Namaste. I’ll be honest with you, at the risk of sounding ignorant. When I used to hear the word “yoga,” three things usually popped into my mind.
- Old, skinny Hindus on mountain tops
- Slow, boring exercises
- Hot chicks in yoga pants
I know, I said I was ignorant. However, yoga has been around for thousands of years and is practiced by millions of people around the world on a daily basis.
It has obviously been proven to have a myriad of health benefits and we are going to look at some of them for the purpose of gaining a better understanding of why we should consider adding yoga into our fitness regimen.
Purpose of yoga
“The purpose of yoga is to create strength, awareness, and harmony in both the mind and body,” explains Natalie Nevins, DO, a board-certified osteopathic family physician and certified Kundalini Yoga instructor in Hollywood, California.
“As an osteopathic physician, I focus a lot of my efforts on preventive medicine and practices, and in the body’s ability to heal itself,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga is a great tool for staying healthy because it is based on similar principles.”
Physical benefits of yoga
“The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome,” explains Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can also lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia.”
Other physical benefits of doing yoga include:
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Increased muscle strength and tone
- Increased flexibility
- Maintaining a balanced metabolism
- Improved athletic performance
- Cardio and circulatory health
- Improved respiration, energy and vitality
- Protection from injury
These are obviously some important reasons why we should consider practicing yoga. However, one of the greatest benefits of yoga is how it can help you to manage stress.
We all know that stress sucks and it can have some major negative effects on both the body and mind.
“Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can be very effective in developing coping skills and reaching a more positive outlook on life.
“Regular yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relieves chronic stress patterns; relaxes the mind; centers attention, and sharpens concentration.”
“Is yoga right for me?”
There are over 100 different schools or types of yoga. Most sessions typically include meditation, breathing exercises, and assuming different postures, called asana or poses that flex and stretch the various muscle groups of the body.
Don’t let this last image throw you though, because of the many different variations of yoga practices, virtually anyone can do it.
“Whether you’re a couch potato or a professional athlete, size and fitness levels do not matter because there are modifications for every yoga pose and beginner classes in every style,” says Dr. Nevins. “The idea is to explore your limits, not strive for some pretzel-like perfection. It is a great way to get in tune with your body and your inner self.”
Yoga Statistics
Three years ago, the “Yoga Journal” gave a poll to its readers. Here are the results:
- Americans spend $2.5 billion on yoga instruction each year
- Vinyasa is the most popular style of yoga
- 5% of their readers gave either their children or their pets Sanskrit names
- The number one reason people practice yoga is for wellness, followed by a sense of peace/calm and health respectively
- 1.7 million kids under age 17 practice yoga
Yoga isn’t for everyone though, some people just can’t get into it. Here are the top reasons they quit going to classes:
- Didn’t like the teacher
- Too hot
- Injured
- Too crowded
- Too advanced
- An inappropriate assist
- Distracting classmates
- Too slow
- Spontaneous partner work
- An offensive odor
I can see why the last reason might turn you off I guess lol.
Once you learn the basics though, you don’t necessarily need to participate in a class.
With the exception of maybe a floor mat, there is no equipment required and you can do it anywhere you like. Just find a place you can relax and be comfortable in.
Maybe it’s time to reevaluate some of our perceptions of yoga. The good definitely seems to outweigh the bad and millions of people can’t all be wrong.
So please excuse me while I get into the “downward facing dog” position and get my mind, body, and spirit right. Peace.
Sources:
https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/yoga-numbers-yoga-statistics
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