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Yoga is a health and fitness phenomenon as its surge in popularity has been unlike anything else in the last decade. It is no longer a fringe hobby or exercise routine, and has become part of a lifestyle choice for millions of people in the western world.
As we all know that any form of exercise is good for the health of the body, yoga has a unique place as it is able to calm the mind while also making the body much stronger, more flexible and more toned at the same time. On top of this, there are a number of other major benefits which this article is going to cover.
While yoga has many different poses and techniques, they are all designed to unify the body and the mind so that a calmness comes over the body. While this is a difficult task to accomplish at first, the more that the poses are practiced, the easier it becomes. After some time, you will find that the yoga session is over very quickly, as you were able to calm your mind and flow from one posture to another without forcing anything. This is what the goal of yoga is.
The nature of yoga and the way that you need to move, means that you will improve your flexibility and overall dexterity. This is one benefit of yoga that should not be overlooked, as it can assist in many aspects of life. Aside from being more flexible, it means that your muscles are more supple, which reduces the chances of injury. As people age, joints begin getting less mobile and it is harder to move around, which is common with elderly people. With yoga, you can avoid many of the afflictions that people undergo as they age.
Yoga allows anyone to tone and shape their body without any equipment. By just using your bodyweight and holding a number of graceful poses, you can ignore the gym and build strength, stamina and flexibility anywhere or anyplace. It also means that once you have the basic fundamentals learned, you can workout from your own home, garden or local park. It gives you the freedom to exercise anywhere you go (even on vacation).
While many sports and exercise methods build the muscles of the body, they can also create stress (toxins in the body). This methodology is widely known in Eastern countries, which is why yoga is sometimes known as an "internal" art form. The focus here is on the breath, and the internal organs are viewed with as much importance and respect as the muscles of the body. Such cultures believe that the internal organs, the heart and the digestive system are all cleansed during yoga practice. Science backs this up, as toxins are removed from the body during certain types of exercise routines.
This is something that most people experience when they have finished a yoga session. There is a certain level of euphoria based on the combination of factors. For example, the warm temperate of the room, the music, the flowing poses and the clam sense of mindfulness all combine to give people both a physical and mental workout. It is for this reason that many people enjoy yoga during their lunch hour, as a way to de-stress and re-charge their inner batteries for the rest of the day.
While not the main purpose of yoga, there are now thousands of testimonials of people who have lost an incredible amount of weight through just the practice of yoga. There is no need to change your diet as a great deal of calories are lost during a yoga workout. Many people simply don't understand the difficulty of holding a yoga pose (which is where all the calories are expended).
Practicing yoga can bring many benefits to a person, in terms of both mind and body. Not only will you feel lighter and healthier, you will also gain a feeling of calmness which will go with you throughout your day. If you have been considering yoga, then start today and move toward a healthier body and mind.
Jonathan Leger is a freelance writer and small business owner. He also runs a popular question and answer website where expert authors provide researched information.
Online since 2000