When people think of yoga they often think of a form of meditation that is used to relieve stress and lessen anxiety. The slow movement of the exercises and the deep breathing used are relaxing and meditative. The practice of yoga is often used as physical and mental therapy because of the benefits in both of these areas of life. It can be practiced by anyone, regardless of age, fitness level, or health.
However, practicing yoga isn't just a way to reduce stress. The postures are body toning exercises that have the added benefit of helping reduce stress.
The postures of yoga exercises are what create the physical change in you. By practicing yoga you can increase your strength and flexibility, improve your stamina, and boost your energy. And by practicing yoga regularly, just as any body toning exercise, you lose weight and gain muscle tone. Some yoga poses even help improve metabolism, making it easier to burn calories. Some additional physical benefits of yoga include cardiovascular efficiency, improved balance, improved dexterity, and increased breath-holding time.
"Yoga" means "union," and the practice of yoga seeks to strengthen the union between mind, body, and spirit. This union is achieved through postures (the yoga positions), proper breathing, and meditation. These three aspects combine to bring your mind, body, and spirit into balance, which improves overall health.
To many, the emotional benefits of yoga are just as important as the physical benefits. In fact, the emotional and mental benefits of the body toning exercises are the reason many begin practicing yoga in the first place. In the body toning exercises of yoga breathing and meditation are important, which have a calming effect on the mind, bringing a sense of mental and emotional balance. The meditation allows you to mentally work through sources of stress to be able to overcome the feeling, or to put it out of your mind during the exercises to feel relief during the yoga.
The body toning exercises used in the practice of yoga are beneficial not only for the physical body by improving muscle tone, increasing flexibility, and helping you lose weight, but yoga is also beneficial to your mental and emotional well being. The deep breathing and meditation used in yoga relieve stress, and improve overall mental and emotional health. So whether you practice yoga for the body toning exercises or for the mental and emotional benefits, it is a form of exercise that can appeal to anyone.
Brian Jenkins is a nutrition expert and writer and assists clients with healthy weight loss regiments, including body toning exercises.
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