Better Better More Nutrients in Looking Circulation Oxygen Flow the Body Skin and Face Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 1: The Face Yoga Method 19 CHAPTER 3 Expected Benefits from Practicing the Face Yoga Method® You already know the benefits of exercise. When you exercise your body, you feel good. More oxygen goes to your body and brain so you are focused and clear but at the same time more relaxed. The same thing applies to the FYM, you will feel good both physically and mentally. Here are some of the expected benefits from practicing the FYM. Mental Benefits 1 More self control: You are the practitioner of the FYM. The more disciplined you are and the more you practice the poses, the better the results. You will feel more in control. 2 More self confidence: You do the work and you see the changes. You feel you are in control of your face and as a result you will feel more empowered in other areas of your life. 3 More confidence in speech: The FYM makes you move some of the muscles you do not necessarily use every day and this can result in clear, confident speech. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 20 Face Yoga Method® Physical Benefits Better complexion due to better circulation Higher, more defined cheeks Plumper, more defined lips Bigger, wide opened eyes Less droopy eye lids More symmetrical face Reduced forehead lines Uplifted corners of the mouth Reduced lines along sides of the mouth (nasolabial folds) Reduced double chin More defined face line Reduced crow’s feet Reduced puffiness under the eyes Reduced dark circles under the eyes Reduced lines under the eyes Reduced puffiness on the face More even skin tone Smoother skin Controlled, feminine jaw line Reduced frown lines Reduced lines on the entire face Firmer, more youthful looking face Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 1: The Face Yoga Method 21 CHAPTER 4 FAQs Here are some of the frequently asked questions I hear from people regarding the FYM. 1. When should I practice the FYM? Ideally twice a day; first thing in the morning and right before going to bed. When you practice the FYM poses in the morning, it wakes up the face muscles and makes you more aware of facial movements throughout the day. Most of us develop unfavorable muscle practices, i.e. frowning. Practicing the FYM in the morning can help to break bad facial habits. Practicing the FYM before going to bed helps to reset the muscles you used during the day and to relax not only the face muscles, but also the mind and prepare you to have a nice peaceful sleep. If you find it hard to practice the poses in the morning, practice them throughout the day. You can practice some of the poses while you are driving, cooking, watching TV and even in the shower! Try to make it a daily habit. 2. How often do I have to practice the FYM before I see results? Some people see results right away, even after one practice! But after two weeks of practice most people will see results. jawline - before jawline - after Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 22 Face Yoga Method® Please note that measuring facial changes is very different from measuring body changes, which are easy to track with scales and other measuring devices. The results on the face are much more subtle and appear slowly over time. For this reason I highly recommend taking Before/ After photos to keep yourself motivated. One of my students, Heather, practiced some of the FYM poses while she commuted by car. After 6 weeks, she saw a friend of hers whom she had not seen for almost 2 years. Her friend told Heather that she looked younger than 2 years ago and wanted to know what she did! The secret is the FYM! 3. Do I have to do all the poses every day? No you don’t have to practice all the poses everyday. Make sure and practice at least 5 minutes a day, focusing on the areas you want to improve. However, if you have a specific concern, you can practice specific poses for problem areas. Once you form the habit of practicing the FYM your face may feel strange if you don’t do it every day, kind of like brushing your teeth every day. For best results do a little bit of practice every day instead of doing a long practice every once in a while. In the same way that you wouldn’t exercise for five hours on Sunday and forget about it for the rest of the week, it is better to do a little bit of FYM everyday. 4. What if I cannot move my face muscles? Practice, practice, practice! Practice makes perfect. Remember the first time you rode a bicycle without training wheels? Once your body learns the movement, you will never forget. The same thing can apply to your face muscles. If you are not used to moving the muscles on your face, it may take time to “feel” the movements. In fact, when you speak Japanese, you use less face muscles. As a result, Japanese people have a harder time moving face muscles compared to English speakers, but once they exercise those muscles, they can see great results! Just trying to move certain muscles is a great exercise for the brain too! 5. Will I get wrinkles by practicing the FYM? No. Some people think that moving face muscles will cause more wrinkles. While the wrong repetitive movements can cause unwanted wrinkles, moving them the right way can prevent and even reduce wrinkles. Since each pose does not take more than a minute and every movement is very specific, it would be quite difficult to make more wrinkles by practicing the FYM. To make sure you are using the right muscles and moving them correctly, practice the FYM in front of the mirror until you get the movements right. In my mid 30′s, I developed a very noticeable forehead line above my right eyebrow. It was due to my habit of moving the right eyebrow every time I talked. After a few months of the FYM practice, the line was gone! Since the FYM helps your Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 1: The Face Yoga Method 23 face muscles relax, you may notice your entire face is relaxed after the practice. Stress can cause more wrinkles on your face than you think. 6. I like certain FYM poses but do not like some other poses. Do I have to practice all the poses? It is not necessary to practice all the poses to get results. You can choose the poses for the areas you are concerned with. However, just like exercise for the body; a total facial work out will bring better results. I encourage you to practice a variety of the FYM poses. When you want to get a flat stomach, sit-ups are a good exercise but not enough to get a satisfying result. If you do not like certain FYM poses, maybe those are the poses you need to practice more to get the results you are looking for. 7. My face feels strange after practicing the FYM, is that normal? It is absolutely normal! In fact, that means you are moving the face muscles you are not used to moving. Imagine any sport you try for the first time, how does your body feel? Your body and brain are getting new stimulation. If you feel too much pain or intense sensation take it easy on the poses and gradually increase the resistance or frequency of the exercise. 8. My family members have double chins, it is genetic, can I still get results on my chin by practicing the FYM? The answer is definitely yes! In fact, your parents can be a great indicator of your future face. Study the way they look and work on the area you want to change. Since you are more aware of the possible problems in the future, you can prevent the problems before they manifest on your face. Observe your parents’ faces and keep your motivation to practice the FYM. 9. How long do I have to do each pose? Each pose description explains this. Some take 3 breaths and others take longer/shorter. 10. I have a face-lift and/or I got Botox, can I still practice the FYM? The answer is yes. One of the beauties of the FYM is it can be practiced/ combined with other face treatments. However, since Botox suppresses the facial muscle movements, it can be hard Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 24 Face Yoga Method® to move the face muscles right after the treatment. If you feel extreme discomfort, please stop the exercise and consult your physician. When you practice the FYM, make sure your face is well hydrated to avoid unnecessary damage to the skin surface. Just imagine smiling with chapped lips, it makes it worse. 11. I know it is important to drink a lot of water; 6 to 8 glasses every day for your skin, but I do not like to drink that much water, especially before going to bed because I need to go to the bathroom often. What should I do? Try to drink tepid or hot water with a slice of lemon, it is easier to drink. Water flushes out wastes and toxins from the body so it helps your skin get clear and hydrated. Try hot water. It is not only easier to drink but also better for your skin! Imagine washing an oily dish with hot water, it removes oil from the dish easier than the cold water. If you are concerned about going to the bathroom too often, drink hot water before bedtime and see how it affects you. When you drink water, try not to drink a lot at once, instead, drink a small amount each time. Take sips throughout the day. 12. Is it better do a few poses of FYM every day or to practice all the poses of the FYM, every other day? Your success in achieving the face you want really depends on your daily exercise. As I mentioned earlier, if you do not use your muscles, you lose them. It is better to do fewer poses every day rather than all the poses once in a while. Develop your own daily routine with your favorite poses. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 1: The Face Yoga Method 25 CHAPTER 5 Face Yoga Method® - Dos and Don’ts The FYM is natural and safe for everybody, but to get the most benefit out of it, here are some tips for the best results. FYM Dos Do Relax your face between exercises. The relaxation itself is very beneficial for you, both physically and mentally. Do it everyday, even one pose. It can make a huge difference in the long run. Daily practice, Do even for two minutes, is much more effective than a long session once in a while. Pay attention to and concentrate on the muscles you are using. Visualize the muscles as Do you move them. Even if you cannot move the muscles the way you want to visualization can give you results. Take time for each exercise. You can achieve better results when you pay attention to Do what you are doing. Check your poses in front of the mirror until you are comfortable doing the poses. Make Do sure you are using the right muscles and doing the right movements without making unwanted wrinkles. Do the exercises on both sides of your face. You can exercise more on the side you do Do not feel comfortable with until both sides feel/ look the same. Symmetry is one of the fundamental beauties in nature. Do Make sure your skin is not dry before the exercises. If you feel any dryness, apply a cream or moisturizer to avoid stretching the skin. You do not need to take off your make up or wash your face before the exercises. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 26 Face Yoga Method® FYM Don’ts Do not hold your breath. For optimal results keep breathing while you do the poses. Even Don’t breath will help to relieve stress. Don’t Do not pull the skin! The FYM is a resistance exercise that works on the muscles, which are the basis of your skin. Don’t Do not continue the exercise when you feel/experience extreme pain or discomfort. Tender spots and tightness are common when you first start the exercises. If you feel sharp pain in your nerves, listen to your body and stop exercising. You may be using the wrong muscles or doing a wrong movement. Read the instructions again before continuing the exercise. Don’t Do not practice the same pose over and over for a long period of time. Life needs balance and so does the face. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 1: The Face Yoga Method 27 CHAPTER 6 Five Fundamental Steps for a Healthy FYM Practice 1 Find: Find the acupressure points and dormant muscles. Usually acupressure points are tender and/or sometimes there is a little indentation. Finding dormant muscles and moving them can be very difficult at first and it may take practice to find them. The more you practice, the easier it gets. Do not give up. Practice makes perfect! 2 Resist: The FYM is a muscle resistance exercise. By resisting the target muscles blood flow is decreased. When the resistance is released the blood flow increases and oxygen and nutrients flow in to the body and as a result build up the muscles. 3 Relax: Relaxing the muscles after creating resistance is a very important part of the exercises. Relaxation releases the tightness and tension from your face and body. As a result it promotes better circulation, which is a very important aspect of the FYM. 4 Visualize: At first, you may not be able to isolate and move the muscles. Do not worry! It may take some time but keep practicing. Visualize the face muscles you are trying to move. It is also great stimulation for your brain. 5 Have Fun: If you are really serious about getting good results, have fun practicing! Your face shows your emotions. If you are having fun making funny faces, it shows on your face! Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2 The Exercises “ Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” -- Victor Hugo  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 29 Getting Started Before you start the FYM exercises for the first time, you will need: 1. A mirror to check your poses 2. The intention to change your own face 3. Curiosity and willingness to try the FYM and make funny faces! Things which you will want to have: 1. A camera to take before/after photos to keep your motivation 2. Moisturizer to hydrate your face, if necessary 3. Dedication and faith to practice the FYM and see the results Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 30 Face Yoga Method® CHAPTER 7 The Warm Up The warm up starts with the pelvic and shoulder exercises. It releases tension from your body especially from the shoulder area where we tend to carry the most stress. If you do not have much time, just try the shoulder warm up or simply do the face warm up: “The Wow”. You can do all of these warming up poses while sitting on a chair Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 31 The Torso Rotation Benefit Key Point Releases tension around the hips, relaxes the lower back, warms up the body from ! If you are sitting on the floor with crossed legs, change the position of the legs and the center. do the same set of rotations again. Sit tall. Relax your shoulders. Palms on the knees. Open your chest. Start rotating your torso, making a circle using the core of your body. Keep breathing and rotate for 10 circles. Each time make the circle bigger. Rotate in the other direction for 10 circles. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  32 Face Yoga Method® The Chest Opener Benefit Key Point Opens your chest and helps to correct posture, especially rounded shoulders. It ! Breathing is key. Breathe out vigorously. promotes circulation in the chest area. Place both hands on your shoulders. Open your chest and push your shoulder blades down. Breathe in while moving elbows closer together and then up toward the ceiling as if you are drawing a circle with your elbows. Make a complete circle and repeat five times. Make five circles in the opposite direction. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 33 The Shoulder Blade Rotation Benefit Key Point Shoulders do so much work thorough Relax your shoulders and imagine you the day but we do not give them enough attention and care. This pose releases ! are rotating the shoulder blades. tension from the shoulder blades and makes you more relaxed. Palms face down and arms are out at your side in an airplane position parallel to the floor. Relax your shoulders. Alternate the right shoulder in a backwards circle followed by the left shoulder while keeping your arms held in the airplane position. Repeat this for 10 times on each side. Reverse the direction. Repeat 10 times. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  34 Face Yoga Method® The Shoulder Rotation Benefit Key Point Breath out completely and feel the Releases the tension and stress from the neck and face! ! difference between the rotations. Make sure you change the position of your arms. Give yourself a hug holding onto the sides of the shoulders. Push down the shoulder blades. Rotate your arms and draw a figure 8 with your elbows. Make a bigger figure 8 each time, breathing out completely. Repeat 10 times. Reverse direction. Repeat 10 times. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 35 Reverse the position of your arms with the opposite arm on top. Repeat 10 times. Reverse direction. Repeat 10 times. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  36 Face Yoga Method® The Neck Stretch Benefit Key Point Releases tension and stress from the neck Make sure you do not over stretch the and middle back area. Helps to correct ! back of your neck. If you have pain in rounded shoulders. your neck pay extra attention and do it at your own risk. Interlace your fingers and place them on the back of your head. Relax the shoulders. Open your chest, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 37 Move elbows parallel to your head, bend your head down at a 90 degree angle to the floor. Breathe out for 3 deep breaths. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  38 Face Yoga Method® The Wow! Benefit Key Point Relases tension and stress in your face muscles. Makes it easier to do face ! Make sure you do not wrinkle your forehead while practicing. exercises. Say “wow” in a very slow exaggerated manner opening your mouth as wide as possible. Repeat this 10 times. You do not have to vocalize this exercise to get results but it helps to relieve stress. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 39 CHAPTER 8 The Forehead Area This is one of the areas that I have found has the biggest difference among Japanese and Americans. I don’t have very many Japanese clients who complain about or are concerned with forehead wrinkles. The Japanese language and culture don’t have very much facial movement. When you speak Japanese you do not need to use face muscles in the same way that English speakers do. In general, Japanese people do not have very many facial expressions (good or bad). On the other hand, Japanese people’s major concern is sagging eye lids and facial lines. Benefit Key Point These poses relax the muscles and tone, When you first start these exercises, soften and decrease wrinkles on the ! check your poses in the mirror making forehead. sure you are not frowning or wrinkling the forehead. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  40 Face Yoga Method® 1-0 The Forehead Massager (with hands) Interlace your fingers and place them on top of your head. Applying firm pressure, move the hands back and forth 10 times, then side to side 10 times. Place them on your forehead. Applying firm pressure, move hands up and down 10 times. BENEFIT: This massages the scalp and helps to relax the forehead. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 41 2-0 THE FOREHEAD ACUPRESSURE POINT PUSH (with hands) Make a fist with both hands and place the middle and index finger knuckles in the center of your forehead. Apply firm pressure. While keeping the pressure, slowly slide the fists to the sides, bring back to the center and repeat 4 more times. BENEFIT: This Relaxes the forehead and removes tension to prevent wrinkles. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  42 Face Yoga Method® 3-0 The Forehead Lift (with hands) Place the sides of the hands along the hair line. Apply firm pressure and push the hairline back. Keep your chest open and neck and shoulders relaxed. While keeping the pressure, look down towards the floor with just your eyes and make sure you are not frowning. Feel the contraction. Keep breathing. Hold this pose for 5 seconds. BENEFIT: This helps to lift up the forehead. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 43 3-1 The Forehead Lift (with body) Place fingertips along the forehead. Apply firm pressure and push the fingers up. Shoulders and neck are relaxed. Move face parallel to the floor and feel the blood flowing to your face. Keep breathing. Hold this pose for 10 seconds. BENEFIT: This promotes circulation in the face for a better complexion. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  44 Face Yoga Method® 4-1 The Eye Opening Binocular Pose (with hands) Curl your hands into “C” shapes. Place your index fingers above each eyebrow, along the upper eye bones. Position each thumb on either side of your nose, just above the nostril. Press the fingers of each hand downward and then sideways. Open your chest. Pull down your shoulder blades. Open your eyes as wide as possible, hold for 5 seconds, while pressing your index fingers firmly into your eyebrows making sure neither your eyebrows nor forehead move. Squint the eyes 5 times. Close your eyes and relax for a few seconds. Repeat 2 more sets. BENEFIT: This reduces unnecessary forehead movement and prevents wrinkles. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 45 CHAPTER 9 The Eye Area It has been said many times that “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” Like it or not, the eye area shows the truth about your age. Different from other facial skin, the skin around the eye area is extremely thin and sensitive and it gets multiple workouts throughout the day. Smiling, squinting and other frequent eye movements make the eye area prone to dryness and wrinkles. Puffiness and dark circles show up more often as we age. Gravity also plays a role and sagging upper eyelids can make your eyes look small and sleepy. Eye stress often makes you look tired and older. In order to keep a youthful look, the eye area should be well taken care of. The following exercises work on the muscles around the eyes. Some poses make you more relaxed and other poses help to decrease/prevent puffiness, crow’s feet and lift up the corners of the eyes. This is a very delicate area so do not put too much pressure on it or stretch the skin around the eyes. If your eye area feels dry make sure and put on moisturizer before you begin these exercises. Benefit Key Point Firms and strengthens the muscles Feel the resistance (contraction) when around the eyes, so that puffiness and ! you squint and when you open your eyes, dark circles lessen. These exercises also do not wrinkle or frown your forehead. help to lift up the corners of the eyes. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  46 Face Yoga Method® 1-0 The Eye Flex (hands free) Look straight. Forehead relaxed. Squint and hold for 5 seconds. Close your eyes and relax for 3 seconds. Repeat 5 times holding and relaxing. The trick to this exercise is not to move or furrow your forehead. BENEFIT: This firms and strengthens the muscles around the eyes. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 47 1-1 The Eye Flex (with hands) Place middle and index finger at the outer corners of your eyes. Spread the fingers slightly apart and pull towards the back of your head until your eyes are in a squint. Hold the squint for 5 seconds and then close your eyes and relax for 3 seconds. Repeat 5 times holding and relaxing. BENEFIT: This prevents and reduces crow’s feet. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  48 Face Yoga Method® 2-0 The Eye Bag Toner (hands free) Look straight. Make an “O” shape with your mouth. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 49 Without moving or wrinkling the forehead, open your eyes wide. Squint for 5 seconds, close your eyes and relax for 3 seconds. Repeat 5 times holding and relaxing. BENEFIT: This tones the under eye bags. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  50 Face Yoga Method® 2-1 The Eye Bag Toner (with hands) Place the middle fingers at the innermost corner of the eyes and index fingers at the outermost corner of the eyes and apply slight pressure. Look straight. Make an “O” shape with your mouth. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 51 Look up at the ceiling with just your eyes keeping the forehead relaxed and feel the stretch under the eyes. Without moving or wrinkling the forehead, open your eyes wide. Squint for 5 seconds. Close your eyes and relax for 3 seconds. Repeat 5 times holding and relaxing. BENEFIT: This tones the under eye bags and reduces eye puffiness. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  52 Face Yoga Method® 3-0 The Crow’s Feet Press (with hands) Look straight, forehead relaxed and breath evenly. Place index and middle fingers of both hands on the hairline. From about 45 degrees from the outer corner of your eyes and pull them up. Feel the stretch in the crow’s feet area. Without moving or wrinkling the forehead, squint for 5 seconds. Close your eyes and relax for 3 seconds. Repeat 5 times holding and relaxing. BENEFIT: This smoothes crows feet. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 53 4-0 The Under Eye Smoother (with hands) Place middle fingers at the innermost corner of the eyes and apply slight pressure. Keep breathing and hold for 5 seconds. With your middle and ring fingers, start tapping under the eye from the inside to the outside, taking about 5 seconds, Repeat for 5 sets. BENEFIT: This smoothes out the area under the eyes and reduces eye puffiness. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  54 Face Yoga Method® 4-1 The Under Eye Relaxer (with hands) Rub your palms vigorously until you feel the heat. Close your eyes and place the palms on the eyes. Feel the heat and relax your eyes. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 55 Bend your head, look down toward the floor. Relax your head so that your hands are fully supporting your head. Keep breathing and hold for 10 seconds. BENEFIT: This helps relax the eyes. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  56 Face Yoga Method® 5-0 No More Tired Eyes (hands free) Relax your forehead. Without wrinkling the forehead, open the eyes as wide as possible. Move your eye gaze to the right as far as possible. Gradually move the gaze clockwise, making a full circle and taking about 5 seconds. Make sure you are not frowning or wrinkling the forehead. Close your eyes and relax. Do 1 more set. Do the same exercise counter clockwise. Do 2 sets total. You can do this pose with your eyes closed. BENEFIT: This helps to reduce tiredness and dryness from the eyes while diminishing bloodshot eyes. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 57 CHAPTER 10 The Mouth Area The mouth area shows your age. It also shows your emotions. When the corners of your mouth are down, which can occur as you age, you look unhappy and sad. Training the mouth area not only makes you look younger and happier but it gives you a natural, happy smile which makes you more attractive. When you first start these exercises, make sure that both corners of the mouth are at the same level. Until you get used to the poses, I highly recommend you use a mirror to check your face. Benefit Key Point Lifts up the corners of the mouth to give you a natural smile and make you look ! Make sure both corners of the mouth are at the same level. happy! Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  58 Face Yoga Method® 1-0 The Yummy Face (hands free) Smile and make sure both corners of your mouth are at the same level. Stick your tongue out as if trying to lick your nose. Hold for 3 seconds. Slowly move your tongue to the right, pushing it out and up. Hold for 3 seconds. Slowly move your tongue to the left, pushing it out and up. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat this exercise 3 times. Make sure to hold your smile throughout this exercise. BENEFIT: This lifts up the corners of the mouth and makes you look young and happy. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 59 1-1 The Yummy Face (with hands) Smile, making sure both corners of your mouth are at the same level. Place both thumbs under the chin, lifting the corners of your mouth with your index fingers. While holding this position,stick your tongue out as if trying to lick your nose. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  60 Face Yoga Method® Slowly move your tongue to the right, pushing it out and up. Hold for 3 seconds. Slowly move your tongue to the left. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat for one more set. Make sure to hold your smile throughout this exercise. This lifts up the corners of your mouth and BENEFIT: cheeks, which make you look young and happy. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 61 2-0 The Smile Lifter! (hands free) Move jaw slightly forward, curl your lower lips over your teeth. Smile, making sure both corners of your mouth are at the same level. Lift up the chin slightly. Push your tongue up to the roof of the mouth. Keep pushing hard for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 2 more times. TIP: By pushing the tongue to the roof of the mouth, the muscles around the mouth and the cheek contract more and tone the neck area. BENEFIT: This firms and lifts up the cheeks. It also lifts up the corners of the mouth. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  62 Face Yoga Method® 2-1 The Smile Lifter! (use a tool such as a pen or a chopstick) Move jaw slightly forward and curl your lower lips over your teeth. Smile making sure both corners of your mouth are at the same level. Lift up the chin slightly Place the tool horizontally in your mouth, behind the canine teeth, if possible. Push your tongue up to the roof of the mouth. Keep pushing hard for 10 seconds and relax. Repeat 2 more times. TIP: By pushing the tongue to the roof of the mouth, the muscles around the mouth and the cheek contract more and also tone the neck area. BENEFIT: This lifts the cheeks and tones the neck area. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 63 CHAPTER 11 The Lip Area Lips also age as we age. They lose firmness, the color fades and they get wrinkly. Lips get plenty of exercise daily through talking, smiling, chewing and kissing. The following exercise stimulates the muscles around the mouth so that they make your lips firm, smooth and plump. Benefit Key Point Firms the lips and makes them smooth ! For the best results, try to hold the poses and plump. until you feel a tingly sensation. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  64 Face Yoga Method® 1-0 The Smackeroo (hands free) Lift up the chin slightly, pucker lips and keep them firm. Close your eyes and relax your forehead. Blow three breaths of air out of your lips while keeping them puckered. Do two sets of 5 repetitions each. Come out from the pose and smile. TIP: Smiling after this pose helps to stretch the muscles around the mouth. BENEFIT: This strengthens the area around the mouth. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 65 1-1 The Smackeroo (with hands) Lift up the chin slightly, pucker the lips and keep them firm. Relax your forehead. Place your index, middle and ring finger on the lips. Apply pressure slightly. You can do this pose with your eyes closed to focus on the sensation. Blow three breaths of air out of your lips while keeping them puckered. Do 2 sets of five repetitions. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  66 Face Yoga Method® Come out from the pose and smile. TIP: Smiling after this pose helps to stretch the muscles around the mouth. The air may not come out easily but that is okay. BENEFIT: This strengthens and firms the area around the mouth and shapes the lips. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 67 2-0 The Lip Smoother (hands free) Press your lips firmly against the teeth and smile. Place your tongue firmly behind your lower teeth. While holding this position push air out from your mouth for 3 breaths and then hold. Repeat 2 sets of 5 repetitions. BENEFIT: This smoothes the area around the mouth and diminishes the “smoke lines”. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  68 Face Yoga Method® 2-1 The Lip Smoother (with hands) Place both thumbs under the chin. Place the index fingers on the corners of your mouth and push it up slightly. Press your lips firmly against the teeth and smile. Place your tongue firmly behind the lower teeth. While holding this position push air out through your mouth for 3 breaths and then hold. Repeat 2 sets of 5 repetitions. BENEFIT: This smoothes the area around the mouth and tones under the chin. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 69 3-0 The Lip Plumper (hands free) Curl your upper and lower lips over your teeth pulling your lips back. Insert your tongue between the lips and gently bite down with firm pressure. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Repeat this 2 times for 5 seconds each. BENEFIT: This plumps the lips and diminishes the lines around the mouth. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  70 Face Yoga Method® 3-1 The Lip Plumper (with hands) Curl your upper and lower lips over your teeth pulling your lips back. Insert your tongue between the lips and gently bite down with firm pressure. Place both of your palms on the sides of your face and apply firm pressure while pulling hands toward the ears. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 71 Repeat this 2 times for 5 seconds each. BENEFIT: This plumps the lips and lifts up the cheeks. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  72 Face Yoga Method® 4-0 The Bumble Bee Lip (hands free) With your mouth lightly closed, vibrate your lips together while making a humming sound for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. BENEFIT: This plumps the lips. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 73 4-1 The Bumble Bee Lip (with hands) Place both thumbs under the chin and index fingers on the chin. Apply light pressure. With your mouth lightly closed, vibrate your lips together while making a humming sound for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Using the index fingers adds an extra challenge to the vibration exercise that most will have to build up to. BENEFIT: This plumps the lips and tones the jawline. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 74 Face Yoga Method® CHAPTER 12 The Nasolabial Folds Diminisher The nasolabial folds are also called “laugh lines,” or “smile lines.” They run along the sides of the mouth. In your twenties, you may notice short lines running from each side of the nose even when you are not smiling. As we age, cheek muscles sag, sometimes resulting in extra fat and excess skin on the cheeks. Nasolabial folds get deeper and longer and eventually they can reach to the corners of the mouth. The following poses work on the nasolabial folds, stretching the lines, pushing out the lines from the inside and lifting the cheek muscles. Benefit Key Point Diminishes the nasolabial folds which Try to imagine you are stretching the make us look older. ! nasolabial folds. Make sure to relax your forehead, especially during the big “O” pose. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 75 1-0 The Big “O” (hands free) Open your mouth, make an “O” shape with your mouth, make your face long, pressing the upper mouth firmly against the teeth. Feel the stretch in the muscles surrounding the mouth and nose. Hold this pose for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times. You should feel the muscle movement from the corners of the mouth to the corners of the eyes. BENEFIT: This smoothes the nasolabial fold lines. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  76 Face Yoga Method® 1-1 The Big “O” (with hands) Place both palms on your temples. Push your hands upward, lifting the sides of your face. Open your mouth, make an “O” shape with your mouth and make your face long. Press the upper mouth firmly against the teeth. Feel the movement in the muscles surrounding the mouth and nose. Hold this pose for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times. You should feel the muscle movement from the corners of the mouth to the corners of the eyes. BENEFIT: This smoothes the nasolabial fold lines and lifts up the upper face lines. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 77 2-0 The Nasolabial Folds Lift Up (hands free) Curl your upper and lower lips over your teeth without wrinkling the lips and lift up the corners of your mouth. Hold this position for 2 seconds. Repeat 2 times. BENEFIT: This smoothes out the nasolabial fold lines. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  78 Face Yoga Method® 2-1 The Nasolabial Folds Lift Up (with hands) Place both palms on your ears, apply slight pressure, pull hands toward the back of your head. Curl your upper and lower lips over your teeth without wrinkling the lips and lift up the corners of your mouth. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times. BENEFIT: This smoothes out the nasolabial fold lines and lifts up the lower face lines. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 79 3-0 The Nasolabial Smoother (with hands) Close your lips tight and fill your mouth with air. Push the air in front towards the lips, and hold for 5 seconds. Move the air to the right and hold for 5 seconds. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  80 Face Yoga Method® Move the air to the left and hold for 5 seconds. Move the air to the upper mouth and hold for 5 seconds. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 81 Move the air to the lower mouth and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times total. TIP: When you move the air to the upper lip you keep that area smoothed out. This exercise is great for getting rid of the vertical lines that occur on the upper lips as you age. These lines are also known as “smoker lines”. BENEFIT: This smoothes out and shortens the nasolabial fold lines. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  82 Face Yoga Method® 4-0 The Rolly Polly (hands free) Push the right side of your mouth with your tongue very hard. Move the tongue slowly clock wise around the mouth, taking about 5 seconds. Repeat 2 more times. Now move the tongue slowly counter clockwise, taking about 5 seconds. Repeat 2 more times. TIP: You may feel a strange tightness or stimulation under the chin area or the back of your head at first. Just try to breathe out while moving your tongue. Eventually the pain/discomfort will go away and you will be able to move your tongue much easier. BENEFIT: This firms and strengthens the area around the mouth and reduces the nasolabial folds. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 83 4-1 The Rolly Polly (with hands) Place both hands on the side of your face, thumbs under the ears, index, middle and ring fingers on the temple area. Move your hands toward your ears and lift up. Shoulder blades down, relax your shoulders. Push the right side of your mouth with your tongue very hard. Move the tongue slowly clock wise around the mouth, taking about 5 seconds. Repeat 2 more times. Now move the tongue slowly counter clockwise, taking about 5 seconds. Repeat 2 more times. BENEFIT: This firms the area around the mouth, reduces the folds and lifts up the sides of the face. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved 84 Face Yoga Method® CHAPTER 13 The Neck and Jawline Area These exercises help to strengthen and tighten up the neck muscles and reduce/prevent a sagging neck, wobbling skin and double chin. If you work in front of a computer or watch TV a lot, you can benefit from these exercises. They will help to reduce tension and stress around around the neck area. The tongue also plays an important role here. The tongue is a muscle that extends almost four inches, reaching back into the throat. When you train your tongue, you will feel the sensation from the inside. Pressing the tongue to the roof of your mouth may be hard at first but it really gives your face muscles an extra workout so that you can get better results. Tongue exercises also help to reduce snoring. Benefit Key Point Strengthens, tightens, and firms the neck muscles. Prevents and reshapes a double ! Do not push too hard or hold your breath! If you have neck pain, try practicing chin. slowly and feel the stretch. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 85 1-0 The Swan Neck (hands free) Turn your head to the upper right, about 45 degrees, pucker your mouth to the right, really hard. Feel the stretch on the left front of your neck. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 1 more time. Turn your head to the upper left, about 45 degrees, pucker your mouth to the left, really hard. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 1 more time. BENEFIT: This tightens up the neck and jawline while preventing a sagging neck and double chin. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  86 Face Yoga Method® 1-1 The Swan Neck (with hands) Interlace your fingers with your arms extended in front of you. Push them away from you. Separate your shoulder blades. Push them down. Turn your head to the upper right, about 45 degrees, pucker your mouth to the right, really hard. Hold for 5 seconds. Turn your head to the upper left, about 45 degrees, pucker your mouth to the left, really hard. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat for 1 more set. BENEFIT: This helps to reduce tightness in the neck area. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 87 2-0 The Neck and Jawline Shaper (hands free) Lift up your chin slightly. Pull your mouth to both sides in a strong grimace. Contract the lower jaw and it will pull up your chest area. Make a “hee” sound while you are doing this. Make the “hee” sound 3 times and hold. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 repetitions each. By vocalizing the sound, the neck muscles contract more. Feel the movement on your neck. BENEFIT: This tightens up the neck and reduces/prevents a double chin while lifting up the chest area. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  88 Face Yoga Method® 2-1 The Neck and Jawline Shaper (with hands) Sit tall with shoulders relaxed. Breathe in and lift the left arm straight up. Breathe out and bend the left elbow. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 89 Breathe in, and grab the left hand with the right hand behind your head, push your left arm back behind your head and pull your arm to a 45 degree angle. Now bring your right hand behind your back and reach your right hand up to meet your left hand. Clasp the fingers from both hands together. Open your chest and push down the shoulder blades. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  90 Face Yoga Method® If they do not touch, you can use a towel between the hands, eventually you will clasp hands. Breathe in, open your chest. Breathe out. Make a grimace with your mouth. Make the “hee” sound 3 times and hold. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 repetitions. Vocalizing contracts the neck muscles more. Feel the movement in your neck. Come out of the pose, and close your eyes and feel the difference between the right and left sides. Repeat 1 more set. Reverse the position of the arms and do the same exercise on the other side. Feel the movement in your neck. Come out of the pose, and close your eyes and relax. Feel the blood circulation under the armpits. BENEFIT: This tightens the neck area and corrects body posture while reducing/preventing a double chin. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 91 3-0 The Pulled Tongue (hands free) Bend your head to the right, stick your tongue out to the right, really hard. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times. Then bend your head to the left, stick your tongue out to the left, really hard. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times. BENEFIT: This strengthens and tones the neckline. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  92 Face Yoga Method® 3-1 The Pulled Tongue (with hands) Cross your hands and put your palms on the chest. Turn your head to the right and stick your tongue out, really hard to the upper right. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times. Turn your head to the left and stick out your tongue really hard to the upper left. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times. BENEFIT: This strengthens and tones the neckline. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 93 4-0 The Double Chin lift (hands free) Chest open. Shoulders are relaxed. Push the shoulder blades down. Breathe in from your nose and out through your nose. Look up at ceiling and feel the stretch on the front part of the neck. Keep breathing. Stick your tongue out toward the ceiling. Gradually move your tongue to the right, and then left. Repeat 3 more sets TIP: If you have a neck pain or feel any discomfort, please listen to your body and do the pose accordingly. BENEFIT: This tones the neck and jawline area. It is a great pose to reduce/prevent double chin. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  94 Face Yoga Method® 4-1 The Double Chin lift (with hands) Arms in front, palms down. Breathe in and out. Shoulders are relaxed. Palms facing up. Breathe in and move both arms toward the ceiling. Chest open and shoulder blades are down. Stick your tongue out toward the ceiling. Gradually move your tongue to the right, and then left. Repeat 3 more sets TIP: If you have a neck pain or feel any discomfort, please listen to your body and do the pose accordingly. BENEFIT: It is a great pose to reduce/prevent double chin. And the body pose helps to correct the posture. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 95 CHAPTER 14 The Cool Down This tapping technique not only relaxes you but also centers you mentally. You can do this when you are stressed out and need a calming practice. This is also a great practice before going to bed. Benefit Key Point Relaxes you from the inside out. Calms Do not hold your breath, especially you down and centers you mentally. ! when you feel a tightness or tingling sensation in certain areas. Keep tapping while breathing out. Make sure to use the finger tips not the fingernails. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  96 Face Yoga Method® Tapping Sit comfortably. Open your chest. With your fingertips, start tapping the top of your head. Tap for 10 seconds. Keep tapping and gradually move the fingers to the side of your head. Tap the temple area. Tap for 10 seconds. Keep breathing. Move the fingers to the top of your head and tap for 10 seconds. Move the fingers to the back of your head, toward the neck. Tap for 10 seconds. Keep breathing. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 97 Tapping (continued) Move the fingers to the forehead. Vertically place the pinky, ring and middle fingers on the center of the forehead and tap from the center of the forehead to the sides. Tap for 5 seconds. Repeat this one more time. Place the fingers on the eye brows and tap them from the center to the sides. Tap for 5 seconds. Repeat this 1 more time. Move ring and middle fingers under the eyes, tap gently from the center to the outside tapping for 5 seconds. Repeat 1 more time. Tap under the nose for 10 seconds. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  98 Face Yoga Method® Tapping (continued) Tap along the jawline for 10 seconds. Tap from the center of the collarbone out to the sides for 5 seconds. Repeat one more time. Tap under the armpits. Keep tapping and move down to the hips for 5 seconds. Do the series on the other side. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 2: The Face Yoga Method Exercises 99 Tapping (continued) Make a fist with both hands and tap your lower back with the fists for 5 seconds. While tapping, gradually move both fists toward the side of the body. Come out from the pose and relax. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved BONUS SECTION 1 (Bonus Chapters 1 & 2) The Ultimate Guide To The Face Yoga Method ®  PART 3 The Face Yoga Method® for Target Areas “Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” -- Mark Twain 102 Face Yoga Method® BONUS CHAPTER 1 The Acupressure Push The Acupressure Push works wonders by stimulating the body at a much deeper level. In Eastern medicine, it is believed that there are several hundred acupoints along the meridians (the imaginary pathways in the body along which vital energy flows). Applying slight pressure to certain pressure points on the body can affect specific organs in the body, regulate blood circulation, and relieve stiffness and tightness in the body, especially in the neck and face areas. Stimulating the pressure points by massaging them will not only increase blood circulation but also relax tight muscles and as a result bring more peace and beauty to your face and mind. Sinus problems, tired eyes, bloodshot eyes, headaches and stress all show up on your face. Removing these negative conditions through acupressure will result in a calm, serene face. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 3: The Face Yoga Method for Target Areas 103 How to Locate the Acupressure Points and Apply Pressure When you push the points, you may feel… 1. A slight indentation 2. Tightness 3. Dull pain How to apply pressure 1. Do not use your nails. Use the meaty part of your fingertips. 2. Breathe out while applying the pressure. Do not hold your breath. 3. If you feel extreme pain, listen to your body and practice gradually. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  104 Face Yoga Method® Acupressure Push The Eye Area If you feel tightness or pain in the eye area, your eyes could be very tired. Place your hands in prayer position with your index fingers at the hairline and thumbs at the inside ends of your eyebrows just above the bridge of your nose, gently apply pressure. Gradually intensify the pressure. Hold for 5 seconds. Move your hands toward the center of your eyebrows, and apply pressure at the inside of your eyebrows. Hold for 5 seconds. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 3: The Face Yoga Method for Target Areas 105 Move your fingers and apply pressure at the slight hollows at the edge of your eyebrows. Hold for 5 seconds. If you have your elbows resting on a table it is easier to apply more pressure. TIP: If you feel tightness or pain in the eye area, your eyes could be very tired. BENEFIT: This can help to reduce sinus problems, tired eyes, bloodshot eyes and headaches. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  106 Face Yoga Method® Acupressure Push The Nose Area Make fists with both hands. Place the knuckles of your middle fingers right next to your nose. Breathe in deeply and while breathing out, apply pressure. Hold for 5 seconds. TIP: If you feel tightness or pain in the nasal area, you may have a sinus problem. BENEFIT: This helps to reduce sinus problems. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 3: The Face Yoga Method for Target Areas 107 Acupressure Push The Jawline Put both thumbs up and with the rest of your fingers make fists. Place the side of the index fingers on the chin and the thumbs under the chin. Apply pressure with the index fingers and thumbs. Hold for 5 seconds. Move your fists to the side of your face just under the corner of your mouth and apply pressure. Hold for 5 seconds. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  108 Face Yoga Method® Move your fists to the side of your face just under the jaw and apply pressure. Hold for 5 seconds. TIP: The jaw area works hard every day; talking, chewing, kissing, smiling and grinding. Pressing around the jawline helps to relax this area and define your face line. BENEFIT: This helps to reduce and relieve stiffness and tightness along the side of the jawline. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 3: The Face Yoga Method for Target Areas 109 BONUS CHAPTER 2 The Face Yoga Method® in a Hurry! If you do not have time to do all the poses, don’t worry. There is a simple but effective shortcut for a younger looking face! I do these hands free poses every time I am in a car. It is also good to do these poses when you get up in the morning to wake up your face and before going to bed to reset your face muscles. Benefit Key Point These poses help with relaxation and creating a stress free face. ! Find a few minutes to practice these poses everyday so that it becomes routine. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  110 Face Yoga Method® 1-0 The Wow! Say “wow” in a very slow exaggerated manner opening your mouth as wide as possible. Repeat this 10 times. You do not have to vocalize this exercise to get results but it helps to relieve stress. BENEFIT: This stretches and wakes up the face muscles. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 3: The Face Yoga Method for Target Areas 111 2-0 The Detox (hands free) Breathe in through your nose, stick your tongue out and breathe out vigorously through your mouth saying “haaaaaa.” Breathe out completely. Repeat this 3 times. BENEFIT: This stretches and tones the face muscles, helps to detox your system and promotes a better complexion. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  112 Face Yoga Method® 2-1 The Detox (with hands) Extend arms over the head and clasp the hands together. Interlace fingers with index fingers up. Sit tall, shoulder blades down, open your chest. Breathe in through your nose, stick your tongue out and breathe out vigorously through your mouth saying “haaaaaa.” Breathe out completely. Repeat this 3 times. BENEFIT: This helps to detoxify and de-stress your mind and body and helps to correct your posture. Copyright, faceyogamethod.com, 2012, All rights reserved  PART 3: The Face Yoga Method for Target Areas 113 3-0 The Neck Stretcher (hands free) Breathe in through your nose, bend your head to the right at a 45 degree angle and breathe out through you