There are a lot of fitness trends out there. Have you tried the Star Wars workout, Karaoke Spin or Hula Hooping? What about circus workouts, wearing a high-altitude elevation training mask or crunning (running combined with crawling)? We are encouraged to stand every hour, close our rings, count our steps, count our reps, jump high, squat low, and dance our hearts out. What we really need to do, is…just….breathe.
The practice of yoga has been around for centuries, originating in India as a comprehensive system for well-being on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Yoga provides the perfect escape from everyday stress, and is a great way to clear your mind, improve concentration, and develop muscle strength and stamina at the same time. Below are some other possible benefits of yoga.
Psychological Health Benefits:
- The effects of yoga were comparable to pharmacological treatment, group therapy, social support groups, and massage.
- Yoga could be encouraged to improve quality of life, including symptoms of stress and anxiety.
- Yoga reduces stress. It’s effective in treating emotional stress-related conditions.
Physical Health Benefits:
- Small improvements in triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure.
- Moderate effects on strength and cardiorespiratory function as well as balance and walking speed in older adults.
- Yoga may be effective at improving a variety of health outcomes including blood glucose, blood lipids, and stress indicators.
Other Benefits:
- Strong evidence for reduction of low back pain and back-specific disability.
- Hatha and Restorative yoga have the highest correlation with positive outcomes for pain management.
- Small effect on fatigue, particularly in cancer patients.
- May improve feelings of fatigue, pain, and sleep.
Merritt Clubs offers a variety of yoga classes for all fitness levels, from beginner to advanced and everything in between. Visit https://merrittclubs.com/group-fitness/yoga/ for a full listing of classes and descriptions.
Sources:
https://www.lesmills.com/knowledge/fitness-research/the-science-of-yoga/
https://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1011782-9-crazy-fitness-trends-make-workout-fun/
