Yoga has grown in popularity as a form of exercise and also as a form of meditation in recent decades.
Most times, when someone mentions yoga, the first phrase that will come to mind is “downward facing dog” or a picture of someone sitting cross-legged on a mat.
You would not be wrong if you thought of this, but those are just a few aspects of yoga. In fact, yoga combines many exercises that we practice in our daily routines.
If you have ever been challenged to do a plank, you could technically call yourself a yogi.
If you are looking for a simple way to be more mindful and improve your physical and mental health, here are some tips to get you started in yoga.
What Is a Yogi?
Before we get into what a yogi is, we need to explain what yoga is. Originating in ancient India, yoga is a form of physical, spiritual, and mental exercise aimed at bringing wellness to oneself.
Therefore, a yogi and yogini is someone who engages in one form or the other of yoga. Anyone and everyone can practice yoga, and there is no age limit.
All you need is a mat and a comfortable location to start your routine.
You might want to consider doing yoga in a well-ventilated room or have an AC replacement done before you begin working out at home, so you have a comfortable place to do your daily practice.
Yoga is not an exercise you should be afraid of. It is not only for the experts or for those who can stand on their heads for minutes at a time.
Yoga can be adapted for any age, any fitness level and can be used for a variety of mental and physical health goals.
If you’re looking for recyclable and bio-degradable equipment, you can visit sites like Pureful Yoga.
Creating a Balance
As we stated, yoga is about combining different exercise elements to create balance within.
During a single yoga session, you will tackle your mind and body with physical exercise and breathing techniques that will help improve movement and also bring clarity of mind.
There are many breathing techniques in yoga that offer different outcomes. You can have alternate breathing where you inhale and exhale using different nostrils or just one technique during one practice.
You could focus on abdominal breathing, where you inflate your belly with air and expel as much air as possible in what is known as the “cat-cow” pose.
Breathing techniques are also used for meditation purposes. During a yoga class, you will begin with breathing exercises to help center your mind on your practice and at the end of a restorative technique to calm the mind and body after breaking a sweat.
The Benefits
There are many benefits associated with regular yoga practice. The most obvious is the fitness gained and increased flexibility in your body.
Yoga involves a lot of stretching and is therefore suitable for people seeking increased mobility. So even if you are a runner or workout in the gym, yoga is something you can add to your routine. Even if you cannot perform your other workouts, you can still keep a certain level of fitness just by regularly laying out your mat and doing some simple yoga poses and breath work.
Yoga, in many regards, is like a one-stop pharmacy where you can get a solution to a multitude of problems. It is known to help with backache, combating stress, improving physical balance, and other ailments that plague mind, body and spirit.
Different variations of yoga will offer different results. There is yoga for courage, self-love yoga, even cardio yoga for improved heart health.
Photo by Anupam Mahapatra on Unsplash
Roll Onto Your Mat
Yoga is not an exercise you should be afraid of. It is not only for the experts or for those who can stand on their heads for minutes at a time. Yoga can be adapted for any age, any fitness level and can be used for a variety of mental and physical health goals.
So unroll your mat and reap the many benefits of being a yogi today.
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