The Amazing Benefits of Yoga

by | Nov 13, 2016 | Exercise, My Blogs

Since discovering my back problem is slowly getting worse, and will do even more so with age, I am having to changed a lot of my training, and as much as I have always had an interest in yoga, I found it difficult to fit this into my training programme as well as other things I was doing.yoga-1

Yet, I am now making a conscious effort to attend 3 sessions a week, with my mum, our yoga instructor at Shapes

Not only will yoga help strengthen my back, by improving my core strength, but I it will have the added benefit of the amazing calming and de stressing effects it has on the whole body.

As I have learnt over years of education within the fitness industry, we all put our bodies under too much stress with extreme exercise and don’t consider that we also need to implement de stressing and mind balancing activities also to achieve optimum health.

I have always meditated and controlled my stress with other techniques and regular walks, but seemed to overlook the massive benefits of yoga.

Physically, yoga helps by making your muscles, tissues and joints healthy and also improves the function of your organs, immune and glandular system
For example, your digestion, breathing, gynaecological health and nervous system can improve too.
Yoga is a mind/body discipline, having a positive effect on both.
Research has shown, that people with low back pain are less depressed within as little as 3 months of practicing yoga.
With Yoga, you learn to use your body efficiently and comfortably throughout your day by attention to your postural habits – which is very relevant to reoccurring back pain.
Yoga will help you mentally deal with your back pain episodes better
You learn to gently bring mobility to stiff parts of your body and to keep them flexible. which encourages future health in those areas.
You learn to exercise, strengthen and relax your body and also your mind

The core of YOGA is to unite the mind body and soul in order to reach a balance of perfect harmony and wellbeing.

This balance is achieved through a combination of physical exercise known as ASANAS, breathing practices known as PRANAYAMA and meditation.

Originated in India thousands of years ago Yoga has for many years been taught in the Western World to improve flexibility, fitness levels and posture as well as give us a peaceful mind.

Yoga has also been proven to lower blood pressure and aid digestion and rebalance hormones.

Practising Yoga will promote calmness and lead to a stress-free life.

During our Yoga practice we will be instructed to breath ensuring we take in as mush oxygen as possible on inhalation and  rid our bodies of carbon dioxide and harmful toxins as we exhale thus allowing us to improve our overall health.

Yoga Breathing Exercises are the foundation for:-

 

– Promoting health and vitality

– Opening creativity and emotions

– Controlling moods

– Helping concentration

– Promoting a feeling of connectedness

There are many different yoga breathing exercises known as pranayama techniques which use different rhythms and depths of breath to effectively balance the body in terms of health, consciousness and emotion.

So if this sounds like something that would benefit you, why not come and join us

We hold yoga classes at Shapes ladies health and fitness centre Mondays 7pm

Wednesday and Friday mornings 9.30am

And Thursday evening 6.30pm

So if your interested or would like to learn more about yoga please give us a call on 01792321212 (classes must be booked due to limited availability)

Keep fit, happy and healthy. Invest in yourself, remember health is wealth

Emma xx