Yoga Asana

Experiencing Physical and Mental Wholeness: Health Benefits of Yoga

The word “yoga” means union in Sanskrit, the language of the practice’s place of origin: ancient India. Yoga has been practiced for more than 5,000 years now, with almost 11 million Americans currently enjoying its benefits. In essence, yoga unifies the body, mind, and spirit through bodily meditation–it is done through practice of proper physical postures. Most westernized yoga classes focus on learning physical poses called asana, which includes breathing and meditation techniques.

Some yoga classes are designed purely for relaxation, while other techniques teach you how to move or bend your body in different ways. Choosing one of these styles offer great health benefits by enabling you to have better flexibility, strength, and balance. This article aims to give you an idea of the health befits of doing yoga.

Posture and Yoga

Most standing and sitting poses develop core strength in an individual’s body since their abdomen becomes the main support for each yoga pose. With a stronger core, you are more likely to sit tall and keep that posture for a long time. Having a good posture also strengthens a person’s body awareness by telling them that they are slumping or slouching. Yoga not only helps an individual keep a good posture but also care for their spine.



Strength and Yoga

Some yoga techniques, such as ashtanga, are more vigorous. More advanced yoga techniques could include plank pose, downward dog, and upward dog, which help build upper body strength. On the other hand, several long breathing techniques and lounging positions build endurance in the quadriceps, hamstring, and abdominal muscles. People don’t have to worry about advanced techniques if they are not up to it.
Berkeley yoga
instructors understand that individuals have their own learning pace, and they would gladly assist beginners based on their learning experience.



Flexibility and Yoga

Asana poses given by
yoga Berkeley
instructors are done by safely stretching an individual’s muscles. The lactic acid build-up in the muscles is what causes stiffness, tension pain, and fatigue in the body. By safely flexing these muscles, lactic acid is released. Not only does yoga help an individual become flexible, it also helps them increase their lubrication in the joints, giving a sense of ease and fluidity throughout the body.

Yoga is recommended for everyone who wants to get into the fitness arena without doing much radical exercise. Yoga is a safe form of non-aerobic exercise but it should be done with caution. There are instances where doing yoga inappropriately could cause spine, neck, shoulder or leg injury. That is why consulting
yoga Berkeley CA
instructors first before undergoing the exercise is a must.

International Yoga Asana Championship