COMMONLY KNOWN BENEFITS
The most commonly talked about benefits of yoga are – flexibility, strength, and calming to the mind. These are generally the ones people most associate with the word yoga.
MOST UNDERTALKED BENEFIT
Although there are numerous benefits of this practice, in this article I would like to focus on one particular benefit – It’s ability to (re)align our body. Yoga is an alignment based practice, and good body posture can help cure a great degree of physical ailments like back pain, neck pain etc. [bctt tweet=”Most Undertalked Benefit of Yoga is it’s ability to (re)align our body. ” username=”SweetDemise16″]
HERE’S HOW…
Our skeletal system is made up of cartilage and calcified bone that work together. And our muscles as we know, are attached to the bones of our skeletal system. This musculoskeletal system provides structure, support, and movement to the body. In other words, our muscular system supports our skeletal system.
We are born with muscle sets on both sides of the body. Ideally these muscles should develop equally on either side as we grow. However, our daily activities, habits, and movement patterns inhibit this equal development on either side of our spine. For example: Playing certain sports that require excessive use of one hand over the other, habitually carrying a hand bag on one side, our sleeping patterns etc. Such actions can cause imbalances in muscle development from one side to the other.
When these imbalances first start to take place, their effects aren’t that noticeable. That is because the body has a way of adjusting itself. But it can only do so to a certain degree. As we age and continue to indulge in our habitual activities, these imbalances will also continue to grow. And if we do not change our habitual patterns or counter these imbalances, they will eventually leading to pain and injury – due to misalignment!
YOGA’S ROLE…
Yoga helps us to minimize and counter the effects of these imbalances. That is why a well structured yoga class with ensure that you hold poses on both sides of the body. Forward bends will be accompanied by back bends. And every peak pose will have an offset or a neutralizing pose. It’s focus will be to develop the muscles on both side equally, and to strengthen the spine. Hence leading to good posture and stability. [bctt tweet=”With a regular yoga practice, you will be able to self identify and strengthen the muscle groups in your body that need more work.” username=”SweetDemise16″]
With a regular yoga practice, you will be able to self identify the muscle groups in your body that need more work. More so, you will be able to strengthen those muscle groups by incorporating yoga postures that specifically target them. And that is why I like to call it – Simple Holistic Yoga!!!