Why You Should Give Yoga A Try
With torn muscles in my right shoulder from working as a welder, damaged right knee, from moving a friends washer and dryer, and an achy ankle from a trip down an flight of stairs 10 years ago, I know that I ain’t what I used to be. But, I still want to exercise enough to keep mentally and physically fit. This is why I decided to give yoga a try. Maybe you should as well. No it won’t make you all sensitive, like me you can still eat steaks and enjoy Ultimate Fighting Championships.
While medical science is making it possible for more people to live longer most of us want to do so without an over-reliance on pills and needles. I don’t know about you but I want to remain mobile, and mentally capable for as long as possible as naturally as possible.
Yoga is one of the fastest growing exercise regimens in the world. Despite it’s attraction to women, workouts can get pretty intense depending upon the type of yoga you decide to do. It improves balance, strength and flexibility while requiring very little space and exercise equipment.
Other Reason to Practice:
1) Sitting for long periods, tightens the muscles of the hip and thighs, while poor posture weakens muscles of the abdomen and back. These muscular imbalances and weaknesses can lead to falls as we age. Hip fractures, are the result and even if the bones heal properly, the resulting muscle atrophy leads to an even more sedentary life.
2) Yoga can be done by just about anyone, no matter their age. It can also be practiced by those who have artificial hip and knee joints. Some insurance plans now cover Yoga as a form of therapy due to its many positive affects.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND:
As with all exercise programs consult your doctor before starting.
It is not a competition. (Sorry, Hans unt Frans!)
Severe pain in any pose is a sign that you are doing it wrong or over-doing it.
Here are the benefits:
A decrease in blood pressure – Although not a substitute for medication, people with mild or moderate hypertension can see a drop in their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Anxiety and Depression – Almost any form of regular physical exercise alleviates anxiety and/or depression unless the condition is severe.
Heart Disease – Exactly how Yoga is able to slow or reverse heart disease is still being studied. It is thought that the combination of lowering blood pressure, and triglycerides, might be how Yoga practice might stop this disease.
Chronic Diseases – Victims of such ailments such as , arthritis, asthma and diabetes have, in clinical tests, had some or all of their symptoms relieved after 6+ months of regular yoga.
Yoga can be considered the aspirin of the exercise world as it is both cheap and effective.
Hope to see you on the mat soon.
