Is the Yoga Life for You?
What is yoga?
Yoga initially started out as a form of spiritual development; a way teach the mind and body to be more self-observant and self-aware of its own nature and movement. The previous reasons for yoga were to promote discernment, mindfulness, self-regulation and higher consciousness in the participant. Now a days, yoga is used as form of safely building strength and flexibility along with many other health benefits.
Strengthening and Toning
There are several forms of yoga that assist in building muscle strength, while also toning the body. Ashtanga and power yoga are considered to be an intense form of yoga. Practicing either of these styles will help you improve overall strength and muscle composition. Lyengar or hatha is a less intense form of yoga that can build strength by focusing on endurance.
Individual poses such as downward dog, upward dog, and plank pose help build upper body strength. Various standing poses such as the padangusthasana, utkatasana, utthita parsvakonasana, and garudasana aid in building strength in your hamstrings, quadriceps, and abs – especially if you hold the pose for several long and deep breathes.
When done correctly, almost all poses assist in building core strength in the deep abdominal muscles.
Flexibility
Yoga poses work by stretching your muscles and teaching your body how to properly move better with less stiffness and less tension. According to many studies, most people notice an improvement in flexibility after just two weeks of practicing yoga. Flexibility is important because flexible joints and muscles require less energy to move through a vaster range of motion. Flexibility decreases your overall risk of minor and serious injuries and increases the body’s overall physical performance.
Improvement in Posture
Do you remember your elementary school teacher yelling at you to “sit up straight”? Mrs. Smith did not lecture about your posture for you own good, however there are many benefits involved with having excellent posture. Sitting up straight and tall helps keep your core muscles activated, which in return builds strength. Slouching can cause pain to the back and neck, which can turn in to a life long injury. Yoga will help teach participants to be inadvertently be mindful of their posture.
Stress Reduction
Everyone has stress – work, personal factors, health issues or concerns, and time management all take a toll on an individual. Yoga is known to help people decompress and lose the stress!
Overall Health
Yoga has long been recognized as a method to lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate. A slower heart rate can benefit people with high blood pressure or heart disease, or individuals who may have suffered from a stroke. Yoga has also been directly connected to lowering cholesterol and improving the immune system’s functions.
Just about anyone can do some form of yoga. It is not just for yogis and gurus, but it is also for those who cannot touch their toes. Contact Dr. Dharia and his team at Palm Beach Internal Medicine to find out if yoga is right for you!