Yoga is my all time favorite workout, and I think everyone should try it! Some people assume that because it’s a stationary activity, it must be slow moving. But while yoga can be used to relax and stretch, it can also be used to create heat and increase one’s heart rate, too. It’s a multipurpose workout that provides an abundance of benefits, making it an ideal way to take care of your body. Here are 10 reasons why you should try yoga for your next workout:
1. Anyone can do it.
Like this Chihuahua, you, too, can do yoga! Yoga is possible for everyone; the difficulty of the practice can be altered based on your abilities and needs, especially when you do it by yourself or in a small group.
2. It can be done almost anywhere.
Whether you’re looking out over an amazing mountain view like these yoga partners or in your college dorm room, yoga is doable. It only requires a space that is flat, as long as your body, and as wide as your arm span. For people who aren’t so familiar with yoga, or who prefer to follow an expert, yoga practice videos are available on YouTube and elsewhere on the Internet for free! My personal favorite online yogi is Lesley Fightmaster.
3. You don't have to be amazingly flexible or talented to do it.
Although flexibility does make yoga easier, the goal is not to stretch beyond one’s limits, but is instead to feel any stretch at all. If that means you can only touch your knees in a forward fold, then that’s perfectly fine. Enjoy the stretch where you’re at!
4. Everyone could use a little more positivity.
Yoga places a huge emphasis on uplifting self talk and creating positive energy. If you fall out of a pose, smile and get back into it. Being good at yoga is all about being good to yourself and allowing yourself to make mistakes.
5. It's a great way to break a sweat.
One huge misconception about yoga is that it’s slow. Yoga can actually be very fast moving, particularly when practicing at a single breath per movement rate. A lot of heat can be built this way, making it a great cardio workout.6. Yoga = strength building, toning and stretching in one!
In a single yoga practice, you will experience poses that require strength and stability, and poses that require length and flexibility. This is one area where yoga beats out most other workouts, because there are not many that target so many muscles of the body in such different ways.
7. People who do yoga regularly are super fit and can do amazing things with their bodies.
The proof is in the pudding; people who practice yoga regularly have very healthy bodies.
8. It's a great way to clear both physical and emotional toxins.
Yoga is a great way to get your mind and body right! The twisting and stretching poses of yoga help to clear out junk that builds up, including pent up emotions.
9. Yoga trains you to breathe better.
In yoga, each pose is linked to steady breathing. Training one’s breath to stay steady amidst a quick vinyasa flow provides benefits beyond the mat; stress levels are connected to the way we breathe.
10. It can be used to relax or become energized.
