Benefits of Yoga
4 REASONS WHY YOGA IS SO GOOD FOR YOU
It lowers stress and improves your mood
Certain yoga methods include specific meditation techniques which help focus the mind on your breathing to quite the constant ‘mind chatter’. This in turn helps you to feel more relaxed as you are relieving stress. Practising these breathing techniques on a regular basis helps you train your brain AND can also boost oxygen levels to the brain, leaving you feeling more content and happier with your everyday life.
Benefits breathing and lowers blood pressure
The capacity of your lungs will increase if a consistent yoga practise is part of your daily routine. This is a result from all the deep breathing which occurs during the practise. Naturally, this will have a positive impact on any intense sports you take part in as your stamina and endurance will improve. Another aspect is that with the meditation and calming asanas used within certain yoga practises (such as hatha etc), it slows down your heart rate which can also reduce your blood pressure. This has also been linked with lowering cholesterol and improving the immune systems.
It helps with strength training & flexibility
The postures that are used within yoga practise are meant to strengthen your body from the inside out, so you not only feel good, but you look great, too. Each yoga pose is built to reinforce the muscles around the spine, which is the very centre of your body - the core from which everything else operates from. When your core is working properly, your posture improves, which will help reduce back, shoulder and neck pain. Perfect for all the office workers out there. This also benefits your digestive system when the stretching is paired with a healthy, nutrient dense diet, it can relieve constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and acid reflux.
Yogas effect on the body
Not only does it increase the endurance, strength and flexibility of your body, but it helps the strength of your mind too. Your mental endurance and psychical stamina are tested through holding postures for extended breaths. It’s also great for full body toning - Your arm and shoulder strength is increased as you use your own body weight for resistance. Lats, traps, and other back muscles begin to support the spine better than before. Abdominals and obliques are refined and toned through building core muscles. Hip flexors are stretched and strengthened. Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves are strengthened.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF YOGA
Hatha yoga
The Sanskrit term "hatha" is an umbrella term for all physical postures of yoga. In the West, hatha yoga simply refers to all the other styles of yoga (Ashtanga, Iyengar, etc.) that are grounded in a physical practice. However, there are other branches of yoga such as kriya, raja, and karma yoga that are separate from the physical-based yoga practice. The physical-based yoga is the most popular and has numerous styles. Hatha yoga classes are best for beginners since they are usually paced slower than other yoga styles. Hatha classes today are a classic approach to breathing and exercises. If you are brand-new to yoga, hatha yoga is a great entry point to the practice.
Ashtanga yoga
In Sanskrit Ashtanga is translated as "Eight Limb path." Ashtanga yoga involves a very physically demanding sequence of postures, so this style of yoga is definitely not for the beginner. It takes an experienced yogi to really love it. Ashtanga starts with five sun salutation A's and five sun salutation B's and then moves into a series of standing and floor postures. In Mysore, India, people gather to practice this form of yoga together at their own pace—if you see Mysore-led Ashtanga, it's expected of you to know the series. Vinyasa yoga stems from Ashtanga as the flowing style linking breath to movement.
Vinyasa yoga
Vinyasa means "to place in a special way" and in this case yoga postures. Vinyasa is the most athletic yoga style. Vinyasa was adapted from Ashtanga yoga in the 1980s. In Vinyasa classes, the movement is coordinated with your breath and movement to flow from one pose to another. Many types of yoga can also be considered Vinyasa flows such as Ashtanga, power yoga, and prana. Vinyasa styles can vary depending on the teacher, and there can be many different types of poses in different sequences. I personally teach an alignment-based style of vinyasa and choreograph new flows every time, but I also like to hold some of the poses a bit longer after warming up.
Want learn more about Yoga?
Read about the 11 Spiritual Yoga Symbols To Empower Your Practice here by Relax Like a Boss