Yoga is one of those activities that once you get into it you really become a dedicated fan; the reason being that you feel all the great benefits from your yoga practice pretty much immediately. Ask any of our Kaia girls who are practicing yoga moves as part of their fitness training and they will tell you that yoga is great for women’s bodies and minds. We’ve already looked at many reasons to love yoga and this month we’re going to look at five extra reasons, just in case you still need some encouragement to give this great exercise a try.
While there is definite progression with yoga, what’s great about it is that you don’t have to really train up to feel the benefits and enjoy the practice. Yoga is accessible and leave you feeling energized, with stretching moves which strengthen and inspire flexibility. With yoga you learn to move your body in a different way, in an environment that isn’t competitive or highly-charged. So what else can yoga do?
1. Relaxes the mind – It is not just the body that unwinds with yoga moves but also your mind. Breathing techniques and a focus on proper form combine to center you. The more grounded you feel, the more likely the mental stresses and strains of the day disappear and culmulative anxiety dissipates.
The fact that yoga is generally less frenetic than high-level cardio workouts, as well as the point that you do not have to prove yourself or pit your skills against others, means that your mind can simply relax into each movement. Yoga is more than a form of exercise, it is essentially a philosophy on life and how to live life with less internal turmoil and tension.
2. Creates a sense of space – Following on from the relaxed body and mind benefits of yoga, this type of exercise can really create a feeling of expansion. As you concentrate on certain movements and do not take into consideration other people’s progress, you in effect create your own yoga world. While still feeling connected, to yourself as well as others, you can enjoy the inner sense of space as well as a nurturing feeling within the exercise session.
When you have space you have time to really think about many factors about your life and this in itself can be transformative. Without space to think and feel it can be difficult to initiate positive changes for your health and wellbeing.
3. Instills clarity of thought and better focus – Because yoga does not merely focus on physical benefits but also on deep relaxation and mentally de-stressing, a yoga session can feel refreshing to your mind too. Yoga can be like a spa treatment for your mind almost, and even one session can clear away the cobwebs and help you see more clearly with your mind’s eye.
The advantages of this clarity of thought can be clearly seen in your everyday life, at home and at work. Many yoga fans say that they can concentrate better with mental tasks and cope with potentially stressful situations more easily. With better focus, you can be more productive and this can have enormous advantages in many areas of life.
4. Targets problem areas easily – Yoga may benefit your mind and body but it does so through exercises which can really focus in on one area of your body. If you need to stretch the spin and improve your posture, there are many moves and poses aimed at this. You can help open up tight areas too, and as you pay more attention to each part of your body you become more aware of where weaknesses lie and what you need to work on.
As well as this, yoga can target areas to help support better performance in other types of exercise, or in certain sports. If you need greater flexibility in your hips then there are a raft of yoga exercises to inspire this. Yoga is about functional fitness.
5. Brings holistic wellbeing benefits – Yoga can promote restful sleep and help combat insomnia. Good practice can strengthen muscles to minimize exercise injuries, as well as making you feel good and helping your digestive and circulatory systems. Yoga is about you as a whole person and the health and fitness benefits it brings encompass every part of you.
Experience the power of yoga today. Get in touch.