What’s an amazing fitness tool to keep you healthier and happier during these hectic modern times …
The Ancient, Healing, Holistic Practice Of Yoga!
Yoga is so helpful in improving mind, body health, and wellbeing, it’s almost sinful trying to cover the topic in only one story. But here are just some of the many benefits you could enjoy with proper yoga practice …
Improved Flexibility! Greater Strength!
Stress Relief! Mental Well-Being!
Enhanced Endurance! Improved Exercise Capacity!
Better Balance And Posture!
Improved Mobility! Lessened Back Pain!
Arthritis Symptom Relief! Improved Sleep
Better Brain Function! More Mindfulness!
What Exactly IS Yoga?
The word ‘Yoga’ comes from the Sanskrit root “Yuj,” meaning “to join” or “to unite.” Yoga strives to unite a person’s mind, body, and being. It’s an ancient practice that traces back to India.
Hatha yoga is one of the more popular styles and is a combination of several yoga types.
Hatha yoga is a physical yoga style and does not focus on still, meditative practices.
Hatha yoga focuses on …
:: Pranayamas – breathing exercises
:: Asanas – yoga postures to build physical flexibility, strength, breath control, and unity of the mind and body
:: Savasana – a period of rest at the end
There is a meditative side to yoga (dhyana) that can help improve one’s mood, state of mental well-being, and
Yoga is a mental and physical activity that can benefit just about everyone! But it’s important to keep in mind that yoga practice should be individualized to suit you, your body, and your current state of health and fitness. Make sure you tailor the different yoga poses to suit your individual needs.
How Does Yoga Help Create Such Outstanding Results?
Improved Flexibility: Yoga practice will challenge you to stretch your body and encourage muscles, ligaments, and tendons to new ranges of motion. This helps people become more mobile, injury free, while helping to alleviate annoying problems like back pain.
Greater Strength: When you do various yoga poses and hold them, your muscles are going to work. The longer you hold the pose, the harder it will be on your muscles. You’ll be amazed at how much stronger you’ll become after regular yoga practice. Arms, legs, stomach, back, and shoulder muscles will gain an enhanced functionality and an enviable toned and fit look.
Mental Well-Being And Stress Relief: The breathing practices, meditation and exercise benefits help keep the mind calm, centered, and alert. Regular yoga practice will help reduce anxiety and depression.
All exercise helps to lower levels of stress hormones and increases the production of “feel-good” endorphins. Plus, yoga – like all forms of exercise — gets more oxygenated blood to your brain.
But yoga may also increase levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which can help improve your mood and decrease your anxiety.
Yoga’s meditation and breathing exercises help to quiet the limbic system. This can help you control emotional reactivity, helping you face stressful situations more calmly.
Practice yoga and your brain cells will develop new connections. You’ll experience improved learning and memory, plus better attention and awareness.
Enhanced Endurance: Yoga is effective in boosting physical stamina. It improves aerobic and anaerobic endurance by making our cardiovascular and respiratory systems more efficient. Every time you hold a yoga pose, you’ll give your body the opportunity to develop more stamina using isometrics.
Improved Balance, Posture And Mobility: When you spend time practicing yoga poses, you’ll develop the strength, flexibility, and confidence to enjoy more balance and mobility. You’ll find your posture improves because your lengthened and stronger muscles will allow you to straighten up with less pain and effort.
Less Pain And Reduced Arthritis Symptoms: As many physical therapists will say, “Motion is lotion.” Moving, though more difficult for arthritis patients, helps improve joint functionality and reduce pain.
Physical activity is an essential part of the effective treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Exercise helps play a key role in promoting joint health. In fact, people who don’t exercise often suffer more joint pain than those who are active. Lack of activity and exercise can begin a negative trend … “I don’t exercise because I have pain … and I have pain because I don’t exercise.”
Better Sleep: Better mental focus and mindfulness helps increase melatonin levels. And melatonin helps folks fall asleep while reducing sleep disturbances. Yoga’s relaxation techniques and deep breathing methods can help practitioners fall asleep.
How Do You Start Adding Yoga To Your Life?
Want to add Yoga to your life and exercise program? Just start small. FunFitnessVideos.com has loads of beneficial yoga exercises that you can use to design your own yoga program or add to your existing exercise plan.
For maximum results experiment with a mix of yoga exercises that maximizes your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Then, make sure to end your session with a well-deserved period of Savasana (rest). Try yoga and you may well find that the