Yoga has become very popular over the last decade. Actors, athletes, politicians and moms are doing it. If fact, there is no firm demographic of people who are devoted to yoga, it runs the gamut. Why are so many people doing it? What are the benefits and what is the commitment? Can it replace strength or cardiovascular training?
Simply put, yoga is excellent for your physical and psychological being. Below is a list of some of the most common benefits gleaned from practicing yoga on a regular basis.
- Improved muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina
- Reduce stress, tension and blood pressure
- Boost self-esteem
- Improves concentration and creativity
- Decreases stored fat
- Improves circulation
- Improves digestion
- Stimulates the immune system
- Improves balance
- Improves mind/body connection
- Improves posture
- Improves agility
- Yoga helps create a sense of well-being and calm
Developed in India 5000 years ago and brought to the United States in the early 20th Century, yoga has proven itself over time. Yoga is a holistic therapy that is beneficial to the whole being.
It's not just a "Band-aid" meant to relieve an illness or cover pain. Yoga seeks to create balance between the mind, body and spirit, which allows the natural healing process to occur. Yoga is beneficial in preventing and eliminating some problems.
FULL SPECTRUM Yoga for Beginners
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Yoga involves holding postures, which improves balance, strength and stamina. Many of these postures help to improve circulation, digestion, balance, flexibility and agility. The process of holding certain postures can be difficult and requires a great deal of strength, balance and concentration.
What Is Yoga?
It's a type of meditation. If a person is focusing intensely on something they are not usually bothered by other thoughts intruding in their mind. This is how concentration and the mind/body connection improve.
Because these postures take a great deal of strength and stamina, muscles become more tone and develop a greater tolerance for endurance. The back, arms, legs, abs, practically every muscle in the body can achieve a good intense work out (with certain types of yoga). It's not uncommon for participants to be soaked in sweat after an hour-long class.
Yoga helps teach proper breathing (the most important element of yoga) and alignment of the body. The focus is on balance. The body should be in balance physically, from front to back and side to side. Breathing should come from the diaphragm (which can be noticed by the stomach expanding and contracting instead of the rib cage).
With proper breathing the body receives more oxygen, a person feels better and the immune system in improved. With proper posture, proper breathing and stronger muscles a person will stand up straight walk straight and enter a room with greater self-esteem and confidence.
Yoga comes in many forms. There are at least 27 different types practiced in the United States ranging from slow easy stretches with meditative breathing and guided imagery to intense sweat producing postures held for many minutes in a 105-degree room.
To achieve the maximum benefits of yoga a person should practice as much as possible - every day of the week would not be too much. Although, a person can feel more relaxed and limber after just one session the more it is practiced, the better they will feel and the longer the benefits will last.
Conclusion
There are many staunch disbelievers that say yoga cannot have any medical benefits. But even the most skeptical usually agree that although it may not help, it at least should do no harm (when done correctly).
The most common reason people begin a yoga program is to relieve stress and back pain, and within a few sessions they usually feel better.
All-and-all yoga is very beneficial to the whole person and part of a regular exercise program. It is not a stand-alone cure-all. But like juice, toast and milk with breakfast cereal, yoga compliments other fitness programs beautifully.