Yoga: what's the deal anyway?

When most people think of yoga, they picture one of two things:

1. Ultra bendy people contorting themselves into unnatural shapes.

or

2. People sitting cross legged on the floor and chanting 'om' for an uncomfortably long time.

However, yoga has evolved and has become more than just something for the ultra flexible.

It actually has many health benefits, aside from becoming super bendy, that is!

Whilst it obviously does increase your flexibility, it also helps to improve your balance, increases your core strength and decreases cholesterol. It has been shown in studies that yoga can also reduce the risk of heart disease just as much as conventional exercise does, as well as lowering blood pressure. Health concerns such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Asthma, Chronic Pain and even Obesity have also seen positive effects as a result of doing yoga.

As a Personal Trainer, the health benefits of any exercise are important to me, but i am also the holder of a Bachelors and Masters in Psychology, so the benefits that yoga has for the mind are also of interest to me!

It is a great stress reliever, as holding the poses can help to reduce built up tension in your muscles and help them to relax. For the more spiritual amongst us, is also allows you to be completely present in the moment, forgetting the daily stresses and worries for a short while and just focusing on the act of yoga and the way that your body feels in a pose. You can truly feel at peace.

People with anxiety (such as myself), have seen great improvements in their levels of anxiety just from incorporating a little yoga into their lives. It helps to calm your thoughts, focus on your breathing and relax your muscles, leaving you feeling as though you are floating for a few hours afterwards! Of course, there is also the boost to your self esteem when you nail a pose you have been working on for a while, or can reach further than you did before!

The good thing about yoga is that you can do it anywhere, as shown in the photo below, which was taken on a recent holiday in Tenerife. There are an abundance of classes, as well as online YouTube flows and apps that you can use if you wish to practice alone.

You don't have to be super bendy, or fit, to do yoga either, it is all about working with what you have and to your own ability. It is great for those with injuries or pain, and also those who cannot participate in regular exercise.

It is low impact and slow paced (unless you choose to speed it up!) so you really can adapt it to you and your capabilities.

There are many different types of yoga, including goat yoga (yep, that's a thing!), so i will outline some of the more common and available ones:

1, Hatha Yoga: This is fab for beginners, as it is all basic poses in a slower moving format, with lots of focus on holding the poses and breath work.

2. Vinyasa Yoga: This is more fast paced, with lots of flowy movements rather than holding poses for a few breaths. This can actually be quite the cardio workout, which is great for heart health and fat loss.

3. Iyengar Yoga: This type of yoga focuses a lot on the alignment of your body, and often uses props such as blocks or straps to help you hold a pose. This allows you to work to a range of motion that is safe and comfortable for you.

4. Ashtanga Yoga: This is definitely a more challenging type of yoga, with more sequenced poses that you flow through repeatedly to build heat, focusing on breath work at the same time.

5. Bikram Yoga: This type of yoga focuses on very specific poses, 26 to be exact, and 2 breathing exercises, often practised in a warm and humid room. It can be quite vigorous the first time you do it, however, as it is so structured, you will soon get the hang of it.

6. Yin Yoga: This class is essentially the opposite of Ashtanga, as poses are held for minutes at a time in order to calm and balance your body, restoring length and elasticity. It is a more meditative form of yoga, perfect for finding your zen!

7. Restorative Yoga: You may not feel like you are actually doing anything in this type of class- but that is exactly the point! It is a very slow moving practice, holding poses for a longer period and helping you to feel mellow and deeply relaxed.

8. Kundalini Yoga: This is very challenging in terms of the typical yoga class. You perform repetitive physical exercises, known as Kriyas, alongside intense breath work, chants and meditation.

From all of those, i am sure you can find one that would suit you! Give it a try and let me know how you get on!