The Benefits of Practicing Yoga

Plank pose

source; www.yogajournal.com

One of the exercises that I am currently into is yoga. I had some back pains before and even had an incident when I carried a box of stuff that led to having lower back pain that I had to endure for a couple of weeks and had to consult with a medical specialist. The doctor advised me to do regular stretching exercises and handed me a printed informational material with stretching exercises before. When I checked the poses I noticed that some are the same as yoga poses.  To be able to strengthen my core and get good stretching exercises with proper guidance I enrolled at a yoga studio and got back into yoga a couple of months ago.

Warrior II pose

photo source: www.yogajournal.com

Taking a yoga class is fun. Having an instructor who varies the poses taught in a class just keeps everyone on their toes. Plus, there are also yoga instructors who play different kinds of cool music that are apt for the poses done during the session and enhances the mood and atmosphere during class. It is also good for the mind since some instructors also impart messages that help the attendees become more relaxed and mindful.

I like taking Vinyasa and Yin Yoga. Vinyasa class includes specific sequence of poses where students coordinate movement with breath to flow from one pose to the next. Most common practice throughout a Vinyasa session includes a sequence of poses from Chaturanga to Upward-Facing Dog to Downward-Facing Dog. Vinyasa is more of a cardio workout.

To have a more balanced workout every week I also attend Yin Yoga, which is more of a restorative type of yoga. It involves variations of seated and supine poses which are typically held for 3 to 5 minutes. It helps stretch the connective tissues around the joints like the knees, pelvis, sacrum and spine. Props like bolsters and blocks are usually used to help one relax and get into a deeper pose and stretch.

Yoga is being practiced by various people around the world. Below are some of the good benefits that one can get from it.

Good for the heart

Yoga helps in getting one’s blood flowing and boosts level of hemoglobin and red blood cells. It also helps boost one’s heart rate, lowers bad cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and reduces stress. During a yoga session one often hears a teacher remind the students to “open their heart” as she/he instructs to do chest opening poses such as upward facing dog, cobra, cow, fish, sphinx camel and Lord of the Dance pose.

Upward facing dog pose

source: www.yogajournal.com

Improves one’s flexibility, posture and bone health

The stretches and poses that are done during yoga helps one to have greater flexibility and helps improve one’s posture too. Since yoga is also a weight-bearing exercise it also strengthens the muscles as one lifts using own body weight for poses like the plank pose. It also helps strengthen the bones and prevent osteoporosis.

photo source: www.yogajournal.com 

Boosts the Immune System

Yoga can help improve the immune system and raises antibody levels. Practicing yoga also helps in providing the flow of oxygen to the brain and increases lung capacity.

Good for Detoxification

Yoga helps in detoxification and some poses also help increase metabolism and enhances digestion. Some yoga poses get the internal glands and organs like the liver and kidney massaged. Yoga also helps in blood circulation and gets more oxygen into the cells of the body. Doing poses such as the seated twist, bow, supine twist and side-to-side chair twists can help in detoxification and improves digestion.

A good type of yoga that has restorative effect is Yin Yoga. By doing the poses during a Yin yoga class, the subtle poses during the class makes the tissues more pliable since tissues get stretched, squeezed, twisted and compressed. A yin session can even make one feel like he or she had a massage.

Increases Mindfulness and inner strength

Yoga reminds one to focus on the present and the practice and following instructions from a teacher certainly increases mindfulness as well as inner strength. It is a practice where one listens to his or her own body and continues to improve by doing the poses at one’s own pace.

As one practices the various poses and listens to a teacher talking about focusing on the present, choosing an intention, being grateful for the body that one has and working with it, one gets to also build inner strength and resilience in dealing with stress.

Calming and improves sleep

Yoga helps one to feel calm and the practice includes breathing slowly, relaxing certain body parts and muscles and letting go of thoughts that can cause stress.  It is a practice where one gets to quiet his or her mind and improves one’s sleep since the exercise has a good effect on the nervous system.  The instructor even reminds students to relax their faces while doing certain poses.

One of the most relaxing poses is the child’s pose which can be calming and is also an alternative pose for one who is not yet ready to try challenging poses.

Child's pose

source: www.yogauonline.com

Yoga is an expression of gratitude and respect

At the end of the yoga session, the instructor normally asks the attendees to sit, put their hands in prayer pose near the heart as the eyes are closed, includes a message of gratitude and says “Namaste”.  Namaste is a Hindu word that means “I bow to the divine in you”. It is a deep form of respect for each other.

photo source: www.yogajournal.com 

For a teacher and student, “Namaste” allows two people to come together energetically to a place of connection that is free from the bonds of egoistic-connection. It is also a reminder that by having gratitude and respect and the recognition that we are all one we all can peacefully live with a kind heart.

Yoga is truly a good practice and the benefits that one can derive from practicing yoga are great. I certainly noticed after doing yoga regularly that I have become more flexible, do not experience back pains anymore and I am also able to do more difficult poses like holding plank pose, bridge and chair pose for a longer period of time now. It is certainly worth it to get on the mat, take some time to listen, do the poses and take care of one’s body, mind and soul.