Besides being “in,” yoga is an incredibly beneficial activity for all ages and abilities. The health benefits of yoga are great, and many people are much happier as a result of their practice.
But why?
If you have never stepped onto a yoga mat, or if it has been a while since you’ve taken a yoga class, the following reasons why you should get with the program may inspire you to make it a priority.
1. Yoga training can help reduce muscle soreness after a strength workout
A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that after a bout of eccentric training (workouts that cause muscle soreness the next day), a single bout of yoga significantly improves soreness the next day.
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While I know some people enjoy feeling muscle soreness, the next day after a workout, some people do their best to avoid it. If you want to reduce your muscle soreness try yoga out.
It may also be helpful for those who have a race or competition coming up. It is essential to continue to train but soreness can hinder performance.
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2. Yoga improves your sex life
Speaking of the benefits of yoga, it can also improve your sex life. Pelvic muscles are very important when engaging in sex. You can work your pelvic floor muscles by zeroing in on your Mula bandha (root lock), kandharasana (bridge pose), and the supta baddha konasana (reclining bound angle pose).
Wash away fatigue and rejuvenate your body by practicing poses like the balasana (child's pose) and padmasana (lotus pose).
Experience improved sex when you practice the upavistha konasana (sitting wide-legged straddle pose). To amp up your sexual stamina and go the distance in bed, you need a body and mind that can keep up. Yoga can help you find those fresh reserves of energy by improving your strength and flexibility and working muscle groups that are engaged during sex.
It can even ease stress and anxiety that could be wearing you down mentally. Plus, some positions and concepts like the mula bandha or the bridge pose are specifically designed to target the pelvic zone and the pelvic floor muscles, directly impacting your sexual experience and vitality.
3. Yoga reduces back pain
A study took a group of individuals who suffered from low back pain. Some of the control group did nothing and two other groups either took yoga classes or were given a yoga video to do on their own. After 12 weeks, the group who took the classes and those who followed the videos at home saw significant improvements in lower back pain compared to the control group.
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4. Yoga improves balance, flexibility, and muscular strength
Another study took a group of people who never performed yoga before. They completed two sessions per week for 8 weeks and saw significant improvements in balance, flexibility, and upper and lower body muscular strength.
Another similar study found that yoga even helped improve muscular endurance. Although there were no significant changes in body composition, these were pretty amazing results.
5. Yoga can help with depression
If you are suffering from serious depression you should be seeking help from a professional therapist, however, we all have suffered from times when we are feeling down.
A study was conducted with cancer survivors who completed 7 weeks of yoga training. They found that after the 7 weeks those who did the yoga experienced positive changes in emotional function, reduced depression, and reduced mood disturbances.
One of the most beneficial aspects of yoga is its ability to help reduce stress. If you are feeling run down, depressed, or just stressed out, give a yoga class a try and see how you feel after.
6. Yoga can give you better body awareness
Having a keen sense of your body has a plethora of benefits. For starters, you will be less likely to overeat, know exactly which foods serve your body best, respect your body’s need to get more rest or exercise, and you’ll experience heightened sensual pleasure during sex.
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