Yoga has been around for many centuries. It originated in ancient India as a part of spiritual practices, and in its Hindu and Buddhist roots, yoga wasn’t specifically focused on physical fitness. But during the 20th century, a new and different, secular version of yoga started emerging in the West.
Today the modern practice of yoga remains one of the top fitness trends in the U.S., year after year. Studies have shown that incorporating yoga into your exercise plan can help with your flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, stress reduction, and improving overall health and fitness.
There are various forms and styles of yoga. In the Western world, modern hatha yoga focuses on the physical practice of various poses (called asanas) to increase strength, balance, flexibility and mindfulness. The asanas help people to tune into their bodies.
Benefits of asana practice include better control and awareness of breath; better balance; increased strength, stability and flexibility; increased bone density; and reduced anxiety, pain and discomfort.
Yoga can also help ease back pain and arthritis symptoms, reduce body-wide inflammation, benefit heart health, and relax you to help you sleep better, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
I can tell you from my experience leading a Gentle Yoga class comprised of mostly midlife and older adults, it is one of the most popular and beneficial forms of exercise in this population. Participants find the poses empowering, and they enjoy the unique combination of physical and mental focus and sense of well-being that yoga brings.
One thing that differentiates yoga from other forms of exercise is mindfully connecting the breath to your movements. The idea is to help you become more present in the moment and to link body and mind.
Focus on long, slow, deep breathing. Try to match the length of your inhales with the length of exhales. Traditionally, in hatha yoga, breathing is done in and out of the nose. However, breathe in the manner that is most comfortable for you. See this Yoga Journal article for more on breathing technique.
This pose is all about standing tall and firm like a mountain. It is the foundation for other standing poses. Mountain Pose helps improve your posture and strengthen your core and leg muscles.
This is a type of squat, and helps improve balance and strength. Think of chair pose as sitting in an imaginary chair.
You can modify this pose by holding onto a chair or limiting the depth of your squat.
Tree Pose helps improve your balance and posture, promotes focus and concentration, and strengthens thighs and calves. Visualize yourself as a tree, firmly rooted to the ground, with branches growing up to the sky.
You can modify this pose by keeping your toes on the floor instead of putting your foot further up the leg, or by holding onto a chair with one hand.
This posture grounds and centers the body, and helps to improve balance, leg strength and a sense of well-being.
You can modify this pose by holding onto a chair, keeping your hands on your hips, or narrowing your stance and bending your knee less.
This pose will help you deeply relax, as you learn to allow energy to flow freely through your body. Corpse Pose helps to reduce stress, find your inner quiet, and invite calmness and peace within.
Corpse Pose is suggested as a good way to end every yoga session. But you can also do it on its own, any time you would like to calm your mind and reduce tension in your body.
Interested in trying a yoga class? You can search for qualified yoga teachers.
If you are not accustomed to exercising or if you have pre-existing conditions, it’s a good idea to check with your health care professional before beginning a new fitness program to ensure that it’s appropriate for you.
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