This is how I viewed yoga and I know I’m not the only one. I could only see the stereotypes and stigma that are attached to yoga so surely it wasn’t for me. However, I can say I was very wrong (and you won’t hear me admit that much!!). Yoga is definitely for everybody and anybody, whether you are a self-confessed couch potato or a professional athlete, 20 years old or 60 years old it can enhance your daily life.
Yoga has been around for thousands of years. It originated in India but recently has become popular all over the world. It uses a combination of stretching, movements, breathing techniques and meditation to exercise the body and the mind. It has many physical and mental health benefits but here are a small but very important few:
1. Increases Flexibility
2. Improves Muscle Strength and Tone
Yoga uses your body as a natural weight and strength is increased through functional movements and different poses. Holding these positions works all the muscles synergistically (just a fancy word for together) and all the poses can be advanced to further improve muscle strength and tone.
Core muscle strength is very important to build overall body strength. Having a strong core will help correct and maintain good posture which will place less stress on muscles and joints. Yoga is one of the most effective ways to build a strong core. Muscle imbalance is also something quite common for most of us to suffer with as we often use our dominant side to do most of the work. Yoga helps to elevates this issue by working our left and right side equally and maintain a good balance of strength on both sides.
I know you’re thinking that lifting weights will make me stronger so why not do that instead of yoga? Well I wouldn’t say do one over the other but I think yoga compliments other different training forms.
From personal experience I loved lifting weights and over time I got really strong but with lifting heavy weights my flexibility and mobility suffered. This had a knock on effect and I would feel really stiff for days after training. Yoga helped me to improve this and also taught me how to better engage my core muscles which helped my weightlifting techniques improve.
3. Protection from Injury and Improved Athletic Performance
Yoga teaches you how to focus and control your breath. This will allow for more oxygen intake and will lead to better muscle function. This can help reduce muscle fatigue after training and recovery time will be shorter. Rest days are a vital aspect of any athletes training routine and yoga can be done on these days as active recovery and will relieve muscle tightness or delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS).
4. Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Yoga’s combination of meditation and breathing techniques can help improve a person’s mental wellbeing. Regular yoga practice can help create mental clarity and calmness, relieve stressed and tense muscles, focus the mind, improves concentration and increases body awareness. Body awareness is beneficial as it can help to detect any physical problems and allow for preventive action.
Like all exercise yoga works to increase levels of serotonin, our happy hormone. This hormone regulates our mood and can prevent depression and make us feel happier. Yoga also helps release endorphins, these can reduce anxiety and trigger a feel good response in the body.
5. Promotes Self- Love and Improves Self-Esteem
Yoga practice encourages positivity. Channelling our inner self to accept and love who we are. It promotes being comfortable and happy in your own skin. This will help build confidence that you can take through every area of your life. Just being the best version of yourself.
If I haven’t convinced you by now why yoga is a great investment, then I’m not sure I ever could. I’ve only touched on a small number of the health benefits of practicing yoga but you have to experience it for yourself to really understand how many there is. Although yoga can be a bit more expensive than your typical exercise class what they offer you is worth every cent. So don’t just trust my word go try it, you won’t be disappointed!! Start your journey to building a stronger body and mind.
Author: Lorraine Keane
4th Year Recreation and Sport Management Student
Reference:
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/health/count-yoga-38-ways-yoga-keeps-fit/