Why you should be doing yoga as part of your daily routine....

So we've all heard that Yoga is meant to be 'good' for us. But what does it actually do for us and how do we go about finding a type of class that suits us; after all, it can be quite overwhelming to look at your gym timetable to see six different types of yoga sessions held over the week!

I started doing Yoga a few weeks ago after a long few years of only completing mostly running, pilates and swimming based workouts.
I love the calmness and sense of control of your own body, your movements, your posture, your thoughts and your breathing. Even one hour long session a week seems to clear my mind for the week ahead. My energy levels are a little bit higher due to the reduced amount of tension in both my mind and body, and even my nervous mannerisms seem to stop because I become a lot more mindful of my own body. The answer - a confident, chilled out and energized Miss!!

So what are some of the other benefits of yoga?

Increasing Flexibility – yoga has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints that are never really on the ‘radar screen’ let alone exercised.

Increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons – likewise, the well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body.
Surprisingly it has been found that the body which may have been quite rigid starts experiencing a remarkable flexibility in even those parts which have not been consciously work upon. Why? It is here that the remarkable research behind yoga positions proves its mettle. Seemingly unrelated “non strenuous” yoga positions act upon certain parts of the body in an interrelated manner. When done together, they work in harmony to create a situation where flexibility is attained relatively easily.

Massaging of ALL Organs of the Body – Yoga is perhaps the only form of activity which massages all the internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner, including those – such as the prostate - that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder.

Complete Detoxification – By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.

Excellent toning of the muscles – Muscles that have become flaccid, weak or slothy are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess flab and flaccidity.

http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/yoga/Benefits.aspx


Sounds awesome? Well here is a brief run down of what to expect from some of the main types of yoga to ease your decision about which one to attend....

- In the yoga world, classes abound for women (and men) looking to move quickly, slim down, and maybe fast-forward through most of the chants and meditations. Classes in this group—which tend to have names like Dynamic Flow and Power Yoga—are heavy on speedy sequences, keep the music modern (think Adele and Prince remixes, not Enya), and take more creative liberties with their poses and sequences.

- If you love the heart-pumping, muscle-building benefits but want something more traditional, Bikram may be more your style. It always flows through the same 26 postures every class—but in a steaming-hot studio. It should be noted that "hot yoga" is not synonymous with Bikram. This personally 'killed me', but there are plenty of people who love this style!

- While still focusing on mindful meditation, instructors also zero in on helping you understand why certain poses are difficult and finding individual solutions—one reason alignment-focused vinyasa sessions are great for beginners.

- Of course, yoga is not only concerned with what your body is doing. Mental strength and serenity are just as fundamental. A great example: Ashtanga yoga, one of the godfathers of the yoga world. Also called Mysore style (for the city in India where it began), it is serious—like, six days a week, early morning, in a quiet room serious. Often, a teacher will walk you through a series, with set "asanas" (a.k.a. postures) that remain mostly the same from day to day. The whole practice is about breath, movement, and discipline.

- BODYBALANCE™ is the Les Mills Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates workout that builds flexibility and strength and leaves you feeling centred and calm. Controlled breathing, concentration and a carefully structured series of stretches, moves and poses to music create a holistic workout that brings the body into a state of harmony and balance.

- That sense of ease is a yogi's main goal and the reason meditation is so crucial to the practice. Kundalini yoga,  focuses on building spiritual strength. If you don't exercise your body, what results can you expect? You can't expect an extraordinary shift in your mind without meditation.

There are classes available at your local gym and many Yoga schools which can be found through a simple 'Google search'!
I dare you try give it a go for a few weeks and see if you notice the difference. Not only will it help to clear your head and calm your racing thoughts, but it will also help strengthen your muscles, improve your 'office chair slump' posture and actually improve your performance in other physical activities!

Xxx