Posts Tagged ‘Benefits Of Yoga’

Benefits of Basic Yoga

Basic Yoga is extremely simple to pick up. No exercise equipment is needed. You only spend 30 minutes at the most doing everything. All that is needed is yoga mat and some space then unless you have serious mobility issues, you can get started right away. The human body is a very resilient and surprising piece of machinery. It can do things that can surprise us.

Practicing the various yoga positions, also known as asanas increases your flexibility by working on your joints, your muscles, tendons and ligaments. You will notice a significant improvement in your flexibility as you continue the practice of yoga. You will be pleased with the benefits of yoga such as muscle toning and the reduction of body fat.

Chances are, you can do it too, but not immediately. Doing any one of the advanced asanas without prior conditioning can lead to severe injury on the part of the one doing the attempt. Proper and consistent practice of basic yoga techniques is necessary in order to make these advanced poses achievable.

One of the major benefits of yoga that occurs is the ability to put the mind and the body in a state of harmony, primarily with meditation.  Meditation allows you to clear your mind and gives you an inner peace. Yoga and its meditation aspect can help to remove unhealthy stress from your mind and body. Stress has negative affects on your emotional, endocrinal and physical systems.

Even if one does not desire to be able to perform the more advanced and complicated asana, there are benefits to practicing basic yoga exercises, no matter the school of thought you choose to follow. Improved balance, strength, and flexibility are the first most obvious benefits. 

Benefits of yoga that might be less obvious would be a greater awareness of oneself and of nature. Yoga has also been shown to offer health benefits such as improved internal organ function, a boosted immune system, reduction of the symptoms of many chronic diseases and many, many other benefits. Yoga of all kinds, including basic yoga, aids relaxation and reduces tension without fatigue and too much exertion.

Basic yoga involves seven types of body movement during exercise including circumduction, flexion, abduction, adduction, rotation, extension, and hyperextension. Combinations of these body movements are used to create the yoga stances and positions. These movements are combined with breathing exercises and concentration. Breathing is also the guide in basic yoga for coming into an asana, holding an asana, and coming out of it. All the movements are ideally done gracefully. To learn how to do basic yoga, look for a qualified certified instructor and failing that, look for educational videos that may help you.

Yoga Blocks, What Are They Good For?

You’ll remember to place your yoga blocks in your yoga bag once you’ve discovered their many benefits to your practice. But, before we review the many benefits of yoga blocks, it’s a helpful idea to review a bit about the good things Yoga, itself.

What Yoga Practice Can Do for You

Yoga helps you in awakening your inner body and enlivening your outer body! Doing each pose perfectly requires your undivided attention, and such focus enhances your mental awareness. Your “outer body” profits as each pose nourishes, energizes, and revitalizes every cell, fiber, and tissue as a result of enhanced breathing, flexibility, strength and alignment. The goal of yoga practice is to create a union between the body, mind and spirit.

Patience is not only a virtue, it is the “key” to mastering a yoga pose, especially when combined with ample time and commitment. No one is a master the first time they try to do anything. But, slowly over time, as you practice and make an effort to perform each pose perfectly, without pushing yourself too far physically or beating yourself up mentally, you will notice that you are developing flexibility, strength, and energy physically and feeling more peaceful and clear mentally.

The best environment for doing your practice is a clean, graceful place with a bare floor and available wall. Remove any distractions from your yoga environment. Ideally, you should not eat for at least 2 hours before practicing. If you find you need to eat, then try to eat something light, such as a piece of fruit, but no more than 1 hour before you start your yoga practice.

Be consistently mindful of how your body feels, and stop or pause if you encounter any pain or discomfort while trying out a pose. Then try again.

Yoga props and accessories, such as yoga mats, yoga bolsters, yoga straps, yoga blocks, yoga mat bags, and even a yoga towel are made with the intention to assist you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing a perfect pose, and in practicing in a healthful way.

Yoga Prop Benefits:

• Pain relief and body comfort

• Prevent injury

• Stress relief and relaxation

• Encourage appropriate alignment

• Ease and flexibility of movement

• Open up the joints

• Develop awareness and understanding

Yoga Blocks

Unfortunately, on occasion before a beginner can start to know the benefits to mind and body that yoga supplies, discomfort in attempting to do a few of the yoga poses will cause them to turn away from a beneficial yoga practice. Yoga blocks can assist in improving your alignment and, in the process, make you less strained during your yoga practice. Several standing yoga poses include one hand being on the floor. In other words, the floor can appear to be a long way down for a novice. Think of a yoga block as adding length to your arm. By placing your hand on the block, you will be able to do the standing poses correctly while you are in the process of developing your flexibility. A yoga block is a wonderful transitional aid.  In addition, several sitting poses make use of a yoga block.  A yoga block assists you in going a lot farther in your practice, and maybe even in your life. Who could ask for more from something so “square.”

Yoga blocks come in several different materials. To name a few: Foam blocks are durable and lightweight, an effortless add to your yoga mat bag! Wooden blocks are also lightweight and hollow, yet essentially indestructible (even Fido would find one hard to destroy!). And, then there is the environmentally friendly cork block.  An added bonus is that the natural texture of the cork gives a little extra traction.

Yoga blocks are generally sold individually but, for versatility, you’ll probably want to buy several.