Yoga is an ancient practice that brings together mind and body. It incorporates breathing exercises, meditation and poses designed to encourage relaxation and reduce stress.
Practicing yoga is said to come with many benefits:
Improves Flexibility
Moving and stretching in new ways will help you become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to tight areas. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders, and hips.
Builds Strength
Many yoga poses require you to bear your body weight in new ways, including balancing on one leg or supporting yourself with your arms. Holding these poses over the course of several breaths helps build muscular strength.
Increases Muscle Tone and Definition
As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone.
Yoga helps shape long, lean muscles in your legs, arms, back, and abdomen.
Improves Balance
Improved balance is one of the most important benefits of yoga as you get older. Poses where you stand on one leg and, for more advanced students, inversions, are great ways to build the core strength that keeps you upright.
Supports Joint Health
The movements necessary for yoga are low impact, allowing you to use your joints without injuring them. Yoga also helps strengthen the muscles around the joints, lessening their load.
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