Yoga reduces stress, improves fitness levels and helps relieve back & joint pain.
Benefits of Yoga
Every day, more and more people are discovering the benefits of yoga. From improved health to being better equipped to successfully navigate the changes that life brings, yoga has been shown to help the body and mind become more resilient to stress and allow the individual to attain a more balanced and relaxed state of being. The benefits of yoga are expanding and many scientific and medical studies now prove the health benefits of breathing + asana (postures).
Yoga Reduces Stress
Components of yoga classes often include a combination of meditation & breathing techniques. These meditation techniques help to quiet the busy mind that often underlies stress while the deep breathing techniques focus the mind on the breath. Even beginners tend to feel less stressed and more relaxed after their first class. Many yoga practitioners also find it helpful just knowing that they are taking time out of their day to do something for their well-being, body and mind.
Yoga Increases Strength
A regular yoga practice has been shown to improve strength and increase endurance benefits. Certain postures focus on specific muscle groups like upper body, core, legs or back. Based on the sequence in a yoga class, all of the major muscle groups can be engaged with while having a focus on a specific area. When practiced correctly, nearly all poses build core strength in the deep abdominal muscles, and burn calories while increasing cardiovascular health.
Yoga Relieves Back & Joint Pain
Yoga is an effective way to safely stretch your muscles along with all of the soft tissues of your body (including ligaments, tendons, and the fascia sheath that surrounds your muscles). This stretching releases the lactic acid that builds up with muscle use and causes stiffness, tension, pain, and fatigue. Performed correctly, yoga’s fluid movements allow swollen or otherwise painful joints to glide smoothly over one another, increasing mobility and strength without excess wear & tear. Studies conducted at Duke University Medical Center found that yoga is effective in the treatment of chronic pain, including fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Myths about Yoga
Myth: I’m not flexible enough to do yoga
Truth: Everyone starts somewhere
Unless you are a gymnast or ballet dancer, it is very normal to feel tight at the beginning. Don’t worry if touching your toes seems “out of reach” at first (pun intended). The good news is that with regular practice, yoga is a great way to safely & effectively improve flexibility.
Myth: Yoga is too slow and not enough of a workout for my routine
Truth: It depends on the style of yoga class.
Yoga classes can be totally non-physical and consist of readings, chanting, breathing or service to others. Yoga classes can also be purely physical and as strenuous as a gym workout. Some styles of yoga, such as Gentle are indeed slow paced, but Flow or Vinyasa classes offer a faster, dynamic pace and some unique cardio & strength challenges compared to other “workouts”. A benefit of yoga on top of a standard workout is that it incorporates a therapeutic system that helps heal injuries, improve chronic illness, and balance mental stress. The best way to find the right class for you is to ask the front desk for some options and try out some different classes on the schedule.
