Yoga and Meditation

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.

Flexibility is recognized as the single biggest benefit of yoga. The positions the yoga practitioner can place himself in can leave many people shocked, if you’ve ever seen a yoga class or website. Yoga can help increase the range of motion in your hamstrings, back shoulder and hips.

The poses that you do in yoga, which may be held in long periods of time, can help build muscle tone and strength. While learning the poses you will also improve your balance.

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 extensively focused on during yoga. As you move through a pose, learning to take slower and deeper breaths benefits your whole body. Be prepared for some light-headedness while your are still learning how to breathe properly during yoga as your blood is carrying a better supply of oxygen. This will happen during your first few attempts but don’t worry, it will pass. Controlling your breathing helps in reducing stress and managing pain.

While any exercise carries mental benefits as well as physical, the benefits of yoga come not from endorphins but from concentration and calmness. Concentration on breathing and body positioning is very important in yoga, this is also a good tool for stress reduction and to calm your thoughts. You may find that yoga in the evening helps relax your mind and body for sleep.

Enrolling in a class, buying a video or watching a show is just as easy as beginning to practice yoga. A carpeted area or a yoga mat and loose or flexible clothes are also needed. Whether in a class or alone, pay attention to your body. Use a modification of a pose if you feel pain while attempting it or you can try again once you’ve gained the strength and flexibility for it. Poses will become easier and you’ll find that toga can be a fulfilling way to spend “you” time if you continue to do it.

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