Brilio.net/en - Sure, sure. Theres quite a hype to the yoga-fad. From Instagram starlets bending over backwards on some far-away beach to celebs picking up the ancient Hindu practice, yoga has been a topic thats hard to miss out on. And for good reason. It took me a while before I was fully able to embrace the practice. I was dumbfounded when I started and the bendy instructor would tell me to clear my mind and focus on my breathing as I was barely able to contort my limbs in the poses he was demonstrating. It was frustrating in the beginning but I am slowly able to see the benefits, both physical and mental, of yoga. Its more than just looking fit in a bikini or having a nice brunch topic to chat about. Yoga offers a never-ending list of benefits to your mind, body and soul, and below are just five of the reasons why I would recommend everyone to get up and get on a mat.
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1. Yoga offers a solid workout
So sure, theres more to yoga than just a good core workout. But we cant talk about the spiritual and mental benefits without first touching on the physical benefits. Yoga can be practised by anyone at any age or shape. While most of the yoga poses are rooted in deep stretching your muscles and joints, the sequences can vary and be fast paced. More often than not, youll leave plenty sweaty. Its a great overall workout, from the arms to the legs, and moreover, its based on stretches so you wont have all the built up *** you would from other sports.
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2. Yoga connects your mind to your body.
All sports awaken a sense of awareness to our bodies, whether it be aerobic exercises such as running and swimming or anaerobic like lifting weights. But the true focus of yoga is to connect the mind, body and spirit.
3. Yoga has spectacular benefits on your body.
The physical effects of yoga are unprecedented. Not only does in improve flexibility and increase strength, it lowers your blood pressure and reduces stress. It helps reduce your weight and improves your cardio and circulatory health. It improves your posture and protects your spine while doing so. Yoga even regulates your adrenal glands, which lowers your cortisol levels. In addition yoga also lowers your blood sugar, helps you focus, and increases the room your lungs have to breath.
4. Yoga helps modify your breathing.
It took me a while to get to this stage. I never understood when the yoga teacher would tell me to get into some crazy pose, that I could barely hold, and then tell me to foucs on my breathing, which was ragged and strained. With a little more help I was able to regulate my breathing during my yoga exercises, and its had profound effects on me both on and off the mat. Controlling your breath is a great way to control your stress levels.
5. Yoga sets the foundation for meditation.
We could all use a little more meditation in our lives. While its rather difficult to put all the devices away and focus on ourselves for a few moments a day, yoga is excellent at setting the foundation for just that. You dont need to meditate to do yoga, and similarly, you dont need yoga to meditate. However the two can be powerful when combined, and either one is a great segway to the other. Meditating for several minutes a day has huge benefits, and yoga is a great way to begin exploring those benefits, even if its just for a few moments at the end of class during corpse pose.
These are just the five basic benefits of yoga. There are countless other reasons why yoga can improve your overall well-being. You just have to get on the mat and give it a try to see for yourself.