The Benefits of Yoga!
One of the fastest and most noticeable benefits of yoga is increased flexibility. The physical benefits of yoga are much more than just stretching, which makes elongation of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. When a muscle is not stretched, it makes a lot of tension which leads to tightness and eventually chronic pain in the neck, shoulders, hips and low back. By practicing yoga, you are continually lengthening and releasing the tension of those specific areas that become stiff over time, mainly caused by over exertion or lack of activity.
Spinal extension is a very vital part in yoga, which makes an overall improved posture. Postures such as Mountain Pose, Staff Pose, and Flat Back/Spinal Extension are three postures that focus strictly on improving one’s posture. It is vital to always keep length within all forward bends, always lengthening from the base of the spine which makes low back strength and a lengthened straight spine. It is something that is carried into your day-to-day life, even as you sit at your desk or while driving your car, yoga will improve one’s posture, resulting in a postural awareness.
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Yoga is a physical activity, and with any physical movement, a person increases musculature tone/strength. As you practice yoga, you are working against gravity and use your own body weight, so that you firm/tone specific muscles. As you progress, you will start to strengthen not only major muscle groups, but the smaller groups located deep within the shoulders, back, hips and ankles which gives a person joint structural stability for day to day balance and safety.
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By practicing yoga, flexibility, posture and muscular strength/tone are increased. These benefits can then be carried off of the yoga mat and into the world, improving quality of life and health.
