Dele al Yoga la oportunidad de maximizar su entrenamiento

Give Yoga the opportunity to maximize your training


The captivating thing about Yoga is that you do not need to have been born in India or be a Yogi, nor have obtained certifications.  You just have to unroll your mat, follow the instructions to achieve the posture or asana, breathe while your body strengthens and let your mind calm down.

 

Benefits of practicing Yoga

Postural restoration

The human body is naturally asymmetrical. Imagine that on one side you have the liver, which weighs approximately 1,500 grams; while on the left side you have the heart (on average 280 grams) and space must be made in your rib cage. 

We also know that the muscles on our dominant side can be stronger.  By nature, people use their dominant hand more often. Therefore, it is normal for there to be small differences in strength between the muscles of the left hand and those of the right hand. But factors such as overuse can turn these small differences into significant imbalances, and so can the other muscles.

This is perhaps the first reason why Yoga can find a place in your life and it is because it helps you find your center of gravity again.  When you step well, stand well, are aware of good posture, both for standing and moving, breathe properly, you do your body a great favor by avoiding imbalances, weakness, and chronic pain that, if left untreated, end in injuries.

However, there are other causes for postural imbalance as explained by Mrs. Aleena Kanner, postural restorer in an interview with Dr. Mercola. 

“Glasses, LASIK surgery, dental implants and root canals can affect sensory experience and therefore proper walking and posture, which in turn can lead to pain syndromes.

Dental interventions can affect the bite, which impacts cranial and cervical posture. If teeth are removed and not replaced with an implant, the brain may not be able to determine where the center of gravity is, resulting in overcompensation to one side or the other.

LASIK eye surgery can trigger unexpected problems. One of the main problems is that if you get the wrong prescription, it can cause dysfunction. With glasses, on the other hand, you are not locked into one prescription. You can change it and buy new glasses if it turns out that your symmetry was wrong.” (My translation)

Mrs. Kanner is a specialist in postural correction and there are centers in several countries that focus on treatments for this. However, in this line, Yoga offers you the possibility that through the postures that you yourself learn to perform, you synchronize with your breathing, your body automatically seeks to align itself with its center of gravity , something that is very personal because the structure of your body is unique and because the possible traumas that you have had throughout your life, interventions, surgeries, if you have vision problems or have endured dental treatments, shape who you are today.

 

Practicing Yoga helps you increase your flexibility

Yoga postures are achieved by stretching your muscles.  When your muscles relax, your limbs' range of motion improves, and your body movements become more fluid and less stiff or tired. 

In a study conducted with college athletes, quite positive results were obtained in terms of improvements in flexibility and balance, compared to the control group.

According to this study, “the premise of yoga differs from other specific types of training due to its multifaceted requirements that challenge the body in varied ways.   When performed correctly, athletes can optimize body functioning by maximizing movement possibilities and minimizing movement restrictions . The physical practice of yoga involves maintaining regular, steady breathing while changing body position through a series of Asanas (static postures) during which all target and supporting muscle groups are engaged (under tension). Connecting the mechanics of breathing with an active musculoskeletal system while performing the postures provides a holistic (complete) challenge to the entire body.”

But this benefit does not only help athletes.  Sedentary people or those who spend much of the day in front of a desk or computer can benefit from Yoga to prevent or combat muscle stiffness caused by immobility.

 

Increase strength if you practice Vinyasa or Yoga in movement

The truth is that practicing certain types of Yoga safely improves flexibility, posture and balance.  However, if you also want to strengthen your body, Ashtanga Yoga offers you this complement.

Regular practice of Ashtanga Yoga allows you to strengthen both upper and lower limbs, wrists and core.  This is achieved by performing the “Sun Salutation” (Surya Namaskar) and Vinyasas sequences, which in their entirety is a dynamic and fluid sequence that tones your muscles and makes them more flexible.

 

Yoga helps you improve circulation

A recent article in the medical journal ScienceDirect.com indicates that proper fitness maintenance and stress management using Yoga can effectively reduce cardiovascular diseases and that practicing Yoga exercises improves cardiovascular health and reduces associated risk factors.

It is well known that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic inflammatory immune disorder affecting the arteries. Over time, the arteries become stenosed (narrowed) due to the accumulation of sclerosis of the arterial walls and intimal atheroma (thickening).

If it persists, plaques that are prone to rupture can form, obstructing the coronary arteries and causing thrombosis.

About 80% of CVDs are caused by modified risk factors, the most important of which are hyperlipidemia , overweight , diabetes and hypertension . Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) not only lead the list of causes of death worldwide, but are also responsible for the largest loss of years of healthy life.

Smoking is the second most important risk factor for myocardial infarction, behind hypercholesterolemia (three times higher risk), according to the results of the INTERHEART research. Yoga acts on stress and behavioural impulses associated with addiction, and is increasingly recognised as a possible complementary treatment to conventional medical treatment for quitting smoking.

Numerous styles of yoga, including Ashtanga, Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin yoga, improve mood, reduce negative effects such as withdrawal symptoms, and more.

 

Yoga can help control anxiety and reduce stress

The key to Yoga to reduce stress and anxiety lies in three pillars, namely:  body movement, breathing control and clearing the mind.

Hatha Yoga is a type of Yoga that focuses on postures, some classes focus more on stretching while others take into account transitions making the class more dynamic.  You choose. 

As for breathing, it is an important aspect of the practice of Yoga and although breathing is an involuntary act, you can become aware of it and thus, the power to regulate it.  Yoga teaches you when to inhale, when to exhale, and how to breathe while holding a posture.  These times give you the opportunity to find calm during the posture, to allow your muscles to relax without exerting pressure and for your thoughts to wander away from worries.

Finally, the third pillar of Yoga is to control the racing mind, but by achieving the postures that require physical effort and concentration, you are forcing yourself to put aside so much thinking and worry.  Likewise, becoming aware of your breathing again forces you to let go of other thoughts.  Both postures and controlled breathing can be considered basic meditation techniques.  

  

Yoga for weight loss

Yoga practice can be part of a program to reduce excess body weight. In 2022, a thematic review of 22 studies indicated that Yoga can help reduce excess weight, muscle mass index, body fat percentage and waist circumference among obese participants who took part in these studies.

The truth is that with any type of exercise, be it athletics, weight lifting or Yoga, you are activating your metabolism which makes you burn calories.  The difference is that Yoga is a practice that, due to the mind-body connection, the gentle but challenging movements and postures, as well as controlled breathing, contributes to making better food choices on a daily basis, to allowing you to perceive each part of your body and, as you delve deeper into the practice, you can observe how your body changes.

 

Yoga can help you improve the quality of your sleep

According to a publication of the United States National Library of Medicine,

“One possible reason explaining the better sleep quality in Yoga practitioners is that Yoga exercises involve stretching and relaxing muscles causing significant physical and mental effort resulting in lower sleep latency (time elapsed from the onset of sleep to the onset of the first REM sleep), deeper sleep, less sleep disturbances, and better sleep efficiency. As the mean duration of Yoga practice of the study participants was 5.26 years, it can be said that the benefits of Yoga were maintained even after long-term Yoga practice in the Yoga group compared to the control group. However, the exact relationship between Yoga and better sleep quality remains to be elucidated.”

 

Types of Yoga

There are styles of Yoga that increase your heart rate and, consequently, your metabolism.  These are,

Vinyasa, which involves continuous movement and breathing from posture to posture

Ashtanga , which is characterized by the rigorous repetition of a series of postures linked by transitions and corresponding breathing.

Power yoga , which is characterized by rapid movements and postures that are held for three to five breaths.

Hot yoga (formerly known as Bikram), which is practiced in a room heated to a temperature of 85 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit or 30 to 40 degrees Celsius and can include several styles of yoga.

For slower classes that require concentration and physical endurance,

Hatha Yoga focuses on postural and breathing techniques, traditionally used to channel the source of vital energy. In Sanskrit, Ha means Hatha and translates as strength. The practice involves breathing, body (postures) and mind (meditation).

 

Strength training with Yoga

Many people think that Yoga is doing a sequence of stretches, which is also true, but much more so as you have seen. How can you then strengthen your muscles by practicing Yoga? In principle, there are Yoga postures that force you to strengthen your muscles while holding them, as is the case with

Downward-Facing Dog Pose . Strengthens the arms and legs.

The half moon pose . Strengthens the legs and ankles.

Plank Pose . Strengthens arms, wrists and back.

Locust Pose . Strengthens the back of the torso, legs and arms.

However, there are some types of Yoga that are quite demanding, such as Ashtanga Yoga, where inverted postures are practiced (handstand, headstand, or forearm balance, known as Pincha Mayurasana); and transitions that require lifting the body weight (Tolasana) and that clearly strengthen and tone the muscles, but that does require discipline and perseverance .  So there is something for everyone.

 

How to get started

Personally, I started incorporating Yoga postures at the end of my workouts and little by little I developed a special liking for feeling that it really relaxed me and that the postures allowed me to connect with the trained muscles and to take a moment with myself before changing to leave the gym.

I then looked for books myself that indicated Yoga sessions of different lengths that I liked to do on my days off from training. Eventually, the opportunity to obtain a certification in Hatha Yoga presented itself.

Now, Yoga classes are found everywhere, mainly in gyms or studios dedicated to this practice.  There are also online courses that you can follow from home, although I recommend in-person classes so that your teacher can correct you and give you advice based on your specific conditions.  Furthermore, tell your teacher about any health problems you may have, such as high blood pressure or arthritis, as well as any injuries or physical problems. A good teacher will know which exercises are best for you and will tell you which positions to avoid.

 

Tips to prevent muscle imbalances with the help of Yoga

Vary your exercises .  This is most easily achieved with Vinyasa Yoga classes, because each class is different.  Or simply incorporate a weekly Yoga class into your existing exercise routine.

Make sure the exercises use both sides of the body .  Yoga classes typically ensure that each pose or exercise alternates each side of the body.

Don't wait until you get to Yoga class to stretch.  Try doing some of the standing poses to stay flexible and avoid muscle contractures. Aim for at least 5-10 minutes a day of stretching focused on the core and muscles of the upper and lower extremities.

Stay moderately active throughout the day . Physical activity throughout the day—even a few minutes every hour—can help keep your muscles relaxed while keeping you balanced, your blood flowing, and your body's center of gravity aware. If you spend a lot of time sitting, as many office workers do, you can do some quick desk exercises.

Personally, I love practicing Yoga because the only equipment I need, wherever I am, is a piece of floor and my body, there are no excuses.

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