Cooperative Living July 2016 - 22

HealthyTake
The Many Forms,
the Many Benefits of Yoga
Benefits
Beyond
the Mat
It's a total mind-body workout
that combines strengthening
and stretching poses with
deep breathing.
Legs: Yoga poses such as the chair will
work all sides of the legs, including
quadriceps, hips and thighs.
Glutes: Yoga squats, bridges and warrior
poses involve deep knee bends, which help
tone and sculpt one's rear.
Yoga poses also stretch your muscles and
increase your range of motion. With regular
practice, you'll notice an improvement in
your flexibility and balance.
GETTING STARTED
orkout fads come and go, but
virtually no other exercise
program has been as enduring
as yoga. This mental, physical and spiritual
practice, which originated in India more
than 5,000 years ago, combines breath
control, simple meditation and the adoption
of specific body postures.
Yoga does more than burn calories and
tone muscles. It's a total mind-body
workout that combines strengthening and
stretching poses with deep breathing.
Practitioners often find that regular practice
relieves stress and boosts one's mood.
The many different forms of yoga include
some that are fast-paced and intense and
others that are gentle and relaxing. Some of
the best-known include:
Hatha - a series of basic movements
combined with coordinated inhaling and
exhaling;
Vinyasa - a series of poses that flow
smoothly into one another;
Bikram (Hot Yoga) - a series of 26
challenging poses performed in a room
heated to a high temperature;
Iyengar - uses props such as blocks
and chairs to help move the body into
proper alignment;
Power - a faster, higher-intensity
practice that builds core strength and
muscle.
W
While yoga isn't considered aerobic
exercise, research finds that it's just as
good as aerobic exercise for improving
health. Holding your body in a balanced
pose can take a significant amount of
strength, so regular practice will also
strengthen the muscles of your arms, back,
legs and core. And while yoga can offer a
full-body workout, it won't put any impact
on your joints.
AREAS OF THE BODY THAT
YOGA CAN BENEFIT:
Core: Want to tighten those love
handles? Then prop yourself up on one
arm and do a side plank. To really burn
your abs, try the boat pose, in which you
balance on your sit bones and hold your
legs and arms up in the air.
Back: Yoga moves such as downwardfacing
dog, child's pose and cat/cow will
give your back muscles a good stretch. It's
no wonder that research finds that yoga is
good for relieving a sore back.
Arms:With yoga, you don't build arm
strength with free weights or machines, but
with the weight of your own body. Some
poses, such as the plank, spread your
weight equally between your arms and
legs. Others, like the crane and crow poses,
challenge your arms even more by making
them support your full body weight.
20 | Cooperative Living | July 2016
Beginners may want to invest in a weekly
or bi-weekly class. Group classes are
relatively inexpensive and most yoga studios
have mirrored walls to help you check your
pose. Having an instructor to guide you will
also help ensure you correctly perform
various postures for maximum benefit. Plus
yoga is more fun in a group setting!
Choose comfortable but form-fitting
clothes that will stay put no matter what
pose you try. Also, purchase a yoga mat to
help keep you from sliding around in
standing poses, and to cushion you while in
seated or lying positions. Optional
equipment includes a yoga ball for balance,
a yoga block or two and straps to help you
reach for your feet or link your hands
behind your back.
IS YOGA SAFE FOR PEOPLE
WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS?
Yoga is a great activity for those with
diabetes, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol or heart disease. It helps develop
strength, flexibility and balance, and can be
combined with light aerobic activities such
as walking, biking or swimming. Yoga can
help those suffering from arthritis stay
flexible and strong without putting added
stress on the joints. It can also help
expectant mothers keep relaxed, strong and
in shape, but they'll need to make some
adjustments as the baby and belly grow and
center of gravity shifts. And ever-morepopular
" chair yoga " provides a safe way for
seniors to enjoy the health benefits of this
ancient practice. 
Source: www.webmd.com
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Cooperative Living July 2016

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