Yoga’s twisting, inverting and forward bending movements help keep spinal disks supple. The movements also increase blood flow, which carries oxygen to the disks and enables them to absorb shock.
Yoga’s movements build strength without the use of additional weights. Poses that involve holding positions for long periods of time build muscle strength over time.
Warm-up
The warm-up phase is an important part of any yoga class. It is designed to prepare the body for a deeper workout and increase mobility and flexibility. It also helps to relax the mind and reduce stress and tension.
The warm up exercises also encourage conscious breathing. The contraction and release of muscles during deep, conscious breathing stimulates circulation, which provides the muscles with fresh oxygen. This in turn helps to prevent injuries by allowing the muscles to perform at their best without excessive tension.
The warm up is especially important when practicing advanced yoga postures, as they require the body to be in its most flexible state. Practicing these poses without warming up can result in injury, such as pulled muscles and ligaments. Warm up exercises also help to activate the joints, lubricating them with synovial fluid and increasing their range of motion. This can reduce the risk of joint injury and improve overall health.
Asana
The postures or asanas in yoga are designed to move every muscle, joint and gland of the body. They increase flexibility and calm the mind. They also help in the prevention of diseases and disorders like diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. Yoga asanas strengthen the muscles and help reduce back pain, improve posture and boost immune system. They can even prevent osteoporosis and reverse it if practiced regularly along with proper breathing or pranayama.
Many yoga poses are isometric, which means they require the body to hold a position for several minutes or longer. This improves blood circulation and can lower your blood pressure and heart rate. It also improves digestion by regulating digestive juices.
Studies have shown that yoga can burn 200 to 600 calories per hour. However, the amount of calories burned depends on the intensity of the class. Classes that have a more relaxed pace may not raise your heart rate enough to count as moderate physical activity, according to Laskowski.
Breathing
Many people are surprised to learn that yoga is not only about physical postures; it also has a strong breathing phase called pranayama. It is recommended that you practice this part of the practice daily as it can help alleviate various health issues such as migraine episodes, bronchitis, constipation and high blood pressure.
The basic yoga breath is ujjayi; a rhythmic, ocean-sounding breath that helps to warm up the body and focus the mind. You can do this at the beginning of your yoga session or any time during the day when you are feeling stressed or anxious.
The calming breathing techniques of yoga increase the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and body, reducing stress. Studies show that yogic breathing exercises also help reduce anxiety, fatigue and random thoughts; and improve quality of sleep and concentration. They can be done sitting in a comfortable position or lying down. These breathing exercises may also benefit people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart problems, cancer, and diabetes.
Meditation
Yoga often includes meditation, but the focus isn’t on clearing your mind. Instead, it’s about noticing your thoughts and feelings as they arise and returning your attention to the present moment.
The meditation phase of a yoga session can involve reciting a phrase like, “May I be well, may I be happy, may I be peaceful.” It also involves sending good wishes to others. A type of meditation called loving-kindness meditation involves wishing happiness to those you love and to all living things.
The meditation phase of a yoga session is usually short, but it’s important to make the time. Tsomo suggests that if you’re struggling to find the time, start with three minutes of meditation and build up from there. It will be hard to make it a habit at first, but keep at it. The more you meditate, the more beneficial it will be. Multiple research studies have found that people who meditate regularly experience changes in their brain structure.