Yoga for Health and Relaxation

One of the most convenient exercise methods these days, with many people withdrawing from gyms due to lack of money, is yoga. It’s one of those things that doesn’t take up a lot of space and doesn’t require a lot of equipment and yet gets results along with the best workout methods. Originally designed in ancient India as a philosophical as well as physical discipline, its physical side (postures) has become quite popular nowadays, due to the many health benefits that doing yoga can provide. However, due to several factors, you must learn yoga properly in order to garner the desired results. Once you get these methods down, then you may be able to enjoy a revitalized level of health by doing yoga.

As with any form of exercise, there are limitations to what you will and will not accomplish. One thing that is usually presumed is that there is no cardiovascular benefit. However, upon closer reflection, it is often said that the breathing involved can increase blood flow as well as oxygen, and may even constitute an increase in the amount of lung capacity. It is also easy for the uninitiated to experience fatigue. Indeed, the argument that there is no component of true exercise in this activity is usually only heard from those who have never tried it. Those who have know better.

There are many documented benefits to yoga that go beyond the simple toning of muscles and stripping of fat. Doing yoga has been observed to be beneficial to the health of cancer patients; it can reduce such things as insomnia, stress and depression, and increase such things as self-control. Yoga has also been proven to increase cognitive acuity; doing yoga has also been found to be effective in combating schizophrenia. And then, of course, there are the many physical benefits that doing yoga imparts to you, such as flexibility, muscle tone and a low body fat ratio.

Fortunately, there are many, many video workout courses that provide a chapter on yoga. Tony Horton, of P90X fame, has a video chapter on yoga that can be incorporated into your normal workout or done alone. Also, nowadays there are a number of YouTube trainers that can introduce you to new methods of doing yoga, as well as correcting any errors you may have in your current ways of doing yoga. You will not profit from just standing around and being very knowledgeable about yoga; you must actually do it.

Photo Credit:Jean Henrique Wichinoski