Yoga and Flexibility

One thing most people know is that yoga, besides its relaxing, spiritual function, is also a wonderful flexibility training program. And flexibility is something that pays off enormously, for a lifetime, all the way into your senior years.

What we all should know and understand is that stretch has to be included as an essential part of any fitness program. Yoga is an excellent choice, because it not only stretches the muscles, but also the joints, which get the kind of gentle stretch necessary for enhanced flexibility.

When the entire body is trained together, it develops a sense of harmony and balance. When opposing muscle groups are trained together, flexibility will come faster as the opposing muscle groups work together not against or without each other.

Flexibility comes to people in varying rates. People who have done some other discipline such as dance or martial arts usually find the flexibility increases quickly. People who do not exercise at all, increase flexibility more slowly. Simply put, our bodies have a memory. If stretching muscles is brand new there is a steep learning curve that takes time and consistent effort. If it is in essence a refresher course, it comes fast.

Yoga Key Facts

• It will provide you with increased energy, strength, flexibility, balance and also give you a cardiovascular workout as you understand the practice more.
• It accelerates the bodies repair processes at a cellular level.
• The postures improve circulation and the health of internal organs while cleansing toxins out of the body, in other words you will start to feel better therefore you will look better!

The series of yoga poses called asanas work by safely stretching your muscles. This releases the lactic acid that builds up with muscle use and causes stiffness, tension, pain, and fatigue. In addition, yoga increases the range of motion in joints. It may also increase lubrication in the joints. The outcome is a sense of ease and fluidity throughout your body.

Yoga stretches not only your muscles but all of the soft tissues of your body. That includes ligaments, tendons, and the fascia sheath that surrounds your muscles. And no matter your level of yoga, you most likely will see benefits in a very short period of time. In one study, participants had up to 35% improvement in flexibility after only eight weeks of yoga. The greatest gains were in shoulder and trunk flexibility.

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References:

• Yoga poses; The Spanimax Institute
• Yoga Online
• The Health Benefits of Yoga; WebMD