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In yoga, you assume a series of postures that construct strength and adaptability. Photos: Thinkstock |
This ancient practice can contribute to heart health, general health and mental well-being.
Yoga is an ancient practice that mixes physical activity, respiratory and focused mental attention. A growing body of research shows that yoga offers a variety of health advantages, including low-impact cardiovascular exercise.
What is yoga?
All varieties of yoga have some basics in common, but there are a lot of varieties. In hatha yoga, which is popular with beginners, you assume a series of postures (called poses) that take your joints and muscles through a wide selection of motion. You also learn to control your respiratory in sync with the movement. Yoga also emphasizes meditation to realize a peaceful focus.
Yoga practices vary within the number of various poses, how long you hold them, and the way you incorporate respiratory or mental training.
Yoga and health
Quite a few clinical studies have examined the consequences of yoga on various health conditions. But a lot of the results have been inconclusive, either due to the small size and short duration of the studies or due to flaws in the best way the studies were designed. It's also unclear which variety of yoga is best and the way often you could practice yoga to see the advantages. If you've gotten a serious health condition, it's smart to think about yoga as something you'll be able to do as well as to straightforward medical treatment.
But it's hard to dispute that yoga promotes strength and adaptability. This makes it a useful type of exercise to alleviate general stiffness and pain in your muscles and joints. Some studies show that yoga improves arthritis symptoms, lower back pain, and balance.
Yoga on your heart
This is encouraging, but it surely has its limits. Yoga may help improve heart risk aspects, but it surely has not yet been proven to forestall heart attacks and strokes. The researchers simply conclude that yoga offers potential cardiovascular health advantages and will be a fitness option for individuals who have limited ability to interact in additional vigorous aerobic exercise.
Is it for you?
The percentage of US adults who practice yoga has nearly doubled since 2002 to almost 10% of adults. About a 3rd of them are 65 and older.
Many of the converts are women, but Nair urges men to maintain an open mind about yoga. “One thing I hear men say over and over again is that they're not flexible enough to do yoga,” says Nair. “A lot of men focus on activities like weights and running, things that don't involve a lot of stretching. But strength and flexibility actually go hand in hand.”
How to startWhere: Yoga classes are widely available at health clubs and community or senior centers. Many industrial yoga studios will let you take a category free of charge to present yoga a test drive. A typical cost per session is $15 to $20. It helps to have a trained guide, as there's a risk of injury in yoga for those who do difficult poses that you just usually are not prepared or able to overstretch muscles and tendons. What: Among the various forms of yoga, Hatha and Iyengar How often: Weekly classes are common, but many individuals practice yoga day by day at home. Do what matches your schedule, and “start low and go slow” to avoid injuries. |