The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root 'yuj' meaning 'to unite' which means that it helps in uniting the mind and the body. Yoga also teaches us methods to unite the individual soul with the supreme soul. It is the exercise of the body and the spirit and will definitely help you to get in shape. Yoga dates back to the Upanishads, written during 1000-5000 BC. Bhakti yoga, Hatha yoga, Jnana yoga, Karma yoga, Kundalini yoga, Mantra yoga, Purna yoga and Raj yoga are some of the types of yoga practices.
People started realizing the importance of yoga for achieving excellence of both mind and body a few years back and eventually, a new form called power yoga came into being. Power Yoga also known as Dynamic yoga is a modern way to get in shape. It started gaining popularity during the late 90's and as the name suggests, it is fast paced and involves quite a bit of effort.
It differs from other forms of yoga as it has an emphasis on fitness and it gives more importance to strength and flexibility of the body. Yes, it can be followed by anyone who wants to keep their body fit by exercising, but you have to keep in mind that it works best when practiced on an empty stomach. Hence, performing power yoga in an early morning environment is highly recommended.
The following are some of the benefits of yoga:
- Increases the flexibility of the body. It activates the different joints of the body, including the ones that cannot be triggered with regular exercises.
- Acts as a ligament, connecting bones or cartilages or supporting muscles or organs. It also helps exercise the various joints and tendons of the body.
- Massages all the internal glands and organs of the body including those that hardly get externally moved during our entire span of life.
- Can be a tool for detoxification of the body. It helps in flushing out harmful toxins from every organ and part of the body.
- Helps in toning the various muscles of the body. Muscles which have been drooping and fragile are moved repeatedly to get rid of excess fats.
- Regular practice of yoga helps in mood improvement and lessening of nervousness and tension.
- Yoga encourages living happily by reducing depression.
- Nourishes the skin and makes it glow and look younger and healthier.
- Reduces the chances of osteoporosis since it helps keep calcium in the bones by lowering the levels of adrenal-cortex hormone that is active in carbohydrate and protein metabolism.
- Benefits the cardiovascular system. It helps in circulating the blood and oxygen throughout our body.
- Regular practice of yoga leads to improved sleep.
- Increases the energy level in your body and helps fight fatigue once and for all.
As you can see, the practice of yoga helps to relax the mind and body and improving strength through various postures and breathing exercises. The benefits of yoga surpass the benefit of any other exercise and therefore Yoga is the best form of exercise in order to get in shape.
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