By: Fatima Ramirez
Do you enjoy having a great stretch when you wake up? How about before you play sports or after you had a long day? Or even before and/or after a workout? Stretching is exceptionally good for the body and can help with flexibility of the muscles. But have you thought about doing stretches for exercise? How about Yoga?
WHAT IS YOGA?
Yoga is defined as a kind of activity that focuses on the mind, body, and will in order to relax and focus on the mind. According to the Osteopathic website, “the purpose of yoga is to build strength, awareness, and harmony in both your mind and body (American Osteopathic Association).” This can mean that if you are feeling stressed or you would like a nice stretch after a long day, yoga is the good way to go.
BENEFITS
While yoga may be too relaxing or just not as much intense, there are several benefits for the exercise itself. One of the first things is that it has a significant amount of increases in flexibility, muscle strength, and tone. Since you are improving your flexibility, you are reducing your risk of gaining injuries and improve your athletic performance.
Did you know that yoga is also beneficial to your mental health? According to Psychology Today, yoga is great for decreasing signs of depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, and attention deficit. It can also decrease the symptoms for schizophrenia (Khoshaba, 2013). Yoga also tends to put people in a good mood and have a positive mindset.
COMMON EASY YOGA MOVES
- Cobra Pose
- Child’s Pose
- Downward Facing Dog
- High Lunge
- Butterfly
- Bridge Pose
HOW CAN I GET STARTED?
To start out, Yoga can be done anywhere. It can be outdoors like a local park or indoors like your house or a gym. It’s recommended that you pick a location that is very tranquil and alone. That way you won’t get distracted and focus on the workout itself.
The second necessity is a yoga mat. The benefit of having one is making sure you have cushion while you’re doing the poses and you are less at risk to slip during the poses. If you do not have a yoga mat, use a blanket or towel instead. You can do it without a mat as well, just make sure its on a comfortable sturdy surface.
Finally, you can start your yoga workout (see the list above for some basic yoga moves for your first time). I would suggest sitting down and making a list of moves first. Or if you would like, you can look for some routines on the internet and follow it from there! Don’t worry about making mistakes, it’s all about having fun!
CONCLUSION
When it comes to yoga, it’s all about everyone’s perspective. But overall, it’s a great time to have some relaxation after a long day. Yoga can be perform for all ages and their benefits can also contribute to them. Some schools and work are starting to incorporate this exercise in their environment in order to relieve tension after a long day. So stand up, grab a mat, and begin to do a easy yoga stretch! And remember, Yoga-t This!
RESOURCES
Benefits of Yoga. American Osteopathic Association, Retrieved September 27, 2020, from https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/benefits-of-yoga/
Khoshaba, D. (2013, May 23). Take a Stand for Yoga Today. Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/get-hardy/201305/take-stand-yoga-today
KEY WORDS: Yoga, Stretch, Mental Health, Relax, Benefit
