The body benefits from any type of physical activity so long as it doesn't exceed its abilities. Because you probably know best what your body can withstand and what it needs, consider weighing the benefits and disadvantages of a yoga or Tae Bo workout, as well as the differences and similarities when making your choice.
Origins of Yoga
It's uncertain when yoga originated, but it's known that it originated in the East. The earliest signs of yoga appear in ancient Shamanism. Evidence of yoga postures were found on artifacts that date to 3000 B.C., according to the University of Florida. In Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, the word yoga means "spiritual discipline." Evidence of yoga is found in the oldest existing text, Rig-Veda, a composition of hymns.
Origins of Tae Bo
Tae Bo was created by Billy Blanks. According to Blanks' website, Blanks began incorporating dance moves to Tae Kwon Do techniques in 1976, which unintentionally grew into the concept for Tae Bo. Eventually he opened the Billy Blanks World Training Center in Sherman Oaks, California. Singer-dancer Paula Abdul was one of the first to utilize the new exercise craze.
Philosophy of Yoga
According to Yoga Basics online, "the main philosophy of yoga is simple: mind, body and spirit are all one and cannot be clearly separated." By looking into the deeper dimensions of the body, one opens up to its connection to the mind and spirit. The traditional purpose of yoga has always been to develop self-awareness and bring about transformation that leads to discovering one's own divinity. The idea is to transcend the ego.
Philosophy of Tae Bo
According to Blanks' website, "Tae Bo is an exercise that teaches a person how to communicate with the body. It teaches how the mind should operate with the spirit, which God has given us." Tae Bo seeks to help users learn how body mechanics operate by observing how the mind works with the spirit. It also applies the law of attraction: "Tae Bo will give back to you what it asks of you."
Yoga Technique
You should use yoga within a list of goals that prioritize your needs, according to Yoga Journal. Consider what you want to get from your practice: weight loss, stress relief, spiritual enlightenment. "Not all practices fit into nice little cubbyholes," warns Beryl Bender Birch, Yoga instructor and author. Attend a few different types of classes to find which one suits your needs.
Tae Bo Technique
Tae Bo combines the best of different exercise disciplines to provide an overall workout. "It is the combination of self-awareness and control of martial arts, the focus and strength of boxing, and the grace and rhythm of dance," according to Blanks' website. You'll learn how to punch and kick, as the routine involves those elements of martial arts. The routine is fast-paced and set to foot-stomping music.
Results of Both
According to Yoga Journal online, yoga improves health, heals joint aches and muscle pains, and keeps sickness at bay. The journal says yoga encourages you to slow your breath and focus on the present, and that it improves immune function. The martial arts in Tae Bo help develop strength, speed, balance, coordination and awareness, as well as providing a workout for the heart.
Member Comments