Planning to do yoga? For sure, you have plenty of questions about this type of workout—what is yoga good for? What benefits can you get from it? What can it do for you?
If that is the case, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will explain in detail the different aspects of our health that yoga is good for.
What is Yoga Good For?
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But what is yoga good for? What type of body will it benefit? What good would you get from it if you will perform this type of exercise? For your information, yoga became popular due to lots of good reasons. And if you are not aware of it yet, here are some things that yoga is good for:
1.For the Body
Just like other exercises, yoga offers plenty of physical benefits. Yoga is good for the body because it promotes good physical health through a variety of ways, including the following:
First, yoga improves agility, strength, and flexibility
Thanks to the different types of postures involved yoga, it is the only exercise that helps to increase all three physical health aspects: flexibility, agility, and strength. It also helps to stabilize our core, which helps us prevent possible injuries.
Second, it normalizes body weight
Even though this exercise won’t burn as much calories as compared to a high-intensity interval workout, yoga helps to normalize body weight through the restoration of hormonal balance inside the body.
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Third, it increases respiratory efficiency
Yoga is one of the few practices that employ pranayama or the cultivation of chi through proper breathing. As part of the exercise, you will be told when to inhale and exhale as you go from one movement to another. Much more than relaxation, the breathing technique involved in yoga helps to increase lung capacity.
Lastly, yoga helps improve posture. Aside from helping to increase body awareness, yoga also helps to lengthen the spine and strengthen the core. And since yoga promotes body awareness, the practitioner can be aware when he is slouching and he can easily correct his posture. When you practice proper posture, you will not only get to look slim and tall; you get to free yourself from the different body aches that you commonly experience.
2. For The Mind
Another aspect of our health that yoga is good for is our mental health. Many people always refer to the physical health benefits of yoga so much that they tend to forget about its mental and psychological benefits (and there are lots of them!). In fact, here are 5 of the most prominent mental benefit of yoga.
First, yoga promotes mental well-being by soothing the person’s worries and anxiety by promoting concentration through breathing exercises. In addition to that, the different yoga poses help to discharge the tension and stress not only in the muscles but in the mind as well.
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Second, it helps ease anxiety and depression. Yoga is made up of different activities including meditation, relaxation, and socialization which are all helpful in getting rid of depression and anxiety. Since yoga helps to lower blood pressure and heart rate and improve breathing, it helps to regulate the stress response system of a person.
Lastly, yoga enhances concentration and memory. Memory problems are rampant not just for the older people. With the fast-paced and chaotic world that we live in, it has become more important for us to find our center, concentrate hard and sharpen our memory and yoga can help us with that.
According to studies, yoga changes brain chemistry through the stimulation of the production and release of serotonin and endorphins in our brain. In addition to that, part of the yoga practice is to create stillness in the mind, teaching us not to totally get rid of the clutter but to find a way to manage it instead.
3. For The Spirit
Believe it or not, yoga is not just good for the mind and body—it is great for the soul as well. Truth is, yoga is originally considered to be a spiritual discipline in India. In fact, “yoga” is a Sanskrit term that means “merging with God”. When this discipline was first established, it has been taught along with deep spiritual teachings. Aside from the poses, the yoga practitioners can be able to learn mindfulness, personal integrity and appreciation for life. These learnings help to transform a person’s outlook on life, even if he steps out of the yoga studio. With these spiritual learnings, you can be able to handle all the challenges in life with a sense of inner peace, confidence, and calmness.
4. For The Social Well-Being
Group meditation has become a trend nowadays because of the amazing social benefits that it offers. It helps you to meet new people who share the same fitness and health benefits as you. In addition to that, being in a meditation class puts you in an environment of belongingness and acceptance that social animals like us crave for.
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Starting With Yoga
Now that you know what is yoga good for, you would certainly want to be a part of this movement. Lucky for you, yoga does not need any high tech equipment. In fact, it will not require you to step out of your home. This is because the practice of yoga can be done in the comforts of your own home and will only require simple workout accessories including yoga mat, meditation cushion, and a yoga block.
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Since you are just starting out, it is also recommended that you try to follow a DVD coaching session instead or if you have the time and money, try to attend a yoga class where there is an instructor that can help you perform the different postures properly and safely. So, what are you waiting for? Join the yoga craze now and renew your mind, body, soul and bring life back to your social life!
Author bio:
Emily is founder of BodyShape101, a blog where she and her associates talk about exercise, fitness, and yoga. Their aim is to help people like you to achieve perfect body. BodyShape101 is concentrated on exercise & fitness tips, and making the most out of it. She is also a mother of one and she tries to find balance between her passion and her biggest joy in life.
RD Neha Kava
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