Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Yoga benefits bring much to mind but primarily, Yoga presents a picture of tranquility, and health. Indeed, this physical and mental discipline has made the lives of many people so much better according to their own testimonies. The ways that yoga improves health are, indeed, many but they can be summed up in the following points:

Improvement of Medical Conditions

One of the most common health benefits of yoga is its ability to improve the condition of people with heart disease. Because of the breathing techniques, the person is given a chance to relax, thus, setting a wave of reactions such as lowering of blood pressure and heart rate. Yoga is claimed to promote antioxidant activities in the body, decrease bad cholesterol (LDL levels) and boost the immune system.

Strength and Endurance

Yoga can be practiced with different styles and poses, some higher in intensity than the others, but they all work to improve muscle tone. The particular muscle group that the exercise targets are those located in the deep abdominal area which are responsible for core strength. Even exercises that require only a high level of concentration and less movement can bring about the benefits of increased strength and endurance.

Posture and Respiration

Yoga targets the so-called core muscles which are responsible for the way a person slouches or holds his torso up. When these muscles are well-developed, as what will likely result from yoga exercises, the person will hold his body up on instinct, whether he's sitting or standing. Yoga also develops lung capacity through exercises that promote deep and extended breathing, thus, improving a person's general respiratory activity.

Stress Management and Psychological Disposition

Yoga is a health discipline that relies greatly on breathing exercises which allow the person to focus on his own breath. This creates a calming effect by quieting the mind as it is attuned only to the sound of the person's breathing. This makes way for better stress management which is really more than a mind thing.

There are biochemical responses that produce this feeling of calm and serenity, among which are an increase in catecholamines, which are released in response to stress, and a decrease in energy-boosting neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Most yoga enthusiasts also tend to report a feeling of happiness or satisfaction when they do the exercise regularly - a benefit that is attributed to an increase in brain oxygen levels and linked to the treatment of certain mental disorders.

Conclusion

Yoga espouses the value of stretching the muscles and improving blood circulation, both of which are the ways that yoga is believed to improve one's physical and mental well-being. There can also be different reasons why people engage in this type of activity. They may want to lose weight or improve flexibility and agility.

Others just want to be able to listen to themselves more with the high level of concentration that it requires. Whatever the reasons, however, one thing is for sure. Yoga brings a long list of health benefits that everybody needs to live a healthier, fuller and happier life.

The Top Five Secrets of Yoga

By Bushra K Hashmi

Its an open secret that yoga is a physical routine that relaxes the mind and rejuvenate the senses. There are many individual benefits that people do yoga for. Any seasoned yogi will tell you how it helps them in so many different ways. However, we have tried to list down the most important aspects of our lives that yoga can help us immensely improve.

1- Yoga and Stress

According to many research studies, stress is the underlying factor in almost three fourth of all illnesses that prevail in humans. It is especially regarded as the number one killer condition in fast paced nations. Yoga helps in coping with stress by way of producing endorphins in the human body. Endorphins produce happy feelings in the brain, thus improving the mood and reducing stress.

2- Yoga and Sleep

Sleep deprivation is yet another common problem, more so among those leading a hectic life as well as the elderly. As a matter of fact there is no set age limit for lack of sleep to set in. Unlike other exercises, yoga is not only safe to do close to bedtime, it also increases the chances of a peaceful sleep by relaxing our muscles and mind.

3- Yoga and Ageing

Pleasantly enough, yoga has been found to fight the effects of ageing as it makes regular yogis look much younger than they actually are. One reason are the great effects on skin. But perhaps the greatest reason is that yoga lifts spirits, reduces mental tension, thus keeping people not only looking young but more importantly, feeling young.

4- Yoga and Focus

Sharp focus and concentration are two very important tools in everyday life. As the grind of daily life takes the vigor away from us, it can take along with it our ability to focus. Loss of focus can trigger memory loss, which may in turn lead to terrible illnesses like Alzheimer's. Breathing and meditation exercises in yoga help improve the mind's capability to retain its focus and further sharpens it.

5- Yoga and General Health

Of course, Yoga is a great way to remain healthy. Again, unlike other exercises, it is safe for the elderly and also for those with health problems like palpitation, high blood pressure, heart diseases etc. Not only that, yoga also helps prevent diseases by keeping you fit and active. It increases flexibility of muscles. But most of all, it boosts your spirits and lets you focus on the brighter side of life, which is a health booster in itself!

Remaining healthy with hatha yoga is very important for you to live longer. Not everyone is a fitness enthusiast. If you want to stay healthy without gong to the gym then you should try yoga.

Yoga is a complete health system and has been practiced since ancient times. One of the many benefits of hatha yoga is it makes you flexible and toned. Yoga helps your blood distributin in all areas of the body.

If you want to become a yoga instructor you can always join a aura yoga teacher training course.

Benefits of Regular Yoga Workouts

By Sharon Sweeny

Although it's been around for thousands of years, yoga has only been practiced in the western world for a few decades. Modern medicine is proving that it does have the health benefits that traditional yogis and the ancient texts always claimed it has. Here are just a few of the benefits you can expect to receive from regular yoga workouts:

Flexibility: Holding a series of yoga poses in a controlled, methodical way really works your muscles. The result is that your muscles lengthen, and become more flexible. As you hold a pose, you are instructed to breathe, causing you to concentrate on your breath. As a result, your muscles work harder to maintain the pose while your attention is elsewhere.

Strength: The act of holding your body in an unnatural position, or pose, causes your muscles to work in ways that they are not familiar with. This is the very essence of strength training: Working muscles harder, and in different ways, causing them to tear. It is when they heal from this tearing that they grow stronger. Yoga accomplishes this strengthening of the muscles without the use of weights, using only gravity and your own body weight as resistance.

Less Stress: Yoga is very much a discipline that combines the body and spirit. You cannot work the body without also exercising the inner self, the spirit. Yoga participants report experiencing or perceiving much less stress in their lives after participating in yoga classes. The act of coordinating controlled body movements with controlled breathing integrates the body and spirit, causing a union of the two that promotes calmness and inner peace, two enemies of stress.

Improved Mood: Participants in yoga classes report a much improved outlook on life in general. Some participants have experienced improved moods that have been likened to the effect of an antidepressant. Yoga clears the mind and body of negative, unhealthy thoughts. The concentration is on flowing movement, accompanied by controlled breathing.

Pain Relief: Studies have shown regular yoga workouts help with chronic pain relief, especially pain associated with fibromyalgia. Subjects showed a decreased perception of pain, along with an increased desire to participate in everyday activities. They also reported an improvement in their ability to cope with setbacks, especially those related to their disease. Yoga workouts show promise in the management of other types of chronic pain, although more studies are needed.

Better Sleep: There's no question about it, doing regular yoga workouts helps you sleep better. Studies have shown that participants experienced better quality of sleep, the ability to fall asleep faster, and to sleep longer once they did fall asleep. The results were similar to results gleaned from the use of sleep-inducing drugs, which shows promise in the management of sleep-related disorders without using drugs.

Copyright Sharon Sweeny, 2011

Sharon Sweeny is a writer trying to get into better physical shape by doing a daily workout 365 days in a row. Follow her progress daily on her blog at https://edailyworkout.com.

Benefits of yoga:

There are many benefits of yoga for men and women. Some of them are:

Reduces stress and improves power of relaxation

Increases physical strength, stamina and flexibility

Imparts impulse Control

Helps in rehabilitation (to restore to good health condition) of old and new injuries

Boosts tolerance to pain and intensifying mental clarity

Purifies and enhances overall organ functioning

Favors to have peace of mind and a more positive outlook to life

Increases performance of the immune system

Enhances blood circulation

Offers extensive power of concentration and self control

Strengthens posture and muscle tone

Inculcates a sense of balance and internal harmony

Benefits yoga for kids:

Yoga is the right kind of exercise for children as it is gentle, non-competitive and works on entire body and mind. Children of all ages and physical abilities can participate.

It increases their concentration, focus and attention.

It improves their creativity and imagination.

It gives them a sense of a relaxed state of body and mind.

It boosts their self-esteem and confidence.

It results in strong, flexible and healthy bodies.

Benefits of yoga for pregnant woman:

Prenatal Yoga helps in viewing the struggle of childbirth with a positive frame of mind. This generates a more natural attitude towards pregnancy and childbirth.

Reducing anxiety, stress, and tension.

Reducing backache.

Improving circulation.

Increasing energy levels.

Strengthening of abdominal muscles.

Increasing chances of possessing a healthy baby.

Accelerating post-pregnancy recovery time.

Improving sleep.

Benefits of yoga for sports person:

Yoga is beneficial for sports person as postures consistently operates all the major muscle groups of the back, neck and shoulders, deep abdominal, hip and buttocks muscles and also ankles, feet, wrists and hands. Yoga postures will influence major and minor muscle groups and organs and at the same time import strength, improve flexibility and provide nutrition to internal organs.

Yoga can enhance the ability of person in any sport. Yoga helps in examining any imbalance in muscular development and will make both body and mind to work more efficiently. If sports person body is flexible and supple, then there are fewer chances for injuries, as joints will be kept smooth.

Benefits of yoga for old people:

Yoga is a mild form of exercise, which will not produce strain in the joints and muscles. This is very essential for old people.

Yoga helps to rejuvenate and develop flexibility in the body.

Yoga breathing techniques helps old people to breathe correctly and deeply, which make the capacity of lungs to be utilized perfectly. Which in turn guarantees that all cells in the body obtain sufficient oxygen, and also slows down the process of aging.

Yoga helps increasing the blood flow to several organs and tissues of the body. This helps in reducing the effect of aging.

The meditation techniques, which are so fundamental to yoga, improves concentration and makes memory sharp. They also help in reducing loss of mental sensitivity due to old age.

Yoga postures help to regulate blood pressure.

Yoga helps in enhancing a uniform development of physical, mental and spiritual conditions of a person. A person under supervision of yoga teacher or instructor must initially practice yoga compulsorily in order to know precautions and postures that suit you.

Just as massage relaxes muscles, yoga stretches them and balances the body's energy. The practice of yoga has been in existence for centuries and continues to gain followers in the Western world. As a single person, you definitely should pay attention to how to relax and reduce stress in your life.

Yoga studios and gyms offer a wide range of classes, covering a variety of yoga styles. The key is to find the one that benefits you the most. Some people practice yoga as a means of stretching. While that element is important, I believe that yoga offers a host of other advantages as well. It helps you balance energies and open chakras. It helps the flow of oxygen throughout your body, thereby allowing your organs to function better. It quiets your mind and allows you to connect with your deeper self. It strengthens your body so that it is better prepared to handle ailments or fight infections.

And it can help relieve back problems--whether due to stress, injury or poor posture. I'm not a doctor, and I can't promise positive results, but my personal experience with yoga has been life-changing. I recently purchased a series of yoga DVDs by Yoga Zone, including the Ultimate Collection, Flexibility and Stress Release, and my personal favorite, Yoga for a Strong and Healthy Back.

There are plenty of others to choose from. You can find yoga classes at your local gym or yoga studio. Try several different classes and see how you feel afterward. Hopefully you will feel light, flexible, empowered, peaceful, and ready to take on life's challenges. Namaste!