This post is sponsored by Mambo Sprouts and prAna.
Over the last 25 years I’ve tried just about every fitness trend thats come out. Heck I’ve taught most of them too. However the one staple that always remained in my program no matter whether my program involved weights, running or rebounding was yoga. Yoga just makes me feel good. Even bad yoga is good yoga. I walk out of every class feeling taller, and my joints feel like I took oil to a squeaky hinge. There are so many other benefits of yoga I’ve experiences I thought I’d share twelve of them.
This post is sponsored by prAna and Mambo Sprouts. The outfit I’m wearing is by prAna: Filament Tank (black) and Juniper Pants (coal). On a comfort scale of 1 – 10 these feel like I’m not wearing anything! Seriously so comfortable. The pants are made from hemp, organic cotton and spandex and are super soft. The leg length is a little long for me (I’m only 5’4″) but this makes them perfect for winter in cool yoga studio! I like my tootsies warm! The tank has a lace up back that is adjustable, and the bra has modesty cups which I appreciate as we head into fall. The prAna active wear is so comfortable and great for yoga workouts. PrAna have generously offered a discount coupon for my friends! Get 15% off with code MSF17DH at www.prAna.com until 25th October
12 benefits of yoga
Decrease Stress
Personally releasing stress is the biggest reason I do yoga. I tend to be quite an anxious person by nature so practicing yoga helps ground my pitta controlling personality. Letting go, being in the present moment and learning to trust my body have all been things I’ve learned through my practice. It’s important to remember that just sitting in silence, and using the breath is practising yoga. It’s not all about the poses. There is an old zen adage that “you should sit in meditation for 20 minutes every day – unless you’re too busy, then you should sit for an hour”. The busier you are, the more you need to slow down, sit, and de-stress
Improve heart health
Less stress means a healthier heart, but yoga can also help improve heart health by simply being a form of low impact activity. Remember that the CDC recommends “activity” everyday not a “workout”, and yoga can definitely count as moderate-intensity exercise depending on the class. A medium paced vinyasa flow class can be pretty challenging and can definitely work up a sweat. If sweating it your thing, and you want to try something a little more challenging maybe try hot yoga or Bikram.
Decrease Blood Pressure
As mentioned above yoga can reduce stress, which in turn can lower blood pressure. Along with the decreased stress and increased activity levels yoga creates a mind body connection. Pranayama and meditation can enable us to deal with stressful situation more easily, and in studies has shown to reduce anxiety and blood pressure. My personal experience has shown that keeping active I am able to keep my blood pressure stable. I have a hereditary kidney disease which usually leads to high blood pressure by my age (oh jeez I sound old). Well, my blood pressure is perfect. Huzzah!
Improve Joint Mobility/stability
Due to our daily lives being more sedentary we are finding ourselves lacking in the mobility of joints. It really is a case of move it or lose it when it comes to joint movement. Ask anyone with arthritis. The key to keeping joints mobile is to move. My own personal experience has shown that with some gentle movements my joints are able to move better, and the body responds holistically. If you are seeking mobility I suggest a gentle like AIM, Feldenkrais or Hanna Somatics.
Improve Flexibility
On more than one occasion I’ve had people tell me that they can’t do yoga because “they aren’t flexible enough”! Yep, not kidding. This is one of the reasons we do yoga, to stay limber and flexible. This is often a double edged sword though as people tend to overstretch some muscles and not stretch others. As the saying goes “train your weakness”. Mine has always been my hamstrings so I try to pay more attention to them. Heron (below) used to be a challenging pose for me, but working on it regularly it’s definitely improving. You don’t need to be flexible to do yoga, that’s part of why we do yoga!
Improve balance
One undertrained part of most fitness programs, and life, is balance training. When you do balance poses, you work all those little stabilization muscles, the ones that wake up in warrior 3 or tree pose, causing you to wobble as they fight to hold you in gravity. This means more strength, and better ability to correct yourself when falling, or when you roll an ankle. Plus holding a balance posture is psychologically satisfying. Being a naturally clumsy person, balance isn’t something that comes naturally to me. I work on it. A lot.
Improves Posture
As mentioned above our daily habit patterns are creating muscle imbalances, and can cause poor posture. Rounded shoulders, poor hip and shoulder mobility, and head forward just to name a few problems. Yoga can help to ease those postural problems by creating balance in postural muscles of the body. On vacation I was suffering from low back pain from condo beds, long car rids and generally not moving on the flight for 10 hours. By just doing some gentle moves for the lower back helped so much!
Increase blood flow
Ever been told that to counter all the sitting we do to get up every hour and do 5 minutes of activity? Usually people suggest chair exercises, or things like squats and jumping jacks. I’d suggest something a little less intense like 1/2 sun salutations. Inhale arms up, exhale fold forward, inhale half way, exhale fold, inhale and come all the way back to standing. I’m not kidding when I say that this can get the blood flowing back into your body. If you have room for a full sun salutation then even better!
Promotes better sleep
There is a yoga tank that says “I’m just here for the savasana”. Seriously if you’ve never taken 5 minutes to just lay on the floor in silence, then take time out of your day today and try it. Learning to remove stress, and simply lie in silence focusing on the breath is so soothing. Last weekend at our RYT300 training we did some breath exercises and I am not ashamed to say I totally napped during one of them, but I woke up feeling completely refreshed. The power nap is totally underrated!
Increase strength
When people think of yoga they generally think of flexibility, but yoga is excellent for strength too. Ever done squats in a fitness class? That’s a yoga pose called chair! Planks, and side planks? Yep yoga poses! Many pilates exercises are yoga poses also. Lots of exercises we commonly use today in fitness are from yoga poses. Still not convinced and not feeling the strength? Slow down! Hold poses for 8 breaths (approx 45 seconds). I suggest trying this in: chair, boat, plank, side plank, warrior 3, tree and… handstand.
Aid in digestion
In my yoga training I learned that twists area amazing at aiding digestion. It makes sense right? It all comes back to our physiology, and specifically our colon. Visuals help me alot, and I envision a dishcloth being wrung out. That is what twists do to our digestive system, effectively assisting in pushing things gently along. I’m currently training for my RYT300 and looking at human dissection videos you definitely get more of an appreciation of how the muscles impact the internal organs. It’s fascinating!
Improves breath
We’ve already established that the average person in today’s society is stressed, and has some postural issues but did you know that this can impact your breath? The very thing you need to do to survive! Many people have turned into upper chest breathers as we’re in a constant state of hyperawareness. Using the diaphragm for “belly breaths” filling the lungs allowing for full inhalation.
So there are twelve benefits of yoga practice, I’m sure there are many more too. We know that exercise and activity is important but it doesn’t have to be running or lifting weights it can simply be movement to be beneficial. Yoga is a great way to gain the benefits of movement while being kind and gentle to your body. The benefits of yoga go far beyond the physical body. After years of running, cycling, lifting and thinking more is better I have found something that truly incorporates all aspects of health; body, mind, heart and breath.
Don’t forget to check out prAna for your yoga wear. Get 15% off with code MSF17DH at www.prAna.com until 25th October
Questions
Why do you do yoga?
If you don’t do yoga already why not?
Do you practice meditation or breath work?
Kimberly Biddle
love prAna!
Di Hickman
me too!
Laura @ MommyDearest
I plan on starting Yoga in the New Year. I was always too skeptical of doing yoga as I usually like a fast paced workout.
Tina
I have been slacking big time lately and this might be the perfect thing to get me back into working out.
Di Hickman
Yoga is a great way to work the muscles, mind and spirit.
TColeman
I knew that doing yoga had benefits but I did not know about all of these. I need to get back into a class!
Di Hickman
Oh it has so many more benefits, I barely touched the surface!
Krystle Cook
Yoga is something that I really want to get back into doing. It is so good for the body and soul!
Di Hickman
Make the step this week, schedule time for your yoga!
Nailil
This is great because I have always wanted to try yoga. Now with known benefits, I am more eager to give it a try.
Di Hickman
Yes! I hope you give it a try
Cindy Ingalls
I’m not the most flexible of people so sometimes I get so frustrated when I can’t bend or stretch as I would like. I do know that with a regular practice you can increase your flexibility. I really should give Yoga a try more often.
Di Hickman
As we say in yoga “start where you are”. It’s not about touching your toes, it’s about letting go of the desire to touch your toes. Releasing the ego.
Blythe Alpern
I’ve been so stressed in the past several months so adding some Yoga practice might be just what I need. I do love the way I feel after taking a class.
Di Hickman
I suggest meditation too! I love the app “insight timer”.
cecil
Yoga seems to be very intimidating for me. I’ve tried a few classes, but not sure if the class thing works for me. I may need to try a dvd guided version at home.
Di Hickman
If classes aren’t for you then yes try a home practice. DVDs or I have some youtube videos.
Belle
Oh wow! I should probably get into yoga! I need to improve my posture and decrease my stress! Being a mom makes more stressed out than I have ever been in my life! LOL!
Belle
Di Hickman
It’s also important to lead by example and teach the kids that “me time” is important, and that slowing down, and just taking time to breathe is a good thing!
AnnMarie Johm
Yoga is amazing and I love it. It’s one of the best exercises that I have tried through the years. I just really enjoy the peace of mind and the calmness it gives me. Yoga is worth it.
Di Hickman
I feel exactly the same AnneMarie! This is the reason I started teaching it.
Angela Tolsma
Yoga is so amazing and I’ve been practicing at a studio for almost a year. It’s made a huge difference in my mental health and my body!
Di Hickman
So happy to hear this Angela!
Jeanine
I don’t do yoga regularly but I have tried it once or twice. I know it is very beneficial for you body and your mind. May have to try it again.
Di Hickman
Yes do, even 20 minutes! I have a couple of videos on youtube!
Kathy
Being a working mom can be so stressful, especially when you still have young ones, yoga is such a good stress relief idea.
Di Hickman
Honestly it’s the main reason I do yoga. Our lives are so stressful now, and we’re constantly being bombarded with information that it’s so good just to relax and not have to THINK for an hour.
Lori Geurin
I like doing yoga for the strength and the relaxation it helps me achieve. I tried to do some yoga poses at home everyday but I’m not currently in a yoga class or anything formal.
Di Hickman
I always said that yoga makes me feel taller. That was years ago before I realized how good it was for my body as a whole. I have a couple of yoga videos on youtube and I’m hoping to do more…
Kimberly
I love all the benefits of yoga! It is so relaxing! My kids have started falling in love with it too! Also – love the Prana top!!
Di Hickman
yes it’s great for kids! They are under so much stress these days and learning to relax can be important for them. I love the top too. It’s my current favorite, along with another prAna one I have.
robin rue
I have actually never done yoga before. It’s on my list of things to try, but I have to actually DO IT one of these days. There are so many benefits.
Di Hickman
I’ve done all kinds of exercise over the years and yoga is the one I always came back to. Which is the reason I became a teacher.