Whether you regularly go to the gym or you prefer to simply go for a walk every now and then, we all know the importance of regular exercise. A healthy heart, mind, body, and soul is imperative for basically healthy living, and you don’t have to be pounding the treadmill every single day to reap the benefits of exercise.
If you’ve never done yoga before then you might have it down as a bit of a new-age pastime that doesn’t really have many benefits other than giving you the ability to get into some very random positions, however there is no denying that yoga is beneficial in many ways, and it has nothing to do with the ability to do a downward dog pose.
Here are four reasons why you should be giving yoga a try, and incorporating it into your regular routine.
Yoga gives you flexibility and strength
The positions which yoga requires might not come naturally to you at first, but over time you will find that your body’s natural flexibility is much greater, and as a result the muscles, joints, and ligaments which are needed to engage in order to get into these positions are stronger as a result. If you have a condition such as arthritis, which requires strengthening in order to stop the condition worsening, then you can easily adapt positions in order to help you meet your aim, with the help of an instructor for quality advice. Yoga could help you stay much more mobile and flexible for longer.
Yoga is calming
If you have a stressful work or home life, or if you simply find yourself feeling highly strung from time to time, yoga could be hugely beneficial for you. Focusing on breath, tuning out the noise around you, and simply taking the time to ‘be’, and listen to your body will calm you down, help you stay grounded and at one, and works out wonderfully well for your overall health and wellbeing as a result. Stress is not good for anyone.
Yoga strengthens your core
Having a strong core has many benefits, not least helping you maintain a correct posture, and preventing neck, back, and shoulder pain as a result. A strong core will protect your spine and back, meaning you are at much less risk of injury and problems in the long term.
Yoga is a low impact form of exercise, with huge benefits
Whilst you will feel like you’ve had a work out once you’ve finished a yoga class, or a session in your own home, you won’t feel the fatigue that you may do if you go to the gym and have a full cardio session. Yoga is low impact, and is suitable for almost everyone, with a few tweaks depending on your circumstances and general health overall. A yoga instructor will be able to advise you on the positions to avoid depending on your situation, and how to modify them to gain benefit.
Isn’t it time you threw a little yoga into your day?