Yoga – Primary Benefits & Misconceptions
Yoga has become one of my most efficient and effective workouts over the years for improving my overall strength and fitness level. Since then, I have become more mindful, and I have cultivated a greater sense of calm in today’s busy world. I recently finalized two yoga certifications including my 200-hour yoga teacher trainer and a yoga certification specific to golfers. I’m a firm believer in the benefits of doing yoga and am passionate about sharing the practice with others. However, there are many barriers to starting to practice yoga, so I have highlighted some key benefits and misconceptions of yoga, as well as common types of yoga to get you started.
Benefits of Yoga
As cited by Johns Hopkins Medicine¹ yoga can:
1. Improve strength, balance, and flexibility
2. Help with back pain relief
3. Ease arthritis symptoms
4. Benefit heart health
5. Relax you to help you sleep better
6. Increase energy and improve your mood
7. Help manage stress
Misconceptions of Yoga
1. Yoga belongs to one religion – Yoga incorporates the body, mind and soul and is not tied to any one religion.
2. Yoga is only body postures – Yoga is more comprehensive and is based on certain principles that start with body, but also incorporates mindfulness and looking within yourself.
3. You need to be flexible to do yoga – Yoga includes various poses to help with flexibility, especially as our bodies become more rigid with age. Yoga should be a combination of strength, balance, flexibility, and concentration.
4. Yoga is only for young people – Yoga is for all ages and bodies. As people age, it’s more and more important to work on strength, balance, and flexibility. Yoga is a perfect activity to improve in those specific areas.
5. Yoga is time consuming – Yoga is an extremely flexible practice. Just like any other type of health/fitness routine, it can be done as little as 10-15 minutes. Like any fitness routine, you should increase your time dedicated to continue to see further benefits.
Common Types of Yoga
There are a lot of different types of yoga. The ones below are typical yoga classes you may find in your community.
1. Hatha Yoga – This is the most popular form of yoga with a focus on body awareness, breathing, and meditation.
2. Vinyasa Yoga – This yoga practices ties breath to movement in a series of sequences.
3. Yin Yoga – Yin is a passive yoga practice in which you hold poses for 3-5 minutes to work into the deeper layers of the body.
4. Ashtanga Yoga – This yoga is the most demanding physically and has a set sequence of postures to improve strength and flexibility.
5. Restorative Yoga – This is a restful practice that holds yoga poses for a longer duration using various props such as a yoga block, blanket, and pillow. The intent is to get into a very relaxed state to release tension from the mind and body.
It’s exciting to see that yoga is becoming more and more popular. Due to the primary benefits, there are more sports teams and professional athletes that are incorporating yoga into their regular fitness regimen. Having lived with an avid golfer and starting to golf myself, I am seeing the benefits of yoga first-hand. It’s early in the year and now is a great time to try something new. If you want further guidance on finding a yoga style that’s right for you, please feel free to contact me. I’m passionate about the many benefits of yoga and want to assist in breaking down any barriers to getting started.
Source
¹ 9 Benefits of Yoga, Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-benefits-of-yoga
