【英语趣味课堂】练瑜伽保持健康-Using Yoga to Keep Fit

 Nathan: So we're talking about gyms and exercises and stuff¹, 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 originates² I think in India but they, I think the underlying³ 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 vicious⁴ 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 overdo⁵ 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.

 

重点词汇：

 

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 fad⁶ 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 definitely⁷ 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 jury⁸ 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 recession⁹ in many countries, people are finding¹⁰ 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 overdoes¹¹ 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.

 

1 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

2 originates   

v.起源于，来自，产生( originate的第三人称单数 )；创造；创始；开创

参考例句：

• The theory of relativity originates with Albert Einstein. 相对论是爱因斯坦创立的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All knowledge originates from labour. 一切知识起源于劳动。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

4 vicious   

adj.恶毒的，恶意的，凶残的，剧烈的，严重的

参考例句：

• He gave the dog a vicious blow with his stick.他朝着那只狗狠狠地打了一棍子。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard.作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。

5 overdo   

vt.把...做得过头，演得过火

参考例句：

• Do not overdo your privilege of reproving me.不要过分使用责备我的特权。
• The taxi drivers' association is urging its members,who can work as many hours as they want,not to overdo it.出租车司机协会劝告那些工作时长不受限制的会员不要疲劳驾驶。

6 fad   

n.时尚；一时流行的狂热；一时的爱好

参考例句：

• His interest in photography is only a passing fad.他对摄影的兴趣只是一时的爱好罢了。
• A hot business opportunity is based on a long-term trend not a short-lived fad.一个热门的商机指的是长期的趋势而非一时的流行。

7 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

8 jury   

n.陪审团，评委会；adj.临时用的；vt.挑选

参考例句：

• These twelve men are believed to compose the jury.据信，陪审团是由这12人组成的。
• The members of the jury were discharged from their duties.陪审员们被解除了职务。

9 recession   

n.（工商业的）衷退（期），萧条（期）

参考例句：

• Manufacturing fell sharply under the impact of the recession.受到经济萧条的影响，制造业急剧衰退。
• A rise in interest rates plunged Britain deeper into recession.利率的提高导致英国经济更加萧条。

10 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

11 overdoes   

v.做得过分( overdo的第三人称单数 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度

参考例句：

• She overdoes her acting. 她演得太做作。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He sometimes overdoes his part in the play. 他有时在剧中把他的角色演得过火了。 来自互联网