Yoga involves exercising the mind as well as the body. It involves specific breathing techniques combined with poses, or asanas, which help reduce stress, improve respiration and increase physical fitness. Yoga has existed for over 3,000 years, and yoga classes are widely offered across the globe today. Many health clubs, hospitals and community education centers offer yoga classes because of the advantages that yoga offers.
Stress Management
According to MayoClinic.com, yoga reduces stress by helping you achieve harmony between your mind and body. The belief is that when your mind and body are in harmony, stress and anxiety are reduced. In addition, yoga requires you to focus on your breathing and movements, which diverts your mind from stressors.
Improved Respiration
If you suffer from chronic bronchitis, emphysema or other breathing problems, yoga may help improve your respiration. According to the website Holisitic Online, a Western Australian study was conducted with 22 male patients, ages 52 to 65, with severe breathing problems. Half of the men underwent standard physiotherapy treatment while the other half studied with a yoga teacher for nine months. At the end of the study, the 11 men who practiced yoga had significantly increased tolerance for exertion and faster recovery from exercise while the 11 men who underwent standard treatment did not.
Increased Flexibility
Regularly practicing yoga poses can help increase your muscle and joint flexibility over time. Most exercise regimens involve five minutes of stretching before and after exercise. However, much of yoga exercise is stretching. Increased flexibility makes your body less prone to injury, as your joints can more easily absorb physical stress or high impact exercises. If you already have a fitness routine that includes ballet dancing or gymnastics, incorporating yoga can help improve your flexibility for these exercises as well.
Increased Strength
While yoga may not seem like strength-training exercise, some of the yoga asanas force you to hold your muscles in unusual positions for extended periods of time. Yoga utilizes your own body weight to increase strength. If you struggle with extra weight or simply want to maintain a healthy weight, building lean muscle through yoga can help boost your metabolism and sculpt your body.
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