Being unable to go to the gym for the past year, you must have explored other ways to keep yourself active without the need for any gym equipment. One of the alternatives for the gym is yoga. Although yoga involves soft movements, it can also offer the same benefits for the body, such as losing weight and staying healthy. Another distinct advantage of practicing yoga is that it calms the mind and relieves bodily pains, particularly in the back.
Despite these facts, people find yoga intimidating. So to help you become more comfortable with this physically and mentally beneficial activity, we’ve collected several facts that you should know about yoga.
Fact #1: You Can Do Yoga Even If You’re Not Flexible
While yoga involves a lot of stretching that looks complicated, you don’t have to be as flexible as a yoga instructor to join a class. Although you have to twist and stretch your body to its limits, your instructor would always recommend alternative yoga poses for beginners if you are not comfortable following the poses. If you keep practicing, you will eventually become flexible too!
Fact #2: Yoga Is For Everyone
Another reason people are intimidated by yoga is because of the false representations that it is only for fit people. However, yoga instructors say that yoga is for any age, gender, ethnicity, culture, and even fitness level. Yogis range from age 18 to 50 and older—yoga is good exercise for seniors, and everyone can benefit from yoga in terms of physical and mental health.
Fact #3: Yoga Is More Than Just Stretching
Although you will perform many stretches while doing yoga, it’s not just stretching 100 percent of the time. The goal of yoga is to focus on your breathing to help you stay grounded or be in the moment. Deep breathing also allows you to release unwanted energies in your body so you can focus on your intentions for the rest of your day.
Fact #4: Yoga Is Adaptable
The reason people consider yoga challenging is because it works on the body parts that are usually ignored in other physical activities. Aside from that, less-than-familiar poses are performed in yoga, positions that will make you whisper “ouch!” If you are used to heavy workouts and fast-moving exercises, yoga may bore you. But with yoga, you can modify the poses whether you prefer it easy or with a challenge.
Fact #5: Yoga Is Safe for Pregnant Women
While yoga involves complicated postures, it is perfectly safe for pregnant women. When practiced correctly, yoga can help pregnancy become less painful and delicate as it helps the body become more flexible. If you are pregnant and have more experience practicing yoga, you should listen to how your body reacts. If you are a pregnant beginner looking into yoga to help you feel better, you should look for a fitness trainer for guidance.
Fact #6: Yoga Does Not Involve Religion
Yoga can be traced from Indian roots, where chants and mantras are used. Because of this, yoga is considered to have a spiritual element that is meant to awaken and improve one’s focus. However, it is wrong to think that yoga itself is a religion, so you don’t have to worry about singing and saying the same chants and mantras. You can just focus on mindfulness and pushing your body to stretch to its limits!
Conclusion
From afar, it’s easy to assume that yoga is slow, complicated, and requires a ton of flexibility. However, there are many shades to yoga that you can explore, beginning with the facts mentioned above. To reap its benefits, try yoga yourself, and you’ll find it helps you feel more relaxed, calm and grounded before proceeding to your daily work. Yoga can help you increase your focus so you can perform better throughout the day.
Are you interested in starting your fitness journey through yoga? Get a personal fitness trainer in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Join us on our next fitness journey here at Eightlimfit. Call us now!