Taking a professional yoga class at a true yoga studio is probably one of the best things you’ll ever do for your body. I used to take yoga classes at the gym and I bought three different yoga DVDs to practice in the comfort of my own home, but it wasn’t until I actually joined a yoga studio that I started seeing and feeling the full benefits of practicing yoga on a regular basis.
If you’re not obsessed with yoga yet, you may be after you read all about the benefits.
Six good reasons to be obsessed with yoga:
Improved muscle tone in your arms
I know it doesn’t seem like yoga would be a very good muscle-toning workout at first glance but trust me it is. My upper arms are becoming quite defined. There are a lot of push-ups in yoga and that’s always good for the upper body strength.
When you have to hold your body in positions that you’ve never even dreamed of, you discover a whole bunch of muscles you never knew you had.
Gaining overall core strength
Holding plank position is very common when practicing yoga and therefore your abs get extremely tight. I’m not saying you’ll have a six pack overnight, but you’ll definitely notice your core – both front and back – getting stronger.
Reduced headaches, stress and anxiety
This is a major hidden secret/benefit of yoga. I don’t know if I ever told you this, but I suffer from headaches…like all the time. I rub mint essential oil on my scalp and behind my ears, I spray lavender on my pillows and I pop Tylenol like it’s candy just to get through the day.
Since I started doing yoga regularly I can say that my headaches are less sever and not as often, meaning I no longer live with a constant headache.
Lowers fatigue
I know that yoga my appear to be less energetic than running or taking a Zumba class, but surprisingly it doesn’t make you feel sleepy. I don’t have a burst of adrenaline when I finish a 60 minute yoga class, but I do feel more energized. Not in a high strung kind of way, just in a OK let’s get some stuff done type of mood.
improved balance and flexibility
Yoga is like playing golf, you’re always playing against yourself and striving to get better. If one day you can’t hold a pose, you’ll focus harder and maybe the next day you’ll be able to hold it for five breaths. That’s why yoga is so good for mind clarity because you’re always trying to improve. In all honesty you have nothing to focus on for 60 minutes other than trying not to fall over.
Improved blood circulation
I’m not going to lie, sometime my legs go numb when sitting in certain poses, but that’s just because I put my body into positions that it has never ever been in before. The more you push your body to twist a little bit further or hold a pose a little bit longer the better your blood circulation and overall health will be.
So have I convinced you? Are you going to become obsessed with yoga?
