| For those who want a healthy body, eating right and | | | | Yoga's emphasis on deep, controlled, and centered |
| exercising regularly seem to be the key practices to | | | | breathing is also beneficial as it can improve your |
| adopt. However, many people fail to realize that | | | | overall lung capacity and expand your chest wall. This |
| complete fitness must also involve yoga, as there are | | | | is an excellent way to boost endurance in other |
| many benefits. | | | | physical activities. Steady, controlled breathing is |
| For those who want a healthy body, eating right and | | | | actually a vital component of weight training and |
| exercising regularly seem to be the key practices to | | | | cardiovascular exercise, but many people fail to learn |
| adopt. However, many exercise enthusiasts fail to | | | | proper technique. Thus, the deep, controlled breathing |
| realize that complete fitness must also involve the | | | | you learn doing yoga can be applied during other |
| mind. There is a deep mind-body connection that most | | | | physical activities to improve performance. Yoga's |
| people fail to recognize as they lift weights and run | | | | emphasis on breathing can also provide some relief for |
| laps. To correct this common oversight, more and | | | | those suffering from a respiratory condition, like |
| more people are acknowledging the many benefits of | | | | asthma. |
| incorporating yoga into their healthy lifestyle and | | | | Of course, what yoga is best known for is perhaps |
| exercise routine. | | | | relieving stress. Through yoga, the body enters a |
| One of the greatest fitness benefits of yoga is | | | | relaxed state of controlled breathing and mental |
| improved flexibility. In fact, one study showed that just | | | | relaxation. This naturally diminishes the body's stress |
| eight weeks of yoga can improve flexibility by 35%. | | | | response and aids the release of beneficial hormones. |
| As you move through yoga's many poses, you stretch | | | | As such, yoga has been shown to reduce the risk of |
| your muscles in new, interesting ways. Stretching | | | | cardiovascular disease. It can lower blood pressure, |
| allows muscles to release lactic acid, which builds up | | | | slow your heart rate, and even improve cholesterol |
| during exercise and can cause stiffness and pain. | | | | levels. Diminished stress levels are also important |
| Lactic acid is also the leading cause of muscle fatigue, | | | | preventing injuries during other physical activities. The |
| so stretching can actually help you work out longer | | | | more stress your body is under, the less likely it is to |
| and harder. Plus, increased flexibility improves your | | | | recover from a workout, which increases your odds |
| range of motion. This means you can participate more | | | | of being hurt. Furthermore, stress can prevent proper |
| fully in other exercises and reduce your risk of injuries, | | | | sleep, and rest is essential for a full recovery after an |
| especially those caused by hyper extension. | | | | intense workout. |
| Yoga is also a great way to strengthen your core and | | | | Ultimately, yoga has much to offer those who practice |
| abdominal muscles. As your body works to hold itself | | | | it. You can do yoga every day, or start small with only |
| in various positions, your lower back, upper leg muscles, | | | | 1 to 2 days per week routine. Plus, yoga can be done |
| and abdominal muscles work hard to keep you stable. | | | | virtually anywhere. It requires no equipment (except a |
| This is especially true for yoga poses requiring balance, | | | | floor mat) and limited space, which makes it ideal for a |
| such as those where the participant stands on one leg. | | | | home exercise routine. If you have yet to take up a |
| Over time, this can lead to improved muscle tone, | | | | yoga routine in your workout program, I encourage you |
| which means a more impressive physique. Plus, a | | | | to get started today. The rewards will be worth the |
| strong core leads to improved posture and decreased | | | | time spent away from lifting weights and cardio. |
| back pain over time. | | | | |