The art of yoga is not a new fitness practice or the latest hot trend. In fact, the art of yoga dates back nearly 5,000 years.

Individuals have been participating in yoga for generations for its relaxation effects, enhanced flexibility, positive effects on the mind and for the extensive list of associated health benefits. Today, individuals of all ages and all fitness levels leverage the benefits of yoga for their body and their overall health.

Yoga is most well known for physical poses, otherwise referred to as asanas. Along with yoga poses comes breathing exercises, a form of meditation.

Overall, yoga works to calm the mind, to strengthen the body, and to improve flexibility.

Here are some of the benefits of yoga:

Increased Flexibility
When engaging in the practice of yoga, many individuals find that their body becomes increasingly flexible. Yoga stretches both soft tissues and the muscles within your body. Each yoga pose works to stretch varying muscle groups in a safe and structured fashion. When stretching the body during these poses, muscles release lactic acid, often the culprit of stiff, sore or fatigued muscles. In addition to improved flexibility, individuals who participate in yoga often find that their overall range of motion increases.

Improved Strength
In addition to flexibility benefits, individuals who engage in yoga often experience improved overall body strength. There are several different styles of yoga, each offering different benefits to the body; power yoga, ashtanga and bikram. These styles focus on increasing strength, increasing flexibility or increasing inner peace. But, one of the most noticeable areas that improves in strength is the body’s core. Our balance is often derived by the strength of the muscles in our abdomen and corresponding muscles in the back. Many yoga poses focus on strengthening these muscles as well as the ability to balance.

Improved Posture
Because so many yoga poses focus on strengthening the body’s core, most individuals who participate in these exercises experience improved posture. Deep abdominal muscle activities are at the core of most yoga routines, and these are the muscles required for proper and improved posture. Posture is also improved through increased body awareness. With increased focus on postures during yoga, the focus carries through into daily life. Many people are able to better identify when they are not exhibiting proper posture, allowing them to correct themselves.

Deep Breathing
It is surprising how few people take the time to focus on their daily breathing. Deep breathing exercises work to relax the body and can increase lung capacity over time. Increased lung capacity provides benefits for all individuals, but athletes in particular experience competitive benefits from increasing this capacity. Lung capacity is built through deep breathing exercises, not through increased breathing during a cardiovascular routine.

Reduction in Stress
Individuals around the world are experiencing increased stress levels, with many not able to properly manage the effects on their bodies. Yoga offers individuals the ability to reduce their stress level during and after the classes. Part of this reason is linked to deep breathing exercises, others are linked to the required focus on the poses, said to quiet the mind. Decreased stress provides significant long term health benefits for the body.

Improved Concentration
Many yoga students talk about their improvement in the ability to focus after participating in the art over time. Due to the relaxation benefits experienced through yoga, individuals also experience an increase in general mood on a weekly basis when they take at least one yoga class per week.

Decreased Risk of Heart Disease
Reduction in stress levels can often be associated with decreased blood pressure and hypertension, both risk factors for heart disease. yoga has also been shown to reduce an individual’s cholesterol and triglyceride levels, both risk factors for heart disease as well. Yoga not only can reduce someone’s propensity for heart disease, but can be used as an alternative treatment option for someone who is battling heart disease.

In addition to the above medical and health benefits, many alternative health practitioners recommend the use of yoga as a preventative tool as well as an alternative treatment option for a variety of illnesses or disease.

Overall, yoga not only has shown benefits to the body’s strength and flexibility, but has enabled individuals to increase focus and concentration.

Most importantly, individuals who participate in regular yoga routines have seen positive health improvements in their life.

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