| Yoga Provides More Than Flexibility |
| Written by Franklin Vick | |
| Thursday, 05 August 2010 | |
|
Everyday we encounter advertisements about fitness products to help us lose weight and tone our abs and body, but hearing about yoga, an exercise with all the benefits and much more- is rare.
Everyday we encounter advertisements about fitness products to help us lose weight and tone our abs and body, but hearing about yoga, an exercise with all the benefits and much more- is rare. Many think this is just a method to maintain flexibility, something bodybuilding wouldn't do- the benefits of yoga are wide and go beyond just physical and physiological. People think that the single biggest advantage of yoga is flexibility. If you've ever seen a yoga class or checked out a yoga clothing site, you will be amazed by all the twisting and folding that a yoga practitioner can do. Practicing yoga brings a greater range of motion, particularly to your hamstrings, back, shoulders and hips. The yoga poses, some of which may be held for prolonged periods, also help you build strength and muscle tone. You will also have improved balance as you learn to achieve poses. By increasing flexibility and strength, some types of pain may be prevented. After a long drive, imagine how good it would feel when you go for a stretch. Yoga extends this to much of your body and can help with back pains, shoulder pain and even carpal tunnel pain, among others. Breathing is a very essential focus of yoga. Learning to breathe slower and deeper as you move through poses can benefit your entire body. Your better breathing technique may initially cause some light-headedness during yoga as your blood carries a better supply of oxygen, so be prepared. You will get used to it and is likely to happen the first couple of times. Reducing stress and pain managements is one of the advantages of controlled breathing. Aside from the benefits you normally get from exercise, you also get benefits from yoga which comes from concentration and calmness. Yoga requires that you concentrate on breathing and positioning of your body, which helps calm your thoughts and gives you another tool for stress reduction. When doing yoga in the evening your mind and body relaxes for sleep. You may need help beginning yoga, but that is as easy as enrolling in a class, buying a video, or even tuning in a television program. Getting yourself a yoga mat or if you have a carpeted area and some loose fitting clothes are also advisable. Listen to your body, whether doing yoga in a class or by yourself. When attempting to do a pose and you feel pain, try doing a modified version or do not attempt until you feel that you are in a level where you can physically do so. If you continue to do yoga, the poses will become easier and you might find that yoga is one of the best "you" times you can have. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
